Reflective Essay Essay

This essay aims to critically review my strengths and weaknesses as a self-regulated learner, in relation to key skills which demonstrate my ability to use reflective practice. Also, the essay will identify and implement the learning skills required to complete the modules in Year 2 of the programme. It will produce and make use of individual learning plans that reflect how I could improve upon my interpersonal skills and implement a personal development plan. Furthermore, a demonstration of application of key skills together with learning and interpersonal skills in a variety of settings will be made. The framework this reflective essay will follow has been adapted from the work of Borton (1970) Reach, Teach and Touch; along with Boud et al (1985) Turning Experience into Learning. A reflective essay is a piece of writing that basically involves your views and feelings about a particular subject. The goal of a reflective essay is to not only discuss what you learned, but to convey the personal experiences and findings that have resulted, Spinello (2012). However in order to critically evaluate and reflect the individual, must become a self-regulated learner. Students who are self-regulated learners collaborate with other students in exchanging ideas, eliciting assistance when needed, and providing support to their peers. They see the connection between their efforts and learning success, Trejos (2010). Zimmerman (2000) points out that, self-regulation is not a mental ability or an academic performance skill; rather it is the self-directive process by which learners transform their mental abilities into academic skills. These learners will monitor their behaviors in terms of their goals and self-reflect in order to increase their effectiveness. Self-regulation is important because a major function of education is the development of life-long learning skills, Zimmerman (2002, p. 66). In relation to the following key skills of, communication, numeracy, use of information technology, learning to learn and working with others, I have been able to identify my strengths and weaknesses. One of the areas in which I considered to be competent in was written communication, as I could  express myself more openly and creatively, this has been evident by the use blackboard discussions, emails and academic writing. Linked to this, my IT skills are also one of my biggest strengths, as I am able to utilize these skills to support and further develop communication, interpersonal and academic skills. My empathetic listening skill enables me to gain mutual understanding and supports me to work with others, where new knowledge and experience can be exchanged, which contribute to my ongoing learning. On the other hand, the identified areas that I need improvement in are my confidence in verbal communication, although one to one communication is not a problem, but communicating and presenting to larger groups is where I feel nervous. Building up confidence in this area is vital, as it is a key component of nursing practice, to ensure effective communication between patients, team members and multidisciplinary teams. From year one of the nursing programme to year two; I have seen an improvement in my general math’s skill, however I required further practice in this area, which will supported me to pass my drugs calculation exam for year 2. Additionally, exam preparation and revision techniques were another area which I needed to work on, as a result it facilitated towards preparing me for module 6 – immediate and continuing care examination. Last but not least, my academic writing skills which also required to be developed so that I would be able to produce work at level 5 standard, for additional module two – examining health and social care needs of vulnerable adults and module five – understanding evidence-based nursing. Once I identified my strengths and weaknesses, I was able to set three goals for the academic year and produce an action plan for each goal, which was implemented in a personal development plan. A personal development plan is described as â€Å"a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development†, (LMU, 2001). The three chosen goals for year 2 of my nursing programme were specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely (S.M. A. R. T). Goal one, was set out to help me become competent in critically appraising evidence and literature, which supports the learning skills of being able to produce academic work at level 5 standards. This goal required gaining understanding and knowledge of critical appraisal, as well as thoroughly comprehending the elements of critical appraisal and correctly identifying and using tool, frameworks and guidelines to critically appraise evidence and literature. The significance of achieving this goal was to help me complete year 2 modules of understanding evidence-based nursing and examining health and social care needs of vulnerable adults and achieving an overall good grade in both modules. What I generally thought was, for the understanding evidence based nursing essay I did not perform well with my critical appraisal, as most of my time was spent on formulating a PICO question and did not have sufficient time to write a powerful essay. However results showed that I gained an overall 55% mark, and comments that were given by the moderator were as follows ‘Critical appraisal – You have identified the framework and the article for critical appraisal. In this part you have detailed the research process as reported in the article; although you have attempted to analyse the research validity and reliability but they should have been further developed. You should have critically analysed the quantitative research rigor – validity, reliability and generalisability of the study findings supported with relevant literature’. So the importance of having constructive feedback is to make sure that I know which areas that I am potent in and which areas that I need to improve for the next essay, in order for me to critically appraise more coherently. As a result of this, for my examining health and social care needs of vulnerable adults module essay; which also involved critically appraising three research articles, I received an overall mark of 66%. The moderator’s comments for analysis and synthesis were that ‘You have made a good critique of the limitations of the studies. ’ And the quality of expression was indicated as ‘generally good. ’ Now I feel more confident in my critical appraisal skills, I believe with further practice I will be able to appraise articles and gain higher marks to help me progress on to year three. Goal two was aimed at preparing and passing module 6 – immediate and continuing care unseen examination, based on three patient journeys of diabetes, coronary heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. This goal was linked to learning skills of exam preparation and revision techniques. The  steps that were taken in achieving this goal were to create a revision timetable to manage time; to use different revision and rehearsal techniques i. e. flow charts, mind-maps, revision cards, rehearsing exam papers in timed condition and having a study buddy. Combined with this, whilst reading literature and gathering information, I collected relevant references to create a reference list for the examination. What I thought was the daunting part of this goal was practicing exam papers in timed condition, as three hours seemed like a long time. What was interesting is that once I had all the suitable materials and information and began to do a timed essay, three hours seemed shorter than expected; with continuous practice