Call it what ever you like Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Call it what ever you like - Essay Example Summary of the conclusions of the article Interpersonal communication has a direct influence on culture development. Open and clear communication between people forms the basis for good and effective public relations. The interpersonal relationships between the politicians have a major influence on the behavioral culture of the voters. The interpersonal communication between politicians serves to depress the voter turnout, through influencing the attitudes of the voters, since the controversy raised by the interpersonal communication affects the informational gains of the voters. The disagreements of the politicians make it hard for the voters to decide which party to support (Hopmann, 265). Thus, it is apparent that interpersonal communication has a direct influence on the culture of the people, based on the techniques and skills applied in the communication. Where there seems to be disagreement and ineffective interpersonal communication between the politicians, which focuses on di screditing each other’s political parties at the expense of disseminating gainful information, there is a tendency to generate a culture of voter apathy (Hopmann, 282). On the other hand, where there is effective interpersonal communication, based on disseminating the individual and party political ideologies to the people, the voter motivation and positive attitude is enhanced. The conflict arising from the controversy of words and the disagreements between the voters serves to cause the disapproval of the voters’ party of choice, which in turn influences the political behavior and political attitudes of the people. Studies have shown that citizens tend to identify with the political network that supports their ideologies and lifestyle (Hopmann, 267). However, the controversy created by the interpersonal communication between the politicians, serves to erode the information gains that such citizens would have reaped from the discussion of the parties’ ideologie s, since the controversy seeks to discredit each other’s party pledges, at the expense of informing the citizens on the ideologies that the parties stands for. The citizens then tend to avoid controversies and thus opt out of the communication tussle between the politicians. Ineffective interpersonal communication is the basis for influencing the social pressure in a negative way. The application of good interpersonal communication skills, which amounts to diverging and disseminating gainful information to the public, constitutes a positive political behavioral attitude towards party and candidates choice decision-making (Hopmann, 278). The ineffective interpersonal communication techniques serve to influence the attitudinal effect of the voter decision and their behavioral effects. Thus the fundamental conclusion of this article is that; the application of poor interpersonal communicational skills and techniques does not only serve to ruin the relationship of the two individ uals holding a conversation, but also the third parties, who may be interested, or affected by the interpersonal relationship in any way (Watzlawick, 57). This draws a parallel relationship between the interpersonal communication and the social context, where the nature of the interpersonal communication applied, and the context where it is applied, has a great influence on the impacts that such a communication is likely to make. Argument in

Free

Free Will Versus Determinism Essay The excerpt I chose was â€Å"Free Will versus Determinism†, and I noticed from the beginning the piece was written with reasons to support the content. First, the presentation introduces two beliefs; the behavior of atoms is governed entirely by physical law, and humans have free will. Immediately after presenting these ideas and questioning the relations in the two, the excerpt explains the logical approach to why they do not necessarily favor one another. Any argument that is presented, or comparison of two aspects, needs facts and reasons to confirm why the person is trying to convince the reader or other person that the argument is supported. Referring to the two beliefs presented at the beginning of the excerpt, the piece supports the idea that the behavior of atoms is governed entirely by physical law and humans have free will do not have a congruent relationship. Atoms will do what they have to do because of physical law and its determination of what each atom will do in the given circumstances. This is fact which is presented clearly and holds accuracy. An interpretation of the example given would be is if an atom does Z in circumstance Q, then circumstance Q will result in the atom having to do Z. By physical law, one cannot predict, change, or control what atoms do and how they do what they do. Continuing on to the next segment of the excerpt, it explains that free will is what happens, but did not necessarily have to happen. Unlike atoms and how they are governed by physical law, free will is something that has to be invoked by a human. Choice is the root in free will and what a person chooses to do will have a result. In this second part I began to see the argument because it was the comparison to the first fact presented, and reasons are given for why the argument is being made. A quote is written into the conclusion that points out that humans have free will to a certain degree, but it does not relate to how atoms are governed. The strengths that I found were the facts presented and the explanation of the material. Also I like the order in which the excerpt was written. The two beliefs were first, followed by the questioning of validation and reasons why the two beliefs did not fit well together as one belief. I could not identify any weaknesses in the excerpt, or parts that were irrelevant. As stated before the segment was factual, and the reasons were enough to convince the reader that the theory presented is accurate. References: Moore-Bruder, (2008). Philospophy (7th ed. ). : The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Self-Discovery in Oates Naked Essay -- Oates Naked Essays

Self-Discovery in Oates Naked  Ã‚   While other, less accomplished writers use violence to shock or provoke, Joyce Carol Oates is usually more subtle and inventive. Such is the case in "Naked," the story of a forty-six year old woman whose placid outer identity is ripped away by a brutal assault while out hiking not far from her fashionable, University Heights neighborhood. Like many of Oates' stories—and in this regard she probably owes something to Flannery O'Connor—"Naked" focuses on a woman so entrenched in her rigid self-image that nothing short of violence could make her vulnerable to a humbling, though redemptive, self knowledge. The protagonist, a stolid, college administrator, prides herself on her liberal views and anti-racist, fair mindedness. Curiously, she remains unnamed throughout the story, though not without reason. Her namelessness brings us closer to her inner world while at the same time obliquely suggesting that, given these same violent circumstances, she could be anyone, even you or me. Names represent a kind of social identity, and Oates' main interest here is in exploring what might happen when her character's social framework and the comfortably predictable life that goes with it are suddenly, and irrevocably, taken away. This, of course, is precisely what happens. What then, Oates seems to be asking, would be left? The answer, which is feverishly detailed in the remaining thirteen pages of this sixteen page story, is something this woman would never have asked for nor anticipated. Like most people in her social sphere, the woman takes for granted the civility and restraints that have kept her, prior to her attack, comfortably exempt from the personal chaos that violence unleashes. All of... ...the story concludes with the woman "crouched," still naked, "in the underbrush" below her house and marveling how strange it is to be seeing her husband at last after "having wanted so desperately to get home," and yet now feeling "no emotion" at what she saw. (138)    Works Cited Hillman, James. Eranos Lectures 8, "On Paranoia," by Hillman. Dallas: Spring Publications, 1986. Oates, Joyce Carol. "Naked." Heat and Other Stories. By Oates. New York: Plume, 1991. Robinson, Sally "Heat and Cold: Recent Fiction by Joyce Carol Oates," Michigan Quarterly Review, Vol. XXXI, 1992. Notes 1. Robinson, Sally. "Heat and Cold: Recent Fiction by Joyce Carol Oates." Michigan Quarterly Review, Vol. XXXI, 1992. In Contemporary Literary Criticism, Vol. 108. 383. 2. Hillman, James. Eranos Lectures 8, "On Paranoia." Spring Publications, 1986. 13-14.      

