Kidneys for Sale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kidneys for Sale - Essay Example They further affirm that such a business sector could be controlled in a viable manner and that kidney sellers would gain advantage from the money related windfalls. However, these cases are not very much substantiated and may to some degree prove unsubstantial. Nonetheless, the proponents fail to figure out the likely numerous other conceivable impacts of permitting people to sell such organs (Taylor, 2005). Some people may argue that a very much controlled legitimate market for kidneys would not have any of these issues. They further argue that this could guarantee that benefactors are remunerated reasonably. Most specialists suggest that approximately $50,000 would be well (Cherry, 2005). Just the legislature or a particular charitable organization would be permitted to buy the kidneys, and they would apportion them on the premise of need as opposed to riches, in a similar manner that the posthumous kidneys are being distributed. The kidneys would be paid for by anyone covering th e patient if that is their Medicare or insurance agency. Preferably, a large number of kidney donors would be willing to donate that no patient would be left on the waiting list to die eventually. At last, paying for organs could actually spare the administration or governments some cash; citizens presently take care of all charges for dialysis for some patients through Medicare, and the examination has demonstrated that transplants save more than $100,000 per patient, with respect to dialysis (Cherry, 2005).

Strategic structure of regulatory legislative frameworks for Dissertation

Strategic structure of regulatory legislative frameworks for sustainable development of Iraqi and Kurdistan Region oil and gas r - Dissertation Example When this government was dissembled, new laws and regulatory processes had to be installed and the Constitution (2005) was the first put in place. All other laws and regulations would stem from this piece of legislative work as time went on.1 Currently, this thesis argues that Iraq’s legal system must be seen as a product of Iraq’s distinctive history and local circumstances. It analyses the current nature of Iraq’s regulatory infrastructure and notes that Iraq’s law builders have relied heavily upon the United States model which may not suit Iraq in its current state of rebuilding the country. Therefore, this thesis argues that Iraq’s approach to law reform and development in this area has not always produced a body of law that is appropriate to Iraq’s particular circumstances. Examples within the regulatory system are analysed in this chapter with proposals for better solutions made at the end of the chapter. As there are a number of ways t o conduct doctrinal research and analysis methods, this thesis follows the method of Australian higher degree research (HDR), utilizing the two part method of first locating the sources of the law and then interpreting and analysing the text accordingly, with a final presentation of solutions given at the end. As an overview of regulatory infrastructures, it is important to understand why they are in place first: to establish institutions that would provide incentives for sustainable development in long-term economic and legal commitments from all sides; and accordingly, to encourage and protect investment opportunities from both internal and external existing and potential customers.2 Regulation refers to government-instituted controls on business activity as defined by the Handbook for Evaluating Infrastructure Regulatory Systems.3 As such, regulatory infrastructures are perceived to benefit and protect both the clients and those providing the benefits of partnerships. Yet, in mos t cases, many believe that national regulatory systems have failed in Iraq to provide both commitments and protections as they were supposed to do.4 Since Iraq created its first Constitution in 2005, and while somewhat flawed in certain articles, it provides the first real sense of active regulatory infrastructure, geared to environmental and sustainable development for all its peoples. Chapter 4 Analysis This chapter reviews and analyses the regulatory infrastructure currently in place such as the Federal Iraqi Constitution and how any current regulatory systems also align with international regulations which concern oil and gas and sustainable development. The process for analysis shows that it is not enough to describe the laws, processes and institutions but that there is a two-part system of analysis through questions involved: 1) to find out if the formal governance elements have actually been implemented (who’s in charge and how) and 2) then to determine the real actio ns and decisions of the regulators because they affect the performance of all regulated enterprises through all the parts affected.5 This also aligns with working with international groups such as the Kyoto Protocol and the United Nations in its various commissions. As a final observation, the Federal Constitution

Wikis as Education Tool Essay Example for Free

