Fruit Fly Introduction Essay Example for Free

Fruit Fly Introduction Essay The purpose of this lab is to understand how each offspring inherits its genotype and how its phenotype reflects it. Sex chromosomes determine the sex of the offspring, and the autosomes consist of all the other chromosomes that determine phenotypic traits. Dominant traits are the genes that are expressed, while the recessive traits are masked by the dominant traits. We used Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), mutating the female fruit fly with a scalloped gene to change the phenotype of its offspring and using males with genes showing wild-type. Placing WT males and SD females in the same vile, we provided the flies an atmosphere to mate, giving us offspring with mixed genotypes and phenotypes. This experiment will reflect the breeding of fruit flies and how genes are present within adults as well as passed down through the offspring. Our four hypotheses related to mode of inheritance that was used to pass the gene. The mode of inheritance for the scalloped gene is autosomal dominant. The genotype of the female parent is homozygous dominant. The male parent genotype is homozygous recessive. From this hypothesis we expect all of the offspring to have a heterozygous genotype, and the offspring would all be scalloped†¦. The mode of inheritance for the scalloped gene is autosomal recessive. The genotype of the female parent is homozygous recessive. The genotype of the male parent is homozygous dominant. From the hypothesis we can expect the offspring to have heterozygous genotypes, but the offspring’s phenotype would be wild type†¦. The mode of inheritance for the scalloped gene is sex-linked dominant. The genotype of the female is homozygous dominant. The genotype of the male parent is hemizygous recessive. From this hypothesis we can expect all the female offspring to be heterozygous and all the male offspring to be hemizygous dominant. Both male and female offspring would be scalloped†¦.. Finally, the mode of inheritance for the scalloped gene is sex-linked recessive. The genotype of the female parent is homozygous recessive. The genotype of the male parent is hemizygous dominant. From this hypothesis we can expect all the females to have heterozygous genotypes and all the male offspring to have hemizygous recessive genotypes. In this prediction, all the male offspring would be scalloped, while the females would be wild type†¦.. The hypothesis that stated the mode of inheritance for the scalloped gene is autosomal dominant, and the mode of inheritance for the scalloped gene is sex-linked dominant predicted that all of the offspring are scalloped. To set up the reciprocal cross, the mutant gene was given to the male rather than the female from the first experiment and the female received the wild-type. The first hypothesis stated was that the mode of inheritance for scalloped is autosomal dominant. In this hypothesis the female genotype was homozygous recessive while the male’s was homozygous dominant. The offspring from this cross had heterozygous genotypes and expressed the mutant phenotype. †¦. The mode of inheritance for scalloped is autosomal recessive. In this cross, the male parent had a homozygous recessive genotype, while the female had a homozygous dominant genotype. The result of this was that all of the offspring had a heterozygous genotype and expressed the wild type phenotype. †¦ The mode of inheritance for scalloped is sex linked dominant. In this cross the female parent had a homozygous recessive genotype while the male had a hemizygous dominant genotype. The female offspring from this cross were heterozygous and expressed the mutant phenotype, while the male offspring had a hemizygous recessive genotype and expressed the wild type phenotype. †¦ The mode of inheritance for scalloped is sex linked recessive. In this cross, the female parent had a homozygous dominant genotype while the male parent had a hemizygous recessive genotype. The female offspring of this cross had a heterozygous genotype while the males had a hemizygous dominant genotype. All offspring expressed the wild type phenotype†¦. Each of the Punnett squares are possible outcomes of offspring phenotypes based on the genotypes of the parents. By comparing our results to that of the Punnett square’s we will be able to determine, through process of elimination, whether or not the mutation is a dominant or recessive trait and if it appears through an autosomal or sex linked chromosome. Based on the phenotypes of the offspring, we can infer the identifications of the parental genotypes.

The Challenges Of The Twenty First Century Education Essay

The Challenges Of The Twenty First Century Education Essay Introduction This chapter reviews the relevant literature used in this study in a thematic and systematic manner. It begins with reviewing texts related to the contemporary local and global challenges. It then discusses the national goals of education in Kenya relating them to the demands of the 21st century. Teacher education in Kenya is then reviewed and finally the system of education in Kenya is examined. 2.2.0 The challenges of the twenty first century The 21st Century has been conceived as: The age of Globalization, the age of Knowledge Economy, and the Information age. Globalization refers to the contemporary social reality, which is characterized by change, uncertainty, unpredictability, complexity, interdependence and diversity. According to Giddens (1990) and Albrow (1994), it refers to the process by which human relations are increasingly being intensified. As a result, economic, political, cultural and social distinctions are becoming less and less inhibitive. Advancement, especially in the information and telecommunication sectors has compressed time and space and the world is gradually becoming a borderless forum for human interaction popularly known as the global village. The educational challenges in a globalized world include: ensuring that learners acquire the technological skills that enable them to access the global information and telecommunication networks, transforming learner attitudes and dispositions to enable them adapt to change and uncertainty, fostering character traits in learners that make them functional in a cross-cultural and democratic setting. Such traits include open-mindedness, tolerance and intellectual autonomy, enhancing learners capacity and attitude to think critically and creatively. Knowledge has become the most important factor in economic development in a globalized world, hence the use of the term Knowledge economy to refer to the contemporary global economy. Consequently, the ability of a society to produce, select, adapt, commercialise, and use knowledge is critical for sustained economic growth and improved living standards (World Bank, 2002). Education needs to go beyond merely informing learners. Learners have to be enabled to learn on their own, make sense of and apply knowledge innovatively. Learners, therefore, need to take charge of their thinking and direct it towards solving problems as wells as formulating and pursuing desired goals. Information and telecommunication technologies that facilitate and support knowledge-based activities have become extremely useful. Information has become easily accessible with the use of the internet hence the use of the term information age to refer to the 21st century. Merely consuming information uncritically is dangerous in a globalized age. Education should therefore enable learners to select, interrogate, evaluate and utilize information efficiently. 