Using technology in classrooms

Introduction Numerous schools across the country are investing massive sums of money in technology in order to improve learning. While a few institutions have benefited from these programs, research shows that several have not. Technology use in classes also impedes other programs and reduces learning outcomes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Using technology in classrooms specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The evidence In certain scenarios, technology use in the classroom is counterproductive. The National Assessment of Educational Progress found that students who spent too much of their time on technological tools, such as computers, performed worse than those who did not. Although school administrators mean well by introducing technologies in their institutions, these tools can cause adverse distractions in the student body. In fact, such distractions should provide enough evidence for school administrators to r emove them from their institution. When computers are present in a classroom, it causes teachers to compete with them. Unlike other learning tools (textbooks, whiteboards etc) that are exclusively used for learning purposes, computers have so many non-academic uses. Children are bound to abuse these advantages and thus perform poorly. Some schools provide their students with computer games, tutorials and simulations in order to boost their writing skills. Kulik (34) found that their writing skills got worse after participating in computer enrichment program; their performance decreased by -0.14. Richtel (A1) explains that technology can be detrimental to student’s learning owing to its effect on the financial costs of a school. He explains that many schools are blindly investing in technology without asking for proof that it works. Since technology requires a lot of revenues, these schools have had to cut back on their expenditures in other traditional classes such as physica l education, music or art. As much as technological skills are important in children’s adult lives, their need to develop skills in physical education or art is just as important too. It is especially relevant to those children with talents in such areas. Technology use in classrooms is placing unnecessary financial pressure on schools with smaller budgets thus eating up on other vital knowledge areas. Sometimes technology use in classrooms does not affect children’s performance either negatively or positively. One should note that neutral effects on learning are just as bad as negative effects because schools are not realizing their returns on investment. It is pointless to spend massive amounts of revenue on a tool that causes no improvement.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Kulik (13) investigated the effect on instructional technology in secondary and elementary schoo ls and found no significant changes. His analysis was based on secondary literature from over 15 national studies. The author found that reading scores among children who received their instructions through technology improved by very small quantities. Furthermore, because the results were divergent among various researches, then it is not possible to make a firm conclusion on the subject. The results of technology enhanced learning among special groups are not that promising, as well. Muir Herzig (120) did a study of the effect of technology on children who are at risk. She defined at-risk children as those whose education might be endangered owing to their health, social, family or economic environments. Usually, such children will report high rates of absenteeism and low grades. Some schools with high proportions of at-risk students have introduced technology as a method of coping with these challenges, but have found minimal results. The researcher cited teacher-related deficien cies and administrational inadequacies as some of the reasons behind the poor results. All these findings indicate that no conclusive proof exists to support the use of technology. The earliest proponents of technology use in the classroom came from the Clinton administration in 1995. They believed that technology would increase the US’s competiveness in the global arena. However, the group stressed that massive adoption should only commence when the education system has tangible proof that the technologies work. This proof should come from nation-wide trials that have lasted for years on end. However, because technology applications are so different and they keep changing rapidly, then it is difficult to carry out such a trial. In essence, users of technology may have to embrace the technology without certainty about the potential effects (Richtel A1). It is simply pointless to make such a large investment without having sufficient evidence that the approach works.Advertisin g We will write a custom essay sample on Using technology in classrooms specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The inherent nature of technology has a large role to play in determining these negative outcomes. Technologies keep changing so quickly; therefore, training programs must become a routine activity in the school environment, yet this is not always tenable. Furthermore, these changes in technology also correspond to changes in the students’ learning styles. Teachers must merge these new learning styles to their teaching approach, yet that is not always possible. Technology use requires coordinators that can facilitate these transitions and teachers who are willing to make changes constantly; this may be a difficult ask for most instructors. Additionally, the costs of changing these pieces of technology may also impede some schools. It