The mpact of organizational structure on the performance and Essay

The mpact of organizational structure on the performance and profitability (Managing Across the Organization ) - Essay Example The paper includes analyzes of Good Sport’s corporate culture and organizational structure, influence of politics, power and leadership style on its performance. The recommendations are made for change management and conflict resolution. Good Sport is a sport organization aiming to reduce alcohol and drug consumption and promote healthy life style for wide target audience. The aims of Good Sport are: †highlight club's important role in the community; help clubs serve and sell alcohol with the law; reduce alcohol-related problems increase club viability; provide free ongoing education and support†. These aims and strategies have a great impact on structure and culture of the organization, its ethical and social values. Good Sport, similar to other organizations, is built out of basic units overlaid with units of executive structure. The size of units is determined by the limitations of effective leadership. In turn, these limitations depend on the complexity of both purpose and technology, the difficulty of communication, the extent to which communication is needed, and the complexity of existing interpersonal relations. Thus spans of managerial responsibility are established. Good Sport has a narrow span of managerial responsibility.

How Customer Service is provoded in business Essay Example for Free

How Customer Service is provoded in business Essay Costumer service is the ability of an organisation to recognise and consistently meet the costumers needs. Costumer service generally involves service teamwork and service partnerships so they can meet customer expectations and produce costumer satisfaction. Costumers contact an organisation when they need something, the main reasons are: * To complain * To request/ order a service/product * To obtain information * To ask for advice * To enquire about an order * To change an order or request * To report a problem to return and exchange goods * To ask for assistance or help The organisation I have chosen to study for this is the National Maritime Museum which consists of the Royal Observatory Greenwich, Queens House and National Maritime Museum. Together these constitute one museum working to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people. A customer is anyone who has the right to ask or expect a service as part of a job role; this means there are two types of customers internal and external. Internal customers are all the colleagues who need assistance to fulfil their obligations to their own customers; these include the supervisors, staff, staff teams and managers. External customers are those who contact or visit the organisation because of what it provides or supplys as it is something they need. There are a wide range of external customers but only a few can apply to each business, some businesses have a wider range of external costumers compared to other businesses, such as a supermarket will have a wider range of external customers as it will sell a wide range of goods whereas a youth club or nursery will have a smaller rage of external customers as its only aimed at a certain age group. The National Maritime Museum has a wide range of customers and provides everyone access to its historical buildings and unique collectors; as a result the customers have a wide range of needs so they provide products and services to fit their needs. On any average day the museum staffs have to deal with * People wishing to research their family history in our archives * Ship model-makers wanting advice on details of a ship * Film companies wanting to use our buildings as a location for an advert or television drama * Domestic tourists wanting a fun day out * Foreign tourists wanting to experience British history * School and college groups wanting to investigate the Museum to help with their studies. The Museum has 7 main categories of customers which have their own special needs and interests and they are the following 1. Individuals Casual Visitors Special Interest Visitors Individual Researchers 2. Families Parents along with Young Children 3. Groups Mixed age groups Special Interest and Education 4. People from different cultures with different languages Foreign and Domestic Tourists People from Diverse Ethnic and Religious Communities 5. People with special needs Blind and Visually Impaired Deaf and Hearing Impaired Learning Difficulties Physical, Emotional or Mental Health Needs 6. Virtual users who access the Museum via our website People who access the museum via the website 7. Internal customers Members of Staff who Support the Work of Others The main three types of customers the National Maritime Museum focuses on are families, disabled visitors and groups. Families are an important target audience for the museum as it is a free family-friendly place to visit; it focuses of the key needs and expectations of family audiences which are: its free the price of tickets can be a barrier for many families, especially with the costs of travel and lunches its fun and educational with lots to see and touch, like the All Hands interactive childrens gallery theres lots to do such as special activity workshops, storytelling and treasure trails its easy to get to only 20 minutes from central London, with good transport links The Museum also has family-friendly events which bring the Museum galleries to life including practical activities for 2-to-6-year-olds (weekly); trails revealing the secrets of their vast collection of objects; action-packed art and science workshops, and actors performances for all ages. Their family-friendly facilities include areas for changing and feeding babies, clean and accessible toilets, cafe and picnic areas and online activities in the E-Library and on the website. The Museum aims to increase the number of families who visit the National Maritime Museum by expanding programs of events, activities and special exhibitions for families, especially during weekends and holidays. All this makes the Museum more appealing to families. Along with individuals the Museum has also built up experience in providing for different type of groups who each have a different set of needs. Foreign language students The Museum provides souvenir guides and essential visitor information on their website in different languages. This service targets both foreign tourists and domestic visitors with English as a second language. They also have non-Eurocentric displays and events which inform customers of the history of people and cultures from all over the world. Large Groups For large groups