Sunday, December 29, 2019

An Examination of Standardized Testing Essay - 1592 Words

Do standardized tests really improve the quality of public education? For years they have been used to judge schools academic performance and assess the needs of students. No longer can illiterates be graduated from high school. No longer can teachers pass a student from one grade to another without having taught that student anything (Spellings). While these advances are beneficial, standardized exams often hurt already disadvantaged schools, promote states to lower their standards of education, and cause schools to focus more on the exams themselves rather than on their students actual learning (Karp). One of the major foundations of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, a national law requiring public schools to distribute†¦show more content†¦actual comprehension of the tested subjects. Many argue that the dramatic increase in test scores among students, as much as fourteen points for African-American nine-year-olds in reading and seventeen points for Hispanic nine-year-olds in math, shows educational improvement (Spellings). However, ?standardized tests are scientifically unreliable and provide little real useful information about the learning needs of students,? and thus courses in test-taking combined with yearly discrepancies amongst exams could easily yield such results (Karp). An increase in test scores shows that students can take tests more effectively, but does not necessarily demonstrate an increase in learning. Not only do standardized tests frequently lead to a lack of learning, but they also limit the learning capabilities of more successful and motivated districts. The requirements of the NCLB Act are strict enough that, in order to meet them, teachers must vastly reduce the depth and variety of their curricula (Karp). As schools begin to view standardized exams as their sole opportunity for funding, and as teachers begin to see high test scores as their only guarantee of not losing their job, schools limit their material to the narrow guidelines of the state (Orr). Creativity is suppressed, bright students are unable to meet their potentials, and school time is wasted on test-taking strategies, all because of the national government?s threat of sanctionsShow MoreRelatedStandardized Testing And The School Entrance Examination Board- Or Sat Began1424 Words   |  6 PagesStandardized testing had only been added to America’s public education curriculum when â€Å"the common school movement began in earnest in the 1830s in New England as reformers†¦ began to argue successfully for a greater government role in the schooling of all children† (â€Å"Common School†). â€Å"By 1845 in the United States, public education advocate Horace Mann was calling for standardized essay testing† (Mathews), because he believed that â€Å"political stability and social harmony depended on universal education†Read Moreincreased from four hundred twenty million dollars to one billion dollars due to the new education1400 Words   |  6 PagesPierandi). Standardized testing produces stressors which affect the performance of students and teachers, but the pressure to succeed on one test in order to earn college admission takes a toll on adolescents. School districts taking precautions because students often get sick over standardized tests displays the taxing effects of these examinations. Naturally, exams need to be given to measure how well students understand the material being taught, but a drastic increase in the use of standardized testingRead MoreThe Shortcomings of Standardized Testing1636 Words   |  7 PagesSince the U.S. Congress passed the No Child Left Behind program, standardized testing has become the norm for American schools. Under this system, each child attending a school is required to take a standardized test at specific grade points to assess their level of comprehension. Parents, scholars and all stakeholders involved take part in constant discussions over its effectiveness in evaluating students’ comp rehension, teachers’ competency and the effects of the test on the education system. ThoughRead MoreStandardized Testing Influece on Education1302 Words   |  5 PagesStandardized Testing: A standardized test refers simply to any test that is being given in the same manner to all test takers. This same manner implies same questions, same timing, and same conditions of testing. The history of standardized testing dates for more than 14 centuries now. First standardized tests are claimed to be used for imperial examinations in China around the 7th century. However, It’s not until the 19th century that this testing methodology was first introduced to Europe and thenRead MorePros And Cons Of Standardized Testing1647 Words   |  7 Pagesare being educated. Therefore , standardized testing was made to see how much intelligence a person has on a topic .However standardized tests don’t measure how people learn in a classroom . standardized testing is not a good way to test students because tests don’t measure an individual intelligence , tests should not be used to determine funding for school , the teachers cheat on the tests to protect the students ,a nd its ethically wrong to give a lot of standardized tests to kids . TeachersRead More The Pass Fail System of Standardized Tests Essay1351 Words   |  6 PagesThe Pass Fail System of Standardized Tests Standardized tests have historically been used as measures of how students compare with each other or how much of a particular curriculum they have learned. Increasingly, standardized tests are being used to make major decisions about students, such as grade promotion or high school graduation, and schools. More and more often, they also are intended to shape the curriculum and instruction. Students across America have had to repeat classesRead MoreTest Anxiety And Performance That Indicate A Relationship Between Anxiety, Preparation And Test Performance927 Words   |  4 Pagesfocus on test anxiety in relation to graduate level standardized testing in relation to the current DSM-5 edition as well as considering it in general having implications if pervasive of becoming a chronic condition that can take the form of an anxiety disorder. Graduate Level Standardized Testing In the field of psychology there are numerous standardized tests in which the graduate and professional will encounter. The Graduate Records Examination (GRE) is the most common required admissions testRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing1511 Words   |  7 PagesOver the years the educational system has faced various controversial issues, but the most recent one making a negative impact on students, is standardized testing. Standardized testing is a type of testing used to evaluate students academic abilities . It is a way to measure if standards are being met but does not provide a variation in the type of administration based on the students needs (Sacks, 2000). In other words, all children are provided these test to track their learning progress basedRead MoreThe Limitations Of Standardized Testing940 Words   |  4 PagesThe necessity for standardized testing has continuously been a widely held debate amongst educational professional. Individuals have argued whet her standardized testing is the appropriate technique to measure educational requirements since the 1800’s. Standards validate all schools are teaching on a similar level, and ascertain students are given an equal opportunity to excel in the future. However, people contend standardized testing drive teachers to teach merely to take a test and not teachRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Attentional Act1333 Words   |  6 Pagesmay have a personal story, or more knowledge over another student that would help to answer questions on the test. There is no way to change the ACT and SAT to guarantee fairness in every situation. Standardized tests promoted change in schools beyond the way students learn. Standardized testing has changed the way teachers act around their students. Some teachers want their students to succeed so much so that they will do whatever it takes, even if that means they do something that is unethical

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Relationship Between State and Local Government Essay