is always necessary to upgrade hardware and software in the school environment (Muir He rzig 122). However, funding issues may minimize these upgrades thus making it difficult for teachers to merge new software with the old computers that they have. Counterevidence A number of proponents believe that schools should give technology a second thought because it prepares students for the outside world. They claim that it teaches them the necessary skills to compete in the corporate arena. However, these proponents are assuming that the goal of technology is only long term. If a teacher’s goal is to improve performance today, then he or she would not gain from the use of technology. Furthermore, when teachers do not give students short term goals to aspire to, then their performance starts to dwindle. It is quite difficult to erasure higher order thinking or problem solving skills without the use of tests, yet this is what proponents of technology use are advocating for in their institutions. Even if one assumes that technology leads to development of certain learnin g skills, one must realize that it also destroys others. Language skills and interpersonal skills are just as important as problem-solving skills, especially among young children. However, the introduction of technology in classes reduces the amount of time that students have to interact with one another and thus develop the necessary team-working or language skills needed to survive in the workplace too.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some proponents argue that research has shown some positive improvements; even though these findings are small, they still represent a positive correlation. However, analysts have realized that sometimes the positive results may come from external factors such as parental involvement. When schools decide to incorporate some of these technologies in teaching, they often expect parents to make contributions to the purchases. As a result, most parents will become keen on their children’s performance, which will make their results improve. Additionally, one will find that schools with high levels of investment in technology often train their teachers very frequently. Increases in test scores may actually be brought on by the improved teaching training rather than the technologies. Baylor and Ritchie (12) found that for technology to work well in the classroom, it must be complemented by a series of other activities. Teachers need to have a plan for the technology, which must cons ist of the vision and philosophy that will determine the use of that technology. One must also name all the stakeholders involved as well as the configuration, time plan and funding components of the technology. Furthermore, teachers require technology role models from their administrations, such as school principles, in order to provide leadership. Curriculum alignment is also another vital contributor to the success of technology. Teachers need to be exposed to the technology for a long period of time before they can claim to have mastered it. Educators also need to make decisions on how best to use the technologies once they have been introduced to that setting (Evans-Andris 27). All these prerequisites may present serious problems in realization of tangible results. First, educators may find it difficult to estimate aspects of the technology plan such as funding or configuration. It is difficult to find technology models in schools, and curriculum alignment is always problematic ; many teachers cannot maintain the same pace as the changes in technology. Lastly, differentials exist on the best way to utilize technology. Conclusion Research on the effect of technology in classrooms is inconclusive as some studies show only slight improvements while most reveal no change or reduced performance. It would not make sense to invest in a program that has not been validated. Furthermore, most positive results emanate from teacher training and parental support rather than the actual technological tool. Works Cited Baylor, Amy Donn Ritchie. â€Å"What factors facilitate teacher skill, teacher morale, and perceived student leanring technology-using classrooms?† Computers and Education. 4(2002): 1-20. Web. Evans-Andris, Micheal. â€Å"An examination of computing styles among teachers in elementary schools.† Educational Technology Research and Development, 4.2(1995): 15-30. Print. Kulik, James. Effects of using instructional technology in elementary and se condary schools: What controlled evaluation studies say. SRI International no. P10446. Arlington, VA, 2003 Muir-Herzig, Rozalind. â€Å"Technology and its impact in the classroom.† Computers and Education 42(2004): 111-131. Web. Richtel, Matt.†In classroom of future, stagnant scores.† New York Times, 4 September 2011: A1. Print. This essay on Using technology in classrooms was written and submitted by user Kamden Sullivan to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Ib World Lit the Doctors Wife and Kokoro Essay Example

