Personality, Learning, and Communication Styles Term Paper

Personality, Learning, and Communication Styles - Term Paper Example Allport (cited in Monte, 1995) ordered various traits in three hierarchical levels, namely, cardinal trait, central trait and secondary trait. The three hierarchical levels are explained as follows: Cardinal traits: Cardinal traits are referred to certain specific traits which shape and have a dominating effect on the manners of an individual. Such traits have been placed by the author at the highest level of the hierarchy and are referred as master traits for controlling personality of an individual. However, it is noteworthy that such traits are rare and extreme and can have an impact so strong that it may completely define an individual’s life. Examples of cardinal traits can be greed, altruism and ambition. Central traits: The central traits occupy the second highest level in the trait hierarchy defined by Allport. These characteristics are found in different persons in varying quantity. These traits are referred as common building blocks that have major impact on an individual’s behaviour. Examples of central traits can be honesty, dedication, sensitivity and generosity. Secondary traits: The secondary traits are placed at the lowest level of the hierarchy and are exhibited under specific circumstances. Secondary traits are largely individualistic with respect to its features. These traits are activated by certain stimuli and can explain the rationale behind certain behavior of an individual that is different from the person’s other behaviors. Preference and attitude can be considered as secondary traits (Monte, 1995; Kasschau, 1985). The term learning style indicates towards personal preference of an individual towards gaining knowledge and learning. There are three prominent learning styles that are largely implemented in organizational framework: adult learning theory, visual, auditory and kinesthetic (VAK) learning style model and Kolb’s experiential learning theory and styles. The paper

Application letter for a job Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Application letter for a job - Essay Example I am devoted to my studies and the steps that I have to take to obtain a future at Trinity Fields. I work very well in team situations and have always developed a good rapport with students and co-workers. During the past two years I have had several placements as a supply teacher in mainstream and special needs schools (both English and Welsh medium). During the Summer 2008 Term I was teaching at Ysgol Gymraeg Ynyswen. At the present moment, I am teaching a CPA Class at Ysgol Rhyd y Grug. I enjoy teaching different age groups and also various topics across the curriculum. I have had the experience of taking responsibility for a target group of pupils from Key Stage 1 and 2 that require extra help with their literacy and numeracy skills. I feel that this is a great opportunity for the pupils to develop their confidence in writing and also their oral skills. I intend to develop this by organising whole class, group and pair activities that will result in the development of the pupils linguistic skills. As a result of several and wide ranging linguistic activities and also satisfactory written work, children of all abilities will be given the chance to improve their language skills. It is my personal belief that no child should ever feel inadequate, inept, or forsaken. I strongly believe that every child has an important contribution to make in the classroom. They should be recognized, in a positive manner, for their contributions no matter how big or small these contributions may be. Students should feel accepted and comfortable at all times within the confines of my classroom. Differences will be praised, acknowledged and discussed within my class. I will recognize, include, and respect all students be they gifted, average, or categorically disabled, privileged, under-privileged, gay, lesbian, blue, or green. I will stress and enforce the importance of this acceptance

The Use of Scientific Games in Teaching Science Essay Example for Free

The Use of Scientific Games in Teaching Science Essay The study of science is essential. Science is the study of the world around us. Everything around us concerns science. Without it, it is impossible to get into medicine, engineering, architecture and other fields requiring technical expertise. Every sector recognizes an increasing contribution of the discipline to the progress of the modern world as well as its traditional standing as an element of humanistic and scientific education. Its importance as the key subject is common knowledge. Science has been recognized as a patent means of sharpening our competitive edge. Thus, science holds a dominating place in the curriculum. As mandated in the Philippine Constitution, it is the duty of the schools to develop scientific and technology efficiency among the pupils and the students. Thus, it is necessary to evolve a strong science program in all levels. So, the teaching of science should be effectively earned out so as to satisfy the National Development Goals. Science is a multifaceted subject, limitless in extent and depth, vital for science and technology, and rich in the cultural import. It offers a lot of challenges to an individual. In school, however, some students find the subject dull and difficult. More so, science in general, is even considered