Islam and Women Essay Example for Free

Islam and Women Essay If a woman is married and her husband is niggardly, the wife has the right to take of her husband’s property without his consent, to satisfy her own and her family’s reasonable needs. Also, if a woman was comfortably maintained as a daughter, then as a wife, she is entitled to the same economic standard of living if her husband can afford it. Employment Islam gives the woman the same work rights as men, so long as her important role as a mother and a wife is not neglected. The sacred role of a wife and mother is paramount and indispensable to society. Without her, the future generation would lack the healthy moral conscience that is needed for the success and stability of any individual and community. Professionalism, hard work, and loving commitment are the natural skills that a woman as a mother, imparts. However, Muslim women are free to pursue employment if they are able to, and with the agreement of their husbands if married. History is witness to Muslim women’s contribution to civilisation in various professions such as teaching, medicine and other fields. Inheritance Islam gives the woman the right of inheritance whereas in some cultures, women were considered themselves objects to be inherited! The woman is allotted a share of inheritance and this is hers to retain and manage no one can lay any claim to it, including her father or her husband. Allah says: â€Å"Unto men [of the family] belongs a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, and unto women a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, whether it be a little or much a determined share. † (Ouran 4:7) Generally, (but not always), her share is one half the man’s share. The woman is her own â€Å"manageress† in Islam; in discharging her responsibilities, she fully enjoys the fringe benefits that her position offers while her independent decisions and duties are accountable to Allah. Indeed, throughout history, the integrity, chastity and maternal role of Muslim women has attracted admiration from even the most impartial observers. For it is only Islam that covers the woman with the robe of modesty and crowns her with the bonnet of purity, providing her with the unique opportunity to contribute comfortably to society. What Grace and Mercy the Beneficent showers upon the woman! For every joy experienced and every effort made, willingly and lovingly on the Path of Allah’s Pleasure, the woman, just as the man, receives the same good-tidings of the happiness and delights, that are ever-flowing from Allah. â€Å"Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily to him We will give a new life, a life that is good and pure and We will bestow on such, reward according to the best of their actions. † (Qur’an 16:97)

Examining The Pop Art Movement

Examining The Pop Art Movement In attempt to bring art back into American daily life, the Pop-art movement depicted elements of popular culture by using common everyday objects, chiefly advertising and product packaging, television and comic strips. The images are portrayed with a blend of humour, criticism and irony. Through this, the movement ascertained the position of art into everyday and contemporary life. It assisted in decreasing the gap between high art and low art and abolished the distinction between fine art and commercial art methods. The Pop-art movement rebuffed the abstract style because of its cultured? And aristocratic nature. (World Wide Art Resources 2009) It was during the 1980s that there was a renewal of interest in the Pop-art of the well known Andy Warhol and contemporaries, this resurgence of interest was known as neo-Pop. Adapted from its forefathers, contemporary Pop-art consists of a reworked form; a revival of identifiable celebrities and objects from popular culture with icons and symbols of the current times. (Art History Archive n.d.) Contemporary Pop-art lends from the past, maintaining the critical evaluation of Western culture, relationships, values and interactions. It frequently satirises celebrities and candidly embraces ideas that are challenging and controversial. Although the bombardment upon society of Popular culture and advertising has become significantly greater since the Pop-art movement began, I believe that the critiques of Pop-art are not appropriate to the original nor the contemporary Pop-art scene. Pop-artists artists have continually been engaged in a crucial dialogue with mass culture. They are noted for exploiting these increasingly despised images of mass culture in order to facilitate the critical examination of the effects of consumerism on human thought, emotion and creativity and challenging our assumptions about the purpose and identity of art in a world inundated with media images and messages (University of Virginia 2006), as the following examples by contemporary artists will demonstrate. (expand on this?) Jeff Koons is perhaps the most renowned Pop-artist of the current day. He addresses societys fixation with Pop culture and counteracts the division between appearance and reality, surface and depth, and art and commodity (reword more?)Koons forms his art pieces on consumer products and manipulates everyday objects in order to overemphasise mass-produced cultural objects while uncovering the nuances of marketing. In difference to his 1960s forbearers, Koons desire is to remark on societies psychological investment in consumerism and how these consumer products are fabricated to allure. (Art Knowledge News n.d.) Jeff Koons first exhibition was titled Equilibrium, which was displayed in 1985. One of the defining features of this decade was the forceful growth of consumerism. For this exhibition he produced a series of works displaying consumer items in glass cases. In Three Ball Total Equilibrium Tank (Fig 1), three basketballs were suspended in a glass case, surrounded by authentic Nike posters displaying basketball players in positions of power. The posters in the work represent sport as a means to achieve fame and fortune for young working-class Americans. The posters almost exclusive use of black athletes not just as stars, but in roles associated with elevated power and respect is a comment on the traditional social system that in reality refutes this power or respect to a large majority of African-Americans. According to Koons, the suspended basketballs also suggest death and fame, the ultimate states of existence. (Tate Collection n.d.) Koons Made in Heaven (Fig 2) series is a collection of overtly sexually explicit photographs and sculptures featuring the artist in moments of sexual passion and intimacy with his then pornstar wife Cicciolina. The exuberant images were first displayed during the 1990 Venice Biennale, among more conventional forms of expression. The series produced both shock and excitement among audiences, and stirred much controversy in the art world with a scandalous subject matter that pushed the limits of twentieth century censorship. Although pornography has been a widely acknowledged aspect of society, it deemed controversial because it is a form of Popular culture that was and still remains taboo in polite company. Koons is notorious for testing the boundaries of acceptable taste; his intention in Made in Heaven was to critically examine love, romance and sexual desire, involving the viewer by making them a contributor to the artwork, as most pornography necessitates an outside viewer to be c lassified as such. (Christies 2009)The Made in Heaven series was also in part a response to The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, by the fifteenth century painter Massacio. Koons remarks, In The Expulsion, theres all this guilt and shame that were on Adam and Eves faces, and I wanted to make a body of work that was about guilt and shame and the importance of removing that, so that people could have transcendence over guilt and shame in their own history. (Nance 2010) Made for part of his Banality series, is Michael Jackson and Bubbles (1988) (Fig 3), a six feet long ceramic gilded white and gold statue depicting mega Pop-star Michael Jackson with his pet monkey Bubbles, immortalised as cultic and sacred personalities in an idealised state. Its initially blatantly kitsch appearance gives way to reveal its hyper-realistic approach to evoke the fragility of modern days most eminent star. The situation illustrated in the piece deals with societys idolisation and the ever more bizarre media narrative of Michael Jacksons life. Koons states, It really wasnt so much about Michael Jackson. It was about celebrity status, and about hopes, ideals, hierarchies that are placed on structures which take human form. (Nance 2010) Michael Jackson is the archetype of the glamorous, eccentric tragic and ambivalent and Koons encourages numerous interpretive possibilities. (Astrup Fearnly Museum n.d.) An additional example of a contemporary Pop-artist is American sculptor, Daniel Edwards. His sculptures deal with celebrity and Pop culture in a manner that frequently rouses controversy. The release of his works are usually paired with a press release. (Capla Kesting Fine Art n.d.) While frequently denigrated for his use of celebrity, Edwards artwork are also acknowledged as prophetic and consistent in their capacity for humanising social issues that the media and public have difficulty addressing. Autopsy of Paris Hilton (2007) (Fig 4) was produced as a confrontational and graphic interactive display to communicate to the young the dangers of drink driving. The sculpture is life-sized and depicts Paris Hilton sprawled on a bench with her legs splayed. In one hand she clutches her mobile phone whilst in the other is a glass of wine, in this sculpture she has supposedly died as a result of her drink driving, in which in reality she has been convicted of on numerous occasions. The public are encouraged to remove her innards through a cavity in her abdomen, giving a coroners perspective. Contained within this cavity is also her uterus containing twin dead foetuses, which Edwards says is to bring attention to the teen pregnancy crisis. The sculpture is an attempt to de-glamorise the life of a diva and partier which Hilton is renowned for.