The No child Left Behind Statute

The â€Å"No child Left Behind† statute introduced by President Bush and passed by the congress has created a number of problems for the educational programs intended for adolescents in elementary and secondary schools. The financial situation of the elementary and secondary schools is extremely poor because the states governments have been eliminating vital elementary educational programs. The school administrations have been reluctant to provide extended courses to the students. Furthermore, the textbooks are not being printed consistently, making not only the students but also the teachers extremely vulnerable and helpless. The funding disparity has also created huge gaps between the education being provided to the children belonging to the rich families and those belonging to the poor ones. The shortcomings and the rhetoric behind â€Å"No child left behind† act needs to be exposed so that effective measures can be taken to curtail the damage (Susan, 2003). The consistent lack of attention being given to elementary and secondary education, particularly to adolescent literacy is posing a grave threat to the future of the American education system. The purpose of this thesis is to reveal the shortcomings of â€Å"No child left behind† law by first understanding the basic details of the act related to adolescent literacy programs and then persuasively assessing the loopholes in it. Lastly, the thesis gives carefully crafted recommendations aimed at not only the federal and state governments but also the school districts, parents and the educators. The aim is to create an understanding of the present and future needs for those educational programs that are aimed at adolescents and identifying the present gaps in the federal educational law. The American value of education emphasizes that all children, regardless of their gender, religion ethnicity should be able to acquire the basic skills of education and then carry those basic skills through to the elementary, secondary and high level education. Unfortunately, research has shown that the reality of the present education system is on the contrary. In a recent study, conducted by â€Å"National Assessment of Educational Progress† (NAEP, 2002), it has been noted that as much as 26% of the students are unable to read their textbooks fluently and almost half cannot comprehend the meaning of the text (Michael F. Hock and Donald D. Deshler, 2003). It is worth noting that the legislators and government officials realize the gravity of the situation but have been unable to cope with it. If nearly half of the students in the elementary schools are unable to effectively read their course books, then, these students will find higher education very difficult. The â€Å"No Child Left Behind† act has made things even more difficult because the focus has been on a long-term solution, whereas, it is imperative that the needs of the present generations are addressed immediately. This is because millions of students will be unable to cope with the demands of the future workplace needs if their basic educative skills are not enhanced at the right time (Michael F. Hock and Donald D. Deshler, 2003). The challenge for the present legislators, teachers, parents and school administrations is to counter the threat of adolescent illiteracy by introducing effective programs, backed by appropriate amount of government funds. The difficultly lies in the ineffectiveness of the present educational law to cater the needs of adolescents as the most problematical educational dilemma to deal with has been the deficiency in the reading, writing and speaking skills of adolescents. The present educational and political leadership need to create and implement productive adolescent educational programs, which are feasible in the present schooling environment (Michael F. Hock and Donald D. Deshler, 2003). Dough Mesecar, who is currently a senior policy adviser to the secretary of Education, while giving his comments on the present status of the NCLB act asserts in an interview, â€Å"The achievement scores are up, and we're very pleased to see both the achievement gap starting to close, kids are learning more, a very positive report in the sense that the Center for Education Policy report is a self-survey, so these are states and districts reporting on their own to the center that their scores are up, achievement gaps are closing. So we feel very positive that this is yet another report showing the trends are definitely heading in a positive direction. † Contrary to the above statement, many experts believe that the â€Å"No Child Left Behind† act presents a grave threat to the American values. But, before revealing the shortcomings of the â€Å"No Child Left Behind† law, it is imperative that the basic features of the law that are related to elementary education are clearly understood. It is important to note that at least four areas of the act have been considered to have severe repercussions on the adolescent literacy. These four features are as follows: The â€Å"No child left behind† (NCLB) act encourages superior standards. The law makes it imperative that those schools, which are being supported by the government through funds, align their endeavors with the standards set by the local state. Furthermore, the law makes it imperative for these schools to employ only skilled and qualified workforce and only work on evidence-founded programs that are time-oriented and result-oriented. It is believed that these measures will enhance the level of education because it will not only minimize the inadequacy of unqualified teachers but also enhance learning as only scientifically verified teaching initiatives will be offered to the adolescents (Jim Donlevy, 2002). The law asserts that the annual progress of all the schools will be noted in relation to the competence achieved by the students in subjects such as mathematics and science, and in skills such as reading, writing and speaking. Standardized procedures and methods will be drafted to evaluate the progress of each district, school, as well as every group within each school. It is important to note that these â€Å"assessments† have put a great deal of added stress on all elementary schools because they have to align their educational endeavors within the parameters of elementary education set by the state (Jim Donlevy, 2002). The NCLB act has set very high standards for elementary schools all over America. If a particular school fails to meet the standards of the state for 2 successive years then that particular school will have to craft counteractive programs. Should the school fail to meet the State†s requirements for the 3RD consecutive year, tougher measures will be introduced, which may include replacements in the school workforce, complete modification of the school syllabus and maybe even state takeover (Jim Donlevy, 2002). The law allows parents to send their children to a school located in another district should their present school fail to meet the standards set by the State. The cost for this transfer of school along with the daily cost of transportation will be met by the local government. Furthermore, if the students attending these low-performing schools need home-tutoring or any other measure to augment their children†s achievements, then the local government will provide funds for those measures as well. The primary objective of the NCLB law is to enhance the possibility of success in elementary education for all Americans. This is being done by placing specific standards and then taking effective measures to make sure that these requirements are being met (Jim Donlevy, 2002). The most severe negative outcome for the elementary schools will be that they will loose their freedom to experiment with the instructional methods. While scientifically proven methods offer a great deal of benefits to the students, the creativity and progress in discovering newer and more effective instructional methods will be lost. Furthermore, while numerous research studies about effective reading methods have been conducted, very little research exists on other educative areas, such as speaking, writing and learning. Therefore, elementary teachers and schools will be finding it very difficult to meet the standards of the State (Jim Donlevy, 2002). Another major loophole in the NCLB act is that the â€Å"counteractive measures† for schools will be extremely costly. It is important to note that the measures set forth for under-performing schools are unfeasible to implement. If the number of schools that fail to comply with the standards set by the State for 2 successive years increases substantially, then the funds required to bring the necessary changes in the workforce, syllabus and structures of the schools or a complete State takeover will be extremely difficult to manage as the funds for education are being slashed every year by the Bush Administration (Jim Donlevy, 2002). The condition laid out by the NCLP to only employ specialized, qualified and licensed teachers is posing severe problems for struggling schools. It is vital to note that those schools that have either failed to or are struggling to comply with the standards set by the local government consistently employ replacement-teachers from far-off areas and are bound to face shortages of licensed teachers. Furthermore, many experts believe that this tendency will increase in the coming years and the struggling schools will face tougher challenges to meet this condition, while those schools that have been meeting the State†s standards of initiatives have been consistently employing certified teachers. Therefore, the persistence of the NCLB act to employ only licensed and specialized teachers has made it unrealistic for low-performing schools to meet this condition (Jim Donlevy, 2002). Additional troubling features of the NCLB Act The funds allocated for the successful implementation of NCLB are not only limited but also very poorly directed. While the NCLP act lays clear emphasis and provides adequate funds for crafting accountability structures and carrying out transformations for schools that fail to comply with the Standards of the State, it fails to provide adequate funds for conducting research on equally important academic areas for adolescents† literacy, namely, educator training and constant learning, the needs and interests of adolescents and framework for educating and learning in subject areas. This misdirection of funds will further hamper the progress of low-performing schools (Mark W. Conley and Kathleen A. Hinchman, 2004). Furthermore, NCLB gives very little consideration to the framework of literacy strategies. The three areas cited in the NCLB act are alphabetic acquaintance, fluency, and comprehension strategies. While the adolescents have been able to develop the first two categories (alphabetic knowledge and fluency), they have found the last category (comprehension strategies) to be extremely difficult. This is mainly due to the fact that new frameworks for subject-contents are being developed, which create the need for the development of newer comprehension strategies. Nevertheless, several studies have asserted that NCLB mirrors very limited research on this issue and sets a very restricted standard on strategies related to the development of newer comprehension strategies (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000; Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998; Alexander & Jetton, 2000). It is important to note that adolescents do not come prepared for the challenges they will face in their elementary and secondary education. One cannot wait for newer laws to be enacted or school reforms to be initiated. Immediate strategies have to be developed so that the present threats emerging from the NCLB act can be turned into an opportunity for all schools. The federal and local State governments should reflect on the following strategies for immediate and quick-fix actions: Firstly, recognizing those strategies that have been successfully implemented by high-performing schools and then enforcing the low-performing schools to adopt those strategies (Michael F. Hock and Donald D. Deshler, 2003). In order to present those successful strategies to low-performing schools and ensuring that they have comprehensively understood all the aspects of the strategies, the government ought to set up presentation-places to illustrate those plans and achievements (Michael F. Hock and Donald D. Deshler, 2003). Encourage programs that educate teachers on scientifically verified instructional methods. Despite the fact that confusion about the proper definition of adolescent literacy still prevails, modern research has been able to give some direction to the dilemma. These directions should be used as a framework to allocate funds for teacher training programs that have been clinically verified to be productive (Michael F. Hock and Donald D. Deshler, 2003). Increased consideration should be given to literacy instruction because no current teacher training programs inform the teachers about the difficulties they will face while dealing with the literacy instructions in their teaching careers (Michael F. Hock and Donald D. Deshler, 2003). These recommendations should be implemented with immediate affect because we are all aware that schools are very multifaceted and therefore manifold characteristics and strategies have got to be adopted (Darling-Hammond, 1997; Marzano, 2003). It is important for the government officials to note that neither the adolescents nor the teachers can be ignored because they both are the pillars for growth and development of any society (e. g. , Pressley, 2001; Strickland & Morrow, 2000; Stronge, 2002) (Margaret Taylor, 2004) The â€Å"No Child Left Behind† act can be considered to be more idealistic than realistic because while the aims are very noble, the funds required to achieve these noble aims are very limited and a number of vital issues have been ignored. The State governments have been busy in establishing high standards of achievements for all schools without making efforts to really understand the complexities of the present system and the repercussions of their policies on the schools, parents, teachers and the students. Therefore, a proper reaction to the present threats being posed by the NCLB act should be thorough, carefully directed, and all-inclusive if across-the-board transformations are desired. Lastly, endeavors to bridge the differences amid the objectives and the present capabilities have got to be the most important concern if the aim is for adolescents to productively challenge the needs of the business and the society.

Martin Luther

THEMES IN U. S. & WORLD HISTORY Task 2 Roberta Gauvin Two of the most significant social and/ political changes that occurred as a result of the actions of one individual was Nelson Mandela. Mandela represented an example of a powerful leader who inspired millions of people around the world. First of all Mandela won the first multi-racial elections in South Africa thus creating a significant change in perception and building of a color blind society in Africa and around the world. Prior to becoming a president, people knew him for his anti-apartheid violent actions, his actions attracted attention to the existing problem. His actions made him well known around the world. Martin Luther King was well known around the world for his significant movements for the society. Martin Luther King became an iconic figure, whose courage inspired countless people. First, Martin Luther King advocated for civil rights by means of the peaceful method and never encouraged using violence for achieving the goals. His speech â€Å"I Have a Dream† encouraged the creation of a colorblind society and society based on equality among all people. â€Å"When he was notified of winning a Nobel Peace Prize, he stated that all the funds were to go to further the civil rights movement (King, M 1964). He actively addressed issues of poverty and contributed to the end of the War in Vietnam. References I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King in Text and Pictures. , New York, Time Life Books, 1968. â€Å"Martin Luther King, Biography†, Nobel prize (1964), Retrieved 14 September 2011 from http://www. nobelprize. or g/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio. html Themes in History, Individuals and Institutions (2006), retrieved 14 September 2011, from http://history. webtexts. com/courses/4573-history/toc/chapters/389802-individuals-and-institutions-as-mechanisms-of-social-change/assignments/342712-7-nelson-mandela

