Nigel Slacks transformation process model Essay

Nigel Slacks transformation process model - Essay Example However, this was only the first Dimension of the whole project. In fact, a second Dimension follows in which should answer the following question: what the relevant technology could offer to the transformation of resources in the particular firm. More specifically, the business process technology would improve the firm’s resources mainly offering a framework for the increase of their productivity. If such a target could not be achieved by the above procedure then the firm should avoid the transformation of its processes by first instance. On the other hand, the value of the business process technology for the completion of the business transformation process would be examined thoroughly before the implementation of the relevant technology. Finally, the role of business process technology in the whole procession would be evaluated in terms of its importance for the achievement of the targets set by the firm attempting the transformation of its processes.The effectiveness of th e relevant procedure was examined by Slack et al. (2005) with a specific reference to five firms: a fashion clothing retailer, a retail bank, a full-service airline industry, a food company and a company operating in the area of laboratory services. Their research led to the following results: a) the market performance opportunities associated with BPT (business process technology) are far broader than the traditional narrow focus on cost reduction; as a result, any evaluation of BPT must reflect its impact.

How risk affect corporate financial strategy Research Paper

How risk affect corporate financial strategy - Research Paper Example Risk is the probability of loss to occur. Corporate financial strategy is affected by various types of risks. This includes political risk. Conflicts and civil wars leads to massive loss of assets by companies. When there is conflict in a country, companies’ property are looted and others destroyed.   Companies located in these countries suffer huge losses since it become hard to protect their investments. Nationalization of industries also poses political risk since companies’ lose their licenses; hence, they cannot continue to operate in these countries. Governments may also increases taxes on companies, making it difficult for any company to continue operating. The second type of risk is interest rate. When higher interest rate is charged on loans, it makes it impossible for companies to fund their operations using loans. Due to high interest rate charged on loans, corporate may fix higher prices on good and services hence reducing the market share as consumer will shift to cheaper goods (Ehrhardt and Eugene 7).The author states that one of the risks is credit risk. This type of risk is most common in banking industry where borrower will fail to meet the obligation to repay the loan in the agreed terms. Other risks occur in book keeping where incorrect figures are entered. Failure of borrowers to repay their loans and errors in book keeping causes huge loses to banking industries. The fourth type of risk is business risk. This is the probability that an auditor will suffer loss to his professional practice.

Globalization. Its Positive And Negative Effects Essay

Globalization. Its Positive And Negative Effects - Essay Example It is not possible to define Globalization in terms of integration or internationalization as has been suggested by some theorists. Globalization describes the interplay within cultures of macro-social forces (Basu 2008, p.29). Such forces include politics, economics, and religion. Discussion Globalization can universalize and erode a local group’s characteristics. It has significant social, business and economic implications. Major factors in globalization are Advances in telecommunications infrastructure and transportation including the emergence of the Internet. They generate further interdependence of cultural and economic activities. Since the mid 1980s use of the word globalization has been on the rise; further, environmental challenges like cross-boundary air and water pollution, over-fishing of the ocean and climate change are associated with globalization (Zurich, Cairns and Ramaphosa 2000, p.219). Globalizing processes are affected by the natural environment, work an d business organization, socio-cultural resources, and economics. Globalization is a process that leads to some substantial changes for businesses and markets to address the expansion of trade in services and goods between countries, increased labor migration levels, internationalization of services and products and development of global brands. Globalization also leads to increased labor migration levels, changes in consumption and production such as the expansion of off shoring and outsourcing of support and production services. It also leads to the entry of nations into the worldwide trading system including former nations of the Soviet bloc and China. A major outcome of globalization is the growing inter-dependence of economies. For instance, most countries in the world depend on each other for macroeconomic health, and economies of newly industrializing countries are growing faster than rich developed nations and they are winning an increasing share of world trade (Stiglitz 200 