(Rayme 2007) The sculpture perhaps also alludes to the cult which is celebrities and their every occurrence and the media and publics unquenchable hunger to get as close as possibly to their idols. Daniel Edwards Monument to Pro-Life: The Birth of Sean Preston (2006) (Fig 5), portrays celebrity Britney Spears in a position of natural birth, whereas in fact she gave birth to her son via c-section and was heavily drugged. The piece created much political debate. According to Edwards it promotes pro-life. At its reveal he called his piece an image of birth and mentioned that it was a new take on the pro-life perspective. He states that pro-lifers generally endorse bloody images of abortion and his aim is to generate debate about a topic that is as he states greater than either pro-life and pro-choice advocates. (Rayme 2007) Japanese artist Masumasa Morimura is a well-known example of appropriating worldwide recognised images taken from mass media and popular culture In my view, there can be no generalisation about the quality, meaning and social significance of works of art, given the discrepancies of aesthetic responses and interpretations. Furthermore, Donald Kuspits view expressed in his article suffers owing to the fact that he assumes that artists should be critics of society rather than witnesses or simply narrators of it. Kuspit is an example of a critic who universalises his personal opinion of Pop-art and delivers his judgement whilst ignoring other responses to Pop. (Walker 2009) Pop art was and still remains one of the most popular styles of art, it was successful in communicating to the general public in a mode in which few art movements did or have since done. (Encyclopedia of World Art n.d.) The reality that Pop-art is effective in generating such a broad range of responses is a tribute to its at first seemingly ambiguous character, a testament that it is more complex and diverse than some critics have accepted, and an indication that it is not as trivial and straightforward as some commentators believe. (Walker 2009)

Literature Review of Language Learning Strategies

Literature Review of Language Learning Strategies Chapter 1 Literature Review of Language Learning Strategies 1.1 Introduction Research into language learning strategies began in the 1960s, particularly , development in cognitive psychology influenced much of the research done on language learning strategies (Williams Burden 2000 :149). Since then, there has been a prominent shift within the field of language learning and teaching with greater emphasis being put on learners and learning rather than on teachers and teaching. In parallel to this new shift of interest, how learners process new information and what kinds of strategies they employ to understand, learn or remember the information has been the primary concern of the researchers dealing with the area of foreign language learning. Therefore, a lot of researchers have been devoting themselves to the area, among whom best represented by Rubin (1975), Cohen (1981), Wenden (1982), Oxford(1989), OMalley Chamot (1990), etc. In China, the research into language learning strategies began in the middle 1980s, such as Huang Xiaohua(1985), Gui Shichun (1988), Liu Runqing (1990), followed by Wen Qiufang(1996) and Cheng Xiaotang(2000). 1.2 Significance of the Studies of English Learning Strategies Learning is a lifelong task for each person. With the development of the times and the promotion of the English education reform, we, teachers of English have been clearly aware that our duty is not only to teach students language knowledge, whats more, we should teach them to learn to learn. As far as the reality is concerned, the studies of English learning strategies are significant in these regards as follows: The studies of English learning strategies meet the needs of the current implementation of quality-oriented education in our country. At present, quality-oriented education is being carried out in both primary schools and middle schools, whereas quality-oriented education is the one focusing on students overall development. As we see, the humankind has entered the information and knowledge-based economy era in which science and technology are advancing by bounds and leaps with each passing day. Therefore, students should be equipped with lifelong capabilities of learning if they want to succeed in fierce competitions in future. As teachers of English, we should help students to master the correct methods of learning English, develop students learning potentials, foster their sound learning habits and bring up the abilities of teaching themselves English so that they can have concrete foundations of English learning after they leave school. In addition, the fosterage of learning strategies is beneficial to developing students fine personalities as well as their spirits of innovation. No wonder that the newly-issued national English Curriculum Standard (2003:29) points out Helping students develop sound learning habits and form the effective learning strategies is an important task of English curriculum. Just as the Chinese saying goes, Give a man a fish and he eats a day; teach him how to fish and he eats for a lifetime. 2. The studies of English learning strategies are conducive to shifting our teachers traditional beliefs so as to elevate our own quality and thus improving the quality of our teaching and education in large scales. In the current world, the rapid development of social economy, culture, science and technology have been all the more seeing the traditional beliefs and modes fail to adapt to the modem educational requirements . Through the studies , we can better update the teachers educational beliefs and constantly learn new teaching methods and new knowledge to meet the needs of educational reforms. Furthermore, we hold that quality is the absolute principle in the educational career. Regrettably, a lot of problems leading to poor educational quality come down to the inefficient learning methods rather than teaching methods. Hence, if we want to improve the quality of our education and teaching in large scales, we shall regard the studies of learning strategies as the breakthrough point . According to foreign language pedagogy theory, teaching and learning belong to an inseparable organic entity which are interdependent and complementary to each other. All these require we should strengthen the studies of the English learning strategies in middle schools. 3. The studies of English learning strategies help the learners(students) become more successful in their learning. The SLA theory and practice have all the more been proving that the cognition of learning methods plays an increasingly important role in ones learning and the prerequisite to learning English well is to learn how to learn effectively. More and more research results have also shown that the effective learning strategies are quite relevant to ones academic achievements . Biggs(1990) points out that when students are eager to learn and know how to learn, they will be able to achieve ideal achievements. So the studies of English learning strategies are important means to improving students learning efficiency in an all-round way. 1.3 Language Learning Strategies Since the emergence of learning strategies, many researchers have been concentrating their attention on language learning strategies, however, defining and classifying language learning strategies has been a major concern for researchers devoted to this area. As language learning strategy studies develop and researchers identify more and more strategies, the classification schemes become more elaborate and complicated, which in themselves are not a problem because they help us to have a better understanding of the nature of language learning strategies. 