2.2.1 The global challenges According to Haag (1982) education systems in the world have expanded quantitatively rather than qualitatively making them unable to address current social problems. Although a lot of resources have been devoted to education, it appears like the systems of education have been ineffective in addressing social ills like inequality, intolerance, resistance to change, crime and violation of human rights among others. These social ills manifest themselves in rising levels of poverty, ethnic and racial conflicts and violation of human rights in many parts of the world. Ward and McCotter (2004) argue that developing thinking skills in educational institutions, though necessary, is inhibited by inappropriate teaching methods used by teachers, ineffective evaluation procedures and rigorous overload of the curriculum. Other negative factors include ineffective educational policies that emphasize content and structure of education while neglecting quality and process of education. Jelinek (1978 ) refers to the dominant expository methods of instruction as didacticism in which it is assumed that education is an act of depositing knowledge into learners who are mere depositories. The process of instruction is lifeless, petrified, motionless, static and compartmentalised and thus strange to the experience of the learners. The approach is irrelevant to reconstruction of the experience of the learners since they are considered to know nothing. Ultimately the approach tends to turn humans into automatons and therefore negates their dignity and abilities as human beings. Without development of thinking skills, graduates from educational institutions are observed to be limited in analytical, creative and innovative abilities that are essential in the modern knowledge based world of work. Leat (1999) blames inability of education systems to address contemporary challenges on faulty academic cultures and traditions. For instance, attainment of good grades and certificates using whatever means is valued as opposed to transformation of learners into effective agents of change in society. Unhealthy competition among learners is tolerated instead of developing the culture of cooperation and mutual responsibility. Rigid adherence to existing academic cultures inhibits ability to respond to change. Unhealthy competition among learners promotes antagonism and undermines team spirit. According to Perkins (1990) the culture in most educational institutions is characterized by minimal informative feedback and emphasis on traditional ways of doing things. This diminishes the exercise of individual initiative and choice. Consequently learners are denied an opportunity to develop essential characteristic of democratic citizenship. Such characteristics include respect for dialogue, freedom of expression and self-determination through individual choice. Barrow et al. (2006) reports that a study done in India revealed that the main challenges facing teacher education include meeting childrens specific learning needs, respecting students cultural and socio-economic context and involving parents and communities in school activities. The teachers therefore require interpersonal and counseling skills that can enable them to empathetically discern the learning needs of pupils. The teachers also need to be able to deal with diversity of learners and forge school-community collaboration. Douglass (2006) perceives preparation of employable graduates as the main challenge of education in the 21st century. According to him, emphasis on employability has led to other challenges. For instance, there are sharp divisions between scientific-technological academic disciplines on the one hand and social science and humanities on the other. He argues that there is an overemphasis on the value of scientific-technological disciplines leading to bifurcat ion of knowledge. According to NCCPPE(2008), the main challenges that education must confront in the world today include: conservation of the environment and sustainability of natural resources; the provision of health care; renewal of economic vitality; coping with change through learning; promoting core human values like justice, peace and equity and protecting human rights. This study endeavoured to find out the extent to which global challenges mentioned above impact on Kenya. It further sought to establish whether and how the system of PTE in Kenya was responsive to them. The study also designed a framework by which the challenges can be classified for effective examination. For instance, the following categories of challenges among others were be included in the framework: cognitive, cultural, political, social, emotional, economic, ethical, technological, and religious. Cognitive challenges include obstacles that hinder effective thinking. Such obstacles render learners incapable of analytical, evaluative and creative thinking. Such learners merely copy and reproduce the ideas of other people without being sensitive to context. Cultural challenges include stereotypes and prejudices that are embodied in traditions and norms of particular social groups. These traditions are passed on from one generation to another without critical scrutiny. In additio n cultural beliefs and practices tend to be ethnocentric. As such they promote conflicts and misunderstanding among social groups. Political challenges include ideologies and policies that are designed to facilitate acquisition and maintenance of political power. Often such ideologies are propagated in a competitive way without regard to sufficient analysis, evaluation and fair-mindedness. Social challenges include the need to accommodate diversity in the contemporary setting that is increasingly becoming multicultural. There is need for tolerance, open-mindedness and humility in interpersonal interactions. Emotional challenges have to do with inability to understand and deal with ones own feeling as well as the feelings of others. This is especially so in a social context that is dynamic, uncertain and stressful. Economic challenges include scarcity of resources and controversial methods of distributing the resources. These challenges are compounded by the increasing needs and wants characterised by the consumerist lifestyles. Ethical challenges arise from disagreements on principles of right and wrong leading to ethical relativism. Such relativism makes moral values difficult to apply across board leading to ethical confusion. Technological challenges include inability to control and manage the use of technology in a way that benefits society without endangering wellbeing. Such challenges include checking abuse of the internet, regulating the mass media and ensuring that nuclear technology does not get into the hands of terrorists. Religious challenges include animosity among different faiths that sometimes expresses itself in overt violent practices. Religious fanatics often engage in breach of human rights and criminal activities in the name of God. All these challenges cannot be effectively addressed unless education empowers the learners and society at large to think for themselves, analyse and evaluate issues, question beliefs and claims as well as develop the ability to creatively solve problems. 