Independent Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Independent Learning - Essay Example The process of integrating the learners into the education system allows them to  start  connecting with the outside world. Therefore, they have the ability to  learn  and think for themselves, and not wait for their teachers. Independent learning abilities are an  indispensable  training  for life and for  change  to, and success in, occupational,  college  or higher  learning  courses. Independent learning skills  support  students’  capability  in assessing, recording and reflecting on their education.  Steinberg and Davidson (2005: p467)  state  that also  promote  independence in organization, decision-making and problem-solving.  Nonetheless, they take time to  institute  and, for several students, require  premeditated  modeling and teaching. Therefore, if students are to become actively engaged in increasing their  autonomy  in their  personal  education, they must first of all  gain  the  aptitude   to learn how to  study. A supportive  setting  that permits students to learn from errors and  develop  about their successes is a  prerequisite. Ideally, such  ability  building will be in progress  early  and  continuous  throughout a  person's  learning  (Cooper, Kiger, Robinson and Slanky, 2011: p65).... Fulfilling such requirements is satisfying in itself, and such rewards  uphold  learning successfully than do grades.   Therefore, teachers may  design  in-class activities, assignments, and  discussion  queries to  tackle  these types of requirements. The teachers should  make  learners active participants in education. Students learn by making, designing, doing, creating, writing, and solving.  Passive learning dampens learners' enthusiasm and inquisitiveness.  Teachers  are supposed  to  pose  questions, and not  inform  students something when they can  ask  them. Furthermore, they ought to  encourage  students to  propose  approaches to a quandary or to  speculate  the outcome of an experiment. The students may be divided into small groups, encouraging interaction and sharing their different ideas on the subject. Research has revealed that an  educator's expectations have an  influential  consequence on a student's perf ormance.  Thus, if a teacher acts as though he expects  motivation,  interest  and hard work from his students in the course, they are more likely to be so.  The teachers need to  set  practical  expectations for learners when they  grade  examinations, give presentations,  formulate  assignments and  conduct  discussions. "Practical" in this perspective means that the teacher’s standards are  high  enough to  inspire  learners to  do  their most  excellent  work but not so high that learners will predictably be discouraged in attempting to meet those expectations. To build up the  drive  to achieve; learners must  believe  that  realization  is possible, which means that the teacher needs to  present  early prospects for success. Teachers should  assist  students in setting achievable objectives for themselves.

President of the English Department Student Association Essay Example for Free

President of the English Department Student Association Essay â€Å"There is no student incapable of learning, only teachers incapable of instruction. † I became particularly enamored of this statement during my fourth year teaching. To raise the caliber of my instruction, to reside in a new cultural environment and broaden my horizons, and to facilitate a sincere desire to aid student development, I am laying down my comfortable and secure government position to apply for entrance to your Master’s program in TESOL for the Fall semester of 2001. I have always had an excellent academic performance at school, but unlike those who only have good grades, I also understood the significance of leading a well-rounded student life. Not only have I participated in many different kinds of activities and competitions, but I have also held various part-time jobs with the result my life experience is far richer than my peers. A particular benefit of this is that I am more tolerant and understanding of others and appreciative of the strengths peculiar to individuals. My parents are both secondary school teachers, and they place great emphasis on children’s reading development. Thus we siblings all cultivated good learning habits. Therefore, during my undergraduate years, I was in the habit of fully previewing reading material that professors assigned before giving lectures, in addition to the usual taking of notes. I also made full use of library services and materials to supplement my reading. As a result, in both linguistics and literature, I consistently earned good grades and tended to be a more creative student. I graduated from college as the number one government-sponsored student in my graduating class (there were 25 of us) and won a large number of scholarships in the process. Although I work hard at whatever I do, I have always been generous sharing the fruits of my efforts with others. Scholastic performance is naturally important, but the mutual learning process inspired by sharing one’s knowledge and experiences with others is even more important. Through my teaching, I hope to