buy custom Critique of IAR and NAEP Assessment Processes essay

buy custom Critique of IAR and NAEP Assessment Processes essay Whether used for high-stakes decisions or classroom-based formative decisions, the most fundamental element of any educational assessment is validity (Russell Kavanaugh, 2011). IAR validity focuses on the accuracy of information collected about students, the accuracy of inferences made based on that information and the appropriateness of decisions about students, schools, teaching and learning that are based on those inferences (Russell Kavanaugh, 2011). On the other hand, large-scale assessment programs such as NAEP have traditionally attempted to assess students using single instruments administered to students under the same conditions. As a result it has been acknowledged that this practice does not give valid information (Russell Kavanaugh, 2011). The importance of evaluating these two programs is to discover problems and additional requirements early to prevent more serious issues that may arise later in their use. Through evaluation, stakeholders can determine which assessment programs to continue and which ones to end (IAR, 2011). Critical evaluation of these programs will ensure quality and build client confidence about purchasing, or using the assessment procedure. Effective assessment will assist the users to prioritize resources by identifying program components that are most effective or critical (IAR, 2011). The evaluation of Instructional Assessment Resources (IAR) should ensure that students attain self assessment which will in turn help students to develop critical reflection as they have to evaluate their own and other students work. IAR does not provide the opportunity for students to learn responsibility towards others via assessment and to learn to make critical judgments. Frankland (2007) says that an assessment process such as IAR should play a fundamental role in all aspects of learning where individuals and groups have to be accountable for their work. IAR should enable students to grow their ability to be realistic judges of their own performance and the ability to monitor their own learning. In order to be more effective, IAR should involve learners in the assessment of self development and learning. This will motivate them to think about what had been learnt to a certain point, where the gaps are, and how to fill up or minimize the gaps (Frankland, 2007). The assessment process should introduce the concept of individual judgment to students and ensure effective communication among teachers and peers. Carless, Joughin Li (2007) noted that assessment processes should lead to both the award of a reliable grade and contribute to productive student learning. The major challenge of IAR is that students spend too much time being tested and lack enough time in productive learning. The key stakeholders in these two learning processes should note that learning is much more than the accumulation of grades. On the other hand, NAEP does not give students motivating assessment activities which involve them in productive learning experiences. Therefore, NAEP assessment process is likely to lead to better student grades because it involves students actively in the assessment, engages them with standards and encourages them to monitor and improve their own work. NAEP assessment process presents a major challenge to tutors because they carry potential share of workload. Carless, Joughin Li (2007) argues that tutors are forced to share ideas, strategies, worksheets, model answers, quality exemplars or follow-up tasks as part of the process of streamlining assessment. Ehlers Schneckenberg (2010) learned that the main purpose of student assessment has been as a mechanism for comparing individual learners as a screening or selection process. NAEP assessment process has not provided access to individuals to continued education and progression to higher degrees, to entry into the civil services and to progression for jobs and careers (Ehlers Schneckenberg, 2010). Instead this process is predicated on measuring the differences between individual students based on race, ethnicity and gender. NAEP assessment process has led to pressure for objectivity through standardized tests which are set that the bright or hard working students get it right and the dull or lazy ones get it wrong (Ehlers Schneckenberg, 2010). Both NAEP and IAR use technologies in their assessment processes. Ehlers Schneckenberg (2010) says that technology has been focused on the development of simple multiple choice question and answers designed both for easy marking and for standardized test provision (p. 441). More emphasis should be put on the trends being assessed. Traditionally, university assessment was focused on a mastery of a body of scholarly knowledge defined by experts in a subject and the ability to research about that body of knowledge (Ehlers Schneckenberg, 2010). Nowadays, assessment has been more focused on professional standards as defined by external bodies. The main aim of NAEP has been to compare institutions and to provide a comparison of the attainment of individual learners rather than as a measurement of quality in terms of learning processes (Ehlers Schneckenberg, 2010). The stakeholders in IAR should be cautioned that the process is central because quality is seen to be congruent with the move from teaching to learning and to new processes of knowledge development outlined in the curriculum. Ehlers Schneckenberg (2010) mentioned that critiques of both IAR and NAEP should also be based on the effect on student motivation and coming from those seeking to develop assessment based on reflection on learning, particularly through the introduction of e-portfolios (p. 441). Both IAR and NAEP assessment processes should allow students to garner rewards from their participation in the assessment processes. Palomba Banta (2001) says that through their participation in the assessment process, students should be given small incentives for participating in surveys or testing projects. This is because the real payoff to students for their involvement in assessment should be an opportunity to learn more than they would have learned without it (Palomba Banta, 2001). Both NAEP and IAR programs should review their strategies to meet their full potential to engage faculty, students and other stakeholders in a systematic effort to improve quality of education. Instructional Assessment Resources (IAR) Goals and strengths IAR conducts regular assessment of teaching in order to improve the instruction itself. IAR (2011) says that teaching assessment allows the instructors to monitor student learning and make necessary adjustments to improve their teaching. One of the strengths of IAR is that its teaching assessments help teachers to avoid surprises in end-of-course evaluations (IAR, 2011). As a result, IAR (2011) indicated that the assessment process embraces evaluation of student satisfaction with course organization, exams, assignments, and instruction throughout the term giving room for mid-course adjustments and the improvement of student