Teaching †Reflections, Questions, Decisions

Introduction Teaching – reflection, questions, decisions Becoming a professional and caring teacher is, indeed, a challenging task because one should conceive the main elements of effective learning, planning, and teaching with particular reference to existing social, cultural and political aspects affecting children in schools. More importantly, an outstanding teacher should be a great decision-maker and problem-solver as well because coping with children presupposes facing a number of challenges in ethical, moral, and psychological terms.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Teaching – Reflections, Questions, Decisions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All decisions and problems should be presented with regard to the current law and regulations establishing the basic teaching procedures. In addition, a future instructor should be aware of the roles he/she will take while dealing with students with diffe rent learning backgrounds. Incorporating all the above-presented components into a complex unit enables future teachers to understand what it means to become a great teacher and what the basics of quality teaching are. With regard to the discussed issues, a good teacher should take into the deepest consideration such aspects as teaching strategies and classroom management, analysis of learning environment in terms of planning and learning objectives, and assessment of existing teaching roles aimed at fostering effective decision-making and problem-solving. Main discussion Main Attributes of Quality Teaching in an Effective Learning Environment Collaborative Learning and Group Discussion as Instructional Strategies The majority of teachers often face a great variety of instructional modes aimed at ensuring students’ involvement into a learning process. Nevertheless, it is often problematic for teachers to apply for all techniques because of students’ restricted interest s and abilities, lack of teachers’ experience of using a particular instructional mode, and limitations connected to number of students in classes, and available facilities and technologies used to meet the learning objectives (Marsh, 2008, p. 164). In this regard, March (2008) and Briggs and Potter (1999) explain effective techniques and strategies allowing teachers to reduce or eliminate the above-enumerated shortcomings of a learning environment. In particular, March (2008) is more concerned with representing specific approaches to exposing information to students in the form of lectures, expository talks, and teacher presentations and highlighting their main advantages and disadvantages. In contrast, Briggs and Potter (1999) consider collaborative learning and interaction as a viable solution to solving the problems with increased number of students in class. The researchers also focus on the productivity and benefits of working in teams where diversity and acquisition of various skills and abilities is highly emphasized (Briggs and Potter, 1999, p. 255). With regard to the theoretical concepts and frameworks put forward by the scholars, future teachers should strike the balance while selecting specific techniques in delivering information and pay attention to the limitation factors while learning and planning the curriculum.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Questioning Classifications as an Essential Instructional Tool Beside the necessity to analyze the types of information delivery, teaching also involves proper analysis of knowledge that students have achieved at the end of the course. In this regard, questioning is one of the methods for evaluating the level of knowledge and skills being acquired. According to Whitton et al. (2004), there are different classifications of questions contributing to checking students’ knowledge and evaluating their skills, such as psycho-social and pedagogical, analytical, and evaluative, or empirical, and open or closed questions. Incorporating all these types of questions, a teacher will manage to cover and assess the full potential of a student. Each lesson should be followed by a questionnaire; teachers are even encouraged to apply to questions at the beginning of the lesson as a brainstorm activity. Therefore, the quality of composed questions influences greatly on defining the actual students’ level of proficiency. Philosophy of Constructivism and Constructivist Teaching While preparing and conducting lectures, presenting specific talks and explaining different notions and concepts, teacher should pay close attention to they way students think and perceive information. In this respect, some teachers prefer using textbook and worksheets for students to acquire knowledge and understand the materials while others, the adherents of the constructivist teaching believe that using empirical situations is much more effective in extracting specific concepts and ideas from logical deductions (Kamii and Lewis, 1990, p. 36). In this respect, teacher should actively interact with students to provide them with an opportunity to invent their own approaches for acquiring and understanding the new material. Problem Solving, Decision-Making and Analysis Other Instructional Modes Apart from studying the techniques of delivering information, teachers may encounter a number of other challenges. Particularly, especial importance is attached to teaching problem solving as well as the way students should approach a particular dilemma. According to