inculcate students with a similar attitude and inspire them to base their self-assurance on themselves and not look for it from others. In addition to strictly academic pursuits, I participated in many societies and organizations, playing many leading roles. I held several interesting part-time positions such as Stage Management Assistant for the Russian Sligo Ballet Dance Company, Campaign Assistant during the presidential election campaign for the now-ruling Democratic Progressive Party, and as Translator for the 1994 Taipei International Toy Show in World Trade Center. On campus I was the Editor for departmental publications and President of the English Department Student Association. Also, I was the stage lighting supervisor for my graduating year’s public drama performance. The most important event I worked on was as a school representative helping organize and setup the National Alumni Association of Senior High Schools in Hsinchu. Under our efforts, it became an official association recognized and sponsored by the Hsinchu City Government. Speaking of sports, I enjoy volleyball and badminton very much. Thus, I was assigned to be the school badminton club instructor as part of my teaching practice. Also worth mentioning is that I was a volunteer instructor at two orphanages, giving those in need love and care. At junior high school, I was an advanced science student but on reaching high school I became really attached to popular music in general and the heavy metal genre in particular. My interest in reading lyric sheets prompted the discovery that the underlying concepts and cultural background of foreign and domestic music are often very different. This inspired me to transfer from the university science preparatory track to the study of English. Continuing to earn high grades, I attended the Department of English at Chang Hua University of Education on scholarship. My abiding interest in English ensured I was highly motivated but the well-chosen course materials also naturally engendered interest. In 1997, because of my good performance, I was assigned to Taipei Municipal Fu-Hsing Senior High School to complete my teaching practice. A year later, I became a certified English teacher and have been teaching there until now. During the past three years, I have taken one class of students through an entire three-year cycle of studies ending in graduation, and from this have noted that the dry nature of language studies unnecessarily renders this subject less than captivating to most students. Here in Taiwan, there is intense pressure on students facing the national college entrance examination with the result that grade school instruction focuses on grammar, as this is the prime subject tested by the exam. Fortunately, in the last several years Taiwan has been going through a transition period of educational reform and the stress has changed from the dull ritual of grammar studies to the more colorful participatory style of community language learning. Furthermore, high schools are now given more latitude tailoring programs to their needs, all of which represents a paradigm change from the Japanese educational style to the American which emphasizes personal development and independent thought. To achieve my potential as a teacher operating within this new and still developing system, I wish to study and research a variety of general teaching methodologies, in addition to linguistics teaching methodologies. Reviewing your catalogue, I have been very impressed with your curriculum, faculty, facilities, and overall academic environment. I have discovered your curriculum and developmental style is in great accord with my needs and, because your school is located in one of the world’s economic and cultural center, I expect it to offer both an outstanding curriculum and an exceptional environment for cultural immersion. Recently, preparing for the TOEFL and TSE, I have taken a great interest in assessing second language acquisition. The CLOZE Test and Reading Comprehension Test and other related preparatory tests are relatively disorganized and less than ideally effective at present. Thus I hope to make a concrete contribution to the improvement of this aspect of English language instruction upon my return. I believe I possess the enthusiasm and determination to successfully enhance my skills teaching English as a second language, but I also believe that self-improvement is the most important thing in my life. Only by setting myself up as an example, knowing my own strengths and weaknesses, and trying to improve myself, can I have the confidence to step up to a platform and teach students. After all, teaching is not only about inculcating students with a body of practical skills, but also about investing them with moral courage and character education during the process. As such, I make a point of ensuring I have spare time for my students after school and I thus find the progress of my students to be very fulfilling. Highly motivated, resolute, and more than willing to devote the time and effort to complete your program, I sincerely hope you will accept my candidacy. In closing, I would like to express my gratitude for your review of my application materials, and I thank you for your time.