coach parking is easily attainable, there are special discounts given to access the charging exhibitions, pre booked tickets make it easier for large groups to book easily and guided tours and talks are especially available for larger groups. Special Interest Groups At the museum there are enquiry and research facilities accessible via the library, there are archives and online sources at hand and also special curator talks and tours for all the groups that have a special interest. Corporate and Private Hire Groups There is event planning and support available for Corporate and Private Hire groups including venue hire and catering for those who want to use the museum for private hires and corporate reasons. Educational Groups The museum provides curriculum recourses and educational talks along with support with visit planning and booking. They also have a lunchroom and cloakroom especially suited for school/ educational groups. Lastly the National Maritime Museum also focuses on developing access for all their visitors and users which includes those who are disabled. It continuously tries to exceed and improve the museums facilities to meet the basic requirements of those who are physically disabled, deaf and blind. They believe good, inclusive customer service is about understanding everybodys special needs. For visitors with disabilities, the Museum has a range of access facilities as part of its customer service. o Installing new lifts and ramps o The Road Train service o Providing detailed information for disabled visitors o Providing alternative ways to access the Museum o Maintaining a policy of welcoming assistance dog They have added lifts to improve physical access around the Museum site. Members of staff are always at hand to help. The new lifts and ramps that have been installed provide flat or wheelchair access to all levels and galleries. Visitors may also borrow manual wheelchairs from admission areas. Special bookings for those who are disabled are also available by calling the bookings unit who will make any special arrangements. There is also information available online such as the availability of disabled car-parking, mobility buses and the access facilities on all their sites. It is also important that the customer information also describes areas that are not accessible such as parts of the historic buildings of the Royal Observatory. This avoids frustration and disappointment on the day. Touch Sessions for Visually Impaired Visitors are also available. They have a number of alternative methods to accessing the Museum and its collections. For blind and visually-impaired visitors they provide: o Braille Guides o Raised drawing o Magnifying glasses o Large-print guides o Tactile maps o touch packs They also run a program of pre-booked touch talks and tours by Museum staff and guest speakers. The National Maritime Museum also has a sign-interpreted talk for deaf and hearing-impaired visitors. They have installed perimeter loops in the galleries, admission areas, information desks and key audio installations. They also run a program of pre-booked British Sign Language sign-interpreted talks and events. Customer service is important to the National Maritime Museum because without customers there would not be a business. Excellent customer service results in: * higher visitor numbers and greater customer diversity Visits to the sites are increasing each year provides a public service for groups of people who dont traditionally visit or use cultural or heritage organizations like museums Has an outreach community newsletter which has news and events for communities under-represented among the visitors * increased sales The Museum generates increased income through shops, cafes and charging for special exhibitions It also supplies hiring venues for corporate events and weddings and sales from the Picture Library. * increasing public image The Museum has to compete with other organizations for peoples leisure, by providing excellent customer service it increases public image they do this using their website and leaflets * survival in terms of competition Good customer service can give the Museum an edge over other tourist attractions or leisure facilities, as they compete for customers leisure time and money. * satisfied customers and greater job satisfaction for staff As well as asking for feedback from customers and monitoring visit numbers the Museum pays a market research company to conduct surveys, the customers are asked to rate their experiences and satisfaction levels, this helps knowing the customers needs and satisfying them. The staff also takes pride in being part of an organization which delivers high levels of customer service Job satisfaction is increased by positive feedback from the customers * repeat business and customer loyalty Museum donation box Analysis of feedback and visitor surveys indicates that 94% of visitors would recommend the Museum to their friends. Excellent customer service results in strong customer loyalty and increased visitor numbers especially repeat visits. The National Maritime Museum believes that to enjoy and learn from a museums collections, visitors must first feel welcome, secure and comfortable in their environment. Crucial factors include friendly staff to greet and help, clear signage, queuing systems, gallery plans and well-maintained washrooms and cloakrooms. Improvements to these areas can significantly increase word of mouth recommendations, repeat visits and time and money spent by visitors as competition for the publics time and attention is intense.

Purpose of Phenomenological Research

Purpose of Phenomenological Research Understanding the meaning of peoples lived experiences is the focus of phenomenology (McConnell-Henry, Chapman, Francis, 2009). Phenomenology is the philosophy or method of inquiry whereby all truths are understood through self awareness (Dictionary.com Unabridged, 2006). Ascribed from the words phenomenon and logos, an implied meaning of phenomenology is the logical interpretation of a phenomenon. Phenomena refer to any observed occurrences that are understood in our minds. Whereas logos is the human ability to think and express thoughts clearly into words (Vivilaki Johnson, 2008). In the mind, phenomena are interpreted logically through the use of logos (Vivilaki Johnson, 2008) to enhance meaning and understanding of lifes experiences (Bryne, 2001). Method Philosophical Base Phenomenology can be viewed as atheoretical in that it may not use a pre-selected theoretical framework (Mapp, 2008; Munhall, 2007). The epistemological and ontological theoretical basics of phenomenology have been established for decades by various philosophers with