Dialogue in Education free essay sample

In nearly every debate the ultimate motive is to prove that one side is right and the other is inherently wrong, rarely leaving any room for middle ground. Sadly, because of debate’s prevalence throughout society, American culture and education has been deduced to lecturing and mere dualistic contention. From news shows to elementary classrooms, logic and reason serve as the gateway to discovering truths, according to western education. But what exactly are the consequences of a debate-centered education system, and can America make changes in order to diminish any negative consequences? For one, it is evident that in comparison to Asian nations, American education is lacking. When it comes to academic achievement, according to the International Business Times, the US is ranked 17th in the world (Gayathri). Additionally, research has shown that Americans do not appreciate education like many Asian nationals who value knowledge as, â€Å"integral to what it means to be a person, and that socialization, education knowledge and morality are inseparable† (Alexander 11). In order to address these two issues and better America’s education system, one solution does not exist. A hybrid of solutions must be explored. The two articles The Roots of Debate in Education and the Hope of Dialogue and The Power of Context: Bernie Goetz and the Rise and Fall of New York City Crime, written by Deborah Tannen and Malcolm Gladwell, respectively, offer two theories that could revolutionize western education. By considering, and possibly implementing, the authors’ theories regarding the importance of dialogue and the influential power of our environment, America would permanently improve its education system. In her article, Deborah Tannen mentions an important consequence of the debate pedagogy dominating western school systems: â€Å"The tendency to value formal, objective knowledge over relational, intuitive knowledge,† she claims, â€Å"grows out of our notion of education as training for debate† (405). The Georgetown professor addresses the agonistic, debate focused educational system by referring to it as warlike, â€Å"deeply rooted in Western tradition, going back to the ancient Greeks† (Tannen 402) American education has always been centered on discovering abstract truth through the debate of two ideas. Tannen explains how seeking to prove others wrong, as opposed to discovering new ideas or solutions, has become an end in itself (413). For example, western education teaches that academic essays are, for the most part, only supposed to be written in direct opposition to another essay. If an author fails to objectively choose a side, then their opinion is often considered unnecessary. But how can we expect students to think creatively and discover new solutions when they are only told to tear down and refute already presented ideas? Tannen considers this very question. Despite the millennium long roots in western society, she believes America is capable of altering its education system to a more dialogue based method of teaching, and explains the benefits of doing so. Early in her article, Tannen asks readers to compare the contention filled western education model with that of the dialogue dominated Chinese culture. As stated earlier, many Asian nations, including China, have far surpassed the US in academic achievement, and Tannen believes the inherent presence of dialogue throughout their culture may be the reason why. She explains how educating children by using a dialogic approach fosters an increased access to knowledge because â€Å"the aim [is] to ‘enlighten an inquirer,’ no to ‘overwhelm the opponent’† (403). Whereas, in western culture and education, critical response is limited to critique; therefore, students are, â€Å"not doing the other kinds of critical thinking that could be helpful; looking for new insights, new perspectives, new ways of thinking, new knowledge†- all processes made possible through dialogue (414). Consider Asian talk shows, for example. As opposed to American shows such as the O’Reilly Factor, Chinese talk shows portray how approaching a situation from many perspectives instead of simply two opposing viewpoints can be very beneficial (Tannen 422). Not only does adding multiple perspectives expand the possibility of discovering solutions, but it diffuses arguments into discussions instead of escalating them into tension-filled disagreements, as debate often does. Western society allows debate to dominate over any type of dialogue, thus snuffing out the possibility of exploring already proposed ideas. If a dialogue mentality was adopted into western education, however, people would no longer instinctively view solutions and truths from within the constraints of a limited, directly opposing argument. Rather, many people would search for other solutions instead of remaining intent on proving an idea right or wrong. With problems becoming more complex annually, and the US becoming more globalised, solutions to problems are no longer linear and as clear cut as before. Multiple perspectives and opinions must be considered, and without dialogue in the classroom, we are only preparing students to carry a one-dimensional mindset in a world that requires multifaceted solutions. Nevertheless, many authors believe that dialogue in the classroom does more than prepare students to solve the most complex problems. They argue that dialogue lays the entire foundations of a â€Å"good society†. For example, in his essay Education as Dialogue, Professor Robin Alexander from the University of Cambridge concurs with, and expounds upon, the benefits of dialogue that Tannen mentions. Dialogue, unknown to most, is more than conversation. â€Å"Dialogue requires willingness and skill to engage with minds, ideas and ways of thinking other than our own; it involves the ability to question, listen, reflect, reason, explain, speculate, and explore ideas†¦dialogue within the classroom lays the foundations of social cohesion, active citizenship and the good society† (Alexander 2). Clearly, Alexander believes dialogue in the classroom determines a student’s behavior and the behavior of society as a whole. What may seem extremely trivial, such as how a question is posed in the classroom, can affect the fate of society and â€Å"our private lives,† according to Alexander and Tannen (Tannen 426). Alexander believes dialogue is imperative during the primary education years due to the human brain’s expanded learning power throughout that time period. According to his research: Neuroscience shows us that between birth and adolescence, brain metabolism is 150 per cent of its adult level, and synaptogenesis, or the growth of brain connections, causes the brain’s volume to quadruple. In this process language plays a vital part†¦The period from birth †¦to adolescence [is] critical for all subsequent development, for during this phase of life the brain restructures itself†¦Language, and especially talk, help drive that process (Alexander 6). With dialogue having such a monumental effect on society’s