Maynard Constructs A School Web Page Case Study

Maynard Constructs A School Web Page - Case Study Example administration can develop new websites and technologically relevant platform for the communication with the participant community and the stakeholders under flexible and friendly circumstances. The effective and full implementation of this approach will ultimately lead to the improvement of the administration of the institution and the improvement of the general performance of the respective institution. The case gives an in depth blend of how the approach combines tacit knowledge and a wealth of effective theoretical approach for the development of successful means of communication with entities both internal and external to the institution, means of building and maintaining stable relationship with the political and social capital and the best means of translating the above stated values into positive changes in the school set up and for the purpose of development and improvement(Kowalski, 2004). Through the exploration of the above themes the case looks into how the development of new and effective technologies can help in the success of an institution. The study has comprehensively factored in issues that affect the real world and ensured that for the development of a successful module in the institutions, the best practicable approach and technology has to be applied. In conclusion, the case has ensured that there is the need of harnessing technology to meet the needs of the public and the comprehensive factoring in of collection of data, public opinions and regular

The Coming of Age in the Jewish Tradition Essay Example for Free

The Coming of Age in the Jewish Tradition Essay My Bar Mitzvah will be taking place on my 13th Birthday, 27th of January 2002. I would like to invite you to the ceremony in my local Synagogue. The ceremony is held on the first Shabbat after my birthday, this will be the 2nd of February. Shabbat starts on Friday evening at sunset and it finishes on Saturday night when the stars appear, we rest on Shabbat we devote ourselves to prayer at the Torah study, it is a family time. Bar Mitzvah means son of the commandments. I will be exactly Bar Mitzvah on the 27th as soon as I wake up. From then on I will be an adult in the Jewish community, I will take responsibility for my own actions where my Father used to, and I make a commitment to my faith. I will enter a covenant relationship with God, both as an individual and as a part of the Jewish community. When we are Bar Mitzvah we will be able to form a minyan, which is the required 10 men needed present in a Synagogue before prayers can be read. In preparation for the ceremony I will have to: Go to classes to learn to read and chant the Torah in Hebrew, what it says and why it is important. Hebrew is especially hard to learn because it is written from right to left and there are no spaces, punctuation or vowels! I will learn how to put on my tefillin and tallit. The tefillin are special boxes Jews wear when praying they contain pieces of parchment with prayers written on them. They are worn on the head and arm because the arm is close to the heart and the head is closer to my thoughts and feelings. And the tallit is a prayer robe worm during morning prayers. It is a four-cornered square of white cloth worn over the head and shoulders and has tassels called tizits, although they will not be worn at Bar Mitzvah as it is a Shabbat and they arent worn then. I have to learn what the mitzvot are and how they are to be kept. They are the 613 commandments; the 10 commandments known in Christianity are included also. I also have to learn to observe the fast says and festivals of my religion and what they mean. I learn these things because they are necessary to teach me about my religion and to make me understand its origins correctly. I learn them from my parents, not only from direct teaching but also from example, they create an environment for Jewish living for me to learn everything. During the ceremony held in the Synagogue I will recite a blessing from the Torah. My Rabbi is testing me on it. I have to practice the blessing and pass my test before I can recite it at the ceremony. I am also going to read all of the Sidra for that Shabbat, this means a portion of the Torah that would have been read at that Shabbat. My Father will recite Baruch Shepatarani. This reads: Blessed be he who has freed me from the responsibility for this child. And also, my Rabbit will then give a sermon, he speaks to me about the new obligations I will have and I will then give a speech. I have invited many people to my Bar Mitzvah, friends and family, including my little sister Marie, who is very excited, as she will be Bat Mitzvah in two years. Bat Mitzvah is the same as Bar Mitzvah except it is on her 12th birthday as girls mature earlier than boys do. It has not always been marked as a ceremony and is always sometimes on Shabbat. She will receive Jewish books and gifts and will recite a section of the Torah, as I will. Some Jews are unhappy with making any difference between the Jewish responsibilities of boys and girls. They hold Bat Mitzvah ceremony much like the boys Bar Mitzvah, usually when the girl is 13 as well. Order of the Service The service will be held in a special order, I thought you should know what will happen. * The Rabbi will read first * A relative or a friend will read (we havent decided who yet!) * Everyone recites the Shema. * The Amidah prayer is said silently by everyone * The Torah scroll is brought out of the Ark and placed on the Bimah. * A blessing is recited over it by me, I will be wearing my Tallit and Yarmulke * Then I will chant the days section from the Torah. * I might chant a section from the Prophets. * My Father says the Baruch Shepataraini. * All say prayers for the Queen of Israel, while scrolls are replaced in the Ark. * The Amidah prayer is said again. * The Kaddish prayer is said (for the recently bereaved) * The Aleynu (prayer of adoration) * Last is the Hymn of Glory The Shema is the most important Jewish prayer. The Ark is the most important part of the Synagogue; the Torah scrolls (Sefer Torah) are kept inside. They have to be read with a tool called a Yad, so the Torah is not touched with hands. After the ceremony n the Synagogue hall straight after the service there is a small celebration, tea and biscuits will be served. Later on there is a large banquet, some people think there is too much emphasis put on the banquet and that more should be put on the Synagogue ceremony, Rabbis think this especially. During the banquet I will deliver another speech to my friends and relatives. The Rabbi will choose the topic of my speech. I will receive presents off my friends and family, but the most important will be the Jewish holy books, because I will keep them forever and pray and worship off them. I hope you can come to my ceremony, I would love to see you there.