this helped me to pick up my writing speed and also managing time per essay. With the use of mind maps and flow charts I was able to access information quick and easy, rather than going back to textbooks and online resources. Having prepared in this way prior to the exam made me feel confident and relaxed and I was able to manage my time efficiently. So the significance of preparing ahead is that it helps me to become proactive; managing time helps me to prioritise what is important and what needs to be attended in sequence. And using relevant resources is essential for learning success and achievement. Now I feel that I have generally performed well in my exam, as much of what I revised came up and I was prepared. Although time felt like an issue, I was able to use my time productively and efficiently. What I think I could improve for next time, is begin planning and revision sooner and rehearse more timed essay as practice makes perfect. Additionally, what I have learnt throughout this module I will be able to apply to clinical practice, and as an individual be prepared and have the ability to act accordingly when foreseen and unforeseen circumstances arise. Goal three demonstrates my ability to use my existing general maths skills with further practise, to pass drugs calculation examination for year 2. For this goal, the steps that were taken in order to achieve the goals were to use Authentic World (SafeMedicate) to revise for the exam, to do online mock exams in timed condition, and revise on general maths skills. What I didn’t realise was that the drugs examination was compulsory for every year throughout the nursing degree programme. However, as I had already passed my year one drugs calculation exam with full marks of 90/90, I didn’t find year two to be too difficult as it was on three areas from the previous year of tablets & capsules, liquid medication and Injections. I found that accessing authentic world and revising the areas and completing the mock exams were easily within the comfort of home. I was able to revise where I wanted and when I wanted, support was available from other maths revision sites. So after revising the key areas and doing timed questions, I felt confident in sitting the actual exam. I completed the exam within the time limit, reviewed my questions and answer and received my final mark of 90/90 on first attempt, which I was very pleased with. Now that I have achieved full marks on my first attempt I am able use this knowledge of drug management to aid my drugs administrative skills whilst on second year placement. What I will aim to do for year three drugs calculation exam is to refresh and revise over previous areas, and also read ahead on the additional section that will be added to year three exam. On achievement of these three developmental goal, I have been able to make connection between the learning and interpersonal skills to a variety of settings. From goal one I understand being able to critically appraise in nursing practice means that patients can benefit from the best possible outcome with backup from reliable and valid researches that have been carried out. Thus, as a healthcare professional I am able to gain knowledge to ensure and/or provide effective and dynamic care. From goal two of understanding long-term illness of coronary heart disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis from journeys of simulation patients. I have been able to prepare myself to have knowledge and have the ability to cooperate in a situation where I will work with real patients with these types of conditions. Long-term illnesses and conditions affects vast majority of the population and therefore keeping knowledge update is an essential way to promote health and provide information to others. With support from goal three of safely calculating drug dosages for supporting drug administrative skills, is essential part of nurse training. To ensure that the right patients receive the right dose of the right medication, at the right time, through the right route, as drug errors can be fatal to the outcomes of the patient. In conclusion, this module has helped me to develop from being an independent learner to a self-regulated learner. Where I am able to identify my strengths and weaknesses in relations to key skills; and critique my competency and incompetency towards creating goals, and reflect upon the process in achieving these goals. Overall for year two of this programme I have achieved my set goals, and I have developed the ability to use key skills along with learning and interpersonal skills in providing best judgement in different settings. References: Borton, T (1970) Reach, Teach and Touch. McGraw Hill, London Boud D, Keogh R & Walker D. (1985) Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning. Kogan Page, London. London Metropolitan University (LMU) (2001) Personal development planning (Online) available at: www. londonmet. ac. uk/library/z62053_24. doc. [Accessed last: 11 January 2012] Spinello, S. (2012) what is a reflective essay? (Online) available at: http://www. ehow. com/about_4576779_reflective-essay-paper_. html. [Accessed: 09 February 2012] Trejos, C. M. A. (2008) Using journals for learners’ reflection and self-assessment. The internet TESL journal. 14 (10). (Online) available at: http://iteslj. org/Techniques/Arciniegas-LearnersJournals. html. [Accessed last: 10 February 2012] Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Attainment of self-regulation: A social cognitive perspective. In M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds. ), Handbook of self-regulation (pp. 13-39). San Diego, CA: AcademicPress. Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: an overview. Theory into practice, 41 (2), p. 64-70.

Foreign Policy on Pakistan-India Relation

An aggressive, liberal and a pro-active foreign policy makes way for improved ties with the nations of the world. Predictably, the regional scenario of South Asia, particularly of the region encompassing the countries of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, China, Iran, Nepal, Bangladesh and the Central Asian States is likely to remain volatile in the near future. Pakistan is a stakeholder in the scenario and regional instability is inadvertently going to have a decelerating influence on the country road to peace and progress.With Pakistan and Indian's relation being strengthened via the tools of negotiations ND diplomacy, it can be expected that inter-regional cooperation will be catcalled. Thus, better ties between the two most significant neighbors in the region, Pakistan and India, symbolize enhanced cooperation in the South Asian region on the whole. The document sets out a two-faceted goal, Short-Term and Long-Term and bridges the proposed solutions to the principal issues between Pak istan and India, through a road-map.Cotton is charged at RSI. 108/kilogram; Tariff on the Dairy Products is from 40-60%, Garments are charged at RSI. 85/piece, Agriculture Items at a Tariff of 35%. These rates are generally considered to be unfairly high. [It must be mentioned that Pakistanis high-quality products like Cotton/Lawn Fabric and Bed Linens are in popular demand in the Indian markets] (g) Pakistani exporters complain that India continues to exercise country-specific Imitation Import Barriers in Pakistanis case, (h) India argues that these NTIS (Non- Tariff Barriers) are the same for all of its trading partners, I) Pakistan itself does not have a standardized import regime.Indian exporters, therefore, have to deal with fewer restrictions of product quality and specifications, O) In August 2012, India lifted its ban on Pakistani businessperson to invest in