Aboriginal Self Government

Assignment: 1 Aboriginal Self Government Aboriginal self-government is a long standing issue that continues to be a struggle for the First Nations People. To truly understand the scope of Aboriginal self-government within First Nations communities, more effort is needed to understand the legislative system that runs Canada. This issue of self-governance has been very destructive in First Nations communities. After signing the Treaties, First Nations People was stripped of their livelihood and from that point on to abide by the Dominion of Canadas legislative policies.One current issue that would be a perfect example is the Nisga People in British Columbia who is no longer under the protection of the Indian Act. The Nisga People are on self-government ideologies however their government still needs to follow foreign rules and regulations not of their own making. It is not my intention to be on the other side of the fence for what they have fought so hard for but when looking closely I would be not in favour of Aboriginal self-government because First Nations People can not truly gain self-government due to the federal and provincial laws that keep them from being a true democracy.First Nations People have been divided and subdued to a foreign form of governance that has trapped them to live by foreign rules and regulations. The systematic destruction of Aboriginal customs has been hammered out by the making of the Royal Proclamation of 1763. First Nations People have been forced to adapt to the policies and cultural customs that have slowly stripped them from their own traditional form of governance. First Nations People had to deal with policies known as the Numbered Treaties dating from 1871 to 1876[1], which forced them to surrender their traditional lands and adapt to European political customs.This form of treaty making can be seen as the final chapter on assimilating First Nations People. It was within these Treaties that First Nations People had lost trad itional lifestyle they have lived for decades what was worse they lost their identity as they were seen as the â€Å"white man’s burden†[2]. The Dominion of Canada had the power to enforce crucial implements of European customs that abolished political First Nation influence they carried for each other as they were subdued to live on little parcels of land that at times were far to small for a tribe.The First Nations people had lost their right to practice spiritual traditions that enabled them to govern their people before confederation. These regulated that were set out by the federal and provincial government stem from the former Acts that have created Canada. A major influential aspect of the change was created from the outcome of the Constitution Act of 1867. The Dominion of Canada enshrined the Treaties and acknowledged that First Nations affairs would be federal responsibility. Not only did First Nations have no say in where their reserve creation but were not g iven a say to where their reserves were allocated.First Nation People were to remain under federal jurisdiction while Canada grew stronger as a country leaving them to live by â€Å"Chief Commissioner Sir Charles Bagot (1781-1843)†[3], who directed administration regarding First Nation affairs. Through these foreign rules, First Nations People have lost their way of being part of Chiefdoms by the inability of self-government. As Dickason explains the power and control many of these Chiefs carried having multiple leaders within one tribe each having their own quality of a certain area such as a hunter, peace maker or one to speak on behave of the group as an equalitarian society.This idea of Chiefdoms would be the final view of true Aboriginal self-government that a nation could achieve, since signing of the Numbered Treaties is the last of actual Chiefdoms in action. This way of political thinking has long changed. Today looking back on these policies that created have captur ed the true idea of Aboriginal self-government which has long faded. In modern day society First Nations reserves remain under the creation of the Indian Act of 1867. This enables the federal government to assume full responsibility over the entire First Nations population.In A People’s Dream Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada, by Dan Russell, 2000, he brings up issues about the federal government making policies that have direct affect on First Nations People and they have no knowledge or say of what happens regarding decision about their people[4]. The federal government has a great deal of power that will ultimately alter how First Nations are dealt with. Dan Russell discuses both the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlotte Town Accord that would have had a major impact on how â€Å"Indians† were handled he states â€Å"Canadian history and laws, since shortly after initial contact with Europeans settlers, have imited the possibilities of easily exercising Aboriginal self-government in Canada†[5]. Once the first wave of settles arrived in North America, the Dominion of Canada created the power to control how settlers and resources were handled which left them also having to deal with the original inhabitants by means isolation in reserves. To look back into history even in the earliest stages of civilization First Nations People were only â€Å"interpreters and clerks, but none at the policy-making level†[6], in order to create change they need to be where these policies are being made.In making these policies and procedures there has been little to no input from First Nations or their leaders. There is an important case to view which is the Nisgas Nation and their take on self-government. In Daniel Raunet’s book Without surrender without consent 1996, he looks closely at how the provincial and federal legislation combined at the time took control of the area without notification to the First Nations People who occupied the area[7]. To maintain a level of self-governance the Nisga people will have to be in the politician spear of politics.The House of Commons where the bill are passed is where the mist influential of self-government truly lies. In order to change policies is to understand that it is not just the community one is from but the nation as a whole that can create positive change that will help maintain a level of governance of First Nations People. Not to say that what happened to their people and the stripping of their land, they in turn did get a parcel that was debated by the Supreme Court of Canada.This political presence known as the constitution hold the power to change policies that will affect how self-government is maintained. In order to gain self-government there needs be to change within the policies that run Canada and understand how the legislative system is very important when dealing with the issue of self-government. This constitution Act not only governs Canada but the Fir st Nations Peoples also. The hard fought journey of self-government seems like a long lived battle that will never be solved or won.In the turn of events to follow the Nisga people have control of their community polices but have yet to fully gain Aboriginal self-government because when to really understand how they run their community they still abide by the federal regulations. The regulations that bind them to Canada will not allow for a new democratic state which ultimately is Aboriginal self-government. Through the indulgence of the idea of sefl-government I find that while making the laws that govern the nation the Nisga People are under legislative regulations. By not having the protection of the Indian Act merely entitles them to utilize their own resources.They have no power to create their own judicial laws enforcing punishment that their people that have done criminal offences. First Nations People no matter if they are no longer under the Indian Act there are still polit ical influences that have the power to alter First Nation communities. All Canadians are held together by the Constitution Act that created the authority of policy making and by attaining a place within the federal government there can be no true form of Aboriginal self-government because we live by federal policies that bind us as a nation.We are all governed by one law, the constitution, and that most fundamental of laws states that existing Aboriginal rights are recognized and affirmed yet have to follow the Constitution. Through-out the historical struggles that First Nations People have faced they still remain with diversity that has set them apart from traditional forms of pre-historic ways of self-government. As Andrew states â€Å"Aboriginal policy as a policy type, and as a concept, is a legacy of colonization. This legacy can be seen in the continuation of policies and attitudes that were introduced when the European colonial expansion was taking place.This legacy remains today†[8]. This not only affirms my beliefs but supports the views I carry on Aboriginal self-government. First Nations People have a hard fight in future events and need to have a voice in the parliamentary system, until then there can be change to governance. Work Cited Armitage, Andrew. â€Å"Comparing Aboriginal Policies: The Colonial Legacy† Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Purich Publishing Ltd, 1999. Harris, Cole. â€Å"Ideology and Land Policy, 1864-71† Making Native Space: Colonialism, Resistance, and Reserves in Bristish Columbia.Vancouver, British Columbia: UBC Press, 2002. Dickason, Patricia. A Concise History of Canada’s First Nations. Canada: Oxford University Press, 2006. Morse, Bradford. Edited by Hylton H. John. â€Å"The Inherent Right Of Aboriginal Governance† Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Purich Publishing LTD, 1999. Raunet, Daniel. Without Surrender Without Consent. Vancouver, British Columbia: Douglas & McIntyre, 1946, new addition 1996. Russell, Dan. A People's Dream Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada.Vancouver, British Columbia: UBC Press, 2000. ———————– [1] Patricia Dickason, A concise history of Canada First Nations, (Canada: Oxford University Press (2006). Pg 171. [2] Patricia Dickason, A concise history of Canada First Nations, (Canada: Oxford University Press (2006). Pg 154. [3] Patricia Dickason, A concise history of Canada First Nations, (Canada: Oxford University Press (2006). Pg 126. [4] Dan Russell, A People's Dream Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada, (Vancouver, British Columbia: UBC Press, 2000). Pg 9. 5] Dan Russell, A People's Dream Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada, (Vancouver, British Columbia: UBC Press, 2000). Pg 11. [6] Patricia Dickason, A concise history of Canada First Nations, (Canada: Oxford University Press (2006). Pg 136. [7] Daniel Raunet, Without Surr ender Without Consent, (Vancouver, British Columbia: Douglas & McIntyre, 1946, new addition 1996). Pg 76. [8] Andrew Armitage, â€Å"Comparing Aboriginal Policies: The Colonial Legacy† Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada. (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Purich Publishing Ltd, 1999), pg 61-77.

