Sample and population Essay Example for Free

Sample and population Essay Three samples were used for this study. Sample one consisted of two schools serving grades K-2; each school was from a different district. Sample two consisted of two schools which served K-3 and were from two separate districts. Finally, the third sample consisted of four K-5 schools, from two different districts. Overall, seven districts and eight schools of different sizes in the state of Mississippi were compared. The study specifically seeks to identify variables in low performing schools that could hinder them from improving performance. In order to provide an accurate study, the researcher took samples from different sized schools with different student demographics. Implementation Research was conducted by recording data for each school for a side-by-side comparison of different factors (see Appendix). All factors were found through greatschools. com, which summarizes each school’s characteristics for easy research. All school samples were then analyzed for the reading achievement average. Based on the average, the researcher then examined the achievement factors; determining whether there was a trend between any of the achievement factors and the MCT results of the chosen school samples. Factors compared during analysis were; socioeconomic status (SES), student-per-teacher ratios (FTE), and the percentage of nonwhite students. The MCT scores for 2005 were used as an indicator of overall reading proficiency of the chosen school. In order to determine whether a variable was a consistent influence on the MCT scores, three consecutive years of MCT scores from 2003-2005 were analyzed. The overall study aimed to discover a consistent pattern between a variable, such as SES or FTE, and the level of reading proficiency. Data Analysis Two of the three samples were consistent with the researcher’s hypothesis that SES is a strong influence on reading proficiency. Sample 1 however was uncharacteristic of the other two. In Sample 1, both schools demonstrated above the state average in MCT reading scores, however, the school with the highest SES percentage actually did better. This is uncharacteristic since Sample 2 and Sample 3 demonstrated a trend in high SES and low MCT scores for three consecutive years. As discussed in chapter two, the literature review, the influence of class size on student achievement has been an on going debate among researchers. For this reason, the researcher included student-per-teacher ratios as a sample variable. The researcher had expected to see some evidence of FTE influence reflected in the MCT scores; however, that was not the case. According to the data collected, the FTE of all three samples ranged between fifteen and seventeen, with the state average being fifteen. The results demonstrated no reoccurring trend between FTE and MCT scores. Sample 1 schools demonstrated varying above average MCT scores and the same FTE of seventeen. In Sample 2, School 1A demonstrated a below average MCT score with a FTE of fifteen; however, 2B had higher test scores and a higher FTE. In Sample 3, all but one of the schools had a FTE of Seventeen, 3B demonstrated a FTE of fifteen and a below average MCT score. School 4B had below average MCT scores but a FTE of seventeen, like the remaining two schools with higher MCT scores. Between all three samples, there was no reoccurring trend between MCT scores and FTE. The researcher had expected student ethnicity to play a large role in student achievement levels, however based on this studies samples, there was little proof that such a trend existed. As demonstrated in Appendix A through C, schools demonstrating low achievement scores varied in the percentage of nonwhite students. The same variations were found in schools with high achievement scores. Overall, the only achievement factor that demonstrated a trend was the socioeconomic status factor. SES as a factor of achievement was present in Samples 2 and 3, but seemed irrelevant in Sample 1. Based on the results and the uncharacteristic trends found in Sample 1, the researcher feels that the quality of the curriculum and teaching strategies had an influence of the high achievement levels found in Sample 1. The researcher feels strongly that SES is an influential factor on the reading achievement of elementary students in Mississippi. It must be noted however, the influence of SES can be minimized with the proper curriculum and learning strategies. MCT scores give educators insight into the overall achievement levels of students, and should be used as an indicator of what type of teaching strategy should be used. There are numerous ways to improve student achievement. Educators and school administrators must be aware of the learning abilities and potentials of students and gear curriculum and teaching strategies towards the needs of the students. References Achieve (2001). Standards: How high is enough? Achieve Policy Brief, 3. Washington, DC: Author. Allen, J. (2001).Eliminating a â€Å"Yes, But† Curriculum. Principal Leadership, 2, 2, 10-15. Balfanz, R. Legters, N. (2001, January). How Severe is the Problem? What do we know about intervention and prevention? Report presented at Dropouts in America, Conference of the Harvard Civil Rights Project and Achieve, Inc. : Cambridge, MA. Balfanz, R. , McPartland, J. , Shaw, A. (2002, April). Re-conceptualizing extra help for high school students in a high standards era. Preparing America’s Future: High School Symposium, Washington, DC. Campbell, J. R. , Hombo, C. M., Mazzeo, J. (2000). NAEP 1999 Trends in academic progress: Three decades of student performance (NCES2000-469). U. S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement. Cronnell, B. (1984). Black-English Influences in the Writing of Third- and Sixth-Grade Black Students. Journal of Educational Research, 77(4), 233-236. Retrieved October 27, 2006, from Questia database: http://questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=95818457 Chubb, J. E. , Moe, T. M. (1990). Politics, Markets and America’s schools. The Brookings Institution. Washington D. C: Codding, J. (2001). An Up Ramp for Struggling Readers. Principal Leadership, 2, 2. 22-25. Committee for Economic Development (2000). Measuring what matters: Using assessment and accountability to improve student learning. New York: Author. Coleman, J. S. , Campbell, E. Q. , et al,.. (1966). Equality of educational opportunity. : U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Washington D. C Commonwealth of Australia, (2005). Executive Summary. Retrieved December 1, 2006 from: http://www. dest. gov. au/nitl/documents/executive_summary. pdf. Deutsch, F. M. (2003). How small schools benefit high school students. NASSP Bulletin, 87. 35-44. Education Digest. (2002). Still Stumped Over School Size. pp. 31-3. Everson, H. T. , Dunham, M. D. (1996). Signs of success: Equity 2000—Preliminary evidence of effectiveness. The College Board. ERIC Document Reproduction Service, No. ED 455, 109. Fields, C. F. (1997). An equation for equity: Maryland’s Prince George’s County puts Equity 2000 to the test. Black Issues in Higher Education 13, 26. 24-27, 28-29, 30. Finn, J. , Achilles, C M. (1999). Tennessee’s class size study: Findings, implications, misconceptions. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 21, 97-109. Fischer, C. (1999). An Effective (and Affordable) Intervention Model for At-risk High School Readers. Journal of Adolescent Adult Literacy, 43, 326-35. Folger, J. , Breda, C. , Beach, S. A. , Badarak, G. (1989). Evidence from Project Star About Class Size and Student Achievement. PJE. Peabody Journal of Education, 67(1), 17-74. Retrieved October 27, 2006, from Questia database: http://questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=95763060.

