Looking Glass Self Essay Example for Free

Looking Glass Self Essay In the most basic terms the Looking Glass self is your self image which is formed by the views others hold of you. These views the people around you have can have either a positive or negative effect on your self imagine. First we picture how our personality and appearance will come off to others, and then we think about how they will judge our personality and appearance. As people around us pass judgment on who we are this is when our self-concept develops, basically who we think we are and how we feel about ourselves as a whole. These judgments’ can have a powerful effect on ones beliefs and feelings about themselves. I’ve felt and been effected by the beliefs another person has about me. When I was in the 8th grade I thought I was a wonderful student, smart, well behaved. I felt as though my teachers all thought the same way. Then one day my homeroom teacher called me stupid for missing a homework assignment. To be called out in front of the class like that was horrifying. Though that wasn’t the only time an incidence like that occurred. In the 9th grade I struggled with math. I did poorly on tests, I already lacked confidence in the subject and it took one day with a substitute teacher to shatter it completely. I will never forget the words she said to me â€Å"Why can’t you finish the test? Are you stupid? † As child of any age, those words are damaging to the way you feel about yourself, and the way you think others perceive you. â€Å"Tell a child he’s stupid enough times and eventually hell start believing you, claims Benj Vardigan, with the Behavioral Institute. When a child makes mistakes or doesn’t understand a concept, his knee-jerk reaction may be to conclude that he’s stupid. Take that one step further and watch a child stop trying to understand or stop trying to learn a concept because he automatically assumes he can’t figure it out. † (Hatter) In A Class Divided on of the first examples of looking glass self that I picked up on was when the children came back in from recess after fighting. Mrs. Elliot asks â€Å"What’s wrong with being called brown eyes? † and a little  boy, Roy, says â€Å"It means we’re stupider and – well, not that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It’s immediate how the effect of this experiment took hold. These children took to heart what their teacher, Mrs. Elliot had said, that brown eyed children are less than blue eyed children, they aren’t as smart or as well behaved. In the first day of the lesson the effects on their peers perception of them had caused so much turmoil that it caused one child to hit another, clearly the negative aspect of looking glass. In the Teaching Adults section, Mrs. Elliott describes how she gave tests before during and after the lesson on discrimination. Telling the audience that the student test scores raise on the day they are on top, scores drop when they are on the bottom and after the experiment the children’s testing scores maintain a higher level. She attributed this to the children discovering how good they are. I believe instilling a positive self-imagine in a child is one of the most important things a parent, or teacher can do. â€Å"Whether self-concept is positive or negative can influence important areas of a childs development and achievement. Educators have recognized that there is a link between self-concept and performance in school. Students with a strong self-concept tend to have good grades and take an active role in school. They are able to accept challenges and enjoy new learning experiences. Students with a negative self-concept tend to have both attitude and behavior problems. They may be unwilling to try new things, because they believe they will fail anyway, or they may not work up to their potential. Some educators feel that a positive self-concept is so important that children need to be taught to like themselves before they are taught academic skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics. † (Myers-Walls and Hinkley)

Main aim of education to promote individual differences education essay

Main aim of education to promote individual differences education essay This essay endeavours to analyse the statement that the main aim of education is to encourage individual differences. It puts forth the ethical claim that our education systems should not standardise students but help them develop as individuals in their own right. In order to present a balanced view to the reader, this literary piece draws upon the works of philosophers and educators from as far back as 360 BC. It is concluded that given the challenges faced by man in the 21st century, it only makes sense that education should support individuality. Introduction In the discourse of this paper, I aspire to investigate the aim of education as a facilitator for encouraging individual difference. The paper has been divided into four parts. I first discuss the significance of the nature of the student-teacher relationship and then explore the theoretical and practical realms of the two main educational systems of the 21st century. In the third segment of the essay, I compare the two educational structures on the basis of their support for promoting individuality. The paper is drawn to a close with a conclusion that authenticates the claims of this essay. Importance of the Student-Teacher Relationship In the opening chapter of their book, The Study of Education (2009), Bates and Lewis present an autobiographical account on education written by Wendy, an early years educator. While exploring the early years of her childhood, Wendy puts forth her feeling of disconnect with education due to the ineffective teaching practices that built up a foundation of fear around the very term. She describes her head teacher as being a strict authoritarian whose teaching philosophy was modelled on Lockes empirical pedagogical approach that described the childs mind as a blank sheet of paper that needed instruction from an exterior source in order to form ideas and opinions ( Locke, 1924). Wendy says, I loathed her for her remoteness and retreated into myself whenever she taught a lesson in our class (Bates and Lewis, 2009, p. 10). This diminished Wendys confidence and interest in learning and made her question her intelligence quotient. However, when she shifted to a slightly progressive learning environment where the teacher was not a scary figure, she not only became an A student but thoroughly enjoyed the learning process. Her fear of education disappeared and there was a sheer boost in self confidence (Bates and Lewis, 2009). Bates and Lewis (2009) use this example to put across the criticality of the relationship between the learner and educator. The online pocket Oxford dictionary (2006) defines the term relationship as the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected. Thus, it goes to say that the nature of the connection between two human beings is the most important feature in a relationship. This principle can be applied to student-teacher relationships as well. Studies have proven that a close and positive relationship between teachers and students has a direct impact on the academic achievement, behaviour and adult life of the student (Jones, 1981). For instance, as Jacqueline Zeller (n.d.), lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, points out, when children are provided with a sense of safety and security afforded by close relationships with teachers, they not only enjoy the process of education but also develop into well-rounded adults. However, when children are yelled at by the teacher, they feel rejected and frightened and tend to shun education (Zeller, n.d.). When students choose to drop out of high school, it is usually not a spontaneous decision but one that has been reached over a period of time mainly due to the presence of feelings of academic frustration and defeat or socio-cultural issues (Alliance for excellent education, 2009). A paper written by Rouse (2005) for the symposium on the Social Costs of Inadequate Education, New York, points out that these high school dropouts earn, on average, $260,000 less than a high school graduate. Thus, the ineffective flow of communication between the teacher and student has more consequences than we manage to comprehend. This brings up the question that if a positive student-teacher relationship is so important, why do we still see such varying student-teacher dynamics in the current day classroom scenario? The best way to understand this would be by exploring the two main teaching methodologies which define our academic world today: the traditionalist and progressive education system. Traditionalist education system A traditional teaching environment is a teacher-centric setup, where the role of the teacher is directive and rooted in authority (Novak, 1998). This teaching methodology arises from the realist philosophy of education that promotes the integration of the mind and body. Therefore, here theoretical learning is on the same footing as experiential education. This approach is mostly based on John Lockes educational philosophy (Locke, 1693). Locke, the 17th century British philosopher, believed in the immanent perspective of the child (James et all, 1998). He was of the opinion that the childs mind is a blank slate and knows nothing. It is up to extrinsic factors to provide information in order to instigate thoughts and opinions (Locke, 1813). Thus, while the student is important in this educational