Education System of Pakistan Analysis

Education System of Pakistan Analysis All through human history, the source of success had been the control of natural resources land, gold and oil. Suddenly, the emphasis has shifted to knowledge and education in the modern contemporary world. The worlds wealthiest man, Bill Gates, owns nothing tangible no land, no gold or oil, no factories, no armies. For the first time in human history the worlds wealthiest man owns only knowledge, which has become the new basis for wealth. Progress and prosperity of a country, both spiritual and material, thus largely depend, more than ever before on the kind of education it provides to its people. Indeed, education is one of the most powerful instruments of change in achieving national goals by producing young minds imbued with the knowledge, attitude, skills and competencies to shape the future destiny of a nation. Contrary to the challenge of this emerging education revolution, out of Pakistans total population of 140 million, around 80 million are illiterate.  [1]  The national literacy rate is 45 percent with male literacy at 57 percent and female at 33, a gross enrolment at primary level of 87 percent (of whom 50 percent drop out before grade 5), 17.5 percent gross enrolment at secondary level and 4.5 percent at tertiary level?  [2]   Despite 53 years of our independence we have not been able to tailor the education system in conformity with our religious, ideological, socio- economic needs and the imperatives of the modern world. The failure could be attributed to any number of causes but the fact remains that quantitatively, our literacy rate is poorest even among developing countries of the world, qualitatively our certificates and degrees carry little weight in the international institutes and there still exists an imbalance in our requirements to tailor an ideal education system. We have stepped into the 21st century, which surely requires a definite reappraisal of our education system. We ought to learn from our very slow progress rate in the past and must take steps to meet the challenges of the future lest we are left behind. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF EDUCATION IN THE SUB-CONTINENT Teaching the offsprings has always been the natural instinct of all animals. It differed from society to society and man to man. The Sub-continent remained in darkness so far as community education was concerned till the establishment of Vedic schools but than it saw turbulence in this field which very few regions have seen. This part will briefly cover the different stages of the turbulence in the sub-continent. Before British Rule Vedic Schools of Brahmins. The earliest schools in the country now known as Pakistan were the Vedic schools for the training of Brahim priests. Sometimes before 500 B.C these schools began to enrol nonpriestly class pupils and to develop as true community schools in every village. They were generally composed of 12 to 20 students, and their sole teacher was the village priest who was regarded as a public official supported through rent-free land or a share in the harvest. The classes were normally held in the open under shady trees. Buddhist Monks. A parallel educational system was sponsored by the Buddhists to prepare their adherents for a life of meditation as a monk. The Buddhist schools, although located in monasteries, were open to all. Youth intending to pursue a monastic life were trained until the age of 20, while those who wanted a secular career left at the age of 12. Muslim Madrassahs. The Muslim invaders introduced the third educational system, and it flourished particularly in the northern areas of the subcontinent. Schools were generally attached to the Mosques, and the curriculum consisted of the Quran and little else. While the Muslim rulers supported only Islamic schools, Hindus and Buddhists retained their traditional education. Muslim male children (females were excluded from all forms of public education) began their study in maktab, where they received instructions from the imam (worship leader of a mosque) in the rudiments of the Arabic language. The older students continued their studies in the madrasahs, where they were taught Arabic and Persian, rhetoric, grammar, logic, geometry, algebra, astronomy, natural philosophy, medicine, theology and poetry. Children of the wealthy, especially the girls, were often tutored privately in their homes. The madrassahs declined in number and standards with the decline of the Mughal Empire and ris e of British power in the 18th and 19th centuries  [3]   During the British Rule The British System. The system of education followed in colonial India was introduced by the British primarily for turning out clerks and subordinates necessary for carrying on the administrative affairs of the country in English under the British masters in the colonial set-up. The system of education designed by Lord Macaulay in his own words was aimed at forming a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, opinions, morals and intellect.  [4]  By the end of the 19th century, Muslims were encouraged to opt for the British system of education, which opened the door to economic and social advancement. However the consensus of the opinion was that since the existing system was designed by the alien rulers to serve their own imperialistic ends it can hardly be expected to deliver the goods.  [5]   Muslim Institutes. In reaction to the British system, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan introduced a new English education system which, in character was Indian- Muslim. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded Anglo-Muhammadan College, now known as Aligarh Muslim University in 1875, and he always believed that Western education was compatible with Islam. Simultaneously, the orthodox Muslims introduced institutions like Deoband, Nadwat-ul-ulema Lucknow etc, thus giving rise to a sharp distinction between the traditionalists and the modernists, a distinction that continues to this day. At / After Partition The inherited System. The present system of education in Pakistan is the heritage of the Pre Partitioned British India. However, since independence many policies, plans and reports have been formulated for improving the literacy rate in the country. The important documents in this regard are listed as annex A. Education Policy 1998 to 2010. The policy incorporates a large number of new steps to resuscitate the education system. According to this policy 45,000 new primary schools and 20,000 mosque schools are to be set up before 2003. 75,000 more basic education institutions were to be established under Prime Minister Literacy Commission. 45,000 primary schools are to be upgraded to middle level and 30,000 to secondary level. The policy laid special emphasis on vocational and technical education. Private sector has also been encouraged to set up schools, colleges and universities. This is an ambitious policy aimed at achieving 70% literacy by year 2010. Its other main features are attached as annex B  [6]  : All the policies and plans as mentioned above envisaged various objectives at different levels however the spirit of the objectives, remained the same as it continues to stress: The ideological basis of education. National Unity. Development. Growth of the Society. Economic Progress. Equalisation of educational opportunity. Social equality. Quality of education. j. Education to be oriented to the world of work. Quality of education to be maintained at all levels with global standard. Propagation of scientific, technological and research aptitude. To promote functional literacy among out of school children. To bring about cultural harmony and social cohesion through education. To bring about the countrys spiritual and culture in harmony with the contemporary world. The overall sketch of the objectives of all-educational policies and plans clearly indicates the story of Education in Pakistan as the story of high promises, rhetorical emphasis on progress but sadly, little real achievement  [7]  . ANALYSIS OF OUR PRESENT EDUCATION SYSTEM Though the education system has attracted a considerable attention, it is difficult to ascertain any deterioration in its quality as well as quantity. There has been manifold increase in the number of educational institutions. The government is spending much more than it was in the past but the results are still not satisfactory. The parents blame the teachers, teachers the students and students, in turn, shift the entire responsibility to the system and society. To ascertain the erosion of education standards, it is important to analyse the education system as follows: Basic Ingredients. Major Weaknesses. Effects of Existing Education System. Basic Ingredients The educational pyramid consists of three distinct stages Elementary, Secondary/Higher Secondary and Higher Education.  [8]   a. Elementary Education. Designed from 5 to 12 years of age to impart universal literacy and explore hidden talent among the students from class I to 8. Elementary education employs regional languages as medium of instruction. Rural areas confront low enrolment, weak turnout, weak infrastructure and inadequate facilities, whereas urban institutions are overcrowded and located in unhealthy environment. This crucial stage of a childs learning is overloaded with stereotypical academic curriculum basically aiming at providing primary inputs for higher education. The syllabus provides no opportunity for arts, crafts and pre-vocational exposures. Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. Secondary and Higher Secondary stage is an integral part of the growth package for an individual towards his intellectual, research and professional excellence, coincides with adolescence stage (a delicate and sensitive phase of human development) which requires calculated guidance with logical reasoning. The existing curriculum at this stage is again information oriented, predominantly bookish and theoretical in nature, which does not develop a child as to the demands of either the society or work place. The students thus lack exposure to practical and creative work. Soon after their secondary schooling, many of them begin to search for a clerical type of job. At present, 60-80% of students in secondary classes are enrolled in arts subjects, which leads through an aimless general education that has very little acceptance in our agro-based controlled economy. Thus, a pattern of supply rather than demand-orientation in terms of instructions at secondary and higher secondary levels is further accentuating the dropouts either before or during this critical learning period. Higher Education. This commences at the age where the element of coercion fades away and students are motivated enough to pursue serious studies and possess abilities for academic/intellectual growth. There are basically stages of scholarly activities at higher education. These are B.A, M.A and the M.Phil. /Ph.D. The first one introduces the field of specialisation, the second the mastery of same field and the third carries students into new advanced fields through independent study and original research work. Under the present educational environment, higher education is producing academics instead of practitioners as there is virtually no concept or avenue for the use of higher learning of certain subjects in our society. Since thinking process and creation of knowledge remains quite restricted without proper experience and experiments and therefore, higher education without practice cannot be truly useful. Some relevant educational statistics/targets as envisaged in the educational policy of 1998-2010 are attached as annexes C, D, E and F MAJOR WEAKNESSES Lack of Quality Education. The most important problem being faced by our educational system is that of quality education. The major factor being over-crowding in the classes i.e. 80 students or more are handled together in a small room. The teaching staff is also unable to pay individual attention to their students; this naturally leads to indiscipline and deterioration of standards in the class.  [9]   Untrained Teachers. Unfortunately non-availability of qualified and properly trained teachers also retarded the expansion of literacy rate by adversary affecting the establishment of new educational institution as well as the quality of education in existing institutions. In a nation wide study in Pakistan in 1995, teachers with less than Matric level education could not answer 30% of questions based on grade four textbooks.  [10]   Large Number of Dropouts. Socio-economic factor is a major reason for a large number of dropouts of students even before completing their primary/middle standards. Economic pressures force a student to assist the family to increase family income at the expanse of his education. Other contributing factors in this regard are :  [11]   A dislike for school subjects. Unsatisfactory student-teacher relationship. A history of school failures. Non participation in school activities. Female Education. Literacy rate of female in Pakistan is half of that of males. Primary reasons for this are: Male dominance, cultural biases, and ages old tribal traditions. Girls are often required to help with household work of the family. Lack of conveniently located schools and separate schools for girls. Non availability of female teachers. In Pakistan female teachers at primary level are 25% of total teachers. Inflexible hours of schooling and irrelevant curricula. Non Involvement of Community. Nationalisation of schools in the 1970s, without adequate community participation in the running of schools, had led to a major deterioration in the quality of education. Non Participation of Private Sector. Insufficient government facilities do not cater for requirements of the country. In rural areas, where literacy rate is at the lowest, no worth while participation of the private sector exists. Illdiversification of Courses. It is imperative that a wide choice of subjects be made available to the students at the beginning of 9th class to suit their individual needs, aptitude and temperaments. It is unfortunate that most of our education is of a general and academic nature. Therefore there is an intellectual drought. The general academic nature, no doubt, helps in broadening the vision and creating a general consciousness of the happenings around us, but it is seldom of any use in carrying out the practical affairs of life successfully in the complex society of today. Allocation of Funds. UNESCO has recommended that 4% of the G.N.P, is a reasonable amount to be spent by the developing countries on education, whereas Pakistan presently is spending about 2.2% of G.N.P on education. Infact Pakistan is the only country in South Asia, where expenditure on education, as a percentage of G.N.P, has fallen since 1990.  [12]   Evaluation System. Prevalent examination system is marred by a number of evils. Tests are based on end of cycle certification rather than periodic tests. Dangerous trend of cheating and manipulation has also crept in the system. Language. Our education system suffers from a precarious struggle between education in English and Urdu. Presently, there are two standards of education each basing on one language. Other Factors Out of meagre amount spent on education, a huge portion is wasted through corrupt and inefficient system. According to a survey by Army Rs 1.5 billion per year were embezzled in head of teachers salaries.  [13]   52% of teachers in Pakistan use physical punishment. Curriculum of primary education is not in line with our objectives and national aspirations. Textbooks are sub standard and generally are not in conformity with the specifications/standards set by the curriculum bureau.  [14]   Political unrest and unhealthy political activities amongst students adversely affect education. Its however limited to beyond primary and secondary levels. School timings for the year do not take into account agriculture cycles, which limits attendance in rural areas.  [15]   Narrow research base in the universities. h. Non-employability of educated youth. j. Ineffective role of media. k. Education not being used at all for social change. l. Learning less in substance and more in volume. Effects of Existing Education System Lack of National Aspirations. The development of education is confronted with just about all problems that can be found anywhere in the world. A long detailed description of objectives and aspirations of all educational policies since 1947-98 magnifies the confusion as it has always been set in the absence of definite National Goals. Waste of Effort. The present education system does not prepare a student for the challenges of the life rather it only prepares him for examination. At the same time huge amount is spent on sending individuals abroad for higher studies and research but the country does not have requisite means and infrastructure to benefit from their higher standards on their return, thus the higher qualification become a mere status symbol with no advantage to the country and no satisfaction to the individuals academic aspirations. Loss of Inherited Trade. Most of our students come from the working class. The present system of education detaches them from their ancestral trade/business and imparts them a general education though at times it may be very sophisticated education. These youth are ultimately a loss to their trades, to their parents, to the society and to themselves as well. The present system of education is systematically producing a large number of unemployed, frustrated and dejected youth.  [16]   Unemployment. Education policies in the past made an effort to give an industrial bias to education. Hence a number of polytechnics and commercial colleges were opened throughout the country. The result is that now we have a daring situation of unemployment among technically qualified. Moreover trade and industry field in the country is still not sufficiently developed to absorb these trained people. Bad Governess. Giving higher education to those not possessing the intelligence and aptitude is a national waste. The present system of education in Pakistan is producing so many unemployable graduates of such indifferent quality that they are often not even good clerks and assistants. It is not the number of persons graduating that asses the efficacy of an education system but the quality of such graduates. When the incapable graduates grow in abundance and the society has no system other than the degree to determine merit, the incompetent are bound to infiltrate all walks of life and reasonable positions and threaten the very survival of the socio-economic institutions. The proliferation of facilities for higher education without appropriate merit criteria is, therefore, counterproductive. Waste of Female Strength. Women who constitute 52 % of the countrys population have literacy rate of only 26%. The dropout ratio for women during and after primary schooling is about 80%. The main reason behind it is that girls are not considered as an economic asset to the family hence their education remains a neglected aspect in our society. Production of Disgruntled Youth. According to education policy 1972-80, the existing system of education is one of the root cause of the general dropout in our education system. At present there are internal examination from class first to seventh, under which students are failed or passed on the basis of annual test. There is no test of observing or recording the performance of the student throughout the year. As a result the passing or failing of a students in the annual examination becomes a matter of the pupils memory. The high percentage of failures not only leads to heavy dropouts but also brings to life feeling of frustration and inferiority in the student. This is not only a national wastage but adds to our society a large number of handicapped people,  [17]  which ultimately produces disgruntled youth. Controversial Medium of Instruction. Notwithstanding the recognition of Urdu as a national language in the constitution, education policy on the medium of instruction is always based on compromises. The phenomenon of different languages being used in various regions as medium of instruction and even within a region has created a confused state. In these circumstances development of textbooks in indigenous languages has not been carried out in a systematic and co-ordinated manner. This apart, a student remains exposed to learning three/four languages. From this ensues limited linguistic ability which restricts the students horizon and forces them to rely on memorising and learning by rote.  [18]  The students mug up few topics that they expect in examination; if the question paper include those topics, the examinees are happy and if the expected questions are not asked, they protest violently and leave the examination hall. Lack of Pride in the Teaching Profession. Qualified and motivated youth in the teaching profession is essential to ensure a quality education. The best graduates join either engineering or medicine while the rest look for other outlets before joining as a teacher. Low pay grades, poor social status, meagre benefits and a missing career-ladder in teaching profession does not attract the best students. Presently, teaching is a difficult job with low salary, no status and ever-growing public criticism. These are making it difficult for the teacher to work with pride and dedication. Improvement Towards Betterment STRENGTH Having completed the analysis, it is felt that there are basically five major fields in the education system, which needs close attention to put the things at their right place. The recommendations are being made in these fields one by one which are:- Economic Reforms. Structural Organisations. Qualitative Improvements. Socio-Political, Ethical and Cultural Development. National Emergency Economic Reforms User Charges. There is a strong justification to gradually raise fee structure for secondary and higher level education. However, on social consideration the raise should be steeper for higher level than secondary level. Those poor outstanding students, who qualify for higher studies, should be provided a fixed stipend. Induction of Local Bodies and Private Sector in Education. Education is basically the responsibility of provincial government, but at the same time it is also a national concern and in certain major areas, decision ought to be taken at national level. There is a need to regard education as a federal-provincial partnership. Education planning has to be decentralised to the district level and still down to union council level. Moreover, there is a need to incorporate private sector particularly the NGOs and support them in a massive way through financial support to enable them to undertake literacy programmes on a much larger scale. Increased Budgetary Allocations. The government must allocate minimum 4% of G.N.P, to education as recommended by UNESCO. Additional resources be diverted from the budget to education by effecting some economy in defence /Non developmental expenditure. Structural Organisation Primary and Adult Education. Primary and adult education should form the bulwark of our education structure and should receive highest allocation. Emphasis should be laid on properly equipping the existing schools before establishing new formal schools or informal and community schools. However, the existing and new schools should take into account the socio-economic environment of areas in the matter of educational cycle and timings of schools. If this is not taken into account, high dropout rates and phenomena of ghost schools will continue. Secondary Education. Secondary schools are of two types, general and vocational/polytechnic. These schools should be unified and converted into complete stage of education with curricula of compulsory subjects and a few elective subjects for preparing the students for a definite vocational career. Tertiary Education. The colleges and the universities, both general and professional, have outgrown in number. The need is to consolidate and improve these seats of higher learning than expanding them. This improvement and consolidation should be brought about by: a. Admitting the students purely on merit after subjecting them to aptitude tests so as to determine whether they really qualify for specialised studies. b. Making the colleges