different methods (Mapp, 2008). Therefore, a thorough understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of phenomenology is essential when establishing the methods for a phenomenological research study. When qualitative researchers explain their methods using the phenomenologist they ascribe to, this foundation allows the unique ability of examining the world from a distinct phenomenological perspective. Thus, the philosophy and theory of the method itself guide the study when phenomenology is the theoretical framework (Munhall Chenail, 2008). From a phenomenological viewpoint, the subjective experience of each person is examined for meaning and understanding, and not quantified into statistical data. While the scientific method has centered on the discovery of knowledge with little regard for the meaning of life experiences (Bryne, 2001), phenomenological studies are rising to provide insight into life experiences, particularly those surrounding health (Vivilaki Johnson, 2008). The three schools of thought related to phenomenology include Husserlian, Heideggerian, and Dutch/Urecht. Edmond Husseri, a mathematician, philosopher, and Father of phenomenology, believed the researcher should contain their beliefs and experiences through a process called transcendental consciousness or bracketing to objectively understand and describe the essence of a participants lived experience (Hunter, 2004; Mapp, 2008). The descriptive approach used in Husserlian phenomenology to explain phenomena is further delineated by van Manen (1990) into two forms, immediate and intermediate. The first form refers to the immediate lived experience and the second form is symbolic and refers to a mediated description such as text or art works, revealing greater analysis (van Manen, 1990). In contrast to Husseri, Martin Heidegger, a pupil of Husseri, meshed hermeneutics with phenomenology possibly due to his early theological background. He believed the researcher used previous beliefs and experiences to interpret the participants experience. Heidegger contended that being-in- the-world made it virtually impossible to bracket beliefs because the researchers prior knowledge, or fore-structure, would facilitate understanding the meaning of lived experiences(Mapp, 2008; McConnell-Henry, et al., 2009). There are two features in the interpretative approach used in Husserlian phenomenology. One part points to what the lived experience reveals and the other part points out the meaning of something already interpreted such as art work or text (van Manen, 1990). Both philosophical views, descriptive and interpretative were used with the Dutch/Urecht school of thought (Mapp, 2008; McConnell-Henry, et al., 2009). The philosopher, van Manen, believed the terms descriptive and interpretative could be used interchangeably. He seemingly concurred with the argument that all description is ultimately interpretation (van Manen, 1990). Each of the three philological underpinnings for phenomenology may overlap their theoretical base and generate confusion. This is no surprise given that the meaning of the lived human experiences is diverse with an endless range of inquiries(Hunter, 2004). Key Assumptions Phenomenology is supported by a number of key assumptions (Munhall, 2007; Orb, 2000). Each person involved in the research study will be referred to as participants. Participants are willing to speak openly and truthfully about their experiences. The phenomenological question is a meaning question that is clear and easily understood by the participant. The therapeutic imperative of nursing (advocacy) takes precedence over the research imperative (advancing knowledge) if conflict develops. The ethical system of deontological (people are not to be treated as means) reflects qualitative nursing. The researcher will continually inform the participant, renegotiate, and ask permission as unexpected changes occur during the study to reflect process consenting. The researcher will make no attempts to engage in problem solving. It is possible for the researcher to discover and understand the participants perception and derive meaning of their lived experience. The researcher acknowledges any beliefs, biases, assumptions, or presuppositions that may that may hinder the veracity of the study. The researcher is an active medium for the voice of their participants without altering their life experiences. The sample is adequate and appropriate reflecting saturation and replication. The researcher will not generalize study results. Appropriate Situations for Use Phenomenology is widely used in various areas of research that deal with human experiences such as nursing, psychology, sociology and education (McConnell-Henry, et al., 2009). Several phenomenological nursing research studies were examined. In one study, Clarke (2009) used a reflective diary to provide transparency, self-development, and clarification of her thoughts and feelings as a novice researcher. Another study conducted by Koch (1994) examined the rigor involved in a study of elderly patients who were victims of negligence. A study on spiritual care for the ill patients without religious affiliation identified several implications for policy change to affect current nursing practice and the educational preparation of nurses (Creel, 2007). Research on experienced emergency nurses stressed the importance of knowledge and experience as key to intuition (Lyneham, Parkinson, Denholm, 2008). The final study cited the experience of advance beginner nurses employed in psychiatric facilities with limited educational preparation and the need for change in the ed ucational arena (Waite, 2006). Each of the studies examined were useful in communicating how participants view the world as they experience the studied phenomenon (Munhall, 2007). The results of the studies are most useful when the researcher allows the data to speak to the reader (van Manen, 1990). Most important, the phenomenology studies create hope. In addition, these studies can be used to liberate us from long held beliefs that cut-off the voice of a persons lived experience (Munhall, 2007). Sample Research Questions The questions in phenomenology research are meaning questions and unlike problem questions, they are not designed to be solved. Instead, the questions allow significance and understanding of phenomena. Phenomenological questions are never closed out with a correct answer. These questions remain open to provide new meaning and insight to those who hope to benefit from the response (van Manen, 1990). Phenomenological questions are questions of wonder that resonate in the heart of the researcher whereby the researcher lives the question and becomes the question