The Irony of William Shakespeares Othello Essay -- William Shakespear

The Irony of William Shakespeare's Othello Irony plays a great role in ?The Tragedy of Othello?. The villain, Iago, plans from the very beginning of the play to ruin Othello?s life. All the major characters in the play believe that Iago is an honest and trustworthy person. The tragic irony is that Iago fools them all. Throughout the whole play Iago manipulates the people around him and lies to them. Iago is very distressed, because Michael Cassio was promoted to Othello?s lieutenant instead of himself. This is Iago?s main reason for revenge against Othello. Iago?s plan is to manipulate Cassio and Desdemona, so that it would appear that they are having an affair; which would break Othello?s heart. Iago does succeed in his plan, because, ironically, everyone in the play believes all his actions and advisements are just, true, and from the heart. Irony, thus, plays a role in the deception of Othello by Iago and in the tragedy of Othello?s response. The irony of the play is demonstrated through situational, verbal, and dramatic i rony. There are many cases of these three types of irony in the play. When situational, verbal, and dramatic irony are used in conjunction; the effect is one of great tragedy and loss. Situational irony is when ?the result of an action is the reverse of what the actor expected?(Literary Terms, e-text). There are several cases of situational irony in ?The Tragedy of Othello.? The first case is in Act I Scene III. Brabantio warns Othello of Desdemona?s deceptiveness. Othello says to this, ?my life upon her faith?(1. 3. 293). This statement means that Othello believes in Desdemona?s honesty and loyalty so much that he would give up his life if she were untrue. This is ironic, because later on in the play... ...nation of situational, verbal, and dramatic irony is very useful in creating an overall feeling of loss and catastrophe in the play. The role of irony in the play is to create the loss of a great potential in the play. The audience can see that because of Othello?s tragic trust in Iago, miscommunication occurs and disaster follows. The characters, Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, Emilia, and Roderigo are all intimately close to Iago, and are all manipulated by him. Because of Iago?s reputation of being trustworthy and honest, the characters believe in him without doubt, and that brings about the destruction of Othello and on a greater level; the disintegration of social order. Bibliography: Shakespeare, William. ?The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice?. The Riverside Anthology of Literature. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997, 1102-1195.

Free Essays - Criticism of My Antonia :: My Antonia Essays

Criticism of My Antonia       My Antonia by Willa Cather is a novel based on the memories of the protagonist, Jim Burden. Many critics have criticized this novel, and have focused on such literary elements as symbolism, motif, and characterization. The strongest argument however is the one that states that the foundation of every element in the book is based on the personal memories of Willa Cather.    Many critics have discussed the symbolism in this novel. One symbol that some critics have discussed is the plow. It was said that the plow suggests a way of life that not only helps the land to flourish but the individual as well (Brown). Another symbol that many critics discuss is Marek Shimerda. The fact that Marek has webbed hands and feet sets him apart from the other "normal" children who seem to represent creativity and innocence (Shaw). The road that Jim Burden travels on is another symbol that critics focus on quite a bit. It is said that the road symbolizes the "road to destiny" that America itself takes. (Brown). Critics have also pointed out that the red dust that covers everything, the intense heat, the burning wind, the wilting oak groves, and the stifling vegetation represent oppression, paralysis, submergence, and loss of vitality (as in the old ways of life) as opposed to the alternatives of the new world such as discovery and recovery (Holmes).    One thing that many critics have discussed is that the plot of My Antonia revolves around the ideas of childhood and the fact that the structure of the novel is centered around scenes that have to do with children. This shows up in the beginning of the book as ten year old Jim is riding the train from Virginia to Nebraska; and at the end of the book when all of Antonia's children are around (Shaw). A contrasting motif to that of childhood is adulthood. Throughout the book, Cather describes how adulthood has many hardships as compared to the carefreeness of childhood.    Another element of the novel that critics spent a lot of time discussing is characterization. One critic pointed out the fact that many of the characters in My Antonia have imperfections in their physical appearance that seem to bring out the imperfections of society that exist, and put the ideas of "social perfection" on the back-burner (Randall).

Jeremy and Adam Songs Essay -- Music Depression Blink 182 Pearl Jam Es

Jeremy and Adam Songs In this paper I will evaluate two songs that deal with depression and discuss their similarities and differences. The songs under evaluation are the early nineties hit Jeremy by Pearl Jam and the recent hit Adams Song by Blink 182. Jeremy, written by lead singer Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jams debut album, Ten, was a controversial song released in 1992. The song is about a boy named Jeremy who commits suicide one day in school. I have heard this song many times, but I never knew that it was about a real kid, Jeremy Delle, from Richardson, Texas. He was asked to obtain an attendance slip for missing the previous class, but when he returned he was carrying a shotgun and shot himself in front of his English class. This song also inspired a Seattle, Washington, teenager to take one of his classes hostage and kill his teacher and two classmates. In his trial he used the song as his defense but was still found guilty. Unfortunately this young man also had a history of depression in his family. Shortly after this tragedy, the music video for Jeremy was taken off the air because of its gruesomely detailed reenactment of Jeremy Delles suicide. At home, drawing pictures of mountain tops, with him on top Lemon yellow sun, arms raised in a V The dead lay in pools of maroon below The first stanza describes a morbid drawing that Jeremy is creating. This could be a setup for the listener to understand that Jeremy is depressed and is thinking of death. More accurately, the drawing is of Jeremy standing on top of a mountain with his arms outstretched toward the sun. At the base of the mountain is a pool of blood and dead people. The sun could symbolize the brightness and peace after death. Maybe Jeremy thought that d... ...he hall Please tell mom this is not her fault The next stanza describes the world after his death as one that continues to function as it did before. This encourages his thoughts of suicide because it makes his life seem so insignificant and that everyone will be fine without him. He also talks about how his room will be boarded up and no one will ever go into his room. All of his good memories will be lost and people will only remember his faults. I think it is very interesting that these two artists chose to handle this delicate topic by describing real events and memories. This approach makes both songs personal, believable, and easy for people to relate. Both songs follow the same pattern as well: a long period of feeling depressed followed by an act of suicide as a last resort to stop the continual pain. BIBLIOGRAPHY www.google.com www.lyrics.com

Pestle analysis of UK mobile industry