by many as uninteresting or boring subject if not difficult or not applicable into their daily lives. The performance of the pupils depends largely on quality of the teaching competencies of their teacher. A competent teacher learns to build effective learning situation and to select teaching methods/strategies to guarantee maximum retention and application of the earning that are achieved. According to Wikipedia, strategy refers to all techniques by which the teachers structure the learning environment so that the students are led to discover what they are supposed to discover. Teachers use a wide variety of techniques to elicit information from the students. In view of this, the teacher must determine effective strategies that would suit to the interest, abilities and needs of the students. The researcher believes that the games could be an effective strategy in teaching science in elementary schools. Statement of the Problem The study aims to find out the effectiveness of using games in teaching selected topics in Science to Grade VI pupils of Matanao Central Elementary School for the incoming School Year 2012-2013. Moreover, it seeks to answer the following research questions: 1.) Is there a significant difference on the pre-test scores of the control group and the experimental group? 2.) Is there a significant difference on the post-test scores of the control group and the experimental group? 3.) Is there a difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of pupils in both control and experimental group? Hypotheses Null Hypothesis 1.) There is no significant difference on the pre-test scores of the control group and the experimental group. 2.) There is no significant difference on the post-test scores of the control group and the experimental group. 3.) There is no significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of pupils in both control and experimental group. Alternative Hypothesis 1.) There is a significant difference on the pre-test scores of the control group and the experimental group. 2.) There is a significant difference on the post-test scores of the control group and the experimental group. 3.) There is a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of pupils in both control and experimental group. Significance of the Study This study would like to help elementary grade pupils to develop better understanding of the abstract concepts and ideas in science as they prepare for higher learning in science. The findings of this study may likewise motivate and challenge science teachers in their determination to help majority of the grade VI pupils who experience learning block in science primarily due to less effective in teaching science concepts, with the use of various learning strategies, students may develop a deeper understanding of the concepts and process to science that will consequently lead to higher achievement. Lastly for educators, the useful and relevant information acquired from this study may provide insights on how they can promote higher academic achievement using effective strategy in teaching abstract concepts and ideas in science. Moreover, this study would like to help them achieve their long sought goal of development of effective understanding of the science processes and concepts. Limitations of the Study This research will be limited and will be conducted only at Matanao Central Elementary School for the incoming School Year 2012-2013. The respondents of the study will be the Grade VI pilot class. The instrument which is going to be used will be an achievement test which will serve both as a pre-test and a post-test. This will be used to classify the pupils’ performance and learning outcomes. Different scientific games will be used to motivate and arouse the interests and attention of each pupil. The class will be divided into two groups, namely, the control group and the experimental group. The experimental group will be subjected to scientific games used as motivation in teaching science, while the control group will be exposed to the traditional method. Broadly speaking, the social scientific approach has concerned itself with the question of â€Å"What do games do to students?†. Using tools and methods such as surveys and controlled laboratory experiments, researchers have investigated both the positive and negative impact that using games in teaching could have on students learning. Among the possible effects of game play, perhaps the one most commonly raised by media and general public has to do with violence in games. What are the possible effects that playing videogames, in particular those that feature aggressive or violent elements might have on children and youth? Social learning theory (Bandura,1986) suggests that playing aggressive videogames would stimulate aggressive behaviour in players in particular because the player is an active participant (as opposed to passive observer as the case of aggression in film and television). On the other hand, catharsis theory ( Feshback and Singer, 1971) implies that playing aggressive videogames would have the opposite effect by channelling latent aggression resulting in positive effects on players. Numerous reviews of existing literature have been written and there is not a clear picture of the effects of playing violent videogames might have (Griffiths, 1999; Sherry, 2001). As for positive effects, educators and learning scientists sed as motivation have also debated how