The Evolution Vs. Creationism Conflict Essays - Creationism

The Evolution Vs. Creationism Conflict (This is an inquiry that I wrote for a high school composition class - use it for reference, but I wouldn't recommend or appreciate it being submitted into a proffesor.) The merits of the arguments between the theory of evolution and the belief in creationism is a topic that has bestirred an interest in me for several years. I think that most people have an opinion on the topic or are trying to form one. An example of this is the Christian fish that emphasizes a creationist view found on the back of many cars. In contradiction, there is a growing response to this emblem by people who publicize their evolutionist views by posting a fish with ?Darwin? written on the inside and feet on the bottom. This strikes me as an interesting controversy that everyone can and should know more about. I have acquired basic opinions on the topic that have come from both viewpoints which leaves me with the struggle of establishing my own belief. Sources that have influenced me before I began investigating the topic include Christian religion, school, my parents, media, and my peers. When I began investigating the subject, I found extensive information full of particula r evidence. However, the viewpoints are generally conservative and are strictly either for evolution or for creationism. This inquiry will hopefully illustrate an overview of the ongoing debate. Most people view the theory of evolution as being a feasible explanation of how life became what is today. Evolution is a theory that the various organisms are descended from others that lived in earlier times and that the differences are due to inherited changes that occurred over many generations. It must be realized that evolution is a theory and cannot be considered a fact. Even though it's roots are from Greek anatomists, the theory of evolution came to light in 1859 when Charles Darwin published his book The Origin of Species, which dealt with natural selection. Since then, scientists have been continually searching for proof for the theory through research and experimentation. Some of the topics that are associated with proving the theory are fossil records, carbon-14 dating, and DNA testing. These are also noted as part of phylogenetic systematics, which is the term used for classifying and understanding the relationships and history among species of the past and present. Nat ural selection, or ?survival of the fittest?, is the mechanics of evolution. Natural selection deals with the dying of weaker offspring of an organism, and the survival of the stronger offspring. When a strong organism survives, its dominent genes are passed on to its offspring. Over time, these genes will lead to mutations, which allow a species to adapt as they slowly move to different environments or other natural change. This is a broad interpretation of how evolutionists explain, for instance, sea creatures becoming land creatures. Evolutionists believe that life began on earth when chemicals combined to produce the first cell. Throughout the course of millions of years, single cell organisms arose to life as it known today. Fundamentally, evolution is based on scientific reasoning and experimentation. As with most sciences, inaccuracies do occur through new discoveries and the theory of evolution must be rethought. Creationism deals with the theory that the world was created in a brief amount of time by a higher being. Creationism has been the way humans explain the making of the earth and the inhabitants on it for thousands of years. This has been depicted through ancient hieroglyphs, stories, and popular mythology. Although almost every culture, ethnicity, and religion that has ever believed in a higher being has its own creation story, I will be focusing on the popular fundamentalist Christian version. These creationists believe that the entire cosmos, the Earth and all its creatures, were created by God in six days between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago as described in the old testament's book of Genesis. They believe that geological records were laid down as a result of a worldwide flood. Most creationists disagree with a majority of the scientific theories used to prove evolution. They believe that life was presented all at once in nearly the same complex forms that are seen today. That

Speeches of Eisenhower and Kennedy essays

Speeches of Eisenhower and Kennedy essays In January 1961, Dwight Eisenhower's presidency was coming to an end, and the nation was preparing for the new administration of John Kennedy. Within a week of each other, the two men both made addresses to the nation – Eisenhower made a farewell speech, and Kennedy delivered his inaugural address. There were significant similarities and differences in the speeches. While both men understood that the Cold War would be a national priority for the foreseeable future, they also saw the risks posed by a global military buildup – albeit from different perspectives. Finally, Eisenhower focused some of his address on domestic issues, while Kennedy spent his entire address talking in more global terms. One area of similarity between the Eisenhower and Kennedy addresses is that both men recognized the lasting threats posed by the Cold War, although neither man directly referenced the Soviet Union. Eisenhower, as a general and then president, saw the Iron Curtain descend across Europe and how the Soviet influence was spreading around the globe. This was an active and volatile situation inherited by Kennedy, and both Eisenhower and Kennedy made it clear in their addresses that they expected the conflict to be a dominating presence during Kennedy's pending presidency and beyond. Looking forward, Eisenhower reflected that the achievement of America's "noble goals" was being "persistently threatened by the conflict now engulfing the world." If there was any doubt that Eisenhower was talking about the spread of communism, he erased that by describing the "hostile ideology" as "atheistic in character," which is a key tenet of communism. Eisenhower warned that America was going to have to confront the threat for years, even going so far as to say it "promises to be of indefinite duration." He was girding America for a protracted struggle, a strategy that was also used by Kennedy. First, Kennedy makes clear throughout his address that he unde...