1.3.1 Definition of Language Learning Strategies The term language learning strategies has been defined by many researchers. Learning strategies are defined by Rubin(1975:43) as the techniques or devices that the language learner may use to gain knowledge. Weinstein and Mayer (1986:315) state that Learning strategies have learning facilitation as a goal and are intention on the part of the learner, the goal of strategy use is to affect the learners motivation or affective state, or the way in which the learner selects, acquires, organizes, or integrates new knowledge. Wenden (1987: 19) defines learning strategies as any sets of operations, steps, plans , routines used by the learner to facilitate the obtaining, storage, retrieval, and use of information. According to Stem (1992:261) , the concept of learning strategies is dependent on the assumption that learners consciously engage in activities to achieve certain goals and learning strategies can be regarded as broadly conceived intentional directions and learning strategies . Williams and Burden (2000:216) define learning strategies as series of skills used with a particular learning purpose in mind. They involve an ability to monitor the learning situation and respond accordingly and they also mean being able to assess the situation, to plan, to select appropriate skills, to sequence them, to coordinate them, to monitor or assess their effectiveness and to revise the plan when necessary. Based on Chinese students learning and development , the newly-issued National English Curriculum Standard (2003:23) regard learning strategies as all kinds of actions and measures students take in order to learn efficiently and develop themselves. To sum up, we may understand English learning strategies as follows: Firstly, learning strategies are the complex plans concerning learning process learners make. In a strict sense, all the plans of the learning activities should be different, thats to say, the learning strategies each time used by the learners are quite different. However, relatively speaking, for the same sort of learning, learners may have similar plans, which we may call learning strategies in common use, just like the reading method SQ3R(Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Revise)many learners use. Secondly, learning strategies are initiatively used by the learners so as to achieve a certain learning goal. Therefore, learners should make appropriate learning plans in the light of their learning tasks accordingly. Generally speaking, learners are conscious when they use certain learning strategies. When the plans are being carried out over and over, learners level of using them will reach a certain sort of automation. Thirdly, to use learning strategies is to learn efficiently. On the contrary, if the learners dont use certain strategies in their learning, they may find it difficult to attain their learning aim. In other words, they wont get satisfying effect even if they finally attain a certain aim. Take memorizing English words as an example, given enough time, one can also remember words through mechanical repetition. However, if one uses other methods , the memorizing efficiency may be improved greatly. 1.3.2 Classification of Language Learning Strategies Classifying language learning strategies has been a major concern for researchers devoted to this field. So far language learning strategies have been classified by many scholars, such as OMalley(1985), Wenden Rubin(1987) , Oxford (1990), Stern(1992) , Ellis (1994), Wen Qiufang (1996) and so on. Lets see a few representative viewpoints: OMalleys (1985) classification of language learning strategies Metacognitive strategies Cognitive strategies Socioaffective strategies Rubins (1987) classification of language learning strategies / Learning strategies Cognitive learning strategies Metacognitive learning strategies Communicative strategies Social strategies Oxfords(1990) classification of language learning strategies Direct strategies  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Memory Cognitive   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Compensation strategies Indirect strategies  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Metacgnitive strategies Affective strategies Social strategies Stems(1992) classification of language learning strategies Management and planning strategies Cognitive strategies Communicative-Experiential strategies Interpersonal strategies Affective strategies Wen Qiufangs (1996) classification of language learning strategies Concept Methods- Management methods Learning methods As different researchers have given different ways of classification from different aspects . In order to make the operation of English learning strategies instruction and training more convenient and effective, on the basis of National English Curriculum Standard (2003) and taxonomies mentioned. above, on the one hand , Ive adopted the following classification according to the role that strategies play in the learning process, that is , affective strategies, cognitive strategies, metacognitive (regulative) strategies, communicative strategies and resourceful strategies; on the other hand, in accordance with the fields of language knowledge and language skills, Ive listed strategies for learning vocabulary, grammar, and strategies for developing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The former will be penetrated in my daily English teaching (Strategy-based instruction) and the latter will be trained through special lectures. 1.3.3 Factors Influencing Language Learning Strategies The use of learning strategies is not an isolated phenomenon. The mastery and adoption of students learning strategies are undoubtedly affected by various factors. So the research and investigation into these factors will surely be of great help to teachers who are engaged in learning strategies instruction and training, as the teachers can control or eliminate the disturbance of these elements. Furthermore, the research into the factors influencing learning strategies plays an extremely important role in shortening students learning time and improving their learning efficiency and making the strategies instruction and training more targeted. As we know , learners(students) and teachers are two closely related aspects in teaching, so the factors influencing the mastery and adoption of students learning strategies mainly derive from students and teachers. 1.3.3.1 Motivation and Interest By motivation, I mean the term of describing , arising, maintaining and guiding of the human behaviors. To some extent, motivation is the driving power of human behaviors. Therefore, motivation is very important when students learn English. They are believed to be always dominated by a certain motivation. In the educational field, motivation is a very important requirement to keep the education and class-teaching going smoothly and effectively. Motivation is the most frequently used term for explaining success or failure in virtually any complex task. Its easy to claim that a motivated learner will do better in language learning. This is of course not groundless, for countless studies and experiments have demonstrated that motivation is a key to success in language learning. But researches also show only neither too high nor too low learning motivation can improve learning efficiently. Its clear that if learning motivation is too low, higher efficiency cant be achieved. Students with lower learning motivation are usually short of study enthusiasm. They are the passive participants in the learning activity and their learning efficiency will be negatively influenced. Students with too high of a motive intensity will fail to face difficulties confidently, fail to take part in the communication calmly and their potentials for study will not be desirable. According to Oxford and Nyikos'(1989: 404-19) research, the higher the learners motivation is , the more learning strategies and the more frequently he will use. As we know, learning is a kind of ,conscious activity, only when students hove the definite awareness to improve their learning and the strong desire to master learning strategies will they positively be able to find out and summarize strategies leading to success. Also, the outer learning strategies instruction and training can be internalized. In addition, the intensity of students learning motivation determines what kind of strategies they will choose and therefore affects the efficiency of their strategy use. For example, Biggs'(1990) research shows that students with extrinsic motivation tend to choose mechanic learning strategies while those with intrinsic motivation tend to choose meaningful organizing learning strategies; and students with higher motivation tend to use more frequently the learning strategies they have mastered while those with lower motivation are insensitive to the use of strategies. OO According to Gardner and Lambert(1972) , learners mainly with instrument motivation tend to use communicative learning strategies more frequently. Last but not least, interest is an important aspect in motivation. Interest is aroused and developed on the basis of needs. When one shows interest in certain things, theyll undoubtedly take positive attitudes towards them. As Einstein once said Interest is the best teacher. Some British psychologists experiments have proved that interest rather than intelligence can better promote students autonomous learning. Therefore, teachers should design creative and lively teaching activities and new forms and ways through various teaching media to help students learn better. 