Chinese Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Chinese Philosophy Essay Human being is by nature a dynamic being, whose tendency to evolve is manifest in history, archeology and other disciplines that have put human development and progress in focus in the course of evolution and so does the society / community in which he resides. Heraclitus, an ancient Greek philosopher, once stated; â€Å"As they step into the same rivers, different and still different waters flow upon them† (qtd. in Snooks 1). In line with this saying, we may say that change is something that is part of nature. Many of the activities of communities can address, embrace or resist change. In order to manage the various incidents and conditions that are experienced by man and his society, various instruments and frameworks are devised. In the case of the Chinese society, a number of philosophical standpoints were developed in a bid to confront the challenges facing China. This paper endeavors to examine Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism and Legalism as the instruments put in place by the Chinese in response to the wars that China was experiencing, especially in regard to leadership in a society. Confucianism Confucianism puts quality on the ability of the human being to achieve, through self introspective processes, a state of inner harmony and moral uprightness, which can elevate the individual from the stables of a common person to a noble person. Confucias (541 – 479 BCE) was China’s first moral philosopher who linked moral behavior to traditional roles and hierarchies. He linked the Zhou order that was deteriorating and believed that all should understand and accept their role in the society. This system of thought is good in so far as it has faith in the human being as being capable of managing his own destiny, and being able to change for the better. Confucianism gives an individual member of the society a chance to take responsibility for creating and maintaining harmony in the society, by having it entrenched in the individual countenance that recognizes nobility as a state that can be achieved by an individual, without anybody being able to gain it through ascription or inheritance and this is not closely attached to the exercise of political power per se (Barry et al. 24) In China where many communities were vying for political dominance, Confucianism offered a window for the restoration of order through self cultivation, oriented toward achieving a noble state, in spite of the person’s social extraction. This, as a philosophy that sought to bring harmony in the warring Chinese society, worked toward the establishment of personal moral uprightness, which in turn would affect the way people related to one another, especially in their relation to leadership. If the society regarded nobility highly, then the noble people, having cultivated themselves effectively; would have their influence in the society to steer clear of war, or to effectively lead the people in better battle campaigns against their adversaries. If on the other hand, the Chinese society was to transform itself into a nation of noble people according to Confucian principles, then everybody would maintain the peace, because people would look at each other with more humility and kindness. The Confucian noble is thus, one who is able to provide leadership without really reigning or ruling. Confucianism can also be seen as a direct response to insensitive leadership during the war period, and thus, a system to try and impress the virtue of good leadership amongst the rulers of the time (86). This was done in such a way that it did not threaten as much, the social structures prevalent then, hence the Confucian recognition of the social hierarchies, and insistence on the citizenry to uphold respect for the superiors. Of course, war is a period when it matters to positively receive instruction and commands from the superiors. Daoism While Confucianism promotes the practice of self improvement in line with the argument based on natural evolution of the human species, Daoism on the other hand places all human effort in the search for knowledge and purposeful transformation in the realm of vanity. Daoists wanted the governments not to override their lives and were interested in the spiritual aspect of human existence. The temptation to dismiss this school of thought prima facie is quite high. This is due to the natural orientation of man to take responsibility of his destiny and the natural tendency to seek a better life, to marvel at nature and to try to influence it so as to satisfy personal needs. In that respect, one would expect that a working formula has to emphasize man’s rationality and his wants and needs, as the central pillars of his push toward creating his own history and having dominion over his environment. On the other hand, Daoism offers a situation where, as a country at war, the Chinese had an opportunity to re-examine their value systems and act accordingly. The Daoist concept of being in harmony with nature and not struggling to bring about change could be looked at as a peace strategy. This is because wars are naturally fanned by human desire to achieve something that humans feel is of ultimate importance to them. Wars also spring out of humans’ questioning of things and hence inventions of valuable things (which they desire so much). Humans would also like to either wrest from people who wouldn’t like them to possess the valuable items, or fervently protect the items from the people who would covet them. The need for man to change, to improve on things and to have an influence over his environment is a tendency that puts man in contention with the Daoist principle. If people followed Daoism, then they wouldn’t engage in a lot of questioning, which would bring about the escalation or perpetuation of the war. Their social relationships would be smooth, for all of them would be in harmony with nature, which would naturally take its course and not support of war. Daoist leadership would therefore be a laid back kind of leadership, with nature ‘taking care of itself’. The kind of transformation to come out of the society would therefore be premised on the Daoist fact that nature is capable of transforming itself, and man doesn’t have to take steps to interfere with occurrence of events. This however, would be criticized on the premise that change is something to be managed by the human being, by use of his intellect. Daoism as a leadership style would be an aloof kind of leadership, and during the war period, something deliberate had to be done, the solutions to the problems then were not just left to ‘fall from heaven’. To best illustrate this, Barry calls Daoists â€Å"†¦those who wandered off†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (48) Legalism This school of thought argued that strong government depended upon effective institutional structures not just the moral quality of the leaders. This could be described as the application of law for the benefit of the majority. Legalism thus becomes a system of reinforcement, with an emphasis on both positive and negative reinforcement meted out to the members of the society in order to discourage certain socially undesirable behavior according to the majority of people paying allegiance to the society in question (Ebrey Buckley 23). According to legalism school of thought, society is shaped through its reward system, with socially unacceptable behavior being punished for, with blessings from the social framework that awards certain individuals the power to dish out these rewards, without necessarily being seen to deny one or infringe upon their rights. This may help galvanize a society or community, which will in turn have a more prominent sense of identity and solidarity. Such a stand in a war situation is good for the purpose of gaining victory over the enemy. Legalism is quite an ideal system for bringing the society together in the face of a common enemy. This also gives the ruler the chance to act with speed, since legalism is a system that is responsive to the times; changing with circumstances and accordingly responding to the dictates of the time. War times need an atmosphere where there is quick action and response, and with the foundation that gives legality to what the rulers are deciding on behalf of their subjects. Legalism was therefore, an ideal philosophical grounding for individual Chinese communities during the time of war, for it is a system that can well serve the expedients of war. This comes in the light of the fact that the Chinese had developed government structures bequeath to them by the Chin dynasty, and which lasted for more than two centuries (Barry et al. 145). The structures brought about by the Chin dynasty were important in the realization of the dictates of the legalistic system, which was organized around reward and punishment, and had to have a basis in the common will of the people. Thus, there had to be a person vested with the power to mete out punishment to errant members of the society, while at the same time hand down rewards to those who performed and behaved in accordance with the needs and aspirations of the society. This person also derived mandate from the same common will that requires the people to obey and take reward, both positive and negative, with understanding; since it is for the common good that this is done. It can be argued that legalism is something close to Confucianism, because it comes out of man’s free will. It is a product of social engineering, with a view to bringing about an ideal society; something totally distanced from Daoism, which emphasizes the need to let life just flow, without taking any action to influence one’s environment. Mohism This is a system of universal brotherhood, where everyone on the face of the earth is related to each other, with an obligation to look after one’s kin (Ebrey Buckley 35). Taken from this very standpoint, this is a perfect doctrine for humanity at any one time, and in this case, for China during