and universities autonomous and research oriented. c. Throwing out politics and professional students from the campuses. d. Bestowing on Professors and Teachers the same social status as is enjoyed by them in advanced countries. Medium of Instructions. The issue of medium of instruction has continued to be skirted due to its sensitivity. The issue should be tackled rationally and boldly as under: At primary level the national language as unanimously agreed to by the representatives of the people and enshrined in the Constitution, should be introduced as the medium of instruction. At the secondary level also, the national language should be made the medium of instruction. English should be taught as compulsory subject and its curricula should be completely revised to encourage communicative and cognitive skills in this language. c. At tertiary level, English should be the medium of instructions. The possibility of introduction of national language can be reviewed later. Qualitative Improvements Teachers Education. The output of qualified teachers has lagged behind the expansion in the schools. Therefore, the number of teachers training institution should be increased and unqualified teachers should be compulsorily trained in these institutions. Those who do not qualify should not be retained. At the same time, the terms of service of teachers should be improved to make profession of education attractive. Teachers Supervision and Performance Assessment. With the expansion in the educational network, supervision and assessment of teachers has received a serious setback. This lack of supervision and support has resulted in large-scale absenteeism and low morale among teachers. Hence, in order to improve supervision and carry out on-the-spot support to teachers (model teaching, in service training etc) existing training and inspection system should be strengthened. Incentives. Suitable annual awards should be instituted for the meritorious work in the field of literacy at national, provincial and local level. It has been observed that government schoolteachers take up alternative employment while their attendance is recorded regularly by junior teachers attending the classes. In the rural areas the situation is much worse. Number of Students in a Class. To prevent overcrowding, the number of students in a class should be restricted to thirty-five or less. Physical Facilities including Instructional Material. The educational institutions are deficient in four areas, namely buildings and furniture, laboratories and equipment, textbooks and sports. These facilities are to be made available without any delay. Curriculum. Curricula in educational institutions are not only overcrowded but also out of pace with advancement of knowledge. Therefore, a major effort should be made to revise curricula at primary, secondary, college and university levels in order to make it meaningful and responsive to the needs of the society. Moreover it should be same for both the government and private schools throughout the country. Textbooks. Our textbooks are of poor quality lacking content, method of presentation, printing and set-up. At the same time, they are cost productive. These textbooks have also a strong flavour of foreignness which, to a large extent, owes to syllabus as also to scarcity of writers who can compose textbooks without relying heavily on plagiarism. Therefore, a massive reform of textbooks should be undertaken. Examination System. The examinations test the students for rote memory and largely exclude conceptual and cognitive tests. The system should be reformed with emphasis on internal assessment and its linkage with curriculum development process. There is also a need for the standardisation of the examination system. All examination papers should be prepared by one central authority, through one curriculum both for private and government schools. Effort should also be made to make evaluation system foolproof. There is also a need to take suitable measures to eliminate test papers and notes other than prescribed curr

Speeding up the close :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Speeding up the close†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The article I choose to review is â€Å"Speeding up the close† by Gaye van den Hombergh and Laurie Streling from the magazine Financial Executive June 2004 issue. Companies with a 12-month accounting period otherwise known as a fiscal year are coming up with alternative ways to reduce time and speed up the process to meet the impending 60-day deadline. This article discusses fiscal year and the abilities of companies to close the books quickly to access real-time financial results, which, in turn, lead to better decision making. Companies spend or invest funds in projects that hopefully make the firm more profitable, having real-time financial results would make this more efficient. Faster closings means more time for the company to process the numbers, also a rapid close is a sign of the efficiency and success of management and the company. If management has real-time financial results it allows them to respond more efficiently to changes in the market, which, in turn, help investors make significant investment decisions. The article goes on to discuss the pressure mounting for virtual close, but how urgent is it, and is it worth the investment? A survey was conduct of financial executives in companies to see if the pressure mounting for virtual close is significant often to proceed with further action. The Johnsson Group found less than one out of five respondents reported a fully automated close, more than half said that their close process is semi-automated and requires some manual intervention, and a quarter replied that their systems need significant manual intervention. Speed up the close should not be viewed as a vital step to be taken all at once, but as an evolutionary process. The concept of virtual close shows us how far the finance organization have come in the pass couple of years in the time it takes to performing closings. Two-thirds of companies closed their books for the quarter in 4 to 7 business days, 16 percent are accomplishing their closings in 1 to 3 days, but on other hand 21 p ercent of the companies reported needing more than 7 business days for closing. Although companies have to be prepared to confront certain issues while obtaining faster closing, like less emphasis on training, leaving companies with fewer finance â€Å"historians who in fact know the rationale behind the processes and have a deeper understanding of the business†. The next paragraph in this article discusses a more strategic role for finance.

How it Relates to Greek Religion and Culture Essay

Ancient Greeks believed in a series of myths, which explained nature, set the moral code for the Greek people, and some were just entertaining stories. These myths turned the Greek world from a world of fear into a world of wondrous beauty. Many of these gods and goddesses were associated with a particular task or activity (Buxton). The Greek people believed that the gods were incorporated into every aspect of their lives. The Ancient Greeks, being a polytheistic culture, created many extravagant myths regarding 12 gods and goddesses that they believed to rule all aspects of their lives. These myths were an early science. They were the result of the Greeks trying to explain the world around them. The Greek people created their gods in their own image, naturally making heaven an enjoyable and familiar place (Hamilton). In Greek mythology the Gods did not create the universe, but instead, the universe created the gods. The mythology of the people of Greece begins with Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey. It is in these epic poems that Homer tells the stories of the many gods and hero’s of Greece. We now know who and what the Greek gods were, but how are they relevant to the Greek Religion? It is important to know that the Greeks did not have a word for religion. Also they did not have any written text or scripture. When we talk about Greek religion we mean their ritual behaviors and their beliefs in sacred