2.2.2 The challenges in Africa Assie-Lumumba (2006) perceives the debt burden, ethnic violence, armed conflicts and the scourge of HIV and AIDS as the most visible challenges that impact education in Africa. What is needed is an education system that can empower Africans to participate in the production and application of knowledge relevant in addressing these challenges and promote broad societal advancement. In Ghana, the need to develop thinking skills among learners has been recognized as a viable way of addressing contemporary challenges facing Africa. However in practice, the development of such skills has not been given adequate attention (Acheampong, 2001; Hill, 2000). There exists a mismatch between the professed value of thinking skills in education and actual efforts to develop such skills in teacher training institutions. According to Owu-Ewie (2007), classroom environment in many educational institutions in Ghana inhibit thinking in students. The teachers have been observed to be autocratic and rigid in imposing their views on students. The opinions of students are disrespected and discarded thus discouraging learner participation, curiosity and creativity. Teachers make poor use of questioning and motivation and use the lecture method predominantly. The education system fosters rote learning, drilling and exam orientation. Such a system does not facilitate a healthy teacher-learner interaction. According to Barrow et al (2006), studies done in Namibia and Nigeria reveal additional challenges facing education in Africa. In Namibia, although educational policies are strongly based on active learning and learner-centered theoretical foundation, in practice, these lofty theories are not effectively implemented. The educational policies are poorly understood, interpreted and executed. The study findings support school-based teacher professional development programs, associated with whole-school improvement programs, as very promising ways of increasing understanding and effective implementation of active-learning policies. In Nigeria, religious tensions and economic empowerment are the challenges that education needs to address. Teachers have therefore to be empowered to facilitate inter-faith harmony, creativity and self-reliance among learners. In Ethiopia, poor quality of education, insufficient financing, lack of equity and poor management are the key challenges facing educa tion (Ethiopian National Agency for UNESCO, 2001). Consequently, the ongoing educational reform encompasses every aspect of the educational system- the curricula, teacher training, educational inputs, educational finance, organization and management, structure of education, career structure of teachers, and evaluation. The reform is aimed at total restructuring of the educational system. This study examined the challenges above and related them to those in Kenya and the rest of the world. It also compared the strategies employed to address the challenges with a view to reconstructing a more responsive approach to the challenges relevant to PTE in Kenya. 2.2.3 The challenges in Kenya In Kenya, some of the 21st century challenges are HIV AIDS, gender awareness, and sensitivity to human rights (K.I.E., 2004a and 2004b). Others include poverty, crime, drug abuse, and unemployment. These challenges require that education empowers the learner to reflect and respond to them pro-actively. While informing the learners about these problems is important, empowerment of the learner demands a transformation that transcends the cognitive dimension to include all other faculties of the human person. This study explored these non-cognitive dimensions such as the creative, cultural, ethical and social among others. According to RCE (2007), sustainable development in Kenya (as in any other country) is complex since it encompasses social issues such as peace and security, human rights, gender equality, cultural diversity and intercultural understanding. Other issues include poor governance, corruption, increased incidences of diseases, erosion of cultural values and morals, among others. The economic issues include corporate social responsibility and accountability, ethical marketing, increasing levels of poverty and the widening gap between rich and poor. The other issues include trends of unsustainable production and consumption leading to inefficiency and wastefulness, poor enforcement of policies and regulations governing production and marketing. Environmental challenges include the energy, nutritional and other domestic needs of an expanding population, unsustainable use of natural resources (water, land), rural/urban migration, climate change, rural development, urbanization, disaster prev ention and mitigation concerns. This study examines the extent to which these concerns are addressed in PTE with specific reference to pedagogical approaches employed. Abagi and Odipo (1997) argue that the operation of primary education system in Kenya faces the problem of inefficiency. Low completion rates and national pupil-teacher ratio make inefficiency evident. In addition, teaching-learning time was found not to be utilized efficiently in primary schools. The factors that may be responsible for inefficiencies include: ineffective education policies and management processes, misallocation of resources to various educational levels; school based factors such as teachers attitudes, time utilization, school environment; and household based factors such as poverty. The inefficiencies identified above lead one to question the quality and relevance of education in Kenya. While Abagi and Odipo (1997) discuss inefficiency from the point of view of mismatch between resource inputs and desired output in terms of qualified graduates able to contribute to national development, this study explored another dimension of inefficiency which involves discrepanc y between pedagogical approaches and the achievement of educational goals and objectives. The focus therefore was on the process of teaching and learning in addition to other material resources employed to pursue the achievement of educational goals and objectives. 