Artist Henri Matisse, an Influential Modernist Painter

Henri Émile Benoà ®t Matisse (December 31, 1869 – November 3, 1954) is considered one of the most influential painters of the 20th century, and one of the leading Modernists. Known for his use of vibrant colors and simple forms, Matisse helped to usher in a new approach to art. Matisse believed that the artist must be guided by instinct and intuition. Although he began his craft later in life than most artists, Matisse continued to create and innovate well into his 80s. Early Years Henri Matisse was born on December 31, 1869, in Le Cateau, a small town in northern France. His parents, Émile Hippolyte Matisse and Anna Gà ©rard, ran a store that sold grain and paint. Matisse was sent to school in Saint-Quentin, and later to Paris, where he earned his capacità ©Ã¢â‚¬â€a type of law degree. Returning to Saint-Quentin, Matisse found a job as a law clerk. He came to despise the work, which he considered pointless. In 1890, Matisse was stricken by an illness that would forever alter the young mans life and the world of art. Late Bloomer Weakened by a severe bout of appendicitis, Matisse spent nearly all of 1890 in his bed. During his recuperation, his mother gave him a box of paints to keep him occupied. Matisses new hobby was a revelation. Despite having never shown any interest in art or painting, the 20-year old suddenly found his passion. He would later say that nothing had ever truly interested him before, but once he discovered painting, he could think of nothing else. Matisse signed up for early-morning art classes, leaving him free to continue the law job he so hated. After a year, Matisse moved to Paris to study, eventually earning admission to the leading art school. Matisses father disapproved of his sons new career but continued to send him a small allowance. Student Years The bearded, bespectacled Matisse often wore a serious expression and was anxious by nature. Many fellow art students thought Matisse resembled a scientist more than an artist and thus nicknamed him the doctor. Matisse studied three years with French painter Gustave Moreau, who encouraged his students to develop their own styles. Matisse took that advice to heart, and soon his work was being displayed at prestigious salons. One of his early paintings, Woman Reading, was bought for the home of the French president in 1895. Matisse formally studied art for nearly a decade (1891-1900). While attending art school, Matisse met Caroline Joblaud. The couple had a daughter, Marguerite, born in September 1894. Caroline posed for several of Matisses early paintings, but the couple separated in 1897. Matisse married Amà ©lie Parayre in 1898, and they had two sons together, Jean and Pierre. Amà ©lie would also pose for many of Matisses paintings. Wild Beasts Invade the Art World Matisse and his group of fellow artists experimented with different techniques, distancing themselves from traditional art of the 19th century. Visitors to a 1905 exhibition at the Salon dAutomne were shocked by the intense colors and bold strokes used by the artists. An art critic dubbed them les fauves, French for the wild beasts. The new movement came to be known as Fauvism (1905-1908), and Matisse, its leader, was considered King of the Fauves. Despite receiving some scathing criticism, Matisse continued to take risks in his painting. He sold some of his work but struggled financially for a few more years. In 1909, he and his wife could finally afford a house in the Paris suburbs. Influences on Matisses Style Matisse was influenced early in his career by Post-Impressionists Gauguin, Cà ©zanne, and van Gogh. Mentor Camille Pissarro, one of the original Impressionists, gave advice that Matisse embraced: Paint what you observe and feel. Travel to other countries inspired Matisse as well, including visits to England, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Russia, and later, Tahiti. Cubism (a modern art movement based upon abstract, geometric figures) influenced Matisses work from 1913-1918. These WWI years were difficult for Matisse. With family members trapped behind enemy lines, Matisse felt helpless, and at 44, he was too old to enlist. The darker colors used during this period reflect his dark mood. The Master By 1919, Matisse had become internationally known, exhibiting his work throughout Europe and in New York City. From the 1920s on, he spent much of his time in Nice in the south of France. He continued to create paintings, etchings, and sculptures. Matisse and Amà ©lie drifted apart, separating in 1939. Early in WWII, Matisse had a chance to flee to the United States but chose to stay in France. In 1941, after successful surgery for duodenal cancer, he nearly died from complications. Bedridden for three months, Matisse spent the time developing a new art form, which became one of the artists trademark techniques. He called it drawing with scissors, a method of cutting out shapes from painted paper, later assembling them into designs. Chapel in Vence Matisses final project (1948-1951) was creating the decor for a Dominican chapel in Vence, a small town near Nice, France. He was involved in every aspect of design, from the stained-glass windows and crucifixes to the wall murals and priests robes. The artist worked from his wheelchair and used his color-cutout technique for many of his designs for the chapel. Matisse died on November 3, 1954, after a brief illness. His works remain a part of many private collections and are on exhibit in major museums throughout the world.

Psychology Workbook Essay - 22836 Words

I. INTRODUCTION Objective I.1 Define psychology: the science of behavior and mental processes. |Margin Learning Question(s) (if applicable) |Page(s) | |None | | Key Terms Psychology: the science of behavior and mental processes. Exercises 1. Put a check mark by each statement that is true regarding psychology. __X_ Psychologists study human behavior. __X___ Psychologists study animal behavior. ____X_ Psychologists study emotions and mental processes. _____ Psychology and common sense†¦show more content†¦| | Key Terms . Behaviorism- a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. Behaviorists believe that our responses to environmental stimuli shape our behaviors. Observeable behavior Psychoanalysis-emphasized the influence of the unconscious mind on behavior. Freud believed that the human mind was composed of three elements: the id, the ego, and the superego. Humanistic psychology - humanistic psychology began as a reaction to psychoanalysis and behaviorism, which dominated psychology at the time. Psychoanalysis was focused on understanding the unconscious motivations that drive behavior while behaviorism studied the conditioning processes that produce behavior. Humanist thinkers felt that both psychoanalysis and behaviorism were too pessimistic, either focusing on the most tragic of emotions or failing to take into account the role of personal choice. Humanistic psychology was instead f ocused on each individuals potential and stressed the importance of growth and self-actualization. The fundamental belief of humanistic psychology is that people are innately good and that mental and social problems result from deviations from this natural tendency. 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The Quran for example states, â€Å"Allah is he who created the heavens and the earth and sent down water from the clouds...† (Qur’anRead MoreA School Based Functional Behavioral Assessments890 Words   |  4 Pagesaround, and the school counselor/psychologist do as well. Conducting Functional Behavioral Assessments for students with behavioral problems and disabilities are useful. Mark Steege and T. Steuart Watson wrote a workbook that discusses the ins and outs of those assessments. The workbook this review is about is the second edition and titled Conducting School-Based Functional Behavioral Assessments. The book does exactly that, it breaks down what FBA’s are and how to conduct them in a school settingRead MoreTheory of Supervision1692 Words   |  7 Pagessupervisees. References Campbell, J.M. (2000). Becoming An Effective Supervisor: A Workbook for Counselors and Psychotherapists. Ann Arbor, MI: Taylor Francis. Goodyear, R.K. Bernard, J.M. (1998). Clinical Supervision: Lessons From The Literature. Counselor Education Supervision, 38(1), 11-35. Holloway, E.L. (1987). Developmental Models of Supervision: Is It Development? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 18(3), 209-216. Lee, W.M.L. (1999). An Introduction to MulticulturalRead MoreApplied Personality Theories Essay2538 Words   |  11 Pagespersonalities become visible to ourselves by relating to others. Once Hal realizes his incongruence between himself and his relationships he may make changes to the way he regards others. Alfred Adler Individual Psychology The four major principles in Adlers approach to individual psychology are holism, the unity of the individuals style of life, social interest or community feeling, and the importance of goal directed behavior (Frager Fadiman, p. 101). Alder believed that people must be seen inRead MoreUsing Music Therapy in the Treatment of Stress and Anxiety Essay1835 Words   |  8 Pagesmany different reasons and most have a specific collection of music that they enjoy the most. Some listen to music to help them relax and relieve stress. However, in contrast to the effects of relaxing music, The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology reported on five experiments involving over 500 college students that examined the effects of seven violent songs by seven artists and eight nonviolent songs by seven artists. The results indicated that â€Å"violent songs compared to nonviolent songs