items, beings, and places (Cline). We also must remember that Greek mythology is not the same as Greek religion, though they are closely intertwined. The only requirement of the Greeks for their religion was to believe in the gods and perform sacrifices to them. These sacred acts, sacrifice and festivals, were the root of the Greek religion (Buxton). This seems to be a rather relaxing way to carry on in life, but not so. The Greeks attributed anything good happening to the gods being happy with them, also when something bad happened, for example, an earthquake, famine, or the loss of a battle, it was attributed to the gods being displeased with the Greeks (â€Å"Ancient Greece†). The Ancient Greeks were an extremely religious people, who spent their lives trying to please the gods through their sacrifice, festivals, and unwavering belief in them. Sacrifice was one of the most important ways to please the gods; they were thought to be gifts to the gods. The people of Greece would give a sacrifice not only of animals, but also bloodless sacrifices, such as food, grasses, grains, and incense (Christman). Each city had a temple erected to their patron god. In Athens they had built the Acropolis, with its main temple being the Parthenon, which was dedicated to Athena (which whom Athens was named after). Athena was Zeus’s daughter, and it is said in the myths that she was born from his head. Athena is known as the Goddess of war and the defender of the towns. She is usually shown in art dressed in full armor. Also associated with her is Nike the symbol of victory (Hamilton). These temples were not for worship, but they were believed to house the gods for which the temple was built. The only people who were allowed inside were the priests and priestesses, and that was only to keep it clean and take care of the god’s statue (â€Å"Ancient Greece†). The focus of the temple was no only the god or goddess but the sacrificial alter. Each temple had an alter outside for the worshipers to place their offerings. The sacrifices the Greeks made to their gods were their way of ensuring that they would be allowed to lead a normal happy life. The Greeks also took part in religious festivals and for further reassurance of their pleasing the gods went to oracles. We know that the Greek people participated in many religious festivals, but the details of these festivals are unknown. The main festival that the Greeks partook in was the Olympic games, in honor of Zeus. Zeus was the most powerful of all the gods, his power alone was greater than all of the other gods combined. He was the God of the Sky, bearing his thunderbolt, at which he would throw to earth striking anywhere he wished. His faults, however, entertain the idea that he is a man. Zeus is portrayed as falling in love with many women and trying to hide his infidelity from his wife Hera (Hamilton). The Olympic game festival occurred every fourth summer. Throughout Greece a truce was proclaimed so that all Greek citizens could come and participate (â€Å"Greek Religion†). The exception to this was women, they not only could not participate, but they could not even watch (Buxton). The Olympic games were held at the Stadium of Olympia, and the main event was the pentathlon, where the participants competed in five different events. This arena was also the very first monument of Greek Classical art (Kleiner). Another part of the Greek religion was the oracles. The most famous oracle was the Oracle of Delphi. The oracles were believed to be the messengers of the gods. But not any normal person could understand their messages, only the priests and priestesses could. The Greeks believed that the gods spoke in riddles, because the gods were more complex than the humans, and so the could not reply as the humans did (â€Å"Ancient Greece†). The festivals and the oracles were an important part of the Greek life. The Greek gods even found a place in the everyday life of a Greek citizen. Hestia, Zeus’s sister. She plays no part in the myths but was very important to the Greeks. She was the Goddess of the Hearth. Every home in Greece had a hearth dedicated to her where the fire was not allowed out go out, along with each city (Hunt). When a new town was founded the people would light a torch from the mother town and carry its fire to the hearth in the new town. Sound familiar; this is the proposed beginning of the Olympic torch. Also, when a child was born the family had to walk the newborn baby around the hearth before it was to be accepted into the family (Hamilton). Also, according to Hunt, boys were trained to have healthy strong bodies, not only to fight in the armies, but to be strong competitors in the Olympic games. Boys and girls were taught from very early ages about the gods and goddesses. They were taught how to respect and please them in their daily lives (â€Å"The Ancient Greeks†). Also most Greeks made some sort of sacrifice to the gods daily. This was to try and keep the gods happy and bring good fortune to themselves. There were many different ways that the people of Greece tried to keep the thought of their gods present in their daily lives. Religion impinged on the warfare of the city-states in a number of ways. The commanders frequently saw themselves as walking in the footsteps of their gods and heroic predecessors (Buxton). No where in the Greek city-states did they go into battle without first sacrificing. To do this was unthinkable. The soldiers of Greece usually sacrificed to either Ares or Athena. Ares was the God of War, but isn’t mentioned much in the myths. He has no distinctive attributes and is difficult to identify in art. Hamilton says this is probably because the Greeks thought of him as â€Å"hateful†. Again, Athena is known as the Goddess of war and the defender of the towns. But then on the opposite end was the honoring of Aphrodite, who was the Goddess of Love and Beauty, but also revered for pleasure and procreation. Women of the towns and city-states would honor and sacrifice to Aphrodite, to ensure the safe delivery of a baby, or to be pleasing to their future husbands (Atsma). I Greece all marriages were arranged to keep or raise a family’s social status, so many brides did not ever meet their husbands-to-be until the wedding day. Whatever men or women did in their daily activities was relevant to the influence of the gods. The Greek mythology played an important role in the every day lives of the Greek people, and even more important one in the development of their religion. Greek mythology was a way for the people of Greece to explain the â€Å"why’s† and â€Å"how’s† of their world. Their religion and their mythology were very closely intertwined. This was shown through their various ways of honoring their gods through festivals, sacrifice, and using the oracles. Also through the passing of the beliefs from one generation to the next. The importance of the gods was shown in their magnificent temples also. These Myths for the Greeks changed their world from the unknown to kind and beautiful. Works Cited â€Å"Ancient Greece. † Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2008. Sept. 14, 2008. . Atsma, Aaron J. â€Å"Theoi Greek Mythology: Exploring Mythology in Classical Literature and Art. † The Theoi Project. 2008. Sept. 14, 2008. . Buxton, Richard. Ancient Greece. Ed. Paul Cartledge. United Kingdom. Cambridge University Press, 1998. Christman, Zachary and Alfred Hanssen. â€Å"Greek Religion: Religion and Death. † 2002. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Sept. 14, 2008. . Cline, Austin. â€Å"Ancient Greek Mythology, Religion, Art† Sept. 14, 2008. . â€Å"Greek Religion. † Encyclopedia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Sept. 21, 2008. . Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. New York. Back Bay Books, 1942. Hunt, Dr. Patricia. â€Å"Roles of Men, Women, and Children. † Richmond University. Sept. 16, 2008. . Kleiner, Fred and Christian Mamiya. Gardner’s Art Through the Ages. 12th ed. volume 1. California. Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, 2005. â€Å"The Ancient Greeks. † 2002. Sept. 16, 2008. . Wilkinson, Philip. Dictionary of Mythology. New York. DK Publishing, 1998.