3, p.39). In 2000, the IMF; International Monetary Fund named four primary aspects of globalization; investment and capital movements, transactions and trade, dissemination of knowledge and movement and migration of persons. With regard to transactions and trade, developing nations increased their share of global trade, from 1971’s 19 % to 1999’s 29 %. Nevertheless, there is massive variation among key regions. For example, the NIEs; newly industrialized economies of Asia succeeded, but African nations as a whole did not prosper. The makeup of a nation’s exports is a vital indicator for success. Manufactured products exports soared, dominated by NIEs and developed countries. Commodity exports, such as raw materials and food were commonly produced by developing nations. As a result of this, investment and capital flow can be identified as another primary feature of globalization. The movement of Private capital to developing nations soared in the 1990s, replacing development or "aid" assistance which dropped substantially after the early 1980s. FDI; Foreign Direct Investment became the most vital category. Bank credit and portfolio investment increased although they have remained volatile, falling steeply in the wake of late 1990s financial crisis (Basu 2008, p.30). The movement and migration of individuals can also be identified as an important aspect of the process of globalization. Between 1965 and 1990, the migration of labor forces approximately doubled. A lot of migration occurred between LDCs; Least Developed Countries and

History midterm essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History midterm - Essay Example However, scholars and official argued that for real strengthening to be realized in China, the country should develop basic western institution, including the western government organization and education. The reforms give rise to techniques and military technologies. On the other hand, another reform movement was initiated on 1898 after china was defeated in the Sino-Japanese war. Self-strengthening movement and Hundred Day’s Reforms have some common similarities and differences based on the objectives, achievements and targets. Both reforms advocated for introduction of western education to be introduced in China. Self-Strengthening Movement was more successful because they had foreign language schools, which led to turning foreign languages to Chinese. The reforms enabled Chinese to read and understand foreign languages and there was introduction of education missions, which included navigation and study shipbuilding. Approximately, 120 Chinese were sent abroad between 1872 to 1881. Although the Hundred Days Reforms emphasized on education, the conservative officials banned it. However, the reformers abolished the conservative officials and turned the content of the examination from classical knowledge of current affairs. Education gave a mixture of both Eastern and western studies. Just like the Self-Strengthening reforms, Hundred Days Reforms encourage members of the royalty to go abroad on learning trips. The old eight-legged essays were eliminated and students were to take classes on politics, current affairs and Chinese classical volumes. The self-Strengthening Movement was more successful in developing a relationship with the foreign powers. In this perspective, it led to the construction of the Zongli Yamen in Beijing with the objective of managing the affairs with powers. This reform was a tremendous step for China in embracing diplomatic relationship with

Indian Education Essay Example for Free

Indian Education Essay A strong education system is the cornerstone of any countrys growth and prosperity. Over the last decade, India has made great strides in strengthening its primary education system. The District Information System for Education (DISE) reported in 2012 that 95% of Indias rural populations are within one kilometer of primary schools. The 2011 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), which tracks trends in rural education, indicated that enrollment rates among primary-school-aged children were about 93%, with little difference by gender. However, behind the veil of such promising statistics, the learning outcomes of Indias children show little progress. The country ranked 63 out of 64 in the latest Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, with some of its best schools ranked about average among those surveyed. The 2011 ASER stated that only 48. 2% of students in the fifth grade can read at the second grade level. The number of students completing their primary education with inadequate numeracy and literacy skills is startling. To see this manifest in an economic sense, one may attribute Indias productivity growth lagging behind that of East Asian economies to a lack of progress in the foundational elements of countrywide, high-quality education. Indias private-schooled, English-speaking urban elite may attract global attention, but they are in the minority. The vast majority of Indian children attend government-run primary schools in rural areas. In 2008-2009, rural India accounted for more than 88% of Indias primary-school students, of whom over 87% were enrolled in government-run schools. This is where we see some of the nations toughest challenges. A Diverse Set of Problems Indias education system has not