Forms of Local Government The basis for county, city and special district governing and authority are laid out in the State Constitution and Government Code. Counties in California are responsible for providing limited services to unincorporated areas. The state Legislature created the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) in 1963 to control local government fragmentation. The Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) gives counties the power to tax, create special districts and annex unincorporated land to cities in the county (League of Women Voters, 1992). There are three classes of county government. The main differences are in the organization and selection of governing bodies and officers. General Law counties elect†¦show more content†¦Municipalities may also provide parks, public housing, and various utility services. Cities are required to develop a general plan, environmental reports and review of their capital improvements program (League of California Cities, n.d.). Charter municipalities may have increased powers, requiring a vote for adoption and amendment. Incorporated cities and towns have the power to levy taxes. Special districts provide focused service. They only serve specific designated areas and provide only one service. That service is a public service or program constitutes want. While county and city service are mandated by federal and state government, special districts provide what the public wants. Local agency loss of property tax revenue and competition for existing revenue leaves fewer dollars for services. Residents and landowners can form a district to pay for an increased level of service or other services they desire. Local citizens can receive services at the price they are willing to pay (League of Women Voters, 1992). Special districts are not state government. They are accountable to the voters. State government does look over financial reports and requires state law be followed for public meetings, bonded debt, record keeping and elections. They provide public services and infrastructure that help communities but not direct economic development (CSDA, n.d.). Intergovernmental Cooperation The local government must work within the state andShow MoreRelatedComplicated Relationship Between the Federal, State, and Local Governments1808 Words   |  8 PagesThe relationship between the federal government of the United States and the state and local governments is unique. This relationship in the modern age has become more interconnected and complicated than ever before. The weaknesses of American Federalism has never been as glaringly obvious as it was in the response by state, local and federal governments to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Failures by multiple elected officials and government agencies exacerbated an already dire situation byRead MoreMultiple Governments and Intergovernmental Relationships1454 Words   |  6 PagesMultiple Governments and Intergovernmental Relationships LaShon Thomas POL 215 September 18, 2014 Dr. David Waldman Multiple Governments and Intergovernmental Relationships The founding fathers created the constitution, outlaying the branches of government and clarifying their roles and responsibilities, providing a checks and balances system. It is comprised of three branches, the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch. Each state, city and county has its ownRead MoreFederal State And State Government890 Words   |  4 PagesThe United State Constitution provides the authority and power of the federal and state government’s jurisdictions (Cropf, 2008). This means that both federal and state governments maintain their own separate laws and officials that govern over the territories and citizenry. The one part of governing left out of the initial constitution but picked up later was the local governments. Local government levels connects to the federal system through the state processes of governing. The local levels ofRead MoreFederal Emergency Management Agency System1257 Words   |  6 Pages The Disaster Reli ef Act of 1950 gave the President authority to issue disaster declarations that allowed Federal agencies to provide direct assistance to State and local governments (IS-230, 2014). This creation of legislation led to a complex system of agencies, programs, policies which often overlapped between state and local governments. Because of this, the National Governor’s Association asked President Carter to centralize federal emergency functions. FEMA was signed into law on AprilRead MoreThe Issue Of A Sanctuary City1624 Words   |  7 Pagesis a city in which State and Local government do not follow immigration policy and do not actively seek and deport undocumented immigrants. Some could find that this Local policy hurts all Americans. Some could find this a moral obligation as a citizen of the United States. But by any means this topics has major implications to President Trumps policies and Federalism. And with these cities becoming more mainstream, question are becoming more relevant to other parts of government. There are directRead MoreThe Power Struggle of the States and Federal Government in the United States1536 Words   |  7 Pagessimplistic way is the sharing of sovereignty between the national government and the local government. It is often described as the dual sovereignty of governments between the national and the local to exert power in the political system. In the US it is often been justified as one of the first to introduce federalism by the ‘founding fathers’ which were developed in order to escape from the overpowered central government. However, federalism in the United States is hitherto uncertain where the power liesRead MoreThe Local School Board Just Raised Taxes For The Fourth Year788 Words   |  4 PagesThe local school board just raised taxes for the fourth year in a row, what do you do? If you do not like the actions of your local school board, you can vote against your local school board member in the next election. This is democracy at work. Understanding that there is no such thing as a one size fits all education, it is necessary for a local government control of education with minimal state control because unions still need to have the power to protect their members, every school districtRead MoreTexas State Govt. 2306 Study notes, Question given on first test. Texas AM university.1373 Words   |  6 PagesSTATE GOVERNMENT (TEXAS) 2306 TEST QUESTIONS CHAPTERS 2-4 These Question are taken directly from a test given to my sophomore class at a Texas AM university. I hope that since the Professor is not listed it will discourage cheating, but still help studiers. Class Books: Texas Politics Individuals Making a Difference (and a reading book labeled Texas Politics pairs with above book) TEST 2-4 States are classified as megastates based on which on the following: -population, urbanizationRead MoreThe Role Of Policing During The United States Essay934 Words   |  4 Pagestremendously to today’s policing came in 1829 when Sir Robert Peel’s concept of policing came into effect. This would change the way policing would be performed in not only England, but the United States (U.S) and around the world. Another huge factor that impacts policing is the relationship the U.S. Government has with policing. These factors affect every policing organization in the U.S. Sir Robert Peel had a huge impact on England, American, and the world policing. He is also known as the fatherRead MorePartnership And Participation : Partnership1230 Words   |  5 PagesPartnership and Participation In recent years, development focuses have shifted from leaving the power in the hands of multilateral organizations to distributing the power to a range of actors. The idea that the government has the ultimate knowledge and power an out-dated (CCIC, 1). Partnerships and participation refer to the stakeholders in decision-making for projects and development and how they interact. These strategies ensure that every one has a voice in decision-making and the project

Friday, December 13, 2019

Prepare and Maintain Learning Environments Free Essays

