Plagiarism & taking credit Essay Example for Free

Plagiarism taking credit Essay Plagiarism is taking credit for work performed by others. This type of academic dishonesty can take many forms. The most obvious example would be cutting and pasting information from a web-site and turning the paper in as one’s own work. Another obvious example would be working with someone else on a paper. If the student claims sole authorship of the paper in question, it would be plagiarism because he/she had the help and input of another person in the writing of the paper. Also, any time exact words (more precisely, strings of three or more words) are taken from an outside source they must be placed inside quotation marks and correctly cited. Failure to do so would constitute plagiarism. Incorrect citations – where one author is credited with the idea when in fact the idea belongs to a second author – constitute plagiarism. Additionally, citing a work that you have not actually read would be an example of plagiarism. Plagiarism and academic dishonesty in general carry heavy consequences. These consequences include losing marks on assignments, receiving a failing grade, losing personal integrity, and being subject to disciplinary sanctions. These consequences can have severe negative impacts on a student’s future career. Professors would not be willing to write recommendations for students who have been convicted of academic misconduct, and the university administration would be able to alert people contacting the university that a particular student has been convicted of this serious offence. These consequences are particularly serious in fields where personal integrity and honesty are of great importance. In order to avoid the charge of plagiarism, certain protocols must be followed. Whenever information or ideas is taken from an outside source, the source of this information must be cited using an appropriate citation style (such as APA). These outside sources must be cited within the text itself and in the reference list. Students must also be sure that they actually read any source that they cite in a paper. In order to ensure that this is done, students must submit the first page of any outside source they consulted in the preparation of a research paper. Students must also be sure that they do not incorrectly attribute authorship. For example, if a source that the student consulted supplied information taken from another source, the student must actually obtain, read, and cite this second source if they want to include that information in their paper. If a student has any questions about possible plagiarism on a paper, the student must ask the professor before the paper’s deadline. I have reviewed the attached documents, and I understand them.

Provision and planning for the outdoor environment

Provision and planning for the outdoor environment Discuss with reference to curriculum documentation and relevant research literature the importance of effective provision and planning for outdoor play and exploration in UK early years settings. In this assignment I am going to look at why it is relevant for effective provision and planning for the outdoor environment in the early years in the UK. Outdoor play is a vital element of young childrens physical, social and emotional development. Play is a young childs activity for learning. Therefore making the most of outdoor play is essential, providing plenty of experiences in a varied manner for children, early years settings are in a unique position to offer these, fully integrated with the indoors. The four aspects of Birth to Three Matters Framework include examples of experiences that very young children should have both indoors and outdoors. Similarly, the curriculum guidance for the foundation stage includes many ideas for taking learning outside. All six areas of learning can be effectively promoted, from the earliest stepping stones through to the early learning goals at the end of foundation stage. The statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation stage: setting and standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five. (DCSF 2008) states the following in relation to the outdoor environment; Wherever possible, there should be access to an outdoor play area and this is the expected norm for providers. The indoor and outdoor environments (should be linked) so that children can move freely between them. A rich and varied environment supports childrens learning and development. It gives them the confidence to explore and learn in secure and safe yet challenging, indoor and outdoor spaces. Children must have opportunities play indoors and outdoors. All early year providers must have access to an outdoor play area which can benefit the children. If the setting does not have direct access to an outdoor play area they must make arrangements for daily opportunities for outdoor play in an appropriate nearby location. Being outdoors has a positive impact on childrens sense of well-being and helps all aspects of childrens development. (See EYFS Statutory Framework (p.35 and 37); EYFS Practice Guidance (p.7) and Principles into Practice card 3.3: Enabling Environments- the Learning Environment). The EYFS statutory framework for the EYFS is put in place so that every child in a setting environment has the best possible experience of the outdoors, as so much learning and development goes on within the outdoors and to cover the six early learning goals. The outdoors offers a unique environment, which is very different from the indoors. It offers space and freedom to try things out, to explore and experiment without the constraints associated with an indoor environment (Tovey 2007). Some opportunities for learning can only happen outside. The experience of a change in the weather, finding insects, making a large scale construction/painting all of these motivate children into mental and physical engagement, and can only be done outside. In fact all learning goals can be achieved outside while the childrens health and well-being are also being boosted. Outside children can run fast, shout and squeal and find out what their bodies and voices can really do (Ouvry, 2008). The space is more open, less confided and the greater space; the more unrestricted the movement possibilities. Indoors is a space where adults are in control, but outdoors as fewer restrictions, where children can escape the controlling eyes of adults (Stephenson 2002). The four main thinkers of early childhood towards the curriculum, advocating outdoor provision as essential for childrens learning and development are; Friedrich Froebel , Margaret McMillan ,Susan Issacs and Maria Montessori. These four all held the view that the young child is first and foremost a whole person, with thoughts, feelings and imagination that need to be cared for and cherished (Curtis 1986. P.5).They all believed in a child centred approach and free-flow play. Young children are motivated and wish to learn, they dont have to be sat at a table quietly (Curtis 1986). Friedrich Froebel argued that play was a serious and significant activity for the young child. David Cohen (1987) suggests that Froebel was the first educator to use childrens play for practical purposes. In order to help children learn through play Froebel devised series of playthings and games (Bruce 1991). As Curtis (1986 p.6) points out, he used the timeless playthings of childhood in his curriculum. Balls, boards, sand, clay, for example, have made up childrens play throughout the ages. The role of the adult is crucial in Froebels approach to play. Cohen however doesnt agree that children should learn particular things, as that would be to advocate play as preparation for life. Froebel valued play because it helped children to make meaning, and as Janet Moyles (1989 p.168) points out the importance of adults and children being equal partners in play, as in conversation (Bruce 1991). Janet Moyles (1989, p.24) points out that Froebel pioneered the theory of firsthand experience as the basis of play, but this was entirely different to that, Seguin (1812-1880), who developed learning though the senses for disabled children. This curriculum was aimed towards a particular direction. However, Froebels approach to play was targeted at all childrens needs, rather than Seguin, who concentrated on disadvantaged children (Bruce 1991). As Yvonne Conolly (1983) points out (OMEP), A good Curriculum is a good curriculum for all (in Bruce, 1987, Ch.9). Margaret McMillan, pioneer of nursery education campaigned for an education centred on the garden. She was the first person to model a nursery with children flowing freely between the inside and outside environment she quoted; The best classroom and the richest cupboard is roofed by the sky. She put so much emphasis on the outdoor environment that it has been recognised by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in its good practice guidelines for the early learning goals, which repeatedly stress those young children, should have access to a well-planned outdoors (Ouvry 2008). McMillan expanded on the ideas of Froebel, to see children playing as the integrated activity. It was through the garden that we see her begin to develop the free-flow