system, the main role is played by the teacher, who is more knowledgeable and experienced in matters of the world. Textbooks and workbooks are used as the primary teaching aids that help the t eacher fill up these knowledge holes in the minds of the students (Novak, 1998). In this educational setup, students are assessed via written and oral examinations (Novak, 1998). Since this a standardised testing system, the results are variable within the classroom, depending on each childs cognitive ability (McNally, 1974). However, there is a demand for a more balanced academic result with an exceptionally high class average, which affects the reputation of the school (Novak, 1998). Thus, teachers tend to spend most of their time perfecting students via repetition and rote learning. Traditionalists usually tend to adhere to a fixed curriculum; therefore, it is usually not possible to learn the content in context (Johnson and Johnson, 1991). Also, since there is more emphasis on the realist ideology of individualized learning rather than on group activities (Novak, 1998), the teachers prefer a linear classroom layout. Thus, desks and chairs are generally arranged in rows. It is interesting to note that though this education system has its roots in the realistic realm, the lack of implementation of the established education policies and rules makes learning more abstract. For instance, Locke laid emphasis on the soundness of the body and mind (Locke, 1693). He also believed that character-building and morality did not have to be formed by forcing children in a particular direction. He was of the opinion that once the knowledge was imparted to children and they were shown the path, they would be capable of integrating theory with practice. However, the present day scenario in traditionalist schools suggest otherwise. The teacher has to grill the students over and over again in order to attain a half decent result (Novak, 1998). Also, Locke was not very keen on the idea of punishment. In his essay, Some Thoughts Concerning Education (1693) he states that punishment does more harm than good to the child. However, what we see in traditionalist schools is a belief in the Kantian notion of the original sin (Kant, 1900). The system practices the concepts of sin and virtue, where a sin is met with punishment and a virtue with a reward. Thus, force is generally used by educators to discipline students and make them obedient (Novak, 2008). Another example is that of the nature of education. Contradictory to Lockes belief, traditionalists look upon education as a duty and obligation that students must fulfil. The Kantian view that education is not a matter of desire but a call of duty holds much weight here (Kant, 1900). This idea can be understood through an elaborate example presented by Plato, an idealist Greek philosopher whose work has affected generations in philosophical thought. In his book The Republic (360 BC), Plato puts forth the allegory of the cave, which mainly focuses on the process of attaining enlightenment. This is a brilliant allegory since it covers the metaphysical, epistemological and ethical aspects of the idealist education philosophy and also sheds some light on human nature (Plato, 360 BC). The allegory is written in the form of dialogues between Socrates, Platos teacher, and Glaucon, Platos older brother. Socrates asks Glaucon to imagine an underground cave with its mouth opening toward the light (Plato, 360 BC). A group of people have lived here since birth, their legs and heads are chained so that they cannot move and they sit facing a blank wall (Plato, 360 BC).There is a fire blazing at a distance behind them and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised walkway with a wall in front of it. The prisoners watch the shadows projected by people carrying all shapes and sizes of objects and stuffed animals while walking down the raised path. Socrates describes these shadows as the closest versions of reality available to the prisoners (Plato, 360 BC). When these prisoners are liberated they move around the cave and find it hard to adjust to their new realities. The bright light from the fire hurts their eyes causing them to flinch with pain. It is not a welcoming change (Plato, 360 BC). What Plato is trying to convey here is that the prisoners have suddenly moved from a position of relative ignorance to a position of relative knowledge and the entity responsible for liberating them is the teacher. Thus, Plato makes a blatant point that education is not a pleasurable process but a painful procedure that needs to be forced upon people. Socrates then describes the prisoners journey to the higher world where they have the sun. The sun is used as a non-religious metaphor for attaining enlightenment. He states that the prisoners had to be forced to reach the mouth of the cave, implying the requirement of a compulsory authoritarian approach adopted by the teacher (Plato, 360 BC). Socrates then illustrates to Glaucon how the enlightened prisoner journeyed back into the cave to share his newfound knowledge with the others (Plato, 360 BC). Naturally, his ideas were refuted by the prisoners; for them the images on the wall still defined the ultimate truth of their realities. However, out of a sense of moral Platonic responsibility, which here is to pity the unenlightened minds, Socrates put forth the idea of using compulsion to educate the prisoners; after all the current teacher also had to be forced to go out into the light (Plato, 360 BC). This allegory echoes a resonating theme in the traditionalist education system. Progressive teaching methodology A progressive education system follows a student-centric teaching approach. Here the role of the teacher is that of a facilitator of education rather than an authoritarian instructor (University of Vermont, n.d.). Today we can find a number of different styles of progressive educators. However, the common thread running through them all is that they share the conviction that democracy means active participation by all citizens in social, political and economic decisions that will affect their lives (University of Vermont, n.d.) This approach has its roots in John Deweys model of education. Dewey was an American philosopher and educator who played an important role in defining the meaning of education during the late 19th and early 20th century. He founded the philosophical school of pragmatism with Charles Sanders Pierce and William James (Weber, 1960).Unlike ancient philosophical movements, such as idealism and realism, that trace their origins to Europe, the pragmatic system of thought first emerged in the United States of America. For the pragmatists, democracy is a deep concept rather than a political decision-making plan. It is the idea through which people form their social theories and beliefs about the nature of their world (Dewey, 2004). Dewey applies this concept of democracy to education in his book Democracy and Education (Dewey, 2004). He describes education as that reconstruction or reorganization of experience which adds to the meaning of experience, and which increases ability to direct the course of subsequent experience (Dewey, 2004, p. 83). Thus he considers education a social process and believes that students learn best when indulging in real-life group activities. It is interesting to note that unlike the ancient idealist dualism of the mind and body or the realist collaboration of theory and practice, pragmatism majorly advocates experiential learning. It harbours a general mistrust in theoretical abstraction or ideal speculation of any kind (Weber, 1960). It is a grounded ideology that believes in the functionality and practicality of the real world. It can be said that pragmatism is a derivative of realism. However, stark differences can be found between the two ideologies in terms of their metaphysical, epistemological and ethical principles (Ulich, 1961). Dewey did not believe in formulating fixed aims of education, since he opposed the segregation of the means from the end. In his opinion, the means, or journey, could result in more pleasure than the desired end (Dewey, 2004). Conquering the world, as Alexander the Great learned, is less desirable than having more worlds to conquer (Weber, 1960, p.265). Similarly, in a progressive classroom the main aim is to insure that the children are comfortable, since this is where their actual learning takes place. Here, children are not educated to be prepared for life; instead, education is considered life itself (Dewey,2004). The education system supports an interdisciplinary curriculum, which is more focused on the needs of the students rather than pre-defined tasks and subjects set out by the management or the teacher. By doing so, the students are not only given the power to participate in the decision-making process but are also given the freedom to learn by constructing their own knowledge (Dewey, 1956). In his book Democracy and Education (2004), Dewey talks about the humanistic nature of living beings. He describes the student as the biological child, the psychosocial child and the social child. Thus, when the learner comes to school he brings with him all the connotations, principles and experiences associated with his persona, which are appreciated and nurtured. Since progressive educators consider education to be a social phenomenon, more emphasis is laid upon group work rather than on individual learning (University of Vermont). Most of the classroom activities are tailored according to