Federal University Ranking System

Federal University Ranking System July 21 The proposed federal university ranking system is kaput. A while back, we wrote a bit about the federal university ranking system that the Obama administration had intentions of implementing. On the pages of The Yale Daily News, our Founder, Bev Taylor, was asked about these very rankings and had this to say: Even if the Department of Education were to produce accurate ratings, it is unlikely that they would have a significant effect on the college choices of certain groups of students. ‘There’s always going to be students and parents who look at the prestige of a university, and not the cost,’ Taylor said. ‘And so if a school is going to be more highly rated because it has a lower sticker price, it’s not going to matter to this group of applicants.’  Taylor added that applicants not focused on cost effectiveness will probably default to using the U.S. News and World Report college rankings as a resource, since the U.S. News rankings are curr ently the most widely read.† The Los Angeles Times reports that the Obama administration has scrapped its ill-conceived proposal for a federal university ranking system. Amen to that. We also on the pages of this blog essentially suggested that a federal college ranking system would be worthless, since it would not be widely embraced by a sizable portion of the population, such as those for whom the differences in cost for various colleges is not the issue but rather its about fit or selectivity, etc. Anyhow, The Los Angeles Times now reports that this Obama administration proposal has been scrapped. As reported by Larry Gordon for The Los Angeles Times in a piece entitled College ratings system proposed by Obama is scrapped, Nearly two years ago, President Obama proposed a federal system to rate the nations colleges and universities, one that would provide families with an objective and unified tool to compare schools and for taxpayers to determine whether the massive investments in scholarships and other government spending on higher education are worthwhile.  The idea, however, was met with protests and concerns from college leaders who contended that it was misconceived and could unfairly pit schools against each other.  After repeated delays and many consultations with skeptical college leaders, the ratings system was recently scrapped. Amen to that. Apparently, the Obama administration received resistance from colleges across America. It wasnt because Republicans resisted that the administration opted to scrap the proposal entirely. Its largely believed that the Obama administration simply had higher priorities including in education then to wage this particular uphill battle. Congratulations to squashing yet another potential competitor, US News World Report, the federal government!

Applied Linguistics Language-related Problem Solving

The term  applied linguistics refers to the interdisciplinary field that aims to seek out, identify, and provide solutions to real-life problems that result from language-related causes. This research encompasses a wide variety of fields including  language acquisition, language teaching, literacy, literary studies, gender studies, speech therapy, discourse analysis, censorship, professional communication, media studies, translation studies, lexicography, and forensic linguistics. Applied Linguistics vs. General Linguistics The study and practice of applied linguistics are specifically geared toward addressing practical issues as opposed to theoretical constructs. Fields in which applied linguistics routinely come into play are education, psychology, communication research, anthropology, and sociology. General linguistics or theoretical linguistics, on the other hand, deal with language itself, not as that language applies to the people who are using it. One way to better understand what distinguishes the two disciplines is to make an analogy between them and connotative versus denotative word meanings in grammar. Denotative words generally have a single meaning that isnt open to interpretation. Take, for example, the word a door. Generally speaking, when you look at a door, you know its a door—not a shoe or a dog. Like denotative words, general or theoretical linguistics are based on a set of predetermined rules that are understood to have a uniform meaning. Connotative words, on the other hand, tend to be conceptual rather than concrete. Concepts, which are open to interpretation, are often understood differently by different people. Take, for example, the concept of happiness. As we know, one persons happiness can be another persons misery. As with connotative meaning, applied linguistics focuses on language with regard to how people interpret—or misinterpret—meaning. In other words, both applied linguistics and connotative meaning are dependent on human interaction and reaction. Language-Based Anomalies [Its the] language-based problems in the world that drive applied linguistics.—From The Oxford Handbook of Applied Linguistics by Robert B. Kaplan Applied linguistics tackles a broad scope of issues that include learning new languages, or assessing the validity and reliability of the language we encounter every day. Even small variations in language—such as a regional dialect or the use of a modern versus an archaic vernacular—can have an impact on translation and interpretations, as well as usage and style. To understand the importance of applied linguistics, lets look at how it relates to the study of a new language. Teachers and academics must determine which resources, training, practice methods, and interactive techniques best solve the difficulties related to teaching someone a language with which theyre not familiar. Using research in the fields of teaching, sociology, and English grammar, experts attempt to create temporary-to-permanent solutions to these issues. All of these disciplines are tied to applied linguistics. Applying Theory to Practice One of the main goals of applied linguistics is to determine practical applications for linguistic theories as they apply to the evolution of everyday language usage. Initially targeted toward teaching, the field has become increasingly far-reaching since its inception in the late 1950s. Alan Davies, whose career spanned four decades as a professor of applied linguistics at the University of Edinburgh, wrote, There is no finality: the problems such as how to assess language proficiency, what is the optimum age to begin a second language, [and the like] may find local and temporary solutions but the problems recur. As a result, applied linguistics is a constantly evolving discipline that changes as frequently as the modern usage of any given language, adapting and presenting new solutions to the ever-evolving problems of linguistic discourse. Sources Brumfit, Christopher. Teacher Professionalism and Research in Principles and Practice in Applied Linguistics: Studies in Honour of H.G. Widdowson.  Oxford University Press, 1995Cook, Guy. Applied Linguistics. Oxford University Press, 2003  Davies, Alan. An Introduction to Applied Linguistics: From Practice to Theory, Second Edition. author Alan Davies. The University of Edinburgh Press, September 2007

