Playing Upon the String of Emptiness Essay

Nowadays, the search for something new has been greatly pursued. The availability of resources helped individuals to innovate. It impels them to work beyond the existing rules and surpassing limitations, be it in the field of music, architecture, literature, etc. The modernity of this world brought upon by globalization made it easier to reach cultures. Cultures that were bound by their physical territories before have been accessible because of modern technologies. This easy, unlimited exposure provides endless ideas and innovations that bring about different works of art. For Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, this infinite flow of innovations or novelties offers unrestricted venues for artists to produce their works—venues that are free from rules and do not conform to a certain set of standards. According to him, this poses a threat to the morality of society as well as of the artists’. He argued that novelty is an art with unlimited freedom and thus equates to a soulless art. This perspective was explained in the context of Russian’s struggle with communism which Solzhenitsyn directly experienced. He focused on the deterioration of arts’ standard after the fall of Communism, specifically with literature. Due to the given freedom, arts do not fall under a set of standards, causing the artistic value to suffer. He then related that Communism promoted a new society. To be able to build a new one, the old cultures and traditions should be thrown away: To start a new world is to start from scratch. Solzhenitsyn then compared this situation to the literary artists in his country. They were writing outright criticisms of every aspect of Russian roots like language, religion, and traditional cultures—a move that was so desperate for a change to be made by who he termed as ‘desperate innovators’. The author disapproved of forgetting the roots of any artistic work, for this is important in the development of a new face of art. Solzhenitsyn does not believe in the aggressive step of aiming forward in the arts starting from nothing. Novelty becomes relentless with the absence of ancient roots. It is an unintelligible art with no significant value to the world—an art without a purpose and is useless. Solzhenitsyn cited what kinds of arts were produced because of the frantic novelty frenzy. The arts arising from novelty does not have that spiritual connection from the artist with the world. Since the ‘great cultural tradition’ has been detached, the spiritual grounds that were developed from it are missing as well. Arts were not produced for a greater purpose anymore. Thus, it does not emanate a higher sense of value for the world. It is reduced to a mere display without a profound significance. It was from the author’s observation that the absence of artistic limits has resulted in irresponsibility and apathy. Solzhenitsyn mentioned the ‘what do you care’ attitude of the Russian writers who created literary works when the censorship has been lifted after the downfall of communism. This kind of artistic mindset alienates the welfare of its audience. The line between right and wrong has become thinner, its boundaries blurry and sometimes interchanging. The arts, according to Solzhenitsyn, have been turned into more of a personal ambition of the artists rather than an intentional product of passion and love. He stressed that artists do not bring the world as the subject; they are the focal point. The arts became a movement of personal interests of the artists. Novelty becomes like a venue for affectation. Going back to Solzhenitsyn main argument, novelty became ruthless because it eradicated the classical foundation of arts. Arts cannot push for development if its foundation will be forgotten. It would be more disruptive if it will be forced to progress aggressively without any fundamentals to back it up. Alexander Solzhenitsyn sees novelty as a cause for a more individualistic nature rather than being communal in interaction. He was alarmed by how the current generation responded to old traditions. These traditions were treated as something useless and irrelevant in the present. Novelty was portrayed by the author as something anti-cultural and antagonistic of anything universally accepted. The saying ‘to each his own’ in arts or in general constitutes obscure distinction between good and evil. Another supporting factor for Solzhenitsyn’s argument is that this particular freedom attached with novelty developed into a negative relativity. This has been embraced by young artists who turn self-expression into a lack of sensitivity with regard to the effects of their work to other people. Social responsibility slowly ceased to exist anymore. Artistic freedom has always been believed to be helpful in maximizing an artist’s work. However, Alexander Solzhenitsyn presented an opposite view. The freedom vested on the artist implies a threat of producing an art with is a much lesser value. With no artistic limitations and no principles to follow, art becomes less of a recreation instead of serving a higher purpose. Solzhenitsyn emphasized the need to take the cultural tradition into account because without it, progress will be impossibly successful. He sees novelty as a trend resulting in chaos—socially and morally disruptive. It promotes an individualism that is obviously selfish and divides humanity even more. Innovations should be created for the benefit of others. Arts may be a compiled output of an individual’s unique skills and talents, but there will always be a responsibility attached to it because people get to grasp these works. An art is a huge factor in contributing to the formation of an ideology in a society. It is a powerful tool to propagate a message that can reach a huge number of people. Hence, Solzhenitsyn sees its development as critical because this will determine where the world will be heading to. The world will not be able to move forward without revisiting and considering the past. The cultural traditions within human society should be embedded for development. It is an important basis to learn from past mistakes and to improve on the present. It can be seen that Solzhenitsyn somehow views relentless novelty as the anarchism of art that will later on transcend into society. He mentioned the absence of laws in the process of arts and the lack of absolute truth. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn provided the view of novelty enclosed in a reckless handful of freedom and a lack of traditional grounds. He presented it as something negative because he had witnessed what it did to his people especially to the younger generations. As an artist himself, the author poses a huge concern on what kind of directions the arts would take since he knows the powerful influence of it to the society. He hopes to spread his view to make the younger generations be exposed of what history has brought the Russian country and what were its implications. Solzhenitsyn firmly believes that through history, it may shape the new artists to work for a greater purpose for humanity.

Growth Rate Flattens Essay

The reality of software development in a huge company like Microsoft – it employs more than 48,000 people – in that a substantial portion of your work involves days of boredom punctuated by hours of tedium. You basically spend your time in an isolated office, writing code and sitting in meetings during which you participated in looking for and evaluating hundreds of bugs and potential bugs. Yet Microsoft has no problem in finding and retaining software programmers. Their programmers work horrendously long hours and obsess on the goal of shipping product. From the day new employees begin work at Microsoft; they know they’re special and that their employer is special. New hires all have one thing in common- they’re smart. The company prides itself on putting all recruits through a grueling â€Å"interview loop,† during which they confront a barrage of brain-teasers by future colleagues to see how well they think. Only the best and the brightest surviv e to become employees. The company does this because Microsofties truly believe that their company is special. For instance, it has a high tolerance for nonconformity. Would you believe that one software tester comes to work every day dressed in extravagant Victorian outfits? But the underlying theme that unites Microsofties is the belief that the firm has a manifest destiny to change the world. The least consequential decision by a programmer can have an outsized importance when it can affect a new release that might be used by 50 million people. Microsoft employees are famous for putting in long hours. One program manager said, â€Å"In my first five years, I was the Microsoft stereotype. I lived on caffeine and vending machine hamburger and 20 hour workdays. †¦. I had no life. I considered everything outside the building as a necessary evil.† More recently, things have changed. There are still a number of people, who put in 80 hours weeks, but 60 and 70 hours weeks are more typical and some even are doing their jobs in only 40 hours. No discussion of employee life at Microsoft would be complete without mentioning the company’s lucrative stock option program. Microsoft created more millionaire employees, faster, than any company in American history- more than 10,000 by the late 1990s. While the company is certainly more than a place to get rich, executives still realize that money matters. One former manager claims that the human resources’ department actually kept a running chart of employee satisfaction versus the company’s stocks prices. â€Å"When the stock was up, human resources could turn off the ventilation and everybody would say they were happy. When the stock was down, we could give people massages and they would tell us that the massages were too hard.† In the go-go 1990s, when Microsoft stock was doubling every few months and yearly stock splits were predictable, employees not only got to participate in Microsoft’s manifest destiny, they could get rich in the process. By the spring of 2002, with the world in a recession, stock prices down and the growth for Microsoft products slowing, it wasn’t so clear what was driving its employees to continue the company’s dominance of software industry.

The role of phonological awareness and memory in second language Essay

The role of phonological awareness and memory in second language - Essay Example The nature of cognitive constructs has not been a simple topic either in the field of applied linguistics, or in the pedagogy field of studies; nonetheless, a number of researches have shown that the levels of awareness and working memory were important in learning L2 as well as in first language (L1). The specific goals of this paper are to review the previous findings on these topics and to explore empirically crucial facts about them. To provide an accurate definition of "fluency" has not been an easy task for SLA researchers. Theoretically, there are two approaches in defining "fluency": in a broader sense, fluency is a global oral proficiency, and in a narrower sense, fluency is considered as the component of oral proficiency that is purely a performance phenomenon (Lennon, 2000). In line with this, Kormos and Denes (2004) argued in their study of perception of fluency that there are high-order fluency, which can be equated with proficiency, and low-order fluency, which is represented by temporal aspects of fluency. The current research takes the narrower perspective (i.e. low-order fluency), following Lennon's definition of fluency (2000: 26): "rapid, smooth, accurate, lucid and efficient translation of thought or communicative intention into language under the temporal constraints of online processing." In short, this is the capacity to use language in real time. Kormos and Denes (2004) proposed that fluency may not only be a temporal phenomenon: for some people, conceptualization of fluency might include grammatical precision and lexical diversity. This finding highlights the fact that fluency is often discussed with the context of its complexity and accuracy. These three aspects of language presentation have been used to describe language learners' performance for the oral/written assessment and also to indicate their proficiency underlying their interpretation. Researchers have claimed that fluency, complexity and correctness are in competition with one another for attention resources (Ellis & Barkhuizen, 2005; Skehan, 1996). In other words, it is unlikely that a learner can achieve fluency, complexity and accuracy simultaneously since his/her attention and memory capabilities are limited. For instance, in a study that compared fluency, complexity and accuracy, Skehan (1998) discussed that fluency is associated with meaning-based communica tion, which in turn is associated with lexicalization. Therefore, a learner's performance may be over-lexicalized if fluency is consistently prioritized. Skehan and Foster analyzed the influence of task structure and processing load on narrative performance and found that fluency has increased when the assignment performance was meaning-oriented: for example, when 1) tasks were on personal matters (1997), and 2) tasks contained comprehensible, inherent, sequential structure (1999). In addition, the set of fluency measures generated no significant correlations between the proportions of form complexity and accuracy. In the field of SLA, the establishment of the appropriate standards of fluency has been a major concern.