TDA 2. 12 1. 1 – Health and Safety – learning environments. We will write a custom essay sample on Prepare and Maintain Learning Environments or any similar topic only for you Order Now The school has a strict policy that describes the needs of keeping children safe within their learning environment. It is not only important that children are safe in school but also that they feel safe themselves – this creates a comfortable place to work. It is important that children are safe when playing outdoors therefore the main front gate is kept locked when children are in the playground and only the teacher on duty holds a key. Safety indoor is manned by the site manager who performs some daily checks and some weekly checks on the various equipment. The site manager’s job is to ensure that the school building is free from hazards and obstructions as this will prevent children from having any unnecessary accidents. It is the teacher’s responsibility and our responsibility to make sure that the classroom is free from hazards as there are many risks that could occur. There is a general classroom risk assessment updated every month in order to avoid accidents. 1. 4 If using any safety equipment in my lessons, I would always ensure that this was properly set up and safe to use. I would test it myself by using the manufacturer’s guide, I would ask another member of staff if I still wasn’t sure. 2. 4 As our school is ‘eco-friendly’, we have many different recycling wastes in progress. One of these is paper recycling where any waste paper including mistaken printing/photocopying can be reused. Another recycling operation we have is food waste, excess food from the school canteen and fruit cores and skins from the children is all put into a separate bin. Other recycling includes bottles, plastic and general waste. 3. 2 The physical environment is constantly practiced as it is an on-going procedure within school. Maintenance of health and safety of the children is taken care of in many ways i. e. a child/ a group of children are never left on their own, gates are always locked around the school and children cannot open front door or back doors without the help of an adult. Only members off staff are able to enter the building using the thumb print security system. Areas are always made to ensure that children and adults are comfortable in their learning/working environment. In the winter, central heating is on and in the summer windows can be opened to let in fresh air. Spare raincoats and willies are provided for children (and adults) without during outdoor learning. Most discomforts that a child may complain about can be sorted using the equipment and staff in the school. On-going activities will have been pre-planned and therefore the best space to do the activity in will have already been allocated by the class teacher or whoever has prepared the activity. For example P. E. ctivities would be best done outside as there is plenty of room (and fresh air) however if it is raining the sports sessions would then be done in the hall. The area the activity takes place in would also depend on the size of the class or group taking part. The children within the group would also need to be taken into consideration, for example are there any children that have disabilities which would hinder their performance if they were taken outside. Also blind/deaf children , the activities in the area would be adapted to ensure ease for everyone. How to cite Prepare and Maintain Learning Environments, Essays

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Essay on education free essay sample

Education is the light of the life. Education proves to one of the most important factors for the development of human civilization. Education enhances human status and leads everyone to propriety. it is a continuous and lifelong process. It attributes most important, precious and permanent property of an individual. Education provides manpower, strengthens national unity and uplifts public awareness. It invites positive and constructive change in life. It makes our life really prosperous and meaningful. Everyone wants to be well educated. Life can be successful by the help of appropriate education. Educated person can only judge what is correct and what is wrong And takes the appropriate and right decision but uneducated person fails to do so. Object of Education: Robert Maynard Hutchins describes it as â€Å"The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. † We should give our youth the way to educate themselves. Edward Everett said that â€Å"Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army. † Importance of Education: We all know the importance of education. It is the most important aspect of any nation’s survival today. Education builds the nations; it determines the future of a nation. ISLAM also tells us about Education and its importance. The real essence of Education according to ISLAM is â€Å"to know ALLAH† but I think in our country we truly lost. Neither our schools nor our madrassa’s (Islamic Education Centres) are truly educating our youth in this regard. In schools, we are just preparing them for â€Å"Money†. We aren’t educating them we are just preparing â€Å"Money Machines†. We are only increasing the burden of the books for our children and just enrolling them in a reputed, big school for what, just for social status On the other hand in our madrassas we are preparing people who finds very difficult to adjust in the modern society. Sometimes it seems that they are from another planet. A madrassa student can’t compete even in our country then the World is so far from him. He finds very difficult to even speak to a school boy. It is crystal clear that Islamic Education is necessary for Muslims but it is also a fact that without modern education no one can compete in this world. There are many examples of Muslim Scholars who not only study the Holy Quraan but also mastered the other subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy and many more, with the help of Holy Quraan. I think with the current education system we are narrowing the way for our children instead of widening it. There is no doubt that our children are very talented, both in schools and in madrassas, we just need to give them proper ways to groom, give them the space to become Quaid-E-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Alberoni, Abnalhasam, or Einstein, Newton, Thomas Edison. The education system we are running with is not working anymore. We have to find a way to bridge this gap between school and madrassa. Background of Pakistan’s Educational System Numerous international assessments could explore that Pakistan is lagging behind many countries in achieving the Education for All goal (EFA). We were the signatory to the treaty under Dakar Framework where it was decided by all the developing countries that they will be trying to achieve the target of EFI in the meeting held in Senegal in 2000. UNESCO rates in Pakistan are at a lower EFA development Index (EDI) because of low; enrolment at primary school, adult literacy, gender equity and equality, equalities in education and quality of education. The adult literacy in Pakistan, in spite of concerted efforts, fail to go beyond the border line of 50 percent. The women literacy is much more belittling as thirty three percent of the adult women cannot even read. The more embracing would be that we would not be catching the target to achieve the adult literacy by 2015. Progress towards the achievement of the targets is exceptionally slow, while gender parity goal is at risk of not being achieved by 2015. Moreover, more than 6 million children are out of school. Educational System in Pakistan: Education system in Pakistan is really having a bad configuration at the moment. There is no doubt in accepting the fact that education stands the backbone for the development of nations. Looking at the history of nations, we may safely reach the conclusion that the advanced nations of the world could reach the zenith of prestige and power taking support from education. The allocations for education are too meager, and in spite of allocation, the amount is not spent for what it was meant for as the corruption is found in all the tiers of education and also because of the same delivery from the government institutions that is much below the desired and aspired levels. Private education in Pakistan is far reaching for the poor and the turnover