Drug Abuse in Inner Cities Essay

Inner-city areas have become the primary location for minorities, and the easiest place to find illegal drugs. Evidence shows that there is a link between the increase of illegal drug use, and the increase of minorities living in inner-city communities that are unemployed or collect welfare. Bruce D. Johnson states â€Å"Drug Abuse in the Inner City: Impact on Hard-Drug Users and the Community† and â€Å"Illicit drug use in the inner city expanded rapidly in the 1960s and has continued unabated into the 1990s† (9). Johnson also writes â€Å"During the period 1960-80, the number of persons living in communities primarily occupied by low-income (including welfare and unemployed) blacks and Hispanics approximately doubled† (10). The two previous quotes provide evidence that illegal drug use and minorities living in inner city communities have both increased over time. Minority drug abuse in the inner city results in the organization of drug distribution systems, whi ch can cause violence that negatively affect families. Drug abuse is a problem in inner cities, and has been for a long time. During World War II factory workers were necessary in order to meet the needs of the United States Army. Between the 1930s and 1940s, with the majority of those factories located in the North, a large group of Southern African Americans migrated to the Northern states in search for jobs. The low-wage factory jobs that African Americans and other minorities occupied forced them to reside in the ghettos. According to, â€Å"Drug Abuse in the Inner City: Impact on Hard-Drug Users and the Community† Johnson states that â€Å"Prior to 1940, about 20 percent of those arrested for narcotic law were black, a figure that increased to over 50 percent by the mid-1950s† (12). Johnson provides information that shows the migration of African Americans  sparked minority drug abuse within inner-city communities. In the 1950s, minorities use of illegal drugs began to increase, and have continued to into present day . The most dramatic increase in the use of drugs within minority communities occurred in the 1960s and the early 1970s. During that time period, many events took place that impacted drug abuse in the inner city’s minority communities. Johnson writes â€Å"Heroin use and addiction, particularly among minorities in the inner-city neighborhoods, exploded during the period 1965-73,† (14). This quote shows the highly addictive drug many minorities between the years 1965 to 1973 abused heroin. In the inner-city communities, those who used heroin most likely tried it for the first time between the ages of 15 and 21. Heroin is a highly addictive drug, and about half the users who try it are addicted within two years, (14). Johnson states that â€Å"The â€Å"heroin generation† of youths who became addicted in 1965-73 is evident in the black community in virtually every city with a population over 100,000† (14). This quote proves that it was common for minority commu nities to have a serious drug abuse problem, and that minorities were responsible for the popularity of heroin in the inner cities. Heroin was not the only drug abused as the popularity of drug use continued to increase. In 1975, cocaine became very popular in within minority communities throughout the city, and remained very popular until 1984. The amount of cocaine users began to decline due to the rise of another drug, crack. It is evident that if inner-city minority drug abuse continues to be neglected, no matter what illegal drug it is, it will gain popularity and users will abuse the illegal substance. Minorities are not only the majority of users; they are also the majority of distributors. In New York, African Americans and Puerto Ricans of the inner city communities often bought kilograms from the Italians, (18). Johnson writes â€Å"At the lower levels of the heroin distribution system, heroin user-dealers would generally be advanced several ‘bags’ of heroin to sell; they would use some and sell enough to pay their supplier in order to re-up† (18). This quote shows that the lower-lev el minority distributors would abuse the drugs advanced to them, by selling some and using the rest. Drugs in the inner city are in constant demand. Since drugs are in constant demand a complex system is needed to establish consistency in the process of  making the drugs, so they will always be available. The drug distribution system is broken down into five major roles; the five roles are low-level distributors, sellers, dealers, traffickers, and growers. (19) Historically minorities in the inner-city communities play huge roles in all 5 of these categories. Every level is expected to provide a certain level of production; if the level of production is not met then consequences occur. Not only was heroin a problem amongst the inner-city minorities, in the 1980s, crack emerged as another very popular drug on the streets. The Drug Enforcement Administration reported that four major minority groups all controlled crack trafficking: Jamaicans controlled the east coast and Midwestern states; Haitians controlled Florida and within two-hundred miles of Washington D.C.; Dominicans had control over New York and Massachusetts; and Black street gangs had control over most of the West Coast and western states. (22) Bruce D. Johnson states that â€Å"Newspaper reports and New York City police suggest that American blacks direct several local crack-selling groups in Brooklyn, Queens, and other boroughs†(22). Johnson suggests that African Americans, who also have distributors in Detroit, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Los Angeles, are the primary distributors of all the minority groups. Ethnic groups for all of the roles of distribution remain unclear, but based on evidence from many sources; minority groups control most of the distribution process. The abuse of drugs has had a huge impact on crime rate in America. Bruce states â€Å"In 1960, probably less than 5 percent of the total population, and probably less than a quarter of the criminal underclass, had ever used any type of illicit drug,† (40). This quote shows that when drug use was not popular, crime rate was lower. As the demand for drugs increases, and different distribution groups’ form, competition for â€Å"turfà ¢â‚¬  results in violence. Drug dealers are in constant competition with each other to see who can make the most money, throw the best parties, and who can be with the most beautiful women; drug dealers are relentless in proving themselves. Johnson writes, â€Å"Hard-drug sales have dramatically strengthened the subculture of violence. Old patterns of using violence and its threat to obtain money vie crime, and to defend masculinity, have been further transformed,† (27). This quote supports the idea drug dealers will do anything to accomplish their goals. Drug dealers regularly use violence to a prove point. With the rise of a variety of drugs in the inner-city, crime  rate also began to increase in America. Drug abusers lead to the organization of illegal drug distributors that commit violent crimes in order to satisfy their greed; they also take part in activities that negatively affect themselves and their loved ones. Drugs can affect relationships, mental and physical health, and sometimes lead to very serious crimes. In fact, peer-pressure has a huge effect on decision making within a group of friends. In the article â€Å"Interactive and Higher-Order Effects of Social Influences on Drug Use† Alan W. Stacy writes â€Å"Social influences may show not only linear or interactive effects on drug use, but in some instances may show an accelerated (concave upward) effect on behavior as social pressure to use drugs is increased†. (229) This quote states that an individual’s environment and the people around them can increase the possibility to use drugs; leading us to believe that minorities in the inner-cities, living in highly-populated communities, have a greater chance to be socially influenced to drug use. A study done showed that out of a hundred opiate abusers, forty-eight never married twenty-five married, one widowed, twelve divorced, and thirteen separated. (645) This study shows that abusing a drug affects marital status among drug abusers. Almost half of the opiate abusers never married, and a quarter of them married, but either separated or divorced. Marital status has a huge impact on African American children living in inner city. Johnson writes â€Å"The chance that a black child will experience poverty is almost 90 percent if he or she lives in a family headed by a single woman under the age of thirty† (10). This quote states that marital status has a huge impact on the life of African American children. Not only does drug abuse affect family situations in the inner-cities, it also affects inner-city residents’ health.Drug abuse is most common with minorities in inner-city communities, and poor-health is most common within these communities. Studies have been done to see if drug use relates to any specific disease. Johnson writes â€Å"the studies strongly suggest that heroin abusers constitute a substantial portion of all reported cases of the following conditions: hepatitis B, endocarditis, pneumonia, and trauma from assault†. (50) Johnson provides is evidence that those who abuse the drug heroin have a greater chance of being diagnosed with hepatitis