How to find a job after years of parental leave

How to find a job after years of parental leave As a parent, you already know that role is one of the most important jobs out there. Creating and nurturing a tiny human is hard work- work that’s both challenging and rewarding. Some parents return to the workforce after a short leave, either by choice or necessity, while others return after years of being a stay-at-home parent. If you’re not returning to your pre-kid job, how do you negotiate that return to the workforce when you’re ready to head back? Let’s look at some tips and strategies for jumpstarting your career after pausing it for kids.Think hard about what you want next.Think of this transition as an opportunity. Do you want to go back into the same field as you were in before? Or would you rather try something new? One of my friends was an engineer by training and had worked in the field for a few years before having kids. Once her kids were in school, she re-evaluated what she wanted to do- and ended up starting her own cake decorating busine ss because it aligned better with her passions and talents in the updated version of her life. This is your chance to consider what you want to do next.Some questions to ask yourself up front:What are your career goals now? They may be different than they were before.What kind of schedule will you need to accommodate your family? Will you need a certain amount of flexibility in your hours?Do you want a full-time job, or maybe something part-time to start?Knowing what you want and going after it can help ease the transition. If you’re leaping at the first opportunity that presents itself without really considering whether it’s what you want long-term, that may make the transition more difficult and make you less satisfied with your decision to go back to work.Build (or rebuild) your network.As you’re ramping up your job search, make sure you’re reactivating your professional network as well. If your current social media presence amounts to sharing pictures of the kids on Facebook, it’s time to branch out and focus on your professional brand as well. Plus this has the added benefit of helping you zoom in on any trends or changes in your field that might not have been there when you were last working.And don’t be shy: it’s a good idea to start reaching out to old colleagues or mentors to let them know that you’re looking to get back to work after a break. Word of mouth opportunities can be crucial to any job search- if they come from people who knew you in your former work life and can vouch for your skills, all the better.Finding a â€Å"mom mentor† can also help in your transition. Finding someone in your network (or in an online group) who has already gone through this can really help you as you get ready to go back to work.Reinvent your resume.Your resume may seem like a pretty rigid document (dates, experience bullet points, verifiable work history), but in reality it can be flexible in saying wh at you want it to say. Facts are facts, but you have the chance to use your resume to set a narrative.The traditional experience-forward resume format might not be the best choice for a long absence from the workforce. So if you don’t want your last job (whenever that was) at the top with dates staring the reader in the face, consider a skills-based resume format where you start with a section emphasizing your skills, also commonly known as a â€Å"qualifications summary.† This presents the information you most want the reader to see- what you have, not necessarily where you’ve applied it. Once you established the key skills and qualifications, you can include your work experience further down, with dates downplayed.Other ways to downplay employment gaps on your resume:Summarize whenever possible. If you can make general statements about what you did and when, that can help avoid the finer details of when things actually happened. For example: mention years, not months.Focus on your most recent jobs, or the most relevant ones. Don’t worry about including every job you’ve ever had. Based on the job you’re applying for, play up the jobs and skills that relate directly to the job description, and downplay others. If everything isn’t weighted equally to begin with, gaps may not be as prominent.Find a theme. If you have a â€Å"through-line† that defines your career, emphasize it in every part of your resume and tailor it to the job for which you’re applying. Doing this can help overcome doubts about how you would fit in to this new job, if you have a solid history of performance.Be honest. Don’t try to hide what you’ve been doing. If you’ve been out of the workplace, it’s okay to say that you took time off to raise a family. This is something that people understand on a human level. But once you’ve let them know why you were out, use specific points to show how ready you are to get back in.Build your skills.Everyone can use a little brushing-up on the skills front, and that’s especially true if you’ve been out of the game for a while. It’s important to know what skills are most valuable to the field you want to re-enter (or break into for the first time). Are the software apps you used to use at work still in use, or have they been replaced by a different set of programs and tools? Online research and/or classes and tutorials can help you get familiar with the tech you’ll need to jump back in. It also helps on your resume if you can list expertise and skills in the latest tech, showing that despite your absence you’ve been keeping up with the industry.And the good news: there’s a tutorial for just about everything on YouTube, if you feel like you don’t have time for an online class or that community center seminar on public speaking. And if you’re not sure what skills you should be building , here’s a cheat sheet of some of the top skills employers are looking for right now.Consider freelancing/going part-time first.Before you start hunting for a full-time job to get back into the workforce, think about whether you can start with some freelancing or part-time gigs. It’s not only a good experience builder if you’re trying to bulk up your resume, but it can also give you a more flexible schedule to balance work and life stuff.And it also helps with a fact of life: getting back to anything full-time after not doing it for a while is hard. Easing back in with a modified schedule or workload can lessen the shock of going back to work if you’re used to an entirely different lifestyle.Be confident!You may feel less-than-confident about getting back into the workforce with a resume gap and skills and experience that feel a little out of date. But don’t focus on that- focus on what you have, and what you would bring to your new job. Thatâ€⠄¢s what your new employer is going to want to know and what will get you the job offer. Your skills and experience are valuable, even if they feel a little 2013 in a 2018 world. If you spend the time and care to figure out how they fit into the new landscape and what you can do to keep evolving, you’ve already done one of the hardest parts of taking this huge career step.Good luck!