India. Proposed Solution: Trade between Pakistan and India has the potential to reach US $ 10 Billionaire, thus: (a) P akistan should upgrade its manufacturing industry and improve the value- addition processes of exportable items. Better-Quality products are more likely to have greater access to the Indian markets, (b) Pakistani manufacturers and businessperson are at a disadvantage because Indian exporters have fewer product restrictions in Pakistan while Pakistani exporters have to deal with strict product-quality specifications in India.Pakistan should regulate its import regime and maintain better standards for the quality of import items, (c) Pakistan should urge India to abide by the 3 landmark trade agreements (signed in February 2012) and simplify the following trade requirements: – ) Custom Documentation formalities, – ) Tariff Structure, – ) The whole procedure of obtaining and renewing the Bureau of India Standards (IBIS) License, (d) Pakistan should also urge India to ease the requirement of agricultural permits ND automobile licenses on imports coming from Pakistan , (e) State Bank of Pakistan and Reserve Bank of India should open cross-border branches on the basis of mutual benefits, (f) Both countries should work towards the opening of the Nabob-Cockroach Route (in Kinds, Pakistan) as a feasible trade route, (g) Pakistan and India should finalize liberationists in the Visa Regime, including Multiple-Entry and Greater-Duration Visas for businessperson. Indian Home Ministry has agreed to relax its previous stance that it will not allow relaxations in the business and civilian visa regime, unless Pakistan takes action against the Iambi 6/11 terrorists], (h) Visa relaxations will help Pakistani rice exporters in learning technical expertise for rice cultivation. Pakistani automobile (specifically tractor industry) and cement industry can have strong potential in Indian markets if Pakistani manufacturers will themselves visit India frequently and explore the market of 1. 2 billion people, (I) The Economic Zone between Karts (Pakistan) and Amorist s (India) should be established, O) Pakistan must go ahead with granting the MFC Status to India on 3 conditions: – ) That Pakistan will maintain a well-prepared ‘Sensitive List' for items which can not be imported from India.This will ensure the safeguard of Pakistanis local industry, – ) That India will reciprocate by reducing its ‘Sensitive List' on items which can not be imported from Pakistan, including tariff relaxations on Pakistanis Textile, – ) That India should lift its ban from Indian investors on investing in Pakistan. (II) SIR CREEK Out of all other bilateral disputes between Pakistan and India, the Sir Creek Dispute can be expected to have a relatively quick solution. The settlement of this dispute can be used as an important Confidence-Building Measure to build on to resolve other pending disputes. Sir Creek is a 96 km strip of water. It is made up of marshes which makes it water-logged for most of the year. It runs in the Ran of Ketch area.The Ran of Ketch area lies between the south of Kinds in Pakistan and the State of Gujarat in India. Historical evidence (specifically the 1908 Imperial Gazetteer of India) clearly indicates that during the British Rule in India, the Ran of Ketch was part of Kinds. Later, when India was partitioned in 1947, Kinds became a part of Pakistan (therefore Sir Creek also became a part of Pakistan). According to Paragraphs 9 and 10 of the ‘1914 Bombay Resolution' (which was signed teen the Government of Bombay and the Ruler of Ketch), the ‘Green Line' as indicated in the map clearly demarcated the boundaries of Sir Creek and included the whole of it in Kinds.India then argued that from the technical aspect, the ‘Green Line' is not a boundary but Just an ‘indication of a boundary. India claimed that the boundary of Sir Creek lies manhandle into the water and that exactly half of Sir Creek is part of India. To validate this claim, India endorses the ‘Thales Principle'. In 1965, Indian forces unfairly attempted to seize Sir Creek because India wanted to establish its naval base n the Gulf of Ketch. As a result, India gained control off part of Sir Creek. When the prospect of important mineral resources (oil/gas) was discovered in the subsurface of Sir Creek, Pakistan and India became more serious about their respective claims.Both countries now realize that if they loose one kilometer of Sir Creek on ground, it would subsequently mean a loss of hundreds of square nautical miles of the resourceful economic zone under-water. Indian's current stance is that boundaries should first be marked under-water and according to the under-water boundaries, the land boundaries shall be demarcated. Pakistanis current stance is to first demarcate on the ground and then under-water. Pakistan wants the adoption of the 1914 Bombay Resolution. Pakistan was willing to invite international arbitration because it believes it has a strong case. But India alwa ys wanted to keep this issue bilateral.Proposed Solution-1914 Bombay Resolution: (a) Indian's endorsement of ‘Thales Principle' is not applicable in the case of Sir Creek because Sir Creek is Water-logged and not navigable' for most part of the year. The Thales Principle holds applicable only for navigable areas. (b) The demarcation of land boundaries shall be done first. The demarcation of the under-water maritime boundaries will then follow. (c) Indian's unreasonable argument that demarcation shall first be done under-water will have to be countered. Hydrosphere from both Pakistan and India have declared that environmental changes have occurred over the years and it is not possible anymore to distinguish between territorial waters without demarcating the land area first. D) During the process of demarcation, the ‘1991 Pakistan-India Agreement on Advance Notice on Military Exercises, Maneuvers and Troop Movement' will be strictly followed by both sides to ensure peace a long the coastline of Sir Creek. E) After demarcating Sir Creek, both countries will submit their respective boundary limits to the ‘Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLC). The CLC will consider and evaluate the data submitted by each country. (f) Here, Pakistan will automatically have a stronger case because according to the rules of CLC, India can not mention Sir Creek as a part of its continental shelf in the documents which it will submit to CLC. (g) 3 factors will further strengthen Pakistanis case. First, Sir Creek was a major water distributors of River Indus and Pakistan has an undisputed right over River Indus.Second, the ‘Green Line' shown in the maps of 1914 Bombay Resolution clearly brings Sir Creek in Pakistanis territorial domain. Third, the tail of Sir Creek terminates in Baden which is a district in Pakistan. (h) Pakistanis claims are very strong and it is very likely that the CLC will eventually favor Pakistan. According to the United Na tions Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLES), both countries are time-bound to resolve this dispute because unless this dispute is resolved, neither side will be eligible to exploit their respective Exclusive Economic Zones in the sea. (Ill) PRISONERS The settlement of Sir Creek Dispute can be followed with another important Confidence-Building Measure. The area of Sir Creek is concentrated with fishermen.Since territorial borders in water (and on land) are not properly marked, fishermen from both sides end up mistakenly trespassing into each other's territorial waters. They are then arrested. The laws which are used by Pakistan and India to govern their seas and arrest these fishermen have not been conformed by UNCLES. Pakistani