of this quality education does not serve the country the way they are supposed to. Planning for education does not go in congruence with the needs and implement remains ever ignored, so by this way the system is getting more spoiled rather than flourishing. Our universities have failed to produce the planners, developers, implementers, and decision makers. Rather the turnover is a mismatch with the ground realities, the half backed persons we are producing are of no use to us. The students we come across are degree seekers rather than the knowledge. The increase in number of colleges and universities does not mean that we are going by the standards rather these are worsening, a simple evidence of which is that no Pakistani university could find a space among the top 1000 universities of the world. The socio-economic scenario is directly attached with the status of Education in the country. The developed world managed to scale up their education in line with the needs and market requirements. Despite the recent achievements, a lot more is needed to be done as the country still faces numerous challenges which cause deterrence. We are under obligation to raise the education of our population to the level of our South Asian neighbors, to combat our own social and economic wants to the satisfactory level. The very scale of Pakistan’s education sector more than 150,000 public education institutions serving over 21 million students and a huge private sector that serves another 12 million – presents formidable challenges. Education is found to be the cheapest and tangible defense mechanism for a nation on the social, political, and economic fronts. But the down trodden condition of education in Pakistan bears an ample testimony of the fact that it is unable to defend its own sector. Over the span of 64 years, the nation has been given the 23 policies and action plans but we could not start the march towards success and are waiting for a savior who could take the system out of turmoil. There were ample spending in the government of Pervaiz Musharraf on education and due to which, we could see the visible positive educational change in Pakistani society. Currently the economic situation in Pakistan is under severe stress and education sector has received the highest impact in Pakistan. The Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan has led to the fact in the following words, â€Å"The state of Pakistan shall remove illiteracy and provide free and compulsory secondary education within minimum possible period. † In Human development Report, Pakistan is placed at 136th position because its 49. 9% population comes under the definition of education. The dropout rate is alarmingly high at the primary level; consequently, it is revealed by the Data Center of UNESCO, that 33. 8% females and 47. 18% in males could pass through the most initial level of education. We may be conclusive about the ground reality that people in the 6th largest country of the world have no access to the basic education even. Key Performance Indicators for Education Systems The frequently used indicators for assessing education and its systems are adult literacy rates, male and female enrollment at different levels of education, participation rate in the different areas of the country; the dropout rates, the amount of resources allocated to education as a proportion of the GDP and some measures of the quality of education being pursued. At the moment, the workability of these indicators rests on the footing of authenticated and recent data so that the planning details may be worked out with confidence. Irony of fate, the indicators, their footings and the quality of data all want more authenticity, but unfortunately, Pakistans record lacks objectivity and rationality on all counts. PROBLEMS OF EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN 1. Medium of Education: The system of education in Pakistan is operative in match with the local needs and ground realities. It is almost a decisive factor that the education in the mother tongue surrenders more dividends but we have the system more segregated and diversified just contrary to our requirements. A good example of it is that we fail to decide about the Medium of education over the span of 64 years. Different mediums are operational in both, public and private sector. This creates a sort of disparity among people, dividing them into two segments. 21. Disparity of System at Provincial Level:: The Regions of Pakistan in the name of provinces are not at par as regards the infrastructure, availability of staff, their training, content mastery allocation of resources and their utilization. This develops a disparity not only in the system but in the turnover too. There is a need to revisit the schools in Baluchistan (The Largest Province of Pakistan by area) because these are not that much groomed as that of Punjab (The Largest Province of Pakistan by Population). In FATA, the literacy rate is deplorable constituting 29. 5% in males and 3% in females. The conditions are to be made more congenial about teaching and learning in all parts of the country without any discretion. 22. Gender Discrimination:: We should have know how of the population comprising females, unfortunately their education is not attended to the way it was deemed fit. The gender discrimination is a cause that is contributing towards the low participation rate of girls at the basic level of education. The male and female participation ratio is projected at the primary school in the shape of ratio of boys girls as 10:4 respectively. In the decade passed, government invited private sector to shoulder the responsibility of education of the youth. The intent was also to provide the education at the doorstep to the children especially the female students. The private sector took up the challenge and there was an increase in the growth of private schools but this step didn’t cause the increase in the students or the quality. The masses could not be attracted because of precious education. It created clear cut tiers of society and created a gap among those with the haves and have not’s. 23. Lack of Technical Education:: There is a craze for the white collar jobs for the same pupils. Select the general rut of education, though they have the least tilt or the capacity to cope with the demands. China, Japan and Germany have the ruts for those who have a taste for and do not achieve the excellence in the general rut of education. We have kept the opportunities open for all to participate in general education at all levels especially the university level. We could not attract the general masses towards technical education making them to earn of their own act as the entrepreneurs and make their living without being the burden on the government. Education system is needed to be revamped making a space for the science, IT, management, and pupil with the excellence to go to the higher education pursuing the education of their own choice. Lesser emphasis on technical education means the lesser manpower for industry and hence the lesser finance generation. 24. Low allocation of funds:: The allocation of funds for education is very low as it never went beyond 1. 5 to 2. 0 percent of the total GDP. Even this amount was not utilized and had to be surrendered back to the government because of want of expertise and the knowledge of codal formalities and in time release of funds. There is a need to increase it around 7% of the total GDP keeping in view the allocations by the neighboring countries, there is also a need to rationalize the share at the different levels not ignoring any. 25. Inefficient Teachers:: Government fails to attract the potential candidates for teaching with the zeal vigor and excellent carrier. Teaching is rated as the lowest among the jobs for the youth, because of lesser incentives, slow promotions and lesser fringe benefits. The teachers in government schools are not well groomed and equipped with knowledge and training. People who do not get job in any other sector, they try their luck in educational system. There is a need to reorganize pre-service and in-service trainings making them matched with the requirements rather to keep them ideal, unique and novel. 