Developmental Theories Essay Example

Developmental Theories Essay â€Å"All developmental theories can be distilled into one powerful statement – if there is no development, there is no learning. † Do you agree? Use examples from some of the theories that you have encountered to justify your response. Over the years, many psychologists, scholars, mathematicians, teachers and counsellors have pondered this exact statement. I, at the risk of being predictable, agree with this statement but then also think that the idea can be reversed – saying that without learning, there will be limited development. This is not a hasty decision, the studies of Piaget and Vygotsky, along with numerous others cited in Educational Psychology (Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007) and academic journals all point to the conclusive outcome that development is essential to learning. Development, on a biological, social, emotional and cognitive level is defined in Educational Psychology as â€Å"certain changes that occur in human beings†¦between conception and death† (Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007) and â€Å"[these changes] are generally assumed to be for the better and result in behaviour that is more adaptive, more organised, more effective and more complex† (Mussen, Conger and Kagan, 1984). Development is therefore essentially PROGRESSION. Another source even says â€Å"the development of children unfolds along individual pathways whose trajectories are characterized by continuities and discontinuities, as well as by a series of significant transitions† (Shonkoff and Phillips 2000), showing that development is a process and a period of transition. Jean Piaget (1954) is explained in Educational Psychology to believe that â€Å"our thinking processes change radically, though slowly, from birth to maturity because we constantly strive to make sense of the world† (Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007). We will write a custom essay sample on Developmental Theories specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Developmental Theories specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Developmental Theories specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Piaget also â€Å"began to suspect that the key to human knowledge might be discovered by observing how the childs mind develops† (Papert, 1999). He then went on to discuss the term â€Å"social transmission† which means learning from others, and commented that â€Å"the amount people can learn from social transmission varies according to their stage of cognitive development† (Piaget in Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007). Piaget essentially believed that â€Å"cognitive development has to come before learning – the child has to be ‘ready’ to learn† (Piaget in Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007) and Diana Fox repeated this in her essay, Ages and Stages – â€Å"it is often said that the early childhood years are the getting ready phase of development and learning† (Fox, 2002). Jean Piaget pioneered the concept of the four major stages of cognitive development, the sensorimotor, pre-operational, concrete-operational and formal-operation. All of these stages are very closely linked to the idea that development and learning go side by side, for instance, in the pre-operational stage, Educational Psychology states that you can â€Å"see the rapid development of that very important symbol system, language† (Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007). The child therefore needs to â€Å"develop† the capacity to learn the language and if they didn’t develop, they wouldn’t learn. So from Piaget’s teachings about the stages of operation and the way in which we learn, it is clear that learning can only come about with cognitive development. Lev Vygotsky (1978) recognised that â€Å"the child’s culture shapes cognitive development by determining what and how the child will learn about the world† (Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007), thus confirming the other statement being made in this essay – that the lack of learning will affect the development of the child. Vygotsky said that â€Å"interaction encourages development by creating cognitive conflict that motivated change† (Vygotsky in Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007). This shows that through social interactions between peers (learning), it fosters development to a higher learning level – hence moving into the territory of Piaget’s work. Vygotsky had the theory of â€Å"the zone of proximal development† which is â€Å"the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers†. He shows that â€Å"the key to hearty intellectual growth was for children to be supported in this zone. That way, learning could actually shape development† (Thurber, 2003). For the child to be assisted by a supportive and non-judgemental elder, the potential development is far greater then if the child was left to perform in his or her own capacity. For a child trying to learn un-assisted, cognitive development that is â€Å"more adaptive, more organised, ore effective and more complex† (Mussen, Conger and Kagan, 1984) would be lesser than learning with an experienced other because, according to Thurber, â€Å"physical and sensory exploration boost cognitive development† (Thurber, 2003). The statement, â€Å"children are active participants in their own development, reflecting the intrinsic human drive to explore and master ones environment† (Shonkoff and Phillips 2000), can also support the notion that development and learning go hand-in-hand. The drive to explore and master is obviously a means of learning about ones surroundings and the statement shows that through this learning, development occurs. Furthermore, Shonkoff and Phillips (2000) also go on to say that â€Å"human development is shaped by a dynamic and continuous interaction between biology and experience†. Therefore children require â€Å"continuous interaction† with wiser mentors (Vygotskyan theory) and their development occurs while they attempt to â€Å"master† their environments (Piaget). When commenting on Piaget’s work, another source commented that â€Å"as children grow older, they develop progressively better rules and strategies for solving problems and thinking logically† (Seigler in Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007). He then went on to say that teachers can help students develop their capacities for learning. This infers that students or children need to develop in order to learn. Without the development of these learning capacities, learning will not take place. But as we look at Vygotsky, we can see an extension of Piaget’s theories, detailing that without learning, development will be limited.

