Abstract In this article, the writer discusses the industrial revolution and its effects on agriculture. The paper reviews the pre-industrial history of agriculture as well as the sweeping changes within the agricultural sector during the eventful period when the manufacturing sector was being transformed by a wave of technological innovation. The paper concludes by noting how inextricably linked are agricultural change and technological change.
Abstract This paper discusses the provincial government's Agricultural Land Commission and the policies it enforces on land use in British Columbia. It looks at how the scarcity of agricultural land and the importance of food self-sufficiency, combined with competing demands for farmland for non-farm uses, convinced the government that preserving farmland for agricultural purposes was a matter of provincial interest and importance.
From the Paper "Due to increased competition and the increasing demands of the contemporary consumer, the need for establishing sustainable industries that enhance quality of life is crucial when creating a thriving local business environment. However, in recent years business development has taken a back seat to environmental protectionism in part due to the lack of suitable land for agricultural and farm use. "
Abstract Perhaps no other industry is as dependent upon variables over which it has no control as the agricultural industry is. This paper produces a cross sectional comparison and contrast of three regions in British Columbia: Cariboo region, Peace River, and Kootenay. The paper highlights how climatic factors and soil composition factors impact upon the respective agricultural sectors of the aforementioned areas. In addition to illuminating how areas that are fairly close to one another geographically can still produce astonishing climatic and geological diversity the paper also reveals how primary industries like agriculture take on new shapes in different regions because of the physical feature of the land.
Abstract This paper deals with the issue of free trade in agricultural products versus protectionism that is one of the fiercest international economic debates. It discusses the arguments of the proponents of free trade who believe in opening the global market with as few restrictions on trade as possible and those of the proponents of protectionism who believe in concentrating on the welfare of the domestic farming community. The stage at which the talks over subsidies take place is the World Trade Organization ("WTO").
Paper Outline:
Introduction
The Economics of Agriculture Some Numbers
A Comparative Advantage of the Poor
The Reasons for Protectionism
The WTO and the Prisoner's Dilemma
From the Paper "However, why do the rich countries like those of the European Union as well as the US today still subsidize their farmers to the tune of billions of dollars a year? Beginning in the 1930s most industrialized countries developed agricultural price-support policies to reduce the volatility of prices for farm products and to increase, or at least stabilize, farm income. Subsequently, in food-exporting countries, such as the United States and France, agricultural subsidies have been designed primarily to increase farm income, either by raising the long-term level of prices above free-market levels or by providing direct payments to farmers."
Abstract This paper discusses the effect on agriculture on changes in fuel costs, the market economy, and technology. It notes how changes in the external environment have affected the way those in agriculture do business and so the prices charged at the market, adding to costs or reducing them, depending on the nature of the change and the way farmers are able to respond.
From the Paper "Agriculture is like any other sector of the economy and is affected by many of the same forces, including changes in fuel use and fuel prices, the market economy, and technology. The first of these forces is in the news now as agriculture has to raise its prices to cover higher fuel costs for farm machinery and for delivery costs. The nature of the economy affects agriculture by raising prices for other goods, which also can cause farmers to raise their prices to stay ahead of inflation. New technology can be both a capital expenditure to buy what is needed and a boon by increasing production and reducing costs over all. Such changes in the external environment have affected the way those in agriculture do business and so the prices charged at the market."
Abstract The agricultural industry represents a significant fraction of the overall Canadian economy in terms of both employment and most economic measures. However, as this essay shows, this is a sector of the economy that feels under considerable pressure and is in need of government assistance. The paper also demonstrates that government assistance can be supported by the ideology of capitalism and, in particular, the type of capitalism known as mercantilism that advocates government assistance to business to compete more strongly in the international marketplace.
Abstract While the Canadian agriculture industry may not have the prominence of other sectors of the Canadian economy, such as the automotive or aerospace industries, it remains a significant element of both the Canadian domestic and export sectors. This essay demonstrates that this industry is a not only a major employer, but its health and expansion are critical elements in Canada's global economic position.
This paper is a complete research study focusing on the absorption of immigrant pupils from the former Russian Union into Israeli schools. Extensive literature review included.