fishermen are arrested by India under the ‘Maritime Zones of India Acts, 1976 and 1981'. India is a signatory of he UNCLES but its maritime zone acts do not conform to the United Nations Convention on Law of the Seas (UNCLES). The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (AMPS) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICC) shall resume the negotiations which were called off after the Iambi attacks. These negotiations will ensure: a.That whenever Pakistani fishermen are detained in India, the Indian maritime agencies will immediately inform the Pakistani maritime agencies and vice versa. B. That the ships and boats of the detained Pakistani fishermen will be handed over to the Pakistani maritime agency by the Indian maritime agencies and vice versa. Two concrete steps can be taken: a. Joint Judicial Commission on Prisoners, 2007: Recommendations of this Commission (which was constituted by both governments and comprises of 4 superior retired Judges from each side) must be given immediate consideration and implemented. This Joint commission (if adequately empowered) can almost resolve the issue of prisoners. B.Agreement of Counselor Access, 2008: Under this Agreement, prisoners (in both, Pakistan and India) must be provided access to a Counselor i mmediately after being arrested. The major role of the counselor is to verify the nationality of the prisoner. This process, however, often gets delayed unnecessarily. Often, this delay is from the country to which the prisoner belongs. Interior/Home Ministries, Foreign/External Ministries and the High Commissions of Pakistan and India must therefore promptly strive to avoid any delays in the verification of the nationality of their respective citizens present in each other's Jails. In June 2012, Pakistan released 311 Indian fishermen. There are 21 deaf, mute and mentally unstable Pakistani prisoners in Indian Jails. These prisoners have also completed their sentences.The Indian Supreme Court is coking into the matter of their release but it is encountering a lot of technical hurdles. Likewise, there are 18 Pakistani Prisoners of War (of 1965 and 1971) still in Indian jails. The next round of talks between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries is expected from September 7 to 9 (2012). There, the return of these 39 prisoners should be a top priority on Pakistanis agenda. If the Sir Creek issue is resolved, it becomes a moral binding on both parties to simultaneously release ALL those prisoners, who were arrested on the charges of ‘Mistaken Trespassing'. THE WATER ISSUE Between the two countries, it is India which is the upper-riparian state.And therefore, in this case it is India which is required to take sensible decisions to protect our peace negotiations from untimely termination. [The Water ‘Issue' must not be treated as a ‘Dispute' because calling it a dispute will have its own repercussions. The solution is already in place in the form of ‘Indus Water Treaty, 1960' and only a re-interpretation of the treaty is required] The ISSUE: (a) sass's Indus Water Treaty gave 3 western rivers to Pakistan. India was allowed to use some water from these 3 rivers before they enter into Pakistan. B) India was permitted to use the water for h ydrophone generation. The condition was that Indian usage must not alter the natural timing of flow and the quantity of these waters as they enter Pakistan. C) With Indian hydrophone projects, the only concern for Pakistan is the timing of flow because hydrophone does not ‘consume' water so the quantity remains unaltered. The timing of the flow is critically important for agriculture in Pakistan. (d) In the 1960 Treaty, India was only allowed limited water storage. This was applied to all the dams which India will build on Jelled and Chance. E) The problem began with the installation of ‘physical gates'. India was allowed to install these gates to flush out the silt/waste (coming from glaciers), but India began using it to unfairly ‘stop' and unfairly ‘release' water into Pakistan. (f) The problem will get more severe when India will complete the construction of Bursar Dam, Shanghaiing Dam, Peaceful Dam, Kowalski Dam, Deal Hustle Dam.In case India decides to go for ‘Cumulative Storage' or ‘Cumulative Release' of water from these dams, Pakistan will be completely vulnerable to mass destruction (which was allegedly the case with the 2010 floods). Words of John Brioche (World Banks Senior Water Advisor and Neutral Expert on Baggier Dam case) must be cited for reference : He says, â€Å"A Journalist colleague in Delhi told me that the Indus Treaty is considered an integral part of Kashmir and when it comes to Kashmir, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs instructs newspapers on what they can and cannot say, and often tells them explicitly what it is they are to say†. Proposed Solution-Negotiations and Negotiations: Pakistan will have to diplomatically assert the right amount of pressure on India for the re-interpretation of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty.Right amount of pressure' on India can be exerted by Pakistan in the form of legal hurdles and calls for international arbitration for Indian power projects being built o n rivers Jelled and Chance. If the two countries can keep ego aside, there can be numerous ways in which the 1960 Treaty can be implemented to benefit both sides. A Joint monitoring system can also be formulated to ensure timely discharge of water from India to Pakistan. But this is only possible when relations are more cordial and more trust has been developed on both sides. In fact, India has the potential to ‘increase' this flow during difficult planting seasons n Pakistan. This is not an unrealistic suggestion.India does have this potential and can do it without effecting its own power generation. But focuses, this can only be made possible when relations between both countries are friendlier. Joint Power Projects (a) Indian's power outage of 31st July 2012 affected 670 Million Indian citizens, and has considerably reduced the Foreign Direct Investment coming to India. (b) This scenario can trigger further collaborations and can get India on board for the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project. (c) USA is particularly interested to normalize relations between Pakistan and India so hat Pakistan can retreat its forces from its Eastern border and redeploy them on the Western borders along Afghanistan. D) On the other hand, why India is reluctant to rejoin the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project (which was called Iran-Pakistan-India Gas Pipeline Project until India backed of is because India is a close ally of the USA and the USA did not want India to be a part of this project because of its own concerns with Iran's nuclear program. (e) But now, Pakistan can seek an advantage from USA. (f) Pakistan shall diplomatically convey this to America that the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project is very essential, not only to address the acute power shortage in both Pakistan and India but also very specifically to enhance developmentalcollaboration between the two countries. (g) After this, it will be America's call to realize that it must not continue to become an unfa ir player between Pakistan and India. Assuming that USA decides to stop exerting pressure on India, it will then entirely be Indian's decision whether or not to pursue the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project. H) After the episode of Indian's biggest power failure (dated July 31 , 2012), chances are hat India will now be willing to resume talks on the IP Gas Pipeline Project. (I) Also, India