2.3.0 Global responsiveness to contemporary issues Shah, (1997) discusses the implications of globalization in the 21st century which include information revolution, dynamic demand of relevant skills, uncertainty of a borderless world economy, and intense competition among others. He suggests that responsiveness to this reality demands a paradigm shift in the management of human relationships in all spheres of life. Although he takes a political perspective and dwells on how a shift in modes of governance needs to be effected, this study adapts Shahs ideas to a globalized educational context. For instance the shift from management to leadership in political governance can be equated to the shift from authoritarian teaching to facilitative teaching in education. In both cases, control (of citizens/learners by politicians/teachers) is discouraged while participation, consultation and involvement by all parties is encouraged. This change is so fundamental that Shah refers to it as a cultural transformation. He describes it as follows: The culture of governance is also slowing changing from a bureaucratic to a participatory mode of operation; from command and control to accountability for results; from being internally dependent to being competitive and innovative; from being closed and slow to being open and quick; and from that of intolerance from risk to allowing freedom to fail or succeed (Shah, 1997) While responsiveness as described above is desirable and even necessary in the world today, it is not easy to accomplish. In developing countries for instance, the reform of the public sector has been attempted in many countries without tangible results. Shah (1997) regards attempts to reform the public sector in many developing countries as an illusion or dream. The command and control orientation is so entrenched that developing a client orientation that emphasizes collaboration and service is difficult to achieve. Consequently human relationships are devoid of a sense of responsibility and mutual respect. Relating these ideas to primary teacher education, responsiveness would mean enabling learners to be self-reliant and self-disciplined as well as actively engaging both teachers and learners as partners in the learning process. Leithwood et al (1994) assert that modern education systems have to address broader and complex goals, use a diversity of forms of instruction and strategies for learning to cater for diverse clientele as opposed to the traditional youthful learners. In addition, educational institutions will need technical resources to facilitate independent decision making and collaboration with other agencies. Future institutions of education will need greater decentralization of authority, empowerment of staff, and increased accountability to the stake holders they serve. Much effort will be employed to review the content of the curriculum and the process of instruction in order to enhance learning as well as forge useful links between the educational institutions and their environment. Specifically the following responses will be needed: provision of higher order thinking skills like analysis, evaluation and creativity. use of flexible client-centred forms of instruction and willingness to collaborate with other educational agencies. Addressing of cultural, religious and ethnic diversity and tensions and Increasing respect for the rights of individual, ability, race, age, sex etc which enhances equity as an education goal as well as equal access to knowledge. Beyer (1997) asserts that the best way to respond to contemporary challenges is to empower learners to learn. This implies facilitation of efficient and effective thinking. Such learning involves careful development of learner inclinations as well as their abilities to think skilfully. Barrow et al. (2006) reports that a research carried out in India suggest that one way of facilitating responsiveness among learners is to create a learning environment in which children are motivated to participate actively and are encouraged to think beyond their own context. This concurs with Beamons (1997) and Beyers (1997) view that the classroom environment should be motivating and provide opportunities for learners to use their cognitive and creative abilities. In order to develop the thinking skills of learners, the teachers need to use cognitive instruction approaches and learner-centred strategies which stimulate thinking. This study explored such approaches and strategies and endeavoured to find out whether they were being used in PTE in Kenya. Kea et al. (2006) recommend multicultural teacher education preparation as a viable way of promoting responsiveness to the challenges of the 21st century. Teachers who have learned culturally responsive pedagogy are believed to be more confident and effective in instructing children from diverse social, cultural, religious and economic backgrounds. Culturally responsive pedagogy involves adapting the content of instruction and teaching styles, curriculum, methodology, and instructional materials responsive to students values and cultural norms. Thus, the ultimate challenge for teacher educators is to prepare reflective practitioners who can connect, commit, and practice an ethos of care with diverse students and their families. According to Douglass (2006), responsiveness to contemporary challenges requires cross-cultural and human rights education. Governments should ensure that their primary and secondary educational systems provide for a balance and integration of national history and identity formation with knowledge of other cultures, religions, and regions. Educational approaches should be suitable for transforming the values of young people, their perceptions and knowledge about other civilizations, cultures and peoples across all regions. Critical thinking should be promoted in order to enhance fair-mindedness and objectivity in a world where information is being generated and disseminated at an amazing rate. Critical thinking is essential for analysing, evaluating and applying information. It is useful in combating misperceptions, prejudices, inaccuracies and outright lies among others. Critical thinking enhances the learners ability to separate fact from opinion, to evaluate information for bias, to construct and deconstruct meaning logically and relevantly. Such skills are important for promoting tolerance, mutual respect and responsible citizenship. This study examines the responsive approaches discussed above in the light of the Kenyan context. It aims at developing and recommending a comprehensive proposal of responsive pedagogies for teacher education that are suitable for addressing contemporary issues in Kenya. According to NCPPHE (2008) the most important educational goal is to facilitate learning by students and the society in general and thus create a learning society. In such a society, learning is a way of life and is therefore life-long. Optimized learning is that which helps strengthen democratic and civic institutions in the nation. This concept of learning extends beyond the education of students in classrooms to include educations impact on societal organizations, businesses, corporations, and cultures. This view is also adopted by Partnership for the 21st century (2004), which is a conglomeration of public and private partnership focusing on improving education in the 21st century. The partnership reached out to hundreds of educators, business leaders and employers to determine a vision for learning in the 21st century, to reach a consensus on the definition of 21st century skills, knowledge and expertise which will enable learners to thrive in contemporary world. This work endea voured to bridge the gap between the knowledge and skills most students learn today in school and the knowledge and skills required in the 21st century communities and workplaces. The critical knowledge and skills identified by Partnership for the 21st century (2004) are learning and innovation skills (creativity and innovation, Critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration), information, media and technology skills (information literacy, media literacy and ICT literacy) as well as life and career skills (flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social and cross-cultural skills, productivity and accountability, leadership and responsibility). The partnership also identified interdisciplinary themes which summarises the content that students should learn in the 21st century. These themes include global awareness, civic literacy, health literacy and financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy. This study used these themes, knowledge and skills to evaluate the success of teacher education in Kenya in equipping primary school teachers to prepare pupils for the demands of the 21st century. 