structure and people’s ability to discover truth, it is crucial the US education system begin utilizing a pedagogy focused on dialogue as early as elementary school. It is important to note, however, that Alexander does not believe debate or recitation pedagogies should be thrown out, but rather included alongside dialogue for the most effective teaching to occur (7). Alexander’s notion that the educational environment plays a pivotal role in student behavior leads to Gladwell’s discussion of behavior and the Power of Context Theory. Gladwell attributes human behavior to what he believes is quite a radical idea. In his article, he searches to discover what causes behaviors to â€Å"stick† or become pervasive, and at what point a government or organization becomes able to make a societal change. The article covers New York City’s drop in crime rates during the 1990s, attributing the decline to the Broken Window Theory by claiming that people’s behavior is heavily influenced by their environment. Thus, small things, such as graffiti or dilapidated buildings, will inevitably lead to increased crime. His Power of Context Theory is quite similar, claiming that the immediate context of one’s environment is most important in guiding one’s actions (Gladwell 164). Essentially, â€Å"behavior is a function of social context†, and, â€Å"it isn’t just serious criminal behavior that is sensitive to environmental cues, it is all behavior† (Gladwell 159,165). With this reasoning, it becomes simple to see how the Power of Context can be applied to the realm of education. For the first twenty-two years of most students’ lives, their most influential environment is school. Just as Gladwell explains people’s behavior is influenced by the appearance of buildings and side-walks, a student’s behavior is defined by the environment set by a school’s physical appearance. Naturally, the debate of whether determinism or constructivism is the main cause for one’s behavior arises. It seems to reason, according to Tannen, Alexander and Gladwell that determinism wins and whether people like it or not, they are molded by their environment. As a result, in order to maximize student learning, school systems must make every effort to improve classroom environment as much as they are able. While clean buildings ensure students are not distracted from learning, dialogue serves as the â€Å"Stickiness Factor† of an environment according to Gladwell (164). This is what Tannen is referring to when she talks of relational knowledge in the quote mentioned earlier. It is the ‘x-factor’ of personal connection that engages a student and brings them fully into dialogue. Tannen gives the example of an elementary student who brought a rock to class for show-and-tell. He spoke of the rock’s personal meaning to him, quickly tying contextual and emotional strings to the object. The teacher redirected the student and began to ask questions relating to facts about the lava instead of the relation between him and the lava. â€Å"The example†, says Tannen, â€Å"shows  the focus of education on formal rather than relational knowledge – information about the rock that has meaning out of context, rather than information tied to the context† (405). According to Gladwell, keeping things in context is all-important, and that is exactly what dialogue does. Bringing American education back to the top â€Å"can be done through the influence of special kinds of people, people of extraordinary personal connection†¦it can be done by changing the content of communication [dialogue], by making a message so memorable that it sticks in someone’s mind† (Gladwell 164). By building rapport. Applying the Power of Context to education may seem as a bit of a stretch, â€Å"but in reality it is no more than an obvious and commonsensical extension of the Power of Context, because it says simply that children are powerfully shaped by their external environment† (Gladwell 165). A mixture of the approaches mentioned above could very well serve as Gladwell’s â€Å"Tipping Point† to move the US back into contention as a world leader in education. A core argument against implementing dialogue into western education is the effectiveness of doing so. Unlike Asian nations where collectivity is already stressed in their culture, American culture focuses on competition and individualism, and therefore lacks natural collectivity in the classroom and society. Alexander notes, â€Å"In a British and American context, shifting towards a more collective and less individualistic learning culture may demand considerably more than it does in Asian classrooms, where the collective principle is more firmly established† (9). Nevertheless, despite Asian schools being able to easily introduce collectivity through dialogue, they have failed to implement reciprocity into education. Alexander believes, â€Å"Interaction which is collective without being reciprocal remains monologic and therefore suitable only for transmission teaching† (9). What he means by reciprocal is the willingness of the student and teacher to ask and answer questions. With reciprocity, the two listen to each other and give consideration to each other’s comments, â€Å"questions are framed on the assumption that there are alternative answers, some of them unanticipated†¦ideas are exchanged and it is accepted that students know things which teachers do not† (Alexander 5). Implementing reciprocity is a matter of choosing to alter the immediate environment, as Gladwell would state, and does not require a societal connection in order to be implemented with ease. Others would also argue that the US has already implemented dialogue into the classroom with the popular adoption of the Socratic Method. However, according to philosopher Janice Moulton, Americans have misinterpreted the Socratic Method as a process of asking questions to lead someone into admitting error (Tannen 414). The true Socratic Method was to discover new insight by â€Å"asking questions rather than merely accepting what one is told† (Alexander 9). Essentially, the true adoption of the Socratic Method would utilize reciprocal discussion to discover a solution neither side initially proposed. Reciprocity is a pillar of dialogue that Asia lacks and America is capable of implementing. In fact, due to the stress on respecting authority, many Asian nations would be extremely wary of reciprocity in its schools. America could easily use reciprocity in education to maximize the results of dialogue and improve its educational standings in comparison with Asia. Each of the theories presented serve as a possible solution to improve American education, and collectively have the potential of revolutionizing society. This may seem to be a drastic statement, but according to Alexander, dialogue, â€Å"may be one of the keys to our survival as a species† (10). While the reasoning for much of this may seem theoretical, authors Brian Ripley and Randy Clemens outline how community dialogue in Lynchburg, VA and Syracuse, NY have already significantly built trust and tolerance amongst residents (Everyday Democracy).