the group dynamics in the class, while keeping in mind the democratic theme of the education philosophy. However, with freedom comes responsibility (University of Vermont).It then becomes the duty of the teacher to instil the correct value system in the students. Keeping such points in mind, there has been a debate on the ultra child centric approach adopted by this school of thought. To summarise, it can be said that in a progressive teaching environment, the process of education is considered one that makes learning enjoyable (Novak, 1998). Here, learning is usually carried out as a collaborative or a co-operative process and seldom an independent task. Education then is not limited to the individual but to the community as a whole. Due to this approach, the students not only develop a social work ethic but also learn to engage in the exchange of ideas and opinions (Novak, 1998). Comparison between the two methodologies: promotion of individual differences On average, a child spends five to seven hours a day for approximately ten months a year at school (Labaree, 1999). Since students spend most of their childhood and youth at their place of education, it is necessary for the institution to have a calm and happy environment. However, not many children can call their school a fun and pleasurable place (Labaree, 1999). Teachers across the world are aware of the differences in cognitive ability of children in the same class (Perdew, 1953). However, usually only children studying in a progressive learning environment benefit from this awareness. The main reason behind this is the inflexibility and lack of time in the traditionalist curriculum (Novak, 1998). The traditionalists consider children as socially constructed beings who live in a world structured by adults, where the code of conduct, rituals and language belong to the dominant group. It is, therefore, the moral responsibility of the adults to prepare the child for his or her entrance into the real world (James et al, 1998). The child is looked upon as an object that lacks the characteristics of functioning as an independent entity (Toren, 2006). Thus the attention of the teacher is mostly focused on the childs aim of becoming instead of the concept of being. The student is not given much space to learn by exploration and experiment. He is se en as a future adult rather than as a young human being in his or her own right (Uprichard, 2008). Therefore, the majority of a childs school years in a traditionalist setup can be looked upon as: a becoming; tabular rasa; laying down the foundations; shaping the individual; taking on; growing up; preparation; inadequacy; inexperience; immaturity (Jenks, 2005) With such ideas in place, where is the time for the teacher to work on the individuality of the students, promote their differences and appreciate them for who they are? This gives rise to the infamous thought process through which students get accustomed to extrinsic motivators and attend school for attaining a certificate or a degree rather than knowledge (Labaree, 1999). Therefore learning becomes a grade-oriented process. In his book The Farther Reaches of Human Nature, Maslow (1993) states that students in a traditionalist system respond to grades and scores like chimps do to poker chips. Socio-cultural differences like class, creed, gender, physic, language, ethnicity and differences in economic backgrounds usually tend to be a major cause of concern for teachers. However, given the restraints of the traditionalist setup, the teachers are often forced to believe that the number of differences among the children in a classroom is less than the number of similarities among them. Thus, they should focus more on the positive, the similarities (Perdew, 1953). On the other hand, in a progressive classroom, instant care would be provided to make sure that the students feel welcomed and at ease in their learning environment. It must be noted that when the traditionalist education system was developed it was the ideal education structure, considering the composition and requirements of the society in the pre-modern era(Weber, 1960). The child not only attended school but also took part in activities such as farming, weaving, animal husbandry and milling. This helped with his/her over all development (Weber, 1960). Thus, it successfully met the need of the hour. However, since times have changed, societies have advanced, economies have undergone a sea change and people have become more conscientious of their needs and desires, the ideals of such an education system have become rather obsolete (Weber, 1960). Let us take the example of the Maple Bear teaching methodology. Maple Bear is a Canadian early childhood and elementary education system. Its progressive education charter concentrates on learning through experience and exploration (Maple Bear, n.d.). Our Mission is to provide a high quality Canadian  style early childhood and elementary education in a safe, secure and stimulating environment that will provide students with a foundation for lifelong learning (Maple Bear, n.d.). Today, there are Maple Bear schools in countries such as Korea, India, Bangladesh, Turkey and Morocco. Each of these schools attracts students from diverse cultural and economic background with varying levels of cognitive ability. It is noteworthy that the demand for Maple Bear schools is increasing by the day, which speaks volumes about their education philosophy. Currently, India is leading the tally with twenty-four Maple Bear institutions (Maple Bear, n.d.). This is especially interesting because the country already has a well-established education system in place (The World Bank, n.d.). Since the early years are the most formative for a childs development, could the increase in the number of Maple Bear schools possibly be due to a lack in the present, mainly traditionalist Indian education system? Are people beginning to realise the importance of promoting individual differences? Conclusion In todays world, where economic paradigms are changing at the drop of a hat, where education systems are modelled on the interests of industrialisation, where there is no guarantee that a degree will provide a job, why are we still slotting students into water-tight compartments? (Robinson, 2010) Why are we alienating children on the basis of their cognitive and socio-cultural differences? Why are we killing their individuality and in turn costing them their creativity? The majority of schools today adopt a production line mentality wherein little emphasis is laid on divergent thinking and the child is mostly taught to indulge in linear and convergent thought processes (Robinson, 2010).With the progress in educational research, teachers can now easily use tactics such as the aptitude-by-treatment-interactions which is a research methodology used to explore alternative aptitudes, attributes or traits and alternative instructional methods (Jonnasen and Grabowski, 1993, p. 10). The German Philosopher, Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, (Brainy Quote) had said, You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist. This statement can be interpreted to support the belief that it is only natural to have differences among individuals. Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, stated that All men are created equal (Jeudwine, 1919). This statement is a traditionalist claim that has caused much unrest in the present society. If all men were created equal, why are there differences among us? This statement should be altered to the democratic idea that all men should be treated as equals (Dahl, 2003). It is only then that people can learn to maximize their potential. Throughout human history, people have been shunned by society due to their differences. However, many of these societal rejects did great things and helped the human race move forward. Thomas Edison, Galileo Galilei, Jean-Jacques Rousseau are only a few examples. It is difficult to envision a world without their contributions. They succeeded in spite of the system. Imagine what could happen if the system itself promoted and rallied for encouraging individual differences among people? In the cutthroat competition of the 21st century, where everyone is exploring their niche to get ahead in the rat race (Robinson, 2010), it seems only fair that differences in individuals should be supported from a very early age. Therefore, schools should employ teachers who have the right motivation for teaching, increase the student- child ratio and invest in teachers training programs which are extensive and rigorous in nature. What the teacher really needs to learn is how to put pedagogical theory i nto practice rather than the details of fifth grade mathematics. Difference is the course of invention and adoption of new idea and new behaviour patterns. It is the challenge to the old, to the formal, to the status quo, and to reaction. it instigates the dynamism of change. The success of individual differences in the area of technology suggests to us the potentiality of a similar expression in social invention. Our culture suffers from a dearth of new ideas and new approaches to life. Our need is to encourage difference and evaluate it, selecting among new proposals whose which seem to suggest the most fruitful outcome (Perdew, 1953) Thus, for us to move forward by promoting a sense of social justice and facing the economic and cultural challenges of the 21st century, the main aim of education should be to encourage individual differences.