aspires to become the regional power-house of South Asia and in the long term, it aspires to out-do China in this quest. If India actually aspires to become the regional power, it should start acting like one and must play its part in enhancing regional collaborations. This, is another reason why India should be more willing to pursue the IP Gas Pipeline Project. KASHMIR Kashmir Stance: In the words of Mir WAIS Muar Faro (Chairman All Parties Hurray Conference), â€Å"Kashmir is not a bilateral issue between Pakistan and India, but a trilateral one which also involves the people of Kashmir† .SELF Momma Kashmir Liberation Front) Chairman Yak's Mali believes that the option of a deep freeze (that is, to freeze the matter in its current position for a few years before relations become stronger between Pakistan and India) is not feasible, without stopping the Indian operation in the Indian-occupied Kashmir. India can not afford to ‘deep-freeze' the matter because of the suspicion that the freedom movement will take over as soon as the Indian operation is stopped. Three-e-Hurray Chairman Seed All Shah Gelling strongly advocates Kashmir ‘Right of Self-Determination' and purports Kashmir alliance with Pakistan. However, he once said: â€Å"Pakistan has morally, diplomatically and politically supported the struggle of the people of Jam & Kashmir, but this does not mean Pakistan can take a decision on our behalf†.APPC (All Parties Hurray Conference) Chairman Miramar Muar Faro demands: a) ‘Armed Forces Special Powers Act (PAPPAS, 1990)' shall be repealed (UN has called it ‘A Violation of International Law and has asked India to revoke it), b) Indian troops shall be withdrawn from populated areas of the Valley, c) Political Detainees shall be leased, if India wants a peaceful resolution of the dispute. International Community Stance: The International Community wants to resolve the dispute of Kashmir because it sees it as a threat to regional stability in South Asia if two nuclear states, Pakistan and India, are involved in such a tense dispute and are not engaging in economic collaborations with each other.Indian's Stance: India has a two-fold agenda on Kashmir: a) Propagate that unrest in Kashmir is basically ‘Pakistanis Proxy War' and Pakistan is logistically supporting the Kashmir Freedom Fighters, ) Make the Line of Control (LoC) the international border between Pakistan and India. India is intelligently floating the LoC-Solution in the international community; U. S and U. K are also supporting Indian's stance as th e ultimate solution for Kashmir. By proposing the LoC-Solution, India is suggesting that both Pakistan and India should enjoy sovereignty over their respective part of Kashmir and that the Kashmir people can be allowed to travel between both parts more freely.Proposed Solution-plebiscite: (l) If Pakistan wishes to avoid the situation in which the International Community egging exercising diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to accept the Indian formula to settle the Kashmir Dispute, it must come up with more realistic alternatives that take into consideration the popular demands of the people of Kashmir. (II) Pakistan believes that the main issue is not the territorial control' of the land of Kashmir but the ‘right of self-determination' of the Kashmir people. Pakistan should continue to advocate this stance. (Ill) Pakistan should use the global forums to remind its international partners that Indian forces deployed in Kashmir, are violating the very basic human rights by imaging i n acts of rape and child molestation. ‘V) Pakistan should also use the global forums to remind its international partners that so far, the Indian Government has been unable to get any political set-up accepted by the Kashmir people. (V) Pakistan should reiterate its support for the All Parties Hurray Conference (APPC) as the most prominent representation of the Kashmir people. Pakistan should also remind the international community that the APPC comprises not only of Islamic fundamentalists but also of liberal and progressive factions like Jam Kashmir Liberation Front GOLF) and the Miami Action Committee. VI) Pakistan strongly condemns Indian's accusations that the Kashmir freedom struggle is sponsored by Pakistan.In order to counter these allegations, we invite Indian's consent on requesting the United Nations to deploy more international observers along the Line of Control. (VI') Pakistan should counter Indian's LoC-Solution by terming it a ‘military solution which doe s not serve the purpose of the freedom movement. Pakistan believes that even after LoC is made the international border between Pakistan and India, the Kashmir people will not stop their freedom struggle. (VI†) Series of Bilateral & Trilateral Talks: Pakistan should be proactive in the current on-going negotiations between Islamabad and Delhi and should diplomatically ensure that these talks do not come to any momentary halts.Pakistan believes that time is of essence and the bilateral dialogue with India should not be allowed to be influenced and stopped by other factors that govern the relation between the two countries. (a) Pakistan would like to begin the Series with Secretary-Level Talks between the Foreign Secretaries, and then, the Defense Secretaries of the two countries. (b) The Indian Government shall commit to freeze the military operation in the Unanticipated Kashmir for the duration of this Series. (c) The next level of talks will include the Political Leadership ( Government + Opposition) of Pakistan, of India and of Kashmir. (d) To ensure the true representation of the people of Kashmir, an election shall be conducted under international monitoring, to choose the political leadership from all states of Jam & Kashmir.This political leadership will then represent the territory at the negotiation table. (e) Pakistan strictly reaffirms that it will simply not entertain any third-party other than the United Nations, for the role of a mediator between Pakistan and India. In the unlikely scenario that India proposes to invite the U. S on board as the thirdly, Pakistan will rule it out by proposing the name of China. Pakistanis argument is that the U. S is not a neutral choice because it already favors Indian's LoC-Solution on the matter and has greater strategic interests with India. China, on the other hand, is the regional power-house and is a greater share-holder in South Asia.Chances are, that India will not agree to the name of China. Eventual ly, in case of a deadlock, both parties will retreat to the name of United Nations] (XX) Pakistanis principal stance is to vive the Right of Self Determination to Kashmir people via a Plebiscite. This stance will be achieved by implementing UN Resolution 47, according to which: (a) Pakistan will withdraw its nationals (if any) from Kashmir, (b) India will withdraw the excessive military personals from Kashmir, (c) UN observers will be deployed to ensure that withdrawal from both sides, is of a reasonable proportion, (d) Once the withdrawal process is completed, the ‘Owen Dixon Model' will be adopted.This model divides Kashmir into 2 zones: – ) Kashmir Valley + Muslim Areas of Jam + Muslim Areas of Ladder + Muslim Areas of Cargill, – ) Remaining Districts of Jam, Ladder and Lee. (e) Once the Owen Dixon Model is adopted, Plebiscite can be conducted under United Nation's trusted supervision. The people will vote either in favor of Pakistan or India, (f) A 3rd option of ‘Complete Independence' can be included in the Plebiscite. [This option is favored by some Kashmir freedom parties, like Manually Khan's SELF. However, both Pakistan and India are reluctant about the inclusion of this option because that will ignite demands of independence from various areas within India