Dreams in A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay example

Oprah Winfrey once said, â€Å"The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake, when you dont know the difference between reality and fantasy, when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul that the dream is reality, and it really happened.† But, what actually is a dream and what do dreams really have to do with one’s everyday life? In essence, a dream is a series of mental images and emotions occurring during slumber. Dreams can also deal with one’s personal aspirations, goals, ambitions, and even one’s emotions, such as love and hardship. However, dreams can also give rise to uneasy and terrible emotions; these dreams are essentially known as nightmares. In today’s society, the concept†¦show more content†¦This quote really sets the tone and the atmosphere for the entire play because it allows readers to create a time line of events and essentially immerse within it. This quote is s tating that four days will quickly come and go, the days will turn into nights, and the dreaming that occurs during one’s slumber will allow the time to pass even more quickly. Because of Hippolyta’s unique circumstances, it is easy for one to assume that this quote was merely said because of her unconventional and rapid marriage to Theseus. Theseus is the Duke of Athens, and it has been previously mentioned that Hippolyta is the Queen of the Amazons. Upon the beginning of the play, it is known that Theseus has just defeated and returned from a battle with the Amazons. As victor, his spoils include, among other things, marrying Hippolyta. While Theseus is expressing his undying love for his future wife, Hippolyta obviously does not return the sentiments. It is possible that this quote is Hippolyta’s way of merely cursing the effect of dreams because they are ultimately shortening the time that she has left as an unmarried woman. Because she is not in love with T heseus, and is just a victim of an arranged marriage, her dreams permit each day come and go with ease, yet ultimately make theShow MoreRelatedA Midsummer Nights Dream772 Words   |  4 Pages In A Midsummer Nights Dream, one of the masterpieces of William Shakespeare, Shakespeare explores various aspects of love and friendship. With the help of the main characters such as Lysander, Demetrious Helena and Hermia, he endeavors that the path of love is full of obstacles, however, if one is committed and faithful, he/she can defy those obstacles leading him/her to success. As Lysander says â€Å"The course of true love never did run smooth†, the love stories presented in the playRead MoreMidsummer Nights Dream1886 Words   |  8 Pagesleads the troupe and plays Prologue Nick Bottom – weaver, plays Pyramus Francis Flute – bellows-mender, plays Thisbe Robin Starveling – tailor, plays Moonshine Tom Snout – tinker, plays Wall Snug – joiner, plays Lion Play Summary A Midsummer Nights Dream opens with Theseus and Hippolyta planning their wedding, which takes place in four days. Theseus is upset because time is moving so slowly, but Hippolyta assures him the four days will quickly pass. Their relationship has not always been soRead MoreA Midsummer Nights Dream Essay1482 Words   |  6 PagesA Midsummer Night’s Dream: by William Shakespeare William Shakespeare was born in April 1564. He had married at the age of eighteen to a twenty-six year old woman named Anne Hathaway in 1582. He had a daughter named Susanna and twins, Judith and Hamnet. Hamnet, his only son, died at age eleven. Shakespeare died in April 1616. Despite the fact that Shakespeare wrote some thirty-seven plays, owned part of his theatrical company, acted in plays, and retired a relatively wealthy man in the cityRead MoreUnreality in A Midsummer Nights Dream1693 Words   |  7 PagesUnreality in A Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream is a play that encompasses three worlds: the romantic world of the aristocratic lovers, the workday world of the rude mechanicals, and the fairy world of Titania and Oberon. And while all three worlds tangle and intertwine during the course of the play, it is the fairy world that has the greatest impact, for both the lovers and the mechanicals are changed by their brush with the children of Pan. For those whoseRead MoreMidsummer Nights Dream Essay1041 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream utilizes the technique of multiple characters playing leading roles. The fairy character Puck stands out as a dominant and leading role in the play. Puck is the best fit for the role of the protagonist because he is mischievous and therefore, has the ability to change the outcome of the play through his schemes and actions. As the protagonist, Puck is responsible for creating the major conflict that occurs between the four lovers throughout theRead MoreMetatheatre in a Midsummer Nights Dream1805 Words   |  8 PagesMETATHEATRE IN A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (SHAKESPEARE). The term metatheatre is used to refer to any instance in which a play draws attention to itself as a play, rather than pretending to be a representation of â€Å"reality.† Various uses of metatheatrical devices can be found in the works of William Shakespeare. One of Shakespeare’s favorite such devices is the â€Å"play-within-a-play.† With this device, the theatre audience finds itself watching an audience (on stage) watching a playRead MoreLove in A Midsummer Night’s Dream1043 Words   |  5 PagesLove in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Throughout the events which unfold in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare delivers several messages on love. Through this play, one of the significant ideas he suggests is that love is blind, often defying logic and overriding other emotions and priorities. Helena loves Demetrius unconditionally and pursues him despite knowing that he loathes her; conflict arises between Helena and Hermia, childhood best friends, over Demetrius and Lysander; and becauseRead MoreA Midsummer Nights Dream Essay1790 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"A Midsummer Night’s Dream† Essay â€Å"A Midsummer Night’s Dream†, one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies, is generally thought of as a comical romance. A very important factor that makes the whole play a comedy, is magic, which is used to affect the lives of four Athenians: Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius. Bottom, also a simple human, falls victim of the fairies’ mischievous magic. The magic reaches these characters by Puck, a naughty fairy, and Oberon, the king of fairies. PuckRead MoreA Midsummer Nights Dream and Scene1024 Words   |  5 PagesA Midsummer Night’s Dream Study Questions ACT I, SCENE I - Due Date ____________________ 1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus? 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? 3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? 4. What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? 5. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’sRead MoreA Midsummer Nights Dream1121 Words   |  5 Pagesarranged by parents for financial support. Shakespeare, however, wrote about couples who choose each other and love in preference to money and social status. They prove their love through crazy antics and tender loving words. In A Midsummer Nights Dream right from the begining we see the romance and drama unfold with the characters Lysander and Hermia, both madly in love but both threatened during the pursuit of their love. Hermia is told by her father not to marry Lysander but to marry Demetrius

Annotated Bibliography On The Rna Profiling - 1999 Words

Introduction Throughout the cells there are much type of Eukaryotic cells which make many types of cells and then they proceeds to the RNA, There is no complete data of this RNA present and the characteristic are very poorly unstated. The genetic information is directly represented by the RNA and it focuses on its synthesis, translation and modification it helps to understand the genome functions also. These observation are taken up together to form and define the functions and description related to genes (Bell, 2004). This observation tells about the range of expression and localization. As the technology is been improving day by day for the RNA profiling and the type of isolation made by the cells , the number of RNA has grown and†¦show more content†¦Finally it was found that a total of 62.1 % to about a 74.7% of the human genome was covered by either proceed or by the help of primary transcript. Analysis While we had performed sub cellular subscription function before the function of RNA isolation in 15 cell lines to deeply interrogate the human transcription. Now for the K562 lines we had perform the additional nuclear sub fractionation into the chromatin, nucleolus and the nucleoli. The RNA from each of these sub compartment were prepare in the form of replica and were separated from each other on the basis of the length into 200 nucleotides long and 200 nucleotides short. The part consisting of the long RNA were again been further fractionated into polyadenylated and in the form of non polyadenylated transcripts. There was a use of various number of complementary technologies were been use to characterize these fractions of RNA to their sequential order was made. Sequence rewards were been mapped and were been proceed through the use of a variety of tools also called as the software tools. We have been used to map the data to assemble those and quantify De novo elements. For the process of reproducibility the elements and the quantification were been further assessed between replicates and non parametric version of the irreproducible detection rate for the statistical test. The most part of the analysis with at least 90% irreproducible. Then the data which are been

How Does Spielberg create fear and humour within ‘Jaws’ Free Essays

The film â€Å"Jaws† was made in 1975 and was the film that brought the director Steven Spielberg his first major success. The film, with Spielberg as director, won three academy awards for editing, sound and original source. Spielberg, as a result of the film, became one of America’s youngest multi millionaires. We will write a custom essay sample on How Does Spielberg create fear and humour within ‘Jaws’? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Spielberg was given $7,000,000 to spend as the films budget. This may not seem a large sum of money compared to the sort of money that is spent on films nowadays but, it was a very large sum of money to spend on a film in those days. The film received mostly positive reviews, there was the odd bad review, which was critical of Jaws not being able to make the audience feel sorry for the victims. The film is based on Peter Benchley’s best selling novel, in which Jaws centres around the fictional North Atlantic resort island of Amity. A gigantic great white shark terrorizes the island. There are two killings at the beginning of the film, which brings in Matt Hooper, played by Richard Dreyfuss, an ichthyologist and oceanographer that is taken to Amity to help, using his expertise. Later on in the film, Amity’s most respected and most feared shark hunter, the enigmatic, vaguely malicious Quint teams up with Matt Hooper and the chief of the Amity Police Department, Brody, to find and kill the enormous shark and save the town from financial disaster. Jaws has one of the best anti-heroes movies have ever seen, Quint played by Robert Shaw is humorous and is frightening all at once. His soliloquy in which he tells the others about the tragic sinking of the USS Indianapolis is a most chilling and unforgettable performance. As well as analysing the storyline and plot, many other aspects of the film should be analysed such as: digetic and non-digetic sound, camera angles and their effects and the use of props and setting. It would be impossible to analyse the entire film in such depth without producing an epic piece of writing, therefore for the purpose of this essay an indepth analysis of the second attack will be used to show how fear and humour are used. John William’s had to make the music scary as the shark is not seen at the beginning therefore it needs the music to build suspense. It is instantly recognisable and almost as famous as the music from Physco. One of the reasons the music had to create the idea of the shark effectively was because, obviously Spielberg could not use a real shark. There was a mechanical model of a shark built (it was nicknamed â€Å"Bruce†). It created many problems. â€Å"Bruce† was made of polyurethane, was 24ft long and weighed 11/2 tons. On â€Å"Bruce’s† first test, he sank, and on his second, he exploded. An inspection of the shark revealed that the shark was cross-eyed and its jaws would not shut. These problems compelled Spielberg to be more inventive and to hide the shark for as long as he could throughout the movie. The Stravinskian rhythms of John Williams’s remarkable score created the idea of a menacing underwater killer. The fear that William’s created meant that the horror of the Shark is left to the audience’s imagination which is far scarier than anything the most creative special effects department could create. In the second attack, the camera is placed in front of Brody and characters walk in front of the camera, we get an interrupted view of the sea, like Brody does and this creates tension. There is an over the shoulder shot of a girl screaming, this prepares the audience for the attack. There is also digetic sound, such as splashing and the sound of laughter helps to build atmosphere of calm and fun. The close up of the people in the sea and screams build up the tension. The dog owner shouting his dog lets the audience know the shark is around. When we see the stick floating in the sea, that the owner of the dog has thrown, it is confirmed that the dog has been attacked, this builds the fear and tension for the audience as we know the little boy on the lilo is still out at sea. The non-digetic sound is the music and its effect is that we know the music represents the shark, we don’t have to see it. The underwater shot also represents the shark with the views of children’s legs which creates fear without seeing the shark itself. The climax of the music lets you know the attack will happen. The zoom in on Brody further heightens the fear. The victims are coded, Dog owner wears yellow, boy goes out to sea on yellow lilo and his mother wears a yellow hat. The police chief’s nervousness and refusal to go near the water is first seen in comic terms by the islanders, but is gradually vindicated by a slow slippage of menacing imagery- a disappearing dog, an anxious mother and a sudden, gushing fountain of red that signals a fatal attack. This contrast between tension and humour creates a wave-like rollercoaster of emotion for the audience which has the effect of increasing the tension. Overall the film creates a rollercoaster effect, with the humour in the film given the audience a short respite in the tension. Which later further heightens the more tense movements and the attack. This is all done very cleverly because the use of non-digetic sound and shark view camera angles create tension and fear without actually seeing the shark and without seeing the attacks. How to cite How Does Spielberg create fear and humour within ‘Jaws’?, Papers