Flewelling and Higginson (2003), â€Å"problems arise, problems occur, problems are encountered as the student engage (along with others) in sense making† (p. 92). To enlarge on this issue, the entire process of learning and knowledge acquisition can be perceived a change of problems and challenges to be overcome. While passi ng though a sense-making sequence, students inevitable face events, situations, and issues that include uncertainty, difficulty, and ambiguity and the teacher’s task is to provide the best solutions to these problems. Planning and Teaching the Learning Experiences With Regard to Writing and Assessment Planning Curriculum and Lessons The process of planning curriculum and lessons is very intrinsic and complicated because it entail a number of specific stages enclosed in a cycle. Grounwater et al. (2011) single out four dimension of a planning cycle making the learning process effective. Hence, in order to begin the planning process â€Å"†¦a teacher need to have knowledge of the students in the class, the curriculum area to be taught, specific details about the school and community, and in particular knowledge of him or herself† (Groundwater et al., 2011, p. 135). All these components create the next stage of the cycle that of planning that, in its turn, involves t he consideration of content, prior experiences, objectives, theoretical concepts, and practical resources. It should be noted that each item in the plan should properly explored, evaluated, and explained. Using this model of planning the lessons will allow teacher deliver information in the most accurate and appropriate way.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Teaching – Reflections, Questions, Decisions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Strategies for Outlining the Learning Objectives Planning the learning cycle also presupposes the analysis of learning objectives and outcomes, which is also of great significance for learners. In this regard, there are specific criteria for presenting the learning objectives in the most favorable way as presented by Marsh (2008), Barry and King (1998), and Fetherston (2006). All the scholars support the idea that failure to write effective learning objective lies in teachersà ¢â‚¬â„¢ inability to adequately assess behavioral patterns in terms of learning performance. Hence, Marsh (2008) suggests that evidence of achievement, conditions of performance, and acceptable levels of performance are the very behavioral criteria contributing to presenting accurate goals for the learning course (p. 132). Similarly, Barry and Kind (1998) have highlighted the main shortcomings of writing an objective with particular reference to the way students exhibit and perform rather than the way they acquire knowledge. For instance, teacher should not identify the task with the learning outcomes, but specify why students should accomplish this particular assignment. Finally, Fetherston (2006) is also congruent with the above-presenting techniques to expose information in the behavioral context, taking into consideration the circumstances under which the objective will be carried out. In whole, the effectiveness of lessons planned will largely depend on the specifics of the est ablished objectives, the context of the learning process, the number and length of the course, and accuracy and experience of teacher’s knowledge. Elements of Professional and Ethical Practice with Particular Reference to Child Protection and Duty of Care Professionalism, Teaching and the Law Focus on the quality and ‘professionalism’ of teaching is really indispensible to increasing current academic standards. Preston (1992) sheds light on historical perspectives and refers them to the contemporary development of the educational system in Australia to highlight any shifts and problems. To be more exact, the problem lies in perceiving the professionalism of a teacher as a social status but not as a measurement of teaching quality. Therefore, the concept of professionalism should be premised on the actual practice that â€Å"can improve the conditions and quality of teaching†¦and improve the work and situation of teacher educators† (Preston, 1992, p. 6 ). Aside from professional underpinning, teacher should also adhere to existing legal aspects of a learning process. Both teachers and their students should be aware of existing human and civic rights. In particular, the instructors must be on guard of social interaction and communication between peers to avoid psychological and moral pressures.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, it is a teacher’s duty to keep the learning environment safe from bullying and mobbing (Keith, 2004, p. 22). In addition, physical and verbal abuse will also be considered as a serious infringement resulting in an immediate action. At this point, teacher’s ‘professionalism’ also consists in fair and equal treatment of all students irrespective of social status. Discussing Professional Ethics and Teaching Roles ` The concept of professionalism and quality of teaching is also based on ethical aspects used by teachers. However, behaving ethical is often perceived differently due to the existing a great number of ethical theories and frameworks. In order to avoid misconceptions and uncertainty, a specific code of teaching ethics should be introduced for solving moral problems. Grainwater et al. (2011) have presented their own vision on the code of conduct that is premised on such professional qualities as