Drawing on your experiences during and your involvement in the Wind Assignment

Drawing on your experiences during and your involvement in the Wind Turbine group project - Assignment Example ect, they typically define the project in greater detail and outline how to deal with some of the issues that may arise in the field during the implementation of the project. One of the lessons I leant during my involvement in the project as a member of group F is that having a well written design specification document is critically important in enhancing the overall efficiency of the project from the concept selection to the execution of the project. For example, in our Wind turbine group project, having a clear, concisely written and well organized project design specification not only helped our group to achieve a greater accuracy but also reduces the likelihood of complications and that may arise during the project design and concept selection. In addition, a design specification that contains adequate descriptions of most of the required procedures, materials as well as the needed workmanship also reduces cases of omissions or errors. This is particularly important since the concept selection process normally involve evaluating various aspects of the project and comparing their relative strengths or weaknesses in order to come up with a single or fewer concepts for further investigation, testing and eventual development. Another important lesson that was evident during my participation in the group project was that a properly written design specification will can significantly help minimize time wastage during the concept selection phase since it provides the much needed reference for the review of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the project during concept selection. I particularly leant that having a well written design specification improved our group’s in the decision making process by providing a wide range of information needed during concept selection. For example, during the design process, each of the members of our group had his own opinion and concepts related to the turbine project including on areas such as computer

Digital recording equipment Essay Example for Free

Digital recording equipment Essay The use of information and communications technology has permeated almost every fabric of society. The education sector and the teaching of mathematics in particular are no exception. Increasingly, information and communication technologies are being used to administer teaching materials to students. Students also benefit from these tools in their knowledge acquisition (Goodison,2002; Hall and Higgins, 2005; Oldknow, 2002; Wall, Higgins and Smith, 2005) . This development is taking place in the developed as well as the developing world. The usage of information of communications technology has become so endemic that schools and teachers for that matter that fail to participate in this development risk increasing marginalization (Spanos, Prastacos and Poulymenakou, 2002). Information and communication technologies being used in the education sector include computers, the internet, telephone, emails, among others. Other specific tools offered by information and communication technology for teaching and learning have been catalogued by Osborne and Hennessy (2007) as follows: (a) tools for data capture, processing and interpretation such as data logging systems, databases and spreadsheets, graphing tools and modeling environments (b) multimedia software for simulation of processes and carrying out â€Å"virtual experiments†. (c) Publishing and presentation tools (d) Digital recording equipment (e) Computer projection technology These research workers added that these forms of information and communication technology can enhance both the practical and theoretical aspects of teaching. Other advantages of information and communication technology include enhancing the learning experience by offering a more personalized environment to students (Williams, 2005), boundaryless to which teaching materials can be administered and learning received (Osborne and Hennessy, 2007) and its limitless capacity to reach countless pupils and students with the same teaching materials (Van Brakel and Chisenga, 2003. , Johnston-Wilder and Pimm, 2004). It is known that many school pupils and students alike shy away from mathematics, claiming it is a difficult subject. It maybe a worthwhile undertaking to find out how information and communication technology help students overcome the problem of learning the subject and also teachers in effectively teaching it. Also, despite the widespread use of information and communication technology in the teaching of mathematics, few studies have been conducted to assess its effectiveness as a teaching tool and its impact on learning. Consequently, there is paucity of information in this area of education. This study therefore was instituted to help fill the information gap. Specifically, it shall seek to answer the question of whether the use of information and communication technology enhance teaching and learning of mathematics or otherwise. 2. 0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 1 Information and Communication Technologies for teaching mathematics Oldknow (2004) has given a vivid description of the information and communication technology hardwares, softwares and gadgets available for teaching and learning of mathematics. According to this author, information and communication technology hardware used to support interactive whole class teaching are conventionally based on a computer (desktop or laptop) or a projector or both. These gadgets can be permanently mounted or are movable. This author also pointed out that the objects projected can be displayed on an interactive white board (IWB) or an ordinary whiteboard or a clear patch of wall or screen. The IWB also come with its own pack of software tools. Two commonly used softwares for teaching mathematics are the Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) and the Cabri Geometry Software. The former can be used at all levels of education. Other tools in use are the graphical calculators and data-loggers as well as integrated mathematical softwares such as the TI Inter-active. In their book titled â€Å"Teaching secondary mathematics with ICT (Learning and teaching with Information and communication technology), Johnston-Wilder and Pimm (2004) offered useful tools used in teaching and learning of mathematics. For example, they showed how the internet and video conferencing can be used to enhance teaching. They also revealed how interactive boards can be used in the classroom. Softwares that support the teaching and learning of mathematics in primary schools have been categorized by the DfES (2007). These include (a) software for numbering and number patterns (b) spreadsheet software and calculators (c) pixie and roamer programmable toys for stage one pupils (d) shape programs using computer-aided design (CAD), (e) Abacus 1, 2, and 3 teaching software and (f) 123-CD for numeric skill development. 