B, endocarditis, pneumonia, and tr auma from assault. Not only can drug abuse lead to poor-health and diseases that can be life threatening, it also can  lead to drug related homicides. Johnson states that â€Å"In New York City, estimates of the proportion of homicides which were â€Å"drug related† have increased from about 24 percent in 1984 to about 56 percent in 1988†. (51) Johnson reveals that in just four years the increase in the use of drugs has also increased in the amount of drug related homicides. The â€Å"psychopharmacological† variety, homicides that occurred when an individual was heavily intoxicated by alcohol or heroin or while experiencing paranoia from a large dose of cocaine, was the most common of all homicides in New York City, which took place in twenty-five percent of homicides. (51) The abuse of illegal drugs can lead to fatal events; these fatal events have affected minority families in inner cities as hard, if not harder than any other group of people. Johnson writes â€Å"Between 1970 and 1985, the proportion of black children living in mother-only families increased from 30 to 51 percent†. Johnson strongly shows that a little more than half of black children have grown up without a father. Ever since illegal drug use became popular in the early 1900’s, minority inner-city drug abuse has continued to grow. Many things have an impact on who distributes and uses the drugs, along with where the drugs are popular; drugs are very abundant in inner cities, because of social and economic issues, minorities tend to be the distributers and users of the drugs. The majority of crime and violence in inner cities can be associated with drugs. Drug abuse along with the crime and violence that come with it has sabotaged many minority inner-city relationships with friends and families. Minorities who abuse drugs in the inner cities have created a very dangerous lifestyle for themselves and those around them. Works Cited Bruce D. Johnson Terry Williams, Kojo A. Dei and Harry Sanabria, â€Å"Drug Abuse in the Inner City: Impact on Hard-Drug Users and the Community†, Crime and justice13 (1990): 9-67. JSTOR. Web. 3 November 2014. Richard R. Clayton, â€Å"The Family and Federal Drug Abuse Policies. Programs: Toward Making the Invisible Family Visible†, Family Policy (Aug., 1979): 637-647. JSTOR. Web. 3 November 2014. Stacy, W. Alan. â€Å"Interactive and Higher-Order Effects of Social Influences on Drug Use.† Journal of Health and Social Behavior 33:3 (Sep. 1992). 226-241. American Sociological Association. Web 31 October 2014.

Improving Math and Science Scores in Middle School

Program Evaluation Improving Math and Science scores in Middle School TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Needs Assessment 3 Program Theory 10 Logic Model 20 Conceptualization & Operationalization of Program Outcomes 24 Assessment of Program Impact 25 References 28 NEEDS ASSESSMENT Math and Science are two subjects which most students at any level approach with trepidation and intense dislike, however, both subjects are integral to cognitive thinking. Not only will these subjects provide skills that will help students think more clearly, but students will be academically successful throughout their school career, enjoy wider career choices and earn more money after graduation. Therefore, establishing a strong foundation in these subjects is integral to future academic and career success. However, studying these subjects in middle school is even more difficult. Studies have shown that the transition for a student from elementary school to middle school is academically and psychologically difficult. According to Maurice Elias in an article entitled, â€Å"Middle School Transition: It’s Harder Than You Think†, many former elementary school students are not well prepared for the demands of middle school. They need explicit instruction, coaching, and support with regard to organizing time and resources for homework; responding to work that is more challenging and requires more effort; understanding and addressing the varying expectations of teachers in different subject areas; and accomplishing such basic tasks as taking notes and taking tests (Elias, 2001). Unfortunately, this same sentiment resonates today with the New York City Public School system, specifically, middle schools located in low income areas. The New York City Public School System is struggling with mathematics achievement in the grades beyond elementary school. Over 30% of the city’s elementary and middle school students score at the lowest level of the state mathematics test and only 34% of all students pass that test. The mathematics â€Å"problem† seems connected to the third major trend in the data, the low performance of middle and junior high schools in the city. In both Mathematics and English Language Arts, the city’s middle and junior high schools seem to be the weakest link in the system (Domanico, 2002). Recently, the math state scores were released further underscoring the middle school â€Å"math problem† that exists. Results showed that while 75. 3% of students at the elementary level passed successfully only 38. 9% of grade eight students passed (Andreatta, 2006, 11). As such, the intent of this study, based on the aforementioned information, is to evaluate and make recommendations with regard to middle school students in a particular school who have been struggling with both subjects. This study will focus on a middle school, IS 166- George Gershwin School—located in East New York. The decision to choose IS 166 was dependent on a few factors among which included the fact that the district within which it is located is considered a â€Å"virtual educational dead zone† by a Civic Report drafted by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (Domanico, 2002). Additionally, after reviewing the New York City Department of Education’s website—which provides an overwhelming amount of information on every public school in the city as well as their progress over recent years in the core subjects—it was found that of the schools within the 19th School District—primarily East New York, IS 166 is one of the worst performing schools. The school’s poor academic performance is further exacerbated by the outstanding grades displayed by another school in the 19th School District such as IS 409—East New York Family Academy and outside of the district another school MS 114, located in District 2 (Manhattan), whose grades superseded the city’s level as well as the state’s level. The graphs below illustrate how IS 166 performed poorly in the last 2 years on the state Math and Science exams comparatively to other schools, specifically IS 409 in the same district as well other schools in other districts. The last two graphs will show the difference with a higher performing school such as IS 409 and therefore will confirm why this study is going to be conducted. IS 166- George Gershwin School Math and Science Grades Source: New York Department of Education (Division of Assessment and Accountability—School Report Cards 2005). Definition of the Levels on which the scores for both subjects are based: Level 4—These students exceed the standards and are moving toward high performance on the Regents examination. Level 3—These students meet the standards and, with continued steady growth, should pass the Regents examination. Level 2—These students need extra help to meet the standards and pass the Regents examination. Level 1—These students have serious academic deficiencies. Source: New York Department of Education (Division of Assessment and Accountability—School Report Cards 2005). The aforementioned graphs showed how poorly IS 166 has performed in the last two years in both Math and Science. In Math, the number of students performing at Levels 3 and 4 has decreased from 22. % in 2004 and 17. 5% in 2005. The number of students tested for Level 3 was only 60 and for Level 4 only 3 of 361 total students. The remaining students, as displayed on the right hand side of the graph, are still at a Level 1 which as noted by the above definition means that they are in grave need of assistance. Therefore, for the purposes of the study, the target population will be defined as â€Å"in need† students. Although there has been a slight increase in Science, the results are still less than desirable when compared with other schools in the district and the City. As seen in the graph, only 14% of the students passed at Levels 3 and 4 in 2004 and by 2005, only 18% were able to pass at the same levels. Therefore, if IS 166 continues on this trajectory, it will continue to be labeled an underperforming school that graduates below average students incapable of performing the basic tasks in both subjects. The goal of the evaluation study is to thoroughly review the problems that exist and hopefully get the school to achieve grades similar to IS 409-East New York Family Academy sometime in the near future as is reflected in the following graphs. IS 409- East New York Family Academy Math and Science Grades Source: New York Department of Education (Division of Assessment and Accountability—School Report Cards 2005). As noted in the above graphs, IS 409 is performing extremely well at Levels 3 and 4 and has outperformed schools in both math and science in the district (which is truly exceptional given the neighborhood and its history) as well as other