Knowledge Share-Human Resource Management Current Study Assignment

Knowledge Share-Human Resource Management Current Study - Assignment Example Analysis The opportunity to achieve effective potential at workplace for all the employees in an organization is now significantly recognized as one of the fundamental human rights. Over last few decades, it has also become transparent that the Canadian organizations need to pursue workplace diversity as a competitive stipulation. The pursuit of diversity at the work place is one of the major strategic responses of the Canadian organizations towards globalization (Klarsfeld, 2010). Moreover, it helps the organizations to increase their multiculturalism of marketplaces and workforces. The new diversity definition rejects the concept of mandated targets and quota system in the organizational workplace. Moreover, it minimizes the risk of much of regulatory and legislative framework that accompanied the equal employment opportunity, affirmative action and equity legislation of employment in an organization. Since last two decades the Canadian organizations are practicing this workplace d iversity as their key organizational process. Cultural Workplace Diversity The workplace diversity rests on several premises. ... All the business owners can be benefited from implementing proactive human resource strategies. This process has helped the Canadian employers to build an effective culturally diverse workplace. It is important for the organizations to eventually promote the cultural diversity awareness among all the employees of the organization in order to leverage the benefits and advantages of cultural awareness in the workplace. Workplace Diversity at IBM Employees of IBM represent diverse and talented workforce. Accomplishing the potential of the diversity is a major business priority. Effective workplace diversity is the fundamental of IBM’s competitive success. Venerable commitment to equal opportunity is the major element in IBM’s workplace diversity program. Several business activities, such as promotion, hiring and compensation are performed without regard to religion, color, race, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, genetics or expression. These specific busin ess activities, administration and design of IBM benefit the diversity plans abide by all kinds of applicable law. IBM provides workplace accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities. These are essential diversity plans that can enhance the performance of each and every employee. Giving value and respect to all the employees helped the organization to ensure an effective working environment which is free from all forms of conflicts and harassment. This policy depends upon effective business judgment strategy. Moreover, this policy anchored in the organizational values of IBM. All the managers of IBM abide by applicable laws and organizational policies of IBM. It helps the organization to fulfill their

Afro Asians Essay Example for Free

Afro Asians Essay During the 1970s, an increased demand for copper and cobalt attracted Japanese investments in the mineral rich southeastern region of Katanga Province. Over a 10-year period, more than 1,000 Japanese miners relocated to the region, confined to a strictly male-only camp. Arriving without family or spouses, the men often sought social interaction outside the confounds of their camps. In search of intimacy with the opposite sex, sometimes resulting in cohabitation, the men openly engaged in interracial dating and relationships, a practice mostly embraced by the local society. As a result, a number of Japanese miners fathered children with native Congolese women. However, most of the mixed race infants resulting from these unions died, soon after birth. Multiple testimonies of local people suggest that the infants were poisoned by a Japanese lead physician and nurse working at the local mining hospitale. Subsequently, the circumstances would have brought the miners shame as most of them already had families back in their native Japan. The practice forced many native Katangan mothers to hide their children by not reporting to the hospital to give birth. Other women raised their child more rural or remote areas as blasian children were sought after and murdered in the city by Japanese officials. Today, fifty Afro-Japanese have formed an association of Katanga Infanticide survivors. The organization has hired legal council seeking a formal investigation into the killings. The group submitted official inquiry to both the Congolese and Japanese governments, to no avail. Issues specific to this group include having no documentation of their births, since not having been born in the local hospital spared their lives. The total number of survivors is unknown.

The Kindergarten Idea In Architecture Construction Essay

The Kindergarten Idea In Architecture Construction Essay The kindergarten idea is considered to have initiated as early as the 17th century. The origins of the kindergarten idea define certain attitudes to pre-school education that are still widespread to this day. The early kindergarten idea, which related environmental needs to pedagogical needs, brought about a number of important architectural impulses, both in modernistic and organic forms. John Heinrick Pestalozzi founded the first child-centred institution at Yverdin 1805, based on what became essential kindergarten principles from which several pedagogies stemmed. Fredrick Froebel Philanthropist Robert Owen established a child care institution in New Lanark, Scotland. At the time children over six worked with their parents, therefore the institution only catered for children under six. Staffed by nurses it provided a pleasant atmosphere, although its pedagogical philosophy was unsophisticated. Throughout the 20th century one-off private kindergartens were established in Germany, Britain, Japan and North America. These were based primarily on the Fredrick Froebel philosophy. This philosophy originated from German philosophies in the 19th century. In Froebels hostilic philosophy, kindergartens are complimentary to home life, as appose to replacing it. The Froebel movement spreads to Britain in 1871 when the first kindergarten was built by Sir William Mather. This was followed by the establishment of a free kindergarten for children aged between 3 and 6. Many of these early Froebelian based kindergartens were based on the principles of kindergartens as an educational institution, lacking any architectural form or purpose. A key issue when selecting and appraising educational philosophies is how each system presents information in the development of children. In Froebels system children learn through play as appose to the learn, listen, recite method usually employed. Pedagogical drawing is an important factor. Drawing was seen by Froebel as a form of