2. 2 The use of information and communication technology in schools In the last decade or two, information and communication technology (ICT) has considerably altered the way and manner teaching of students and pupils, learning and school administration is carried out. According to Gurr (2001) school systems worldwide face increasing pressure to use technology to enhance teaching, learning and administration. This research worker further pointed out that in the school system of Victoria, Australia, school principals had been able to manage the decade of explosive change through an increasing reliance on information communication and technology. Some of the principals he interviewed in this study revealed that they would not have been able to do their work, if they had not been familiar with information and communication technology. A lot of changes have taken place since 2001 in the information and communication technology sector itself and its usage in teaching, learning and administration of schools that lack of knowledge in information and communication technology would have made the work of operatives in this sector virtually possible. Loveless (2003) studied the interaction between primary school teachers’ perceptions of information and communication technology and their pedagogy at Carberry Junior School in England. He found that Information and communication technology was perceived as by the teachers as a social and cultural phenomenon and an ambiguous area constructed as a discrete subject and a ‘new’ field in primary schools. Yuen, Law and Wong (2003), on the other hand, studied the models of change in eighteen schools striving to integrate the use of information and communications technology in teaching and learning across school curriculum in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. They found that the strategy adopted by a school instituting such change and the resulting variation of pedagogical practices using information and communication technology was strongly dependent on the school leader’s vision and understanding of the role and impact of information and communication technology in the curriculum, culture and background of the school and its general vision and mission. Hennessy, Ruthven and Brindley (2005) also examined how secondary school teachers of core subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science integrate information and communication technology into mainstream classroom practice in English schools. They found that teachers used Information and communication technology to enhance and extend their existing classroom practice. Teachers also developed and tried new strategies specifically for mediating Information and communication technology supported learning. These research workers also found that teachers were able to overcome potentially obstructive role of some forms of information and communication technology by focusing pupils’ attention to underlying learning objectives. In another study involving a survey of teachers, Ruthven and Hennessy (2003) reported that ICT enabled teachers to facilitate more of their routine components of classroom activity, increasing the productivity of pupils and improving the quality of work they produced. These researchers also added that ICT allowed the teachers’ activities to be carried out more quickly and reliably, with greater ease and higher quality (Ruthven and Hennessy, 2002) Sutherland and co-workers (2004) also studied how teams of teachers and researchers embed information and communication technology into everyday classroom practices to enhance learning. The study focused on the teaching and learning across a range of subjects such as English, History, Geography, Mathematics, Foreign languages, Music and Science. They found that young people out of school uses of information and communication technology influenced their in-school learning. Higgins (2007), on the other hand, has pointed out that there is evidence from research that information and communication technology could help pupils to learn and teachers to teach more effectively. This researcher however, added that there was not a simple message in such evidence that ICT would make a difference simply by being used. In other words, concrete plans and objectives must be set in place and stringently implemented before observable results can be seen. Higgins (2007) further added that findings suggest that although information and communication technology can improve learning, there were a number of issues that must be addressed if technology was to make a difference. These issues are (a) the modest effect of information and communication technology compared with other research interventions and (b) the almost negligible effect of the provision and use of information and communication technology at a general level. Lawson and Comber (1999) have examined the non-technical factors which lead to successful integration of information and communication technology into school curriculum. The factors identified included (a) teachers’ attitudes prior to the innovation (b) the role of the information and communication technology coordinator (c) the attitude of senior management and (d) the existence of adequate support and training. These research workers concluded that the interplay between these four factors provided the necessary conditions for a successful deployment of superhighways technology in the curriculum. According to McCarney (2004) previous studies into teacher attitude and motivation in Scotland, identified staff development as one of the contributing factors to the effective usage of information and communication technology in the classroom. This study further revealed that there was the need to place greater emphasis on the pedagogy of information and communication technology. The study concluded that these findings should be of interest to all involved in teacher education and the continuing professional development of teachers. 