ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Summary Lev Vygotsky’s social-historical theory of human development is perhaps one of the most cited theories by educationists when it comes to issues of curricula development and formulation of new teaching approaches (Velenzuela et al, 2000). The psychologist’s views on human development have particularly been used by educators and other theorists to alter children’s perceptions, thought-systems, expectations, and behavior. It is the object of this paper to demonstrates how Vygotsky’s theory can be used to assist kindergarten students and others with special needs to cope with the learning process It was the perception of Vygotsky that social interactions among young children lead to not only improved levels of cognition, but also to a total transformation of the children’s thought-systems, attitudes, and behavior (Mahn, 1999). Consequently, the theory suggests that children’s cognition, mindsets and world views are shaped by the particular social-historical environment in which they reside and by their continued interactions with adults. The most essential notion of Vygotsky’s theoretical perspective is that our minds, no matter our biological predispositions, are culturally mediated (Wertsch, 1985). This perspective insinuates that culture is the most basic determinant of individual development. Vygotsky also presupposed that a child’s knowledge base is fundamentally expanded by exposing him or her to a multiplicity of cultures and social environments. The developmental progression of children, according to the psychologist, is entirely dependent upon the adults as well as the cultural tools granted to them within the wider social context (Velenzuela et al, 2000). Vygotsky came up with three approaches through which learning can take place, namely imitative learning, instructed learning, and collaborative learning (Wertsch, 1985). To briefly describe the processes, imitative learning takes place when the young child attempt to copy or imitate others, while instructed learning happens when a child develops the capacity to recall instructions or directions as given by the instructor and thereafter putting them into practice. Finally, collaborative learning occurs when an assemblage of individuals join forces in the process of learning so as to understand each other in depth or accomplish a particular set objective (Velenzuela, 2000). Vygotsky hatched the concept of zone of proximal development (ZPD) to demonstrate the difference between a person’s level to independently solve problems and his or he ability to solve critical issues under the direction of adults or other competent peers, otherwise called the actual and potential levels of development (Wertsch, 1985). Application This theory is increasingly being used by educators in the school context to help kindergarten-age children and others with special needs to cope with requirements of the education system. The theory insinuates that children have the capacity to learn through social interaction. In this perspective, curricula and teaching strategies for kindergarten-age children and others with special needs should be explicitly designed to accentuate the interaction between the ch
This essay is written by Jacquelyn Rabe and it addresses the issue of gender stereotypes in relation to children’s toys. According to the writer, it is inappropriate to assign children gender-specific toys. The essay argues that children should be allowed to play with toys of their choice. The writer begins the essay by giving a personal story that relates to stereotyping and toys. The author gives instances where children find themselves as victims of ridicule and judgment because of their choice in toys. The essay also addresses various elements that are fuelling negative stereotypes when it comes to children’s toys. This paper is an analysis of Rabe’s essay “Toys Are Not Us”. The most prominent feature of this essay is its informal nature. The author adopts an informal tone in the essay right from the start. For instance, the essay’s thesis starts with the words ‘I think’ thereby setting up the informal tone of the essay. Using an informal tone disqualifies the essay from being a good scholarly article. Personal opinions should not be integrated into scholarly or formal essays. The essay is addressing a formal issue (toys and gender stereotypes) and this leaves little room for personal opinions in the essay. In addition, the author has used several professional voices in the essay as references. The informal tone in the essay is manifested by the writer’s constant use of “I”. Using a formal tone in the essay would have made the writer’s opinion more solid and authoritative. Another problem with using personal and informal opinions in the essay is that the writer does not offer any credentials that would make her an authority on the subject of her choice. The arrangement of the paragraphs in the essay is not effective. For instance, the first and second sentences in the essay do not support the writer’s main argument. For example, the first sentence in the second paragraph begins by stating that toy stores are the main contributors to stereotyping. This sentence is not in line with the writer’s main argument that children should be allowed to play with toys of their choice. Consequently, this sentence is not a suitable ‘topic sentence’ but it would be more appropriate as additional information. The problem of topic sentences is replicated in other paragraphs such as in the third paragraph where the writer begins by stating the views of someone else. Instead, the writer should have started with an appropriate topic sentence that included her own views and then proceeded to back them up with information from other sources. Furthermore, the paragraphs in this essay do not transition appropriately. In some instances, the views of the writer are mi