Wikis as Education Tool Essay With the development of today’s technology, it has allowed the creation and proliferation of information in a more convenient manner. Due to this, individuals have used this towards achieving competency and gaining the necessary foundation for learning that paves the way for improvement. Seeing this, instruments such as â€Å"wikis† have allowed the creation and further expansion of data. By taking into consideration the advantages of this mechanism in education, it can further harness the way educational goals are administered and achieved. The development of the term ‘wiki’ in education started in 2006. It is composed of information that is subject for changes and improvement on a particular subject given. â€Å"Wikis are more versatile than a class blog, because blogs are typically one way communication and Wikis are updated by teachers and students† (Wetzel, 2008, p. 1). Since this idea is powered by the internet, it allows people to actively collaborate and contribute both information and insights on a subject, thus widening the horizons for change (Baird and Nye, 2009). Its creation originates from a posting of a particular topic of interest. Under this, the user then allows his/her work to be subject to editing and updating on areas that need further expansion. â€Å"Wikis improve upon more traditional modes of writing collaboration like sharing paper and document files since a wiki page is shared on the Internet and easily accessed and edited online† (Baird and Nye, 2009, p. 1). At the same time, since its creation, it has adopted new approaches that have made this process more user-friendly and applicable to all. â€Å"The use of hyperlinks, tables, images, media, as well as incorporating the customized layout that we see with carefully designed web sites is present in wikis† (Baird and Nye, 2009, p. 1). Looking closely at the content associated with ‘wikis’, the topics offer a myriad of information that students can deem to contribute. It can look into areas of Natural Sciences such as Biology, Physics, Chemsitry, etc. or other topics such as History, Mathematics, Religion, and Sociology. The presence of this diverse subject matter exemplifies its potential in creating an active environment for learning and enhances educational goals and objectives (Elgort, 2007). That is why continuing strategies should be explored to actively tap on its strengths and capability as an instrument for teaching and facilitation. Realizing the relevance of such approach in education, I feel that it can be an essential device for intensifying training and facilitate learning. In doing this, I need to understand the parameters and scope of what my subject of interest would be. After this, I have to actively link this on how I wish to use ‘wikis’ to encourage cooperation among my target students. â€Å"Decisions need to be made not only about how information is structured but also what navigational support is provided to the reader, and these decisions are crucial to the ways in which the reader interacts with the wiki† (Elgrot, 2007, p. 234). I feel that this is an initial step in making sure that the initiative is in-line with the objective, needs and standards mandated. After this, the next step involves the creation of an active system wherein students can explore the meaning of the subject and point out their relative inputs and understanding based on the information provided. This means that communication and interaction via the website is an important agenda to consider. By highlighting areas wherein changes or modifications can happen, it can increase the likelihood of participation and further acquisition of knowledge and information. To conclude, the creation of wikis is one instrument that technology has provided to humans today. By actively exploring its capabilities, it can be seen that this setup can be applied to intensify and increase learning objectives. At the same time, as people realize the relevance of such practice, it can be an alternative approach in education which can make it adaptive to 21st century trends. References Baird, R. and Nye, M. (2009) Beyond Wikepedia: Wikis as Learning Tools in CITES EdTech.Retrieved May 11, 2009 from http://www. cites. illinois. edu/edtech/newsletters_articles/articles/baird/beyond_wikipedia-spr09. html Elgort, I. (2007) Using wikis as a learning tool in higher education in ascilite. [online] Retrieved May 11, 2009. 233-238. Wetzel, D. R. (2008) Using Wiki Technology to Engage Students: Educational Technology Strategies for Creativity and Collaboration. Retrieved May 11, 2009 from, http://teachertipstraining. suite101. com/article. cfm/using_wiki_technology_to_engage_students

General Kornilovs Attempt to Seize Power in 1917