26. Poverty:: Poverty is growing over the years. The average class is vanishing like anything. It happens to be a curse for the nation that exists without having the average income group. The escalation of poverty has restricted the parents to send their children to tasks for child labor or at least to public or private schools. In these schools, the drop out is very high because schools are not the attractive places, the curriculum is dry and the teaching does not match the live situations. Poor parents are constrained to send their children to madressahs where the education is totally free. 27. Corruption:: Corruption causes the educational policies, plans and projects to fail because of being the major contributing factor. There is no accountability and transparency in the system, the salaries are low, the incentives are too less to be accounted and even those are uneven. An estimated Rs. 2,594 million out of a total of Rs. 7,016 million provided for improvement of school facilities such as buildings, electricity, drinkable water, etc had gone unaccounted during the fiscal periods 2001-06 (UNESCO Bano, 2007). Similarly, more than 70% literacy centers in Punjab remained inoperative or exist only on paper (ADBP, 2007). The chances of ghost schools should be evaded by involving the community in the processes of inspection and monitoring. 28. Social imbalance:: The students from the elite class follow the O and A levels curriculum instead of Pakistans routine orthodox and stagnant curriculum. They have little or no awareness of their religion and culture whereas those passing out from Urdu medium schools are usually destined to work in clerical and lower level positions. Religious madrassas churn out yet another class that is usually unaware of the world outside their own perception. 29. Mismanagement of System:: Teachers’ absenteeism, poor professional training, sub-standard materials and obsolete teaching methods act as the major contributive factors towards the low enrolment in schools. Burki (2005), opines that most of the public schools are either mismanaged or poorly managed. They are found imparting education of second-rate quality through substandard textbooks and curricula that do not cater the needs of the 21st century. The education should be based on learning outcomes through suggesting multiple books rather than following a single book as an obligation. 30. Infrastructure Problems:: The dropout rate of those lucky enough to be enrolled goes beyond 45% as has been divulged by the several reports. Most of the public sector educational institutions stay in a status of poor condition lacking even basic facilities, resultantly shaking the presupposed standards of education. There are four areas that snivel for pressing concentration which are curriculum, textbooks, examinations, and teacher training (Hoodbhoy, 2001). The textbooks need be made more facilitating, student and learning friendly. 31. Private school system:: Private Schools in Pakistan enroll more students than in other countries of the region. They least bother about the capacity and facilities available, they rather over burden the teaching staff. The rapid mushroom growth of private schools and academies of teaching reflect the peoples lack of trust in the public sector schools coupled with a deficiency of sufficient educational institutions to cater to the needs of the fast growing population. However, there are certain private schools which are slightly better than the public ones. In the elite schools where the quality education is offered, heavy fees is charged that continues to be a problem. These private sectors schools are meant only for a special sector of the population and are out of the reach of general masses. The private sector schools should be brought under the control of rules making these somewhat accessible for the common population. 32. Lack of educational policies:: The National Education Policy (1998-2010) was developed prior to Dakar. It has a clear cut vision and direction to support the education department. Since the 2001, the Ministry of Education has developed a number of policy documents including that of National Education policy (2009) but the endeavors remain focused on paper work more rather than the operationalization, though the involvement of NGOs and international development agencies is very much there. The simple reason is that the plans are vicious and not the ground reality based. The policies should be environment friendly. . 33. Increase in population:: Literacy in Pakistan has risen from 45 to 54 percent within the span of 2002 to 2006, simultaneously primary enrollment rates have also increased from 42 to 52 percent. The population explosion could not enable to catch the targets. In spite of the increase in the certain parameters, the participation rate in Pakistan remains the lowest in South Asia. Alongside it, there are marked male-female, inter-regional and rural-urban disparities: Only 22 percent of girls, compared to 47 percent boys, complete primary schooling. Female literacy in rural Baluchistan is only 32 percent compared to high urban male literacy rates (and 80 percent among the urban male in Sindh) 34. Lack of attention of the authorities:: Most of the criticisms leveled against the education procedures and practices may be rationalized through improving governance and accountability. It would be tangible and workable if we could go for considering the merit, enabling capacity building, increasing investments in education as an industry and finally giving the heir and fire powers to the administrative heads. The private sector and the banks should finance the educational milieu with confidence, as at the moment, we are spending 2. 3 percent of GDP which is the lowest in South Asia. 35. Lack of uniform educational system:: There is a crying need for quality which calls for homogeneity among the procedural formalities like the observance of the curriculum. Had it been uniform the working for it, further extension becomes easier and getting the intellect skimmed out of masses becomes possible. Currently, the poor are deprived of education in the elite institutions which are causing the development of a special class. This class doesn’t work for the nation; they work elsewhere but are fed through the national resources. 36. Medium of Instruction:: We took a long period in deciding that what our medium of instruction would be, till now we don’t have a clear picture before us. It is good to have the National language as the medium of communication provided; we have a rich treasure of knowledge. In our case, we do not fail to develop Urdu to cope with the intellectual needs nor do we translate the treasure of knowledge available for our national use. 37. Education as a business:: Education has been pursued by some of the people as an industry but because of being illiterates, they fail to cope up with the stipulated standards. The leader with vision spoils the mission as well as the projects undertaken. Their only intent is money making that has caused the decay in the standards, induction of sub-standard staff, and depriving the deserving to grow. They don’t want to catch with the move of success but they try to be good entrepreneurs. 