to leverage the motivation students had for playing games as well as exploring th e medium of videogames for educational and pedagogical purposes. Malone explored the intrinsically motivating qualities that games have and how they might be useful in designing educational games (Malone, 1980; Malone 1981) while Kafai utilized the design of games by schoolchildren as the context for them to learn computer programming concepts and mathematics (Kafai, 1995; Kafai 1996). Similarly, Squire has explored the use of commercial games as means for engaging disenfranchised students in school (Squire,2005). In addition to their motivational factors, Gee and Shaffer have argued that certain qualities present in the medium of videogames provide valuable opportunities for learning (Gee, 2003; Shaffer, 2006). In her book, Life on the Screen, Sherry Turkle explored how people that participated in online multiplayer games such as MUDs used their experiences with the game to explore personal issues of identity (Turkle, 1995). In her book Play Between Worlds, T.L. Taylor recounts her experiences playing the massively multiplayer online game Everquest. In doing so, she seek to understand â€Å"the nuanced border relationship that exists between MMOG players and the worlds they inhabit† (Taylor, 2006). Swiss educator Johannes Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827) agree with the view that a school should be adapted in an atmosphere of general permissive where physical experience, play activities and nature study walk should be part of the learning experiences against the dullness deadening memorization and recitation. German educator and philosopher, Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852) also a naturalist, believes that the teacher must become an active instructor instead a taskmaster and hearer of active recitations. He introduced the school for early childhood education, the kindergarten or child garden that emphasized games, play, songs and crafts. He urged teachers to look back of their childhood days that could help them understand the needs of the child. Other significant studies that relate the games to improved achievement is in the hand of biology (Bleitan, 1989) and in Genetics concepts (Garcia, 1993). Nueva Espana et al (1990) stated that our country depends on Science and Technology. A great number of its problem can be solved by developing its greatest resource: people. Our people must develop skills in Science and Technology. Sufficiency in scientific and technological expertise is a characteristic of countries that have become progressive and rich no matter how small they are. Our country still has a long, long way to become self-sustaining. Knowledge of Science and the efficient use of its principle can help a lot toward making our society self-sufficient in turn making us masters of our own science and technology and not servants of society. (Philippine Graphics, May 19, 1997 p.8). Senator Ernesto Maceda made alarming news about the results of our students performance in mathematics and science competence in the elementary, high school and even college levels that the Philippines is in the bottom ranked 37 out of 39 countries in Asia. He said that we have to respond to the t ruth which tells us with greater sense of urgency to help our students in several dimensions of the educational process: retraining our teachers, lengthening classroom work, improving classroom facilities, reviewing the textbooks now in use and supplementing the resources available in our school libraries. Allan C. Ornstein (Strategies for Effective Teaching, New York: Harper-Collins publishers 1990 p.213) said that â€Å"to understand why and how to use instructional objectives result should be obtained in more effective teaching and testing. The use of instructional objectives helps the teachers focus on what students know at the end of the lesson. Likewise, it helps students know what is expected of them. On the international scene, a number of educational research projects have investigated science teachers’ classroom practices. One of the established projects is the large scale National: The Survey of science and Mathematics Education, conducted in the USA over a number of years to gauge the status of science and mathematics education in the USA. Reports from these studies written by Weiss (1987, 1988, 1994), Weiss, Banilower, McMahon, Kelly Smith (2001) and Weiss, Pasley, Smith, Banilower Heck (2003) have attempted to answer the following questions using data from questionnaires distributed to stratified random samples of teachers from all states in the USA : 1) How well prepared re science and mathematics teachers in terms of both content and pedagogy? 2) What are teachers trying to accomplish in their science and mathematics instruction, and what activities do they use to meet these objectives? 