The United Kingdom plays a very important role in the European mobile market as it accounts for a total of 12.9% market value (Datamonitor 2008). By the end of 2011 the United Kingdom mobile phone market value is estimated to gain a raise of 29.1% since 2006 valuing around $4.4 billion (Datamonitor 2008). The industry boundary could be around the manufacturing and giving the service to the mobile phone as these two complement with each other. MOBILE PHONE SERVICE PROVIDING MANUFACTURING With the increase in the technology there is always a better phone in the market with newer specifications, and because of the attractiveness of the deals the consumers are going for a better mobile all the time even if they don't use all the integrated applications. On the other hand this market is nearing its maturity which is a superior threat for all the service providers and mobile manufacturers as they need to invest in more and more for research and development. The recent data shows that just in the U.K there are 69.7 million active subscribers for the mobile phones in 2006 which are 9.7 million more than the total U.K population (Mintel 2007). This states the popularity of the mobile phones and the usage. Key Determinants of Success: For any industry to be successful there will be some key determinants of success which helps its growth, and when these determinants come together it could a successful one. And these determinants for the mobile phone manufacturing and service industry could be the Technological, Economical and Social factors. These could be the three main determinants of this industry mainly because all of these complement each other, as the better the technology in a mobile phone the higher the price will be. Even at a high price consumers would tend to buy these phones as for they are getting the latest technology in their hands and thereby they can show off their status. Technology: In this 21st century the technology is booming and all the companies in any kind of industry would like to use the cutting edge technology for their products or services. As the more technology used in any firm would determine its market capture, its consumers, mainly the price of their products or services. In the mobile phone manufacturing the technology is rapidly increasing. It's equally important for the manufacturer to produce high quality for the consumer as in the past mobile phones are only used to talk to the other person, now with the growth in the technology consumers can send and receive text messages, they can check their e-mails, take pictures with integrated camera of up to 8 mega pixels, and most wonderfully consumers can video chat. All of these explain the technological growth and consumers do pay higher prices to enjoy and experience this kind of technology in their palms. The manufacturers on the other hand are not just providing mobile phones which can do only these things; they are also incorporating other things such as touch screen, Bluetooth and infrared connectivity, wireless local area network (WLAN) which the consumers can use for wireless connectivity (internet), watching live TV, mp3 player, and for all these the consumer thinks it is worth paying the price either set by the manufacturer or the service provider. Economy: The U.K mobile phone industry plays a rather very important role in the economy of the country. The U.K mobile market has generated a total revenue of $3.4 billion in 2006 (Datamonitor 2008) As its been forecasted that the U.K economy to grow between 2.4% to 2.6% between 2007 and 2011 (Key note 2007), but over this very small percentage raise over 5 year period, the consumers are going to lose confidence in the economy but at the same time as the mobile phones are a very essential part of their day to day lives it tends to survive. The mobile penetration rate is also so high that few consumers have more than one phone, or more than one contract or connections and thereby increasing their expenditure. At the same time the mobile phone industry contributes to the economy by importing a lot of raw materials to be used in the production or manufacturing and also exporting the end products. It also contributes to the economy by increasing the employment rate, the more outlets or offices it opens by creating a series of distributors and retailers the more the more the employment rate will be. If the mobile industry has to go into recession, it has been estimated in 2004 that the total revenue the government could lose could add up to a total of around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½9,864 million (O2 2004). And if we take the rate of technology growth from then to now and the price factor into consideration it could have definitely gone higher by now. Social: Social factors have a very large impact on the industry. The demand levels of the products and the sales are continuously affected by the attitudes and beliefs of the consumers. In addition people have mobile phones not just for communication it also adds peace of mind for the people who care, a lot of people have them as to organise their lives either in a social context or a business context there by making most of their time, and a majority of consumers carry for personal safety. People would like to have mobile phones as they carry them any where they want. It also provides more convenient access to other services like banking, working etc. It also improves social networking as we tend to communicate more by talking rather than just sending e-mails. Usefulness of External Environment Analysis: Any firm within the industry can increase its chances of competitiveness by doing an external environmental analysis. The managers need to use the information gained by the external environmental analysis for future planning, strategy formulation by making the environment ready for any positive changes and thereby keeping away from the negative ones and better decision making as the external environment is changing continuously. By doing this kind of analysis there is every opportunity for the firm to get its resources ready for the kind of strategy they want to develop. Managers need to keep examining the external environment as it is very dynamic as market conditions change day to day, technology is growing, and there is a prospect for them to know who their competitors are. Appendix For external environment analysis the tool which any kind of industry or firm to use is PESTEL analysis which we can be elaborated as follows: Political and Legal, Environmental, Ecological, Social and Technology. Political and Legal factors: * Any kind of industry or firm need to sick to some rules and regulations. * Trade restrictions and changes in the tax structure will affect the industry. * OFCOM- Office of Communications is an independent regulatory body for the Communications Industry. It checks that all the firms within the industry adhere to the regulations. * All firms need to stick to the guideline levels of the radiation to which anyone can be exposed, which is set by The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Thereby they need to set up more base stations (which send and receive signals to connect to mobile phones). * From 2003 the Road Safety act does not permit any driver to handle the hands free set to either call, send or receive text, or access internet. If anyone opposes the law there is a fine of up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30. In February 2007, they increased the penalty from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½60 as they need to be tougher and to make driving safer. This decreases the usage of the mobile phones. * The consumer protection act * European Regulators Group (ERG) is the body appointed to investigate into the prices the service providers are charging for mobile phone usage while abroad. It tends to bring these prices lower in favour to the consumers. Economical factors: * The growth or fall of the economy can impact on the industry, as if the economy falls there won't be any new consumers willing to take contracts. * At the same time the growth of the industry contributes a lot to the economy: o It provides a lot of employment o It generates revenue for the economy thereby contributing to the GDP. o It contributes to the export and import of raw materials and end products respectively. * The other important factors which affect the industry are exchange rates, rise or fall in the inflation, and minimum wages. Environmental factors: * There is no conclusive proof that the usage of mobile phones affects the health of the consumers. * The use of mobile phones in cars can cause accidents. * At the same time there are issues still concerning that even if using mobile phones does not affect the health in a short term, it might in a long term. * There are claims that it affects the brain cells, human DNA, immune system, and might even develop cancer due to the radiations. * National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) suggested that there is no evidence of the health problems concerning the usage of mobile phones. But it did warn that we need some precautionary measures due to the high usage of the mobile phones in the near future. Social factors: * The society is very much concerned with the mobile usage by under 18s. * It feels that they can be contacted by unknown persons who can be threat to them. * At the same time it's like an advantage as the kids can or can be contacted by their elders. * Career attitudes, social behaviour, and life style of consumers affect the industry. * Society is also concerned about the adult content on the mobile phones and violent games. It's good they have the technology but at the same time it should not lead them in a wrong path. Technological factors: * Technology has rapidly increased in context to mobile phone industry. * At the beginning the phones are only used for conversation now they are being used for send and receive text messages, multi media messages, voice mails, and even video calling. * The raise of 3g connectivity has been a great leap for mobile phone industry, as it's the very new and latest of it. * 3g mobile phones will increase the sales revenue of the firm. * Bluetooth technology is another great achievement in regards to the exchange of the information as it can be done wireless anytime anywhere.