2. 3 Problems associated with information and communication technology usage in schools The use of information and communication technology in the educational sector has not been without its peculiar problems. Littlejohn (2002) has pointed out that common shortcomings in educational design in higher education had not been fully addressed in some schools during the rapid shift towards online, resource-based learning. He noted that a contributing factor to this problem has been the adherence of academic staffs towards passive and didactic forms of online teaching and learning. Continuous professional development has been offered as the most valid way of rectifying this problem (Davies and Preston, 2002; Littlejohn, 2002). There are more primary and secondary schools than schools catering for higher educations, so it can be expected that the problem can be more pronounced in the lower end of the educational ladder. Some educators have suggested that information and communication technology use should start at the schools where teachers are trained. Galanouli and McNair (2001) have shown from a study that students’ use of information and communication technology on teaching practice was necessary for effective future use of information and communication technology in the classroom. They therefore recommended that schools should be supported and resourced properly to enable teachers gain effective information and communication technology training for their future careers. Some researchers have highlighted the negative effects information and communication technology can have on pupils or students. Tolmie (2001) has pointed out that whilst information and communication technology has tremendous benefits, it can have unexpected diverse effects on students according to the setting in which they are used. He counseled that if the object was to exercise control over the outcome, then conditions of use need to be planned for within the design and implementation of the technology. In order to do this, Tolmie (2001) recommended that data should be gathered on how outcomes are affected by the interplay between technology and the context within which they are used. Watson (2004) has bemoaned technology’s role in education. According to this research worker despite the ubiquity of technology in the business world, no clear role has emerged for it in education. He further pointed out that this was happening after many years of national policies and investment in information technologies in the UK and elsewhere. He added that technology is still considered by many people as having been imposed and novel â€Å"outsider† in the pedagogy of schools. Kennewell (2001) has conceded that evaluating the nature and extent of the influence of information and communication technology on the quality of learning is highly problematic, owning to the number and complexity of interacting variables involved in the settings of teaching and learning. These difficulties notwithstanding, Kennewell (2001) pointed out that there was the need to identify, characterize, measure and model more precisely the features and processes through which technology impacts upon teaching and learning. According to this research worker, such information is very much needed by those responsible for allocating large sums of money for the development of information and communication technology in education. METHODOLOGY A qualitative study involving in-depth personal interviews with mathematics teachers shall be conducted. Three teachers shall be engaged for this interview. The questionnaire to be used is given in the Appendix. This study shall endeavour to assess the knowledge and understanding of the three chosen mathematics teachers about information and communication technology as well as problems they encountered in using them. REFERENCES 1. Davies, R. and Preston, M. (2002). An evaluation of the impact of continuing professional development on personal and professional lives, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 28(2):231-254.

Listening Skills in Communication

Listening Skills in Communication Communication is the key to personal, financial, and entrepreneurial success. Seminars constantly tout the importance and crucial role of effective communication, especially in order to succeed at business. However, one aspect of communication skills that is often overlooked is the effective use of non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication can be summed up as all the other parts of language that give us visual and non-audible clues in order to correctly interpret the meaning and intent of the speaker in a conversation. Non verbal communication can be communicated through gestures and touch also known as Haptic communication by body language or posture, by facial expression and eye contact. Non verbal communication can even be communicated through objects such as clothing, hairstyles or even architecture, symbols and graphics. For example, when one goes to a job interview, khaki pants can convey a range of meaning anywhere from oh, Im here to the well-dressed and ready to conquer, all based on the style, quality, cut, and fit of the pant. Simplistic yes, but tried and proven as well. By the same token, wearing blue jeans to a job interview, no matter how dressy the pant, sends an underlying message of casualness that may not be the chord to strike, depending on the position and industry. Also, speech contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, which include factors like voice quality, emotion and speaking style, as well as the spoken rhythm, word intonation or inflection and stress. Dance is also