City schools. Very few students if any are far below the standard in both subjects. Moreover, as noted before, other schools such as MS 114 and IS 289 located in District 2 have maintained exceptional scores over the two year period. For 2004 and 2005, MS 114 scored 88% and 81% consecutively in Math and 97% and 91% in Science. IS 289 also scored high grades-for both years in Math, the school displayed 83% and 73% when compared to other schools in the district and city and in Science, they scored 87% and 82%. Other schools in other districts from Queens and Staten Island have also demonstrated solid scores. This makes designing a program even more of a priority in light of the above referenced comparisons. The study will not focus on the students at all levels in the middle schools but specifically, the eighth grade students destined for high school who have yet to grasp the necessary skills needed to succeed and have been the center of test score analysis over the years. These eighth grade students will be approximately 14 years old but depending on factors such as repeating a grade or special needs, the age may vary from 14-16 years old. As noted before, they will be identified as â€Å"in need† students and the study will attempt to identify the worst performing students by looking not only at grades but possibly contributing factors such as income, special needs, and possible crime involvement. The improvement of Math and Science scores is a gargantuan task which requires a major overall of the school at all levels, however, to begin the following services are needed and they are but not limited to: ?Offering training sessions for the math and science teachers. The difference between not only IS 409 and other schools in District 2 is that the teachers have more experience, education, and are less likely to be absent more than average. The training sessions will be implemented on weekends or after-school whichever is more convenient for the teachers and will be done prior to establishing an after-school program for the students. The training sessions will allow teachers from higher performing schools an opportunity to impart their techniques for achieving higher grades. Offering a separate informative session for the Principal, Maria Ortega, so that she is more knowledgeable on what is needed to succeed in both areas. In most cases, the principal of a school has a general idea of what is needed in most subject areas, however, if the principal is more involved, informed, and fully comprehends the nuances of the subject matter, then she will be able to make better choices in hiring and understanding the teaching of the curriculum. This is an i dea which originated out of reading the case of MS 114 in District 2 which showcases a principal that has not only taught but has written Math books for children. Also, in IS 289, the principal knows each student individually and is fully acquainted with their needs. ?Offering additional services for children that may range from an after-school program to extending class hours to offering classes on the weekend. One of the schools in District 2 actually has classes that last at least 50 minutes giving students a better opportunity to absorb the material thereby performing better in exams. ?Offering programs that will incorporate the parents as well. Perhaps this will be in conjunction with the after-school program. As noted, most of the students in this district are from low income families and perhaps some of the parents are in low paying jobs or living on welfare. The parents can take advantage of the program by refreshing themselves with the basic concepts of each subject so that they may assist their children and perhaps help themselves. PROGRAM THEORY In order to address the dire academic situation at IS 166-George Gershwin School, and before implementing an after-school program, it is important to address the issue at the higher levels which means analyzing teaching techniques and more importantly, principal participation. At the Center for Civic Innovation Luncheon featuring Chancellor Joel Klein held on Thursday, October 5th at the Harvard Club, Chancellor Klein began his speech with an analogy of the leaky roof and the squeaky floor. He stated that there was a school located in uptown Harlem that had a leaky roof and a squeaky floor. One day a repair man came to repair the floor and the custodian stated that the floor cannot be fixed prior to the roof being fixed to which the repairman replied â€Å"That’s not my concern, I am just here for the floor†. The Chancellor began his speech with that story to underscore the problems with the NYC Education system. He believes that everyone wants to fix the underlying problems without addressing the issues at the surface. The Chancellor’s story may be applied to the case of IS 166 and any other school in need of improvement. Many observers and parents are often led to believe that their children are primarily the problem in achieving higher scores and possibly that their children lack the intellect to truly analyze or process the information given to them. However, it is just as important for the heads of the respective schools to be cognizant of what is needed to improve these scores and the principal is just the person to ensure this. Therefore, before implementing a program, we have recommended that Principal Maria Ortega participate in a briefing session lasting approximately one month in the summer—right after the end of the school year and before the hiring season begins—for at least 4 hours a day, three days a week. According to reports of comprehensive school reforms in Chicago and Louisiana, the schools’ academic success was primarily attributed to the principals in charge and the contributions they made throughout the reforms. In one report, it stated that â€Å"highly effective schools communicated expectations for teachers. The principal was active in working to improve teacher skills; ineffective teachers were let go. † Moreover, the principals played an important role in four areas a) selection and replacement of teachers; b) classroom monitoring and feedback; c) support for improvement of individual teachers; and d) allocating and protecting academic time (Good et al, 2005, 2207). Therefore, implementing a program or briefing session solely for Principal Ortega would help her improve in all these areas. Principals, under Chancellor Klein’s tenure, have been given more empowerment opportunities and have more responsibilities to ensure the success of their schools. IS 166 has been categorized as a Title I School In Need of Improvement (SINI) under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and as such, Principal Ortega has to work harder than ever to improve the english, math, and science scores—subjects that are integral to a student’s academic success. The program we have suggested will illustrate to Principal Ortega that math, in particular, cannot be taught in the traditional manner, that is, using rote. In fact, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) advocates the development of an inquiry-based mathematics tradition. Students taught using this tradition are encouraged to explore, develop conjectures, prove, and problem solve (Manswell Butty, 2001, 20). Students are best able to absorb the material in not only math and science but other subjects if the teachers are able to present it in an interesting manner that entails connections to the outside world. Principal Ortega should also be familiarized with the requirements for the exams and then know exactly how the staff should approach student preparation. She should also ensure that with respect to math, she adheres to the recommendations Lyle V. Jones reiterated in his article entitled â€Å"Achievement Trends in Math and Science† in which it was stated: ? Only teachers who like mathematics should teach mathematics ? The chief objective of school mathematics should be to instill confidence ? Mathematics teaching must be based on both contemporary mathematics and modern pedagogy (Jones, 1988, 333). After completion of this program, and hopefully with a better understanding of what is needed to improve the scores at IS 166, the next step would be to address the teaching staff. As noted, the methodology used is integral to ensuring that the students comprehend, absorb, and analyze the information being disseminated. If they fail to process the information then they will ultimately perform poorly in the state exams and possibly continue to do so throughout high school. We recommend prior to the beginning of the academic year, and the implementation of the after-school program, that teachers, specifically, the math teachers enroll in a summer institute similar to one reported in an article entitled, â€Å"Toward a Constructivist Perspective: The Impact of a Math Teacher InService Program on Students†. The reason being is that the teaching of math more so than science requires certain techniques that are far from the traditional methods that most teachers employ. The summer institute in the report offered participating teachers intensive two-week summer institutes and weekly classroom follow-up during one academic year. Moreover, they received an opportunity to reexamine their ideas about the teaching and learning of mathematics. During the summer institutes, these teachers experienced mathematics