Academic Performance of College Students Essay

The lack of adequate background and/or preparation, among other things, causes many students to withdraw from college or to graduate with low grades, which often makes it difficult for them to obtain suitable jobs. This paper examines the academic performance and efforts to seek assistance for academic and related problems of undergraduate students at North Carolina A&T State University. To that effect, the grade reports of business and economics majors and responses to a survey of students enrolled in business and economics courses were qualitatively analyzed. See more: Foot Binding In China essay The results of the analyses indicated that many students experienced academic deficiency and did not seek assistance when faced with problems. The results also revealed that many of the students who sought assistance rated the services they received as ineffective and indicated their preference for school-level advisement services. The development of a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement center would alleviate these problems. Such a center, with a comprehensive and extended advisement and counseling program, will be more effective than university-wide services in improving student academic performance and marketability upon graduation. ********** Teaching, research and service are usually used as a yardstick to measure faculty contributions to higher education institutions. Major universities have long stressed the importance of research activities relative to teaching. Over the last two decades, many of smaller teaching institutions, including the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) where research activities were recognized only to the extent that they would keep educators and the knowledge they transmit to students current, have been under pressure to acquire external funds for scholarships, faculty development, and meeting accreditation standards (Fielding 1985). As these institutions, particularly the HBCUs, placed more emphasis on faculty research productivity, they are faced with the challenge of striking a balance between teaching and research activities. Nevertheless, most colleges and universities recognize that teaching is the ultimate goal of their institutions (Wiley 1993). The main factors considered for improving teaching effectiveness among other things, include teaching approaches and techniques and faculty availability for student assistance and advisement. However, students in higher education institutions must be motivated and committed to make reasonable efforts toward handling various activities, such as reading, written assignments, class discussion, presentation and examinations, effectively. Accordingly, the students’ commitment to attain a good education, their study habits and cooperation, their motivation and efforts to seek assistance, when needed, are equally critical for learning. Thus, since the provision and consumption of education service occur simultaneously, the students’ active participation in the process is a necessary condition to transform teaching to effective learning (Norales and Addus 2003). This paper assesses the academic performance and efforts of undergraduate students to seek assistance for academic and related problems at North Carolina A&T State. The paper (1) examines the academic performance and deficiencies of the students in terms of their overall grade point averages; (2) identifies the relative magnitude of student academic and related problems from freshman to senior classifications; (3) presents student evaluation of the effectiveness of advisement and counseling services available to students; and (4) recommends the development of a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement center to improve student academic performance and marketability upon graduation. Methods and Instrumentation The 1998 grade point averages (GPAs) of undergraduate business and economics majors were used to determine the levels of student academic performance and deficiencies, with the application of chi-square statistic test to the relevant data. The student grade reports (the most recent data available) were obtained from the North Carolina A&T State University’s School of Business and Economics. In addition, data from students were collected through a student survey of 2002. The sample for the student advisement and counseling effectiveness questionnaire consisted of students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina A&T State University. The questionnaire items were designed to elicit responses from students to determine the magnitude of student academic and related problems, efforts to seek assistance to solve their problems, evaluation of effectiveness assistance they received, and preference for the location of advising and monitoring services within the University. The results of this study can be used as a source of data that can provide information on the curriculum effectiveness at North Carolina A&T State and other universities. Such data can assist educators in curriculum planning and development so that they can better meet the needs of students. Student Academic Performance and Survey Results The results of this study are based on the examination of the School of Business and Economics student GPAs and the student advisement and counseling survey of students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina A&T State University. The results are centered around (1) the student academic performance levels and deficiencies; (2) the magnitude of student academic and related problems; (3) the students efforts to seek assistance to solve problems; (4) the student evaluation of effectiveness assistance received; and (5) the student preference for the location of advising and monitoring services. The following are the findings of the study based on student grade point averages and student advisement and counseling services questionnaire responses. Student Academic performance. The school of Business and Economics at North Carolina A&T State University consists of accounting, business administration, business education and economics and transportation/logistics departments. The distributions of grade point average of students enrolled in the School during the 1998 fall semester are presented in Table 1. For the data in the Table, the chi-square test statistic is significant. This indicates that grade distributions by classification are statistically different. Generally, the number of students with low grade point averages decreased from freshman to senior classifications. In other words, more freshmen maintained lower grades relative to seniors, and more seniors maintained higher grade point averages than freshmen. More specifically, the data indicates that, in the School of Business and Economics, 55% of freshman, 14% of sophomore, 16% of junior, and 6% of senior students maintained below 2. 00 grade point averages. The decline in the proportion of students with lower grades from the freshman to senior levels is an indication of either grade improvements, transfer from one program to another or withdrawal and/or suspension/dismissal from the university. In their senior year, 41% of students maintained a GPA of below 2. 50, 23% below 2. 25, and 6% below 2. 00. For all classifications, 53% of students maintained a GPA of below 2. 50, 39% below 2. 25, and 26% below 2. 00. The School of Business and Economics cannot afford to ignore 23% students who may graduate with a GPA of lower than 2. 25 and 41% below 2. 