Ancient Greek Athletics of Pentathlon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ancient Greek Athletics of Pentathlon - Essay Example As the Greek term pentathlon suggests, in the Ancient Greek pentathlon, athletes competed in five items which included a wrestling competition, a sprint item or a race the length of the stadium, long jump, discus throw, and javelin throw. Some significant questions arise in this background. Why were there no individual events for discus, javelin and long jump in the ancient Olympics Why were these events limited to the combined pentathlon event The answers to these questions lead one to the ultimate conclusion that the different items of the pentathlon were not just some sports events, but rather they are very distinctly linked to the social and cultural systems of the Greeks which gave primary importance to the development and the progress of the citizens. All these competition items were opportunity for the Greek valiant men for expression of their sheer quality. This Ancient Greek athletics were very much part of the Greek tradition and through the epic tradition of the Greeks one can find examples of their pertinent importance in their culture. The real importance of these athletic competitions may be measured on the basis of the question of prestige and the glorification of the athletes in the pentathlon. To the mighty Greeks, who was the prime most race of the world in their age, pentathlon presented with an opportunity to express their greatness as a prestigious groups or a particularly important people. It may be argued that while these competitions provided the Greeks with an opportunity to achieve personal glory and might in a culture which ranked excellence of physical strength and valor, there has been greater value to these athletic items in the preservation of the state's interest which is, of course, the well being and advancement of the citizens who are benefited from the physical effort they invest in pentathlon. However, the more significant value of the pentathlon was that the events aimed at the overall progress of the Greeks contributing to its rich cultural and social systems. Pentathlon consists of five items - Discuss (Diskos), Javelin (Halma), Long Jump (Akon), Running (Stadion) and Wrestling (Pale). These items were linked to the progress of the individual and they are related with the social and cultural systems which emphasized the glorification of individuals in every sphere. Thus, the events were performed together rather than individually. "The Olympic games were not proving grounds for real combat The games were more symbolic, religious, and entertaining. Unlike hoplite, team-style warfare, the ancient Olympics were individual sports which allowed an individual Greek to win glory." (Gill). There are myths about the pentathlon which establish Jason, the leader of the Argonauts, as the originator of pentathlon. In the year 708 BCE, pentathlon became an Olympic event. It was in the 18th Olympiad that the pentathlon was introduced. The events in pentathlon ensured the developments of the chief skills of the individual which make one national hero and the example of Odysseus who was successful in every event in the pentathlon proves this social as well as cultural focus of the pentathlon. The role of pentathlon in arousing the national pride and prestige of the Greeks has its testimonies in the epics of the Greeks. Thus, in the Homer's Odyssey, one finds evidence of pentathlon

Understanding organisation theory and practice Assignment

Understanding organisation theory and practice - Assignment Example In this regard, successful managers are those that can effortlessly maximize their profitability and broaden the customer bases which are all dependent on daily operations. The report details Holden, organisation’s performance in comparison to a Ford. The report specifically focuses on how the organisation may improve in the future in light of the recommendations of the operations. The recommendations are solely base on the current or present practices of Holden and Ford using two organisational theories. The two theories employed by the report are Critical management studies (CMS) and Structural Contingency Theory (SCT) both which provides the best insight into the manner in which the two organisations should operate. Critical management studies (CMS) is a largely theoretically and left-wing informed technique to organisation and management studies. The theory becomes relevant in addressing the concerns of the companies and comparing their operations of Holden and Ford. The theory specifically challenges the prevailing traditional understanding of organizational operation and management. CMS offers a platform for discussing radical alternatives whereas interrogating the set relations of control, power, ideology and domination, as well as the relations between organisations. More specifically, this theory aims to lower environmental destructiveness and social injustice within the firms. As a canopy research orientation, CMS holds various theoretical conventions, signifying a pluralistic multidisciplinary movement. The theories thus offer a critical basis for recommendation for the firm. On the other hand, Structural contingency theory (SCT) points to a fact that the firm’s structure should be adaptable to every business and that every manager should ensure they are operating their business within the efficient structure that can support their business. These are the factors that are singled out to

Risk management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Risk management - Essay Example This can be done by quick and speedy detection of the errors so as to alleviate adverse effects that may result from the menace. The quantity of errors reported from the healthcare setting has resulted to high numerical counts of deaths. In this situation, Joint Commission Resources (2001) shows that the matter of medical safety must not be approached carelessly, but a group effort of all the involved stakeholders in tackling the issues. This can be achieved by the administration of the affected healthcare institution by establishing a plan whereby the health practitioners can find means of reporting any form of errors that take place in the health institution. In this case, the institution will be better positioned in terms of risk management that may arise due to medical errors, an added benefit to the patients. Risk management, according to Cohen (2007), requires collective effort, the health providers have to feel comfortable and always report errors that emanate from dispensing duties. This will create a situation whereby the health practitioners will accept their mistakes and actually learn a great deal from them. This fear-free culture will indeed allow the health practitioners to be comfortable with their bosses. Risk management of medical errors, in one way or another allows the health practitioners to devise measures of dealing with factors that may lead to packing the wrong medicine to the patients, labeling or even give the wrong information regarding consumption of the medicine. No matter how experienced medical practitioners may be, chances are that they may get involved in medical errors. Strategic Objectives At Risk (SOAR) process and risk management This leads to the development of the risk management methodology that endeavors to identify the types of risks in the healthcare setting, and devising the best means of dealing with the risk. Monahan (2008) indicates that for risk management to be effective, the Strategic Objectives at Risk (SOAR) p rocess has to be applied. This, according to Monahan’s research refers to the process in which the risk managers can have a better understanding of the risks involved; thus, devise the best methodologies that can influence positive outcomes to deal with the risks. In the course of applying the Strategic Objectives At Risk (SOAR) methodology, the health practitioners will have a better opportunity to gain an understanding of the factors underlying the actions that are applied in the case of dealing with medical errors. Therefore, the managers are well guided on what policies to apply if they have to manage risks objectively. Through systematically laying out of the factors that deal with medical errors- the SOAR methodology-risks can be well assessed and managed (Monahan, 2008). Risk identification and analysis Medical errors can be categorized in a number of groups. One of the errors that may take place while dispensing medical care includes the prescribing error. This error involves giving the patients the wrong medicine either by mistaking the types of products present in the store or by not being certain the implications of a particular drug on the patients. As a result, Cohen (2007) indicates that there is a great likelihood that the patients

Northern Ireland Ethnic Conflict Research Paper

Northern Ireland Ethnic Conflict - Research Paper Example Through the Ireland’s government act of 1920, the Island was partitioned into Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland, a move that was opposed by some unionists and a majority of the nationalists. In addition, it became part of the Irish Free State that had been formed in the course of the Irish Free State Constitutional act of 1922 (O’Callagha), but afterward, the parliament of Northern Ireland picked out of the Irish Free State through an address to the king. This request having been granted, Northern Ireland received self-governing under the United Kingdom; a move that sparked sporadic violence in the region as some groups were opposed to the partitioning of Ireland. Following the state of tensions in the region, there were  across boarder migrations with Protestants moving northwards while Catholics moved southwards to the Free State. Some of the Northern Catholic Nationalists who remained in Northern Ireland felt isolated from the state after having failed to join the new police force in the Northern Ireland, which was largely constituted by the Unionist Protestants. Successive Unionist Prime ministers’ reigns between 1920s and 1970s saw the Catholic minorities who formed up the Nationalists being oppressed through discriminatory policies. For instance, local government elections were often rigged in favor of the Unionist candidates even in areas with a majority of the Nationalist Catholics. Employment opportunities were often granted in favor of the Unionists/Protestants especially in high-ranking influential positions in the government of Northern Ireland. This led to the decline in the Northern Ireland Nationalists population due to the tough living conditions they were subjected to. These discriminatory policies against the Northern Ireland Nationalist Catholics and the Northern Ireland’s associations with the United Kingdom led to the conflict and troubles in the Northern Ireland that pitted the majority Northern Ireland Pr otestants/Unionists against the minority Roman Catholic Nationalists (Engelhart). At this time in the crisis that was escalating into a war, the Irish Republican Army was formed to try to free the Northern Ireland from the British influence and domination of the unionists/Protestants. This armed force’s interim campaigns against the United Kingdom’s rule over Northern Ireland also wanted to spearhead the reunification of Ireland back to the former 32 state Irish Republic by restoring and strengthening its political boundaries (Mesev et. al. 874). The United Kingdom loyalist unionists in retaliation to the Irish Republican Army’s campaigns formed small military groups to fight against the IRA forces. The Ulster Volunteer Force was then created in 1966, as a rejoinder to the Irish Republican Force, which was threatening the continued dominance of the Unionists control over Northern Ireland. The Ulster Volunteer Force was mainly pro British and United Kingdomâ€⠄¢s relations and collaboration with Northern Ireland to the disdain of the Nationalists agenda through the IRA. The Ulster Volunteer Force was also fighting to reassert and further strengthen the Unionists control over Northern Ireland, which was declining due to the IRA campaigns. This violence  was made even prominent with the involvement of the United Kingdom State Controlled forces’ involvement in the disguise of restoring peace and calm

International marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

International marketing - Essay Example In case of IM the firms looks to make their products available to the international customers. Therefore they have to deal with PESTLE factors of not only one but several other countries. Due to this factors such as tariff barriers, govt. regulations, etc. They also have to face competition from the international competitors also. But with high risk there are opportunities to earn high returns also in the form of growth, profitability, opportunity to earn economies of scale. The study looks to focus upon some of the key issue to be considered by a firm when the firm decides to enter the international market. The company to be discussed is Tesco PLC, the biggest retailer in the UK. During the course of study the probable strategies that could be adopted by the company to expand the business has been discussed using international strategic and marketing mix of Tesco (from an international, perspective), Porter’s diamond model, Uppsala model, country of origin effect and born glo bal model. Marketing Mix: 4P’s Framework The concept of marketing mix can be described as the set of manipulable marketing elements that can be used by the company to achieve organizational objectives. The marketing mix consists of four key elements. Neil Borden termed these manipulable elements as the ‘Marketing Mix’. In the early 1960’s he suggested 12 elements which the company should keep in mind while formulating marketing program. Then E. Jerome McCarthy delineated the marketing mix as the 4Ps of the marketing mix. In simple terms the elements of the marketing mix can be used to lay the much required foundation for the overall marketing strategy. Product Tesco is one of the major retailers in the world. It provides shelf space to the products of some of the major global brands. Along with this the company also provides private label branded products. The product ranges from fresh food, groceries, clothing and apparels, health and beauty products, ele ctronic garments. The vast ranges of products allow the company to target a wide range of customer segments starting from kids to adults. As the company product a vast product mix with lots of variation the company opts for brand positioning as compared to individual brand positioning. Price Tesco mainly uses market driven pricing. Here it is to be mentioned that with the rise in competition in the global retail market and the recent economic downturn has forced the retail companies to decrease the prices. A part form this the company also uses promotional pricing techniques, especially in case of clothing products. In the initial days the company adopted a market skimming strategy. Thus the company set high prices for the offerings. But once the competition increased the company had to adapt and shift to market driven pricing. Also the pricing strategy has been influenced by the economic conditions. The market driven pricing has been well punctuated by other pricing techniques such as promotional pricing. Place It is believed that the Tesco has one of the best distribution strategies. The key factor that influences the

Nursing concept of burn out Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nursing concept of burn out - Research Paper Example In addition, such an individual will experience depersonalization (Cordes & Dourherty, 1993). In all occupations, including nursing, individuals experience stress mainly because of the work they do. When individuals experience stress at work, they become tired and their productivity level at work drops significantly. Therefore, burnout generally results in absenteeism, high employee turnover, decreased productivity of employees, as well as increase in physical conditions in employees, including headaches, insomnia, among others (Cordes & Dougherty, 1993). If employees experience stress in their work, the management, together with the employees themselves should look for appropriate ways of getting rid of any work-related stress they are experiencing. If this is not addressed and is left to continue for a long time, it results in burnout, which is more lethal. Burnout extends its effects from the individual to their families and jobs. Different studies show that burnouts are prevalent in helping professions such as social work and healthcare professions, including nursing (Elder, Evans, & Lizette, 2012). This paper will review considerable literature on the concept of burnout, and compare and contrast studies conducted on this concept in different years. This will culminate in a reflection on the concept of burning as presented in the studies, in order to provide a framework for enhanced understanding of burnout in nursing. According to Poncet et al. (2006), the concept of burnout has existed since the 1970s. Different studies have been conducted on this concept over the years, to understand it well for increased chances of dealing with the situation in affected organizations. In 1999, Jansenn, Jonge, and Bakker, conducted a study among different nurses in order to establish the various determinants of work motivation, burnout, and turnover among nurses. Poncet et al. conducted another study in 2006, and this sought to establish the degree of burnout in the nurs ing staff that was concerned with critical care. Finally, most recently in 2012, Spooner-Lane and Patton conducted a study in which they aimed at debunking the determinants of burnout among the nurses that worked in public hospitals. In their definition of the concept of burnout, Spooner-Lane and Patton (2012) argued that burnout is not a symptom of work stress, but is what unmanaged work stress culminates into. They have used various definitions from different scholars to clarify more on the nature of burnout. Overall, from their definition, it remains that burnout is a result of extreme work-related stress. On the other hand, Poncet et al. (2006) have begun by highlighting a short history about the concept of burnout. They argue have defined the burnout syndrome a condition that results when employees fail to put up with the emotional stress they experience at their work place. They have alternatively defined burnout syndrome as the state in which an employee feels they have faile d, and are exhausted after they have used most of their energy in their job. Poncet et al (2006) have emphasized the detrimental effects of burnout syndrome on both the employee and the organization. Both Poncet et al. (2006) and Spooner-Lane and Patton (2012) have identified the epidemiological issues of burnout syndrome. Spooner-Lane and Patton (2012) have analyzed emotional exhaustion, while Poncet et al. (2006) have investigated headaches, exhaustion, insomnia, eating

Cell phones. How have they changed us socially Research Paper - 1

Cell phones. How have they changed us socially - Research Paper Example Within less matter of time, people started buying cell phone widely as a communicating tool. No matter what people comment on cell phone usage, the place this has on our life is beyond expression. Initially only business persons and top most officials used to use a cell phone but now every person on the planet more or less owns it.In his journal (Banjo â€Å"Cell phone usage can be defined as any application of the cell phone as a tool, including talking, text messaging, game playing or the sheer accessibility of the instrument†. From a business tool, cell phone step into the hands of common people in a short time. Once people understood the advantages of cell phone, then it took a special place in the heart of people. From old to young understood the use of cell phone and invited it into their life and till now it holds a premium place in the hearts of men and women around the globe. Nowadays everybody owns a cell phone and it is the use of cell phone which has made it a universal electronic Gadget. All people use cell phone to get their things done in less time. When there is an emergency or casualty, cell phone, enables people to communicate with each other in one moment of time. According to (Roberts 127-35)â€Å"Fully 74% of Americans who own mobile phones say they have used their hand-held device in an emergency and gained valuable help†. In such cases, people use cell phone without a second thought. A couple of decades ago, the ordinary phone could only use from houses or phone booth but now anywhere and everywhere people can use the phone. Mostly the young generation is brainwashed by the use of cell phone as they can message their friends in less time span. Two decades ago, telephone was a communication tool at home and it was a medium to reach each other at times of emergency (PEW 2006).But now phone travels everywhere with the owner and give him an unlimited power and the ability to communicate with his kith and kin in no matter of time.