10 Analytical Essay Topics on Forensic Anthropology

10 Analytical Essay Topics on Forensic Anthropology If you are writing an analytical essay on forensic anthropology, there are many things that might constitute a great thesis or even sufficient evidence to substantiate a claim made in your thesis. Having a list of facts can be quite helpful in your brainstorming efforts. Below is a list of facts that you can turn to for your writing: In the field of forensic science, forensic archaeology is defined as the application of archaeological principles, skills and techniques that are normally used on an archaeological site to find evidence. This evidence commonly comes in the form of buried items or other evidence that would commonly be found at gravesites, but the job of a forensic archaeologist can vary based on the needs of their employer. Most commonly, they may be employed by the local police to dig up and document all evidence that was found at the site in question. Just like the work done at an archaeological dig, the forensic archaeologist must approach every job where their skills are required with great care and attention to detail. They must take great care to preserve all evidence that they find in every stage of the dig so as to ensure that their findings are not compromised in any way. This process has been documented countless times on a wide range of television shows, so it should come as no surprise that each and every forensic investigation is viewed as quite complex so to avoid an unpredictable outcome. A good example of this comes in the form of the initial state of the site. Should it be noted that the soil had been disturbed prior to the dig, it could be of great importance to the outcome of the case. When we think of the job of a forensic archaeologist, the mind more commonly associates them with the discovery of human remains, possibly from criminal activity. But most commonly, the most important aspect of the job of an archaeologist comes in the form of finding and preserving the evidence found at a gravesite. This evidence comes in the form of bones, fabric and any other materials that can be dated using various scientific methods such as carbon dating. When this method is combined with a working historical knowledge of the textiles and artefacts the archaeologist can best calculate the age of the remains. But the gravesites that a forensic archaeologist may be called to may not require any digging as it could come in the form of a surface disposable of a body, or various body parts. When the scientific methods that are commonly applied to a gravesite dig are combined with the working knowledge of a botanist or an entomologist, the archaeologist can best calculate when the body had been disposed of which is key should the findings be part of a criminal investigation. The mass graves that have been created from various war crimes also offers the forensic archaeologist the opportunity to use their skills to collect as much data as possible to help others gain a better understanding of all parties involved. On bodies uncovered at dig sites, teeth can also be used to determine the age of the victim as well as provide DNA samples which are critical when the body has been found in the advanced stages of decomposition, leaving little bone marrow or hair for analysis. Bite mark analysis is the one technique in forensics that can be seen a quite controversial. The forensic dentist will take a mould or possibly a photograph of the mark found on the victim which is then compared at a later point in time to the teeth marks of any potential suspects, or to the wounds found on other victims of a similar crime. A bite mark will show the unique characteristics of the teeth that made the mark. For example, should the suspect have any missing or broken teeth, they will be easy to identify in the bite mark. Upon reviewing dig sites, or any evidence, forensic anthropologists can rely upon all of the findings contained in the site itself, such as insects or debris left behind. The use of insects as part of a forensic investigation is not a new practice. Insects have been used as far back as the 13th century, when Chinese lawyer, and â€Å" death investigator† Sung Tzu, more commonly known as Song Ci authored a book in 1247 called Washing Away of Wrongs. It was in this book that he explains in detail how the individuals in certain cases that he worked died, as well as the cause of their death. He also explained how to analyse a body both before and after its burial as well as the body’s decomposition process as based on the insects that had been found on the corpse. The necrophagous, or corpse eating insects that are found at the crime scene can also help to determine the victims time of death as well as if there were drugs present in the body at time of death. By analysing the lifecycle of the insects and their larvae, the forensic entomologist can determine the length of time that had passed since the person’s death, more commonly known as the post-mortem interval. From any scene, the forensic anthropologist can try to find DNA which is the building blocks with which the genetic instructions needed for development and functioning of all known living organisms. It is remarkable that while most of the DNA sequencing (a whopping 99.9%) is the same in all human beings, just a 0.1% variation is sufficient to ensure that no two human beings, with the exception of identical twins will share the exact DNA sequence. The probability of two human beings having the same DNA sequence is negligibly small (as small as 1 in 64 billion). This uniqueness of DNA profile of a human being serves as an invaluable tool in identifying persons involved in a crime. Referred to variously as DNA fingerprinting, genetic fingerprinting or DNA profiling, it consists of analysing samples of DNA. Once analysed, the DNA profile obtained can be used to search for a match with samples obtained from a crime scene or against a national database of DNA profiles. It is quite easy to write a paper when you have this load of facts. But if you have even ready topics on forensic anthropology and a full guide on writing an analytical essay, can you imagine how simple it is? References: Biggs, John. Approaches to learning and to essay writing.  Learning strategies and learning styles. Springer US, 1988. 185-228. Burns, Karen Ramey.  Forensic anthropology training manual. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 1999. Crossland, Zoe. Of clues and signs: the dead body and its evidential traces.American anthropologist  111.1 (2009): 69-80. Dirkmaat, Dennis, ed.  A companion to forensic anthropology. John Wiley Sons, 2014. Komar, Debra A., and Jane E. Buikstra.  Forensic anthropology: contemporary theory and practice. Oxford University Press, USA, 2008. Morse, Dan, Jack Duncan, and James Stoutamire.  Handbook of forensic archaeology and anthropology. D. Morse, 1983. Sauer, Norman J. Forensic anthropology and the concept of race: If races dont exist, why are forensic anthropologists so good at identifying them?.Social Science Medicine  34.2 (1992): 107-111.

Radio †Movie Review

Radio – Movie Review Free Online Research Papers The film we choose to critique is â€Å"Radio† starring Cuba Gooding Jr and Ed Harris. It is based on a true story of James Robert â€Å"Radio† Kennedy and tells the story of how a man who is mentally retarded begins a friendship with a beloved football coach. The coach takes him under his wing, which upsets the town and through some trials eventually wins everyone over. The movie opens with Radio pushing his cart through the street and shows a woman shuffling her child away from him, a man staring at him and a man who almost runs him over calling him a â€Å"moron.† I liked that they started this way to establish what he goes through on a daily basis. Gooding’s character is constantly looking down and making gestures with his right hand allowing the viewer to realize that he has some sort of disability. The film makers also altered his teeth, making one buck and one chipped which I will return in my conclusion. In the first dramatic scene, the footballers lock Radio in a shed to torment him and Coach Jones, who finds him, is appalled. This is establishing how the coach and Radio become connected and later we learn why it touches the coach so profoundly when Coach Jones was young and found a child with some sort of mentally disability locked under a house in a cage and he did nothing and it had haunted him his entire life. The film never establishes the exact cause of his disability but when Coach asks his mother what was wrong with him, she says the doctor just says â€Å"he is a little slower than most.† As the coach befriends him, he learns that he loves radios and begins calling him Radio. As the coach is trying to integrate Radio into the team as an assistant and friend, the principal stops him from going on the team bus to a game. The next scene shows Radio playing football in the rain while his beloved radio plays in the background. The director did a nice job of symbolism here using the rain to represent sadness, tears, obstacles and to show how the radio that is playing doesn’t stop in the rain and Radio, the player doesn’t stop in the rain. Nothing can stop him. Another scene that I thought was worthy of noting and perhaps it is a coincidence but when the coach and Radio go out to eat at a restaurant, the other customers stare and snicker and the Coach notices it but continues talking with Radio. The irony here is that the restaurant was called â€Å"Lenny’s† which I think the director threw in since we know the classic character who also had a mental disability was named Lenny in â€Å"Of Mice and Men.† The town barber shop acts as a place for football talk with coffee being symbolic of how football is going for the year and how Radio is changing it. At the beginning of the film, Coach walks in and has fresh coffee which is â€Å"delicious.† Later as the town is disapproving of how Coach is letting Radio be part of the team, he walks into the barber shop and has the coffee. The other customers start to badger him about getting rid of Radio because he is causing so many problems. The scene ends with Coach walking out stating â€Å"Coffee has been better, Dale.† As the movie continues, in typical Hollywood fashion, Radio begins winning over the townspeople but there is still a bully and his bully father who torment him. At the end of the movie, that bully gives radio his letter jacket. All in all this was a good movie but I am not sure how accurate it was at showing the actual disability but it was entertaining. The film makers portrayed the character as a one with a good heart and this helped him succeed in the movie. The movie took place in the 1970s, as I noticed that there were references to â€Å"Charlie’s Angels† and â€Å"All in the Family† and for those of you much younger than I am, those aired in the 70s. I think times were different then and I hope I am not naive but I would hope that a person with mentally disabilities would not be locked in a shed and tormented but I also know there are very cruel people out there whom still think this is funny and acceptable behavior. In closing I think that the IDEA and the No Child Left Behind issue have helped make this film and others like it go mainstream in entertainment. I know that over time, more and more movies like this will be made and applauded and I know that was not necessarily the case 30 or 40 years ago. However with that being said I am not really sure Hollywood has come that far. As I mentioned above Gooding had his teeth altered for this film with his buck tooth and another tooth chipped. Sadly I noticed on the DVD jacket featuring the movie and the pictures of the character–look closely and you will notice Cuba’s teeth are perfect and he never made a trip to the dentist in the movie. That, to me, shows that Hollywood may make a film about a mentally disabled person but it still wants its actors to look perfect because it is really all about the bottom line and that is money. Research Papers on "Radio" - Movie ReviewTrailblazing by Eric AndersonWhere Wild and West MeetHip-Hop is ArtMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Hockey GameThe Spring and AutumnThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayMind Travel