50, only to find it difficult to find professional jobs of their choice in their respective fields. Apparently, students need to be monitored, encouraged and assisted to play an active role in their pursuit to achieve their education and career objectives. Student Survey Results Of some 206 students who responded to the survey, 52% were female and 48% were male students. By classification, 10% were freshmen, 30% sophomore, 37% junior and 23% senior students. In terms of general fields of study, 68% majored in business and economics and 32% in other areas, including arts and sciences, education and engineering (Table 2). These figures suggest that the survey represents a balanced coverage on gender, student classification, and various fields of study. Magnitude of Student Academic and Related Problems: Of 154 who sought assistance, 52% were female and 48% were male students. By classification, 9% were freshmen, 30% sophomore, 37% junior and 25% were senior students (Table 3). The data in the Table is indicative of the fact that the number of problems faced by students generally declined from freshman to senior year of their study. Of 52 students who did not seek assistance, 52% were female and 48% were male students. By classification, 17% were freshmen, 30% junior, 37% sophomore and 19% senior students. A total of 56% who did not seek help were junior and senior students. The reasons indicated for not seeking assistance are that 19% did not have any problems, 17% did not have time to seek assistance, 19% did not know the availability of assistance, 14% did not believe such assistance would be useful, and 15% indicated a combination of the above factors (Table 4). Student Efforts to Seek Assistance: Out of 206 students who sought assistance, 60% consulted with their academic advisors and 30% with course instructors or respective departments. Only 4% indicated to have sought assistance with the University Center for Success (Table 5). Student Evaluation of Assistance Effectiveness: Of 154 students who sought help, 72% indicated that the assistance they were offered was effective resulting in grade improvements, enhanced self-confidence, remaining in major for the better, and changing major for the better. However, 28% indicated that the assistance they received was not effective at all (Table 6). Student Preference for Advising and Monitoring Services: Of 206 survey respondents, 147 (71%) indicated their preference for student monitoring and counseling services at school/college level (as opposed to counseling at the university level); and 92% indicated that they would seek assistance more often if such services were available at school/college level (Table 7). The Case for Academic Monitoring and Advising Center The findings of this study reveal that relatively low grades and high failure rates were maintained by upper level undergraduate students with the possibility of marketability problems. The findings further show that 28% of survey respondents said the assistance services they received were not effective. Another 28% of the respondents, of which 56% were juniors and seniors, did not seek help to resolve their academic and related problems. In addition, 71% of respondents indicated their preference for a school-level assistance services, and the overwhelming majority (92%) said they would seek help more often if such services were available at the school level. It follows that a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement center (AMAC), with a comprehensive agenda for student advisement and counseling, will be effective in improving student academic performance and marketability. The need for the AMAC is underscored by other studies. The main problems affecting student academic performance include inadequate background, working long hours, lack of time to study and seek advice, lack of time management skills, bad study habits and skills, and lack of self-confidence. Many students are also faced with various impediments in their pursuit of higher education and career objectives, including financial problems, family responsibilities, and social and extracurricular activities. Some of these activities do not only take away from the time needed for sleeping, attending class and studying, but they also cause considerable stress resulting in negative effects on academic performance as measured in terms of GPA (Womble 2001). The results of a survey of 239 university students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina A&T State University indicated that most students did not have sufficient time to read the textbook and study, and that their absence from class was work related. The majority (56 %) of the students stated that they could not take lecture notes while listening, and 29 % said they could not understand the lecture (Norales and Addus 2003). Kelly et al (2001) classified college students into short sleepers (individuals who slept six or fewer hours a day), average sleepers (individuals with seven or hours of sleep a day), and long sleepers (individuals sleeping nine or more hours a day). They found that the individuals who represented long sleepers reported higher GPAs than the first two groups. Many students are admitted to a university as a result of their performance in examinations that do not demand the same preparation levels required to succeed in higher education. Thus, one of the main factors affecting the academic performance of college and university students is the lack of adequate preparation skills (Beswick and Ramsden 1987). Entwistle et al (1989) studied the academic performance of electrical engineering students and found that low course grades were associated with inadequate study skills, and that many students had not established adequate independent study strategies required to succeed in higher education. Eikeland & Manger (1992) looked into factors affecting student achievement, especially those factors related to high failure and dropout rates. The findings showed that organized study habits had a positive impact on self confidence during the students’ first semester, but such study habits did not have a direct effect on grades until as late as their fourth semester in college. In a survey of close to 350,000 students attending four-year public and private colleges, over 70 items related to the students’ educational experiences on the survey instrument were grouped into 12 factors. (1) The survey results indicated that out of these factors, public college/university students rated academic advising as the most important aspect of their educational experiences. Private college/university students rated academic advising second to only instructional effectiveness in importance. When students were asked to rate five items (2) comprised academic advising, both public and private college/university students rated the academic advisor’s approachability and the academic advisor’s knowledge about major requirements as strengths–meaning most important and most satisfying (Noel-Levitz 2003). In general, the success or failure in higher education are not explained by the student attributes or faculty teaching efficiency in isolation, but by the complex interactions between students and the learning environments they experience (Entwistle 1990). Thus, students are in need of comprehensive advisement, counseling and support services including time management, stress management, efficient study style, habits and skills, reading, writing, and lecture note taking skills, and other support services. These must help students enhance their capacity to master the relevant subject, self confidence, verbal and written communication, academic performance, and to be competitive and productive members of the community. Academic Monitoring and Advising Center The findings of this study, along with the discussion of relevant literature, suggest that a school-specific AMAC, with a comprehensive agenda for student advisement and counseling, will be effective in improving student academic performance and marketability. The primary purpose of the AMAC is to enhance student academic performance and produce marketable graduates by providing extended assistance and guidance to students in academic activities and related areas. At North Carolina A&T State University there are university-wide student support services, including the Center for Student Success (which is focused on student retention) and school-level academic assistant services. In addition, there are programs which are designed to mentor students with high academic standing, in collaboration with potential employers, to prepare them for the real world work environment upon graduation. However, many students who for various reasons fail to perform to their potential levels deserve to be uplifted through a similar program provided by the AMAC. Compared with university-wide academic counseling services available for students, the AMAC will be more effective for needy students can be given individual and unique attention suited to their specific needs by their respective schools. In addition to regular advisement provided by academic advisors, the AMAC will provide counseling services for students who fail to reach a minimum GPA of 2. 