writing. The gifts and occupations His study of the natural sciences gave him an understanding of the connection of geometric forms to the natural environment such as plant forms and crystals. His work in crystallographic science is said to have persuaded this area of his teaching technique, while his training as an architect influenced the emphasis of precise and unchanging relationships between different things as the central concept of learning. The child plays with one or more geometric gifts to discover its properties and the possibilities for design. Once a standstill is reached the teacher invokes one or more of the categories to compel a new direction of play. In this way the child discovers the designs that are possible with the selected shapes. The occupations developed more intricate and complex skills such as forming shapes from moulding clay, and using sticks and rings laid out as letters as the first step towards writing. Rachael and Margaret MacMillian Some less pedagogical approaches crept in towards the end of the 19th century, as research began into child behaviours by theorists such as Granville Stanley Hall and John Dewey. As this was underway in the USA, closer to home Rachael and Margaret MacMillian began creating an educational philosophy of their own. In 1913, in London they founded an open-air nursery school, based on a more practical approach to child-care. Their approach was to concentrate on the basic needs of children with physical exercise and fresh air as the main priority. Rudolf Steiner The need for imagination, a sense of truth and a feeling of responsibility these are the three forces which are the very nerve of education. Rudolf Steiner was the founder of another educational pedagogy which is still in use today. His controversial thinking can be mainly attributed to some of the facts about his life and the resultant approach to the problem of education. Born in Croatia in 1861, Steiner began finished higher education and continued into further education with the intention of becoming a grammar-school teacher. He failed to complete this course, but went on to study philosophy under Johann van Goethe for several years. He then moved to Berlin and was attracted to the forward-thinking literary Bohemia, the workers movement and the reforming religious thinkers. Here he became leader of a spiritual renewal movement and founder of a philosophical community that was entirely focused on his own personality. In 1919, a defeated Germany brought about innovative thinking and the opportunity for Steiner to try out his ideas on education in a new school. On 7 September 1919, he ceremonially opened the first Free Waldorf School as a combined co-educational primary and secondary school for 256 children drawn mainly from the families of workers at the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart (Germany). Steiners basic ideas on education were conceived in the period between 1906 and 1909 in a manner which to begin with had naturalistic overtones: Out of the essence of the developing individual, ideas on education will grow, as it were, of their own accord. However, in contrast to the path taken by Dewey and Montessori, who sought to establish their New Education on recent ideas of experimental child psychology, Steiner based his educational plan entirely on his cosmic spiritualistic anthropology according to NAME (yyyy), If we wish to detect the essence of the growing individual, we must set out from a consideration of the hidden nature of man as such. In Steiners educational philosophy the educational growth of the child is viewed as a process of rebirth. In a seven-year cycle from the head via the heart to the hands education takes the form of growth and metamorphosis. The educator is seen as the gardener of this growth. From a belief in reincarnation stems the image of education as an aid to incarnation and spiritual awakening. In this case the educator becomes a priest and a healer. With these educational forces, Steiner built the levers that are still being implemented by teachers and educators in his schools and kindergartens today. These educational philosophies can be broken down into three main ideas. First, the intellectual philosophy spread by Froebel, later associated with Naturphilosophy, whereby the childs educational and social development take precedence. The second is the more pragmatic approach created in Britains cities as a result of health concern for young children living in these overcrowded urban areas. This approach is based on circumstances in the past which are not as evident in todays society, namely forced child labour and severe overcrowding in cities. The third is the Steiner pedagogy. The practice of this system of education includes a broad spectrum of artistic and handicraft learning potentials, a caring attitude to children and many opportunities for conscious participation in community tasks. In my opinion Fredrick Froebels approach is far too important to be left to the unquestioning adepts of Rudolf Steiner. Part (ii) While researching the kindergarten as a building type, it was clear that many of the buildings do not live up to the needs of the children, i.e. the learning environment. According to KINDERGARTEN ARCHITECTURE (yyyy) kindergartens and nursery schools are often dealt with as add-on classes to existing primary school education facilities, particularly in Britain, with no real concern for the needs of the child. The importance of the building form and in turn the construction materials is vital to creating an atmosphere that supports the childrens activities, and consequently improving the learning outcomes. The building typology should seek to create an environment that encourages the learning process by addressing issues of emotional and physical well being amongst the children. This concept implies that success in learning at an early age can be linked to the environment created by the materials used and the architectural and structural form of the buildings i.e. a comfortable environment will facilitate the learning process. The kindergarten is the first place where children make acquaintances with new people and new surroundings, and where they become part of a new community. Therefore designing a kindergarten involves not only creating a protective environment for children, but also introducing them to a new space where communication and expression are given free reign. In designing kindergartens, the building form and materials must exploit geometry, colours and images intended to evoke associative meanings within the childs mind. Broadly speaking, in educational facilities in Britain, there are three construction methods used, with varying materials, used either alone or in combination with one another. These are framed construction, load-bearing wall construction and prefabricated construction. Framed