Feedback in learning Essay Example for Free

Feedback in learning Essay 1.0What is feedback?:â€Å"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great inspires† William Arthur Ward A teacher carries a big responsibility in area of learning. Some people believe a teacher’s job is to teach and a student’s job is to learn. In today’s classroom, the role of teacher is totally different. Teacher as a facilitator of learning, mentor for learner and classroom supporter. The excellent teacher will take various actions in way to help their students to be successful in their life. So that, one of the action is teacher should provide assessment feedback in way to enhance the learning. Feedback is normally something which happens as a result of cycle teaching and learning action. It can give either before, during or after the learning had been occurs. Generally, what is feedback? Is it guidance, evaluation or praise? As mentioned by Ramaprasad (1983), feedback is information about the gap between the actual level and the reference level of a system parameter which is used to alter the gap in some way. Furthermore, the definition by Ramaprasad also supported of new research by Shute (2007) that define the feedback as represent information communicated to the learner that is intended to modify the learner’s thinking or behaviour for the purpose of improving learning. Hence, in learning, feedback should usually presented as information to a student in response to some action on the current level of performance and help them to be better. Correspondingly the educationist agree that assessment feedback is an important part of learning cycle but nowadays students frequently express disappointment and frustration in relation to the conduct of the feedback process. Students may complain that feedback on assessment is unhelpful or unclear and not provide any tips to them to improve their current performance. As a result, students will always repeat the mistake until they get to know the correct answers. Studies of the impact on student learning achievement indicate that feedback has the potential to have a significant effect on student learning achievement (Hattie Timperley, 2007). Feedback should give immediately during the learning process. That can really help student to do self-reflection on their quality of learning. They can figure out did he/she in the right track and how to improve their understanding. Types of feedback: Main focus of given assessment feedback is to describes qualities of work in relation to the learning target. Teacher should give attention to the quality of their written feedback. There are two types of feedback, evaluative feedback and descriptive feedback. Evaluative feedback refers to a summary of student current achievement or performed on the particular task. This feedback is often come out with letter of grades, numbers, check marks, symbols and generals comment such as â€Å"good†, â€Å"excellent† and â€Å"need help†. While, descriptive feedback is specific or detail information in the form of written comments or conversations that help the student understand what he/she needs to do in improve their level of understanding. There are several examples of evaluative and descriptive feedback: Evaluative Feedback Descriptive Feedback â€Å"Try harder next time† â€Å"Your topic discussion is clear and have good examples, your next step might be to check back your grammatical errors† â€Å"90%! A+! Excellent Work! Keep it up!† â€Å"You’re made some simple mistakes in your calculation, remember back the formula use. Please check back the first step until the last step in your calculation for question 10.† Table 1: Examples of Evaluative and Descriptive Feedback Based on examples given, evaluative feedback more to provide a judgement on the quality of the learning task that student did while descriptive feedback focus on helps the student understand what he or she needs to do to improve their current achievement. Besides that, evaluative feedback shown to us those teachers only tells learner or students how they compare to others and descriptive feedback will provide specific information in the form of written comments or conversations more help learner. Regardless of the types of feedback given, either evaluative or descriptive, effective feedback needs to be informative, prompt and guiding. Informative feedback highlights strengths and weaknesses, giving specific examples or explanations. Prompt feedback is returned to students within an agreed timescale for the work submitted. Guiding feedback offer suggestions about how students can improve their learning. All of that combining together to help students to do better the next time. This statement also have support  by Hattie and Timperley (2007), they mention that the most improvement in student learning takes place when students got information feedback about the task and how to do more effectively. Below are examples of evaluative and descriptive feedback given by teachersFeedback as teaching style of scaffolding: As we already know, feedback provides information and guide to students by teachers about learning. That is one criteria of scaffolding. Scaffolding is the core of traditional apprenticeship. It is refers to given support that provides by expert or teacher as steps to improve their learning. It helps to reduce the gap between the student current level of understanding or performance and a desired goal. According to Hattle and Timperley (2007), they mention that depending on the nature and delivery of the feedback, it can have powerful positive effects on student learning and engagement. Beside that in the research by Assessment Reform Group (2002) , also mention that feedback as coaching and scaffolding students. The given feedback is an essential practice of assessment for learning. The process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learner and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there by helping of teachers. That the main reason why the teacher’s feedback important, providing the support necessary for student to proceed towards the next stage or level and achieving the learning goal. Student will view the feedback as improving tips in which students receive information and construct meaning to close the gap. The students need to do something based on the guided giving in the feedback. Scaffolding instructional originated from Vygotsky’s ideas on learning. Vygotsky’s comes out with two levels of learning development. The first level is Actual Development that what learner has already reached. It is the level which the learner is capable of solving problems independently. The second level is called Potential Development which the learner not capable of doing the moment but have potential to do so. Between the actual and potential levels, Vygotsky said that there was what was called a Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Proximal means next. In context of feedback, it should act as scaffold by providing tips and support necessary for student to proceed the next stage or level. Without the support students may be unable to accomplish the target. As the result, students will extend their understanding and make improvement. Figure 3: ZPD (Zone of Proximal  Development) Diagram When teacher incorporate scaffolding in feedback, they become more to mentor and facilitator of knowledge rather than the dominant content expert. This teaching style that include with scaffolding will make student active role in class to achieving learning goal. Besides that, it also provides a welcoming and caring learning environment. â€Å"I take care of you and I hope you will be success in future†. Expiration in feedback on student assessment will make them realize that even they did wrong is not means he/she is stupid student. They have room to improve. As conclusion, the best assessment feedback, scaffold student to achieve the higher performance in learning target. Feedback as affective domain in learning: Since 1950’s, research have been done in cognitive theory and educationist had use the Bloom’s (1956) taxonomies of learning. Bloom has mentioned that in learning should have three learning domains. The cognitive domain, affective domain and psychomotor domain. Feedback is referring to affective domain. In affective domain includes feeling, emotion, attitudes, values and motivation. As students that receiving the feedback, they need all of the aspect that include in affective domain. Teacher should play with all of these aspects. Teacher must provide clear understanding. Feedback should be brief, concise statements, in student-friendly language that describe what students are to know and be able to do at the end of feedback. Feedback can be one of the ways to encourage positive motivational belief and self-esteem. There are some ideas for motivating students. Teachers can start the feedback with praises like good job, excellent job, great, brilliant idea, â€Å"You are starting to understand this but†, â€Å"This is quality work because†, â€Å"Two things you really did well are† and many more on what they do well. Praise the work or process that focus in achieving the learning goal. Second step, teachers proceed with intervention that tells the student what needs improving and give enough information in way to help them to do better. It can sound like â€Å"Your thinking shows.†, â€Å"One thing to improve on..†, â€Å"You need more†, and many more. Next step, teachers share the improvement strategies such as â€Å"Your next steps might be..†, and â€Å"You might try†. The ways that teachers give the  feedback have relationship with the flow of affective domain as described by Krathwohl et.al (1964). They start with receiving, responding, valuing, organizing and ended with acting. Students will receiving the feedback as their new information of mark, wrong answers and the current level that he/she mastering the knowledge. Am I really understood or I just understand little bit? Step 2, responding. Students will respond on feedback given by teacher. They being actively participating based on feedback given to achieve learning g oal. Step 3, valuing. They attaching worth to feedback given and try to do correction on the task. After they do the correction, they will organize the new concept and change their existing understanding. The last is characterization. They have the correct understanding and will apply the concept in correct way without misconception. It is the effective way that feedback can help students learn better in positive environment in implement the affective domain. Feedback will demonstrate appropriate ways of enhancing the performance on the task and offer strategies that invite more learner responsibility to improve. â€Å"Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire† William Butler Yeats Feedback as reflection on learning process: Reflection needed students to capture back on their performance in the task given. It also needs students to have clear comparison about their previous performance and current performance. There are three types of reflection that suite with the feedback: reflection on your process, comparison of your performance to that of others and comparison of your performance to a set of criteria for evaluating performance (Schon, 1983). How feedback can be as reflection on learning process? Firstly, reflect on the feedback process. By feedback, students are encourages to look back at how they react and given answer on the task. Teachers will describes the qualities of work in relation to the learning targets. That can make them see how they might have done better and what they need to improve. That is the first step as feedback starter, reflect on achievement. Second, compare of student performance with others. These types of reflection are referring to evaluative feedback. In evaluative feedba ck teachers will give grades, numbers, check marks, symbols and generals comment such as â€Å"good†,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"excellent† and â€Å"need help†. Based on the feedback, students analyze by comparing their performance with friends in hope he/she will motivate to achieve better. The final types of reflection are comparison of student performance to a set of criteria for evaluating performances. These are focus on intervention and improvement that include in feedback. Teachers will share idea on what students needs to improve and gives enough information so the students will knows what the next step to apply. That really show the function of feedback as reflection, facilitates the development of self-assessment in learning.Conclusion: Assessment feedback should play as important role in teaching and learning. Firstly, feedback is a way that teacher can use to determine and analyse how far your student gain the knowledge and what should you suggest to them in helping them success in mastery the knowledge. Secondly, assessment feedback will attract low achievement students to be active learner and more motivated to achieve the learning goal. Overall, assessment feedback should take as important aspect in learning process. Teacher need to apply and change the feedback given in way to help student to be success in future.