the warring times. This is because, as we have noted above, human conflict springs out of differences. These differences, when not solved amicably, lead to war. The inclination to keep some things away from others and to take what is owned by others is a perfect recipe for war. If, in the light of Mohism, all of humanity was to lay a claim on brotherhood, and maintain that doctrine of being each other’s keeper, then the incidence of war would be remote. This is because brotherhood entails harmony and amity. It also presupposes the ability to communicate with each other without necessarily taking to arms. Mohists might not have been comprehensive in their brotherhood matrix. Even though all men are supposed to be brothers, the Mohists’ view of the world is quite hierarchical, with the junior members of the society bearing a social responsibility to be subservient to those who are perceived to be on an elevated social platform. This is a system that would have borne fruit if only the small people accepted it. If however, the common people are not agreeable to this arrangement, then Mohism would be just but another plank of wood in the fire, for they would revolt as a response to this flawed brotherhood arrangement. From a different perspective, Mohism could be taken to be the answer to the perceived social injustices prevalent in China then. Much as one could be the other’s brother, this system sought to cultivate an environment where an individual, after striving for, and accumulating enough superior residues; would acquire a higher status and would lead people. War needs strong willed people, since it carries a lot in terms of collateral damage, both in terms of human life and material possessions. War time also needs utmost sacrifice, so that as brothers, some members of the society do not just sit back and wait for the other people to work out way-through for them. If one is in a lower position, then he has to be obedient and provide for that one who is up. In this way, Mohism comes out as a system that influenced the social set up such that it recognized the need to love each other, and to be ready to stand by each other; while at the same time, not losing the individual. If they were to be juxtaposed, Mohism and Confucianism would relate up to a certain extent. One would easily say that in terms of hierarchy, both Confucianism and Mohism teach about the society in light of inequalities and the need for these to be maintained through proper social decorum. Confucius goes deeper to analyze, at a finer level, the social relations and how they should be handled for the sake of peace and tranquility. Mohists may differ on some of these because of the pedant stand they regard the social hierarchies and how they observe and maintain them. However, it provides a framework for the legitimization of rulership, for a ruler is someone who occupies a place in a hierarchical set up. Legitimacy of a ruler springs out of the acceptance the ruler enjoys from the society. War times need strong leaders who derive legitimacy from their people. In times of war too, a ruler could impose himself on the people, but for as long as he serves to protect them or unite them against the enemy, then his legitimacy may not be much of a problem, since it is in the people’s name that the ruler reigns. This solidarity is best achieved by communities that recognize hierarchy as a natural phenomenon in life, and which Mohists and Confucians upheld in their thought. Conclusion In conclusion, based on personal point of view, the various ideological developments in China which brought about the four schools of thought which have been examined in this paper are a response to certain conditions in the society at the time of their emergence, and that these are mechanism that were crafted so as to manage change. The difference only lies in the points that were stressed. Mohism, for instance, is a system that was conservative to a certain extent, reacting to the possibility of occurrence of a development that could challenge the existing hierarchical status quo. At the same time, it endeavored to foster change in the way people regarded one another, with the small people (the serfs and commoners) fully recognizing and venerating their lords. Confucianism on the other hand, much as it strove for change on the individual level which would later on seep into the entire social fabric of the Chinese, was also a fairly conservative system. Just like Mohism, it posed no threat to the existing powers. It was a system that would be used to bring the people together in times of war, for this was not a time for people to start questioning their authorities. By defending the hierarchical system existent then, the Confucians thought of an alternative leadership style where noble people would get to influence the rulers through their self cultivation. This system almost totally absolved the ruler from responsibility, since the leader had the social privilege of lording it over his subjects without being obliged to observe certain tenets of leadership. It was however incumbent upon the subject to go through the process of self improvement. What would happen if all the subjects had transformed themselves yet the leadership was not together with them? What avenues would they have to really exercise power? Daoism was one way of running away from the human responsibility to respond to change. By letting all systems go, the society would be at a greater risk of falling prey to the dictates of a bad ruler, a coward or one who would sell them to the enemy during this war period, since the Daoist doctrine was all about living and letting live. After considering everything, legalism seems to be the system that would have best defended the particular communities, and even a collection of the communities, for it is a system of action and reciprocation. The common person reacts, and then the system responds by awarding a deserving reward; whether positive or negative.

Technical And Vocational Education

Technical And Vocational Education The development of Technical and Vocational Education and Training has clearly been seen as a key to national poverty reduction and socio-economic development in Cambodia, as defined in the Rectangle Strategy of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) and the five-year National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 2006-2010. These show a commitment to skills development. The National TVET Development Plan, 2006-2011, also identifies the TVET sector as an important element in alleviating poverty, promoting peace, conserving the environment, improving the quality of life for all, and helping achieve sustainable development in Cambodia. However, Cambodias current TVET system is facing several critical issues such as: lack of access to formal training on a national basis, weak links with industry, lack of entrepreneurial focus, poor quality control, inadequate institutional financing, low rates of information and communication technology (ICT) usage and low capacity of TVET teachers, which h ave limited the quantity and quality of system outputs for years (e.g., Asian Development Bank [ADB], 2009; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], 2004b; International Project on Technical and Vocational Education [UNEVOC], 1997). With the critical importance of the TVET sector, the TVET curriculum must be well prepared for the success of students at the workplace. It can mean the difference between success and failure for TVET students in terms of theoretical knowledge and technical skills as well as being abreast with new technologies in the workplace (African Union, 2007). Similarly, Ben-Peretz (2009) specified the school curriculum as one of three critical domains of education, which should prepare students for their future success. As reported by United Nations Development Program (UNDP) (2011) one of the most vital aspects of education is to produce a workforce which is skillful and able to gain returns on their education and for the overall economy when they are in their careers. Therefore, the education system must be able to understand the needs and necessities of the economy and prepare learners for their economic lives (UNDP, 2011). However, TVET curricula have not focused their relevance to the requirements of the labor market in many countries; and in other nations, for various reasons, employers or managers may prefer to hire unskilled workers or academic graduates and provide on-the-job training programs (Maclean Lai, 2011). There do not seem to be strong gains and work advancement in Cambodia (UNDP, 2011). Additionally, the balance between theory and practice has shifted in recent years. There seems to be a case about the (under)graduates perceptions of the relevance of TVET curriculum to their existing jobs. However, this anecdotal information was only heard second-hand from employers. That is, many employers in Cambodia have complained about the curriculum mismatch that most graduates from universities and technical schools are not well equipped with knowledge and skills needed at workplace, especially soft skills (ADB, 2009; UNDP, 2011). Actually, the importance of survey of (under)graduates perceptions of their study programs helps to improve the quality of TVET curriculum, and could be important for TVET curriculum reform as conducted in many countries (e.g., Lubasha Tripathi, 2012; Singh Singh, 2008). Indeed, the value of surveying the perceptions of students on the relevance of the study program is something that the school committee should consider as being of practical importance to our own educational institution. The lack of feedback from students may probably have been problematic to the school curricular that were intended to offer knowledge and skills for the world of work. Since there is little information about students perceptions on the curricular in Cambodian TVET especially at my workplace, my study on this topic will serve as a helpful source for TVET curriculum development and improvement and brings