respect, caring, diligence, integrity, an d open communication. These file pillars, hence, should be strictly observed by teachers while carrying out their day-to-day practice. Teaching staff should also take responsibilities for all their actions and demonstrate their unconditional respect for students regardless existing judgment and prejudice. In addition, as social and psychological environment is constantly changing a teacher should be ready to face those shifts to adjust new, more appropriate role to meet students’ expectations and needs (Harden and Crosby, 2000, p. 335). Hence, teaching roles should be constantly improved to meet professional, ethical and legal standards of teaching for creating an effective learning environment. Diversity of Learning Backgrounds and Its Impact on Learning Environment Classroom environment and proactive teaching A careful consideration of ethical and professional underpinnings of teaching specific reveals that learning background of students is not of the least importance eith er because it affects greatly the overall performance. In this respect, Wesley (1998) introduces effective ways to become a wise and outstanding teacher and succeed in increasing the learners’ potential. Among those methods are consideration of cultural and social diversity, equal attitude and respect for students irrespective of race, believing in students’ skills and talents and aspiration for introducing innovative and unconventional approaches to teaching (Wesley, 1998, p. 80). All these techniques are encouraged by March (2008) and Bennet (1994) who believe that all challenges and moral dilemmas can be easily overcome with the help of carefully selected teaching strategies. Proactive classroom management and student misbehavior: Although certain effective professional and ethical codes are firmly established in the learning environment, it does not mean that it is deprived of problems of students’ aggression and misbehavior. Such cases should also be treate d with reference to specific techniques such the one proposed by Bennet (1994) and Marsh (2008). In particular, they focus on low-key responses that might positively improve the atmosphere in the class, such as ignorance, patients, exclusive attention, and great commitment to the subject of teaching. In whole, teachers should know that if student is not interested in your subject that can be a sign that your teaching techniques are not effective enough. Conclusion The overall analysis of theoretical approaches and techniques that teachers apply as well as the introduction of professional, ethical and legal aspects of instructional mode provide a clear picture concerning what gaps a teacher should fulfill to become a real professional. To begin with, he/she should place an emphasis on students’ psychological, social, and cultural background that greatly effects their perception and attitude to the subject. Second, a teacher should have an empathy and respect for their learners whose loyalty largely depends on this factor. Finally, teacher should decide which roles they should take to adjust to a constantly changing learning environment. Reference List Barry, K. and King, L. (1998). Beginning teaching and beyond. Tuggerah, N.S.W.: Social Science Press. Bennet, B. (1994). Bump 1 – Preventing and Responding to Misbehavior through Low-Key Responses. in Classroom Management: A Thinking and Caring Approach. Toronto: Bookation. pp. 187-218. Briggs, F., and Potter, J. (1999). The Early Years of School. Australia: Pearson Education. Fetherston, T. (2006). Becoming an effective teacher. South Melbourne: Thompson Flewelling, G., and Higginson, W. (2003). Teaching with Rich Learning Tasks. Australia: AAMT. Groundwater-Smith, S., Ewing, R. Le Cornu, R. (2011) 4th ed., Teaching: Challenges and Dilemmas, Victoria: Cengage. Harden, R. M. and Crosby, J. (2000). AMEE Guide No 20: The Good Teacher Is More than a Lecturer – the Twelve Roles of the Teacher. Me dicalTeacher. 22(4), pp. 334-348. Kamii, C and Lewis, A. (1990). Constructivism and First-Grade Arithmetic. The Arithmetic Teacher. 38(1) pp. 36-37. Marsh, C. (2008). Becoming a Teacher: Knowledge, Skills, and Issues. Australia: Pearson Education. Preston, B. (1992). Teacher Professionalism – Implications for Teachers, Teacher Educations and Democratic Schooling. AAPEINZARE Conference. pp. 4-13. Tronc, K. (2004). Schools and the Law. Practicing Administrator. 26(1), pp. 22-24. Wesley, D. C. (1998). Eleven Ways to Be a Great Teacher. Educational Leadership. 55(5), pp. 80-81. This essay on Teaching – Reflections, Questions, Decisions was written and submitted by user Mckenz1e to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Sidoinne Collettes The Hand