Introduction to Romantic Music 19th-century music, when summarized, often falls under one common category—Romanticism. The phrase “romanticized music” does not necessarily refer to the romantic aspect of love, though this was a common subject for inspiration. The phrase also does not pertain to the expression or expansion of musical concepts. Rather, romanticism in the 19th century was the development of existing musical ideas into more expressive and ‘passionate’ types of sound (Orrey, 1994). Musical romanticism gave way to renowned composers such Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky, among many other great musicians (Plantinga, 1967). Composers during this period were heavily influenced by the Classic and Baroque styles but in actuality, 19th-century music was an avenue for the cultivation and development of formal structures of music. The musical trend of this century, when speaking in technicalities, was one of Europe’s greatest transitions from the old schools of music such that of Mozart. Modulation of rarely used keys became a common style for the composers, and unlike the classical structure of music, listeners were less predictive of the rise and fall of the tone and volume (Plantinga, 1967). The characters of the diminished seventh and related chords were also widely used as a form of distinction for romanticized music. Also, more melodic and theme-inspired compositions were immensely preferred and demanded by patrons all over Europe (1967). Through stage performances that have long existed before this time, a new group of virtuoso artists slowly gained worldwide recognition not only for their compositions but also for the delivery of their pieces on stage as well. Their innovations in style and form in terms of utilizing the instruments and creating a new sound transformed how music was written and composed. These composers and performers vastly explored the capability of an instrument to produce a more fluid yet stronger tone, giving greater importance to note contrasts and transitions (Leopold, 2006). The musical precision developed by composers in this century also defined many of the music that emerged, but along with this development was the beginning of a cult of performers that demonstrated their mastery of technique, tempo, active nuances, and character. One may say that instrumental concert artists were at their zenith in the 19th century. 19 th Century Master: Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven, the great German pianist, was one of the pivotal points of transition from Classicism to Romanticism. He studied under Joseph Haydn, an equally well-known classical composer. He moved and permanently resided in Vienna until he
Introduction The Mendi people represent one of the largest ethnic set in Sierra Leone. They predominantly live in the Southern and Eastern Province. Their socio-economic occupation includes farming and hunting. They believe that most humanistic and scientific authority transfers to other generations through secret societies (Hays, 1991). Their family and community structures involve larger and smaller families. People become members of a family by birth. However, people not born in certain families can belong to other families through continued residence (Hays, 1991). The Mendi Culture and Nursing Practice The structure also has a clanship that fulfills diverse responsibilities including defending the community and provision of support during marriage and death. A person’s personal authority in a clan is determined through networks created for external exchange (Hays, 1991). Exchange partnerships can exist between genders. The Sowie represent the most ranking leaders among the Mendi. They have a responsibility to model women to equip them with important social values. The people’s belief that ancestral spirits punish those with moral ills acts as social control (Hays, 1991). The Mendi people have continued giving birth in the rural areas. Their attitude about pregnancy entails the desire to visit hospitals to access quality care for their unborn children. The use of traditional and indigenous medicine to treat other illnesses cannot be used among pregnant women (Hays, 1991). The community keeps away from such traditional medication in treating their children. Childbearing is a responsibility that belongs to women in the community. In society, death occurring across age groups is considered to be caused by certain things. They believe that the death of youths and adults takes place because of political reasons. The people maintain that collective responsibility in the community demands public wealth reparation to a household that has lost its family member (Hays, 1991). They also believe that infants and older adults’ deaths are natural and cannot be associated with any bad omen. They inter bodies of dead family members within the village cemeteries to keep their spirits around. They believe that the spirit of the dead takes care of the living. The Mendi people have unique attitudes and beliefs about health. The people undertake preventive health services such as using certain herbs and other imported medicine to prevent them from becoming sick. They also believe that using local medicine helps in treating chronic diseases. The Mendi people also conducted surgeries to remove arrows lodged on the body (Hays, 1991). The Mendi never used to seek hospitalization for life-threatening illnesses. However, they now have provincial medical services at the town centers. The Mendi people believe that mental health problems are caused by powerful sorcerers. They believe that mental conditions are treatable through applying appropriate sorcery exorcism. The affected individual is transferred to the forest where cu