Research Method Analysis Hip Hop Music

Question: Discuss about theResearch Method Analysisfor Hip Hop Music. Answer: Introduction It has been observed by various marketing analysts that when a brand name becomes a part of musical lyrics or when the product is shown in any popular hip hop music videos then it creates larger impact in the mind of the customers (Ferguson Burkhalter, 2015). This particular article highlights how this brand placement technique is useful in promoting products and how it has been successful for various popular brands over the years. Research Question There are huge numbers of examples of various brands like Toyota or Segrams Gin who have seen double digit growth in their sales when their product was shown in popular Hip-Hop music videos. So the main research question of this particular topic is that Why brand placement through Hip Hop music has been so successful over the years? Sample Sampling is all about selecting a set of individual that represents a large population. For this particular product Probability sampling was used and the sample size was chosen randomly. A sample size of 50 was selected for this survey. The participants were mainly undergraduate student of a mid western university between the ages of 18 and 36 (Ferguson Burkhalter, 2015). The sample size was appropriate for this research as hip hop music are mainly heard by the youngsters. They were given an online questionnaire containing questions related to two popular apparels. There are lots of apparels which are specially designed for the youth and Hip Hop music connects easily with this type of products. The sample size could have been more for getting a clear picture of the entire scenario. Many researchers also feel that these types of surveys are not relevant for this type of research. Russells theatre methodology which is done in a more realistic way and reliable too as it tests the stimu li of the audience in a real life setting. Methodology Research is a process where people try to finds out answers in a systematic way. For every type of research a proper research design is made and followed by the researcher to answer the main research question. For this particular research the researchers has opted the option of quantitative methodology. They have derived the data from a sample size composed of 50 undergraduate students. The data has been collected via online surveys. Amazons Mechanical Turk service was used to collect the data. This particular platform was chosen because of its growing popularity among the online customers and also marketing scholars who are keeping a close eye on such research. Mturk is extremely user friendly and also cost effective. As this research had some commercial purpose so the respondents were paid $1 for 8 minutes. The research went on for 2 weeks and 304 responses were selected. As the research has been done only for 2-3 weeks and the main information has been derived from the customer to understand the similarities and differences so it can be said that cross-sectional study has been done. Measures and Statistics For this particular study quantitative approach has been used by the researcher to show that how consumer preference for a brand gets affected by Hip Hop music. So for this research it can be said that independent variable is the Hip Hop music whereas the dependent variable is the brand attitude and recall score of the customers. It has been observed that the consumer preference has varied from question to question which has created a direct impact on the music. To get a better result, some of the most popular Hip-Hop songs were played and the participants were asked to recall the brand name coming in their mind. Response of these questions was coded as 0 and 1. 0 stands for Target placement not mentioned and 1 stands for target placement mentioned. Statistical tools like Chi-square test and ANNOVA was used for each of the variable. To assess the recall factor Chi-Square test was used where as the ANNOVA or covariance was used to test the dependent variable which is the brand attitude. This is the way how each of the hypotheses was tested. Though it can be said from the result that all the hypothesis were not supported. For example Hypothesis 1 was supported. It states that a brand name is recalled more often when the name is heard in the chorus of the song rather than heard in the song verse. Results and Conclusion In this particular study 5 Hypothesis was selected. Out of this 5 Hypothesis it has been found that only Hypothesis was supported, 2 Hypothesis was partially supported and 2 were not supported. It has been proved that prominence creates huge impact on brand recall as well as brand attitude whereas congruence creates impact only on brand recall. It has showed that Hip Hop music can create a positive impact on the sales of congruent brand like a segment of luxury cars. It is also to be noted that congruence factor alone cannot derive much attention. For example Mercedes is a high value car which normal people do not usually buy. But when the brand is promoted through hip hop song then even the normal young people who love more fancy brands rather than classy brands will also look upon this kind of cars. It is very hard to predict how much the data is valid. The reason is that the research has been done by selecting a random population. Though theory was paid around $1 for 8 minutes still anyone can give any random answers. Some might manipulate answers on their own and provide. As the research has been done at a high level hence, it can be said that at least 70% of the data are valid. When it comes to reliability then there is no point of doubting as Mturk was used. Further Research This research was done only for the apparel category. There is huge scope to do further study for other product segment as well. Only known brands have been used for this study. It will be very interesting to see how product placement in hip hop music works for an unknown brand. However the findings of this study will be helpful for the brand managers, music artists and record executive as they will get an insight of how hip hop music has done wonders for some of the most popular brands. They might also experiment by using Hip Hop music for less popular brand. References: Ferguson, N. S., Burkhalter, J. N. (2015). Yo, DJ, That's My Brand: An Examination of Consumer Response to Brand Placements in Hip-Hop Music. Journal of Advertising, 44(1), 47-57.

Professional Practices IT

Question: Explain the professional practices in IT? Answer: Introduction The analysis of Big Data involves numerous distinct phases, each of which originates many challenges. Many people distinctly focus just on the modeling phase: while that aspect is important, it is of a very brief use without another phase's analysis of data pipeline. Even in the stage of analysis, which had received much attention, there are worst understood difficulties in the context of multi-tenanted collections where different users' programs run simultaneously (Prajapati et al. 2013). Many rich challenges extend beyond the phase of analysis. For instance, a Big Data has to be maintained in context, which might result very noisy, homogenous and not include and direct model (Davis et al. 2013). The need to track the origin and to manage error and uncertainty topics that are vital to success, yet frequently mentioned in the same breath as Big Data. Similarly, the investigations to the analysis of data pipeline will not all is laid out in advance. This study emphasized on data analy tics with considering Oracle as the case organization. Oracle is an object oriented database management system marketed and produced by Oracle Corporation. It is the world largest database management system software provider. Data Analytics Data Analytics is the branch of scrutinizing organic data with the aim of representing completion about the orientation (Chardonnens et al. 2013). It is used in many industries to make business decisions and to authenticate absolute theories. In other words, it is the process of examining, inspecting, testing, analyzing organization useful information, thereby helps in suggesting decision-making. It is very sophisticated software used by almost all the industry. Data Analytics in business: In many multi-national industries, the theory of data analytics is at height. Many industries use big data analytics. It refers to skills; practice, technology, and investigation of past activities of business that include past business performance, to gain organizational interest and turn to business planning. The figure shown below is the analytics of Oracle: Evolution of data analytics It is used in business management since the 19th century to face each challenge that frequently arises in commercial activities (Davis et al. 2013). After the invention of data analytics, it had succeeded to bring changes to a completely new level and made endless possibilities. Advantage of data analytics in Oracle: Errors of the organization are known shortly: It helps companies to react fastly to migrate the operational problems. This will assist the organizational operations to save quickly falling from the stop of the database products (Chardonnens et al. 2013). New and latest strategy of the industry are known immediately: With the system like Real-Time Big Data, the industry can move one step ahead to get notified of the direct competitor and to lower of the process immediately (Zheng et al.2015). Detection of fraud: In the world of the multi-national financial area is very attractive to the criminals. Hacking of any type of database system will be informed instantly (Prajapati et al. 2013). Disadvantage of data analytics in Oracle: Special computer power: In a company like an oracle the technology like Hadoop is not suitable for Oracle. New tools and latest technology increases costs of Oracle (Prajapati et al. 2013). Different insights of using real-time data: To gain an accurate information result from greater insights that will harm the entire industry by overlooking some of the processes. Maintain ace of the system: The management of the system in Oracle requires highly qualified and trained candidates to take and maintain several types of system (Chardonnens et al. 2013). Challenges faced by Oracle and recommendations to overcome: Challenges faced by Oracle Risk Assessment: In an industry like Oracle (Corporate Performance Management) helps to make the evolution of the real world technology. It is becoming very tough for the industry to maintain financial forecasting in the market (Prajapati et al. 2013). Because the whole database market is vastly complicated and interconnected. Analytics business real time: There is a mismatch between different businesses that where should they apply the allocated resources. In some places, business and data work faster than employees. However, in maximum places, it becomes a bottleneck as it is very useful (Chardonnens et al. 2013). In a real time system, the allocation of several resources is quite vital. Measuring proper Rate of Interest: Oracle develops several types of database software in the market. There is an enough competition for the same product thereby as a brand name of Oracle; it releases a product at a very low price (Zheng et al. 2015). Hence, it results in a low gain rate of interest Big Data Potential: The actual potential of Big Data application will be unlocked when we get a customized view. In an exact way, that we each have a personal profile on any sites, we will positively have a personally customized view of each data that we interact with.To unlock application vendors provide differentiated value. Suggested Strategy to overcome the challenges and rationale By collaborating with a digital solutions technology, a personalized technology system can be developed for Oracle, solving every organizational challenge listed above (Davis et al. 2013). To start an intelligent, analytical scheme and to implement with different digital campaigns allows Oracle to work efficiently and collect useful data (Brner et al. 2015). By maintaining integrated database system helps Oracle to get accessible to information quickly. It is very beneficial to make the environment more user-friendly from several source channels. It is very crucial for the industry to remove the unnecessary noise by making the interaction of consumer trends (Chardonnens et al. 2013). Dashboard analytics is the massive and vast amount of data that determines and gives the ability to organize and make the actual sense of data that had been collected. It takes the data and information to look visually and intuitive and make easily accessible presentable. Analysis of Data Analytics Transformation at Oracle with respect to customer satisfaction and Responsiveness From the view of customer Satisfaction: In this context, an example is taken into account. According to this, when any customer enters in a bank, Big Data allows the clerk to check their profile and helps them to learn different products they might advise (Chardonnens et al. 2013). It will also have a significant role to play in initializing the physical and digital spheres of shopping; retailers could suggest an offer a mobile, by customer indicating a need in a social media (Brner et al. 2015). From the point of view of Customer Responsiveness There are few responses from customers in view of data analytics: reporting and insights, holistic approach to different customer services, integration of external and internal data feed in public place, timely response, use of proper and dedicated software of data analytics Trend of Data Analytics in Oracle in Future (next 10 years) Trends of Big Data at Oracle in future Oracle is world number one database management software provider who integrates and manages different system and in that context the trend of Oracle till 2020 is shown below: Rationale of the selected Response Relational Data Cloud Data Analyze, big and enhanced data on Hadoop Aggregate and Transform data using interactive analysis, trends of data with Machine Learning, utilization of Internet things in Real Time Transforming business with a complete data analytics Conclusion This study concluded that the existence of Big Data, low-cost products hardware, and latest information management and analytical software has composed an exclusive moment in the history of analysis of data. The solitary of these trends means that we have the efficiency to analyze data sets cost-effectively and quickly for the first time in history. This potential is neither trivial nor theoretical. They perform a genuine surge forward and a fair opportunity to comprehend the enormous gains regarding productivity, efficiency, profitability and revenue. The youth of Big Data is here, and these are truly radical times if both technology and business professionals promote to work stable and convey on the promise. References Atkearney.com,. (2016). Big Data and the Creative Destruction of Today's Business Models. Retrieved 16 January 2016, from https://www.atkearney.com/strategic-it/ideas-insights/article/-/asset_publisher/LCcgOeS4t85g/content/big-data-and-the-creative-destruction-of-today-s-business-models/10192 Brner, M., Rhode, W., Ruhe, T., Morik, K., IceCube Collaboration. (2015). Discovering Neutrinos Through Data Analytics. In Machine Learning and Knowledge Discovery in Databases (pp. 208-212). Springer International Publishing. Chardonnens, T., Cudre-Mauroux, P., Grund, M., Perroud, B. (2013, October). Big data analytics on high Velocity streams: A case study. In Big Data, 2013 IEEE International Conference on (pp. 784-787). IEEE. Das, T. K., Kumar, P. M. (2013). Big data analytics: A framework for unstructured data analysis. International Journal of Engineering Science Technology, 5(1), 153. Davis, P. (2013). Data Mining, Data Analysis, and Data Profiling Deandra Berry Capella University ISTM 5025: Analytics, Data Management, and Knowledge Management January 27, 2013. Fisher, D., DeLine, R., Czerwinski, M., Drucker, S. (2012). Interactions with big data analytics. interactions, 19(3), 50-59. Hu, H., Wen, Y., Chua, T. S., Li, X. (2014). Toward scalable systems for big data analytics: A technology tutorial. Access, IEEE, 2, 652-687. LaValle, S., Lesser, E., Shockley, R., Hopkins, M. S., Kruschwitz, N. (2013). Big data, analytics and the path from insights to value. MIT sloan management review, 21. Ohlhorst, F. J. (2012). Big data analytics: turning big data into big money. John Wiley Sons. Prajapati, V. (2013). Big data analytics with R and Hadoop. Packt Publishing Ltd. Saecker, M., Markl, V. (2013). Big data analytics on modern hardware architectures: A technology survey. In Business Intelligence (pp. 125-149). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Tierney, B. (2014). Predictive analytics using Oracle Data Miner. McGraw-Hill Education. West, D. M. (2012). Big data for education: Data mining, data analytics, and web dashboards. Governance Studies at Brookings, 1-10. Zheng, Z. G., Wang, P., Liu, J., Sun, S. (2015). Real-time big data processing framework: challenges and solutions. Appl Math Inf Sci, 9(6), 3169-3190.