classes in which they were encouraged to construct solutions and ideas and to communicate them to a group. They analyzed student understandings as revealed in interviews and they planned lessons which reflected their evolving ideas about mathematics learning and teaching (Simon and Schifter, 1993, 331). Teachers need to plan their lessons in such a manner as to engage the students so that they may effectively communicate their thoughts or problems with a particular issue. In fact, after completion of the summer institute, and after the teachers began using their newfound techniques, the results were noteworthy and ranged from students stating that â€Å"it’s fun to work math problems† to â€Å"I’d rather do math than any other kind of homework† to â€Å"I like to explain how I solved a problem†(Simon and Schifter, 1993, 333). Therefore, using the above referenced example, the summer institute that we propose for the math teachers will last approximately three weeks in the summer and it would begin approximately mid-August prior to the beginning of the academic year. This program would be mandated by the principal and would include veteran staff members as well new ones brought on board. Another factor that teachers have to take into consideration is the population they cater to during the academic year. IS 166 consists of predominantly black and Hispanic students residing in East New York and its surrounding environs, thereby, making them not only an â€Å"in need† group in terms of grades but an â€Å"at risk† group in terms of their backgrounds and predisposition to engage in illicit activities. Many believe teaching techniques are generic and if they are employed in one school then they may be applicable in another. However, studies have shown that minority children in low income neighborhoods require a different set of techniques employed. According to Manswell Butty, African-American children have further been identified as favoring four learning styles a) person-centered, b) affective, c) expressive, and movement oriented (Butty, 2001, 23). Therefore, teachers need to use laboratory or group exercises, discussion sessions, or instructional uses of music and the visual and dramatic arts, especially when those pedagogical techniques promote Black students’ greater academic involvement, interest, and performances (Butty, 2001, 23). However, this is not a generalization implying that all minority children respond to this technique but most will probably respond positively. Therefore, teachers must be made aware of the group of children that they are dealing with and ensure that they employ the above referenced techniques to garner success. In fact, there are Learning through Teaching in an After-School Pedagogical Laboratories (L-TAPL) in California and New Jersey, which not only offer a program for elementary students but also serves as a practice-rich professional development for urban teachers. The program aims to improve the achievement of urban students and the competence of their teachers (Foster et al, 2005, 28). According to the Foster article, numerous studies, policies, and programs have addressed the persistent problem of underachievement among poor urban students and its array of possible causes. The NCLB links teacher quality to improved student achievement, especially among low-income urban children of color. Consequently, improving teacher quality has become one of the hallmarks of current reform efforts (Foster et al, 2005, 28). These laboratories groom future urban teachers to deal with students similar to the target population at IS 166. And as such, as an alternative to our summer institute, the teachers are free to enroll in the program offered by this lab in New Jersey. Therefore, taking into account the above referenced studies, improving teacher quality is of utmost importance when taking into consideration the improvement of math and science scores. All of the above has brought us to the most important element of the study establishing an after-school program. Establishing an After-school Program-Resources Funding Under the NCLB Act, Title I schools, such as IS 166 that are listed as Schools In Need of Improvement, have failed to reach student achievement targets that have been set for every school. This means the school has failed to meet state proficiency level for all students in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and/or high schools graduation rate. Schools falling in the above referenced category may be eligible for Supplemental Educational Services (SES). SES include free after-school/weekend remedial help or tutoring services. The SES provision offers providers an opportunity to offer low-income children, who may be struggling in school, extra academic help and individual instruction. Through SES, innovative leaders and educators can start a new tutoring program or expand an existing one to serve more students (New York City Department of Education). However, instead of using an SES provider—which in some cases the DOE will offer contracts of over a million dollars to provide services to various schools—we will request additional funding that would have been used to acquire an SES provider to establish the after-school program by ourselves with the assistance of The After-school Corporation (TASC). TASC is renowned for establishing successful after-school programs and have no contract with the DOE and thus, are not labeled SES Providers. In addition to wanting to establish a program using solely school staff, it is important to note, that there have been several complaints about SES providers and most are being investigated either by the Special Commissioner of Investigation for the New York City School District or the Office of Special Investigation and in the best interest of the target population, we have decided to forego those providers. Therefore, the funding used from SES will be used to offer per session rates for the teachers participating in the program as well as pay for the consultant from TASC. The funding will also be used to acquire additional supplies such as the KidzMath program which is highly popular and is used around the country to get students interested in math and to improve scores. Funding will also be used to secure additional bus transportation from the Office of Pupil Transportation as well as food and refreshments for the children. Staffing and Facilities The program will be housed in the school recreation room and so there will be no need to rent a facility to do so. The program will be supervised by the TASC consultant who will preferably be someone from the community who is familiar with the target population and can easily relate to their situation. The principal and assistant principal will take turns observing the classes and ensuring that the teachers and participants are abiding by the rules. The teachers will be eighth grade math and science teachers who deal with the target population on a daily basis and who are familiar with the problems they are experiencing. Additionally, the teachers will be assisted by high school students who are well versed in the subject areas, who have been recruited from neighboring high schools and would like to add an after-school tutoring activity to their resume. Therefore, these students will not be paid but will use the after-school program as a learning experience. Participants The students participating in the program will be chosen based on their past academic performance in grades six and seven and failure to show any signs of improvement. To reiterate, this program is geared specifically for eighth grade students, ages 14-16 years old, and will begin a month into the beginning of the academic year towards the end of September early October after the students and teachers have settled in the new semester. Letters will be sent to the parents at the beginning of the academic year notifying them of their child’s progress and advising them that the program is mandatory if they are to improve and move on to high school (the letters will be followed up by phone calls). While the school has no recourse if a student fails to attend even though it has been marked mandatory, offering a voluntary program usually encourages those that are really not in need of it to participate and those that do need it usually don’t. The parents will be informed of the structure of the program and the fact that transportation will be provided so that their children will be taken home safely after the program. In fact, parents who may not be working full time or at all will be encouraged to observe or participate in another session that will help them to understand what their child needs to improve. The session, which will last as long as the tutoring session, will more than likely be conducted by the assistant principal or a math/science staff member and will give the parent an opportunity to be truly acquainted with the activities being conducted. This program may also be helpful to them as well as some of these parents lack the basic educational skills that are necessary to obtain a job. Activities and Schedule Based on successful programs in Arkansas, the after-school program we will establish will mirror these successful programs and therefore, the program will entail classes of one and a half hours each day, Monday through Thursday between the hours of 3pm and 4:30pm. Mondays