Thursday, October 31, 2019
The Strategic Causes of Conflict - What caused the 1991 Gulf War Essay
The Strategic Causes of Conflict - What caused the 1991 Gulf War - Essay Example There are other reasons for war such as ethnic and religious killings among others. War has become part of human beings and for a long time, it has really affected them. Generation after generation, nations have sent their youths to the fields to participate in these wars. Some have died in these wars as war does not discriminate. The costs of these escapes are very evident and some have been very severe1. For example, a look back to the damages that the First World War brought to the political structure of Europe makes it possible to understand the effects of war, and fight to stop its causes. 2 It is not a surprise to find that most historians are less concerned on the causes of war and have tended to concentrate on the causes of peace. This is not sufficient because the absence of peace is as a result of the war. Therefore, it is very important to look at the causes of a war rather than look for ways to bring peace after a war has already happened. The aim of this paper is to dig deep to the events that triggered the gulf war of 1991, and briefly shed light on the consequences of that war. What is the Meaning of the Term War? Before embarking on discussing the Gulf war that took place in 1991, there is need to clearly understand the meaning of the term war. There are many definitions of the term war, but only one definition will be used in this paper. The term war refers to the large scale violent conflict that occurs between organized groups that have already established governments or at times, those that seek to one day establish their own.3 Something that should be noted is that not all conflict is war, but only the large scale conflict is referred to as war. Therefore, the Gulf war of 1991 suits the description of war, as it involved large scale conflict. As mentioned earlier, this paper will concentrate on the causes of the Gulf War that took place between the American military and their supporters, and the Iraqi government in the year 1991. First, her e is a brief on the general causes of any kind of war and the meaning of the term war. General Causes of War The televisions, radios, and newspapers constantly remind people that the world they live in is not a world that has absolute peace. Day in day out, the reports are showing different nations being affected by conflict. For example, Somalia is country that has suffered warfare for many years. Statistics about wars are always frightening and since the Second World War, most of the social scientists have made great efforts, to attempt to identify the causes of interstate wars. Many researches have shown that there is no single master cause of war, but rather, the causes are different. Most of the wars occur as a result of a number of important causes and due to this, many states have found it difficult to solve their differences to bring about peace.4 Some have tended to argue that banning of nuclear weapons will help in eliminating the causes of war in the world. I tend to argu e otherwise because there are other root causes of wars around the world and some may come as a surprise. The following are different classes that can be used to classify the causes of war: Individual level causes: The causes of war in this category are normally short term and immediate. These are causes such as a leaderââ¬â¢s personality. A leaderââ¬â¢s personality on occasion plays an important role in the way he or she reacts to stressful situations. For example, a leader
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Dophus Raymond Essay Example for Free
Dophus Raymond Essay In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the people of Maycomb are prejudice. According to them, the only way a white man would be able to like a black man more than a white man is if he was an alcoholic or had some type of dysfunction. This applies to the majority of the people in Maycomb. Dolphus Raymond, however, is not part of this stereotype. He doesnââ¬â¢t have a dysfunction and only pretends to be an alcoholic. Mr. Raymond is both caring and sly. When Dolphus Raymond sees Dill come out of the courthouse crying, he tries to comfort him and help him feel better. This shows that Dolphus Raymond is caring. Dolphus Raymond then calls Dill to come to him and says, ââ¬Å"Here, offering Dill his paper sack with straws in it. Take a good sip, itââ¬â¢ll quieten you. â⬠(Lee, 200) This shows he is caring because he gives Dill some of his Coca-Cola to help him. Mr. Raymond reaches out to Dill when he is crying to help him feel better. Then, after Scout asks why he pretends to be an alcoholic he says,â⬠Wh-oh yes, you mean why do I pretend? â⬠¦. Some folks donââ¬â¢t-like the way I live. Now I could just say to hell with ââ¬Ëem, I donââ¬â¢t care if they donââ¬â¢t like it. I do say I donââ¬â¢t care if they donââ¬â¢t like it, right enough-but I donââ¬â¢t say the hell with ââ¬Ëem see? â⬠(Lee, 200) This shows that even though people donââ¬â¢t like the