Abstract
This paper examines how traditional teaching in the United States, as in other developed, industrialized nations. has been based on a hierarchical model in which a teacher has all of the authority in the classroom and in which students learn through rote drills and memorization of the facts that the teacher presents to them. It discusses how, even though some types of knowledge are best conveyed in this traditional fashion, for most other types of knowledge an non-traditional form of learning is both more enjoyable and more productive, learning. It explores one particular form of non-traditional, i.e., non-hierarchical, teaching and learning, that of constructivist teaching, which is based on the idea that learning is as natural to humans as breathing air. It shows how the goal of constructivism is an attempt to create the best possible match between the natural desire for children to learn (and their inherent skill at doing so) and the artificiality of the classroom environment.

From the Paper
"It should be clear that such a model of active learning has important implications for the process of education, for constructivist models of learning require that teachers create situations in which students are required to "construct" knowledge; that is, they are required to bring a very active mindset to bear on the problem. Thus colleges and universities should mirror natural learning situations in which cognitive development depends on active exploration of the world around one. This includes the use of discussions which will mirror in many ways the interactions that nurses will later have with their patients."

Tags:classroom, hierarchical, knowledge, students

Abstract
This essay examines the importance of Place within an America that was finding its feet following The Civil War and The Great Depression. The importance of the distinction between the American North and South is also discussed.

Tags:american, faulkner, fitzgerald, location, scott, south, space

Abstract
This paper discusses the book, "Discussion as a Way of Teaching," written by Stephen Brookfield and Stephen Preskill, in which they thoroughly describe the use of discussion as a means of enhancing the democratic environment of a classroom. The paper describes the advantages of this sort of environment for the students and for the learning process. The paper also briefly discusses ways to have a successful discussion group with students.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Discussions and Democratic Process
Benefits for growth
Preparing for Discussions
Starting Off the Discussions
Keeping Discussions Going
Cultural Aspects of Discussions
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Discussions do fail for a number of reasons, beyond lack of preparation. Hess (2005) says teachers shut them off prematurely, whether due to fear that they are losing control of the discussion, are guarded concerning the controversy that these talks may raise, or because they are just are not willing to cede the floor to the students. Hess stresses that it impossible to have valuable discussions if instructors talk too much. Not only does this monopolization prevent participants from having an opportunity to speak, it also communicates that their ideas are not valuable. In a study on how students view classroom discussion, 80 percent reported that they would speak less if they felt that their ideas were not valued (Hess and Posselt 2002). This does not mean, of course, that teachers should remain silent in discussions. Nystrand et. al (2003) found that the type of questions teachers asked accounted for the input of the students. Instructors who asked questions that elicited their ideas were much more likely to spark discussion and keep it going than asking test-like questions with one correct answer. Such thought-provoking questions communicate that the professor values what students think beyond reciting what others have said. In other words, respect of the student's thoughts plays an important role in the level of discussions."

Tags:structure, knowledge, participation, students

From the Paper
" A perfect democracy would be a democracy where everyone- the poor, the rich, the weak, the strong- get to have a say in what the government does. Wherein the supreme power ultimately rests with the people. However, this is not reality. Instead, representative democracy can be defined in two ways: the responsible model and the popular model. In the popular model, ordinary people have a great deal of freedom and ability to participate actively in government. In this type, elections express the popular will and determine policies. Examples of this model include the House of Representatives, the Virginia Plan, and citizen initiatives. In the responsible model, citizens play a more passive role. Government officials have a great deal of freedom to act on the behalf of the country as a whole. Elections here, grant popular consent and determine leaders. Examples of this model are the Senate, the New Jersey Plan, and the Supreme Court. Although the people of the United States live in a democracy that has both popular and responsible elements, democracy here has always been more denoted by the popular model. "

Tags:government, politics

Abstract
Divided into two parts, this piece is an exploration of environmental racism. Opening with a discussion on the consequences, it continues on to discuss the social and legal issues surrounding the communities suffering. The second half argues that this form of racism is nothing new, merely the evolution of prejudice and segregation.

From the Paper
"An important reason for this is the social and legal problems that often take precedence over the environment when studying these communities. Problems such as crime, drugs, poverty, unemployment and family issues have been studied in much greater depth than environmental problems, as these problems often manifest themselves much more obviously than the effects of environmental stressors.
"The environment and its problems for these communities can however no longer be ignored. Pollution is for example a major health and environmental problem for black communities throughout the United States. Few academic studies however focus on how these communities handle problems such as municipal solid-waste facilities, hazardous-waste landfills, toxic-waste dumps, chemical emissions, and job-related hazards and risks to their physical health and well-being."

Tags:environment, racism, race politics, social issues

Abstract
The paper examines ways and means for examining the human persona. These include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Rorschach Inkblot Test and self-help books read by private individuals. The author explains that the MBTI is the most wide used tool, but is one that has cultural limitations. He/She goes on to say that the Rorschach Inkblot Test is often misused, but when properly used, it is helpful in diagnosing abnormalities. In discussing self-help books, the author explains that these do not necessarily follow strict guidelines from the world of psychology, but provide individuals with information and serve a purpose that is found in the need for cultural utility and applicability.