List of Free Online Public Schools for Oregon Students

List of Free Online Public Schools for Oregon Students Oregon offers resident students the opportunity to take online public school courses for free. Below is a list of no-cost online schools currently serving elementary and high school students in Oregon. In order to qualify for inclusion on the list, schools must meet the following qualifications: classes are available completely online, they must offer services to state residents, and they have to be funded by the government. Insight School of Oregon- Painted Hills Students pay no tuition to attend Insight School of Oregon- Painted Hills, which bills itself as Oregon’s first online charter school for college and technical career-minded students. However, you will have to spring for school supplies like printer ink and paper, which the school does not provide. The school says its mission is: ... to build an online Career and Technical Education school that equips students with essential academic and technical skills, enabling them to pursue post-secondary education, achieve occupational certifications, or directly enter the work force. By providing Oregon businesses with educated, skilled students who are ready for employment, we aim to benefit individuals, families, industries, and the economy throughout our state.​ Insight School features: An individualized learning plan for each studentK12s winning, online academic curriculumHands-on materials, books, and a school computer on loanHighly qualified, Oregon-certified teachersAn advanced learner programWorld languagesStudent clubs, social events, and access to extracurricular activities and sports in participating school districtsA high school diploma for graduates who meet all state requirements Oregon Virtual Academy Oregon Virtual Academy (OVA) also uses an online K12 curriculum. (K12 is a national online program that offers virtual  schooling and curriculum in a variety of areas.) In general, the schools K-12 program includes: Core courses that are similar to the standard courses offered by many other programs. They meet all academic requirements for each course area both for graduation as well as for potential admission into a wide range of colleges.Comprehensive courses that are designed for students entering with strong foundational knowledge and aptitude in the subject area being covered, as well as solid study skills. OVA offers an online  K-6 curriculum  and an  online  Secondary School Curriculum  (7–12). The school is also completely tuition-free for Oregon public school students. Assessments are administered to ensure that each child will be matched to his or her level of proficiency, notes  Dr. Debbie Chrisop, the schools interim chief. The secondary school program is paced and requires class attendance. It is also accredited by NWAC, a division of AdvancEd. Oregon Connections Academy Connections Academy is a national online program used by school districts and states nationwide. In Oregon, this virtual program which was established in 2005 offers: A challenging K–12 curriculum developed by education expertsInstruction from state-certified teachers experienced in online instructionSupport from trained counselors, principals, and administrative staffFree textbooks and curriculum materials needed to participate in a dynamic online learning environmentComputers for families with students in grades K–8 In describing its success in virtual education over the years, the school notes: Some wonder whether a nontraditional school program like Oregon Connections Academy (ORCA) can truly provide a quality education. Thousands of personal success stories from ORCA graduates and parents prove that this form of nontraditional schooling provides a quality education for students of all ages. Still, as with the previously mentioned online school programs, parents and students will need to pay for all school supplies as well as field trips. Choosing an Online School When choosing an online public school, look for an established program that is  regionally accredited  and has a track record of success. Choosing an  online high school  or elementary school can be tricky. Be wary of new schools that are disorganized, are unaccredited, or have been the subject of public scrutiny.   In general, many states now offer tuition-free online schools for resident students under a certain age (often 21). Most virtual schools are charter schools; they receive government funding and are run by a private organization. Online charter schools are subject to fewer restrictions than traditional schools. However, they are reviewed regularly and must continue to meet state standards.

Central school district vs. Rowley 458 US 176 (1982) Essay

Central school district vs. Rowley 458 US 176 (1982) - Essay Example These helped to increase the amount of training and funding individuals that were responsible for education could receive; specifically with regard to learning and understanding how to educate children with mental retardation and issues pertaining to blindness/disabilities with sight. Further, the State School’s Act of 1965 provided additional grant funding from the federal government as a means of accomplishing the tasks that have thus far been denoted with respect to the provisions made available for those with distinct disabilities within the educational system. As one can adequately note, the purpose of all of this legislation was to provide a more fair and equitable distribution of education; one did not favor or preference one specific of individuals. As this served as the fundamental backbone of what came to be known as FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education), it had a profound impact with regard to the way in which educators came to understand their role and allocated funding based upon the unique disabilities that were exhibited within their student body. The context of education at the time was one that of course placed a higher emphasis upon the average student and most often ignored the needs and requirements of those that had what were referred to as special needs. As a means of seeking to make this reality a distant memory, Congress and stakeholders within the educational system sought to effect a more reasonable and ethical approach whereby students with disabilities would have their educational needs determined and provided for in a similar degree as compared to those that were considered as average. The core challenge to FAPE came as a Supreme Court case that challenged that Free Appropriate Public Education was not being provided to a deaf girl within a particular school district; as the district had denied her parents request for a deaf translator. Seeing this as an egregious denial of FAPE, the suit

Apple's Make-vs.-Buy Decision Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Apple's Make-vs.-Buy Decision - Research Paper Example 1. Explaining Approaches to Recruiting That Might Be Best Suited for Apple’s Talent Acquisition Based on the information given, it is tenable that Apple uses outsourcing as a way of recruiting employees for top engineering or technology positions. Furthermore, it is best if Apple ensures that the vendor (the company providing outsourcing services) is a private employment agency, given the competitive edge which characterizes privatization. With competitiveness comes increased efficiency. The importance of outsourcing is that it will guard the secrecy that characterizes Apple products (Williams and Curtis, 2012). Gallo (2012) proposes that another option that Apple may consider is the extension of the recruitment practices of Apple to colleges and universities. This approach can complement Apple’s outsourcing since it is cheaper and will therefore go a long way in assuaging high expenses that may emanate from outsourcing. Likewise, Apple is bound to rake in the freshest of ideas and manpower that completing college and university students may bring with themselves into an organization. Again, Apple should consider fielding direct applicants. This option may involve, identifying vacant portfolios and then advertising them in the dailies. Referrals and internal promotions can also help this course. This approach is vindicated by the fact that Apple appeals to all consumers and is therefore likely to attract as many applicants as possible. This option will also help Apple abate the level of expenditure it would incur by outsourcing its recruitment activities. 2. Describing Recruiter Traits and Behaviors That Would Lead To the Most Successful Recruiting Campaign for Apple Apple’s recruiter traits can greatly help further its successful recruitment campaigns. Apple’s recruiters are welcoming, warm, have a personal touch and are trendy and innovative. The same are also tech-savvy and specialists who are deeply acquainted with Apple’s products, mission and organizational culture. In order that Apple attracts the best skills and talent, it has to have tech-savvy and specialists who are well informed about Apple’s products and technology so that applicants who meet the threshold that Apple requires can be separated from those who do not qualify. Without the input of these specialists, it will be impossible to identify practical skills that Apple needs (Merrill, 2008). Conversely, the welcoming and warm nature of the recruiters is to help Apple maintain the human aspect of Apple’s activities and corporate image. If the recruiters are welcoming and kind, both successful and unsuccessful applicants are left feeling that Apple is committed to fair and democratic human resource practices and (it) has an environment that helps foster optimal productivity. To attract the best talent in IT technology, Apple must present itself as the organization that such talent is looking for, as the best organization to w ork with. This in turn is impossible if the recruiter lacks personal touch (Pfeffer, 1992). 3. Suggesting Three Ways That Apple Can Effectively Plan for HR Resources Some of the ways Apple can use to effectively plan HR resources include: Hiring the services of another company to manage Apple’s HR resources (also known as outsourcing). This will be the most expensive approach. Training existing employees on new skills. This approach will be relatively cheaper. Downsizing. This is the

Illegal Use of Sensitive Information Between the Consumers and the Research Paper

Illegal Use of Sensitive Information Between the Consumers and the Online Vendors - Research Paper Example There are myriad of computer laws that are being followed in my country (Canada). To name a few, there are 1984 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). CFAA deals with penalties for the intruders who gain access to sensitive information stored in a computer without authorized access. Computers have to be protected when the consumers carry out commercial activities, engage in cross-border e-commerce, and make online business transactions and email communications with online traders. The Act applies penalties upon the identity thieves, starting from 10 years to 20 years of imprisonment. ECPA was designed in the 1980s. It applies penalties upon the persons who gain access to and makes illegal use of the sensitive information that has been exchanged between the consumers and the online vendors through electronic communication techniques such as electronic mails, text messages, video conferences, chatting, and etcetera. COPPA was designed in 1998 and became effective in April 2000. COPPA put forward rules and regulations that are to be applied on the commercial website owners and internet service providers who know which websites are being used by children and collect personal information from them with or without their parents’ consent. The Canadian province, British Columbia, presented in the 2008 Legislative Session: 4th Session, 38th Parliament, the legislation about e-Health and its services so that the consumers could benefit from e-Health’s secure and steadfast solutions right from the comfort of their homes.

