ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2001, the standards-based curriculum has taken on a whole new meaning. While the specifics of the act can get rather complicated, the effects have been quite clear. The federal government’s involvement in state-run education has developed a disconnect within the classroom due to the idea that broader spectrum policies can easily be established. Students, such as those in urban and socio-economic disadvantaged areas remain at a standstill due to the procedures of the NCLB. However, other students, especially those will disabilities have been dealt a significant blow to their progress through standards-based accountability. The results of these issues have been more frequent calls for a revision to, if not the entire removal of, the NCLB. Education policy’s issues Foremost, the issue of the federal government’s involvement in state education policy has taken on a different life all its own. Scholars and other concerned parties to this problem have been split mostly down the middle on this subject. Some want reform, no matter what the future implications are or the politics behind the actions, and believe big government is the answer. Others would rather revert to state-mandated education policies, although they also call for reform to the system. (Vaughn & Everhart, 2005). Just as in all cases, a moderate solution would be best for this situation. The federal government could maintain some levels of influence in education standards, yet individual states account for the rises or pitfalls. (Crawford & Tindal, 2006). People say that the NCLB is designed to do just that. However, the intended design and the actual outcomes are skewed, to say the least. Secondly, students from urban and socioeconomic disadvantaged backgrounds have an even more difficult case when it comes to accountability. Many educators refuse to teach at schools in these areas because of the conditions. The budgets are not commensurate with the needs of the educators, or students. (Bainbridge & Sundre, 2005). Therefore, the incentive to become more polished in their skills as an educator fades. Crowded classrooms and an insufficient amount of classroom materials place the students in these areas at a disadvantage before they even begin. (Hickock & Ladner, 2007). Yet, they are expected to meet and exceed the minimum requirements without the minimum materials. Furthermore, students with disabilities are another population in need of support from the NCLB outcomes. Although there have been upgrades in research and fa
Introduction The history of religion, including that of Christianity, has seen many dissenting groups with their own interpretations of beliefs and opinions. In many cases, whole movements started under the influence of a single person whose ability to appeal to the public was unmeasurable. One of these persons was George Fox, who was born in 1624 in Leicestershire, England. 1 In the 17th century, the Church of England was the primary source of all religious practices, and its rules were inseparable for people’s everyday lives. Thus, a difference in one’s view of Christianity or related common ideas were not only ostracizing but life-threatening. It is stated in historical records, however, that Fox’s personality allowed him to amass a following and spread his ideas to many people. The denomination, called the Religious Society of Friends, grew from Fox’s preaching, and it exists to this day. 2 This research paper investigates the life of George Fox, including his path to the separation from the Church of England, missionary work and traveling, views on social and political issues, and legacy. Early Preaching It is vital to note that Fox grew up in a family of modest wealth, and, in his childhood, Fox received an informal education in writing and reading. Nonetheless, the young man was well-versed in religious texts, and his personal beliefs were firmly rooted in the pillars of Christianity. George Fox also shared many opinions that resembled Puritan learnings, implying a foundation for his eventual dissent. 3 The story of his spiritual “reawakening” states that when Fox was a nineteen-year-old man, he was invited to share a glass of beer with his cousin and his friends. Disagreeing with their desire to drink more and more, Fox paid for the drinks and left the table. Later, as he prayed to God, he heard an “inner voice” that told him, “thou seest how young people go together into vanity, and old people into the earth, therefore thou must forsake all, both old and young, and be a stranger unto them.” 4 This event persuaded him to leave his family and begin his journey. During his travels, Fox met different religious people and talked about his opinions regarding religion. However, as he was met with many disappointments, Fox realized that none of these people could help him answer the questions that he had. He talked to dissenters who, while disagreei