construction use steel or concrete columns and beams to support walls and floors. Structural floors are generally reinforced concrete slabs or steel floor panels with concrete laid between them. This type of construction can provide maximum flexibility providing the spacing of the columns allows for the space required for teaching areas. Load bearing wall construction is where walls are designed to carry the load of any additional flooring and the roof. These walls are generally constructed of brick or concrete block. In order for large open plan spaces to exist in these structures additional beams or other load-bearing elements must be employed. Prefabricated construction does not segregate any material. Teaching spaces are fully or partly constructed off-site and brought on-site in a state almost ready for use. The following are a few examples of different kindergartens and there construction techniques. There is much more space allowed for in these modern kindergartens than in any traditional kindergarten buildings. Caesarea kindergarten (Reinforced concrete construction) In many cases building a kindergarten is a way of creating an imaginary world, a space where children receive physical and social exposure to the outside world beyond their home and family. It is in this context that many kindergarten building forms are based. An example of this is the Or-Akiva kindergarten in Miami. Images of the Grasshopper and the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz were used creating a unique atmosphere to encourage children to architecturally create starting points for their own stories/dreams. In the same way the Caesarea kindergarten in Israel uses a visually striking faà §ade of three elephants which relate to the archaeological site on which it is built, and the ancient Roman city known also as Caesarea. Images taken from the architects website (Knafo Klimor Architects) can be viewed to the right and below: http://www.kkarc.com/images/Publications/59.pdf The building is constructed of reinforced concrete. As with any RC structure, the material permits an especially flexible design, which has allowed the freedom to create this remarkable faà §ade. Kindergarten Sighartstein (Steel frame construction) The Kindergarten Sighartstein, Austria, is an example of the use of a contemporary steel frame structure. Designed by Kadawittfeldarchetektur, a German practice, this building makes use of metal cladding elements with the concept of kindergarten-in-motion. The images below taken from the Kadawittfeldarchetektur Architects website show the external faà §ade: http://www.nikiomahe.com/architecture-design/kindergarten-sighartstein-in-austria-by-kadawittfeldarchitektur/ The green metal elements are designed to replicate blades of grass, integrating the building into the surrounding area of green meadows and fields. The premise is to create a built playground. Internally the building is split into two horizontal layers. The steel structure affords large open plan central hall which can be seen in the image below: This is the mid-point of the building and it serves as the multifunctional interactions space a communicative core for both children and careers located at the intersection between functions. Large glazed sections and openings onto the courtyard create a valuable connection to the external surroundings. The flat roofed two-story cubic building optimally distributes the functions of a kindergarten. On the ground floor, one finds the space for the kindergarten groups, with the crà ¨che accommodated in the protected upper story. In the crà ¨che, an expandable third space has been made possible through a planned reallocation of the space. Eco-Kindergarten (Prefabricated construction) The Eco-Kindergarten was designed by C.F. Moller Architects in demark. The building is constructed from pre-fabricated wooden insulated wall segments, with large glazed facades providing daylighting and passive solar heating. A touch-screen at the entrance informs parents about the current energy-performance, and provides information from the pedagogues. It is a sustainable and well though through pedagogical design. The fundamental architectural concept is a simple and clear geometric form on two levels, with the childrens areas located in the best-lit southern end. The two levels are linked by staircases and ramps which are designed to stimulate and challenge the childrens sensory and motor skills. There is a pedagogical idea throughout the interior design. It is all based on the notion that children enjoy attractive and challenging environments in which to learn. An image of the main entrance is shown below: http://www.bjoku.com/search/eco+kindergarten+design+by+c+f+moller+in+denmark Another example is the small alcoves built into various parts of the building where children can enjoy their own spaces to play, read or just be alone. The materials used and the architectural form of the building creates a healthy safe environment for the children, including the reduction of the possible spread of influenza among both children and adults. The highly insulated construction will consume under 20% of the energy used in a standard building of this size and function. Kindergarten Barbapapa The Kindergarten Barbapapa by CCD Studio is an example of timber and steel combined in a building construction. The building makes use of vibrant colours throughout. http://www.archdaily.com/45766/kindergarten-barbapapa%CC%80-ccd-studio/ Lucinahaven Toulov Childcare Another example of a kindergarten building form is the Lucinahaven Toulov childcare centre in Denmark. It was designed by CEBRA, a Danish group who have specialized in several kindergarten designs. http://www.archdaily.com/46255/lucinahaven-toulov-childcare-cebra/ The building is divided into 6 different sections. Each section is hexagonal in shape, making up the overall shape of a flower. The yellow centre of the daisy is the kindergartens central activity room. Attached to the centre are the petals housing the staff rooms and 6 group rooms 2 in each hexagon. Part iii) The design concept is decisive for the creation of a successful timber structure. We understand design concept to include the architectural idea, the interior layout, and technical measures. An early decision regarding the choice of loadbearing system and the associated conceptual and constructional considerations, together with fire protection and sound insulation plays a key role in the design process. At the same time, the systems for thermal performance, airtightness, and moisture control, the needs of the building services, measures concerning durability, maintenance, and the operation of a building, right up to its end-of-life deconstruction, must all be considered. For design and construction teams it is vital to link the demands of the project with the possibilities and limits of the technical