Intercultural Business Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Intercultural Business Communication - Essay Example Culture can be defined as the combined programming of the mind that differentiates the member of one category of people from the other. This is always a collective phenomenon; however it can be related to different collectives. A variety of individuals belong within each collective. Considering the fact that we live in a global age where technology has brought each and every person much closer to each other than they were earlier, it has been witnessed that people belonging to different cultures are working together and henceforth are having frequent communications. This fact is of obvious interest but however, it can be frustrating at times when the thought comes to one’s mind regarding how one is supposed to relate to someone who belongs to a different culture. In what way must one start a conversion and are there any cultural taboos that one needs to know about? These are the questions that comes in one’s mind when the individual things about working or living with a nother individual of a different culture. Even after such barrier oriented questions people of different cultures are working, living and communicating with each other effectively and efficiently. Such is the diversity in culture that prevails all over the world. This shows the depth in the cultural dimensions that is witnessed all around the world. Establishing network with people all around the world is just one dimension of the cultural diversity. For the purpose of doing the same, one needs to understand the cultural differences. Psychologist Dr. Geert Hofstede came up with a theory that explained different dimensions of cultural diversity and the theories have become a standard that is recognized internationally (Hofstede, 2011). The following sections will involve a thorough analysis of the cultural-dimensional approach with reference to Hofstede’s research that will include arguments in favour of the validity and reliability of his research. Thereafter, the arguments a gainst the cultural-dimensional approach will be highlighted with reference to the notion of cultural heterogeneity and finally the researcher’s own perception regarding appropriate methodology for intercultural business communication research will be provided followed by an appropriate conclusion. 2. PART A 2.1. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension Approach A discussion on cultural dimension approach must begin with a definition of culture. The quantity of the definition of culture expounded by the scholars are simply too numerous to count and each one is having specific relevance towards understanding the various dimensions of culture. Alvesson (2000) has enlightened about 128 definitions about culture. Hofstede himself has even provided a definition of culture that reflects culture to be a crucial factor that distinguishes one group with other. He defines culture to be â€Å"the collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group or category of peop le from others†. Much attention has been placed on role of culture in shaping a business in the last few decades and it has never been that much significant as it stands today. Study on this field begun with Hofstede’s famous work on IBM in the early 80s (Arditi and Mochtar, 2000). Culture is adjudged as essential for numerous reasons related to business life. The significance becomes more visible when a business firms starts interacting with people in either forms such as employees, customers, suppliers or any other stakeholder group. Research studies related to cross culture has had most of the values and as a result of that it has succeeded to provide substances to the modern management techniques and practices. Some of the eminent cross cultural researchers such as Geert Hofstede, have to face criticism for failing to provide the valued guiding intelligence. Eminent authors such as Avolio (2007) and Barrett (1993) argues that the

The Walt Disney Method Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Walt Disney Method - Research Paper Example He is achievements are evidenced by the creation of a successful business empire that holds its basis on the creativity he developed together with ideas. Disney’s innovative method of working remains relevant until the date and a majority of organizations still emulate the process referred to as Disney approach although it took a further development from Robert Dilts. The paper, therefore, examines Walt Disney approach as well as its usage in professional practice. The method is based on creativity with the aim directed at achieving a result that borrows from the best ideas through the elimination of the unimportant ones in the creativity process. The technique is based on Disney’s success where he managed in turning what appears as fantasies into ideas. Robert Dilts further developed the creativity technique of Disney to achieve the heights of a national language processing tool where companies across the American population perceived the method as essential in enhanci ng in achievement of organizational goals and strategies (Unamuno et al., 2007, pg 67). Organizations borrowed and still continue to borrow from the method, to enhance in presented well revised and coordinated set of ideas before embarking on any project. The most important point from Disney towards the development of the method relates looking at an issue from a different perspective as well as including all those ideas in the conclusion. Whenever Disney developed an idea for a film prepared for the public.  