way he lives, he still pretends to be an alcoholic for people to latch on a reason why he lives the way he does. Also, even though itââ¬â¢s fake, he gives them a reason to understand why he lives a certain way.. Dolphus Raymond is sly as well. When Scout finds out whiskey isnââ¬â¢t in the sack she says,â⬠You mean all you drink in that sackââ¬â¢s Coca-Cola? Just plain Coca-Cola? â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes maââ¬â¢am, Mr. Raymond nodded. (Lee, 200) He pretends to drink whiskey to help people latch on a reason why he likes blacks more than whites. Dolphus Raymond pretends to drink whiskey, but everyone else is the town thinks it is whiskey. People donââ¬â¢t understand his ways, so they just blame it on his drinking because they donââ¬â¢t understand how he could like a black man more than a white one. He walks around pretending he is drunk. â⬠When I came into town, which is seldom, if I weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can says Dolphus Raymondââ¬â¢s in the clutch of whiskey-thatââ¬â¢s why he wont change his ways. (Lee, 200) People think he has poor judgment because he pretends to be drunk, so they believe he wonââ¬â¢t be able to change his ways. He is also acting like an alcoholic and like a drunk, so people can have a reason to understand why he lives his life the way he does. Dolphus Raymond isnââ¬â¢t an alcoholic or a drunk. He shows how caring and sly he is when he talks to the kids outside the courthouse. The people of Maycomb just canââ¬â¢t understand his reasoning concerning blacks and whites. They expect him to live prejudice like them. He has to pretend to be disorderly, so people can have a reason for his actions and preferences.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Uses and Effects of Probiotics
Uses and Effects of Probiotics Tabassum Osman Baqtian à à Probiotics: à The term probiotics is derived from a Greek word which means for life. (Judith et al., 2008). The WHO definition for probiotics is any live microorganism which wen administered in adequate amounts confers health benefit to the host (Weichselbaum, 2009). The most commonly used microorganisms for probiotics are bacteria (Judith et al., 2008). A number of studies undertaken at various levels showed that bacteria either in their killed state or their products can have anti- inflammatory or anti- infective properties (What is the evidence, 2017). The Lactobacilli are the most extensively studied class of probiotics. The lactic acid bacteria are used as probiotics in many fermentation products. They mainly play a role in enhancing immunity, maintaining the balance of the microbes in the intestine and in preventing the gastrointestinal tract from various infections (Time dependent, 2008). Probiotics can be administered orally as capsules, sachets or as tablets. The orally ingested probiotics survive the acidic conditions of the intestine and reach the human gut where they remain for a short period of time (Probiotics and health; 2009). The mechanism of probiotics is a multifactorial mechanism of action. The conventional method is a simple displacement process. The exogenously administered probiotics increase in number by multiplication. They function by the displacement of the pathogens or unwanted strains of species in the host body ( What is the evidence, 2017). A probiotic must survive the acidic conditions when orally administered to be able to function in the gut environment. Probiotics also need to possess the ability to survive and be viable in the products, during food production and storage. All probiotics which are mostly delivered in a food system, must overcome physical and chemical barriers in the gastrointestinal tract, especially acid and bile stresses, and have antagonistic activity against bacterial pathogens. ( 2014). The effects of probiotics are mostly strain specific and hence the function of probiotics cannot be generalised (Probiotics and health, 2009). A probiotic must fulfil certain safety characteristics to be beneficial to human health. Knowledge on survival of the probiotics within the GI-tract, their translocation and colonization properties, and the fate of probiotic-derived active components is important for the evaluation of possible positive and negative effects of probiotic consumption. The survival of different probiotic strains in different parts of the GI-tract varies: Some strains are rapidly killed in the stomach while others can pass through the whole gut in high numbers (Marteau et al., 1993). The current research in the field of probiotics is in the use of probiotic strains in the treatment of various diseases. The previous research in diseases like diarrhea, constipation, and bloating has shown the efficacy of probiotics in their treatment (What is the evidence, 2017). The major issue in the field of probiotics is quality assurance as the interpretation of data depends mainly on the variability in strain selection, dose, delivery vehicle, and evaluation of viability and efficacy (What is the evidence, 2017). A study showed that direct screening methods with inhibition of