1.3.3.2 Personality What is personality? How is it to be generally delineated and understood ? In psychology, Eysenck (1974) occupies a pivotal position in this field. He elaborates a most comprehensive and objective approach to the study of personality. His theory, using dichotomies, identifies the general traits: extrovert/introvert and neurotic/stable. As for personality influencing foreign language learning, more researches are concerned with exploring the personality of extroversion and introversion. Traditionally, it has often been assumed that learners who are extroverts will be better and faster foreign language learners, who are generally more sociable and gregarious. They enjoy change and excitement. Extroverts will be more actively involved with the language than their introvert classmates. They will be more responsible to the input they get, be keener to try producing their own foreign language utterances and so have more opportunities to build up and test hypotheses about the language. Its also most noticeable in the language classroom where the teacher likes talkative, outgoing students who participate freely in class discussions. On the other hand, introverts are often thought of as reserved, bookish and slow. Unfortunately, this prejudice has had a considerable influence on language teaching, which vie should be careful with. So far, Griffiths (1991) viewpoints have been widely accepted: introverts have advantages over extroverts in developing their cognitive academic language ability, as they usually spend more time in grammar, reading and writing and they are good at observing and thinking. While extroverts are capable in basic interpersonal communication skills, as they have more opportunities and more language input. This is also in accordance with Zhu Chuns conclusion(1 994:347). In my opinion , as far as my 13 years teaching practice is concerned, these ideas are authoritative. So it needs to be judged fairly in our teaching practice. Personally, in our daily learning strategies instruction and specialized training, Id like to propose that we teachers of English should consciously encourage students to be extroverted, while at the same time being 1990, ( -fj kEi 03N*)IY. ]e~l t, M 122 ; aware of the optimum between extroversion and introversion, which may vary from student to student, from moment to moment. 1.3.3.3 Learning Styles The way we learn things in general and the particular attack we make on a problem seem to hinge upon a rather amorphous link between personality and cognition_ This link is called learning style or cognitive style. Ellis (1985) states Cognitive style is a term used to refer to the manner in which people perceive, conceptualize , organize and recall information. Each person is considered to have a more or less consistent mode of cognitive functioning. According to Wedell, M Liu Runqing (1995:209) Cognitive style refers to the ways that individuals organize, analyze and recall new information and experiences. Up till now, different researchers have identified different types of learning styles from different angles. For instance, Margaret. Morgan (1982:52) identifies 16 types of learning styles from two dimensions: extroversion-introversion; sense-intuition. Cl) Reid (1987) identifies as Audio-Sense Type, Visual-Sense Type, Moval-Sense Type, Touch-Sense Type from the angel of differe nt sensories. OO As far as the researches are concerned, the more detailed the divisions are, the better we can perform. However, in daily applications we find them too trivial. To make our studies convenient and operable, a distinction is made between Field-Dependent and Field- Independent language learners in the light of students perceptional styles. The following are seen in our practical English teaching: Field-dependent students are more positively influenced by their teachers; they perform better on structural tasks than unstructured; they dont try to analyze or think about English themselves; they are very reliant on what other people think of them and depend a great deal on positive feedback in their English learning; they tend to be seen as outgoing and interested in others and they are usually perceptive of the feelings and thoughts of others. In contrast, field-independent students do better without teachers interference; they are good at fmding patterns, organizing data to make generalizations and learning rules and they have a strong sense of personal identity and often seem insensitive to and distant from others. Its possible to say that these characteristics are not totally related to the styles of field independence or dependence, but its necessary for us teachers to be conscious of these cognitive elements in English teaching. What I would claim is that individual student vary their utilization of field dependence or field independence, depending on the context of learning. If a task requires field independence, individuals may invoke their field-independent style; if it requires field dependence, they may invoke a field-dependent style. Obviously, our role is to understand the preferred style of each student and to encourage the appropriate style for the context in our learning strategies Gordon Lawrence. 1982:52-53. People Types and Tiger Strips. Centre for Application of Psychological Type, Inc. ( Reid, J. 1987. The Learning Styles Preferences of ESL Students. TESOL Quarterly 21: 87-111 instruction and specialized training. Its worth mentioning that English learners themselves should be aware of their own learning styles so that they can make full of their own characteristics. 13.3.4 Intelligence Subjectively speaking, learners wont consciously choose and use learning strategies in line with their own intelligence, as learners are not necessarily aware of their own intelligence, furthermore, there hasnt been evident relationship between intelligence and learning strategies so far. However, objectively speaking, intelligence is still a factor influencing the formulation and choice of learners learning strategies to some extent, as we know, some learning strategies require learners higher intelligence, for example, when learners are required to summarize grammatical rules through language analysis and observation. Although the less intelligent learners may also attempt to foster and use these strategies, the efficiency when they use these strategies will surely be not as high as those more intelligent learners. Gradually, they will abandon these learning strategies consciously or unconsciously and thus they may turn to other learning strategies. The research into language strategies training has proved that the more intelligent students tend to develop their own effective learning strategies spontaneously through trying to figure out teachers daily interpretations and summarizing experiences in solving problems. While for the general intelligent students, they tend to develop their learning strategies through teachers specific and explicit instructions or training. For the poor students, they need not only teachers specific help and explicit interpretations but constant practice as well. In this case, they can use the learning strategies theyve got mechanically , but when the learning tasks , learning environment or learning contexts are changeable , they are at a loss as to how to choose appropriate learning strategies, or rather, even if they use the strategies, they still fail to solve problems effectively. It should be pointed out that intelligence is only one of the factors influencing students formulation _ and adoption, but not the mere condition. Its shared understanding that the more intelligent learners wont necessarily master the effective learning strategies naturally; while those who cant master effective learning strategies are not necessarily the less intelligent learners. 