play side of the curriculum. It is interesting to see that for Froebel, McMillan and Issacs, it was the childs free play in the outdoors that led to their greatest contributions to the early childhood educational curriculum (Bruce 1991). Issacs valued free-flow play because it gave children freedom in their actions, thoughts and emotional expression. Issacs further stressed that play also meets the emotional needs of a child, as they express all emotional during play (Bruce 1991). Montessori, who was also a pioneer for education, she thought it was an insult to children to suggest they should play. Montessori provided children with specific sense training apparatus which she expected them to use in an exact manner within the classroom, whereas McMillan believed children gained better sensory experience by playing in the garden (Bruce, 1991). Surely if practitioners are planning and setting up the activities that a child plays outdoors it is not really the childs freedom of choice, in a way it is still like the Montessori approach. Both Sylva and Bruner argued, in the 1980s, that structure is a characteristic of materials and activities themselves. Structured activities such as construction are the most challenging and unstructured materials, such as sand and water, and open ended resources, outdoors lack any clear goal structure and, therefore, do not challenge childrens minds (Bruner 1980; Sylva et al 1980). Ouvry (2008) suggests making the most out of the outdoor area is also important, so that the children in that setting have the best opportunities possible and the changing of resources provided should be different daily. Also, it is important that the children have the opportunity to explore different resources and not stick with their favourite all the time i.e. bicycles. So Bruner and Sylvas research isnt very clear as all settings have a number of different opportunities for children to do in the outdoors environment, structured and unstructured. Children learn from them all in different ways and they are all targeting the six areas of learning. Piaget saw movement and physical development as the provision for higher levels of thinking. However Smith (p.68) argues this point and believes it is stillness we have to justify, not movement. Early Years children cant be sat down all day they need freedom to express themselves and explore their environment in order to learn new things, sitting down is going to make them more likely to disengage with what is going on. If movement is such an important aspect of a childs development, access to outdoor space must be part of a daily routine in order to nurture this mind-body growth. Children want space at all ages. But from the age of one to seven, space, that is ample space, almost as much wanted as food and air. To move, to run, to find things out by new movement, to feel ones life in every limb, that is the life of early childhood. So said Margaret McMillan (1930) Childrens entitlement to high quality outdoor play experiences is strongly supported throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework and early years providers have a statutory duty to facilitate daily outdoor opportunities all year round for the children in their care. (See EYFS Statutory Framework (p.35 and 37); EYFS Practice Guidance (p.7) and Principles into Practice card 3.3: Enabling Environments- the Learning Environment). When children are denied adequate space they often feel desperately frustrated and this can lead to uncooperative behaviour. Research has shown that in environments that enable children to move about, to collaborate with others and take frequent breaks during calm activities, the behaviour of children who have a tendency to lose their temper or get over excited is less disturbing (Berk, l. E and Winsler, A 1995). This therefore shows that the tendency for children to shout and squeal and run around and be very hyperactive is taken outside there that type of behaviour is accessible (Ouvry 2008). Ouvry (2008) states that boys brains mature in a different sequence to those of girls and in some areas, at a slower rate. Boys first develop the parts of the brain for knowing about movement and space in which they have to move themselves and other things. Other areas of the curriculum then arise meaningfully out of play. Girls, stereotypically like playing imaginatively in the home corner and working with and alongside adults. Girls come to an understanding of adult world through domestic play and talk; they use reading and writing in their play because their brains are more developed for language at the three to five year old stage. The whole emphasis on activities that focus on children who are good at talking, fitting in, quick at learning and understanding other peoples intentions. Boys can tend to feel uncomfortable because they tend to feel more secure in the outdoor environment, where they can be themselves and still learn from their experiences just in a different manner. By the setting giving less attention to the outdoors environment and quality of outdoor play, they may be denying access to education to a significant number of boys (Bilton, H. 1998). The outdoor space must be viewed as an essential teaching and learning environment which is linked with the learning that goes on inside, but with even greater status because it allows for children to learn through movement. If we believe that young children learn through play and that play is thought in action- then offering children a playing space outdoors would seem the most effective means to fulfil their need to play, learning through first hand experiences and cooperate with others, that also cover the six main learning goals (Ouvry. 2008). Despite the much higher profile given to outdoor play in recent years with the introduction of the Curriculum Guidance for the foundation stage (QCA 2000), there is still evidence that the purpose and value of outdoor play is not well understood'(Tovey. 2007). Many practitioners have an unconscious belief that effective learning only happens when children are still, quiet and calm, with a pencil and paper at hand and with a teacher nearby to offer instruction. The idea that when children are physically active, many people believe they cant be learning anything to do with the curriculum (Ouvry 2008). But then what about forest schools, they are based outside all of the time and are still based on the curriculum and the learning intentions are still met and this is all due to planning for the six areas of learning. It is certainly true that if the outdoors is not well planned and the setting does not have clear aims for the childrens learning outside, then practitioners may find it difficult to see any worthwhile learning going on outside. This is however true when considering any environment for young children inside or outside. Without clarity of aims and learning intentions for children in play situations, it is impossible to know what to look for when observing the children or to know how to further the childrens learning. Structuring the environment and supporting childrens learning is as important outside as in (Ouvry 2008). The key person working with a four-year-old child may have observed on several occasions that the child is rather unsteady when moving around the outside area. The practitioner then plans to build an obstacle course to give the child lots of opportunities to use a wide range of physical movements. These then support the planning for enhanced provision. In many cases, this planned adjustment and enrichment of some aspect of the settings provision will also be relevant to other children in a group. Many of the other children in the group will enjoy helping to build and develop the obstacle course and will join the focus child in actively using and enjoying the challenges it offers. The right of the child to rest and leisure and engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and arts. (UNICEF 1989). There are constraints and fears that limit childrens opportunities for play particularly outdoors, deprive children of essential childhood experiences and opportunities- opportunities to develop friendships and to make relationships, to experience all emotions, to take risks, have adventures and misadventures, to have contact with nature and the environment (Casey, T. 2007). Children need to climb, run, jump, an bash balls against walls (Lewis Howdle, lecture, RIHE,1980). http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/83976 http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/childcare/providers/childcarepublications/horizons/horizons-issue-16/outdoor-learning-and-the-eyfs.htm http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/151379 http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/132681 http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/planning-quality-provision-early-years-5276

Skills Required to be an Effective Manager