acid-sensitive bacteria growth could be an appropriate method for isolation of potential probiotic strains. Various biochemical, physiological, morphological and molecular tests showed that Lactobacillus sp. were dominant in the composition of probiotics as their isolates were resistant to acid and bile salts, they can be used as potentially probiotic bacteria by promoting host-specific health experiments. (2014). References: Judith A Narvhus, Jorgen Lassen, Merete Eggesbo Ragnhild Halvorsen, Siamak P Yazdankhah and Tore Midtvedt; Should long term prophylactic use of probiotics for infants and young children give cause for concern? (2008); Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease; 20: 171-176. Weichselbaum E; Probiotics and health: a review of the evidence (2009); British Nutrition Foundation Nutrition Bulletin; 34: 340-343. Maria Saarela, Gunnar Mogensen, Rangne Fonden, Jaana MaÃâà ¨ttoÃâà ¨ and Tiina Mattila-Sandholm; Probiotic bacteria: safety, functional and technological properties (2000); Journal of Biotechnology; 84: 197-215. Hsdgdhdsddssd
Friday, October 25, 2019
Productivity between departments :: essays research papers
Introduction A good relationship between internal customers from separate departments improves productivity and eliminates wastes. There are three distinct departments in the organization I work for, estimating, production and finance. The relationship between these departments and how they communicate is vital in the flow of work from one from one department to the next, and ultimately the flow of work to our external customers. To some degree each of the departments is linked to the others, relying on each other to be able to complete their separate goals. To perform efficiently, each department in an organization needs to work towards group goals and visions. ââ¬Å"A well crafted group vision serves as an umbrella under which can be gathered an enormous variety of personal aims consistent with it.â⬠(Whitley, 1991 pp28). If a company is going to run effectively, each department needs to communicate in a manner where vital information can be accessed easily. A culture between departments of being part of an overall team needs to be bred into an organization. Each department needs to work towards ââ¬Å"shared philosophies, ideologies, values, beliefs, expectations and normsâ⬠(Doraisamy, Internal Marketing slide 12). Just as important to a work culture is a culture outside of normal working hours, it is said that ââ¬Ëa team that plays together works togetherââ¬â¢. Discussion I work for an organization that has 3 offices in the one building, one for estimating, one for finance and one for production. Although each department communicates to a degree what they are up to, people seem to know more about their own department then the one next to them. Once a week all departments meet to converse where they are and what they are doing and what aspects of their jobs are going to affect other departments. Each department seems to have a vision of what their departments goals are but there is a need for ââ¬Å"aligning all the organizations parts so that they work together for a desirable goalâ⬠Whitley, 1991 pp22. In the production department I rely on estimating to provide work with a realistic budget and finance to manage and report the financial resources that I am expending. Likewise, estimating relies on me to let them know how they are performing and how they can reform their quoting to accurately take into they level of budget I require. Finance relies on me to provide them with the information that they require to accurately keep track of expenditures and to keep them informed of job progress so they know when and how much to invoice.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Iron Crowned Chapter 16
Kiyo asked no questions when I called Enrique back and told him I'd be out of town and out of contact for a while ââ¬â but that I trusted him to carry on. Really, Kiyo said little at all as we hurried back to my house. Within minutes, I had a small satchel packed, and then we were off to the Otherworldly crossing. No matter what ups and downs had occurred in our relationship, he knew me well. He knew I had to act on this immediately. The questions began once I reached my castle. ââ¬Å"How the hell,â⬠I began, ââ¬Å"did this happen?â⬠I was in one of the receiving rooms, Kiyo by my side as I stared down Shaya and some of the soldiers who manned the grounds. Rurik was with them, which gave me mixed feelings. I was glad he was back from Dorian's. I trusted him more than any other military guy around here. That being said, there was a petty part of me that held him responsible. How could someone as capable as him have let this happen? He grimaced, as though guessing my thoughts. ââ¬Å"A small group sneaked onto our grounds, overpowered her guards â⬠¦ and took her.â⬠He hesitated. ââ¬Å"She only had two with her, Your Majesty. As you'll recall, her escort was lightened. Still. There is no excuse.