Rhetorical Analysis of Crash the movie Essay - 1316 Words

Its the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. Were always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something. -Graham from the Motion Picture Crash (2005) This quote refers to the diversity in Los Angeles and how people put up personal barriers and are hesitant to trust others. Crash is a movie that really gets people to look at their own prejudices and to the roots of their morality by showing the hidden racism and prejudices that are very present in our society and even in ourselves today. If this movie were to be summarized in one sentence, one may say that no†¦show more content†¦Anthony is an African-American man who detests white people after he received bad service at a coffee shop. His accomplice Peter, who is also African-American, is man who is more open-minded about prejudices and racial views. Cameron is an African-American producer and his attractive wife Christine and he are on their way home from a party when they are pulled over by Officer Ryan, who accuses them of sexual misdemeanors. Officer Ryan?s partner Officer Hansen just stands there in shock as Officer Ryan inappropriately searches Christine. Farhad is a middle-eastern shop owner who wants his lock fixed, he hires Daniel, a Hispanic locksmith who isn?t trusted by his customers because of his appearance. The reason behind the numerous storylines and variety of characters in the movie is the director trying to get his viewers to see the different walks of life in Los Angeles. By doing this the viewer is able to see how the characters perceive each other. This is vital to the movie because the main message of the movie is how we view others. In relation to the opening quote, I believe the referenced ?we? is speaking about the different people in Los Angeles and how they don?t only fear others but also themselves, and t heir fear comes from their stereotypes of others. Their greatest fear is the lack of trust they hold for other people. Since they fear the other people and are frightened by what they may doShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Movie Mount An Effort On The World s Finance Markets 2267 Words   |  10 Pagesrecent global collapse of the world’s finance markets. What position do the filmmakers take on this issue and how do they develop and illustrate their argument to the audience? Your answer must include comment and analysis on its structure. It must also examine the way any rhetorical argument is developed and explain how the storytelling in the film relates to any documentary modes (Nichols, 2010). You must use specific examples of camera work, editing, sound and graphics to support your argumentsRead More Identity Crisis in Canadian Film Essay5812 Words   |  24 Pagesbeings in our every day lives, there is still much to be learned from an analysis of a film as a social document in and of itself. However, this paper also proposes problems associated with examining a film exclusively within its assigned historical or critical context, and points out ways in which this practice limits the meaning potential of the film when applied to contexts other than its own. Thematic and structural analysis applied specifically to Don Shebibs Goin Down the Road (1970), PatriciaRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 PagesReasons ................................................................................................ 236 Deceiving with Loaded Language ................................................................................................... 238 Using Rhetorical Devices .................................................................................................................. 240 Review of Major Points .............................................................................................Read MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesLine 58 Understanding and Appreciating Individual Differences Important Areas of Self-Awareness 61 Emotional Intelligence 62 Values 65 Ethical Decision Making and Values 72 Cognitive Style 74 Attitudes Toward Change 76 Core Self-Evaluation 79 SKILL ANALYSIS 84 Cases Involving Self-Awareness 84 Communist Prison Camp 84 Computerized Exam 85 Decision Dilemmas 86 SKILL PRACTICE 89 Exercises for Improving Self-Awareness Through Self-Disclosure 89 Through the Looking Glass 89 Diagnosing Managerial Characteristics