Teaching Experiences And Observations From School Placements Education Essay

Teaching Experiences And Observations From School Placements Education Essay Part 1 As described by Learning Teaching Scotland (LTS), the Assessment is for Learning programme is made up of three forms of assessment; Assessment as Learning, which involves learning about how to learn Assessment for Learning which involves continuously using assessment to support classroom learning and teaching in order for pupils to progress effectively and is a formative approach, and Assessment of Learning (AoL) which involves assessing pupils at the end of a topic or course to find out what learning has or has not taken place. It is a summative approach which ultimately uses grading to provide data and make judgements about the learner and the school. LTS represent these forms of assessment as a triangle which also shows the relationship between the curriculum, learning and teaching and assessment. AfL represents a change in the traditional model of school assessment, which previously has been the idea that the only desirable outcome form education was the achievement of top grades (summative assessment). Modern approaches such as AfL aims to encourage pupils to learn in a deep, constructivist manner (Cohen et al., 2004, p300) and not merely surface learning which occurs when teaching to the test (Bryce, 2009 Lecture ). The Assessment is for Learning programme is essentially trying to get teachers to do less AoL and more AfL (Bryce, 2011 Lecture). LTS have based this idea upon the work of Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam. They documented their research on formative assessment in Inside the Black Box (London: Kings College, 1998). In this paper, the authors describe formative assessment as: activities undertaken by teachers and by their students in assessing themselves, which provide information to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged (Pe 8) From this it can be understood that formative assessment involves the teacher and the pupil interpreting their teaching and learning and providing feedback to one another. This feedback is then used as an indication as to how to proceed with the lesson or how to improve on previous work and learning. Therefore, assessment is not just about how well the pupils DID, it is about how they ARE doing and how to improve further. I will now discuss examples from my own teaching experiences and observations from my placement school where AfL and successful teaching approaches were very much embedded into the lessons of all year groups. During both placements, I observed several teachers sharing the learning objectives with the class using the We Are Learning To method. I observed that this method was commonly used with S1 and S2 classes and less frequently S3 upwards. I implemented this method into all my classes, from 1st to 4th year, and although this method does not appear to be an effective assessment tool as the outcomes are being introduced before any teaching has taken place, by referring to the outcomes during and at the end of the lesson ensures that both teacher and pupil are clear that the learning journey is on the right track (Simpson, 2006, p64). Therefore, teachers are challenged to constantly assess whether the pupils have learnt the intended objectives. By referring to the objectives at the end and asking pupils to what they felt they had achieved or learnt helped me to assess whether the objectives I had written up were in fact achievable, whether the lesson activities helped to meet the objective s or were too numerous, as I had been over optimistic in what I aimed to achieve in a lesson. Reflection and evaluating my teaching is vital to ensure that appropriate and effective learning is taking place at all times. Kerry (2004) supports this idea: Master teachers share learning outcomes to assess whether the learning journey is on the right track and whether it is on target to reach its destination (p100) By referring to the objectives at the end of the lesson, also helped me to gauge the learning of my pupils and check for areas of difficulty because in my experience pupils who understood the lesson could relate this to the learning objective and likewise, pupils who did not understand key areas could relate this to the outcome they could not meet. Asking for pupil feedback not only allowed me to assess their learning but helped me with planning for the next lesson and its starter, because in some cases I had to go over certain key points again. An example of this was where pupils fed back to me that they did not understand what the term niche meant. This was a learning objective, thus next lesson, I went over the term again, and provided further examples but also asked them to carry out a matching exercise requiring to match the niche with the organism. When I got feedback from the class again they were all able to successfully state the definition of niche. I would revisit the LOs at the end of the lesson, followed by a question and answer session involving all pupils, however, I didnt always have as much time as I needed for the QA, so I used a method I observed other teachers use, which was request feedback from the class by asking them to write down anything they were unsure about or did not understand as well as what they had learnt, on a post-it-note and stick it on the board before leaving. Other forms of effective feedback I observed included the thumbs method in which thumbs were raised if pupils were happy with the work; thumbs were halfway showing slight concern and thumbs were fully down if the pupil was struggling. By asking the entire class to do this the teacher was able to evaluate the progress of the whole class and if there were problems they were dealt with then, during that lesson. I also observed the use of and used myself mini whiteboards as a method of whole class evaluation. I found it invaluable, not just for a change in pupil activity but as a useful assessment tool and also an effective method of getting the whole class to answer as opposed to a dominate few. During this placement, I carried out formative marking of homework with all my classes, using comments only. Ian smith (2003) states: Marks with comments do not enable students to improve, yet comments on their own do This suggests that when pupils are