â⬠I hadn't witnessed this kind of diplomacy and respect from Rurik since â⬠¦ well, actually, I'd never really witnessed it. With Dorian? Yes. Not with me. Jasmine's abduction had really gotten to Rurik, no question. I was pretty sure he was taking it personally. But I'd also caught the slight meaning in his carefully worded comment about her lightened guard. That had been my call. I had done it in response to her good behavior and had let her outside more. I'd known it was a potential security risk ââ¬â but not one that involved her leaving against her will. ââ¬Å"We're at war,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Regardless of her guard, this whole place should have been under lock-down.â⬠He nodded, face growing grimmer. ââ¬Å"As I said, there's no excuse. I take full responsibility.â⬠I waved a hand dismissively. ââ¬Å"It's too late now. I know you're doing your job. Don't lay yourself out for the slaughter. Volusian said there was a note?â⬠Shaya handed me a piece of rolled parchment. Kiyo leaned over my shoulder as I read it silently to myself: To Eugenie, Usurper Queen of the Thorn Land, Daughter of Tirigan Stormi, King: As you no doubt know by now, I have your sister within my custody. If you wish her returned to you alive, you and the Oak King will surrender unconditionally to me. You will cease hostilities immediately, withdraw your armies, and cede your lands. Additionally, you will turn over the alleged Iron Crown to me. If you do not comply with these terms, your sister will be executed at noon, three days from the receipt of this letter. For now, she is alive, and I have given her into the keeping of my nephew Cassius. I await your response. Sincerely, Katrice, Queen of the Rowan Land, Beloved of the Gods I looked up at the many watching eyes. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËGiven her into the keeping of my nephew Cassius.' Does that mean what I think it does?â⬠Shaya grimaced. ââ¬Å"That is the nephew she wanted you to marry.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why execute Jasmine then?â⬠I demanded. ââ¬Å"Why not marry her off to Cassius? Isn't that a waste of one of Storm King's daughters?â⬠ââ¬Å"Katrice hates you,â⬠said Kiyo softly. ââ¬Å"At this point, she probably doesn't even care about the prophecy. She wants to get back at you, hurt you, and if that means killing Jasmine, then it's probably an acceptable loss ââ¬â especially if she tries to then give you to Cassius after this ââ¬Ësurrender.'â⬠ââ¬Å"So I'd get to live?â⬠Kiyo shrugged. ââ¬Å"Longer suffering.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why choose her as a hostage though?â⬠I didn't know why I was arguing the logic here. None of it mattered. Only the outcome did. ââ¬Å"Everyone knows we don't get along.â⬠ââ¬Å"Everyone also probably knows that's been changing a little,â⬠said Kiyo. ââ¬Å"You brought her to Dorian's.â⬠ââ¬Å"And,â⬠added Shaya, ââ¬Å"a royal family member usually makes the best hostage in these situations.â⬠These situations. For a moment, I nearly swayed on my feet, wanting to close my eyes and pass out. It had nothing to do with the heat. It was this. All of this. This situation always repeating itself. Me and Jasmine, cursed by our blood, always to be used and captured as possessions in a greater game. I'd hated Aeson, but at least he'd lured Jasmine into some pretense of love before taking advantage of her. But what about this Cassius? He'd make no attempts at kindness. This was all about punishment and revenge, after all. Had he already raped Jasmine? Was he doing it now? A sickening memory of Leith came to mind, one sharp and clear in spite of the drugged state I'd been in during my ordeal with him. Moments later, it was replaced by an image of this faceless Cassius lowering himself over a cowering Jasmineâ⬠¦. I pushed my weakness aside, steadying myself and bringing the world back into focus. I turned to Rurik. ââ¬Å"How far are our armies spread out? How soon could we get them together and march on her? I want to raze that bitch's lands and burn her castle to the ground! I want to have the fucking wrath of heaven rain down on her and ââ¬â ââ¬Å" I cut myself off, as startled at my words as the others were. Where had that rage come from? Well, the situation, obviously. I wouldn't want anyone thrown to Katrice's nephew before facing execution. But it occurred to me in that moment that my reaction was also â⬠¦ personal. Somewhere, in the ups and downs of our dysfunctional family, I'd come to care about Jasmine. My anger came from the loss of her. ââ¬Å"Easy, Eug,â⬠said Kiyo, resting a hand on my arm. There was a nervous note in his voice, mirrored by the others' expressions. I'd once been told that when I was angry, I resembled my father. I took a deep breath and pushed back any further outbursts. ââ¬Å"Leading a massive army in ââ¬â while deserved ââ¬â wouldn't be â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Rurik was still treading lightly, still choosing words carefully. ââ¬Å"Well, Katrice was already in wartime mode, heavily guarded. After this? The lands outside her home probably have triple the guard they did before.