Ecology and the Biosphere

Ecology and the Biosphere Ch. 50 (Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere) I. Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment. Events that occur in the framework of ecological time translate into effects over the longer scale of evolutionary time. The environment of any organism includes two components. Abiotic, or nonliving, components chemical and physical factors such as temperature, light, water, and nutrients. Biotic, or living, components all the organisms, or the biota, that are part of the individuals environment. Ecology can be divided into areas of study ranging from the ecology of individual organisms to the dynamics of ecosystems and landscapes. Organismal ecology: Can be subdivided into the disciplines of physiological ecology, evolutionary ecology, and behavioral ecology. Concerns how an organisms structure, physiology, and behavior meet the challenges posed by the environment Population ecology: Concentrates mainly on factors that affect how many individuals of a particular species live in an area. Population group of individuals of the same species living in a particular geographic area. Community ecology: Deals with the whole array of interacting species in a community. Community all the organisms of all the species that inhabit a particular area Ecosystem ecology: The emphasis in this ecology is on energy flow and chemical cycling among the various biotic and abiotic components. Ecosystem all the abiotic factors in addition to the entire community of species that exist in a certain area. Landscape ecology: Deals with arrays of ecosystems and how they are arranged in a geographic region. Patchiness is an environmental characteristic where a landscape or seascape consists of a mosaic of different types of patches. Focuses on the factors controlling exchanges of energy, materials, and organisms among the ecosystem patches. The biosphere is the global ecosystem, the sum of all the planets ecosystems. II. Interactions between organisms and the environment limit the distribution of species Biogeography is the study of the past and present distribution of individual species, in the context of evolutionary theory It provides a good starting point for understanding what limits the geographic distribution of a species. Factors limiting a species distribution may include: Dispersal. Behavior. Biotic factors. Abiotic factors. Dispersal is the movement of individuals away from centers of high population density or from their area of origin One way to determine if dispersal is a key factor limiting distribution is to observe the results of transplants of a species For a transplant to be considered successful, organisms must survive and reproduce in the new area If it is successful, the potential range of the species is larger than its actual range. Behavior and habitat selection may limit distribution. Plants may select their habitats by producing seeds that germinate only under a restricted set of environmental conditions Female mosquitoes select specific habitats for oviposition, or the depositing of eggs Biotic factors that limit the distribution of a species may include: Predation Disease Parasitism Competition Abiotic factors may also limit distribution. Environmental temperature is an important factor in the distribution of organisms because of its effect on biological processes Cells may rupture if the water they contain freezes Proteins of most organisms denature at temperatures above 45 degrees C. Water availability is another important factor. Freshwater and marine organisms live submerged in aquatic environments. Terrestrial organisms face a nearly constant threat of desiccation Sunlight provides the energy that drives all ecosystems, although only plants and other photosynthetic organisms use this energy source directly Wind amplifies the effects of environmental temperature on organisms by increasing heat loss due to evaporation and convection It also contributes to water loss in organisms by increasing the rate of evaporative cooling and transpiration The physical structure, pH, and mineral composition of rocks and soil limit the distribution of plants Temperature, water, sunlight, and wind are the major components of climate Global climate patterns: Earths curved shape causes latitudinal variation in the intensity of sunlight Sunlight strikes the tropics most directly, and the most heat and light are delivered there Earths tilt causes seasonal variation in the intensity of solar radiation. June solstice Northern Hemisphere tilts toward sun; summer begins March equinox equator faces sun directly; 12 hours of daylight and darkness December solstice Northern Hemisphere tilts away from sun; winter begins September equinox equator faces sun directly Intense solar radiation near the equator initiates a global pattern of air circulation and precipitation Air flowing close to Earths surface creates predictable global wind patterns Macroclimate are patterns on the global, regional, and local level Ocean currents influence climate along the coasts of continents by heating or cooling overlying air masses, which may then pass across the land. Mountains have a significant effect on the amount of sunlight reaching an area, as well as on local temperature and rainfall. In addition to the global changes in day length, solar radiation, and temperature, the changing angle of the sun affects local environments During the summer and winter, many lakes in temperate regions are thermally stratified, or layered vertically according to temperature Lakes undergo a semiannual mixing of their waters as a result of changing temperature profiles, a process called turnover. Microclimate are very fine patterns, such as those encountered by a community underneath a log Many features in the environment influence microclimates by casting shade, affecting evaporation from soil, and changing wind patterns. III. Abiotic and biotic factors influence the structure and dynamics of aquatic biomes Biomes are major types of ecological associations that occupy broad geographic regions of land or water Aquatic biomes account of the largest part of the biosphere. These biomes are physically and chemically stratified There is sufficient light for photosynthesis in the upper photic zone Little light penetrates in the lower aphotic zone At the bottom, the subtrate is called the benthic zone It is made up of sand and organic and inorganic sediments It is occupied by communities of organisms collectively called benthos A major source of food for the benthos is dead organic matter called detritus Thermal energy from sunlight warms surface waters to whatever depth the sunlight penetrates. In the ocean and in most lakes, a narrow stratum of rapid temperature change called a thermocline separates the more uniformly warm upper layer from more uniformly cold deeper waters Major aquatic biomes: Lakes are standing bodies of water covering thousands of square kilometers Oligotrophic lakes are nutrient poor and generally oxygen rich Eutrophic lakes are nutrient rich and often depleted of oxygen if ice-covered in winter and in the deepest zone during summer The littoral zone is the shallow, well-lighted waters close to shore The limnetic zone is further away from shore and is too deep to support rooted aquatic plants A wetland is an area covered with water for a long enough period to support aquatic plants The most prominent physical characteristic of streams and rivers is current Headwater streams are generally cold, clear, turbulent, and swift Rivers are generally warmer and more turbid, since they carry more sediment than their headwaters. An estuary is a transition area between river and sea They have very