3) To what extent do teachers support reform notions embodied in the National Research Council’s National Education Standards and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ Principles and Standards for School Mathematics ? And 4) What are the barriers to effective and equitable science and mathematics education? It is worth noting that no classroom observations were conducted in these studies and all data sources were based on teachers’ self-reports. Analysis of the trends between 1993 and 2000 in the above studies showed that science teachers’ classroom practices have seen some changes. These changes include the reduction in the amount of time spent on reading about science during class and doing textbook/worksheet problems. Approximately 50% of teachers at all grade levels reported in 2000 that their students completed textbook/worksheet problems in the most recent lesson, representing a small decrease from 1993. Moreover, while there was some increase in the use of hands-on activities at the Grade 1-4 level (from 41% to 50% of classes), the percentage of classes in which hands-on and laboratory activities took place have remained stable and amounted to approximately two thirds of the classes. There does not seem to be a change in the percentage of classes in which computers were used: teachers reported that 10% or fewer science lessons included students using computers in 1993 and 2000. However, many more teachers reported using other instructional technologies such as CD-ROMs in 2000 than in 1993. Another international project that has investigated science and mathematics teachers classroom practices in science and mathematics is the TIMSS 1999 video study, the science result of which were released in 2006 ( Roth, Druker, Garnier, Lemmens, Chen,Kawanaka, Okamoto, Rasmussen, Trubacova, Warvi, Gonzales, Stigler, Gallimore,2006). This study examined patterns of science and mathematics teaching practices in 439 videotapes of eighth grade science lessons in five countries: Australia, the Czech Republic, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United States. Results of the study showed that there were variations across the five countries in the organization of science lessons, development of science content for students, and student involvement in doing science. For example, the study results showed that students in Czech Republic were required to master challenging and theoretical science content and that classes were mostly focused on talking about science in whole class settings. In Japan, the focus was on presenting science in conceptually coherent ways while stressing the identification of patterns, making connections among ideas, and the interplay between evidence and ideas in an inquiry-oriented approach to teaching. Australian students were mostly involved in making connections between ideas, evidence, and real-life situations using inquiry approaches to teaching similar to those used in Japan. Students in the Netherlands were held accountable for independent learning of science content with emphasis on homework and independent seatwork. Finally, in the United States, students experienced variety in instructional approaches, organizational structures, content, and activities with less emphasis on developing coherent science ideas and content. The focus of the activities was on engaging and motivating students rather than on developing challenging content knowledge. As evident from the above, there is important research on classroom practices being conducted worldwide; research that has the potential to provide useful recommendations for improving science teaching and learning. In the Philippines, a related study on the use of games as learning in mathematics was conducted by Aragon (1991). She discovered the greater attention of students to the lesson and there is interest where enhanced. She also found the strategy as a very effective motivational learning material that makes recreational and learning objectives easily attainable. Letting the study of grade V, Aragon agreed that the games are useful in assisting the learning process by providing opportunity to see familiar materials in new setting; that makes them excellent motivation tools in acquiring new skills that breaks the classroom routine in a pleasant way, making uninterested students become a part of the chase in permanent learning. Aragon also found that games enables students to appreciate the value of sportsmanship, fair play, how to follow rules, team work, cooperation, respect for authorities and selflessness, sharing of skills for the success of the group. Salandahan G.G. (1985), The Teaching of Science, Quezon City Phoenix Publishing House. Many science educators recognize the positive outcomes of inquiry teaching despite the limited experimental evidence as to its effectiveness in leading children to acquire a deeper understanding of science knowledge, encouraging children to learn by such a method insures the attainment of one of the most s ignificant outcomes of science developing a scientific mind as well as desirable social values. Cognitive Development and Achievement in Science Through Traditional and Inquiry Approaches Of Teaching General Chemistry by Rosalinda T. Agton (1991). Most of the students in today’s colleges and universities have to be exposed to a method of teaching which is best described as exposition, or the formal, or the commonly called traditional method in which the teacher tells the students what they are expected to know. The assumption is made by curriculum planners that if the student are to learn the concepts from the content, they have to rely on printed materials. Traditional procedures in the classroom are those that used to present in a logical sequence, facts, principle, and data needed thoroughly to expose the students to concepts. The other various classroom procedures that could be used in the traditional method are oral explanation sessions, demonstrations, motion picture and film strips, textbooks, supervised studies or boardworks.