Ib World Lit the Doctors Wife and Kokoro Essay Example Ib World Lit the Doctors Wife and Kokoro Paper Ib World Lit the Doctors Wife and Kokoro Paper This merely my outline write it yourself! How the Motif of Death creates the Somber Mood I. Through the recurring motif of death the author creates a somber mood A. The Doctor’s Wife by Sawako Ariyoshi B. Kokoro by Natsume Soseki II. Using an unaffected tone the author reveals deaths that are important to the novel. A. â€Å"On a night so cold that the herb garden was covered in frost the woman gasped her last breath. K, at the time, was too preoccupied with her own nausea as she sat by Otsugi’s bed in prayer. And her mother-in-law departed from this world without learning of her pregnancy† (Ariyoshi 149). 1. Otsugi as the antagonist is a main character in the novel, and even though she and Kae’s relationship is basically the main focus of the novel her death is mentioned an unaffected or nonchalant way as though her death plays no importance to the rest of the novel. B. â€Å"I was not yet twenty when I lost both of my parents. I think that my wife once mentioned to you that they died of the same disease. Also, if I remember correctly, she told you, much to your surprise, that they died almost at the same time† (Soseki 129) 1. Even though Sensei’s parents are very minor characters alone their death is the beginning of the downward spiral that Sensei’s life follows. Sensei is speaking of his parents, the people who raised him and the unaffected tone the author uses when bring up their death brings Sensei’s misanthropic nature full circle. He is so close to his death that bringing up loved ones has no effect on the tone. C. In both novels deaths that cause major shifts in the plot of the story are undertaken with distant and unaffected tones that mislead the reader into thinking that their deaths are unimportant. When in reality the deaths that are mentioned in such an unimportant manner are very important in developing the novel. III. Through the motif of death characters become unified. A. â€Å"â€Å"No one can share the suffering of a mother who must out live her own child except another mother who has had the same misfortune,† she cried, her tears rolling freely over Otsugi’s shoulder† (Ariyoshi 141). . Kae and Otsugi’s imperfect mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship is the catalyst for The Doctor’s Wife and throughout Kae’s life in the home they have been quietly feuding for Seishu’s attention, but through the common bond of them each losing a child they take comfort in their common bond in an attempt to fill the empty space their loss has left behind. B. â€Å"â€Å"It’s just his mood,† she once said. â€Å"He is just depressed. † She seemed to think that my father was depressed because of the Emperor’s illness. I could not agree with her†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬Å" When the newspaper announcing the Emperor’s Death arrived, my father said: â€Å"Oh! Oh! † And then â€Å"Oh. His Majesty is gone at last. I too†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My father fell silent† (Soseki 91). 1. The student’s father was most likely born into the Meiji era and most likely with the similarities between his own sickness and the Emperor’s he has built a bond in his mind, through with their fates appear parallel. This bond is apparent to even the student’s mother who believes that her husband is depressed because of the Emperor. Due to this bond the father has created in his mind he feels that when the Emperor died that it is he who should be next and he comes close to expressing that, when he falls silent to how tender the subject of his own death is to his family. C. Through the illusion of death the characters who otherwise would not share a bond due to their specific relationships, or lack thereof, are linked through death. IV. In light of joyous occasions the motif of death if used to â€Å"ground† the reader to the story A. â€Å"Seishu’s sister had her throat choked by the hematoma and died quietly, without a voice, one month before his glorious triumph. She was forty-two and remained lucid until the end† (167 Ariyoshi). 1. Seishu finally has come within arm’s reach of his goal, this should be a happy and joyous moment, but Seishu’s sister is choked to death her illness. This event creates a drastic change in the mood when one thinks of how Seishu is so close to curing the other woman of her cancer, but his own kin he is helpless and can do nothing but watch her wither away and die. B. â€Å" But that night, K killed himself. Even now, I cannot recall the scene without horror. I do not know what strange forces were at work that night†¦. † (Soseki 228). . Sensei is engaged to be married to Ojusan and even though this a bit of a sore subject due to K, he is finally going to confront K about it which should lift the mood with the fact that Sensei is going to take responsibility for his actions, but before Sensei can talk to him K kills himself that night, destroying all hope of them fixing their problems. C. Joyous occasion created in the story are quickly dashed by the somber mood associated with the death of a character. This shows how the authir seems determined to carry the somber mood throughout the book even during the joyous moments. V. Through the recurring motif of death the author creates a somber mood A. The in The Doctor’s Wife is to contrast the climax or resolution of the book where Seishu performs the first successful breast cancer surgery. Through the motif of death the author creates a conflict as clear as night and day to amplify the resolution. 1. The reader is kept on a constant roller coaster with the deaths throughout the book and the distant tone the author uses throught the third person point of view that is used. The distant tone makes the story seem more like the work of fiction it is and down plays the historical aspect of the book. B. The purpose of Kokoro to tell of a tragic fictional story of a misanthropic natured man. Using the first person 1. The reader of the book often feel that they can relate to both the character of the student and of Sensei. The student is young and naive he often only thinks inwardly, he feel doesn’t realize his negate attitude that he has with his father until it is too late. The author can also relate to the character of Sensei because Sensei is a loner character which is emphasized in the first person point of view.