concepts in such a way that a credible whole ensues. The basic timber building systems are: Log construction Timber-frame construction Balloon- and platform-frame construction Panel construction Frame construction Solid timber construction Log construction, timber-frame construction and balloon/platform-frame construction are the traditional forms of timber construction which are a rarity in recent years. With regards new builds, they are mainly found in isolation on a residential scale. The building systems that currently dominate todays market will be dealt with in detail. It is important to state that these systems can be used in combination with one another. For example pre-fabricated panels could be used for a building component such as the walls, alongside solid timber constructed floors.These are: Panel construction Frame construction Solid timber construction Panel Construction The basic idea behind modern panel construction relates to prefabrication in the factory, where various wall, floor and roof assemblies are planned and manufactured as elements to suit different building uses. As was customary with the forerunner to panel construction the platform frame structures built using panel construction are planned, designed, manufactured and erected storey by storey. Panel construction, grew out of balloon-frame and platform- frame forms of construction. The external appearance of buildings designed for this form of construction does not generally conform to the traditional western idea of a timber building. The load-bearing ribs of panel construction are completely concealed, both inside and outside. Facade cladding is usually wood-based board products or solid timber, with good, long-lasting protection in the form of opaque surface treatments. Opaque paint gives very good protection. The only disadvantage with opaque paint is the fact that when the natural colour of wood is covered, it is generally more labour intensive and lengthy to carry out maintenance. This may not be an issue in kindergarten construction as holiday periods are quite long. The VOC of treatments should be kept to a minimum as buildings are becoming increasingly air tight and health risks may amplify with younger children involved. The structural carcass of a building in panel construction is in some locations finished with a thermal insulation composite system (insulation and render). The inner lining of the walls is made up of wood-based board products, gypsum fibreboard, or plasterboard plastered white and then finished with a coat of paint or wallpaper. Sound and fire protection solutions may be an issue (especially for a kindergarten) without the proper detailing. However, once an adequate solution is reached, the repetitive detailing of this form of construction makes designing straightforward. For a kindergarten on site such as Craiglockhart the general consensus for cost purposes would be a single or two storey structure, although multi-storey construction is possible using panel construction. Due to the standardisation of member sections, modular dimensions, connections and construction details, panel construction represents a simple timber building system. Another feature of panel construction is the design freedom which it allows. Internally the spaces can be divided in any manner required. Frame construction The use of modern frame construction in large-volume one and two storey buildings is becoming more and more widespread. This form of construction allows for widely spaced columns in timber or in combination with steel or reinforced concrete. New linear wood-based products and their connection techniques have contributed to this growing importance. Modern frame construction in timber includes primary structural members erected on a widely spaced grid between which the internal and external walls can be positioned as required and constructed using a variety of methods and materials. Therefore frame construction is a method of building in which the functions of load-bearing structure and enclosing walls are clearly separated. Frame Construction is understood to be an independent, modern form of timber construction with the following characteristics: a form of construction comprising columns, beams and bracing elements placed on a regular grid to form a load-bearing structure. This primary structure supports the suspended floors made up of timber joist floors or planar, prefabricated elements which are classed as the secondary structure. The walls enclosing the interior spaces can be installed independently of this load-bearing framework because they do not carry any loads, making large windows and glass facades possible. Wherever possible, the load-bearing structure of a frame building in timber is placed on the inside of the external walls for constructional reasons (protection from the weather and airtightness of the building envelope) and also left exposed internally. The enclosing envelope can therefore be placed around the building without joints or seams. Internally, the arrangement of the load-bearing components determines and emphasizes the architectural character. In frame construction, besides the efficiency, it is first and foremost the architectural diversity and the clarity of the constructional form that is so appealing. This is important as design of a building of this type with the freedom of a large site may result in some extreme suggestions for the building envelope. The use of individual columns in frame construction concentrates the loading. Longer spans are permitted with fewer internal columns than other timber building systems, which leave plenty of freedom for the design of the interior layout. Timber members are generally left exposed in the finished building so the use of glued laminated timber is usually preferred. There are several different forms of timber frame construction which are chosen depending on the loads imposed, the grid and the architectural form of the building. Columns and compound beams This form of construction with columns supporting compound beams has a primary structure consisting of one-part columns and two-part continuous beams, and is frequently used because of its simplicity, which leads to an overall economic solution. Beams and compound columns In this form of construction the one-part beams are connected to the continuous two-part columns by means of mechanical fasteners. Construction using this method is often preferred owing to the architectural design options. Columns and over-sailing beams The simple form of construction with one-part columns and beams is suitable for single-storey flat-roof structures Beams and continuous columns The primary structure of this form of construction consists of continuous columns and main beams designed as simply supported beams spanning between the columns. This system is particularly suitable for structures whose