The Hand Since the early 1900s, women have been stereotyped to be the homemaker. The one who takes care of the children, cooks, and cleans. Some women quietly take their place in the home once married, but others have ideals the marriage will be different and more equal. In Sidonie Colette’s, The Hand, the bride reformulates her opinions about gender roles in marriage during the 1920s after discovering her husband’s hand, and what it represents. â€Å"I’ll tell him not to varnish his nails† (Colette 229). The quote expresses the bride’s equality to the man, the fact that she has a say in what he can or cannot do to his nails. The young bride is very excited to be starting this new â€Å"scandalous life of a newlywed†. She believes marriage is a joyous joining of two people that begins a life of partnership. â€Å"She proudly bore the weight of the man’s head† (Colette 228). As the story moves on, she discovers this hand, the hand of her new husband, and it is â€Å"big, larger than my whole head.† She compares the hand to a king crab and a knife. She cringes at the fact she’d kissed that very hand. The wife then discovers her true role as a new wife, to be submissive and controlled. â€Å"Then she concealed her fear, bravely subdued herself, and, beginning her life of duplicity†¦..she leaned over and humbly kissed the monstrous hand† (Colette 229). As the bride’s perception of the hand changed, her perception of the man changed as well. She no longer saw him as her knight in shining armor but as an animal, who’d come to control her. She was frightened by the hand and what it represented. The setting reinforces the intrusion of her life. They are lying in their bedroom together. We think of our bedrooms as a sacred place where we can get away from anything going on in the outside world. Now she is scared in her bedroom, an intrusion of reality. The reality that she does not know anything about the man she is now going ... Free Essays on Sidoinne Collette's The Hand Free Essays on Sidoinne Collette's The Hand The Hand Since the early 1900s, women have been stereotyped to be the homemaker. The one who takes care of the children, cooks, and cleans. Some women quietly take their place in the home once married, but others have ideals the marriage will be different and more equal. In Sidonie Colette’s, The Hand, the bride reformulates her opinions about gender roles in marriage during the 1920s after discovering her husband’s hand, and what it represents. â€Å"I’ll tell him not to varnish his nails† (Colette 229). The quote expresses the bride’s equality to the man, the fact that she has a say in what he can or cannot do to his nails. The young bride is very excited to be starting this new â€Å"scandalous life of a newlywed†. She believes marriage is a joyous joining of two people that begins a life of partnership. â€Å"She proudly bore the weight of the man’s head† (Colette 228). As the story moves on, she discovers this hand, the hand of her new husband, and it is â€Å"big, larger than my whole head.† She compares the hand to a king crab and a knife. She cringes at the fact she’d kissed that very hand. The wife then discovers her true role as a new wife, to be submissive and controlled. â€Å"Then she concealed her fear, bravely subdued herself, and, beginning her life of duplicity†¦..she leaned over and humbly kissed the monstrous hand† (Colette 229). As the bride’s perception of the hand changed, her perception of the man changed as well. She no longer saw him as her knight in shining armor but as an animal, who’d come to control her. She was frightened by the hand and what it represented. The setting reinforces the intrusion of her life. They are lying in their bedroom together. We think of our bedrooms as a sacred place where we can get away from anything going on in the outside world. Now she is scared in her bedroom, an intrusion of reality. The reality that she does not know anything about the man she is now going ...

Peachtree Heathcare Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Peachtree Heathcare Paper - Essay Example Minimal time to implement the system is caused by increased instability of the system, which might affect quality of patient care (Glaser, 2001). The Peachtree HealthCare has two viable options to this challenge. This is either implementing the Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) system or a Monolithic based system. The SOA system is flexible and its implementation takes place in stages in order to reduce the risk of failure. There is a potential deal to this system though new and unpredictable in the industry. The Monolithic system is a full unification of the entire healthcare facilities into a single entity with multiple branches through standardization of the whole business. Four major commentaries exist concerning these two systems. These are George C. Halvorson (CEO), Monte Ford (CIO), Randy Heffner (service-oriented architecture) and John A. Kaster, a professor of medicine(Glaser, 2001). Personal opinion My opinion on overcoming these challenges posed by the IT infrastructure is that a clear assessment of the situation and analysis of an optimal solution should be considered. Importantly, the business model of the hospital system, its strategies and the impact of the system to the organization should be viewed critically. Additionally, reliability, security of a new system, implementation and the process of service delivery should be considered. Evaluation of the available choices to Peachtree HealthCare and focusing on particular issues to its business and IT system may provide the best solution. The main specific issues that face Peachtree include the absence of standardization throughout the various locations and related problems associated with healthcare and standardization. A business model and strategy will therefore dictate the requirements of the IT system. Hence, it’s importantto consider them first.Factors such as flexibility, scalability, cost and efficiency are vital evaluation criteria of choosing the viable IT system(Glaser, 2001). A monolithic system allows the implementation of standard procedures across hospitals with minimal chances of failure. The monolithic approach is not new compared to the SOA system hence its challenges, costs and to some level, its