regarded as a nonverbal communication. Likewise, written texts have nonverbal elements such as handwriting style, spatial arrangement of words, graphical or design arrangements or the use of emoticons. However, much of the study of nonverbal communication has focused on face-to-face interaction, where it ca n be classified into three main focuses: environmental conditions where communication takes place, the physical characteristics of the speakers, and behaviors of the speakers during interaction. While not a traditionally defined form of non verbal communication, effective listening skills are arguably the most prized set of communication skills for any businessperson to develop in order to achieve success. Furthermore, effective listening skills impact not only the professional sphere, but the personal and emotional health and overall well being of a person. Many experts disagree on the number of specific components that encompass an effective listener, yet there are certain key elements that are generally accepted as guidelines to make a listener more effective and serve to enhance the quality of communication between the involved parties. Listening is one of those special skills that, because we can hear, we tend to believe that we can automatically listen. Yet for many people hoping to facilitate, listening is the most difficult skill to master. As I write this I am remembering one of todays well-worn clichà ©s, often used by those who arent listening: I hear what you ar e saying, but.So says Mr. Trevor Bentley, who has developed a very specific set of criteria to define an effective listener. In his article, The special skills of listening, he states that specific situations require specific responses or set of listening skills. According to Bentley, one can narrow these instances to six main groups, which consist of monologue, dialogue, conversation, discussion, debate, and argument. Websters defines a monologue to be an extended uninterrupted speech by a character in a drama. The character may be speaking his or her thoughts aloud, directly addressing another character, or speaking to the audience, especially the former. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media (plays, films, animation, etc.). In daily life, a monologue refers to that one individual who talks incessantly upon all subjects, often without pause to consider the effect of any of their utterances upon those in their immediate vicinity. On the other hand, dialogue is an interaction of sorts, its everyday basis and counterpart is a conversational exchange between two or more people. Now, a conv ersation is by definition communication between multiple people. It is a social skill that can be accomplished by the average individual. Conversations are the ideal form of communication in some respects, since they allow people with different views on a topic to learn from one another. For a successful conversation, the partners must achieve a workable balance of contributions. A successful conversation includes repeating, answering, creating and countering connections between the speakers or things and topics that the speakers know. For this to happen, those engaging in conversation must find a topic on which they both can relate to in some sense. They speak or from personal experience or from others observations and knowledge. Those engaging in conversation naturally tend to relate the other speakers statements to themselves. They may insert aspects of their lives into their replies, to relate to the other persons opinions or points of conversation. Again, all these are examples of different forms of listening. Finally there are discussions, debates, and arguments. While one can argue that these are all escalating forms of the same condition, the general meaning and reference of these three words is an explanation of an issue or a topic, compared and contrasted according to logical rules, and factually affirmed by persuasion and logic to declare one viewpoint in better standing than the other. Bentley recommends that in order to maximize communication in each of these situations one should chose a level on which to listen again, based upon the situation and to use a combination of directive, facilitative and active listening to have the most effective communication occur. His eight stages of listening cover non-listening, passive listening, judgmental listening, attentive listening, visual listening, reflective listening, active/creative listening, and directive listening. While the Bentley system has very logical and effective solutions to many communication dilemmas and situations, othe r experts take a more instinctive and generalized view of effective listening and non-verbal communication. In the article Turn listening into a powerful presence, Richard Harris states that Better-than-average listeners are keenly aware of the following important issues: partnership, reviewing systematically, effort, star events, empathy, neutralizing snap judgments, and tenacity. Listening is not by any stretch of the imagination a passive endeavor if practiced correctly or effectively. As a listener, one is always trying to receive or understand the meaning of the conversation, while dealing with all the non-verbal communicational clues on a subconscious level. If you are blindfolded in a room with some friends, you could participate in conversation actively. However, your responses and understanding could range from a little bit off to very misdirected, depending on how many visual cues and gestures you miss due to the blindfold. Active listening is not just generating responses to sounds or answering the question. It requires the listeners to understand, interpret, and analyze what is heard. Today, the ability to listen is an invaluable skill in interpersonal commun ication. It improves personal relationships by reducing conflicts, strengthening cooperation, as well as fostering understanding. Harris stresses the importance of practicing the issues that arise when holding a conversation, fully confident that a normal person can adapt and learn these techniques in order to become a more effective communicator. Sometimes effective listening is simply making sure that one is completely engaged in the