General Kornilovs Attempt to Seize Power in 1917 Why had General Kornilovs attempt to seize power in 1917 not been successful? The Prelude to Bolshevism: The Kornilov Rebellion[1] is the title of one of the books written by Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky. From the title alone it shows Kornilovs view which are shared by many others that the Kornilov affair has accelerated the Bolshevik seizure of power[2]. The Kornilov affair officially started on 27th August / 09th September 1917, when the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Army, General Lavr Georgiyevich Kornilov, brought a troops to Petrograd although he had been dismissed by Alexander Kerensky, the head of the Provisional Government at the time[3]. The Kornilov Affair is regarded by many historians as one of the turning points in the rise of Bolshevik Party after a short slump after July Days and consequently towards the event in October 1917. After the Kornilov affair, the Bolshevik Party aligned with various members of society and gaining their supports in assisting to toppling the already crippled Provisional Government. Despite its importance, the affair (which also referred as a coup detat or a revolt) is historically unclear different interpretations but with no concrete evidences. The accounts contradicted with each other and this led to historical debates which were dominantly discussed the different arguments brought up by Abraham Ascher and Lenoid Strakhovsky. Ascher is highly critical on Kornilov, stating that he conspired to take the power as part of his ambitious plan; whereas Strakhovsky challenged this by arguing that Kerensky had staged this whole affair and betrayed Kornilovs goodwill to prevent Bolshevism from taking root.[4] Both have used Kornilovs dismissal by Kerensky as a justification for their action the former argues that by refusing to accept the dismissal it was a proof to Kerenskys suspicion[5]. The latter, on the other hand, sympathises Kornilovs assumption that Kerensky had been influenced by the Soviet and it was his duty to protect Russia.[6] Aside from these two, a so mewhat completely different from the previous two, where they are not the main actor: it stemmed out from a misunderstanding with the former Procurator of the Holy Synod, V.N. Lvovs involvement[7], Kornilov claimed that Kerensky through Lvov offered choices of who should be in power[8], whereas Lvov claimed that Kornilov ordered him to tell Kerensky his demand for military dictatorship[9]. Lvovs real involvement is still debated. The more balanced interpretation by Harvey Asher, suggests that Kornilov was convinced that the government supported his march after several people had visited him including Lvov. Moreover, Asher suggests that they conspired together to restore peoples trust towards the government, although Kerensky later pulled out.[10] These debates show partly the existing tension and division between the two actors which led to the failure of the coup. These tensions were an open opportunity for the Bolshevik Party could exploit especially when Kerensky appealed to the Petrograd Soviet to defend the capital. This led to the physical reason for this failure: the quick mass mobilisation by the Bolshevik Party. It could be regarded as a mistake made by Kerensky as the rearmament of the Bolshevik Military Organisation would led to his and the Provisional Government downfall later in October. His fear of being overthrown by Kornilov a person who he had been having quarrel with[11] and a right-wing[12] and his will to elevate Provisional Governments reputation[13] might have clouded his judgement. The lack of trust and doubt amongst each other Kerenskys failure to read the mood of the situation he was in and overestimating his and general disorganisation were also the reasons for the coups failure. Despite being favo ured as the victor[14], Kornilov lost and subsequently met his death when he participated in the Civil War against the Bolsheviks. The Kornilov Affair was triggered when Lvov came to Kerensky and demanded for the transfer of power to Kornilov. The whole narration is long, which partly has been mentioned previously, however, it shows the general mechanism in the government and their personalities. Miscommunication, distribution of power, lack of confidence and distrust with each other and different groups supporting different people for their own ambitions are all highlighted. First, the miscommunication. Just after hearing from Lvov that he was suited to be a military dictator, Kerensky quickly announced Kornilov for a military coup against the government for fear that he might be removed from the power[15]. Kornilov claimed to be acting on Kerenskys instruction; Kerensky painted Kornilov as a counter-revolutionary who wanted to a dictator. Although, there is some evidence stating that Kerensky regretted his dismissals and hesitate to brand Kornilov as a traitor. In fact, there was an attempt to try to negotiate with Kornilov, albeit he was under pressure. However, unknown to them, Nekrasov had dispatched the message and it was too late for them when they realised about this.[16] These misunderstandings and lack of cohesion certainly shows existing fractures in the Provisional Government which led to the downfall of both sides. Nekrasovs action, albeit there was an attempt to delay the declaration, removed any chance for reconciliation. Lack of further co mmunication, whether it was for confirmation or negotiation, were noticeable. For example, instead of asking Kornilov after Alekseev sent him the note, Krymov went directly to Kerensky and stopped the troop from advancing. There was also the telecommunication between Kerensky and Kornilov over Hughes Apparatus where the conversation appears to be vague and no direct confrontation.[17] Some historians believed that Kerensky was trying to remove Kornilov quietly.