50 during each semester. To start with, such students will be able to discuss issues regarding specific courses and their course loads with an advisor from the AMAC, and receive advice on how to successfully manage their time and handle their course loads. Also, the AMAC if necessary, can suggest changes in course, course loads and schedule to help the students balance their time between school and work. As mentioned above, one of the biggest problems that many students have is lack of time and time management skills. If this problem is solved early, students will be able to maintain a more marketable GPA. The AMAC will continuously monitor students and evaluate their grades throughout each semester to insure that these students continue to do well in the school, and graduate within a reasonable period of time. Students who need assistance must be identified at the appropriate time and be given intensive advice and counseling. It will maintain a data base for all students in the School of Business and Economics with an overall GPA of 2. 50 or less. The data can be collected from student applications, academic records, and surveys (Seidman, 1996). The AMAC will coordinate its activities with university programs designed to provide remedial services to students with deficient backgrounds. It will refer students to other departments and and University support services for problems outside its responsibilities. Such intensive intervention will likely help not only improve academic performance, but also retain students and enable them to graduate with decent grades. Student participation in the AMAC’s program shall enhance their capabilities to improve their academic standing through sound advice and counseling which will positively influence their attitude toward learning and grades, time management skills and study habits. The AMAC will further facilitate development of university policies and programs designed to overcome academic deficiencies and encourage students to stay in school and achieve their academic and career objectives. Conclusions Academic advising is a very important aspect of students’ educational experiences in higher education. In order to enhance teaching and learning effectiveness, higher education institutions must listen to their students unique needs and priorities by assessing assistance services available to students. The results of such assessments can be used to develop targeted action plans for serving specific student population. The results of the analyses of data obtained from the School of Business and Economics grade reports and a survey of students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina A&T State University, along with other relevant literature, imply that many college students need a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement services at an early stage of their college career. It is apparent that it becomes difficult, if not impossible, for junior and senior students to make meaningful grade improvements due to the short span of time available to them during their last years of study before graduation. This may pose a serious marketability problem for some of the graduates of these programs with low grades. In the real world of ever increasing globalization and more competitive job market environments, college students need to acquire higher skills and GPAs. The proposed AMAC is certainly a first step to guide needy students in this direction. References Beswick, D. and Ramsden, P, (1987). How to Promote Learning with Understanding. Working Paper 87:1. Melbourne: Center for the Study of Higher Education, University of Melbourne. Eikeland, O. J. and Manger, T. (1992). Why Students Fail During Their First University Semesters. International Review of Education 38(5), 489-503. Entwistle, N. J. (1990). How Students Learn and Why They Fail. Paper Presented at Conference on Talent and Teaching, University of Bergen. Entwistle, N. J. , Hoursell, D. , Macaulay, C. , Situnayake, G. and Tait, H. (1989). Success and Failure in Electrical Engineering Courses in Scotland. Summary of a Report to the SED. Edinburgh: Department of Education and Center for Teaching, Learning and Assessment. University of Edinburgh. Fielding, G. J. (1985). Transportation Education, Part Two. Report of Joint Conference, Eno Foundation Board of Directors and Board of Consultants. Transportation Quarterly, 39(2), 207-233. Kelly, W. E. , Kelly, K. E. and Clanton, R. C. (others) (2001). â€Å"The Relationship between Sleep length and Grade-Point-Average among College Students,† College Student Journal. Noel-Levitz Research (2003). â€Å"Academic Advising Highly Important to Students,† www. noellevitz. com. Norales, Francisca O. and Addus, Abdussalam A. (2003). â€Å"University Students’ Learning Efforts,† Texas Business and Technology Educators Association Journal, Vol. VII, No. 1. Seidman, A. (1996). Retention revisited: R = E, ID + E & In, Iv. Journal of College Student Retention. 71(4), 18-20. Wiley, III, Ed (1993). Re-Emphasizing Teaching. Black Issues in Higher Education. Womble, Laura P (2001). â€Å"The Impact of Stress Factors on College Students’ Academic Performance,† Working Paper, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, N. C. ABDUSSALAM A. ADDUS Associate Professor DAVID CHEN Associate Professor ANWAR S. KHAN Professor Emeritus Department of Economics and Transportation/Logistics North Carolina A&T State University Notes. (1) the factors are: academic advising, campus climate, campus Life, campus Support Services, concern for the Individual, instructional Effectiveness, recruitment and financial aid effectiveness, registration effectiveness, responsiveness to diverse population, safety and security, service excellence, and student centeredness. (2) the items are: the academic advisor’s approachability, the academic advisor’s knowledge about major requirements, the academic advisor’s concern about the student’s success as an individual, the academic advisor’s assistance to set goals and work toward, and the clearness and reasonableness of major requirements. Table 1 Grade Distribution of Students in the School of Business and Economics by Classification, Fall 1998 Grade Range Classification Freshman Sophomore Junior No. % No. % No. % 3. 50-4. 00 20 6 46 19 20 10 3. 00-3. 49 26 7 44 18 32 16 2. 50-2. 99 45 13 62 25 45 23 2. 25-2. 49 33 9 33 13 33 17 2. 00-2. 24 37 10 28 11 34 18 Below 2. 00 200 55 35 14 31 16 Total 361 100 248 100 195 100 Chi-square: 278. 38 * Grade Range Classification Senior All No. % No. % 3. 50-4. 00 18 7 104 10 3. 00-3. 49 42 17 144 13 2. 50-2. 99 90 35 242 24 2. 25-2. 49 47 18 146 14 2. 00-2. 24 44 17 143 13 Below 2. 00 14 6 280 26 Total 255 100 1059 100 Chi-square: 278. 38 * Note: * Statistically significant at 5 percent probability level. Source: School of Business and Economics, NC A&T State University. Table 2 Profile of Survey Respondents Item Frequency Percent Gender (n = 206): Male 99 48. 1 Female 107 51. 9 Classification (n = 206): Freshman 21 10. 2 Sophomore 61 29. 6 Junior 77 37. 4 Senior 47 22. 8 Major Area Unit (n = 206): Business and Economics 140 68. 0 Other Areas * 66 32. 0 * Include Arts and Science, Education, and Engineering. Table 3 Distribution of Number Problems for Students who Sought. Assistance * (n = 154) Classification Number of Problems and Gender One Two Three Four Five Six Total Plus Classification: Freshman 4 1 3 2 1 2 13 Sophomore 16 4 7 9 8 2 46 Junior 14 14 12 6 4 7 57 Senior 6 7 14 7 3 1 38 Total 40 26 36 24 16 12 154 Gender: Male 19 15 15 11 8 6 74 Female 21 13 19 13 8 6 80 Total 40 26 36 24 16 12 154 * Problems include adding/dropping courses, choosing major, changing major, improving grades, time management, internship opportunities, personal problems which affect academic performance. Table 4 Distribution of students who did not Seek Assistance (n = 52)  frequency Percent of Total Classification: Freshman 9 17. 3 Sophomore 14 29. 9 Junior 19 36. 5 Senior 10 19. 3 Total 52 100. 0 Gender: Male 25 48. 1 Female 27 51. 9 Total 52 100. 0 Reason for not Seeking: Did not have problems 10 19. 2 Did not have time 9 17. 3 Did not know availability of assistance 10 19. 2 Did not believe it is useful 7 13. 5 Combination of last three 8 15. 4 Other reasons 8 15. 4 Total 52 100. 0 Table 5 Student Efforts to Seek Assistance for Academic Problems (n = 154) Assistance sought from Frequency Percent Academic Advisor 89 59. 7 Department/Course instructor 44 29. 5. University Center for Success 6 4. 