themeaw Themes and Fate in The Awakening and Madame Bovary Essay

Themes and Fate in The Awakening and Madame Bovary      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kate Chopin's The Awakening and Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary are both tales of women indignant with their domestic situations; the distinct differences between the two books can be found in the authors' unique tones.   Both authors weave similar themes into their writings such as, the escape from the monotony of domestic life, dissatisfaction with marital expectations and suicide.   References to "fate" abound throughout both works.   In The Awakening, Chopin uses fate to represent the expectations of Edna Pontellier's aristocratic society.   Flaubert uses "fate" to portray his characters' compulsive methods of dealing with their guilt and rejecting of personal accountability.  Ã‚   Both authors, however seem to believe that it is fate that oppresses these women; their creators view them subjectively, as if they were products of their respective environments.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chopin portrays Edna as an object, and she receives only the same respect as a possession. Edna's husband sees her as and looks, "...at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage."   (P 2 : The Awakening) Chopin foils their marriage in that of the Ratignolles who, "...understood each other perfectly." She makes the classic mistake of comparing one's insides with others' outsides when she thinks, "If ever the fusion of two human begins into one has been accomplished on this sphere it was surely in their union."   (P 56 : The Awakening) This sets the stage for her unhappiness, providing a point of contrast for her despondent marriage to Mr. Pontellier.   She blames their marriage for their unhappiness declaring that, "...a wedding is one of the ... ...ate UP, 1969. 881-1000. Delbanco, Andrew. "The Half-Life of Edna Pontellier." New Essays on The Awakening. Ed. Wendy Martin. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1988. 89-106. Gilmore, Michael T. "Revolt Against Nature: The Problematic Modernism of The Awakening." Martin 59-84. Giorcelli, Cristina. "Edna's Wisdom: A Transitional and Numinous Merging." Martin 109-39. Martin, Wendy, ed. New Essays on the Awakening. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1988. Papke, Mary E. Verging on the Abyss: The Social Fiction of Kate Chopin and Edith Wharton. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1990. Seyersted, Per. Kate Chopin: A Critical Biography. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1969. Showalter, Elaine. "Tradition and the Female Talent: The Awakening as a Solitary Book." Martin 33-55. Skaggs, Peggy. Kate Chopin. Boston: Twayne, 1985.               