Skills Required to be an Effective Manager Management skills express the belief that economic change can be made into the most powerful engine for human betterment and social justice (Drucker, 2007). A perfect manager is an asset for a company. A good manager should have the knowledge about functionality, processes and standard operating procedures of an organization. It is said that leaders are born leaders; some of us have that charisma by birth whereas there are some that needed to learn their way towards it. In this document we will discuss which skills should be there in a good manager? Which are the qualities being a manager we should have in order to ensure a smooth sailing at work? Lets discuss further what makes a good manager. To be an effective manager one should have leadership skills. There are many ways in which a person can tackle different situations through various leadership roles. A good leader should be a good guide as well. He should be able to guide his team to perform well. He should not dominate all the time. A good manager should also have a visionary sight for the assistances of the organisation. He should plan the future steps for the development of the company. One of the most noteworthy skills of a good manager is effective management of time. A leader should be able to plan the schedule and be able to equally divide the time between tasks. Such a person can be an asset for the organisation. A good manager should encourage the team to perform well to achieve the organisational goals effectively. He should encourage innovative ideas. If some of the members of the team are not performing well, he should tackle the situation with professionalism and should decide accordingly. Even in a disaster circumstances, a person with good managerial and leadership skills should be able to execute well. He should be mentally strong to handle any kind of situations. He should also be responsible enough to retain a good and friendly environment. A manager should be profound towards others in the workplace. A happy atmosphere would only lead to more productivity and profitability for the orgnisation. With these skills, a person can definitely strive to be a good manager and thus be an asset for any organization! Analysis of the Skills Skills are the abilities or talents that are required to perform a job functions (Truesdell, 1998 ). As we know that the recipe to become a good manager contains lots of ingredient and spices. Here in this document we will analyse one personal and one professional skill of a good manager. Some of the skills in human beings are God gifted and some we develop by learning and practice. Personal Skills Personal skill is an ability to understand and manage self, management of change, learning to learn, personal responsibility, aesthetic responsiveness and wellness. If a person cannot manage himself/herself as human being, so how can he/she manage anything else? When the children have a strong foundation of personal skills, they manage themselves and cooperate with others (Ellison, 2001 ). In this document I will analyse communication Skill as my personal skill, which is helping me a lot in my personal life and as well as in professional life. Communication Effective communication is all about conveying your messages to other people clearly. Its also about receiving information that others are sending to you. Doing this involves effort from both the sender of the message and the receiver. In fact, communication is only successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information as a result of the communication. This awareness needs to be married with reflection on our experiences and adjustment where necessary in our style of communication (Ellis, 2009). The author is very fond of travelling and making new friends. Infect while one is travelling and communicating with people from different places and culture, it really helps to know others . By doing this we are making new friends, increasing our personal relationship and as well as enjoying the diversity of the cultures. For me earthquake in Pakistan in the year 2005 was a lession learnt. I was living in Islamabad the capital of Pakistan. When the earthquake shook the earth, the scenes were very horrible. I went to the local office of Red Cross and told them that I want to volunteer myself to go and serve the earthquake effecties. Because of my strong communication skills I had many friends and I also took them to the Red Cross to serve as volunteers. Many of my friends are still working for the Pakistan Red Crescent Society. Thus I used my personal communication skill to help my own nation and to help my own people. By communicating better we can quickly and easily resolve the minor and bigger issues of our personal life. In addition by better communication we can help other in time and can be beneficial for our friends and companions. Professional Skill Most professional skills are outlined and regulated by the professional association of that particular field e.g. Engineers have their own professional associations that deal with specific skill requirements at each level of development. Professional skills differ from profession to profession but there are some basic professional skill which goes on with all the professions. Lets analyse one of the general professional skill. The development of professional skills, requires practice, experience, role mentorship and evaluative feedback (Kasar E., 2000) Presentation It is important to work hard and finish or complete your work on time or before time. But more important is to present that work to others. If one is working hard but he/she is not presenting himself/herself in a presentable manner, then he/she cannot excel in his/her career. I would like to share my experience of coming to UK. When I landed at the airport I was accompanied by the lots of Asian students. Most of them were very much afraid and were looking confused. Because they were looking confused, the entry clearance officer was putting more questions to them. Because of their appearance and bad presentation many of them were on hold at the airport. On the other hand I was composed and confident; I went to the visa officer, greeted him and gave him my documents and passport with a smile. Because of my better presentation and confidence the entry clearance officer granted me the entry without putting a single question. Actually, a great presentation is a combination of three elements: content, design and delivery (Rotondo Rotondo, 2001) Personal/Professional Skill Contributing In Organizational Strategy Skills play a vital role in an organizational setup. One can develop his career by employing and demonstrating personal and professional skills effectively. In the modern age skills play a vital role to develop your career. If you demonstrate good personal/professional skills with right attitude and direction, you will defiantly be rewarded. Personal skills shows that how well managed you are and when you come to work you can organize your work as you have managed yourself. As far as professional skills are concern they can be developed by training and practice. Normally the environment itself teaches you a lot to build up your institutional memory. It is better to understand what kind of professional skills are required for you to perform you duties and one should try to learn and practice those skills. Task2 SWOT Analysis of Personal Skills A SWOT analysis asks us to list all our perceived strengths and weaknesses in terms of skills attributes, interest, attitudes, likes and dislikes. At the same time we are asked to highlight any potential opportunities and threats that we may have to face (Thomas, 2007). Strengths Communication Skills Punctuality Weaknesses Dont like repetitions Unorganised Opportunities Personal Relationships Learn to manage self Threats Stress Key Findings from the SWOT Analysis As I mentioned good communication as my strength in the SWOT analysis, So by employing my strength of good communication skills I am able to clear many tests and interview. I have had built up personal relationship for my personal and organizational benefits. My other strengths like punctuality support my communication skill additionally to make a good impression on others. By communicating better I always have an opportunity to involve and attach with other easily, by doing that basically I am expanding the circle of my friends. As far as my weakness is concern, I dont like repetitions. I only understand the practical and logical things. I dont like repetitive tasks and this is the biggest reason of my casual lifestyle. SWOT Analysis of Professional Skills The SWOT analysis which includes the analysis of strengths, weaknesses, Opportunities and threats investigates internal and external as well as positive and negative factors of a corporation (Bohm, 2009). Strengths Leadership Presentation Quick decision maker Team player Weaknesses Bad in record keeping Bad in financial management Opportunities Can apply for management jobs after DMS Learn to manage documentation and self Threats Carelessness Overconfidence Key Findings from the SWOT Analysis As per SWOT analysis of my professional skills I am very good at presentation, leadership, decision making and teambuilding skills. Infect these are my core strengths throughout my career. I was working as a Network administrator in Pakistan and was designing, planning, implementing and maintaining the networking projects. Apart from technical issues I was managing and leading my team well. I