POPULAR CULTURE AND HUMANITIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

POPULAR CULTURE AND HUMANITIES - Essay Example This is certainly probable because the artifact does not mirror the world around them (Naremore & Brantlinger, 1991). At first, John will be perplexed by the robot and may not decipher what it is. The capability of the robot to mimic human behaviors and activities, inclusive of speech, will be of utmost importance in shaping John’s reaction. In such case, the robot will be like a person, though not â€Å"a real person.† The novelty of the robot will make John think that the robot is a divine device, but â€Å"evil,† and a threat to his existence. As the fear subsides, interaction between John and the robot will increase, as it dawns to John that the robot is neither â€Å"godly† nor â€Å"evil† after all. The robot may be programmed to interact with John on matters that are familiar to John such as culture and language. To this end, the robot heralds an incremental cultural benefit to John, which stirs his consciousness. The robot can turn out to be a valuable tool in cross cultural exchange between â€Å"John’s world† and the mainstream culture. The robot will act as a bridge between John’s world and the modern

Evaluate an area of business by using Porter's Five Forces Model Essay

Evaluate an area of business by using Porter's Five Forces Model. Select an industry from the list below and describe the relative attractiveness of entering that industry - Essay Example university text books, religious literature, fictitious novels on all subjects, cooking stuff, books on international relations and current affairs etc. However, the industry has observed a sharp decline in growth after advent of electronic commerce coupled with recent economic turmoil that further hampered its growth. This will be discussed in detail in the following section when author will present real world scenario. (Foner Books Report, 2010) The author would now provide an analysis on Book Selling Industry across USA by using Porter’s Five Forces model. Each force will be discussed in detail so that a reader could have a clear insight about the scope and business potential in this industry. It should be pointed out that book buyers in USA could be divided into two major groups such as core students (the educational text books market) and book lovers (that tend to buy books on various subjects). The bargaining power of core students has increased considerably in last 2 years because of decline in demand of school, college and university education. Indeed, the reasons behind that include lack of short - term unemployment opportunities followed by surge in inflation, which compelled the students to take semester or yearly breaks. In this way, decline in demand of students sharply reduced the demand of course or text books, thereby leading to decline in book selling activities. As far as demand from book lovers are concerned, it should be emphasized that bleak employment prospects and decrease in consumer purchasing power also forced potential buyers to tighten their belts and reduce spending on books. For instance, today book lovers also demand higher value for the money they spend in the market. Hence, it is worthwhile to point out the fact that increase in bargaining power of consumers has resulted in downward pressure in pricing. Leading book retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BN.com and Borders were forced to reduce their prices by announcing

How to avoid making email a career-ending Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

How to avoid making email a career-ending - Essay Example In that apology email to the boss, ensure that she (the boss) does not ignore the email (as she probably receives dozens of emails daily and especially in the morning). In order to ensure this, the subject of the email should indicate it’s an apology and should be in capital letters so that it easily attracts attention thereby reducing the chances of it being ignored (Schwalbe and Shipley, 2008). Having decided to send the email, ensure that the emotions and tone are indicated in the email for sincerity purposes, identify yourself and explain how sorry you are for sending such an email, show respect to the authority by using formal language and keep the message focused. After drafting the email, proofread it (even if it is loudly) to ensure you have passed your sincere apologies and then check the email address again and sending options to ensure the previous sending mistake of a private message to the public is not repeated the send it (Jerz and Bauer, 2011). In order to ensure you do not end your career, offer to schedule an appointment with her to apologize in person. Barry D. (May 6, 2007). â€Å"You’ve Got Trouble.† The New York Times. Retrieved from:

Evaluate an area of business by using Porter's Five Forces Model Essay