2.3.1 Responsiveness to contemporary issues in Africa According to Barrow et al. (2006) research carried out in Nigeria indicated that responsive approaches in education in Africa should aim at fostering moral values such as patience, tolerance, friendliness, compassion, empathy and fair-mindedness. In addition teaching methods and strategies should create and sustain a stimulating learning environment. Teachers need to use a variety of teaching methods to reach students at different levels of ability. In Namibia, the research recommended teachers reflection on their practice in order to seek way of improving teaching and learning. Learner-centred teaching, variation of teaching methods and strategies and positive teacher attributes like kindness and courtesy were also argued to contribute to responsiveness to contemporary issues in education. Ethiopian National Agency for UNESCO (2001) describes responsive education from the Ethiopian perspective as characterized by access to basic education for all, production of responsible citizens who can solve problems and cooperate with others in productive socio-economic activities. Other characteristics of responsive education include equity, community participation in education, and suitability of academic disciplines to the needs of the country. Quality and quantity need to accompany each other in educational matters; for instance, new educational institutions should be established and the existing ones strengthened in order to produce professionals at a quantity and quality levels that match the requirements of the country. 2.3.2 Responsiveness to contemporary issues in Kenya In Kenya, attempts at making education responsive to contemporary issues and challenges is reflected in the various educational reports that have been generated since independence (Republic of Kenya, 1964, 1976, 1981, 1988 and 1999). This is evident in the review of the said reports below. The Ominde Report (Republic of Kenya, 1964) was the first commission of independent Kenya to address matters of education. It made a lasting contribution by articulating, among other issues, the goals of education in Kenya which are reinforced in the commission reports that followed. Among the recommendations that the report gave included that: partnership should be forged between government and regional and local authorities in the planning and administration of education; educational policy should be consciously directed towards promoting national unity; religious instruction should be handled as an academic subject on educational lines dissociated from the sectarian objectives of any religious group; primary education should provide training in the rudiments of citizenship; education should be responsive to contemporary needs and modern educational practice; education should be child-cantered and child study experts should be included as lecturers in teacher training colleges. The Ominde Report (Republic of Kenya, 1964) identified a number of issues of which the following are relevant to this study and remain relevant to the current situation in Kenya: Education in Kenya should foster as sense of nationhood and promote nationhood. The post 2007 election violence revealed the fact that nationhood and national unity have not yet been successfully achieved in Kenya(Republic of Kenya, 2008a) and education, to be relevant must develop among learners and teachers alike patriotism, tolerance and mutual social responsibility. Education should serve the people and the needs of Kenya without discrimination. It should develop in learners the traits of fair-mindedness, empathy and justice. Education should enable learners at all levels to adapt to change. This requires analytical and evaluative skills that enable one to examine ones context, identify and define problems clearly and accurately. It also requires creative skills to enable one to formulate and implement relevant solutions to problems. The teaching methods prevalent in educational institutions after independence were faulted by the Ominde Report (Republic of Kenya, 1964) because they neglected learner participation, imagination and understanding and emphasised drilling and authoritarian teaching. Little attempt was made to adapt instruction to the needs of learners. In teacher training colleges, few lecturers were well grounded on the crucial question of how children learn or fail to learn. The report appealed for a paradigm shift in teaching and learning as indicated in the following: We do not believe that the students will effectively break loose from the old bookish, rote methods until they have themselves shared in the exhilaration of autonomous learning and have discovered how much more complete is their final mastery (Republic of Kenya, 1964, p.116) Gachathi Report (Republic of Kenya, 1976) expounded on the implications of the ideology of African Socialism on education in Kenya. The Report recommended the following issues which remain relevant to the contemporary Kenyan context: Education needs to continue promoting national unity in order to address social and economic challenges facing the country; education should be a tool for removing social and regional inequalities and creating international consciousness; education should enhance adaptability and management of change; education should foster mutual responsibility and cooperation and education should develop positive attitudes and values that motivate people to serve diligently, honestly and efficiently. The Report recommended that all educational institutions should give increasing emphasis on problem-solving teaching methods that have a bearing on the real life situation of the Kenya environment. This study examines the extent to which PTE has addressed the concerns and recommendation of the Gachathi report. The Mackay Report (Republic of Kenya, 1981) was mainly concerned with the establishment of the second university in Kenya. It recommended the establishment of the 8-4-4 system of education. It reiterated the importance of the following objectives of education in Kenya: fostering national unity based on the adaptations of the rich cultural heritage of the Kenyan people; facilitation of the needs of national development; development of skills, knowledge attitudes, talents and personalities of learners; fostering positive international consciousness and promotion of social justice and morality. The Report observed that formal education had tended to concentrate on imparting knowledge for the sake of passing examinations instead of facilitating problem solving. Kamunge Report (Republic of Kenya, 1988) addressed education and manpower training for the rapidly changing Kenyan society. It recommended

Deception, Fraud, and the Collapse of Enron Essay -- Business Manageme