benefits are well known in the setting of a healthcare. A monolithic system reduces the chances of failure by reducing the risk through sticking to its schedule and resisting change. Despite this, a poorly planned system is prone to fail and thus makes even the monolithic system to be risky. Use of a monolithic system reduces risk though it locks doctors into standardized procedures thereby decreasing the quality of care. Therefore, myopinion was that a monolithic system should be implemented to remedy the IT challenges faced by Peachtree. This is because SOA system will be extremely expensive to Peachtree(Glaser, 2001). However, after reading the commentaries of the four professionals,I changed my opinion on various grounds. First, I recognized the main concern to be the resistance by the doctors regarding standardization and a new system as brought forward by John A. Kaster. He claims that the monolithic system will make surgery almost impossible while the SOA system will fail unless well planned.The use of an IT system

Family on Film Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Family on Film - Movie Review Example This paper makes a reflective analysis of the films Crooklyn and To Kill a Mockingbird in order to establish how they convincingly portray the stress permeating families and how the children in these movies deal with stress within their families. A careful observation of how Spike Lee presents the plot in the film Crooklyn confirms that the filmmaker makes crucial decisions to show how stress permeates a family and how the family deals with various difficulties. In an insightful review of the movie Crooklyn, it becomes lucid that Spike Lee has been highly effective in reflecting the stress within the family of five children and how the young girl Troy Carmichael deals with this stress. In this movie, the main character Troy is presented as facing various types of stress in her family, which consists of the four troublesome brothers and the stressed parents. All through the movie, the careful viewer comes across a brave and maturing young girl who efficiently manages various stressful moments in her daily life. It also comes to the notice of a close observer that the director makes use of arbitrary reflections and storytelling in the movie to suggest how Troy realizes the realities of life around her.

Tough Love Essay Example for Free

Tough Love Essay â€Å"If you have to make a choice, to be feared is much safer than to be loved† (46). Niccolà ² Machiavelli declared this in The Prince while explaining how to be an extraordinary leader. If leaders are feared they will be respected by their people and other countries, thus keeping justice and maintaining control. If a leader is feared, they will receive respect from their people and other countries. People will not turn against the leader, but if the people love him they would willingly take advantage of him. Likewise, if a country is in fear of a certain leader or country they would never think of turning against or taking advantage of them. As Niccolà ² Machiavelli stated in The Prince, â€Å"People are less concerned with offending a man who makes himself loved than one who makes himself feared; the reason Is that love is a link of obligation which men, because they are rotten, will break any time they think doing so serves their advantage; but fear involves dread of punishment, form which they can never escape† (46). Feared leaders can preserve justice in their country. Machiavelli declared, â€Å"†¦Hannibal†¦ having an immense army, which included men of many different races and nations, and which he led to battle in distant countries, he never allowed them to fight among themselves or to rise against him, whether his fortune was good or bad. The reason for this could only be his inhuman cruelty, which, along with his countless other talents†¦ without the cruelty, his other qualities would never have sufficed† (46-47). This leader used forms of cruelty to instill a feeling of fear in his people. His people lived in apprehension of all injustice to avoid penalty many times defined as death. People will be less likely to act out against or try to over throw their leader if they are afraid of him. Above all, one will be able to effectively maintain control over his people and various other countries. The people will follow their leader in whatever situation takes place. However, if the people loved their leader, they would not feel guilt or remorse in disobeying their leader; therefore  he does not have a complete control over his people. This could result in chaos. Armies who fear their leader will do what the leader feels is necessary or called for, in order to avoid crossing him. Similarly to what is said of his people, other countries would not attack or try to overthrow the leader. Countries would rather ally with a feared country or leader, because of this weaker countries that ally with the leader could than fall under control of the leader. Once a country, its people, and other countries fear a leader, he will have complete power over them and they would give themselves to him to avoid punishment. When the leader has control he will easily be able to uphold righteousness and justice. When one fears an authority figure it is because they know that if they happen to do wrong that authority figure will not think twice before putting us in our place or chastising us. Works Cited Machiavelli, Niccolà ². The Prince. Trans. Robert M. Adams. New York: Norton, 1992.