always had this problem of mismanaging documentation and as well as the financial matters. Indeed it is really important for a manager to learn and improve to keep proper documentation and to keep the financial matter up to date and in proper order. Analysis of Personal/Professional Skills by Using Fishbone Diagram This is pictorial aid to some form of thinking formed and made popular by a renowned management guru by the name of Ishikawa. A typical base format of fishbone diagram is shown in the figure 1. Personal Skill Confusion or over concentration Losing interest 11th hour decisions Lack of attention Bad time Management Not having thing in writing Carelessness Casual lifestyle Too Many things to do Figure 1, Fishbone Diagram of personal skill In the diagram in figure1 a problem has been discussed. The author has a problem of bad time management. I have discussed different reasons and causes of bad time management which are self-explanatory. The most crucial is my casual lifestyle which I need to change immediately otherwise it will start shadowing on my professional career as well. Professional Skill Area of work is IT and Telecommunications Organisational politics Not been trained Non cooperative staff members Bad in managing finance or budgeting Insufficient time to concentrate No trainings or workshops at organisational level Unavailability of funds Too Many things to do Figure 2, Fishbone Diagram of professional skill As far as professional skills are concern I have had many problems in managing finance or budgeting. The major reason for that was that my profession is IT and Telecommunications. Due to this reason the management was not training me to handle financial matters. But according to me indeed it is a need of the time that I should learn finance and budgeting. When we talk about IT/Telecom project planning and designing, we cannot ignore the fact that there will be money involve and we need to budget accordingly. Learning Styles Theories of learning have evolved over the last century as a result of numerous experiments conducted, often with animals. Different school of psychological thinking has made their various contributions to the pool of knowledge. No single theory has obtained complete agreement among psychologists about the details of learning process, but many accept the basic premise that the learning occurs whenever one adopts new or modifies existing behaviour patterns in a way that has some influence on future performance and attitude (Sims, 1995). To gain a better understanding of yourself as a learner, you need to evaluate the way you prefer to learn or process information. By doing so, you will be able to develop strategies which will enhance your learning potential. Everybody has a preferred learning style. Knowing and understanding our learning style helps us to learn more effectively. There are many ways to find out that what youre learning style is. I have used the model of Honey and Mumford to identify my learning style. According to them people have four different kind of learning styles the Activist, the Pragmatist, the Reflector and the Theorist. After filling in the diagnostic tests I came to know that I am falling under the category of the Activists. According to the model I have used it describes me as and enthusiast who will try anything, enjoy a challenge and working with others, preferring to be the centre of attention. Weaknesses of and Activist are longer term implementation and perhaps not putting in enough thought before they get started. Analysis of my learning style (The Activist) As mentioned above that after applying the learning style model on myself I came to know that my learning style is activist. Being an activist I have some strengths and weaknesses. Strengths More on practical side Innovative and responsive Just need a little push to start Always on my toes to try something different Always try to push myself to give 100% Punctuality Always good and attentive at start Weaknesses Hates theories and just talking Cannot concentrate for a long time Dont like repetitions or repetitive tasks Not able to finish things well Most of the time in hurry Impact of learning style on personal development As we have discussed above some of the strengths and weaknesses of my learning style. My learning style has had a big role in my personal development and as well as professional development. It is because of my learning style that I had chosen IT/ Telecommunication as my profession. As an activist I like to do practical things and IT/Telecommunication is the branch of electronics where we do things practically. We plan, design and implement networks. Apart from practicality there have been an innovation involved in my profession, I always try to do different or I try things differently. So my learning style has helped me a lot to develop my personality and profession. Task3 SMART Goal Analysis SMART is an acronym that can help us to effectively set our goals. It stands for Specific , measureable, attainable, reasonable and time oriented. Just as following a compass keeps us from getting lost, adhering to these five precepts enable us to stay on the path that will ultimately lead to our success. Setting goals the SMART way is not just limited to financial success but can help you to achieve success in all areas of life, including educational, spiritual and physical goals (Berges, 2007). Personal Goals by Using SMART Goals Specific I have plans to be migrated to Canada by 2013. Measurable I have applied for Canadian immigration and I am in the queue since 2007. Achievable As I meet the criteria set by the Canadian government. I have two Masters degrees and on top of it I have plans to do MBA from UK, in these circumstances I believe that it is very much possible to achieve this goal. Realistic Indeed it is realistic to move to Canada because it has the charm and opportunities in the sector of IT and Telecommunications as compare to Pakistan. Time oriented It takes not more than 70 months to complete the whole process according to the old regulations. Specific I want to get hold of post study work permit by December 2011 . Measurable After completing MBA I can apply for post study work permit. Achievable As I am in UK and doing well in my studies, so it seems very much achievable Realistic It is realistic to get some hand on experience and improve my learning by getting work permit. Time oriented I will complete my MBA by December 2011, so I will be eligible to apply for post study work permit. Professional Goals by Using SMART Goals Specific I have planned to finish off my MBA before December 2011 from a good British University. Measurable I am already in UK and doing well in DMS course. Achievable It is achievable because I have arranged the entire fee for MBA in advance. Realistic As I will finish my first term of DMS by January 2011, so I am on the right track towards MBA. Time oriented It will take almost 6 months to complete MBA after DMS. Specific Want to get a managerial position in the sector of IT/Telecoms by the end of 2011. Measurable I have experience of technical end that has expanded over 9 years. Now I am doing DMS to learn management skills to become a manager. Achievable It is achievable if I keep myself of track and complete my studies on time. Realistic I have completed first term of DMS, so realistically I am on the right track to achieve my goal. Time oriented By the end of December 2011 Personal Development Plan In recent year role of personal development has become central to the success of those that have made the decisive jump from doing ok to major noticeable and measurable professional and personal success (Nutley, 2008). Learning and development need How does this support your professional and personal goals Actions to be taken including resources needed to achieve them Date for achievement/review Getting post study work permit It will enhance and enrich my theoretical learning by getting some working experience from UK. I need to get MBA degree to apply for post study work permit. December 2011/ I will review my PDP by June 2011. To learn and improve management skills by doing MBA I will qualify to apply for managerial jobs As my first step toward MBA, I am half way through my DMS and it will be completed mid next year. Than I have plans to do top-up MBA. I want to get MBA by December 2011. I will review my PDP by June 2011. Reflective Analysis of Attained Goals In this section we will have a reflective analysis of the goals that I have attained in past in my professional career as well as personal goals. Let me share analysis of attaining my personal goal. I had an urge to come to UK for higher studies but due to financial constraints it was not possible for me to come to UK and study here. I set a goal four years back that I have to go to UK to get an international qualification. What have I learnt from my experience? In the pursuit of my personal goal, I have learnt that nothing is impossible. If you plan realistically, you can achieve your goals easily. What went well? The best part was that the right things were happening to me at the right time. I got a good job at the right time, that job lasted for more than four years and that was the platform from where I set