Deception, Fraud, and the Collapse of Enron Introduction From America’s 7th most valuable company in December 2000, to a company in ruins by early 2002, Enron has been involved in one of the most incredible reverses of fortune ever. With shares riding high on Wall Street at $84.87 on the 28th December 2000, and awards such as â€Å"America’s most innovative company† from Fortune Magazine 6 years running, and â€Å"Energy Company of the Year† from the Financial Times also in 2000, it looked as though Enron were promising to be one of the biggest American companies of all time. Things started going drastically wrong. As large losses were being reported, share prices tumbled, and Enron, within the space of only a year, was on the verge of collapse. I shall be investigating the factors of this collapse, some of them due to business and economic factors, but mostly through deception and fraud. Analysis The timeline of events from when Enron were at the top to the bottom of the business world is quite outstanding. (See Figure 1, Appendix). The collapse seems to span a time of around 5 months, from August 2001 to January 2002. During this time, many scandals have come out, which suggest Enron has played a major part in its own downfall, through unsuccessful diversification to fiddling the accounts. As these things add up, it is no surprise Enron is now in the position it is. In 2000 the company recorded record turnovers of $100m (See Figure 2, Appendix), a $60m increase from the previous year. Shares were selling at a high price, meaning that future expansion would have been possible due to high investment in the company. A collapse at this point seemed absolutely out of the question, it just seemed impossible, with future investment and high turnovers. In October 2001, the third quarter results were published, showing a mysterious loss. This of course set the share price falling, as investors lost confidence about Enron’s long term capabilities. This was the beginning of what was going to be a difficult few months for Enron, as different scandals and information was released. The reasons for this loss have not been explained fully but there are many different possibilities, some through bad business decisions, some through bad accounting, and some from unnecessary purchases. All of these combined meant that Enron was facing debts of around $690m. Enron consists of ... ...e problems, they might not be in the position they are today. With independent audits, financial irregularities might have come to light sooner. Poor communications with shareholders and potential investors meant they were unaware of the situation they were getting themselves in. Enron also spent a large amount of money on unnecessary items where perhaps better investment would have been a safer option. Overall, the factors all combine to the failure of Enron, and at time of writing it is still unclear the exact reasons for the downfall, and how much of the information released by newspapers and the company itself is reliable. Based on the information available at the time, it is clear there are many deceptions and poor business decisions that have meant Enron have a very bleak future ahead of them. Bibliography Websites: www.bbc.co.uk (20th February-10th March 2002) www.telegraph.co.uk (report on 1/12/01) www.enron.com (March 2002) www.observer.com (March 2002) Other Sources: Independent Newspaper 27th February The Economist (December 2001) Nuffield Business and Economics Student’s Book The Money Programme- Inside the Enron Scandal (BBC2 April 4th 2002)

The Struggle of Equality for Blacks in the 21st Century Essay -- essay

The Struggle of Equality for Blacks in the 21st Century On December 29, 2004, Richard Blakey was applying for a job interview at the very prestigious Public Relations firm, Ketchum, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He was the only black man applying for the job. Little did he know that he had no chance of getting the job no matter how qualified he was for the position because he was a black man and his counterparts were white. He went into the interview and gave it everything that he had. The executive director told him that his skills were extraordinary and he was very impressed. Richard left Ketchum with a smile on his face knowing that he made an impression and will be getting a call in about a week. Three weeks passed and Richard finally received a phone call from the Ketchum organization, and the same executive director that gave him the interview told him that he had not received the job. When Richard asked him why, the executive director stated that he was too dark for the public relations firm, and that the job was given to a white man . Richard hung up the phone and began to cry. Have you ever encountered racism? If your answer is no, you’re either very lucky or very naive. Chances are, you have. Perhaps you’ve never seen someone being denied a job because of the color of their skin, but chances are, you remember the Rodney King beating and the O.J. Simpson trial, or you’ve heard someone comment that black men are better basketball players than their white teammates or that they are more likely to be on welfare than white people are. If so, then you’ve encountered racism. According to The Random House College Dictionary, Racism, or Racialism, is defined as â€Å"the theory or idea that there is a causal link between inherited physical traits and certain traits of personality, intellect, or culture and, combined with it, the notion that some races are inherently superior to others.† It is found in many forms, and it has profoundly shaped our history as Americans. Most often in our culture, when racism is mentioned, it refers to the relationship between white people, which make up the majority, and black people, which compose a sizable minority It seems to me, that after all the years of struggling for equality blacks should no longer have to fight for what they want in America, but that is not true. Blacks are still fighting for things that are given to white... ...Moving Beyond Racial Preferences.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3/4/05,volume 51, issue26, pb13, 2p. Okazawa-Ray.Margo, Journal of Health. Economic, Social, and Racial Justice: The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Survival of the African American Family. Social Policy, 1997, volume 9. Issue 1,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  p15, 7p. The Libertarian Party Press Release. Blacks are the biggest victims of racist government   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  policies, say libertarians. 1994-2003.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.p.org/press/archive.php?function=view&record=724 Torpay, John. Journal of Human Rights. Paying for the Past? The Movement for African   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Americans. June 2004, volume3, issue 2, p171, 17p. Wilson. In Prejudice and Racism, The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Underclass, and Public Policy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997. From â€Å"Racism: It Is Always There† by Elizabeth Martinez Smith. From Prejudice and Racism, 2nd ed., 1997, by James M. Jones. www.cnn.com/arhive/2000/us/09/2/us.racism.ap/ www.capmag.om/article.asp? ID=2286 www.vernonjohns.org/rosemary1246/repubs.html it will be me.