structural frame lies on the inside of the building envelope with the external walls subsequently fixed to the outside of the structural frame so there are no horizontal load-bearing members penetrating the building envelope. Forked columns The primary structure is in the form of a one-part continuous beam supported on storey-height columns. The columns are connected together via the forks. Higher loads can be carried because timber sections carry loads parallel to the grain. Besides clear, preferably simple load paths, the straightforward transfer of loads into components and down to the foundations, plus the bracing of the structure, are key aspects. The flexible nature of this form of construction, along with the use of glued timber members means that it fulfils demands regarding quality and engineering, and makes it an excellent choice for kindergarten construction. Solid timber construction There have been new systems developed in solid timber in recent years. This is mainly due to the introduction of large-format elements into the industry. The components are generally of solid timber which has been glued, dowelled or nailed together. These elements make up the load-bearing core which is at the heart of all solid timber buildings. The thermal insulation is attached to the outside of the structure, and solid timber components absorb moisture from the interior air, store this, and release it again during drier periods. Usually the structure is constructed storey-by-storey; however continuous walls with suspended floors are also possible. Either way solid timber construction offers an efficient load-carrying performance. Early involvement of specialist engineers is essential early in the design stage. There are a number of different systems which are used in solid timber structures. These include: Solid cross-sections Depending on product and manufacturer, we distinguish between single-ply or cross-banded glued, dowelled or nailed, and single- or multiply cross-sections. Softwood (spruce, fir) plies or laminations form the raw materials for these elements; alternatively, the large-format components can be made from wood-based products (particleboard, OSB, etc.). The elements pre-assembled in the factory to form walls complete with the necessary openings for doors and windows, accurate and ready for erection. Suspended floors, too, can be built using the same systems and the same methods, but different forms of construction can be combined in the same structure. Cross-laminated timber Cross-laminated timber consists of several plies of cross-banded glued planks. The raw materials are spruce or fir planks. Assembling these as cross-banded plies produces planar loadbearing elements that can carry loads in both directions with excellent dimensional stability. Edge-fixed timber Edge-fixed timber elements are made up of planks (laminations) placed on edge which are normally continuous, i.e. no joints, over the full length of the element. Finger joints in the length are also possible, therefore making larger element formats possible. Laminations are normally between 20 and 50 mm thick. In order to transfer the shear forces in the transverse direction and to distribute individual loads, the laminations are interconnected with nails or hardwood dowels. Cross-banded and dowelled Dowelled solid timber elements consist of a 60-80 mm thick core of vertical planks to which several plies of softwood planks 20-50 mm thick are attached horizontally, vertically and diagonally on both sides by means of dowels. Owing to the cross-banded, sometimes also diagonal, arrangement of the plies, these elements can help to brace a structure against horizontal loads. Cross-banded spaced plies The elements are made from cross-banded glued boards which are positioned at a certain pitch with gaps in between. This creates coordinated cavities which offer space for building services but also thermal and/or acoustic insulating materials. Such elements are available for walls, suspended floors, and roofs. Part (iv) Prefabrication and industrial production are gaining importance nowadays as they reduce the number of man-hours on site. The definition of prefabrication is the off-site pre-assembly of individual elements to form complete components. In timber construction there is always some form of prefabrication, although modest in most cases. Off-site industrial fabrication on a small or large scale has now enabled timber to become a serious contender for structures on a larger scale such as this. Three basic systems in timber building prevail when trying to maximise the amount of off-site work: panel construction, solid timber construction, and, for larger structures, frame construction. Panel construction allows for enclosed components such as partitions and suspended floors to be pre-fabricated with the loadbearing elements, with the option to include windows, doors and in some cases even building services in a single building module. In contrast with this frame construction has a clear separation between the load-bearing structure and enclosing elements. So the two-dimensional elements for suspended floors, walls, and roof are generally added to the load-bearing structure in a second phase of construction. But as with panel construction, frame construction also permits the whole range from minimum prefabrication right up to the complete incorporation of doors, windows, building services, facade and so on, for the non-load-bearing, enclosing components. The various fabrication or prefabrication stages govern the degree of prefabrication building components have when they leave the works, and how erection on the building site is to be carried out. A high degree of prefabrication could be achieved if the facade construction and facade cladding are also added off-site, and, if necessary, the internal lining is attached. The surface finishes could even be applied; however, this requires a high degree of protection of the components during transport and erection to avoid any damage. The advantages of off-site fabrication for the kindergarten will depend on the technologies available during planning, production, transport, and erection. In recent years the planners and manufacturers prefabricated building components or prefabricated houses have pushed back the boundaries of optimum prefabrication further and further. The building components may be delivered to the building site virtually as complete, finished units, including building services and often the internal furnishings and fittings. Part (v) As with any educational building the cultural benefits to the surrounding area will be very influential. In addition to providing for basic education for children, they serve as social and cultural centres. They are places for sports, theatre, music, and other social, cultural and recreational activities. The cultural benefits of using