1.3.3.5 The Teacher Teaching, as a kind of cognition, is mainly embodied through students understanding, which is believed that students are the subjects of teaching. However, in the process of teaching, students cognition is not isolated, but conducted by the teacher. As a result, students acquirement , choice and application in learning strategies are dominated by the teacher. The teacher may influence students formulation and adoption of learning strategies directly or indirectly. The direct influence refers to the teachers special or embedded learning strategies training in English teaching. In terms of the teachers indirect influence, I mainly refer to the teachers teaching experience, teaching methods and teaching procedures, all of which may exert a subtle influence on the formulation of learners learning strategies. For example, an experienced teacher may have the following impacts on students acquirement and adoption of learning strategies: In teaching practice, the teacher is good at recognizing important learning strategies, and clearly aware which strategies are crucial to students of different ages, which strategies are indispensable to different learning tasks. Therefore, the teacher is able to teach students the appropriate strategies effectively in the light of students characteristics of different ages and meet the needs of different learning tasks. The teacher is constantly trying to seek new learning strategies . With the in-depth of the theory research and summarization of pragmatic teaching experience, learning strategies have been creating and discovering accordingly. The experienced teacher has to explore and seek new learning strategies in the light of teaching requirements , also, the teacher will provide the students with new learning strategies so that they may master more learning strategies effectively. The teacher is adept in choosing the appropriate learning strategies materials and making the materials more relevant and typical, which will make the selected materials in accordance with the students cognitive characteristics and personality, fully reflect the learning strategies being trained and also arouse students learning interest. The teacher is adept in converting the so-called implicit requirements of the teaching contents into explicit ones. It means that the teacher will be able to teach the learning strategies vaguely and consciously. The teacher is able to raise students awareness of learning and mastering learning strategies with the help of the outer teaching requirements at the right moment. Thats to say , when students are unconscious of the learning strategies, the teacher is able to stir their awareness efficiently; when students are subconscious of the learning strategies, the teacher is able to promote them consciously and clearly. Little by little, the students will learn to improve their learning , summarize their own experience and accumulate their learning strategies, which will undoubtedly help augment their learning efficiency. On the other hand, whether the teacher can adopt his teaching methods appropriately will also have an important impact on students formulation and adoption of learning strategies. As its known to us that learning strategies , after all, are kind of implicit learning techniques, the teacher who can adopt appropriate teaching methods will be able to make the abstract.teaching contents more specific, more vivid and more illustrative. Lastly, its worth mentioning that when the teacher has a profound understanding of the characteristics of the teaching procedures , he will teach students necessary learning strategies at the pivotal links and crucial periods. Similarly, in learning strategies instruction and training, the teacher can adopt the elicitation method rather than cramming method . Then the students can draw interferences about other cases from one instance with the teachers unraveling at certain crucial moments. 1.3.3.6 Other Factors Besides the factors mentioned above, learners age also has a conspicuous influence upon students formulation and adoption of learning strategies. With the growth of age, learners cognitive abilities will grow accordingly. As far as the learners are concerned, the periods can be divided into three periods: pre-school period, primary-school period and high-school period. C On the basis of the actual circumstances, the thesis is mainly focused on the high -school period. Although learners cognitive abilities are growing rapidly, and their cognitive ways are being enriched gradually, without the teachers help and instruction , high school students still cant develop and adopt learning strategies spontaneously and systematically. In view of this fact, learning strategies instruction and training among high school students is quite necessary. Indeed, there may be different factors influencing students mastery and adoption of learning strategies. Therefore, in our learning strategies instruction and training, we should take the following factors into full consideration: students learning motivation, personality, intelligence, learning styles, the teachers teaching methods and so on, because these studies will make our learning strategies instruction and training more directed, shorten students learning time and improve students learning efficiency. 1992. (Vft.,12.44-4) *VtfAk44-ailVii M 385 Bibliography English References: Chamot, A. U. OMalley, J. M. et al .1994. The CALLA handbook: Implementing the cognitive academic language learning approach. White Plains, NY: Addison Wesley Longman. Chamot, A. U. OMalley, J. M. et al. 1994. Language learner and learning strategies In N. C. Ellis (Ed.), London: Academic. Chamot, A.U. .1993. Student responses to learning strategy instruction in the foreign language classroom. Foreign Language Annals, 26: 308-321. Clouston, M. .1997. Language Leaning Strategies: An Overview for Learning Strategy Teachers The Internet TESL Journal. Cohen, A. D. 1998 . Strategies in learning and using a second language. NY: Addison Wesley Longman Limited. Ellis, R..2002. The Study of Second Language Acquisition. UK: Oxford University Press. Flavell, J. H..1981. Cognitive monitoring. In W. P. Dickson (Ed.), Childrens oral communication skills (pp. 35-60). New York: Academic Press. Gardber,R.C. Lambert W.E.,1972.Attitudes and Motivation in Second Language Learning. Rowley: Newburry House Publishers Griffiths, R..1991. Personality and Second Language Teaching: theory, research and practice. Singapore: SEAMEO Regional Language Centre Hall, Stephen. 1997. Language Learning Strategies : from the ideals to classroom tasks. Language and Communication Division, Temasek Polytechnic Jones, B. A, Palincsar, D.Ogle and E,Carr. .1986 .Strategic teaching and learning: Cognitive instruction in the content area. Alexandria.VA: Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development Kassin, Saul. M. 1998. Psychology (2 Edition) USA: Prentice -Hall, Inc Nyikos, M. 1996. The conceptual shift to learner-centered classrooms: Increasing teacher and student strategic awareness. In R. L. Oxford (Ed.), Language ]earning strategies around the world: Cross-cultural perspective (pp. 109-117). Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Malley, J. M. Chamot, A. U..1990. Learning strategies in second language acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Oxford, R. L. (Ed.). 1999. Language Learning Strategie

A Social History Of Truth :: essays research papers

Review of The Social History Of Truth by Steven Shapin Chapter 1 When someone says that something is true,they are usually stating that it corresponds to the facts of how things really are. Academic philosopher’s distiningish what is true and what is taken to be true by a process of sorting?No single being can constitute knowledge. All one can do is offer claims, with evidence, arguments and inducements to the community for its assessment.Knowledge is the result of the communities for its evaluations and action. Trust and the order of society went hand in hand.Richard Rorty believed that if epistemological differenting motion of the truth occurred. Then an “inforced'; agreement should be reached. Popper pointed that most of what we know about the world is based on the observations and communications of others. Trust is a great force in science. It is an unending means for the extension and modification of knowledge. Communication of the world around us through reports is very important in our understanding. Reports may vary because individuals are differently situated in time and space. What one man sees may not be what the others see because they have different points of view or perception of the same scene. Trust is the power of the social world. Trusted persons make some set of their future actions predictable when they make promises and they agree to forgot a certain amount of free action. It is this recognition of free action is at the center of the culture that justifies trust and allows trust to b accomplished and social order to be built and sustained.Chapter 2 Gentlemen were the only ones that possessed the quality of truthfulness. This quality was grounded in his placement in social, biological and economic circumstances. According to Sir Thomas Smith England was made up of four estates: king, major and minor nobility, gentlemen and yeomen. All were considered gentlemen except the yeomen. Gentlemen made up one to five percent of the Englis h population. This small percent held all of the wealth and political power and spoke on behalf of the rest.Gentlemen were characterized according to their wealth. Much of their income came in the form of rents and agricultural land tilled by the unfree. The gentleman was under no obligation to work and was free of want. Aristotle characterized gentlemen to have ancient riches and virtue. The gentleman could also be characterized by their idleness.