by questioning over and over again until the question reveals the essence of its nature. In contrast, empirical research allows statistical data to answer the question for masses of people with no regard for the unique lives of participants. The question in phenomenological research focuses on the phenomenon studied and what the experience is really like for the participant. The knowledge derived from the simple question, what is it like? not only helps participants think and talk about their experiences, but it pulls the reader into the phenomenological description and instills wonder about the phenomena revealed and aids understanding of human experiences (van Manen, 1990). Formulating the research question has some similarities to empirical methods in that the research question is formulated according to the chosen philosopher and the aim of the study. For example, if Heidegger is the philosopher, then the question will focus on being in the world. As an example, the question would reflect the experience the being is in and ask: What does it mean to be a human being and have this experience (Munhall, 2007)? According to Munhall (2007), it is imperative that meaning be the primary focus of the study. Sample questions that focus, reflect meaning, and understanding of the phenomenon are as addressed (McConnell-Henry, et al., 2009; Munhall, 2007; van Manen, 1990). What is/are meaning(s) in this experience or phenomenon? What is being described here? What is it like to be a person having this experience? What is it like for those surrounding the person? How is the phenomenon reflected and manifested in human relationships? What is the evolving meaning(s) that surrounds the phenomenon over time and how does this manifest itself in human experience? What is the nature of the lived experience? What does it mean to be a . . . ? What does this . . . mean to you and what do you mean to this . . . ? What does this really mean? Data Analysis Most Common Methods Unlike empirical research, there is no method of procedures that are quickly understood and mastered when conducting phenomenological research (Munhall, 2007). Phenomenology with its emphasis on understanding the lived experience does not lend itself to specific steps in an effort to protect the veracity of the phenomenon (Groenewald, 2004). Description of methods are not designed to be linear procedural steps, but rather a way to understand the approach to phenomenological research (Munhall, 2007; vanManen, 1990). According to van Manen (1990), methods cannot be fixed, but as questions arise during the research, methods may be either discovered or invented. Munhall (2007) purposed a two-fold purpose for developing a phenomenological method of inquiry. Her first intent was to aide students and colleagues in various efforts such as novice researcher understanding, preparation for dissertation proposals, institutional review board approval, and grant applications. Secondly, she wanted qualitative research established with the same credibility and respect as the scientific method (Munhall, 2007). Munhall (2007) derived her analysis method from the work of van Manen. The main philosophical difference between Munhall and van Manen is that Munhall views phenomenological research as a problem solving agent that can effect change in policy and practice. In addition, she believes phenomenological research results can augment the capacity for caring and compassion, and enhance awareness of unknown and erroneous information (Munhall, 2007). An overview of the methods for phenomenological inquiry and data analysis described by Munhall (2007) is compared to the different phenomenological approaches. Table 1 depicts the similarities of three common methods, descriptive/interpretative (van Manen, 1990), descriptive (Waite, 2006), and interpretative hermeneutics (Crist Tanner, 2003). How Results Are Usually Presented Results are written in a narrative format and condensed into a summary of major interpretations. The narrative should reflect the most meaningful aspect of the research study that could shed light on the problem studied and potentiate social change. Participants are generally asked to read the summary to verify the meaning of their lived experiences. Understanding the lived experiences of the people in the world in which they live can have powerful implications for issues such as non-adherent behaviors (Munhall, 2007). Munhall (2007) purports that non-adherent behavior results from not understanding the patient and the meaning of a behavior to the patient. Findings from phenomenology studies should be disseminated to give voice to the lived experiences of the participants (Munhall, 2007). The thrust of phenomenology is to give birth to the ideas of others (Vivilaki Johnson, 2008). Phenomenological research studies are rooted in caring about the experiences of participants and the desire to make a difference. The question upon the completion of the study is So what? These studies command interventions for change that are viable and designed to make a difference (Munhall, 2007).

Information processing and cognitive development Essay -- essays resea

Information Processing and Cognitive Development   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Information processing is a perspective (approach) to the study of cognition and cognitive development in which the mind is likened to a computer. However, rather than focusing on mere input and output, psychologists who adhere to this approach place specific emphasis on the processes of cognitive development. Cognitive perspectives examine development in terms of mental processing. The two major views within this subject are cognitive developmental theory and information processing theory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Theorists claim that our cognitive processes are like that of a computer. They have used this as a model to break down the process of the human thinking processes and cognitive performance. When you receive some stimuli through your senses, your brain puts this information into the sensory store. Then the information is placed into short term memory. If the information is not encoded from short term memory to long term memory, the information is lost. However, once in long term memory the information is ready for retrieval (Cook). It is important to understand some of the key assumptions of this approach, including the emphasis on, the role of the knowledge base in cognitive development; the conceptualization of thinking as involving distinct processes executed over time, and the ways in which change in the system can occur (Miller).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is a fact th...