Society has always been looking for ways to perfect itself and make life better for its citizens in every way, which includes the elimination of segregation, providing equal opportunity for everyone, and ensuring the absence of poverty. This has been seen by society as a perfect world, but for the majority of countries around the world, the dream of the “perfect society” has never come true. In essence, communism has appeared as an attempt to solve these societal problems. In other words, the idea put forth by communism was that everyone would get an opportunity for a good life, in a country where all people would be equal in monetary and ethical terms, on the condition that they would have the determination to help the country progress. Communism was intended to permit the poor to rise and reach an economic and societal standing equivalent to that of the middle class. The idea was to redistribute the wealth of the upper class among the poorer cohort of the population in order to achieve this equality, but it was also vital to communism that all manufacturing be governed by the state. It is proven historically that communism had an extensive long-term impact on worldwide society. When it comes to a discussion of communism, the first country that comes to mind is the Soviet Union, because of the thorough way that country put into practice the idea of communism. Vladimir Lenin was the political leader of that time. He believed that the country was ready for revolution, and supported the idea that the party would have to enforce strict rules that everyone would have to follow (Kenney 8). Lenin’s influence had an impact on world politics, and his coming to power after the Great October Revolution in 1917 shook international society. First and foremost, his ideas of class morality and social justice found their reflection not only within the territory of the Soviet Union, but also among a number of distant countries. It is worth mentioning that even in America, collectivists organized a meeting in 1919 to establish a Communist party designed for the realities of the United States, but the idea of a communist America eventually flopped. Soviet-style communism offered the most efficient use of human resources which, consequently, led to a reduction in the crime rate across the country (Strayer 660). One of the countries that basically followed the communist ideas of the Soviet Union was China. Despite the similarities that might be observed in the two countries, the actual situation in China differed a lot from that in the Soviet Union, mostly for the reason that the Chinese revolution dragged on for years, while Lenin’s revolution happened in a year (Strayer 660). The Communist Party in China confronted a much more hostile antagonist, and therefore, had a more noteworthy success than the defeat of a frail, short-term régime in imperial Russia. In fact, Chinese laborers did not rebel as impulsively against their landowners as Soviet laborers had. Mao Zedong is considered to be the main political figure linked to the phenomenon of communism in China. He managed to confiscate land from the major landowners,
It is crucial to critically assess the viability of a particular business concept with a view to finding out whether one may proceed to allocate money and time resources in it. The current plan of opening a Dough Pizza outlet that specializes in pizza, sandwiches, salads, and different delicacies in Lynchburg is logical and bound to succeed. In terms of market feasibility, the demand for pizza and other fast foods is high, implying that this outlet is likely to record high sales due to the uniqueness associated with its products. For instance, Dough Pizza’s targeted customer base that includes university students prefers quality and reasonably priced pizzas and sandwiches among other fast foods (Eyles et al., 2018). The current business has higher chances of succeeding because it guarantees the above two elements, namely product quality and affordability, to its clients (Bamford & Bruton, 2018). These factors will also enable this company to survive the competition that characterizes the restaurant industry. For instance, despite rivals such as Papa John’s Pizza and Dominos being well established, clients will prefer superior and reasonably priced pizzas offered at the newly opened outlet. The selected business model of offering outstanding services to clients reveals why Dough Pizza is bound to retain its existing pool of customers while attracting additional others. Nevertheless, Dough Pizza may need to consider the costs associated with a startup, including challenges of low sales, financing, and almost zero profits in the early months of its operations (Mihaela, 2017). The idea of learning from customers’ day-to-day reviews is appropriate because it will enable Dough Pizza to customize its products to match their prevailing tastes and preferences, hence standing a higher chance of performing exemplarily in the restaurant industry (Eyles et al., 2018; Bamford & Bruton, 2018). The guaranteed availability of the targeted college students and locals in Lynchburg assures Dough Pizza of a constant market and, consequently, continued operations in the restaurant industry. Conclusively, the chosen model fulfills consumers’ demand for pizzas that are sliced according to their requirements, including several slices, square shapes, or any other form. Overall, Dough Pizza should proceed with its plan of opening an outlet in Lynchburg because it has a high probability of succeeding in the pizza sector.