The first economic and policy recommendations were conceived in the year 1989 by the reputed economist, John Williamson and were referred as the ‘Washington Consensus.’ These recommendations would be accepted globally as a convenient model upon which growing economies and developing countries could base their all their political and economical potentialities. Focused in achieving its mission to the world, the Washington Consensus had strongly embraced all aspects of free-market at its infancy stage. Some of these ideals included privatization, open trade policies, and deregulation and were among the major policies that would be used to provide a promising prescription for development and advancement in the developing nations. That was the very humble and the seemingly promising beginning of the Washington Consensus. However, the implementation of the Consensus was not smooth all through and it bore mixed results with the worst part of it being incessant instability in the global financial markets. In most cases, the Washington Consensus was observed to be characterized by a number of currency crises, recession, and stagnation, thus resulting to the collapse of economic systems of several countries in the world 1 . The 2007 financial crisis, whose serious implications to the global economies are yet to subside, remains the most recent blow associated with the Washington Consensus. The Beijing Consensus is currently viewed by many as the alternative development model to the fallen Washington Consensus. With the advanced economic developments as well as the undoubting market stability currently witnessed in China, there is no doubt that Beijing has really presented a certain threat to the Washington Consensus. With the current development models witnessed in Beijing, China, it is certainly obvious that China is fast gaining splendid appeal within the developing world as the most influential nation when it comes to development of third world nations. As it would be observed, China has shown great economical stability and proficiency than any other country in the world. Even at this moment when the global economy is yet to regain its full composure, following numerous financial crises which had befallen the world in the last two or so decades, China had faced none of these problems and it is still very strong ahead with its economy. This clearly explains the reason as to why the Chinese are free from what many developed countries are grappling with presently, in attempts to regain their economical composure following the 2007 financial crisis. Considering the context presented by the Chinese domestic business as well as its foreign trade, there is every reason to believe that the Beijing Consensus has turned out to become an attractive economic development model for many rising countries in the world in preference to the Washington Consensus 2 . Beijing Consensus values the necessity for a unique approach in relevant to the unique challenges of each nation
Educationists should develop the best teaching philosophies and models. Such models should be guided by various theoretical and philosophical underpinnings in order to support the educational needs of more learners. A proper philosophy of education should be supported by the best teaching competencies. The philosophy should also be guided by the diverse needs of the targeted students (Gunter & Fitzgerald, 2007). This discussion gives a detailed analysis of my personal philosophy of education. Analysis of the Education Philosophy My personal philosophy of education is shaped by three unique theories. The philosophy embraces the use of intrinsic competencies and skills that have the potential to produce the most desirable results. As well, my philosophy focuses on evidence-based teaching models that can address the unique needs of different learners. In order to achieve the best results, a personalized model should be developed to address the needs of learners with diverse needs. The ultimate goal of the philosophy is to teach, guide, and empower more learners (Gunter & Fitzgerald, 2007). The philosophy also promotes the best relationships and delivers adequate support to more learners. Theories The first educational model is called the Social-Cognitive Learning Theory (Gunter & Fitzgerald, 2007). This “theoretical perspective argues that individuals can learn by observations behaviors and actions undertaken by others” (Ertmer & Newby, 2013, p. 49). By so doing, learners can gain new ideas and behaviors. The important thing is to ensure there is a role model or demonstrator. The second model used to guide my educational philosophy is the Control Theory of Motivation. The model was developed by William Glaser and indicates that behavior is inspired by a person’s needs or wants (Gunter & Fitzgerald, 2007). This means that “behavior is not motivated by an outside stimulus” (Ertmer & Newby, 2013, p. 52). The third appropriate theory that defines my philosophy of education is Behaviorism. Proponents of this theoretical model believe that learning should be carefully controlled in order to ensure more individuals acquire new behaviors. Reasons for Choosing the Theories These three theories play a major role towards supporting my teaching objectives. I have embraced the use of Behaviorism because it supports the use of positive conditioning. This is a universal learning strategy that has the potential to produce desirable behaviors. The “ Control Theory also makes it easier for me to negotiate both method and content with students with diverse needs” (Weegar & Pacis, 2012, p. 7). The provided instructions are aimed at enhancing the capabilities and potentials of my students. The Social Cognition Learning Model also emphasizes the importance of interaction . The learners can be allowed to engage in different activities in order to achieve the best behaviors and ideas. Alignment with Learning and Teaching Approach My educational philosophy focuses on the best approaches that have the potential to support the performance of different learners. To begin with, every learner wants
