What the main factors of party choice were in the visegrad countries Assignment

What the main factors of party choice were in the visegrad countries - Assignment Example Voters then cast their votes not on the base of political parties but rather on the performance of their leaders that could be categorized as clientelistic and leader centered political culture compared to a majoritarian or consensus-oriented political system. It can be contrasted to Czech Republic where it manifests an extreme party-centric behavior of its voters. This can be attributed to their highly organized political parties as it manifests strongest ideological voting than the Nordic countries or the Netherlands. Unlike in Hungary where voters casts their ballots based on the performance of their leaders, Czech Republic on the other hand vote base on party ideology regardless of its leaders. This can also be partially attributed to the retention of orthodox communist party in the electoral arena making the electorate ideologically conscious. Poland on the other hand is neither of the two and this can be attributed to its highly fragmented political parties and institutional design whereby its institutions are closest to the consensus democracy type. The combination of diaspora among its political centers and consensus base political system among its political parties made it the only European country that is similar to that of the hybrid type constituted by Mexico and United States compared to Scandinavian-Israeli-Czech end-point differentiation. This results to a voting pattern that shows variance from the other countries in Visegrad such as Czech Republic and Hungary (Slovakia is not extensively covered in the study). Slovakia may not have been extensively covered in the study but its political system shares the same attribute with Poland which is also highly fragmented where its numbers are â€Å"excessive†. Thus, one can surmise that Slovakia will tend to be more consensus type in its voting pattern inferring to the factor that