Multilingualism on the Net :: Languages Technology Papers

Multilingualism on the Net What will be the effect of the Internet upon natural languages in the 21st century? It is widely accepted that, generally speaking, any new media change languages. For example, the prevalence of TV has dramatically homogenized spoken accents over the past few decades. Young people tend to speak in almost the same way as TV casters, and local dialects and accents remain only among the speech of older people. This TV effect, however, is insignificant as compared with the enormous effect of print media on languages over the past few hundred years. The prevailing print texts, especially newspapers etc., enabled millions of people who had never met each other to think about the same topics in the same language, thus creating a sort of community identity. This community identity was transformed into national identity, upon which in turn the nation-state was established, as discussed by political scientist Benedict Anderson [1]. Print languages are widely acknowledged as standard national languages, for which dictionaries are edited, and lessons are given in schools. On the other hand, other languages gradually declined. Since the market economy requires any printing business to have a certain amount of readers, print languages tend to be limited to so-called major languages spoken by millions of people. In short, the number of written languages on the earth decreased after the arrival of prin t media. What, then, will the arrival of the Internet bring about? ---- Roughly speaking, we can predict two distinct directions. The first one is English monopoly. The Internet has originated in the United States, and it is obvious that at present most international correspondence takes place in English. This is partly for the historical reason that the Internet has developed as a communication tool for the researchers of science and technology whose common language is English. Now general people in addition to science and technology researchers often utilize the Internet, but English is still the dominant language if one wants to look at foreign Web sites or send E-mail across state borders. Therefore there is the possibility that, sooner or later in the 21st century, English will become the sole common language for international communication, thereby accompanying the inescapable decline of other languages. In this case the term globalization means the hegemony of English-based, United Sta tes-centered single culture spreading all over the world. On the other hand, however, we may expect the second direction where various cultures in different countries thrive and interchange with each other, resulting in fruitful and plural global culture.

Why Is Reality T.V. so Popular?

Why Is Reality T. V. So Popular? It would be difficult to find an hour of the day when a reality television show isn’t on. What exactly is the appeal of reality television that has so many viewers completely hooked? Why has the popularity of reality TV spanned all socio-economic statuses, age groups, and education levels? Perhaps it’s the unscripted glimpse you get into other people’s lives that helps take the focus off present troubles, or makes everyone’s day to day lives seem a little less â€Å"crazy. Whatever it is that draws reality TV fans in, this fairly new phenomenon has certainly taken the entertainment industry by storm. Let’s take a look at some possible reasons the popularity of reality TV continues to grow. Voyeurism . It's the reason traffic backs up when there's a horrific car crash – we just want to look. Reality stars have the lack of embarrassment we often wish we had, but more often than not, are glad we don't. Admit it. In your head you've smacked a thousand snotty girls or meat headed guys across the face.We all dream of having an excuse to get into a fist fight, just to show what we've got. Well reality stars have found their excuse – the camera – and we'll keep watching as long as they've got punches to throw I don't think I'm taking a huge leap here by saying that reality TV stars aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. Let's remember that these are people who are knowingly exploiting their personal lives for a little cash and fifteen minutes of fame. Reality stars can, however, be depended upon for one thing.When a delicate situation arises, that requires proper judgment, clear thinking, and caution, reality stars will without failure, make the wrong choice. This is great for us because we can learn from them. We can learn what not to do in almost any situation, and their flagrant disregard for logic, can be our guiding light. Our daily lives require a lot of mental energy. Our j obs our stressful and challenging, and often our personal lives are even worse. Our minds are constantly being taxed and drained.Who wants to come home and escape by turning on entertainment with substance? I don't know about you, but after a long day of thinking, I can't handle substance. I want fluff – pure, unadulterated fluff. The less I have to think to understand what I'm watching the better, and luckily, reality TV requires no thought at all. The popularity of reality TV shouldn't come as a surprise considering the fact that we live in a culture that worships vanity, rather than virtue, and lives by the mantra of ‘He with the most toys lives,' rather than ‘He with the most joys lives. It's been said that circumstances don't make a man, they only reveal him. Likewise, reality TV is merely a reflection of what our society has become – a materialistically driven society where the love of power and money overcomes the power of love. It's a reflection of a society that is not only devoid of a solid wholesome value system, but is also separated from spiritual roots. It's also a culture that thrives on living on the edge, characterized by thrill-seeking and addictions.