Comparing Old And New Technologies And Their Impact On The World Business Essay

Comparing Old And New Technologies And Their Impact On The World Business Essay Technology is a broad concept that deals with human as well as other animal species usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species ability to control and adapt to its environment. [1] Technological change has become the driving force of innovation, productivity, growth and development of the economy.[1] Technology is all about using the technical and scientific knowledge we have to help solve problems (or) to make life better. Now a days technology that is already available and being used for example the internet, mobile phones and computers (or) you can also develop new technology. Developing new technology may be more difficult to do, but if you have an idea for this and it can be used to make public services also. [1] Examples to compare the Old and New technology: Laser printers vs. inkjet printers, landline services vs. cell phones etc. Our study analyzes industry equilibrium in a model with an incumbent and an entrant that have heterogeneous product offering capabilities: the incumbent can offer either or both types of products, while the entrant can only offer new products. Firms make capacity, pricing, or quantity decisions that maximize their ex-ante profit. Within this framework, we analyze deterministic games with perfect information and stochastic games with uncertain valuation of the disruptive technology.[2] New technology separates into two types: Sustaining technology Disruptive technology Sustaining Technology: Sustaining technologies tend to maintain a rate of improvement; that is, they give customers something more (or) better in the attributes they already value. It also relies on incremental improvements to an already established technology.[2] Disruptive technology: Disruptive technology means a new technology that unexpectedly displaces an established technology and lacks refinement and performance problem because its new technology.[3] A new technology that has a serious impact on the status quo and changes the way people have been dealing with something. The most disruptive technologies in history have been the telephone, computer and the Internet. [3] First, disruptive products are simpler and cheaper; they generally promise lower margins, not greater profits. Second, disruptive technologies typically are first commercialized in emerging or insignificant markets. And third, leading firms most profitable customers generally dont want, and indeed initially cant use, products based on disruptive technologies.[3] Theory: New technology which radically changes the way things have been done in the past is commonly referred to as disruptive technology. Whilst disruption has negative connotations, if understood and evaluated early on, such innovations can also provide tremendous breakthrough opportunities to invest in paradigm shifting technology, to drive growth and the Establishment a powerful future position.[4] Disruptive technology and disruptive innovation are terms used in business and technology literature to describe innovation that improve a product or service in ways that the market does not expect, typically by being lower priced or designed for a different set of consumers.[4] Disruptive innovations can be broadly classified into low-end and new-market disruptive innovations. A new-market disruptive innovation is often aimed at non-consumption, [4] whereas a lower-end disruptive innovation is aimed at mainstream customers for whom price is more important than quality.[4] Disruptive technologies are particularly threatening to the leaders of an existing market, because they are competition coming from an unexpected direction. A disruptive technology can come to dominate an existing market by either filling a role in a new market that the older technology could not fill or by successively moving up-market through performance improvements until finally displacing the market incumbents.[4] Disruptive technology Introduce a very different package of attributes from the one mainstream customer historically value, and they often perform far worse along one or two dimensions that are particularly important to those customers. As a rule, mainstream customers are unwilling to use a disruptive product in applications they know and understand. At first, then, disruptive technologies tend to be used and valued only in new markets or new applications; in fact, they generally make possible the emergence of new markets.[4] In general, old products based on sustaining technology are perceived to be superior to the new ones based on disruptive technology. However, the latter have distinctive features that allow them to attract an exclusive set of customers.[4] Examples: 1. UPS is example of how new technologies can help a company to improve its operating performance. However it is using advanced technology to improve the way it operates its primary business and to leverage those skills and infrastructure to move into other related lines of business. UPS has developed software applications and mobile devices with the support of wireless networks for shipping and tracking services. Its software applications work on a common platform with a single database, enabling it to optimise the route and load plans faster in order to surpass its competitors. [5] UPS software applications generate reports for managers that allow them to better plan and control the delivery routes. Better planning and route control result in time saving and more efficient use of resources. 2. A team of robotics engineers have developed a system that makes pneumatic artificial muscles much quieter than those used in labs today.[6] Annoying noise produced by air pumps or electric motors in human-like robots is among the factors hampering their entry into consumer market. Researchers at the University of Nevada in Reno came up with an idea how to make artificial muscles work silently.