conversation, suspending judgment, and making evaluations after all the issues have been discussed. However, it is not natural for humans to listen in this form, and patience and practice are key aspects to developing natural listening skills, which will eventually feel like a normal part of the mental acrobatics exercised on a daily basis by anyone who must communicate in any form. Effective listening is essential for anyone who wants to perform at his or her best, work easily and gracefully, and learn effectively. Few people realize that the art of listening has everything to do with intuition and little to do with the mental gymnastics of trying to concentrate on the words themselves. As you begin to see listening as an art and conversation as something that creates beauty, you will begin to understand how your own thoughts interfere with the experience. One expert argues that the less thinki ng that goes on during a conversation, the more effective the listener is, because more of the actual conversation is retained and absorbed.(Gunn) This particular expert states that in his personal research, the more open and clear a person is when engaged in conversation, the more recall is available after the conversation. Intuition and feelings are also very important to this particular theorist. For effective listening, this theory requires one to be very aware of the feelings that are being inspired throughout the course of the conversation, to be stored in the memory and analyzed after the conversation is over, which one presumably will have more recall thereof since one did not get mentally distracted by emotions or thoughts during the conversation. Effective listening is also closely related to non verbal communicational forms such as gestures. Gestures are another tool that can be used to maximize a listeners input on the conversation and its outcome. While this specific tool is very culture based, it can be very effective when interpreted and practiced correctly. One of the most common cultures to use gestures in the United States is the Latin-Americans. Gestures allow individuals to communicate a variety of feelings and thoughts, often together with body language in addition to words when they speak. For example, in the Cuban culture there is quite an amount of hand gesturing that leads throughout a conversation. Depending on the speed of the gesture shows the mental or emotional state of the person doing the speaking; if smooth motions are made with the hands, the words being said are meant to pacify or to be taken calmly, regardless of their content. Though gestures are not part of syntactic language, their processing take s place in the same areas of the brain used by speech and sign language. Another simple form of listening is reflective listening. Reflective listening is a communication strategy involving two key steps: seeking to understand a speakers idea, then offering the idea back to the speaker, to confirm the idea has been understood correctly. It attempts to reconstruct what the client is thinking and feeling and to relay this understanding back to the client. Reflective listening is a more specific strategy than the more general methods of active listening. It arose from Carl Rogers school of client-centered therapy in counseling theory. (Hughes) It is important to observe the other persons actions and body language. Having the ability to interpret anyones body language allows the listener to develop a more accurate understanding of the speakers words and possibly even the intent of the conversation, which may or may not be audibly stated. Having heard, the listener may restate or paraphrase what the speaker is saying. This is a technique for reassuring the spe aker of ones undivided attention. It really does not imply understanding or agreement. In emotional conversations, a good listener may intuit or sense underlying feelings and emotions. For example, when in an argument, one would say I sense you are angry. Can you tell me why? Again, the interplay between the non verbal clues and tools such as gestures and reflection all play a role in maximizing the effectiveness of the listener. While one cannot make a judgment call about the best way to listen, it is clear that the most definitive way to become an effective listener is to be mentally ready and to challenge oneself to practice skills that lead to naturally recalling and understanding everything that is said and intimated in conversation. While listening has much to do with the physical ability of the person, the intellectual application for effectiveness is more of a mental and psychological exercise that can only improve with constant practice. Not to trash the visually impaired, but the eyes are consistently the best source for all the cues that guide effective listeners. For many in the business world, the time spent becoming an effective listener will be priceless in terms of communication that can open doors and opportunities. Furthermore, an effective listener that applies their professional success to their personal life can also ensure a very productive and emotionally satisfying life, because all of us have something to say, and everyone wants to be heard. In the words of Bishop TD Jakes, Listen with your ears. The ears work better when windpipes are closed. Listen with your mind. Many times words are based on a point of reference that you may not be aware of. Listen with your heart. Many times words do not convey whats in the heart; so when you listen, hear what is said but also what is meant. Compassion is a critical part of understanding. It is difficult to love people without understanding them. Love seeks to understand. Listening with your heart will take away your natural propensity to be selfish. Listen with your heart. Many times words do not convey whats in the heart; so when you listen, hear what is said but also what is meant. Compassion is a critical part of understanding. It is difficult to love people without understanding them. Love seeks to understand. Listening with your heart will take away your natural propensity to be selfish. Sound words to guide the spiri tual health of his parishioners, but also very applicable to any successful individual in todays world.