â⬠ââ¬Å"But if our force was large enough â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ I began. Rurik nodded. ââ¬Å"True. It's possible. Especially if â⬠¦ especially if my lord Dorian's armies were involved.â⬠He looked uneasy at mentioning Dorian, but I could see a considering look on Rurik's face. I had a feeling we shared the same puzzle. Would Dorian lend forces to help me? Possibly not, not if his anger overrode any devotion to me. On the other hand, Dorian was still in this war, and I knew him well enough to think he might welcome a full-out march on her castle. Rurik knew that too. ââ¬Å"With his forces, it's possible,â⬠Rurik said at last. ââ¬Å"But Katrice's would be defending. It would be bloody. It would be ugly.â⬠He didn't sound opposed to that, per se. He was a military man; ugly battles were the way of the world. But we all knew that wasn't ideal. My mind spun. Part of me wanted that large force to beat on Katrice because I thought she deserved it. This was about more than revenge, however. It was about Jasmine. I needed to go with the plan most likely to get her back, and an invading army wasn't it. It would take a smaller group, just as she'd no doubt sent here, one that could slip in. We were heavily guarded, but with the assorted petitioners and refugees always coming and going, it was no wonder Jasmine's kidnappers had slipped in. Katrice undoubtedly had a similar stream of people coming to her in these times, but she'd probably be on high alert with them too. ââ¬Å"Imanuelle,â⬠I said, realizing too many moments of silence had passed. ââ¬Å"Can you get me Imanuelle?â⬠It was this, finally, that took the group's eyes off me ââ¬â because they all exchanged astonished looks. Kiyo's face grew troubled. ââ¬Å"That's your plan?â⬠Kiyo asked. ââ¬Å"Assassinate Katrice? Eugenie, you're better than that.â⬠He'd apparently heard of Imanuelle. ââ¬Å"I am,â⬠I agreed. ââ¬Å"And smarter. Get her for me.â⬠That was to Shaya, who nodded and then shot a look at a hovering servant. He gave a hasty bob of his head and darted out of the room. ââ¬Å"Ready to repeat history?â⬠I asked Kiyo. ââ¬Å"It'll be like raiding Aeson's all over again.â⬠ââ¬Å"You're going â⬠¦ No. Eugenie, you can't go there.â⬠I gestured to Rurik and began moving for the exit. ââ¬Å"You heard him. We can't get in with a large force ââ¬â not easily.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes, I get that,â⬠said Kiyo, following after me. ââ¬Å"But you can't go.â⬠ââ¬Å"I have to go,â⬠I countered. Rurik had hurried along after us. ââ¬Å"He's right. Send someone else. I'll go. We'll sneak in and take her.â⬠I came to an abrupt halt, nearly causing both men to run into me. ââ¬Å"I'm going. This is my responsibility. Besides, who else around here can match me magically?â⬠I peered back and forth between their faces, daring them to challenge me. ââ¬Å"Even so,â⬠said Rurik, ââ¬Å"if you're discovered, you'll be outnumbered. And you're an enemy queen. In wartime. Walking right into your enemy's stronghold. I can't allow this.â⬠ââ¬Å"It's not your place to allow me to do anything!â⬠I snapped. ââ¬Å"Or you either.â⬠I turned to Kiyo for that, guessing his words. ââ¬Å"We won't be discovered. Not if Imanuelle's as good as she claims.â⬠I was so tired of men telling me what I could and couldn't do. I left them and stalked off down the hallway toward my bedroom. Neither followed me right away, but I just barely heard Rurik mutter to Kiyo, ââ¬Å"Well, if she's caught, she will get a massive army descending on Katrice, at least. My lord Dorian wouldn't permit anything less.â⬠The flaw in my plan, as it turned out, was waiting on Imanuelle. After our last meeting, she'd left my kingdom, and finding her wasn't easy. You couldn't just openly summon a famed assassin. Girard was at my court, however, and apparently had secret ways of sending messages to his sister. I didn't ask any questions about his means, so long as she showed up. Waiting for her gave us time to plan strategy. Once my advisors grudgingly accepted that I'd be going personally ââ¬â and once Rurik accepted that he would not be accompanying me ââ¬â they fell in line to pool their knowledge about Katrice's castle. I'd joked earlier to Kiyo about this being like our break-in to Aeson's â⬠¦ but really, it was true. This time, we had no guide personally to take us in. We had to rely on anecdotal knowledge from those who had been there and could make best guesses at where Jasmine might be held. And that was presuming Katrice was actually keeping her on-hand. Perhaps the most surprising part of all of this was Kiyo's acquiescence. I'd expected protests about my safety or perhaps a diplomatic solution. But, no. He realized the importance of saving Jasmine. And he too knew this was probably our best shot ââ¬â at least on such short notice. ââ¬Å"You should know,â⬠Rurik told us later, ââ¬Å"that you aren't going to be able to bring Volusian.â⬠He, Kiyo, Shaya, and I were in my bedroom, which I'd made my makeshift war headquarters. ââ¬Å"Why not?â⬠I asked. That was a surprise. I'd been counting on his muscle, something I had to admit I'd missed while fighting for the crown. What was the point of an undead minion if I couldn't put him to good use? ââ¬Å"He can go in with us invisibly.