Speech free essay sample

There are many talented players in the NBA and Kevin Durant has managed to become one of them. Attention: Kevin Durant is only 23 years old and is taking the league by storm, he has led the league in points per game since he was 20 years old and still has not won an NBA regular season MVP trophy. In the era where players are trying to go straight into the NBA or any other sport and become professional athletes, Durant did at least one year in college at Texas and played for the Long Horns. Thesis: I have watched Durant grow as a player ever since he was in college into when he was drafted second in the first round of the NBA Draft Pick by the previously known Seattle Supersonics, currently the Oklahoma Thunders. Durant deserves this MVP Award not only because of his talent but also because of leadership on and of the court. We will write a custom essay sample on Speech or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I. Nature Of Award: A. The nature of the NBA MVP Award is for it to be awarded to the player that is considered to be the best player in the league for that particular season. In order to be considered for the award a player most not only be good but his team most have a winning record. A way that a decision is made into who gets the award is by asking and seeing what team would not be nearly as good as they are now if a certain player most likely their leading score was not a part of the team. Other things considered are how well a player leads their team and there performance under clutch situations. C. Kevin Durant is not only a good player he is more then good. Durant has led the league in scoring for 3 years straight going into four with this season. According to NBA. com, a website design to have all the up do date information related to the National Basketball Association in these four years he averaged 25. 3 in the 2008 season 30. 2 in 2009, 27. 7 in 2010 and 28 in this regular season. Before Kevin Durant came into this team, no one even mentioned them. There games would not be nationality televised and they had no chance of making it into the playoffs. After his arrival he has lead his team into being championship Contenders and is still getting better. I have heard Durant say he goes by the saying â€Å"Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard† B. Watching Kevin Durant evolve as a player and person has though me that no matter how good you are at something you can always get better. C. Durant is a prime example of how if you work hard and are never satisfied you can achieve your dreams in life. Conclusion Summary: Now without further ado I would like to present Kevin Durant with his first regular season MVP award for leading his team into the playoffs, leading the league in scoring and staying consistence with his play.

The Trial Of Jeanne DArc Essays - Joan Of Arc, Michael, Jeanne DArc

The Trial of Jeanne d'Arc Jeanne d'Arc, better known as Joan of Arc, was the Maid of Orleans. She was a great heroin of the Hundred Years War for the French and was the spirit of the army. She was only a teenager when she heard the voices of Saint Catherine, Saint Michael, and Saint Margaret. The voices told her to march with the French army to drive out the English and place Charles VII on the throne. She provided support and spirit to the troops and shaped them up into better soldiers. She had successful victories like Orleans and at Patay, but was defeated and captured by the Burgandians while defending Compiegne. The Burgundians sold her to the English who had long been after her. She would be tried for witchcraft and heresy by the ecclesiastical court of Rouen led by Bishop Pierre Cauchon. The court was judged by the Bishop along with his assessors. The trial consisted of six public examinations, 9 private examinations, and several readings of articles. In the first public examination, Jeanne made it clear to the bishop and the forty-two assessors present that she would only tell the things she was allowed to tell even if it meant death upon her own oath instead of what the English wished her to. 'Of my father and my mother and of what I did after taking the road to France, willingly will I swear; but of the revelations which have come to me from God, to no one will I speak or reveal them, save only to Charles my King; and to you I will not reveal them, even if it cost me my head; because I have received them in visions and by secret counsel, and am forbidden to reveal them. Before eight days are gone, I shall know if I may reveal them to you.' The English interrogated her until she revealed the names of herself, her father and mother and of her birthplace along with m any other personal questions. At the second public examination, Jeanne was asked to swear an oath again to which she claimed, "'I made oath to you yesterday,' she answered, 'that should be quite enough for you: you overburden me too much!' In this examination, they asked her about her childhood, of the light she sees when the voices of the Saints speak to her, and who possessed her to wear men's garments. On the third public examination, Jeanne asked for her release but was denied. She was then questioned by a doctor who asked her of her health. He asked her when the last time she had food and drink and when were the last times the voices had spoken to her. He also questioned her of what the voices were revealing to her. At the end of the examination, the doctor asked her if she wanted a woman's dress to which she said, Give me one, and I will take it and begone; otherwise, no. I am content with what I have, since it pleases God that I wear it. On the forth public examination, she w as asked mainly about what the voices tell her and of what became of her famous sword Fierbois. She told them about her revelations about Orleans and that she knew it would be a victory for the French. In the fifth public examination, when she was asked to swear upon on oath, "And in this wise did she swear, her hands on the Holy Gospels. Then she said: ?On what I know touching this Case, I will speak the truth willingly; I will tell you as much as I would to the Pope of Rome, if I were before him.'" They then questioned her of what she would say to the Pope and whom she believed was the true pope. From this, they asked Jeanne if she had received the letter from Count d'Armagnac, which was asking Jeanne which pontiff he should obey to which she replied yes. They then read the letter that the Count wrote and the letter in which Jeanne replied to the Count. They also read a letter from Jeanne to the English King, the Duke of Bedford, and other officials

Free Essays on Selective Mutism

Selective mutism is an acquired disorder, in which a child is capable of speaking, and does so in many instances, but fails to speak in select situations where communication will typically occur. (Baldwin, 1994) This behavior is most often observed when young children are put into new situations such as meeting a stranger or a speech clinic. (Cleator & Hand, 2002) Selective mutism implies that a child suffering from this disorder does not choose to be silent, but rather become mute in situations that cause him/her to be anxious. (Cummings-Stegbauer, 2002) One of the most important aspects of defining this disorder is that the failure to speak is not due to the child’s lack of knowledge of spoken language or a communication disorder, but rather the psychological aspects of socialization. (8) Tramer initially labeled the disorder â€Å"elective mutism† in 1934, a term that is still used outside of North America, and it was viewed as a defiant behavior to overprotective and/or controlling parent(s). (McInnes et al., 2004) In 1994, American Psychiatric Association, renamed the disorder â€Å"Selective Mutism† since the title was more appropriate for emphasizing that a child becomes mute in select social situations that cause anxiety and not when he/she chooses not to communicate.(McInnes et al., 2004) When exposed to new situations or overcoming a traumatic episode children often go through a phase of adjustment, where they may not speak for some period of time. (Baldwin, 1994) This will not be termed selective mutism because of its course of development and etiology is different and will be managed in another way. (Baldwin, 1994) Children whom are selectively mute do not spend their day in silence; they tend to speak within the home with some or all family members, but fail to speak with those outside the home. (Cummings-Stegbauer, 2002) Some children will not speak to any child outside their home while others will pick a select few c... Free Essays on Selective Mutism Free Essays on Selective Mutism Selective mutism is an acquired disorder, in which a child is capable of speaking, and does so in many instances, but fails to speak in select situations where communication will typically occur. (Baldwin, 1994) This behavior is most often observed when young children are put into new situations such as meeting a stranger or a speech clinic. (Cleator & Hand, 2002) Selective mutism implies that a child suffering from this disorder does not choose to be silent, but rather become mute in situations that cause him/her to be anxious. (Cummings-Stegbauer, 2002) One of the most important aspects of defining this disorder is that the failure to speak is not due to the child’s lack of knowledge of spoken language or a communication disorder, but rather the psychological aspects of socialization. (8) Tramer initially labeled the disorder â€Å"elective mutism† in 1934, a term that is still used outside of North America, and it was viewed as a defiant behavior to overprotective and/or controlling parent(s). (McInnes et al., 2004) In 1994, American Psychiatric Association, renamed the disorder â€Å"Selective Mutism† since the title was more appropriate for emphasizing that a child becomes mute in select social situations that cause anxiety and not when he/she chooses not to communicate.(McInnes et al., 2004) When exposed to new situations or overcoming a traumatic episode children often go through a phase of adjustment, where they may not speak for some period of time. (Baldwin, 1994) This will not be termed selective mutism because of its course of development and etiology is different and will be managed in another way. (Baldwin, 1994) Children whom are selectively mute do not spend their day in silence; they tend to speak within the home with some or all family members, but fail to speak with those outside the home. (Cummings-Stegbauer, 2002) Some children will not speak to any child outside their home while others will pick a select few c...