College Admissions Essay: Teaching Wisdom :: College Admissions Essays

Teaching Wisdom Every morning in my homeroom, my principal performs the announcements. In his announcements, he updates the school on the activities that are going on that day. After his update, he continues on the intercom system to do the "Words of Wisdom" (Project Wisdom). This has made a great difference in my life. During the [Project Wisdom] program, my principal tells us a quote then he goes on to explain it. For example, he would say, "Danny Thomas once said, 'Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others." This quote hit me like a thunderbolt. I was constantly thinking about it. Then I saw homeless people while I was walking home from school. I thought of nothing but the quote, so as I got closer to the homeless people, I pulled out my wallet and gave them a ten dollar bill. The feeling I got when the homeless people looked at me is indescribable. After this experience, almost every time someone is in need of something, I give or at least try to give them what they need because of the self-content it brings me. The "Words of Wisdom" program made a difference in my life by helping me discover that it feels good to serve others. Another example is when my principal was doing [Project Wisdom] and he said, "'The position of the earth is changed by the weight of a tiny bird resting upon it,' said the famous Leonardo da Vinci." The first thought that entered my mind was, "What was the point of that quote?" But the more I thought about it the more I began to realize what da Vinci was saying. If a little bird - a small portion of mass - can change the position of the earth, then little things can make a difference. For example, I used to always be selfish. I mean, when I opened the door to enter or exit a building I would let the door slam on the other person's face. I had a total disregard for other people. Now, I am nice. I care a lot about others. When I enter or exit a building now I hold the door open for the next person to enter or exit. There was this one woman who seemed like she was always in a bad mood.

Stop This Train by John Mayer

Connecticut, John Mayer charmed his listeners with his poignant lyrics, sweet melodies, and mellow grooves. Since the release of his successful debut album, Room for Squares, his clever songwriting has grown Into breathtaking poetry. He demonstrated his ever evolving progress with the release of his fourth studio album, Continuum, in 2006. The album takes maturity as a theme throughout, with songs ranging from the politically charged â€Å"Waiting for the World to Change† to the heartbreaking and sultry sound of â€Å"Slow Dancing in a Burning Room. Stop This Train,† also a song from John Mayor's Continuum, speaks of the unpredictable ground between adolescence and adulthood. It was written during a time which Mayer referred to as â€Å"solitary refinement;† He lied In bed suffering from double kidney stones and living in a hotel while finding a new residence. In a state of uncertainty and seemingly hopeless venture, John Mayer wrote the song for those of us stra ddling the new world, trying to figure out not necessarily who we are, but how to be who we are.He knew that, despite their lack of familiarity with his personal tuition, any person who listened to the lyric of the song could relate to life's daunting train ride. In the song, the train ride acts as an extended metaphor for the onward rush of life, which carries us forward and takes us past people and things we wish to linger with. Meyers lyrics echo the feelings of so many young adults who are contemplating their future-?starting to build a new life, leaving old ones behind, losing loved ones, and becoming their own person. In the first stanza, Mayer introduces his perplexed state of mind with his struggle to face truth.He begins his Eng with Irony, â€Å"No I'm not coloration / I know the world Is black and white† (1-2), claiming that he possesses the ability to see the true colors of the world. The colors black and white represent the speaker's belief that the world is simp ly one way or another. The word ‘blind' and the speaker's ability to see create an oxymoron because of their contradicting natures. In lines 3-4, â€Å"Try to keep an open mind but†¦ I Just can't sleep on this tonight,† Mayer expresses his troubles that make him restless. The song also symbolizes a reminder of life's Inevitability.It streams forward like a train, ND never can you go back to a certain point In time because there's no getting off, no changing direction, no stopping. Mayer creates a mental picture of the careening train ride in lines 5-8, â€Å"Stop this train / I want to get off and go home again / I can't take the speed that it's moving in. † The use of imagery demonstrates Meyers understanding of what his audience experiences. In attempt to fully transport the listener to the scene, the song begins with a catchy up and down melody that simulates a feeling of a trait's wheels turning over and over again.The snares played wrought â€Å"Stop T his Train† match the rhythmic sound of a train so as to allow the audience to picture themselves also on this never ending journey. The high and low notes of the guitar may also signify life's ups and downs. By using the train as a metaphor, Mayer mirrored the rush of nostalgia as people live their lives day by day and suddenly decide to take a look back at how far they've come. Just like a train ride, one doesn't realize how far and fast their Journey has taken them until they stop to take a look around. In life, everyone fears death or loss.As adulthood looms, so does ten mortar y AT our parents Mayer vocalizes tans Tear, â€Å"Don't want to see my parents go' (9). And while no one ever does, the time we become adults ourselves is when we begin to see the age in those that have shaped our lives. We see the death of our grandparents and realize we are a â€Å"generation away from fighting life out on my own† (10-11). And we panic because our parents, for so many of us , have been the safety net into which we fall. We begin to realize that safety net will not always be there. In truth, we are afraid of what we don't know, which is why Mayer claims â€Å"I'm only good at being young† (17).The thought of adulthood can be overwhelming as we realize that there's no stop button, that no one can stop this train. In the stanza about the conversation with his father, Mayer learns the best way to experience life is by not changing it. His father advises, â€Å"Don't for a minute change the place you're in / Don't think I couldn't ever understand†¦ John, honestly we'll never stop this train† (23-26) The only thing we can really do is appreciate life's train ride; because wherever it may take us, we're all in it together. The lyric in â€Å"Stop This Train† somewhat reflects life's timeline.At a younger, more naive age we take for granted our family until we start aging and realizing that our time with them is, in fact, limited. In the song, Mayer goes from begging for someone to stop this train to accepting that he can't so he might as well enjoy the ride. The song is about being forced to let go of things, and accepting these losses. It's about the angst and unfamiliarity that comes with moving into unknown parts of life. The fact that no matter what, we can't stop a day from turning into a week or a year from into turning into a decade, and the thought of this can seem a little intimidating and disheartening.As humans we only know what we've experienced, and the idea of having to readjust and move forward without any regard for personal desire can be downright terrifying. Growing up, children aren't inclined to to miss a thing because they haven't experienced the state of apprehension when they're asked the inevitable question: What do you want to do with your life? â€Å"Once in a while when it's good / It'll feel lie it should / And they're all still around / And you're still safe and sound† (27-31 ). But as time progresses, the days when we were lulled into a false calm are gone and we realize we don't miss what we have till it's gone.And you don't miss a thing / till you cry when you're driving away in the dark† (32-33). Mayor's style of songwriting mirrors a sort of conversation he is having with himself, his family and friends, and also with his own time. Just as the songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart, Mayor's songs are Just as full of importance as the music and beats to which they are set. Many people listen to songs for their uplifting melodies and dance-inspiring beats, but the deeper words in the lyrics prove that what's in a song is equally important to what's not there.In â€Å"Stop This Train,† Mayer oratory himself as Just another person coping with the apprehension and fear of loved ones dying, growing old, and facing life and all its difficulties. His fame and talent may veil the sorrows he faces on a daily basis from being away f rom his loved ones. The hidden message behind â€Å"Stop This Train† could embody a more personal than empathetic message. The harsh truth remains that, no matter how memorable or eventful our lives are, no one can escape time. Whether or not we'll grow to be 68, we will all be forced to brave more responsibility, expectations, and independence as we mature.