Factors Affecting Textile Industry

Factors Affecting Textile Industry The research reported in this thesis was on Factors affecting the growth of the Textile Sector. The purpose of research was to study the micro-environmental factors affecting the growth of the textile sector so that the effect of the macro-environmental factors that plague the textile sector can be countered. The secondary data was collected by consultation of literature in the libraries and the internet and also from the material printed by different organizations of Pakistan. The findings suggested that among other variables that affect the Growth of Textile Sector such as number of looms, Raw Cotton production and Raw Cotton consumption, the variables Yarn Production and Number of Spindles have a significant impact on the growth of the textile sector. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION This thesis identifies the micro environmental factors that have a major impact on the Growth of the Textile Industry. These factors include all those elements in the immediate area of operations of the industry that affect its performance such as production, consumption and supply of raw materials. The textile sector or textile industry is defined as the industries involved in designing, manufacturing, distribution and use of clothing. The textile sector is technically considered to be growing or flourishing; if the textile mills are producing cloth at an increasing rate or the contribution of the textile sector to the GDP of the country is increasing (i.e. production of cotton cloth is increasing in the sector). Hence, the relationship linking the growth of the textile sector with the production levels of the cotton cloth in the industry. The GDP of a country is defined as The Total Value of Goods and Services Produced in an Economy, so if the quantity of cotton cloth production is increasing or decreasing in Pakistan that directly goes to show that that the share of economic contribution of the textile sector to the GDP of Pakistan is growing or declining respectively. There are varieties of variables both macro-environmental and micro-environmental that affect the performance or growth of the textile industry such as the political, social, legal, economic and environmental issues. The textile sector or any other sector for that matter can only flourish or grow if the policies of the government support the operations of the industry on both the micro-environmental level and the macro-environmental level. For instance if the government policies regarding the industry are detrimental to the cause such as putting a quota to the amount of cloth that can be exported to other countries or on a more fundamental level of the supply chain, restricting the type of cotton that can be used to produce cloth in the mills or if the costs of financing the expansion is highe r such as the conditions prevalent in the economy that would also result in a negative impact on the growth of the textile sector or if the inflation rate is beyond the predicted levels that would also cause the Pakistani cloth to lose its competitiveness in the markets, both local and international. The macro-environmental factors affecting the textile industry are tremendously diverse such as the illiteracy rate that is prevalent in the country and the trouble it causes in the form of resistance by individuals working in the factories and mills to adopt newer methods of production and technologies, to the investment insecurity that is present in terms of a declining economy partly through poor government policies regarding businesses and partly through the prevalent global recession that discourages the international investors to invest in an economy that is one of the biggest producers of textile products, to the physical insecurity that is present due to the law and order situat ion. This thesis however would be discussing the micro-environment variables that affect the growth of the textile sector. The Textile sector is a major contributor to the economy of Pakistan; hence, it is vital to study the factors affecting the growth of this major industry because it reflects the state of the economic health and macroeconomic policies that govern the state. The textile sector growth is dependent on a number of variables. The raw cotton production and its level of consumption affect the final product in the form of cloth. The level of consumption if important because it specifies the quantity that stays in the economy or in other words, is not exported to other countries. The number of looms and spindles is another major factor affecting the production of cloth because the larger the number of looms and spindles producing the cloth and yarn respectively the higher the produce of the textile sector is going to be because the yarn production is ultimately in used in producing cloth. All these factors affect the production of cotton cloth. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW The changing profile and map of the EU textile and clothing industry, this article talks about the changing structure of the European Union textile and clothing industry. Some of the main reasons it mentions for the change include markets with often unstable and rapidly changing demand, limited product range and subject to rapid obsolescence and limited scope for economies of scale. EU still accounts for a large share of world exports and employment despite increasing competition worldwide. Some of the textile and clothing firms were focusing on simply the design and marketing and sub-contracting or out sourcing manufacturing, others focused on creativity, design and the making and selling through their own networks. Due to the absence of economies of scale firms tend to remain small, while small firms in turn have limited access to finance. So all of this leads to why the textile industry remains a particular small size in the EU, failing to increase beyond it. (Dunford, 2002The Changing Profile and Map of the EU Textile and Clothing Industry). Skills and competitiveness: Can Pakistan Break out of the low-level skills trap? This paper argues that Pakistan needs to dwell into the higher value added, skill intensive and technologically advanced sectors instead of the current low-level skills trap. Currently Pakistan is only focusing on growing cotton and increasing it yield but that is not enough if Pakistan has to compete with a technologically advanced world. The main challenge to do that is to change the mind set and develop institutions which recognize the value of investing in people. (Rashid Amjad, 2005 Skills and competitiveness: Can Pakistan Break out of the low-level skills trap?) Demand for textile and clothing exports of Pakistan, this article states that textile and clothing remain an important element in economic development of countries and in Pakistan it is the largest industrial sector with respect to investment, employment and export. The paper highlights various agreements which enhanced the access of textile products of country to various markets around the world. It compares the performance of textile industry of Pakistan with other developing countries in terms of exports. The major buyer of Pakistan textile products is U.S.A. Though the share of Pakistans exports in world market has increased to 1.1%, other developing countries had a substantial increase of upto 5%. The paper states the features of Pakistan textile industry that major chunk of yarn produced in country is exported in its raw form where it can be utilized for production of quality products such as fabric. Despite having the advantage of cotton and yarn production of superior quality the industry faces challenges in form of lack of investment, capacity and qualified workforce. The paper builds a model on the textile industry of Pakistan and provides with the policy recommendations in form of massive restructuring in this liberalized and competitive trade environment. This article focuses on the textile industry of Pakistan for it has played an important role in the economic development of this country, therefore it needs to be built upon and undergo massive restructuring to become capital intensive like it has been in the west for a while now. There is a need to focus on the quality of finished products instead of spinning activity. The finished products include production of the fine quality cloth in textile mills. Reliance on low technology power looms for the production of fabrics should be reduced and the number of shuttle less looms should be increased which have the capacity to produce wider width superior quality fabric for the international market. The reason for focusing on the quality of finished products and the development of quality cloth which is at the end of the manufacturing process is because apparels/garments provides the highest value added product among the textile items, therefore maximum focus should be towards the units producing garments, however, the increase in cotton prices resulting in proportionate increase in yarn price coupled with the increase in the cost of other inputs such as financial changes, electricity, labor, etc. has crippled the financial viability of the shuttle less weaving sector in Pakistan. To switch to more capital intensive production in the textile industry, Pakistan needs to add sufficient well developed infrastructure in terms of communication, services, export procedures, appropriately trained manpower, material inputs and transport facilities. To increase the Pakistans share in the global market would otherwise be difficult. The article gives the examples of Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan. Pakistan has nearly 15000 looms whereas countries like South Korea and Japan has more than 50,000 looms. But there is more to them than just numbers. Developed countries depend more than anything on the supply factors of international competitiveness. E.g. only low wages cannot guarantee a cost advantage in textile production but there are many other factors like low capital costs and low energy costs. (Afia Malik, 2005 Demand For Textile And Clothing Exports of Pakistan). Aftab A. Khan and Mehreen Khan in the article Pakistan Textile Industry Facing New Challenges highlight the importance of textile industry of Pakistan as one of the most contributing industry to the countrys GDP. It identifies the major variables resulting in the decline of industry which includes global recession, internal security threats, high cost of production, higher financing cost, depreciation of rupee, and inflation rate. The paper provides with statistics on textile industry of Pakistan and suggests that 60-70% of machinery needs replacement in order for attaining better quality of production and cost efficiency. The downfall of industry contributed by the severe energy crisis in country, along with the financial crunch and devaluation of rupee lead to higher costs of products imported for production purposes. This all lead to unemployment in country and decline in textile exports. The paper provides with the hope that textile industry can b revived and rebuilt if governmen t supports the industry and certain measures are taken for its betterment. It includes subsidies, awareness programs, energy alternatives, trainings and exploration of new potential markets. (Aftab A. Khan, Mehreen Khan, 2010 Pakistan Textile Industry Facing New Challenges). Industrial Organization and Technological Change: The Decline of the British Cotton Industry, this article by William Lazonick again focuses on the fact that failure to adapt to and compete with the changes in the international competition. The British industrialists were divided amongst themselves and failed to identify the structure and economic conditions of international competition. This study of the British cotton industry suggests that a fundamental cause of Britains relative decline from the late nineteenth century was the inability of its capitalists, divided as they were by competition and markets, to adapt Britains nineteenth-century economic structure to the conditions of twentieth-century international competition. The structure of industrial organization which arose in the context of Britains unchallenged domination of world markets in the mid-nineteenth century left the subsequent generations of capitalists powerless, both individually and collectively, to supersede th e market so as to develop the coordinated managerial structures and introduce the high throughput production processes that characterize the modern capitalist enterprise. The article Hike in POL prices to raise cost of production from the Pakistan Textile Journal, Feburary-2010 issue highlights the adverse impacts of increase in petroleum prices on the textile industry of Pakistan. The article speaks on the problems faced by the textile industry of Pakistan throughout its existence. It states that with an impaired perception of being a terrorist state, the export based economy has suffered to a greater extent along with the global recession. Moreover with less buyers aiming Pakistani textile markets and economic turmoil has forced the textile exports to go down by 30 to 40% in a time span of 3 years in quantity terms, along with an additional negative growth in all sub sectors of textile industry. Rising inflation, lower investment rate in textile sector, rising mark ups with higher cost of production and power outage with higher energy costs, all rendered to a greater trade deficit for country and less international demand in last few years. The expo rts in 2008-2009 slumped to $ 9.95 billion where the target was of $ 12 billion. Lastly it states that along with all issues faced by textile industry of Pakistan, power shortage and higher petroleum prices would further increase problems for the industry as it will make products less competitive and increase the cost of production as prices