satisfaction. According to IAR (2011) IAR student assessment entails the assessment of student learning through assignments, tests, and portfolios. Recommendations for improvement IAR assessment process should consider individual student interests, abilities, cognitive styles, and rates of learning, patterns of developed abilities, ethnicity, sex, social class and their motivations (Clark Zimmerman, 2004). The IAR measures should be sensitive to pluralistic issues and reinforce achievements of all students not just those from a particular background or social class. Clark Zimmerman (2004) mentioned that students achievements should be focused on and celebrated so they are motivated to learn, and teachers will be provided tools that allow them to deliver quality instruction to all students including those who are talented in given fields (p. 145). Consequently, IAR assessment processes should use accurate scoring keys for selected rsponse assessment and good scoring guides for extended written response and performance assessment (Stiggins, Arter Chappuis, 2004). Regardless of how carefully the whole process has been planned, things can still go wrong that result in inaccurate estimates of achievement. Stiggins, Arter Chappuis (2004) says that some of the problems that may arise from the process can be solved by adhering to the test development process (p. 114). Evaluation measures used IAR uses three types of evaluation which include: needs, process and outcome evaluation.Needs evaluation is typically used in program planning. IAR (2011) indicated that this evaluation helps determine which program aspects or activities are most needed and for which population. Generally, this method is used to help build up new programs or justify existing program components. Process evaluation investigates the implementation process of a program (IAR, 2011). This approach is useful to appraise program activities and categorize any essential improvements or changes (IAR, 2011). Outcome evaluation helps determine the overall effects or outcomes of the program in relation to program intentions. IAR (2011) says that this method may indicate whether the program objectives were met and also includes any recommendations for improvement. IAR assessment process employs scenario based higher order thinking evaluation. Nilson (2010) says that scenario based higher order thinking evaluation is a series of multiple choice items based on a new realistic stimulus such as tables, graphs, diagrams and data set. In addition, Schuh (2011) says that the assessment process may face the challenge of availability of resources to support the initiative. In addition, a structured assessment instrument such as IAR is not be limited to needs, process and outcome evaluation. Schuh (2011) noted that institutions using this process are not limited by the specific questions within the assessment tool. Additional measures needed Teachers and students need to construct the way forward for classroom assessment practice together. McInerney, Brown Liem (2009) says that students comments suggest their actions are shaped by their past experiences and the future they anticipate, so it is important to realize that changes to teacher and students roles and responsibilities will take time (p. 101). The main criticisms of IAR are based on the desires of empirical scholars to have a stable population to acquire hard data that can be treated statistically and reported as predictive (Dorn, 1999). This means that there is a need for the student and subject matter content to be measured is stable and predictable. IAR faces challenges in its effort to assess performances in real-life situations because both the student and school undergo change (Dorn, 1999). The IAR assessment process should embrace a deductive process in which critical theories are applied to the students outcomes. Christ (1997) says that students should be urged to apply the same theories to their own work after learning in a formal critique. McInerney, Brown Liem (2009) articulated that a good assessment process should allow us to review aspects of the learning context and teacher assessment actions to consider how they might better support the formative function of classroom assessment. The IAR process should provide students with multiple opportunities to demonstrate what they know and can do. McInerney, Brown Liem (2009) cautioned that the use of IAR should accommodate student goals as part of fostering a climate where assessment is viewed at a minimum, as a joint teacher-student responsibility. The entire process must value the suggestions as feedback that signals respect for students and their ideas and prompts students to actively engage in learning assessment process (McInerney, Brown Liem, 2009). How this supplementary data can enhance the results and conclusions. The team involved in the design and implementation of IAR student assessment should have insider information about challenges going on in students lives, which may have undue influence over their final report on the students progress (Orrell, Cooper Bowden, 2010). IAR assessment process should consider that students and peers gain much from playing an active role in the assessment process. Orrell, Cooper Bowden (2010) further says that self assessment is a powerful tool for learning when adequately supported and developed. They also noted that when students are required to review and critique their behavior by IAR process they will if guided appropriately develop their meta-cognitive ability. The supplementary data should be used to ensure recognition, accurate interpretation and respect for diversity, evaluators should ensure that the members of the evaluation team collectively demonstrate competence (AEA, 2004). Competence would be reflected in evaluators seeking awareness of their own assumptions, their understanding of the worldviews of different participants and stakeholders in the evaluation. AEA (2004) stated that the use of appropriate evaluation strategies and skills in working with different student groups will enhance the results and conclusions. The supplementary data will enhance diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, socio-economics, or other factors pertinent to the IAR evaluation context (AEA, 2004). National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Goals and strengths NAEP administers assessments in twelve subject areas which include Reading, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Arts, Civics, Economics, Geography, and U.S History. Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell (1999) says that NAEP has chronicled academic achievement for over a quarter century. This is because it has been a valued source of information about the academic proficiency of students in the United States (Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell, 1999). It provides among the best available trend data on the academic performance of elementary, middle and secondary students in key subject areas (Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell, 1999). NAEP measures national and state progress toward the third National Education Goal and provide timely, fair, and accurate data about student achievement at the national level, among states and in comparison to other nations (Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell, 1999). It also develops sound assessments to measure what students know and can do as well as what they should know and be able to do. Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell (1999) noted that NAEP helps states and other link their assessments to the National Assessment and use National Assessment data to improve education performance (p. 68). Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell (1999) says that one of the strengths of NAEP assessment is that it has set an innovative agenda for conventional and performance based testing and in doing so it has become a leader in American achievement testing. NAEPs prominence has made it a victim of its own success. Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell (1999) indicated that recent demands for accountability at many levels of the educational system, the increasing diversity of Americas school age population, policy concerns about equal educational opportunity, and the emergence of standards based reform have had demonstrable effects on the program (p. 56). Regulators in the education sector and other with legitimate interest in the status of United States education have asked NAEP to do more beyond its central purpose. The main strength of NAEP is that without changing its basic design, structural features have been added to NAEP in response to the growing consistency for assessment in schools. Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell (1999) says that the state testing program, the introduction of performance standards and the increased numbers of hands-on and other open-response tasks have made NAEP more complex (p. 57). Recommendations for improvement Moreover, Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell (1999) says that NAEP cannot and should not attempt to meet all the diverse needs of the programs multiple constituencies. From NAEP assessment program, it clear that the nation needs a new definition of educational progress. The program should thus provide a more comprehensive picture of education in America. Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell (1999) thus mentioned that NAEP should only be one component of a more comprehensive integrated system on teaching and learning in Americas schools. The current NAEP achievement survey fails to capitalize on contemporary research, theory, and practice in the disciplines in ways that support in-depth interpretations of student knowledge and understanding (Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell, 1999). Full student involvement is not evident in NAEP assessment process. Palomba Banta (2001) says that an important challenge with this approach is whether or not students will take seriously their responsibilities to participate in assessment activities (p. 24). In this context, the assessment teams should promote course-embedded assessment so as to draw on the natural motivation of students to do well in their studies. These assessment programs should encourage students to also serve on program assessment committees, participate in design of portfolio or other assessment projects, critique existing techniques through focus groups and assist in conducting assessment projects (Palomba Banta, 2001). Evaluation measures used NAEP assessment process comprises two elements: the long-term trend assessments and the main assessments (NAEP, 2004). The long-term trend assessment process uses considerably the same assessments after a certain period of time, each time a subject is evaluated, in order to determine student progress in that subject over time (Kitmitto Mello, 2008). On the other hand, the main assessments is regularly adapted to reflect current curriculum policies, content currently in use in the nations schools, and enhancements in techniques of educational measurement (NAEP, 2004). NAEP staff administers the long-term trend assessment to students who are part of the NAEP long-term trend sample (NAEP, 2011).Students areasked to complete a questionnaire to provide context fortheresults. NAEP (2011) indicated that the questionnaires are presented to students as an intact form in therevised assessment. However, in the original assessment given in previous years thesequestions are interspersed with the cognitive items (NAEP, 2011). NAEPs student evaluation measures should reach beyond capacities of large scale survey methods. Pellegrino, Jones Mitchell (1999) indicated that the current assessments do not test portions of the current NAEP frameworks well and are ill-suited to conceptions of achievement that address more complex skills (p. 65). In this context, student achievement should be more broadly defined by NAEP frameworks and measured using methods that are matched to the subjects, skills and populations of interest (Kitmitto Mello, 2008). In NAEP assessment process, the evaluation plan should be shared with students ahead of time to make the learning targets clearer. This implies that students should be involved throughout a unit, by establishing where each days instruction fits into the plan or by writing practice test questions periodically for each cell of the plan as a form of review (Stiggins, Arter Chappuis, 2004). Data collected in the assessment process should provide quality comments on which areas require significant improvement. Mann (2006) says that the teams involved should conduct further analysis to examine the pattern of the quality of assessment comments from the data. According to Mann (2006), students ability to critique, assess and evaluate improves with practice. Additional measures needed Critics of NAEP assessment program especially those groups representing specific vested interests have raised several complaints about the nature and implications of writing prompts developed by test makers (Flood, 2003). Flood (2003) noted that there have been concerns with privacy invasion, racial/ethnic/religious, regional biases exceeding the background limits of writers found voice in these complaints. Preskill Catsambas (2006) says that there is always a need to allow for more in-depth responses regarding in-person training while conducting the assessment. This will increase the effectiveness, usefulness, and appeal of current training and support. According to Evans, Economy Forney (2009), legitimate concerns should be expressed about lack of inclusiveness in the whole assessment process. The process should not be based on gender, race, ethnicity and other dominant groups within institutions. Rather the process should measure students knowledge of basic facts in specific areas. Another additional measure should be the inclusion of many constructs rather than one assessment scheme. Evans, Economy Forney (2009) studied that combining all notions can result in confounding notions, especially in terms of what is perceived as being more developed. With these additional measures in place, the end result of NAEP