[18] Instead of working together and worked their differences, they were more focus on removing each other. This might have been due to their prior clash in regards to capital and corporal punishment in the army to name a few[19]. In regards to Lvov, it seems unlikely that Kerensky explicitly instructed Kornilov to march troops into Petrograd and given him the choices: where one of them was that Kornilov would be a dictator[20]. Although it seems to be benefited Kerensky, he was probably no more trusting of Kornilov than others. Bringing in Kornilovs army into Petrograd would risk of military counter-revolution. It is still unclear how Lvovs and Kornilovs claims differed from each other. As mentioned earlier, nearing the peak of the affair in the end of August, people were positive that Kornilovs troop would win: his generals, landowners[21], large officers union, the Cossacks and the increase in Stock Exchange.[22] Considering that majority of the High Command sympathised with Kornilov[23] and his previous meetings with different people giving supports, it is not surprising when Kornilov was confident that his march would be a successful coup. However, not all of these groups were supportive of his plan. Earlier on, there was already opposition against Kornilov. Moscow Military District, Colonel Verkhovsky, expressed his support towards the government and distanced himself from Kornilov. There was also wariness amongst people in Stavka where they saw little chance in his march into Petrograd.[24] Only some of the professional soldiers believed in this advance, but many were not dedicated in trying to assist Kornilov. Moreover, with the denunciation calling Kornilov as a traitor made by Kerensky had further convince them to distance themselves from the affair avoiding from being purged together with Kornilov if the affair had gone to different turn.[25] Kornilovs deliberate military plan collapsed. Between the 30th and 31st, the Third Cavalry Corps which was supposed to crush the soviets[26] did not arrive. Kerensky ordered General Alekseev to send a note to General Krymov that there was no Bolshevik uprising as predicted by Kornilov and consequently, he halted their advance into the capital. The generals of the troops General Krymov and Denikin were also cornered by their own troops and reluctantly had to surrender with the former shot himself[27]. Similarly, the troops also deserted after hearing that there was no uprising. The generals and Kornilov kept the soldiers in the dark in what they were actually fighting for only be told that they were there to fight against the Bolsheviks[28] which led to further decline in supports. The foundation of the coup was still not concrete and arguably the timing was a miss. Kornilov had failed to see the mood and the political situation at the time. The troops saw Kornilov as someone who reintroduced capital punishment death penalty and attempted to counter the revolution. Thus, after hearing that there were no Bolshevik uprisings and Kerenskys declaration of Kornilov as a traitor, mutinies soon broke out with some divisions pledged themselves to the cause of revolution the Bolsheviks. They helped other workers and prevented the remaining troops from marching and arrested anyone who was in favour of Kornilov.[29] These miscalculations and disorganised troops are highly dissimilar from the mass mobilisation by the Bolsheviks and the workers. Although, mass mobilisation against Kornilov by the Bolsheviks had been debated whether it was spontaneous or a completely organised deployment, this mobilisation had completely stumped Kornilovs effort. Kerensky appealed to Petrograd Soviet to stop Kornilov and defend the city (at the same time shows a weakness of the Provisional Government) led to the rearmament of Military Organisation which were both consisted of Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. Mass meetings were also conducted to discuss their plan against Kornilov in addition to a demand for the release of July Days Bolshevik prisoners. The demand was conceded and prisoners including Trotsky was free. These would be important later a couple month after. A committee was set up to defend the city, Committee for the Peoples Struggle against Counter Revolution[30]. This includes erecting fortifications around the city and barbed wires[31]. The Soviet was also involved in coordinating the distribution of weaponry and conducted searches a nd arrested anyone who was suspected to be counter-revolutionaries. Committees at province level were also created. This was to set up networks of communication between provinces[32]. Red Guards were created of mainly of left SR sympathisers and Bolsheviks and armed with many were trained by the [33]Military Organisations from a possible assault. These two organisations were overseen by Inter-District Conference of Petrograd Local Soviets. As shown, in comparison to the lacklustre that of Kornilovs military troops, the Soviets gradually created a working strings of groups. Moreover, agitators managed to infiltrate Kornilovs troops and persuaded them to desert the advance, coupled with Kerenskys declaration. They also cooperated with the telegraph and railway workers[34] which further disorganised Kornilovs effort. On the communication side, any suspicious telegraphs were supposed to be redirected whereas on the transportation side, they were instructed to make chaos. They destroyed railway tracks and sabotage communications. As results, the troops were moving on the wrong roads, arrived at wrong places, only some of the units got dispatched and many of the soldiers were separated from their commanders, and loss of communications with their units in short, confusion and disorder.