presented with both marks and comments pupils will focus solely on the marks regardless of whether the mark was good or poor, thus ignoring the information that will help them improve. Black and Harrison (2004) suggest that the type of feedback provided must be beneficial to pupils and enable them to move forward thus the 2 stars and a wish method was used to highlight areas that where the pupils had done (positive reinforcement) and any area that could be improved upon and how this could be improved upon (next steps and targets). Although I told the classes to read their feedback or answer any questions I had left, when I took the jotters in to mark the next piece of homework, not all the pupils had completed the previous works questions or found the answers to questions they had missed out. I think one of the reasons for this is that when I handed back the jotters, most pupils put them away, I should have given the pupils time in class to read the comments and if they had any questions they had the opportunity to ask. Part 2 In this section, I will first discuss the conflict between formative assessment (AfL) and summative assessment (AoL). I will then discuss how grades can be used constructively within schools based upon observations and school experience. Summative assessment and the giving of grades have always had a dominant role in the education system, particularly in the upper school. In fact, such assessment has been derogatively termed Assessment is for Grades (Bryce, 2008, pg 581) indicating as mentioned in section one, that there is a common view that the only worthwhile outcome of school is good grades. This contrasts greatly with the view of Black and Wiliam who wish to move away from grades and use the formative approach of comments only feedback. The authors state in Inside the Black Box (London: Kings College, 1998) that the giving of marks and the grading functions are over emphasised, while the giving of useful advice and the learning function are under-emphasised. The educational research and literature have shown the benefits of formative assessment, such as promoting deeper learning for all pupils through good quality interactions and feedback on how best to improve. This is not the case however, when grades and summative assessment is used. Wiliam (2008) argues that when pupils do a piece of work, the teacher marks it and if that piece of work gets an A, the pupil gets to keep that grade A even if they subsequently forget everything they ever knew about that topic. The effect of this attitude and teachers only teaching to the test encourages a very shallow approach to the curriculum where teachers and students skate across the surface and everyone feels good because of the grade achieved, however, the pupil does not accumulate any knowledge. This type of pupil attitude was seen frequently on placement from 1st years having sat their end of topic to tests, to 3rd years having sat their Unit 1 NAB. There were some pupils in each of these classes and the first thing they did was look at their mark and sighed with relief because they had passed. This was particularly evident in the 2 3rd year classes who had just sat their NABs. I found some pupils were happy with the pass and did not care about where they went wrong because they passed. It is this mentality of the grade is what is important that must be changed. Using a formative approach gets pupils to take responsibility for their learning and to want to better their knowledge as opposed to just scrape by. Wiliam (1998) has defended the use of comments marking and interestingly though, pupils who just sat a test, NAB or their 4th year prelim, because only grades were given back to pupils, most enquired as to why certain marks were not given, or what exactly was wrong with the answer they wrote down. This highlighted to me, the importance of comments, because there will be some pupils who rely on the feedback to improve, but the challenge is to get all pupils to want to learn how to improve. Additionally, I also observed grades and final marks de-motivate pupils. Once pupils got their results, they immediately compared marks with each other. For those pupils who had failed their NAB or test, instant disappointment and this is another problem with summative assessment. Low ability pupils and pupils who frequently receive low marks expect and face constant disappointment when they get their results back. Pupils, who have often experienced failure, will not expose themselves to any further failure. Therefore, they do not possess the will to succeed and do well, consequently affecting their progress in school (Kyriacou, 2001). Furthermore, summative assessments are not wholly reliable as I believe them to be a snapshot of how students performed on the day in an exam or test and does not fully reflect overall student progress and performance. The grades achieved are over-interpreted by parents too who, from observations made whilst sitting in on parents evening, solely focus on the grade as opposed to pupil development. Parents of S2 pupils were consistently asking what level their child would be sitting in 3rd and 4th year and in some cases argued that Intermediate 1 was not appropriate and they wanted their child to sit intermediate 2, even though the pupils in question were happy to be sitting Int 1 because they struggled with science. Schools are constantly being compared with each other in league tables, and the media and the government can easily make their comparisons and produce literature based on summative assessment forms. This is more difficult to do with other forms of assessment. Summative assessments can produce data which is relied upon by employers and other educational institutes to see what skills pupils have developed; thus showing that grades and results will be an integral part of the school system. Although I think that there are problems with grading, mainly the effect on pupil attitude and motivation, I do not believe summative assessments should be abolished. AfL promotes the development of learning I think after the hard work in classes where pupils have recognised their strengths and weaknesses and tried to improve, they should have the right to gain a recognised qualification. Despite the negative views on grading and summative assessment I believe it can be used constructively and in a formative