Comparing King Louis XIV of France and King Philip II of Spain :: King Louis XIV, France, King Philip II, Spain

The palace of Versailles was built by King Louis XIV of France and the Escorial was built by King Philip II of Spain. The two kings each had their differences about their beliefs on how to rule, yet there are some similarities. Louis XIV believed in showing off his power and being open. Philip II was a simplistic guy devoted to Catholicism. They both had military to spread their beliefs and ideas. Despite the kings’ beliefs, their palaces reflected their ideals. King Louis XIV was a showy and self-absorbed king. His palace was representative of his personality and ideals. The Versailles palace architecture displayed Louis XIV ideals of secular issues. He cared more about spending money to show off his power. Unlike the Escorial, Versailles was centered on â€Å"The Sun King† instead of religion. At one point Louis XIV stated that â€Å"he was the state†. This statement was saying that Louis XIV represented the center and best of France. An example of this was that King Louis XIV lived in the middle of Versailles. Versailles was also very ornate and had the atmosphere of freeness. However, the Escorial was very basic like Philip II. On the other hand, King Philip II was a more careful and simple king. The Escorial was more compact and closed in unlike the Versailles. Like the Versailles, the Escorial demonstrated Philip II ideals of religious issues. In the center of the palace, where Philip II would spend most of his time, was the church and monastery. Philip II considered himself King of Spain second and Catholic first. He preferred to sit in the monastery to look at historical records rather than Louis XIV’s conception of a king. Both palaces were Catholic but religion had a bigger role at the Escorial Palace. Also at the Escorial palace you saw more military surrounding it as for the Versailles it wasn’t as guarded. While the two kings had many differences their militaries were surprisingly similar. They both had military troops that guarded and walked around the palace. The kings’ military was not only used for protection but also for spreading their beliefs and ideals. Their military was alert and ready to protect if there was to be an attack on the palace. King Louis XIV and Philip II both would have enough troops to go to war and express their thoughts but also enough to protect the palace.

mermaid love :: essays research papers

Mermaid Love The ship was sailing under a sunset sky. The weather was as calm and perfect as King Seren could make it, in his happiness on the day of his youngest daughter's wedding. The guests aboard were having a good time. They drank wine, rum, mead, and whatever else they could lay hands upon. Most were drinking out of joyous celebration, but there were those who drank heavily, Lord Smiley included, to try and forget the fact that Prince Stan had married a fish. All agreed that marrying a fish was considerably better than the octopuss witch that had nearly tricked the handsome young prince into wedlock. Princess Lena was lovely, sweet, and kind. She had legs as a human did, but none of them were going to easily dismiss the memory of her flopping on the deck with a scaled green tail. Among the nervous were those who made their living by plundering the sea of its wealth. Stan's was a coastal domain. Fishing was their main source of food. Difficult, that, when what was hauled up in a net may be kin to their princess. Shipping was another means of income, and even piracy (though they called it privateering). But it was now confirmed that the sea was the realm of a king, a king with power over wind and wave, a king who might impose restrictions on travel across his territory. The staff of the royal kitchens had been in a quandary. How to prepare the traditional wedding feast while keeping away from seafood? Instead of succulent roast dolphin, they had to serve beef. The few cattlemen of the realm were quite pleased, but their herds and farms would not sustain the masses forever. All in all, it was understandable that the liquor flowed freely. The only ones aboard who were not distraught over one thing or another were the bride and groom, and Stan's shaggy dog Fluffy. Fluffy had eaten most of the cake that the chef Pete had ruined in his pursuit of Sebastian the crab, and the overfed dog was now sprawled beside the mainmast sleeping it off. Pete, who had broken off most of his teeth, was sleeping off the brandy that hat been given him to ease the pain. Lena and Stan stood on the bow, arms around each other. The wind stirred her luxurious red hair and ruffled the lacy hem of her gown.

