Anguage Learner

Written materials on strategies of good language learners are scarcely available in the libraries or bookstores in Indonesia, especially, in the field of English language teaching and learning. The teachers and students of English need the literature to improve their teaching and learning. Meanwhile, observations and experiences in teaching of English indicate that the students use different strategies to understand and learn English. Some students understand the language best in concrete situations, others in abstract and some in both. Several students learn it step by step, others in no ordered system, and some both. Some students prefer a deductive approach, others an inductive one, some others both. Some are productive in small groups, others learn the language best in large groups and some others alone. However, the students can be grouped into unsuccessful (poor) language learners and successful (good) language learners. The good language learners must have their own strategies. What strategies do they use in learning English? This paper will try to answer the question. Theoreticians, such as, Rubin, Stern, Rubin and Thompson, Hosenfeld, and Hyland describe the good language learner strategies, giving some help in answering it. The answers are useful not only to the students of English but also to the teachers or lecturers of English as well. In addition, the purpose of this paper is to encourage the English teachers or lecturers to view their teaching not only from their teaching methods but also from their students learning strategies and to help the students realize their strategies of the good language learner in their studies. The results of the comparison may help them choose and apply the good language learner strategies that work for them. They can decide to replace their ineffective learning strategies with the effective ones. A paper presented in 41st TEFLIN SEMINAR (an international seminar) held at IKIP Padang on 9 th – 11 th September 1993, Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia

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Free riding can be avoided when group members and leaders ensure that all of them have their own tasks to accomplish toward the attainment of the group’s goal or completing a particular project. This argument is further explored in this essay in addition to previous empirical studies about the theory of social loafers.Free riding theory Free riding theory explains why there are individuals who may choose not to exert little or any effort since they are able to benefit form other members of the group where they belong after all.This theory suggests that an individual’s decision in participating in a group work compares the net expected benefits of exerting effort for the group and the net expected benefits of free riding (Albanese & Van Fleet, 1985). Free riders are individuals or students, in particular, who contribute little or nothing in attaining group goals or working on group projects (Delucchi, 2006). They exist because students differ in their own reasons and mot ivation when doing things, especially when others are involved.While others are trying their best to come up with outstanding projects output, others are simply satisfied with certain extent of accomplishment or results. This is the reason why some group members complain that others are not fulfilling their given responsibilities. Often free riders are seen as exploitative because they usually benefit from the effort of others even if they have not participated or only had little contribution to the attainment of group projects or goals. Advantages and disadvantages of group work The benefits of team or group work are undeniable for studies have proven its effectiveness in student’s learning.According to Eastman and Swift (2002), group work teaches students on how to collaboratively work to become more productive, more efficient, more competitive, and more creative. It also exposes them to different learning experiences and opportunities to improve their skills in organizing, communication, negotiation, problem solving, dealing with higher cognitive and technical aspects, setting goals, leadership, overcoming conflicts and difficulties, delegating work, and dealing effectively with others (Thorley & Gregory, 1994; Buckenmyer, 2000; Colbeck, Campbell, & Bjorklund, 2000).In addition, group work promotes collaborative or cooperative learning though appropriate and innovative learning methods with the use of information technology (Ravenscroft, 1997; Buckenmyer, 2000). Jones and Brickner (1996) stress the bebefits of group work in learning when students are encouraged to become actively involved and aim for development, better in class standing, higher test results, and improved attitudes towards instructor and other students. It does not hinder the students from becoming independent and autonomous learners for group work actually strengthens their capacity to perform better in school and practical situations.On the other hand, Gremler, Hoffman, Keaveney, a nd Wright (2000) found that group members often have difficulty in addressing the free riders for some students have to use words against other members when the teacher finds no proof in determining fair grades. Eastman and Swift (2002) also assert that one of the problems with group projects are the presence of free-riders, also called social loafers, hitchhikers or workhorses (Albanese & Van Fleet, 1985; Cottell & Millis, 1993).Another issue that has to be addressed when it comes to group problem includes the failure of group members to contribute ideas, exchange thoughts, share information and skills or work together effectively in order to accomplish complex tasks (Tullar, Kaiser, & Balthazard, 1998). The lack of coordination can lead to poor results when members are given specific responsibilities without working and consulting each other before a project is almost finished and to be submitted.Moreover, students’ grades could possibly suffer if assigned projects are not given enough time allocation for the students to work together and discuss the topics and management activities in the class to make their work more cohesive. Organizing face-to-face group meetings is difficult and teachers’ assistance is also crucial during the completion period of any group project so they need to allot more class hours for group projects to ensure quality and equal division of labor. Problems in group work, in which all members are assessed as a whole, can be avoided when they provide proof of participation.The free rider issue causes problems in group work for they usually depend on other member’s effort. Students can avoid resentment that free riders are getting the same grade even if they are not as responsible as others in a group by changing class policy or rules, like imposing peer evaluation, requiring checklists, and monitoring (Payne, Monk-Turner, Smith, & Sumter, 2006). Conclusion Albanese and Van Fleet (1985) found that individuals tend t o become free riders when they perceive satisfactory benefits even without contributing their fair share to the group.Free riders are the potential or rationally thinking members that may prefer not to exert great effort in helping others to achieve certain goals but still obtain benefits. When the cost of his effort exceeds the expected outcome of the group’s effort, the free rider is less likely to exert any more effort. In order to avoid such problems including other issues related to group work, changing of class policy can be an effective mitigating measure. References Albanese, R & Van Fleet, D. D. (1985). â€Å"Rational Behavior in Groups: The Free-Riding Tendency. † In Diamond, M. & O'Toole, A. (2004).â€Å"Leaders, Followers, and Free Riders: The Community Lawyer's Dilemma When Representing Non-Democratic Client Organizations. † Fordham Urban Law Journal, 31(2), 481+. Buckenmyer, J. A. (2000). â€Å"Using teams for class activities: Making course/class room teams work. † In Eastman, J. K. & Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Colbeck, C. L. , Campbell, S. E. , & Bjorklund, S. A. (2000). â€Å"Grouping in the dark: What college students learn from group projects. † In Eastman, J. K. & Swift, C.O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Cottell, P. G. & Millis, B. (1993). â€Å"Cooperative learning structures in the instruction of accounting. † Issues in Accounting Education, 8 (Spring), 40-59. In Eastman, J. K. & Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Delucchi, M. (2006). â€Å"The Efficacy of Collaborat ive Learning Groups in an Undergraduate Statistics Course.† College Teaching, 54(2), 244+. Diamond, M. & O'Toole, A. (2004). â€Å"Leaders, Followers, and Free Riders: The Community Lawyer's Dilemma When Representing Non-Democratic Client Organizations. † Fordham Urban Law Journal, 31(2), 481+. Eastman, J. K. & Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Gremler, D. D. , Hoffman, K. D. , Keaveney, S. M. , & Wright, L. K. (2000). â€Å"Experiential learning exercises in services marketing courses. † In Eastman, J. K. & Swift, C. O. (2002).â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Jones, J. D. & Brickner, D. (1996). â€Å"Implementation of cooperative learning in a large-enrollment basic mechanics class. † I n Eastman, J. K. & Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Payne, B. K. , Monk-Turner, E. , Smith, D. , & Sumter, M. (2006). â€Å"Improving Group Work: Voices of Students. † Education, 126(3), 441+.Ravenscroft, S. P. (1997). â€Å"In support of cooperative learning. † In Eastman, J. K. & Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Thorley, L. & Gregory, R. (Eds. ) (1994). Using Group-based Learning in Higher Education. In Eastman, J. K. & Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Tullar, W. L. , Kaiser, P. R. , & Balthazard, P. A. (1998).â€Å"Group work and electronic meeting systems: From boardroom to classroom. † In Eastman, J. K. & Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Sources: Introduction For those who use group projects, the teaching strategy is particularly appealing because of its versatility. Group projects can be organized as short-term or long-term projects. Short-term group projects might have students work together for a class period or part of a class period in an effort to learn more about a particular topic.Long-term projects could be spread out over several class periods, or the entire semester. Regardless of how long the projects are designed to last, research shows a number of benefits of group work. Among others, those benefits that have been identified in the literature include the following: (1) students learn teamwork skills, (2) students improve their critical thin king skills, and (3) students gain more insight about a particular topic. As far as teamwork skills go, surveys of employers show that employers want college graduates to have developed teamwork skills (Blowers 2000).Advocates of group projects suggest that the pedagogical strategy affords students a firsthand experience to gain teamwork skills (Colbeck et al. 2000: Davis and Miller 1996: Young and Henquinet 2000). In this regard, it is believed that group projects â€Å"can effectively serve as a bridge between the academic community and the business world† (Lordan 1996: 43). Ideally, working with their peers, students will learn decision making skills and how to communicate with one another (Dudley, Davis, and McGrady 2001).In addition, the symbolic interactionist in many of us would likely not be surprised by research that shows that group work helps students develop social skills (Andrusyk and Andrusyk 2003). By working with others, students are able to assign meaning to the actions of their peers as well as their own actions. They also receive feedback–formal, informal, or both–from their peers. The feedback combined with their own interpretations of group work should foster growth in terms of students' social abilities.Under the right circum stances, the well designed and implemented group work should also help students develop their critical thinking skills (Colbeck et al. 2000; Dudley et al. 2001). While we are not aware of any studies that have examined how group projects foster the development of critical thinking skills, general findings about group work from past research tacitly suggest that the strategy could be successful in this regard. For instance, some research suggests that group projects help students to address ethical and societal considerations that arise when students work together (Roberts-Kirchoff and Caspers 2001).If the student group is diverse, students will learn about one another's backgrounds, values, and b eliefs. Indeed, others have also suggested that group projects can help students learn about multicultural issues they would otherwise not learn about (Doyle, Beatty, and Shaw 1997). Researchers also suggest that students may learn more about whatever topic is being considered if they work in groups. For example, Adams and Slater (2002) suggest that group work supplementing lectures helps make courses more interesting to students, and subsequently helps students learn more.Most instructors have stood in front of a class only to wonder if their only purpose on that day was to serve as a sedative for the majority of the class. Group work advocates argue that most any topic can be made interesting by actively involving students in the topic through some form of collaborative learning, of which group work is just one strategy. While a number of strengths for this form of teaching strategy have been noted in the literature, potential drawbacks have limited its use. In this study, we cons ider how students believe group projects should be changed in order improve their pedagogical success.METHODS Surveys were distributed to 145 students who had just recently completed a group project. The group project was a semester long group research project that students completed. A survey composed of both open-ended and close-ended questions was distributed to the students at the end of the semester. The results of the open-ended questions have been addressed elsewhere. In one of the close-ended questions, students were asked what they would change about future group projects. The results to this answer were content analyzed using standard rules of content analysis.FINDINGS The students had a number of recommendations for future group work. These recommendations were divided into student centered and faculty centered themes. Student centered themes were those recommendations in which respondents seemed to be offering advice to future students participating in similar projects. These included (1) communication as a value to improve group work, (2) leadership and teamwork, and (3) goal development. Faculty centered themes were those recommendations in which respondents were citing things faculty members could do to improve group work.The following four faculty centered themes were uncovered in the analysis: (1) oversight, (2) grades, (3) situational themes, and (4) anomic themes. Student Centered Themes Communication as a Strategy to Improve Group Work. Several students, recognizing the importance of interpersonal communication, recommended that fellow group project participants hone their communication skills. Students offered tips such as â€Å"Listen to everyone's idea–No matter what it is;† â€Å"Make sure everyone understands the information and the process;† and â€Å"Communication is key. When a group fails to communicate, the group as a whole suffers.† Another student recommended, â€Å"just bonding more† while ano ther cited â€Å"people keeping in touch† as a step to improve group work. Leadership and Teamwork. Students also provided advise suggesting the importance of leadership and teamwork in future group projects. In terms of leadership, students made comments such as the following: * Assigned leaders are needed. * Assign more specific roles. * Need to have defined task assignments for members. Some students provided a bit of detail describing the importance of leadership in group projects. For example, one student made the following comments:It was easier to get the project done by dividing up the work. We worked well together for the most part. One individual has considerable leadership talents and he kept our group on track. Others just deferred to his ideas and we did what he told us to do. He assigned our tasks and made sure they were completed. Another student who made the following comments also described this leadership process: [You need to] learn the habits of others and learning who has the qualities of taking charge of a group. I thought it was interesting to watch who would become the leader and which group would members would follow the leader.With regard to teamwork, students also suggested that, while groups may need a leader, members of the group must be willing to work together. Students made comments such as â€Å"Everyone has to do their part;† â€Å"Everyone working together and doing their part;† â€Å"Teamwork;† and â€Å"Spread around responsibility. † The need to work together appeared to be an especially salient recommendation in this sample. One student emphasized this need in the following manner: â€Å"Everyone has to work together!! † Indirectly indicative of the need to work together, students recognized the need to share all aspects of the project.As an illustration, according to one student, future students doing group projects must remember to â€Å"bring calculators to the restaurant or b ar to figure out a fair tip for the bartender divided five ways. † Goal Development. Some comments made by students also implied the importance of goal development for future group projects. For example, one student advised, â€Å"We all had the same motivation and ambition. † Other students made comments such as â€Å"clarity of goals† and â€Å"commitment to goal† as suggestions for future group. In considering their goals, some students seemed to define their grade as the goal.Said one student, â€Å"If everyone was equally dedicated to getting good grades, or if groups were assigned based no dedication. † Another student recommended that students â€Å"take their job seriously, not just for their grades, but for others' grades. † Faculty Centered Themes Oversight. In terms of faculty centered themes, some students suggested more faculty input in future group projects as a strategy to improve group work. Some students recommended more guid ance in the beginning of the project. One student, for example, said, â€Å"The instructor should assign the topic instead of letting the group pick a topic.