Dream Children

An Analysis of Lamb’s Dream Children Or Charles Lamb as a Romanticist Charles Lamb was a famous English prose-writer and the best representative of the new form of English literature early in the nineteenth century. He did not adhere to the old rules and classic models but made the informal essay a pliable vehicle for expressing the writer’s own personality, thus bringing into English literature the personal or familiar essay. The style of Lamb is gentle, old-fashioned and irresistibly attractive, for which there is no better illustration than Dream Children: A Reverie. From the analysis of this essay we can find Lamb’s characteristic way of expression. Dream Children records the pathetic joys in the author’s unfortunate domestic life. We can see in this essay, primarily, a supreme expression of the increasing loneliness of his life. He constructed all that preliminary tableau of paternal pleasure in order to bring home to us in the most poignant way his feeling of the solitude of his existence, his sense of all that he had missed and lost in the world. The key meaning of the story shows the beauty that resides in sadness. There are remarkable writing techniques to achieve such an effect. Through the stylistic approach to Dream Children, we can see that Charles Lamb is a romanticist, seeking a free expression of his own personality and weaving romance into daily life. Without a trace of vanity of self-assertion, Lamb begins with himself, with some purely personal mood or experience, and from this he leads the reader to see life and literature as he saw it. It is this wonderful combination of personal and universal interests, together with Lamb’s rare old style, which make the essay remarkable. 1 Lexical Feature 1. Old-fashioned but elegant diction Lamb prefers to use archaic words in order to reach a certain distance between the author’s real life and his whimsies, such as: (1) and how in her youth she was esteemed the best dancer (esteemed here means admired, respected) (2) here Alice's little right foot played an involuntary movement, till, upon my looking grave, it desisted (desisted here means topped doing) (3) and how the nectarines and peaches hung upon the walls, without my ever offering to pluck them (pluck, also a poetic word, here means pick) (4) he had meditated dividing with her, and both seemed willing to relinquish them for the present as irrelevant (meditated here means thought, and relinquish means give up) 2. Repetition of the word here When regarding for beautiful things and fine actions, Lamb does not f orget to show to the readers the pictures of the children–real children until the moment when they fade away. He repeats the word here altogether eight times, to portray the children’s response. For example: (5) Here Alice put out one of her dear mother's looks (6) Here John smiled, as much as to say, â€Å"that would be foolish indeed. † With this repeating word, we can see these children almost as clearly and as tenderly as Lamb saw them. If we take the essay’s main purpose into account, we will find the more real they seem, the more touching is the revelation of the fact that they do not exist, and never have existed. Sentence Feature 2. 1 Loose structure and post-modification Generally speaking, the tone of this essay is relaxed and comfortable, which can be attributed to Lamb’s use of loose structure and post-modification. Let’s study the sentence below: (7) Children love to listen to stories about their elders, when they were children; to stretch their imagination to the conception of a traditionary great-uncle, or grandame, whom they never saw. If ap plied to daily communication, the former part of this sentence seems tediously long. However, here it gives us a sense of comfort and enjoyment, for in the essay it causes our sympathy with the author of the fondness of innocent children. Therefore, we do not feel weary. 2. 2 Cohesion Sentences in Dream Children are long, sometimes containing more than eighty words in one. The author makes them cohesive with the help of coordination, conjunctions, as well as some adverbs. For instance: (8) Then I went on to say, how religious and how good their great-grandmother Field was, how beloved and respected by everybody (Adverb then and the coordination how†¦how†¦how†¦ here function as cohesive devices. (9) but still she lived in it in a manner as if it had been her own, and kept up the dignity of the great house in a sort while she lived, which afterwards came to decay, and was nearly pulled down, and all its old ornaments stripped and carried away to the owner's other house, where they were set up, and looked as awkward as if some one were to carry away the o ld tombs they had seen lately at the Abbey, and stick them up in Lady C. ‘s tawdry gilt drawing-room. (Conjunction and here functions as a cohesive device. 3 Article Feature 3. 1 Narration enlivened by depiction of the children. As is illustrated in sentence (5) and (6), the author’s narration of the great-grandmother and his brother is enlivened by a certain depiction concerning the children. Incidentally, while preparing his ultimate solemn effect, Lamb has inspired us with a new, intensified vision of the wistful beauty of children–their imitativeness, their facile and generous emotions, their anxiety to be correct, their ingenuous haste to escape from grief into joy. This vision gives us an impression that they seem real, thus makes the revelation in the end touching and pathetic. 3. 2 Unexpected ending Dream Children begins quite simply, in a calm, narrative manner, representing Lamb as sitting by his fireside on a winter night telling stories to his own dear children, and delighting in their society, until he suddenly comes to his old, solitary, bachelor self, and finds that they were but dream-children. In the end of the essay, we read: (10) that I became in doubt which of them stood there before me, or whose that bright hair was; and while I stood gazing, both the children gradually grew fainter to my view, receding, and still receding till nothing at last but two mournful features were seen in the uttermost distance, which, without speech, strangely impressed upon me the effects of speech; â€Å"We are not of Alice, nor of thee, nor are we children at all. The children of Alice called Bartrum father. We are nothing, less than nothing, and dreams. We are only what might have been, and must wait upon the tedious shores of Lethe millions of ages before we have existence, and a name. † Reflecting upon the essay, we will surely be obsessed by the beauty of old houses and gardens and aged virtuous