HEALTH AND WORK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HEALTH AND WORK - Essay Example Cox: 1996) In light of the preceding nuances on racism institutional racism can be thus perceived as a way in which particular racial groups are denied rights or benefits or on the other extreme, get preferential treatment. "Institutional racism (or structural racism or systemic racism) refers to a form of racism which occurs specifically in institutions such as public bodies, corporations, and universities." (Institutional racism: Wikipedia 2008) According to the source cited above the term was coined by Black Nationalist, pan-Africanist and honorary prime minister of the Black Panther Party, Stokely Carmichael. In the late 1960s, Carmichael defined the term as "the collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin". There is resonating concurrence in various theories and perspectives on institutional racism that this form is an elaborate form of racism that purports to circumvent the acute nature, application and effects of orthodox racism. Some Examples drawn from American history illustrate the dynamics of institutional racism. In 1935, the U.S. Congress promulgated the Social Security Act. The act was guaranteeing an income for millions of workers after retirement.

Reconstructing gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Reconstructing gender - Essay Example The concept of sexual schizophrenia has neutralized the demeaning male attitude towards women due to the female gender’s engagement in sports. Women are currently not viewed as objects of sexuality since they have gripped a stable position in the modern society by playing equal roles as their male counterparts. As a result, women are not only viewed as cheerleaders in sports but actual players in every sporting competition (Disch, 2008). Women tend to have different reactions towards the alleged male attitude towards sexuality. Most women in the youth age consider the male attitude towards them as an appraisal while those in the mature age find it diminishing. As a woman, Sabo’s description of male sexuality is true since women are viewed as stereotypes of the physical concept of sexuality. Pornography is the overt presentation of sexual acts in films as well as printed material. Robert Jensen provides his life experience with pornography which explains how the porn industry reinforces and upholds the patriarchy. According to Jensen, women exist to provide their male counterparts with sexual excitement. This portrays that women are only used as sexual objects to promote arousing feeling in pornographic materials (Disch, 2008). Robert Jensen argues that in most pornographic films upholds and reinforces the Patriarchy by the introduction of anal sex. In his argument, he explains the concept behind this act being men’s, revenge to women’s bitchy characters. This shows that the female role is overpowered by the male position in the society thus portraying patriarchy. The introduction of multiple sexual partners also displays a sense of patriarchy as in most pornographic films; a man is given more than one woman to relate with sexually. This encourages polygamy in which is based on the male dominance according to the African society. Patriarchy promotes gender imbalance in the current

Development of Water Treatment Plant

Development of Water Treatment Plant ASSIGNMENT Access to safe drinking-water is essential to health, a basic human right and a component of effective policy for health protection. The nature and form of drinking-water standards may vary among countries and regions. There is no single approach that is universally applicable. A number of governmental and non-governmental agencies provide guidance on safeguarding the quality of public water supplies. The documents according to which the treatment plant for disaster struck region is established are:- GUIDELINES FOR DRINKING WATER QUALITY by WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION in GENEVA08 GUIDANCE FOR SAFEGUARDING THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES by DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE, U.K. SPHERE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR HUMANITARIAN RELIEF Here we present a brief description of what role these have in providing safe water to the public. WHO Guidelines for drinking water: Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality explains requirements to ensure drinking-water safety, including minimum procedures and specific guideline values, and how those requirements are intended to be used. The Guidelines describe reasonable minimum requirements of safe practice to protect the health of consumers and/or derive numerical guideline values for constituents of water or indicators of water quality. WHO analyzes the water quality on the following aspects:- 1. Microbial aspect: Securing the microbial safety of drinking-water supplies is based on the use of multiple barriers, from catchment to consumer, to prevent the contamination of drinking-water or to reduce contamination to levels not injurious to health. Faecally derived pathogens are the principal concerns in setting health-based targets for microbial safety. In addition to faecally borne pathogens, other microbial hazards (e.g., guinea worm [Dracunculus medinensis], toxic cyanobacteria and Legionella) may be of public health importance under specific circumstances. The parameters most commonly measured to assess microbial safety are as follows: E. coli: zero E. coli per 100 ml of water Residual chlorine: in the range of 0.2-1 mg/litre. 