Distribution and constiuents of fluids Essay

Constituents of body fluid – The human body consists mostly of water, and is a major constituent to the human body and vital organs; of this 90% include blood plasma, lymph, urine, saliva, digestive juices, bile, cerebrospinal fluid and tissue fluid. Water enables substances to be transported throughout the body, red blood cells for example, as wells as supplying the medium required for metabolic reaction to take place (respiration). Without water the progression of these fluids would not be possible. Water is constantly being transported between the fluid compartments of the body. Water has five main functions in the body, of which includes: ‘Cell life – distribute nutrients to cells i.e. vitamins, minerals and glucose Chemical and metabolic reactions – removal of waste products (toxins) from the organs Transport of nutrients – participates in the breakdown of food Body temperature regulation – water has a large heat capacity that allows it to help limit any changes to an individual’s body temperature in a certain environment. For example the release of heat when the surrounding temperature is higher than body temperature Elimination of waste’ Urea – Urea is an organic molecule made up of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen. Urea is a common constituent of blood and other various bodily fluids, and is formed from ammonia in the kidney and liver. Ammonia is produced through the breakdown of proteins during tissue metabolism. Metabolic reactions that take place within the body can produce a surplus of amino acids of which can be converted into the waste product otherwise known  as urea through the process of deamination in the liver. Proteins obtained through an individual’s diet are broken down into amino acids. The excess amino acids made during this process are unable to be stored in the body as they can become toxic; therefore they would then have to be converted into a less toxic urea before ultimately being removed as a component of urine. Acids, bases and salt – Acids are a substance that has a pH less than 7. There are two different types of acid: Weak acid – An organic compound with a minimal amount of dissociated molecules Strong acid – An organic compound with a large amount of dissociated molecules Acids are a corrosive substance with a pH less than 7. Acidity is caused by a high concentration of hydrogen ions. Bases are a substance with a pH higher than 7, and have a high concentration of hydroxyl ions. Bases can react with acids in order to neutralise them in order to form salt and water. Bases are normally metal oxides or metal hydroxides. Sodium hydroxide for example is a base. Acids react with reactive metals in order to make a salt. Salts are a compound formed by the neutralisation of an acid by a base, for example metal oxide. This is a result of hydrogen atoms in an acid being replaced by positive ions. Bases that have are able to dissolve into water are known as alkalis. Sodium hydroxide is an alkali as it dissolves in water, copper oxide cannot dissolve water therefore is not an alkali. Hydrochloric acid is produced in the stomach, consisting of chloride and hydrogen. Carbonic acid is produced in red blood cells consisting of carbon dioxide and water, of which is why demanding exercise can lead to the  increase in the acidity of the individual’s blood. Control of osmosis – Salts are a major constituent of blood, and the levels both inside and outside of the cell, of which can be controlled by ATP. The sodium salts and chloride ions are continuously pumped back out of the cell each time they enter a cell, whereas potassium are pumped back into the cell as they leave a cell. The movement of salts enable the individual in assisting osmosis through the cell membrane. Isotonic Osmotic pressure outside the cell is equal to that inside of the cell. Water moving into and out of the cell is the same. Hypotonic Osmotic pressure is lower. Water moving into the cell is greater than that of which is moving out of the cell. Hypertonic Osmotic pressure is higher. Water moving out of the cell is greater than that of which is moving into the cell. Role of electrolytes – Electrolytes are compounds that dissociate into ions when they are dissolved in water, thereby causing them to become electrically charged particles, meaning that they have the ability to conduct electrical impulses. The electrical impulses created are what the body needs in order to make muscle cells contract. Electrolytes can become either cations (positively charged) or anions (negatively charged). Essential minerals – Some electrolytes are considered essential minerals, meaning that they are unable to be made within the body and are an essential part of health. The major constituent for a cell is potassium The components of amino acids and proteins Chloride is needed in order to produce hydrochloric acid in the stomach Magnesium of which can be found in bone and teeth, plays a key role in the contraction of muscles as well as an activator for various enzymes. Another component of bone and teeth is phosphorous and calcium, with calcium being required for blood clotting along with aiding in the contraction of muscles. There are trace elements present in the body. These essential minerals