Students Name; (232 words) Essay Example For Students

Students Name; (232 words) Essay Students Name;Professors Name:Course:Date RoboticsRobotics is one of the exciting innovation in disruptive technology. It matches with accomplished robots or robotics which have improvedintelligence, senses and dexterity. These robotics can do assignments whichwere earlier considered to be too expensive or difficult automating. Robotsare also used in industrial manufacturing such as, companies using robotsto create car components, electronic products, and medical devices. Also,in packaging and food preparation application. Society could profit in manyways when it comes to these innovations. Individuals have already begunmaking utilization of robotic surgical frameworks, nanorobotics and roboticprosthetics and many more. Certainly, robotics merits its position amongthe most disruptive innovation of the twenty first Century. Robots have a positive impact to the society in such a way that, theycan be sent by scientist to places where humans cannot go, for instance,bottom of ocean or deep space. A robot, by name Sojourner was sent byscientist to Mars to carry out an experiments. They also help human per formdifferent tasks such as medical service tasks, packaging tasks etc. Thenegative impact is that Industrial robots end up replacing human laborleaving most people jobless because they reduce the requirement of humanintervention in the processes that are automated. We will write a custom essay on Students Name; (232 words) specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Links to Reliable Sources 1. https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/opinion/robotics-heart-disruptive-technology 2. https://interlibnet.org/2016/11/17/disruptive-technology-robotics-and-artificial-intelligence/ 3. http://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-robotic-software-anyway/