of all commodities will shoot up. http://www.ptj.com.pk/Web-2010/02-10/Islamabad-Outlook.htm The article Pakistan faces a severe textile crisis is a statistical report from emerging textiles.com 6th December, 2006, ponders on the situation faced by Pakistan textile industry. It states that Pakistan textile industry has experienced a double digit growth which is now over and several factors have contributed in this decline of textile industry, though the government has provided with an initial research and development funding to support the industry but rising energy and financing costs could not prevent the industry from a severe crisis. It also highlights the increasing competition faced by other textile exporting countries like India, Bangladesh, China and Vietnam with their low cost products. Import tariffs on textile products and shifting from the policy of utilizing more yarn of country for value added products to export of raw yarn has again intensified the crisis situation for the industry. The article provides with complete statistics of Pakistan textile exports from July2005 to June 2006. http://www.emergingtextiles.com/?q=arts=060906Pmarkr=freen=1 In another article of Report on Textile Industry of Pakistan it claims that the reasons for the decline of textile industry of Pakistan include rise in the rates of (EFS) export finance scheme from 8.5% to 9.5% which is a rise of a 100 basis points. The second major reason it mentions is the rise in energy tariffs adding to the low availability of the electricity. Adding to that was the fact that refineries could not provide furnace oil in the required quantity to the power generation companies which led to the low working hours of the textile mills directly or indirectly. Another major blow came from the rise in yarn prices, the raw material feeding the textile mills. The cotton prices increase from 2000 to 6600 per 40 kg due to the export of yarn, the yarn export will amount to 614 million kg (which represents 14% of textile exports in 2010 versus 11% in 2009). Some of the other factors influencing the textile industry include increase in minimum wage, Double freight for Punjab Khyber Pakhtunkhwa textile mills, Lack of transportation facilities and Tariffs trade agreements. (Yasin Ahmed, 2010 Textile Industry of Pakistan) In another article Pakistan lags behind in Technical Textiles it is argued that the technical and economical impact of technical textiles in the industrially developed countries and their future contribution to the development of economics of newly developing countries, such as China, South East Asia, and North Africa etc. Pakistan still lags behind in technical textile products as neither the government nor the textile industry has made any serious efforts towards synchronizing textile products with the emerging needs of the world market by developing higher value-added products. Although the textile sector is the backbone of Pakistans economy, the Government as well as the textile industry has kept their focus on conventional textiles, ignoring technical textiles and knowledge-based products. (Noor Ahmed Memon, Noor Zaman, 2007 Pakistan lags behind in Technical Textiles). In this last article of Development of Textile Industrial Clusters in Pakistan it mentions the reasons for decline of the cotton industry as outdated technology, poor machinery, lack of skilled labor and reliance on the traditional Ustaad-Shagird mode of training and due to which there is a high defect rate. (Muhammad Shahzad Iqbal et al., 2010 Development of Textile Industrial Clusters in Pakistan) CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY Research Type The research is quantitative in nature. Basically it takes into consideration the data which is numerical in nature and the relationship purely depends on the data figures of the variables such as Number of Looms, Number of Spindles, Yarn Production, Raw Cotton consumption and Raw Cotton production. Data Type Research Period This research is solely dependent on secondary data analysis. Multiple Regressions would be run on the data of Number of Looms, Number of Spindles, Yarn Production, Raw Cotton consumption and Raw Cotton production. Sources of Data Data on Number of Looms, Number of Spindles, Yarn Production, Raw Cotton consumption and Raw Cotton production will be collected from World Development Indicators, Economic Survey of Pakistan and APTMA. Dependent Variable: Factors affecting the growth of the Textile Sector Independent Variables: Number of Looms Number of Spindles Yarn Production Raw Cotton consumption Raw Cotton production OPERATIONAL DEFINTIONS Textile Sector The textile sector or textile industry is defined as the industries involved in designing, manufacturing, distribution and use of clothing. Although there is no one known way of measuring this growth. Sometimes the quantity of export of cloth is taken to be a measure of the growth of the textile sector but technically that there is no one way because there is a huge amount of informal sector that goes unrecorded in the textile sector. The textile sector in this thesis is considered to be growing or flourishing; if the textile mills are producing cloth at an increasing rate or the contribution of the textile sector to the GDP of the country is increasing (i.e. production of cotton cloth is increasing in the sector). Yarn Production Yarn production basically refers to the quantity of thread that is being made using the cotton that is grown and harvested. It is the total quantity of the Yarn that is being produced in an economy. It is a direct measure of the Thread that is being made from the cotton that is collected and further down this process of the supply chain the cloth is being produced from this very Yarn. Yarn Production is measured in (000 Kgs). Generally it should have a positive impact because this independent variable is directly related to the dependent variable. Cotton Production Similarly the cotton production is simply the amount of cotton that is being produced in an economy. This should also have a direct effect on the growth of the textile sector since both are positively related as the cotton production would go up so would the growth of textile sector. Cotton Consumption This variable basically measures the quantity of cotton that is being produced and consumed in the local economy. Since Pakistan is a cotton producing country, this variable measure the quantity of cotton that is being consumed and processed by local ginneries and mills instead of being exported as Raw Cotton to other countries. Technically this should have a positive effect on the growth of textile sector as cotton consumption in the local economy goes up so would the growth of textile sector. Number of Spindles This variable basically refers to the quantity of Yarn producing spindles that are operating in the economy. This should also have a positive relationship between the growth of textile sector because as the number of yarn producing spindles goes up so does the ability of the mills to produce cloth and hence the growth of the textile sector. Number of Looms This is similar in nature to number of Spindles; the only difference is that it measures the quantity of cloth producing Looms that are being used in an economy. If the Number of Looms would increase so would the cloth production and the growth of textile sector HYPOTHESIS Yarn Production H0: There is a significant relationship between Yarn Production and the growth of textile sector H1: There is an insignificant relationship between Yarn Production and the growth of textile sector. Cotton Production H0: There is a significant relationship between Cotton Production and the growth of textile sector. H1: There is an insignificant relationship between Cotton Production and the growth of textile sector. Cotton Consumption H0: There is a significant relationship between Cotton Consumption and the growth of textile sector. H1: There is an insignificant relationship between Cotton Consumption and the growth of textile sector. Number of Looms H0: There is a significant relationship between Number of Looms and the growth of textile sector. H1: There is an insignificant relationship between Number of Looms and the growth of textile sector. Number of Spindles H0: There is a significant relationship between Number of Spindles and the growth of textile sector. H1: There is an insignificant relationship between Number of Spindles and the growth of textile sector. TECHNIQUES Simple statistical technique of Multiple Regression will be used for the analysis of this secondary data. Multiple regressions will explain the effect of independent variables on growth of textile sector. DATA ANALYSIS For analyzing the data statgraphics will be used. Alongside explaining the relationships between variables and the amount of variation that each variable is causing, it will also provide the graphical analysis in graphical forms. DATA INTERPRETATION Statistical software such as Statgraphics which will be used in this thesis to interpret data. The P-values indicate the validity of the model and of each independent variable and the R-squared will explain the degree of variation caused in the growth of the textile sector through the variables Number of Looms, Number of Spindles, Yarn Production, Raw Cotton consumption and Raw Cotton production. CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS The dependent variable is growth of textile industry and the independent variables that are micro-environmental include Yarn Production, Consumption of Raw Cotton, Cotton Production, the total number of spindles and the total number of looms in Pakistan. The Yarn production has been chosen as an independent variable because theoretically speaking the production quantity of yarn is directly proportional to the quantity of cloth that is produced. After that the consumption of Raw Cotton has been chosen as an independent variable because it is a significant representation of the quantity of cotton that stays in the economy and is consumed by the population of Pakistan and not exported to other countries. Although the consumption of cotton specifies both the mill and non-mill usage of cotton, the non-mill usage of cotton is insignificant because it mostly represents the uses of cotton without any value addition for instance usages of raw cotton for domestic uses such as cotton balls used in infirmaries for patients. So most of the cotton consumption technically shows the amount of cotton that is processed in mills to produce cloth or textile. The Cotton Production again is a vital independent variable because it is directly proportional to the growth of the textile sector. The cotton produced is first ginned to separate the fiber from the seed, the fiber goes on to be twined and twisted to produce yarn and the yarn is then used to produced cloth so higher the quantity of cotton produced in an economy, the more the textile industry is liable to produce cloth. Multiple Regression analysis has been used as the statistical tool to develop and judge the degree of significance of the relationship between the dependent variable and five independent variables. The Regression equation is: Growth of Textile = -20.4196 + 0.00338711*Consumption of Raw Material + 0.00128728*Number of Looms + 0.00227119*Number of Spindles + 0.0191763*Raw Cotton Production + 0.00932286*Yarn Production The dependent variable (Y) over here in the above mentioned equation is the Growth of Textile Industry which is being predicted or explained. The independent variable represented by (X) explains the Variance in Y. Every independent variable has its own beta coefficient that explains the relative importance. The beta coefficient explains the relative change in the dependent variable if the independent variable is changed by 1%. All variables show a positive relationship which is correct because all other independent factors are positively related to the dependent variable that is Growth of Textile Industry. If we analyze the beta coefficients, a one percent change in the Number of Looms would cause a .0012 percent growth in the textile industry, if there is a one percent increase in the Number of Spindles it will cause a 0.022 percent growth in the textile industry. Equally if there is a one percent increase in the yarn production it would cause a 0.009 percent increase in the growth of the textile industry. A one percent increase in the consumption of raw cotton would increase the growth of the textile industry by 0.03 percent, which is a significant percentage. Lastly, the one percent change in cotton production would cause a 0.019 percent increase in the growth of the textile industry. The R-Squared statistic indicates that the model as fitted explains 95.5788 percent of the variability in Growth of Textile. The adjusted R-squared statistic, which is more suitable for comparing models with different numbers of independent variables, is 91.1576%. The P-value of the model is 0.0021. Since the P-value is less than 0.01, there is a statistically significant relationship between the variables at the 99 percent confidence level. The individual p-values of the independent variables will determine the relationship between each independent variable and the dependent variable. If the value is above 0.1 then the relationship is insignificant and the alternate hypothesis will be rejected. According to the model, Number of Spindles and Yarn Production have p-values less than 0.1. The p-value of Number of Spindles is 0.0070 and the p -value of Yarn Production is 0.0022. Hence the null hypothesis (H0) for these two variables are rejected and the alternate hypothesis (H1) will be accepted. According to the results, the p-value of Consumption of Raw Materials, Number of Looms and Raw Cotton Production is more than 0.1 so the null hypothesis for these variables is accepted and the alternate hypothesis will be rejected.