are required in only small amounts. The food and fluids consumed by an individual contain mineral salts, which are used to form electrolytes which dissolve in the fluids of the body. Electrolytes can be found in blood, urine, in the fluid contained in the body’s cells, and in the fluid surround the cells. Sodium, calcium, chloride, magnesium, potassium are the most commonly found electrolytes within the body. Electrolytes play a key role in helping the heart, nerves, and muscles to function. They also play role in keeping fluid levels normal in different body compartments. Levels of electrolytes in the body’s fluid compartments are controlled through the movement of electrolytes moving into/ out of the compartments. The kidneys have a hand in filtering electrolytes from the blood in order to keep the levels constant. Hormones such as the antidiuretic hormone and parathyroid hormone for example, help to regulate electrolyte balance. Acid-base balance – In order to function properly the blood needs the right balance between acid and basic (alkaline) compounds. This is known as acid-base balance. The kidneys and lungs within the body work in order to maintain acid-base balance; the slightest of variations from its normal range can have detrimental effects to the body’s vital organs. Acid and alkaline levels are measured on a pH scale. Increase in acidity can  cause pH levels to fall, whereas an increase in alkaline levels causes pH levels to rise. pH – pH measures the amount of hydrogen ions that are in a given solution. The pH scale ranges from the values of 1 to 14. Number 7 in the scale is known as neutral, water for example is a neutral substance. From 1 to 7, the lower the number on the scale the stronger the acid; whereas from 7 to 14 the higher the number the stronger the base. Importance of maintaining hydrogen concentration in body fluid – Hydrogen ion concentration is important to the structure and function of living systems. Slight changes can cause changes in ‘larger molecules and molecular complexes composing organisms.’ Buffer systems are put in place in order to maintain and stabilise the pH of body fluids. Phosphate buffers – These chemical buffers are essential in order to maintain normal hydrogen concentration in intracellular fluids, as their concentration inside the cells are many times greater than the concentration of the bicarbonate buffers. Metabolic activities are controlled by enzymes, of which can also be known as organic catalysts. Protein buffers – Are similar to the composition of phosphate buffers, as they include haemoglobin, are especially important within the cells. Chemical buffers of the body fluids are the first line of defence to prevent any changes in hydrogen ion concentration; any acid/base added to the body fluids immediately react with the buffers in order to prevent any changes in acid-base balance. Buffer systems – Chemical buffers are in place in order to resist changes in pH levels, and are the body’s first line of defence. A buffer solution is a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak base and its conjugate acid; and is used to stabilize the pH of a liquid. The ability of an acid-base mixture  resist sudden changes in pH is known as buffer action. Tissue cells and vital organs of the body are sensitive to the slightest of changes in the pH environment; and in high concentrations, acids and bases can be highly damaging to living cells. Buffer solutions are put in place as a means of keeping pH at a nearly constant level in various chemical applications. One such buffer solution can be found in the blood. Several buffering agents bind hydrogen ions in order to stop any change in pH. Extracellular buffers include bicarbonate and ammonia, and intracellular buffers include proteins and phosphates. Buffers are in place in order to work against sudden and large changes in the pH of body fluids by Releasing hydrogen ions when the pH increases (acids) Binding hydrogen ions when the pH decreases (bases) There are three main chemical buffer systems in the body: Carbonic acid-bicarbonate buffer system Phosphate buffer system Protein buffer system Solutes – Materials can be transported between the cytoplasm and the outside of the cell; this is known as the active transport process (ATP), whereas the movement of other molecules is known as passive transport which does not require energy. Active transport can be used in order to get the molecules to go against the concentration gradient; this can be done by either facilitated diffusion or osmosis. Passive transport of molecule depends on its ability to be able to pass through the cell membrane, as well as that of the concentration gradient which allows molecules to diffuse from an area of high concentration to an  area of low concentration. Molecules such as gases, lipids and water have the ability to pass through the cell membrane fairly easily. However other molecules such as glucose, amino acids, and ions do not have the same ability. Some of these molecules can enter and leave the cell through the use of facilitated transport, where the molecules can move down the concentration gradient through protein channels in the membrane. This process does not require any form of energy. Role of water in relation to properties – Specific