Google Company Analysis

Google Company Analysis Introduction Google is a company which started as a research project for two Ph. D students in 1996. Google is a company that was founded on September 4, 1998. This company was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin who were at that time students at the Stanford University. The company name was derived from a spelling error of the word â€Å"googol,† which means 10100.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Google Company Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This implies that Google is a search engine which is used by the internet users to locate information from the World Wide Web. The company’s headquarters are located in Mountain View, California. As a company, Google has grown rapidly since 1998. This growth has provided the company with capital which has translated in remarkable expansion that has been observed. Currently, Google is a publicly held corporation. As per the records dated December 31, 2 008, the company had full time employees totaling to 20,222. The company’s initial public offering took place on august 24, 2004. This resulted in raising $ 1.67 billion, which implied that the company’s approximate stood at $23 billion. Currently, the company stands as one of the powerful and reputable brands across the globe. Today, this company continues to grow as it has been indicated by its growth in terms of stock. Essentially, from an initial price of $100 per share, the share price grew to $500 in 2008. This company is ranked as one of the five most reputable sites on the web. In the US, the company is raked as number one, among other countries. Essentially, this company attracts over 40 million users every month. This company has grown as an advertising company. Essentially, the company generated revenues worth $16 billion in 2007. Google leadership Just like another organization, Google depends on its leadership to steer the company in the direction which is in line with the company’s vision and objectives. The top leadership is made up of a board of directors and executive officers. The board of directors is made up off the following members; Larry page Eric Schmidt Sergey Brin Doerr John Green Diane Hennerssy John Otellini Paul Shriram Ram Tilghman Shirley. The executive officers is made up ofAdvertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Schmidt Eric Larry Page Sergey Brin Arora Nikesh Drummond David Pichette Patrick. Google products and services Google has established itself as a popular online search engine. Due to rapid technological advancement, the company has been forced to come up with new ideas regarding some of the services and projects that it offers. Essentially, Google has taken up an innovation approach which has evolved it into a software company which has gradually threatened the Microsoft dominance. The company has quietly been launching products which have gained prominence in the information technology world. Some of the products that Google has successfully launched include desktop search; Gmail; software to manage, edit, and send digital photos; and programs for creating, editing and posting documents. Google’s core business is the internet search engine. As a company, it has established several services which have been used by online users to get their work done. For instance, the Google groups is a service which enables the users to search newsgroups, while at the same time host mailing lists. The company launched Google video in 2006 which offers the users to search as well as view video content online. In addition, this offers television companies to cast their shows on CBS, NBA music and games. Essentially, videos which are offered through this media are protected by Google’s digital management system which monitors operations on the Google site. Google h as also utilized the satellite technology to come up with Google maps which has enabled users to locate their direction anywhere on earth. This service has been accompanied by ad on devices which enable a user to be able to know exactly what happens within a given location for instance, crime rates or specific locations such as gas stations. The Gmail service generates revenue through or by displaying advertisements. In summary, Google offers the following services, Froogle, Google answers, Google catalogues, Google groups, Google image search, Google labs, Google news, Google special searches, Google university search, Google web directory, Google web search and Google wireless.