[35] With these confusion, the movement had collapsed. The Red Guards managed to disable the coup without firing a single bullet and bloodshed; except for few murder of counter-revolutionaries[36]. Thus, shedding positive light onto the Bolshevik Party as the saviours and the p rotectors of the revolution. Consequently, this resulted in a large increase of support. Kornilov and other thirty army officers which were believed to conspire together, were incarcerated in the Bykhov Fortress. After the October event, Kornilov managed to escape and establish the Volunteer Army which later fought against the Bolsheviks during the Civil War; where he was killed. Although Kerensky did not contribute and directly involved, Kerensky still insisted of being a protector of Revolution.[37] Kornilov did not gain anything from this whole affair, more people supported the Left, he was removed and the Right was shaken.[38] The main problem with his advance was the miscommunication between everyone involved that was later could be exploited by their common enemy. The victor of this whole but short affair was the Bolsheviks. The party revived and strengthened amidst the political chaos and distrust. On the other hand, Kerensky lost the military support. Although there are officer corps refused to join Kornilovs mutiny, they abhorred Kerenskys attitude towards their generals and growing distrust towards officer corps amongst the common soldiers. Thus increasing division between these two groups.[39] The revolt had radicalised the masses. The Soviet Press began with their propaganda and due to their policy of being a fighter against Kornilov but no association with the Provisional Government, they became popular. Therefore, coupled with the increasing support and gaining control over the Petrograd Soviet, the Provisional Government was further weakened and in October/November 1917, the Bolshevik Party seized the power off from the Provisional Government as the champion for the Soviets. Bibliography: Ascher, Abraham, The Kornilov Affair, The Russian Review, Vol. 12:4, (1953) Asher, Harvey, The Kornilov Affair: A Reinterpretation, The Russian Review, Vol. 29:3, (1970) Kerensky, Alexander, The Prelude to the Bolshevism: The Kornilov Rebellion, (London, 1919) Munck, Jorgen Larsen, Translated by Torben Keller, Schmidt, The Kornilov Revolt (Denmark, 1987) Strakhovsky, Leonoid, Was There a Kornilov Rebellion A Reapraisal of the Evidence, Slavonic and East European Review, vol. XXXIII:81 (1955) Sukhanov, Nikolai, Translated by Joel Carmichael, The Russian Revolution 1917, (London, 1955) White, James D, The Russian Revolution 1917-1920: A Short History, (New York, 1994) August 1917: Kornilovs Coup Fails http://www.socialistalternative.org/russian-revolution-1917/august-1917-kornilovs-coup-fails/ Socialist Alternatives http://www.socialistalternative.org/, Accessed on 01 December 2016 The Causes of the October Revolution http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/history/russia/october/revision/3/ BBC Higher Bitesize UK http://www.bbc.co.uk/ Accessed on 23 November 2016 [1] Alexander Kerensky, The Prelude to the Bolshevism: The Kornilov Rebellion, (London, 1919) [2] Abraham, Ascher, The Kornilov Affair, The Russian Review, Vol. 12:4, (1953) p. 235; Nikolai, Sukhanov, Translated by Joel Carmichael, Russian Revolution, (London, 1955) pp. 522-523; Harvey Asher, The Kornilov Affair: A Reinterpretation, The Russian Review, Vol. 29:3, (1970), p. 300 [3] Ibid, p. 235 [4] Ascher, The Kornilov Affair pp. 235-52; Leonoid, Strakhovsky, Was There a Kornilov Rebellion A Reapraisal of the Evidence, Slavonic and East European Review, vol. XXXIII:81 (1955), pp. 372-95, p. 372; Also mentioned in Jorgen Larsen, Munck, Translated by Torben Keller, Schmidt, The Kornilov Revolt (Denmark, 1987) pp. 11-13 [5] Ascher, The Kornilov Affair, pp. 247-28 [6] Asher, p. 287 [7] Munck, The Kornilov Affair, pp. 106-109 [8] Lukomskii, pp. 238-39; Munck, p. 107 [9] RD, pp. 428, 442; Munck, p. 108 [10] Asher, pp. 299-300 [11] James D, White, The Russian Revolution 1917-1920: A Short History, (New York, 1994), pp. 139-141 [12] Asher, p. 300 [13] Asher, p. 300 [14] Munck, p. 114 [15] Asher, p. 297 [16] Asher, The Kornilov Affair, p. 298 [17] Ibid, p. 296 [18] Asher, p. 297; Rabinowitch, pp. 124-5; Katkov, pp. 86-87 mentioned in Munck, p. 111 [19] White, p. 134 [20] Munck, p. 107 [21] The Kornilov Affair, p. 244-245 [22] Munck, p. 114 [23] Munck, p. 114; Kerensky, pp. 184-5 [24] White, The Russian Revolution, p. 147; Asher, p. 300 [25] White, The Russian Revolution, p. 147 [26] Ascher, The Kornilov Affair, p. 241 [27] The Kornilov Affair, p. 250 [28] Ibid, p. 250 [29] White, The Russian Revolution, p. 148; A. Wildman, Officers of the general staff and the Kornilov movement, in E.R. Frankel et. Al., eds., Revolution in Russia: Reassessments of 1917 (Cambridge, 1992), pp. 95-99 [30] White, The Russian Revolution, p. 149 [31]August 1917: Kornilovs Coup Fails http://www.socialistalternative.org/russian-revolution-1917/august-1917-kornilovs-coup-fails/ Socialist Alternatives http://www.socialistalternative.org/, Accessed on 01 December 2016 [32] White, The Russian Revolution, p. 149 [33] Munck, p. 117 [34] Ibid, p. 148; The Causes of the October Revolution http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/history/russia/october/revision/3/ BBC Higher Bitesize UK http://www.bbc.co.uk/ Accessed on 23 November 2016; Munck, p. 118 [35] White, The Russian Revolution, p. 147 [36] Munck, p. 115 [37] Munck, p. 119 [38] Munck, p. 121 [39] White, The Russian Revolution, p. 150; Munck, p. 121