timber for a kindergarten may be gauged by looking at the building from the childs perspective. When designing a kindergarten the architect must look at the world through the eyes of a child. The architect must consider the scale of the building and how it is perceived by the child. The warmth created by using exposed timber elements throughout the interior of the building would, for instance, create a Good architecture should imply good function as well as good aesthetical and structural design. CULTURAL BENEFIT: Visible timber In addition, the timber sections employed and the board-type wood and gypsum materials used can always be supplied in good quality at short notice. By integrating environmental design issues that are traditionally ignored in contemporary schools, like natural ventilation or daylighting, the school becomes less of an institution and more like a home. are state-regulated square footage requirements. Contemporary school design rarely reflects a desire to create an environment where learning could be encouraged by the building itself. Part (vi) The importance of the environment created by the building form and its use as an educational tool is very important. An example of the building form as an educational tool is the use of a childrens book as a pedagogical feature representing a communication between the childs world and the strange outside world. The imaginary spaces contained

Case Study of The Prodigy :: GCSE Projects History Music Band Essays

Case Study of The Prodigy My task in this case study is to write about a band/artist that has reached public prominence in the last 10 years within the u.k and that have also had at least one top 20 single within the u.k singles chart. Their music must be completely original and they must have produced at least 1 hit album. The band I am about to write about in this case study is the Dance/Rap band whom some people call the techno terrorists, The Prodigy. Early History The Prodigy consisted of 5 original members, 2 dancers, 1 DJ and 2 M.C.s, however before these 5 met the Prodigy didn’t exist and only was a thought inside the DJ and musical genius Liam Howlett’s head. Howlett was certainly the musical force behind the Prodigy sound. He was born in 1974 in Braintree in Essex. He was educated in music as a classical piano player. As he grew older he began to listen to early ska and punk and by secondary school Liam had become very much attracted to the hip-hop scene and listened to bands like Grand master flash and Run Dmc. Only a few years later, still very much influenced by hip-hop, Liam had saved up enough cash to by two decks or turntables and became the DJ for a rap band called â€Å"Cut to Kill†. The band eventually secured a record contract with a record company named â€Å"Tam Tam records†. Yet the record deal excluded Liam, despite the fact that the band used one of his tracks to win the contract. After this betrayal Liam left the band, started to loose faith in the rap scene and started to look for brighter more promising areas in music. While Liam was DJ-ing in the hip-hop scene, a new wave of illegal music had taken to the underground scene – Acid House. This used technology to create fast and powerful head stimulating beats that could never be simulated or created by human beings. The only way to experience this sort of music was to go to large illegal warehouse parties that eventually formed the foundation for what is now known as a rave. Liam’s first experience of this was at a place called the barn in Rayne, he thought it was the best thing he had ever been to and even begin DJ-ing at some of these illegal underground events. This was then where Liam met dancer Leroy Thornhill and singer/dancer Keith Flint.

Blended Families in Today’s Society Essay

Blended families, according to William P. Fuller the author of Preparing for Blended Families, are those comprising of at least one spouse who has a child or children from a prior relationship. These types of families â€Å"are becoming increasingly common and present a unique challenge when creating an estate plan† (Fuller 1). Similarly, according to Pauline Erera, â€Å"although traditionalists have held blood ties of consanguinity to be a defining characteristic of the family, others argue that we should define families according to the attachments and intimacy that individuals have toward significant people in their lives†, meaning even though they are a blended family, they should be considered a family none the less (Erera 352). A nuclear family, or the more commonly known traditional family, consists of a marriage by holy union and the promise to keep that marriage holy by staying with that one person â€Å"until death do us part. This includes the raising of any children within the family and the promise to provide them with food, shelter, clothing, water, and nourishment as well. Yet, there is still a need for a law which protects the marriage itself. This law states that it recognizes husbands of inseminated women as the real fathers and denies parental rights to donors or step-parents. Although, we still leave room in this law for things known as adoption, foster parenting, or informal care by other relatives. This is where blended families begin to show. Blended families seem to be considered the result of a previous divorce. Therefore, causing the need for the terms step-brother, step-sister, step-father, etc. Blended families then seem to become less of a family simply because of the creation of these terms, and their specific meanings. For example, it seems to be less meaningful to be step-brothers rather than actual biological, blood related, brothers. In the article, Toward Revels or a Requiem for Family Diversity? , Judith Stacey states that â€Å"the social scientists seem to have presumed that well into the twenty-first century dad and mom would remain singular and unproblematic concepts† (Stacey 390). Unfortunately, they were wrong. Although they predicted that the traditional family would remain unchanged, they seemed to have overlooked the fact that in time, marriage would not be as final as it used to be. There was no such thing as a proper divorce, once you were married, that was it. But in today’s world, â€Å"until death do us part† is not seen as often as divorce. Another overlooked remark of the social scientists is the fact that the family tree did not remain so â€Å"firmly rooted. On the contrary, the family tree has been split, blended, mixed, crossed, and spread throughout several generations of families. The word Family, in today’s American society, has so many different meanings that it is hard to distinguish one from another. Being able to categorize every single definition of the word is a task that no one has yet completed. Although, each and every meaning has one little difference, it all comes down to the same thing. A family is a family.