Points About a Crafting Business

1. Why does crafting strategy have a strongly entrepreneurial character? Courtney (2) notes that in a rapidly changing environment, this year's indicators are not a good measure of what will happen in the future. Instead, there is a need to develop foresight. This involved looking to the future and spotting potential opportunities and potential threats before they are actually present. This is entrepreneurial in the sense that it involves looking to the future and seeing things before they are actually present. Crafting strategy also involves a new approach to business where the focus is on managing and risk and choosing the best kind of action, while there remains a level of certainty. These aspects of crafting strategy have a strong entrepreneurial character. Finally, crafting strategy requires vision and creativity. It differs from traditional management strategies because there are no certainties. Organizations cannot simply accept the environment as it is and aim to preserve the status quo. Organizations have to accept continual change, expect continual problems and challenges, and be innovative and creative in addressing these challenges. This need for innovation and creativity also has a strong entrepreneurial character. 2. What managerial purpose does the establishment of long-term objectives have? Long-term objectives are necessary to ensure that the organization is aware of what it wants to achieve. They focus the organization on its goals and provide a means of defining the desired outcome. Long-term objectives are also important because they are used to measure current and possible actions against. For example, the decision of whether or not to take a certain action can be based on whether or not it will help the organization achieve its goals. One of the other important points regarding long-term objectives is that they define the desired end-point, but do not define how that end-point is achieved. This means that the organization knows where it is going, but has the flexibility to adapt to the environment to determine how to get there. In this way, long-term objectives are important because they are a fixed point that guides the organizations toward its goals. 3. Competitive markets are economic battlefields. True or False. Explain. Competitive markets are economic battlefields. Thompson and Strickland note that in competitive markets, organizations constantly compete against each other in an attempt to gain advantages. One reason this is considered a battlefield is simply due to the competing. Another reason this is considered a battlefield is that organizations are competing to win the same thing, namely the consumer dollar. The third reason this is considered a battlefield is that a win by one organization means a loss for another. That is, for every consumer dollar that an organization wins, that is one less dollar going to a competitor. The next consideration is why it is considered an economic battlefield. The basic answer could be that organizations are competing to gain money, but there is more to it than this. It is also an economic battlefield because organizations win by improving economically. For example, if a manufacturing organization can find a way to produce a product for less money, they can pass this saving onto the consumer, and gain more consumers by having a lower price. Even if the price remains the same, organizations can benefit another way by producing the product for less, because they can invest that money into improving the product. The improved product then becomes the method by which they win the consumer dollar. Another important point is that winning economically often has future benefits. An organization that is winning the battle to win consumers will have more profits and these can be used to improve processes or products to provide even more future gains. Gains are also often made because their volume of trade increases. For manufacturers, they gain via economies of scale, where the more products that are made, the lower the cost becomes per product. The volume of trade can also give organizations more ability to negotiate with suppliers, partners, and retailers. The end result is that an organization winning the economic battle will often gain benefits that will allow it to improve economically even more. Returning to the battlefield idea, this can be considered as one army losing soldiers and become weaker, while the other army gains them and becomes even stronger. As the balance swings, the stronger side continues to increase in strength, forcing the weaker side out.

Virtue And Its Implications For Individuals And Society

Civic virtue and its implications for individuals and society has been a subject studied and contemplated by many great philosophers. Virtue is a subject where philosophers do not absolutely agree on its meanings and implications. However, many great philosophers share similar thoughts on the subject, while others differ in aspects on their idea of virtue. Philosophers comprehension and opinions on the topic derive from their historical era, other philosophers, and the history of the Western civilization. To understand virtue one must examine virtue’s meaning, formation, types, equality, importance to society, religious implications, and the different degrees of virtue leaders and citizens must have. Initially, to understand virtue one†¦show more content†¦He did not believe a ruler truly had to be virtuous, instead a ruler must only appear to maintain virtuous characteristics for the citizen’s benefit. Secondly, to understand virtue one must examine the formation of virtue. How is virtue formed in individuals and society? Aristotle believed humans learned virtue, and the act of being virtuous. He believed there were two ways people became virtuous, people were either â€Å"born innocent, becomes selfish† or they were â€Å"born into sin, and must learn to be virtuous† (pg. 14). Cicero differs from Plato since he believed to be virtuous a philosopher must be politically active. Plato believed a philosopher should only step into public affairs when requested, Cicero declares to attain virtue one must voluntarily assist others either in protecting their property or ensuring no harm is done to them. Ergo, Plato would claim philosophers are just and virtuous through seeking knowledge and truth alone, Cicero agrees one must strive to attain these components of virtue but one must also act for the benefit of others. Augustine believed virtue was formed within each person th rough their struggles with sin and temptation. He believed no one could ever become absolutely virtuous since sin will always be a part of a persons’ internal struggle. Instead being virtuous means constantly choosing what is right over what is wrong. True virtue