assessment should demonstrate to what extent teachers and students meet their objectives (Clark Zimmerman, 2004). The process should inform students about what they need to do to improve and at the same time provide teachers with information that can help them recognize their successes and make revisions when required (Cla rk Zimmerman, 2004). How this supplementary data can enhance the results and conclusions The differences observed among racial/ ethnic subgroups can almost certainly be associated with a broad range of socioeconomic and educational factors and may not be fully addressed by NAEP assessment program (Williams, 1995). As a result NAEP assessment program should bring out the differences between public and non-public schools. Nevertheless, the process should articulate differences in reading performance and its effectiveness. Also educational programs within the states, the challenges posed by economic constraints and student demographic demands should be addressed by the program (Williams, 1995). Davis (2007) says that the NAEP average scores should depict the progress over a certain period of time and show were declines occur in the average scores of all graders. The supplementary data will help the evaluators to close the gaps among ethnic groups and promote equity in the nations educational systems (Davis, 2007). The supplementary data will enhance results and conclusions. This is because the measures will reduce the programmes high sampling and administration costs. Teddlie Reynolds (2000) learned that the data will ensure that substantial modifications are made to test the design itself, so that the later assessment resembles traditional standardized achievement tests (p. 275). They further say that despite the compromises made in the overall program, the data will promote a concerted effort over the years to maintain special bridge samples whose testing conditions are comparable to the earlier NAEP assessments. Conclusion The recommendations and results evident in these two assessment processes are meant to portray some aspects of the condition of education in the country. They are best looked at as implying various ideas to be further observed in light of other assessment processes. They also elaborate on the many issues contributing to educational achievement among the teachers and students. A critical review of both IAR and NAEP has provided a dependable measure of their achievement and trends of were improvement is required at the national and state levels in various grades and subjects. The motivation behind IAR and NAEP assessment process should be the success and improvement of student performance at state and nation level, but not on the basis of race, disability, ethnicity and gender. Buy custom Critique of IAR and NAEP Assessment Processes essay

Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 14

Final Exam - Essay Example According to Long, there are many factors that act as sources of power of an administrator, and he claimed that legal authority and budget allocations are not sufficient bases of administration. More so, he claimed that the top hierarchy while structuring administration based on power is not relevant claiming that hierarchical power flows downwards. Long stated that â€Å"the political power flows in from organizational sides and also flows up the organization to the center from the constituent parts† (Stillman 2010, p.107). Therefore, long provided a structure of interests, which to him was an essential factor in determining the scope of possible action. Notably, the administrative power and political power greatly differ; first, the administrative power can be referred to as the ability to cover up the fund embezzlement whereas political power is the ability to order a cover up of embezzled fund. In administration, the power is limited whereas in politics, the power is unlimited due to the decision made by the majority via elections. There are many problems that public administrators face today, some of which include hierarchical order and the flow of power, coping with the expectations of the public, achieving technical competence, and behaving ethically among others. As long stated, the top hierarchy of the administration is not relevant but in reality, power and hierarchical positions truly affects public administrators. Many scholars have argued that power is the most important element in administration and this power is a significant challenge faced by administrators. Secondly, public administrators have trouble in trying to e ffectively satisfy public interest and coping up with the expectations of the public. In addition, public administrators always focus on how to effectively perform the tasks assigned to them by supervisors and

Container and Shipping Industry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Container and Shipping Industry - Research Paper Example All these services are specialised services and the industry will have to depend a lot on these suppliers. Therefore, the power of suppliers is quite substantial. Threat of New Entrants: Container and shipping industry is capital intensive business and requires huge amount of investment to start the business. Safety and environmental concerns result in high levels of regulations for the industry. Therefore, it may be not as easy for any company to enter into this business, as in a retail business. The threat of new entrants is not substantial. Bargaining Powers of Buyers/ customers: Customers of the services for the shipping and container industry include big corporate houses and manufacturers. In today's competitive environment what these companies require is timely delivery of goods. This would make these companies quite demanding at times, and the container industry would be on their toes to provide efficient services. Threat of Substitutes: Substitutes for the container and shipping industry are mainly the road, rail and air routes. ... ompetitive Rivalry: Though there are not many companies in the container and shipping industry, on account of the nature of the business, but there is intense competition amongst the established ones' like Braemar Shipping Services Plc from UK, Malaysia International Shipping Corporation Berhad, The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd., The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia etc. The factors like low level of product differentiation, high fixed costs and high exit barriers also give rise to good levels of competition. SWOT Analysis of the Industry Strengths: i. Long term agreements with clients, resulting in a committed client base ii. Specialised type of services, with an ability to carry huge quantities iii. High entry barriers in the form of higher investments and skills Weaknesses: i. Huge capital investments coupled with high depreciation costs results in lesser profit levels for the companies, which in turn results in delayed breakeven point ii. High exit barriers, imply that the company once in the business is compelled to remain in it for many more years irrespective of profit or loss being incurred Opportunities: iii. More movement of goods and services due to the trend amongst the MNCs to manufacture products in countries like China and then transport it back to the western world or Europe iv. Coordinated approach being adopted by leading players in the container and shipping industry v. With technological advancements it has become easier for the companies to track the movement of their consignments with techniques like GPS, RFIDs etc, which promises to make the industry much more efficient in the coming years. Threats: vi. Increasing threat of sea-pirates, particularly through the sea route via the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden, where Somali pirates