Introspection Within Frankenstein by Mary Shelly Essay

Introspection reveals something about a person to himself. In a literary work such as Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Introspection reveals something about a person to themselves and the audience. Although the monster of Frankenstein killed he is still a good person because he shows compassion, friendliness, and through remorse for the bad things that he had done; much of this had been shown through introspection Also, the monster had no control of him when he committed murder, therefore he is good even though he committed murder. The monster shows that he is good and not evil by showing compassion. He shows this when the monster realized that the family of peasants were unhappy because of their poverty that the monster had been contributing to by stealing their food. When the monster realizes this he becomes torn by his guilty conscience he stops surreptitiously taking their food and does what he can to reduce their hardship by collecting firewood and leaving it outside their house for them. Before the monster finds out what causes their despair he says that he is deeply affected by their unhappiness, â€Å"The young man and his companion often went apart and appeared to weep. I saw no cause for their unhappiness, but I was deeply affected by it† (71). This shows that the monster has a good heart and conscience and that he can show compassion. The monster also shows compassion when he helps a woman who is drowning. The monster says, â€Å"She continued her course along the precipitous sides of the river, when suddenly her foot slipped, and she fell into the rapid stream. I rushed from my hiding-place and with extreme labour, from the force of the current, saved her and dragged her to shore. She was senseless, and I endeavoured by every means in my power to restore animation†(93), showing that he did his best to save the woman because of his compassion towards her. Although Frankenstein’s Monster is often described as rude, he is friendly. He tries to make friends with the family of peasants which he had been helping secretly. Frankenstein’s Monster attempts to befriend the family of peasants, but is harshly rejected. The monster says,† You and your family  are the friends whom I seek† (88), to the old man, signifying that he is looking to make friends. This shows that Frankenstein’s Monster is a good person. Another thing that shows the monsters friendliness is that he calls people that do not know him friends. For example, Frankenstein’s Monster calls the family of peasants his friends. Frankenstein’s Monster says, â€Å"I slept; the remainder of the day was spent in observing my friends.†(73). this shows that Frankenstein’s Monster is friendly. Frankenstein’s Monster’s friendliness is a sign that he is good. Although the monster killed he is still good because he showed remorse for his negative actions. For example, the monster when the monster was talking to Walton he says, â€Å"You hate me, but your abhorrence cannot equal that with which I regard myself. I look on the hands which executed the deed† (152). The monster essentially said that he is disgusted by himself and he explains that it is because of his negative actions. Another example of the monsters remorse is when the monster tells Walton, â€Å"After the murder of Clerval I returned to Switzerland, heart-broken and overcome. I pitied Frankenstein; my pity amounted to horror; I abhorred myself† (151). The monster is saying that after the murdering Henry Clerval he felt so bad for Frankenstein that he described it as horrible. This shows that the monster felt deep remorse after one of his few murders meaning that he was mistaken for committing the act. The monster is good because he was not in control of himself when committing murder. The monster even said, â€Å"I knew that I was preparing for myself a deadly torture, but I was the slave, not the master, of an impulse which I detested yet could not disobey† (150). By saying, â€Å"preparing for myself a deadly torture† (150), the monster meant killing because the guilty conscience after murder was deadly torture to him. So essentially the monster is saying that murder was an impulse which he did not like but he could not disobey the impulse that he was a â€Å"slave† to. An example of this impulse is when the monster said, â€Å"Urged by this impulse, I seized on the boy as he passed and drew him towards me† (94). When the monster seized the boy, he strangled him shortly after. The monster was talking about the same impulse which he was a slave to. The monster was put through immense  emotional pressure with a childlike mind and the body of a monster. The monster had no control over the impulse which led him to kill therefore he was not to blame thus acquitting him of murder. Therefore it cannot be argued that the monster is bad because he was not in control of himself. It cannot be argued that the monster is bad because of murder because he was not in control. Also the monster showed emotions synonymous with being a good person. These emotions include remorse, compassion, and friendliness among others. This shows the monster to be without a doubt good. The real monsters are the people who led the monster to commit murder by treating him poorly. This mirrors countless real world situations such as school shootings, perhaps the shooting in Columbine when a few students were out casted, then they committed a massacre in the school. The same principle of an outcast with the mind of a child, with power, in the case of columbine, guns, killing many because he or she was out casted is apparent in the book Frankenstein as it was in other shootings. Works Cited Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley. Harlow: Pearson Education, 2012. Print.