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Google Company Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The current position Currently, Google is the search engine leader. Google has been ranked by bodies such as NPD to be the most effective search engin e. Among other search engines. Google approximately 150 million searches per day Inktomi approximately 80 million searches per day Alta Vista approximately 50 million searches per day Direct Hit approximately 20 million searches per day Fast approximately 12 million searches per day Galaxy approximately 100, 000 visitors per day Google has claimed that it has been able to attain its targets through utilizing a unique combination of software and hardware of advanced and superior technology. Currently Google plans to capture more users. This has been exhibited by ensuring that it has been able to penetrate other markets across the globe such as China. Essentially, Google indexes more than 60 languages on its pages. Google SWOT analysis A SWOT analysis is a technique which is used to establish the prospects and the potential threats of a company. In this case, SWOT analysis enables an organization to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that it faces. T his enables the organization to be able to gain an understanding as to how it can place itself in the market. In the case of Google, the company has got the following strengths. First, the Google search engine is readily accessible in most places across the globe. The speed of the search engine gives it an edge in the industry against other search engines. In addition, it has been able to integrate several languages thus enabling users from diverse backgrounds to be able to use it. The strategy which the management has employed at the company has enabled the company to always come up with new projects which have gained market share with time. Some of the weaknesses which Google has faced include the inability for a user to distinguish between good content and content that may not be good. This implies that the company has faced a major challenge when it comes to verifying the credibility of information that it gets. This has predisposed some of the products and information found to be subject to manipulation by the users. In addition, despite the fact that the company has come up with many products many of them are not known by the users. Some of the opportunities which this company has include the fact that the technological boom has boosted the company’s ability to innovate.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Google’s ability to acquire other companies such as YOUTUBE has opened up more opportunities for it to explore. Furthermore, the company has a huge user base which enables it to get a market edge over other competitors. Lastly the threats which are faced by this company include the fact that it faces stiff competition from other search engines like Yahoo and Bing. Furthermore, it has not been able to fully penetrate in other market areas such as Russia and China. Other emerging threats include the emerging trends which the company has to contend with. Recent new items As a company which is in the information sector, Google has been working towards establishing links and coming up with new products and services to match the growing demand. From the 2011 financial review Google had outstanding revenue of $ 10.58 billion. The company has expanded its operations by opening new branches in other parts of the world in order to meet the rising demand on quality and innovative produc ts. As a consequence of opening up new markets, the company has increased its employee base. For instance, in Europe the employee base has grown up to 72 percent. Due to the company culture associated with Google, employees are required to commit 20 percent of their time in coming up with new products. As a consequence of this, the company has been able to come up with better versions of services such as enhanced ability to get products on the mobile, the ability to translate texts from one language to another and the ability to obtain scholarly articles for the scholars who find it necessary to use Google. Financial status As a company, Google’s financial status is healthy. This is based on the increased revenue ever since it was listed as a corporate company. It is worth noting that Google has grown financially due to the rising demand of quality internet services. This has bolstered its capacity to increase its revenue and come up with new services and products. The Google company incomes from 2002 to 2006 indicate a steady growth informs of a promising growth capacity. Annual Income Statement ($ in Millions) 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Sales $440 $1,466 $3,189 $6,139 $10,605 Cost Of Goods 132 626 1,458 2,572 4,225 Gross Profit $308 $840 $1,732 $3,567 $6,380 Selling Administrative Depr. Amort Expenses 122 498 612 1,460 2,830 Income After Depreciation Amortization $186 $342 $1,120 $2,107 $3,550 Non-Operating Income 0 4 -470 34 461 Interest Expense 2 0 0 0 0 Pretax Income $185 $347 $650 $2,142 $4,011 Income Taxes 85 241 251 676 934 Net Income $100 $106 $399 $1,465 $3,077 Depreciation Footnote Income Before Depreciation Amortization 215 398 2,401 2,401 4,122 Depreciation Amortization (Cash Flow) 29 55 148 294 572 Income After Depreciation Amortization $186 $342 $1,120 $2,107 $3,550 Earnings Per Share Data (EPS not in millions) Average Shares 0.00 0.00 272.78 291.87 309.55 Diluted EPS Befo re Non-Recurring Items 0.00 0.00 2.75 5.21 9.78 Diluted Net EPS 0.00 0.00 1.46 5.02 9.94 References Busby, M. (2003). Learn Google. Texas: Wordware Publishing, Inc. Duthel, H. (2008). Google Inc. Services Google Tools What is Google? New York: Lulu.com. Flamholtz, E., Yvinne, R. (2011). Corporate Culture:The Ultimate Strategic Asset. California: Stanford University Press. Stross, R. (2008). Planet Google:one companys audacious plan to organize everything we know. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Compare coming of age ceremonies for Christanity, Judaism and Islam Research Paper