Armitage and praise song Essay Example for Free

Armitage and praise song Essay In both poems, a sense of nostalgia and reminiscence is conveyed; they are written in the past tense which leads to a state of reflection and acknowledgement. As a reader, one can immediately capture this notion, when reading Praise Song for My Mother, as the title itself has very traditional African connotations it marks a celebration or tribute of someones life. Whereas Armitage titles his poem Harmonium which is what the poem is physically about but also is symbolic of the relationship between him and his father. Armitage introduces the poem with an anecdote; this evokes a feeling of reminiscence. It contains very physical descriptions Shadowy porch of Marsden Church this establishes the setting for the reader and perhaps portrays Armitage as being entranced by the church; he appreciates very minute details. However, when describing the Farrand Chapelette, it was described using the idiom gathering dust which has a double meaning it was physically accumulating dust but also it was coming of age. In addition, Armitage describes his ultimatum; it could be bundled off to the skip or could become his for a song this suggests the church organ is not in satisfactory condition as the idiom bundled of to the skip indicates it would have been thrown out. More importantly, Armitage explains how the church organ could be his for a song which is an interesting play on words as the purpose of the harmonium is to play songs but also this idiom suggests it could have been purchased cheaply which leads the reader to assume the harmonium has lost its functionality and is impractical, similar to the freight of his father. In Praise Song for My Mother, Nichols uses You, a second person pronoun, which introduces a sense of intimacy and makes the poem very personal. This is followed by were, a past tense verb, which indicates the poem is addressed to someone who cannot hear her or maybe is no longer alive. This idea correlates with the concept of a praise song a traditional African tribute to someone no longer alive. Nichols describes her mother using a metaphor; you were water to me. Water is regarded as precious, particularly in African culture but it is also an essential element of sustaining life which leads the reader to deduce the extent of the impact the mother has had in this person. The water is then described as deep and bold with regards to the mother, one can interpret this to mean the water is a large store of knowledge that cannot be accessed as physically humans cannot survive; it is very mysterious and also it shows the great expanse of her motherhood. Fathoming derives from the Anglo Saxon era and means to embrace the water embraces many sea creatures and therefore sustains life which is essentially a quality of her mother. But it can also mean to reason out problems this relates to the idea of a store of knowledge. Armitage gives sunlight agency as it can beatify saints and raise the dead. This catholic connotation brings about positivity to the church as images of saints are lifted above ordinary people. However, this is contrasted by the destructive power of the sunlight as it weathers the aged wooden case of the harmonium and the fingernails of its key. Armitage personifies the keys to draw a parallel with his dads smokers fingers. Further damage included one of the notes lost its tongue which means sound is lost. Armitage then paints an image of a traditional organist who wears grey, woollen sock. This inspires an idea of how old the harmonium and its battle with time. Armitage describes the motion of pedalling and uses repetition to support the onomatopoeic effect/. Nichols also uses repetition as she starts the second stanza with You were. This maintains the intimate and personal element to the poem. She describes her mother as the moons eyes. Historically, the moon represents strength and an icon of femininity. By personifying the moon, it shows that whilst her mother may not be on walking earth, she is looking over her this adds a transcending aspect to her mother. References made to the moon are pull and grained which can suggest to the reader the gravitational attraction between mother and daughter is similar to that of the earth and moon and how her mother had suffered a lot through her life and was left scarred. When using mantling, it evokes an image of being covered or wrapped up to protect. Moreover, Nichols lack of apostrophe in the third stanza, fishes, suggests her breakdown in emotion. The third stanza is different from the first two as here Nichols begins to list metaphors describing her mother. She once again makes the poem more personal through the reference of crabs leg/the fried plantain smell which is a delicacy central to her tradition. Furthermore, Armitage displays his emotions coming to a breaking point in the third stanza. This is achieved through his use of but which indicates a shift in tone. He uses alliteration, hummed harmonics, to increase the pace imitating his release of emotion. Also there is an onomatopoeic aspect which denotes the sound. This allows the reader to appreciate how engaged Armitage is with the harmonium. His use of the idiom struck a chord has a double meaning it can mean to physically play a sound but more importantly it means to provoke an emotional response to something. As the stanza continues, Armitage makes reference to father and son and is talking about him and his father this increases the feeling of nostalgia as it was him and his father who had sang as choir boys. It is in the fourth stanza where Armitages emotions become apparent. He makes very delicate comparisons with his father and the harmonium dotted thumbs. After this, Armitage how him and his father would cart it away in doing so, the harmonium is described as a valueless item. He personifies the harmonium by describing its back similar to how a person would be placed in a coffin. Armitage mentions how his dad belittles his own death. His dad describes his body as freight which is monosyllabic and brings heaviness to the comical aspect of his dad. Armitage cannot respond to his dads cynical humour and has lost his tongue. This represents the difference in character between the two. In contrast to the sad mood conveyed in Harmonium, Nichols ends the poem with words of wisdom from her mother Go to the wide futures, she said. This reinforces the idea the mother is looking over her and is wise.