Organisation Behaviour

Organisation Behaviour

How to Find ACT Scores by High School and District

How to Find ACT Scores by High School and District SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Searching for the perfect high school or school district for you or your child? You've come to the right place. When looking at different high schools or different school districts, average ACT score can be a helpful comparison tool. Average ACT score can help estimatethe quality of education and quality of students at a particularhigh school or schooldistrict. There are a few different ways to find averageACT scores by high school or district. I’ll explain the different methods and why you should care about average high school ACT scores. How to Find a District orHigh School’s Average ACT Score: Your Options Beloware four methods fortracking downa public school’s average ACT score. The best option for you will depend on your homestate: Searchthe Department of Education website. (Note: This only works for PUBLIC high schools. Also, this is the ONLY way to find average ACT scores by school district.) Searchthe school’s website (however, not all schools publish this information on their websites). Emaila school administrator. Google search, "[High School Name] Average ACT Score." The best method is to use the Department of Education’s website for your state. Later on, I’ll explain how to find a district’s or specific public high school’s average ACT score using this method.This is the only way to guarantee you’re getting up-to-date, correct, unbiased information. This method will notwork for the following states: Alabama Arizona Arkansas Connecticut* DC Delaware* Hawaii Idaho* Iowa Maine* Massachusetts* Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey* New Mexico New York* North Carolina* North Dakota Ohio Oregon Rhode Island* South Carolina* Vermont* Virginia* Washington* * While these states don't provide ACT data, they do provide SAT data by high school. For information on how to find SAT data, read our guide to SAT scores by school. For private high schools or in states listed above, you could try to look on the high school’s website, do a Google search, or send an email to an administrator at that high school asking for the average ACT score. Be aware that there may be obstacles tofindingACT scores by high school.Websites and internet searches can often have outdated information (i.e. ACT score averages from three years ago)ornot even post this data.Additionally, administrators may also give you outdated information if they haven’t seen the most recent statistics. Also, it may take some administratorsa while to respond to your request if they have abusy schedule or are on summer vacation. How to Use the Department of Education’s Website to Find ACT Scores byHigh School or District Do a Google Search for your state’s Department of Education.Search â€Å"[State Name] Department of Education.†I did so below for Florida’s Department of Education.The state’s Department of Education website will usually be the first search result: After opening the Department of Education website, you should see a search box in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. In this box, type â€Å"ACT score† or â€Å"ACT data.† That search should bring up the ACT data for the state (see below). Typically the first result will be the one you want to view. Select the option that will provide you access to the most recent ACT data. The first link above says ACT, ACT, and AP Data while the second link says ACT, ACT, and AP Data Archive. This suggests the first link will have the most recent data while the ACT, ACT, and AP Data Archive most likely provides the data from previous years. The first link brought me to the page below: NOTE: for Florida, the most recent ACT data was from 2013. Other states may have 2014 ACT data available already. If you’re looking for data for a specific public high school, select the option that will show you ACT School Means.It will probably not be labeled the same for your state, but it should haveâ€Å"ACT† and â€Å"School† in the title. This link will provide you with school specific data. If you’re looking for data to compare different districts, select the ACT District Means spreadsheet. The district option only provides you with the average ACT scores for each district in the state (without breaking it down by high school). You’ll have to download the spreadsheet to your computer (which it should do automatically when you click on the link).A large excel spreadsheet should open that looks something like this: The exact informationthis document shows will vary by state, but all of them should list high school names and corresponding ACTscores (typically as a composite score). Sometimesthe state lists both the average composite score and the average sectionscores (English, Math, Reading, and Science). The Florida document does this, and it also provides information onthe number of 12th-grade students enrolled, the number of ACT test-takers, and the percentage of ACT test-takers by high school. To find the average ACT score for the public high schools you’re interested in, type Command + F function on your keyboard to search the spreadsheet. If you’re unable to get to this ACT data through your state’s Department of Education website, you should contact your state’s Department of Education (the contact information should be on their website).Usually, the Department of Education has a specific phone number or email to contact if you’re in search of data. If you’re unable to get in contact with the Department of Education or if you want ACT data for private high schools, then you should email or call the high school you're interested in. Why Care About a High School’s Average ACT Score? You should care about a high school’s average ACT score because higher ACT scores can indicate a better quality of education and a better quality of student at that school. While the ACT explicitly measures a student’sacademic ability, it can also measure how much a student cares about his or her education. ACT preparation can drastically change a student's score.If a student has slightly above-average intelligence, he or she can get a very high or even perfect ACT score with enough practice. Therefore, a student’s ACT score reveals both their academic ability AND how hard they’re willing to work. Since the ACT measures academic abilityand your education is largely responsible for what information you learn, the better your education, the better you’ll perform on the ACT. Though, as I said above, your ACT score is also affected by how much you prepare for the test. If a high school’s average ACT score is above-average, I’d venture a guess that the students at that school are more invested in their education and more committed to getting into a good 4-year college than students at other schools.These students likely study more and invest more time in preparing forthe ACT,and they are thereforemore likely to get accepted into selective colleges in the future. If you're concerned aboutyour child receiving a quality education and beingsurrounded by hard-workingstudents, consider sending them to a school or school district with a higher average ACTscore. Devil’s Advocate: Why Shouldn’t You Rely Too Heavily on Average ACT Score? While a school’s average ACT score can give an estimate ofthe quality of education and caliber of students at that school, average ACT score may not tell you the full story. For instance, some public high schools have magnet (or gifted) programs that you apply to that are separated from the â€Å"regular† track at