38. Delay in renewal of policies and syllabus/Political Interference:: There is a need to continuously update the curriculum because if it goes stale, it does not equip the beneficiaries with the saleable skills and expertise. At the first place, the problems cited have arisen due to lack of commitment and inefficient management on the part of state. The policies lack long term vision and its implementation strategies are being affected by undue political interference. In addition to it, the measures taken are not evidence based and geared by the vested interests of the authorities. Whatever strategies have been applied failed to promote the rational and critical thinking skills amongst the students. At the second place, we find lack of resource commitment and realistic implementation alongside poor allocated resource utilization. As relevant statistics are not available, implementation of the education policy has not been successfully executed. At the third place, we come across weak budgetary planning because of staggered data and least coordination among the data maintaining units (USAID, 2006). The coordination, match with the assessment, project design and implementation are not to the desired level within the government and with the donor agencies. The harmonization is missing too between the federal and provincial governments which cause drastic problems in the policy implementation. The policy formulating, planning and implementing bodies work in isolation as the water tight compartments. The governments consultation is very much restricted and does not go beyond its specific quarters. It should have to be extended to non-state sectors to initiate and mobilize the action. Teachers does not normally form the part of policy making process, hence the process of sharing and consultation remains missing. It leads to implementation of educational policies without consultation, thus the efforts go in vain (UNESCO, 2007). Over the span of time, what we have learnt is to go for dialogue, and keeping the private and public sector on board. The matter of access to education and challenges to quality remain at stake as being unresolved despite much policy deliberation. Recently, Minister of Education announced a new Education policy for that next 10 years ignoring the fact that the previous educational policy span still persists that was from 1998 to 2010. The policy has projected new plans and promises to the nation pointing to the fact that all the public schools will be raised to the level of private schools within the shortest period of time. In the absence of a plan of action, the suggested plan of action would not work. The schools have been put under obligation to use the national curriculum and encourage the students of 5th and 8th class to take board exams. This has disturbed the students of private sector also. It is urged that the Universities should be the research centre’s and must not be allowed to act as the examining bodies for graduate or post-graduate examinations. Allocations are supposed to be made to the aspired levels as UNO suggests a country to allocate at least four percent of its GDP towards education but here in Pakistan we are just allocating less than two percents of GDP. Even that is not fully utilized because of procedural formalities.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Challenges of High School Essay Example For Students

The Challenges of High School Essay Being a student drained with assignments, events, projects, laboratory exercises, paper works and some are friends issues is truly difficult, but think that if you have goals in life and you really want to achieve it as soon as possible you will do all the things you can even there are hindrances. Each one of us wants to become successful academically. And now, they say that there’s a part of our life as student wherein we learn things at the same time we do fun and that is the high school life. High school is the part of our life that plays a significant role. We will write a custom essay on The Challenges of High School specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In this stage, we are learning about friendships and relationships, coming into our own personalities and discovering who we really are. â€Å"High school might have screwed all of us up, but we’ll see it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to us†. Entering high school is very nervous at first because of new teachers you’ll meet if it is terror or a kind, classmates if they are bullied and even the environment. There’s a chance that sometimes you ask yourself if this high school would be great as elementary years? Or same as kinder years? Because in elementary and kinder we’re always guided by our parents to do home works from school and they are one who is liable whatever we do in our school but, in high school, we are the one who faced all the things we’ve done and decisions that we’ve made. But the good things about high school is we’re about to learn more advanced things that will help in our studies and careers in the future, and that time of processing, we are preparing ourselves to go out and explore and discover more things in the real world. Some people may say that high school is just like an ordinary where you study, study and study and nothing else but, I proved them wrong through all my experiences within past four years. As time flies, I could say that high school was filled with happiness, sadness and brought us a full of excitement. It’s like a full package gift that you received in your entire life, well that’s it. And for me, that is my precious years and no one ever forgets the four years I have been in high school. High school can describe in different ways, like full of surprises, craziness and many more, but the all in all description of what is high school is; Fun, wild and memorable. High school is fun. Fun in a way that you interact with your classmates and forming an allied to do a crazy things in your classroom and sometimes no one can notice even your adviser unless when one of your classmates tell the foolishness that you did together with your friends. It became a habit in high school whenever the teacher in not around and the one who lead the class no other than the class president. It is another great time in your life as a high school student because you gain your freedoms, new experiences with classmates sometimes called kolokoy and new responsibilities. And the time you spent together with your classmates build a strong and harmonious relationship that last for a long time. High school is wild. At this stage where some of you have been curious with the things around and it results with the love life, green minded jokes, heartaches and also having an antagonist in your life in short enemies or kotradiba (insert evil laugh). Green jokes or green minded jokes it is a humorous line which intended you to think very deep with doubt, but of course in the end it makes you laugh with a wide mouth. Another part of being wild in high school is having a love life, and heartaches. Love life gives you inspiration to perform better in school, knowing better about yourself and your partner and share a common goods with your best buddy. But forever doesnt exist, because theres a word heartbreak and it goes to heartaches, but despite of what happened, you should move on and continue to rock with your classmates. .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 , .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 .postImageUrl , .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 , .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8:hover , .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8:visited , .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8:active { border:0!important; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8:active , .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8 .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8d0381fdc8abadcc4c1b5d88e6d21aa8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: My Love for Learning English EssayWell, it is part of life of a student and at least you have been starting to explore your world as a teenager High school is memorable. All in all this is the episode of your life that you are definitely treasuring every minute you’ve been together with your â€Å"barkadas†, friends and even your teachers because high school doesn’t last forever, but rather through reminiscing the wildest, funniest, craziest, happiest and saddest moments you have done in high school will not be forgotten until the end of time. You were not a true high school student if you didnt join and enjoy the most exciting and unforgettable Juniors-Seniors Promenade where in that moment you will experience the butterflies bugging in your stomach whenever your crush and you danced as the music plays for you and to other students. And also you will feel that the way he danced (your crush) with you as if he was your prince and you are her princess in that nighttime. Every moment that you have on your high school was memorable which no one can replace with that because it only happens once in a lifetime and it will never have a duplicate as you grow older. High school may look daunting at first, but with time, you will get to appreciate and treasure everything around your experiences. High school life could be your worst and best thing that you ever had and you should treasure every bit youve together with the best buddies in your life. Its also the happiest and most memorable journey and as you graduated, it doesnt imply that all the things were ended up, but it is the beginning of more thrilling and most exciting chapter of your life. In short, a life-challenging episode starts right away.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Contrast the priorities of the northern and southern Renaissance Essays