achieved strong learning outcomes for reasons that are as diverse and nuanced as the country itself. Key among these reasons is poor teaching quality, which results from a multitude of factors. Inadequate Teacher Qualification and Support: Teachers working in primary schools across rural India have a difficult job. Dhir Jhingran, a senior civil servant in the Indian Administrative Service, with more than two decades of experience in rural primary education, explained the multiple challenges they face: Teachers have to teach multiple grades, textbooks are pitched far above the comprehension level of students, and each classroom has children with different levels of learning achievements. Anurag Behar, CEO of the Azim Premji Foundation, an education non-profit, noted that the average school teacher in India does not get adequate pre-service or in-service education, nor does she get the support to overcome these problems. Compounding this is the relatively low educational qualifications of many teachers themselves. In 2008-2009, on average, 45% of these teachers had not studied beyond the 12th grade. Low Teacher Motivation and High Absenteeism: A key factor affecting the quality of primary education appears to be low levels of teacher motivation. In 2002-2003, 25% of primary-school teachers in rural India were absent on any given day. The impact of absenteeism is exacerbated by the fact that the average primary school in India has a workforce of no more than three teachers. At a school for girls in rural Rajasthan, we observed this problem first hand: Of the eight teachers assigned, only five were present. The three who were actually teaching were juggling eight different grades. The obvious reason remuneration does not appear to be a driver. In fact, both education experts and ordinary citizens argue that government-employed school teachers are paid relatively well. UNESCO surveys from as early as 2004 indicated that the annual statutory salary of primary school teachers in India with 15 years experience was more than $14,000, adjusted for purchasing power. This was significantly higher than the then-statutory salaries of $3,000 in China and Indonesia, and the Indian GDP per capita in 2004, which was $3,100. Indian primary-school teachers may not be underpaid, but some argue that they may be overworked. For Vivekanand Upadhyay, a seasoned educator and language professor at a leading national University, one reason for the lack of motivation is that primary school teachers employed by the government, particularly in rural India, are required to perform a wide range of duties completely unrelated to imparting education. These duties including administering government programs such as immunization clinics, assisting with data-collection for the national census, and staffing polling stations during elections in addition to their teaching responsibilities, place significant demands on teachers time. Another disheartening factor has been a highly bureaucratic administrative system that discourages bold decision making and makes implementation difficult. For example, as Jhingran observed, it is difficult to test new practices on a small scale before rolling them out: If a new program has been developed, the philosophy is that every school must have it. Such indiscriminate application often means that teachers are implementing programs without understanding their key principles and ultimate goals. Flawed Teaching Methodology: In India, rote learning has been institutionalized as a teaching methodology. Primary school teachers in rural India often try to educate students by making them repeat sections of text over and over again, said Jhingran. Often they do not explain the meaning of the text, which results in stunted reading comprehension skills over the course of the childrens education. For example, many students in grades two and three in one particular school struggle to read individual words, but can neatly copy entire paragraphs from their textbooks into their notebooks as though they were drawing pictures. Linguistic Diversity: Finally, Indias linguistic diversity creates unique challenges for the nations education system. The countrys 22 official languages and hundreds of spoken dialects often differ considerably from the official language of the state or region. Jhingran commented that the teacher not only has to account for varying learning abilities within the classroom, but also dialectic nuances which affect students comprehension of the subject matter. Government-school-educated children from rural India struggle to speak even basic sentences in English. Students with rural primary schooling are at a significant disadvantage as they transition to higher education, because Indias best universities teach exclusively in English, said Upadhyay. Part of the problem is that there is no one to teach them. As Chandrakanta Khatwar, an experienced middle school teacher in a rural government-run school in Rajasthan, asked: When teachers themselves know little English, especially spoken English, how will students learn? A Parallel, Non-governmental Education Universe Since the late 1980s, government efforts to augment rural primary education have been supplemented by the emergence of an intervention-based non-governmental system that spans multiple institutional types. While private schools have