that high school. These programs often have a higher caliber of student and better teachers than the rest of the school. My public high school had an International Baccalaureate magnet program. The admissions requirements for this program were high while there were norequirements for students on the â€Å"regular† high school track. This program had better teachers who only taught IB classes.For these reasons, I’d guess that the average ACT score for IB students was higher than the average ACT score for students on the â€Å"regular† high school track. However, the published average ACT score for my high school does not distinguish between IB and non-IB students. Instead, the number incorporates the scores of all students at the school.For this reason, you can’t figure out what the caliber of education and student will be within this specific magnet program at my school. Another reason average ACT score should not worry you too much is that a big part of your ACT score is how much effort you put into preparing for the exam.If you ultimately decide to attend a high school with a low average ACT score, you’re not necessarily going to have a low ACT score yourself.It doesn’t matter which high school you attend, you can still work hard, learn the test format and strategies, and achievea high score on the ACT. That being said, you should try to attend the high school with the highest caliber of students and teachers.That way, you receive the best education you can, you’ll be challenged in school, and you’ll be well prepared for the ACT. What’s Next? Trying to decide where to go to high school? Consider an IB school. Not sure what extracurriculars to do in high school? Learn about how to join Student Council, how to start a club, and how to pick a sport. Interested in doing a summer program? Learn about medical summer programs, summer sports camps, volunteering, Emory's Pre-College Program, and Boston University Summer Challenge. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Expert Strategy Guide SAT Question of the Day

Expert Strategy Guide SAT Question of the Day SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips One great way to insert some extra SAT prep into your daily routine is to do a free SAT Question of the Day. College Board and other websites offer a daily question online and on mobile devices to keep you practicing whenever and wherever you want. In this article we’ll point you towards the best SAT Questions of the Day, both how to find them and how to use them effectively as you prep for the SAT. Where can you find SAT QOTD? Even though a few companies offer Question of the Day, College Board’s website is by far the best place for SAT QOTD. As the producers of the test, they release the highest quality questions. You can find their official practice question of the day online here: http://sat.org/qotd. In addition to the practice question, this site will tell you how many students answered it and what percentage answered it correctly. If you need a hint, it will give you one, as well. If you missed a question in the last thirty days, you can access that, too. Finally, College Board will give you an explanation of the correct answer. College Board has discontinued emailing practice questions, but you can pair up with a friend and email each other using their â€Å"Challenge a Friend† feature. Another site that offers free SAT questions of the day online is Number2.com (link to https://www.number2.com/exams/sat/daily/question/). This site offers a question a day, but does not have the other features (the answer hint, statistics, or share with a friend) that College Board offers. Do you tweet? College Board does too. You can follow @SATQuestion on Twitter. College Board links you back to their main site, along with some inspirational quotes or helpful tips about the test. How about QOTD on your phone? You can download College Board’s free apps to your phone, iPad, and Kindle. Here are their links for free apps: iPhones and iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/official-sat-question-day/id361264754?mt=8. Android and Google Play:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.collegeboard.qotd Amazon:amazon.com/gp/mas/dl/android?p=org.collegeboard.qotd How do you use QOTD effectively and get the most from them? While answering QOTD questions is helpful, there are a few ways to get the most out of your time to improve your score the most. Make sure you understand your mistakes Did you answer it correctly? Read the explanation to make sure you understood the whole concept or skill being tested. The following example explains the answer to the math question above. Did you answer it incorrectly? Write that question down in your notebook. Figure out why you got it wrong and what concept or skill you need to work on to answer it correctly in the future. Figure out your weaknesses and drill them Whether the QOTD is math, reading, or writing, you should understand why you missed a question deeply. If you get stuck on a math question, seek out similar questions that test the same concept. If the vocabulary words are unfamiliar, look them up and shore up your vocabulary. Here’s an example of a Critical Reading sentence completion question from College Board. We'll hide the answer from you until you're ready. . . . .Did you choose C, â€Å"volatile...liable†? If you didn’t choose C, what was your mistake? Were you unfamiliar with the vocabulary words? Did you not think about the relationship between the words or correctly interpret to the context of the sentence? Through carefully analyzing your answers and working on your mistakes, you can turn your weaknesses into strengths. When a similar question comes up on the SAT, you can rest easy with the knowledge you’ve seen it dozens of times before. There are some limitations to SAT QOTD. First, because they are short questions, they usually don’t include passage-based reading or improving paragraph questions. Instead, they tend to be math multiple choice, sentence completions, improving sentences, and identifying sentence errors. Secondly, the difficulty levels of the questions are random. You can’t choose whether the practice questions of the day are easy, medium, or hard. However, you will get to answer a variety and see how you do on each questions of each difficulty level. This way you can figure out what skills and knowledge require further study and practice. Questions of the Day are a helpful tool and motivator, but they are not a replacement for more extensive study. To sum up†¦ Pros: -SAT Questions of the Day ensure that you’re preparing every day. -They’re easy to access online or on your cell phone or other devices. -They can be a launching point to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Cons: -There usually are no passage-based reading or improving paragraph questions. -The questions are random, so you can’t choose whether they’re easy, medium, or hard. SAT Questions of the Day are a free and easy way to get in some extra practice, learn new words, and most importantly, root out the areas you need to work on the most. Plus with the mobile apps, they’re conveniently right there in your pocket or bag. Just don’t get caught looking at your cell phone during class! What's Next? Now that you know how to prep using QOTD, there's a lot more you can learn about the SAT. What's a good SAT score for you and your goals? Read our step-by-step guide to figure our your own SAT target score. Planning to study with SAT books? Read our in-depth guide to the best SAT prep books. Want to improve your SAT score by 240+ points? Download our free strategy guide for the most important things you need to make big score improvements.