[6] Instead of an air compressor the pressure is supplied by a sealed capsule with a metal hydride powder. The material can absorb and release large amounts hydrogen gas if heated and cooled down. The property makes them of much interest for hydrogen motor researchers, since safe storage of the explosive gas is one of the biggest challenges for the industry.[6] These are the examples for the Impact of Disruptive Technologies for Technology Businesses. Disruptive technology is significantly cheaper than current and is much higher performing, greater functionality and more convenient to use.[7] Disruptive technologies are scientific discoveries that break through the usual product (or) technology capabilities and provide a basis for new competitive paradigm Discontinuous innovations are products, processes, and services that provide exponential improvements in the value received by the customer much in the same vein. The definitions used by different authors to describe the business strategy focus they used to define disruptive technologies. These definitions are classified by a number of business strategy parameters used to describe disruptive technologies.[7] Disruptive technologies and discontinuous innovations present a unique challenge and opportunity for RD organizations seeking to decide on their RD investments and for Manufacturing organizations devising plans for their commercialization efforts and meeting the challenge to reinvent the corporation. These technologies do not have a proven path from scientific discovery to mass production and, therefore, require novel approaches although they are the wellspring of wealth creation and new competency generation for the firms that introduce such innovations. Many firms, especially the larger ones, seem reluctant to familiarize themselves with these technologies quickly. The trend seems to be that these firms prefer to react to a proven disruptive technology that has changed the Product market paradigm. As a result, the community of corporate customers does not readily accept them until they are proven, an event that usually means corporate customers are late entries into the market.[7] Sometimes, advocates of a new technology make grandiose claims about the new technology it will double productivity, save lives, cure cancer, end war, and eliminate spam and telemarketing. They produce all sorts of literature enumerating the advantages of the new technology. Invariably, the new technology is immature often available in prototype form, However, that doesnt matter, because:[8] Look at all the cool things the new technology can do. The current immaturity, instability, unreliability and other drawbacks of the new technology are mere implementation details that need to be worked out, whereas the drawbacks of the old technology are fundamental limitations which cannot be designed out or designed around. [8] What really happens is one of several things: 1. New technology becomes irrelevant. 2. New technologys features are subsumed by old technology. New technology may become a player in the market, or maybe not. 3. New technology really is a Disruptive Technology. All technology was once new technology. New technology has extended our life spans, raised our standard of living, augmented our understanding of the universe, etc. New technology has saved many of us.

A Critical Review of F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby Essay

A Critical Review of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a universal and timeless literary masterpiece. Fitzgerald writes the novel during his time, about his time, and showing the bitter deterioration of his time. A combination of the 1920s high society lifestyle and the desperate attempts to reach its illusionary goals through wealth and power creates the essence behind The Great Gatsby. Nick Carraway, the narrator, moves to a quaint neighborhood outside of New York City called West Egg; his distant cousin and his former colleague, Daisy and Tom, live in a physically identical district across the bay called East Egg. The affluent couple quickly exposes Nick to the corrupting effect of wealth and materialism. He often serves as a sophisticated observer at several fashionable parties, yet he remains uninvolved in the hedonistic lifestyle. Jay Gatsby, the man who gives his name to the book, lives in an extraordinary estate adjacent to Nick, where he incessantly welcomes guests to sumptuous parties. Nick develops a fixation and a selfless devotion to Gatsby. Gatsby is a dreamer, absorbed by the past, and Nick reluctantly aids him in attempts to fulfill his ideal. The impractical illusions, in the end, destroy Gatsby and lead Nick to see the ultimate manifestation of corrupt American society. In The Great Gatsby, greed and corruption centralize the theme. Fitzgerald uses the contemporary public as a core of life for his characters. Gatsby’s intent to win a love from his past by the display of lavish possessions results in annihilation. He was doomed from the beginning by his avaricious wishful thinking. Gatsby’s approach to attain his goal was encumbered by immoral mann... ...irrationality. This is the behavior one would expect from new money. Acting as one from an established background, Gatsby remains calm, yet forcibly declares his righteousness. The primary symbolism of the car comes at the end. The car, of wealth and power, causes brutal devastation to each character in different ways. In conclusion, The Great Gatsby is a morally and historically enlightening classic about the moral decline in the 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald fabricated brilliant symbolic allusions in every line of writing. The book never loses meaning, for it comes from an unforgettable, real time period in American society. It is recommended for a person of any age, race, or gender who is interested in understanding a peculiar part of what the modern world has become. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby truly captures the essence of American literature.