characters, the beauty of children, the beauty of companionships, the softening beauty of dreams in an arm-chair–all these are brought together and mingled with the grief and regret which were the origin of the mood. 4 Rhetorical devices Lamb introduces some rhetorical devices to make his essay vivid and profound, such as: (11) and how the nectarines and peaches hung upon the walls, without my ever offering to pluck them, because they were forbidden fruit, unless now and then (metaphor) (12) till I could almost fancy myself ripening too along with the oranges and the limes in that grateful warmth (empathy) Lamb’s use of Humor and Pathos in Dream Children/ Pathetic beauty presented by Lamb From 1820 through 1825 he contributed a series of essays to the  London Magazine  which were immensely popular. Though he wrote under the pseudonym Elia, these essays, like his letters, are intimate revelations of Lamb's own thoughts, emotions, and experiences of literature and life. He touches on few disturbing subjects. He prefers instead to look to the past for a sense of calm, stability, and changelessness. Yet beneath the wit, humor, and humanity of such essays as â€Å"A Dissertation upon Roast Pig,† â€Å"Witches and Other Night-Fears,† and â€Å"Dream Children,† one finds a gentle  nostalgia  and  melancholy. This bitter-sweet  tone remains the  hallmark  of Lamb's style. Bunyan once said â€Å"Some things are of that nature as to make One’s fancy chuckle while his heart doth ache†. The nature of things mostly appeared to Lamb in that way. Lamb does not frolic out of lightness of heart, but to escape from gloom that might otherwise crush. He laughed to save himself from weeping. In fact, Lamb’s personal life was of disappointments and frustrations. But instead of complaining, he looked at the tragedies of life, its miseries and worries as a humorist. Thus his essays become an admixture of beauty and pain as well as humour and pathos. Examples of his keen sense of humour and pathetic touches are scattered in all of his essays. Let’s focus our discussion on Dream Children: A Reverie. In Lamb’s  writing  wit, humour and fun are interwoven and it is humour which is most notable for its extreme sensitiveness to the true proportion of things. Lamb often brings out the two sides of a fact and causes laughter at our own previous misconceptions. Therefore it borders on the painful realization. Thus his humour is very nearly allied to pathos. They are different facets of the same gem. In his essay Dream Children: A Reverie Lamb talks of personal sorrows and joys. He gives expressions to his unfulfilled longings and desires. He readily enters into the world of fantasy and pops up stories in front of his dream children. He relates his childhood days, of Mrs. Field, his grandmother and John Lamb, his brother. He describes how fun he had at the great house and orchard in Norfolk. Of his relations he gives us full and living pictures – his brother John is James Elia of My Relations, but here is John L-, so handsome and spirited youth, and a ‘king’. John was brave, handsome and won admiration from everybody Charles’ grandmother Mrs. Field is the other living picture. She was a good natured and religions – minded lady of respectable personality. Narrator’s sweet heart Alice Winterton is the other shadowed reality. The dream children, Alice and John are mere bubbles of fancy. Thus Lamb’s nostalgic memory transports  us back to those good old days of great grandmother Field. But even in those romantic nostalgia the hard realities of life does not miss our eyes. Death, separation and suffering inject us deep-rooted pathos in our heart. Whereas Mrs. Field died of cancer, John Lamb died in early age. Ann Simmons has been a tale of unrequited love story of Charles Lamb. Notably the children are millions of ages distant of oblivion and Charles is not a married man but a  bachelor  having a reverie. In his actual life Lamb courted Ann Simmons but could not marry her, he wanted to have children but could not ha ve any. Thus he strikes a very pathetic note towards the end of his essay when he puts the following word into the mouths of his imaginary children, â€Å"we are not of Alice, nor of thee, nor are we children at all †¦ We are nothing, less than nothing, dreams. We are only what might have been†. Alice is here no other that Ann Simmons the girl Lamb wanted to marry, but failed to marry her. In fact, the subtitle of the essay – ‘A Reverie’ which literally means a daydream or a fantasy – prepares us for the pathos of the return to reality although the essay begins on a deceptively realistic note. Although Dream Children begins on a cheerful note, the dark side of life soon forces itself upon Lamb’s attention and the comic attitude gives way to melancholy at the end of the essay. Throughout the essay Lamb presents his children in such a way that we never guess that they are merely figments of his imagination – their movements, their reactions, their expressions are all realistic. It is only at the end of the essay that we realize that the entire episode with his children is a daydream. We are awakening by a painful realization of the facts. Lamb’s humour was no surface play. In fact, Lamb’s humour and pathos take different shapes in different essays. Sometimes it is due to his own unfulfilled desires, sometimes it is due to the ill-fortunes of his relatives and friends and on some other occasions it is due to his frustration in love etc. If his ‘Poor Relations’ begins humorously of a male and female poor relation, he later gives us a few pathetic examples of poor relations who had to suffer on account of poverty. Again in his ‘The Praise of Chimney Sweepers’ Lamb sways between humour and pathos while describing the chimney sweepers. Similarly the essay ‘Dream Children’  is a beautiful projection of Lamb’s feelings and desire to have a wife and children of his own. It is humorous that in his dream he is married and has two children of his own while he had a disheartening frustration in love. Thus Lamb has painted both the lights and shades of life in full circle. His is the criticism of life in pathos and humours Why is the essay entitled â€Å"Dream Children†? Ans: Charles Lamb entitled the essay â€Å"Dream Children† because he never married and naturally never became the father of any children. The children he speaks of in the essay were actually the creations of his imagination or fancy. 2. Who was Field? How does Lamb present her before his dream children? Ans: Field, pseudonym for the actual person, was Lamb’s grandmother. Lamb presents her as an ideal grandmother in an imaginary and inflated way before his â€Å"dream children†Ã¢â‚¬â€she was extremely pious, fearless and compassionate person besides being the best dancer of the area in her youth. 