Compare coming of age ceremonies for Christanity, Judaism and Islam - Research Paper Example Notably, this practice is valued and honoured by all the three religions given its importance in a religious setup. ‘Coming of Age’ is a very important function in the history of religion as it dates back as old as the religions. This is a fundamental stage in one’s life that is initiated and conducted differently by different religious institutions. Coming of Age represents the transition process to adulthood from childhood in the society. The nature and the age of this transition often vary from one religion and divide to another, but with some aspects being similar. In nearly all the three religions, this transition is commonly associated with the sexual maturity age or early adolescence. However, in other religions like Judaism, ‘Coming of Age’ is only associated with the religious responsibility and age. The attainment of this age marks an important stage of an individual within the religious institution. It is after the ‘Coming of Age’ period that a believer crosses over to adulthood with full responsibility and getting more spiritual recognitio n within the group (Coogan, 2003). Being an adult after undergoing this ritual gives the member the rights, responsibilities, and obligations that had been limited. Christians, Judaism, and Islam conduct ceremonies to mark this important occasion that comes with benefits and other adulthood packages, which are strictly served for adults. As notes the Rite of Passage Institute of Cleveland, â€Å"The final entrance into adulthood has been provided from time immemorial by the ‘coming of age’ ceremony†¦.. It marked a critical expansion moment, the entrance into larger responsibilities, large privileges, larger secrets, larger institutions, and larger understandings.† (Coogan, 2003, pp.67) The Western Christians and the Roman Catholic Church conduct the ‘Coming of Age’ ceremony differently.

Weight trining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Weight trining - Essay Example The article recommends routine training and after every 12 weeks, one takes a week off of weight training to cure any minor injuries and to give the central nervous system a rest. Cheating arises when one uses a weight that is too heavy for them to lift, but go ahead to lift the weight and forgo form to do it. This not only confines the gains one can make, but can cause injuries. Lifting heavy weights while still young can lead to premature growth plates (epiphysis). The website goes ahead to explain how low rep ranges prepare muscular strength, which in turn helps little in increasing muscular size. The site has helped me realize that not all people are the same and should not therefore copy another person’s routine so as to get the same results. Another important thing I have learnt from the site is that one does not necessarily need to fast to achieve his/her goal. When you starve yourself, the body holds onto any fat it has, therefore, one will lose muscle instead which is very unhealthy. One should also not neglect carbohydrates and fats in their foods as well as relying so much on the supplements. Finally, it is important that before embarking on weight training, one should undertake extensive research to facilitate attainment of his or her goals. Remember nothing takes place immediately and one should be

Attitude Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Attitude - Research Paper Example This is in line with the changing beliefs that are shaping up the organizational climate of present times, and echoes well with the manager’s work performance tenets which remain quintessential with each passing day. This paper discusses attitude and its effect on a manager’s work performance. How attitude is remarked here is something that holds a lot of value and significance for the manager. The manager’s repertoire shall be bolstered if he knows that the employees working under his aegis are positive within their attitudes and that they are ready to give in their best time and again. It is a definitive plus if the manager is adamant that his employees will give in their best no matter how tough it is or how trying the circumstances will turn out to be at the end (Bryan, 2009). There is a dire need to understand that the manager’s work performance is boosted if his employees are having positive attitude and know how to give in their best on a proactivel y consistent basis. The manager’s work performance is immensely helped when attitude is positive. If however, this attitude is not positive, then there would be a lot of problems for this manager, as he would have to undergo stress and tensions at the workplace realms. He would have to properly understand why people are being nagging and then resolve the disputes that are coming up within his realms. There is a dire need to comprehend the fact that attitude shapes up many