Principles of Assessment Essay Example for Free

Principles of Assessment Essay Educational assessment is the process of documenting, usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs. Assessment can focus on the individual learner, the learning community (class, workshop, or other organized group of learners), the institution, or the educational system as a whole. According to the Academic Exchange Quarterly: Studies of a theoretical or empirical nature (including case studies, portfolio studies, exploratory, or experimental work) addressing the assessment of learner aptitude and preparation, motivation and learning styles, learning outcomes in achievement and satisfaction in different educational contexts are all welcome, as are studies addressing issues of measurable standards and benchmarks. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Educational_assessment Some of the key concepts of assessment are as follows: * Accountability * Achievement * Assessment Strategies. * Initial, Formative or Summative types Accountability means that I am answerable to my learners and my organisation to ensure that I am performing my role as an assessor correctly. I always let my learners know when they are going to be assessed and how they will meet the criteria. Achievement- I will look at what the learner has achieved while they have been doing the course and compare this with the standards to ensure they have been fully met. Assessment Strategy- I follow my organisations assessment strategy for the subject I am assessing to ensure I am carrying out my role correctly. The assessment strategy I follow for NVQ2 in Cleaning is: * UPK questions * Observations * Progress Review * Supplementary questions * Exit Interview. The qualifications and experience I require are A1 V1 and experience in the cleaning industry. Formal Assessment * Ongoing during a course * It enables progress to be regularly monitored and reviewed * The student can see what they need to develop further before a final assessment * A student can identify gaps in their learning * It shows a student how much they have learnt so far which encourages and motivates them Methods of Formal Assessment. * Tracking Sheet * Observations * Tutorials * Midway Review * Oral Questions Summative Assessment * Usually taken at the end of the course * Usually leads to a pass/fail situation * Tests whether performance criteria have been met Methods of Summative Assessment * Exit Interview * Portfolio Completion * Demonstration * Summative Testing * Evaluation Form â€Å"Summative assessment takes place at the end of a course or topic and is used mainly for certification purposes. It is used to see if a student has learned the material and is capable of going on to further study. † Formative assessment is most suitable where the results are to be used internally for example: Teachers to ensure learning has taken place and for improving methods of instruction and for students to have an idea of their success etc whilst summative assessment can be set by the teacher or by an awarding body/examination body. When making a summative decision I confirm to my learners that they have met the criteria. They may receive a certificate as with NVQ2 or progress further with their training. Summative assessment takes place at the end of a course or topic and is used mainly for certification purposes. Formative assessment, on the other hand, takes place during the course and is useful in telling the student how the learning is proceeding. Reece Walker 2007p323. STRENGTHS WEAKNESSESS Formative Assessment Formative Assessment Role Play Make learners uncomfortable Physical demonstration of ability Embarrassed Not Realistic Summative Assessment Summative Assessment Demonstration Make learners feel uncomfortable Authentic Realistic Valid The assessment practice starts with initial assessment before the course starts. It may happen at pre- entry, entry or induction stage. The initial assessment will inform you about the learner’s prior knowledge, skills, qualifications, learning styles and any support learner may need. When you have found out the current level of ability you can then set goals, plan future learning and assessment. There are different types of initial assessment: Enrolment Form- shows what qualifications the learner has if they have special needs. Interview when you interview the learner you will be able to ask many questions. Skills Scan the skills scan will tell you if the learner is in employment what there job requires and if they will need additional training. Diagnostic Tests will inform you if the learner has difficulty in reading or writing. You may be able to tell if a person has dyslexia as they will have blurred vision, suffer from headaches when reading and they find it easier to read large print. To help them with reading you can print on to coloured paper or have a coloured overlay. 10% of the British population are dyslexic, 4% severely. Dyslexia is identified as a disability as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. Some of the famous people who suffer from dyslexia are: Albert Einstein Tom Cruise Henry Winkler. Vince Vaughn (British dyslexia Association www. bdadyslexia. org. uk, (11/07/11 I have taught learners who have learning difficulties including deaf people, people who have difficulty in reading and writing and understanding. ILP It states on the ILP what qualifications a learner has, the results of diagnostic tests and if they require additional support, what units they are doing, midway review and exit interview. Learning styles is recognising individuality in your class it is the way in which learners begin to concentrate on and process and retain new and difficult information. There are different types of learning styles: David Kolb’s Converger, Diverger, Assimilator, Accommodator Honey and Mumford’s Having an Experience, Reviewing Experience, Concluding from Experience Planning next steps Fleming Vak/Varks Visual, Auditory, read/write, Kinaesthetic. Wikipedia the free encyclopaedia En. wikipedia. org/wiki/learning styles 11/07/011 Learning style is the way that you absorb information 1 We decode 2 How you store information 3 Recall information Learning style is how we receive and recall information. We can absorb information through our senses, hearing, seeing and doing. In my role I use all of the styles of Fleming. In further education if there is no initial assessment this will disadvantage the learners as they may be placed on the wrong program or course, which will lead to lack of interest and little motivation if any, they may not get additional support and the teacher will have no baseline to assess their progress. Peer and Self Assessment Self or Peer Assessment is a process whereby students or their peers grade assignments or tests based on a teacher’s benchmarks. [1] The practise is employed to save teachers time and improve students understanding of course materials as well as improve their metacognitive skills. Rubrics are often used in conjunction with Self- and Peer-Assessment. [2] http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Self-_and_Peer-Assessment 12/07/11 Peer assessment is when the learners or colleagues assess another learners or colleagues progress. It is used to develop learner’s ability to work as a group and to be critical of others work as well as receiving review and comment. Self assessment is when you assess your own progress. Both methods encourage the learners to make decisions on what they have learnt so far and to reflect on future development. The learners need to know the criteria fully. Advantages Disadvantages Peer Assessment Peer Assessment Can reduce the amount of teacher assessment. All peers need to be involved So planning needs to take place As who gives feedback and to Whom. Learners may accept comments from peers Appropriate conditions and More willingly than from the assessor