3. Why is the essay entitled â€Å"A Reverie†? Ans: The essay is subtitled as a ‘reverie’ because Lamb  never married and so he never had children. In the essay he created an imaginary picture of a happy conjugal life—a picture which finally dissolves into nothing as he comes back to reality. 4. How does Lamb present his brother John L—? Ans: Lamb’s elder brother, John L—in his youth was a handsome, high-spirited, strong and fearless person. He loved Lamb very much. But subsequently in his old age he became lame-footed and spent the rest of his life in utter hopelessness, irritation and pain. . Whom does Lamb refer to as â€Å"faithful Bridget† by side? Ans: Lamb had a sister, Mary Lamb, who did not marry since she had attacks of insanity. She has been referred to here as â€Å"faithful Bridget† because she never married and was Lamb’s only companion in his life. At the sudden breakdown of his reverie, he finds her s eated by his side. 6. What, according to you, is the most striking feature of the essay and why? Ans: The chief characteristic feature of the essay is the author’s mingling of pathos and humour. Lamb begins the essay in somewhat deceptive fashion, describing the incidents, full of humour. But gradually he reduces the tone towards the end describing the tragedies of his personal life. 7. How does Lamb present the autobiographical elements in the essay? Or, Why is the essay called a personal essay? Or, What type of essay is Dream Children? Ans: Dream Children is a personal essay. Lamb presents the characters and incidents from his own life—the sketches of his grandmother, Field, his brother—John Lamb, his sister—Mary Lamb, his tragic love-affairs with Ann Simmons. But Lamb is always playing with facts and fictions and transforms the real into the literary. 8. How does Lamb show his knowledge of child psychology? Ans: It is surprising that without ever having children Lamb had acute sense of how children react to the happenings in the world of the adults. By deceptively referring to the meticulous reactions of his dream children, he succeeds in catching the reader immediately. The aesthetic impact of the essay becomes more effective for this reason. 9. â€Å"†¦ till the old marble heads would seem to be live again†¦ o be turned into marble with them†Ã¢â‚¬â€Where does the expression occur? Explain the context. Ans: Lamb told his â€Å"dream children† that in his boyhood he would enjoy rambling in and around the great country house in Norfolk. He would gaze at the twelve marble busts of Caesars in such an intensely meditative way that it seemed to him after some time that those were coming back to life again, or that he w ould be himself transformed into marble with them. 10. Where does the expression â€Å"busy-idle diversion† occur? What does the author mean by this? Ans: Lamb told his â€Å"dream children† that in his boyhood he would enjoy rambling in and around the great country house in Norfolk more than the sweet fruits of the orchard. He would remain busy with this though he had no work to do. 11. â€Å"When he died though he had not been†¦ died great while ago†. Who is referred to as ‘he’? Why is he spoken of? Ans: Lamb loved his brother John L— very much. But very shortly after his death it seemed to him that death had created such an immeasurable vacuum in his life that it made impossible for him to comprehend the significance of the difference between life and death. 2. â€Å"†¦ such a distance there is betwixt life and death†Ã¢â‚¬â€Explain the significance of the line in light of the context. Ans: the immediate absence of his brother John Lamb created by his death forced Lamb to feel the gulf the difference between life and death. He understood that death created a permanent absence a s the dead cannot be restored to life. Again, death is unknowable and Lamb was forced to reflect on his brother’s absence in this way. 13. â€Å"†¦ the soul of first Alice looked out at her eyes with such reality of re-presentment that I came in doubt†Ã¢â‚¬â€Who was Alice? What does the word ‘re-presentment’ mean here? Ans: In the course of his day-dreaming when Lamb looked at his dream-daughter, her physical resemblance reminded him of his dream-girl Alice W—n, a fictitious name for Ann Simmons who did reciprocate his love. 14. â€Å"But John L—(or James Elia) was gone forever†Ã¢â‚¬â€Who was James Elia? Why does the author say this? Ans: At the end of his day-dreaming Lamb coming back to reality finds his sister (Bridget) Mary Lamb by his side; but he realises and remembers that his brother James Elia or John Lamb had died and would no more be with them. So he laments his loss thus. 5. â€Å"Here Alice put out one of her dear mother’s looks, too tender to be called upbraiding†Ã¢â‚¬â€What does the word ‘braiding’ mean here? What makes Alice react thus? Ans: While describing the great country house in Norfolk, lamb tells his â€Å"dream children† that the chimney piece of the great ha ll was decorated by the curving of the story of Robin Redbreasts. At the information  that a foolish person pulled it down, Alice’s countenance changed, which suggested that it should not have been done. The word ‘braiding’ here means castigation or censure. 16. How does Lamb record Alice’s reactions to his story-telling? Ans: While listening to Lamb’s personal tale, Alice reacts firs by spreading her hands when Lamb says how good, religious and graceful person Field had been. Alice reacts to it either in great astonishment or putting up some pious gesture. She also cries out When Lamb talks about his elder brother’s pain and death. 17. How does Lamb record John’s reactions to his story-telling? Ans: At the information of the great house being stripped off its ornaments John smiled, which suggested the foolishness of the work. He was trying to look brave and impress upon his father that he would not have been afraid of the ghosts like his father. At the end of the story, when Lamb was talking of his elder brother’s pain and death, John, like Alice, began to cry. Exercises 1. Give a pen-picture of Field. 2. How would you comment on the style of the essay? 3. â€Å"†¦ We are only what might have been, and must wait upon the tedious shores of Lethe millions of ages before we have existence and a name. †Ã¢â‚¬â€Explain the context. Or, What is the significance of the river Lethe here? Or, Why are the shores of Lethe called ‘tedious’ Or, Why should the ‘dream’ children wait for million years for their existence and name?