complex flow patterns An intertidal zone is periodically submerged and exposed by the tides, twice daily on most marine shores The oceanic pelagic biome is a vast realm of open blue water, constantly mixed by wind-driven oceanic currents Reef building corals are limited to the photic zone of relatively stable tropical marine environments with high water clarity A coral reef, which is formed largely from the calcium carbonate skeletons of corals, develops over a long time on oceanic islands The marine benthic zone consists of the seafloor below the surface waters of the costal, or neritic, zone and the offshore, pelagic zone. Organisms in the very deep benthic or abyssal, zone are adapted to continuous cold and extremely high water pressure IV. Climate largely determines the distribution and structure of terrestrial biomes A climograph is a plot of the temperature and precipitation in a particular region Vertical stratification is an important feature of terrestrial biomes In many forests, the layers consist of the upper canopy, the low-tree stratum, the shrub understory, the ground layer of herbaceous plants, the forest floor, and the root layer Terrestrial biomes usually grade into each other, without sharp boundaries The area of intergradation is called an ecotone and may be wide or narrow Major terrestrial biomes: In tropical rain forests, rainfall is relatively constant, and in tropical dry forests, precipitation is highly seasonal Tropical forests are stratified Deserts occur in a band near 30 degrees north and south latitude or at other latitudes in the interior of continents Precipitation is low and highly variable Temperature is variable seasonally and daily The savanna is warm year-round, but with somewhat more seasonal variation than in tropical forests Chaparral occurs in midlatitude coastal regions on several continents It is dominated by shrubs and small trees, along with a high diversity of grasses and herbs Temperate grasslands cover parts of South Africa, Hungary, Argentina, Uruguay, Russia, and North America. The dominant plants are grasses and forbs The northern coniferous forest, or taiga, is the largest terrestrial biome on earth Precipitation ranges from 30 to 70 cm, and periodic droughts are common Cone-bearing trees dominate these forests A mature temperate broadleaf forest has distinct, highly diverse, vertical layers. Tundra covers expansive areas of the Arctic, amounting to 20% of Earths land surface A permanently frozen layer of soil called permafrost generally prevents water infiltration. Ch. 51 (Behavioral Ecology) I. Behavioral ecology extends observations of animal behavior by studying how such behavior is controlled and how it develops, evolves, and contributes to survival and reproductive success. II. Behavioral ecologists distinguish between proximate and ultimate causes of behavior. Behavior traits are also a part of an animals phenotype It includes muscular as well as nonmuscular activity Is everything that an animal does and how it does it. Learning is also considered a behavioral process. Proximate questions focus on the environmental stimuli that trigger a behavior, as well as the genetic, physiological, and anatomical mechanisms underlying a behavioral act These are how questions Ultimate questions address the evolutionary significance of a behavior These are why questions Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, particularly in natural environments. Tindenbergen suggested four questions that must be answered to fully understand any behavior What is the mechanistic basis of the behavior, including chemical, anatomical, and physiological mechanisms? How does development of the animal, from zygote to mature individual, influence behavior? What is the evolutionary history of the behavior? How does the behavior contribute to survival and reproduction? The fixed action pattern is a sequence of unlearned behavioral acts that Is essentially unchangeable and is carried to completion A FAP is triggered by an external sensory stimulus known as a sign stimulus Imprinting is a type of behavior that includes both learning and innate components and is generally irreversible A sensitive period is a limited phase in an animals development that is the only time when certain behaviors can be learned III. Many behaviors have a strong genetic component. Biologists study the ways both genes and the environment influence development of behavioral phenotypes. Nature and nurture Innate behaviors are behavior that is developmentally fixed and are under strong genetic influence Kinesis is a simple change in activity or turning rate Taxis is an oriented movement toward or away from some stimulus. Trout automatically swim or orient themselves in an upstream direction, exhibiting rheotaxis Bird migration is partly under genetic control. Animal communication consists of the transmission of, reception of, and response to signals A signal is a behavior that causes a change in another animals behavior It is an essential element of interactions between individuals Many animals that communicate through odors emit chemical substances called pheromones They are typically very concentrated Many animals also communicate by auditory communication A variety of mammalian behaviors are under relatively strong genetic control. Research has revealed the genetic and neural basis for the mating and parental behavior of male prairie voles. IV. Environment, interacting with an animals genetic makeup, influences the development of behaviors. Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that the type of food eaten during larval development strongly influences later mate selection by Drosophila mojavensis females Cross-fostering studies of California mice and white-footed mice have uncovered an influence of social environment on the aggressive and parental behaviors of mice. Learning is the modification of behavior based on specific experiences. Special learning is the modification of behavior based on experience with the special structure of the environment This makes use of landmarks, or location indicators A cognitive map is an internal representation or code of the spatial relationships between objects in an animals surroundings Associative learning is the ability of many animals to associate one feature of the environment with another Classical conditioning is a type of associative learning in which an arbitrary stimulus is associated with a reward or punishment operant conditioning is called trial-and-error learning Cognition is the ability of an animals nervous system to perceive, store, process, and use information gathered by sensory receptors. The study of animal cognition, called cognitive ethology, examines the connection between an animals nervous system and its behavior. Habituation is a loss of responsiveness to stimuli that convey little or no information V. Behavioral traits can evolve by natural selection. When behavioral variation within a species corresponds to variation in environmental conditions, it may be evidence of past evolution An example of genetically based variation in behavior within a species is pretty selection by the garter snake Thamnophis elegans Foraging is behavior associated with recognizing, searching for, capture, and consuming food Laboratory studies of Drosophila populations raised in high and low density conditions show a clear divergence in behavior linked to specific genes D. melangogaster living at low population density followed a foraging path shorter than that of D. melanogaster living at high population density VI. Natural selection favors behaviors that increase survival and reproductive success. Optimal foraging theory states that natural selection should favor