Evaluate an area of business by using Porter's Five Forces Model. Select an industry from the list below and describe the relative attractiveness of entering that industry - Essay Example university text books, religious literature, fictitious novels on all subjects, cooking stuff, books on international relations and current affairs etc. However, the industry has observed a sharp decline in growth after advent of electronic commerce coupled with recent economic turmoil that further hampered its growth. This will be discussed in detail in the following section when author will present real world scenario. (Foner Books Report, 2010) The author would now provide an analysis on Book Selling Industry across USA by using Porter’s Five Forces model. Each force will be discussed in detail so that a reader could have a clear insight about the scope and business potential in this industry. It should be pointed out that book buyers in USA could be divided into two major groups such as core students (the educational text books market) and book lovers (that tend to buy books on various subjects). The bargaining power of core students has increased considerably in last 2 years because of decline in demand of school, college and university education. Indeed, the reasons behind that include lack of short - term unemployment opportunities followed by surge in inflation, which compelled the students to take semester or yearly breaks. In this way, decline in demand of students sharply reduced the demand of course or text books, thereby leading to decline in book selling activities. As far as demand from book lovers are concerned, it should be emphasized that bleak employment prospects and decrease in consumer purchasing power also forced potential buyers to tighten their belts and reduce spending on books. For instance, today book lovers also demand higher value for the money they spend in the market. Hence, it is worthwhile to point out the fact that increase in bargaining power of consumers has resulted in downward pressure in pricing. Leading book retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BN.com and Borders were forced to reduce their prices by announcing

Significance of the Factors of Curriculum Development Essay Example for Free

Significance of the Factors of Curriculum Development Essay In the realms of universal educational system, the term â€Å"Curriculum† is widely used. Teacher’s Mind Resources (2011) elucidated that â€Å"the word curriculum comes from the Latin word meaning ‘a course for racing’.† By the terminology it self, the definition is so broad that its profoundness, if applied to schools, may define myriad things which might relate to, as what almost all teachers nowadays perceive, as contents to be taught to children. Some also think that a curriculum is a â€Å"set of courses for students take in order to reach certain goals in all levels† (wisegeek, 2013). We cannot say that the definition is a fallacy but the meanings are parts and parcel of what the big picture is. Curriculum is a dynamic, ever-changing series of planned learning experiences. It changes in order to enhance all experiences of the students in schools, as what John Dewey suggests regarding the definition of curriculum as such. Here we notice the relevance for a curriculum to be well-developed so that the goals will be attained. It is mentioned above that these goals are at certain levels. These goals may round about from a micro level, which may pertain to the personal achievement of Diplomas of the students themselves, up to gathering relevant statistics of how good is the aptitude of, an instance, Filipinos compared to other nation’s people. Very comprehensive, John Dewey (1916) defined curriculum as all the experiences of the learner inside and outside the school under the guidance of the teacher. In order for a curriculum to be structured properly, there are certain factors to be measured in order to achieve the goals. These are the following: 1. Cultural Values- Ontario Native Literacy Coalition (2001) emphasized how Grundy (1987) defined curriculum and the integration of cultural values. â€Å"Curriculum is not a concept; it is a cultural construction. That is, it is not an abstract concept which has some existence outside and prior to human experience.  Rather, it is a way of organizing a set of human educational practices†. The fundamental teachings of the folks of certain communities which were carried out all throughout the time until now are essential even integrated in the curriculum. This is because these things should be preserved. These cultural values may pertain to as simple as respect, love, peace, equality, and truthfulness. Narrowing down to the values established in a community-based are also included. For Filipinos we have the â€Å"Mano po†, and the utterance of the words â€Å"po† and â€Å"opo†. Curriculum for Liberal Education (2008) explained that the integration of cultural values aims to gain critical and appreciative perspective upon one’s own culture by studying other historical periods and other cultural traditions. Furthermore, Cultural values which should be well-thought-out can be visible or non-visible. These visible cultural values are Rules, Food, Dress, Language, Music, Dance, Means of Livelihood, Political Behavior, Family, Community, Norms and etc We also include non-visible cultural values may incorporate philosophy, beliefs and value system. 