Space Shuttle Columbia

On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart during re-entry resulting in the loss of the seven crewmembers and the shuttle. For the next several months an extensive investigation of the accident was performed by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB). The board published their final report in August, 2003 and concluded that the cause of the loss of Columbia and its crew was a breach in the left wing leading edge Reinforced Carbon-Carbon Thermal Protection System initiated by the impact of thermal insulating foam that had separated from the orbiters external fuel tank 81 seconds into the missions launch. During re-entry, this breach allowed hot gas to enter the wing’s leading edge and support structure which ultimately led to the breakup of the orbiter. The CAIB also discovered multiple flaws within the shuttle safety program, the hazard analysis techniques, communication and leadership between management and engineering, and an obstructive organizational culture. NASA responded to the Columbia accident by grounding all space shuttle missions for a total of 905 days while they complied with all the recommendations made by the CAIB as well as restructuring their system safety and communication procedures. Space Shuttle Columbia The Columbia STS-107 mission lifted off on January 16, 2003, for a 16-day science mission featuring numerous microgravity experiments. Upon reentering the atmosphere on February 1, 2003, the Columbia orbiter suffered a catastrophic failure due to a breach that occurred 81 seconds into the launch when falling thermal insulating foam from the left bipod area of the External Tank struck the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panels on the underside of the left wing. The orbiter and its seven crewmembers were lost approximately 16 minutes before Columbia was scheduled to touch down at Kennedy Space Center. Within this paper I will discuss the history, mission, and anatomy of Space Shuttle Columbia, the incident and the breakdown in communication and safety practices, as well as information found during the formal investigation by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB). History of Space Shuttle Columbia The Space Shuttle Columbia was built in the years leading up to 1981 when it was the first space shuttle to fly into earth orbit on April 12th. There were four sister ships in the fleet over the next ten years: the Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and the Enterprise. The Endeavour was built to replace the Challenger that was destroyed in 1986. Columbia was the first on-line orbiter to undergo the scheduled inspection and retrofit program. It was transported August 10, 1991, after its completion of mission STS-40, to prime space shuttle contractor Rockwell International's Palmdale, California assembly plant. The oldest orbiter in the fleet underwent approximately 50 modifications, including the addition of carbon brakes, drag chute, improved nose wheel steering, removal of development flight instrumentation and an enhancement of its thermal protection system. The orbiter returned to Kennedy Space Center February 9, 1992 to begin processing for mission STS-50 in June of that year. Primary Mission The primary objectives of this mission was to research in physical, life, and space sciences, conducted in approximately 80 separate experiments, comprised of hundreds of samples and test points. The crew was divided into two alternating shifts to achieve the most productive use of time for each 24 hour period. The crew’s payload consisted of the following: first flight of SPACEHAB Research Double Module; Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research (FREESTAR); First Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) mission since STS-90 (Wilson, 2006). The expected duration of the STS-107 mission was 16 long days. Anatomy of the Space Shuttle The space shuttle is made up of over two million moving parts and 150 miles of internal wiring, making it the most complex machine ever created. Empty the space shuttle weighs in at 158,289 lbs and with the main engines installed it tips the scales at over 178,000 lbs. Once all the fuel and cargo are added, the space shuttle weighs an astounding 4. 5 million lbs. There are three main parts to every space shuttle, the orbiter, solid rocket boosters, and the external fuel tank. The solid rocket boosters and the external fuel tank are ejected from the orbiter while the space shuttle is leaving the atmosphere. The orbiter has enough crew space for eight crew members and a cargo capacity of 50,000 lbs. The Incident On January 16, 2003 the Space Shuttle Columbia was launched from Cape Canaveral, FL. 81 seconds into the launch a small piece of thermal insulating foam, the size of a small briefcase, impacted the leading edge of the left wing, damaging the Shuttle's Thermal Protection System (TPS), which protects it from heat generated from the atmosphere during re-entry. The foam had a total weight of 1. 67 lbs which is equal to the weight of 100 marshmallows and originated from the left bipod area of the External Tank. At the time of the impact the Columbia was traveling at 2300 fps through an altitude of 65,900 feet. The impact velocity of the foam was 775 fps. While Columbia was still in orbit, some engineers suspected damage as early as day two of the mission, but NASA managers limited the investigation, on the grounds that little could be done even if problems were found and therefore, never informed the crew of any possible damage. The damage to the left wing’s Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panel provided a pathway for hot gas to enter the wing’s leading edge and support structure upon the attempted re-entry. This resulted in major structural and skin damage causing the loss of control and all vehicle data at 207, 135 ft above the Earth while traveling at 12,500 mph. The Columbia Space Shuttle broke up over north-central Texas just 16 minutes prior to its scheduled landing at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. The Investigation Soon after the space shuttle disaster NASA created the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) with the objective to determine the cause of the Columbia accident and to recommend ways to improve the safety programs and communication procedures within NASA. The Board published a working scenario along with several preliminary recommendations in advance of the final report which was published on August 26, 2003. Preliminary Recommendations The first of five recommendations the CAIB made was for NASA to develop an inspection plan for the examination of the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) system components since the current inspection techniques were not adequate in assessing the structural integrity, its supporting structure, and the attached hardware. The RCC system is used on the leading edges of the wings, the area aft of the nose cap, and the area around the forward orbiter/external tank attachment structure due to the fact that these are the parts of the orbiter that are subjected to the greatest amount of heat during re-entry. At the time the CAIB conducted their investigation, they discovered and published that NASA did not fully understand the mechanisms that have caused foam loss on almost every space shuttle flight to date. They also found that the original and present day operating design specifications required the RCC components to have essentially no impact resistance. In order to mitigate future risk to the space shuttles and crew, the CAIB believed that NASA should look into the advanced non-destructive inspection technology and take advantage of it. The second recommendation made to NASA stated that they should amend their existing Memorandum of Agreement with the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) to make it a standard requirement for every space shuttle flight to have on-orbit imaging available. The foam strike was first seen during the standard review of the launch video and high-speed photography, by the Intercenter Photo Working Group (IPWG) on the morning of Flight Day Two. The IPWG was concerned about possible damage to the Orbiter since this foam strike was larger than any seen in the past. No conclusive images of the foam strike could be found so the Chair of the IPWG asked management to begin the process of getting outside imagery from the Department of Defense (DOD) to help in damage assessment. This request, the first of three, along with the IPWG’s first report, including a digitized video clip and initial assessment of the strike, was distributed on Flight Day Two and began its journey through the management hierarchy. Even though the IPWG routed its request through the proper channels used during a mission, the management hierarchy yielded no direction, progress, or results. Therefore, the IPWG then routed its second and third requests for external DOD imagery through institutional, not mission-related, channels which diluted the urgency of the requests and