0 SOBE resource Lab 3 2. 0 University Counseling Service 3 2. 0 Career Counseling 2 1. 4 Financial Aid 2 1. 4 Table 6 Student evaluation of Effectiveness of Assistance Sought (n = 149) Item frequency Percent Grade improved 13 8. 7 Enhanced self-confidence 4 2. 7 Remained in major 15 10. 1 Changed major for better 16 10. 7 Two or more of above 60 40. 3 No effect 41 27. 5 Table 7 Student Preference for Counseling/Monitoring Services Location (n = 206) Item Frequency Percent Prefer student Counseling at school level Yes 147 71. 3 No 44 21. 4 Indifferent 15 7. 3. Would seek assistance more often if Available at school/college level) Yes 92 44. 7 No 15 7. 3 Not sure 45 21. 8 Indifferent 54 26. 2 Gale Copyright: Copyright 2007 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Economic Scene Colleges Are Failing in Graduation Rates Top of Form Bottom of Form †¢ Share By DAVID LEONHARDT Published: September 8, 2009 If you were going to come up with a list of organizations whose failures had done the most damage to the American economy in recent years, you’d probably have to start with the Wall Street firms and regulatory agencies that brought us the financial crisis. From there, you might move on to Wall Street’s fellow bailout recipients in Detroit, the once-Big Three. Multimedia [pic] From the Most Selective Colleges, More Graduates Related The College Dropout Boom Economix: Which Colleges Are Doing Their Job? Reader Responses: Failing Colleges Readers’ Comments Share your thoughts and read responses to readers’ comments from David Leonhardt on the Economix blog. †¢ Read All Comments (113)  » But I would suggest that the list should also include a less obvious nominee: public universities. At its top levels, the American system of higher education may be the best in the world. Yet in terms of its core mission — turning teenagers into educated college graduates — much of the system is simply failing. Only 33 percent of the freshmen who enter the University of Massachusetts, Boston, graduate within six years. Less than 41 percent graduate from the University of Montana, and 44 percent from the University of New Mexico. The economist Mark Schneider refers to colleges with such dropout rates as â€Å"failure factories,† and they are the norm. The United States does a good job enrolling teenagers in college, but only half of students who enroll end up with a bachelor’s degree. Among rich countries, only Italy is worse. That’s a big reason inequality has soared, and productivity growth has slowed. Economic growth in this decade was on pace to be slower than in any decade since World War II — even before the financial crisis started. So identifying the causes of the college dropout crisis matters enormously, and a new book tries to do precisely that. It is called â€Å"Crossing the Finish Line,† and its findings are based on the records of about 200,000 students at 68 colleges. The authors were able to get their hands on that data because two of them are pillars of the education establishment: William Bowen (an economist and former Princeton president) and Michael McPherson (an economist and former Macalester College president). For all the book’s alarming statistics, its message is ultimately uplifting — or at least invigorating. Yes, inadequate precollege education is a problem. But high schools still produce many students who have the skills to complete college and yet fail to do so. Turning them into college graduates should be a lot less difficult than fixing all of American education. â€Å"We could be doing a lot better with college completion just by working on our colleges,† as Robert Shireman, an Education Department official who has read an early version of the book, says. Congress and the Obama administration are now putting together an education bill that tries to deal with the problem. It would cancel about $9 billion in annual government subsidies for banks that lend to college students and use much of the money to increase financial aid. A small portion of the money would be set aside for promising pilot programs aimed at lifting the number of college graduates. All in all, the bill would help. But it won’t solve the system’s biggest problems — the focus on enrollment rather than completion, the fact that colleges are not held to account for their failures. â€Å"Crossing the Finish Line† makes it clear that we can do better. †¢ The first problem that Mr. Bowen, Mr. McPherson and the book’s third author, Matthew Chingos, a doctoral candidate, diagnose is something they call under-matching. It refers to students who choose not to attend the best college they can get into. They instead go to a less selective one, perhaps one that’s closer to home or, given the torturous financial aid process, less expensive. About half of low-income students with a high school grade-point average of at least 3. 5 and an SAT score of at least 1,200 do not attend the best college they could have. Many don’t even apply. Some apply but don’t enroll. â€Å"I was really astonished by the degree to which presumptively well-qualified students from poor families under-matched,† Mr. Bowen told me. They could have been admitted to Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus (graduation rate: 88 percent, according to College Results Online) or Michigan State (74 percent), but they went, say, to Eastern Michigan (39 percent) or Western Michigan (54 percent). If they graduate, it would be hard to get upset about their choice. But large numbers do not. You can see that in the chart with this column. In effect, well-off students — many of whom will graduate no matter where they go — attend the colleges that do the best job of producing graduates. These are the places where many students live on campus (which raises graduation rates) and graduation is the norm. Meanwhile, lower-income students — even when they are better qualified — often go to colleges that excel in producing dropouts. â€Å"It’s really a waste,† Mr. Bowen says, â€Å"and a big problem for the country. † As the authors point out, the only way to lift the college graduation rate significantly is to lift it among poor and working-class students. Instead, it appears to have fallen somewhat since the 1970s. What can be done? Money is clearly part of the answer. Tellingly, net tuition has no impact on the graduation rates of high-income students. Yet it does affect low-income students. All else equal, they are less likely to make it through a more expensive state college than a less expensive one, the book shows. Conservatives are wrong to suggest affordability doesn’t matter. But they are right that more money isn’t the whole answer. Higher education today also suffers from a deep cultural problem. Failure has become acceptable. Students see no need to graduate in four years. Doing so, as one told the book’s authors, is â€Å"like leaving the party at 10:30 p. m. † Graduation delayed often becomes graduation denied. Administrators then make excuses for their graduation rates. And policy makers hand out money based on how many students a college enrolls rather than on what it does with those students. There is a real parallel here to health care.

Cognitive Theories Essay