foraging behavior that minimizes the costs of foraging and maximizing the benefits. How mate choice enhances reproductive success varies, depending on the species mating system. In promiscuous mating, there are no strong pair bonds or lasting relationships In monogamous mating, one male mates with one female In polygamous mating, an individual of one sex mates with several of the other In polygyny, one males mates with many females In polyandry, one female mates with several males Males competition for mates is a source of intrasexual selection that can reduce variation among males agonistic behavior is an often ritualized contest that determines which competitor gains access to a resource, such as food or mates Game theory provides a way of thinking about evolution in situations where the fitness of a particular behavioral phenotype is influenced by other behavioral phenotypes in the population. VII. The concept of inclusive fitness can account for most altruistic social behavior. On occasion, animals behave in altruistic ways that reduce their individual fitness but increase the fitness of the recipient of the behavior. For example, if a squirrel sees a predator approach, the squirrel gives off an alarm, alerting unaware individuals but increasing the risk to itself This behavior can be explained by the concept of inclusive fitness It is the total effect an individual has on proliferating its genes by producing its own offspring and by providing aid that enables other close relatives to produce offspring The three key variables in an act of altruism are the benefit to the recipient (B), the cost to the altruist (C), and the coefficient of relatedness (r). Hamiltons rule states that rB > C Kin selection favors altruistic behavior by enhancing the reproductive success of relatives Altruistic behavior toward unrelated individuals can be adaptive if the aided individual returns the favor in the future, an exchange of aid called reciprocal altruism. Social learning forms the roots of culture, which can be defined as a system of information transfer through observation or teaching that influences the behavior of individuals in a population. Male choice copying is a behavior in which individuals in a population copy the mate choice of others Human culture is related to evolutionary theory in the discipline of sociobiology, whose main premise is that certain behavior characteristics exist because they are expressions of genes that have been perpetuated by natural selection. Ch. 52 I. Population ecology is the study of populations in relation to the environment, including environmental influences on population density and distribution. A population is a group of individuals of a single species living in the same general area II. Dynamic biological processes influence population density, dispersion, and demography. Population density, the number of individuals per area or volume, results from the combination of births, deaths, immigration, and emigration. Dispersion is the pattern of spacing among individuals within the boundaries of the population Environmental and social factors influence the spacing of individuals In clumped patterns, individuals are aggregated in patches In uniform patterns, individuals are evenly spaced Animals often exhibit uniform dispersion as a result of antagonistic social interactions, such as territoriality, the defense of a bounded physical space against encroachment by other individuals In random dispersion, individuals are unpredictably spaced, and the position of each individual is independent of others This occurs in the absence of strong attraction or repulsions among individuals of a population Populations grow from births and immigration and shrink from deaths and emigration Immigration is the influx of new individuals from other areas Emigration is the movement of individuals out of a population Demography is the study of the vital statistics of populations and how they change over time Of particularly interest to demographers are birth rates and how they vary among individuals and death rates Life tables are age-specific summaries of the survival pattern of a population the best way to construct one is to follow the fate of a cohort, a group of individuals of the same age, from birth until all are dead A survivorship curve is a plot of the proportion or numbers in a cohort still alive at each age Idealized survivorship curves: Type I curve is flat at the start, reflecting low death rates during early and middle life, then drops steeply as death rates increase among older age groups Type II curves are intermediate, with a constant death rate over the organisms life span Type III curve drops sharply at the start, reflecting very high death rates for the young, but the flattens out as death rates decline for those individuals that have survived to a critical age Reproductive tables, or fertility schedules, are age specific summaries of the reproductive rates in a population III. The traits that affect an organisms schedule of reproduction and survival from birth through reproduction to death make up its life history. They are evolutionary outcomes reflected in the development, physiology, and behavior of an organism. Semelparous organisms reproduce a single time and die. When the survival rate of offspring is low, as in highly variable or unpredictable environments, this is favored Iteroparous organisms produce offspring repeatedly. When environments are dependable and where competition for resources may be intense, this is favored. Life history traits such as brood size, age at maturity, and parental caregiving represent trade-offs between conflicting demands for limited time, energy, and nutrients. IV. The exponential model describes population growth in an idealized, unlimited environment. The per capita birth rate (b) is the number of offspring produced per unit time by an average member of the population The per capita death rate (m) is the number of individuals of a population that die per unit time The per capita rate of increase (r), or a populations growth rate, equals birth rate minus death rate. R = b m Growth occurs when r>0 and decline occurs when r C Kin selection favors altruistic behavior by enhancing the reproductive success of relatives Altruistic behavior toward unrelated individuals can be adaptive if the aided individual returns the favor in the future, an exchange of aid called reciprocal altruism. Social learning forms the roots of culture, which can be defined as a system of information transfer through observation or teaching that influences the behavior of individuals in a population. Male choice copying is a behavior in which individuals in a population copy the mate choice of others Human culture is related to evolutionary theory in the discipline of sociobiology, whose main premise is that certain behavior characteristics exist because they are expressions of genes that have been perpetuated by natural selection. Ch. 52 I. Population ecology is the study of populations in relation to the environment, including environmental influences on population density and distribution. A population is a group of individuals of a single species living in the same general area II. Dynamic biological processes influence population density, dispersion, and demography. Population density, the number of individuals per area or volume, results from the combination of births, deaths, immigration, and emigration. Dispersion is the pattern of spacing among individuals within the boundaries of the population Environmental and social factors influence the spacing of individuals In clumped patterns, individuals are aggregated in patches In uniform patterns, individuals are evenly spaced Animals