Newt Gingrich essays

Newt Gingrich essays All members of legislature are influential. In fact, they are some of the most influential people in the nation. However, it is obvious that certain legislators have had a greater impact on society than others. I feel that Newt Gingrich has had a greater impact in congress that any other member. When Newt was still a child, his father was a soldier. This inspired him to serve his life for the well being of his country. He knew that in order to understand how to decide how things should run in the future, he should first understand the past. He received his Bachelors degree from Emory University and a Masters and Doctorate from Tulane University in Modern European History. Before he was elected to Congress, he taught History and Environmental Studies at West Georgia College for eight years. He is known as an expert on world history, military issues, and international affairs. It took him three tries, but the West Gergia College history professor eventually got into Congress. His first run for a Georgia congressional seat was in 1974; it was a narrow loss. He then gave it another shot in 1976, and walked away with another loss. But the third times the charm. In 1978, he was finally elected into Congress as a member of the GOP. He took advantage of nationally televised coverage of congressional proceedings, and took the floor to denounce Democrats and liberalism. He encouraged to other Republicans to follow in his footsteps. This outraged the Democrats. Some people even say that he single handedly forced Speaker Jim Wrights resignation in 1989 by making attacks on the Democratic leader. Gingrich had gotten nine of the ten legislative proposals in the contract passed. His name had become popularly known among the general public. However, his fame resulted in his downfall. Gingrich had agreed to a book deal. Democrats had started attacking him just like he had attacked Jim Wright. Do...

Why was Bob Dylan the voice of his generation in the sixties and why do his songs continue to resonate today Essay Example

Why was Bob Dylan the voice of his generation in the sixties and why do his songs continue to resonate today Essay Example Why was Bob Dylan the voice of his generation in the sixties and why do his songs continue to resonate today Paper Why was Bob Dylan the voice of his generation in the sixties and why do his songs continue to resonate today Paper With little doubt, Bob Dylan has been one of the most influential characters in popular music within his 40 year career. Although he has experienced significant success in his later work, it has been his sixties material that has caused the biggest impact. His songs of protest were extremely popular in the sixties, particularly among the hippie subculture that was so prominent at the time. As his career and popularity soared, Dylan was soon branded as the voice of his generation and became synonymous with the anti-war and civil rights movements at the time. How Dylan managed to be branded with this tag and how he became to embody the movement is comprehensible through an analysis of his work. Dylan began his career as part of a vibrant folk scene that was happening in America at the time. His popularity soared within this scene after his first self-titled album that was a tribute to his musical influences. In his second album, (The Freewheelin released in 1963) Dylan began to write songs that would be considered protest songs, and these shot Dylan to global fame and recognition, particularly among the newly rising hippie movement. In order to look at why Dylans work captured the voice of this subculture, one must look at the social and political conditions of the time and how his music commented on these conditions. The sixties was a time of great political commotion in America, from tensions in the Cold War, to the cries for civil rights by Americas black community. By the time of Dylans second album, the cold war tensions and the civil rights movements were at their peak. Dylans first protest song, and perhaps his most famous, was called Blowin in the Wind (1) and became adopted by the civil rights movement at the time. Through its rhetoric, the song comments on social injustices and inequalities as well as questioning the action of war. Through this song Dylan asks the question how many years can some people exist before they are allowed to be free? and continues to ask how many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesnt see? . Many felt that this question was related to the civil rights movement at the time, and although Dylan never mentioned the movement in the song, it soon became adopted as a song of the civil rights movement. They felt that these lines reflected the oppression felt among the black community, and questioned the integrity of those who see these injustices but do nothing to stop them. Another song on the album that focuses on the trouble of racism is entitled Oxford Town (2) that contained the lines he went down to Oxford town, guns and clubs followed him down, all because his face was brown and he couldnt get in because of the colour of his skin. Many felt that this summed up the social injustices that blacks faced in America at the time. The segregation of whites and blacks in everyday life was a prominent grievance of the civil rights movement, who felt it unfair that blacks should have to use inferior facilities like having to sit at the back of a bus because the more convenient front seats were reserved for whites. These lines were certainly perceived by the civil rights movement as relating to their cause and Dylan became very popular with the movement. Dylan became actively involved within the movement, performing at the March on Washington where Martin Luther King made his famous I have a dream speech, which only proved to enforce the feeling that Bob Dylan was a protestor and a voice for inequalities. This was one of the only times Dylan was actively involved in politics, yet his association with politics was predictable as he continued to write more protest songs. The main feature of his protest songs was the strong anti-war sentiment that allot of his songs carried. His song Masters of War (3) was a clear attack on those who instigate war and those who build the death planes, those who build all the bombs. He also commented on the economic ironies of war as he claims you sit in your mansion, while the young peoples blood, flows out of their bodies and is buried in the mud. The song depicts the instigators of War to be prosperous, while they get others to do the fighting and sit back and watch, as the death toll gets higher. This was a song that particularly liked by the anti-war movement that was protesting against the current Cuban missile crisis, and continued to be used as protests flared against the Vietnam war in 1965. His other anti-war song from this album was A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall (4) which was written at the time of the