ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Implementation of the Research Action My interest in this area is to prove the hypothesis of the research that the use of blogging in Design and Technology will increase boys’ motivation, diversify their knowledge, and improve their literacy in school. In this regard, the featured research questions that revolve around the use of blogging as a pedagogical approach will play a crucial role in providing a strong basis for the research. In this research, I would be investigating how different people tend to view the use of blogging as a useful tool that can be used to boost boys’ understanding in design and technology classrooms. In order to achieve this goal, I conducted an extensive research on various sources of information that included, but were not limited to, internet sources, government publications, and interviews on students and teachers from different learning institutions. The main reason behind this research was to determine whether blogging can serve as a pedagogical approach that can be used to promote boys’ understanding when it comes to design and technology. More importantly, this research will help to pave way for future studies in the field. As it is shown in the methodology section, this research was carried out using various research approaches to determine the impact that blogs and blogging activities would have on boys’ understanding in school, especially when it comes to matters of design and technology. For instance, I made great use of the World Wide Web to identify similar studies which had been conducted previously and see what the researchers behind those works had to say in regard with the research hypothesis. The findings and observations made by other researchers on this subject matter as it was revealed through various publications would serve as a big inspiration towards this research. Moreover, I also dedicated sometime to search and analyse various government publications on the subject, especially ones that offered important guidelines on the use of blogs and other social media websites for pedagogical purposes. A primary survey on the policies of about ten learning institutions was also conducted to determine whether the use of blogs had a positive impact on boys when it comes to class work. It is always wise for researchers to focus their studies on various subjects, considering the dangers that can be associated with a single study as far as the credibility of outcome is concerned (Luo 2010). In this regard, it was necessary to investigate various schools and individuals from different regions. Among the various research approaches used in this study, surveys on learning institutions and individuals proved to be the most suitable and reliable method to apply here owing to a number of reasons. For example, through this approach, the participants in the study were en
Introduction The concept of gender has never been a topic that is particularly easy to discuss. Over the past few decades, gender studies have stretched the concept of gender and gender identity (Asante et al. 31), questioning the established norm. Among the recent changes in viewpoints, society as a factor that shapes one’s gender identity has been brought to public attention. Because of the strong emphasis placed on heteronormativity and the gender binary (Nelson) in my culture, as well as my personal identity as a strictly heterosexual man, I have had a strong propensity toward supporting heteronormativity. However, the recent exposure to the idea of gender as a partially social construct (Asante et al. 25) has made me more accepting of other viewpoints. Due to the influence of the patriarchal society in which I was born and raised, I identify myself rather rigidly and have a strong idea of gender normativity (Asante et al. 25) as the foundational principle of social roles and relationships. Main body I believe that my gender and sexuality have been affected by societal norms to a considerable extent. Belonging to the Armenian culture has defined my gender development significantly since it strongly supports and encourages the idea of heteronormativity (Asante et al. 24). Therefore, I have always identified as a heterosexual man and have never felt any discrepancies between the sex with which I was assigned at birth and my gender identity. For instance, when considering the examples of the societal influences that have contributed to my current concept of gender, I must mention the idea of manhood that I was taught since my early childhood. Everything from the toys with which I played to the clothes that I was wearing signified me being a man. Specifically, I had mostly army men and robots for toys and played the types of sports that were labeled as “male” in my community, such as football and soccer. As a child of 9-12 years old, I even remember looking at the games that were deemed as “girly” with slight disdain. Put differently, I used “communication to assert by ideas, opinions, and identity” (Asante et al. 33). The specified behavior can be characteristic of behavior influenced by the environment with rigid gender roles and stereotypical masculine preconceptions . Furthermore, the upbringing that I had and the media that I consumed have led me to believe that men and women should have specific roles within society. Particularly, I was taught to draw a thick line between male-oriented and female-oriented behaviors. Most of the games that I played could be described as very characteristic of patriarchic society, where gender roles are very rigid. As a result, I have grown to expect men to be very masculine. Of all the existing theories that explain gender and the development of specific behaviors, within the framework of contemporary society, the standpoint theory (Borisoff and Chesebro 148) seems to be the most legitimate to me. The proposed theoretical frame
Strategic purpose is important because it defines what organizations stand for and intend to achieve in the short and long term. It is often expressed in terms of statements of purpose, vision, mission, or objectives. The statement of purpose highlights the organization’s core philosophies and goals that help its management to formulate policies and measure its success (Sadler 2003, pp. 117-120). In business organizations, a statement of purpose is very important because it forms the basis of the company’s brand and the promises that it plans to make to clients. The vision statement plays an integral role in the management of organizations by stating what has to be achieved in the long-term. It defines what organizations intend to be in the future. In this respect, the vision statement helps organizations to develop the right strategies to achieve their long-term objectives. The mission statement highlights what the organization is doing to achieve its purpose or vision (Ranchhod & Marandi 2005, pp. 78-132). Thus, a mission statement is important because it acts as a guide that enables managers to align decisions and tasks to the company’s objectives. Undoubtedly, every organization must have objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time