Qualitative Research- Fieldwork Observation Assignment

Qualitative Research- Fieldwork Observation - Assignment Example These issues can be accessed and evaluated through observation. This is true because most of the traits that determine students’ performance are physically portrayed. Most of these characteristics are associated with the environment which students grow in. For example, literatures have found that students brought up in poor backgrounds perform poorer than those brought up in middle class backgrounds (Billie & Bette & Wolfe, 2006). Specifically, physical characteristics like students behavior and the way they conduct themselves have a lot to say about their academic performance. In the effort to determine this concept, I sought to carryout a research through observation from a public school in a poor background setting. The aim of this research was to find out how the students conduct themselves and if their behavior conducts have any relationship with their academic performance. In learning theories, main focus is on behavioral psychology. For children to be able to learn and remember new things, some things are considered to take place in the learning process. According to Billie & Bette & Wolfe, (2006), some of these things are explained by behavioral and constructivism theories which focus their attentions on acquired factors that help the learner acquire knowledge. Burkhardt, (2004) asserted that students’ achievement is influenced by environmental factors such as cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors. These factors are said to shape students behavior, which have adverse, effects on their academic performance. According to Burkhardt, (2004), students who come from poor back grounds have been found to perform poorly in their academic works. In some instances, living conditions are extremely harsh that the students have to attend school with empty stomachs. Field-notes My field-work started early in the morning at 7: am. I purposely decided to start my research at this hour in order to gather information on the arrival of students from the ir homes since this was a day school. Students started arriving some minutes after 7: am. There was only one teacher who had arrived by then. I later came to realize that he was the teacher on duty that day. He mobilized students in cleaning their classrooms and the compound. Most students were seen to be sluggish in responding to the teacher’s instruction. For example, when they were told to clean their classes, most of them hid themselves behind the classes. The teacher was forced to come after them with a cane. When the bell for the assembly was rung, some students were still arriving from their homes. In the effort to capture them for punishment, the teacher had difficult times as the students ran away while others hid themselves. In fact, some of those that were caught and given some punishment to do, they retorted to the teacher. When the lessons started, I visited one of the classes where I observed various occurrences. Some minutes before the teacher entered the class room, most of the students seemed not to be settled. They were discussing the previous night’s happenings. Some were chatting and gossiping. However, a few were seen to be preparing themselves for the lesson before the teacher entered. When the lesson started, some students were lying on their desks while others were busy chatting. In fact, remarkably few students concentrated on what the teacher was teaching. This was evident when the teacher asked questions related to what he taught. The students gave irrelevant answers while other said

Authenticity & Socio-econmic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Authenticity & Socio-econmic - Essay Example He believes that acquiring such material possessions should make individuals to be interested in the manner in which the users fulfill the necessity for service, inside the extensive culture of society. For instance, the leather couch, or the professional player ought to act as some means of bridging the divide between the indigenous and wider cultures. This is similar argument to Jhally views on consumerism, especially in his belief that advertising stresses a world in which desires in form of new materials, are reflected through the emphasizing of social relationships, rather than material possessions (Jhally, 3). This is because Jungen appropriation and remodeling of universal but industrially manufactured consumer goods, reveals how such goods tend to portray an influential identity of desirable global commodity. The most consistent stories told by the whole range of advertising, is consumerism. Whereby more economic growth implies added consumption, as well as more production. The entire range of advertisements insists on individual power, console, desires, appeals and pleasures. The values stressed by the ads include taking desires and then preconceiving them to tie with the universe of commodities (Phillips, 5). Jhally, Congdon and Blandy’s are right in implying that advertising drives individuals away from important human relationships with others within the society, as it reduces their capability to develop happiness. Jhally asserts that advertising takes away normality from the consumers. However, all of these critics of consumerism and advertising, places more emphasis on the issue between needs and wants. Undeniably, Jhally, just like Jungen tends to extend their criticism of advertising on commercialism, to be a disapproval of egalitarianism and marketing. Thus, such assertions that advertising colonizes or dominates contemporary culture are not entirely spot on,

Medieval Torture Devices Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Medieval Torture Devices - Research Paper Example The medieval age, also known as the Dark Age, was the lowest point of European advancement in terms of knowledge, academics, and technology (Wikianswers). It was in this stage in world history, tainted by dominance of the nobles and the medieval Christian churches, that unimaginable and inhuman torture devices were created and utilized by the ones in power. One such device that is very much known to everyone is Flagellation, more commonly referred to as Whipping. Flagellation was a common practice during the medieval times to administer justice in the form of torture to the convicts (D'Silva). It was fast, effective, and painful. It originated and used extensively during the Roman Empire Period, however, it still has gained considerable popularity to punishers during the medieval times (de la Sierra). Jesus Christ himself suffered from Flagellation before he was crucified on the cross. It was said that Christ was pinned to a column or any fixed object (Dewil), most probably for the p urpose of immobilizing him. The type of flagellant would sometimes differ on the crime committed or on the administering people (D'Silva). Often times, whipping does not lead to death. Should the authorities wish to punish the convict more because of added crimes, other forms of lethal punishments are utilized (de la Sierra). Another example would be the Iron Maiden, sometimes called the Virgin of Nuremberg. This type of torture mechanism is made up of a thick casket of iron shaped like sarcophagus with iron spikes protruding in the hallow insides of the device (Cork-Screw.com). Such device does not actually hit any vital organ; the spikes are strategically placed to prolong the pain and suffering. The casket of the Iron Maiden is so thick that neither a sound nor a single speck of light comes in and out of the device, even amidst the howling and shouting of the person inside the device. The casket stands to more or less 7 feet in height and could accommodate a full-grown man inside (de la Sierra). The person inside the Iron Maiden stays hanged right-side up due to the pierced irons on his body. Whenever the doors of the Iron Maiden are open and consequently closed, the iron spikes would pierce the same exact spot, covering the wound it inflicted and inflicting tremendous and unbearable pain, but not death (Cork-Screw.com). Eventually, the person suffering inside would not have much option but to die a painful and slow death. The iron maiden does not quickly kill the victim due to one reason: interrogation (Medieval Torture: Iron Maiden). The device was used to interrogate the victim for days and days until the victim either spills out the information demanded from him or her, or the victim dies. When the time to interrogate the victim comes, the doors will be opened, and subsequently closed afterwards. Once the doors are shut, the victim could hear nor see anything outside, causing sensory deprivation and psychological turmoil (Medieval Torture: Iron Maiden). Europe was not the only one with a period of stagnation, and definitely not the only one