Cognition is the process involved in thinking and mental activity. Cognitive theories are not centred on the unconscious mind of the child but emphasized the conscious thoughts. In this essay I will discuss the cognitive theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, who were both influential in forming a more scientific approach to analysing the cognitive development process of the child. I will outline Piaget’s theory of the four stages of cognitive development and Vygotsky’s theory on the sociocultural cognitive theory. I will also discuss how cognitive theories can be applied to the education of the child. Jean Piaget (1896-1980) believed that children are active in the process of their cognitive development. As Bee and Boyd note in The Developing Child â€Å"the child is an active participant in the development of knowledge† (Bee and Boyd, 1939, p.150). Piaget said that children reason and think differently at different stages in their lives. He believed that children process through four stages of cognitive development. Each stage is characterised by an overall structure and a sequence of development. According to Piagetian theory, these structures consist of â€Å"schemes† or â€Å"schemas†, which are a way of organising experience. These schemes adapt through a continuous process of â€Å"assimilation† and â€Å"accommodation†, in an attempt to achieve â€Å"equilibrium†, which is the balance between the two. Assimilation is the process of adapting new experiences to fit into existing schemes. Accommodation is the process of adapting existi ng schemes to fit new experiences. (Piaget’s Theory, www. 6th February 2012). The first of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development is the sensorimotor stage. It occurs from birth to about two years of age. This stage is divided into six sub stages: reflexes, primary circular reactions, secondary circular reactions, coordination of secondary circular reactions, tertiary circular reactions and beginning of representational thought. He believed that this stage is a period of practical discovery, which happens by interacting with the environment through the senses. Infants discover a relationship between their body and the environment. The infant develops independent thinking, a sense of self and the beginning of symbolic thought. This stage promotes that thought is based primarily on action. (Bee and Boyd, 1939). As Santrock says in Child Development â€Å"their main task is to coordinate their sensory impressions with their motor activity† (Santrock, 1982, p.188). The second of Piaget’s stages is the pre-operational stage. It occurs from two to about seven years of age. Piaget believed that at this time children fail to â€Å"conserve†. This is the understanding that things remain constant in terms of number, quantity and volume regardless of changes in appearance. He believed that at this stage children begin to represent the world through symbols e.g. drawing, images and words. This stage is characterized by the development of symbolic thought, representation, egocentrism, centration and intuitive thought. (Bee and Boyd, 1939). The third of Piaget’s theories is the concrete-operations stage. It occurs from seven to about eleven years of age. He believed this stage is characterized by the ability to perform operational tasks such as classification, seriation and reversibility. The child now understands the conservation of mass, length, weight and volume. As it states in Child Development â€Å"Concrete operations allow children to coordinate several characteristics rather than focus on a single property of an object† (Santrock, 1982, p.193). Children can use abstract thinking as long as they can relate back to concrete examples. In the concrete-operations stage, he believed the child is no longer egocentric; they have the ability to de-centre. (Bee and Boyd, 1939). The fourth and last stage of Piaget’s theories is the formal operations stage. It occurs between eleven and about fifteen years of age, although Piaget says that some people may never reach this stage of cognitive development. He believes that in this period individuals are able to think and reason scientifically (Piaget’s Theory, www. 6th February 2012). Children have the capacity to move beyond definite experiences and think in more logical ways. This stage is characterized by abstract thinking, hypothetical deductive reasoning and idealism.(Bee and Boyd, 1939). In contrast to Piaget, Lev Semeonovich Vygotsky (1896-1934) did not believe in distinct stages of development. He saw the development of cognition as a continual process that is determined by the culture and social influences. He believed children are only as cognitively developed as the culture in which they live and that learning in conjunction with social interaction leads to cognitive development. As is says in The Developing Child â€Å"social interaction is required for cognitive development† (Bee and Boyd, 1939, p.163). One of the main ideas proposed by Vygotsky is the Zone of Proximal Development. This refers to the distance between the actual development of a child through individual problem solving and the level of development through problem solving under the guidance of an adult. A child’s actual development level indicates a child’s level of mental development at a particular time. It indicates the functions that have already matured in the child. A child’s zone of proximal development show the functions that have not matured yet, but that are in the process of maturing and developing. (Learning Theories, www. 7th February 2012). Vygotsky also believed that language played an important role in a child’s cognitive development. He believed language and thought develop independently and when the child is about two years of age they come together. Vygotsky describes three stages of development in language. The first stage is social speech or external speech. A child uses external speech to express simple thoughts and emotions such as crying or laughing. The second stage is egocentric speech, it is usually found in children between the ages of three and seven. The child will talk to him/herself during activities. They think out loud in an attempt to guide their own behaviour. The third stage is inner speech. As the child gets older he/she will begin to supress egocentric speech in the form of inner speech, and it is inner speech that becomes the child’s thoughts. Vygotsky proposed that language allows the child a greater freedom of thought and leads to cognitive development. (Santrock, 1982). As it states in Child Development â€Å"Children must use language to communicate with orders before they can focus inward on their own thoughts† (Santrock, 1982, p.202). Both Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory and Vygotsky’s sociocultural cognitive theory have a profound effect on the educational process and can be applied in many ways. Piaget and Vygotsky agree that the child actively takes part in his/her education and therefore require a style of teaching that provides opportunities to be active participants in their own learning. Both theories view the child as individual beings. They both agree with a child centred curriculum and see the role of the teacher as a guide and facilitator rather than a director. Both theories propose that the teacher has to have good observation skills and to have an understanding of the children in the learning environment. (Santrock, 1982). Vygotsky believed that education held a more important role in the child’s cognitive development. He proposed the involvement of the teacher to guide the child through his/her zone of proximal development and that instruction should be based on the child’s potential level. Vygotsky’s theory proposes using peers as tutors in supporting and guiding the child. He believed that thinking depended on language skills and is developed and maintained by social interaction. Learning involves at least two people therefore the probable scope of Zone of Proximal Development is dependent on the skills of both the child and the teacher. (Santrock, 1982). However, Piaget saw education as a method of refinement for the already developing cognitive skills. He believed cognitive development cannot be accelerated through instruction and concepts should not be taught until the child has reached the right stage. Piaget believed children are able to work best when they are active. He saw the child as a lone explorer discovering things for him/herself. He also believed the role of the teacher is a facilitator and guide to provide the correct materials and environment for the child. As it says in Child Development â€Å"Effective teachers listen, watch, and question students, to help them gain better understanding† (Santrock, 1982, p.197). Piaget’s theory suggests that the peers and not the adults in the classroom have a stronger influence on the child’s development. (Santrock, 1982). In this essay I have discussed the cognitive theories of Piaget and Vygotsky and how they can be applied to the education of the child. Piaget and Vygotsky’s impact on children’s cognitive development has been remarkable. Their cognitive theories have contributed to our understanding of the importance of developmental changes in children’s thinking and the cognitive processes. They looked at how children see the world and the influences that impact on the thinking process and saw that the cognitive theories are a positive approach to the child as they are active participants in their own development. For many years teachers have revised their approach in the classroom and applied the cognitive theories to the education of the child.