The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong Essay -- Literary Analysis, OBrie

â€Å"And then one morning, all alone, Mary Anne walked off into the mountains and did not come back† (110). Tim O’Brien’s short story â€Å"The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong† presents an all-American girl who has been held back by social and behavioral norms – grasping for an identity she has been deprived the ability to develop. The water of the Song Tra Bong removes Mary Anne’s former notion of being as she, â€Å"stopped for a swim† (92). With her roles being erased Mary Anne becomes obsessed with the land and mystery of Vietnam and is allowed to discover herself. Through the lenses of Mark Fossie and the men in the Alpha Company, Mary Anne becomes an animal and is completely unrecognizable by the end of the story. Mary Anne, however, states she is happy and self-aware. The men of the Alpha Company argue for virtue in that Mary Anne was â€Å"gone† (107) and that what she was becoming â€Å"was dangerous†¦ ready for the kill† (112). They did not want to accept a woman becoming something different from what women always were. In â€Å"How Tell to a True War Story† we are told that a true war story â€Å"does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior† (65). Mary Anne did not truly become ‘dark’, because to her this is not a story about war; this is a story about a woman attempting to overcome gender roles and the inability of men to accept it. When Mary Anne begins interacting with the land and the material culture of war we are introduced to her curious nature. She would â€Å"listen carefully† (91) and was intrigued by the land and its mystery. Vietnam was like Elroy Berdahl to her in the beginning in that it did not speak, it did not judge, it was simply there. Vietnam saved Mary Anne’s life. Like Elroy, â€Å"[Vietnam] was the t... ...eauty, law into anarchy, civility into savagery†¦ the only certainty is overwhelming ambiguity† (78). According to story truth Mary Anne gave into darkness and became cold, but story truth does not matter. The absolute truth is much more dark and sad than that. Mary Anne struggled to define herself in a place that gave her the opportunity. Fossie’s stubbornness and inability to accept Mary Anne’s journey, however, led to her being consumed by ambiguous darkness. Is the final truth for Mary Anne similar to Curt Lemon’s? If â€Å"[a] thing [can] happen and be a total lie; [and] another thing may not happen and be truer than the truth† (80), then maybe the final truth for Mary Anne was that she really did â€Å"know exactly who [she was]† (106). The ending of Mary Anne’s story could have been beautiful and civil to her, but ugly and chaotic to you, and that was her liberation. The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong Essay -- Literary Analysis, O'Brie â€Å"And then one morning, all alone, Mary Anne walked off into the mountains and did not come back† (110). Tim O’Brien’s short story â€Å"The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong† presents an all-American girl who has been held back by social and behavioral norms – grasping for an identity she has been deprived the ability to develop. The water of the Song Tra Bong removes Mary Anne’s former notion of being as she, â€Å"stopped for a swim† (92). With her roles being erased Mary Anne becomes obsessed with the land and mystery of Vietnam and is allowed to discover herself. Through the lenses of Mark Fossie and the men in the Alpha Company, Mary Anne becomes an animal and is completely unrecognizable by the end of the story. Mary Anne, however, states she is happy and self-aware. The men of the Alpha Company argue for virtue in that Mary Anne was â€Å"gone† (107) and that what she was becoming â€Å"was dangerous†¦ ready for the kill† (112). They did not want to accept a woman becoming something different from what women always were. In â€Å"How Tell to a True War Story† we are told that a true war story â€Å"does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior† (65). Mary Anne did not truly become ‘dark’, because to her this is not a story about war; this is a story about a woman attempting to overcome gender roles and the inability of men to accept it. When Mary Anne begins interacting with the land and the material culture of war we are introduced to her curious nature. She would â€Å"listen carefully† (91) and was intrigued by the land and its mystery. Vietnam was like Elroy Berdahl to her in the beginning in that it did not speak, it did not judge, it was simply there. Vietnam saved Mary Anne’s life. Like Elroy, â€Å"[Vietnam] was the t... ...eauty, law into anarchy, civility into savagery†¦ the only certainty is overwhelming ambiguity† (78). According to story truth Mary Anne gave into darkness and became cold, but story truth does not matter. The absolute truth is much more dark and sad than that. Mary Anne struggled to define herself in a place that gave her the opportunity. Fossie’s stubbornness and inability to accept Mary Anne’s journey, however, led to her being consumed by ambiguous darkness. Is the final truth for Mary Anne similar to Curt Lemon’s? If â€Å"[a] thing [can] happen and be a total lie; [and] another thing may not happen and be truer than the truth† (80), then maybe the final truth for Mary Anne was that she really did â€Å"know exactly who [she was]† (106). The ending of Mary Anne’s story could have been beautiful and civil to her, but ugly and chaotic to you, and that was her liberation.