benjamin bloom Essays

benjamin bloom Essays benjamin bloom Essay benjamin bloom Essay Benjamin Bloom: The Development of American Education America is filled with a history of significant events that have taken place over time. Its interesting to learn how specific events, people, places or subjects have greatly influenced our history in ways that still impact our lives today. Because I really value history as a subject, I have enjoyed researching Benjamin Bloom and the findings of his impact on American Education. He made many great contributions in the area of education. A great deal of his research focused on the study of ducational objectives, many of which have been evaluated by numerous individuals, particularly teachers in the class room. His extraordinary findings grasped the attention of many and are still utilized today. Benjamin S. Bloom was a Jewish-American psychologist. He was born in Lansford, Pennsylvania on February 21, 1913. Bloom had attended the Pennsylvania State University where he obtained his bachelors and masters degree in 1935. Upon doing so, he then moved to the University of Chicago where he completed his Ph. D. n education in 1942 and served as a member of the Board of Examinations. In 1944, he was appointed as the Instructor of Educational Psychology. Bloom died at the age of eighty six at his home in Chicago on September 13, 1999. He was survived by his wife and two his two sons, David and Jonathan. Bloom was a well known educational theorist and teacher. Together with a group of cognitive psychologists at the University of Chicago, Bloom developed his theory on taxonomy and his book of Taxonomy of Educational Objectives Handbook 1: The Cognitive Domain was published in 1956. His theory of taxonomy however is his most significant work. It promoted the concept that any any given task favors one of three psychological domains; cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. The cognitive domain deals with the ability to process and utilize information in a meaningful way. The affective domain is concerned with the attitudes and feelings that result from the learning process. The psychomotor domain involves manipulative or physical skills. Similar to Abraham Maslow and his hierarchy of needs, Bloom believed that in each of his psychological domains there are levels of learning and an individual must be ble to perform at the lower level before they can advance. The cognitive domain involves both knowledge and the development of intellectual skills. In 1956, Bloom headed a group of educational psychologists who developed a classification of levels of intellectual behavior that are important to learning. Bloom discovered that over 95% of the test questions students encounter require them to think only at the lowest level possible. There are six major categories, starting from the simplest behavior to the most complex evaluation. This multi tiered odel of classifying thinking according to the six levels of complexity is known as Blooms Taxonomy. The levels provide a basis for questioning that ensures that the students progress to their highest level on understanding. The keywords listed after the definition represent some of that tasks that the student can accomplish in each of the categories. The first level in Blooms Taxonomy is Knowledge: Remembering or recognizing something previously encountered without necessarily understanding, using, or cnanglng It. some 0T tne Keynuoras tnat Tall unaer Knowledge are: aennes, escribes, identifies, knows, matches, names. The second level is known as Comprehension: Understanding the material being communicated without necessarily relating it to anything else. Some of the keywords that fall under this category are: distinguishes, estimates, explains, locate. The third tier is is called Application: Using general concepts to solve a problem. Some of the keywords that fall under application are: apply, demonstrate, interpret, sketch, solve. The fourth tier is called Analysis: The ability to break down material into its component parts. Keywords include: analyze, appraise, calculate, criticize, experiment, question. The fifth tier is called Synthesis: The ability to put parts together to form a new whole. Key words include: arrange, assemble, collect, construct, manage, plan, prepare. The last tier, but not at all the least important, is Evaluation: The ability to Judge that value of material for a given purpose. Keywords may include: argue, assess, Judge,predict, rate, value, evaluate. In ED 205, we only talked briefly about Bloom and his taxonomy. However, when you really pick it apart and analyze all the steps, you as a future teacher begin to nderstand and assess the value of it for your children and how it can change their learning experience. I personally value Blooms Taxonomy and I believe that it is a basic process that most people use to learn and remember a new concept. Almost all projects start with an idea where students are to create their own outline or idea and then evaluate and analyze that idea. Once the idea has been applied it will help the students understand the concept, which makes remembering it much easier. According to www. pro]ects. coe. uga. edu, While it should be noted that other ducational taxonomies and hierarchical systems have been developed, Blooms Taxonomy which remains, even after nearly fifty years, the de facto standard. More and more educators are beginning to use this as a method of classifying educational goals and objectives in their classroom. Blooms Taxonomy has also been used by researchers and administrators, old and new, at any level of education necessary. This is truly what gave Bloom the ambition to link his name to all of these terms that he created in his new invention, for th ey will always be a part of his legacy, a forever widely used critical thinking tool. In class we discussed why Blooms Taxonomy is a very helpful tool to use as you being to plan your own lessons as a teacher. Some teachers may argue that his taxonomy is no longer used in todays educational world because it is seen as ineffective. Everyone has their own arguments for different ideas. The fact that I am still learning about it today and can see the impact it can have on future educators and students such as myself, I know that this critical thinking strategy will always remain in my life as well as the lives of many others, no matter what their profession may be.