Standard English Definition and Examples

Standard English Definition and Examples Standard English is a controversial term for a form of the English language that is written and spoken by educated users. Abbreviation: SE. Also known as  Standard Written English (SWE). According to Tom McArthur in The Oxford Companion to the English Language (1992), the term Standard English resists easy definition but is used as if most educated people nonetheless know precisely what it refers to. Examples and Observations The term Standard English refers to both an actual variety of language and an idealized norm of English acceptable in many social situations. As a language variety, Standard English is the language used in most public discourse and in the regular operation of American social institutions. The news media, the government, the legal profession, and the teachers in our schools and universities all view Standard English as their proper mode of communication, primarily in expository and argumentative writing, but also in public speaking.Standard English is thus different from what is normally thought of as speech in that Standard English must be taught, whereas children learn to speak naturally without being taught.(The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style. Houghton Mifflin, 2005We need to know Standard English, but we need to know it critically, analytically, and in the context of language history. We also need to understand the regularity of non-standard variants. If w e approach good and bad grammar in this way, the study of language will be a liberating factor- not merely freeing learners from socially stigmatized usage by replacing that usage with new linguistic manners, but educating people in what language and linguistic manners are all about.(Edwin L. Battistella, Bad Language: Are Some Words Better Than Others? Oxford University Press, 2005 Tacit Conventions of Usage [T]he conventions of linguistic usage are tacit. The rules of standard English are not legislated by a tribunal but emerge as an implicit consensus within a virtual community of writers, readers, and editors. That consensus can change over time in a process as unplanned and uncontrollable as the vagaries of fashion. No official ever decided that respectable men and women were permitted to doff their hats and gloves in the 1960s or to get pierced and tattooed in the 1990s- nor could any authority with powers short of Mao Zedong have stopped these changes. In a similar manner, centuries of respectable writers have shrugged off long-forgotten edicts by self-appointed guardians of the language, from Jonathan Swift’s denunciation of banter, mob, and sham to Strunk and White’s disparaging of to personalize, to contact, and six people (as opposed to six persons).(Steven Pinker, False Fronts in the Language Wars. Slate, May 31, 2012 The Convenience of Standard English [Standard English is that] particular variety of English which is regarded by educated people as appropriate for most types of public  discourse, including most broadcasting, almost all publication, and virtually all conversation with anyone other than intimates... Standard English is not entirely uniform around the globe: for example, American users of standard English say the first floor and Ive just gotten a letter and write center and color, while British users say ground floor and Ive just got a letter and write centre and colour. But these regional differences are few in comparison with the very high degree of agreement about which forms should count as standard. Nevertheless, standard English, like all living languages, changes over time...It is important to realize that standard English is in no way intrinsically superior to any other variety of English: in particular, it is not more logical, more grammatical, or more expressive. It is, at the bottom, a convenience: the use of a single agreed standard form, learned by speakers everywhere, minimizes uncertainty, confusion, misunderstanding, and communicative difficulty generally.(R.L. Trask, Dictionary of English Grammar. Penguin, 2000 Origins of Standard English By far the most influential factor in the rise of  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Standard English was the importance of London as the capital of England...London English took as well as gave. It began as a Southern and ended as a Midland dialect. By the 15th century, there had come to prevail in the East Midlands a fairly uniform dialect, and the language of London agrees in all important respects with it. We can hardly doubt that the importance of the eastern counties...is largely responsible for this change. Even such Northern characteristics as are found in the standard speech seem to have entered by way of these counties. The history of Standard English is almost a history of London English. (Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable, A History of the English Language, 5th ed. Prentice Hall, 2002)Half-way through the 17th century, the lexicographer Thomas Blount declares that the Babel of the vernacular made England a self-stranger nation- one growing alien to itself through this diversity of available forms . He dedicates his dictionary of 1656 to the cause of having English Englished. Arguably, in this context, it is not the rise of a standard variety of language, but a new awareness of dialect and variability of discourse- the self-stranger English of the Renaissance- that best defines the linguistic culture of early modern England. (Paula Blank, The Babel of Renaissance English. The Oxford History of English, ed. by Lynda Mugglestone. Oxford University Press, 2006 Varieties of Standard English [T]here is no such thing (at present) as a Standard English which is not British or American or Australian, etc. There is no International Standard (yet), in the sense that publishers cannot currently aim at a standard which is not locally bound.(Gunnel Melchers and Philip Shaw, World Englishes: An Introduction. Arnold, 2003)

Deudas, mal crédito, bancarrota y efectos migratorios

Deudas, mal crà ©dito, bancarrota y efectos migratorios Al iniciar un trmite migratorio como, por ejemplo, una peticià ³n de familiar o naturalizacià ³n para obtener la ciudadanà ­a americana es comà ºn preguntarse si las deudas pendientes, un mal crà ©dito o la bancarrota  pueden afectar negativamente a la solicitud. La razà ³n de esa preocupacià ³n nace, por una parte, del requisito de tener una situacià ³n situacià ³n econà ³mica saneada para solicitar ciertos beneficios migratorios, como por ejemplo la peticià ³n de cà ³nyuge, hijos, hermanos o padres y, por otro, porque cierto tipo de deudas impide que salgan adelante peticiones migratorias.   Por su importancia, en este artà ­culo se explica en quà © casos y  cà ³mo esas situaciones pueden afectar a los casos migratorios, destacando en primer lugar cuando son irrelevantes y, en segundo lugar, cuando sà ­ se tienen en cuenta a la hora de decidir si se aprueba o no una peticià ³n migratoria. Adems, se seà ±alan quà © beneficios recibidos del gobierno se consideran carga pà ºblica y, por lo tanto, afectan negativamente y, por otro lado, cules se pueden recibir sin problemas porque no tienen consecuencias migratorias. Casos en los que las deudas y mal crà ©dito no tienen consecuencias migratorias Si se tiene una deuda por no pagar, por ejemplo, a la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a de telà ©fono, una deuda privada, la factura de un mà ©dico, etc, no tiene generalmente efectos ni consulares ni migratorios negativas. Es decir, no afecta a lo que se resuelve con respecto a la peticià ³n. Y ello es asà ­ porque se considera que son asuntos civiles. Lo mismo sucede con el mal crà ©dito. En el caso de peticiones para un familiar de la tarjeta de residencia permanente, tambià ©n conocida como  green card,  lo que importa es que el solicitante tenga ingresos y/o patrimonio  suficientes y demostrables para cubrir las obligaciones del affidavit of support, tambià ©n conocido como declaracià ³n de sostenimiento. Si tiene mal crà ©dito o deuda pendiente, es irrelevante. Casos en los que las malas finanzas sà ­ tienen efectos migratorios Cuando la deuda se convierte en un asunto penal, como por ejemplo, en una estafa u otros semejantes entonces sà ­ que tiene efectos migratorios y puede ser causa para que nieguen visas, peticiones de residencia permanente o de ciudadanà ­a por naturalizacià ³n. Tambià ©n puede ser una causa para que se impida en el control de paso migratorio  el ingreso a Estados Unidos de un extranjero. Si la deuda es con la Hacienda de Estados Unidos (IRS), tambià ©n es un problema que hay que resolver antes de iniciar los trmites con inmigracià ³n o los consulados. Si la deuda es mà ©dica y el importe de la factura lo pagà ³ Medicaid, tambià ©n puede ser muy problemtico si se considera que fue un caso de carga pà ºblica. Por ejemplo, si una mujer extranjera tiene a un bebà © en Estados Unidos y no paga por el parto y luego se regresa a su paà ­s, tanto esa mam como el pap el bebà © pueden perder la visa de turista. Con el agravante de que no hay forma de salirse de este problema en concreto. Si se trata de una deuda por no pagar pensià ³n alimenticia (child support), segà ºn las circunstancias del caso puede tener como consecuencia que no se pueden obtener visas americanas, ni la residencia permanente y la ciudadanà ­a por naturalizacià ³n. Y, en casos extremos, puede dar lugar incluso a la deportacià ³n. Incluso, dependiendo del monto de la deuda, los ciudadanos americanos pueden encontrase con que no pueden sacar el pasaporte y, por lo tanto, no pueden viajar internacionalmente. Destacar que el child support puede ser solicitado no sà ³lo para nià ±os que viven en Estados Unidos sino tambià ©n en el caso de residir en otros paà ­ses cuando tienen a al menos el padre o la madre viviendo en Estados Unidos. En estos casos, tener en cuenta que  la Embajada americana en el paà ­s de residencia del menor no puede ayudar en estos casos. La razà ³n es que este es un tema de los estados,  no del gobierno federal. Algunos paà ­ses, como  Mà ©xico, tienen firmados acuerdos de reclamo de pensià ³n alimenticia con varios estados.  En los casos en los que no hay tales acuerdos y se desea exigir el pago de dicha pensià ³n, contactar con la agencia de  child support  del estado en el que vive el pap o la mam. O contratar a un  abogado en dicho estado. Adems, tener en cuenta que el tener un pap que es estadounidense  no da automticamente derecho a adquirir la ciudadanà ­a americana  cuando se nace fuera de los Estados Unidos. Adems  que en el caso de reclamar pensiones de alimentos en el caso de nià ±os nacidos fuera de matrimonio primero es necesario  establecer legalmente la filiacià ³n. Quà © beneficios son considerados como una carga pà ºblica Uno de los requisitos legales para ser admisible a los Estados Unidos es no ser considerado una carga pà ºblica. Y es que por esta causa se pueden negar un amplio abanico de peticiones o solicitudes migratorias como, por ejemplo, una  visa no inmigrante o una visa inmigrante o el ajuste de Estatus o para adquirir la ciudadanà ­a por naturalizacià ³n. Se considera que es una carga pà ºblica haber recibido del gobierno beneficios monetarios como, por ejemplo, el Suplemento de Ingresos de Seguridad (SSI, por sus siglas en inglà ©s), o Asistencia Temporal a Familias en Necesidad  (TANF, por sus siglas en inglà ©s). Destacar que estos beneficios pueden recibir otros nombres dependiendo del estado. Por ejemplo,   en California al programa TANF se le conoce como CalWorks. Finalmente, tener en cuenta que la regla general sobre los efectos migratorios de recibir beneficios considerados como carga pà ºblica tiene importantes excepciones. Por ejemplo, asilados y refugiados pueden recibir TANF y SSI sin problemas. Quà © beneficios no se consideran carga pà ºblica Se puede recibir del gobierno sin problemas WIC para infantes y embarazadas, cupones o estampillas de alimentos, que en California reciben el nombre de Calfresh. Asimismo, se puede aceptar ayuda a la vivienda o para guarderà ­as, Headstar o Medicaid para menores. En otras palabras, recibir este tipo de  beneficios no perjudica a peticiones o solicitudes migratorias que se realicen despuà ©s. Quà © hacer si se tiene una deuda con posibles consecuencias migratorias Si se tienen dudas sobre si una deuda puede afectar negativamente a una peticià ³n migratoria, antes de presentarla es recomendable contactar con un abogado de buena reputacià ³n o con una organizacià ³n de apoyo legal a migrantes para determinar si realmente tiene impacto migratorio y, en caso afirmativo, decidir quà © pasos tomar.   Generalmente en estos casos, lo ms recomendable es contactar con la agencia encargada del cobro de la deuda (collection agency  en inglà ©s) e intentar llegar a un acuerdo sobre la cantidad a pagar y los plazos para hacerlo. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Health organization case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Health organization case study - Essay Example This is aimed at further personalizing health care, not to mention the enormous effect of trending innovations that continue to ensure patient satisfaction such as from receiving medical attention from the comfort of their homes. United Healthcare prides itself in the latest technologies in diagnosis, treatment and data handling (storage and processing) (United Healthcare, 2015). This will ensure better quality health care and faster service to reduce ‘crowding’ and ‘overwhelming’ situations. With appointments much easier to make and health related information readily availed to patients who can access them easily, prevention is fast becoming a major ally in further enhancing the United Healthcare’s readiness to addressing the health care needs of its citizens in the next 10 years. The main strategy to ensure United Healthcare’s sustained network growth is to become and retain its spot as the best destination for health care for various ailments. United Healthcare has additionally invested in new, fast, easy and personal technologies and innovations that make access to health care easier to persons in any parts of the country, or globe. These include resources such as myuhc.com, Health4Me mobile application, my Healthcare Cost Estimator, myClaims Manager and Your 24-Hour Nurse which among other things, enable patients/ users to receive answers to their questions, receive health tips and advice, book appointments with doctors, print IDs, estimate health care costs, view and pay claims, access claim forms, locate a pharmacy and change mailing preferences (UnitedHealthcare Online, 2015). United Healthcare also plans to build more hospitals and clinics that will compliment the over 5,600 such facilities already present all over the country in bids to aid its network growth and enhance patient satisfaction (reach). The organization also continues to enter agreements with businesses to