â⬠Rurik shook his head. ââ¬Å"Everyone knows about him. Katrice does. She'll have people on-hand who can sense him. She'll also probably have those with the power to banish him. Enough of them united together could.â⬠ââ¬Å"You have a lot of faith in her,â⬠I noted dryly. Volusian was hard to banish ââ¬â I couldn't do it ââ¬â but Rurik had a point. Get enough magic-users together, and they could eventually pull it off. He gave me a twisted smile. ââ¬Å"She's not stupid. And she has advisors. Not as good as yours, of course, but they would have thought everything over before kidnapping Jasmine.â⬠A knock on the door interrupted any response I might have made, and after I called entry, a servant showed Imanuelle in. ââ¬Å"Finally,â⬠I said. She swept in, clad in billowing red silk pants and a matching, midriff-showing top. The assassin arched an eyebrow and gave me an amused look as she put her hands on her hips. ââ¬Å"I don't wait around on your every command, Thorn Queen. And last time we spoke, you made it pretty clear, you didn't want me around. Have you finally come to your senses? From what I hear, now's a pretty good time to get rid of Katrice.â⬠Imanuelle paused carefully. ââ¬Å"Although, getting rid of her before now would have been even better. Would have saved you and your sister a lot of trouble.â⬠I bit off any snide remarks. ââ¬Å"We can't have Katrice killed. I'm pretty sure the instant her people found her dead, Jasmine would be next. I need you to sneak in and get Jasmine out of there.â⬠Imanuelle's cocky smile dropped. ââ¬Å"That's not what I do. I kill. I don't rescue.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'll do the rescuing. You need to get me and Kiyo in. Disguise us with this so-called power you keep bragging about. Or is masking more than one person out of your skill-set?â⬠ââ¬Å"I can do it,â⬠she said, narrowing her eyes. ââ¬Å"But it'll cost you.â⬠ââ¬Å"We can afford it,â⬠I said, trying to ignore the pained look crossing Shaya's face as she no doubt added up mental ledgers. Imanuelle said nothing for several moments as she pondered it all. ââ¬Å"Just you two?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes. And you, of course,â⬠I added. ââ¬Å"Do you have any idea where you're going in there?â⬠she asked. Kiyo and I exchanged looks. ââ¬Å"Kind of,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Kind of.â⬠Imanuelle snorted. ââ¬Å"Fine. I'll do it. But I'm only there to disguise you. I'm not fighting if you get caught.â⬠ââ¬Å"You don't have to,â⬠I assured her. ââ¬Å"We'll protect you.â⬠This brought another scoff and a haughty curl of her lip. ââ¬Å"If they detect us, I can get myself out of there, believe me. You'll be on your own.ââ¬
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Mathematics Web-Based Learning for Malaysian Secondary Schools in Geometry
MASTER RESEARCH PROPOSAL Prepared by Yeo Lian Ming 1. Title : Mathematics Web-Based Learning For Malaysian Secondary Schools In Geometry 2. Chapter 1 Introduction Background Of The Problem Learning of geometry is formally introduced in the Malaysian primary mathematics curriculum. The emphasis in geometry increases as students progress to secondary education, where about forty percent of the sixty topics in the five-year secondary mathematics curriculum comprises geometry content (Malaysian Ministry of Education, 1998).It is paramount that students at the beginning level of secondary education are provided with logical reasoning skills to build on subsequently more rigorous experiences of formal geometry. The Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM,2000), and other important literature in the area of mathematics education call for emphasis in geometry at all levels. Geometry is a unifying theme to the entire mathematics curriculum and as such is a rich source of visualization for arithmetical, algebraic , and statistical concepts.For example, geometric regions and shapes are useful for development work with the meaning of fractional numbers, equivalent fractions, ordering of fractions, and computing of fractions (Sanders, 1998, p. 20). However, geometric concepts are often neglected in elementary and middle level schools in favour of teaching computational skills ( Huetinck & Munshin, 2004 ; Noraini Idris, 2006 ).Various reasons related to mathematical system itself, curricular materials, instructional practice, and cognitive development have been proposed to explain studentsââ¬â¢ the difficulties with geometry. In many Malaysian schools, the teaching and learning of mathematics has been reported to be too teacher centred and that the students are not given enough opportunities to develop their own thinking (Malaysian Ministry of Education, 2001). This situation invariably results in students becoming passive receivers of information , which in many cases do not results in conceptual understanding.Many students are not able to comprehend what their mathematics teachers teach especially on the topic of geometry because mathematics content is taught with the intention of finishing the syllabus and preparing for examinations. Little