emerged as a parallel system over the last two decades, their impact is limited because they serve less than 13% of Indias rural primary-school children. However, do private schools really make a difference? Some studies have found a small, but statistically significant, private school advantage in rural India. Behar was skeptical about the superiority of private rural schools over their government-run counterparts, noting, Once we control for a childs socioeconomic background, private schools add little-to-no value. In many ways, private schools are in much worse shape. However, according to Khatwar, more and more parents in small towns are choosing to send their children to private schools if they can afford it perhaps with good reason, because, on average, the number of students in each classroom in private schools is often smaller and school heads exert greater control over teachers. Some organizations are attempting to innovate with new formats and systems of education. Avasara Academy, a new school for girls, is a private institution whose mission is to mold leaders from among the best and brightest girls in India, regardless of their background. While admission is merit-based, the school intends to draw half its students from disadvantaged rural and urban backgrounds, awarding them full scholarships. In addition, it is developing a special curriculum that encourages excellence beyond academics. Avasara seeks to identify high potential young women and guide them along a powerful journey of leadership development. We expect that our graduates will form a network of leaders who will collaborate to drive positive change across the country, explained Mangala Nanda, humanities department chair for Avasara. While still in the early stages of its development, Avasaras successful implementation would provide a viable model for high-quality, accessible education and integration across socioeconomic boundaries. Governmental Efforts The Indian government at every level recognizes the need for educational reform and has made a conscientious effort to achieve it. The midday-meal plan, for example, is a highly publicized nationwide program through which government school children across India are provided with a midday meal every day of the school week. The program is largely considered a success. A study in 2011 by Rajshri Jayaraman and Dora Simroth found that grade one enrollment increased by 20. 8% simply if a midday meal was offered. According to Behar, The Indian government has worked very hard to provide rural schools with adequate infrastructure, something that was critically lacking a few decades ago. For instance, DISE reported in 2012 that more than 91% of primary schools have drinking-water facilities and 86% of schools built in the last 10 years have a school building. However, there is still a long way to go: Only 52% of primary schools have a girls toilet, and just 32% are connected to the electricity grid. In 2012, the Central Government enacted the Right to Education (RTE) Act, under which every child between the ages of six and 14 receives a free and compulsory education. In addition to regulating access to education, the act contains certain provisions that could positively impact the quality of education. According to Jhingran, one of its major achievements has been the dramatic reduction of non-teaching duties assigned to government school teachers, freeing up valuable time and lowering absenteeism. Partnering with the Government Over the past few decades, many organizations have begun working with government schools and teachers to improve learning outcomes. Pratham, a joint venture between UNICEF and the Municipal Corporation of Mumbai, runs multiple programs to supplement school education, such as learning support classes, libraries and additional learning resources. A hallmark of these initiatives is that Pratham engages volunteers from local communities and trains them to run these programs. Another important initiative that has resulted from Pratham is the annual ASER, an assessment that measures reading and arithmetic abilities by surveying more than 600,000 children across 16,000 villages in India. This remarkable exercise in data-gathering constitutes the foundation for informed decision-making and benchmarking. Other initiatives address teaching quality by placing specially trained teachers in government schools. Teach for India, modeled after the Teach for America program, was introduced in 2006. Young, motivated Indian college graduates and professionals apply for two-year fellowships to teach at government-run and low-income private schools that lack sufficient resources. An important distinction of Teach for India is that instruction is, by design, always in English. As Mohit Arora, fellowship recruitment manager for Teach for India, noted, the organizations philosophy on this point is that learning English is essential to future success, as English in todays world is more than just a language. It is a skill set. Students who do not speak English may have some difficulty initially, but the organization has made learning at these schools experiential and therefore engaging. The dynamics of one particular grade 3 Teach for India classroom were in stark contrast to other classrooms at the same school students were listening intently, contributing in class, answering