Introduction Advanced practice nursing (herein referred to as APN) has evolved over the years in America and other nations in the world. Today, the profession has risen to become a significant aspect of the world’s healthcare system (DeNisco & Barker, 2013). In this paper, the historical trends and influences of APN are analyzed. The author will highlight how APN has developed in Mississippi and other states about family nurse practitioner (FNP) roles. Several factors have facilitated the development of APN and FNP roles in America. Similarly, the advancement of these two phenomena has been affected negatively by various factors. The factors notwithstanding, advanced practice nursing has recorded positive growth in the past few decades. As such, the future of this nursing profession in the Mississippi healthcare system is promising. To analyze the hypothesis stated above, the author of this paper will review the historical development of FNP roles with regards to the who, what, where, when, and why attributes of this evolution. A comparison of this development will be made between Mississippi (state level), the USA (national level), and other nations in the world. The History of APN and FNP Roles Before the foundations of modern APN were laid down, nuns and military personnel offered nursing-like services to the public. It is for this reason that different religious organizations are regarded as patrons of nursing in general. For example, in its teachings, Christianity encourages people to look after the sick (Conrad, Haworth & Millar, 1993). Christ, the founder of this religion, led this by example when He healed the sick and raised the dead. Informally, nursing was practiced in rural areas of Mississippi. In most cases, the nursing responsibilities were taken over by family members. The family members in this case can be regarded as FPNs of the time. In the early 1800s, most nurses were affiliated with different missionary organizations. Some came from as far as England. They were led by Wilfred Grenfell, a British Missionary. They provided healthcare services to Mississippi people under very challenging conditions. According to Conrad et al. (1993), this was what was referred to as traditional nursing. The works of Grenfell and other missionaries give the history of APN in America an international touch. Other than traditional nurses, there were other nursing practitioners in Mississippi and the larger America
Abstract, Critique, and Diaries Article 1 Hatzenbuehler, M. L., McLaughlin, K. A., Keyes, K. M., & Deborah S. Hasin. (2010). The Impact of Institutional Discrimination on Psychiatric Disorders in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations: A Prospective Study. American Journal of Public Health, 100 (3), 452-459. Web. Abstract The main purpose of the article is investigating the relationship between the psychiatric morbidity of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) population and the fact of those populations residing in stats that instituted bans of same-sex marriages during 2004 and 2—5 elections. The investigation was conducted through longitudinal study of national study of two samples of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Quantitative and qualitative data was collected on the participants, including such aspects self-identification as LGB, the constitutional status of same-sex marriage in the states in which the participants reside, and the prevalence of DSM-IV mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders between 2001 to 2002 and 2004 to 2005. The results of the study showed that there is a significant decrease in DSM-IV among LGB respondents who lived in states that banned same-sex marriage, as opposed to heterosexuals for whom no evidence were found of an increase of the same magnitude. The most significant increases are related to mood disorder (36.6%), generalized anxiety disorder (248.2%), alcohol use disorder (41.9%), and psychiatric comorbidity disorder 36.3%). The Diary Everything is going great in the semester so far. I think that the selection of the topic was successful, considering that the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” in the news. However, the selection of the article might not be so successful, being connected only partially to the topic. More research might have been required. Critique The selection of the article was driven by the intention to show a cause and effect relationship between the fact of legalization of same sex marriage and the main shareholders in such issue, i.e. LGB population. Despite the fact that the current article does not address the gender roles in the family, parallels can be drawn showing that in no way the institutionalization of same-sex marriage can have an effect on the heterosexual couples, which was one of the findings of the study. The article can be related to the studied text, indicating potential consequences of bans on marriage, which in terms might lead to economical consequences among others. The legal form of marriage might have an economic impact, a simple example of which can be seen through the use of insurance by partners. In that regard, the psychological consequences can be seen as one of the impacts of such bans. The article can be used to make parallels with the system theory arguing how the changes within a single system, i.e. a family might influence the society as a whole. The investigation in the article is viewed in terms of whether individual discrimination can impact the health of the populations. The individual discrimination can be seen as a smaller subsystem, within the same-sex couples’ relationshi