Creation of Identity in Chaim Potok’s The Chosen :: Potok Chosen Essays

Creation of Identity in The Chosen Many forces can powerfully change the identity of a person. In the novel, The Chosen, a few of these forces are religion, family, and friends. Religion is one of the main points in anyones identity and much of the book is based around the fact that the main characters, Reuven and Danny, are Jewish. In Danny's case religion changes the entire way he was raised, as his father puts it, "I did not want to drive my son away from God, but I did not want him to grow up a mind without a soul." (Potok pg. 266) During Reb Saunders explanation of why he raised his son in silence he reveals that both God and a soul were key factors, these being both religious. Another example of religion playing a part on ones identity is when the fathers of the boys catch themselves in a battle over Zionism, Reb says "I'll tell you who says it! True Jews do not say such a thing." (Potok pg. 188) Reb Saunders words in response to David Malter's opinion take a shot at Reuven's identity. By challenging Reuven's beliefs it is hitting his identity quite hard, the issue is so touchy the boys stop talking over it. Family is another big chunk of one's identity. Reb Saunders identity is changed through many experiences of his brother. This not only affects him but affects Danny as well, seeing as he was raised on his uncle's mistakes, "Reuven, I did not want my Daniel to become like my brother." His brothers mistakes challenged Reb to step up and follow in his fathers legacy, and when his son is caught in the same position it affects how he was treated. Family is also what you are taught by and things can be both beneficial and non. When first meeting Reb Saunders, Reb asks Reuven, "And you know Hebrew. A son of David Malter surely knows Hebrew." (Potok pg. 121) A normal child may not understand Hebrew, but in Reuven's case because his father is very religious he does. Your knowledge of the world is very much part of your identity and your family definitely affects that.

Lecture Notes

Scientific Investigation of mental processes and behavior and how they Lancaster uses tools and research methods to understand mental processes & behavior Has a biological boundary (changing nature of body impacts way we behave and who we are) and a cultural boundary (culture shapes human behavior) Psychology is about understanding a persons biological make-up, their psychological experience and function and cultural background Brief History Psychology has stemmed from philosophical roots and philosophical questions (1)Free will or determinism – Do people freely choose their behavior or Is It characterized from lawful patterns? (2) Mind-Body Problem- How do mental and psychical elements interact?Germany was center of psychological research and thinking In the early stages (19th century) Structuralism (Wilhelm Wound 1832- 1920) father of experimental psychology Focus on elements and introspection of consciousness experience (report of stimulus) 1879 – Wilhelm Wound estab lished the first ever laboratory of psychology Functionalism William James (1842-1910) Criticized Wound's focus on elements and consciousness to behavior Instead of focus n structure of consciousness rather think why (behavior)Strong emphasis on function on mental processes in adapting to the environment Gestalt psychology â€Å"the whole Is bigger than the elements that form the whole† Perception and creating meaning as human beings Experiment orientated Psychodrama perspective Sigmund Freed (1856-1939) Not everything we think, feel and remember we are aware of (unconscious), some aspects of hidden events from us causing anxiety (mental processes in conflict) Dynamic Interplay between consciousness and unconsciousness Past events become part of unconsciousness (find them, relive and talk through) Lecture Notes Revenge Deterrence Get rid of them, get them of the streets Retribution Just desserts Justice, proportionate The punishment must fit the crime It must be proportionate Contravention of social order requires ‘pay back' to society or volt Deterrence Threat of punishment will prevent future crime Hedonistic calculus If the pleasure out ways the pain deterrence is ineffective General Deterrence, and Specific You see a friend commit a crime and you don't want to Specific Is you Certainty, Celerity, Severity These need to be close together In order for deterrence to be affective certainty Is he most important; if you are certain you are going to get caught, you wont do it. Does deterrence work?Sometimes it does work (they get out, and they don't want to go back) and sometimes it doesn't work (people sometimes bargain with the judge to get put into Jail longer, or they go back to crime) Incapacitation (Prison) Symbolic: denouncement of act communicated to offenders and society through use of punishment In the sense of freedom; we as people of society we value our freedom, and taking it away is tough on a lot of people Imprisonment, deprivation of liberty Remove problem elements from society Rehabilitation Address underlying causes facing the offender Focus on offender, not crime Assumes transformation potential of rehabilitation within a punitive context The problem with rehabilitation is that it believes that you can rehabilitate someone in a prison setting; where you got people in an anxious setting etc. ND it becomes a lot more challenging Justice Policies Trend in Policies There is more emphasis on incapacitation, retribution, deterrence Rehabilitation, reparation overshadowed Less focus on solving problems of crime Belief that vindictive punishment is most appropriate response to crime Trend in US ND Canada toward punitive approaches