Outline:
Myers-Briggs
Validity and Comprehensiveness
Applicability and Cultural Utility
Rorschach
Validity
Comprehensiveness
Applicability
Cultural utility
Self-help books
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Since the conception of philosophy that eventually gave birth to the psychology as a scientific domain, The measurement of personality has been the elusive goal of most branches of psychology. Assessment tests and tools are utilized that cover a variety of domains that attempt to expose the inner beliefs and behaviors of individuals in a variety of environments and situations. Within this paper, the subjects that have been compared and contrasted were the (MBTI), the Rorschach Inkblot Test, and self-help books. The MBTI is the most widely used instrument for assessing normal personality functioning, and is used in extensively within a number of domains and environments. Although the MBTI is rich in validity, applicability, and comprehensiveness, limitations exist in cultural utility. The Rorschach Inkblot Test is a projective test designed to reveal the unconscious mind and from its humble beginnings has been misunderstood and misused by countless psychologists; however, this projective test designed to reveal the unconscious mind, if used properly can provide important information with regard to the subconscious mind of the most troubled individuals. These are assessment tools used by most domains of contemporary psychology; although they have both been used and misused, they set the standard for psychological assessment. Self-help books are a contemporary phenomenon that has provided individuals with a source of information and direction that would in most cases would be otherwise elusive. Although self-help books do not adhere to the ethical principles and standards of other psychological assessment tools, they do serve a purpose that is found in the need for cultural utility and applicability. As the science of psychology begins to strive for maturity, new and innovative tools will emerge: some will be promising and some will be debunked by the rigors of the scientific process. Whatever the case, the outcome will provide answers to questions from which questions of unknown value will be derived; The result will be the trust and credibility of those who psychology strives to help the most: those who desire health and wellbeing."

Tags:personality test, psychological assessment, value of psychological testing, cultural problems in psychological tests

Abstract
This paper seeks to know whether the devil is a real physical entity or a personification of evil. It discusses demon possession, and Satan as a fallen angel, as mentioned in the Bible. It goes on to discuss moral evil throughout our history, starting with Columbus arriving in the New World in 1492, up to the present day, including Adolph Hitler, and arrives to the conclusion that the devil physically exists, not just as a metaphor.

From the Paper
"Whether the devil is a real physical entity or a personification of evil, remains a central issue in theology, particularly within Christianity. Most of the conventional Christian churches teach beliefs that they have had since the first century; the beliefs are that Satan is an incredibly evil, fallen angel who is entirely consumed with destroying and corrupting humanity.(1) They teach that he is a supernatural being that is surrounded by evil minions. The liberal Christian churches teach that the devil is not a real creature but rather a metaphor for the presence of evil in the world. Early Christian thought concluded that Satan is a being without a center.(2) He is wholly a deceiver..."

Tags:bible, christianity, evil, history, kant, metaphysics, religion, theology

Abstract
The paper relates that two authors were discussed in this course - George Posner and Paulo Freire. The paper explains that Friere is a marxist writer who defines the curriculum question and the relationship between student and teacher in terms of class struggle while Posner frames the discussion in terms of understanding that there are two elements to curriculum which he terms "curriculum consciousness" and "technique."

From the Paper
"The readings we have done, both by Paulo Freire and by George Posner, raise many questions about curriculum development and the role of teachers. Based on my personal experiences, I found many aspects of what both wrote to be very true. However, both authors left me with unanswered questions and in some ways both seemed to do exactly what they were advising against when it comes to curriculum development. In "Pedagogy of the Oppressed", Paulo Freire makes many good points. His discussion in chapter two of the "banking concept of education" rang especially true for me and for my experiences. He writes, "In the banking...""

Tags:freire, posner, curriculum

Abstract
This paper develops strategies that prevent: (a) the high rate of employee turn-over in the company; and (b) expected loss of additional personnel in the next 10 years through projected retirements. The FGD provides insights about the sentiments, thoughts, and opinions of the participants/discussants concerning the presence/absence of motivation, satisfaction, and effectiveness in working in the state highway agency.

From the Paper
"There will be a total of three (3) sessions for three different classes of employees that will be interviewed. The first session will be the group of maintenance managers and engineers, while the second session will be composed of the maintenance workers. Sessions 1 and 2 will have 6-10 participants each. The third session, however, will contain a mixed combination of maintenance managers, engineers, and workers. For each class, 4 participants will be selected, thus creating a session where 12 discussants will be participating.
The rationale behind these grouping of employees and the number of FGD sessions is to identify, in general, factors that affect employee motivation and satisfaction, as well as influences of employee retention and loyalty for the agency. The first two sessions that will be conducted (that is, those concerning maintenance workers, managers, and engineers) identifies the motivations and satisfaction of each class in relation to their jobs. The mixed group, session 3, aims to determine the relationship the agency has so far cultivated vis--vis its employees, i.e., over-all workplace environment and employee-employer relations."

Tags:organization, employee, employer, motivation, satisfaction

Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses the issue of online message and discussion boards at Universities. The writer suggests that discussion boards are only effective and secure if they are rigorously moderated, if they are established within a secure professional setting (like an online discussion board for a university English class) and if they have explicit rules and codes of conduct in place to protect people from harm. The writer concludes that online discussion boards bring people together - and that is sometimes a good thing, and sometimes a bad thing.

From the Paper
"In the internet age, it is easier to connect with others than ever before; never in history has it been so easy to develop new long-term relationships or to stay in touch with old friends - even ones who now live in different countries and who are not soon to return to the place they left behind. Still, while the internet and wireless communications can bring people together, it is arguable that bringing people together electronically is not always a good thing. To wit, becoming part of an internet message/discussion board involves opening oneself up to people about whom you may know almost nothing - save for the persona they present online. Additionally, the internet is a place that is rife with the danger of personal information falling into the wrong hands: credit card information can be stolen via phishing technology or through unscrupulous types putting up false store-fronts in an effort to get people to relinquish their personal information in the hopes of buying something online; at the same time, the profusion of discussion boards and message boards means that more people are aware of our thoughts and sentiments - at any one time - than would normally be possible, or desirable. Finally, discussion boards can become places wherein self-destructive or just plain anti-social predilections are enhanced; they can also become places wherein harassment can become a grim reality. "

Tags:privacy, discussion, boards