Management Case study Essay

Case Study 1. How do information technologies contribute to the business success of the companies depicted in the case? Provide an example from each company explaining how the technology implemented let to improved performance. Information technologies are imperative to businesses and organizations that want to be successful. In this case, there were three companies that demonstrated how information technologies helped their business. The first company was eCourier. eCourier delivers packages around London and wanted to â€Å"keep real-time tabs on customer satisfaction†(Textbook, pg 5). eCourier used SeeWhy software to help give them customer data faster. This software allowed eCourier to see when client’s accounts were going dormant or if there were changes in the bookings. With this new data, eCourier saved money by not having to add extra staff to monitor who was happy with service and who was not. The second company was Cablecom. Cablecom was also interested customer satisfaction. They used statistical software to look through customer data and filter out trouble. They also found that using survey research in combination with statistical software gave a more accurate look at customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction. These two information technologies allowed Cablecom to see which customers were unhappy and helped them retain those customers. Finally, the third company was a law firm called Bryan Cave. Bryan Cave needed an alternative to the hourly fee normally charged by law firms. Clients wanted â€Å"fixed pricing and pricing that was adjusted during a project† (Textbook, pg 6). The law firm had spreadsheets to help breakdown the collection of fees and how much profit was being made but these spreadsheets were difficult and confusing. The company used business intelligent tools to help â€Å"lawyers track budgets in real time so that they could quickly make adjustments†(Textbook, pg. 6). The use of this technology led to improved profitability for the law firm and also improvement in hours worked by fee earners in the law firm. 2. In the case of law firm Bryan Cave discussed above, the use of BI technology to improve the availability, access, and presentation of existing  information allowed them to provide tailored and innovative services to their customers. What other professions could benefit from a similar use of these technologies, and how? Develop two different possibilities. Many professions can use business intelligence tools just like in the case of Bryan Cave law firm. The banking industry can use BI tools to stay competitive. With competition nature and increasing due regulatory legislation surrounding financial institutions, it is imperative that financial institutions monitor customer’s behaviors related to consumption of banking products in an effort to retain the customers. Business intelligence tools are being developed and marketed to banks to help monitor, analyze accounts, and determine customer profitability. This type of business intelligence tool would help the banks market to current customers based on their propensity to purchase products based on transaction behavior and other products the customers currently utilize. Additionally, a business intelligience tool that performs an analysis of the current fee structure charged for existing products in relation to the competition in the marketplace would help the bank determine if their pricing structure is competitive and in line with the competition. This technology would also help financial institutions identify which customers are profitable and whether or not fees should be increased or reduced. Currently, Chemical Bank has implemented a business intelligience tool that commerical lenders will utilize by cross rreferencing their loan portfolio and any prospect against to determine the profitability of the customer in relation to the company’s return on equity. The business intelligience tool will help the commerical lenders determined if the loan rate is in line given certain parameters such as the market, financial statements, and the customer’s business plan. Additionally, the tool will help determine if packaging a suite of products would benefit the customer if more products and services of the bank were utilized. Finally, Chemical Bank is investigating an innovative business intelligence tool called data cube is being considered for implementation. The data cubes would be developed from different reports for regional sales managers allowing them to manipulate the data to be more useful strategic planning and determining staffing solutions. BS&A software  company could benefit from business intelligence tools. BS& A provides tax software and assessing software to many Michigan townships and cities. Each platform communicates with any of the other BS& A platforms. From personal experience it is a wonderful program. To help retain current clients BS& A could use survey research to see what needs to be enhanced for each client or what needs to be simplified for each client. This would allow the company to then tailor its software to fit each customer’s needs. At the township I work, we needed a way to enter credit card payments into our tax program from BS & A. The only payments accepted in the software were checks and cash. By filling out the survey and sending it back via internet I was immediately contacted and the program writers made the necessary changes that allowed me to enter when a client of the township paid with a credit card. I was very satisfied with the results and BS & A retained my township as one of their clients. Case Study 3: Cablecom developed a prediction model to better identify those customers at risk of switching to other company in the near future. In addition to those noted in the case, what other actions could be taken if that information were available? Give some examples of these. Would you consider letting some customers leave anyway? Why? Cablecom used two softwares, SPSS’s statistical software and SPSS’s Dimensions survey research software, to study customer dissatisfaction. SPSS’s statistical software tells: 1. How many times problem occurred 2. How long does it took to fix the problem Drawbacks of this software: This may or may not tell what the problem was. SPSS’s Dimensions survey research software tells: 1. After how many months of service customers gets dissatisfied- 9 months 2. When customers switch most- between 12-14 months Drawback: why to wait till 7-9 months to find the problem? Actions to prevent switching: Find the problem, fix the problem: Send monthly satisfaction surveys to find the problem areas. If people are not responding very well then add some incentives to it like lucky prizes from the drawings of responders. Be PROACTIVE 1. Keep customers engaged by prroviding some money saving tips to customers with their monthly bill. Some 2. examples of tips that may improve customer retention are: family plans over individual plans that would allow for a cost savings; Explain the benefit of texting if it’s cheaper than making phone calls; explain the benefits of bundled plans over individual plans for phone, cable and TV; tips to increase the life of the products that Cablecom provides. Newsletters about new products and services, explaining how these are useful to customers and how they are better than competition. Brining a value added benefit to customers on a monthly or quarterly basis will create an affinity for the services a company provides. I will not consider letting some customers leave anyway, unless those are financially unsustainable on long-term basis. There are different reasons for this: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. If customer is there then job is available. It takes lots of advertising resources to get one customer. One satisfied customer brings more customers by word of mouth. One unsatisfied customer talks bad about company more loudly than a satisfied  customer talks good about company. Your competitor is getting your business. Question 9. In what major ways have the roles of information systems applications in business expanded during the last 40 years? What is one major change you think will happen in the next 10 years? The roles of information systems applications in business evolved in following order during the last 40 years: ï‚ · ï‚ · Technical changes or Data Processing: Until 1960 information systems was used for transactions, processing, record keeping, accounting. Managerial changes (1960s to 80’s): 1. Management reporting (1960’s): MIS helped in making managerial decisions from pre defined managerial 2. reports. Decision Support System (1970’s): Introduced to help management make decisions from the available raw data using unique inputs and style. ï‚ · Corporate Activities (1980’s to 2000’s): 1. Strategic end user support (1980’s): This includes end user computing, executive information for critical 2. 3. decisions, use of artificial intelligence for strategy building, expert systems for providing knowledge to end user and strategic information on how to place products and services in competitive world. Enterprise Resource Planning (2000’s): It includes every aspect of business ranging from manufacturing, supply, sales, HR, Inventory management, marketing etc. This also uses business Intelligence for better insight into competitor activities. Enterprise beyond vendors and customers or global Networking (1990’s): Introduction of e-commerce, ebusiness, development of internet, intranet and extranet. In future 10 years, speed and integrity of Information system will be crucial. This includes solving the problem of ethics in business, storage of personal information and data, missing or incorrect information. Some examples of the challenges include insider trading in stock market, corruption in news corporations, credit card and insurance companies. P.S.: I am having a hard time in fixing bullets and numbering on this page editor. It inserts numbers automatically when not needed and does not accepts bullets when needed. So proper formatting is a challenge unless I type on this page. Any suggestions or ideas to fix this problem are welcome. Gubir, I had the same problem with formatting so related to indenting. Insead of typing this editor, I have been typing in a Microsoft word document, to copy and paste the text over. It allows me to do a better spell and grammar check as well. ~Lisa Question 1 How can information technology support a company’s business processes and decision making and give it a competitive advantage? Give examples to illustrate your answer. As stated in the textbook, â€Å"information technology can help support all types of business by