New Pensiveness From mid-sass's Claim of global trend toward harsher CA sanctions More and more punishment is increased, some states in the U. S have totally gotten rid of community sanctions and probation Increase use of prison, more crimes result in prison, increase prison lengths, mandatory minimums More and more punishment is increased, some states in the U. S have totally gotten rid of community sanctions and probation Shaming initiatives, austere prison regimes For example in Arizona they make their inmates wear pink suits Zero tolerance strategiesZero tolerance means they have to report everything even if it's a push fight Three strikes legislation If you do two serious offences on the third serious offence you get a life sentence Use of capital punishment It does not have an effect on crime rates In Canada the death penalty did not have an impact on crime rates In states for the first two weeks it would go down and then it would go right back to where it was Harsh CSS policies are response to increasing public disorder, rising crime, deterioration of moral framework Leap backward, shift away from restraint Stretching the limits of punishment Tough Justice War on Drugs in 1971 Drug offences is what is driving the crime rates in the U. S out the roof Crack: is used by the lower class people Cocaine: is used by the middle and upper class The police are targeting the lower class that is using crack So the prisons and sanctions in the U.S is filled with the minority people, such as blacks and Latinist's Tough on crime policies and election platforms 1980 = 40,000, 2008 = 500,000 Simon: prison used to target race Relationship between ‘Get Tough' and Crime Rates Little relationship between crime and incarceration rates There is no relationship with how tough you are on crime and the crime rate. You can e as tough as you want but it will not put a dent on the crime rate. High welfare spending = low incarceration rates Greater inequality = higher incarceration rates Inefficient – move away from pensiveness Example: Texas vs†¦ California Texas spent a lot of money on offences, which in turn had zero effect on the crime rate, where as California spent no money, and they had the same rates as Texas who spent a lot of money Canada youth incarceration rate Canada put in place laws and barriers that stated you can't put children under the age of 12 in Jail.Criminal Responsibility Category Age Children Under 12 None Youth 12-17 Diminished Adults 18+ Full Legal Legal Classification of Criminal Offences Offence Hearing Punishment Summary Provincial court Judge $2000 both Indictable (Felony: U. S term; both mean the same thing) Less serious: provincial court Judge Most serious: provincial superior court by federally appointed Judge All others: Judge without Jury Up to Life Hybrid Can be summary or indictable Prosecutor discretion Record, circumstances Varies Cocoas: Representations of Crime – Lecture 3 Non. 29) Epistemology – Study of knowledge What do we know about crime? How do we know what we know? How do we acquire our knowledge? What are its limitations?Common Sources News Word of mouth Problems with Understanding Crime Hidden Subject of inquiry is deliberately Insight Criminals have little insight into the broader nature of their behavior What does one murderer know about another Cost Access in costly, time consuming and partial Scope Much crime lies beyond the scope of research Access Sociologists cannot pass effortlessly into every situation Barriers exist within social worlds Representation Social worlds are not representative Official Sources of Crime Statistics The Crime Funnel Citizens detect crime A lot of people do not report crime, for reasons being: Fear Can resolve it on your own Police might/wont do anything about it May not think it's a crime/don't define it as a crime Street youth, they don't trust the police because they are victimized If you are engaging in criminal behavior you won't report crime to the police.Uniform Crime Reports Standardized counts of crime known to police National statistic s about crime Applies standard definitions to all offences Counts used to determine crime rates The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics Limitations Mainly the crime funnel Justice system does not give an accurate portrayal of crime Unreported crime The â€Å"dark figure† of crime Self-Report Surveys Asks people about the crimes they have committed You can get peoples attitude etc Who commits the most crime: Young Adults Identifies some unreported crimes (dark figure) Measure attitudes and prevalence of offending (primary peers) Factorization Surveys Asks victims about crimes they did not report Indicate that a large number of crimes are not reported Example: Canadian Urban Factorization Survey Direct Measures Economic loss, physical injury, property damage Indirect Measures Fear of crime and its effects People don't want to be alone at night Lock the doorsEstablish new expectations and measurements for police effectiveness Increase understanding and trust between police an d immunity leaders Empower and strengthen community-based efforts Commitment to long-term proactive prevention strategies Decentralized operations and management Develop new skills in police Racial and Criminal Profiling Racial Criminal Any action undertaken for reasons of safety, security or public protection, that relies on stereotypes about race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, or place of origin, or a combination of these, rather than on a reasonable suspicion, to single out an individual for greater scrutiny or different treatment.Relies on actual behavior or on information about suspected activity by someone who tests the description of a specific individual. What is Racial Profiling? Based on stereotypical assumptions because of one's race, color, ethnicity, etc. Evidence of disproportionate stops When is it profiling? B, women in spousal relationship killed, airport Good police work or self-fulfilling prophecy â€Å"Intuition†, â€Å"suspicion† Visibility , definition If you are a young black male with an education you are more likely to be stopped by police. ** By in large police officers in Canada are intelligent hard working people who want to serve Justice to the general public. **