growaw Kate Chopins The Awakening - Edna Pontellier’s Awakening :: Chopin Awakening Essays

Edna's Awakening in Kate Chopin's The Awakening      Ã‚  Ã‚   The society of Grand Isle places many expectations on its women to belong to men and be subordinate to their children. Edna Pontellier's society, therefore, abounds with "mother-women," who "idolized their children, worshipped their husbands, and esteemed it to a holy privilege to efface themselves as individuals".   The characters of Adele Ratignolle and Mademoiselle Reisz represent what society views as the suitable and unsuitable woman figures. Mademoiselle Ratignolle as the ideal Grand Isle woman, a home-loving mother and a good wife, and Mademoiselle Reisz as the old, unmarried, childless, musician who devoted her life to music, rather than a man.   Edna oscillates between the two identities until she awakens to the fact that she needs to be an individual, but encounters the resistance of society's standards to her desire.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Kate Chopin carefully, though subtly, establishes that Edna does not neglect her children, but only her mother-woman image.   Chopin portrays this idea by telling the reader "...Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman.   The mother-woman seemed to prevail that summer at Grand Isle".   Edna tries on one occasion to explain to Adele how she feels about her children and how she feels about herself, which greatly differs from the mother-woman image.   She says:   "I would give up the unessential; I would give my money; I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself.   I can't make it more clear; it's only something I am beginning to comprehend, which is revealing itself to me."   This specifically contrasts the mother-woman idea of self-sacrificing for your husband and children.   Also, the "something . . . which is revealing itself" does not become completely clear to Edna herself until just before the end, when she does indeed give her life, but not her self for her children's sake. Although Edna loves her children she does not confuse her own life with theirs.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Similarly to Edna's relationship with her children is that with her husband, Leonce.   The Grand Isle society defines the role of   wife as full devotion towards their husband and to self-sacrafice for your husband. Edna never adhered to the societies definition, even at the beginning of the novel.   For example, the other ladies at Grand Isle "all declared that Mr.

Would You Like Ketchup With That Dollar? :: Essays Papers

Would You Like Ketchup With That Dollar? Money does not satiate the stomach, only the food it purchases can. Material possessions contain the lowest number of kilocalories-per-gram (i.e. none) when compared to fatty acids, carbohydrates, and amino acids. Power tends to be nutrient deficient (eggs, however, are quite functional). And, as of yet, science has been unable to show any effects (positive or negative) of elite membership upon the area of the brain related to hunger -- the hypothalamus. Food is the most basic and essential component of human existence, next to air, of course. In the last instance, it -- not wealth, power, or status -- matters most. Period. Yet, its sheer abundance in the core nations of the world remains unparalleled in most or all of human history. So much so, that it goes scarcely noticed anymore. In the market it is viewed as a commodity to be bought and sold, an abstraction of itself, not real or tangible. In the grocery store the abstraction, through clever marketing and advertising, becomes a heavily constructed and objectified notion of reality. Meanwhile, the consumer remains alienated and detached from one of the elements most antecedent to life and existence. I have read of some -- great Yogis of the East, who, through their enlightened communion with the Divine, are able to transcend any physical need of sustenance. But, the revelations of Sages remain lost to most of us, too caught up in the mayhem of capitalistic endeavors to even think about such mysticism. The commodification of food and the industrialization of agriculture have removed us from the cadences of nature. With time, industrial agriculture is proving more and more unsustainable, less reliable and wonderful than it is touted to be. While large agribusiness continues to strive for greater crop yields, increased mechanization, lower labor costs, more acreage, new technologies, consolidations -- maximum profits -- farmers are striving to feed their families, to keep their land, and to justify their existence as farmers. If traditional farming is not dead already, it is surely dying. Yet, there are some who refuse to allow the fields to lay forever fallow.