Family Values and Wider Societal Cultural Values

Question: Discuss about Reflection On The Differences And Similarities Between One Of The Family Values And Wider Societal Cultural Values. Answer: Reflection on the values of religion According to Huseb, O'Regan and Nestel, (2015), religion can have a positive as well as negative impact on the family values. Every religious group thinks that their religion has the best values. There has been increasing effect of extremism that is leading to hatred and intolerance. Insensitivity of tolerating other religion has been increasing. The difference in the thought process of people belonging to different religion has been considerably increasing making the World a ring for people to fight in the name of religion (Young Young, 2014). Therefore, the level of tolerance and integrity has to be increased to make the world a better place to live. Wave tool is a visual reflective tool that helps in self evaluation and helps to formulate an individuals analysis. As pointed out by Wepa, (2015), family values are passed from one generation to the other and therefore, it is important to make a balance of the value. These family values sometimes remain invisible but they always persist. For instance, if a family is intolerable towards other religion, the fact will be reflected in some kind of behavior. The values that I gained from my family teach us is to reach out to the suffering and the pained individuals and accept them without being judgmental (Padela et al., 2012). It has been taught that without respecting a human, the values of a human do not hold any importance. An incident can be explained keeping Gibbs Reflective Cycle in mind. Once we planned to visit the church. On the way, we heard a person, who seemed to be atheist, criticizing the people who visit the Church often. This made other people furious and they tried to stop him. My mother commented on this matter that no one can force people to follow religion but it completely depends on an individual. Everyone should be tolerant towards any kind of religious approach. This was a lesson that I learnt from my family values and this would always remain in my mind. It depends on the values of the family that creates a great impact on the thoughts and action of an individual. The challenges are how to protect the members from the cruel world. Believes about sharing and creating an emotional touch with others is what required to make peace in the world. By the end of the discussion, I can claim myself to be in the of the cliff top in the Wave tool where it can be said that the values of religion is one of many things to look at. As a nurse, we have to deal with people belonging to different culture and religion. The fact that humanity comes before religion is the prime concept to be kept in mind. There might be many religions that the world witness but developing a brotherhood among all is the most important aspect of the world. Developing own mind set and overcoming the challenges that arises at different point of time should be the prime objective. References: Huseb, S. E., O'Regan, S., Nestel, D. (2015). Reflective practice and its role in simulation.Clinical Simulation in Nursing,11(8), 368-375. Padela, A. I., Gunter, K., Killawi, A., Heisler, M. (2012). Religious values and healthcare accommodations: voices from the American Muslim community.Journal of general internal medicine,27(6), 708-715. Wepa, D. (Ed.) (2015) . Cultural safety in Aotearoa New Zealand (2nd ed.) . Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press Young, C. S., Young, J. S. (2014).Integrating spirituality and religion into counseling: A guide to competent practice. John Wiley Son.