and Wednesdays will be dedicated to math and Tuesdays and Thursdays will be dedicated to science. The sessions will be divided into 40 minute periods during which the first period will be dedicated to the teacher illustrating the subject material and the second period will be dedicated to the students participating in groups and working together to complete the work presented in the first period. The students will get a ten-minute break during which they will receive refreshments. In the Camden School District in Arkansas, school officials credited the success of the after-school programs to the schools being released from the â€Å"Adequate Yearly Progress† (AYP) status under the NCLB Act (Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families, 2006). Throughout the course of the program, teachers will be encouraged not to utilize the same material or techniques used on a daily basis. The teachers will be reminded that the program is geared towards individuals who have a negative attitude toward the subjects which may be as a result of not only failure to comprehend the material but also the teacher’s emphasis on traditional methods. Therefore, the program will forego any emphasis on memorization, computation, and equation and will focus on modeling and real world problem solving. Engaging in group work, especially in math, has proven to be successful and will be the focus of the program. According to Jones, group work differs from cooperative learning in its lesser emphasis on the teacher as instructor and its greater dependence on students teaching other students. Moreover, cooperative learning procedures as dependent first on instruction by the teacher, then on practice engaged in actively by members of an established student team (often of four team members), has evidence that supports the efficacy of the approach to elevate not only achievement but also self-esteem, interpersonal effectiveness and interracial harmony (Jones, 1988, 328). Therefore, the students will work together in groups over the period of the academic year and will be exposed to hands-on experiences, games, and projects. KidzMath should really be a good stimulant and with the assistance of the teachers, the students should be motivated. Teachers will also be encouraged to maintain a weekly progress report which will ultimately be used to assess the program’s progress. Another aspect of the program would entail having the Principal establishing stronger ties with the community and getting more community leaders involved by dropping by the after-school program to give advice and encouragement to the students. Students are not only stimulated by various activities that are outside of the norm of the regular classroom but are also stimulated by role models or individuals they deem to be successful from their part of the neighborhood. According to a report done on the Chicago School Reform, the schools that experienced major changes and improvements were led by principals who were strong veteran leaders with good relationships with their local school councils and the community (Hess, Jr. , 1999, 79). Additionally, incentives can also be offered for the students in the program which will encourage their continued participation and potential success and can range from visits to museums or amusement parks if they have showed slight improvements. While these children who performed poorly are from low income families, and a reduction in poverty rates might have a salutary effect on measured school achievement, according to Lyle V. Jones, the influence of poverty on educational achievement may be ameliorated by introducing school-parent programs to improve academic conditions in the home. After reviewing nearly 3,000 investigations of productive factors in learning concludes that such programs have an outstanding record of success in promoting achievement (Jones, 1988, 327). Explanation of Logic Model Inputs: consist of the fundamental resources—human and capital—that the program needs in order for it to achieve its goals. These resources consist of funding for per session rates for the teachers, payment for the TASC Consultant, supplies such as KidzMath, transportation, and refreshments. The most important resources needed are the children to whom the program is directed. Activities: Once the fundamental resources are in place, the schedule has been established and the techniques for teaching have been agreed upon, then the after-school program will proceed as planned throughout the academic year. The sessions will be conducted four days a week, Mondays and Wednesdays, for math and Tuesdays and Thursdays for science lasting 1. 5 hrs each period. The sessions will entail a great deal of group work and collaboration along with potential visits from community leaders and role models. Outputs: Upon implementation of the program, it is important to ascertain if the program is reaching its target population, if the services provided are being done in the manner discussed and if the population are benefiting or if they have any concerns those will be noted throughout the assessment. This will be done by conducting site visits, performing observations and conducting surveys. Outcomes: If the program is successful in achieving its goals, then the immediate goals will see the students passing their in-class tests and ultimately the state exams—which has been the focal issue with the school and the reason for the Title I status under the NCLB Act. The long-term goals include the participants of the program actually going on to high school and possibly even college. From that point onward, if students succeed in college, they may even pursue challenging careers thereby improving their socio-economic status. The reason the logic diagram is done in a cyclical manner is to demonstrate that if the program is successful and the students do improve significantly, then the school may be eligible for the same amount or a higher amount of funding which they can use to increase their resources for the input phase for the upcoming academic year. PROGRAM PROCESS Once the program has been implemented, it is important to ascertain if the services are in fact being delivered as planned and if the participants are learning with the teachers employing the new techniques as discussed. In order to do this, we will conduct an observational study as fashioned from the TASC’s site visit procedures in addition to teacher and parental surveys to see if they have noted any differences in the children participating in the program. This assessment will be done halfway throughout the semester at approximately the end of January which will also coincide with the first set of state exams (students also take these exams towards the end of the academic year-approximately June). The assessment will begin with a two-person team (my colleague and I) visiting the after-school’s program for two days a week, for a total of two weeks—one day for math and the other for science. The visit will include an interview with the principal and assistant principal (who, as noted before, would have taken turns monitoring the program). There will be 90 minute observations including the 10 minute break to see how the children are behaving and the teachers’ interaction with them accordingly. The assessment will look at three of the five primary factors as fashioned from TASC’s rating on project activities: Staff-directing relationship-building ?Staff use positive behavior management techniques ?Staff show positive affect toward youth ?Staff attentively listen to and/or observe youth ?Staff encourage youth to share their ideas, opinions, and concerns Staff strategies for skill-building and mastery ?Staff verbally recognize youth’s efforts and accomplishments ? Staff assist youth without taking control ?Staff ask youth to expand upon their answers and ideas ?Staff challenge youth to move beyond their current level of competency ? Staff plan for/ask youth to work together ?Staff employ two or more teaching strategies Activity content and structure ?The activity is well organized ?The activity challenges students intellectually, creatively, and/or physically ? The activity requires analytic thinking The observers will rate each indicator on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 meant that the indicator was not evident during the observation period and a 5 meant that the indicator was highly evident and consistent. These ratings will provide a systematic method for the observation team to quantify its observations of the factors that contribute to the possible success of the program (TASC Catalog of Publication and Reports, 2005, 3). The assessment will also ask teachers to document any changes they have observed in their students’ behavior throughout the program. This will be extracted from a weekly progress report that they were encouraged to write at the commencement of the program. This will give us an idea if the students have made any progress in the eyes of the educators. The last assessment will be done with the parents who will be asked their views of the program. The questions will include but not be limited to: ?Is the program meeting your expectations? ?Do you see any noticeable changes in your child’s progress? Does your child show any more interest in math or science? ?Do you feel you have benefited from observing or partaking in the