Essay --

Sejarah Agama Buddha Agama Buddha lahir di negara India, lebih tepatnya lagi dikenali wilayah Nepal pada masa kini. Sejarah agama Buddha bermula pada abad ke-6 SM sampai sekarang dari lahirnya Buddha Siddharta Gautama. Dengan ini, Agama Buddha adalah salah satu agama tertua yang masih dianuti di dunia ini. Agama Buddha berkembang dengan unsur kebudayaan India, ditambah dengan unsur-unsur kebudayaan Helenistik (Yunani), Asia Tengah, Asia Timur dan Asia Tenggara. Dalam proses perkembangannya, agama ini telah berkembang hampir seluruh benua Asia dan telah menjadi agama mayoritas di beberapa negara Asia seperti Thailand, Singapura, Kemboja, Myanmar, Taiwan dan lain-lain. Pencetusnya ialah Siddhartha Gautama yang dikenal sebagai Gautama Buddha oleh pengikut-pengikutnya. Ajaran Buddha sampai ke negara Tiongkok pada tahun 399 Masehi yang dibawa oleh seorang bhiksu bernama Fa Hsien. Masyarakat Tiongkok mendapat pengaruhnya dari Tibet sesuai dengan tuntutan dan nilai moral. Setiap aliran Buddha berpegang kepada Tripitaka iaitu sebagai rujukan utama kerana di dalamnya tercatat sabda dan ajaran sang hyang Buddha Gautama. Pengikut-pengikutnya mencatat dan mengklasifikasikan ajarannya kepada 3 buku iaitu Sutta Piá ¹ ­aka (kotbah-kotbah Sang Buddha), Vinaya Piá ¹ ­aka (peraturan atau tata tertib para bhikkhu) dan Abhidhamma Piá ¹ ­aka (ajaran hukum metafisika dan psikologi). Sejarah kelahiran Pencetus Agama Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) Peringkat 1: Mimpi pelik. Raja Kapilavastu, ialah ayah kepada Buddha, iaitu Siddharta Gautama. Walaupun raja telah lama berkahwin dengan Ratu Maha Maya, tetapi masih tidak mendapat cahaya mata. Semasa Ratu Maha Maya berumur 40, pada suatu malam, ratu bermimpi pelik. Dalam mimpi itu, ratu ternampak seorang pemuda yang s... ...n apabila mereka minum social, ia biasanya adalah untuk mamatuhi. Walaupun sedikit alcohol memesongkan kesedaran dan menggangu kesedaran diri. Jika arak diambil dalam kuantiti yang besar, kesannya boleh mengakibatkan kemusnahan. Kesimpulan Kesimpulannya, Agama Buddha telah menjadi 3 agama yang utama di dunia ini. Agama Buddha ini telah berjaya mempengaruhi gaya hidup orang ramai di dunia itu supaya mengamal nilai-nilai yang murni ini dalam kehidupan mereka. Kesemua ajaran-ajaran agama Buddha mengenai soal hidup mati dan juga kebenaran-kebenaran mulia yang diajar oleh Buddha telah pun dicatatkan. Pada masa kini, Agama Buddha telah menjadi salah satu daripada 3 agama utama di dunia ini. Keusahaan dan kepayahan Gautama Buddha untuk mencari jawapan kepada semua soalan-soalan itu teleh membawa kejayaan yang agung. Kejaayan ini telah membawa manfaat kepada orang ramai

Renaissance vs. Islamic Art

Mirriam Webster defines art as â€Å"the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects†. It is a broad definition, because nothing about art is specific. Art has many different meanings, takes many different forms, and achieves many different things. Culture, including religion, greatly influences art. The artistic works of a culture may reflect a lifestyle, language, religion, or belief of said culture. Some would consider the heart of art in our modern world to be Europe, specifically, Italy.This is logical, seeing as how Italy is famous for a time period called the Renaissance which was a vital turning point in the history of art in the world. The Renaissance period of time immediately followed the middle ages. During the middle ages, people had no concept of individuality, and there was no focus on mankind. Instead, the focus narrowly on God, celestial beings, and the afterlife. All things that happened were considered a mystery that only God could understand or be involved in. Because of the reliance on religion, people did not venture into thinking about science or how things really worked.The Renaissance was named as its own time period in order to signify the end of medieval thinking of the middle ages. Important aspects of the Renaissance include secularism and humanism, which were concentrations on human capability and a furthering from the all-encompassing spiritual norms. Art during the Renaissance sought to apply humanistic methods to Christianity. As people began to concentrate less on the ideal and more on what was realistic, they began to paint in a realistic fashion which included portraits, and human figures which were proportionate.What’s more is not only that they were painted realistically, but that average humans would be depicted in art in the first place. Although the Renaissance was secular, and concentrated on humans rather than deities, there are many Italian paintings with religious subjects. Italy didn’t live in a little bubble of scientific, humanistic advancement. While the Renaissance took place, Italian culture was somewhat challenged by Islamic culture when the Ottoman Turks made an attempt to conquer Europe.Ottoman rulers such as Mehmet and Suleiman are, in my opinion, responsible for the spread of Islamic art and culture from Persia to Algeria. As the Ottoman empire grew, its art and culture flourished under the rule of a select few rulers. Although the art grew and flourished, it still had its roots in Islamic faith, meaning it still followed the â€Å"rules† of the Muslim religion. The Ottoman empire’s occupation of South-east Europe and domination of the Mediterranean were tools which unintentionally spread Islamic culture to Europe, Italy included.When a group attempts to colonize an area, they (though sometimes inadvertently) spread their culture to said area. This is usually done through propaganda and artwork. The similarities between Islamic art and art in Renaissance Italy results from the fact that many elements of Islamic art spread to Italy during the spread of the Ottoman Empire into Europe. We can see many purely Islamic elements in European art in the Renaissance time period. To begin with, the Muslims are responsible for bringing glass, ceramics, and pottery to Italy.The development of glass and ceramics began in the Middle East. Using these mediums, they developed techniques such as gazing, gliding, qualities of color, and sparkle in order to add an artistic dimension to every day necessities. When the Muslims invaded Europe and held an Italian city, Italians learned to make ceramics, and then followed the Islamic way of adding sparkle to their glass and gold to their ceramic pieces. The Italians were influenced by, not only the artistic medium itself, but also the decorations on Islamic art.A cardinal characteristic of Islamic art is an inclination towards covering surfaces wit h patterns composed of vegetal and/or geometric elements. They valued sophisticated patterns and variety such as those found in Islamic artwork. They were fascinated by the intricate patterns, so much so that they began to imitate the designs on their own glass and ceramic artwork. They copied a certain design pattern, which was a sort of scrolling foliage, which they gave the term arabesque. Both Islamic and Renaissance art are greatly influenced by general religion, and even exhibit some of the same elements.Geometric figures in Islamic art are used to make said art perfectly symmetrical in any way possible. Even the arabesque scrolling foliage is more symmetrical and perfect than actual foliage. The geometric shapes in their works, are used to create a sense of superb balance and order, which is representative of Muslim ideals. Similarly, the artwork of the Italian Renaissance used realism to create balance, order, and proportion, which were fundamental ideals of the Renaissance. Aside from the designs and depictions in the artwork, what makes them similar is the way in which the artwork came to exist.The term â€Å"patron of the arts† was widely used during the Renaissance, and described those individuals who possessed the funds needed to aid the artists in creating their art. During the Renaissance, the patrons of the arts were able to use their wealth to achieve power and respect, by creating a work of art that proclaimed their devotion to themselves, their city, and their god. The most famous of the patrons during the Renaissance were the Medici family. During the height of the Renaissance, the Medici in power was known as Lorenzo the Magnificent.He held power in Florence by his involvement in gaining commissions for artists such as Sandro Boticelli and Leonardo da Vinci, who were both famous artists of their time. The Muslim empires had a very similar system. Certain Ottoman rulers are known for their positive contributions to the art and cultur e of their empire. Their contributions were not making the actual art, but providing the resources for the â€Å"professional† artists to do so. Suleiman the Magnificent is known to be one of the best and most influential rulers of the Ottoman empire.One reason he earned this title is that art and literature flourished under his rule. His artistic nature (reflected in everything he did), paired with his access to wealth made him an important patron of the arts, helping artists express original Ottoman ideas in a Turkish format. The interest of the patrons determine what kind of artwork gets created and released to the public. Because of this, the artwork of a time period may reflect the thoughts and ideals of the upper class because they were wealthy enough to commission certain works to be done.The patrons were the people responsible for the prospering and growth of art in both time periods, though they existed in slightly different forms. Although the Renaissance art was in fluenced by Islamic art, and both were influenced by religion and earlier time periods, there are fundamental differences between the two. These differences lie in the way each culture chooses to portray their religion in their art. The axiomatic dissimilarity between the two types of art, as far as paintings and tapestries are concerned, is that there are no physical beings depicted in Islamic art, and the opposite is true for the art of the Italian Renaissance.The reason for this goes back to the individual foundation and central ideas of each perspective religion and, for the Renaissance, the practices influenced by the time period. Renaissance thinking was secular, but Renaissance art was not about excluding religion altogether, it was more about including humanism in the depiction of religious figures and events. One can see the religious elements in works such as The Birth of Venus, painted by Sandro Botticelli in 1486. The nudity of Venus in this work is a suggestion of Eve b efore â€Å"the Fall† as well as the pure love of Paradise.Once arrived on the planet or â€Å"born†, the love goddess dons earthly, mortal sin, which leads her to become the New Eve, otherwise known as Madonna. The Madonna’s purity is represented by the nude Venus, and she has become a personification of the Christian church. What makes such a work specific to the humanistic aspect of the Renaissance is the ideals