2. Knowledge of learner- Oftentimes when we here curriculum, we also associate it with the words â€Å"evaluation† and â€Å"examination† to be administered to the learners to identify their knowledge, skills, values, or as a whole-level of performance. The learner’s intelligence matters in developing curriculum. The general needs assessment is applied to targeted learners. What kind of doctor do we want to educate it depends mostly on social needs but it can reflect job opportunities, financial rewards and attitudes acquired during process of studding. Sometimes it is very difficult to make balance between these several needs. Needs can be obtained on different ways. It can be done through study of errors in practice. It is very difficult to design curriculum which will fully meet the needs of society and students. The existing knowledge of the learners needs to be considered as a requisite for developing a curriculum so that the contents of the structure will  supplement the established knowledge. The shift toward learner-centered pedagogy represents an important step in the quest to develop creative, autonomous learners who can readily adapt to a rapidly changing society. Learner-centered techniques foster creativity and innovative thinking, absolutely essential abilities for today’s workforce. How do wee this effective? There is now the implementation of Program for Decentralized Educational Development (PRODED) Content Based (not on the learner and learning process). Also the implementation of the Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) and Secondary Education Development Program (SEDP) – addresses the learner and learning process. 3. Knowledge of Teaching-Learning Theories and principles- Very obvious, learning theories and principles serve as pillars to almost all educational structures like curricula, lesson plans, missions and visions of schools, educational philosophies, and anything related to education since these theories and principles are actually and really factual data gathered from serious and logical experimentation done by proponents in the enterprise to improve and redesign education as it moves along the dynamic world. For instance, â€Å"The New Elementary School Curriculum (NESC) and New Secondary Education Curriculum (NSEC) demonstrate ample evidence of the inclusion of behaviorist psychological principles through the use of behavioral objectives, drills, practices, and homeworks reinforces learning† (Pasigui, 2011) 4. Body of Knowledge- â€Å"Curriculum is a body of knowledge-content and/or subjects. Education in this sense, is the process by which these are transmitted or delivered to students by the most effective methods that can be devised† (Blenkin, et al ,1992). Of course, the content is a core factor in developing curriculum. This includes, literally, the courses which the students should take in order to end up achieving the goal.  Where people still equate curriculum with a syllabus they are likely to limit their planning to a consideration of the content or the body of knowledge that they wish to transmit. It is also because this view of curriculum has been adopted that many teachers in primary schools, Kelly (1985) claims, have regarded issues of curriculum as of no concern to them, since they have not regarded their task as being to transmit bodies of knowledge in this manner. References: * Curriculum for Liberal Education. (2008). Area 2: ideas, Cultural Traditions, and Values. Retreived December 14, 2012 from http://www.cle.prov.vt.edu/guides/area2.html * Blenkin, G. M. et al (1992) Change and the Curriculu,, London: Paul Chapman. * Harden, R.M. (2001). AMEE Guide No. 21: Curriculum mapping: a tool for transparent and authentic teaching and learning, Medical Teacher, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 123-137 * Ljuca, F., Lozo, S., Simunovic, V., Bosse, H., Kadmon, M. (n.d.). Chapter 11: Curriculum Development. Retreieved December 14, 2012 from http://www.bhmed-emanual.org/book/export/html/93 * Pasigui, R.E. (2011). THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT (PHILIPPINE CONTEXT). Retrieved December 14, 2012 from http://www.scribd.com/doc/62806653/The-Nature-and-Scope-of-Curriculum-Development * Teacher’s Mind Resources. (2011). What is Curriculum. Retrieved December 14, 2012 from http://www.teachersmind.com/Curriculum.html * Smith, B. 0., Stanley, W. D., Shores, J. H. (1957). Fundamentals of Curriculum Development. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. * Wisegeek. (2013). What is curriculum. Retrieved December 14, 2012 from http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-curriculum.htm Significance of the Factors of Curriculum Development We often here the term â€Å"curriculum† in the field of education as if there is a need for this to be emphasized. This is why most educators need to undergo certain studies in order to fully understand this term and how far this term can go. Basically, a curriculum, if being asked to teachers nowadays, has a probable mean definition of â€Å"sets of subjects to be taught†. Others do also have theirs like â€Å"a plan of activities and lessons to be taught† which can be synonymous to the former one. â€Å"Curriculum is a cultural reproduction in a structured way. It is even more: It should also value independent thinking in the context of the widest sense of social responsibility† (Smith, Stanley Shores, 1957). Not a passà © statement, even foundational, in fact curricula are structured not fixed but dynamic, that is why it is stated â€Å"it is even more†. Developing curricula is not easy. The developers should tear apart the horizon of possibility and see beyond that regarding how can the curriculum best fit the needs of the society in terms of educational innovation to produce quality education to learners. Moreover, Harden (2001) has elaborated on this concept â€Å"a curriculum is a sophisticated blend of educational strategies, course content, learning outcomes, educational experiences, assessment, the educational environment and the individual students’ learning style, personal timetable and the program of work†. Structuring and developing a curriculum is essential to the point that the  government can even intervene in order to provide relevant statistics to the developers regarding current data of the performance of the students in their state to see a match between the needs of the learners and the content of the curriculum. Furthermore, essential factors should be taken into consideration in order to make a good curriculum. These are the following: 1. Cultural Values- This â€Å"means that the education system is based on a First Nation communitys framework of values, priorities and world view, so that the path of educational development chosen to meet a communitys needs is theirs, not what outsiders might choose for them† (Ontario Native Literacy Coalition, 2001). The factor to be considered, very recently became an additional concern, are cultural values. These are values taught in order to attain peace and order in the society or community. Cultural values turned out to be essential since these principles should be conserved most specially these days the world is struggling in chaotic phenomena economically, financially, morally and others. Curriculum for Liberal Education (2008) elucidated that â€Å"as a significant factor in developing curriculum, it looks after the recognition on how the interaction of tradition and innovation nourishes both individuality and community†. In addition, this also includes visible cultural values which are Rules, Food, Dress, Language, Music, Dance, Means of Livelihood, Political Behavior, Family, Community, Norms. We also include non-visible cultural values may incorporate philosophy, beliefs and value system. All of these things can be considered in developing curriculum. 2. Knowledge of learner- â€Å"Curriculum development describes all the ways in which a training or teaching organisation plans and guides learning. This learning can take place in groups or with individual learners. It can take place inside or outside a classroom. It can take place in an institutional setting like a school, college or training centre, or in a village or a field. It is  central to the teaching and learning process† (Rogers and Taylor 1998). The involvement of the knowledge of the learners as factor in developing curriculum bridges the gap between what the students gained and stored in the memory bank regarding knowledge and skills, and what will the contents be in the curriculum. The contents with the knowledge of the learners must be supplementary. In the Philippines, the effectivity of Program for Decentralized Educational Development (PRODED) Content Based (not on the learner and learning process) and the implementation of the Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) and Secondary Education Development Program (SEDP) – addresses the learner and learning process take into account the consideration of the knowledge of learners. 3. Knowledge of Teaching-Learning Theories and principles- These factors pertain to relevant researches made by known proponents who endeavoured to make the educational system better in order to meet the demands of the dynamic world. These have been applied almost ever since proper schooling emerged. To concretize this, in the Philippines, The New Elementary School Curriculum (NESC) and New Secondary Education Curriculum (NSEC) demonstrate ample evidence of the inclusion of behaviorist psychological principles through the use of behavioral objectives, drills, practices, and homeworks reinforces learning. 