Strategic Management Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Management Plan - Research Paper Example The core competencies of the company have also been discussed so that measures can be adopted in order to enhance the core skills and expertise of the company. The basic business strategies of the company have also been discussed and the new strategies were designed keeping in mind the basic strategies. An organization chart has been shown to have a clear idea regarding the hierarchy of the company. The significant role played by Information Technology (IT) in the company has been discussed and the advantages of it have also been highlighted. The study also throws light on the fact that the company actively uses the IT which makes the operations of the company much easier. It has also been seen regarding the advantages that can be derived from IT to help people access information about medicines and other related topics quite easily and that too without needing a prescription. The need for control systems in the company for quality check and the need for a crisis management plan have also been discussed. ... Strategic planning is a tool of management which facilitates an organization to keep its energy focused, make sure that the employees and other members are working keeping in view the common goal of the organization and assist to evaluate and amend the course of the organization in reacting to the environmental changes. Strategic planning is a closely controlled endeavor to generate basic actions and decisions that would help in shaping and directing an organization (Namac, 2009). Strategic planning is known to be a ‘game plan’ that helps in achieving competitive advantage and fetch in high profits. Therefore, it can be understood that strategic planning is an indispensable part of every business, irrespective of the size of business. Large businesses have more time and resources to dedicate to strategic planning whereas small businesses have the advantage to act quickly and be in close contact with the stakeholders (May, 2010). Strategic plan of an organization is consi dered to be the base on which each and every activity of business can be linked and associated with (Lawlor, n.d). To get a proper understanding, a strategic plan will be designed for the organization, Pfizer and the vital elements of the particular strategic plan will be discussed. Overview of the Company Two cousins named Charles Erhart and Charles Pfizer established Pfizer in the year 1849. It is a pharmaceutical company that is devoted towards developing and finding out improved ways to treat and resist disease. The company aims at improving well being and health of people across the globe. The company operates a website of medicine safety where all kind of queries related to medicines are answered and allows people to access information regarding important

Personal Narrative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Personal Narrative - Essay Example Despite the fact that the subject of ridicule on my body was gone, I was not aware of the fact that the ridicule would still continue as I joined school. With the onset of the adolescent stage, many girls in my class started getting curvier, and in my and other people’s opinion prettier yet I still maintained my rather stiff self. This is something that quite disturbed me considering the fact that this was a time when fitting in was quite an issue. Most of my peers were busy getting clothes that flaunted their bodies while I on the other hand quite struggled to dress my skinny self. This had started affecting me and it was during this difficult time that my father started teaching me a valuable and significant lesson regarding beauty and the power of self confidence. During my childhood, my family always indulged in a weekly ritual that we called family night. We always used this time for various activities and we would hold family councils when we would discuss important subj ects. Sometimes we would just play games, watch a movie or take ice cream while talking about moral issues of the time. There are times when we would get carried away and sing songs while hearing dad’s many stories. It was during one these family times that my dad brought a movie entitled Johnny Lingo for us to watch. In the movie was a shy ten year old girl who had long, stringy brown hair and big brown eyes on a freckled face. One would say that Pillsbury Dough Boy was her closest relative. However, the story was one filled with a lot of hope and in my own world I would say magic. The movie was all set up on an island and was about this girl named Mohana, who was actually quite ugly. She was all skin and bone and rarely washed or combed her stringy hair. Most of her time was spent on the woods so that no one could see her and make fun of her funny looks. In addition to this she was quite sidelined in her family due to the fact that everyone deemed her ugly. However, one day , a handsome young man named Johnny Lingo came to the Island and asked for Mohana’s hand in marriage. He gave Mohana’s father eight cows as a gift in exchange for Mohana. This was a great demonstration of devotion and love towards Mohana because the standard used to be four cows as a gift to the girl’s family. A year later Johnny Lingo and Mohana returned to visit the island and people hardly recognized Mohana who was now totally transformed. She now had long, shining beautifully combed hair and had put on some weight. In addition to this, her personality had greatly changed. She was not the same girl that used to hide in the woods so that people would not call her ugly, she seemed to have a lot of self assurance and confidence. Johnny Lingo said that he had bought her a silver and pearl inlaid mirror as well as a comb set and reminded her every day that she was beautiful. He said that Mohana had always had inner beauty that had not been discovered. I came to re alize the significance of this movie years later when fully practicing my modeling career. It had taken me sometime to realize that I had something special that could be used to my advantage. The people around me especially my father who gave me lots of positive reinforcement that helped me get the desirable effects consequently excelling in my career (Redmond & Montedoro, p.1). I had started small by participating in the schools fashion shows and beauty pageants. Even though most of my peers thought that it was a wild goose

Strategic Management Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Management Plan - Research Paper Example The core competencies of the company have also been discussed so that measures can be adopted in order to enhance the core skills and expertise of the company. The basic business strategies of the company have also been discussed and the new strategies were designed keeping in mind the basic strategies. An organization chart has been shown to have a clear idea regarding the hierarchy of the company. The significant role played by Information Technology (IT) in the company has been discussed and the advantages of it have also been highlighted. The study also throws light on the fact that the company actively uses the IT which makes the operations of the company much easier. It has also been seen regarding the advantages that can be derived from IT to help people access information about medicines and other related topics quite easily and that too without needing a prescription. The need for control systems in the company for quality check and the need for a crisis management plan have also been discussed. ... Strategic planning is a tool of management which facilitates an organization to keep its energy focused, make sure that the employees and other members are working keeping in view the common goal of the organization and assist to evaluate and amend the course of the organization in reacting to the environmental changes. Strategic planning is a closely controlled endeavor to generate basic actions and decisions that would help in shaping and directing an organization (Namac, 2009). Strategic planning is known to be a ‘game plan’ that helps in achieving competitive advantage and fetch in high profits. Therefore, it can be understood that strategic planning is an indispensable part of every business, irrespective of the size of business. Large businesses have more time and resources to dedicate to strategic planning whereas small businesses have the advantage to act quickly and be in close contact with the stakeholders (May, 2010). Strategic plan of an organization is consi dered to be the base on which each and every activity of business can be linked and associated with (Lawlor, n.d). To get a proper understanding, a strategic plan will be designed for the organization, Pfizer and the vital elements of the particular strategic plan will be discussed. Overview of the Company Two cousins named Charles Erhart and Charles Pfizer established Pfizer in the year 1849. It is a pharmaceutical company that is devoted towards developing and finding out improved ways to treat and resist disease. The company aims at improving well being and health of people across the globe. The company operates a website of medicine safety where all kind of queries related to medicines are answered and allows people to access information regarding important

The use of polygraph testing as evidence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The use of polygraph testing as evidence - Essay Example Under these two conflicting issues, the question still remains, is the use of polygraph testing a sufficient evidence to pin down a suspicious character? Does it really work? This study will attempt to investigate various criticisms, researches and feedback to bring to light the importance of the polygraph testing machine. A polygraph means â€Å"many writings† of the physiological activities at the same time, a method done by its inventor, William Marston, in 1917. His claimed that he â€Å"could reveal verbal deception by observing systolic blood pressure†.(EPIC, 2003) This claim was ruled out by the D.C. Court of Appeals stating that there was not enough scientific evidence to support the lie detector machine of Marston. A century later, another inventor came up with a new version of the lie detector machine. Leonard Keeler who invented a new version set up a school to train examiners, and eventually his version of polygraph machine was used in the legal investigations. A Polygraph machine is described as â€Å"a machine that records the body to an examiner’s question in order to ascertain deceptive behavior. The test measures physiological data from three or more systems of the human body- generally, the respiratory, cardiovascular, and sweat gland systems-but not the voice.† (EPIC, 2003). A separate testing is used for the voice. Polygraph system is generally used for investigations of private businesses, juridical and for law enforcements. Certain restrictions were however imposed for polygraph testing for employee protection, under the Employee Protection Act of 1988 (EPPA). Under the EPPA, a pre-employment polygraph test is not required, and an employer cannot be dismissed for refusal to take a polygraph exam. Under this rule also, certain criteria must first be met if ever an employer requests for a lie detector test for an employee. Several states have adopted this system, but safeguards and variations were

Phonics Primer for Year Five Remedial Class in Primary School Essay Example for Free