Abstract Virgil’s depiction of the underworld has influenced our modern conception of the afterlife. Research on both Virgil’s depiction of the underworld and the modern conception of life after death and comparing them is important. Methods used in this research are websites, the book Aeneid – Translation by Robert Fitzgerald and papers. The conclusion is based on the worldview, and also more views that people have about life after death. It has highlighted the different places people go to after they die. It has also shown what determines where one will end up after death. Virgil’s concept Robert Fitzgerald (1990) gives a narration about life through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. It is a creative narrative on the observations he made. According to Fitzgerald, Virgil has great influence in his style, language and content. Aeneid’s information suits his viewpoint and purposes. Virgil points out the Christian vision he has concerning the afterlife. There is another life which is different in the visual and theological realm but almost similar to Virgil’s underworld. Fitzgerald also noted that the structure of hell is created to fit his theological and Christian beliefs. This is in relation to the idea of justice for one’s behavior and action in their lifetime. According to Virgil there is hell and there is an entrance. Secondly, in between the world of the living and that of the dead, there is an inferno. This means that one has a choice to make on where they want to be through their actions. There is a difference between the two worlds in that, what is found in the underworld is intangible, abstract and of bodiless quality as compared to the physical reality (Fitzgerald, 1990) Perception of hell Hell is alleged to be underground, mysterious and lifeless. Darkness is used to symbolize lost Christians’ souls being punished and tortured so as to compensate for their sins. Virgil has divided hell into regions. Sinners suffer differently for sins they committed in the world, and sinners who committed the same sin are tortured and punished together. Virgil has insight that helps him give an idea on how to pass through a place where there are dead people and safely get to heaven. Virgil’s pale and dull environment shows the experiences in a Christian’s life. Faith keeps a person going when they encounter hardships in life. Virgil notes that many religions believe hell is a place full of suffering and punishment where evil people end up in after this life. Hell is depicted as endless and an intermediary between incarnations. Apart from hell, it is noted that there are other places such as heaven, limbo, paradise, purgatory, Nirvana and Naraka (Fitzgerald, 1990). One has to go to either of these places as a reward or as a punishment. However there are some people who do not believe in either of this but they know there is a place under the earth for the dead. Modern concept Modern belief shows hell as a situation of defeat rather than a place of anguish. It is occupied with demons that torment those in hell. Those ruling hell are the devil or Satan, while others believe in death gods such as Hades and Nergal
Introduction The paper is going to be centered on researching the themes of peace and conflict through a prism of rhetoric in a film adaptation of a book series Hunger Games. Hunger Games were written by Suzanne Collins. The series consists of three books, The Hunger Games (2008), Catching Fire (2009), and Mockingjay (2010) complemented with films with identical names (McEvoy-Levy 185). This particular example of cinematography (and literature) is fascinating due to its dystopian setting, in which the narrative gradually develops from a status quo situation and relative peace to a declaration of war. In the imagined state of Panem people experience severe class division and physical separation. While the few enjoy the pleasures of civilization and lead a joyful life, the many have to suffer and endure the hardships of daily work. In addition to that, there is an annual event held for the pleasure of the royal citizens where each group of the ‘working’ class sacrifices a child to be a part of a fight-to-death game. The president of this imaginary country is a man named Snow, who seems to be an eloquent speaker. Yet, in the end, he fails, which raises the topic for investigation. In particular, it is of interest to trace the rhetoric of war and peace and the manipulation of the topics in the speeches of President Snow. It is noteworthy to mention that the author of the books was influenced by her father’s involvement with the Vietnam campaign. She recollected reaping the spoils of the war in the form of his nightmares, constant feeling of his absence and helplessness when he was deployed. Such groundedness in actual consequences and the correlation of war and peace in the mind of an author makes the book and its main characters rather interesting to analyze from the standpoint of perception of those constructs. In addition, both sides of the conflict use the power of persuasion, lies, fact changing, and a variety of other tactics to manipulate public opinion and influence, people, into either hostility or tranquility. This research will be focused on identifying the rhetoric that led dictator president Snow to the downfall of his empire through the consecutive analysis of his speeches throughout his appearance as a public speaker. For example, the use of plural pronouns of the first
The United States, is one of the most developed countries in the world, is traditionally considered a free state. There are unlimited equal opportunities for each of its citizens, regardless of skin color, race, religion, or lifestyle. This opinion exists among people on a global scale, but in reality, the situation looks completely different. Racism in America has existed since the very foundation of this country. The society that was created by white people also was biased in its attitude towards other ethnic and racial groups. Despite the fact that the times of slavery are long over, there are still many cases of violence and discrimination against people of color. Unfortunately, aside from obvious negative impacts, it has another effect of influencing children’s views on their race. First of all, it is important to note that before discussing issues with identity and understanding of race, the term of ethnocentrism needs to be addressed and analyzed. According to this concept, a person’s value is determined not by personality but by belonging to one or another racial or ethnic group. Researchers state that almost every ethnic group is ethnocentric to some extent, which means that they view their own culture and language as superior to others (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2006). However, while in some c