often exhibit uniform dispersion as a result of antagonistic social interactions, such as territoriality, the defense of a bounded physical space against encroachment by other individuals In random dispersion, individuals are unpredictably spaced, and the position of each individual is independent of others This occurs in the absence of strong attraction or repulsions among individuals of a population Populations grow from births and immigration and shrink from deaths and emigration Immigration is the influx of new individuals from other areas Emigration is the movement of individuals out of a population Demography is the study of the vital statistics of populations and how they change over time Of particularly interest to demographers are birth rates and how they vary among individuals and death rates Life tables are age-specific summaries of the survival pattern of a population the best way to construct one is to follow the fate of a cohort, a group of individuals of the same age, from birth until all are dead A survivorship curve is a plot of the proportion or numbers in a cohort still alive at each age Idealized survivorship curves: Type I curve is flat at the start, reflecting low death rates during early and middle life, then drops steeply as death rates increase among older age groups Type II curves are intermediate, with a constant death rate over the organisms life span Type III curve drops sharply at the start, reflecting very high death rates for the young, but the flattens out as death rates decline for those individuals that have survived to a critical age Reproductive tables, or fertility schedules, are age specific summaries of the reproductive rates in a population III. The traits that affect an organisms schedule of reproduction and survival from birth through reproduction to death make up its life history. They are evolutionary outcomes reflected in the development, physiology, and behavior of an organism. Semelparous organisms reproduce a single time and die. When the survival rate of offspring is low, as in highly variable or unpredictable environments, this is favored Iteroparous organisms produce offspring repeatedly. When environments are dependable and where competition for resources may be intense, this is favored. Life history traits such as brood size, age at maturity, and parental caregiving represent trade-offs between conflicting demands for limited time, energy, and nutrients. IV. The exponential model describes population growth in an idealized, unlimited environment. The per capita birth rate (b) is the number of offspring produced per unit time by an average member of the population The per capita death rate (m) is the number of individuals of a population that die per unit time The per capita rate of increase (r), or a populations growth rate, equals birth rate minus death rate. R = b m Growth occurs when r>0 and decline occurs when r

Dell History Essay -- essays research papers

Dell History The Dell Company was founded in 1984 by no on other than, Michael Dell. He, through no coincidence is the computer industry's longest running chief executive officer. He has accomplished this based on a simple concept. He decided to sell personal computer systems directly to customers. His direct selling empowered Dell with the knowledge, so he could best understand his consumer’s needs; and provide the most comprehensive computing solutions that met those needs. Dell Mission In 1997, Dell Computer’s mission became â€Å"to be the most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in the markets we serve.† Dell’s objective was achieving â€Å"virtual integration†. Business Strategy In today’s environment, Dell is enhancing and broadening the fundamental competitive advantages of the direct selling model. The enhancements are likely to lead to increasing efficiencies to its entire business. Through the direct business model, Dell offers in-person relationships with corporate and institutional customers. But that is just a small part of their model, they also offer, telephone and Internet purchasing; customized computer systems; phone and online technical support; and next-day, on-site product service. Dell arranges for system installation and management, guides customers through technology transitions, and provides an extensive range of other services. The company designs and customizes products and services to the requirements of ...

The Peoples Princess Essay examples -- essays research papers

Diana Frances Spencer was born on July 1, 1961 in Sandringham, Norfolk. Her parents, John and Frances Spencer, were hoping for a boy to carry on the Spencer name. It took them nearly a week to come up with a name for the baby girl. Eighteen months earlier, her mother had giver birth to a baby boy, but he was so sick that he only survived for ten hours. Lady Frances, twenty three at the time, was sent to many specialists to find out the reason why she could not have a little boy. Three years after Diana was born, Lady Frances gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Charles. Diana had been christened in Sandringham Church with well-to-do commoners for godparents. Charles, on the other hand, was christened in Westminster Abbey with the Queen of England as his godparent. As a child, Diana spent most of her time playing outside. Close to her home were many woods, horse stables, and they owned a heated swimming pool. The woods were filled with rabbits, foxes, deer, and other animals. As she grew older, she also grew a great love for animals. She also had a love for children. At age eighteen, she became a teachers assistant. She taught dance, drawing, and painting to kindergarten students. When she was six years old, her mother left her father for another man. She went between her mother's townhouse and her father's country estates. Both parents got re-married, so she had two step-parents to please. Because of Diana's royal background, she earned an invitation to Prince Charles's thirtieth birthday party. This is were the two met for the first time. There were hundreds of people at the party, but Charles couldn't take his eyes off of Diana. A few months later, the two became a couple. "The news about Charles and Diana's love soon spread. The shy young teacher's aide quickly became famous. Everyone wanted to know if the Prince had finally found his Princess. "The answer came in February 1981. Prince Charles asked Lady Diana to be his wife. Blushing with happiness, Diana accepted. The fairy tale had begun-and Diana's life would never be the same."1 During their engagement, Diana frequently visited Buckingham Palace, and the Queen of England for roya... ...imply immersed by duty and tradition but can sing openly as you planned. We fully respect the heritage into which they have both been born, and will always respect and encourage them in their royal role. But we, like you, recognize the need for them to experience as many different aspects of life as possible, to arm them spiritually and emotionally for the years ahead. I know you would have expected nothing less from us. William and Harry, we all care desperately for you today. We are all chewed up with sadness at the loss of a woman who wasn't even our mother. How great your suffering is we cannot even imagine. I would like to end by thanking God for the small mercies he has shown us at this dreadful time; for taking Diana at her most beautiful and radiant and when she had so much joy in her private life. Above all, we give thanks for the life of a woman I am so proud to be able to call my sister: the unique, the complex, the extraordinary and irreplaceable Diana, whose beauty, both internal and external, will never be extinguished from our minds."