questions beyond the textbook and demonstrating a strong command over English. The challenge is scaling this model to rural India. Still other organizations focus on capacity development of teachers in government schools, such as the Azim Premji Foundation. As CEO, Behar is categorical in his view that the foundation works in partnership with the government, and that it does not believe in supplanting the government school system. The foundation has established scores of institutes at the district level that provide in-service education and also empower teachers to learn from each other. For example, Behar described a voluntary teacher forum in a district of Rajasthan, initially organized by the Azim Premji Foundation, but now being run increasingly independently by teachers in the district. The Future of Primary Education in India Education in India has improved dramatically over the last three decades. Schools are accessible to most children, both student enrollment and attendance are at their highest level, and teachers are adequately remunerated. The RTE Act guarantees a quality education to a wider range of students than ever before. However, challenges in implementing and monitoring high standards in teaching and learning outcomes across regional, cultural and socioeconomic subsets prevent India from fully achieving this goal. In addition, teacher support and scalability of high-performing teaching professionals in disparate areas, funding allocation for schools in remote districts and limited use of technology in the classroom remain barriers to reforming primary education. Indias growth story remains one of the most anticipated global economic trends, and its fulfillment relies on a well-educated and skilled workforce. Improving education is a critical area of investment and focus if the country wants to sustain economic growth and harness its young workforce. A weak foundation in primary education can derail the lives, careers and productivity of tens of millions of its citizens. Already, a significant proportion of the adult workforce in India is severely under-equipped to perform skilled and semi-skilled jobs. As Rajesh Sawhney, former president of Reliance Entertainment and founder of GSF Superangels, noted, No one is unemployed in India; there are just a lot of people who are unemployable. Furthermore, in order to develop India as a consumer market of global standards, it is imperative that all of its children reap the full benefits of a high-quality education. Otherwise, large segments of the population in rural India will continue to have low purchasing power, find themselves in highly leveraged scenarios and, more often than not, continue to make a living through agricultural means. While some of this can be attributed to deficiencies in secondary and tertiary education, the root of these issues lies in low-quality primary education.

Constructivism And Discovery Learning Education Essay

Constructivism And Discovery Learning Education Essay In 1960 Bruner published  The Process of Education. This was a landmark book which led to much experimentation and a broad range of educational programs in the 1960s. Howard Gardner and other young researchers worked under Bruner and were much-influenced by his work. In the early 70s Bruner left Harvard to teach at University of Oxford for several years (1972 1979). He returned to Harvard in 1979.   Later he joined the New York University of Law, where he is a senior research fellow (at the age of 93).   Theory   Bruner was one of the founding fathers of constructivist theory.Constructivism  is a broad conceptual framework with numerous perspectives, and Bruners is only one. Bruners theoretical framework is based on the theme that learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon existing knowledge. Learning is an active process. Facets of the process include selection and transformation of information, decision making, generating hypotheses, and making meaning from information and experiences.   Bruners theories emphasize the significance of categorization in learning. To perceive is to categorize, to conceptualize is to categorize, to learn is to form categories, to make decisions is to categorize. Interpreting information and experiences by similarities and differences is a key concept.   Bruner was influenced by  Piagets  ideas about cognitive development in children. During the 1940s his early work focused on the impact of needs, motivations, expectations (mental sets) and their influence on perception. He also looked at the role of strategies in the process of human categorization, and development of human cognition. He presented the point of view that children are active problem-solvers and capable of exploring difficult subjects. This was widely divergent from the dominant views in education at the time, but found an audience.   Four Key themes emerged in Bruners early work:   Bruner emphasized the role of structure in learning and how it may be made central in teaching. Structure refers to relationships among factual elements and techniques. See the section on categorization, below.   He introduced the ideas of readiness for learning and  spiral curriculum. Bruner believed that any subject could be taught at any stage of development in a way that fit the childs cognitive abilities. Spiral curriculum refers to the idea of revisiting basic ideas over and over, building upon them and elaborating to the level of full understanding and mastery.   