Contrast the priorities of the northern and southern Renaissance Essays Contrast the priorities of the northern and southern Renaissance Paper Contrast the priorities of the northern and southern Renaissance Paper The renaissance was a period in European cultural history that began in Italy around 1400 and lasted there until the end of the 16th century. It flourished later elsewhere in Europe and lasted until the 17th century. The Renaissance brought an all around change in the way people thought and in their beliefs. People began to discover the world and discover themselves as individuals. The world was beginning to change, technology progressed, and art and music became liberated. The Renaissance could also be known as a Revival of Learning. People began to question the basic facts of life of which they were forced to accept. Acceptance was replaced with questioning, experimenting, understanding and learning. Central to the renaissance was humanism, the belief in the active, rather then the contemplative life and a faith in the republican ideal. However the greatest expression of the renaissance was in arts and learning. For example Alberti, in his writings on painting, created both methods of painting using perspective to create an illusion of a third dimension and a classically inspired non-religious subject matter. Even in his architecture, he created a system of simple proportion that was to be followed for hundreds of years. The Renaissance was heralded by the work of the early 14th-century painter Giotto in Florence, and in the early 15th century a handful of outstanding innovative artists emerged there: Masaccio, in painting, Donatello, in sculpture, and Brunelleschi, in architecture. At the same time the humanist philosopher, artist, and writer Leon Baptista Alberti recorded many of the new ideas in his treatises on painting, sculpture, and architecture. These ideas soon became widespread in Italy, and many new centres of patronage formed. In the 16th century Rome superseded Florence as the chief centre of activity and innovation, and became the capital of the High Renaissance. The cultures throughout Europe were hugely diverse and have remained so to this present day. So therefore it is highly likely that the renaissance took on different meanings and interpretations throughout Europe. In northern Europe the Renaissance spirit is apparent in the painting of the van Eyck brothers in the early 15th century. The Italian artists Cellini, Rosso Fiorentino, and Primaticcio took the Renaissance to France through their work at Fontainebleau. The ideas, concepts, understandings and priorities of the renaissance could not have been the same throughout a continent that differed in social, cultural, political and religious issues. So there is no query that the artistic renaissance originated in Italy. And this change in Art had a huge impact on art in the north. Artists in the rest of Europe were impressed by the new ideas on art from Italy. Italy therefore attracted many of the great artists from elsewhere in Europe. When we look at the works of art during the renaissance in both Italy and the north, we can see that they both set out to achieve the same goals more or less, such as, an interest in individual consciousness and a desire to make images of the visible world, often portraying a religious scene, more believable and accessible. 1 However there are many striking differences in methods and techniques due to a manifold of reasons. Because the patrons in the north tended to be of the bourgeois class, rather that religious or noble, the artists that they sponsored, painted for civic or even domestic display. Communities commissioned works for their chapels and town halls. This could be the reason why the works of art from the northern renaissance were often on a smaller scale than those from the Italian renaissance. There was a frequent use of grisaille to portray a more sculptured look on the triptych covers. The climate had a great impact on the methods of painting in the north and south. Frescoing was more common in Italy as the warm climate enabled the paintings to dry quicker, whereas with the damp, colder climate of the north, frescoes took longer to dry. The artists wanted to meet public demand and thus produced smaller, mobile works of art. It is also clear that the northern artists and patrons were concerned about their social status. They wanted to show their current and even potential social positions. The Italian artists seemed somewhat oblivious to their step on the social ladder. Symbolism seemed central to the northern artistic renaissance. One example of this is Holbeins The Ambassador, which features a number of valuable objects, which attempt to display the status of the subjects and their interests in intellectual matters. The northern artists crowded their paintings with many minor details in the background and on the subject matter with the aim of displaying their wealth. The Italian artists did not feel the need to include these small objects of everyday use when depicting biblical scenes or in their portraits of their wealthy sponsors. It is therefore clear that both the northern artists and the Italian artists aimed to achieve a sense of realism and credibility in their work, but they both contained many unique features, which differed greatly from each other. One of the key features of the renaissance is Humanism. This is associated more with the northern renaissance. Humanists believed that God had given each person free will and that it was up to everybody to use their talents to the full and to achieve their true potential. When we think of humanism, we think of the famous Erasmus, Petrarch or Moore. These humanists played an important role in the renaissance. Erasmus had a thorough training in the classic authors as well as in the languages and grammar, which he mobilised in the cause of Christian scholarship. He was probably the greatest classical scholar of his age and he used his knowledge of Greek and Latin sources to demonstrate the profound effect of ancient culture on Christianity. He believed that the classics could inspire good taste, stimulate sound and clear thinking and could cultivate clear, accurate and precise verbal and written expression. He also believed that their study along with the Bible would promote greater religious devotion and goodness. This piety through literature was the basis of Erasmuss educational philosophy and his religious reformism. Erasmus attacked clerical abuse through his literature, he wrote I could see that the common body of Christians were corrupt not only in its affections, but in its ideas. Like Erasmus, Petrarch restored the Latin classics and he initiated the recovery and revision of ancient texts that followed with the early 15th century. Petrarch would be considered a northern humanist because although he was born in Florence, he was raised in Provence. However although Humanism is associated more with the northern renaissance, the humanists of Italy had similar beliefs Alberti of Florence believed that each person was responsible for their own destiny. The longing to come to terms with the way in which the world worked was an essential attribute in the learning of the renaissance, and it is certainly no big shock that important scientific developments occurred during the 15th and 16th centuries. Although Columbus was born in Italy, he would be associated with the northern renaissance, as his culture was purely Spanish. All his letters, even those addressed to Italians, were in Spanish. His studies of the Pole Star led him to the conclusion that the Earth was pear-shaped. Another man from the northern renaissance was Copernicus from Poland. Copernicus was a famous astronomer who by careful observation, with the naked eye, of the phases of an