improving efficiency and effectiveness of businesses processes and decision making† (Textbook, p.4). Incorporating information technology early in the decision making process and working collaboratively with the different business units will provide opportunities to strengthen a company’s competitive position by creating innovative solutions to deliver in the marketplace. Additionally, it’s imperative to involve information technologist specialists or strategists  (depending on the title designated by companies) at the very early stages of decision making processes. Understanding the role of IT in the managerial decision making process will help the manager make better decisions that provide a competitive edge. For example, a manager of retail store deciding which product line to add to a store may analyze computer generated reports to support his or her decision as the goal is to remain profitable and have an edge over the local competitor. The manager would demonstrate poor decision making and leadership by reviewing reports after purchasing the product line. Carrying a product line that customers will not purchase does not make good business sense. Further, managers involved in a company’s strategic planning process should seek the knowledge and support of information technology specialists as well to determine the role information technology will play in developing and implementing the company short term and long term strategic initiatives. Information technology systems can be an essential ingredient in business processes such as product development, customer support processes, and ecommerce transactions (Textbook, pp. 8-9). For example, as a Retail Sales Manager for Chemical Bank, information technology representatives work collaboratively with me and other teams we develop new initiatives and projects to support the company’s strategic plans. Most recently, the company embarked on a mission to increase the services and products of the current customers at penetration rate of 70%. A manager is sought the support IT as I created training of my staff to achieve the goal and also to develop the reporting of data to monitor progress toward the goal. Without a robust product line and customer service centers to meet the needs of the customers, financial institutions are not profitable or competitive. Information technology helps financial institutions stay in tune with the customer’s needs, wants and pulse of the industry. Question 2. How does the use of the Internet, intranets, and extranets by companies today support their business processes activities? The Internet, intranets, extranets, and the technologies that support the  applications have changed the business processes, the productivity and communication of employees, and helped companies participate in a global marketplace. As a starting place, it’s imperative to evaluate how the Internet, intranets and extranets have revolutionized the work environment and productive of the employees driving businesses. Employees now ability to work virtually and collaborating with different work groups or teams from across the company via e-mail, videoconferencing, e-discussion groups without geographic barriers. By utilizing intranets (networks within the company or enterprise), employees can support business applications from anywhere they have access or connectivity to an intranet. For example, employees at the financial institution I am employed, Chemical Bank, can access loan documents needed to close a loan for customer instantly from a cue on their desktop instead of waiting for an inter-office mail delivery from the loan department. All 142 branches have equal access in real time for loan documentation. Obviously, the speedier process of delivering loan document supports the bank’s profitability by getting the loans on the book quicker as well as providing better customer service because there is less wait time for the customer. Additionally, employee work more efficiently and the exchange of ideas flows better with the use of the intranet for internal projects and the extranet for interfacing and exchange of ideas with customers. The extranet (the network or enterprise between the business and the customers/vendors) provides for the business and the employees the infrastructure to support business applications vital to many companies and the ability to collaborate among workgroups. (Textbook, p.12) Further, the Internet has benefits and supports businesses today by establishing a medium for the exchange of not only ideas but also goods and services. E-Commerce is defined by the book as â€Å"the buying, selling, marketing, and servicing of products, services, and information over a variety of computer networks†. (Textbook, p. 13) Businesses utilize the Internet in every step of the process involved in selling a service or good. Businesses advertise and market the goods and services on the Internet to promote the brand loyalty. Additionally, the ability to purchase goods on line and make payments increases the sales and profitability of companies. For example, Kohl’s department stores now have kiosks placed in their stores. Customers who cannot find a size of a particular item or merchandise that is no longer in  stock at one location utilizes the kiosk for service. The kiosk is an internet based selling system that allows customers to purchase items using their Kohl’s charge with all applicable discounts and the item will be sent to the customer’s home within a very short period of time. In years prior, customers would try to locate a sales representative who would contact another store to locate the item wanted which could take up to twenty minutes. Then, the option is given to the customer to pick up the item at another store that has it or have the merchandise delivered to a local store requiring another trip by the customer. The process was cumbersome and didn’t provide the customer with an exception customer service experience. The kiosk on the other hand provides instant service and creates customer loyalty. Finally, the market research and data that the Internet provides can support a company all the way from product development and innovation to the level of service being delivered by the employees on the front line. All of which is very important to businesses in making managerial decisions and deciding business processes. For example, financial institutions such as Chemical Bank are employing marketing firms to conduct Internet research to determine the brand loyalty of banking products or conducting online surveys to capture data about the customer’s experience in the branch as well as what products are missing from the bank’s current suite of products. Businesses can know how many â€Å"clicks† on their website to the feedback about the business’ service by monitoring Facebook and Twitter. 4. Why do big companies still fail in their use of information technology? What should they be doing differently? Big companies still fail in their use of information technology because they do not follow the right strategies to apply this technology to work effectively. Efficiency and effectiveness are the keys to a successful company. Companies have to be aware of the implications and abilities of f their information technology and how to apply it to their daily business  practices. They must be knowledgable and remain aware of the latest innovations in the technological machineries as well as its functions as well as its business applications. Many large companies do not realize the potential of the technology their current possess that contributes to them not seeing the value in the information technology because they are only measuring the information in terms of effeciency when they actually should be looking at effectiveness in supporting the organization’s buiness processes. Management of large companies fail to use information technology because they don’t realize how it enhances the organizational structure and culture of the company and it’s potential to increase customers and business value of the organization. Management has to play the biggest role in the change and take decisions accordingly to assist business and customer. Another important characteristic for big companies not to fail and do differently is to offer proper training for employees on the new technologies, to be able to work them in the appropriate way to deliver the right services. For example, Jackie Barretta, vice president and CIO of Con-Way, Inc. was able to benefit her cooperation from the changes she has made in adopting Agile development practices. Her actions have benefited the business as well as her employees, especially the IT department. There was less time to develop projects and a greater communication with IT as they worked jointly and determined priorities. â€Å"I made the case for change in IT by explaining how the business would benefit if we delivered the highest priority functionality faster. I also kept reiterating what was in it for them- and there was a lot† (Textbook p19) When companies’ presidents take change in consideration to benefit the company, therefore, they profited the company, the employees and the customers. 5. How can a manager demonstrate that he or she is a responsible end user of information systems? Give several examples. Managers have to be responsible end user of the information system. They have to be accountable for all aspects of corporation and take the right decisions at the right time to promote the business and its employees. Managers will have to be in charge and work thoroughly with the employees on the information system to make sure to deliver the benefits of the system. While doing so, managers have to secure the system and use ways to protect it through passwords for example to forbid the access to sensitive information. Also, if manager are working from computers not based in the company, there will be a great chance of viruses and spam that will put the information system in danger. Therefore, securing the work on the IS is a great deal before taking action or creating any change. Managers will have to monitor the work of their employees as well as the affectivity of their jobs on the system they are working on. When a manager knows of their duties and the responsibilities that are to be made for an efficient business then there will not be a problem delivering these liabilities through the information system. Being end users, managers will have to identify flaws and mistakes that take place and not over look them. When these strategies are used, it makes the job easy on both manager and employees as they work cooperatively and the security of the information system will not be likely jeopardized.