4. Body of Knowledge- There is what we call â€Å"four different approaches to curriculum theory and practice† and one of which considerers Curriculum as a body of knowledge to be transmitted. Basically body of knowledge are the inclusion of the contents or the courses to be taken by the students, and to be integrated in the lesson plans of the teachers. â€Å"Many people still equate a curriculum with a syllabus. Syllabus originates from the Greek, and it basically means: a concise statement, the contents of a treatise, the subjects of a series of lectures. In the form  that many of us are familiar with it is connected with courses leading to examinations. Where people still equate curriculum with a syllabus, they are likely to limit their planning to a consideration of the content or the body of knowledge that they wish to transmit† (Mednick, 2006) References: * Curriculum for Liberal Education. (2008). Area 2: ideas, Cultural Traditions, and Values. Retreived December 14, 2012 from http://www.cle.prov.vt.edu/guides/area2.html * Harden, R.M. (2001). AMEE Guide No. 21: Curriculum mapping: a tool for transparent and authentic teaching and learning, Medical Teacher, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 123-137 * Ljuca, F., Lozo, S., Simunovic, V., Bosse, H., Kadmon, M. (n.d.). Chapter 11: Curriculum Development. Retreieved December 14, 2012 from http://www.bhmed-emanual.org/book/export/html/93 * Pasigui, R.E. (2011). THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT (PHILIPPINE CONTEXT). Retrieved December 14, 2012 from http://www.scribd.com/doc/62806653/The-Nature-and-Scope-of-Curriculum-Development * Teacher’s Mind Resources. (2011). What is Curriculum. Retrieved December 14, 2012 from http://www.teachersmind.com/Curriculum.html * Smith, B. 0., Stanley, W. D., Shores, J. H. (1957). Fundamentals of Curriculum Development. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. * Wisegeek. (2013). What is curriculum. Retrieved December 14, 2012 from http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-curriculum.htm

Imparting or acquiring general knowledge

Imparting or acquiring general knowledge The supposed purpose of education, as marketed by the education industry, is career advancement, higher pay, and empowering a college graduates job search. [However, this should be considered only as] the current personal importance of education (BFuniv.com, 2010, para. 2) and the result of being educated for the selfish benefits of the individual instead of the society instead of being the purpose of education. The purpose of education, or of being educated, is more than that. In the past, the purpose of education is to pass on social, cultural and moral values, traditions and religions, and skills to the next generation (Kendall, D., Murray, J. Linden, R., 2004) to ensure the survival of the culture and future generation. Today, education is still widely viewed as a mean to impart knowledge and skills, and to help people develop the ability to make the correct choices and decisions. However, as stated in Confucianism, in order to be truly educated, one must first and foremost be able to learn extensively, enquire accurately, reflect carefully, distinguish clearly and last but not less, practice earnestly (Yao, 2001, p. 212). From this, the purpose of the education can easily be concluded as to create morally upright, knowledgeable, analytical and action-initiative citizens and leaders who are able to contribute to the different aspects social, economical and political of a society. The first aspect of the purpose of education is to instill knowledge in the learners. There are two different kinds of knowledge, the scientific knowledge and the history and cultural knowledge. Scientific knowledge consists of facts and information that are acquired through long tedious process of testing and reviewing before it is accepted and acknowledged by the society (BusinessDictionary.com). History and cultural knowledge, on the other hand, are records of past events and ideas that are gained from past experiences (Hoerr, 2007, para. 1). One can only be considered as knowledgeable when one has the combined understanding and awareness of both scientific and history and cultural knowledge. However, equipped with only knowledge, it is not enough for an individual, even only as a follower, to contribute much to the society. Equipped with knowledge, the next aspect of the purpose of education is to nurture these knowledgeable individual to be analytical people. Education does not desire the production of a generation of people whose brain are so packed with only knowledge and the sole ability to memorize and regurgitate facts. With the ability to analyze every piece of knowledge gained from books or experiences and learn from it, one need not have fear when faced with problems and challenges in life as they can be overcome through careful analysis, followed by suitable applications of knowledge and skills. Individuals who are successfully equipped with these two aspects of the purpose of education will be able to think out of the box and contribute to the society economically or even politically. With the rise of countries like China and India who have an abundance of cheap labour, Singapore can no longer