Compare and Contrast Sherman Alexie and Frederick Douglass

Different Worlds Same Struggle Sherman Alexie and Frederick Douglass both grew up in different time periods, in different environments, and ultimately in different worlds. They both faced different struggles and had different successes, but in the end they weren’t really all that different. Although they grew up in different times they both had the same views on the importance of an education. They both saw education as freedom and as a sense of self-worth and though they achieved their education in different ways they both had a strong will and a strong sense of self-motivation.Frederick Douglass and Sherman Alexie both grew up in different times and environments. Frederick Douglass was born in 1818 and was raised on a plantation as a slave, Alexie was born in 1966 and was raised on an Indian reservation, but being raised in different worlds didn’t make either of their struggles any different or easier than the others. They both faced judgment and discrimination agains t their races. Due to their different races they were both considered stupid, illiterate, and were thought to doing nothing with their lives besides working on a plantation or becoming an alcoholic and drug addict.Getting out of those types of environments and doing better things than what they were thought to do was just one of the many things that motivated them into getting an education. Both men had different ways of achieving their education. Sherman Alexie had Superman, his dad, as a guide for him. Alexie watched his dad do better for himself and his family than what a typical Indian was supposed to do. Watching his father read and educate himself was Alexie’s initial motivation for him to want to get his education.Frederick Douglass was one step ahead of Alexie in the fact that he had street smarts. Douglass self-educated himself, he had no one to look up to or to help him. Douglass essentially used the system to gain his education. He not only tricked white boys into teaching him how to spell and write, but he also used his own master’s, who did not want him to have an education in the first place, tools to help him get an education. In ways Douglass was already very smart and had already beaten the system that put him down. No matter the ifferent ways of obtaining their education or the different environments they grew up in, both men wanted the freedom that education offered them and had the same self-motivation to get it. Education was the key to their freedom, and not just physical freedom but mental freedom. With their education they were able to escape and unlock the chains of judgments that held them back and were able to give them a sense of self-worth. People listened to them and cared what they had to say and they became strong men of education.Alexie mentioned his father as being his Superman, but the true Supermen are him and Douglass. No one gave them the self-motivation to get an education they did it on their own. No one co uld force them into wanting to do better for themselves, they had to want it for their selves and they did. Alexi and Douglass were different but similar in so many ways. They both grew up in very different times, but faced all the same hardships. The both achieved things in different ways but they both made the same types of differences for their lives and did better for themselves.They showed people that no matter what you may grow up with or deal with in life, you can make a difference for yourself. Be your own Superman like Douglass and Alexie. No one handed them the key to unlock their success they did that on their own, and they taught people they could only do that for themselves. They obtained self-worth and freedom by their motivation for education, and they are people to look up to today. Dear Professor Smith, I think my writing has become better as I have moved along through your class. I was surprised on how much more comfortable I was with my writing.I really enjoyed wr iting about this topic; I thought it was very interesting. I felt pretty good about my topic paragraphs. TEAL has helped me a lot, and I tried my best to incorporate TEAL in my writing of this paper. I also really enjoyed the links for the websites that you posted on blackboard; I made good use of those and thought they defiantly helped me out with writing this paper. The most frustrating part of my paper was my thesis. I have trouble trying to make a specific, non-obvious, and debatable thesis. I try hard to make a argumentative thesis, but I have a lot of trouble with that.For this essay I was trying to use the point-by-point method that you had shown us. I liked how that method worked and thought it was pretty easy. I felt as though I did good using the point-by-point method and thought it helped to keep my paper from jumping around everywhere. I would defiantly like insight on my thesis because I mostly had trouble with that. Putting all three of those elements into a thesis is really messing me up because I have never had to do that before. Any insight you can give on my paper would be great, I want to continue to keep improving with my writing. Thank you, Katie Holt