Not Listening to a Child as a Form of Neglect Essay

Not Listening to a Child as a Form of Neglect - Essay Example However, the real challenge is the application of past findings and integrating them in the participation of children for the sustainability of their rights. It is apparent from stereotypes and perceptions that the rights of children have been neglected hence impacting on the development of children. According to Lansdown (2005), listening to children's expressions and experiences at school, home or other environmental settings helps in raising their esteem, social skills, and cognitive abilities. Therefore, the more children are involved and engaged, the more they increase their competence, confidence and acquisition of other skills. It is important as a parent or for any responsible person to positively engage them through listening them, as it will contribute positively to their mental and psychological growth. Marginalized children and those who are vulnerable in society especially the looked after face a challenge in realizing their potential, thus they should be provided with support through participatory engagement and listening to their demands and needs (Howe and Covell 2005). Listening to children also helps challenge situations of violence, discrimination, injustices or other related threats therefore serving to protect children. Silencing children means that any injustices against them are kept in the dark, while the abusers get protected rather than the children. Jones and Welch (2010) affirm that, if children are encouraged to speak and are listened to, then it will rather be easier for any violations to be exposed.

Senior Information Technology Auditor for the consulting firm of Term Paper

Senior Information Technology Auditor for the consulting firm of Comroe - Term Paper Example This paper presents a description of an independent audit conducted on security, governance and business continuity assessment of Adams Brick Communications Company’s Information Technology. Introduction As the Senior Information Technology Auditor, it is my responsibility to ensure that the audit committee undertakes reviews and conduct tests and assessments on Information Technology department of the company that will provide management assurance that the business as a whole is operating effectively. Information Technology audit is basically responsible for reviewing both the operational and technical aspects of existing and planned computer systems in addition to assessing whether the risks they pose are significant or has the ability to add to the anticipated business specific risks. Adams Brick Communications Company heavily depends on Information Technology department in order to meet its goals and objectives as a business entity given that it is a communication company which generates most of its revenue from advertisements. The normal and up to standard functioning of the information technology of the company is therefore considered vital for the company’s survival. ... Â  The corporation is located in the heart of the city, with one satellite office in a nearby suburb. Â  ABC’s primary business is a local newspaper and news website. Â  They also have multiple small niche magazines that support special interests in the community. Â  All of these assets are supported through the advertising division of Adams Brick Communications. The company has its advertising division as its backbone given that it’s the main source of revenue even though its overall goal is to provide services to the community Information Technology governance The Information Technology Group (ITG) is tasked with supporting the endeavors of Adams Brick Communications. Â  It is led by the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and a staff of ten information technology professionals. Â  The CIO reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer, and is on the same level as the other executive officers of ABC. Â   ITG, while being led by the CIO, is split into three groups. Â  A two person networking team, a five person system administration team, and a three person team focused on security. Â  While the security team is responsible for privacy and security matters, it is mostly implemented by the two other teams. Â  The IT governance is handled by the Chief Information Officer. The networking team is responsible for the connectivity of Adams Brick Communications. Â  They are first responsible for ensuring that the business has appropriate bandwidth to support all business operations. Â  As new hosts are added to the network, the networking team must give them the lines needed to connect to the intranet. Â   The system administration team handles the equipment at the host level. Â  They ensure that proper hardware and software has been deployed at each user as needed.

Are we heading for a world currency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Are we heading for a world currency - Essay Example Local markets are the key factors that created such zones. They seem to prosper economically if they are trading in one regional currency. Personally, I agree with the idea of a SGC, but, currently, the vastly varying political and economic landscapes of sovereign countries around the world are posing barriers to it. This paper will list and describe some of the factors, both for and against a SGC, and discuss why it is unlikely to achieve one in the near future. Presently, there exist some economic forces that favor the amalgamation of currencies. Below are some of the influencing factors. Troubled Currencies Since trade is so vibrant and persistent among nations, it is critical for the nations to have confidence in their local currencies and those of their business partners (Volcker 10). A confidence decline in a country’s currency will spread fear among all other countries that share trade relationships and interests with it, further leading to a currency pandemic. An examp le of this scenario is the currency calamity that befell Mexico, Argentina, Russia and Thailand. The then United States President, Bill Clinton, remarked that solving Mexico’s problems was not only significant to the rest of Latin America, but also developing countries in the whole world (Volcker 11). The fact that the Mexican catastrophe could stretch to neighboring countries in the region and affect their currencies informed this idea. Countries in Debt Countries that have lent money to other countries worry about the possibility of depreciating of the debt owed to them due to the occurrence of a currency crisis or devaluation (Hellyer 43). They seek assurance that their debts will be repaid in currencies that have not depreciated in value. This makes currency stability a worldwide concern and aim. Furthermore, countries that have previously experienced currency crisis stand to benefit if their currencies are converted to regional units (Hellyer 43). This has an effect of r educing fears of currency problems in the future. Multinational Companies Multinational companies face challenges in an attempt to price their products and record profits while working in many currencies (Hellyer 44). A currency consolidation is a welcome relief to financial officers of such enterprises. Online Banking With its already worldwide and well established infrastructure, online banking is a trend poised to last for long. Through it, money is constantly moving across borders without passing through conventional banking systems, making it a contributing economic factor favoring currency consolidation (Bonpasse 127). Factors Inhibiting Creation of a World Currency The factors above have contributed favorably towards the need for a SGC. They, however, raise questions as to how a SGC would be governed (Volcker 4). There seem to be two intertwined, key factors working against them, and they appear to carry the day; world political and economic platforms (Volcker 4). A third fac tor, religion, poses its own class of difficulty. A combination of all the factors put forward against a SGC has a general suggestion that the current world setting is simply not ready for it (Volcker 6). Religion Some religions, especially Islam, outlaw the amassing of interest on loan principal (Mustaqim 1). Religion forbids the faithful to charge interest to other faithful or the poor. Currently, large populations of religious faithful opposed to the paying of interest are

If a company sells its products only from an online website, which is Essay

If a company sells its products only from an online website, which is accessible to customers all over the world, does it still need to worry about having a specific target market. Explain your answer - Essay Example The paper therefore focuses on whether a company that makes online sales through a website that is accessible to clients across the world still needs to focus on maintaining a particular target market. Like it happens in life that an individual will never appeal all human beings, the same is witnessed with businesses. Despite having a website accessible to customers around the world, an organization needs to create value for defining who it requires using the goods or services it provides. Defining expected buyers remains important due the following reasons. First, through identification of a target market, a company becomes precise in its marketing as well as advertising efforts. Having an ideal client helps in strategizing specific tactics of reaching them. Specific strategies remain important during the decision-making process as decision making becomes easier and more focused saving in time as well as resources (Mooradian and Matzlerz 2012). Secondly, customers will find the business quickly. Although the website serves a global purpose where everyone can learn about the existence of an individual company, majority of individuals may fail to learn about the enterprise’s life. Customers need to have greater assurance from products and service providers that their needs and desires, as well as challenges, will be considered once they arise. The aspect of developing a virtual or physical location where customers will meet the providers of goods and services creates more confidence in customers prompting more use of products and services offered. Lastly, although referrals are made through the internet, having a particular target market establishes close association with existing clients making it easier for them to make referrals. Consequently, irrespective of the above benefits of having a target market, reaching customers throughout the

What patriotism mean to me Essay Example for Free

What patriotism mean to me Essay Loading Older Messages (11) Sunday Antahlia Napier 10/13, 9:08pm Antahlia Napier yea Monday Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:01pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Wyd Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:09pm Antahlia Napier chillen now Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:15pm Nate Young Migo Thompson In woodland? Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:15pm Antahlia Napier yea im in da house Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:16pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Who Im woodland *in Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:16pm Antahlia Napier ion no im in the HOUSE Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:20pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Lol who was out there Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:26pm Antahlia Napier i dont no i seen jarmed them when i was oming home like and hour ago but ion no i dont go outside so idk Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:43pm Nate Young Migo Thompson If i come out there yhu gone come out lol Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:43pm Antahlia Napier im fiinna come out there well nvm yea ill come out Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:45pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Where to? Where you gone be? Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:45pm Antahlia Napier Da pool Nobody there anyways Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:46pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Meet me where we use to be? Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:48pm Antahlia Napier and where is tt u dont even be doing nunthing anyways so what we meeting for? Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:50pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Oh well never mind then if you dont want to Tuesday Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/15, 5:23pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Aye Today Antahlia Napier 5:03am Antahlia Napier Wessuhhpp? Nate Young Migo Thompson 5:04am Nate Young Migo Thompson Wyd today