role to promote wider and deeper learning. Whilst on placement I observed an innovative approach to going through prelims with senior classes. The teacher I observed used an approach which I imitated with one of my own classes. The teacher asked the pupils to work in pairs and on the mini whiteboards create a marking scheme for section A (multiple choice). Effectively, the pupils were re-doing the prelim, but they had the opportunity to discuss and learn from one another before marking their efforts using the marking scheme. The next lesson the teacher split the class into groups. Each table had a set of questions from section B of the prelim and they had to work together to create another marking scheme for the specific questions, before rotating round to the next table and working through those questions. Once pupils had completed all the questions, the teacher went through the answers, and groups marked their efforts. When I questioned the class, they all told me they knew where they had gone wrong in the prelim and they knew what mistakes not to make again. The peer support helped them feel more confident as they discussed how they interpreted the questions as well as compared methods and answers. Typically with a test or prelim, the teacher would go through each question and give the answers, but this simply bores and de-motivates the pupils. However, this class teacher had turned a summative assessment into a real active learning opportunity for the pupils. There is clearly some overlap between the 2 forms of assessment as it is AfL which will, in effect, help pupils to achieve better grades when AoL takes place. Thus, finding a balance between the approaches, mainly using summative assessment formatively, can be an effective tool for developing successful learners. Part 3a Within section 3a I shall identify some of the positive features of the Standard Grade and Intermediate courses, as well as indicate the differences in assessment structure between the 2 courses. Standard Grades (SG) replaced Ordinary Grades in the 1980s after the school leaving age was raised to 16. It was felt that Ordinary grades were only suitable for 30% of the school population, thus SGs were proposed to help meet the needs of those pupils now required to stay in school (Bryce, 2008). Simpson (2006) states: The introduction of Standard Grades led to a much bigger proportion of the cohort than previously, gaining qualifications and in a wider range of subjects. This shows that SGs fulfilled their intended purpose, providing a course that was achievable for all. One reason for this is the advantage of having three SG levels, thus accommodating all levels of ability. More able pupils can be pushed, whilst less able pupils have material they can cope with but also have an opportunity to achieve the higher of the two levels, since SG candidates are represented at two levels, Credit/General or General/Foundation, thus providing a good motivator. This aspect contrasts greatly with Intermediate courses, since pupils doing Intermediate 1/2 are all the same level, and this can lead to classes with a wide range of abilities. This was evident in my placement school, where S3 and S4 pupils sat Intermediate courses. The mixed level of ability was diverse and also caused concern since any pupil who was not coping could not simply be placed down a level because the Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2 courses were very different in Biology. Thus, teachers had to determine what was best for the pupil whether it was a case of maturity, or risk pupils being put in Intermediate 1, and them having to catch up a years worth of work. Furthermore, SGs are always taught over 2 years. Thus providing both teachers and pupils enough time to fully comprehend the topic and focus more on learning rather than assessment. Schools which run SG courses mean that the Intermediate courses are taught over one year and as seen in my first placement school, there is added pressure for the teacher to get through the required material, thus learning and teaching opportunities may missed due to time constraints. Additionally, there is more chance of teachers teaching to the test. In my second placement however, as the Intermediate 2 courses ran the same length as SG courses, I observed that the extra time was highly beneficial and likewise, allowed for more creative and active lessons, as well as AfL approaches. The assessment of the 2 courses is very different also. SGs are externally assessed, although some subjects like English require a portfolio which contributes to the grade. Intermediate courses however, are both internally and externally assessed, and are very similar in structure to Higher Still, thus enabling continuity when pupils move on. Pupils are required to sit National Assessment Banks (NAB) at the end of every section in the course. This can be stressful for pupils as they are sitting several Intermediates, so will have to sit several NABs and can have the feeling of being NABd to death (Bryce, 2011). Teachers also have an increased workload and paperwork with quality marking of the NABs. The increase in assessment in Intermediates can also de-motivate pupils should they fail, but also because NABs are pitched at level C so depending on their mark they may feel apprehensive about the exams. However, there is an opportunity to re-assess pupils, since NABs can be re-sat. In additional to differences in internal assessment, the external assessment of both courses are very different and distinct advantages. As mentioned, the SG candidates have the opportunity to sit two levels, thus aim for the higher of the two, however, this means that SG pupils will be sitting at least 16 exams. This can cause a lot of pressure for pupils. Whereas, for Intermediate courses there is only 1 exam per subject, thus this can encourage pupils to do the best that they can as it is one opportunity. With SG, pupils have a safety net with the lower level; however, Intermediate pupils dont have that. Instead if pupils do fail, they will have their NABs recognised by the SQA. The last difference in terms of assessment is the grading of each course. Intermediate grading system of A-C has no limit for pupils, where as SG grading system is 1-7 and pupils sitting General/Foundation are limited in their possible grade, as the highest they can