Research Essay Topics List

Research Essay Topics ListAs a writer, you will find that your research essay topics list can make or break your writing. Without the right topic, you risk an essay that doesn't have much to say. On the other hand, with the wrong topic, you may fall into a dead end of a topic that has been researched.The first step in finding the research essay topics list is to consider your topic well. Not all topics are great research subjects. If you are unsure about the subject, you should know that there are so many excellent essay topics for you to choose from. These great essays cover a broad range of topics from geography to history to politics.You need to be aware that not all research essay topics will be suitable for your writing style. Some are more specific and require that you spend a lot of time researching them. In addition, some topics will be more difficult to research and therefore, may require a lot of research.In fact, one important tip that you should take into consideration wh en choosing a research topic is to ensure that you do the research. There is nothing worse than writing a topic that is not researched well enough. Research is important, as it can save you a lot of time and effort. In addition, it can help you avoid research traps that are commonly used by many writers.One common trap that many writers fall into is going from idea to research topic. For example, you may get the topic for your research essay very simply and quickly, but the research may take a very long time. Therefore, if the research isn't in order, you run the risk of having a poor essay. Remember, you are writing to get a good grade so you need to be sure that you follow a research method that suits your style and the research project you are working on.The second tip is to make sure that you use the research essay topics list that you are given to help you choose the best research topic. Not all research essay topics lists are the same and this is because they are written diffe rently. Therefore, you should use this list to help you choose the best topic.The third tip for finding research essay topics is to ensure that you don't write any research papers that are too far removed from your topic. The point of writing the research essay is to capture the reader's attention. Therefore, it is better to use research papers that fit the topic you are writing rather than writing research papers that don't fit the topic.As you can see, there are many useful tips when it comes to finding your research essay topics list. It is crucial that you use these tips in order to get the best research essay topics for your writing. As a writer, you will find that these tips will prove invaluable when writing your research essay.

S Dickens, innit - Emphasis

S Dickens, innit S Dickens, innit He began by turning Shakespeare into txt spk. Now its Dickens for da yoof of today. Martin Baum, a father from Bournemouth, has rewritten Dickens in yoof-speak in order he claims to get children interested in reading. Kids today have invented their own language, says Baum. And I use this language to try and engage them. Judge his alleged mission as you will, while you contemplate his opening to Da Tale of Two Turfs: It was da best of times and, not being funny or nuffing, but it was da worst of times, to be honest

La Nina Definition, Causes, and Impacts

La Nina Definition, Causes, and Impacts Spanish for little girl, La Nià ±a is the name given to the large-scale cooling of sea surface temperatures across the central and equatorial Pacific Ocean. It is one part of the larger and naturally occurring ocean-atmosphere phenomenon known as the El Nià ±o/Southern Oscillation or ENSO (pronounced en-so) cycle. La Nià ±a conditions recur every 3 to 7 years and typically last from 9 to 12 months up to 2 years. One of the strongest La Nià ±a episodes on record was that of 1988-1989 when ocean temperatures fell as much as 7 degrees Fahrenheit below normal. The last La Nià ±a episode occurred during late 2016, and some evidence of La Nià ±a was seen in January of 2018. La Nia vs. El Nio A La Nià ±a event is the opposite of an El Nià ±o event. Waters in the equatorial regions of the Pacific Ocean are unseasonably cool. The cooler waters affect the atmosphere above the ocean, causing significant changes in climate, though usually not as significant as the changes that occur during an El Nià ±o. In fact, the positive effects on the fishing industry make La Nià ±a less of a news item than an El Nià ±o event. Both La Nià ±a and El Nià ±o events tend to develop during the Northern Hemisphere spring (March to June), peak during late fall and winter (November to February), then weaken the following spring into summer (March to June). El  Nià ±o (meaning the Christ child) earned its name because of its usual appearance around Christmas time. What Causes La Nia Events? You can think of La Nià ±a (and El Nià ±o) events as water sloshing in a bathtub. Water in the equatorial regions follow the patterns of the trade winds. Surface currents are then formed by the winds. Winds always blow from areas of high pressure to low pressure; the steeper the gradient difference in the pressure, the faster the winds will move from highs to lows. Off the coast of South America, changes in air pressure during a La Nià ±a event cause winds to increase in intensity. Normally, winds blow from the eastern Pacific to the warmer western Pacific. The winds create the surface currents that literally blow the top layer of water of the ocean westward. As the warmer water is moved out of the way by the wind, colder waters are exposed to the surface off the western coast of South America. These waters carry important nutrients from deeper ocean depths. The colder waters are important to fishing industries and the nutrient cycling of the ocean. How Are La Nia Years Different? During a La Nià ±a year, the trade winds are unusually strong, leading to increased movement of water towards the western Pacific. Much like a giant fan blowing across the equator, the surface currents that form carry even more of the warmer waters westward. This creates a situation where the waters in the east are abnormally cold and the waters in the west are abnormally warm. Because of the interactions between the temperature of the ocean and the lowest air layers, the climate is affected worldwide. Temperatures in the ocean affect the air above it, creating shifts in climate that can have both regional and global consequences. How La Nia Affects Weather and Climate Rain clouds form as a result of the lifting of warm, moist air. When the air doesnt get its warmth from the ocean, the air above the ocean is abnormally cool above the eastern Pacific. This prevents the formation of rain, often needed in these areas of the world. At the same time, the waters in the west are very warm, leading to increased humidity and warmer atmospheric temperatures. The air rises and the number and intensity of rainstorms increase in the western Pacific. As the air in these regional locations changes, so too does the pattern of circulation in the atmosphere, thereby affecting climate worldwide. Monsoon seasons will be more intense in La Nià ±a years, while the western equatorial portions of South America may be in drought conditions. In the United States, the states of Washington and Oregon may see increased precipitation while portions of California, Nevada, and Colorado may see drier conditions.