my goals and started planning things for myself. What could have gone better? The only thing that could have gone better was the environment. I this very moment most of the countries are going through or recovering from recession. If the environment could have progressive there was a chance for us being an international student to get some hands on experience as well on what we have learnt. How can I put into practise what I have learnt? The best way to put my leaning into practice is to plan realistically in future, considering my present situation. When it comes to set goals, at times what we do is, we set our goals very unrealistic or unachievable. So when one is setting goals for himself of herself, he or she should be aware of his or her present situation. In my professional career I had a very good experience of working for Red cross. While working there I got promotions at regular intervals. I would like to share my past professional working experience. What have I learnt from my experience? My key learnings from my experience of working with Red Cross are that it is important to work hard but the key thing is to show your work to get promoted within the organisation. What went well? The best part was that I was very much sound technically so it was very much easy for me to find my place and very easily I established myself and my repute in the organisation. What could have gone better? I should have learnt how to deal with organisational politics. I was not part of the politics and that was the reason many of the lobbies were against me. While working in and organisational structure one must learn how to deal with the politics within the organisation. Another thing is that I could have projected my work more, because I was doing the hard work all the time and my bosses were taking the credit on my behalf. Task 5 Evaluation of Activities in this learning programme In this specific learning programme, we have learnt about the personal management, in other words before getting in the professional career one must learn how to manage self. During this learning programme of twelve week we have learnt different personal and professional skills and we have had the chance to practice those skills in the classroom and while doing the group work. Specifically this learning programme has provided us the base to learn the management skills at professional level. The learning programme was evenly structured both for experience and inexperience students, which was the best part of the learning programme. The key skill which we have learnt in this programme were Report writing Presentation Time management Leaning styles SWOT analysis Smart goals Stress management Now let us evaluate these entire key learning one by one Report Writing Report writing is a key skill when it comes to the professional working environment. If we talk about the professional working environment, we have to write reports regarding our daily, weekly, monthly or yearly report. Report writing is also vital when it comes to career growth, a person who can show his work well has a better chance to get promoted, because ultimately it is the report which is going to the management which shows your performance. Key learning In this learning programme we have learnt about, how to write a report, what is the proper format of a report, what should be the language, what should be the style , what should be the formatting, how to start and end the report. Constraints As most of the students are from Asian origin and English is not their native language, due to that they were having communication problems. Because of this the teacher had to maintain a slow pace during the course and that really affected the practical work. Recommendations As far as theory is the concern the course was really good but somehow we are still short of practice. We understand the limitation of time but the essence of this course is learning by doing. So the sessions should have been more practical. Presentation Presentation is also very important skill to learn, especially in this modern age, if one dont know how to present himself, he cannot make progress in his professional career. Key Learning In this activity we have learnt; how to make presentations, what should be the contents, what should be the layout, presentation should be specific, how to present with style and confidence. Constraints Most of the students were not confident or they were feeling shy to come and present their work. They were given many chances to apply this skill. Recommendations It should be compulsory for the student for this learning programme to present in front of the class. Time Management Managing time and being punctual is the need of the time. It is one of the biggest cause to have a bad appraisal by your boss. It is one of the key skill of a good manager. A good manager should be able to manage his own time and also he needs to assign tasks at the right time to his team members. Key Learning We have been briefed about the importance of time management and after that an exercise was given to assess that how we manage our time and how it should be managed. Constraints We have only covered one side of the picture; we should have discussed the impact of bad time management on ones career. I would have been better if it could have explained by some audio visual support. Recommendations It is recommended to include audio visual aid in this specific learning activity to clear the concepts effectively. Learning styles It was the first ever experience for most of us to learn our learning style. It really helps if one knows about his learning style. By this way we can learn quick and also effectively. Key Learning This activity was very unique. In this activity we have leant that what is our learning style and how we can learn in a better way. Constraints Most of the students were confused while doing the exercise, because it was too long and complex. Recommendations It would be better if we put this activity in the start of the course, so that students should be aware of their learning style since beginning. Rest of the learning activities were also quite helpful for us to learn more about self-management and management at work place. Doing SWOT analysis on personal and professional skills was very helpful to figure out the strength and weakness. In SMART analysis we learnt how to set goals and how to achieve them. The element of stress was also discussed during the course and a session was given on how to manage stress personally and at work place. We can conclude that this whole set of activities was very much helpful to enhance and improve out daily life and management skills. It was also a learning experience to learn from the experience of the other classmates.

History, Theory, and Applications of Capacitors :: capacitor electronics

Static electricity was discovered in 600 B.C., but it was not until the mid 1700's when energy storage properties were discovered. 'With the discovery of the first Leyden jar, it was referred to as a condenser because electricity was thought of as a fluid which could condense. The Lehden jar is a glass partially filled with water that has a wire inserted through the top of an insulating stopper (cork). When the wire is charged by static electricity, it holds the charge until the wire comes into contact with a conductor which will discharge the glass. It was roughly one hundred years later when Michael Faraday discovered a variable capacitor. He did this by measuring the varying capacitance of different dielectrics on capacitor.'(4) When the first aluminum capacitor was discovered, some thirty years after Faraday's work, the SI unit used measuring capacitance was named a farad (F) in his honor. 1F = 1 C / V In words: one Farad is equal to one Coulomb per Volt Since the farad is a large unit of capacitance, most capacitors have units of picofarads (pF) or nanofarads (nF). To this day only one type of capacitor has the ability to store enough energy to warrant measurements using a farad as the standard unit, and this is the super capacitor. A capacitor consists of two conducting surfaces separated by an insulator (dielectric). The value of capacitance depends not only on the geometry of the capacitor, but the dielectric as well. (1) "Since capacitance (C) of a capacitor is the ratio of the magnitude of the charge on either conductor to the magnitude of the potential difference (V) between them: " (1) : When a DC voltage source is applied to the 10 mF capacitor shown to the left, a charge is stored on each side of the electrode. A mulitmeter is used to measure resistance, it is shown that when the capacitor is charging, current is moving and when the capacitor is fully charged, the current will stop flowing, because there is no change in electric potenial, so the resistance goes to zero. You can see that when the electodes are switched, the resistance again goes to zero when the capacitor is fully charged. AC current is allowed to pass through the conductor continuously because it works similiar to the way the probes are switching, so the current is allowed continuos flow. The main function of a capacitor is for it to store energy and to act as a filter, passing current (AC) and blocking current (DC).