achieve is a 3. Part 3b At the moment pupils taking 8 SGs currently sit more than 20 hours of examinations, which exceed most universities Honours diet of examinations (Souter, 2008, pg 445). Thus, the argument that current school pupils are being over-assessed is well understood. A CfE aims to address this issue with the proposed National 4 and National 5 qualifications. The focus on these assessments is to promote greater breadth and depth of learning, including a greater focus on the secure development of skills and knowledge (LTS, 2011) Although CfE has been implemented officially in schools this year, with the current S1; these new qualifications will not be sat until session 2013/14. National 4 is based at SCQF level 4 and will replace Intermediate 1 and general level SG, whilst National 5 is based at SCQF level 5 and will replace Intermediate 2 and credit level SG. However, the main development of these new qualifications is that national 4 will be internally assessed by schools Teachers will continually assess pupils through coursework and at the end of the course, pupils will be awarded either a pass or a fail. National 5 on the other hand will be both internally assessed by the school, but also externally assessed by the SQA at the end of the course. For pupils, the National 4 strategy will ease the pressure and stress which accumulates with exams. However, for teachers and schools alike, there will be a definite increase in the workload for both all qualifications, not only in marking but by creating assessments. All internal assessments must be valid in that the tests must assess what is supposed to be tested and is a fair representation of pupils knowledge, skills and abilities. Assessments must also be reliable in that they must be consistent in marking and of standards. (Cohen et al., 2004, pg 331335). Currently, 13,500 of the 58,500 (23%) total school population leave school with qualifications at the time pupils will have sat their National 4 level assessment. Therefore, although by no means a majority, this number of pupils will leave school at this time without ever having sat an externally assessed exam. As well as this, the government will have to provide sufficient and adequate information on the new qualifications for both employers and parents. With just a pass or fail, employers may not rely on the National 4 and will need further evidence to show how well pupils actually did. School reports or portfolios of coursework and assessments for pupils may need to be provided; again this will add to the ever-increasing workload of teachers. Furthermore, parents will need to be both fully onboard with the new qualifications and understand their purpose. Intermediates have been in place in school for several years, yet during parents evening I observed many parents still seeking clarification as to what these qualifications actually are and asking for comparisons compared to O Grades and GCSEs. Thus information for parents is vital, not only so that they are aware of the changes that their children will face but also so that they too can support them at home. Regular feedback and reports of pupil progress will have to be given to parents, throughout National 4 and 5 courses. Although the new proposals will reduce the assessment burdens for pupils considerably and provide opportunities for deeper more meaningful learning, I believe that teachers will need to be properly supported throughout the introduction of these qualifications. Thus, they can then focus on creating effective learning and teaching experiences which will develop the skills and abilities of all their pupils, so that they can leave school as effective contributors, successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens. Word Count: 3,873

Impressionism vs. Mexican Muralism

Impressionism vs.. Mexican Muralist As we all know, cultures and events shaped the world were being mirrored in the world of art. From Impressionism to Mexican Muralist, art has experienced lots of movements and it is easy to get confused regarding the similarities and difference between Impressionism and Mexican Muralist. In this essay, I will clear those things from two paintings: Camille Pissarro Boulevard Montmartre (Afternoon, Sunshine) and Diego River's A Dream off Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park.The two images above are excellent examples of different styles of the Impressionism and Mexican Muralist. While the content is relatively similar, such as natural background, bright color, and even both of them depicted a scene happened in the afternoon, the feeling of the two paintings is remarkably diverse. The painting Boulevard Montmartre has a much softer edges and low-tone feel too it, compared to the stark contrast of A Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park with its clea r boundaries and striking use of color.Actually, besides the optical effect, Mexican muralist also aimed at conveying social and political messages to the public. Impressionism which can be noninsured as the first obviously modern movement in the art occurred from 1860 to 1890 in France, and its effects have spread well beyond Europe and eventually the United States. Its sponsors who against Academic des Beaux-Arts, which predominated the French art scene at that time, were accordingly rejected to exhibit their art works in Salon des Paris, such as works from Meant, Monet and so forth(Lana Barras Hill 119).Instead of portray likenesses that mirrored a subject in as much as detail as possible, Impressionism artists focus on natural light and intend to capture the fleeting movement in an instant time. In order to perform this effect vividly, they moved from the studio to outdoors. One of the representative works which can reflected this style is Boulevard Montmartre, a series painting s drawn by Camille Pissarro in early 1897. â€Å"Pissarro was looked upon as the father of the impressionism group, and he was the only painter to exhibit at every one of the eight Impressionist exhibitions† (Ian Barras Hill 135).Pissarro was inspired to paint outdoors. As a freer handling of brighter colors, he always applied colors softly and his talent clearly lay in the reality of nature in landscapes with figures. After spending six years painting for rural setting, he returned to Paris and rented a room at the Grand Hotel De