Phonics Primer for Year Five Remedial Class in Primary School Essay 1.1 Description of the Area of Research Title of the Study: Phonics Primer for Year Five Remedial Class in Primary School. Phonics is letter-sound correspondences. The units of sound can be syllables, onsets rimes, or phonemes (EdResearch.info). Phonics Primer is a way of learning the sounds of the alphabet in order to decode the English language. It is recognized by a quick pace of teaching letter and the sound or grapheme and phoneme matches and immediately getting students to use this knowledge to read and spell regular words. Words are read by using the phonological skill of blending the sounds together synthesis (hence the term synthetic phonics). Words are spelled by using the phonological skill of hearing the sounds in words (segmentation) by means of which words are segmented into their constituent phonemes (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia) Research Questions 1. What is the strategy in teaching synthetic phonics? 2. Can the method be successfully taught in shorter periods? 3. Can the 44 sounds of Phonics Primer help in teaching non-English speakers who have other sounds that is found in English? 4. Can Phonics Primer be used to teach cohorts in higher levels with reading difficulties? Research Variables The instruments that I will use in my research will be: 1. Questionnaires 2. Interviews 3. Classroom Observation Checklist 4. Tests 5. Document Reviews Gay and Airasian (20030 defined population as â€Å"The population is the group of interest to the researcher, the group to which the results of the study will ideally generalized†. The respondents of the research will be for remedial students from the outskirt of Sarikei in Sarawak. The majority of the students will be of the Iban race. The research will be conducted on two groups of selected students. One group will be used for study, called the experimental group. Another group would be the controlled group and they will be taught with the conventional teaching procedure during English lessons. Both groups will be cohorts who will need assistant in reading. About six students will be involved in this study. They will be remedial students from the cohort of year five students who are in the remedial class. The respected students and school will be chosen simply to fulfill the requirements of the research that will use the Primers phonics approach to teach reading for remedia l students. 1.2 Theoretical Framework Often we find that in schools, there are always students who are very poor in reading English. It is even worst when the students cannot read in a language that is very similar to theirs. This means that the students are having problems in basic reading. We can say that these students are too slow in picking up during their reading lessons in English. In classes where we have been teaching, oftentimes we see that students cannot recognize words and even there are some who cannot read. The students in rural Sarikei, in Sarawak, specifically are mostly Ibans. They are non-English speakers. They only encounter the language when they come to school. English therefore is very unfamiliar to them. Many English sounds don’t even exist in their mother tongue. Synthetic phonics has all the 44 sounds of the English Language. It is a very systematic way to teach basic reading in English. By using the method of teaching, students can read faster and easier. The method of teaching and the instruments used in teaching it can enable the remedial students of the primary schools to remember the sounds made by the letters and enable them to read. Research instrument are devices to measure the objects of the study. Instruments come in multiple forms. For this research, the researcher will be using multiple forms like questionnaires, observation forms, interview forms and tests to get information. The questionnaires and interviews will be used to get information about experiences, suggestions and ideas related to the study. The observation forms will be used to make observations during the study. From observation forms, the researcher will be able to see weaknesses and strengths during the teaching of Phonics Primer and also the current teaching method used by the school to make comparisons. The tests which will be given before and after teaching Phonics Primer will help the researcher to find out if the case study that they are doing is suitable and good for teaching remedial students. Questionnaires Questionnaires are familiar to most people (Berdie, Anderson, and Niebuhr, 1986).It is a written or printed form used in gathering information on some subject or subjects, consisting of a set of questions to be submitted to one or more persons (Your Dictionary.Com) It is a communication method of designing questionnaires to collect the requisite information. It is a list of questions framed to get facts. A questionnaire is defined as a group of printed questions used to elicit information from subjects by means of self report. Questionnaires will be distributed to both experimental and controlled group. Teacher Questionnaires. A teacher questionnaire is designed to gather information administered to English teachers in school. The questionnaire will be done two times, that is before the start of the Phonics Programme. A second questionnaire will follow at the end of the programme. This is to find out the status of remedial reading before and after the programme. If there are any differences before and after the programme, it will be noted down for analysis in the research later. Students’ Questionnaires Students’ questionnaire will also be done. It will be done with students who are involved with the study. They are the experimental group of students and also the controlled group of students for comparison later. Questionnaires can help the researcher discover the experiences, knowledge and backgrounds of the students and the school which is related to the case study that is going to be done. These information will help the researcher to know more and understand more about the stand of the students involved in the study. The questionnaire is also important in helping the researcher to make conclusion and give suggestions for future study of similar case. Interview The interview is a dialogue between the teachers with the researcher. The most commonly accepted objective of the interview is to determine whether there is a match between the candidates education, experience, interest and goals and the goals of the researcher related to the study for which the researcher is interviewing. In this study, the researcher conducts the interview with the remedial students’ teacher. This interview is designed to elicit data using a set of predetermined questions that are expected to elicit the subjects thoughts, opinions and attitudes regarding the teaching of reading to remedial students. Group Interviews with Teachers. To identify the major issues surrounding the planning and implementation of reading instruction in schools of a rural school, group interviews will be conducted with English remedial teachers. An interview will be used to facilitate discussion. Responses to the uniform standard questions will contribute to the final analysis of the study findings. Individual Interviews with Teachers. To investigate all of the major research questions. presented earlier, interviews will be conducted with English remedial teachers in the selected schools. An interview will be used to facilitate information gathering. Responses to the questions will contribute to the final analysis of the study findings. Observation Instruments Observation is a technique of gathering data through direct contact with the subjects. In this study, the researcher will observe two classes. The researcher will observe ongoing class using Primer Phonics and the normal teaching of remedial students in the school. Observation instrument is necessary to detect any strength and weaknesses for both types of methodology in teaching remedial students. The detections will be noted down in the researcher’s note book for making analysis, conclusion and suggestions for future researches. Classroom Observation Classroom observation will be done to make sure that Primer Phonics is taught accordingly. A checklist will be used. Classroom observations will also be done for the normal teaching of remedial students in the same school. The need for making observation for the normal method of teaching is to enable comparison among the two types of methodology later. Additional data collection and review will occur during the observations. Researchers summarized notes after each observation. Test The researcher will conduct two types of tests, the Pre test and the Post test, for two groups of students from the remedial class only. The students will be divided into the experimental and controlled group. A Pre test will be used to see the students’ ability to read before teaching using the Primers Phonic Method. The Post test will be used to see the achievements made after teaching using the Primers’ Phonic Method. Both the experimental and the controlled groups will take the tests so the researcher can compare if there will be any differences in the achievements after teaching using the Primers’ Phonic Method for the experimental group. The Controlled group will be taught by their own remedial teachers using the usual syllabus in the school. In the tests, subjects are to read a short text of about 150 words. These tests aims to see how good the students can or cannot read before and after teaching using the Primers’ Phonic Method. To assess the students reading, 5 criteria will be ticked accordingly. Students who gets two out of five ‘Yes’ are considered to have pass the Pre Test or the Post test Document Review Document review will inform the research process to varying degrees. Among the documents analyzed were student work samples, report cards, forms, letters to parents, lesson plans, lists of reading books, and other relevant documents pertinent to current reading instruction. The Theoretical Framework Diagram 1: The Diagram depicts the theoretical framework. 1.3 Review of Related Literature The literature reviews forwarded here will help us to understand more about the case study that will be done. A literature review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge and or methodological approaches on a particular topic. Literature reviews are secondary sources, and as such, do not report any new or original experimental work. Most often associated with academic-oriented literature, such as theses, a literature review usually precedes a research proposal and results section. Its ultimate goal is to bring the reader up to date with current literature on a topic and forms the basis for another goal, such as future research that may be needed in the area. A well-structured literature review is characterized by a logical flow of ideas; current and relevant references with consistent, appropriate referencing style, proper use of terminology and an unbiased and comprehensive view of the previous research on the topic I would like to make a review of related literature which is in my area of research, Instruction, Development, and Achievement of Struggling Primary Grade Readers by Elizabeth Campbell Rightmyer, Ellen McIntyre, and Joseph M Petrosko. Reading Research and Instruction. Coral Gables: Spring 2006. Their study examined the phonics and reading achievement of 117 primary grade students in 14 schools and 42 classrooms. Students received instruction in one of six different reading programs or models based upon the school they attended. Through qualitative data collection and analysis of specific instructional practices, they determined that no model or program proved more effective for the learning of phonics in the first grade after one year of instruction. Purpose The purpose of their study was to examine the phonics and reading achievement of primary grade students receiving instruction in six different instructional programs or models (referred to as models in reference to their study). Then, through a qualitative analysis of the specific instructional practices within these models and their understanding of young childrens literacy development, they explain the relative differences in achievement gains of these primary grade struggling readers. Method They examined the instructional practices and achievement of low performing students in first through third grade classrooms in which teachers used one of the following reading models: Breakthrough to Literacy (www.btl.com); Early