regard is given to how well the students understand geometrical concepts. On the topic of geometry, students encounter difficulties in applying what they have learnt due to spatial inability and visualization problems. In secondary school, mathematics teacherââ¬â¢s biggest challenge is to find a way how to get studentsââ¬â¢ interest to learn geometry.Through web-based learning, teacher can give students a new and stimulating way to learn and practice mathematics when and where it is suitable for them. The use of computers in education can be utilized as a new technological support for the visualization of abstract concepts through computer-generated virtual representations, allowi ng for the generation of mental model of the geometrical concepts. Moreover, the use of the World Wide Web as an educational delivery medium has pushed the limits of instructional design.It is becoming commonplace for students to register for programs, access course materials, communicate and submit assignments, and retrieve grades electronically. Classrooms and conference facilities in schools around the world are web-friendly, with many offering video-conferencing or full virtual classroom facilities. But the real question is this: does web-technology help or hinder learning? The best answer seems to be that it depends on the situation. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes it hinders.On the plus side, the Internet has moved management education ahead by enabling rapid, easy access to education and information, shared workspace tools for collaboration, instant communication and messaging, and online help. On the negative side, the quality of learning, more often than not, fails to meet ex pectations. Statement Of The Problem Teaching and learning process in mathematics particularly in the topic of geometry is not an easy task. Students tend to fail in developing an adequate understanding of the concepts, reasoning, and problem solving skills.The lack of understanding in learning geometry often cause discouragement among the students, which invariably will leads to poor performance in public examination. A number of factors have been put forward to explain why learning geometry is difficult due to geometry language, visualization abilities, and ineffective instruction. Poor reasoning skills are also another area of concern among secondary school students. Many are unable to extract necessary information from given data and many more are unable to interpret answers and make conclusions.Traditional approaches in learning geometry emphasized more on how much the students can remember and less on how well the students can perform the process of problem solving that includ es higher order mathematical thinking skills and reasoning. Thus learning becomes forced and creates anxiety among students and seldom brings satisfaction to the students. Objectives Of The Study This study will explore the ICT ability such as the web-based instructional objects as learning visual aids for the teaching and learning process in Geometry.This skill will enhance the teaching and learning process in delivering the topics in Geometry. The study will address some of the primary issues that should be included in the curriculum design process to develop a more interesting learning experience that truly engages the students from a cognitive perspective, while encouraging or fostering a greater accomplishment in the student's learning development particularly the visualization ability and problem solving skills.Scope Of The Study This study focuses on the curriculum design of web-based instructional objects for the teaching-learning process that involves hands-on ability with emphasis on experiential model. From the experiential perspective, the goal is to provide an opportunity or event that will engage or involve the student in the active process of learning. Experiential web-based learning can occur when the following conditions are met during the design phase: a )the appropriate level of cognitive and/or affective domain is reached, causing the student to do much more than simply receive the learning or knowledge, ( b )the relationship between the type of knowledge establishes an implied level of student involvement, ( c )the outcomes are evaluated with respect to the domain (cognitive and/or affective) in terms of the type of knowledge. Once these steps are included during the design process, rather than as an afterthought, web based learning will become richer, and provide the student an authentic learning event.Significance Of The Study In designing instructional objects, emphasis should be placed on designs that are conducive to meaningful learni ng rather than designs that aim merely at presentation of objects. This study will examine the integration of technology, content, pedagogy and online delivery as it affects the student learning experience. The process and model for creating interactive-rich learning environments is presented to improve their course development practices and online classroom quality. . Chapter 2 Literature Review The application of instructional