Bruner believed that intuitive and analytical thinking should both be encouraged and rewarded. He believed the intuitive skills were under-emphasized and he reflected on the ability of experts in every field to make intuitive leaps.   He investigated motivation for learning. He felt that ideally, interest in the subject matter is the best stimulus for learning. Bruner did not like external competitive goals such as grades or class ranking.   Eventually Bruner was strongly influenced by Vygotskys writings and began to turn away from the intrapersonal focus he had had for learning, and began to adopt a social and political view of learning. Bruner argued that aspects of cognitive performance are facilitated by language. He stressed the importance of the social setting in the acquisition of language. His views are similar to those of  Piaget,  but he places more emphasis on the social influences on development. The earliest social setting is the mother-child dyad, where children work out the meanings of utterances to which they are repeatedly exposed. Bruner identified several important social devices including joint attention, mutual gaze, and turn-taking.   Bruner also incorporated Darwinian thinking into his basic assumptions about learning. He believed it was necessary to refer to human culture and primate evolution in order to understand growth and development. He did, however, believe there were individual differences and that no standard sequence could be found for all learners. He considered instruction as an effort to assist or shape growth.In 1996 he published The Culture of Education.. This book reflected his changes in viewpoints since the 1960s. He adopted the point of view that culture shapes the mind and provides the raw material with which we constrict our world and our self-conception.   Four features of Bruners theory of instruction.   1. Predisposition to learn. This feature specifically states the experiences which move the learner toward a love of learning in general, or of learning something in particular. Motivational, cultural, and personal factors contribute to this. Bruner emphasized social factors and early teachers and parents influence on this. He believed learning and problem solving emerged out of exploration. Part of the task of a teacher is to maintain and direct a childs spontaneous explorations.   2. Structure of knowledge.it is possible to structure knowledge in a way that enables the learner to most readily grasp the information. This is a relative feature, as there are many ways to structure a body of knowledge and many preferences among learners. Bruner offered considerable detail about structuring knowledge.   Understanding the fundamental structure of a subject makes it more comprehensible. Bruner viewed categorization as a fundamental process in the structuring of knowledge. (See the section below on categorization.)   Details are better retained when placed within the contest of an ordered and structured pattern.   To generate knowledge which is transferable to other contexts, fundamental principles or patterns are best suited.   The discrepancy between beginning and advanced knowledge in a subject area is diminished when instruction centers on a structure and principles of orientation. This means that a body of knowledge must be in a simple enough form for the learner to understand it and it must be in a form recognizable to the students experience.   3. Modes of representation: visual, words, symbols.   4. Effective sequencing- no one sequencing will fit every learner, but in general, increasing difficulty. Sequencing, or lack of it, can make learning easier or more difficult.   Form and pacing of reinforcement   Categorization:   Bruner gave much attention to categorization of information in the construction of internal cognitive maps. He believed that perception, conceptualization, learning, decision making, and making inferences all involved categorization.   Bruner suggested a system of coding in which people form a hierarchical arrangement of related categories. Each successively higher level of categories becomes more specific, echoing Benjamin Blooms understanding of knowledge acquisition as well as the related idea of instructional scaffolding (Blooms Taxonomy).   Categories  are rules that specify four thing about objects.   1. Criterial attributes required characteristics for inclusion of an object in a category. (Example, for an object to be included in the category car it must have an engine, 4 wheels, and be a possible means of transportation,   2. The second rule prescribes how the criteral attributes are combined.   3. The third rule assignees weight to various properties. (Example, it could be a car even if a tire was missing, and if it was used for hauling cargo it would be shifted to a different category of truck or perhaps van.   4. The fourth rule sets acceptance limits on attributes. Some attributes can vary widely, such as color. Others are fixed. For example a vehicle without an engine is not a car. Likewise, a vehicle with only two wheels would not be included in car.   There a several kinds of categories:   Identity categories categories include objects based on their attributes or features.   