the school to success in filling gaps between the curriculum mismatch and the needs of the industr ies. The study of student interests will focus on graduates of a TVET institution, which is located in Phnom Penh and offers educational and training services from certificate levels to bachelor degrees in business and engineering studies. The study will be conducted in Phnom Penh, and a group of graduates of civil engineering field between the academic years 2011-12 will be contacted for questionnaires and individual interview. Those graduates work in different job positions and in different companies. The survey research will help to inform the leaders of the institution to look at the importance of student survey on the relevance of TVET curricular and the result will best serve for the school curriculum reform. Statement of Problem The mismatch between education and employment is critically concerning to many related stakeholders. They are also concerned that most universities and TVET institutions have provided knowledge and skills, which are not relevant to industries (ADB, 2009; UNDP, 2011). Therefore, as in many countries, Cambodian graduates find it difficult to deal with the jobs available in labor market when their knowledge and skills are far different from what they have experienced in schools (e.g., Lubasha Tripathi, 2012; Singh Singh, 2008). The perceptions from students are often neglected by many universities and TVET schools in Cambodia; that is why study programs are often found out of date in the current world of work where graduates find it hard to enter. The student voice is often silenced, but it can be regarded as a key mirror to reflect the good match of school curriculum and the industry needs. Moreover, the irrelevance of school curricula is the critical issue faced by many educational institutions in Cambodia (ADB, 2009; UNDP, 2011). Therefore, the knowledge and skills needed by employers cannot be matched when employers hire graduates to perform the jobs. Thus, there are some frustrations for employers to employ graduates who have the knowledge and skills which are irrelevant to their needs. Many employers have complained about the knowledge and skills provided at schools while graduates have expressed their discontentment about what they have learned from schools. Research Question Given this background to the study, the research study will propose the following research question, in order to explore and examine undergraduates perceptions of the relevance of TVET study programs toward their current jobs: What perceptions do graduates in a civil engineering degree (the academic year 2011-12) at one Cambodian Institution hold in terms of the relevance of their studies to their current jobs? Significance of the Research Study The focal findings of this research study will contribute to the quality of school curriculum development, and to the determination of the relevance of the study programs in terms of providing students with skills and knowledge required in the world of work in the field of civil engineering. Specifically, the study will be a helpful reference for the development of TVET quality improvements. Furthermore, the result will provide important information to relevant stakeholders in the TVET sector in order to help create the TVET stream as a main tool for equipping people with high knowledge, skills and competence for their employment and employability in the competitive world. Data in the study will hopefully be utilized for the improvement of curriculum and will also be used to determine areas of weaknesses. The findings can be used as a tool to provide instructors to better master their teaching practices and to aid TVET institutions to create a database on students perceptions of thei r study programs. In order to make effective changes in offering any study programs, it is vital to receive feedback from students who are involved in the specific programs. Hopefully, this survey study will be a valuable asset, and its findings will also serve as a supportive document for researchers from different fields of study to use and build their foundation knowledge of TVET students perceptions of the quality and relevance of study programs to job industries in the TVET system. Chapter Two Literature Review By using the search engine Google Scholar and the James Cook University Library search engine with key terms including: the perceptions of TVET students, the purpose of higher education and further education, the use of student feedback and survey, the quality of higher education and further education, the role of higher education (HE) and TVET, the relevance of study programs to industries, and TVET, I have found and downloaded many useful materials for my literature review of my topic. Although some materials seem to be out of date, they are still useful for the research study, because they can give an overview on the topic, and they can work as a foundation of knowledge to support the literature review. The Role of Higher Education in Preparing Undergraduates for Workforce The international context. An article by Haveman and Smeeding (2006) stated that most Americans expect the nations colleges and universities to promote the aim of social mobilization to make it possible for a student with capability to succeed. According to Mortese (2003), higher education can serve as a model of sustainability by fully integrating all aspects of campus life that students have experienced for their future lives. Furthermore, higher education has become a major driver of economic competitiveness in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy when the world has faced many matters (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD], 2010). To improve employment skills calls for quality teaching and holistic approaches within universities (OECD, 2010; Ben-Peretz, 2009). National and transnational discussions like the Bologna Process, regarding state regulations and incentives, as well as competition among private and state-run institutions all urge universities and educational and te chnical providers to put quality teaching on their agenda (OECD, 2010). In addition, national quality assurance agencies push for reflection on the subject, even if their influence is controversial. Since higher education systems are increasingly diversifying, society is increasingly concerned about the quality of study programs offered to their consumers. This is not only the case in the academic stream, but is the case in the TVET stream. As many relevant stakeholders have recognized the importance of the study program in preparing students for jobs, Lauglo (2006) explained that TVET curricular refer to deliberate interventions to bring about learning which would make people more productive (or simply adequately productive) in designated areas of economic activity (e.g., economic sectors, occupations, specific work tasks) (p. 11). This is because TVET has its great potential to enhance human capabilities and enlarge peoples choices (Ayuba and Pascal, n.d.). Therefore, the education system must be able to understand the needs and necessities of the economy and prepare learners for their economic lives (UNDP, 2011). Additionally, Klimek (2010) noticed that a skill refers to an ability to perform a particular mental or physical activity that may be developed through vocational training or practice. Klimek (2010) also noted that vocational education and training provides people with occupational or work-related knowledge and skills. TVET also includes programs which provide the basis for subsequent vocational programs (p. xxviii). Therefore, TVET curricular are designed and developed as an education alternative to prepare students for the world of work (Klimek, 2010; Ayuba Pascal, n.d.). The changing demands of the workforce in the 21st century have created great challenging problems for TVET providers to respond quickly and efficiently to the continually changing skills requirements of the industries (Rafik, Treadwell, Triki, Gupta, Najah, n.d.). This is important if developed countries are to stay competitive and challenging but it is even more important for developing countries to catch up and fill the gap with the industrialized world (Rafik et al., n.d.). These challenges have resulted in growing debates and demanding solutions on developing better and more effective TVET systems that satisfy the national needs (Rafik et al., n.d.). The Cambodian context. The state of the higher education system in Cambodia, consisting of both university education and vocational and technical training, is largely formed by three factors: very disparate organization mechanisms, poor quality output, and low enrolment (UNDP, 2011). These three factors are greatly slowing down the advancement of higher education and more capable human resources in the whole country, and there should be a major concentrated point when undertaking reforms in education. A total number of eleven ministries and agencies which provide higher education service thus have access to the public education budgets of Cambodia (UNDP, 2011). The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS) and the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MoLVT) are the two most important ministries regarding higher education in Cambodia, and while the Cambodian Education Law states that MoEYS is responsible for general, higher and vocational education, it does not provide any explanation for the r ole of MoLVT, which has resulted in a high level of challenges, and hardship in developing strong cooperation links between these Ministries in providing educational and training services to learners (UNDP, 2011). Understandably, this makes coordination of the higher education system very difficult for the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to take actions on this issue. There are 38 public TVET institutions spread over 24 provinces of Cambodia under the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training; and many NGOs, large-and-small enterprises, local