environment are needed Promotes learner and peer involvement some peers may be anxious, Nervous or have lack of confidence To give feedback. Self Assessment Self Assessment Encourages learners to check Difficult to be objective when Their own progress making a decision Encourages reflection Learners need to fully understand Promotes learner involvement the assessment criteria. And personal responsibilities some learners may lack Confidence in their ability to make Decisions about their own progress What research tells us? * Giving feedback on learning errors and getting the learner to correct them and identify strategies to improve future work is directly linked to significant improvement in achievement rates. (Professor John Hattie, 2002) Assessment should involve both teacher and learners in checking and reflection. Feedback is very important not only to learners but to the teachers from the feedback teachers can decide whether they have to change anything. Feedback and Questioning Feedback is information we give our learners to let them know what they have achieved to date and how they can develop further all learners need to know how they are progressing and what they have achieved. Feedback can be both formative and summative. Formative is ongoing and includes praise and encouragement. Summative is at the end has the learner achieved to specific criteria. Feedback should be a two-way process allowing discussion and questions. Most people need encouragement to tell them how well they have done or how well they are doing when you give feedback you should give praise first then how they can improve then end on a positive note to give them motivation. This is known as the praise sandwich. http://www. google. co. uk/search? q=feedback+sandwichhl=enprmd=ivnsbsource=lnmstbm=ischei=vXQcTsrxHNKwhQepndXdBwsa=Xoi=m 12/07/11 The advantages of giving feedback are: Confirms achievement, success or otherwise Creates opportunities for explaining and discussion Highlights progress rather than failure. Helps improve confidence and motivation Identifies further learning opportunities or any action required. Feedback should be given as soon as possible after the assessment while the information is still fresh. Questioning can be used formally and informally as part of the feedback to ensure the learner understands what has been said. My response should question appropriate questioning skills so the feedback is effective to the learner. Questioning skills include: * Using open questions (usually beginning with who, what, when, where, why and how). * Using closed questions (only requiring a yes or no answer). * Clarifying (for example can you go over that again? ). * Probing (for example why was that? ) * Prompting (for example what about†¦? ) Feedback should were possible be positive negative feedback presents learners with difficult and unachievable targets or naming and making learners embarrassed in the classroom. You should never criticise always praise and if the teacher makes a mistake he/she should be honest and apologise. Record Keeping Accurate records that are taken through out a course enable the teacher and learner to continually assess the effectiveness of the teacher/learner relationship. Records indicate whether pupils are learning what they are being taught and their progression with the course, records can tell you which learners may need a little more help, and whether a teacher needs to refine any aspects of their teaching. Maintaining attendance records can give an idea of where learners may fall behind through their learning. Being able to identify learners attendance can indicate problems which may benefit from referral to other professional bodies, or a learner may be unhappy with the teaching style or the course they have chosen. As well as a register a tracking sheet of all learners names, forming columns starting with a date, the assessment and a column for a pass or refer, in cleaning you are competent or not yet competent. These tracking sheets are recorded and form part of the learner’s portfolio along with any practical tasks and also a guide for the learners to follow through their course. When learners begin their course its good for them to have their own individual learning plan as a teacher its good to have our own individual teaching plan. A session plan should relate to the scheme of work, it helps to record your aims and objectives, assessment activities and self evaluation. It can also help to assess your learners. As a teacher my responsibility is to teach and guide and assess my learners. Records can be used as a guide for learners focusing on their learning strengths and weaknesses, where they do well or could do better. There are organisational records and external records. Organisational records: * Enrolment form * ILP * Learners record of achievement * Peer group feedback * Tutor feedback * Incident report * Observation records. * Contact Logs The types of records I use are: * Enrolment form * ILP * Learners record of achievement * Observation records * Contact Logs â€Å"You need to keep records of how your learners are progressing. If you mark a test or observe a task, how can you prove your learner has achieved something if they lose their work†? (Gravells 2008p88) JOIN NOW FOR FREE RATIONALE METHODOLOGY Wishing to gain a broad balance to my teaching experience, I started working as an assessor at Swan Training Group. The following assignment will cover the following areas: Negotiating with learners Inclusive learning. Integrating Functional skills Communication I have researched all of the above and this written assignment will be a short overview of the main areas using examples from both research and personal experience. Negotiating with learners is a form of communication where cooperation is established so that the learner and tutor agree on the learner’s goals; negotiation is the process of two individuals or groups reaching a joint agreement. When you have got all the information via initial assessment at the start of the course it is important to agree on goals and actions based on the information. The learner should be encouraged through negotiation to take control and responsibility for their own learning by contributing in discussions and decisions about their learning and how this will develop. Also in initial assessment you can include tests for literacy and numeracy to see what level learner is at and if they will require additional help. In my specialist area I integrate functional skills as the learners need to use literacy and numeracy to read labels and dilute chemicals, complete upk questions, order supplies, complete holiday sheets. Inclusive learning is described as recognising, accommodating and meeting the learner’s needs of all of the students and supporting them in the learning environment. All learners are allowed to take part in their chosen subject and should be placed in the best possible environment regardless of their gender, race, ethnic origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation and age. Communication is very important and we not only communicate by speaking we communicate through our eyes, gestures and body language. There are also many barriers to communication such as: Family Commitments Lack of Resources Lack of Support. Peer Pressure Emotional Disability and many more. To overcome these barriers you must be honest with the learners if you do not know something you should tell them you will find out, be positive and enthusiastic, communicate effectively and give constructive and positive feedback. I am learner centred as I pay attention to what the learner is learning, how they are learning, whether the student is retaining and applying the learning. I like to teach this way so all of the learners can participate and differences between learners are accommodated so that all in the group have the best possible chance of learning.