Michel Gondry Gondry is a French filmmaker with several awards. He is a commercial, screenwriter, and music video director. Gondry achieved fame through his innovative visual manipulation and other elements of cinematography. His films represent “imagery and innovative approaches to film, motion, and animation productions” (Gondry, 2003). As a result, Gondry has captured a place in the minds of most audiences due to his camera antics and amazing effects. Gondry’s works have remained enduring and known around the globe. Most of Gondry’s films avoid the use of complicated techniques to produce special effects. For instance, Gondry shows a lack of interest in applying advanced technology to produce films. Instead, he favors crude effects in his films to match simple ways of the music. Analysis of three different works of Gondry, his own words, and influences (staging or ‘in-camera effects’) by Georges Melies and Busby Berkeley, and Gondry’s contribution to audiences’ enjoyment of his work In an interview with Gondry, Andre Dellamorte notes that the film, Science of Sleep reflects in-depth creativity because Gondry captures interesting features regarding the film’s genesis. Dellamorte observes that the outstanding feature of the film is the “fascination with prestidigitation, the in-camera trick, and the sleight of hand” (Dellamorte, 2007), which Gondry creates. Therefore, Dellamorte notes that the film reveals ‘a play with the camera’. In Science of Sleep Gondry refers to works of Georges Melies, ironically he does not consider Melies’ works as having influences on him. Accordi
Introduction The development of an individual highly relies on factors that originate from the surrounding environment. According to Vygotsky’s social development theory, the environment around an individual determines his/her physical and mental development especially through social interaction (Lightbrown and Spada, 2006). Therefore, the influence that an individual receives from his/her peers and other individuals within a given social setting will ultimately influence the development of his/her character. Therefore, positive peer interaction is usually advocated for during the middle childhood and adolescent stages of development to ensure that an individual develops a character that is socially and morally acceptable (Berger, 2008). Studies that have specifically focused on the middle childhood stage of development have revealed that peer interaction, friendship, and acceptance are critical factors that determine the level of development in an individual. However, during the adolescent stage, individuals tend to develop an egocentric behavior where they only think about themselves and how other people perceive them. This phenomenon brings about conflicting interests with their school, family members, friends, and future aspirations. While reacting to these conflicting ideas, adolescents tend to become rebellious and their level of motivation highly declines hence increasing their chances of becoming victims of peer pressure and drug and substance abuse. This paper will thus expound on the relationships an individual faces during middle childhood and adolescence, examine the concept of adolescent egocentrism, and finally focus on the pressure faced by adolescents. Relationships during Middle Childhood and Adolescence A child starts to develop a relationship with the people who surround him/her from birth. However, this relationship gradually changes as the child develops. By middle childhood, an individual starts to develop preferences especially in peer relationships. According to Oak (2000), children tend to interact more and develop friendships with peers of the same gender who they have the similar interests and share a relatively similar background. Consequently, the acceptance into a peer group is important. However, for a child to avoid engaging into delinquent behaviors, he/she should develop positive a friendship with his/her peers. Finally, children tend to be egocentric at this stage. They thus tend to compete with their peers on grounds such as classroom grades. As individuals progress into the adolescent stage, they usually experience progressive changes in their relationship.
The concept of a knowledge-based economy has emerged as an influential constituent of the economy building in any developed modern world state. With their rapid advancement, technology and innovation are entering different fields of economy, from human resources to strategic decision-making, thus becoming a significant part of the business process. The knowledge-based economy is currently being actively addressed in the academic and professional literature that considers its perspectives, advantages, and ways of improvement. Information and knowledge are decisive for economic growth in the modern world. The processes of globalization and technological revolution made their impact on the economic growth direction (Hadad 2017). Being introduced to the field at the beginning of the1990s, the knowledge-based economies are “economic development model” that is based on four main elements: the institutional framework for economic development, highly educated employees, innovation, and “dynamic information infrastructure” (Barkhordari, Fattahi & Azimi 2018, p. 1). The main principles of the knowledge based economy are incorporate in different levels of business organizations, including big enterprises and small and medium-size businesses that actively utilize learning as a competing strategy (Mejri, MacVaugh & Tsagdis 2018). Therefore, it is vital to include the learning of this business model to educational fields to amplify the implementation of the approach to the majority of economic organizations (Abdulwahed 2017). Active discussion of the importance of the knowledge-based model of economic development is related to the emergence of influential results in certain successful economies, among which the UAE is one of the best examples. The success of the knowledge-based approach implementation depends on many factors that need improvement in the nearest future. Even the most progressive economies may face difficulties in this field. The UAE economy that demonstrates leading results in its business projects’projects’ completion still experiences technological readiness issues (Alfaki & Ahmed 2017). According to Al-Mubarak and Busler, the essential criteria needed for successful implementation of the approach is an innovation, which is “the process of making change, difference, and novelty in the products, services, add value, and business practices” to foster economic growth and profit (2017, p. 2). The importance of innovation in knowledge-based