centers, and other relevant stakeholders also operate TVET practice on a very small and localized scale with few exceptional cases (National TVET Development Plan, 2008). However, NGOs move in and out of skills training, depending on donor funds availability and/or donor interest. At present, there are approximately 12 national NGOs that run institution-based skills training courses (National TVET Development Plan, 2008). The public TVET provision does not fully meet the need for basic and mid-level skills in the formal and informal economies, of NGOs and other local private centers, like Don Bosco schools, TAYAMA Business school, and EDC Training Center help to fill gaps. Lack of access to formal training on a national basis, weak links with industry, lack of entrepreneurial focus, poor quality control, and inadequate institutional financing continue to limit the quantity and quality of system outputs. Pich (2010) indicated a number of students are smaller in the TVET system than that in the academic stream while the employers need technical knowledge and skills for their business practices. This is the mismatch between higher education and the needs of industries, concerned by many stakeholders if the availability of solutions is not at hand (UNDP, 2011). In summary, we can say that the quality in TVET in Cambodia is low. There should be coordination amongst these ministries to link the educational services to match the requirements of the industries while the relevance of curricular seems to be low when graduates tend to work (UNDP, 2011; ADB, 2009). The Use of Student Feedback for Curriculum Development in Higher Education The international context. Authorities in higher and TVET education often use student feedback as a mechanism to improve course content and delivery. In the TVET sector internationally, survey questionnaires have been used to explore stakeholder perceptions of the quality of TVET education and of the match between the skills of graduates and the needs of industry. For Munro (2008), it is ideal that feedback results are used to assert the strengths and find out areas of improvements in organization. As the practice of survey research is important, Lubasha and Tripathi (2012) surveyed stakeholders perceptions in VET programs in Tanzania, which are relevant to the quality all stakeholders may think, while Singh and Singh (2008) mainly focused on employability skills in Malaysia. Both studies have aimed at the improvement of study programs offered at educational and training institutions in order to perceive the quality of education and training as the key for graduates to be employable after they graduate from schools (Lubasha Tripathi, 2012; Singh Singh, 2008). In the study, Lubasha and Tripathi (2012) found that the determinants of quality in the VET programs such as the quality of VET programs, the relevance of VET programs to employment trends and entrepreneurship, and the perception of delivering the quality VET programs, which are critical for improving the quality of education provided by VET programs in Tanzania. The survey result of Singh Singh (2008) indicated that si gnificantly employers tend to hire local graduates from public universities to non-public graduates. This is because they believe that public graduates have the knowledge and skills they need for their business. Another survey study of 434 TVET graduates in Ghana which was done by Dasmani (2011) indicated that limited teaching and learning facilities for instructors and learners, large class sizes, and weak linkages with employers can lead to poor training and education of students. Dasmani (2011) added that this lack of preparation for the job entries put more pressure and working place difficulties to those graduates. This means that the survey finding is not only important for universities, but it also helps to inform TVET institutions about the perceptions of employers and students whether the TVET programs are at best quality to fill the gaps. It can also serve as an informant in offering better quality TVET programs. Therefore, many countries (e.g., Australia, England, Wales, and so forth) have created specialized research centers for VET and HE (Chalmers, 2007) and many international conferences are organized each year to disseminate and share the results of research in this area, in order to help the TVET sector to be flexible in the world of work (Rafik et al., n.d.). Rafik et al. (n.d.) also added that the main aims of this survey research are: (a) to investigate the current skills gaps in the Libyan manufacturing sector; (b) to make recommendations to the national TVET providers to enhance the skills they provide; and (c) to make recommendations to establish systems that improves the responsiveness of the TVET providers to the emergent needs of the industry (p. 1). Like the above points by Rafik et al. (n.d.), Chalmers (2007) claimed that experience, satisfaction and engagement of each student can be reached through using survey practice. Additionally, Chalmers (2007) recognized that using national student surveys are intended to demonstrate trustfulness and worthwhileness of study programs, and to explicitly articulate a particular view on what constitutes the quality of teaching and learning through student perceptions. Therefore, how the survey results can be used for the evidence-based curriculum development and improvement (Chalmers, 2007; Rafik et al, n.d.). The Cambodian context. As discussed in the global context, the survey of student feedback or perceptions is a useful tool in order to make school curricular change in according to the needs of industries. However, at this Cambodian TVET institutions, the survey of students perceptions and feedback is not yet conducted although survey research can give the school a great deal of information from labor market and industries. Because no surveys have been done or published on student perceptions in Cambodia, it is difficult to find the literature review to support the research study. As seen recently at the Cambodian TVET institution, the school management team has used the telephone survey on graduates whether those graduates hold job positions. The result of the telephone survey has been kept secretly. Furthermore, student surveys on teacher teaching have been done, but no survey on student perceptions on the relevance of the study program. Although information from student feedback can help the school make reform the school curriculum in order to keep abreast with the needs of industries, this case is absent from the school. The action of keeping old curricular is the weak point that should be urgently considered if the school is in the competitive world of providing technical services to students. Chapter Three Methodology As the topic of this study suggests, the study is a type of a survey research. Survey research is sometimes used by schools or other stakeholders of the related fields in order to get feedback from graduates, and which can be excellent vehicles for measuring opinions and orientations in a large population (Rubin Babbie, 2011). In order to get a deep understanding of perceptions of TVET graduates through survey research, this study will use the qualitative and quantitative data collection methods to get both primary and secondary data. The use of mixed methods is to build the synergy and strength that exists between quantitative and qualitative research methods to understand a phenomenon more fully that is possible using either quantitative or qualitative alone (Gay, Mills Airsian, 2009, p. 462). Creswell (2009) also highlighted that most researchers use a mixed methods design because they want to enlarge understanding by integrating both qualitative and quantitative research, or th ey want to better understand, explain or build the results from this approach. In this research, the following sampling methods, data collection methods, limitations of methods, data analysis, ethical issues, and other cases will be raised and discussed in detail in order to capture the practice of the whole research methodology of the study. Sampling Methods Berg (2009) indicated that the rationale of using of subjects is to make inference about some larger population from a smaller one-the sample (p. 48). That is, it is important in quantitative research that researchers keenly consider the probability sampling method (Berg, 2009). However, for qualitative research, sampling is the process of selecting a small number of individuals for a study in such a way that the individuals chosen will be good key informants (e.g., collaborators, co-researchers) who will contribute to the researchers understanding of a given phenomenon (Gay et al., 2009, p. 135). Since a deep understanding of participants perspectives creates the very core of a qualitative research study, the researcher will use a purposive sampling method (one of nonprobability sampling techniques); that is, the researcher relies on his or her expert judgment to select a typical sample of the population (Gay et al., 2009; Singleton Straits, 2005). This is also because each participant is believed to be thoughtful, informative, articulate, and experienced with the area of research topic (Gay et al., 2009, p. 135). Therefore, the researcher will use homogenous sampling which is selecting participants who are very similar in experience, perspective, or outlook; this produces a narrow, homogeneous sample and makes data collection and analysis simple (Gay et al., 2009, p. 137). As indicated above, the participants are ex-students who graduated with a civil engineering degree in the academic years 2011-2012, and they are currently employees holding various positions at different companies. Thus, the researcher can purposefully access the participants in order to get the deep understanding of their opinions about the quality and relevance of their study program of civil engineering and the needs of knowledge and skills from the employers. As the purpose and importance are clearly explained by the researcher, the