eclipse, he had discovered the dual motion of the planet on their own axes and around the sun. By 1512, he had this system worked out to the smallest detail. However, he hesitated to publish his work as he said, I can well believe that when what I have written becomes known, there will be an uproar. Copernicus changed the way the world thought forever as he argued that the earth was the centre of the universe and not the earth, with the planets and their satellites revolving around it. The amazing thing about he discoveries of Copernicus is that they were the products of pure reason applied to facts known to the ancients and carefully noted by ptolemy2 So it was clear that the northern universities led the way in the new astronomy. It is doubtful whether the cause of scientific development stems greatly from the Italian renaissance. Indeed, it was the thesis of Toffanin that the rise of humanism stifled the sciences in favour of literature. The Germans invented printing and certainly Copernicus was born in Poland, and Francis Bacon precedes Galileo, who only gives a scientific achievement to Italy well into the 17th century, outside the chronological limits usually set to the renaissance. Also an independent spirit of enquiry arose in European biology and medicine. Human dissections were routinely performed from the 14th century and anatomy emerged as a mature science from the eager activity of the Belgian, Andreas Vesalius, whose De humani corporis fabrica is one of the masterpieces of the Scientific Revolution. His achievement was to examine the body itself rather than relying simply on Galen; the illustrations in his work are simultaneously objects of scientific originality and of artistic beauty. The rediscovery of the beauty of the human body by Renaissance artists encouraged the study of anatomy by geniuses such as Leonardo da Vinci. Shortly afterwards, an Englishman, William Harvey discovered the circulation of the blood and established physiology on a scientific footing. His little book De Motu Cordis (1628; On the Motion of the Heart) was the first great work on experimental physiology since the time of Galen. The eccentric wandering Swiss doctor Paracelsus had also deliberately set aside the teachings of Galen and other Ancients in favour of a fresh approach to Nature and medicine and to the search for new remedies for disease. These discoveries were all made by men from the northern renaissance, which may indicate that the renaissance in the north was more concerned with discovery and solving the unknown rather than just art. The Catholic Church was extremely affected by the renaissance too. The renaissance way of think brought about the reformation and there is no doubt that the church could see it coming. Humanists such as Erasmus, Petrarch and Moore questioned the church. They let their beliefs be known that each man controlled his own destiny, and therefore there was no divine rights given to anyone from God. The renaissance was an age of reformers. Above many reforms in art, literature, science and technology was the renewal of the relationship between humanity and God by thoroughly reforming the church. Through reason and education, these humanists aspired to transform not only the church but also society. So in fact it was the northern humanists who paved the way for the reformation. Therefore the Catholic Church faced many threats to its authority during the renaissance period. In both north and south, artists strove to perfect realism in their art and began to analyse nature and the human body. The church had originally exerted control over the masses by keeping them in the dark so to speak, by not encouraging them to investigate, explore or question what they were told. It was not a priority or aim of the northern and southern renaissance to contradict the teachings of the church, but by systematically reasoning and analysing the basic facts of life, they gradually took away the power of the church upon the people. The style of renaissance architecture, which began in 15th-century Italy, was based on the revival of classical, especially Roman, architecture developed by Brunelleschi. It is characterised by a concern with balance, clarity, and proportion, and by the external use of columns and fluted pilasters. Many Roman buildings were still extant in Renaissance Italy and artists and scholars studied their proportions and copied their decorative motifs. The architectural books of the Roman Vitruvius, 1st century AD were made popular by Leon Battista Alberti in his influential treatise De re aedificatoria/On Architecture 1486 but the first major work of the age was the successful construction by Brunelleschi of a dome 1420-34 on Florence Cathedral. Alberti himself designed a new fai ade for Santa Maria Novella, completed 1470, in Florence, and redesigned a church in Rimini subsequently called the Tempio Malatestiano, c. 1450. Bramante came closest to the recreation of classical ideas with works such as the Tempietto of San Pietro in Montorio, Rome, c. 1510 and the new basilica of St Peters in Rome, begun 1506. Other Renaissance architects in Italy include Michelangelo, Giulio Romano, Palladio, Vignola, Sangallo, and Raphael. As Renaissance architecture spread throughout the rest of Europe it often acquired a distinctively national character through the influence of indigenous styles. Renaissance architecture in England is exemplified by the Queens House at Greenwich, London, built by Inigo Jones 1637 and in France by the Louvre Palace built for Frani ois I 1546. In Spain, a fusion of Renaissance and Gothic architectural forms led to the flamboyant style called Plateresque, Manuellian in Portugal, typified by the fai de of the university at Salamanca, completed 1529. Overall, we can see that although the renaissance throughout Europe, meant a change in the way people thought, its priorities varied from country to country. The Italian renaissance prioritised their art producing many famous works of art such as de Vincis Mona Lisa, Michaelangelos David and hundreds more, nevertheless, humanism and discovery were not excluded. However the northern renaissance prioritised Humanism and discovery, although playing an important role in renaissance art.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Analysis of Communication Models Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Analysis of Communication Models - Assignment Example In a basic linear model of communication, â€Å"sender --- message --- receiver† diagram is sufficient, and the feedback process can be taken as a representation of the linear model. Below is a table presenting the different elements in a standard communication model and how they are referred to in other proposed models. Relationships, in general, and romantic relationships, in particular, are perhaps one of the most perplexing among the systems involving human social interactions. It is not surprising that 50 percent of conversations in this lifetime circulate around the most mysterious system among human social interactions. The 90's sawed an advent of increased interest in the scientific study of relationships. â€Å"It is clear that all matters concerning relationships between women and men are of paramount interest to scholars and are clearly in the center stage of the public’s focus† (Kalbfleisch & Cody, 1995, p. 4). Nurturing heterosexual relationships at various levels, therefore, is increasingly becoming a concern among sociologists and psychologists. This is born out of the advocacy to create equality between men and women, and to improve the quality of female/male relationships and human relationships in general (Kalbfleisch & Cody, 1995). Research has shown that males and females differ in their approaches to relationships. One of the differences highlighted in most books is in the manner of communication. Communication scholars have a lot to say about relationship maintenance. â€Å"The end of relationships occurs when people stop communicating† (Dindia, 2003, p. 1). Experts agree that the stages of communication determine the progression of relationships from a superficial to a deeper level. Dindia (2003) further emphasizes that â€Å"the quality of a relationship is primarily determined by the quality of the communication in the relationship† (p. 1). Â