Submissive and Evil Women of The Holy Bible :: Holy Bible Essays

The Submissive and Evil Women of the Bible      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Bible and the church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of woman's emancipation.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A famous 19th century feminist named Elizabeth Cady Stanton voiced this about her struggle for women's freedom. Women, considered a lower class than the men, wanted this subjugation changed. Part of the reason for the subjugation of women is that the Bible could be interpreted in many different ways to suit the needs of the interpreter. These interpretations of the Bible are in part responsible for the belief that women are of a lower class than men. The reason this belief is present in our society is that approximately 85% of Americans are Judeo-Christian. We see examples of these beliefs when we look at the church, the daily lives of women, and the media. Looking at 1 Timothy 2:11-12, we see why our religious society could interpret the Bible this way:    Let a woman learn in silence with all submission, and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We must look at the historical context of the passage. Written approximately 2000 years ago, many parts of the Bible seem outdated. The passage portrays a time when women were property and were â€Å"trained† to be weak and fragile. This stopped only about 30 years ago. Before this time, society taught women from birth to be submissive to men. What does this mean to us today? It means that although American Society is no longer training women to be submissive, the problem is still present in our belief system. Many churches do not believe that women should be part of the clergy. This is because they interpret parts of the Bible, such as 1 Timothy 2:11-12, as saying that only men should preach. In 1848, women made a retaliation to these sentiments. At the Seneca Falls convention, women (including Elizabeth Cady Stanton) signed a Declaration of Sentiments. In the declaration it states:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He allows her in church, as well as state, but a subordinate position,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   claiming apostolic authority for her exclusion from the ministry,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and, with some exceptions, from any public participation in the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   affairs of the church  Ã‚   (Declaration 1)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The people that these women fought against, including other women, believe that it is the duty of a woman to be quiet and submissive. I have experienced this anti-freedom dogma growing up in the Church of Christ community. I experience this dogma when I talk with my grandmother, a woman who lives by

Men are Becoming More Evil Essay

I believe that in the last couple of decades man is becoming more evil. Many blame the media. Then there are those who blame the increasing number of dysfunctional family and the weakening relationship between parents and children. Whatever the cause, one thing is clear, and that is men are becoming more cruel, violent, inhuman and evil. Global crime rate, for example, has shown that all countries around the world have steady increase in robbery, homicide and other crimes. The total recorded crime trends have therefore shown similar steady increase in the last 50 decades. This was reported by the United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems. Juvenile delinquency is also increasing as reported by World Youth Report, 2003. In fact, in many Western European countries, from the 80s to the 90s, statistics show that there is a significant increase in juvenile delinquency rate from 50% to 100%. Moreover, although delinquency is universal, study has shown that there are different contributing factors to delinquency among different regions. For example, in Africa, the main cause is poverty, unemployment and malnutrition. In Asian countries, it is an urban phenomenon. In some countries, especially those in the Golden Triangle region, children are used by the drug industry, thereby becoming addicts themselves. Also in this region, children are victimized by human trafficking. In Latin America, it is homelessness and poverty. Arab world, it is urbanization for the rich countries and socioeconomic difficulties for the developing ones. While in many industrialized countries, such as the US, the main factor is increase in consumer goods. What this shows is that across the globe and with different factors, delinquency is becoming a way of life for many children. Gone are the days when children are innocent. Today they grow up in a world of violence, injustice and inhumanity that they themselves become violent, cruel and evil. Their crimes can be considered most heinous. In the last fifteen years school shootings is becoming more common. Then there are children who are not even in their teens commit senseless and extremely cruel crimes, such as Jon Venables and  Robert Thompson who stole, tortured and murdered a two year old boy. Whether this is caused by the environment, the media or family upbringing, it is clear that men are therefore becoming more evil. Becoming evil of course is a process as it does not happen overnight. It means that there is hope yet for the future generations. Societies might change and evil men might repent and turn their backs on their evil ways. But until that day comes, we see man becoming more evil with each passing day.