heat capacity – Water has a large heat capacity which aids in limiting any changes in an individual’s body temperature in a warm or cold environment. As a result of the high specific heat capacity of water, its role in temperature regulation is very important. Water enables the body to release heat when the ambient temperature is higher than that of the individual’s body temperature. The body starts to sweat, and the evaporation of water from the skins surface occurs, in order to cool the body down. Surface tension – ‘Surface tension is a contractive tendency of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force. ‘For example the floating of some objects on the surface of water, even though they are denser than water, some insects however have the ability to run on the water’s surface. The cohesive forces of liquid molecules are responsible for surface tension, and are responsible for many of the behaviours of liquids. In addition, water has adhesive properties, so that the pleural fluid which covers the membrane of the lungs stops them from sticking to the inside of the ribcage. Distribution of water – There are two main fluid compartments in the human body: Intracellular fluid (ICF) Extracellular fluid (ECF) Water is the major solvent of all body fluid compartments. Total body water averages around 60% body weight in young males and 50% of body weight in young adult females. The percentage of body weight that water occupies depends on the amount of adipose tissue (fat) an individual has. The overall water in the body involves water inside of the cells known as intracellular fluid (ICF compartment), found inside the bilayered cell plasma membrane which is around 28 litres, which makes up around 60% to 67% of body water; and the extracellular water located outside of the cells which is around 14 litres makes up the other 33% to 40%. Tissue fluid also known as the intracellular and the interstitial fluid have the majority of the component of the extracellular fluid as it has 11 litres compared to 3 litres of plasma. The lymph has 10% of the tissue fluid that form in the remainders of the plasma. ECF is composed of fluid outside of the cells and consists of three subdivisions: Interstitial compartment Plasma compartment Third space (transcellular fluid) The interstitial compartment is the fluid space which surrounds the cells of a given tissue, and is filled with interstitial fluid. Interstitial fluid allows for the movement of ions, proteins, and nutrients across the cell membrane. The fluid is continuously recollected by the lymphatic channels. Excess fluid in the interstitial compartment causes oedema to develop. Intravascular plasma can be found within the vascular system and makes up a fourth of ECF. The third space is part of the ECF compartment and is otherwise known as transcellular fluid. Examples of third space include: Peritoneal fluid Pleural fluid Cerebrospinal fluid Synovial fluid Renal tubular fluid Intercellular fluid is the main component of extracellular fluid; ‘other components include plasma and transcellular fluid. Intercellular fluid surrounds the body’s cells, and provides a way for delivering materials to the cells, intercellular communication, and removal of metabolic waste. The fluid found in the intercellular spaces are made up of water, amino acids, sugars, fatty acids, coenzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, salts and cellular products. ‘ Plasma makes up approximately 25% of the body’s total extracellular fluid. Plasma proteins serve several functions, of which include maintaining the proper distribution of water between the blood and tissues; transportation of nutrients, metabolites, and hormones throughout the body, defending against infection etc. Diseases can alter the amount of plasma proteins that are produced and their concentration in the blood. Role of intercellular fluid in homeostasis – In homeostasis, intercellular fluid also known as interstitial and tissue fluid, plays a vital role as the fluid is pushed out of the arterial end of the capillary by the blood pressure, after the blood has been pushed out through the muscular arterioles and capillaries. During this stage carbon dioxide is low. Tissue fluid flows around the cells and in between giving out raw materials through the use of osmosis, facilitated diffusion and diffusion etc. The metabolic waste is passed in the opposite direction to the cells and into the tissue fluid. However if the waste materials were allowed to accumulate, this could ultimately cause disruption and lead to the cells dying before death occurring. References http://www.nestle-waters.com, (2014). Functions of water in human body. [online] Available at: http://www.nestle-waters.com/healthy-hydration/water-fonctions-in-human-body [Accessed 13 Oct. 2014]. Bbc.co.uk, (2014). BBC – GCSE Bitesize: Acids and bases. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_aqa/acids/acidsbasesrev1.shtml [Accessed 13 Oct. 2014]. Biology-online.org, (2014). Intercellular fluid – definition from Biology-Online.org. [online] Available at: http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Intercellular_fluid [Accessed 13 Oct. 2014]. Chemical Buffer Systems- Acid-Base Balance. (2014). Boundless. 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