2. Chemical aspect: A number of chemical contaminants have been shown to cause adverse health effects in humans as a consequence of prolonged exposure through drinking-water. The prescribed concentration of certain chemicals in purified water is as under: 3. Radiological aspects :-The health risk associated with the presence of naturally occurring radionuclides in drinking-water should also be taken into consideration, although the contribution of drinking-water to total exposure to radionuclides is very small under normal circumstances. Formal guideline values are not set for individual radionuclides in drinking-water. 4. Acceptability aspects :- Water should be free of tastes and odours that would be objectionable to the majority of consumers. Changes in the normal appearance, odour or taste of a drinking-water supply may signal changes in the quality of the raw water source or deficiencies in the treatment process and should be investigated. Regulations according to Drinking Water Inspectorate, UK: The water quality regulations set legal standards for water, which must be met by water companies in England and . Many of the standards are based on World Health Organization guidelines and include very wide safety margins. The regulations and standards are on the DWI web site at www.dwi.gov.uk. As the guardians of drinking water quality, the main role of the Drinking Water Inspectorate is to enforce the regulations and check that water companies in England supply water that is safe to drink and meets the standards set in the regulations. Sphere Minimum Standards For: The Sphere Project was launched in 1997 by a group of humanitarian NGOs and the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement. The main objective of water supply and sanitation programmes in disasters is to reduce the transmission of faeco-oral diseases and exposure to disease-bearing vectors through the promotion of good hygiene practices, the provision of safe drinking water and the reduction of environmental health risks and by establishing the conditions that allow people to live with good health, dignity, comfort and security. Key indicators:- There are no faecal coliforms per 100ml at the point of delivery. Water is treated with a disinfectant so that there is a free chlorine residual at the tap of 0.5mg per litre and turbidity is below 5 NTU Average water use for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene in any household is at least 15 litres per person per day The maximum distance from any household to the nearest water point is 500 metres Till now we have discussed the parameters and respective standards prescribed by various organizations for drinking water quality. We now turn to our problem OBJECTIVE: To construct a water treatment plant for a disaster struck area in the Far east for a population of about 1500 internally displaced people that agrees with the provisions of WHO guidelines, U.K. Regulations and Sphere minimum standards and to discuss the likely microbial challenges that the plant might face and their potential impact on water quality. Details of the water source: The only available water source is a limestone spring fed pond whose chemical analysis report is as under:- All the other parameters are believed to be in accordance with the U.K. regulations The desired plant supplies water to 1500 people and according to the Sphere Minimum Standards, an individuals daily need of water is approximately 15 litres. This means that the capacity of the plant must be about 22500 litres per day (22.5 kilolitres/day) Our prime objective in designing the treatment plant is to: Level the pH to about 6.5-7.5 Bring the concentration of aluminium to below 0.2mg/l Benzene level below 0.01 mg/l Faecal coliform count to about zero per 100ml All the above parameters are as per the WHO norms, UK regulations and Sphere standards. The rest of the parameters are in accordance with the UK Regulations and hence need not be treated. Next we design a Water Treatment plant as per the prescribed guidelines with a capacity of 25 kilolitres per day. LAYOUT OF THE TREATMENT PLANT We now present an elaborate overview of the plant and the methods incorporated in it Stage 1 Water leaves the limestone spring fed pond and is pumped into the two raw water reservoirs each of capacity 25kilolitres. The purpose of having two reservoirs is that when one needs to be cleaned the plant can still operate continuously. Stage 2 Pre-chlorination is done at this stage in the two raw water reservoirs. It is done by