Beowulf vs. Spiderman

Back in the seventeenth century, they had epic heroes like Beowulf, who killed Grendel with his bare hands. Now, they have heroes such as Spiderman who can shoot web from his wrist and crawl up walls. Beowulf and Spiderman have characteristics that distinguish them as heroes, some of which are found in both of them while one has characteristics the other doesn’t. During the Anglo Saxon days, the original hero was Beowulf, the supreme warrior. He had marvelous strength, not like the average being.His true bravery and his powerful will to fight to death is what people genuinely knew him for. However, in today’s society, the modern superheroes are taken as being a regular limited hero. Spiderman for instance, was not born with super powers but was bitten by a spider that gave him the power. Unlike Beowulf, who would kill his enemy, Spiderman has limitations and would not dare kill his enemy because he believes death is never the answer. They’re alike because they bo th put other people’s needs in front of their own; they would risk their lives for someone else’s.They’re also alike because during the times of Spiderman and Beowulf, there are always critics that only criticize the hero; to make them seem like something they’re not. For example, Peter Parker (Spiderman) is always taking pictures for the Daily Bugle to let people know that Spiderman is a â€Å"good guy†, but his imperial figure only wants to make him seem like he is committing a crime. With Beowulf, because he is so vital and was born with this power, average people that do not know him do not think highly of him, want to bring him down.Resolution: Today’s modern superheroes are given super powers like super strength, reflexes and agility, and to possibly have spider webs come from your wrist and have the ability to crawl up walls! But just like any other epic hero, all of them have some challenging obstacles that has altered their life in one way or another that makes them become strong and prepared to be the icon that most people look up too, while others waiting to watch you fall and fail with the city you protect. These superheroes are all somewhat similar because they fight for their people rather than for themselves and they fight only for justice!

Political Women essays

Political Women essays In 1978, only twenty-six years ago, there were merely sixteen women serving in the House of Representatives and only three female Senators in the United States Congress (Women in Congress). Currently, there are sixty-two women in the House and fourteen in the Senate, which is a record number for the United States (Women in the House and Senate). Of the female Congresswomen, forty-one are Democrats and twenty-one are Republicans while nine of the female Senators are Democrats and the remaining five are Republicans (Facts on Women Candidates and Elected Officials). Despite the fact that these numbers are at an all time high, women only account for fourteen percent of the Senate and also fourteen percent of the House of Representatives. Each one of these women are extraordinary, as they have overcome great obstacles and made immense sacrifices to achieve their goals. On October 26, 1947, Hugh and Dorothy Rodham welcomed daughter Hillary Diane into their Chicago home. The Rodhams eventually had two sons and raised their close family in nearby Park Ridge. As a young student, Hillary was very involved arranging food drives, participating in student government, and served as a constituent of the National Honor Society (Biography: Hillary Clinton). Hillary enrolled in Yale Law School after graduating from Wellesley College. It was then that Hillary developed her intense involvement in protecting families and children. While attending Yale, she met fellow law student, Bill Clinton, whom she married in 1975. In 1980, Bill and Hillary had their only child, Chelsea. Bill served as the Governor of Arkansas for twelve years. During that time Hillary founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, introduced Arkansas Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youth, and worked tirelessly on behalf of children and families, while practicing law in Little Rock. All of these a...

American Colonialism essays

American Colonialism essays When one hears the term "colonialism," thoughts turn back to the 1800s when European nations divided up countries such as Africa and imperialism reigned. However, the term is coming back into conversations during the past several years as people in the United States either fear or support the country's interventions in other countries. Depending on who is describing America's recent actions, this move toward so-called colonialism can be quite necessary and an answer to the future or one of the worst Lance Selfa in "A New Colonial Age of Empire," recaps this rising move toward colonialism over the past several years, especially after the September 11 tragedy. He stresses the increased support seen from a host of individuals as proof. For example, Max Boot, editorial features editor for the Wall Street Journal, wrote in the Weekly Standard a week after President's Bush's war in Afghanistan "Afghanistan and other troubled lands today cry out for the sort of enlightened foreign administration once provided by self-confident Englishmen in jodhpurs and pith helmets." National Review editor Richard Lowry added his support with a desire to establish a U.S.-sponsored "protectorate" over Iraq after U.S. troops oust Saddam Hussein's regime. And Sebastian Mallaby in Foreign Affairs nodded Empires are not always planned. The original American colonies began as the unintended byproduct of British religious strife. The British political class was not so sure it wanted to rule India, but commercial interests dragged it there anyway. The United States today will be an even more reluctant imperialist. But a new imperial moment has arrived, and by virtue of its power America is bound to play the leading role. However, notes Selfa, it is not only individuals from the U.S. who are supporting this push for increased interven...