Abstract This paper explains that the research is designed to examine if Israeli pupils and immigrant pupils perceive the school atmosphere and immigrant integration differently, and if immigrant and Israeli pupils differ in the intensity of their relationship in their grasp of school atmosphere and integration. The research involved 303 junior high school pupils, aged 12-15, in two schools; one school had a majority immigrant pupil population, whereas the other had relatively few immigrants. The author reports that pupils evaluated themselves in terms of their adjustment to school, their attitudes towards immigration, and the degree to which they identify with the State of Israel. The paper reports that the greater the number of immigrants in a school, the greater their sense of power, to the point where they are unwilling to pay the price for friendship with Israelis.
Table of Introduction
Theory and Literature Review
Immigration to Israel
Key Approaches to Immigrant Absorption
Immigrants? Encounter with Israeli Society
Adjustment and Psychological Difficulties in Emigration
Adolescence as a Period of Change and Transition
Culture, Government and Family in the Former Soviet Union and its Impact on Adolescent Adjustment
Adolescent Attitudes towards Emigration
Parent-Adolescent Relations during Emigration
The Education System
Priming for Absorption and the Reality
Organization of Teaching and Integration Activities that Create Difficulties for Immigrants in Israeli Schools Various Coping Mechanisms Adopted by Schools for Immigrant Absorption
Social Integration with Peer Groups in Israel
School Atmosphere
Research
Method
Research Population
Research Tools
Research Hypotheses
Research Process Description
Research and Findings
Interviews with Staff Members
Analysis of How School Copes with Immigrant Absorption based on Four Parameters
Summary ? Diagnosis of Coping Mechanisms
Discussion
Summary
From the Paper "The education system and schools were chosen to bear the brunt of this task of merging the communities because pupils spent so much time there and because of the school's influence in teaching language, the curriculum and teacher activities as well as peer pressure. The merger was formulated and implemented in the education system via the curriculum and teachers via full assimilation, discipline, adoption of the norms, rules of behavior and values held by the majority by the minority in order for the latter to resemble the former."
Abstract This paper looks at the problems that exist in today's middle schools. The paper relates that middle schools need to use strategies that will help the early adolescent adjust from elementary school to the middle schools, as well as teach strategies that will help the students be successful in high school.
Outline:
History of Junior High Schools and Middle Schools Looking at Middle Schools Changes Middle Schools Need to Be Successful
From the Paper "Why were middle schools created? What are the problems in middle schools? Educators must address these important questions. Thomas Dickinson and Deborah Butler state that the basic concept of middle schools is that of "a school for young adolescents that was based on their developmental needs..." (7). Students who enter the sixth grade are more mature than elementary students; however, the reasoning was that they were not ready to enter high school. It is important to consider this concept of middle schools, as well as the problems that exist in today's middle schools, in the effort to find solutions that will make middle schools successful."
Compares the effectiveness of two different programs, D.A.R.E and School Resource Officer, adopted in some public schools to help fight the rise of drug and alcohol abuse on campuses.
4,150 words (approx. 16.6 pages), 15 sources, 2002, $ 151.95
Abstract Schools in the United States are increasingly becoming centers of criminal activities among youth with drug and alcohol use on the rise. Parents, teachers and relevant authorities are concerned about the increasing rate of drug and alcohol use in public schools with substantial increase in violent activities on the school property. To rectify this problem and effectively deal with the issue, Los Angeles Police Department suggested a program in 1983 according to which police and school authorities would work together to curb the rising rate of crime in educational institutions. This resulted in the creation and implementation of Drug Abuse resistance program in schools all over the country. But a decade after its implementation, it was found that while DARE was a popular program; it had failed to produce significant positive results. This made some schools in the country look for alternative programs and in the mid 90s, School Resource Officer program was adopted by some schools in the country.
Abstract This paper looks at charter schools, in general, and charter schools in New Jersey, in particular. The paper looks at the laws governing charter schools and how charter schools compare with regular public schools. Also included is an interview with a charter school administrator and a charter school teacher in New Jersey.
From the Paper "The definition of a charter school is a school established by contract with a district Board of Education or the State Board for Charter that will improve pupil achievement. Charter schools are established to provide a teaching environment that is designed to improve student achievement. They provide an additional academic choice for parents and students and may consist of new schools or be all or part of an existing school. Charter schools are an alternative to traditional public schools but are themselves public schools, although they may not..."