Equivalent categories (provide rules for combining categories. Equivalence can be determined by affective criteria, which render objects equivalent by emotional reactions, functional criteria, based on related functions (for example, car, truck, van could all be combined in an inclusive category called motor vehicle), or by formal criteria, for example by science, law, or cultural agreement. For example, and apple is still an apple whether it is green, ripe, dried, etc (identity). It is food (functional), and it is a member of of a botanical classification group (formal).   Coding systems  are categories serve to recognize sensory input. They are major organizational variables in higher cognitive functioning. Going beyond immediate sensory data involves making inferences on the basis of related categories. Related categories form a coding system. These are hierarchical arrangements of related categories.   Bruners theories introduced the idea that people interpret the world largely in terms of similarities and differences.   This is a significant contribution to how individuals construct their unique models of the world.   Application   Bruner emphasized four characteristics of effective instruction which emerged from his theoretical constructs.   1. Personalized: instruction should relate to learners predisposition, and facilitate interest toward learning,   2. Content Structure: content should be structured so it can be most easily grasped by the learner   3. Sequencing: sequencing is an important aspect for presentation of material   4. Reinforcement: rewards and punishment should be selected and paced appropriately.   Intellectual Development   Bruner postulated three stages of intellectual development.   The first stage he termed Enactive, when a person learns about the world through actions on physical objects and the outcomes of these actions.   The second stage was called Iconic where learning can be obtained through using models and pictures.   The final stage was Symbolic in which the learner develops the capacity to think in abstract terms. Based on this three-stage notion, Bruner recommended using a combination of concrete, pictorial then symbolic activities will lead to more effective learning.   Bruner, J. (1960). The Process of Education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press   Harley, 1995   http://tip.psychology.org/bruner.html   LeFrancois, 1972   Sahakian, 1976 The Importance of Language Language is important for the increased ability to deal with abstract concepts.Bruner  argues that  language  can code stimuli and free an individual from the constraints of dealing only with appearances, to provide a more complex yet flexible cognition. The use of words can aid the development of the concepts they represent and can remove the constraints of the here now concept. Basically, he sees the infant as an intelligent active problem solver from birth, with intellectual abilities basically similar to those of the mature adult. According to Bruner the child represents the world to himself in three different ways. Educational Implications of Bruners Theory For Bruner (1961), the purpose of education is not to impart knowledge, but instead to facilitate a childs thinking and problem solving skills which can then be transferred to a range of situations. Specifically, education should also develop symbolic thinking in children. In 1960 Bruners text,  The Process of Education  was published. The main premise of Bruners text was that students are active learners who construct their own knowledge. Bruner (1960) opposed  Piagets  notion of readiness. He argued that schools waste time trying to match the complexity of subject material to a childs cognitive stage of development. This means students are held back by teachers as certain topics are deemed to difficult to understand and must be taught when the teacher believes the child has reached the appropriate state of cognitive maturity. Bruner (1960) adopts a different view and believes a child (of any age) is capable of understanding complex information:  We begin with the hypothesis that any subject can be taught effectively in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development. (p. 33) Bruner (1960) explained how this was possible through the concept of the  spiral curriculum. This involved information being structured so that complex ideas can be taught at a simplified level first, and then re-visited at more complex levels later on. Therefore, subjects would be taught at levels of gradually increasing difficultly (hence the spiral analogy). Ideally teaching his way should lead to children being able to solve problems by themselves. Bruner (1961) proposes that learners construct their own knowledge and do this by organizing and categorizing information using a coding system. Bruner believe that the most effect way to develop a coding system is to discover it rather than being told it by the teacher. The concept of  discovery learning  implies that students construct their own knowledge for themselves (also known as a constructist approach). The role of the teacher should not be to teach information by rote learning, but instead to facilitate the learning process. This means that a good teacher will design lessons that help student discover the relationship between bits of information. To do this a teacher must give