participants will be asked to volunteer in the research study. With this regard, they are believed to have a deep understanding of the relevance of their study programs to their current jobs. With the purposive selection of a group of graduates with a civil engineering degree in years 2011-2012, the participants with their current jobs are strongly believed to be best for the research topic. The researcher hopes that the participants will be able to give the truths about their study program relevance to the needs of employers. However, the limitation of this selection method will not be able to make a wide generalization of the whole population of the school because a number of participants will be small and limited to the field of engineering (Gay et al., 2009; Berg, 2009). Data Collection Methods The survey research method is sometimes used by many schools in order to get feedback from graduates, and it can be an excellent tool for measuring opinions and orientations in large populations (Rubin Babbie, 2011). With the purpose of getting the views of undergraduates about the relevance of their study program to the needs of employers, the following research methods will be used in order to gather important data from the field. Questionnaires. A questionnaire method is widely useful to many researchers in both the private and public sectors because questionnaires can conveniently be given or sent to relevant individuals to answer or complete a number of questions, and respondents are asked to return questionnaires (Kothari, 2004; Singleton et al., 2005). They are convenient because questionnaires can easily be offered to the respondents, and the respondents can answer the questions on their own when they have enough time to complete the whole questionnaires. Many researchers have also used the questionnaire method because questionnaires are low-cost, accessible to larger participants, extensively geographic, and free from bias from researchers (Kothari, 2004; Creswell, 2009). Kothari (2004) and Gay et al. (2009) showed that a survey is a vehicle for collecting data describing one or more characteristics of a specific population by asking members a series of questions using questionnaire forms. In spite of the wide use of questionnaires, Kothari (2004) pointed out the main limitations of using questionnaires as follows: (a) low rate of return of the duly filled in questionnaires and bias due to no-response is often indeterminate; (b) it can be used only when respondents are educated and cooperating; (c) the control over questionnaire may be lost once it is sent; (d) there is inbuilt inflexibility because of the difficulty of amending the approach once questionnaires have been dispatched; (e) there is also the possibility of ambiguous replies or omission of replies altogether to certain questions; interpretation of omissions is difficult; (f) it is difficult to know whether willing respondents are truly representative; and (g) this method is likely to be the slowest of all (p. 101). In light of the above reasons, the researcher will carefully prepare the general form, the question sequence, and question formulation and words in the structured questionnaires as the researcher is not experienced with the use the survey questionnaires (Kothari, 2004). In the questionnaires, the researcher will focus on the following points: demographic data, the quality of study programs, the relevance of the study programs to the jobs, and the participants perceptions of their jobs in terms of study programs. These points will help the researcher to answer the research questions about understanding the perceptions of undergraduates about the relevance of their study programs to their current jobs. With help of a lecturer from Civil Engineering Department and a list of graduates of civil engineering degree in years 2011-2012, the researcher will contact graduates through phone calls and emails in order for volunteering for answering and completing the questionnaires. According to Gay et al. (2009), the sample size for survey research is common between 10% and 20% of the whole population because the population of this research is about 250. However, the researcher will ask 120 graduates who have jobs, and they will be given questionnaires to voluntarily answer and complete the questionnaires with their honesty and kindness in case that some of respondents will not return questionnaires. The participants themselves will administer the questionnaires. Nonetheless, an explanation of some questions will help the participants answer with clarity and accuracy. The questionnaires will be written in Khmer language that all the participants can fully understand and answer those questions clearly. Individual interviews. After the researcher uses the questionnaire method, the researcher will employ the interview method that is another alternative to collect data survey. The interview method involves presentation of oral-verbal stimuli and reply in terms of oral-verbal responses (Kothari, 2004; Rubin Babbie, 2011). Furthermore, it is a tool that allows the researcher to flexibly move beyond the line of question, and it is helpful if the participants can be observed directly, and allows the participants to give more information (Creswell, 2009). With the analysis of the questionnaire results to find out the main themes of responses, the researcher can identify who the participants are for personal interviews in the second step of the research. Thus eight participants will be carefully selected through the results of questionnaires. They are representatives for civil engineering graduates because they are believed to answer the questionnaire questions accurately and have a deep understanding of the relevance of their study programs to their current jobs. Time for each participant to be interviewed will be during time break in order to avoid work interruptions. The interview method can be structured, unstructured, or semi-structured, as to allow the flexibility of questions and answers in order to fully understand graduates perceptions on the curriculum relevance to their current jobs (Williman, 2011). However, the researcher will choose to conduct the personal interview with a small number of graduates with a structured interview model. This is because the research has less experience in the research field. On the other hand, the researcher will gain a clear understanding of information from respondents when respondents understand the purpose of the interview (Kothari, 2004). Despite the advantages of using the method to go beyond simple responses from the participants, there are the limitations of this method (e.g., indirect information filtered by the views of participants, information is gathered in an arranged site rather than in a natural setting, the presence of the researcher which can bias responses, and not all the participants having equal thoughts, feelings and understanding of the same questions and topics) (Creswell, 2009). Similarly, Okojie, Okojie-Boulder and Boulder (n.d.) also added that a limitation of this method is that it can be time consuming and the truth of participant responses will be limited. Therefore, the role and art of the researcher is vital in using the method when the in-depth interviews are the key to get a full understanding of the research topic (Berg, 2009; Creswell, 2009). Ethical Considerations There will be ethical problems in research when the research deals with humans. As Williman (2001) stated that there are two aspects of ethical issues in

The significance of the title The Awakening :: essays research papers

In comparison to other works such as Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn wherein the title succinctly tells what the story shall contain, Kate Chopin’s The Awakening represents a work whose title can only be fully understood after the incorporation of the themes and content into the reader’s mind, which can only be incorporated by reading the novel itself. The title, The Awakening, paints a vague mental picture for the reader at first and does not fully portray what content the novel will possess. After thorough reading of the novel, one can understand that the title represents the main character, Edna Pontellier’s, sexual awakening and metaphorical resurrection that takes place in the plot as opposed to not having a clue on what the plot will be about. Edna Pontellier first faces a form of awakening when she encounters another character that plays a musical instrument. As the musician plays, the crowd reacts nonchalantly and for the most part disregards it as just another performance with the exception of Mrs. Pontellier whom breaks out into tears due to the vivid imagery that the music brings into her mind. The musician responds to Mrs. Pontellier by telling her that she is the only one who truly speaks her language. This form of awakening brings about one of the themes in the novel in that as a person learns to begin to express themselves, they find that there is a lesser concentration of people who can understand the way that one expresses themselves. This becomes of greater relevance as Edna begins to express herself through the use of her artwork. The sexual aspect of Edna’s awakening is formed through her relationship with a supporting character, Robert LeBrun. In the beginning of the novel, Robert assigns himself to become the helper of Mrs. Pontellier and his advances help to crack the barrier in which Edna is placed in due to her role as a woman of the Victorian era. Her feelings begin to manifest themselves as she intends to liberate herself from her husband and run away with Robert. He on the other hand has no intention of having a sexual affair because of the role placed upon him as a man of the Victorian era which is not to destroy families. Her quest for complete independence ultimately brings her to committing suicide at the end of the story. Her suicide does not represent a disappointment in how she cannot conform to the society around her but a final awakening and symbol for her liberation.