Abstract This paper discusses school vouchers and a national voucher program. The author looks specifically at the three best known school voucher or school choice programs: the Boulder Plan, the Milwaukee Plan, and the Cleveland Plan. The paper examines whether school choice programs been a successful public policy, and concludes that these programs are either: a) failing b) not yielding enough information to make a conclusion or c) just plain unconstitutional.
From the Paper "It is clear that school choice and school vouchers have many problems, but these programs are beginning to show promise. The idea of national school choice or school voucher seems to be a disaster waiting to happen, because of the complexities and needs of these programs. The local levels are the places that can adequately implement such a program. The programs of race, privilege gap, transportation, school closures, separation of church and state, and funding need to be address. The research and data has made all of this clear, but has not made many feasible recommendation to began to amend these issues. Most researchers are saying that school choice and school vouchers needs to be forgotten as a failed policy idea, but this is the easy answer to a complex question. How do we adequately education and create opportunities for all of our students? Former Representative Fox is on the right track in looking for ways to amend these programs. Freedom of choice and competition are building blocks of our society. To turn on these beliefs is to serve a grave injustice to our way of life."
Abstract This paper describes ways to implement changes in schools, and which changes specifically need to be made in the school system today. Schools today use the same teaching styles and failings that were in practice decades ago. There are many suggestions for reforms which have been decided on but the trouble does not seem to be with the programs themselves, but rather with their application. This paper details ways to successfully initiate a process of change within the schools such as :actually assuring that one gets about to initiating the change in fact as well as in concept, make new goals for the school based on information regarding the programs success and failures, slow and firm change, and more. It gives a step-by-step detailed guide to deciding what change to make and how to make it.
From the Paper "Between federal, state, and popular mandates, schools have overwhelmingly heard a demand for change. Society is both more technologically advanced, and more sociologically varied than it was 50 or even 20 years ago when most of the programs in use today were being conceived. Many reforms have been talked about, and many schools have been ordered to implement them. Some have even tried. Despite all this, the effects of change are neither widespread nor readily visible. To the contrary, the number of at-risk students "now constitutes thirty percent of the school population" (Hord, 1990). It appears that all the best intentions in the world have left school with much the same teaching styles and failings that were in practice decades ago. The main problem, however, does not seem to be with the programs themselves, but rather with their application:
The regular demise of this multiplicity of programs led to the judgment that the innovations themselves were not effective, because they produced no appreciable student outcomes. In most cases, in fact, the programs were never incorporated into the day to day operations of classrooms and could be found in bookshelves gathering dust (Hord, 1990)."
Abstract This paper presents a research proposal that addresses the question of school choice. School choice could include, but is not limited to, choosing a different public school, choosing to home school, or choosing a private school. The paper uses literature reviews, a study proposal and a general discussion to provide a basis for the belief that such a study is timely and useful. The paper answers several questions including what the impact might be, who would make the choice and how would ability to choose change the allocation of funds structure currently in place.
From the Paper "In most districts across the nation school choice is limited to private or public. Most districts have geographic boundaries and limitations that prevent parents from sending their children to the school of their choice and they were instead relegated to schools within their areas and their districts. Recently there has been a public outcry for public school reform and some are pushing for private school vouchers."
Tags: change, reform, US, public, schools, charter, inner, city, homeschool
Abstract This paper looks at school-to-work (STW) programs, which are designed to meet the needs of a large portion of today's students - those who are work-bound as soon as they graduate high school. It looks at how many of these programs allow students to enroll as apprentices and accumulate hours and experience towards a qualifying certificate in a specific profession while earning credits towards their high school graduation diploma, as well. It supports the opposing viewpoint of school-to-work programs, arguing that education that concentrates on job training results in graduates who are less adaptable and less able to change occupations without retraining. Without training in liberal arts, many high school graduates have difficulty learning new skills and adjusting to new jobs.
From the Paper "According to the U.S. Department of Education (2001), in order to create a national school-to-work system, the departments of labor and education provide start-up grants to states and local communities. In addition, the federal government, states and communities can build on programs such as vocational education, technology preparation, youth apprenticeship, career academics, school-based enterprises, job training programs, and cooperative education to create school-to-work systems and transform learning in high schools."