How Technology Will Shape Learning Essay -- Article Review, Marie Glen

Over the years, persons, usually teachers, have been trying to find out the best way to teach. Many agree that by using technology, students will gain more knowledge and they’ll focus more in class. As well as, many say that since computers were invented in 1945 and since technology has been advancing since then, students, mostly teenagers, have decreased their focus and knowledge of capability. An adept article by Marie Glenn, â€Å"How Technology Will Shape Learning† intelligently includes rhetorical devices and strategies such as the use of logos, ethos, expert testimonies, humor and evaluation techniques to strongly promote her positive conception of technology use in classrooms. In contrast, Kentaro Toyama’s article, â€Å"There Are No Technology Shortcuts to Good Education†, uses pathos, diction, expert testimonies and his personal observation to strongly oppose the theory of technology helping education. Although Marie Glenn and Kentaro Toyama have both written articles on the use of technology in education, Glenn’s arguments are better supported and more reasonable. Analysis of â€Å"How Technology Will Shape Learning† Marie Glenn begins her informative article skillfully by providing the reader with facts, studies and evaluation techniques that promotes her purpose of convincing her audience, mainly educational programs, that technology is beneficial in education. Glenn greatly meets her goal of convincing her audience by gaining credibility. She begins her article with the use of quantitative logos to support her argument and to establish her point of view about technology innovating education. Glenn states, â€Å"63% of the survey respondents from public and private sectors say technological innovation will have a major influence on t... ...allenge in education remains the longterm, directed motivation of the student- something which no technology today can deliver on its own, but which good teachers deliver regularly† (3). In their informative article, both Marie Glenn and Kentaro Toyama achieve their purposes within their writing. Marie Glenn proved more than enough by giving statistics and facts to declare her positive vision and benefits towards technology in education. While Kentaro Toyama stated frequently that technology doesn’t have the motivation, which according to him, is the source of improvement in education to teach students. Although Marie Glenn and Kentaro Toyama proved well discussable arguments, Marie Glenn was able to write a much more well rounded essay by using more logos and expert testimonies that restated her personal observations on the topic, â€Å"technology improving education†. How Technology Will Shape Learning Essay -- Article Review, Marie Glen Over the years, persons, usually teachers, have been trying to find out the best way to teach. Many agree that by using technology, students will gain more knowledge and they’ll focus more in class. As well as, many say that since computers were invented in 1945 and since technology has been advancing since then, students, mostly teenagers, have decreased their focus and knowledge of capability. An adept article by Marie Glenn, â€Å"How Technology Will Shape Learning† intelligently includes rhetorical devices and strategies such as the use of logos, ethos, expert testimonies, humor and evaluation techniques to strongly promote her positive conception of technology use in classrooms. In contrast, Kentaro Toyama’s article, â€Å"There Are No Technology Shortcuts to Good Education†, uses pathos, diction, expert testimonies and his personal observation to strongly oppose the theory of technology helping education. Although Marie Glenn and Kentaro Toyama have both written articles on the use of technology in education, Glenn’s arguments are better supported and more reasonable. Analysis of â€Å"How Technology Will Shape Learning† Marie Glenn begins her informative article skillfully by providing the reader with facts, studies and evaluation techniques that promotes her purpose of convincing her audience, mainly educational programs, that technology is beneficial in education. Glenn greatly meets her goal of convincing her audience by gaining credibility. She begins her article with the use of quantitative logos to support her argument and to establish her point of view about technology innovating education. Glenn states, â€Å"63% of the survey respondents from public and private sectors say technological innovation will have a major influence on t... ...allenge in education remains the longterm, directed motivation of the student- something which no technology today can deliver on its own, but which good teachers deliver regularly† (3). In their informative article, both Marie Glenn and Kentaro Toyama achieve their purposes within their writing. Marie Glenn proved more than enough by giving statistics and facts to declare her positive vision and benefits towards technology in education. While Kentaro Toyama stated frequently that technology doesn’t have the motivation, which according to him, is the source of improvement in education to teach students. Although Marie Glenn and Kentaro Toyama proved well discussable arguments, Marie Glenn was able to write a much more well rounded essay by using more logos and expert testimonies that restated her personal observations on the topic, â€Å"technology improving education†.