informative sessions conducted by the principal or staff? ?Are you satisfied with the transportation provided? These questions will receive ratings from 1-5 as noted above and will give us an overall idea of the process of the structure. We can use the res ults of the assessment to facilitate mid-term improvements before the conclusion of the program. The results can also be used for future improvements should the after-school program enter its second academic year. CONCEPTUALIZATION AND OPERATIONALIZATION OF PROGRAM OUTCOMES The goal of this study is to determine the impact of an after-school program on improving the scores of low performing eighth grade students in IS 166. Therefore, the hypothesis is eighth grade Math and Science students who have performed below average in state exams are more than likely to improve their grades in both subjects after enrolling and completing the year long after-school program. In this case, the independent variable would be the after-school program and the dependent variable would be the overall improvement in grades. Independent Variable: After-school Program The after-school program (in this project) may be conceptualized as any academic activity that takes place outside of the mandated school hours that is geared towards the improvement of a child’s academic achievement in a specific subject area. It may be operationalized by examining the responses from the observations conducted in the assessment phase which were based on five primary factors ranging from staff-directing relationship building to staff strategies for skill-building and mastery to activity content and structure. Under each category there are various indicators which will be rated on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is meant that the indicator was not evident during the observation period and a 5 meant that the indicator was highly evident and consistent. Dependent Variable: Overall Improvement in Grades Overall improvement in grades may be conceptualized as a notable or significant increase which may be anywhere from 15-20% in the in-class and state scores. The increase in scores would hopefully translate into passing grades. Improvement in grades can be operationalized by examining both the in-class and state test scores and comparing both to the previous year’s scores and as such, we can begin to measure some sort of success based on the increase in the scores. It should be noted that while the overall improvement in grades is the primary dependent variable on which the focus is placed, there are other variables that should be taken into account, however, due to the constraints of this paper, they will be mentioned briefly. They are but not limited to: improvement in student attitudes—that is the effect the after-school program has had on their approach to the subjects. Do the students now have a positive attitude towards the subject after improving their ability to process and analyze the new information provided? Also, there is the parental support aspect which must be taken into consideration. Did the after-school program increase parental awareness, that is, making parents aware of what students need to excel in both subjects? Do parents now know how to assist or provide support for their children in these subject areas? Assessing Program Impact—Strategy In order to determine if the after-school program had an effect on overall Math and Science scores, a randomized control-group pretest and posttest design will be conducted. (Please note that steps 1-3 would have been done prior to the implementation of the after-school program). The following steps will be followed in order to execute this test: 1) Students will be selected from the eighth grade roster by random methods, specifically, randomly choosing social security numbers from the database. ) The students with social security numbers ending in even numbers will be assigned to the treatment group (X)—the after-school program, while the students with social security numbers ending with odd numbers will be placed in the nontreatment group (Y). 3) An in-class test similar to that given at the state level will be administered to both groups to ascertain their scores—the dependent variable. The scores will be added for both the ex perimental and control group. 4) After totaling the scores, the experimental phase will begin. Both groups will be exposed to the same conditions with the exception of the experimental group (X) who will have the experimental treatment—the after-school program for the academic year. 5) After the experimental group has completed the after-school program, both groups will be evaluated again using an in-class test similar to the one given in the pre-testing period. Once again, the scores will be added for both the experimental and control group. 6) The scores between the pre-testing period and the post-testing period will be calculated to establish the difference. ) The difference in the scores will be compared to determine if the after-school program (the treatment) was associated with a change favoring the experimental group over the control group—who did not participate in the after-school program. 8) A statistical test will be used to determine whether the difference in the scores is truly significant—that is, if the difference is large enough to reject t he null hypothesis that the difference is simply a chance occurrence. According to Stephen Isaac in his book, â€Å"Handbook in Research and Evaluation† nternal validity gains strength with the randomized design because extraneous variables are controlled since they affect both groups equally (Isaac, 1971, 39). To elaborate, extraneous variables such as differential selection is controlled by random selection methods. Maturation and pre-testing effects occur equally for all groups, differential mortality can be assessed for nonrandom patterns, and statistical regression is controlled when extreme scorers from the same population are randomly assigned to groups (statistical regression will occur but it will occur equally with all groups) (Isaac, 1971, 39). The disadvantages to this design are to be found in the within-session variations during which time the experimental and control groups are tested and treated separately. There may be differences in room conditions, personalities of teachers, or wording of instructions. According to Isaac, the students should be tested individually or in small groups, randomly assigning subjects, times, and places to experimental and control conditions. The effects of any unwanted situational factors are thus randomly distributed among the subgroups, allowing them to be ignored (Isaac, 1971, 39). Isaac further states that to control for within-session instrument differences, it is necessary also to assign mechanical instruments, teachers, observers and raters to sessions—or preferably to a single session. Ideally, if observers or judges are involved, they should remain unaware of which groups are being used for control or experimental purposes, since they may have subtle biases that could influence their observations. REFERENCES Andreatta, Dave. â€Å"Math Concerns Are Adding Up† New York Post, October 12, 2006: 11 Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families (2006). After-school programs in Arkansas: A solution whose time has come. Little Rock, AR author Accessed on 10/29/2006 http://www. arkleg. state. ar. us/data/education/ Birmingham, Jennifer, Pechman, Ellen M. , Russell, Christina A. , and Monica Mielke. â€Å"Shared Features of High-Performing After-School Programs: A follow-up to the TASC Evaluation† TASC Catalog of Publications and Reports, November 2005. Accessed on 11/2/2006 Domanico, Raymond. State of the NYC Public Schools 2002† Civic Report-Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. March 2002, # 26. Accessed on 10/16/2006 Elias, Maurice. â€Å"Middle School Transition: It’s Harder Than You Think-Making The Transition to Middle School Successful† Middle Matters, Winter 2001: 1-2 Accessed on 10/19/2006 Foster, Michele, Lewis, Jeffrey and Laura Onafowora. â€Å"Grooming Great Urban Teachers† Educational Leadership, March 2005, (62) 6 : 28-32. Good, Thom as, L. , Legg Burross, Heidi, and Mary M. McCaslin. Comprehensive School Reform: A Longitudinal Study of School Improvement in One State† Teachers College Record, October 2005, (107) 10: 2205-2226. Hess, Jr. , G. Alfred. â€Å"Understanding Achievement (and other) changes under Chicago School Reform† Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Spring 1999, (21) 1: 67-83. Isaac, Stephen (1971). Handbook in Research and Evaluation. San Diego: EDITS Publishers Jones, Lyle V. â€Å"Schooling in Mathematics and Science and What Can Be Done to Improve Them† Review of Research in Education, 1988-1989, (15): 307-341. Manswell Butty, Jo-Anne L. â€Å"Teacher Instruction, Student Attitudes and Mathematics Performance among 10th and 12th grade Black and Hispanic Students† The Journal of Negro Education, Winter-Spring 2001, (70) ? : 19-37. New York City Department of Education 2004-2005 Annual School Reports (Provided by the Division of Assessment and Accountability) Accessed on 10/14/2006 Simon, Martin A. , and Deborah Schifter. â€Å"Toward a Constructivist Perspective: The Impact of a Mathematics Teacher InService Program on Students† Educational Studies in Mathematics, December 1993, (25) 4: 331-340.