the management viewed the requests as non-critical desires rather than critical operational needs. Communication did not flow effectively up to or down from the management hierarchy which lead to the three independent requests for imagery being subsequently denied. It was determined by the CAIB that the United States government along with NASA did not utilize every imaging resource it had in order to assess the damage of the Columbia while still in orbit. Recommendation three examined the repair capability of the space shuttle. The CAIB suggested that for all future missions to the International Space Station (ISS), NASA develop a method to inspect and conduct emergency repairs to the Thermal Protection System (TPS) tiles and RCC while docked at the ISS and recommended that a â€Å"comprehensive autonomous [†¦] inspection and repair capability† be developed for Shuttle missions that do not dock at the ISS. The end goal is to develop a â€Å"fully autonomous capability for all missions†, in the event â€Å"that an ISS mission does not achieve the necessary orbit, fails to dock successfully, or suffers damage during or after docking† (Troxell, 2009). The last two recommendations addressed the space shuttles imaging systems. The fourth recommendation recommended upgrading the imaging system to provide at least three useful views of the space shuttles from liftoff to at least Solid Rocket Booster separation, and further recommended exploring the possibility of taking additional pictures and observations of the space shuttle during launch using ships and aircraft. Recommendation five pertained specifically to the External Tank (ET) and the Thermal Protection System (TPS) imaging systems examination. The CAIB recommended modifying one of the two on-board umbilical cameras in order to â€Å"downlink high-resolution images of the ET after separation,† and further recommended that a similar system be put into place to â€Å"downlink high-resolution images of the underside of the orbiter’s leading edge system and the forward section of the TPS† (Troxell, 2009). Organizational Culture Communications procedures between managers and engineers at NASA were also investigated by the CAIB. The need to communicate effectively and efficiently between the individuals and organizations involved in the space shuttle program were found to be paramount, given the complex and high level of technology along with the extensive risks involved. The CAIB found that the original damage assessments contained substantial uncertainties for a variety of reasons, including management failures, communication breakdowns, inappropriate use of assessment tools, and flawed engineering judgments. The CAIB also determined that there were lapses in leadership and communication that made it very difficult for engineers and management to raise concerns and understand decisions. Management failed to actively engage and analyze the potential damage caused by the foam strike. Before the accident, flight managers had been under extreme pressure from Congress and the public to maintain launch schedules, and they had not followed established procedures for clearing unresolved problems. Based on these and other observations, the CAIB concluded that NASA was not a learning organization. Organizational learning is not one but several processes by which organizations seek to improve their performance by searching out the causes behind what they judge to be unacceptable results (Mahler & Casamayou, 2009). The CAIB concluded that the organizational causes to the accident included deficiencies in the command structure and safety monitoring systems, an inability to cope with strong external political and budgetary pressures, and an obstructive organizational culture. System Safety The CAIB found that NASA’s safety program was inadequate of achieving the level of safety necessary for the space shuttle program. As a result, the CAIB recommended that the safety system at NASA be restructured to include the system safety fundamentals. System safety is the name given to the effort to make things as safe as is practical by systematically using engineering and management tools to identify, analyze, and control hazards (Stephans, 2004) throughout all phases of the life cycle. At the time of the investigation, NASA’s definition of system safety was as follows: The optimum degree of risk management within the constraints of operational effectiveness, time, and cost attained through the application of management and engineering principles throughout all phases of a program. It was a great definition but NASA did not follow or operate under these fundamentals which were proven by the CAIB time and time again. They found that the system safety engineering and management was not vigorous enough to have an impact on system design, and it was hidden in the other safety disciplines and separated from mainstream engineering which proved extremely ineffective in regards to safety. They also found that the space shuttle safety program had conflicting roles, responsibilities, and guidance. Hazard Analysis The hazard analysis techniques used by NASA at the time of the accident were the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FEMA) and the Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). The CAIB found that the risk information and data from the hazard analyses were not communicated effectively nor could they find adequate application of a process, database, or metric analysis tool that took an integrated, systemic view of the entire space shuttle system. Post Columbia Procedures at NASA Once the investigation into Space Shuttle Columbia’s accident was finished, NASA shut down all space shuttle missions until they felt their system safety and communication procedures where brought up to par. This space shuttle grounding lasted 905 days and finally ended on July 26th, 2005 when the Space Shuttle Discovery successfully flew the STS-114 mission. System Safety NASA took the recommendation of the CAIB and restructured their system safety program. The purpose of the new system safety program within NASA is to ensure that the optimum degree of safety is achieved through management and engineering practices that minimize the number and magnitude of hazards in NASA systems. This is coupled with the application of system safety engineering analyses to detect and assess the nature and magnitude of risks so that they may be eliminated, reduced, or accepted depending on project requirements, schedule, and cost. This purpose is reached through the application of management, scientific, and engineering principles during all phases of a system life cycle. The ultimate goal is to avoid loss of life or injury to personnel, damage to or loss of equipment or facilities, project or test failures, and undue exposure to risk and adverse environmental effects. To date NASA has flown 19 separate space shuttle missions with no incidents under their new system safety program. NASA’s space shuttle fleet is set to retire after just two final missions. Space Shuttle Discovery is expected to launch on November 1st, 2010 and Space Shuttle Endeavour will launch no earlier than February 26th, 2011. Post Columbia Improvements NASA spent $1. 4 billion in an effort to improve the space shuttle after the Columbia incident. The most notable area of improvement was the External Tank. The bipod foam that caused the Columbia disaster was replaced with an electrical heater to prevent ice from forming. Another notable area of improvement was too the Foreign Object Debris (FOD) procedures which improved safety. They also added over 100 tracking cameras to view launches as well as cameras mounted on the External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters. NASA also has two aircraft equipped with high-definition cameras which offer the unique perspective of a shuttle flying toward the viewer (Chien, 2006). All of NASA’s improvements seem to have worked so far. In the years following Space Shuttle Columbia’s accident, NASA reinvented their company from the ground up and is now used as a model company that others look to for advice and operational information. Conclusion The Space Shuttle Columbia accident may or may not have been preventable. There are numerous things that could have gone differently that might have given the crew a different fate, however, the accident happened in the least bad manner possible. The astronauts were able to enjoy themselves the entire mission, complete essential mission experiments, and reach a goal many of them had worked toward their entire lives. They had no knowledge that the shuttle was damaged and their deaths were mercifully swift. Columbia’s re-entry path over the U. S. made debris recovery far easier than if it had fallen over the ocean. Because so much debris and information was recovered it was possible to determine exactly what happened without any shadow of a doubt. It will certainly always be regrettable that the accident happened, but the fate of the Columbia crew could have been far worse. They will always been remembered as heroes.