The Future of Cell Phones :: Expository Essays Research Papers

The Future of Cell Phones We have seen the cell phone evolve from a big bulky cumbersome piece of equipment into a sleek small compact device. You can now pick different ring tones for your phone and can change the appearance. Right now you can even access the Internet. Even though it seems like we have seen it all, cell phones are still getting better. Just recently released were the new phones that can take pictures. Not only can you take pictures but you can also send them. However these phones were just released and are going to be very expensive. The Technology is constantly improving and it seems like no matter what type of phone you get a newer model will outdate it. A company in London, the name of it is Eleksen, has created something they call "intelligent fabrics" that can electronically sense a finger's touch and recognize the amount of pressure applied to it (16). You may be wondering, "What is this going to do for cell phones?" Well Erik Fok, who works for Eleksen, says that he hopes that the fabric will herald a new generation of lightweight cell phones that can be controlled with a squeeze of the hand or the glide of a finger (16). Can you imagine that? A cell phone that can be scrunched, folded, or shoved into your pocket. It may seem far away but believe me it will be marketed in a matter of years. Have you ever bought a calling card? Well in the future you may be able to buy disposable cell phones. That's right disposable. These phones, invented by Randi Altschul, will be made out of paper and of course will be recyclable (17). The phone is expected to be available soon and can be purchased for twenty dollars for sixty minutes of talk time (17). There is another inventor that has gone one step beyond this. Victor Chu, a fashion technologist in New York, wants to develop a biodegradable casing for prepaid phones that contains flower seeds and can be planted once the phone runs out of credit (16). I'll have to see that to believe it! Many people are predicting that cell phones will do so much more than voice communication in the future. They will hold keys to bank accounts and be used as remote controls to unlock doors to our house or car.

Essay --

Materials: †¢ Yarn (1.5 feet) †¢ Water †¢ Cup †¢ Tablespoon †¢ Small plate †¢ Granulated white sugar (4 cups and 4 tablespoons) †¢ Wax paper †¢ Screws †¢ Popsicle sticks †¢ Marker †¢ Ruler (cm) †¢ 2 mason jars †¢ Bowl †¢ Stove †¢ Measuring cup †¢ Wooden mixing spoon †¢ Pot holders †¢ Paper towels †¢ Notebook †¢ Pencil †¢ Masking tap Procedure: 1. Gather all materials listed. 2. Cut two strings the same lengths that are about 1 centimeter longer than the jar. 3. Fill a cup with water and place the strings in the cup so they can soak for about 5 minutes. 4. While the strings are soaking spread out 1 tablespoon of sugar out on a piece of wax paper and leave one piece of wax paper with nothing on it. 5. Remove the strings and place one string on the wax paper with sugar and roll the string around until it is completely covered with sugar. 6. Set both strings on the blank wax paper, not touching, and allow them to sit overnight. 7. After the sugarcoated string has soaked for twenty-four hours take a screw and tie it to one end of the string. Do the same with the non-sugar coated string. 8. With the other end of the string tie it to a Popsicle sticks. Indicate by using a marker as to which string has the sugar coating on it. 9. Make sure both stings will be long enough so that they can be placed approximately one centimeter from the bottom of the jar. Then set them to the side. 10. The glass jars will need to be preheated. Place them next to the eye of a hot stove. (That is so the glass jars don’t shatter) 11. Next boil water for both of the jars. Once that has boiled pour the water into the warm jars. 12. Now put a cup of water into a pot and bring that to a boil. Turn the heat back down to low. 13. Put three cups of sugar into the boiling water... ...e and organization to how these molecules are aligned. For this process the jar must be left in an undisturbed setting where there is no sunlight beating on it. It takes approximately a week for the sugar crystals to be able to completely grow. As the water molecules evaporate into the air the dissolved sugar molecules will be left behind. The molecules will cling to any solid around them including the sides of the jar and the nail and string placed in the solution. Through the process of nucleation the crystal will begin to form. In conclusion, the result of the experiment is the savory taste of a rock candy. The sugar molecules that are dissolved in the solution, stick together in a repetitive pattern, forming a crystalline solid. Through the process of nucleation students are able to enjoy the sweet taste of sugar molecules bonded together. Essay -- Materials: †¢ Yarn (1.5 feet) †¢ Water †¢ Cup †¢ Tablespoon †¢ Small plate †¢ Granulated white sugar (4 cups and 4 tablespoons) †¢ Wax paper †¢ Screws †¢ Popsicle sticks †¢ Marker †¢ Ruler (cm) †¢ 2 mason jars †¢ Bowl †¢ Stove †¢ Measuring cup †¢ Wooden mixing spoon †¢ Pot holders †¢ Paper towels †¢ Notebook †¢ Pencil †¢ Masking tap Procedure: 1. Gather all materials listed. 2. Cut two strings the same lengths that are about 1 centimeter longer than the jar. 3. Fill a cup with water and place the strings in the cup so they can soak for about 5 minutes. 4. While the strings are soaking spread out 1 tablespoon of sugar out on a piece of wax paper and leave one piece of wax paper with nothing on it. 5. Remove the strings and place one string on the wax paper with sugar and roll the string around until it is completely covered with sugar. 6. Set both strings on the blank wax paper, not touching, and allow them to sit overnight. 7. After the sugarcoated string has soaked for twenty-four hours take a screw and tie it to one end of the string. Do the same with the non-sugar coated string. 8. With the other end of the string tie it to a Popsicle sticks. Indicate by using a marker as to which string has the sugar coating on it. 9. Make sure both stings will be long enough so that they can be placed approximately one centimeter from the bottom of the jar. Then set them to the side. 10. The glass jars will need to be preheated. Place them next to the eye of a hot stove. (That is so the glass jars don’t shatter) 11. Next boil water for both of the jars. Once that has boiled pour the water into the warm jars. 12. Now put a cup of water into a pot and bring that to a boil. Turn the heat back down to low. 13. Put three cups of sugar into the boiling water... ...e and organization to how these molecules are aligned. For this process the jar must be left in an undisturbed setting where there is no sunlight beating on it. It takes approximately a week for the sugar crystals to be able to completely grow. As the water molecules evaporate into the air the dissolved sugar molecules will be left behind. The molecules will cling to any solid around them including the sides of the jar and the nail and string placed in the solution. Through the process of nucleation the crystal will begin to form. In conclusion, the result of the experiment is the savory taste of a rock candy. The sugar molecules that are dissolved in the solution, stick together in a repetitive pattern, forming a crystalline solid. Through the process of nucleation students are able to enjoy the sweet taste of sugar molecules bonded together.