actions and undertakings within the employees’ and managers’ aegis, and this will be the success pointers for the organizational regimes. A manager needs to address quite a few issues that come to his understanding levels. Now if he sees that the work is not carried out in a positive way, he will feel the pinch and there would be significant issues which will cone to the reckoning of all and sundry within the organizational folds (Author Unknown, 2011). If the attitude hinders his work domains, it would mean that there is something wrong somewhere, and much needs to be done, and that too in a proper and quick way. This is the need of the hour as organizations require managers who are ready and willing to accept change within their realms and thus be full of positive attitude and demeanor. This will resolve quite a few aspects that come under the heading of behavioral issues. The attitude aspect is given significance by the top management as well because it knows that the managers have to be up and willing to remain positive with regards to their respective attitudes and it is about time that they needed to set their house in order before taking care of the employees that are under them in entirety. What remains to be seen is the fact that their personal problems do not hinder their attitudes towards work and allows them to freely move ahead with the passage of time, because this is indeed required at the end of the day. The manager’s work performance is usually ali gned with the ways and means through which he understands the dictum of work. If this manager believes that his work could be carried out with minimal positive attitude then this would mean that his attitude is not set at the most optimal level that there should be. However, if he believes that he could stay negative within his attitude and still complete work at his end, then this would mean that there are a lot of problems within his work performance regimes, and that he needs to sort out these issues –

Human Rights And Freedom In Modern Society

Human Rights And Freedom In Modern Society The question of human rights is not a new phenomenon in modern societies. It has always dominated the foundations of modern democracy since 17th century. The discovery of the concept of human rights has contributed to formation of many social and political movements. Many social philosophers have grappled with and discussed the meaning, scope and general application of human rights. Thomas Paine is one of those philosophers, who discussed the rights of human beings in defending the principles of French revolutions (Fink 41). This concept was further developed by Locke, who was preoccupied with the idea of liberalism, following the introduction of English revolutions (Fink 43). As described by Fink, Locke was of the opinion that all human beings have a right to life and ownership of property, an argument that led to introduction and implementation of liberalism political system that left a great human impact in North American and French political revolutions (46). Fink further explain s that the liberalism continued to expand with the social and scientific developments in Europe and North America (Fink 69). China is dominated by authoritarian governance that is characterized by dictatorship and abuse of human rights (Yang 18). The country does not hold elections for national leaders and it lacks freedom of worship. In addition, the country lacks freedom of the press, whereby the media and the internet are heavily censored (Yang 21). Furthermore, the government does not tolerate any form of opposition and criticism towards the leadership (Sen 21). On one hand, power can be used negatively by leaders to opress, manipulate and control people under their leadership, while on the other hand, it can used constructively to foster democracy and countrys socio- economic empowerment (Panu, SY309, 2011). Power has been used to create social identities and political movements, whereby a great number of political philosophies are based theoretical and practical frameworks of human rights, freedom of the press and freedom of religion (Panu, SY309, 2011). In addition, power and knowledge are two inseparable concepts because power is a useful tool in the understanding and application of knowledge (Panu, SY309, 2011). President Obamas observations about China clearly show the lack of freedom and the domineering political oppression faced by the people of China as a result of the authoritarian governance, despite the countrys economic growth. He points out that Chinas authoritarian governance contradicts values of the basic human rights and reiterates the need for Chinese government to promote the ideals of democracy based on the values of Western liberalism. Western liberalism system of governance allows the citizens to engage freely on issues affecting them in relation to governance. Its main strategy is not simply to repress dissent, desire or behavior but to promote the citizens engagement with social, political and democratization process (Panu, SY309, 2011). According to Merton, Western Liberalism is based on capitalist values originating from the American culture that promotes