Economic And Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economic And Management - Essay Example Elasticity is an easy way of enumerating cause and effect correlations. It is described normally as a mathematical measure of the responsiveness of one economic variable (the dependant variable) following a change in another influencing variable (the independent variable), ceteris paribus. Now we shall understand what Price Elasticity of demand (PED) is, it is the measure of responsiveness of demand for a good following an alteration in its own price. If demand is elastic, then a little transform in price will consequence in a comparatively big change in amount demanded. However, if price increases by too much and quantity demanded descends vaguely, then demand would be price inelastic. (Hubbard and O'Brien, 2008) If co-efficient of PED = 0, it means that demand is perfectly inelastic. This means that any change in price whether increase or decrease does change the quantity demanded. Hence making its demand curve a vertical line in price(x axis) to quantity(y axis) space. If co-efficient of PED is between 0 and 1, when we get values of PED between 0 and 1 than we say PED to be inelastic this means that percentage change in demand is lesser than percentage change in price. Producers know that the change in demand will be proportionately smaller than the percentage change in price. ... Producers know that the change in demand will be proportionately smaller than the percentage change in price. Therefore Demand curve will be a very steep slanting line in price(x axis) to quantity(y axis) space. If co-efficient of PED = 1, when a percentage change in price changes the percentage of quantity demanded by the same proportion the PED is said to be unitary elastic. For example a 10% rise in the price of apples causes a 10% fall in its quantity demanded. If co-efficient of PED > 1, when the value of PED exceeds 1 then demand is said to be elastic, which means that a % change in price causes the quantity demanded to change by more than proportionate. For example a 10% rise in prices of apples cause its quantity demanded to drop by 15%. (Lipsey & Chrystal, 2007; Sloman, 2006) Factors Determining Price Elasticity of Demand: Now let us take a look at the key factors that determines the PED for goods and services. They are as follows: The range of near substitutes for a product / attractiveness of the good- the more the number of substitutes of a good the more elastic would be its demand because consumers can easily turn to other alternative good. For example coke's perfect substitute is Pepsi, and therefore if coke raises its price people will turn to Pepsi instead. And the more the product is unique the more inelastic would be its demand. (Tucker, 1999; Samuelson & Nordhaus, 2001) The fee of toggling amid different products - there may be noteworthy dealings expenses caught up in changing among dissimilar goods and services. For example, mobile phone service suppliers may incorporate penalty clauses in agreements or persevere on 12-month

Home Health Care Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Home Health Care - Research Paper Example The system provides a majority of advantages and as well as they provide information security to some extent. To be more specific, the paper speaks mainly of AllScripts software, the information management system used by the Residential Clinical Services. It addresses some of its features, weaknesses along with its strengths and security level. The Residential Clinical Services situated in Merrillville, in northwestern Indiana was established in 1987. This home care facility was established to provide commitment to excellence in patient care. The Residential Clinical Services main mission is to help patients and their families make the transition from hospital to home as smooth as possible. The facility is administered by Aileen M. Ellicott NP and has a total of 23 employees working there. It also serves a wide populous in the Indiana state, inclusive of; Northwest Indiana to include Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Starke, Newton and Jasper counties. The agency offers skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and medical social services for financial or psychosocial counseling and identification of appropriate community resources. Home health aides are also available for those patients who are unable to manage their own personal hygiene, prescribe exercises and meal preparation. Additionally, their services include a comprehensive Oncology program with nurses highly competent in the total care and instruction of the patients with cancer. Programs such as Pain Management, Education, Supportive Care, Infusion Therapy, Chemotherapy, Antibiotics, Hydration and Nutritional Support are available for those patients in need. They also have a policy with local hospitals that enable the administration of blood and blood products to those patients already at home whose alternative would be an admission to the hospital or ambulance transport to an out-patient setting for an 8-10 hour stay. Home health care services