National Curriculum Values Aims and Purposes

National Curriculum Values Aims and Purposes The touchstone of an excellent curriculum is that it instils in children a love of learning for its own sake Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum, Sir Jim Rose (2009) The National Curriculum (NC) was introduced into the United Kingdom by the Conservative government as an integrated framework for learning  [i]  (National Curriculum Primary handbook, 2010, p8) through the Education Reform Act of 1988. A statutory nationwide curriculum for all state and maintained primary and secondary schools and organises schools into four Key Stages (KS) and applying to all children and young people between the ages of 5 and 16, it sees itself as lying at the heart of policies to raise standards.  [ii]   The NCs objective is to ensure that these schools follow a common curriculum which specifies the subjects taught for children throughout their school career (the core subjects being Literature, Numeracy and Science) and to standardise the content taught at schools across the UK, with the exception of Academies, which are publicly-funded and have a significant degree of autonomy. Independent Schools may set their own Curriculum. The curriculum also sets out the knowledge, skills and understanding required in each subject and sets standard or attainment targets for each subject, enabling teachers to plan for individual childrens learning needs. In the following I will explore the values and principles which underpin the National Curriculum and the opportunities it offers, drawing on other relevant documentation, for example, The Foundation Stage Curriculum, Every Child Matters, The Rose Report, The Cambridge Report and the recent Government White Paper The Importance of Learning, whilst offering how they will impact on my own teaching and my personal views of their success in meeting their objectives. Values and Princilpes Education influences and reflects the values of society  [iii]  (The Primary National Curriculum, 1999, p10). There are four main purposes and two principal aims set out in the National Curriculum:- 1. To establish an entitlement for every child to develop and apply the skills and understanding necessary to ensure self-fulfilment through motivation and engagement. Teachers should aim to give every pupil the opportunity to experience success in learning and to achieve as high a standard as possible (The National Curriculum Primary Handbook, 2010, p9). Whilst teachers are bound by a mandatory curriculum, the teaching of knowledge, through inclusion, skills and understanding must be taught in a flexible way which suits an individuals needs, drawing on a childs previous knowledge and with a clear agenda for the route forward to obtain maximum pupil progress. If a child falls significantly behind, a teacher may use the curriculums programmes of learning to differentiate to a greater degree and plan according to ability. For high achievers, suitably challenging work can be found again within the curriculums programmes of work and differentiation met through planning a greater breadth and in depth study of the subject. To establish publicly accessible national standards of childrens academic performances enabling a framework for targets and improvement, and also a regulated assessment of achievement in the form of Assessment through Standard Assessment Tests (SATs), introduced into the UK in 1991, and initially taken at the end of Years 2,6 and 9. Arguably never a popular addition to the school calendar, Year 9 SATs were subsequently abolished in 2008 and replaced by continual student assessment through Assessing Pupil Progress (APP). The SATs results lead to a compilation of published league tables, giving parent and carers not only newfound access to achievement statistics for each school and measuring the ability of individual schools to successfully teach the National Curriculum, but also a free choice in the school they wish their children to attend. To promote continuity and coherence of taught subject matter in order to allow ease of transition between key stages and establishments, while providing the support for lifelong  learning. 4. To promote public understanding, allowing the general public to understand and be assured of the achievements and worthiness of compulsory education, to instill confidence in the general public and promote an understanding of the achievements and values of compulsory education. Aim 1: The school curriculum should aim to provide opportunities for all pupils to learn and to achieve. . The implementation of equal opportunities and inclusion for all pupils to achieve including pupils with special educational needs, pupils with English as a second language, pupils from all cultural and social backgrounds, pupils from different ethnic groups including travellers, refugees, and asylum seekers, boys and girls saw the barriers of discrimination and stereo-typing challenged and dispelled. Children and young people are enabled to achieve at all levels of their personal and professional lives, producing a fair and healthy society and a productive economy with sustainable employment. When planning, teachers should set high expectations and provide opportunities for all pupils to achieve (The National Curriculum Primary Handbook, 2010, p9). Teachers need to be aware that the diverse mixture of children in their care should all have access to the same opportunities to achieve and their learning will be influenced by their inherent different experiences, interests and strengths. Through the integrated framework of statutory subjects, the National Curriculums objective is to provide a breadth and balance as well as securing the fundamentals of literacy, numeracy and ICT (The National Curriculum Primary Handbook, 2010, p8) and through rigorous planning allowing flexibility to adapt to individual childs learning styles and needs and overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils. The promotion and implementation of a thorough and high standard of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology curriculum, essential to effective education, will enable children and young people to ultimately gain access to a more fulfilled future and have more choice in its direction. Aim 2: The school curriculum should aim to promote pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. Every Child Matters (?) acknowledges the link between pupil well-being and effective pupil performance and drawing on the outcome, Making a positive contribution, a non-statutory PHSE programme designed to develop the social and emotional skills of all pupils through complementing, consolidating and strengthening good practice in  [iv]  the school was soon rolled out nationally to address this challenging role. With the introduction of Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) (primary) and Citizen(secondary) programmes, using a whole-school approach, the tools to help children reinforce links between emotional wellbeing and effective learning now has a firm place in every day school life. Children and young people are given the confidence to manage risk, adversity and change and encouraged to take up opportunities. An effective school should contribute to the pupils sense of identity through developing their knowledge and understanding of themselves and their wider environ ment, celebrating the achievement and aspirations of what they see around them, whilst contributing to widening their outlook and raise their own aspirations about further education and work opportunities. Schools today continue to celebrate cultural and religious diversity and along with the implementation of PHSE, offer a broad range of subjects and experiences, enabling children and young people to obtain valuable knowledge and skills which will allow them to think creatively and critically, draw out their ability to be innovative leaders and know how to lead safe and  [v]  healthy lives. These skills will in turn allow the children to grow into responsible adults and as parents they will instil these values in their own children which in turn will benefit society as a whole. Enable children and young people to; value themselves, their family, their close and wider relationships, the diverse range of people, cultures and heritages in todays British Society and environment in which they live. Through nurturing a child as a valued individual, promoting self-esteem, self worth and emotional well-being, the school curriculum should enable them to form worthwhile and meaningful relationships whilst learning the fundamental difference between right and wrong. An appreciation, engagement and respect for others will direct them into becoming responsible partners, parents and citizens with a constructive, responsible and valued role to play in society, whilst preparation for further education, training and employment, will ensure they become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens (The National Curriculum Primary Handbook,2010, p5). Children and young people are expected to commit to the virtues of truth, justice, honesty, trust and a sense of duty whilst them to cope with the pressures of a rapidly changing and technically challenging global environment, and in particular communications technology, giving them the tools to succeed as individuals, parents and workers. Education only flourishes if it successfully adapts to the demands and needs of time (The Primary National Curriculum, 1999, p11) Let battle commence! Following the introduction of the National Curriculum; the criticism, reforms and attempts at reform have come in abundance! Tim Oats, Head of Assessment, Research and Development at Cambridge Assessment argues that a well-defined and enhanced national curriculum based on concepts, principles and key knowledge can lead to a greater focus on deeper learning, with fewer topics being pursued to greater depth.(2010) Read more about School curriculum needs reform on ESLwatch.info Excellence and Enjoyment 2003 In 2003 Excellence and Enjoyment, the strategy document for teaching children with English as a Foreign Language (EAL) in Primary Schools was published. Built on National Literacy Strategy (1998), and the National Numeracy Strategy (1999), in the executive summary, the document was bold enough to state it wished to, Take ownership of the curriculum, shaping it and making it their own. Teachers have much more freedom than they often realise to design the timetable and decide what and how they teach. (Excellence  and Enjoyment, 2003, p3) In his forward, Charles Clarke, the then Education Secretary states; Children learn better when they are excited and engaged (Ibis, p2), Different schools go about this in different ways. There will be different sparks that make learning vivid and real for different children. I want every primary school to be able to build on their own strengths to serve the needs of their own children (Ibis, p2). The debate for the relaxing of the stronghold of the curriculum expectations was well and truly under way. Revised Secondary Curriculum 2007 A revised Progamme of Study for secondary schools was introduced in 2007. Claiming the revised curriculum offered greater Flexibility and Coherence (The new secondary curriculum. What has changed and why?, 2007,p4) it offers to give schools the flexibility to personalise learning and design a curriculum that meets the specific needs of their learners; To give schools greater flexibility to tailor learning to their learners needs, there is less prescribed subject content in the new programmes of study. Instead, the curriculum focuses on the key concepts and processes that underlie each subject. (Ibis, p4). In relationship to the argument for a more cross curricular approach, it states; The common format contributes to greater coherence, making it easier to see links between subjects. Several subjects share key concepts and processes; curriculum opportunities highlight the potential for cross-curricular links (Ibis, p4). Early Years Foundation Stage 2008 In 2006 the Childcare Act provided a legal framework for the creation of the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and was introduced in September 2008, giving a new framework for learning, development and welfare for children in all registered early years settings (including child minding provision), maintained and independent schools. This covers children from birth to the August after their fifth birthday. Cambridge Report 2009 In 2008, Ed Balls, the then Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, commissioned Sir Jim  Rose to carry out an independent review of the primary curriculum in England. Before the report was  delivered, The Cambridge Primary Review, an independent enquiry into the condition and future of  primary education in England and which had been launched in October 2006 was published, led by Professor Robin Alexander. Whist acknowledging a need for some kind of national curriculum and that the EYFS areas of learning provide a good basis, the Cambridge Review sees the current curriculum as over-crowded and unmanageable'( Alexander, (2009)) with too little value put on creativity and imagination. With 900 pieces of data being collected from both official and independent sources including academics, children and teachers the in-depth report accuses the National Curriculum of implementing a system that values facts more than understanding and enquiry, and suggests a complete over-haul of the curriculum with the introduction of 12 new underlying aims and 8 subject domains. It proposes only 70% of teaching be  attached to the National Curriculum with the remaining 30% being attached to a newly proposed Community Curriculum. Alexander argues that the current curriculum places an over emphasis on the importance of children gaining high standards in the basics (reading, writing and arithmetic) at the expense of the peripheral subjects and, as such, are undervaluing the importance of creativity and imagination, leading to problems occurring in their progression through school and beyond. He also argues that an obsession with curriculum testing of the core subjects is jeopardising childrens right to a full and broad education. Rose Report 2009 Sir Jim Roses remit was to propose a curriculum which would inspire life-long learning while reducing prescription and giving teachers greater flexibility. In particular he was asked to consider at how primary schools could develop childrens personal skills and proposes a new curriculum based on six areas of learning (English, communication and languages, mathematics, the arts, historical, geographical and social, physical development, health and wellbeing, scientific and technological) which would help them achieve academically as well enable them to have a smooth transition between early years and primary school, and into secondary school. Proposing that summer-born children should start reception class in the September after they turn  four years of age, acknowledging that children with birthdays in August who start school in the September after they turn five, do less well at school, and are also slightly less likely to go to university. Sir Jim, a former Ofsted chief, in recognition of the changing face of the world around us, calls for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to be made a core skill of the new curriculum (making provisions for additional training for teachers) ,alongside literacy and numeracy, and although he insisted this would not mean other subjects such as science traditionally seen as a core subject would become less important In no way does that suggest we are stepping back from recognising the importance of science and technology (Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum, Sir Jim Rose (2009)) and although imperative that we should allow for a digital generation of children who are being brought up using technology in their recreation to make the link between this technology and learning, again the bias of curriculum is shifting away from reasoning and creativity. Also recommended is a more theme based cross-curricular approach to teaching subjects, which will provide children with ample opportunities to apply and use their knowledge and skills in cross-curricular  studies, allowing them to deepen their understanding and think creatively. There will be an emphasis on personal development and on social and emotional learning and finally, a focus on spoken communication, making particular use of the performing and visual arts, especially role play and drama. The Creative Curriculum Government White Paper- The Importance of Teaching 2010 As it warned it would, the new government abandoned the Rose framework for the primary curriculum and recently launched its own review in the form of the Government White Paper, The Importance of Teaching. It is also abolished the curriculum and assessment watchdog, the QCDA. However, in the interim, the version of the national curriculum introduced in September 2000 will continue in force until 2012, at least. Michael Gove the Secretary of State for Education having accused Labour of squeezing the fun and enjoyment (GMT interview 24 Nov 2010) out of school, unveiled the most radical programme of education reforms for a generation overhauling the national curriculum, a far more rigorous screening of would-be teachers will be enforced and staff given more power to discipline pupils. All schools (including primary schools for the first time) will be forced to meet tough new targets. Proposals to toughen up exams as a result of the supposed dumming down of education, as pupils are accused of taking soft options in order for the school to achieve well in the League Tables, yet leaving school with subjects which prospective employees simply do not value. A reading test for six-year-olds to check if they can recognise simple words like cat and street will be brought in and in the most rudimentary reform of the education system for a generation. Mr Gove describes the national curriculum as a straitjacket which stifles the creativity of our best teachers (Ibis) and intends give teachers more freedom to innovate and inspire (Ibis) and prior to the release of the White Paper, Mr Gove said on BBC Radio Fours Today programme, I want to slim the National Curriculum down, The original intention behind the National Curriculum was that it shouldnt cover everything in the school day and our Coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats, have made the case very powerfully that what schools should follow is a minimum curriculum entitlement that takes up perhaps 50 per cent of school time. . Reading through the proposals, I am unable to find any real commitment to a slimming down of the curriculum and only real radical objective appears to be for a far more rigorous screening of teacher training applicants, including tests of character and emotional intelligence and the encouragement of ex-forces applicants no doubt to bark orders at their pupils. Disappointingly, in the light of the Cambridge Review, very little has been learned and very little has been implemented to create a less prescriptive curriculum and once again, it is the teachers who take the brunt of the blame for the purported failure of the education system when in my opinion it is surely due to lack of investment. With the budget of an independent school, surely every state school (even with their commitment to inclusion-unlike the private system) could begin to address class-sizes and never want for resources again. With a proposed  £359m programme of education cuts, the present government seems to me to be looking for a quick fix agenda. If the government would finally put their money where their mouth is and, dare I suggest, give prospective teachers the wage structure they surely deserve, given the responsibility they have towards educating the next generation, maybe finally teachers would be seen in the light of respect they deserve. Trainee teachers will spend more time in the classroom Ensure support available to every school for the teaching of systematic synthetic phonics For existing teachers, schools will be given more freedom to pay the best staff higher salaries and greater powers to sack the worst performers. No-one is helped when poor performance remains unaddressed, said the report. Underperforming teachers place additional pressures on their colleagues and let down the children in their care. The White Paper said current regulations surrounding teacher competence procedures were too complex, lengthy and fragmented meaning heads were reluctant to fire staff not fit for the classroom. They will be shortened and simplified under Coalition plans, although full details are yet to emerge. Mr Gove said: The countries that come out top of international studies into educational performance recognise that the most crucial factor in determining how well children do at school is the quality of their teachers. The best education systems draw their teachers from among the top graduates and train them rigorously, focusing on classroom practice. They recognise that it is teachers knowledge, intellectual depth and love of their subject which stimulates the imagination of children and allows them to flourish and succeed. But for too long in our country, teachers and heads have been hamstrung by bureaucracy and left without real support. The initial promise of entitlement to a broad, balanced and rich curriculum has been sacrificed in pursuit of a narrowly-conceived standards agenda. By Martin Beckford, Social Affairs Correspondent 6:01AM GMT 20 Feb 2009 Telegraph The most conspicuous casualties are the arts, the humanities and those kinds of learning in all subjects which require time for talking, problem- solving and the extended exploration of ideas, By Richard Garner, Education Editor Friday, 20 February 2009 the I ndependent For each National Curriculum subject, there is a programme of study. The programmes of study describe the subject knowledge, skills and understanding pupils are expected to develop during each key stage. Within the framework of the National Curriculum, schools are free to plan and organise teaching and learning in the way that best meets the needs of their pupils. Many schools use the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) Schemes of Work to plan their curriculum. These help to translate the National Curriculums objectives into teaching and learning activities The prime duty of the school, I believe, is to instil a positive commitment to, and love of education, in order to allow each pupil to reach their full potential in life as outlined by Mick Waters, the then Director of Curriculum, QCA (2007) when he said, Most of all, young people should relish the opportunity for discovery and achievement that the curriculum offers. Without motivation and a thirst for knowledge, a child will neither benefit from their school years nor aspire to let education be the door-opening to a better future. Through encouragement of their interests, inherent strengths and experiences, children will develop a confidence in their ability to learn as independent individuals or collaboratively with their peers, whilst developing a creative, inquisitive and rational mind in the process. I firmly intend to use my role as a teacher, working within a collaborative framework, to use my gained knowledge and skills, creativity and adaptability, to capture and enhance the learning capabilities of the children within my remit. Teacher assessment Teacher assessment is an essential part of the national curriculum and is carried out as part of the teaching and learning process. It spans the programmes of study, and takes into account evidence of attainment in many contexts, including discussion and observation. The national curriculum tests provide a snapshot of attainment in English and mathematics at the end of key stage 2. Schools have a statutory responsibility to report teacher assessment levels in core subjects of English, mathematics and science for each eligible pupil to QCDA. Schools must also report teacher assessment level judgements to parents, carers and guardians for both core and non-core subjects Primary curriculum What will the new primary curriculum look like? The new government has made it clear that it intends to restore the National Curriculum to its original purpose a minimum national entitlement for all our young people organised around subject disciplines. An announcement outlining next steps is expected shortly. What happens in the meantime? The existing subject-based National Curriculum requirement will remain in force for primary schools. The current framework, introduced in 2000, provides flexibility for schools to adapt the curriculum to their needs. Details are available from the Key stages 1 2 section of this site. Will primary schools still be getting an additional training day in 2010/11? Yes. Primary schools teaching Key Stages 1 and 2 will still receive an extra non-contact day in 2010/11 to help them prepare adequately for the next school year and consider new approaches. Why have you sent out handbooks? That decision was taken by the previous Government. They proposed to introduce a new primary curriculum from September 2011 and put in place a programme of support and guidance for schools from January this year. The new Government has decided not to go ahead with this policy for the reasons set out in the Ministers statement to Parliament. Will schools get a refund for primary curriculum materials that they have purchased. Yes. A full refund will be made automatically to those who placed orders on account. (The account will be credited rather than a refund made.) Those who purchased by credit card will need to call our orderline on 0300 303 3015. All customers have been contacted directly by QCDA with information about the refund policy. Can I still access the Curriculum design tool from the primary curriculum website? Following the Secretary of State for Educations decision not to take forward the last Governments proposals for a new primary curriculum, associated material which had been published on the National Curriculum website has been removed. This means that the curriculum design tool will no longer be available. Registered users have been contacted and asked if they would like to have any stored information returned to them. Can I still access pages from the new primary curriculum website? Following the Secretary of State for Educations decision not to take forward the last Governments proposals for a new primary curriculum, material which had been published on the National Curriculum website has been removed. Material on the statutory requirements that schools must meet in relation to the National Curriculum, is available from the  Key stages 1 2 section of this site. The programmes of study also map out a scale of attainment within the subject. In most Key Stage 1, 2, and 3 subjects, these attainment targets are split into eight levels, plus a description of exceptional performance. The exception is Citizenship, which has separate attainment targets for the end of Key Stages 3 and 4. Children develop at different rates, but National Curriculum levels can give you an idea of how your childs progress compares to what is typical for their age. For example, by the end of Key Stage 1, most children will have reached level 2, and by the end of Key Stage 2, most will be at level 4. [edit] Failure and adverse effects of the free market objective Although the primary purpose for the National Curriculum was to enable league tables and inform parental choice, many parents or guardians still fail to get the school of their choice[14] and there is concern that the league tables have a detrimental effect on pupils: focus on league tables had resulted in pupils being pressured to attain high grades and so opt for subjects that are seen as easier to get good marks in such as art, drama and history. The result has been for the more difficult mathematics in subjects such as chemistry and physics being dropped Gillard D (2010) Hobsons Choice: education policies in the 2010 general election www.educationengland.org.uk/articles/29election.html How, I wonder, does Gove reconcile his many statements about freeing schools from central control with his imposition of systematic synthetic phonics for teaching reading? Every education report from Hadow onwards has urged teachers to use a variety of methods and warned against relying on one. Almost every expert on the teaching of reading opposes this policy, so what is it doing in the Coalitions programme? Another generation of children is to be used as guinea pigs to satisfy some ignorant advisor or to make money for a textbook publisher. The National Curriculum, we are told, is to be reformed (yet again!). In primary schools it will be subject-based and in a phrase that tells us everything we need to know about Goves lack of understanding of education it will be based on evidence about what knowledge can be mastered by children at different ages. To make matters worse, Gove has invited Niall Ferguson, the British historian most closely associated with a rightwing, Eurocentric vision of western ascendancy (Charlotte Higgins The Guardian 30 May 2010) to help rewrite the history syllabus. Freedom for schools? I dont think so. The study of most subjects under the National Curriculum would usually culminate in the sitting of a GCSE at the end of Key Stage 4. Although the GCSE examinations replaced the earlier, separate GCE O-level and CSE examinations, the syllabi were still initially devised entirely by the examination boards, whereas since the implementation of the National Curriculum the syllabus outline is determined by law. Thus much of the attention surrounding the claimed dumbing down of GCSEs[9] is, indirectly, a criticism of the National Curriculum. Public schools are free to choose their own curriculum and examinations and many have opted for the more demanding[10][11] IGCSEs which are not tied to the National Curriculum. It is claimed that this is creating a two-tier system with state school pupils losing out. From time to time ministers have suggested that state schools may be given funding to enter pupils for IGCSE examinations[12] but a study was undertaken by QCA[13], which concluded that IGCSEs do not follow the programmes of study required by the Key Stage 4 of the National Curriculum and therefore could not be offered as a state-funded alternative. Gillard D (2010) Hobsons Choice: education policies in the 2010 general election www.educationengland.org.uk/articles/29election.html The report, however, does find that the national curriculum has been effective in raising standards, improving pup