individualism, universalism, materialism and achievement (38). Chinas explosive economic growth has been attributed to introduction of capitalism in 1978, whereby the government aimed at eradicating poverty by abolishing communalism and embracing Western culture and modernization for the citizens to work hard in the belief that getting rich is glorious. However, the Chinas governing authorities have refused to embrace Western form of governance by holding on to power and denying citizens their human rights and freedom of expression (Yang 28). Stepan observes that the concept of freedom has been used both negatively and positively; arguing that in the positive sense, freedom is characterized by absence of coercion or unconstrained decisions (34). Furthermore, freedom should involve making decisions without being controlled by any form of external power or authority (Panu, SY309, 2011). Freedom in a liberal government is where citizens are allowed to make their decisions about normal conducts without being coerced by governing authorities. This disqualifies China from the list of liberal governments because decisions are made by government for citizens to implement without questioning (Panu, SY309, 2011). Furthermore, anyone opposing government policies in China is severely punished. By and large, the theoretical applications of power relations imply that power can be contested and resisted. Resistance of power is based on peoples perception and reactions to different rules, whereby in liberal societies like the U.S, public demonstrations, political activism and political struggles are allowed and accepted within the law (Stepan 34 ).Resistance to power in such countries can be done through the media discourses, public debates and political representations (Panu, SY309, 2011). Nevertheless, in countries characterized by authoritarian governance like China, resistance to power is viewed as a crime and it is totally unacceptable (Yang 28). Sen argues that democracy is a universal value but a contested concept, applied differently in various contexts (Sen 17). For a country like China to become democratic, it needs to undergo radical social transformation and reforms. Conclusion In conclusion, democracy is based on respect for human rights, freedom of press and access to information. In the U.S, it is based on liberalism, allowing the citizens to make decisions without the interference of state or authority figures. Liberal democracies embrace press release, public discourse and political struggle as a way of contesting power for their citizens. On the contrary, non-liberal countries like China view any attempt to resist power as a crime that is punishable by law. This calls for need for human rights activists and international organizations that embrace democracy to seek the way forward in creation of democratic governance for countries dominated by authoritarian leadership like China.

Say Yes by Tobias Wolff & Bread by Sandra Cisneros :: Race Relationships Love

Say Yes by Tobias Wolff If two people love each other regardless of any difference they may have, then why are there† lots of things to consider†( paragraph 36)? Answer the question within the context of the story. According to the context, the â€Å"lots of things to consider† is referring to the race, background by the husband. In his opinion, beside whether love this person or not, race, ethics background is also a very important factor to consider whether they should marry or not. He stated that if two people are not from the same race, they are not in the same culture, they have different language. People from different race never know each other. Compare the husband’s actions to his wife’s reactions. Are these people understanding each other? If he had said yes, would their relationship have changed? If so, how? From the husband’s action to his wife’s reaction, they didn’t understand each other much even though the husband was trying to show how considerate he is. But he failed to understand what his wife truly wants to hear and wants to see in the conversation on the matter of â€Å"whether white people should marry black people.† In the husband’s view he thinks that it was ridiculous to think this kind of question when his wife asked him whether he will marry her if she were black. He thinks that it will never happen. If it happened, his wife will be another person but not the same her anymore. In his views, as he never think that this two race should get marry, he will not allow himself to fall in love or even date a black girl. He is telling the truth and trying to explaining that to his wife. However he failed to realized that that was not what his wife wanted to hear. In fact from the context we can guessed for his wife, it’s not the greatest m atter on whether white people should marry black people, what she matters is whether they love each other of not. For her, she thinks that if two people love each other, everything can be solved and race is not a big deal. She wants her husband to agree with this and showed that he will love her and marry her no matter what race she is. Bread by Sandra Cisneros This story, in some ways, is about crossing borders.