The Effects of Addicting to Cyber Social Networks

The Effects of Addicting to Cyber Social Networks Social network is an addictive thing nowadays. I believe that everyone, start from teenagers up to old people addict to cyber social networks. Almost every single breathe, they update their twit, their statues, etc. If we cannot control ourselves to use this social network in the good way, it will not take a long time for us to get the bad impacts. There are so many bad impacts of addicting social networks.First of all, we will next to our far away people we usually connected to, but we will be far with the people around us. How come? Many people always keep contact to their friends in cyber world by social networking, so they often don’t care with the people around them. That condition absolutely makes others feel uncomfort to talk with that person. So, don’t be surprised if those real friends will stay away from that person. Actually it’s good to keep contact with people who far away with us. However, real frien ds are more important than cyber friends.Why? Because if we have a problem, real friends will help us directly than cyber friends. So the main point here, we have to priority our real friends first, then our cyber friends. The second is our main activity will be annoyed because of addicting to social networks. I am sure that we often meet someone who cannot live faraway from their gadget just to update his social networks. Don’t you ever think that this habit actually is annoyed his main activity? For example, there is a student in a class.All of us know that his main activity should be related with studying. However, if he is too busy with his social networks, how about his study? I believe that he will not be able to focus on his study because every single breathe he updates his social networks as I said before. That habit will also influence his score, how come? Because if we cannot focus on what we do, of course we will not be able to do it well. We will not be able to gi ve our best on it. The last but not least, addicting to social networks will give bad impact for our body.As we know that if we addict to something, in this case social networks, we will not be able to be separated with our gadgets. Whenever and wherever we go, those gadgets will stick with our hand, and absolutely it’s dangerous for us. Medical research has found that two mobile phones which are calling to each other for some hours can make an egg cooked. From that news, I think we should know how dangerous the radiation of this gadget is. Besides the radiation, too much doing this activity will make us feel lazy to move, we will sit all day long.Sitting for a long time is also not good for our body, we have to do exercise at least 15 minutes per day regularly. As you know, it is really dangerous for us if we cannot use cyber social networks in a good way. Being far away with people around us, annoying our main activity and also causing harm for our health is just some examp les of this bad habit. In my opinion, technology is good for us, but we have to use it in a good way too, so we can get the advantages. Sonia Dwi Cahyanti 110221414604/AA

Impact of Unemployment in Economics Essay

There are many people who are looking for jobs but cannot find them mostly because of the slow economic growth rate in the country. South Africa faces structural unemployment where people loose their jobs due to introduction of new technology or relocation of the company, these economic disruptions have resulted in high crime rates, low production and income as well as lost human capital. The NDP has been put in place to solve the problem of unemployment, and if supported well there can be job creation because they promise on expanding work programme, reduce costs of doing business and support entrepreneurship. Body South Africa faces the greatest challenge of a very high unemployment rate, which is highly influenced by the slow growth of the country hence resulting in slow employment growth as well (Parkin et al, 2010:449). Unemployment has been defined in two forms: a narrow definition and a broad definition. The narrow definition of unemployment is the official definition of unemployment and it states that an unemployed person is a person who is willing to work and is making an effort to find a job, Parkin et al, states that â€Å"To be counted as unemployed, a person must be available to work†¦must want to work and have made specific efforts to find a job or taken steps to start a business† (Parkin et al, 2010:495), but the broad definition of unemployment also includes the discouraged workers because they are people who are willing to work but have not been making an effort to find a job in the previous month mostly because they cannot find the jobs (Parkin et al, 2010:495). The business cycle of a country also influences the employment and unemployment rates, for example during a recession period there are high unemployment rate and during expansion there are lower unemployment rates (Lipsey et al, 1999:726). Unemployment is classified into three types; i) Frictional, ii) Structural, iii) Cyclical. Frictional unemployment has been explained as â€Å"The unemployment that arises from normal labour turnover – from people entering and leaving the labour force and from the ongoing creation and destruction of jobs† (Parkin et al, 2010:501). The structural unemployment refers to the more crucial and enduring restrictions on worker mobility, Parkin et al, explains it as â€Å"The unemployment that arises when changes in the technology or international competition change the skills needed to perform jobs or change in locations of jobs† (Parkin et al, 2010:502). Cyclical unemployment is influenced by the business cycle where a recession will increase unemployment and an expansion will decrease unemployment (Lipsey et al, 1999:726). South Africa suffers from Structural unemployment to a greater extent because it affects the economic structure of the whole economy especially due to introduction of new technologies and skills needed to cope with competition from the other countries, South Africa has gone global in the business sector therefore it needs to be upgrading its technology and skills to match its competitors. Unemployment is calculated as the number of unemployed people expressed as a percentage of the labour force, where labour force is the number of unemployed people plus number of employed people (Parkin et al, 2010:502). Number of people unemployed Unemployment = X 100 Labour Force Statistics in South Africa show that â€Å"In Q4:2008, there were approximately 3. 9 million people unemployed in South Africa and during the financial and economic crisis, the level of unemployment climbed rapidly, reaching a peak of 4. million in Q1:2010† (Labour Force Survey 2012), this can be best explained as f luctuation of job creation because, during a recession when the country is facing economic hardships the number of jobs shrinks and this influences a spike in the unemployment rate (Parkin et al, 2010:449). The unemployment rate in South Africa will never drop to zero because it is a developing country and does not have a very high Gross Domestic Product which is â€Å"†¦the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given time period† (Parkin et al, 2010:468), when GDP is low, there is an increase in unemployment because there are few goods produced there for a limited labour force is needed to produce the few goods. The number of unemployed people rose to 4. 5 million in Q2:2011, but declined during the second half of 2011, In Q1:2012, the number of unemployed people rose by 282 000, reaching 4. 5 million, which is the same level observed in Q2:2011† (Labour Force Survey 2012). Unemployment is a major issue in South Africa and the only way to manage it is by increasing our entrepreneurial strategy, supporting Small and Medium Enterprises as well as being united as a nation (Ramaphosa 2012). Job creation is not just a strategy to deal with unemployment but it is also going to eradicate poverty and this will increase the living conditions of every South African citizen. Mr Ramaphosa notes that unemployment is hindering our endeavor to eradicate poverty and also reduce the inequality gap (Ramaphosa 2012). The National Development Plan (NDP) which was produced in 2011 by the National Planning Commission has been put in place as strategy to deal with unemployment and Mr Ramaphosa explains that â€Å"It envisages the creation of 11 million jobs by 2030, and a reduction in levels of unemployment from about 25% to 6%† (Ramaphosa 2012). The NDP plans on involving the government as well as the labour sector to play a role, an expansion of the public works programme is going to help reduce unemployment because it will be offering work experiences and skills to those people who are unemployed. Minimizing the cost of doing business helps small companies to get into business and also employ people to work; the NDP also states that tax subsidy will be granted to businesses to minimize the cost of recruiting young people (NDP Summary 2011), this will result in job creation and hence unemployment is reduced. Unemployment affects the whole country because due to unemployment there will be low standard of living Mr Ramaphosa explains that employment is the core of humanity (Ramaphosa 2012), when unemployment is high crime rates tend to increase as well because need to earn a living, so since they cannot find jobs they resort to robbery, drug trafficking and prostitution, this helps explain the high crime rates and HIV Aids rate in South Africa. Economically unemployment leads to loss of production therefore low GDP because there are no people who can work to help make more products; there is also lack and underutilization of human capital when there are high rates of unemployment (Parkin et al, 2010:468). Conclusion The NDP has been put in place to help manage unemployment in South Africa and if it gets support from everyone 11 million jobs will be created by 2030. Unemployment increases crime rates and hence need to be managed properly. The government plans on reducing the costs of doing business and that way there can be creation of employment, the works programme is also going to be sed to provide skills to people who do not have jobs, and above all education for all has to be achieved so as to eradicate unemployment and hence poverty.