objects in the teaching and learning of mathematics helped the students to understand the subject matter more clearly through novel presentation; making the learning of mathematics interesting and fun as well as easier to understand (Clarke ; Gronn, 2004). The wise use of web-based technology can help to break the boundaries between classroom and workplace, between theory and practice, and between the roles of instructor and learner.A second generation approach carefully designed and extended, can lead to many win-win solutions that can promote meaningful ac tion-based learning that combines the best in technical and soft skills education in both classroom and workplace settings (Morgan, G. ; Adams, J. , 2009). However, there was a significant interaction effect between delivery model and prior web experience. This indicates that for some learners, certain delivery models may be more ffective for web-based environments (Ahern, T. ; Martindale, T. , 2001). The results of the recent study showed that the learners who used the hybrid web based learning model displayed a better understanding of the necessary concepts and were able to apply their learning experiences to real life contexts better than the learners who were exposed to the traditional teaching method only (Naidoo, N. ; Naidoo, R. , 2006).With the current bodies of research and knowledge on development both of the learner, and the instructor, there is a need now more than ever to re-examine and develop a new model for instructional design. It may be necessary then, to abandon, o r perhaps significantly modify, the traditional instructional design models that were grounded in behavioral terms in favor of a model that is more experiential (Kolb, 1984). 4. Chapter 3 Research Methodology Research Design ; ProcedureThrough the use of programs that can be downloaded from the internet such as Moodle an Open Source Course Management System (CMS), an interactive course materials containing online activities such as self assessments, animations, and simulations on the topics in geometry can be produced to develop an e-learning websites to encourage self-learning and ability to seek for knowledge from various sources. These can improve learning and are often more enjoyable , flexible learning time and meaningful for students. Operational FrameworkThis study will adopt quasi-experimental design which consists of two groups of students. One treatment group will undergo the lessons of geometry using web-based learning while the other control group will be taught by tradi tional approach. I will conduct interviews, surveys and questionnaires to obtain empirical information on this research. Please refer to the attached Gantt chart. Assumptions ; Limitations This study will only use one instructional module entitled Geometry as the treatment period, and an expanded study should encompass the entire Mathematics subject.There are many other delivery models to examine in terms of effectiveness for web-based learning. Studies should be conducted using these models in combination. It would also be interesting to examine participant variables (age, gender, prior experience, etc. ) and the effectiveness of various delivery models. Research Planning ; Schedule Preparation Phase : Study the content of geometry. A literature review of the web-based learning by previous research endeavours will be conducted to complete and narrow down the orientation I will take for the following steps of my research.Analysis Phase : Observe a group of students to identify probl ems in teaching-learning the topic of geometry and analyze the types of instructional object activities in the web-based learning. Design Phase : Select a few subtopics of geometry as the research target. Employ experiential model to produce interactive course materials for geometry which containing online activities by using Moodle an Open Source Course Management System. Application Phase : Test the instructional objects on the sample group to collect data in terms of web-based learning quality, analyze the results and draw conclusions.Evaluation Phase : Refining and enhancing the interactive course material of geometry in the web-based learning. 5. Chapter 4 Expected Findings and Summary The rapid expansion of web-based learning necessitates examining its effectiveness because instruction is more than simply displaying information. Instruction requires an integrated fit that considers the content, the current state of the student and the delivery model to achieve success.The most important long-term outcome of web-based learning may be the students's increased capabilities to learn more easily and effectively in the future, both because of the knowledge and skill they have acquired and because they have mastered learning processes. That implies that a major role in teaching is to create powerful learners. In conclusion, I hope that the students can apply their knowledge of geometry to solve the mathematical problems as well as everyday problems they face in daily life through this web-based learning.
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