compete effectively in the labour-intensive manufacturing market. As quoted by Alvin Toffler (1990), The most important economic development of our lifetime has been the rise of a new system for creating wealth, based on longer on muscle but on mind. (p. 9). To ensure its survival, Singapore shifted its focus to working towards a knowledge-based society which calls for creative and critical thinking skills. The change from a labour-intensive industry to a service-driven market affects the demand for education, the uses put to education, and the demands made on education for tailoring the workforce to those demands. (Riddell, 1996, p. 1363). In other words, this change calls for more independent learning, creativity and innovations. Hence, the Teach Less, Learn More1 scheme (TLLM) that is started in 2006 under the Thinking School, Learning Nation2 (TSLN) vision is implemented in the Singapore education system to fulfill the first two aspects of the purpose of education. Teach Less, Learn More is about teaching better to engage the learners and prepare them for life, rather than teaching more for tests and examinations (MOE). It builds on the foundation laid in place under the TSLN vision and the spirit of Innovation and Enterprise3 (IE). The relationship between TSLN, IE and TLLM can be seen in the Figure 1 (taken from MOE website) below. Figure 1: Chart showing the relationship between TSLN, IE and TLLM Figure 1: Chart showing the relationship between TSLN, IE and TLLM TLLM aims to help learners broadened their scope of knowledge, other than the ones needed to score well in tests and examinations, and also encourage learners to be analytical as it is no longer about memorizing and regurgitating facts and data. While IE also encourages learners to be analytic, its main aim is to promote the willingness to try new and untested routes without fear of failure and produces leaders who are prepared to be flexible, to multitask, to take responsibility and to inspire teams and organizations to take leaps of innovation (MOE). As quoted by Riddell, he believes that the most important skill that education can inculcate in the learner is flexibility (1996). This leads to the third aspects of the purpose of education which is to cultivate leadership, initiative and flexibility in the individual. This is to ensure that there will always be a group of leaders that is willing to take the first step out and lead the rest of the society towards success in the uncertain future by being flexible and open to new untested ideas when travelling the road to victory. These three aspects of the purpose of education will of course have several implications on the teachers and students in Singapore. Teachers have to be innovative in teaching so as to make sure that learning was meaningful and enjoyable to the students (Ho, 2009) and effectively encourage self-directed learning in all students. This means that there should be less dependence on drill, practice and rote learning (MOE). Thus, the role of a teacher should be that of a mentor, facilitator and model instead of being someone who only do teacher talk and lecturing (MOE). Teachers are also required to be prepared in curriculum development, research and pedagogical skills by attending workshops on curriculum development and various pedagogies, and with the establishment of the Research Activist Scheme, teachers can learn more on research methodologies (Ho, 2009). All these preparation and learning is to ensure that teachers are able to recognize and cater better to students unique and differi ng learning needs. For the students, they will no longer to be spoon-fed by the teachers. This calls for self-directed and self-motivated learning which is in tune with the Desired Outcomes of Education. Students now have to take up the mantle of being a self-directed learner who takes responsibility for his own learning, who questions, reflects and perseveres in the pursuit of learning (MOE) and an active contributor who is able to work effectively in teams, exercises initiative, takes calculated risks, is innovative and strives for excellence (MOE). Furthermore, as syllabuses will be trimmed, students will have more time and energy to focus on core knowledge and skills (MOE) or even to widen their scope of knowledge. Students will also be required to know how to apply their knowledge to solve or overcome the problems and challenges presented to them. Merely memorizing and regurgitating knowledge will not be enough to score well. An example of this Problem-Based Learning will be the Project Work4 intr oduced into the Junior College syllabus to encourage knowledge analysis and applications. The above three aspects of education may successfully mold a generation of globally competitive citizens much sought after by the global market but it does not automatically ensure that these capable people would not use their intelligence to create trouble for the society or even just abandon their homeland to pursuit a high-flying career. As Teo said, Of what use is the