captured in it. Venus as the center of the painting represents a celestial being, but is painted very realistically in form, being accurately proportioned. This alone captures the characteristics of humanism, with its focus on realism, and roots in Greek and Roman myths and culture.Muslims do not agree with the way that Christians portray religion through their artwork for their own reasons, so they choose not to do the same in their own artistic practices. Muslims saw an intrinsic flaw in the Christian way and they did not want the message of their G od to be confused with the worshipping of the medium, or for anything to be mistaken for idols or idolatry. Therefore they did, and still to this day, do not allow any physical beings in their art, because such art might allow for attention to and worshipping of Mohammed rather than attention to the word of their God.By these interpretations, the Qu’ran is Midieval in the nature of its message in that physical beings have no right to be depicted in artwork because the word of God is all-important. Because of this Muslim view, Islamic art does not possess the same elements as the Christian art from the Renaissance. There are no people at all depicted in Islamic art, but that’s not to say that it still is not religious. A calligraphic panel by one Mustafa Rakim is a perfect example. The background is red, with beautiful gold characters which are arranged so that the outline appears to be that of a man with a turban who is praying.It reads â€Å"God, there is no god but He, the Lord of His prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Lord of all that has been crated. The aforementioned is exemplary of how Islamic works of art could be religious, but approached in a different fashion than in the Renaissance. There could not be a physical depiction of their god, Muhammad, or a man praying, so instead calligraphy was used in a shape in order to further convey a message. In fact, calligraphy is the highest form of visual art, and the nly spiritually meaningful form of art because of its association with the Qu’ran, which Muslims worship every word of. Christians worshipped Jesus Christ, who was a human being, and simply a messenger of God. For example, atop Carcovado Mountain in Brazil, there is a statue entitled â€Å"Christ the Redeemer†, which offers a panoramic view of Rio De Janeiro. The statue is not only a major tourist attraction, but more of a source of religious solace for all who come to visit it. There are also many Christians who choose to worship at the feet of the aforementioned statue, and others like it.The Muslims think of the Christians as wrong for doing such things as worshipping at a statue of Jesus Christ because in their religion, the prophet Mohammed shan’t be worshipped because of his position as the messenger of their God. The Islamic focus is on the teachings of their God alone, and not on the medium through which they received said teachings. Art with physical depictions of religious figures would also go against the teachings of the Qu’ran, which by some interpretations suggests that Muslims should be against idolatry, meaning they should not believe in the worshipping of a physical object or person as a god.Physical depictions in religious art have also been known to change along with the time period, which could in turn change the mindsets of the followers of the religion. For example, in Christianity, depictions of Jesus Christ contributed to the influence of the church and rulers who associated themselves with and promoted Christianity. During the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries, the image of Jesus changed from a humble shepherd to a richly robed and commanding persona—a fitting companion for the emperors whose images were also portrayed in mosaics on the walls of churches.Because the Muslims view the word of their god as all-important, they do not want interpretations of the religion to be further influenced by the time period, as what has happened with the image of Jesus. Art, in any form, has the ability to represent everything about a culture. In my opinion, it has the most impact on how we perceive certain people, religions, and cultures. He who is in control of the art is, in essence, in control of the opinions of future generations. Essentially, comparing the art of two separate cultures is comparing everything from their language and religion to trends and important societal topics.

How Bronte Uses Setting to Reflect the Experiences of Her...

Explore how Bronte uses setting to reflect the experiences of her characters. Bronte describes every setting in Jane Eyre in a vast amount of detail, using a number of different language techniques, so as to portray the experiences of her characters, almost subconsciously, to the reader. As well as this, she conveys the moods of her characters using methods such as pathetic fallacy and symbolism, in order to express their emotions indirectly. Furthermore, Bronte uses all of these methods, in addition to a number of scenes containing juxtaposition, as well as the overall structure of her writing style, consistently throughout the book, following Jane through her life. And, transmitting her personal changes and experiences at†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, in order to portray Janes position mentally, Bronte emphasises the fact that Jane is trapped in the room with no escape route. 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