Theory of Absolute Advantage

â€Å"If a foreign country can supply us with a commodity cheaper than we ourselves can make it, [we had] better buy it of them with some part of our own industry, employed in a way in which we have some advantage.†-Adam Smith (WN, IV.ii.12)This means that a nation produces and exports those commodities which it can produce more cheaply than other nations, and imports those which it cannot. A nation will not produce a good that is produced more expensively at home than abroad –be it â€Å"a thirtieth, or even a three hundredth part more† (WN, IV.ii.15) In economics, absolute advantage refers to the ability of a party (an individual, or firm, or country) to produce more of a good or service than competitors, using the same amount of resources.Adam Smith first described the principle of absolute advantage in the context of international trade, using labor as the only input. Since absolute advantage is determined by a simple comparison of labor productivities, it is possible for a party to have no absolute advantage in anything; in that case, according to the theory of absolute advantage, no trade will occur with the other party. It can be contrasted with the concept of comparative advantage which refers to the ability to produce a particular good at a lower opportunity cost.Origin of the theoryDuring the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the dominant economic philosophy was mercantilism, which advocated severe restrictions on import and aggressive efforts to increase export. The resulting export surplus was supposed to enrich the nation through the inflow of precious metals. Adam Smith (1776), who regarded as the father of modern economics, countered mercantilist ideas in his famous book, The Wealth of Nations, by developing the concept of absolute advantage.He argued that it was impossible for all nations to become rich simultaneously by following mercantilist prescriptions because the export of one nation is another nation’s impor t. However, all nations would gain simultaneously if they practiced free trade and specialized in accordance with their absolute advantage. This international specialization of factors in production would produce increase  in world output. The theory of absolute advantage itself is normally presented with an example of two countries and two commodities (2Ãâ€"2 model). Each nation can produce one good with less expenditure of human labor than the other and thus more cheaply. As a result, each nation has an absolute advantage in the production of one good. ExampleConsider the table below, which shows that Nation A has an absolute advantage over Nation B in terms of producing sugar, while Nation B has an absolute advantage over Nation A in producing rice. If Nation A will concentrate in the production of sugar and Nation B will focus on the production of rice, the combined production of rice and sugar of both countries would be greater, and these two countries would share in this in crease from exchange, and both will benefit from the higher output of both commodities.If both nations start trading with each other, each nation will specialize in the production of the good it has an absolute advantage in and obtain the other commodity through international trade. More units of both commodities can be produced overall because the given resources are utilized more efficiently. Through trade, both nations are able to consume more units of at least one commodity. In our example above, Nation A would specialize completely in sugar and Nation B in rice.There are no further gains from international trade beside this one-off increase in the overall production and thus consumption. Nothing more happens. Though Smith successfully established the case for free trade, he did not develop the concept of  comparative advantage. Because absolute advantage is determined by a simple comparison of labor productivities, it is possible for a nation to have absolute advantage in not hing. Smith stressed the importance of division of laborSmith’s thoughts on the division of labor constitute the basis for his theory. For him, it is the division of labor that leads to â€Å"the greatest improvement in the productive powers of labor† (WN, I.i.1). As a result of a more advanced division of labor, more output can be produced with the same amount of labor. The division of labor leads to quantitative and qualitative production improvements. This means that output is increased, technological development is stimulated, and workers’ skills and productivity are enhanced. As a result, economic growth is promoted and national wealth increases. This can be summarized as â€Å"the more specialization, the more growth† (Staley 1989, 43)Criticisms on Smith’s theorySubsequent economists did not pay attention to Smith’s theory of absolute advantage. In general, it is not seen as relevant because of the predominance of the theory of compara tive advantage, which â€Å"has been the bedrock on which all subsequent developments in the theory of international trade have rested† (Maneschi 1998, 10). As a result, Smith’s theory was barely noticed and not developed any further. Nonetheless, many of today’s textbooks deal briefly with the theory of absolute advantage, which is ascribed to Smith. They portray Smith’s theory as â€Å"a stepping-stone to a more sophisticated theory† (Staley 1989, 52), namely the theory of comparative advantage that is attributed to David Ricardo.The presentation of Smith’s international trade theory in textbooks is essentially standardized and does not vary significantly. Textbooks emphasize that the theory of absolute advantage â€Å"can explain only a small part of world trade† (Salvatore 2011, 37). Thus, it is seen as a special case of the theory of comparative advantage and both theories are seen as complementary (Dieckheuer 2001, 50). Smith is often criticized for not being able to come up with the more sophisticated theory of comparative advantage (Zhang 2008, 3). In comparison to Ricardo, Smith is described as a â€Å"poor trade theorist† and his theory as a â€Å"naà ¯ve theory† (Mehmet, 1999, 47).