How the Environment Plays a Role in Learning? Essay

During the 1990s, considerable interest has been generated in the design of constructivist learning environments. The promise of these systems to leverage capabilities of technology, empower learners to pursue unique goals and needs, and re-conceptualize teaching-learning practices has sparked both provocative ideas as well as heated debate. Yet, problems in grounding designs within established theory and research are commonplace, as designers grapple with questions regarding epistemology, assumptions, and methods. Problems in implementation and practice are also commonplace, as pragmatic constraints surface and conflicting values emerge. We suggest three key issues that are likely to dominate the constructivist learning environment landscape. Inertia and the Tyranny of Tradition: Old Dogs, New Tricks? Although as educators we espouse support for constructivist approaches to teaching and learning, we continue to rely on familiar pedagogical approaches such as lectures, worksheets, and rote learning practices. At the moment, educators perceive such approaches as more compatible with traditional expectations and methods of student assessment and better supported by existing infrastructures. Stated differently, it is easier and more efficient to maintain current practices than to promulgate approaches for which significant shifts–epistemological, technological, and cultural–are required. (Swef, 2002) In truth, few designers have acknowledged, much less successfully negotiated, the hurdles associated with transforming a highly traditional community of educational practice. Yet, as constructivist learning environments are repurposed to fit traditional classroom practices, mismatched theoretical foundations, assumptions, or methods may result. Instructional methods or assessment practices are often added to (or taken away from) original designs to make them more compatible with classroom pragmatics and constraints. In essence, constructivist pedagogy is applied to attain traditional goals, and the environment becomes an instance of what Petraglia ( 1998) refers to as â€Å"domesticated constructivism† (cited in Karyn, 2003). For instance, a teacher may intend to use a constructivist environment within  a climatology unit to support hypothesis generation, prediction, data collection, and analysis. The environment may also employ powerful visualization tools and complex sets of meteorology databases and resources (perhaps from the WWW) in ways that are consistent with the environment’s constructivist foundations. (Swef, 2002) Yet, as pedagogical methods are considered, they may be tempered by the prevailing cultural values of high standardized test scores and mastery learning of basic skills. Consequently, rather than engage in prediction, interpretation, and data analysis, learners instead search databases to find specific answers to questions established in advance (e.g., find the temperature in San Diego; define the greenhouse effect; what is the coldest day on record in Los Angeles). Pragmatic influences may also intervene. (Karyn, 2003) Activity may be limited to the traditional two 50-minute class meetings per week and conventional tests and assessments of the unit’s meteorology content. Perhaps only a single computer is available, and consequently the teacher chooses to project and demonstrate the tools and resources rather than allow students to define, solve, and collaborate on weather prediction problems. (Zevenbergen, 2008)Learned Helplessness and Learner Compliance: â€Å"Will This Be on the Test?† In typical constructivist learning environments, students establish (or adopt) learning goals and needs, navigate through and evaluate a variety of potentially relevant resources, generate and test hypotheses, and so forth (Oliver, 1999). Teachers clarify rather than tell, guide rather than direct, and facilitate student effort rather than impose their own approaches. For both teachers and learners, these represent radical departures from conventional school-based learning activities. Teachers have traditionally possessed the required knowledge, determined what is correct and what is incorrect, and set and enforced grading standards. (Goodyear, 2001) Students are told what knowledge is required, which answers are correct and which are incorrect, and the standards that separate good from bad students, average from substandard performance, and robins from bluebirds. A pact between teacher and student is tacitly struck and enforced: Good teachers make the preceding explicit and direct student effort accordingly, while good students learn quickly to detect and comply with the standards. Research in the late 1990s on student engagement in constructivist learning environments has underscored several disturbing patterns. Land and Hannafin (1997), for instance, examined how seventh graders used the ErgoMotion (Karyn, 2003) roller coaster micro world to learn about force and motion concepts. Despite numerous and varied features and opportunities for learners to hypothesize, manipulate, and test predictions, many learners failed to either connect key concepts well or internalize their understanding. In lieu of the teacher, and perhaps in an attempt to identify what the system required of them, most relied exclusively on the explicit proxy structure provided by the system. They frequently queried the researchers as to whether or not responses were correct or whether they had â€Å"done enough yet.