Russia in Paris in order to have a perfect view and unusual angle of the intersection of the Montmartre Boulevard† (Anne Gray 16).Boulevard Montmartre, afternoon, sunshine is an extraordinarily energetic painting of the fourteen painting series, which displays a fasting moving and dynamic urban life in Paris during the working hours of the day. Since he is looking out the left of his bedroom window, his eyesight was falling and the vanishing p oint is higher. As a exult, the strong central shape of the receding boulevard, flanked by rows of trees, street-level shops and impressive apartments, dictates the open, powerful composition and high perspective.Rapid, thick brush strokes used on the sky and road draw the eye down this thoroughfare, which has crowds and heavy traffic. Like the blurred photos, figures, commissaries and omnibuses in this painting hold no discernible details. Pissarro captures a bustling movement in an instant time and just rough sketches of them. Of course, a broad pointillism is also used in many places, such on a road surface. In addition, the scene is presented with a palette of great subtlety and colors are applied side-by-side with mixing creating a vibrant atmosphere: grey, browns and whites accented with red and tiny amounts of green.Certainly, softly edges between pedestrians and background produced by Pissarro makes the color much more natural. Abbreviation depicted the subject matter imply that the Impressionism artist emphasizes on capturing the essence of the subject. Besides, Pissarro still focus on the changing natural light and weather effects, and the figures under the sunlight which contrasts the shadow, dark Cambridge and looting convey the rich atmosphere effect. Nevertheless, Mexican Muralist which prevails specifically during the ass's and ass's is extremely different from Impressionism.The three main and most important artists during this movement were Jose Clement Rocco, Diego Riviera, and David Alfalfa Queries, and the muralists in Mexico were interested in Aztec and Amman cultures, depicted some Mexican people and their heroes' live and work. During the early years of the twentieth century, those three representative muralists who were influenced by the European modernist art returned to Mexico and began to paint and teach. Dorothy Chaplin 26).In contrast to Impressionism, Mexican Muralist movement is not only an artistic movement but also a social and political movement. In fact, the mural styles by Mexican Muralist artists were regarded as a teaching method, aimed at convey social and political messages to the public regardless of race and social class. Among the three Mexican muralists, Diego Riviera who were good at large wall works in fresco is the most prominent and controversial artist in Mexico. Riviera developed his own native painting style that was also social realism. Under the influence formAztec, he was skilled in applying bold and vivid colors to paint Mexican peasant or large simplified figures. (Ivory Davies 38). River's mural A Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park which is a fifty foot fresco takes the viewer on a Sunday walk through Alameda Park. It was painted on a wall of the Hotel Paradox in 1947. Minion, an earthquake destroyed hotel, but the mural, perhaps the best known of River's works was relocated to a new museum across the street (Renee Pamela 8). † The painter presents people and events i n Mexican history from cotes, the emperorMacmillan, the revolutionaries Million Capita and Francisco Madder, to his own day' (R Hagen 101). Portrayed in the mural are numerous historical figures, more or less from left to right, but not in chronological order. Specifically, Diego Riviera in this mural depicted as a child holding the hand of a fashionably dressed skeleton figure, the omnipresence of death in the everyday life of Mexico. The figure standing maternally beside him is his wife, who is a self- portrait artist and feminist icon in Mexico and parade around them is impervious rich and unrequited poor.Unlike the repose for capturing the transient quality of life in impressionism, River's painting intends to present a universal political dream in Mexico and covey some social and political message to the public. As in the Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park, this is no class martyrdom and colonial tragedy. The message of Dream of Sunday is accusation of the tension of t he violent matter. Besides, he also combined historical and allegorical imagery. Actually, balloons on the background represent the strife for Mexican Liberty.As previous stated, there are more than a hundred satirical figures in this mural. Unlike pedestrians with rough sketches in the Boulevard Montmartre, Riviera cataloged social types from ruler to the bottom of the society, costumes, adornments artifacts, animals, and plant. This mural is a descriptive and documentary painting, which carried to utmost limits of crowded detail and illustrative functionalism (Gilbert Chase 11). In turning away from softly edges and rough sketches which impressionism artists of their day aspired, Riviera chose a realism to convey that subject matter through this fresco. What's more,Riviera was mastery of sense of composition, space and striking use of color. Instead of dark clothes and commissaries in Boulevard Montmartre, people from different classes wear brightly colorful costumes. Furthermore, the bright yellow and purple applied in the tree or sky stands in sharp contrast to the grey and brown sky in Boulevard Montmartre. In conclusion, River's artistic masterpieces were a collection of many European styles. Although Mexico Muralist inspired by the painting technique of impressionism, artists during Mexican Muralist began to realize all this innovation ad little to do with real life.As a result, in order to convey political and social messages to the vast number of uneducated people, Riviera chose a traditional art form and style to present the new subject matter (Gilbert Chase 12). Got away from focusing solely on optical painting in Impressionism, Mexican Muralist artists who began to carry a clearly discernible social and political comment in their artworks creates a new era in the human art treasure. Works Cited Anne Gray. Incubi: last impressions 1907-17: National Gallery of Australia. Seep. 2009. Print. Dorothy Chaplin.