to succeed in fulfilling the needs of its stakeholders. The factors that influence the strategic purpose of an organization are stakeholder expectations, corporate governance structure, corporate social responsibility, and ethics. Stakeholders refer to the “persons, groups, or entities that depend on the organization to fulfill their needs or goals and on whom, in turn, the organization depends” (Jeffs 2008, p. 92). Stakeholders include customers, shareholders, local communities, and employees among others. Stakeholders use their powers to reward or punish to influence organizations’ strategic purpose. For instance, a retail store will only keep its customers if its strategic purpose allows it to provide the right goods at affordable prices. Corporate governance refers to the structures and systems of control used by the board of directors to hold managers accountable. The role of corporate governance is to prevent mismanagement that might arise due to malpractices such as fraud, negligence, and conflict of interests (Yu & Rezaee 2012, pp. 171-188). In this respect, corporate governance influences the strategic purpose of an organization by ensuring that it addresses the needs of various stakeholders. For instance, the board of directors often formulates strategic plans that facilitate profitable operations while minimizing the environmental effects of their companies. In this case, the needs of shareholders, customers, and the community have been taken into account. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to an organization’s commitment to behave responsibly to minimize its adverse effects on the environment and the community in which it operates. This means that the organiz
The paper under consideration is called The Republican War on Science and is devoted to the analysis of the excessive political influence on science and scientific exploration (Kancler n.pag). In particular, Erick Kancler, the author of the paper, investigates the problem of distorted usage of scientific information by the government for political and business interests. In the interview with Chris Money, the author of the book The Republic War on Science, he intends to find out the main reason for administrative penetration to the world of science. While interviewing Chris Money, the main question on the agenda has been the analysis of the main purposes of abusive usage of scientific information. According to the author of the book, science and politics are closely connected areas that triggered the desire of the Republican Party to invade this field for the benefit of the government. It has been also mentioned about the historical preconditions of this issue. What is more important to assume is that the conservative movement has a more destructive impact on science and intellectual development, as it strongly depends on governmental funding. In the course of the interview, Kancler has been more interested in the consideration of the case of science abuse under a different administration. According to Chris Money, the greatest losses were suffered by science during Bush’s governing when there appeared the Environmental Protection Agency Report on global warming. Further conversation reveals the idea about the necessity to exterminate the dependency of government on science being as a means of protection from political recessions. The interview has also included the consideration of the measures to be taken for the improvement of the reputation of scientific organization. In particular, Chris Money considers it necessary to restore the image of science as an independent domain but not as a political instrument in the debates between the Republicans and Democrats. Additionally, the journalist has admitted that there should be strict objectivity in the question of science investment. It should be stressed that Money has managed to present persuasive examples of intellectual property abuse practiced by many industrial companies. He also succeeds in analyzing the situation of religion and science relations. Hence, Money regards religion as a powerful instrument destroying scientific views in terms of abortion, sexual behavior and education. The above interview conducted by Erick Kancler is of great value for other researchers investigating similar problems. During the discussions, several important conclusions have been made. After a historical and comparative analysis of this issue, it has been found that the best solution to tackle the problem will be a separation of science from a subjective attitude. On a whole, I believe that the main merit of the article lies in an artless representation of the most urgent shortcoming of the scientific and intellectual development of the country. Perhaps, this article will trigger the government to recognize this serious problem and to ameliorate the situation in the scientific realm. There
Introduction The petroleum industry is one of the most volatile industries in the world. It dictates other industries in economies around the world. As Rouhollah (56) noted, any little change in prices of oil in the world market will result in direct effect on other industries because they directly depend on the oil industry. As such, governments around the world have been very keen on energy sector. The recent reduction of the amount of natural gas has had negative impact on various sectors of the economy in different countries. Natural gas is one of the most important products of petroleum gas. It is used in various industries as a direct source of energy, or converted to other useful products. Gulf Cooperation Council brings together several countries which include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain. Gulf Cooperation Council has been concerned of the increasing decline of the natural gas in the member countries. Middle East is known for large production of natural gas, among other petroleum products. The Gulf Cooperation Council has been keen to ensure that they benefit maximally from these products and the current trend causes a lot of worries to the council because it would soon bring down its revenue if nothing is done to avert it. A report by Booz & Company Inc. shows that the council is pan