students the information they need, but without organizing for them. The use of the spiral curriculum can aid the process of  discovery learning. Bruner and Vygotsky Both Bruner and Vygotsky emphasise a childs environment, especially the social environment, more than Piaget did. Both agree that adults should play an active role in assisting the childs learning. Bruner, like Vygotksy, emphasised the social nature of learning, citing that other people should help a child develop skills through the process of  scaffolding. The term scaffolding first appeared in the literature when Wood, Bruner and Ross described how tutors interacted with pre-schooler to help them solve a block reconstruction problem (Wood et al., 1976). The concept of scaffolding is very similar to  Vygotskys  notion of the  zone of proximal development, and it not uncommon for the terms to be used interchangeably.Scaffolding  involves helpful, structured interaction between an adult and a child with the aim of helping the child achieve a specific goal. Difference Between Bruner and Piaget Obviously there are similarities between  Piaget  and Bruner, but an importantdifference  is that Bruners modes are not related in terms of which presuppose the one that precedes it. Whilst sometimes one mode may dominate in usage, they co-exist. Bruner states that what determines the level of intellectual development is the extent to which the child has been given appropriate instruction together with practice or experience. So the right way of presentation and the right explanation will enable a child to grasp a concept usually only understood by an adult. His theory stresses the role of education and the adult. Although  Bruner proposes  stages of cognitive development, he doesnt see them as representing different separate modes of thought at different points of development (like Piaget). Instead, he sees a gradual development of cognitive skills and techniques into more integrated adult cognitive techniques. Bruner views  symbolic representation  as crucial for cognitive development and since language is our primary means of symbolizing the world, he attaches great importance to language in determining cognitive development. BRUNER AGREES WITH PIAGET BRUNER DISAGREES WITH PIAGET 1. Children are PRE-ADAPTED to learning 1. Development is a CONTINUOUS PROCESS not a series of stages 2. Children have a NATURAL CURIOSITY 2. The development of LANGUAGE is a cause not a consequence of cognitive development 3. Childrens COGNITIVE STRUCTURES develop over time 3. You can SPEED-UP cognitive development. You dont have to wait for the child to be ready 4. Children are ACTIVE participants in the learning process 4. The involvement of ADULTS and MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE PEERS makes a big difference 5. Cognitive development entails the acquisition of SYMBOLS 5. Symbolic thought does NOT REPLACE EARLIER MODES OF REPRESENTATION

Attitudes of Chinese Immigrants in the U.S. :: History

Attitudes of Chinese Immigrants in the U.S. Attitudes about personal interest and career choices are influenced by a person‘s culture and age. â€Å"I want to be a pilot.† â€Å"I want to a lawyer.† Younger generations always decide their interest and what they want to do as their career based on their own benefit. Observing from the past in the U.S., very limited opportunity is offered to the Chinese immigrants. They might consider if they can do it, in stead of if they want to do it or not. Regardless of what education level they possessed most of the Chinese immigrant work as a waiter, waitress or some low paid jobs. However, the Chinese immigrants’ position in U.S. community is changing these years. Chinese immigrants are being appreciable in the U.S. community. As the changes, there were so many conflicts between younger and older generation who are Chinese immigrants after viewing on career choices and personal interest. I am interested in this topic and I have interviewed two people of differe nt generation who both earned a bachelor degree in the U.S. Except generation differences, they have got similar background. I am going to learn more about how different generations view personal interest and career choices. Vincent Kwan, an accountant in California, is a Chinese immigrant who moved to the U.S. with his family since 1971. Sandy Wong, currently a college student in Santa Monica College, immigrated to U.S. with her family since 1995. And her future goal is to be a politician in U.S. I have learned a lot about Chinese immigrants’ views career choices and personal interest. As the position of Chinese and the generation changed, they have different views with these two issues. They were all talkative and willing to share their personal feeling with me. First, Vincent and Sandy have similar views with personal interest. Nowadays, technology and equity is promoted in the world, especially in U.S. Him and Sandy agree that the status of Chinese become greater in America. Vincent grew up in a typical Chinese family, he wish to be a pilot when he was small. However he has banned this idea. The main reasons are because he didn’t have any chances to approach planes and his parents didn’t give him any support on this issue. â€Å"The most important factor of deciding career is the salary. It is because it will help you to achieve a satisfactory life.