using a dosing pump that supplies sodium hypochlorite. As a result disinfection begins. Stage 3 Water from the raw water reservoir enters the Flash Mixer where a coagulant Poly Aluminum Chloride (PAC) is added to bind any small particles. Sodium carbonate is also added to control the pH and also to remove the hardness caused by limestone. The dosed water is now retained for a short period to enable the binding process to start before the water passes to the Clarification Stage. Stage 4 The water dosed with coagulant is discharged into the bottom of the clarifier and as the water flows upwards so the particles bound together by the PAC form a sludge blanket just below the surface of the water. The sludge blanket traps more particles as the water flows through it to the outlet channels which span the clarifier at the water surface. From time to time some of the sludge blanket is drawn off and discharged to the sludge processing plant. Stage 5 The clarified supernatant water is then sent to therapid gravity filters, containing a gravel base and a bed of granular activated carbon which removes any remaining fine particles. The granular activated carbon is also extremely useful in removing organic compounds such as benzene which can cause taste problems in the supply. Stage 6 To provide an effective barrier againstfaecal coliforms, the filtered water is then passed through amembrane filtration system. It also retains the flocculants of aluminium hydroxide that are formed due to excess concentration (concentration greater than 2mg/litre) of aluminium in water. In this microfiltration plant the water is allowed to pass through six different compartments each containing a mesh (or screen) of pore size 0.2 microns (1 micron = one thousandth of a millimeter), readily available in the market. Feed water passes through the walls of this membrane producing a filtrate free of faecal coliform and other suspended solids. Stage 7 Following filtration the filtered water is further dosed with chlorine to ensure adequate disinfection. It remains in contact with a high dose of chlorine for a minimum of six hours in a covered contact tank. Chlorine disinfects the water by killing bacteria and viruses. Stage 8 After leaving the contact tank, the final water is dosed with Sulphur Dioxide to reduce the chlorine residual to its set point before being sent for distribution. This way we obtain clean and safe water for supply to the customers. A major problem we encountered in the limestone spring fed pond was the grazing of farm animals particularly goats that led to microbial contamination of the pond. Grazing animals can negatively affect water quality through erosion and sediment transport into surface waters, through nutrients from urine and feces dropped by the animals. The two nutrients of primary concern relating to animal production are N and P. Nitrogen is of concern because high concentrations in drinking water in the NO3 form cause methemoglobinemia (blue baby disease), whereas other forms of N (primarily nitrite, NO2) are considered to be potentially carcinogenic. Phosphorus in the PO4 form is of concern because it causes eutrophication of surface water bodies. The next major problem is of the migratory aquatic birds that arrive during a three week period in November. During migratory movements, birds carry pathogens that can be transmitted between species at breeding, wintering, and stopover places where numerous birds of various species are concentrated. During these yearly migrations, birds have the potential of dispersing microorganisms that can be dangerous for public as well as animal health. Birds are believed to be responsible for the wide geographic distribution of various pathogens, including viruses (e.g., West Nile, Sindbis, influenza A, Newcastle), bacteria (e.g., borrelia, mycobacteria, salmonellae), and protozoa (e.g., cryptosporidia). Bacteria, viruses, and protozoa when ingested in drinking water can cause a number of infectious waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, and infectious gastrointestinal diseases like cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis. Treatment Some microbial contaminants can be removed by water treatment coagulation and filtration processes. Disinfection has been proven effective against bacteria and viruses, and the method of Membrane Filtration is sufficient to remove the Cryptosporidium. A very essential condition of an effective treatment plant is to establish a well developed watershed or a wellhead protection program. Controlling or eliminating microbial sources before they contaminate a water supply will go a long way toward simplifying treatment and reducing costs associated with a contaminated supply. This is the proposed plant for the treatment of water which the community can operate and which provides a healthy and safe drinking water. Apart from this the people should be aware enough to utilize optimum amount of water and the people should consider it as their moral responsibility to prevent contamination of water by their activities.