Cuban missile crisis. This hard-rain that Dylan describes was viewed as a reference to nuclear war that so many Americans feared was impending. The fear of nuclear destruction was prominent in the minds of many Americans at the time, especially during the Cuban missile crisis when tensions were high among the two nuclear superpowers of the USA and Russia. The ban the bomb campaigns awakened a new generation of young activists, who were almost predominantly young students. This young rebellion provided Dylan with his first audience, who felt that the subjects in his music directly related to their agitations. Dylan then released an album called The Times They Are A-Changin' which many regard as the finest protest album of all time. The opening song also called The Times They Are A-Changin (5) became a generational anthem. The song is based on the principle that the movement for social change is inevitable and that history will eventually conform to morality. Dylan writes for senators and congressmen please head the call and continues to add theres a battle outside raging, we will soon shake your windows and rattle your walls for the times they are a-changing. This line in particular is very provocative, describing an almost revolutionary image, an image that the young rebellious youth arguably related to. The song never mentions a specific rebellion or situation, yet it was certainly poignant at the time when a rebellious youth threatened the status quo which gave rise to the counter-hegemonic subculture of the hippie movement. This hippie movement treated Dylan as a prophet of sorts, constantly relating to the messages in his music. Dylans song from the same album entitled With God on Our Side (6) was a deconstruction of American nationalist fundamentalism, where he comments on the particular stages of Americas development from the war on the Indians to the present day. Through a use of paradox, Dylan outlines how certain wars have been justified because of the notion that America has God on its side. Dylan relates to the present day situation of nuclear tension by writing but now we have weapons of chemical dust, if forced to fire them, then fire them we must, one push of the button, and shot the world wide, and you never ask questions when Gods on your side. This is a clear attack on the Christian fundamentalism that exists in Americas history and politics, as well as an attack on the fundamentalism that Dylan felt could cause an impending nuclear war. While this song subverted the ideology of Christian fundamentalism, it reinforced the ideologies that existed amongst the counter hegemonic subculture of the hippie movement. This distortion of the dominant ideology of Christian fundamentalism was the reason for the song being branded as a protest song, while the essence of Dylans popularity lay in the reinforcement of the ideologies of the hippie movement and the mass protest movements. This reinforcement of the subculture ideologies was perhaps the reason that Dylan was given the label voice of his generation. Dylans image also tended to embody or speak for the movement. In his early protest years, he was a folk singer and remained extremely popular among the folk music tradition. The image of a folk singer tends to give the impression of the real, where the singer is normally solo and playing a simple acoustic guitar. Folk music is often viewed as the real songs of the people, a true reflection on the lives of the common man as well as being a very expressive form of music. It is often a form of music that emerges from small towns and local gatherings which is perhaps why it is viewed as a pure form of expression rather than music that has been made with the sole purpose of making money. This image of a solo folk singer perhaps gave Dylan an image of being real and untouched by capitalist marketing pressures, an image that would have been popular amongst the hippie subculture. On The Times They Are A-Changin album cover, Dylan looks very reflective yet angry, and the inside sleeve the words what is exactly wrong? Who t picket? Who t fight? are written. The image of an angry reflective youngster along with the sense of agitation from the words on the sleeve would have no doubt been popular amongst the rebellious youth of the sixties, who probably felt they could relate to Dylans agitated and rebellious image. Although his songs were at their most popular in the sixties, his influence and popularity still remain high to this day. In a recent magazine poll, (7) Dylans Masters of War was voted as the greatest protest song of all time by the British magazine MOJO. His protest songs still remain popular and on November 2nd 2004 on the American election night, Dylan played Masters of War in Oshkosh, Wisconsin which had such an impact that Rolling Stone magazine asked the question why is the song still so alive? (8). Even though the song was written in the early sixties, Dylan never referenced any current events in the song. This meant that the songs could have a new meaning applied to them over time. For example, at the Grammy awards in 1991, Dylan played Masters of War on the eve of the Gulf War and even though the song was almost thirty years old it still related to these more current events. His work remained popular amongst other protest movements around the world which can be seen with the use of his lyrics in a republican mural in the New Lodge Road of Belfast (9). The much more recent events such as the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the war in Iraq have also given new meaning to Dylans work. There have been protests against the Iraq war similar to those of the Vietnam War in the sixties, which have provided a possible new audience for the protest songs of Dylan. It may be no surprise with the current waves of protest against the war in Iraq, the sales of Dylan albums has risen significantly. His work can be easily related to these current day events and can perhaps summarize the fears and aggravations of the current anti-war movement. A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall could be applied to the current fear of attack with biological weapons while Masters of War could be applied to the hatred of the Iraq war. The fact that Dylan never referenced his songs to particular events is perhaps the reason that they still continue to resonate today. His songs were often against war, hunger, oppression and inequalities, and as long as these particular grievances still exist, then his songs will always have new meaning. His songs contained a certain ideology, and as long as these ideologies still exist in society then his songs will remain popular. Todays anti-war and global justice movements have similarities to the movements of the sixties and have given Dylans music a new home and a new resonance. While the current events of the present day give new meaning to Dylans sometimes apocalyptic songs, it is important to realise the power of music as a medium for protest.