† Students were dependent on, and sought compliance with, external agents to tell them what, when, and in what order to respond, as well as to judge the quality, accuracy, and completion of their efforts–skills essential to constructivist learning environments. (Kember, 2007)Similarly, numerous compliant strategies in web-based, hypermedia environments were reported among middle school (Oliver, 1999) and adult students. Learners tended to use externally provided questions almost exclusively to navigate the system and find â€Å"answers† to open-ended problems (Kember, 2007). Similarly, Karyn (2003) reported that children attempted to apply traditional strategies to presumably web-based inquiry-oriented learning tasks. They tended to view the activity as finding the correct answer to their research question and â€Å"thus reduced the task to finding a single page, the perfect source, on which the answer could be found†. In these instances, learners invoked methods that do not typically support or promote open or inquiry-based learning–ironically the strategies required for successful performance in formal education. In the late 1990s, constructivists have emphasized the importance of scaffolding learner self regulation and strategic processes to help learners manage the complexity of the environment (Karyn, 2003). It is important to determine how learners use available scaffolds and to adapt accordingly. Without strategies appropriate to student-centered learning tasks, learners may fail to either invoke the affordances of the environment or to develop the strategies engendered by them. The Situated Learning Paradox. â€Å"I Know What I Know.† Although prior knowledge and situated contexts enhance transfer potential (Oliver, 1999), they also engender incomplete, naà ¯ve, and often inaccurate theories that interfere with rather than support learning. Paradoxically, these are precisely the types of thinking constructivist learning environments build upon. Most learners, for instance, believe that heavier objects sink and lighter objects float; their personal experiences confirm this intuitive theory. The resulting misconceptions, rooted in and strengthened by personal experience, are highly resilient and resistant to change. Although personal theories are considered critical to progressive understanding, they can become especially problematic when learners become entrenched in faulty theories to explain events that cannot be tested within the boundaries of a system or fail to recognize important contradictory evidence. (Cunningham, 2008)Learners referenced pri or knowledge and experiences that either contradicted or interfered with the environment’s treatment of the concepts of force and motion (Zevenbergen, 2008). In one case, theory preservation seriously limited the ability to learn from the system. One student failed to either detect system-provided information or seek confirmatory data due to the intractability of his beliefs; he was so entrenched in his beliefs that he failed to seek and repeatedly overlooked counterevidence (Karyn, 2003). In another case, a learner recalled an operator remarking that roller coaster brakes and clamps would terminate a problem run immediately. Consequently, she mistakenly perceived the coaster to be slowing down around curves, falsely confirming her belief that brakes were applied when they were not. Because they were strongly rooted in personal experience and could not is tested using the available tools, faulty conceptions endured. Thus, the completeness of a system’s representation of simulated phenomena is critical because learner’s access related prior knowledge and experiences that may contradict the environment’s treatment of th ose concepts. In sum, several perspectives regarding design of learning environments have emerged in response to interest in alternative epistemologies. Although considerable progress has been made to advance researchers’ understanding, many questions and issues remain. Whereas some studies have identified  problems and issues related to the design and implementation of constructivist learning environments, others have reported noteworthy benefits. It is imperative that efforts continue not only to ground design practices more completely but also to better understand the promise and limitations of constructivist learning environments. References Cunningham, Billie M. (2008) Using Action Research to Improve Learning and the Classroom Learning Environment. Issues in Accounting Education, Vol. 23 Issue 1, p1-30,Goodyear, P., Salmon, G., Spector, J. M., Steeples, C. & Tickner, S (2001) â€Å"Competences for Online Teaching: A Special Report†, Educational Technology, Research & Development, Proquest Education Journals, pp 65-72Karyn Wellhousen, Ingrid Crowther (2003) Creating Effective Learning Environments. Florence, KY: Delmar Cengage Learning. Kember, David; Leung, Doris Y. P.; Ma, Rosa S. F.. (2007) Characterizing Learning Environments Capable of Nurturing Generic Capabilities in Higher Education. Research in Higher Education. Oliver, R. (1999) Exploring strategies for online teaching and learning. Distance Education, 20, 2, Proquest Education Journals, pp 240-54Swef Chiew Goh, Myint Swe Khine. (2002) Studies in Educational Learning Environments: An International Perspective. New Jersey: World Scientific Publishing Company. Zevenbergen, Robyn; Lerman, Steve. (2008) Learning Environments Using Interactive Whiteboards: New Learning Spaces or Reproduction of Old Technologies? Mathematics Education Research Journal, Vol. 20 Issue 1, p107-125