Success (Cooper, et al., 1997); Early Intervention (Taylor, Medo, Strait, 1995); Four Blocks (Cunningham, Hall, DeFee, 1991); SRA Reading Mastery (Engelmann Bruner, 1997); or Together We Can, a locally developed model based on small group guided reading and explicit teaching of reading strategies and skills. Participants The study included 117 struggling primary-grade readers in 14 schools and 42 classrooms. Schools that had recently received a state grant to implement one of the reading models were invited to participate. They then contacted the principals, asking them to recommend teachers who were particularly successful at implementing the instructional model for at least one year; they believed that principals would avoid selecting teachers who were struggling with the model, classroom management, student diversity, or any of the myriad complexities that teachers face daily. Independently, they checked the teachers credentials by using a state-developed data base and found that the majority of them held advanced rank in the profession; 73% had earned at least 30 credit hours beyond the bachelors degree. They also found that 84% of the teachers had taught in their current state of employment for more than five years. The principals distributed consent forms to interested teachers, and when they were returned, the researchers explained to each teacher that the children they wanted to study were those struggling with reading or learning to read. They had no control of the models that were proposed or the schools that were selected to receive the grants. Like many states under accountability mandates, their state is becoming heavily invested in direct instruction models of reading and mathematics, and this predilection was seen in the numbers of students who received scripted early intervention in reading. They asked that by October 1 of the first year of the study, the teachers identify the lowest achieving 20% in their classes. Again, they did not control for socioeconomic status, gender, or ethnicity of the identified children or in any way second-guess the teachers selection. Consenting students became the targeted group of children the researchers tested on the phonics application and reading tasks. There were two to five children in each of the classrooms, although due to attrition and a few flawed tests, this number was reduced in some classrooms. Researchers studied one group of children from the beginning of first grade through the end of second grade, documenting growth in phonics for one year. These children are hereafter referred to as first graders, even though they followed them through the end of second grade. The children in this group were all served by a single reading model one of the five models that appear in Appendix A across two years; however, most of the children had different teachers implementing the model the second year (in second grade). The study followed a second group from the beginning of second grade through the end of third grade, also documenting growth after two years. These children are hereafter referred to as second graders, even though they followed them through the end of third grade. Like the first graders, the children in this group were served by the same reading model across two years; however, most of the children had different teachers implementing the model the second year (in third grade). Table 1 lists the participants by model. Procedures for Data Collection and Analysis of Student Achievement Instruments The researcher pre- and post-tested first grade children on clays Hearing Sounds in Words Test (1993), a phonics application task that included encoding a sentence. This measure was conducted only with first graders, as this was the norming sample. It will hereafter be referred to as the phonics measure or phonics achievement. On the clay test, the examiner reads two sentences to the child, The bus is coming fast. It will stop here to let me get on. Then the sentences are read again, word by word, and children encode the sentence as the researcher dictates. The children are encouraged to do the best they can with the spelling and use the sounds of words to write as much as you can. The children score a point for each letter or group of letters they write that correctly correspond to the sounds in the words. Children can score from O to 37 on this test. The researchers selected this test because they believed it to be a more authentic assessment of phonics understanding and use than phonological tests on which children call out letter sounds they see or sound out semantically disconnected word lists. Data collection Researchers were trained using each of the testing instruments given. The training involved an explanation and demonstration of the testing procedures and observation of videotapes of the project director testing various children. The researchers scored those children, discussed results, and adjusted their expectations through more explanation and demonstration by the director. Children were pre-tested during the months of September and post-tested during the month of May during each of the two years of the study. Children were tested in one-on-one situations in quiet places, arranged by the classroom teacher or grant administrator for periods of no more than 30 minutes at a time. While the pre-testing took approximately 30 minutes per child, the post-testing took 60-90 minutes per child for most children, thus each child was met two or three times. The researchers attempted to make the children comfortable and rewarded them afterwards with stickers. All reading passages were tape-recorded. Quantitative analysis of achievement data For ease in comparing achievement, the researchers used the benchmarks provided by each of the tests. Clays Hearing Sounds in Words phonics test has a range of 1-37, with intervals of 1. Two trained researchers individually scored every Clay test, and these scores were compared against one another for accuracy. Where there was discrepancy in scoring, a third researcher also reviewed the data, and the group negotiated the final score. Scores were entered into a data base, and two team members reviewed each of them for accuracy in data entry. In this study, test score data were statistically analyzed in two ways. First, pretest scores were subtracted from posttest scores. The resulting gain scores were used as dependent variables in a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), with the reading models as the independent variables. Test 1 was a comparison of phonics achievement of students in the different reading models (one-year gain). For each test, students achievement in only five models was compared. Importantly, due to the unequal number of students in each of the comparison groups, and the small numbers of participants in some of the models, the interpretations about the findings of these tests are made with caution and based on trends in the data. Data Collection and Analysis of Instructional Practices The researchers collected data on the instructional models in three ways: a) by observing the teachers and taking field notes, b) by interviewing the teachers about their practices, and c) by completing an observation instrument after leaving the site (which required reflection and quantification of what was observed). For this analysis, they specifically gathered data on: 1) the focus of instruction, 2) the primary literacy activities conducted, and 3) the length of time children spent reading connected text. Other salient characteristics of the models, such as whether the model was considered an intervention for struggling readers or a whole class model, are also described. Observations and interviews Schools were contacted and arrangements were made to observe the teachers who had been previously identified as fully implementing the instructional model adopted through the state program. The researchers visited each teacher four times and observed between 90-180 minutes during each visit, depending on how long literacy instruction was conducted in that classroom. Researchers sat in the room and recorded what the teacher said and did in the form of field notes. One important feature in our field notes was the regular marking of time. In an effort to understand how teachers distributed their instructional time for various activities, they recorded the time in the margins of their field notes approximately every five minutes. After each visit, the researchers interviewed the classroom teacher the same day the observations were made. Among the questions they asked were about how typical the observed instruction was and how the children were selected for testing to ensure that they ind eed were studying the bottom 20%. Observation instrument After exiting the field site, the researcher used the field notes and interview to complete an observation instrument that summarized and quantified instructional patterns. A small section of instrument was used to help determine the teachers focus of instruction. The instrument, the field notes, and the interview made a data set for analysis. Analysis of instruction In the first phase of analysis, researchers gathered to examine the data sets. Using a form created by the project director, the researchers summarized what happened during each of the visits. From these summaries of the field notes and interviews, the project director created a set of codes that reflected much of the data, a content analysis of sorts (Miles Huberman, 1994). Then, the research team partitioned the field notes into activity settings (Tharp Gallimore, 1988) in order to create smaller, bounded units of analysis. This meant that whenever there was a change in activity (the people, place, or product of instruction), the ensuing activity was considered a unit of analysis and coded separately. The Researcher did not consider as change in setting instances in which children had to leave a group early or if a lesson was interrupted. Thus, the lessons were coded holistically by setting. Settings lasted from five to 45 minutes. For example, one setting for analysis might be a 10-minute whole class lesson on which the teacher guided the children to correct a message she had written without punctuation. When the same teacher signaled to the children it was time to work in learning centers, a new unit of analysis was begun. Sometimes there were multiple simultaneous activity settings, and the researcher usually made the decision to follow the teacher. For each activity setting, they coded the teachers primary activity, followed by what researchers interpreted, from both observations and interviews, was the teachers focus for the activity-either to help students develop phonologically (ACTIV-phon), or to help students learn something else (ACTIV-other). The primary instructional activities observed in each class were listed on the summary sheet. Finally, to determine the time children spent reading connected text, they used an earlier analysis of these data (Authors, 2005). They first defined connected text as texts of meaningful sentences or longer; that is, more than one connected sentence; although, in this study, connected text was usually an entire story. Then, they clarified activities that comprised examples of opportunities to read connected text. The following practices were categorized as such: choral reading; echo reading (even though technically the teacher was doing half of the reading); guided silent reading; guided oral reading; and established periods for independent reading. Activities not included as opportunities for reading connected text included read aloud story time, times when the teacher was directly teaching something, times when students completed worksheets that included only words or unrelated sentences, drill of individual words, or time on non-print responses to literature. Then, the researchers highlighted in field notes when students were provided opportunities to read connected text. They calculated the percentage of time in such activity against the total time designated for language arts instruction. They examined all four observations of each teacher together as a unit because they knew they were going to categorize them. Using group consensus, they defined classrooms as having much opportunity to read connected text during all four observations, a moderate amount of time, or little time. After each data set was analyzed and each teacher categorized, they compared instructional foci and practices across models. They listed all the teachers in a given model together, and looked across these data sets for patterns.

Causal Information as Reward for Children

Causal Information as Reward for Children Loredana Lenghel Life-span Developmental Psychology 1. Details of the applicant: Loredana Lenghel 2. Title of the proposal: Keeping Children Engaged – Causal Information as Reward 3. Summary of the proposed research This study proposes research on the effects of causal information as reward on the intrinsic motivation of children. Causal information has been shown to maintain task engagement in children better than tangible rewards because it touches children’s innate interest in the world. A repeated measures experimental design with children aged 8 to 10 will be used to establish if indeed the intrinsic motivation of children is not undermined by causal information as reward. The results have implications in areas such as education and learning. 4. Keywords Intrinsic motivation, causal information, reward, education 5a. Research topic Motivation to fulfill personal needs is what drives people to act. Being defined as â€Å"the reasons underlying behavior† (Guay et al., 2010, p. 712), it is understandable why it is important to establish the building blocks of motivation and how these can be manipulated in order to preserve people’s sense of fulfillment. Motivation has been a topic widely investigated within the social sciences, there being several theories that attempt to explain this process. The most common distinction encountered in the literature is between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Ryan Deci, 2000). Intrinsic motivation is seen as inherently volitional; it is the force that drives actions and sustains activities due to personal desires as it is associated to personal enjoyment, interest, pleasure or high engagement. In contrast, extrinsic motivation is seen as governed by reinforcement factors; this type of motivation implies doing activities due to reasons that are external to the ta sk, such as receiving a reward (Lai, 2011). The differences between these types of motivations can be associated with the quality of task outcomes. For instance, task outcomes such as spelling, writing or vocabulary development represent only a narrow range in which the relevance of these motivation forms can be observed. Thus, an important area where intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation needs to be taken into account is education and learning. The relevance and importance of this proposed study can be understood when looking at how children’s motivation develops. Research on children’s intrinsic motivation shows that it is not a stable construct. Intrinsic motivation tends to decrease with age, ninth graders exhibiting less motivation than third graders (Lepper, Sethi, Dialdin, Drake, 1997) (Lai, 2011). However, some evidence shows that after the age of 15, there is again an increase in this type of motivation (Gillet, Vallerand, Lafreniere, 2012). One study argues that academic intrinsic motivation stabilize s as one advances in age. They found that between the ages of 9 and 17, motivation can be seen as having cumulative effects. Information about motivation at one age can be used to predict further motivation. Moreover, they argued that academic motivation is relevant for the school curriculum, showing a decline for sciences and reading. Another point touched upon was that children with low motivation at the beginning of schooling are at risk and lack future interest in learning (Gottfried, Fleming, Gottfried, 2001). What is more, studies suggest that before starting school, children are generally intrinsically motivated, eager and excited about learning. This effect then diminishes and some children show reluctance towards studying. This is why having an efficient method to nurture children’s motivation can have a positive effect on their future motivation. It also shows that a method is necessary to help maintain academic interest in subjects for which children’s intr insic motivation to learn declines. Notwithstanding these findings, society has taken a problematic approach to maintaining children’s motivation. Several studies have shown that rewarding someone for doing a certain task can diminish their intrinsic motivation. (Lai, 2011) (Hagger Chatzisarantis, 2011) (Lepper, Sethi, Dialdin, Drake, 1997). Deci et al. (2001) have investigated the effect of different kinds of rewards on the motivation of children. They argue that rewards are composed of two aspects: the informational and the controlling aspects. The informational aspect of a reward conveys self-determined competence and can enhance intrinsic motivation whereas the controlling aspect is what determines the external perception of locus of control and can decrease intrinsic motivation. The authors looked at verbal and tangible rewards to establish which one is more likely to be seen as informational or controlling. Their results showed that tangible, task-contingent rewards undermined the intrinsic motivation of children. Verbal rewards, on the other hand, increased intrinsic motivation and were more likely to be seen as informational. Another important result of this study showed that whereas verbal rewards are beneficial for college students, they have a lower effect on children. However, the undermining of intrinsic motivation by tangible rewards was more accentuated in children than in students. This shows that children are more sensitive to extrinsic rewards and that measures to resolve the issue of intrinsic motivation decrease caused by extrinsic rewards need to be taken. Children’s inherent curiosity and interest in the surrounding world also plays a role in the development of motivation. Constructivist theorists argued that children are â€Å"active builders of knowledge – little scientists who are constantly creating and testing their own theories of the world† (Ravitch, 2001, p.442). In their study, Deci et al. (2001) also investigated children’s interest and discovered that offering verbal rewards results in enhanced self-reports of interest, whereas all tangible rewards resulted in lower interest. Chen and Xiang (2005) studied the interaction effect between intrinsic motivators and extrinsic rewards on behaviors. They argued that interest is a construct embedded in intrinsic motivation and that it is the most important predictor of future motivation for engaging in an activity. Their study showed that activities based on interest could have a stronger and prolonged effect in a learning situation. Embedded in this idea , studies have tried to investigate whether children’s curiosity could be utilized as a way to reinforce their learning. It has been showed that children understand and are interested in causal information and derive satisfaction from answering with causal factors (Lai, 2011). A recent study (Alvarez Booth, 2014) utilized children’s interest in the world to establish whether it can be used as reward for task engagement. They used causal information to reward children for engaging in a boring activity and discovered that youngsters showed more engagement when presented with strong causal information than when rewarded with something tangible. This body of literature offers the foundations for the investigation of the effect of causal information as reward on intrinsic motivation, which is the aim of the current study. Causal information as reward is fundamentally an extrinsic factor that can be used to motivate children; however, because it touches upon children’s inherent curiosity and can be seen as having an informational aspect, its effect should not be as detrimental. If this type of information increases task persistence, children’s engagement could increase as well, promoting better learning. Thus, the key objective of this study is to establish whether causal information as reward undermines intrinsic motivation in children between the ages of 8 and 10. It is hypothesized that children who will be rewarded with causal information will not show a decrease in their intrinsic motivation, as opposed to the children who will receive tangible rewards. The innovative aspect of the study is to be found in the manner it uses previous research which found that causal information engages children just as much as tangible rewards and tries to determine its effect on intrinsic motivation. There is no prior research that has taken this approach, making it the first study that might offer some insight into this issue. This insight could bring about numerous implications for children’s education and learning. Moreover, further research in this area could investigate the method in which the presentation of causally rich information could increase learning. One mechanism that we propose to play a role in this process is that of attention. Catching children’s attention with causal information that appeals to their interest can result in more task engagement and thus an increase in their learning process. 5b. Approach In order to establish the effect of causal information as reward on the intrinsic motivation of children, a repeated measures experimental design will be used. Based on the discussed literature, it is hypothesized that offering children causal information as reward will not undermine their intrinsic motivation. The experiment will consist of 120 children aged 8 to 10 doing a boring, repetitive task. Local schools will be contacted in order to gather the necessary participants. The age range was chosen because it represents the ages at which children in most countries are already in school[1] and poses some basic educational knowledge, such as counting or writing. Moreover, the previously mentioned studies showed that the intrinsic motivation of children tends to decrease with the advancement in age (Lepper, Sethi, Dialdin, Drake, 1997) (Lai, 2011). A boring, repetitive task of moderate difficulty is likely to keep children somewhat engaged while not making them abandon the task due to its difficulty. The task will be divided into trials and will consist of children counting how many animals of a certain type appear on a screen. After each trial, they will be rewarded according to the group they are in. Each child is required to do 10 trials. To compare the intrinsic motivation of children, three different groups will be made; each group having a minimum of 40 participants. The first group will receive as reward causal information about the animal they were required to count. The second group of children will receive a tangible reward in order to determine whether there is a significant difference between tangible and causal information as rewards. A third group will be the control group, not receiving anything for doing the tasks; thus being used as a base category to which the other two will be compared. Therefore, the type of reward will constitute the independent variable (IV) of the study. The three different groups will represent the three levels of the ID. In order to establish the intrinsic motivation of children, measurement of it will be done before and after the tasks. Intrinsic motivation will be measured by offering them the chance to do the task before and after the study. In the before and after measurements of intrinsic motivation, the â€Å"free choice† (Thakor, 1994) measure combined with a self-report questionnaire will be used. The children will be told they can do the task for as long as they want, without receiving any rewards. The time spent on the task will be indicative of their intrinsic motivation because it is assumed that their engagement with the task comes from personal interest, as no other reinforcements are offered. If there is no difference in the group receiving causal information as reward in the before and after measurement of intrinsic motivation, it would show that this type of reward has no effect on the intrinsic motivation of children. A self-report questionnaire will be used alongside the â€Å"free choice† method to strengthen the measurements. The questionnaire will consist of items which measure interest, enjoyment and attention paid to the task. The answer categories will be based on an enjoyment scale that will show smileys depicting faces from sad to happy and organized on a 5-point Likert scale. This method intends to make the self-report of children more suitable for their understanding. The measurement of intrinsic motivation will constitute the dependent variable of the study. The innovative aspect of this methodology can be seen in the combination of self-report questionnaires and the previously used method of measuring intrinsic motivation, namely the â€Å"free choice† method. Moreover, the self-report method has been designed with the intention to facilitate children’s’ understanding of the answers they choose. One valuable addition to this method needs to be mentioned. When assessing the intrinsic motivation of children, problems with the accuracy of responses might be encountered even though measures to control for this issue have been taken. It is not guaranteed that children are able to provide unbiased assessments of their interests or motives. However, a more clear image of the results will be gather in this way rather than utilizing only the â€Å"free choice† method, as done in previous research. 5c. Word count (sections 5a-5b) 5d. Time plan The timetable proposed for this research project is divided according to the tasks needed to be accomplished. First, two weeks are dedicated to the writing of the introduction and determining an exact research design. Next, one month is needed to conduct the experiment, which entails finding enough participants and the actual experimental sessions. Another month would be required for the coding, analysis and reporting of data. A final week would be dedicated to finalize the research report. Thus, the total time required to for this research amounts to two months and three weeks. 5f. Social significance (max. 200 words) It is often said that children are the future of society. They are the ones that will take oven when the current generations fade away. It is important, thus, to provide them with all the resources and quality care available. Motivation plays an important role in the shaping of individuals and as it has been shows, motivation is not a fixed concept. Discovering methods in which we can shape the motivation of children in such way that they maintain their innate excitement and curiosity towards learning and knowledge has major implications for their development. A generation of people who retained an intrinsic motivation as the one of children can give rise to a great number or innovations and societal improvement, bringing about higher life satisfaction (Martin-Albo, Nunez, Domingues, 2012). 5g. Literature references Works Cited Alvarez, A., Booth, A. (2014). Motivated by Meaning: Testing the effect of Knowledge-Infused Rewards on Preschoolers Persistence. Child Development, 783-791. Deci, E., Koestner, R., Ryan, R. (2001). Extrinsic Rewards and Intrinsic Motivation in Education: Reconsidered Once Again. Review of Educational Research, 1-27. Gillet, N., Vallerand, R., Lafreniere, M.-A. (2012). Intrinsic and Extrinsic School Motivation as a Function of Age: The Mediating Role of Autonomy Support. Soc Psychological Education, 77-95. Gottfried, A., Fleming, J., Gottfried, A. (2001). Continuity of Academic Intrinsic Motivation From Childhood Through Late Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 3-13. Guay, F., Ratelle, C. F., Marsh, H. W., Larose, S., Boivin, M. (2010). Intrinsic, identifie, and controlled types of motivation for school subjects in young elementary school children. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 711-735. Hagger, M., Chatzisarantis, N. (2011). Causality orientations moderate the undermining effect of rewards on intrinsic motivation. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 485-489. Lai, E. (2011). Motivation: A Literature Review. Pearson. Lepper, M., Sethi, S., Dialdin, D., Drake, M. (1997). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: A developmental perspecive. In S. Iyengar, Developmental Psychopathology: Perspectives on Adjustment, Risk, and Disorder (pp. 23-50). New York: Cambridge University Press. Martin-Albo, J., Nunez, J., Domingues, E. (2012). Relationship between intrinsic motivation, self-concept and satisfaction with life: A longitudinal study. Journal of Sports Sciences, 337-347. Thakor, M. (1994). Innate: Development of a New Intrinsic Motivation Measure Using Confirmatory Factor Analytic Methods. Asia Pacific Advances in Consumer Research, 116-121. Xiang, P., Chen, A., Bruene, A. (2005). Interactive impact of intrinsic motivators and extrinsic rewards on behavior and motivation outcomes. Journal of teaching in physical education, 179-197. [1] http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.PRM.AGES