Fatigue is a common and debilitating symptom linked to a number of acute and chronic conditions such as chronic heart failure and acute myocardial infarction. Fatigue has not been analyzed in regards to patients with stable coronary heart disease (CHD), despite the fact that it might factor into new onsets or progression of CHD. Therefore, Eckhardt et al. (2014) decided that it was important to establish the severity of fatigue and its characteristics in a stable CHD population. There were three main purposes of the study conducted by these researchers, one of which was to describe fatigue in stable CHD patients. Moreover, Eckhardt et al. (2014) intended to determine whether certain demographic, physiological, or psychological variables were in correlation with fatigue. Finally, they aimed at identifying whether fatigue was related to health-related quality of life. Five people are cited as the authors of the research: Ann L. Eckhardt, Holli A. DeVon, Mariann R. Piano, Catherine J. Ryan, and Julie J. Zerwic. All of them have the credentials of PhD and RN. Ann L. Eckhardt is affiliated with School of Nursing at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington where she holds the position of Assistant Professor. The other four researchers are affiliated with Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, College of Nursing at University of Illinois in Chicago. Holli A. DeVon is Associate Professor, Mariann R. Piano is Professor and Department Head, Catherine J. Ryan is Clinical Assistant Professor, and Julie J. Zerwic is Professor and Executive Associate Dean there. When it comes to the operational definition of fatigue, it was described by the researchers as the subjective feeling of extreme and constant exhaustion, weariness, and energy deprivation. Conceptually, fatigue was compared to pain on the grounds of its multidimensionality, exposure to physical and psychosocial factors, and presence of common characteristics with some mood and anxiety disorders. Moreover, it was noted that in CHD patients, fatigue is a prevalent symptom associated with weakness, reduced physical activity, and poor life quality. The study utilized a partially mixed sequential dominant status research design. According to Eckhardt et al. (2014), in their work, the main design of the study was quantitative, followed by a qualitative ele
In my first visit to a school, I met with teachers in the kindergarten and primary grades. The teachers said that developing a positive self-concept was their primary task to promote a positive atmosphere within the classroom. This positive atmosphere enabled the young children to gain a positive yet realistic image of themselves as learners. It also avoids any negativity as much as possible. The teachers also have a positive attitude towards the young pupils. This positive attitude results in a good learning atmosphere. Most of the teachers believe that their students will achieve their goals. The teachers in the school influence the development of the positive self-concept. The teachers said that they achieve this by providing a democratic classroom atmosphere where every pupil is supposed to think of himself as a responsible citizen and where each pupil feels free to express his opinions frankly and openly. The school has very intelligent and disciplined pupils. For example, there was a certain student by the name of Peter who welcomed us very warmly in the school by citing a poem which left everybody feeling welcomed. The physical environment of the classrooms encourages student learning. The classrooms have movable furniture which can be easily reorganized and can be used as individual student work areas. There are individual small flat-topped tables which are accompanied by comfortable chairs that fit easily under the tables. The chairs promote good posture and encourage face-to-face interaction. The classrooms also have enough space to allow movement activities and ease of access in or out of the classroom particularly for those students with special needs. The classrooms in the school are student-centered. High performance was witnessed in the school because it was open, friendly, and culturally inviting. Instructional arrangements also allowed the pupils to interact with one another and use collaborative learning techniques. Teachers organized or wrote their own curriculum. Rather than organizing by subject area, teachers aligned themselves more by grade level and worked together to write different units or design instructional materials, activities, and strategies geared to meet essential elements of the curriculum. Textbooks were acknowledged but teachers made great use of the curriculum they had developed within their grade, school, or district. Most teachers stressed that they rarely used textbooks for anything more than a resource for a homework assignment. The school uses cognitive theory which stresses the importance of what goes on inside the learner. The teachers help the students to perceive information, interpret it based on what is known, and then reorganize the information into new insights or understanding. Cognitive learning theory includes several known pe
Introduction and Definitions Adolescence is a very anxious and uncertain time in the lives of many youngsters in nearly all civilizations of the world. Physically, youngsters getting initiated into this important stage of individual development change rapidly and uncontrollably, exiting the comfortable and reassuring life of childhood forever. Mentally, individuals start to gain superior consciousness of the world around them, and no longer want to be referred to as children. However, society denies individuals in this developmental phase the authority and independence of adulthood not withstanding the fact that they covet to be referred to as adults. But adolescents are a resilient lot, and would stop at nothing to redefine themselves as adults and assert their own independence (Gutgesell & Payne, 2004, para. 8). In the redefinition process, which may entail some rebellion and open disregard of authority, the youngsters get sucked up into various forms of popular cultures that unequivocally promises to offer them the comfort they dearly lack from mainstream society. It is the purpose of this research paper to critically evaluate the popular culture of blogging among adolescents with the premise that it reinforces pro-social activities and self esteem among the teenagers. According to Davis and McGrail (2009), blogging can be described as a “…venue for writing in which an author or group of authors post their work to web pages that display their posts in reverse chronological sequence” (p. 74). Blogs can be easily accessed by any individual with an internet connection, and therefore are able to achieve a worldwide audience. In most instances, blogs are interactive in nature as readers can post their comments or connect to other blogs of their preference. Stoke (2007) defines a blog as a frequent, sequential publication of a mixture of an individual’s personal thoughts and life experiences on the one hand and the happenings and experiences achieved from the web on the other. It is a flexible platform that is consistently used for sharing and communication through the engagement of people and new technology. Popular culture has no single universally accepted definition. The concept is both elusive and unpredictable as no expert or individual can forecast when an unanticipated occurrence will capture global attention (Fishwick, 1999, p. 8). For instance, no one in the eighties could have imagined that web logging could become a popular culture among the youth at the turn of the century. In principle, however, popular culture is a cultural and psychological phenomenon that simply signifies a universally accepted group of practices, customs, lifestyles, and patterns of behaviour (Storey, 2006, p. 12). The practices are prevalent within a given population, defining the lifestyles, tastes, and preferences of members. It is the totality of ideas, inclinations, values, attitudes, and other experien