The Causes of the Cold War - Post-Revisionist :: American America History

Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signified, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold but not clothed." There was never a war that this idea can be more correct applied to than the Cold War. According to noted author and Cold War historian Walter Lippman, the Cold War can be defined as a state of tension between states, which behave with great distrust and hostility towards each other, but do not resort to violence. The Cold War encompasses a period from the end of the Second World War (WWII), in 1945, to the fall of the Soviet Union, in 1989. It also encompassed the Korean and Vietnam Wars and other armed conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, that, essentially, were not wars for people but instead for territories and ideologies. "Nevertheless, like its predecessors, the Cold War has been a worldwide power contest in which one expanding power has threatened to make itself predominant, and in which other powers have banded together in a defensive coalition to frustrate it---as was the case before 1815, as was the case in 1914-1918 as was the case from 1939-1945" (Halle 9). From this power contest, the Cold War erupted. In April 1945, Russian forces that had been triumphant at Stalingrad had pushed the German forces back into Germany and American and British forces that had been victorious in their invasion of Normandy did the same; they met at the Elbe River in central Germany (Lukacs 17). Europe was separated into two independent halves, one Russian occupied and the other American; from this division, the Cold War emerged. "When a power vacuum separates great powers, as one did the United States and the Soviet Union at the end of World War II, they are unlikely to fill it without bumping up against and bruising each other" (Gaddis). This 'bumping' and 'bruising' caused the tensions and hostilities that surfaced in the years following WWII. There are three doctrines examining the origins of the Cold War: Orthodox, the belief that "the intransigence of Leninist ideology, the sinister dynamics of a totalitarian society, and the madness of Stalin" (McCauley 88) caused the Cold War; Revisionist, the id ea that "American policy offered the Russians no real choice...either acquiesce to American proposals or be confronted with American power or hostility" (McCauley 90) and thus, America caused the war; and the

Politics And History Of Japan Essay

Nazi rule in Germany was unleashed after the Reichstag Fire in Berlin and almost 3 years after this, the February 26 incident helped to introduce militaristic rule in Japan. The February 26 incident awakened the sleeping giant that was Japan and triggered off major world conflicts. The February 26 Incident On February 26, 1936 a breakaway faction of the Imperial Japanese Army composed of young junior officers and swearing allegiance to the Kodo ha faction within the Army, slipped into the middle of Tokyo and captured key government buildings including the one which housed the Diet or Japanese parliament and Army headquarters. Groups raided the residences of the Prime Minister and senior officials in an attempt to assassinate them.   Prime Minister Okada Keisuke had a narrow escape when the rebels killed his brother in law instead. Others, among them the Finance Minister, were murdered. Subsequently that day, the rebel faction went to the Army Minister to make their demands. They declared the government unfit to lead the affairs of Japan not able to do enough for it as a military power, instead more involved with politics and their self- interest. The action, the group declared was taken in the name of the Emperor. They demanded an immediate dissolution of the Government and the installation of a military General sympathetic to their cause. However, this infuriated Emperor Hirohito who was appalled at the killing of senior colleagues. He summoned Aide de Camp General Shigeru Honjo and declared the faction members as rebels who were acting without the authority of the Imperial Army. The Emperor wanted the rebellion to be squashed. But Army retaliation was not forthcoming as senior officers were still in agreement with the agenda of the rebels. However   the ‘Toseiha’ faction in the Army which was against the doctrines of the Kodo Ha, volunteered full support to the Emperor and even the Imperial Japanese Navy sprung into action, moving its ships into the Tokyo Bay to cut off the rebels. When Emperor Hirohito was informed about the reluctance of the Army to take decisive action, he vowed to personally lead his ‘Imperial Guard ‘into the fray. The following day, martial law was declared and the rebels were boxed in and pamphlets of the Emperor’s declaration were circulated indicating that there was no support from any of the forces for their attack. General Honjo, once a believer of Kodo Ha doctrines was on the Emperor’s side. The offensive lasted till February 29 when the army moved in to capture the rebels and senior members of the faction were ordered to commit ‘seppuku’ or ritual suicide rather than lose their honor in a public trial. Other junior officers were spared. Altogether, 70 coup members were arrested and prosecuted for the crime.[1] Subsequent Events   Ã‚   The four day siege resulted in martial law being stretched to July. The army, sensing an opportunity, used the power provided by martial law to expand its powers and budget. Prime Minister Okada was replaced by Koki Hirota. This effectively ushered in totalitarian rule in Japan which was to set the stage for the Second Sino – Japanese War.[2] Historical Background of Militarism In Japanese history, the role of the military, or to be more precise, militarism has had an overwhelming role in shaping Japan’s world view. Militarism stands for a nation’s strength and should play a dominating role in political as well as social life. The influence of militarism goes back to the days of the Meiji Restoration, known in Japan as the Meiji Ishin or Revolution. This period stretched back to the days of the Tokugawa Shogunate and caused far reaching social changes in Japan of the late 19th century. This was a direct reaction to the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry’s fleet of American ships on Japanese shores. Commodore Perry forced a treaty – ending 200 years of Japanese insulation in matters of business – enabling trade between Japan and the United States. The Restoration came into being with the Satsuma Choshu Treaty which ultimately led to swearing of complete allegiance of the ruling Shoguns of that time to the Emperor. This was a creed forbidding all defiance to the Emperor (as Japanese history of that period depicts). Most Japanese leaders of that period were of Samurai descent and swore by the codes of the ancient Samurais – loyalty and allegiance to the ruler, dignity and honesty. The Japanese perception of events of that time was that the country’s sovereignty was threatened by outside forces. This justified building up a strong economic and military base to counter such a threat. This tradition continued till the 1800’s when mass conscription to the army and navy was considered an indication of unquestioning loyalty to the Emperor. Part of the reason for the widespread intrusion of militarism through to 1878 was the complete detachment of the forces from civilian society. The Staff commands established by the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy were responsible for formulating all defense strategy and were directly under the command of the Emperor. The Staff Chiefs were therefore under no obligation to the Prime Minister or any form of civilian law, During the Taisho period there was a return to democratic governance when the Washington Naval Treaty was signed and Japan participated in the League of Nations only to crumple with the onset of the Great Economic depression in 1929 when the world economy collapsed and caused trade barriers to be imposed by western nations. This was also coupled with domestic problems at home where several radical groups surfaced and there was even an attempt on the Emperor’s life, in 1932. These distressing events gave rise to patriotic feelings (maybe misplaced) in Japan. Such jingoism saw the military as the only solution to Japan‘s seemingly unending series of crises. The romantic notion that it was time for an Asian resurrection under Japanese rule took root. With the signing of the London Naval Treaty in 1930 by Prime Minister Osachi Hamaguchi and his party, the Navy was severely curbed in influence. This was seen by both the opposition and the military as endangering the country’s security. This whipped up jingoistic sentiment to the extent that Hamaguchi was killed in 1930 and the brief interlude with democratic rule came to an abrupt end. Subsequently, patriotic fervor in Japan gave the military free rein in Asia.[3] This was responsible for Japan’s involvement in several Asian conflicts: the Boxer Rebellion, World War 1, the Russo – Japanese War. The infamous Manchurian Incident of 1931 led to Japanese forces’ take-.over of all Manchuria – to protect Japan’s interests, chiefly Manchurian oil fields. The idea of military expansionism drove Japan into successive conflicts with China. In fact, there even was an attempted coup in Tokyo labeled the ‘Imperial Colors Incident’ which failed but was not made public knowledge. Ultimately, however, the swaggering domination of Japanese militarism failed to establish a dictatorship. The first nails into its coffin were driven by the government of Konoe Fumimaro, when, following wartime priorities his government, through the National Mobilization Law, brought all of Japan’s assets under its purview.   Also, in 1940, the formation of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association led to a single party political rule much discrediting the military.   On February 26, 1936, the rebel officers would hardly have been to foresee all this when they tried to take over Tokyo’s streets and were unleashing a murderous campaign. Until recent times, much romantic lore still surrounded military campaigns which allude to the glory of Japan’s military and Samurai like allegiance to the Emperor. The Emperor still remains a symbol of sovereignty in Japan and is much revered, being treated like a Head of State but is no longer the supreme authority over all Japan’s matters specially armed conflicts. Yukio Mishima spoke about the glory of Japan and the Emperor just before committing suicide inside a military barracks in 1970 and he was a well known literary figure in Japan   who wrote a novella on the February 1936 Incident–   proving that modern Japanese society still retains vestiges of its old fascination for matters martial. The members of the group that was behind the failed coup in 1936 are even being seen by some academics as. These were misguided bunch of young radicals who were only acting for Japan and God. They were not as ruthless as members of Hitler’s army were during the days of the Putsch.[4] February 26, 1936 – It’s Implications Under Koki Hirota’s rule m Japan and China engaged in the biggest war Asia right through 1945 from 1937 onward. The trend of militarism and military aspirations made stronger by the February Incident increased Japanese military aggression in Asian territory mainly to buttress its economic interests. The Second Sino – Japanese War was directly the result of Japanese policy toward China aimed at exploiting its natural reserves like oil.   Equally aggressive was the Chinese stance founded upon a new found realization of the unity of the Chinese people and their right to their own territory. A series of comparatively smaller sized conflicts led to a full scale conflagration. In 1937   The invasion of Manchuria – described above and particularly, the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of 1937 led to the war. Lugou Bridge in China is also known as the Marco Polo Bridge because Marco polo is supposed to have referred to this bridge while on his travels. It was controlled on its west end by the Japanese army and on the East by the Chinese Kuomintang Army. The bridge was a lifeline to Beijing to all areas under the Chinese army’s command – if this bridge fell – Beijing would too.[5] On June 1937, Japanese forces sent a message to the Kuomintang on the western end of the bridge about a missing soldier who might have gone over. They asked to be allowed to carry out a search on the opposite end. The Chinese refused the request acting under orders from their command chain. The Japanese countered this with a threat to open artillery fire if they were not allowed through. The prolonged aftermath saw led to the Japanese finally crushing the Kuomintang resistance and driving on toward Beijing and taking it over following which Japan had assumed control over the North China Plain, a strategically important region. The North China Plain has Beijing to its North East edge and Tianjin , an important industrial center on its North coast, What the Japanese actually did was to set up a ‘puppet’ state called Manchuoko , in Manchuria, installing the last Chinese Emperor   as a figurative head. This region actually prospered and its steel production exceeded Japan’s. Japan even gave up its membership of the League of Nations in 1933 after international protests over the incident but continued with its aggression in Chinese territory. Following the Marco Polo bridge incident, China and Japan engaged in full scale conflict from 1937 till 1945. On December, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a full scale attack on the American Fleet docked at Pearl Harbor.   The compulsion of Japanese militarism post the February 1936 Incident and its acquisitive instincts in Asia made Japan very sensitive to the presence of others in the region. Its attack on Pearl Harbor was part of a preventive strategy aimed at halting what its military leaders saw as a build up of American interests in the region. Preventive conflicts have always risen because one or the other side believes that an offensive will result in preventing some projected or future incident. In Japan’s case it was its apprehension that American presence in the region was building up and would result in counter aggression for control over its territories in Asia and the Pacific. Pearl Harbor was the base for the American Naval Fleet and was attacked by almost 6 carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy.   Waves of air attacks were also launched from the Navy vessels and over 300 aircraft flew over Pearl Harbor and destroyed the standing American fleet of ships. By this attack, America was forced to abandon its position of neutrality and enter into World War 2. For long America   was also building up its armed presence in Indo – China as we; as the East Indies as part of a series of counterbalancing moves aimed at keeping a check on Japanese movement in the region which was aggressively aimed at securing Asia and therefore its supreme position as its leader. Japan. Specifically, the objective of the Pearl Harbor attack was to secure Japanese advances into the East Indies islands and Malaya, both rich sources of oil and rubber. President Roosevelt was conscious of this when he ordered his fleet be strategically stationed in the Philippines region. According to Japanese assumption – a complete halt to American activity in the Pacific region – turned out to be completely wrong and it eventually had to surrender to American troops in 1945 bringing an end to World War II.