Introduction to heritage tourism

In Northern Ireland heritage tourism attractions can be classified in many different ways. These include manmade but not built to attract tourists attractions, manmade and purpose built to attract tourists attractions, natural attractions and can also be applied to special events. It is hoped that this seminar will help people to gain a wider understanding and appreciation of heritage tourism and the efforts of the bodies who do so much excellent work in order to protect and preserve Northern Ireland's rich heritage attractions. Manmade but not built to attract tourist heritage attractions include the Walls of Derry which were built in 1613 to protect the inhabitants from hostile enemies. They fulfilled their purpose during the siege by the Jacobites and defended the city for more than a hundred days until the siege ended. Another example of a heritage attraction is St Columb's Cathedral, built in 1633 and was the first cathedral in the British Isles to be built after the Reformation. Today, like the Walls, they are the city's most popular tourist attraction and receive hundreds of tourists a year .However the Cathedral is still used to worship in. The Walls are owned by the Honourable The Irish Society but are looked after by the Environment and Heritage Service. Manmade and purpose built to attract tourist attractions include the Tower Museum, which was built in 1992, which has displays on the early history of Derry, the Siege and the role it played during World War Two. Another example of this is the Ulster American Folk Park in Tyrone which was primarily built as an educational facility. It was built in the late 1970's to celebrate the United States' bicentenary in 1976. It is owned by MAGNI (National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland) which looks after all the museums and parks in its care. Natural attractions include the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim which was formed sixty five million years ago by the cooling of magma into its unique hexagonal shapes. It is perhaps the legend of Finn MacCool forming the Causeway that is perhaps more interesting than the actual formation. It is also the only World Heritage Site in Ireland having been made so in 1986. Special heritage attractions include the Halloween festival and the Maiden City Festival in Derry. The Maiden City festival was first held in 1997 and has had an extremely successful run each subsequent year. It embraces both sides of the community and has helped both sides to gain a better understanding of the others culture. The Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival has had perhaps an even more successful run. It won the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's â€Å"Event of the Year† Award in 2002. To tie in with the festivities are ghost tours around the city and story telling in the Tower Museum. 0950- The National Trust The National Trust was established in 1895 by Robert Hunter, Octavia Hill and Hardwicke Rawnsley to â€Å"guard† the threatened coastlines, countryside and historic buildings of the United Kingdom. They had been concerned with the unrestrained development and industrialisation of the Victorian Era. Since 1884 Hunter had been calling for the establishment of an organization to â€Å"administer its property with a view to the protection of the public interests in open spaces.† In over a hundred years it has become the largest independent conservation body in the world and now owns more than two hundred historic buildings , more than six hundred thousand acres of countryside and more than five hundred miles of coastline. Its main aim is, and always has been, to â€Å"maintain and care for the coast, countryside and historic buildings on behalf of the nation†. In Northern Ireland the Trust owns almost fifty different properties spread around the country .These include Mount Stewart in County Down which is one of the Trust's more popular properties in Northern Ireland. The property not only includes some of the most magnificent gardens in Northern Ireland but also objects of historical significance. The dining room features the actual chairs that were used by the delegates in the Congress of Vienna in 1815. The house also contains priceless paintings which were collected by members of the family over several centuries. The Dining Room Mount Stewart Another popular property is Florencecourt in County Fermanagh. It was previously the home of the Enniskillen family and was given to the National Trust by the fifth Earl of Enniskillen in 1953. It is also of natural importance as on its grounds is the first Yew Tree was planted here in 1767. The land around the house is owned by the Forest Service which purchased the land from the sixth Earl of Enniskillen in 1975. Florence Court, County Fermanagh In County Antrim the Trust owns the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. It was primarily used as a way for fishermen to Carrick-a-Rede Island. Over one hundred thousand tourists visit the bridge every year. It is also an excellent place to view porpoises, dolphins and basking sharks. Carrick- a-Rede Rope Bridge The Giant's Causeway is the most popular heritage attraction in Northern Ireland and is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ireland. More than five hundred thousand tourists a year visit the area from around the world. Over sixty million years old it was formed by lava flowing into the sea and gradually cooling and hardening. In 2002 the Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway opened more than fifty years after its predecessor the Giants Causeway, Portrush and Bush Valley Tramway closed. The line runs from the Giant's Causeway to Bushmills. The Causeway is also an important area for wildlife including peregrine falcons and a rare species of bird known as chough. The Causeway is the last known area in Northern Ireland for these birds to inhabit. The Giant's Causeway The Trust also owns and manages the Mourne Mountains specifically Slieve Donard and Slieve Commedagh. Slieve Donard is Northern Ireland's highest mountain standing at a majestic 850 metres. The Trust has only owned these two mountains since 1991 and, since it is a charity, it had to use its own money to buy them. It managed to raise enough money through a fundraising campaign and bought over a thousand acres. The Mournes have an abundance of wildlife including ravens, hares and rare dragonflies. Slieve Donard and Slieve Commedagh The Trust also owns and cares for sites that belong to Northern Ireland's industrial heritage such as Patterson's Spade Mill in County Antrim. It operated from 1919 to 1990 and was purchased by the Trust in 1992. It is the last working water-powered spade mill in the British Isles. The spades are still available for purchase at around twenty pounds. 1010- The Environment and Heritage Service The Environment and Heritage Service is the largest department in the Department of the Environment with more than five hundred personnel. It advises and implements the Government's policy on the environment in Northern Ireland. Their main aim is â€Å"to protect and conserve the natural and built environment and to promote it's appreciation for the benefit of present and future generations.† One of the areas the EHS cares for includes Scrabo Tower and Country Park in County Down. It was built in 1857 in memory of the 3rd Marquis of Londonderry (who also owned Mount Stewart) and can be seen for miles around. There is also a disused mine where the famous Scrabo Rock was extracted and exported to other areas of the United Kingdom. The EHS also cares for Roe Valley Country Park in County Antrim. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife including foxes, badgers and otters. The park is also a popular place for recreation including salmon and trout fishing, canoeing rock climbing, orienteering and riverside and woodland walks. They also look after Dunluce Castle in County Antrim which was built in the late 16th century. The incident in 1639 in which the kitchen fell into the sea is what the Castle is most renowned for. Carrickfergus Castle, Bellaghy Bawn, Ballycopeland Windmill, Dundrum Castle, Inch abbey, Grey Abbey and Hillsborough Courthouse. Other country parks and countryside centres the EHS cares for include Portrush, Countryside Centre, Castle Archdale County Park, Ervey Wood and Ness Wood. Scrabo Tower and Country Park Dunluce Castle Greenpeace Greenpeace had it's beginnings in 1971 when several people protested at the USA detonating underground nuclear bombs in a area used by rare otters near Alaska. It has grown in the last thirty years and has over 2.8 million supporters around the world. It operates in more than forty countries and has its headquarters in Amsterdam. Greenpeace's latest triumph has been in putting pressure on the World Heritage Committee to add Lake Baikal (the largest fresh water lake in the world) and the Volcanoes of Kamchatka in Russia to the list of World Heritage sites. More than twelve million hectares will now be preserved. Greenpeace also successfully put pressure on the WHC to declare the Komi Virgin Forests in the Urals a World Heritage Site. 1100-The Wildlife Trust It is the United Kingdom's largest conservation charity devoted to wildlife. No member of the trust is paid as all of its members volunteer to help the Trust. The Trust cares for more than two thousand nature reserves. There were four hundred thousand voluntary members of the Trust in 2002 and the member is still growing. Membership costs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½24 a year for one person and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½36 per annum for a family membership. They have 47 local trusts and a trust for children known as the Wildlife Watch who work together to protect wildlife in different areas from cities to the countryside especially in national and country parks. The local trust in Northern Ireland is the Ulster Wildlife Trust and was founded in 1978. In Northern Ireland there are more than 2000 members of the Trust. Their main aim is to â€Å"help people recognise that a healthy environment, rich in wildlife and managed on sustainable principles, is essential for continued human existence.† WWF The World Wide Fund for Nature's main aims are to protect and conserve endangered species and to address global threats to wildlife. However it only works to protect animals in the wild and has â€Å"no experience or expertise to deal with issues relating to animals in captivity. Whereas the larger organisation works on international issues relating to animals the UK organisation work to look after the countries wild animals. It can be involved in many matters affecting wildlife such as challenging the government on the destruction of the countryside. It also puts forward the effects of tourism in wildlife. Unlike other heritage organisations it owns no property and therefore has more money to spend.