Child Friendly Schools In Kenya Education Essay

Child Friendly Schools In Kenya Education Essay The purpose of this essay is to explore the contribution of Comparative and International Research in the successful implementation of Child Friendly Schools (CFSs) in Kenya. Emphasis will be placed on the background of CFSs, current practices and emerging critics, success stories, problems and pitfalls and what CIR can do to subjugate some of these challenges. I will start by examining the rationale for exploring CFSs, based on literature and my professional experience. Following this background will be literature surrounding the concepts of CIR and CFS in relation to global agendas, exploring how CFS came into existence and the driving forces behind it. I then go on to focus on a case study of CFS in Kenya, discussing the role of CIR in the Kenyas CFS, arguing that CIR is used as a political tool in creating educational policy, rather than a research method or an intellectual inquiry. I will further critically analyze challenges facing CFS and how knowledge on CIR can contribute mo re effectively to successful implementation of CFS. A conclusion based on the literature and authors experience will then be drawn. Throughout the essay, I build a case in favour of CIR arguing that CIR stimulates critical reflections about our educational systems by investigating commonalities and differences across national borders. Background and Rationale Perhaps, one of the growing fields in education in the modern age is comparative and international education, judged by the volume of studies reported in the literature. Central to this is that many countries around the world have formulated some of their educational policies based on scholarship in CIR. With the current wave of globalization, researchers and experts, especially in the field of education, are always trying to find ways of streamlining their educational policies with the global trends. According to Giddens (1990:64), globalization is the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distance localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. Global forces therefore have an impact on shaping local practices at grass root levels. In order to do this tactically and critically, comparative and internal research remains cutting edge in informing people about the realities, the challenges and the possible effects of uncritical transfer of ideas. Interestingly, global agendas in matters related to education are prioritized towards basic education as opposed to adult education or higher education. In Africa, this would be probably because, as Oketch (2004) points out, basic education yields higher rates of returns compared to higher education. This has subsequently caused government and non-governmental organizations to focus more on improving the quality of basic education. Child-friendly schools (CFSs) in Kenya is an example of a initiative sponsored by UNICEF with the aim of not just providing children right to education but the right to the right education. In other words, CFSs are more concerned with the quality of basic education in addition to its access. The emergence of CFSs in Kenya was catapulted by the forces of agendas 1 and 2 of Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) which emphasizes on the provision of basic education. The World Education Forum (2000) agreed on six Education For All (EFA) goals. The sixth goal conce rned Education quality, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognised and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills. The term quality in education is dynamic because of the social, political and economic context at which it is used. Because of differences in contexts, it is imperative that knowledge of comparative and international research be used in designing policies and pedagogy in CFS that fit that particular context. Furthermore, with the fear that some countries may lag behind as others move forward, sub-Sahara countries are now engaging in various practices in order to achieve this goal, a race against the 2015 set deadline for attainment of EFA goals. As the clock ticks towards the year 2015, priority goals in education may change for post-2015 and the worry is further elevated. One of the efforts the government of Kenya is doing to improve the quality of education is by integrating CFS model into the basic education system. Two major questions arise here: First, how is CFS realistic considering myriad challenges facing the FPE policy in Kenya? Secondly, if CFS model is the best practice to go by, what is the role of CIR in successful implementation of the CFSs? It is against this background that the purpose of the essay hinges. Literature Review In this section, I will look at the concepts of Comparative and International Research (CIR) and Child Friendly School (CFS) based on the literature and merge them with the global forces that catapulted the emergence of CFS with an attempt to unveil the voices behind the introduction of CFS in Kenya. In addition, I will use an example of PRISM experience in Kenya to reinforce the understanding as to the role of international bodies in promoting quality through well strategized and executed projects, arguing that lessons from PRISM experience can be used as insights to successful implantation of CFSs. Concepts of Comparative and International Research (CIR) and Child Friendly School (CFS) CIR is a fusion of two broad areas of research: Comparative Research and International Research. To understand its full meaning, it is important we define the two areas of research separately. In his definition of comparative research, Mills et al (year) argue that: Comparative research is a broad term that includes both quantitative and qualitative comparison of social entities. Social entities may be based on many lines, such as geographical or political ones in the form of cross-national or regional comparisons. (p. 621) A similar perception was echoed by Noah and Eckstein (1969: 127), who described comparative education as an intersection of the social sciences, education and cross-national study [which] attempts to use cross-national data to test propositions about the relationship between education and society and between teaching practices and learning outcomes. In light of this definition, comparative research in the context of education can be defined as a study of two or more entities or events (Crossley Watson 2003) with the underlying goal of searching for similarity and variance. Cross-national or regional comparisons may include comparing educational policies, pedagogy, educational leadership and so on. According to Mills et al (2006: 621), the search for variance places more emphasis on context and difference in order to understand specificities. International education, on the other hand, can be defined as the application of descriptions, analyses and insights learned in one or more nations to the problems of developing educational systems and institutions in other countries (Wilson 2000a: 116). Thus, international research is concerned with research carried out across two or more countries, often with the purpose of comparing responses between them. This might be done in order to devise strategies that work well across both or all these cultures or to suggest local adjustments to a global strategy There is a close relationship between comparative and international education. Epstein (1994: 918) points out, that international educators use findings derived from comparative education to understand better the processes they examine, and thus, to enhance their ability to make policy. We can therefore draw from the above two definitions that CIR in education as a method of comparing both qualitative and quantitative entities in education across different countries, societies or cultures with the aim of identifying similarities and differences. It is however important to note that not all international research is comparative, and not all comparative research is international or cross-national. According to UNICEF, a child-friendly school is both a child seeking school and a child-centred school: It is child seeking because it actively identifying excluded children to get them enrolled in school. It is a child-centred school because it acts in the best interests of the child leading to the realization of the childs full potential, is concerned about the whole child: her health, nutritional status, and well-being and concerned about what happens to children before they enter school and after they leave school. A CFS system recognizes and respects childrens right and responsibilities; it provides the enabling environment to realize childrens right not only in schools, but also in childrens home and their communities. These include children from conflict zones, street children and children with disabilities. The Child-Friendly Schools model (see fig 1) is based on simple, rights-based concepts that would have all schools be: Rights Based School: CFS proactively seeks out-of-school children and encourages them to enrol, irrespective of gender, race, ability, social status, etc. Gender Sensitive School: CFS promotes equality and equity in enrolment and achievement among girls and boys. Safe and Protective School: CFS ensures that all children can learn in a safe and inclusive environment. Community Engaged School: CFS encourages partnership among schools, communities, parents and children in all aspects of the education process. Academically Effective School: CFS provides children with relevant knowledge and skills for surviving and thriving in life. Health Promoting School: CFS promotes the physical and emotional health of children by meeting key nutritional and health care needs within schools. (UNICEF, 2007) Fig 1: Model of the Child-Friendly School Source: UNICEF( 2007. The CFS model provides a framework for planning (and monitoring the effectiveness of) strategies for increasing access to quality basic education with the specific focus on the development of strategies to include those children hitherto excluded from education (UNICEF, Global Education Strategy, 2007). It is important to note that there is no one-way to make a school child-friendly. The model may differ from country to country depending on the context. International and Local Pressures and their influences to formation of CFS in Kenya Education in sub-Sahara Africa, and indeed in Kenya, is crafted from both influences by global trends in education and the legacies of colonialism. Chisholm and Leyenderker (2008) observe that: Since 1990, the goals and purpose of education in sub-Sahara Africa has been reshaped by four interconnected developments: globalisation, the changed focus of international aid agencies towards development assistance, the adaptation of sub-Sahara African countries to the new world order with its new political emphases, and the spilling over of new pedagogical ideas from the USA and Europe into sub-Sahara Africa. (p 198) Kenya is a signatory to a number of conventions in education, including the Convention to the Rights of the Child (1989), the World Declaration on Education for All (Jomtien, 1990), the Dakar accord and the Millenium Development Goals (2000). In achievement of education development goals, Kenya is bound to, among other things, quality education by MDGs. The Jomtien call for access for access, equity, quality and democracy in education appeared to promise both social and economic development (Chisholm and Leyenderker, 2008). Social and economic development, and continues to be believed, requires educational change and educational change is necessary for social and economic development (ibid:). Educational change, in turn, is perceived to depend on, amongst other things, the input from relevant development assistance projects. These projects, in the arena of education, are typically formulated with reference to internationally negotiated development agendas (like the MDGs) and priority (Crossley Watson, 2003). An example of these projects in Kenya is CFSs which are supported by United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). The Education Section of UNICEFs Programme Division introduced the Child Friendly Schools (CFS) framework for schools that serve the whole child in 1999 (Chabbott, 2004). Rationale for introducing CFS framework in Kenya The increased reliance of foreign aid to support education reform in Kenya has been accompanied by a transition, from understanding education as a human right and the general good to viewing it primarily in terms of its contribution to national growth and well-being through the development of the knowledge and skills societies are deemed to need. (Arnove Torres 2007:359). Occasional voices continue insisting that education is liberating, that learning is inherently developmental (ibid: 359). With the global concern that Sub-sahara Africa countries may not achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015 unless the progress is accelerated (Carceles et al., 2001; Bennel, 2002), Kenya responded by introducing Free Primary Education (FPE) policy in 2003 with both local and global pressure. The rationale behind introducing FPE was (apart from the pressure from global and international agendas) to alleviate poverty attributed to lack of literacy skills. The success story behind implementation of FPE policy is the increased enrolment at primary schools by nearly 50%, from 5.9 million in 2003 to 9.38 million pupils according to the Kenya Economic Survey 2011. However, there are myriad challenges facing the implantation of FPE policy: there are not enough textbooks, classrooms are overcrowded and the infrastructure in many schools is inadequate for the numbers of pupils attending. Many of the schools do not have sanitation facilities. The teacher-pupil ratio is quite high: accor ding to UNESCO there are more than 40 pupils per teacher, on average. All of these factors militate against the provision of quality teaching. There is no magic wand for fixing this problem of quality in education. In response to this CFS were introduced in Kenya by UNICEF. According to UNICEF (2006:1): The challenge in education is not simply to get children into school, but also to improve the overall quality