Narrative Analysis of Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Narrative Analysis of Assessment - Assignment Example Experience in Administering the Pre-Test and Post-Test to the Student(s) during the IPPR Lessons Each of the IPPR lesson presented different experiences to the teacher. There was a common trend in almost all the lessons. The students were not performing well in the pre-test. This is despite the fact that they had internalized and understood the concept properly during the previous lesson. However, the performance of the students improved markedly during the post-test. For example, at the end of lesson 1, topic on place value, every student was expected to place numbers of up to four digits in the correct place mat to the thousand place with 100% accuracy. The students were assigned 2-digit problems without regrouping using base ten blocks on the overhead Place Value Mat to activate their prior knowledge. In this test, only five students managed to solve the problems correctly. As this was the first lesson, the students were not well acquainted with the teacher. They exhibited nervous ness and uneasiness when doing the pre-assessment test. Most of the students had not conceptualized the topic resulting in poor results in the pre-test. At the beginning of the lesson, students also demonstrated difficulty in using the teaching aids. The students were not very confident when using the place mat value, the deck index cards, and the base blocks. In addition, the students were unprepared for the lesson. Most of them had not removed their books when I first stepped into the class. When I was administering the pre-test, some of the students had not fully settled. In the post-test, there was a significant improvement from the pre-test. 15-20 students met the objective. They solved 8 or more problems correctly with 10 students out of them solving all problems correctly. Through guidance and continued reassuring by the teacher and a healthy student-teacher interaction, the students understood the concept properly. The students appeared more relaxed when doing the post-test. The use of teaching aids and teacher’s demonstration in the course of the lesson helped the students understand the concept thus improved performance in the post-test as compared to the pre-test (Schoenfeld, 2002). In lesson plan 2, students were supposed to learn computation of whole numbers. At the end of the academic year, the students were expected to multiply or divide 2-digit numbers with 80% accuracy with a calculator and add different digit numbers with regrouping without using a calculator with 80% accuracy. In pre-test, the students were assigned addition and subtraction to activate their prior knowledge. The students demonstrated significant improvement in the pre-test during IPPR 2 as compared to IPPR 1. The students were at ease. They were well acquainted with their teacher. Since the teacher had clearly stated what he expects from each student from the beginning to the end of the lesson, the students were well prepared for the lesson. They had all their books a nd reading materials ready when the teacher entered the classroom. In addition, the student had prior knowledge today’s lesson. However, the students performed poorly in the pretest as compared to the post-test. The teacher encouraged student participation in the class. The teacher called a group of ten students to the front of the class, one at a time, to demonstrate the concept of addition. As each of the ten students walked to the front of t

Curriculum Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Curriculum Theory - Essay Example The curriculum theory of the nineteenth century, with its emphasis on mental discipline through rote learning , as portrayed by Charles Dickens in his book 'Hard Times' has undergone a sea change in the modern times. In the nineteenth century America, the teacher was the center of the education system. Ill trained and ill-equipped, the teacher struggled on to teach the three R's to his dwindling students. But by 1890, the rapid industrialization and urbanization of the country led to a change in the role of the school and the teacher. By then society had also begun to change from the mostly agrarian communities to industrial communities. More attention was now given to curriculum in schools, as the 'monitorial method' which was adopted in cities like New York, did not last long. The main curriculum theory until the last part of the nineteenth century was that of 'Mental Discipline', a theory followed from the time of Plato The tremendous expansion of the railroad and the newspapers and magazines in the 1890s brought about more changes in the curriculum theory according to the book "The Struggle for American Curriculum 1893-1958" by Herbert Kliebard. Articles in some of the popular journals described schools as "joyless and dreary places" (Kliebard 6), calling for a more suitable curriculum. In 1837, with the creation of the State Board of Education with the eminent Horace Mann as the head, the first milestone was laid for compulsory education. The first Compulsory Education Law was enacted in Massachusetts in 1852. In 1947, the state passed a law requiring every town to run a grammar school to which attendance was compulsory for the children. Parents were fined if they did not send their children to school. The classical, rote form of learning with its harsh discipline and verbatim recitation was opposed by psychologists like William James and Edward Thorndike causing a national debate. The society itself was becoming interested in more useful knowledge being imparted to the students. In the early twentieth century, the Great Depression caused the educationists to consider using schools for social reform. When in 1918, John Dewey advocated Progressive education, his ideas that the schools should reflect the society had a tremendous impact on the curriculum. There was a renewed emphasis on the teaching of mathematics and sciences during the World War, citing military needs. The wartime decline in high school attendance was attributed to "the continued prominence of academic school subjects" (Kliebard202)Vocation oriented curriculum was advocated after the National Defense Act of 1947 which was of great significance There was blending of subjects, with a need-based "core curriculum" In 1954, the landmark decision of the U.S Supreme Court .in the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, prohibiting the establishment of separate schools for black and white children had a tremendous impact on curriculum theory, paving the way for civil rights and a multicultural curriculum.. In 1989,the goals for the beginning of the next millennium were formulated, with a forward looking curriculum. Works cited Kliebard, Herbert M. (2004). The Struggle for the American Curriculum, 1893-1958 (3rd ed.). New York: