Why I Don t Think - 2135 Words

Conspiracy? I Don’t think So The first theories and speculations started as soon as the towers were struck that morning on September 11th, 2001, when news reporters where trying to guess what or who could be the cause. Many people started talking about 9/11 as a government act, saying that Bush set it all up to make a good excuse to go to war with the terrorists mostly for oil purposes. Many people to this day don’t know what to believe. The Pentagon crash, the Pennsylvania crash, and the World Trade Center buildings 1, 2, and 7’s collapse: It’s a lot to cover up if it was in fact a government act. It was impossible for the government to make and cover up a â€Å"False Flag Operation,† and that there is no conspiracy behind it at all. There†¦show more content†¦The building wasn’t struck by anything even though it was speculated that it was taken down by controlled demolition. Conspiracy theorists that look at the September 11th attacks think it was fully a government act and that the Al-Qaeda had nothing to do with it. Theorists believe that the WTC buildings collapsed in an almost free fall manner from a controlled demolition. They also say that fire can’t make a steel building collapse by itself and that the steel from the wreckage was shipped overseas right away so there was no trace of evidence. Brent Blanchard is Director of Field Operations for Protec Documentations Services, a company that documents demolitions. He takes the most talked about questions about 9/11 demolitions, and puts them to rest. First, he states that the WTC towers didn’t come down in a controlled demolition or a free fall. He writes, â€Å"Actual implosion demolitions always start with the bottom floors. Photo evidence shows the lower floors of WTC 1 and 2 were intact until destroyed from above†(Blanchard 43). Branchard also says that the buildings collapsed like they should have. They’re not supposed to topple over like trees because the buildings are too big, leading to a straight collapse in its footprints. Blanchard answers questions about the steel of the WTC buildings by saying that fires have collapsed steel buildings before and the steel debris was not shipped overseas. Some of the steel was taken to be tested and the rest was taken to

Education Is An Essential Means For A Meaningful Life

Education is an essential means to a meaningful life. It’s what separates humans from animals. Is it even possible to imagine a life without any type of education? Where would humans be if there weren’t any education to help develop one’s brain? Equally important is the type of education a person receives throughout that person’s impressionable life. Most people have experienced different types of education during a person’s life, from their parents, to their teachers, to their friends, and through self-education. Everyone remembers the quality education that was presented in a way that had him or her buy into the material being taught. Obviously the same is true for the polar opposite of that fact. Authors Paulo Freire and James Loewen have wrote great essays on the education systems they come from and experienced. They have taken a deep look at the education world and documented it for people to learn from it. Even though the two authors are from complete different walks of life, it’s interesting and valuable to notice the differences and yet have similar points of view. The common idea both authors share is the education system has major issues and can be repaired by educators. Freire wrote the â€Å" The Banking Concept of Education† which pointed out that educators are above students, which are viewed as completely stupid and uneducated. He wrote, â€Å"Education thus becomes an act of depositing, in which the students are the depositories and the teacher is the depositor.Show MoreRelatedEssay on Parental Involvement in Education539 Words   |  3 Pages Parental involvement in education is a vital essential for creating a cooperative environment for the st udent to thrive and succeed in. When a student knows that he or she is receiving support both inside and outside the school, the chances of that child becoming responsible for and active in their education are more likely. I know that there can be difficulties including parents for many reasons. Such parents may be too busy, uninterested or just feel helpless. However, as an educator, I will stillRead MorePhilosophy Statement on Family Partnerships980 Words   |  4 Pagesis crucial force in children’s development, learning, and success at school and in life. Parent involvement means the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities including ensuring that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning; parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school; and parent involvement and communication is crucial to a classroo m. (ModuleRead MoreMy Reflection On My Philosophy1085 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction â€Å"A hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, or how much money I had in the bank†¦ but the world may be a better place because I made a difference in the life of a child.† This quote by Forest Witcraft truly encompasses the reason I want to teach. I hope to have an impact on my future students, and this part of my teaching philosophy can be tied into my practicum experience. As a volunteer in a kindergarten classroom at St. JohnRead MoreA Good Life Essay906 Words   |  4 Pagesdefine the common good and what constitutes a good life. While the definition of what is a good life can vary from person to person, whether that mean academic achievement, financial success, or a certain social status; for me, a good life is a life driven through goals and purpose. A life in which you set goals and strive to reach them despite the physical, mental, or emotional obstacles that can get in your way. In Viktor Frankl’s What is a Good Life? Frankl states that, â€Å"Everything can be taken fromRead MoreImportance Of Liberal Arts Education1346 Words   |  6 Pages Before beginning my college journey, I had considered what I expected out of a liberal arts education. My number one reason for attending Central was for their education program. My goal for the future, however shallowly thought out it may have been, was to be a good teacher, and make a difference in children’s lives. Because of Central’s Teacher Academy program, their high standards, and excellent reputation in the field, I knew this was the place that would help me attain those goals. HoweverRead MoreThe First Few Years Of Young Children’S Lives Are Very1094 Words   |  5 Pagesdevelopment and has a genuine desire to help them learn, grow and succeed in their education. These are just a few roles that early childhood educators play in the field of early childhood education, working with young children in their early childhood years of life. The requirements for becoming a teacher vary from state to state. In New York State, teachers must receive an undergraduate college education and obtain a degree from an accredited four year college. Afterward, a teacherRead MoreImportance Of Education801 Words   |  4 PagesImportance of Education Afnan Jime 9A A man without education is like a building without a foundation -Anonymous Education plays a vital role in shaping the leaders of tomorrow. By acquiring the skills necessary to be productive members, society can become a better nation.They can also increase the knowledge to achieve the public goals actively and meet challenges that can produce change and impact towards citizens. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educatorsRead MoreThe Utilization Of Storytelling As A Pedagogical Strategy1689 Words   |  7 Pagesadopted at most libraries program with the spread of the U.S. public education system. Alder’s book titled ‘Moral Instruction of Children’ is considered as the first book which relates storytelling to education. It exhibits storytelling as an important method for children and it was adopted by 79% of public libraries. Later, storytelling saw a dramatic decrease because of the lack of money to support the public formal education and public library staff. However, although storytelling had a littleRead MoreHcs/438 Dqs Essay1329 Words   |  6 Pagesdescriptive and inferential statistics is that descriptive statistics deals with describing raw data in the form of graphics and sample of statistics and inferential statistics  deals with estimating population parameters from sample data. This means that inferential statistics would be an estimate because  the data would be  estimated from sample data  rather than using  specific data  whereas descriptive statistics would be more accurate. An example of descriptive statistics would be trying to findRead More John Dewey Essay1595 Words   |  7 Pages John Dewey was one of the greatest minds in history. A philosopher, his concern was democracy and its ideals. A thinker about the problems in education. A prominent voice in America, commanding the admiration of those who agreed with his views, and respect for his mind even from those who did not. The man: John Dewey, an American philosopher. Dewey’s pedagogy was one with three distinctive traits: it was democratic in that it called for pluralism. It was a follower of the scientific method in that

Darwin Of Americ Lost - 1873 Words

Bethany Shouse Term Paper Religion 331 May 8, 2015 Darwin in America: Lost in Translation Modern day Americans celebrate their freedom from religion in a way unknown to Americans of the earlier centuries. The previous battles involved the right to worship both inside the classroom and out. Kicking God out of the classroom is a relatively new revolution, and arguably began with the Scopes â€Å"monkey trial.† There was a gross misunderstanding of what Charles Darwin had presented and the true meaning of his research was lost in political turmoil that was misrepresented as a religious debate. Scientists explain evolution through a complex maze of theories that have developed their own meaning over time. True Darwinism began in Europe in†¦show more content†¦Science was growing in its own right, as Dalton presented the Atomic Theory and Lyell began second-guessing the age of the Earth. The 19th century was a bombardment of radical new ideas being thrown at the general public, and being thrown out just as easily. It was this dismissal that caused Char les Darwin to err on the side of caution in his own revelation. Charles Darwin is many times seen as radical and brash. The theories that Darwin proposed were enough to change the face of religion, social culture and history as we know it. What many fail to understand is: it took Darwin twenty years to perfect his Theory of Natural Selection before he would publish On the Origin of Species. He had seen firsthand what could happen if haste, rather than reason was applied to the unveiling of his findings. Darwin made further observations of the species over the course of that twenty-year span, all the time observing not only the species that he was studying, but the changes in society as well. His observations were not made in order to create social commentary, but rather to ensure that the presentation of his research would be best received. As he watched his contemporaries present their knowledge to a very theatrical 19th century Europe, he consulted with professionals of ever y field in order to ensure that his theories would be well received and that they would stand the test of time. He would be known to Europe not as a

Strayer World History Chapter 11 - 2348 Words

Chapter 11: Chapter Outline The following annotated chapter outline will help you review the major topics covered in this chapter. Instructions: Review the outline to recall events and their relationships as presented in the chapter. Return to skim any sections that seem unfamiliar. I. Opening Vignette A. By the start of the twenty-first century, Islam had acquired a significant presence in the United States . 1. more than 1,200 mosques 2. about 8 million Muslims (some 2 million are African Americans) B. The second half of the twentieth century saw the growing international influence of Islam. C. Islam had already been prominent in the world between 600 and 1600. 1. encompassed parts of Africa, Europe, Middle†¦show more content†¦The Making of an Arab Empire A. The Arab state grew to include all or part of Egyptian, Roman/Byzantine, Persian, Mesopotamian, and Indian civilizations. 1. many both in and out of Arab Empire converted to Islam 2. Arabic culture and language spread widely 3. Islam became a new third-wave civilization B. War and Conquest 1. Arabic conquests were a continuation of long-term raiding pattern 2. new level of political organization allowed greater mobilization 3. Byzantine and Persian empires were weakened by long wars and internal revolts 4. limits of Arab expansion: a. defeated Sassanid Empire in the 650s, took half of Byzantium b. in early 700s, conquered most of Spain , attacked France c. to the east, reached the Indus River d. in 751, Arabs crushed a Chinese army at the Battle of Talas River 5. reasons for expansion: a. economic: capture trade routes and agricultural regions b. individual Arabs sought wealth and social promotion c. communal: conquest helped hold the umma together d. religious: bring righteous government to the conquered 6. conquest was not too destructive a. Arab soldiers were restricted to garrison towns b. local elites and bureaucracies were incorporated into empire C. Conversion to Islam 1. initial conversion for many was â€Å"social conversion,† not deepShow MoreRelatedMkt 505 Courseguide6356 Words   |  26 PagesSupplemental Resources Colton, D.A., Roth, M.S. Bearden, W.O. (2010). Drivers of international e-Tail performance: The complexities of orientations and resources. Journal of International Marketing, 18(1), 1-22. Friedman, T. L. (2005). The World is flat 3.0: A brief history of the twenty-first century, New York, NY: Picador. McCue, S. (2006). Force to force: Building profitable e-commerce strategies. Mason, OH: Thomson Higher Education. Mulki, J., Jaramillo, J., Locanders, W. (2009). Critical role ofRead MoreEssay about Coursecase1393 Words   |  6 PagesRunning Head: Course Case ACC 561 Course Case: Research and Application 9-24 Bobby Williams Professor William Blix Strayer University March 11, 2011 Table of Content Abstract†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 PG Strategy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 PG and Federated Department quarterly sales trends. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 PG’s business scope †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 PGs sales and expenses uncertainties forecast. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦. 5/6 How an Enterprise SystemRead MoreEssay on Comparing Two Businesses2318 Words   |  10 PagesJames M. 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Assignment Devry Free Essays

While genetic engineering is only being applied at crops at the moment, one has to wonder how long it will be before humans are unethically engineered and what will be the implication of such actions. An analysis of science fiction films, where genetic engineering is applied could provide a view Into the Implications of genetic engineer of humans on society. The popular science fiction film Cataract Is a perfect film to show the possible affects human genetic engineer could have on society. We will write a custom essay sample on Assignment Devry or any similar topic only for you Order Now In Cattle the technology to engineer people to near perfection has been made possible and the fate of everyone is known at the very moment of birth. The number of genetically enhanced humans is far rater than the number of natural born people, which has lead to a new form of social segregation. The film follows the life of one of the few of the natural born humans, named Vincent. Being a natural born, Vincent does not have many options and even worse he is diagnosed with a severe heart condition. From the start, it would seem that society (even Vincent own farther) would not consider him worthy of their attention. The only person that actually seemed to care about Vincent was his mother, who actually seemed to disapprove of the genetic engineer being done. One as to feel bad for Vincent and others like him, because nobody seemed to want anything to do with him. The schools would not accept him, because of his heart condition and his own farther did not consider Vincent worthy to care his name. Vincent parents eventually have another child who Is genetically altered: this son would be superior to Vincent in every way possible and the father would consider him worthy of his name. The film presents several important and very symbolic scenes, where Vincent and his brother Anton compete in swimming. Throughout their childhood, Anton would always win without ever having to give any effort. One day something Impossible happened Vincent the Imperfect natural born beat his perfectly genetically engineered brother. Years later, Vincent and Anton compete once more and when Vincent wins, he says he is able to do it, because he never saves anything for the swim back. One could view the swimming scenes as a metaphor for life. In life people have to compete against the forces of nature and others. Some people seem to be given everything on a silver platter, while others are given nothing. Just because mom people are given everything, It does not mean that those less fortunate cannot succeed. Violent Is a perfect example AT ten previous example; even tongs Nils brother is genetically superior, Vincent is able to beat his brother by training and working for his goals every day. Another interesting point of the film is the character Irene. Even with societies great technology there is still the possibility of errors and Irene is the best example of this statement. Irene is one of the many â€Å"perfect† beings except for one minor flaw, she has a heart murmur. This heart murmur proves that regardless of all of the advances made in technology cannot guarantee perfection 100% of the time. One has to feel for Irene, because despite being genetically engineered to near perfection she is not accepted by her fellow genetically altered brothers and sisters. The last significant character in the film is Jerome. Jerome is another one of the perfectly genetically engineered people, but he is described as being the best of the best. Unfortunately for Jerome, being perfectly engineered does not mean he would be successful at everything or that he would live a perfect life. Jerome had apparently laced second place once, which apparently demoralized him to the extent of attempting suicide. Groomer’s attempt of suicide was unsuccessful and it resulted in him becoming paralyzed, which would make him the perfect partner for Vincent. Groomer’s final action in the film is interesting, but not surprising. Jerome had tried to kill himself once before and it would only be a matter of time before he would try again. The ending of the film was the most informative and fascinating part of the whole film. When Vincent is his heading for the space shuttle he is given a surprise gene inspection by the doctor. Vincent does not have any of Groomer’s blood/urine samples and so it would seem that he is caught. Surprisingly, the doctor who conducted all of the testing on Vincent knew he was an In-Valid the entire time. The doctor let Vincent pass, because he had a son that apparently was an In-valid. In conclusion, it is apparent that Andrew Niccole, the director of Cattle, does not approve of genetic engineering. Niccole uses his film to paint the bleak picture of the future of genetic engineering. Now some people may doubt the relevance a film may eave on real world situations, but there are plenty of writers, scientist, and even scholars who would disapprove of genetic engineering. Victor Mafia wrote that genetic engineer would create a risk that the information discovered from genetic engineering would create a form of discrimination in the workforce (Mafia, 2001, p. 83). This fact is evident from the film Cattle. Discrimination in the workforce has always been a problem in the past and it would seem like the problem may evolve if genetic engineering becomes possible. Elizabeth Fenton, a philosopher, believes that genetic engineering will lead to the reaction of a new sub-species of humans and that the differences between the two species would lead one species to enslave or destroy the other (Fenton , 2008, p. 8). While in the film the enhanced beings never directly enslaved or destroyed the naturals, the naturals would never be more than lower class individuals. While there are plenty of people who argue against genetic engineering, there are still a few people who say that genetic engineering can have a place in the world. Clifton E. How to cite Assignment Devry, Papers

PHILOCTETES Essay Thesis Example For Students

PHILOCTETES Essay Thesis A monologue from the play by Sophocles NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from Dramas. Sophocles. London: J.M. Dent Sons, 1906. PHILOCTETES: O thou fire!Thou universal horror! MasterpieceAbominable, of monstrous villainy!What hast thou done to me? How hast thou cheated me!Art not ashamed, O rogue, to look at meThy supplicant, me thy petitioner?Thou has robbed me of my life, taking my bow.Give it back, I beg thee! Give it back, I pray!By our fathers gods, son, do not take my life!Woes me! he does not even answer me!He means to keep itsee, he turns away!You bays, you promontories, O you hauntsOf mountain brutes, O cliffs precipitous,To youfor other hearers I have nonePresent, my old familiars, I appeal;See how Achilles son is wronging me!Swearing to take me home, to Troy he drags me;And pledging his right hand, he has obtainedRelic of Jove-born Heraclesmy bow,Meaning in the Argives sight to flourish it;Like some strong prisoner, by force he drags me,And knows not he is killing a dead man,A vapours shadow, an unsubstantial shade!For in full strength he never had captured me,Since even thus he had not, save by gu ile;But now, unhappy, I have been deceived.What must I do? Nay, give it back to me;Nay, even yet, be thy true self once more;What sayst thou? Thou art dumb! I am lost, unhappy!O double-portalled frontal of the rock,Back, once again, I come and enter thee,Bare, without means of life; but I shall starveHere, in the fields alone; not killing nowWinged bird, or silvan quarry, with my bow,But I myself, wretched, when I am dead,Yielding a meal to things on which I fed.Creatures I chased before will now chase me;And I shall pay for bloodshed with my blood,By practice of a seeming innocent!O mayst thou perish!not yet, until I knowWhether thou wilt repent, and change thy purpose;But if thou wilt not, evil be thine end!

Research and Distance Learning free essay sample

Throughout this assignment I intend to demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of research methodology. I will examine how research is used to support practice and policy. I will address research terminology and the roles and responsibilities of the researcher. Our group research project will be critically analysed. Kumar (2001) implies research is more than a set of skills. Research is a way of thinking and examining the various aspects of your day-to-day professional work, understanding and formulating guiding principles that govern a particular procedure. Research helps us to understand why things behave the way they do and why people act in a certain way. If carried out effectively, research can be imperative as it brings about change in policy and practice Burns (1972). The two predominant methods of research are Quantitative and Qualitative research (Kumar,2001). These methods differ primarily in their analytical objective, the type of questions they pose and the different methods of data collection. The following definition, taken from Aliaga and Gunderson (2000,pg1), describes what we mean by quantitative research methods: Quantitative research is ‘Explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analysed using mathematically based methods in particular statistics. ’ (Muijs,2011) Quantitative research is also described as traditional or empirical research, meaning that it is based upon observation, experimentation and measurement (Lambert). Qualitative research is usually a more detailed form of research and cannot usually be expressed in terms of numbers. It often takes in to account people’s values, attitudes and opinions. The three most common qualitative research methods, are participant observation, in-depth interviews, and focus groups. Each method is particularly suited for obtaining a specific type of data. Lambert (2010, pg 256) infers that both qualitative and quantitative approaches can be combined in a single study to improve depth and breadth. For the purpose of our small scale research project we used a research question as opposed to a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a statement of assumption which will be tested in the research (Muijs,2011). A research question is an initial statement to set the scene for exploratory research within an interpretivist framework. A questionnaire was used to gather data for our research project. Newby (2010) states questionnaires are amongst the most popular. The advantage of using a questionnaire in date collection is they are practical. A large amount of information can be collected from a group of people in a short period of time. The data can be expressed statistically. It is thus possible to make comparisons with other studies. The results of a questionnaire can be easily evaluated, analysed and quantified by the researcher (Barlette Burton, 2012). The disadvantages for this type of research is people may not be honest when filling out the questionnaire this could lead to the data provided being false and therefore invalid (ibid). The interview is the most prominent data collection tool in qualitative research(Muijs,2011). When data has been quantified, it can be used to compare and contrast other research and may be used to measure change. Positivists believe that quantitative data can be used to create new theories and / or test existing hypotheses (ibid). Researchers are required to consider ethics in every aspect of their conduct. The Belmont Report states the three fundamental ethical principles for using any human subjects for research are Respect for Persons, Beneficence and Justice (U. S Department of Health Human Services,1979. ) The first of these principles meant that the researcher should treat the participant as an independent person who should be kept fully informed at all times. The researcher should also ensure that persons with reduced independence such as a child should be protected at all times. Beneficence is included to ensure the benefits of being included in the research should outweigh any negative impact to the participant. Justice implies that selection of the participants must be fair and those who are asked to participate should also benefit (Macfarlane Bruce, 2009). Personal values and also professional values that researchers should use when carrying out a study, will be analysed. A code of ethics is a framework to help and advise us but ultimately it remains the responsibility of the individual (Early Childhood Australia,2010). Research ethics are a set of principles on how researchers  should conduct themselves when dealing with research participants. Denscombe (2007) states we must respect the rights and dignity of the participants, avoid harm to research participants and carry out the research with honesty and integrity. According to Stonehouse (1991) a code of ethics is a statement about practice, or what we will strive to do. It is based on core values, or what we believe. There are a number of reasons it is important to conduct research in line with ethical standards; it is a sign of respect for participants, other researchers and those who will use the research. A code of ethics is not enforced but it is something that we should adhere to. The Impact of Distance Learning on a Student’s Work and Home Life Introduction In order to better understand what affect distance learning has on the work and home life of a student, students from the Education Department at Anglia Ruskin University in the second year of their Foundation Degree in Early Years collated data from a research module seeking to answer the following question: Does combining distance learning and working have a negative impact on a student’s work and home life? The chosen method of data collection was via a questionnaire with the answers offering an explanation and understanding as to why students look to improve their early years education skills by going back to study and what challenges they faced. Method The research was a 10 minute questionnaire, asking a mixture of both closed and open questions. A combination of closed and open questions were used so allowing students to answer in a more efficient and accurate manner. Opinions from each of the surveyed students were as important as were the answers to the multiple choice questions. The questions asked related to a work and life balance, and sought to understand how students deal with the work and study balance. Sample The results are a snap shot outlining the sort of pressure s placed on students in terms of time, commitments and everyday lives. The results covered how many hours a week were worked, where was the work undertaken, where did the students live and the time pressures on completing course work. It outlines the key challenges facing mature students who are looking to further their early years education and teaching careers. Ethics To ensure that all University protacals were observed, an introduction was provided outlining the aim of the research and confirming what research the surveyed students were being asked to contribute. Confidentially was important so was the opportunity if needed to withdraw from the research at any time. Results The results of the survey outline the time constraints and challenges faced by the students as they look to progress their education and their career Figure 1 – Gender of students. The above results showed that 100% of the surveyed students were female. Though we are unable to draw any direct conclusions from this, perhaps females are more likely to return to early years education than their male counter parts. All were involved with early years education and so found the early years course additional help to their working lives. Figure 2 – Age of Students The above outlines the age of the students. 75% of those surveyed were in the age range of 25 – 34. Though we cannot draw any direct conclusions from this, it would suggest that the 25 – 34 age range has the propensity to undertake further education whist working and looking after their children. The younger age groups perhaps are more interested in their social lives where the 44+ are perhaps to well established to go back to further education. Figure 3 – Hours worked per week The above outlines the number of hours worked per week. This shows that the early years students are having to work quite long weeks whilst undertaking and finishing course work. Figure 4 –Who do you live with? The above research shows that out of the surveyed students none currently reside at home with their parents. As 75% of them are from the 25 to 34 age demographic, they have all moved out from the parental home and are either residing with their partner, or with friends. Figure 5 – How many children do you have? The above shows that the students have a real cross section of the number of children they currently have. The older students are more likely to have had children, so making their daily working lives even harder to undertake the required course work. Reasons for embarking on this foundation course The students were asked why they were embarking on the foundation course, all respondents cited the need to gain further qualification in order to improve their chances of career progression. Some cited the need to complete their EYPS by 2015 allowing the student to move with an improvement in their career prospects. Those with children were looking at the opportunity of also progressing their career but at a slightly older age. Some students were encouraged by the in house management to undertake the course so improving their knowledge and skills. Figure 6 – how much research is undertaken? The above outlines how much research was undertaken before the students undertook the course. 25% admitted they had done very little research and had relied on word of month from friends and past students. 25% admitted attending an open day so they were better able to understand the course and the time requirements. The reminder was either advised by their managers to undertake the course or had done minimal research and joined the course anyway. Figure 7 Choice of learning. The majority said they did have a choice in how to study, but elected to undertake distance study. The remaining 25% who did not have a choice said that their working hours meant they were unable to take anytime out to attend face to face courses. If they had a choice, would they have attended face to face courses as opposed to opt for distance learning? Out of the total sample, 75% said that work commitments were an influence in making the decision to undertake distance learning with the remaining 25% stated this was the only option for undertaking and completing the course. All the students agreed that distance was more flexible and was a cheaper option. Figure 8 – Effectiveness of distance learning The research indicates that when the students were asked to compare distance learning having previously undertaken face to face learning, they all agreed that distance learning was worse. The students found it more difficult to express opinions over distance learning and missed the one to one question opportunity. Better communication via face to face because information was taken in and understood more easily. The speed of response was thought to be quicker and better via face to face with greater accuracy and clarity in the  answers. The students were asked if distance learning allowed discussions to take on a greater degree of thought and reflections, with 50% saying yes it did, and 50% saying no it did not. Figure 9 – How many hours per week do you study? The total number of hours per week given over to studying is split, with 50% of the surveyed saying 5 to 10 hours, whilst the remaining 50% saying 10 plus hours per week. The difference could be down to level of experience, age, ease of distance learning or just the time it takes to undertake assignments. Each individual will have key skill bases that will allow then to complete the projects in different timelines, hence the difference in hours per week worked. Using the Likert scale (Newby,2010) the results were conclusive that students felt 1 module per half term would improve the balance between study and home. In completing the modules, 75% either agreed or strongly agreed that completing one module per half term as opposed to two over a term certainly improved the study/home life balance, with 25% saying they did not agree nor disagree. This comes back to being able to prioritize their workload more successfully as they have a clear goal in a defined timeline, as opposed to a longer timeline where better time management could well be needed. Figure 10 When do you study? The survey group had different work patterns, with 50% working at weekend, 25% in the week and 25% working across both. This would probably be driven by their respective home life, their career, if they have children and where they lived. Studying time would have to fit in around many other external factors. All the surveyed agreed that the study time affected their home or social life. The younger individuals lost out on time meeting friends and going out and all agreed that weekend life with its need to undertake family and home jobs meant that their time was really squeezed. Time management was a key to getting all of the modules finished and in on time. In terms of hobbies, all agreed that they had and enjoyed taking part in their hobbies, whether it was in the week or at weekends. Out of the survey, 50% stated that these were severely affected and the remaining 50% said that they were affected. Hobby time spent was certainly reduced with 50% saying that the distance learning had a significant affect on how much time they could send pursuing their hobbies over a given week. The surveyed also found that their employers had very different reactions to their distance learning, with 75% being given no extra time off to help with their studies, and 25% being helped by their employer. The 25% who were helped were allowed on average one study day off per week. Figure 11 Is the study having a positive effect in your workplace? Interestingly 50% said that the learning experience was having a positive effect on their work place, with 50% being unsure. The positive impact allowed the newly gained knowledge to be used in the work place with positive effects, helping day to day running of work, cascading more information down to other staff members, additional responsibility being enjoyed and the general acceptance that the new learning was having a positive impact of the workplace and fellow colleagues. In terms of dealing with the pressure of distance learning, all of those surveyed said they felt that the support they received as part of the online group did not help them deal with the added pressure and workload from the extra learning. This could be down to the whole new experience of distance learning where previously they had the face to face time, where issues could be discussed and solutions found. Now if there are any issues, then the individual must try to find a solution themselves and so are potentially feeling more isolated and pressured. 75% did feel that having a mentor aided them in their day to day studies, where 25% were unsure. Again this could be down to the new experience of undertaking distance learning with the individuals taking to time to understand how to best use the mentor. As this process develops so the mentor could well be used more in a way to help find solutions to ongoing issues and problems. The mentor when asked had a great deal of knowledge, but the issue was still how best to use them. All of the surveyed felt that having a mentor in no way helped them in reducing the number of hours they had to work. The mentor was there to help with specific questions, not to help with larger problem solving hence reducing the number of hours that had to be worked. All of the surveyed felt with the advent of modern technology development, distance learning will play an important part for our future generations. It was felt that individuals could go back and study without having to give up their jobs, the studying would be more convenient for them and their families, older students would not have to sit in a classroom with younger students so having perhaps a confidence issue and generally the feeling was being able to study at a time and in an environment that was more suited to the individual. Reflection The undertaken research and related results were indeed a very worthwhile process that yielded some frank and interesting points of view. With any form of research, hindsight plays an important part when reviewing the questions, the questionnaire, the sample size and the overall results. The information allowed the survey to demonstrate a view that distance learning on the home/work life balance is truly a challenge particularly when looking at the relative age and social position of the surveyed. The questionnaire included a number of dichotomous questions giving clear unequivocal responses (Cohen,Manion Morrison,2011). Open questions gave participants an opportunity to write down their opinions generating qualitative data(Kumar,2001). Research ethics as described by Blaxter et al. cited in Bell (2005) is about being clear about the nature of the agreement with the research participants. Clear instructions and the overarching ethics of the research meant there was no poor interpretation. Sample sizes are always important and so the larger the sample size the more accurate and more believable the results become. Quality of the samples then becomes of paramount importance so though the sample size is small, the results are accurate and are a true reflection on what was reported within the questionnaire. Sarah is very interested in the topic of importance of play but asks group if the group need to ask questions which are yes and no or will we ask for opened ended questions And if the group need to think of either a research question or hypothesis to ask to get the ball rolling i. e. what do we want to investigate. As in would we want to know what areas are more important the younger and older a child gets for example the EYFS suggest the most important areas for a baby are personal social and emotional and physical and communication is this true? She also asks would questions answered by fellow practitioners think so. and what would they be for an older child Sarah is unsure if she is on the right track and asks for groups thoughts and help 22/10/2013 13:48 Lisa Lisa suggests basing the questionnaire on something personal to the other students e. g. distance learning the effectiveness of online discussion, combining work with study (poss. effects on home life) or something similar Lisa thinks we need open ended questions as well as yes/no answers in order to provide as much information as we can for the write up for later on On reflection Kat feels her ideas won’t work for the questionnaire and agrees with Lisa’s idea for long distance learning And says after reading the module further she feels she has a bigger understanding Kat asks the group Where shall we go from here and if we all agree this would be a good topic to base our research on 23/10/2013 14:25 Steph Steph agrees with the questionnaire being based around distance learning, the pros and cons.. As she feels it’s more personal to all of us whereas the other areas we looked at are more generic and not so suited to a smaller group. Steph also says she thinks it may be easier to come up with more specific questions too. 24/10/2013 23:10 Kat Kat volunteers to email Julia if we all agree on subject to ask see if its suitable subject She also asks the group to think over the next few days about questions we would like to include And will begin the research dairy Would anyone else like to make the questionnaire template and also offered to do this. 27/10/2013 18:06 Sarah Sarah agrees with the questionnaire to be about distance learning and thinks its more personal and we can all relate to this as well as the other group. Steph Steph offers to look at questionnaire template Steph also suggests questions for questionnaire and asks for feedback and thoughts on them. Steps questions: Why did you decide to embark on this Foundation Degree? How much, if any, research did you do before applying? If so, what research did you do? How did you find the transition to the course? How do you find corresponding with tutors/other students? Do you feel supported by the university? (May be controversial!! ) Do you find distance learning more agreeable than face-to-face tuition? If you had a choice would you rather have face-to-face tuition? How do you find the balance of home life vs. studying? 28/10/2013 12:01 Sarah Sarah likes Stephs questions and thinks we should use them in questionnaire and also suggests questions and asks for feedback: 1, Do you find completing two modules at one time as a full working employee time consuming, resulting in one modules work been jeopardised? 2, Do you think Higher Education is reflecting in your practise? 3, Do you agree that online teaching is as effective as classroom teaching? 28/10/2013 12:05 Sarah Sarah also volunteers do research dairy 28/10/2013 13:07 Sarah Sarah asks group if for the purpose of the questionnaire does anybody have any ideas of how we are going to address the questionnaire or what title we will give the questionnaire for researching distance learning 28/10/2013 13:20 Steph Steph asks the group also For the purpose of the questionnaire template does anyone have a good title they think would be suitable. Steph’s ideas for the open question and title is Is distance learning as effective as face-to-face tuition? or What, if any, constraints are there to distance learning when working and raising families? And asks group opinion and if other suggestions 28/10/2013 13:35 Steph Steph is happy with Sarah to do research dairy and asks if anyone wants to tackle the introductory letter to the questionnaire for the other group or would the group like her to have a go along with the questionnaire layout 28/10/2013 13:54 Steph Steph asks the group to look at the start of our questionnaire, is it worth getting some background info from those completing it in the other group? Steph suggests asking the age of the participant, what type of setting they work in, whether they work full time or part time, whether they have children of their own, and how many hours do they actually spend per week on their university work? And asks for group feedback 28/10/2013 14:44 Sarah Sarah says she will do the research dairy and agrees with Steph about finding out more background info on the other group as it may help with the write up at the end. 28/10/13 14:56 Sarah Sarah has started the research diary and has posted it on to vle and asks for group feed back 28/10/13 20:02 Lisa Lisa likes the research diary and the questions people in the group have put up too. Asks group if the group have made a decision on the research title / question and suggests : Does combining distance learning whilst working have a negative impact on  a student’s  home life? Lisa suggests the following questions also: 1, How many hours per week do you spend studying? Does the majority of your study take place during the week or at weekends? If you mainly study at weekends do you feel this has an impact on your home life? If yes, in what way? Do have any hobbies? 2, How important is it having a mentor? Does your mentor work in your setting? If not, what is your relationship to them? Does your mentor regularly contribute to your studies? Do you meet and talk to your mentor on a regular basis? If yes, how often do you meet and for how long? If no, do you think it would be helpful if you did? Do you believe your studies would be negatively affected if you did not have a  mentor? If yes, in what way? Does your  mentor have enough knowledge to be of help to you? And thinks we should also ask background questions such as: Age How many hours work a week Live  on own/ with parents/ with partner Any children 28/10/13 21:06 Sarah Sarah tells the group she will continue with the diary and updating when needed. Sarah likes Lisa’s questions and asks the group how will we decide on questionnaire as group 29/10/13 03:13 Kat Kat thinks it all sounds great and says she has been working on some questions and will post them later Kat spoke to Julia and said she thinks our idea is good but said we need to make sure the title reflects the question.. Kat suggests tile idea: The Effectiveness of Distance Learning? Kat also likes Stephs idea What, if  any  constraints are there to distance learning when working and raising families she thinks this is probably a topic close to all our hearts And states she is happy for Steph to look at templates and likes Lisa’s questions Kat also says once we finalise our title we can work out which ones are related.. And is also happy with the research diary 29/10/13 14:01 Lisa Lisa is happy with the idea of distance learning when working etc too, She suggests we also go with that But does think there may be not enough of the other group members all raising families so suggests maybe have the question more about impact on home life or something as that will cover everyone 30/10/13 00:21 Kat Kat suggests: The impact of  combining study (Distance Learning) with work and   home life. Steph is happy with all suggestions and think that to cover all bases it would be good for the research question to reflect everyones lives so agrees that Kats suggestion is good. She also likes Lisas suggestion of including questions about mentoring as she feels it makes it a two part questionnaire but all relevant to distance learning. 30/10/13 10:34 Steph Steph apologises to Lisa as she just re-read her message and realised she was proposing two research question suggestions one on work/home life balance and the other on mentoring, she interpreted it to we could combine the two, but suggests this over-complicate matters. Steph is happy, thinks we are coming up with the right line of questions, and agrees if we go down the home/lifestyle route but will wait for Kats suggestions. 31/10/13 10:26 Steph Steph explains that her and Lisa met up yesterday at university and discussed our research questionnaire. and asks the group if everyone is in agreement, that the felt that a question on the impact of distance learning on our work/home life is relevant and should yield some interesting info/thoughts from the other group. Steph asks the group if we could come up with some questions that we think would suit the questionnaire, and if possible by the weekend, as looking at the timescale we need to submit the questionnaire to Julia for authorisation before giving it to the other group next week and then the following week we will be collating and investigating the results Steph also tells group she has have already put together the first bit of the questionnaire, asking background information like age, hours you work, who you live with and if you have any children. And explains to the group we need to come up with about 3-4 questions each. In addition, asks Kat if she would like to input any more questions to the questionnaire as Sarah Lisa and herself like her questions. 03/11/13 14:51 Steph Steph has put together the following questions from group’s suggestions for the questionnaire. Steph asks the group to look at them and let her know if we think they are suitable or whether we need to amend/not include any or add others. The questions: Why did you decide to embark on this Foundation Degree? How much research into relevant courses did you do before applying to Anglia Ruskin University? Did you have a choice between embarking on a distance-learning course or face-to face tuition? How did you find the transition on to the course? Do you find online teaching as effective as classroom tuition? How many hours per week do you spend studying? Do you find completing two modules concurrently time consuming? Does the majority of your study take place during the week or at the weekends? If you mainly study at weekends, do you feel this has an impact on your home life? If yes, in what way? Do you have any hobbies? If yes, is your time to peruse these hobbies reduced by your studies? Does your employer allow you time for studying? Do you feel your studying is having a positive effect in your workplace? 04/11/13 03:30 Kat Kat explains she has had no internet and explains to Steph she will send over some questions now 04/11/13 09:29 Steph Steph explains she is still waiting for feedback of rest of group and not to worry 04/11/13 16:01 Lisa Lisa says all the questions you have down look great and also suggests that maybe on the hours per week one we could have multiple options as answers for them to tick which applies i. e. Less than 5 hours, Between 5 and 10 hours, More than 10 hours. And that we could also ask about whether having a mentor aids study and therefore helps reduce time spent studying 05/11/13 15:54 Steph Steph agrees with Lisa about amending the hours worked question and incorporating the mentor questions she thinks they are very valid and apologies for missing them off. She says she is going to put it all together and send the group a copy to have a look at and asks group to let her know what we think. 05/11/13 17:38 Steph Steph sends a copy of the questionnaire to group. 07/11/13 12:53 Steph Steph’s asks Julia if she could look at the research questionnaire she has posted over to the group on Tuesday, 5th Nov. she explains she has been waiting for the group to shed there thoughts but has not heard back form them but asks is she does not mind looking at it and giving the group her thoughts. Julia has a look at questionnaire and gives her feed back: She explains the draft questionnaire was posted in the wrong thread, as it was attached to the area reserved for the completed questionnaires required for Group 1 to analyse only. She explains she has read the draft, and has a couple of comments. a) It might be an idea to form a question in your title e. g. Does , that way when you analyse the findings your hypothesis will be whether it does or does not. Steph tells Lisa she is happy with alterations and thinks it reads much better and should, hopefully, give us more definitive answers to analyse. Steph thanks Julia and comments on what we had done and where to make changes. 11/11/13 09:56 Julia Julia gives feed back on questionnaire and explains the wording is better, but her main concern is that there is still a negative feel to the questions. she realise that as a group you find the course challenging, but there doesnt seem to be any opportunity to say what is positive about the course or being online except Q 23 and the final reflection. Any type of Research needs to be balanced and it would appear that you want there to be a negative hypothesis to this research, rather than an overview of findings. She explains this is her viewpoint and explains she is trying to influence the finding with her opinion,  so the group can see how these things can easily  happen. She adds the choice of whether the group adds/deletes any questions is the group’s decision, and ultimately the group will need to analyse the findings, so she is concerned as she explained before that there will be too much subjection and not enough objective data/analysis. There is also the drawback that G1 will use the questions to just have a moan about the course, rather than providing valuable data and this is always a problem with any type of questionnaire. She also explains and feels that free speech is what we want but this is an emotive subject and one where you might get   a one-sided viewpoint only 11/11/13 13:55 Steph Steph thanks Julia for feedback regarding the questionnaire and what amendments the group should make to ensure it is more balanced. She suggests we will look at altering it to include a more positive objective. And explains its not going as smoothly as wed hoped because Kat is experiencing lots of problems getting access to the vle, so hasnt been able to contribute as much as shed hoped, and Sarah M has started a new job which has meant her input has unfortunately been limited. W and explains we will try to get the revised questionnaire over to you asap. 11/11/13 14:44 Steph Steph suggests further positive questions: Do you find distance learning more flexible than face-to-face tuition, therefore potentially cheaper? Do you find that, because discussions build over a period, they allow for more thought and reflection? Do you feel that, with modern technology, distance learning will play an important role for future generations? 11/11/13 16:13 Julia Julia posts to the group she has responded to Lisa on whether you should change the focus/title, but explains she wrote to Lisa, suggesting as w have all done so much work already she says start re-writing now but to just add a question maybe on how online collaboration can/might help with the negativity e. g.