of schooling and address threats to participation. If both quality and access are tackled, children who are enrolled in primary school are likely to continue, complete the full cycle, and achieve expected learning outcomes and successfully transition to secondary school. The CFS framework (see appendix 3) aims at promoting child-seeking, child-centred, gender-sensitive, inclusive, community-involved, protective and healthy approaches to schooling and out-of-school education with a general goal of improving the quality of learning. Since CFSs are concerned with the quality of learning, it is important we look at the meaning of quality. The national examinations to obtain the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at the end of primary cycle and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) at the end of secondary cycle are designed to evaluate the extent to which the primary and secondary graduates master the curriculum content. In other words, the national test scores are used as the indicators of quality. The limitation of this indicator is that it does not take into account the context at which learning takes place i.e. the learning environment, learners unique characteristics etc. There are many definitions of quality but one of the descriptions of quality which emphasizes on the context was by Tikly (2011:10) who argued that: A good quality education is one that enables all learners to realise the capabilities they require to become economically productive, develop sustainable livelihoods, contribute to peaceful and democratic societies and enhance wellbeing. The learning outcomes that are required vary according to context but at the end of the basic education cycle must include threshold levels of literacy and numeracy and life skills including awareness and prevention of disease. In his description, Tikly believes that a good quality education arises from interactions between three overlapping environments, namely the policy, the school and the home/community environments. In his perception of quality education, Tikly puts context into consideration i.e. needs of the learner, cultural and political contexts. In addition, he emphasizes on the relevance of what is taught and learned and how it fits the nature of particular learners in question. This encourages policy makers to take cognisance of changing national development needs, the kinds of schools that different learners attend and the forms of educational disadvantage faced by different groups of learners when considering policy options'(ibid:11). The fact that CFS emphasizes on learner-centered pedagogy and puts the child at the centre or focal point in the learning process raises the idea of what is regarded as valuable knowledge and how this knowledge is acquired in this particular context. This leads us to the inquiry on the school of thought or paradigm behind introducing a contextualized CFS framework. CFS as an approach to education is premised on constructivism, a theory of knowledge arguing that humans generate knowledge and meaning from interaction between ideas and real experiences. According to constructivists, the notions of reality and truth are socially constructed and in different context with the understanding that knowledge is subjective and embedded in multiple realities. Thus, quality of learning should be viewed in the context in which it is occurs. Towards Quality Basic Education In Kenya: Developing Research Capacity and Evaluation Before we acknowledge the contribution of CFS in providing quality education to the children at Primary school level, it will be prudent to review some of other contributions that has been made by international organizations in collaborations with the local governmet in promoting quality of education at grassroot levels by building research capacity. Kenya has had a history of benefiting from international assistance in its education sector. One of the programmes is the Primary Schools Management (PRISM), an initiative of DfID through the Ministry of Education, which places a lot of emphasis on participatory approaches and emphasis on mobilising community support, resource management and utilisation, supporting learning of pupils and developing action plans. It targeted teacher training and management and the impact of this is overall effectiveness of an education system which has a direct bearing on quality of education. According to Otieno Colclough (2009:26), PRISM is regarded as one of donor-funded programmes which had most positive impact on quality of basic education and CFS can learn from it. As Crossley et al notes, the main objective of PRISM was to improve the quality of primary education through the training and support of head teachers in practical management skills. Borrowing from the PRISM experience it is worthy l earning that well planned and organized CFSs projects involving community participation at grass root level could help tap local voices and lead to successful implementation of educational policies not only in Kenya but also other parts of African contexts. Challenges in implementing CFS in Kenya In this section I will explore common challenges associated with the CFSs concept with an aim of illuminating and critiquing the gap between policy and practice in CFSs. Access and Quality Dilemma: Which one should be first priority? As I mentioned earlier, one of the role of CFS in Kenya is to improve the quality of learning. But the access to education is still a challenge in Kenya and there is fear that Kenya will not have achieved EFA goals 1 and 2 by the year 2015. As we near the 2015 set deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, at a time when hopes should be high, universal access to primary education in Kenya seems to be slipping away. Many comparative researchers argue that different countries have different educational problems and it is the countrys obligation to identify what should be the priority and why. Aksoy (2008: 218) observes that: While developed countries are mainly engaged in activities to increase the quality of education, or they practice and seek new techniques and methods of learning and teaching, developing countries struggle to provide equal opportunities for education, trying to increase the rate of participation of all citizens in basic education, which is actually compulsory. To deal with its educational problems, each country works out countrywide or local solutions, depending on the nature of the problem. The tone of such statement is more closely allied to the question of priority. Priority in one country may not be a priority in another. In Kenya, the major problem basic education is facing is of access while higher education is facing the problem of quality. CFS focus more on quality, but in the Kenyan context, access to education is still a problem in basic education even after the introduction of FPE. The CFS concept of quality can however suit very well in small state commonwealth countries which have almost universal access to basic education. It has been noted that small sates have now shifted education priorities towards focus in school effectiveness, quality and inclusion (Crossley Watson 2003) and CFS in Kenya should learn from small states that the priority should now be on access to basic education before shifting to quality. Atomizing the child: is child-centred the solution to quality CFS? A key feature of a right-based, CFS system is that it is linked tightly to the child-centred learning process. CFS advocates for child-centred learning where a child is treated as a single entity or an atom in learning processes. The idea of atomizing a child has its drawbacks derived from child-centred learning. First, there is an oversight on early year development behaviour of the child. Psychologists believe children undergo various levels of development and their learning behaviours are different at each level. For instant, Vygotskys (1978) concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) implies that a child cannot ordinary create ZPD by himself; he needs the more expert individual to bridge the gap between his current development level and his proximal level of development. Secondly, a child-friendly, democratic learning environment may not work successful in overcrowded classrooms and school with limited resources like it is the case in Kenya. Thirdly, child-centred learning weakens the role of the teacher. The idea that a child must be active in construction of knowledge is often understood to imply a diminishing role for the teacher in learning process who now becomes a coach or a facilitator. A call for paradigm renovation, from an exclusively child-centred learning to a combination of both child-centred learning and teacher-centred learning approach is important so that the weakness of one method is complemented by the other method. What Lessons can Kenya learn from other Countries in Implementing CFS? A Review on the Contribution of Comparative Research Kings (2007) emphasizes the need to explore the tension between the national and the international policy agendas in Kenya in order to make informed decisions when crafting educational policies. Clearly, this is a view that underscores the contribution of CIR researchers in bridging theories, policies and practices with both local and global minds (Crossley, 2000) in trying to identify betters grounds to critically reflect and determine appropriate course of action. Apparently, the term that is commonly used in Kenya and indeed many Africa countries in the initial processes of designing an educational policy is benchmarking. Essentially, this is usually a comparative study which is carried out either locally and/or internationally in trying to compare different models of policy framework with the aim of critical adaption or adoption. Lessons are well learnt when a comparisons are made, and this underscores the strength and significance of comparative research. Moreover, since problems transcend national borders, it is prudent to seek possible solutions from a similar experience in another country, and this explains why international research is important. Kenya can learn from other countries that are either progressing or failing to implement CFS because lessons can either identify opportunities or gaps, based on comparative analysis. In these respect therefore, I have identified two key elements of CIR which could help implementation of CFS. The first element is on identification of the gap between policy and practice. Documenting the emerging good practices and lessons learned within the regions is useful in informing evidence based programming and advocacy to enable us to achieve better results. For example, a Global Evaluation Report published by UNICEF in 2009 on comparative studies of how to six countries (Guyana, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand) with different experiences implementing CFS, demonstrated the following: CFSs in varying contexts successfully apply the three key principles of CFS models-inclusiveness, child-centredness and democratic participation. Schools operating in very different national contexts, with different levels of resources and serving populations with different needs have succeeded in being child-centred, promoting democratic participation, and being inclusive. Schools that had high levels of family and community participation and use of child-centred pedagogical approaches had stronger conditions for learning, that is, students felt safer, supported and engaged, and believed that the adults in the school supported the inclusion and success of each student. (UNESCO, 2009) Kenya can use this success report to assist in providing a broader perspective on the ways in which CFSs can contribute to quality in the countrys unique context. The caution should however be that any steps taken should have hindsight of the current context in the country to avoid uncritical transfer of practice which may end up opening a Pandoras box. Secondly, through CIR, studies of educational systems that share similar problems can provide information for learning possible consequences. A recent comparative evaluation research conducted by UNESCO in Nigeria, Gunaya, Thailand and the Philippines on CFS pedagogy gave different findings. While teachers in Nigeria and Guyana mainly focused on meeting basic instructional material needs (textbooks, paper), many teachers in Thailand and the Philippines focused on having greater access to information and communication technology (UNESCO 2009). Kenya experiences the same challenge as Nigeria and Gunaya, and data from these countries can be used to learn how they coping with inadequate basic instructional material. The caution here should be, that common problems may prevail in different countries, but common model cannot be applied because each country has different culture/context (Crossley Watson, 2003:39). This provides invaluable information of what to adopt, modify or avoid. Conclusion It is worthy reiterating Crossley'(2003) emphasis that context matters and different countries have different needs and priorities even if they are faced with the same challenges. The value of CIR is studying foreign systems of education in order to become better fitted to study and understand our own (Sadler 1900, reprinted 1964:310) and CIR can be used as a lense to focus on adaptable or adoptable practices. UNICEF repeatedly emphasises that CFS is a pathway to educational quality rather than a blueprint and that it is counterproductive to regard the CFS model as rigid, with a present number of defining characteristics or key components (2009c, Ch. 1, p. 9). Thus, the essay sought to present an overview in favour of the contribution of CIR in improving successful implementation of CFSs in the Kenyan context. As such, the essay acknowledges the role of CIR in stimulating critical thinking and reflections about CFSs system by evaluating its success and failures, strengths and weaknes ses. This critical reflection facilitates self evaluation in our own context and the basis for determining appropriate courses of action. The article also hints that CIR helps us understand global agendas and how they shape educational development projects from organizations and development agencies.