The First Step in Nation

Packed in Mt. Zion A. M. E. Church, a number of black women had gathered to hear Mary Church Terrell talk about ‘the modern women’. Oblivious of the heat and the perspiration which thoroughly soaked their dresses, the women were eager to hear what Mary Church Terrell as an educator and first president of the National Association of Coloured women had to say. The women were not disappointed, as Terrell looked like the ‘modern woman’ she was telling about. Her graceful walk and speaking captivated the crowd. She talked about educating less fortunate black women, organizing themselves and improving their communities.The representatives of different clubs had joined hands to organize the National Association of Coloured women in order to put forward a formal protest against an insulting letter written by the white president of the Missouri Press Association, James Jacks. Terrell went on to talk about Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and other women who had worke d for the race, making such a permanent impression on the women, that they were ready to follow the footsteps of their ancestors. One of the women who heard this speech was Fields, a teacher already active in community work.She was a member of Charleston City Federation of women’s club, which specialized in homemaking, helping the disadvantaged, raising funds to help wayward black girls and improving the conditions. She also helped to set up the Priscilla club which served the impoverished black areas, building homes, setting up a United Service Organization for black soldiers during the World War I and later on urging the city officials to hire black teachers. All over the country, black women were helping to shape, mold and direct the thought of their race, in time for an organized female resistance movement.The members of the National Association of Coloured women (NACW) set to solving interlocking problems involving race, gender and poverty. According to them, the problem s of a race could be solved by solving the problems of its women. A story reported sixteen years before Terrell’s speech explains why that period in African- American history is known as Nadir. According to it, a 12- year old black boy narrowly escaped from being lynched by a mob of white boys, all of them in their early teenage years.As an editor of Richmond Planet, a black weekly, ‘lynching was demoralizing to young and old equally and the children did what they saw the adults doing. ’ The time from 1880 to 1930 was the most savage and demoralizing time for the black people. Lynching was a common practice and was often performed as a ritual. African- American’s loss of civil values was just one of the manifestations of the white lawlessness. Blacks were separated from whites in public, schools and related things. Black people dealt with the racism by forming their own institutions and retreated into them.The institution which thrived the most during this period was the Church. The Church became a ground for political discussions and position of power and leadership. Societies were formed by the Church or were joined with it, due to which they got a central position in black social, political and economic life. During this time of retrenchment, black women clubs rose to importance and formed sister clubs all over the country. By the time the NACW brought them together, the number was too high to keep count of. The clubs worked on one principle which was ‘self-help’.They focused on educating mothers and improving the home life. Mother clubs were formed which focused on teaching mothers about home life, educating their children, and protecting their neighborhoods. Women clubs raised money to buy lands on which they made parks, schools, colleges, libraries and hospitals. They also worked on helping black women migrate from rural areas to urban by getting them settled down in their new surroundings, which were often hostile and dangerous. Educational courses were also offered.With time the work became so much that the local federations encouraged clubs to coordinate and take bigger projects then what a single club could have not possibly handled. With time more and more clubs came under NACW, making the structure more complex and projects undertaken more sophisticated. Different departments were formed which kept on increasing with time and the projects undertaken. The philosophy behind the women clubs enabled the women to take action when at one time such was completely unthought-of. Women organization was the first step in nation making according to one of the early presidents of NACW, Josephine Silone Yates.This banding together of the black women was showing the rest of the race a way to move forward, out of the shadows of the past and a way to facing the challenges of the new era. Even with the success of the women clubs, lynching, racism, disfranchisement, race riots were still in power. An edit orial in ‘women’s era’ asked the weak and timid men to step aside and let the women take charge. Women thought that the black men were more a part of the problem, claiming that the men had sold their votes for a mess of pottage., which was something that a black woman would never do. Leaders like Anna Julia Cooper believed that black women could make a lot more headway as compared to men when it came to race problems. Association leaders thought that women would be far more suited for issues related to social welfare then men, due to their moral, nurturing and selfless nature. Cooper’s sense of confidence was nourished by the sense of equality with the black men. While whites had set their differences between men and women, blacks had no such issues.During slavery, black men and women had equal status, had endured incredible hardships along with men, due to which both sex had equal footing in matter of equality. Racism severely limited the lives of black m en though some did vote and held political positions. The fact that black men held a larger area then women was completely insignificant, for women who proclaimed that it was the ‘women era’. Club women didn’t compare the positions held by the men with their positions. They only thought about their goal which was the abolition of racism. Some scholars argued the differences of goals of the black women from the white.The implications of the respective goals of white and black were different because of the difference of context of black and white women’s efforts were different. The end of 19th century was good for the black people, not only because the blacks were responding to the new industrial environment but also to racism repression. Black men at this time were heavily targeted leaving behind the women to deal with the pressures of life. From it became clear that the black women were handling far more burdens then their white counterparts. Also it becam e clear that the black women thought that the white women were also a part of the problem.Till now the black women were considered inferior clubwomen, but now they demanded equality. Black women thought that white women would be able to play a vital role in finishing racism, lynching and their effects. But the women were soon sourly disappointed as they found out that white women had the same thoughts as their men, and when they tried to set themselves apart, they became a burden which the black women had been carrying for so long. Other then a few white women organizations, the rest of the organizations were clearly ‘anti-black’.When friendly organizations asked black women to speak, they asked the crowd to support the black women. The all-white General federation of women’s clubs (GFWC) was openly hostile and in one of their newsletters wrote an offensive story about a marriage between a black and a white. This story was like a warning against inviting black wo men to white women clubs. This story also indirectly told the blacks that they would always be inferior to the whites due to the ‘invisible drop’ of black blood in their veins, no matter how much they got educated or learned, traveled or had talents.Even if these actions hurt the black women, they didn’t let it discourage them from their goal. The first step to nation building was NACW’s belief that the progress of the race was marked by the progress of its women. Even the black Nationalist Martin Delany couldn’t speak about black problems because he knew nothing about the hard working