† Another student said, â€Å"The teacher could have taught more in the beginning. † A third student called for â€Å"more direction from the instructor,† implying that direction would help in the beginning of the project. Other students recommended assistance in motivating group members. For instance, one student said, â€Å"Specific deadlines may help group members turn in their material in a timely manner. † Grades. Several students offered recommendations for how professors overseeing group projects should grade the projects. One student, for instance, recommended that professors use grades to â€Å"to force the students to participate.† Another student expanded on this recommendation: [You should have] mandatory meetings, groups should be graded on how often they come to the group when the y meet. It would make a person show up more to group meetings because a percentage of his or her grade would depend on it. Other students also resented the fact that â€Å"free riders† were getting the same grade they got and recommended changing this policy. One student said that â€Å"having some of the project reflect individuals so that everyone is not getting the same grade† would help group work.Another student said, â€Å"I didn't like relying on someone else and having it effect my grade point average. † A third student who made the following comments seemed even more concerned about â€Å"common grades† [You need] more accountability for individual work. When my grade depends on the intelligence and responsibility of other people, I get nervous, especially when some don't bother to come to class. Interestingly. when students talked about grades, they were not concerned with what they were learning or doing: rather, they were concerned with almost solely with their grade and whether it was fair.Situational Themes. Situational themes refer to comments that reflected specific dynamics of the group project that instructors could possibly influence. Three situational themes that arose included the number of meetings, time, and location. In terms of the number of meetings, one student recommended that â€Å"Members should meet as frequently as possible. † To be sure, faculty members could require a certain number of group meetings. With regard to time, a student said that â€Å"longer class periods† would improve group work. Another student suggested that â€Å"time †¦and less stress from other courses† would improve group work. While faculty cannot control the amount of stress students feel from their other courses, they can control the amount of class time devoted to a group project. In terms of location, students also made recommendations regarding where the group project work should be done. For exam ple, one student said the following: â€Å"I have trouble doing group work where there are many groups working on different projects in the same room. I like that we were able to meet at different locations outside of school.† Another student also said she had problems meeting in class and recommended â€Å"more discipline from other groups that are in the same vicinity. † Anomic Themes. Some students made comments which we characterized as â€Å"anomic themes† because the students were unable to suggest anything positive about group work, or improving group work. In effect, they seem to exhibit a sense of normlessness or an enormous aversion to group work. For example, when asked what could be done to improve group work, some students made the following comments: * Getting rid of it * Nothing can be done to improve group work.It is inevitable. * There's always going to be problems. Other students provided a little more detail describing their aversion to group work. One student, for instance, said that it is important to remember for future projects â€Å"that there are some people who will never be reliable and some that always have to be the bomb. † Perhaps the most pessimistic comment made was the following: I didn't like anything. We shouldn't have to do group projects or any kind of individual research projects. I don't think research projects will help us in our jobs in the future. Itisn't needed and is a waste of time. It is important to note that the vast majority of students had favorable impressions of the project. DISCUSSION Based on what our students learned, a number of suggestions can be made for future group projects. These recommendations include: (1) overcoming faculty resistance to group work, (2) overcoming student resistance to group work, (3) ensuring students realize the purpose of the project, (4) providing appropriate oversight for students, (5) scheduling the group work appropriately, and (6) helping groups set and attain goals of the project.These suggestions are addressed below. First, enough research has been done to show that group projects, in various forms, can be an important part of students† undergraduate curriculum. Faculty must come to appreciate and realize the importance of these group projects. Of course, group projects are not a panacea and some faculty hold these projects in complete disregard (Ashraf 2004). However, students have much to gain from group projects. Not only will they learn about the topic, but just as important, students will learn important skills, and they will learn about themselves.Certainly, group projects are not appropriate for all courses or all instructors. Still, group projects should be integrated into all majors' coursework in one form or another to ensure that majors are learning how to work together, how to learn from one another, and how to communicate with one another. Second, faculty who implement group projects in their courses w ill need to overcome student resistance to group efforts. This aversion likely stems from the fact that students are accustomed to traditional pedagogical strategies in which instructors lecture to students, who are tested on the lectures.Over one hundred years ago, in The Theory of the Leisure Class, Thorstein Veblin (1899) commented, The aversion to change is in large part an aversion to the bother of making the readjustment which any given change will necessitate †¦. A consequence of this increased reluctance, due to the solidarity of human institutions, is that any innovation calls for a greater expenditure of nervous energy in making the necessary readjustment than would otherwise be the case. Indeed, based on our experiences, we have seen many students expend â€Å"nervous energy in making the necessary readjustment† that makes the accustomed to group work.Imagine for a moment if group work were the traditional and customary teaching style for students. Then, what would happen if we pulled the group out from under them and asked them to do an individual project? Many students would likely have the same aversion that they now have to group work. They'd have to learn new strategies of doing things, and this is something many of us resist. In the end, it seems what is best is to find a blend of teaching strategies in which students are encouraged to work both individually and in groups.Third, and on a related point, faculty should stress to students what they have to gain from group projects. Typically one would expect that the goals of the group project are not just completing the project, but gaining the experience of working together. This aspect of group work should be included on the syllabus so that students realize that the faculty member empathizes with students' concerns. At a minimum, students should be told how group work improves their communication skills, enhances their critical thinking skills, allows for reciprocal learning, and teaches them to work together.From a symbolic interactionist perspective, communicating openly with students about the purpose of group projects will help to give meaning to the students' experiences. Assigning meaning to their experiences before the projects begin will also help better understand one another's actions. They will learn that conflict is possible and that they can overcome this conflict by working together. Moreover, their interactions with members of their groups will help to develop them as novice social scientists (See Berg 2004). Fourth, faculty members should provide appropriate oversight over the groups as needed.It's not just our students who noted the need for oversight Research by Livingstone and Lynch (2000) finds that the degree of faculty guidance will play a role in determining whether the students find value in team-based learning. Oversight is especially important in the beginning stages of the group project when group members are still in the process o f the defining their own roles and tasks as well as their peers' roles and tasks. Part of this direction should be instilling within students the importance of learning teamwork skills (Page and Donelan 2003).Direction may be needed to make sure that students are attending group sessions and working towards the ideals of the group. While group members may do things themselves to encourage participation by fellow group members, ultimately, the instructor has the greatest leverage over students. Describing the direction that faculty members should provide, Lordan (1996: 45) writes, â€Å"Like supervisors in the professional world, the teacher should strike a balance between letting students work out their own problems and stepping in to keep them on track.† As well, instructors need to provide oversight inasmuch as they are helping students find suitable places on campus to do their group work. (They may also want to remind students how to do division long hand so they are able to divide up the tip for the waiter or waitress at the bar or restaurant where they meet with their calculators). Fifth, instructors should make sure students are clear on how they will be graded on group projects. Here, as noted earlier, there is great disagreement among those using group projects as to the best way to assess group projects.Some instructors prefer to give all group members the same grade for the group project. Others see this process as inherently unfair (cites) and call for individual grades. Whatever grading method is used, it is important that students understand the grading process and its rationale. Finally, instructors should play a role in helping groups to define, and refine, their goals. Our experience has been that students tend to define their goals in three stages. First, they begin with aspirations of getting a good grade. The next stage replaces the goal of a good grade with the goal of completing the project successfully.This stage is ultimately rep laced with the goal of a good grade. Instructors can foster better goal attainment by encouraging students to focus more on learning and less on getting a good grade. If groups can define the group's goals, and the members' goals, in a way that they focus more on tasks (e. g. , developing a good research question, gathering literature, developing a methodology, doing the research, analyzing the research, and writing a final paper) and learning rather than getting a good grade, then the likelihood of a successful group project increases.Tying individual goals in with group goals is a central aim of collaborative learning (Johnson and Johnson 1994). Students in this study at least indirectly recognized the importance of meshing their own goals with those of the group. Our intent in this paper is not to be prescriptive but to simply generate thought and discussion about a common type of active learning strategy. We recognize that professors vary in their teaching strategy preferences. We do not expect all professors to want to use group projects in their courses, nor do we expect all courses to be amenable to group projects.Still, it is hoped that all undergraduates will participate in at least some group projects during their undergraduate years. While there are flaws with group projects, the benefits of getting students to work with one another are meaningful enough to rely at least somewhat on group projects in some courses. REFERENCES Adams, Jell and Tim Slater. 2002. â€Å"Learning through Sharing. † Journal of College Science Teaching 31: 384-386. Andrusyk, D. and S. Andrusyk. 2003. Improving Student Social Skills through the Use of Coop erative Learning Strategies. M. A. Research Project, Saint Xavier University, Abstract accessed from ERIC, July 5, 2004.Ashraf, Mohammad. 2004. â€Å"A Critical Look at the Use of Group Projects as a Pedagogical Tool. † Journal of Education for Business 79(4), 213-216. Blowers, Paul. 2003. â€Å"Using Student Skill Assessments to get Balanced Groups for Group Projects. † College Teaching 51(3): 106-110. Colbeck, Carol L.. Susan E. Campbell, and Stefani Bjorklund. 2000. â€Å"Grouping in the Dark. † Journal of Higher Education 71: 60-78. Davis. Barbara and Thomas Miller. 1996. â€Å"Job Preparation liar the 21st Century. † Journal of Education for Business 71 (5): 258-270. Doyle, Eva. Chris Beatty, and Mary Shaw. 1999.â€Å"Using Cooperative Learning Groups to Develop Healthy Cultural Awareness. † Journal of Social Health 69(2): 73-80. Dudley, Lola, Henry David, and David McGrady. 2001. â€Å"Using an Investment Project to Develop Professional Competencies in Introduction to Financial Accounting. † Journal of Education for Business 76(3): 125-131. Johnson, D. W. and R. T. Johnson. 1994. Learning Together and Alone. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Livingstone, David and Kenneth Lynch. 2000. â€Å"Group Project Work and Student Centered Active Learning. â₠¬  Studies in Higher Education 25(3): 325-345. Lordan, Edward. 1996.â€Å"‘Using Group Projects to Sharpen Students' PR Skills. † Public Relations Quarterly 41 (2): 43-47. Page, Diana and Joseph G. Donelan. 2003. â€Å"Team Building Tools for Students. † Journal of Education for Business 78(3): 125-128. Roberts-Kirchoff. Elizabeth and Mary Lou Caspers, 2001. â€Å"Dialogues as Teaching Tools. † Biochemistry and Molecular-Biology Education 29(6): 225-228. Young, Carol B. and Janet A. Henquinet. 2000. â€Å"A Conceptual Framework for Designing Group Projects. † Journal of Education for Business 76(1): 56-60. Brian K. Payne Elizabeth Monk-Turner Donald Smith Melvina Sumter Deportment of Sociology and Criminal JusticeOld Dominion University. Norfolk. Virginia Payne, Brian K. , Monk-Turner, Elizabeth, Smith, Donald, & Sumter, Melvina (2006). â€Å"Improving Group Work: Voices of Students. † Education, 126(3), 441+. COPYRIGHT 2006 Project Innovati on (Alabama); COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group Group projects are integral to the business curriculum and can be useful in developing students' skills and abilities as managers. However, faculty encounter several problems with group projects, including assessing students' efforts, aiding good communication and coordination among members, and making sure the project is a truly collaborative effort.Technology may aid in addressing these problems; electronic discussion boards and chat rooms, for example, can help faculty and students enhance collaboration and increase the accountability of group members. Keywords: Discussion boards, chat rooms, collaborative learning, student projects INCREASED GLOBAL COMPETITION and other changes in the business environment over the last several years have led organizations to restructure themselves. One aspect of that restructuring is a shifting of responsibility and decision making downward and a movement toward self-directed work teams (Cohen, 1993).To pr epare students to thrive in this environment, we obviously need to teach them effective teamwork and communication skills. This article describes two tools that can help accomplish this task, the electronic discussion board and the chat room. These can foster interdependence in group projects and deeper, active learning. First, we discuss the need for and benefits of collaborative projects, the problems of group work, and the role of technology in such projects. We then provide recommendations for incorporating these electronic tools in business communication classes.Need for Collaborative Projects in Business Courses As many researchers have noted, the structural shift towards teams occurring in many organizations should be reflected in the classroom (Bobbitt, Inks, Kemp, & Mayo, 2000). Using groups in class thus prepares students to work collaboratively in the business environment while promoting collaborative learning in the classroom itself. The first benefit of group work in th e classroom is that it teaches students how to work collaboratively in the business environment.Business organizations repeatedly indicate that the increased use of teams in the real world has increased students' need for exposure and experience with teams (Buckenmyer, 2000). Companies that use teams creatively spend many hours and dollars training individuals to work in teams and training managers to manage teams. Through working in groups, students can enhance their abilities in setting goals, delegating work, and dealing with conflict (Colbeck, Campbell, & Bjorklund, 2000). They can also improve their communication, leadership, problem solving, and technical skills.All of these skills are highly rated by recruiters and employers and will help graduates meet the demands and rigors of the workplace (McNally, 1994). The second benefit of group work is that these projects promote collaborative learning. University educators have embraced cooperative learning methods as ways to engage students and to foster cooperation (Ravenscroft, 1997). Researchers have found that the values of Generation X are highly individualistic, visually-oriented, and aligned with information technology, not with the sharing of information (Buckenmyer, 2000).Thus, group course projects, with proper guidance, can help these students learn to deal effectively with others. Group work learning can be an excellent way of encouraging the development of higher cognitive skills in students (Thorley & Gregory, 1994) and can be effective even for relatively quiet group members. When groups work well, students consistently fare better in class, on tests, and in attitudes towards the instructor and each other (Jones & Brickner, 1996).The quality of learning is improved by peer support, with students gaining experience in communication, negotiation, organization, and task management. Cooperative methods have been recognized as effective ways to motivate students to become actively involved in learni ng. The collaborative group project creates a forum that allows students to take an active approach towards their own education. The security of working within a group provides an excellent entree into the progression to independent and autonomous learning (Maguire & Edmondson, 2001).Problems with Group Projects The many benefits of collaborative projects, however, are often offset by problems. First, a common problem is the failure of the group to work together effectively. Students may exert an individual effort but are unable to coordinate their efforts effectively with their group members to achieve any kind of synergistic benefits (Tullar, Kaiser, & Balthazard, 1998). Group members need to be contributing their ideas, questioning and learning from each other, and building on the efforts of the other members.For collaborative learning to occur, students must coordinate the diverse skills and abilities of their group members to address a complex task (Tullar et al. , 1998). A sec ond problem is that often group members simply divide a project so that each individual writes a portion. Then, just before the project is due, the students bring in their disks and combine files without coordinating their efforts or talents effectively. Third, group work often leads to unequal contributions of members, resulting in â€Å"hitchhikers† and â€Å"workhorses† (Cottell & Millis, 1993).These â€Å"hitchhikers,† also called â€Å"free riders† and â€Å"social loafers,† can cause problems in the workflow of the group, as they do not do their fair share. Members of the group have difficulty addressing the free-rider problem and documenting the problem and their efforts to solve it (Gremler, Hoffman, Keaveney, & Wright, 2000). The issue becomes one student's word against another's as the teacher tries to determine fair individual grades. Finally, group projects are often assigned without the allocation of class time for groups to develop co operative skills or to become cohesive (Michaelsen, 1992).There is limited time in class to discuss both the needed topics and the mechanics of group management. In many cases, groups meet on evenings and weekends when faculty members are not available for assistance. Additionally, many group members are geographically and temporally dispersed, which makes organizing face-to-face group meetings difficult. The Role of Technology in Enhancing Collaborative Learning Active and cooperative learning approaches will be counterproductive unless they are thoughtfully implemented and well supported.Communication tools like discussion boards and chat rooms can be effective in inter-team collaboration as well as in faculty-student communication. These tools can help ease the problems discussed in the previous section. By solving these problems with technology, faculty can address three learning goals: empowering students, improving their communication skills, and developing their ability to wo rk collaboratively. Finally, these technological communication tools offer teaching opportunities by allowing faculty to be more accessible to students and to track students' efforts better.Addressing Group Project Problems Internet-based tools can be a tremendous help in coordinating team efforts, particularly when the team is geographically (whether by a few miles or a few thousand miles) or temporally dispersed (Kaiser, Tullar, & McKowen, 2000). With technology, groups can meet either synchronously, using chat rooms, or asynchronously, using threaded discussion boards, in which group members contribute to the group discussion at times convenient to their schedules over a defined time period.These tools enable everyone in the group to talk at the same time or at their convenience by typing their comments into the forum that instantly distributes their comments. Additionally, strong personalities have greater difficulty dominating the group as everyone has equal access to the †Å"floor. † Students may feel more comfortable presenting ideas this way than in a face-to-face meeting, and the quality and professionalism of their ideas may be higher, knowing that their participation is being monitored.The discussion forum also gives all students ample time for reflection so students' responses are often more thoughtful than those in face-to-face situations. Studies have illustrated this level of increased and more evenly distributed participation from students in computer-supported groups (Tullar et al. , 1998). Addressing Learning Goals Projects provide opportunities for experiential learning, that is, students apply what they have learned to real-world situations and thus develop decision-making skills. But in doing so, projects often produce anxiety as students struggle to determine what answer the instructor wants.However, with these projects, whether it be a case, a report of a business issue, or a business plan, faculty are typically not searching fo r one right answer, but rather are concerned with the process that students use in solving problems. Teaching students to ask the right questions is thought to be more important than giving students the right answers. In the real world, there is neither one right answer nor is there a â€Å"sage on a stage† that can direct students to the right answer. Students need to learn how to find and to support the answers for themselves.The use of electronic discussion boards and chat rooms can aid student learning in the struggle through the project process. Thus, three learning goals can be addressed through the use of electronic discussion boards and chat rooms with experiential group projects: (1) empowering students to become active participants in their learning, (2) increasing students' communication skills in describing and solving problems, and (3) enhancing students' abilities to collaborate and work with others in developing their own resources in solving problems.To achiev e these goals, education must involve interactivity among instructors, students, and the materials, and electronic discussion boards and chat rooms can enrich that interactivity. Providing Additional Teaching Opportunities Another advantage of these tools is the opportunity for faculty to participate in the discussions and e-mails. Faculty can use these tools to demonstrate concern for students and to provide additional accessibility and feedback.In fact, the transactional distance encourages faculty to maintain a facilitative role rather than an authoritative role (Moore, 1993). Finally, these tools make it easier for faculty and students to keep track of what everyone has said as there is a written record (Kaiser et al. , 2000). Students have the opportunity to reorganize and reshape their understanding of course content. The Web-based tools allow thoughts to be captured for future examination, elaboration, and extension. The end result is usually more robust and thoughtful discus sions.In fact, threaded discussions can extend the time that both instructors and students invest in the course (Bruce & Hwang, 2001). Recommendations for Using These Tools Many universities are starting to use various computer course tools or platforms to promote online learning. These platforms, such as BlackBoard or WebCT, can be used to design either Web-based or Web-assisted courses. For several years, we have used discussion groups and chat rooms in Web-based classes but have also found that communication can be enhanced in traditional classes through use of these tools.Since more business organizations are using electronic tools, such as Lotus Notes, to facilitate group meetings, using them in the classroom helps students further prepare for their careers. However, the wise faculty member will be advised that these tools should be used judiciously. Therefore, based on our experience, the following suggestions are made to faculty who are considering the use of Web-based tools. Discussion Boards Instructors and students can compose and post messages electronically on electronic discussion boards.Both public and private discussion forums can be implemented. With many computing platforms, such as WebCT, faculty can set up public forums to start threaded discussions for the class to which the students can respond electronically. Students can use these public forums to post questions to which the entire class can respond, such as for help in finding information for the project. A project normally seems easier when the instructor is discussing it in class and few questions arise. However, students' questions occasionally occur after class or on weekends.The discussion board allows the opportunity for students to post problems asynchronously and to receive input from the class. The burden is no longer on the instructor to solve every problem as it occurs but is on the students to work with each other as well as with the instructor in solving problems. This is a tremendous lesson for students to learn to deal with problem solving in the real world. When an employer gives an employee a project or task to do, he/she expects the employee to do it on his/her own and not ask for assistance from the employer every step of the way.Students have to learn to be problem solvers on their own, and the use of electronic discussion boards helps develop that skill. The professor's role is to help get the conversation started. For example, the instructor can post a question on the public project discussion board asking at which sites people are having success finding information for the project. The students can then respond. Those students who respond in a useful manner will be rewarded, such as with a participation grade. Those students or groups who do not respond can be asked on the discussion board for their input.When students see the progress other students are making, they may be spurred to work harder. Additionally, the faculty need to check the discussion board frequently to see if any misinformation is being spread, to ensure â€Å"netiquette† is being practiced, and to restart the conversation as needed. Finally, faculty can take questions that the students ask individually and request that the students post them on the discussion board. In that way the instructor only has to respond once, and similar inquiries can then be referred to that response.This will eve ntually build a culture in the class where the instructor is not seen as the sole source for information, and the students learn to work with each other in solving problems. Additionally, instructors can create private forums to be used to divide students into groups for class exercises or for the use of asynchronous coordination of group projects in which group members cannot all meet at the same time. The instructor can visit these public and private forums to track group progress, to encourage students to help each other to solve problems, and to provid e assistance as needed after the students have tried first on their own.In the private group forums, the students are encouraged to use the board to organize group meetings, to post their research findings, and to post drafts of their work for their group members to see and make comments. The professor can encourage individual group members to post their contributions to the paper to the private forum for the other members to see and post suggestions. This would increase group collaboration in a manner that can be documented. After the group has collaborated on a draft of the project, the instructor can offer suggestions.Finally, instructors should consider requiring the groups to post progress reports on their efforts periodically during the term. These progress reports describe what the group has accomplished, what the group's plans are, if there are any problems, and if there are, how they are being addressed. The instructor should provide guidelines as to what the groups should have accomplished by the progress report dates so the students can determine if they are on track. While these reports could be submitted on paper, doing it through the discussion board makes it easier for group m

The Hunger Game by Suzanne Collins Essay Example for Free

†The Hunger Game† by Suzanne Collins Essay The novel The Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins. This novel talks about 12 districts that are controlled by the Capitol and the Capitol created The Hunger Games to remind people of the districts about dark day. In the novel, the most prevalent tones are sadness and anger. The Capitol provides 12 districts a dark life, and it also sets a cruel game for the people. All the time, tributes are forced to do something that they do not want to do. Capitol provides 12 districts a dark life. First of all , there is not enough food to feed people, so they have to hunt in the woods, but this is not allowed for anyone. For example, â€Å"Most of the peacekeepers turn a blind eye to the few of us who hunt because they are as hungry for fresh meat as any body is.† ï ¼Ë†P5 Collinsï ¼â€°As the leader of 12 districts, of course the Capitol should provide them a good life, but in fact they are just thinking about themself and do not give their citizens enough food . To support citizens’ life ,these people aret forced to do some things that are not allowed. So people will be happy with a comfortable lifeï ¼Å'and If the life for them is struggleï ¼Å'then that would be very sad. Secondlyï ¼Å'there is a lot of cruel rules for people. For instanceï ¼Å'â€Å"My father could have made good money selling themï ¼Å'but if the officials found out he would have been publicly executed for inciting rebellion.†Ã¯ ¼Ë†P5 Collinsï ¼â€°People need weapons to protect themself in such a dangerous districts. However it is not allowed. the Capitol should not kill people who owns weaponsï ¼Å'because that person may have not done anything. So the rule that weapons are not allowed is so sad for the citizens of Panem. Finally, There is not enough electricity for people,â€Å" But since we are lucky to get two or there hours of electricity in the evening.†(P4-5 Collins) Electricity is very important for living, but the Capitol just gives a few hours of electricity to their citizens, this may bring about bad effect to people’s life. So a life without electricity would be very sad. In conclusion, the life that capitol gives to 12 districts is dark and sad. Th e Capitol created a cruel game to make tributes from 12 districts kill each other. First of all, The Hunger Games breaks many warm families. In detail, each year, there will be two young children chosen from  each district, and at the end, there will be just one tribute left, and other will have died. A child is very important to a family ,but in the game , they are just entertainment tools. At the end of the Games most families of these tributes will lose their child. So the game is so cruel to citizens. In addition, in this game, the tributes’ life are meaninglessï ¼Å'this game is just to make the people merry in the Capitol. As proof, people in the Capitol do not mind tributes die or not, they just enjoy this game , and the Capitol wants make more fun from this game. A life for person is priceless, but capitol just make tributes kill each other. In The Hunger Game ,these tributes are just tools that make the audience happyï ¼Å' so they are being ignored. This is so cruel to the people. Finally, in the Games,the gamemakers give the tributes hope that t wo tributes from the same district would both be the winner,but the Capitol destroyed it at the end. More exactly, â€Å"Under the new ruleï ¼Å'both form the same district will be declared winners if they are the last two alive , Greeting to the contestants of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games. The earlier revision has been revoked. Closer examination of the rule book has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed.† (P342 Collins) Two people from same district might have mutual feelings with each otherï ¼Å'so the new rule for them is pretty goodï ¼Å'this is a good hope for themï ¼Å'and they can be a team,but at the end, the another new rule is asking two persons that have already formed an alliance kill each otherï ¼Å'that is so cruel for these two people. So what the gamemakers did would make tributes so angry. In conclusionï ¼Å'the rules that the Capitol gives to tributes are so cruel. All the timeï ¼Å'the tributes are forced to do something that they don’t want to do. First of all, Katniss was asked to fall in love with Peeta. In detail, Haymitch wants Katniss and Peeta to get more help from the audience, so he asked Katniss and Peeta to fall in love with each other. Katniss knows that other tributes will be her enemy in the game, include Peeta. So she tries to be far away from Peeta, bu t she just wants to get some help in the game, Haymitch asks her to fall in love with her enemy, and Katniss is so angry about this. Secondly, in the Games, Katniss wants to keep away from the other tributes, but to make more fun, the gamemakers make more danger to try to put all tributes together. For example, the gamemakers are afraid Katniss would not meet another tribute, so they don’t mind whether Katniss dies and they make a fire to change  Katniss’s direction. This game is making the tributes fight by their own and their fate is handed into their own hands, but the gamemakers interfere in the process of the Games. So the tributes are angry with what the gamemakers did . Finally, at the begin of game, what Katniss wants to do is get the weapon ,but she is asked to find water first before the Games started. â€Å"Just clear out ,put as much distance as you can between yourselves and the others, and find a source of water.†(P149 Collins) Katniss has her own thoughts, and she thinks she is good at hunting, so she needs a weapon, this is what she really wants to do at the beginning of the Games, but Haymitch asked her to do other things. This is not the way Katniss wants to do ,so Katniss is so angry about Haymitch’s advice. In conclusion, the tr ibutes always were asked to do what they don’t want to do, this is so sad and creates anger in them. In summery, the Capitol provides 12 districts a dark life ,also creates a cruel game for citizens . All the time , the tributes are forced to do some things that they do not want to do. So The Hunger Games make people of 12 districts and tributes sad and angry. Work Cited Collins, Suzanne. Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2008. Print †The Hunger Game† by Suzanne Collins. (2016, May 10).

Counselling Theory and Practice 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Counselling Theory and Practice 2 - Essay Example In practice, communication between the counsellor and the client enables the former to identify the issues presented by the later. This profession exposes the counsellor to client’s personal information. The details of some of this information may be emotional, but the counsellor should not let the emotions of the client carry him away. Perhaps this is the most challenging bit of this counselling profession. Maintaining one’s composure amid the tides of the client’s emotion is what distinguishes the professional counsellor and non-professional one. The principles of counselling practice border on a number of psychological theories because the profession attempts to solve the cognitive problems (Tudor, Keith, Valentine, & Worrall, 2004). In this essay, I will evaluate the recorded transcript with respect the client centred theory. The client centred perspective emphasise that the counsellor should maintain his or her composure while extracting information from the client (Tudor, Keith, Valentine, & Worrall, 2004). The essence of counselling is to establish and solve the problems of the client. The proponents of this view insist that counsellor should hide his expertise so that he or she can extract information from the client. People often share information depending on the relationship that exists between the parties involved. Concept of trust tends to affect the amount of information that one would share (Corey, 2012). In counselling practice, counsellors often strive to build a good relationship with the client so that the later may feel free to share personal information including secrets that haunt them. Obviously, individual’s past at times tends to affect the amount of information that one can share. Too many people that seek the services of the counsellors have spent their lives in environments that are

Analysis case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis - Case Study Example Therefore, the cash reward system proposed at DrainFlow should be aligned with this objective. Unfortunately, the proposed mechanism of individual productivity as a basis of cash reward is not aligned with this objective. DrainFlow’s performance are often dependent on another job category to perform effectively and efficiently. For example, the 20 completed calls of order processors does not necessarily translate to customer satisfaction because other employees has to do other jobs in the chain to satisfy customers. It does not guarantee that the plumber will do the job well as well as other employees such as billing representative and assistant plumber. It does not also address the root cause of job dissatisfaction which is unequitable salary structure and flawed job design. Also, customer satisfaction requires team work and collective effort in plumbing business so instead of individually rewarding employees, emphasis should be made on the customer satisfaction as the criteria of reward. Individual reward system will still be installed in the company’s reward system such as commendation from customer but will not be the sole criteria of reward. At present, there is little consistency in the hiring practice of DrainFlow. This hiring practice is flawed because the company may be getting talents that is not consistent with company objective. For example, its employees has little customer service aptitude and see the business in terms of technical plumbing practice. While this may mean that the employees know how to do the job, this still could result to low customer satisfaction evident with the following problems. 25% percent of customers ended in no service call because customers was confused by the diagnostic questions the order processors asked and did not sufficient skill to explain the situation. 40% of customers are not satisfied with the

Lipstick sales in the Recession Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Lipstick sales in the Recession - Thesis Example Women although consider lipstick an essential but purchase it as a luxury to give themselves satisfaction. The results of the research have been supported by economic theories of Keynes, the income effect, the lipstick index and the elasticity of income theories. The results defy the substitution effect and basic economic theory of demand and supply. An interesting point is that lipstick sales are being depended upon to assess recession however, the trend of buying lipstick is changing and women are substituting it for lip gloss. Thus the question arises as to how much can the lipstick index be relied upon or whether the theory should be revised to include a certain pool of cosmetics for the theory to be more dependable. Recession has the global market and the economic conditions are deteriorating both in the developed and developing countries. The unemployment rate is increasing and the purchasing power of consumers is shrinking (CBS News 2008). Consumers now have to make choices and switch to cheaper commodities. Most cannot afford to purchase the luxuries they could afford in pre-recession times. Thus the overall prices of all goods are increasing due to inflation and according to the law of economics the demand for all products should decrease (CBS News 2008). However, as per Keynes (2009) there are certain products whose demand and supply rises in recession which is against the economic law. Lipstick is one of these products as its demand rises with the recession and increase in prices. The research focuses on why the demand of lipstick rises even with the increase in prices. So much so, that the sales of lipstick are used to indicate the recession patterns and to know whether recession has set in or not. The greater the sales, the more the recession. In the makeup industry the lipstick index is ardently used to see the recession progress. At the same time, it is also

Liberal Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Liberal Education - Essay Example Liberal education focuses on training the individual to use their own mind rather than simply regurgitating facts and specific methods as might be necessary in more technical fields. â€Å"This distinction goes back to Aristotle, who speaks of liberal, that is to say, free learning as being done for its own sake and not as a means to an end† (Brann, 2000). Rather than a rehashing of established facts and figures, a liberal education works to develop human understanding one person at a time. William Cronon (1998) identifies the liberally educated person as having numerous characteristics that can only be acquired by the kind of thoughtful dialogue and exploration this type of study can produce. According to Cronon, liberally educated people â€Å"Listen and they hear †¦ they read and they understand †¦ they can talk with anyone †¦ they can write clearly and persuasively and movingly †¦ they can solve a wide variety of puzzles and problems †¦ they respe ct rigor not so much for its own sake but as a way of seeking truth †¦ they practice humility, tolerance and self-criticism †¦ they understand how to get things done in the world †¦ they nurture and empower the people around them† and they make connections between these things. The subjects that are learned through a liberal education are thus not as clearly defined as those offered in more vocational fields. â€Å"While students should certainly learn some of the fundamental arts of inquiry such as logic and linguistics in the broadest sense as well as a lot of mathematics and experimental science, †¦ [these years should be used] for learning to be a human being† (Brann, 2000). Daniel Sullivan (2007) indicates that the subjects in which a liberal education might be pursued can lead to a wide variety of careers. These include the diplomat, the physician, the parents, the lawyers, the novelists, the manufacturers

Write an Ethics Paper (Answer one of the 8 questions below) Essay

Write an Ethics Paper (Answer one of the 8 questions below) - Essay Example A good example is the existence of numerous religions. In this paper I will show that that Christian approach towards dealing with ethical issues is the closest one to my moral idea. To begin with, I would like to point out that I am fascinated by one of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity: the use of non-violent force to prove one’s ideas (Trocmà © 131). It would not be a mistake to suggest that Jesus Christ Himself should be seen as the best example of this. In the course of His earthly life He did not harm a person, yet was able to establish a new, revolutionary religion. In addition to that, His thesis about the two cheeks is truly a remarkable one: it goes against the teachings of many ethical systems that were widely popular some two thousand years ago. It is my strongest belief that the decision to refrain from violence in any form is the best beginning for any interaction between people, not matter how difficult the conflict may it. Violence will never solve any problems, it will make them worse – that is exactly why Christianity teaches. It must be noted that while different religions of the past were primarily concerned with their local cultural environment, Christianity was among the earliest movements that established a platform that did not differentiate people according to their ethnic origin. Indeed, while conversion to any other religion was often connected to adoption of some elements of a different culture, Christianity urged the believers to adopt the faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, but did not promote any particular ethnic principles. I think that this is particularly important, especially in the modern globalized world. Indeed, there is a tremendous gap between the present day and two thousand years ago, when Jesus was walking the Earth. Nevertheless, the principles that were articulated by Him fit perfectly the global community that the world is trying

The Fingerprint Identification Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Fingerprint Identification - Assignment Example Sometimes differences or dissimilarities may arise from the fingerprint identification process. These differences do not imply that there is no identification. My opinion is that it is not right that there is non-identification. It is a fact that non-identification would not be possible because the print contains so many matching characteristics, for instance, it has a total of 28 ridges structures that are clearly observable. A print with many matching characteristics like this confirms identification. It would thus not have any dissimilarity. The 28 ridge structures in identification are so much and efficient to confirm the presence of an identification in this scenario. Dissimilarity can only be in the prints that are not matching (Leo, 1998). The structures are sufficient matching characteristics hence, can be used to used to make the evaluation to remove the possibility that the giver of the latent print could be someone else. Dissimilarity only shows that there is an inadequate detail to be certain of the detection. Uncertainty may exist in some latent print assessors who are interchanging the terms distortion and dissimilarity. The impact of such misunderstanding may be a loss of credibility when the latent print examiners cannot support their results. The similarities are used to ascertain identity (Leo, 1998). However, dissimilarity proves that two prints are not matching hence; they are not from the same print. When matching characteristics have been found to detect an identity, there cannot be dissimilarities (Leo, 1998). The notion that dissimilarity can be present despite the number of matching features is not applicable. If this were accurate, then there would forever be dissimilarity. This would eventually mean that identification can never be made. Sometimes distortions can also change the manifestation of prints. The distortions can also obstruct the relationship. They are recurrent in all prints.  

Mystery religions of the Hellenistic era Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Mystery religions of the Hellenistic era - Essay Example Although the religions were present several years before the Hellenistic era, their popularity increased significantly during this period and even spread through the entire Mediterranean region (Ferguson, 1980, p. 157). The mystery religions were created in several diverse geographical areas including India, Iran, Egypt and Greece, yet all of the mystery religions were based on myths that were very similar to each other. Although they were diverse in geographical origin, heterogeneous in historical development, and theological orientation, during the Hellenistic period the various mysteries shared a similar response to the religious needs of the day, and they resembled each other sufficiently to warrant being classified and discussed together† (Meyer, 1987, p. 4). This paper will mainly focus on the Greek mystery religions in the Hellenistic period. The mystery religions, which were often considered cults, promised their followers good things although most of these promises wer e never fulfilled. Examples of the mystery religions were the worship of single deities like Demeter, Kore, Orpheus, Isis and Cybele (Grant, 1962, p. 98). These figures were taken from ancient myths and legends, telling stories of Demeter, the goddess of grain, and her daughter Kore, also known by the name Persephone, Orpheus and his lute and other major figures. (Tripolitis, 2002, p. 17) They mingle stories about the world of men and the home of the gods on Mount Olympus, relating natural events like the passing of the seasons to myths about the underworld. By attaching stories to these things, people gave meaning to their lives, and through rituals and gifts, felt that they could have some influence on how their crops would turn out, or how they would get through the darkness of winter. Although literature and history do not always recognize the importance of the mystery religions in the Hellenistic era, they were a significant part of the Greek culture and without a doubt influen ced many aspects of life. As a result of this they also affected history and there is plenty of evidence in the form of statues, ritual objects, paintings and other relics which show how these divine figures were part of daily life. Of further importance is the legacy the mystery religions left, and how they affected subsequent religions. It appears that the mystery religions had great similarities with early Christianity. This paper will therefore discuss what the mystery religions were during the Hellenistic era, how much we can find out about them and what they had in common with early Christianity. The background of the mystery religions In comparison to the previous Hellenic culture the Hellenistic society was multicultural, open, and tolerant (Mathews and Platt, 2008, p.87). Before, and during the Hellenistic period the Greek citizens worshiped the Olympian gods and goddesses. Greek religion was an indispensable part of private and public life and the polis and religion could not be separated (Mathews and Platt, p.43). The Hellenistic period, from the time of Alexander the Great through the Ptolemaic, Seleucid, and Antigonid Kingdoms established by his successors, witnessed the transformation of the polis (city-state). It can be argued that Alexander the Great’s conquest of 336-323 B.C.E. was a main factor that initiated the profound changes to the values of the old Greek polis and the Olympian gods and goddesses linked to the polis (Meyer, 1987, p.2). These changes most likely began because of the growing contact with other civilizations, including Egypt and the New East. During this time Macedonia overtook and philosophy, religion and every other aspect of life began to change. Although heirs of the

School Administrators Essay Example for Free

School Administrators Essay The role of education does not solely revolve around creating opportunities for children to learn and acquire information. At the same time, the role of reaching out to the community and reaping its benefits have been becoming part of administrative practice. With this idea on mind, there is an increasing need for administrators and educators to create an active environment for participation to extract the needed skills and capabilities to adapt to the challenges and trends of the present environment. Looking at the survey provided, it tries to outline the relevance of such programs not only among administrators and educators but also to parents and students. This is essential because it can create transparency and accountability among the facilitators of the program. At the same time, it allows the educational institution to create new and renew relationships that are relevant to maintain strong partnerships. â€Å"The goal of school-community relations expands on the definition of public relations; the goal of school-community relations it to help develop and maintain relationships† (Hopkins, 2005, p. 1). Another significant component of this initiative is the presence of goals and objectives in every program. This is relevant because it can generate the needed results and actively promote the target audience and provide direction on specific outputs. Likewise, it is important that these outputs are clear and concise because it can increase the chances that the program can be successful and be implemented better on target audiences (Ley, 1999). Through this, it can necessitate effective outcomes and create opportunities for relationships to grow in the process. Communication and interaction is also another relevant element that contributes to community building. Actively coordinating programs towards intended and target audiences can help spread out the word and supplement the objectives by giving the chance for each one to cooperate and take part in the process. Seeing this, it does not only work for actors such as parents, students, and teachers. Rather, there are also significant members who can contribute in the field. â€Å"All of those community members might be interested in knowing how a schools test results and student work compare to other schools† (Hopkins, 2005, p. 1). Operating on this concept, it can be argued that having effective communication can create active environments for cooperation and collaboration. These community programs can serve as a bridge in increasing support mechanisms that are essential not only for students but also for the educational institution as well. At the same time, having a harmonious relationship with these individuals and groups can enhance public relations that can be beneficial for the school’s growth and continuous development (Ley, 1999). Seeing all of these, leadership is a vital component that can merge these concepts together and allow the interaction and change to occur. Organizers must actively realize that by promoting this initiative, they can actively achieve necessary outcomes that will cater student awareness of revolving issues in the community and help them adapt to the elements that continue to be manifested in society. To conclude, community relations have been growing as an important element of student education. By allowing each individual to be immersed to different programs it can reap benefits and experiences not taught in classrooms. At the same time, it can help further and sustain relationships that are also significant not only on creating a good image for the educational institution but also harness the ability of each actor to grasp diversity and complexity in society. References Hopkins, G. (2005) School-Community Relations is Great PR And Then Some in Education World. Retrieved April 23, 2009 from, http://www. education-world. com/a_issues/chat/chat143. shtml Ley, J. (1999) Charter Starters Leadership Training Workbook 5: Community Relations in Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved April 23, 2009. 1-50.

Foundations of Human Development Essay Example for Free

Foundations of Human Development Essay Human development is based on biological development, psychological development, and social development, these three aspects of human development interact with each other, because it helps to create an individual’s identity and personality. Our development defines who we are, our interactions and how we view the environment around us. To understand bio-psycho-social dimensions of human development, having culture competency, and comprehending the general systems theory and how these theory systems works are crucial parts of being an effective human service professional Bio-Psycho-Social Dimensions of Human Development Various aspects of human development are combined together to make-up an individual’s growth and development. Human development contains three dimensions which are, biological development, psychological development, . Each theory differs in terms of the weight or importance it assigns to these biological, psychological, or social factors. Nonetheless, they each acknowledge there is an important inter-relationship between nature biology and temperament and nurture the social environment and life experience in the formation of personality experiences in the formation of personality. These aspects of human development or behavior can be developed by an individual’s culture, family, and community. During an individual’s life span, the foundation of human development begins to change, which is a direct result of an individual’s social environment. The diversity of the human population such as; a person’s cultural and ethnic background, can be understood by using the strength perspective. This method can help a human service professional to understand the client’s way of communicating, whether if they are using verbal and non-verbal gestures. As a human service professional develops and have an understanding of the client, they can become more skillful in the way that different cultures. The Bio-Psycho-Social Model of Human Behavior Simone Hoermann, Ph.D., Corinne E. Zupanick, Psy.D. Mark Dombeck, Ph.D. The Connection between General Systems Theory and Social Order Systems theory  covers a broad range of theoretical and methodological practices across many disciplines. Generally, systems theory is concerned with the structure of complex systems, with a special emphasis about how parts relate to each other and to the whole system. In the social sciences, this usually means understanding how individuals relate to each other and to their society as a whole, and the effect that social pressures have on individuals. Social Work Social workers can hold a variety of different roles. What binds them together is a core concern for improving social conditions for individuals and promoting social justice. Applied Systems Theory Social workers employ systems theory in order to understand the dynamic interrelations between individuals, families, institutions and societies. Generally, they want to identify how a system functions, what aspects of that system have a negative impact on people and understand how they can cause positive change in that system. Individuals and Families On the micro level of social work, workers use systems theory to understand the dynamics, relationships and roles within families, and how these things affect individuals therein. For instance, they want to know that parents and children are taking upon their proper responsibilities, that parents are providing for the safety of their children and that these roles are stable and beneficial to everyone involved. General systems theory at a simple level can be defined as: elements, which are in exchange, and which are bounded. These components constitute a system, which functions or operates within a field or an environment. Elements can be virtually anything you wish to label as such, the exchanges are any relationships that exist between elements, and the boundary is what you can see, hear, feel, or sense that separates from the background or environment. General Systems Theory: A Framework for Analysis and Social ChangeRobert J. Gregory, Ph.D. School of Psychology by Smart, Barry 04/1999, ISBN 0761955178 Explain the concept of human diversity and cultural competence? One of the most predominant theories is Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, which assumes that. People learn through observing others’ behavior,  attitudes, and outcomes of those behaviors which is called observational learning, that is an indirect form of learning known as vicarious learning and indirect forms of reinforcement which is called vicarious reinforcement .Bandura renamed SLT as social cognitive theory to accommodate the ever increasing importance in his thinking of cognitive factors .SLT has also been enriched by Bandura with his views about the effects of a person’s belief in their own effectiveness in specific situations also known as self –efficacy. According to Bandura, social learning involves a few factors such as, attention where the individual must pay attention to the model and must be able to remember the behavior they have observed so basically retention per se. The observer must be able to replicate the action and must have the motivation to demonstrate what they have learnt .Although motivation to imitate behavior of a model is quite complex. As certain factors have to be taken into consideration, the observer or learner must like the model and identify with the model, as humans tend to imitate people who are like themselves. An observer is more likely to imitate a model that is consistent across situations than someone who behaves in different ways depending on the situation. Also it has been argued by Bandura that people can learn from observing others, not necessarily experiencing the consequences of these actions, themselves. Throughout this essay a detailed account with appropriate reasoning and causes of SLT will be given. What is the importance of equality, diversity and recognizing rights in early year’s services? 1. Legal having proper policies and procedures in place should prevent successful compensation payouts for proven discrimination. 2. Ethical its morally right to want to provide equal treatment to all stakeholders, especially children and parents/guardians. 3. Social children can learn to be better citizens in a culturally diverse society, if given the right orientation from the beginning. Why is equality and diversity important in a mental health profession? One could argue it isnt and that best person should always be chosen regardless as It is mainly a political ideal. However in this case there may in fact be an argument for it as follows. it may be important for those suffering mental issues to feel they are part of a wider community and having a wide selection of diversity etc. (2013, 02). Explain the Social Learning Theory. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 02, 2013, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Explain-The-Social-Learning-Theory-1420930.html

Types of Spoofing Attacks

Types of Spoofing Attacks 2.1 Distributed Denial of Service Attack The IP spoofing is mostly used in Distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS), in which hackers are concerned with consuming bandwidth and resources by flooding the target host machine with as many packets as possible in a short span of time. To effectively conducting the attack, hackers spoof source IP addresses to make tracing and stopping the DDoS as difficult as possible. Here the attacker scans internet and identifies the hosts with known vulnerabilities and compromise them to install attack program and then exploits the vulnerabilities to gain the root access. [6] 2.2 Non-blind spoofing This type of attack takes place when the hacker is on the same subnet as the target that can see sequence and acknowledgement of every packet. This type of spoofing is session hijacking and an attacker can bypass any authentication measures taken place to build the connection. This is achieved by corrupting the DataStream of an established connection, then re-establishing it based on correct sequence and acknowledgement numbers with the attack host machine. 2.2 Blind spoofing This type of attacks may take place from outside where sequence and acknowledgement numbers are not reachable. Hackers usually send several packets to the target host machine in order to sample sequence numbers, which is suitable in previous days. Now a days, almost every OSs implement random sequence number generation for the packets, making it difficult to predict the sequence number of packets accurately. If, however, the sequence number was compromised, information can be sent to the target host machine. 2.4 Man in the Middle Attack This attack is also known as connection oriented hijacking. In this attack mainly the attacker or the interrupter will attack the legal communication between two parties and eliminates or modifies the information shared between the two hosts without their knowledge. This is how the attacker will fool a target host and steal the data by forging the original hosts identity. In the TCP communication desynchronized state is given by connection oriented hijacking. Desynchronized connection is that when the packet sequence number varies for the received packet and the expected packet.TCP layer will decide whether to buffer the packet or discard it depending on the actual value of the received sequence number. Packets will be discarded or ignored when the two machines are desynchronized. Attacker may inject spoofed packets with the exact sequence numbers and change or insert messages to the communication. By staying on the communication path between two hosts attacker can modify or change p ackets. Creating the desynchronized state in the network is the key concept of this attack. [12] 2.5 Conclusion Various types of IP spoofing and its attacks are explained in this chapter. Here we have discussed about four types of spoofing attacks like Distributed Denial of Service Attack, Non-blind spoofing, blind spoofing and Man-in-the-middle attack, and also how these attacks can create problems to destination machines. Various Security requirements are discussed in the next chapter. Chapter 3: Security Requirements 3.1 Network security requirements The Internet became the largest public data network, enabling both personal and business communications worldwide. Day to day the data trafficking is increasing exponentially over the internet world and also in the corporate networks. As the technology is developing the speed of communication is increasing via e-mail; mobile workers, telecommuters. Internet is also used mainly to connect corporate networks to the branch offices. As the technolgy developed the usage of internet has became more and also usage of different technologies became more at the same time security threat also became more and gave chance to more faulties to do there things .so the corporations using them should protect and increase the security.The network attacks became very serious as they are more effective for the businesses because they store the important and sensitive data ,as the personal banking records or the business and medical reports. If the attack is done on such kind of corporates it is very difficult to recover the lost data which also leads to loose the privacy and takes lot of time to recover .The internet would also be the safest way to do the business Despite the costly risks .For example, It is not safe to give the credit card details to the telemarketer through the phone or even a waiter in the restaurent this is more risky than give the details in the web because security technology will protect electronic commer ce transactions. The telemarketers and waiters may not be that safer or trustworthy because we cannot monitor them all the time . The fear of security problems could be harmful to businesses as actual security voilates. Due to the distrust on the internet the fear and the suspicion of computers still exists.For the organisations that depends on the web will decrease there oppurtunities due to this distrust. To avoid this security polices should be strictly taken by the companies and also instate the safeguards that are effective.To protect their customers Organizations should adequately communicate . Companies should take the security steps to not only protect there customers from security breaches but also there employers and the partners information which are important for them. Internet ,intranet and extranet are used by the employers and the partners for the efficient and the fast communication.These communication and the efficiency should be looked after because they are more effectd by the network attacks. Attackers do the attack directly because this takes the lots of time for the employers to recover and restore the lost data and takes much time even in the network damage control. loss of time and valuble data could greatly impact employee effectiveness and confidence. The other main reason for the need of network security is the Legislation. according to the serveys conducted by the government they came to know about the importance of internet for the worlds economic status, they also recognize that the attackers effect on the internet could also cause the economic damag e to the world. National governments are mounting laws to regulate the vast stream of electronic information. Companies developed the strategies to secure the date in the safe way in accordance to put up the regulations given by government.The companies which does not take security polices to protect the data accordance will be voilated and penalized. 3.2 System security requirements In these days providing security had became a tough task for all the bisiness and the different organisations. Security must be provided to the customers and the important data to safeguard them from the malicious and involuntary leaks.Information is very important for every enterprise, it may be the custom records or intellectual property. By the CIOs it became possible to customers,employees and partners to get the data in fraction of seconds.The cost of money also became more to do all these things.There are three reasons for which this data may fall in risk they are (i) when the business process breaks down (ii) employee error (iii) gaps in security. Risk is then from customer and competitive pressures, regulatory and corporate compliance, and the rising cost publicity of data leaks Information one of the important resources of financial institutions. To keep the trust between the partners or develop the confidence in the customers it is more important to provide the good security which will be helpful for the good going and the reputation of the company . At the same time authentic information is necessary to process transactions and comfirm customer decisions. A financial institutions profit and capital can be affected if the information leaks to unauthorized companies. Information security is one of important process by which an organization protects and secures its systems, media, and maintain information important to its operations. The financial institutions have a great responsibilities to protect the nations financial service infrastucture On a broad standard. The financial security of the customer will also depends on th e security provided to the industry systems and its informations.effective security plans should be taken by the Individual financial institutions and their service providersfor their operational complexity .there should be a strong and effective board to maintain and take care of these security policies in order to protect the company from the security threats or any other malicious attacks.there should be a regular counseling to the organisations on the security precations they take to provide the companies , so that we can get the more effective results and can improve the organisations security level aswell. organizations often inaccurately recognize information security as condition of controls. As the Security is an ongoing process in overall security stance the condition of a financial institution depends on the indicator. Other indicators include the power of the institution to continually evaluate its stance and react suitably in the face of rapidly altering threats, techno logies, and business conditions. A financial institution establishes and maintains really effective information security when it continuously integrates processes, people, and technology to extenuate risk in accordance with risk assessment and acceptable risk tolerance levels. By instituting a security process financial institutions secure there risks they recognizes risks, forms a scheme to manage the risks, implements the scheme, tests the execution, and monitors the atmosphere to manage the risks. A financial institution outsources all of their information processing. Examiners use this booklet while evaluating the financial institutions risk management process, including the obligations, duties, and job of the service source for information security and the inadvertence exercised by the financial institution. [3] 3.3 Information security requirements An information security strategy is a plan to extenuate risks while abiding by with legal, Statutory, internally and contractual developed demands. Typical steps to building a strategy include the definition of control objectives, the assessment and identification of approaches to meet the objectives, the selection of controls, metrics, the establishment of benchmarks and the preparation of implementation and testing plans. The choice of controls is typically depends on cost comparison of different strategic approaches to minimize the risk .The cost comparison typically contrasts the costs of different approaches with the potential gains a financial institution could realize in terms of increased availability,confidentality or integrity of systems and data. These gains may include reduced financial losses, improved customer confidence, regulatory abidance and positive audit findings. Any particular approach should consider the following Policies, procedures and standards Technology design Resource dedication Testing and Training. For example, an institutions management may be assessing the right strategic approach to the security supervising of activities for an Internet environment. There are two potential approaches identified for evaluation. The first approach utilizes a combination of network and host sensors with a staffed supervising center. The second approach consists of every day access log examination. The first alternative is judged much more capable of detecting an attack in time to reduce any damage to the institution and its data, even though at a much more cost. The added cost is totally appropriate when institution processing capabilities and the customer data are exposed to an attack, such as in an Internet banking domain. The second approach may be suitable when the primary risk is reputational damage, such as when the Web site is not connected to other financial institution systems and if the only information is protected is an information-only Web site.

Cultural Bias In Assessment Essays -- Persuasive Testing Education Ess

Cultural Bias In Assessment In the society of today, there are various educators who believe in assessment as proper method to measure the performance of a child in school as well as the overall achievement of a specific school system. The assessment may be presented in the form of verbal, written, or multiple choice, and it usually pertains to certain academic subjects in the school curriculum. Recently, many educators began to issue standardized tests to measure the intelligence of a common student body. (Rudner, 1989) These standardized tests were initially created to reveal the success in institutional school programs, and exhibit the abilities of students today. The standardized tests can reveal the strengths and weaknesses of a student as well as the admission into certain programs. The test results also assist various schools in determining the proper curriculum, evaluate a specific school system, or a particular school related program. There are numerous types of standardized tests in which educators choose to measure the academic level of students. The first common standardized test, the standardized achievement test, are used to measure how much knowledge students have retained from a particular subject. The results generally assist teachers in designing achievement programs in each subject area, such as reading, math language skills, spelling, or science. (Samuda, 1990) The second common standardized test is known as the Standardized aptitude tests. Instead of focusing on a particular academic subject, the aptitude tests measure a broad range of skills that would ensure success during the school career. The skills include daily activities such as verbal ability, mechanical ability, creativity, cleric... ...hoice questions on the SAT up to date. Women are able to do better on exams which do not require a specific time limit. The Talent Indentification Program, proved that women "performed significantly better under untimed conditions than under timed. In fact the young women performed as well as males or even better under untimed conditions." Although the tests have still been proven to be bias against women, the large amount of mulitiple choice questions as well as the timed tests still remain in todays society. Although standardized testing has been proven to be ineffective, the creators of the tests are still humans of different races. As a creator of the tests much be created to represent all races and ethnic backrounds. When considering the contents of the tests, people should be looked at as an individual and not placed uder a category with their race.

The Clinton-lewinsky Scandal :: William Jefferson Clinton Essays

Lately, the top story in the news day after day, months after months have been about William Jefferson Clinton, also known as Bill. Who could blame them, there is nothing better than a story out of the ordinary, especially one with presidential status. For the past months he has been the most talked about figure, being the essential topic for news, talk shows, late night comedy and even going as far as the big screen. Talk about 'Primary Colors' and 'Wag the Dog.' What has gotten to me the most however, were the constant flow of Republicans, along with a few Democrats, who just want to say how shocked and embarrassed they are along with the people of the United States.The president had not just become the most talked about figure, but also one history had ever seen, so far that is, breaking the record and becoming a topic of conversation and debate 'twenty-four seven.' The people, who I think were most affected by this crisis and feel very sad for, are the Republicans, since they ha d lost severe amount of sleep over the president's bedroom crisis. They had to perform their republican duties by shocking our brains with the president's affair with Monica Lewinsky. We had to ignore the rest of the world news and its issues while they plough through the valley of lies, abuse of power and something they called high crimes and misdemeanors. At first we listen and listen and listen but eventually got bored. Not a whole lot of people felt comfortable smelling someone dirty laundry which was aired for a very, very long time. I personally got tired of this never ending story a very long time ago, since I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Clinton. I love the guy and no I am not talking romantically. I love Mr. Clinton as a teacher and most importantly as a role model. There is a story behind how Mr. Clinton earned my respect, which had nothing to do with his cute looks, but rather his character.From what I've seen, he is a hardworking, dedicated, and caring individual. Most of all, he maintains his personality as an ordinary person just like you and me. His work as a president for the past years speaks for it self. From what I've observed, Mr. Clinton is always willing to act on the people's behalf and addressing the issues that concern them the most. The Clinton-lewinsky Scandal :: William Jefferson Clinton Essays Lately, the top story in the news day after day, months after months have been about William Jefferson Clinton, also known as Bill. Who could blame them, there is nothing better than a story out of the ordinary, especially one with presidential status. For the past months he has been the most talked about figure, being the essential topic for news, talk shows, late night comedy and even going as far as the big screen. Talk about 'Primary Colors' and 'Wag the Dog.' What has gotten to me the most however, were the constant flow of Republicans, along with a few Democrats, who just want to say how shocked and embarrassed they are along with the people of the United States.The president had not just become the most talked about figure, but also one history had ever seen, so far that is, breaking the record and becoming a topic of conversation and debate 'twenty-four seven.' The people, who I think were most affected by this crisis and feel very sad for, are the Republicans, since they ha d lost severe amount of sleep over the president's bedroom crisis. They had to perform their republican duties by shocking our brains with the president's affair with Monica Lewinsky. We had to ignore the rest of the world news and its issues while they plough through the valley of lies, abuse of power and something they called high crimes and misdemeanors. At first we listen and listen and listen but eventually got bored. Not a whole lot of people felt comfortable smelling someone dirty laundry which was aired for a very, very long time. I personally got tired of this never ending story a very long time ago, since I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Clinton. I love the guy and no I am not talking romantically. I love Mr. Clinton as a teacher and most importantly as a role model. There is a story behind how Mr. Clinton earned my respect, which had nothing to do with his cute looks, but rather his character.From what I've seen, he is a hardworking, dedicated, and caring individual. Most of all, he maintains his personality as an ordinary person just like you and me. His work as a president for the past years speaks for it self. From what I've observed, Mr. Clinton is always willing to act on the people's behalf and addressing the issues that concern them the most.