Nokia’s Luxury Mobile Phone for the Urban Rich Case Study Analysis Essay

Introduction Nokia, which is known to be a luxury cellular phone, is located in Finland and is a manufacturer of telecommunication equipment, including an extravagant mobile device. It is apparent that the cellular phone, which was originated and presented by Frank Nuovo in 1997. It appears that this luxury mobile device was directed mainly for the rich, and not the normal, everyday mobile phone user. The device is appealing to many, but is not realistically priced for the everyday individual. The manufacture of this luxury phone is Vertu, a manufacturer who aims toward luxury services, including the finest designs, engineering and manufacturing. They have put together this luxury mobile phone using innovations in the making and the technology of mobile phones, along with the normal workmanship, but at high-end prices. Vertu’s headquarters are located in England and their products are in over 500 stores, across 66 countries. Synopsis of the Situation Nokia’s CEO, Stephen Elop joined the company and within 5 months, on February 11, 2011, Stephen Elop proclaimed that Nokia was implementing a new mobile phone with Microsoft’s new Windows program, which was unconfirmed as Nokia’s main smart phone. After making this announcement on February 11, 2011, the stock dropped and the share price went down by 14 cents, because the market was not interested in a smart phone that had not proved itself. With the stock dropping, Elop went full force to save Nokia and partnered up with Microsoft to manufacture and introduce a new global ecosystem in a mobile phone. The partnership led Nokia to producing the Vertu Luxury cell phone. This luxury mobile device was created by Frank Nuovo. Key Issues Because of the 14 cent share drop in stock, Nokia had to implement a plan to better their company. Nokia’s market was decreasing and this is when Stephen Elop was hired, in order to make the changes to allow the company and the product to improve. Elop decided to utilize the newer Window’s technology in connection with the mobile device. This was something that was new to the market, and the market was not familiar with this sort of mobile device technology. The problems that Nokia was facing were explained in a memo as there being an absence of leadership, along with accountability and  collaboration internally, leading to the inability of Nokia to sufficiently, effectively and timely provide innovative products to the people. Define the Problem The problem that is at hand is that Nokia had decided to take on a new technology and operating system, allowing the possibility of things going negatively and the company’s shares dropping even more, because new technology and operating systems is what caused the shares to drop, to begin with. With Nokia operating with the Symbian operating system, it left it outdated because the software was one that was definitely outdated. Apple came in with a high technology and highly updated operating system, leaving Nokia in a position where they were not keeping up with the competition and having difficulty delivering innovative products quickly enough. Selected Solution to the Problem With this new luxury mobile device that Nokia was producing, it was rapidly growing and spreading around in the luxury mobile device market. This made the device look promising along with attracting new customers. Other brands joined the growing new market, such as Gresso and GoldVish and Mobiado. Elop knew he had to do something and he solved this problem by choosing Vertu Luxury Mobile Phone. Since both Nokia and Microsoft have been popular and present for a long period of time, they were able to join forces and develop a product which was an outstanding one. Although the cost is high and the product tends to serve just the rich, this was the plan that was put into place from the start, working and operating in an ever changing area. Apple’s phones are able to be affordable and dominate its area of services, and with Nokia joining forces with Microsoft, they were able to create their luxury line for the rich. Implementation There was originally an entry level luxury mobile device, which Nokia had propelled, before the subsidiary of Nokia, Vertu, was released. This luxury mobile device was the Nokia branded 8800 Series which sold for $1,300. The Nokia 8800 series special edition was announced in 2006, with Aston Martin and then the 24 karat gold plated device came along, the Nokia 8800 Sirocco Gold, in 2007. Nokia continued to move forward and in 2008 they presented  the Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte. As long as Nokia was able to continue to enable Vertu to lead in the high-end luxury mobile device, they were able to empower Vertu.