Decision Analysis Essay

Finally, some typical problem classes are examined and some requirements for prototypical structures are discussed. An introduction to problem structuring Decision analysis can be divided into four steps: structuring the problem; formulating inference and preference models; eliciting probabilities and utilities; and exploring the numerical model results. Prac* This research was supported by a grant from the Department of Defense and was monitored by the Engineering Psychology Programs of the Office of Naval Research, under contract While writing this paper, the author discussed the problem of structuring extensively with Helmut Jungermann. The present version owes much to his thought. Please don’t take footnote 3 too seriously. It is part of a footnote war between Ralph Keeney and me. ** Presently with the Social Science Research Institute, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90007, (213) 741-6955. 12 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems titioners of decision analysis generally agree that structuring is the most important and difficult step of the analysis. Yet, until recently, decision analytic research has all but ignored structuring, concentrating instead on questions of modeling and elicitation. As a result, structuring was, and to some extent still is, considered the ‘art’ part of decision analysis. This paper examines some attempts to turn this art into a science. Trees are the most common decision analytic structures. Decision trees, for example, represent the sequential aspects of a decision problem (see Raiffa 1968; Brown et al. 1974). Other examples are goal trees for the representations of values (Keeney and Raiffa 1976) and event trees for the representation f inferential problem aspects (Kelly and Barclay 1973). In fact, trees so much dominate decision analytic structures that structuring is often considered synonymous to building a tree.

Rite of Passage

â€Å"Every human being on this earth is born with a tragedy, and it isn't original sin. He's born with the tragedy that he has to grow up. That he has to leave the nest, the security, and go out to do battle. He has to lose everything that is lovely and fight for a new loveliness of his own making, and it's a tragedy. A lot of people don't have the capacity to do it. † A coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. In most modern societies this transition takes place on an adolescence’s 18th birthday.The celebrations of these transitions vary from culture to culture as well as religious beliefs and hence affect our opinions, views, beliefs and attitudes towards rites of passage and the foreign processes incorporated into rituals and initiations. My name is Kali Collado and I welcome you to â€Å"All the World’s a Stage Festival† where I will share with you why 18th birthdays mean different things to different people. In modern -day Australia most 18th birthday celebrations consist of large-scale consumption of booze, clubbing, strippers and drug-induced parties.When an adolescent turns 18 society recognises them as adults and are therefore given more responsibilities, choice-flexibility, benefits and independence from their parents. Turning 18 here in Australia doesn’t require us to undergo physically and mentally perilous initiations or rituals. In fact these benefits, freedom and responsibilities are handed to us on a silver platter. Unlike Vanuatuan culture, villages build wooden towers reaching heights of 100 feet or more, where boys as young as five are to jump off a certain platform with vine ropes tied to each ankle.Summoning all the courage they have, they dive from the platform headfirst. The goal of the jump is to land close enough to the ground that contact between the divers shoulders and the ground is made. These dives are two-fold; in that it’s performed as sacrifice for their gods to ensure bountiful yam crop or to initiate the tribe boys into manhood preceded by circumcision. The higher a man goes along the platform, the manlier he’s considered amongst the tribe. Vanuatuans believe this ritual necessary because it ensures bountiful crops whereas in Australia food is readily accessible in supermarket isles.This rite of passage isn’t just about initiating tribesmen anymore but for what they believe is the survival of the tribe. As the quote goes â€Å"Initiations aren’t just for mental wellbeing but for the survival of the tribe† Another example of a religious initiation is from South East Asia. There, adolescence’s are initiated into adulthood to become a novice monk or nun by dressing as Princes or Princesses after their Prince Gautama. They take three Jewels and have their heads shaved and then change into saffron robes.They stay with the monks from a night to a few years to practice meditation and prayer, marking a t ime of purity and innocence as well as awareness of the sins in the world. Although this ritual is far from the perilous Vanuatuan initiation it still differs from the rituals of 18thbirthday celebrations in Australia; in that religion implements preservation of innocence, chastity and prayer. 18th birthdays does not signify booze, drugs or partying in these cultures but rather maturity and acceptance of their new roles into their society or tribe.It’s not about leaving the nest and its security to go out and explore the world by themselves. It’s not about swimming into the world of uncalled maturity for the benefit of their culture. It is difficult to judge whether these cultures are right in the way initiations should be incorporated because it’s specific to their beliefs, their culture and their religion. Their culture â€Å"Every human being on this earth is born with a tragedy, and it isn't original sin. He's born with the tragedy that he has to grow up.Th at he has to leave the nest, the security, and go out to do battle. He has to lose everything that is lovely and fight for a new loveliness of his own making, and it's a tragedy. A lot of people don't have the courage to do it. † â€Å"Critics who treat ‘adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence.And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, includin g the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up. † ? C. S. Lewis