education system if it produces smart crooks or selfish individualists who feel no obligation to society, or loyalty to nation? Education must imbue the next generation with the right value system. Through values education, we must develop future citizens with upright character who can contribute to their community. We must also inculcate in our young a deep sense of bonding to the nation, so that they will be prepared to stay and fight in times of adversity. (1998). This leads us to the last and most important aspect of the purpose of education which is to create morally upright individuals that is devoted to serving and contributing to their country. As values are a set of social norms that guides the actions of an individual and the society, values education is thus used as a mean to instill a sense of morality in the learners. Values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are either innate or acquired. Innate values are [the] inborn divine virtues such as love, peace, happiness, mercy and compassion as well as the positive moral qualities such as respect, humility, tolerance, responsibility, cooperation, honesty and simplicity. Acquired values are those external values adopted at [ones] place of birth or place of growth and are influenced by the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ environment. (Reddy). Hence, values education consists of character education, which builds on the innate values, and the national education, which can be considered as a part of the acquired values as it is influenced by the government of the country. Character education ensures that the individual will abide by the law and protect the peace and harmony of the society through social and emotional learning, moral reasoning/cognitive development, life skills education, health education; violence prevention, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and conflict resolution and mediation (Lickona, 1998). The well-being of the society and the health and benefits of the other individuals will be made certain. National education seeks to inculcate national loyalty and a sense of belongingness in the learners. This is vital in the economic and social development of a society as the survival of a country depends heavily on the contributions of its citizens be it working to keep ones country ahead of others in the global market or being the next educator to the future generations. In Singapore context, values education takes the form of the curriculum subject Civics and Moral Education5 (CME), National Education6 (NE) initiatives (2008) and Social Studies7. Especially at the edge of the 21st century and with the spread of globalization, students are more likely to exhibits traits like materialism and unhealthy consumerism which may have severe economic repercussions in the future for a resource-limited small country like Singapore (2008). The job of the teacher in this case would be to instill a sense of thriftiness in these students and at the same time. During these lessons, instead of merely preaching about good governance, teachers should allow the students to identify the pros and cons of certain policies like the implementation of the Central Provident Fund7 (CPF) or the Electronic Road Pricing8 (ERP) and get them to see the need for these policies in the perspective of the government so as to [foster] social cohesion and rootedness to Singapore. Moreove r, instead of merely droning on and on about the moral issues and values that arises in Singapores society, teachers can attempt to interest the students by getting them to think critically about these issues and draw up possible solutions. To successfully engage students in values education, teachers themselves should play an active role in imparting the values to the students and not use the NE or CME classroom period[s] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ for revision of other academic subjects (2008). Students should not study Social Studies for the sake of scoring well in the compulsory and examinable subject. Values should be learn and taken away to be applied in the later part of their life when they step into the society of virtues and vices. In conclusion, in order for a country or society to flourish, it is crucial that the educational policies implemented by the country leaders must be in line with the purpose of education. This is especially significant when a nation wants to prepare and equip its citizens with the necessary tools to combat the challenges of globalization. Education in the 21st century will be flexible, creative, challenging, and complex as it addresses the many issues that will arise from the rapid evolution of the world (21st Century Schools, 2008, para. 3) but there should also be a greater emphasis of values education so as to counteract any undesirable traits that are bound to show up in the whirlwind of seemingly impossible changes. The future of Singapore rests in the hands of its future citizens; hence the education of todays youth must not be taken lightly.