[6] The Axis Pact In September 1940, Japan entered into a pact also known as the Tripartite Pact, with Fascist Italy and Adolph Hitler’s Nazi Germany which was the official declaration of the Axis Powers against the Allied powers. At the height of their power all 3 members commanded huge territories in Europe and Indo-China. Japan was under Emperor Hirohito and its main objective of signing the Pact was to protect its protect its military and economic bases in the pacific region. When Europe was engaged in its conflict with Germany, Japan insidiously moved into European colonies around the Pacific. America was the only nation to alert to Japanese intentions in this part of the world and countered Japan. Japanese believed that a war with the West was inevitable given its cultural differences but, given its unbridled militarism, Japan’s intentions were also materialistic. However, a certain section of the military leadership believed the conflict was to be aimed at hemming in Soviet Russia. But relations with the USA were also strained with American sponsored embargos on Japan m partly in response to its offensives against China. Japan saw US action against it as an act of western Imperialism and proceeded to band with Germany and Italy through the Tripartite Pact. Japan rushed headlong into its military inspired acquisitions also honed by the oil embargo imposed by the USA, which made it dependent on the resources of other countries. Many in Japan believed the conflict with the Americans could be resolved through negotiations but military leaders insisted on stepping up military offensive in Asia. When Germany was carrying out its Blitzkrieg in Europe m Japan was doing the same in Asia having control over large parts of Asia including Taiwan and Manchuria. But uncontrolled military offensives inevitably end and so did Japan’s end in the Battle of Midway when its fleet was destroyed by American ships.[7] The atom bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki preceded by the declaration of war by the Soviet Union broke Japan’s military might forcing it to surrender to America in 1945.   The international War Crimes Tribunal sentenced Japanese military leaders to death. Japan’s militarism blinded it to the might of America’s military might and made it underestimate Chinese resistance. Its territories were taken under American control.   The Japanese also miscalculated the output of the war machinery in America which h outrivaled that of Japan’s. Truly Japan’s military leaders had become complacent and could not realize that they were going through a death wish which was to almost obliterate Japan (the atom bombings) from the face of the Earth.[8] In conclusion it should be stated that one good outcome was Japan’s access to American industrial technology and Japan’s subsequent rise to the world’s major industrial leader. Today, largely because of this Japan is also a technology leader and makes business conquests in place of military ones through its electronics goods ad cars. Japan wages its own internal battles with rising economics problems and unemployment and job cutbacks but the collective Japanese psyche has grown wise to blind nationalism and tries to blend with the world. It now enjoys a stable democracy and single party rule with its armed forces under the command of the prime Minister, Japan has no need for war and a Pacifist constitution has m in fact been built into the Constitution which forces it to renounce aggression and armed conflict .this was bequeathed to it by America after the .defeat of 1945. Japan is well on its way to new millennium bidding goodbye to its aggression and the February Incident will always remain a blot on its history and its pacifist character. Bibliography: Goddard, J; Nation Management: Making the Most Out of It (Christchurch: Howard & Price. 2006) pp 433-5 Gervers, V; Japan at War (Melbourne: HBT Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 2000) pp 167 Knott, P; Analysis of US Wars (Dhaka: Dasgupta & Chatterjee 2005) pp 188-9 Kumar, H; Justice of Winners: Win Some, Lose None (Auckland: HBT & Brooks Ltd. 2005) pp 334 Manning, C S; Principals and Practices of War Industry: Trade of Death (Christchurch: National Book Trust. 2004) pp 279 Powell, M; Anatomy of Modern Crusades: Independence to WWII (Wellington: ABP Ltd 2001) pp 49-53 Prawer, H A; Kingdom of Japan (Dunedin: Allied Publishers 2004) pp 221-5 Tyerman, J; Invention of the Japanese Great War (Dunedin: Allied Publications 2001) pp 233-37 [1] Tyerman, J; Invention of the Japanese Great War (Dunedin: Allied Publications 2001) pp 233-37 [2] Prawer, H A; Kingdom of Japan (Dunedin: Allied Publishers 2004) pp 221-5 [3] Goddard, J; Nation Management: Making the Most Out of It (Christchurch: Howard & Price. 2006) pp 433-5 [4] Gervers, V; Japan at War (Melbourne: HBT Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 2000) pp 167 [5] Manning, C S; Principals and Practices of War Industry: Trade of Death (Christchurch: National Book Trust. 2004) pp 279 [6] Powell, M; Anatomy of Modern Crusades: Independence to WWII (Wellington: ABP Ltd 2001) pp 49-53 [7] Knott, P; Analysis of US Wars (Dhaka: Dasgupta & Chatterjee 2005) pp 188-9 [8] Kumar, H; Justice of Winners: Win Some, Lose None (Auckland: HBT & Brooks Ltd. 2005) pp 334

Baroque Period through the Romantic Age

Art not only serve as a tool for visual appreciation, but is oftentimes referred to as the mirror of the society. It’s because art effectively conveys or reflects what is happening in a certain society, at a certain period of time. With this, we see art not only as entertainment, but also as social critique. In viewing art, we go deeper than the colors, lines, and shapes that we see.We read between the lines, and look at art in relation to the time and society it was conceived. By doing so, we are able to build a deeper understanding of how and why a specific artwork is created.Indeed, social, political, and economic conditions are able to shape and alter the nature of meaning of art. In order to further understand how art’s nature and meaning are altered by the abovementioned factors, we can specifically look at a certain era in art and scrutinize some of its details. First, we can consider the neoclassical era. Neoclassicism was prevalent during the 18th and 19th cent ury. It was based on Ancient Greek or Roman classics, with high standards on the artwork’s subject, design, and a lot more. We can see that this is the time of abundance, wherein artists follow high standards clearly.Some of the works reflect a time of oppression, of the need to follow the rules and conventions not only in the art but also in the society. This is the time when there were ruling kings and other tyrants, who dictate everyone to conform to the standards and repercussions that he want. No one is above the ruling authority, so the society indeed has to follow. This is reflected in the works of art at this time, one good example is David’s Oath of the Horatii (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/File:David-Oath_of_the_Horatii-1784. jpg). Instead of using bright, pastel colors, it uses sharp ones which exude sophistication and clarity in the works.The subject are well-made, life like figures of Roman soldiers and other men. Romanticism is another era in art that w e could consider in order to see how it is affected by social, political, and economic factors. This began during the second half of the 18th century, wherein there is a complex artistic, literary, and intellectual movement. It was also prevalent during the Industrial Revolution. Works of art at these times were considered to revolt against the social and political norms of the ruling aristocrats, as well as the rationalization of nature by science.The works of art in this era exudes strong emotions, giving the viewers a great aesthetic experience. It appeals on emotions like horror and awe, with the use of vibrant colors, unique themes, and creative styles. This era reflects a changing society, moving from the aristocratic rule towards freedom of expression. It does not conform to any rules of design; instead its strong appeal to the emotion is what sets it apart from other eras. A great example of this is Eugene Delacroix’ Liberty Leading the People which commemorate the to ppling down of a prominent political figure during the French Revolution (http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Liberty_Leading_the_People). The liberation from the ruling aristocrat inspired the creation of this work, and it exudes great emotion in its subject, a half naked woman leading the people forward, walking past the bodies of the fallen during the war. Another example is Francisco Goya’s The Third of May 1808, wherein he depicts the oppression during the reign of Napoleon I, commemorating the Spanish resistance to the invading French ruler (http://eeweems. com/goya/3rd_of_may. html).