men and women from the south. The position of women became strong in this case as women were the centre of the community and knew the feeling of oppression, both as a woman and as a black.When a black woman spoke, she spoke the voice of the masses, and when the black women were free, the entire black race would be free. Not only the women believed it, the black men al so soon took to the notion of women leading their race. A book named ‘noted negro women’ was also written which told about the achievements of black women and the progress of Negros since slavery. Now that men and women were thinking alike, the only issue which also became a hot topic of discussion in club meetings was how women would lead the race.According to Alice White, a clubwoman from Montgomery, if thee home was at peace, then the women were in power. If homes were pure and teachings were pure, then from these homes, people with strong intellect, morals and religion would come. Others thought that woman should assume wide- ranging roles which would help the community. No one argued that home was the first battle ground or what NACW was doing for the community. Addie Dickerson believed that homes were the building blocks of a nation and if they were strong enough then the nation would be strong as well.She also believed that women had to fight against Jim Crow and join hands with both races to improve the economic conditions of black women who were working out of their homes. Women also insisted that women should vote so that they could have political rights which could help in the reforming. Cooper argued that the time had come for women’s personal independence, moral and intellectual development, political activity, and a voice of her own. These philosophies influenced the ideological discussion which was taking place between the club leaders.All women agreed to strengthen the foundation of their homes. But some wanted more, the ones who approved to suffrage and activism. The debate over this issue increased the differences between Washington and Du Boris. No matter how different the ideas or opinions of the people were, they had the same base. They had suffered humiliating experiences, rejected from clubs and moreover, they all believed that women would save the day. Black women also thought that they would stay above part politics unlike men, who were ineffective in dealing with race issues.Terrell thought that the worst a black woman could do was to bring a corrupt politician in the association, and also that it was important that women protested against the system which took away their rights. For NACW, unity didn’t come naturally. On same issues, the clubs put their best efforts to stick together. Clubwomen wanted to prove to the world that their image about black women was wrong. Black women are able to voice their concerns, their problems. When making a case, the women saw their differences and realized that not all black women could meet their standards.Also the clubwomen argued that the entire race was not equal, just as whites have their immoral class, lacks also have one. These women also questioned themselves as to why did the white people judge them only for their bad points? Club women wanted to end discrimination and wanted it to be marked their own success. NACW had already taken first s tep in nation building by helping others just as they help themselves. The very existence of NACW mean that black women had a defender with a national voice. The records of the club were impressive and at the end of the century it proposed a very bold plan.At the time when white women were choosing between careers or homes, NACW announced that black women will do what men do, as well as what a woman will do. Convinced that black issues were same, they spoke publicly against black men and oppression. Also they didn’t feel that their feminism would tear apart the movement into camps. The club members only saw wisdom in their approach towards black poverty, same as they saw only congruity in their race and gender. Before he even penned down the term, both conservative and activists accepted Du Boris’s philosophy.Clubwomen unlike the more modern black women leaders didn’t hesitate to represent the lower class. These women were proud of their work because they felt i t was their duty to talk to them. Where all the NACW women were proud of their achievements, the also had a reason for dread. They couldn’t forever keep ignoring the differences which separated them, for some issues were too serious, too pivotal to the future of black people. The most serious issue was that the race might not raise higher then its women. Many questions rose. Will the whites accept the association? What would happen if the status didn’t rise high?What if the programs didn’t benefit the black women? In the end it was concluded that the ideology did justice to female black activism, but if it failed the entire blame would come on the women. Twentieth century progressed and with it progressed the idea that challenges would be met by more competent women who had more knowledge and experience then the women of 1896, who were sure that would change the world history. Work Cited African &Americans. (n. d. ). National Association of Colored Women's Clubs , Inc. October 12, 2008.

Leadership Essay Introduction Essay

Perhaps none of you are lucky enough to be a leader and fight for animal rights or other beliefs, but every year colleges and universities require students to write a leadership essay. Its goal is to identify and evaluate your potential leadership qualities. One of the best ways to cope with the task is to list the characteristics that successful politicians or opinion leaders have. And then demonstrate their presence in your case by an example of specific life situations. This is the main difference between the leadership essays and similar ones. Instead of analyzing literary works or their authors, you need to focus on your own personality. The leader is not always associated with the commander or the strong-willed warlord. An effective guide could be strong and weak, learn and teach simultaneously. The leadership category offers a lot of qualities, the presence of which plays a great role in the life of each person. We are talking about empathy, dedication, sincerity, consistency, altruism, responsibility, self-development, influence, the ability to teach. The essential part of leadership paper outline consists of describing the bright moments of your life to substantiate the stated thesis. Examples should not be abstract and contain pathos reflections. It is better to resort to the specifics and show in which cases you showed courage, intelligence or organizational skills. It is the details that increase the confidence in the content of the text. The personal nature of the essay on leadership makes it possible to use anecdotes as arguments. Each new quality must begin with a new paragraph while keeping in touch with the previous text using transitional phrases. This will help make the essay easily readable to the audience. You also could use the information collected earlier from various sources. When writing a leadership essay, the following necessary components should be considered. First of all, to compose an idea of ​​the phenomenon of leadership, use online resources or biographical stories. They will not only clarify the concept but will also lead to good ideas. Do not confuse the leadership essays with the heroic epic. You need attention to yourself, but not to other people. At the same time, it is necessary to avoid fantasies and blatant lies. Remain as honest as possible to make your work realistic, and look like a fairy tale. To achieve this, shun qualities that are not inherent in you. The use of the method of brainstorming will help determine the required skills. Remember the situation where you were given a great responsibility, for instance, a project, a sports team or the main role in the play. In general, any experience of cooperation can be presented in the context of leadership. Once you have decided on the field of research, it is significant to develop an essay scheme. Thus, a successful completing of a leadership essay depends on the depth of understanding of this concept, your honesty and life experience. Also, remember that real effective leaders have a unique vision of things. Use this quality to present yourself in a favorable light.