The Impact of Culture on the Function of Sound in Masala Essay

The Impact of Culture on the Function of Sound in Masala "I declare the National, uhh, sorry...the Canadian National Museum of Philately officially open." - Minister for Multi-Culturalism, Masala Although there are moments in Masala when the surface dialogue is loaded with irony and satire, the background or ambient sound of the film is also used to examine the central theme of the film, the search for personal and cultural identity. This theme of cultural representation and personal identity is additionally expressed through director Srinivas Krishna’s technical approach toward the function of sound in the film. In fact, the different approaches to life and art that distinguish one culture from another are evident in a brief comparison of the employment of sound in the Japanese films Gonza The Spearman and Fireworks and the Canadian production Masala. The influence of Western technical conventions upon Krishna’s use of sound, both through the narrative and sub-narrative (or background sound), is quite distinctive. Masala presents the viewer with an approach toward sound that is clearly influenced by the culture the film was created in, using dialogue and backgr ound sound to enhance the central theme of the search for cultural and personal identity. As a result of different cultural approaches to the art of film making, Japanese directors such as Masahiro Shinoda (Gonza) and Takeshi Kitano (Fireworks) typically employ sound in an effort to enhance the storytelling aspect of cinema. This ‘storytelling’ approach to film supports the gratuitous use of sound effects to emphasise punches, kicks, and the extreme violence and excessive amounts of blood that have come to signify fight scenes in Japan cinema (particularly to ... ..., just as the real estate agent states "Your momma gave you a bum steer when you were 4 years old. We need to clean that up right now. If we don’t clean that up right now, you will be emotionally prohibited from creating wealth." In short, the use of sound in Masala is the culmination of the life of Krishna - the character - as a minority struggling for both personal and cultural identity in an increasingly satirical world, and Krishna - the director - using film, specifically dialogue and background noise, to ask questions about social and cultural status. Krishna’s eventual death - a reaction against stereotypes - and his grandmother’s acceptance and desire for the technology (among other facets) of a foreign culture - a shattering of stereotypes - reveal that director Krishna’s intent is to raise questions, to provide a solid background for deeper discussion. The Impact of Culture on the Function of Sound in Masala Essay The Impact of Culture on the Function of Sound in Masala "I declare the National, uhh, sorry...the Canadian National Museum of Philately officially open." - Minister for Multi-Culturalism, Masala Although there are moments in Masala when the surface dialogue is loaded with irony and satire, the background or ambient sound of the film is also used to examine the central theme of the film, the search for personal and cultural identity. This theme of cultural representation and personal identity is additionally expressed through director Srinivas Krishna’s technical approach toward the function of sound in the film. In fact, the different approaches to life and art that distinguish one culture from another are evident in a brief comparison of the employment of sound in the Japanese films Gonza The Spearman and Fireworks and the Canadian production Masala. The influence of Western technical conventions upon Krishna’s use of sound, both through the narrative and sub-narrative (or background sound), is quite distinctive. Masala presents the viewer with an approach toward sound that is clearly influenced by the culture the film was created in, using dialogue and backgr ound sound to enhance the central theme of the search for cultural and personal identity. As a result of different cultural approaches to the art of film making, Japanese directors such as Masahiro Shinoda (Gonza) and Takeshi Kitano (Fireworks) typically employ sound in an effort to enhance the storytelling aspect of cinema. This ‘storytelling’ approach to film supports the gratuitous use of sound effects to emphasise punches, kicks, and the extreme violence and excessive amounts of blood that have come to signify fight scenes in Japan cinema (particularly to ... ..., just as the real estate agent states "Your momma gave you a bum steer when you were 4 years old. We need to clean that up right now. If we don’t clean that up right now, you will be emotionally prohibited from creating wealth." In short, the use of sound in Masala is the culmination of the life of Krishna - the character - as a minority struggling for both personal and cultural identity in an increasingly satirical world, and Krishna - the director - using film, specifically dialogue and background noise, to ask questions about social and cultural status. Krishna’s eventual death - a reaction against stereotypes - and his grandmother’s acceptance and desire for the technology (among other facets) of a foreign culture - a shattering of stereotypes - reveal that director Krishna’s intent is to raise questions, to provide a solid background for deeper discussion.