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Slavery Northerners and Southerners - Essay Example The niggers (black people) were the ones subjected to slavery. In the long run, some of the American people realized the evil of slavery and considered it a sin. The first abolitionist movement was founded in the northern part of America. It was the northerners who first discovered the immoral aspect of slavery and called for its complete abolition. While slavery was dying in the north, the southerners demanded for more slaves. Cotton gin was invented during that time (Burns, n.d.). The device increased the production of cotton as well as the demand for slave labor. Thus, more and more black people were sold in the southern part. In this context, the southerners feared of economic loss and racial equality if slavery was to be abolished (Burns, n.d.). Southerners believed that black people are meant to work and serve the white people. As new territories and states were formed, the topic on slavery became controversial than ever. Specifically, the question of whether or not slavery was to be allowed in the newly formed states and territories caught both the northerners and southerners attention. The answer to the query was critical to their respective economic and racial concern. The question bothered the northerners since allowing slavery in the new states would be a disadvantage on their part. Stated otherwise, the legalization of slavery in those states was considered by the northerners as unfair and an economic threat.

Law Enforcement Information Sharing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Law Enforcement Information Sharing - Essay Example es and technology (National Institute of Justice, 1999).   Organized criminals, taking advantage of these developments, have become more agile than governmental agencies (Brock et. al. 2006). On the other hand, though technology and other infrastructure are available to law enforcement agencies, democratic governments require a consensus among leaders and citizens to establish priorities and allocate funds before significant changes are implemented. (Broude & Teichman, 2009). This constraint slows down government progress and makes law enforcement a complex process. Thus, making policy change and implementation becomes difficult and is not always successful (Broude & Teichman, 2009).  In contrast, criminals act independent of bureaucracy, advancing their own interests (Beare, 1997).  The agility of the criminal enterprises makes it difficult to anticipate criminal activity, making such activity an insurmountable threat (Williams & Godson, 2002).  The reluctance of some commun ities to recognize a developing or already present criminal threat can also contribute to the growth and entrenchment of crime. (Mackenzie, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Available literature on the topic chronicles twentieth and twenty-first century efforts undertaken by the federal government to combat transnational crime. (Dowling et al. 2006).   However, there is a dearth of literature on the trends in criminality from the perspective of federal law enforcement officers (Small & Taylor, 2006).   Statement of the Problem: Transnational crimes, especially terrorism, have remained a huge threat to nations all over the world from time immemorial. Experts in the fields of law enforcement and counter terrorism believe that proper sharing of information among various intelligence agencies in different countries... From this research it is clear that events of September 11, 2001 demonstrate what can happen when the law enforcement community fails to adequately share and analyze information available to them. Those events are an extreme example, but many other terrorism and transnational crimes threatened society long before 9/11 and continue to do so today. The U.S. Government recognized key information sharing gaps that contributed to the terrorist’s ability to execute their attack and took measures to curtail such gaps in the future. One noticeable paradigm shift was the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, merging 170,000 employees from 22 federal agencies, and move by DHS leadership to develop unique â€Å"one-DHS† culture. The purpose of this case study is to describe what measures federal law enforcement agencies have implemented, and what steps can still be taken, to enhance information sharing with State and local partners and other peer agencies. A review of t he literature on sharing in the law enforcement community includes an exploration of factors related to (a) An awareness of transnational criminal and terrorist threats before and after 9/11, (b) Human factors related to the sharing of information in person and through technological tools, (c) Organizational changes contributing to information sharing, (d) Factors affecting sustainability of information sharing initiatives. While modern transportation and technology enhanced the developmental activities on one hand, it also accelerated the country’s illegal enterprises on the other.

Quantitve and qualitative method of research, sociology Essay

Quantitve and qualitative method of research, sociology - Essay Example Research methodology is the procedural framework within which the research is conducted. The methodology would depend upon the topic to be researched and the specific research questions are the primary drivers. Positivism (quantitative with hypothesis testing) and interpretivism (qualitative with hypothesis generalizations) are the different types of research philosophies, each has its own purposes and advantages. Research philosophy highlights two different schools of thought on the how to conduct research. Arguments should be evaluated in different ways because primarily arguments have different roles and purposes and people assess according to the purpose in their mind. At times arguments provide useful information depending on one’s knowledge of how the world works. In a different setting, one can take an abstract approach and ask what follows from a given set of information and then decide on the outcome. Arguments can be evaluated in two qualitatively different ways – in terms of their deductive correctness or in terms of inductive strength (Rips, 2001). Quantitative methodology is a positivist approach in sociology research. Positivism is characterized by operational definitions, objectivity, replicability and causality (Bryman, 1984). Through questionnaire items the concepts can be operationalized; objectivity can be obtained by maintaining distance between the observer and the observed. By applying the same research instrument in another context replication can be maintained and causality is handled through path analysis and related regression techniques. Quantitative investigations look for â€Å"distinguishing characteristics, elemental properties and empirical boundaries’ and tend to measure â€Å"how much† or â€Å"how often† (Nau, 1995 cited by Amaratunga et al.,). Quantitative research designs determine the truth value of propositions and allow flexibility in the

Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli Essay Example for Free

Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli Essay The art and science of designing buildings and structures is termed as Architecture, which is a Greek work with a meaning of a master builder. The macro-level of municipal designing, town development, and countryside architecture, to the micro-level of producing a range of furniture can be included in the broader description of the architecture. Both feasibility and builder’s cost are usually addressed in an architectural design, and the function and aesthetics of a user is considered an importance factor in its planning. Volume, light, shadow, texture, and space are often manipulated during the planned architecture, and Sometimes, pleasing aesthetics are achieved by abstracting different and diverse elements artistically. Many architectural works has been represented as a cultural and political symbol in today’s world. The Pantheon on top of the Acropolis in Greece, the Colosseum in Italy, Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli, and Taj Mahal at Agra in India are some of the many architectural designs and structures that represent the architectural history of their age. The architectural history begins with the needs aroused, such as security, shelter, worship, etc, and means, which were available at that time, for example, skilled persons, building materials, machineries, etc. An architectural expertise was evolved through the oral civilizations and practices of human beings, in order to progress and improve their knowledge to compete in this world. In many ancient civilizations, the architecture was deemed as a reflection of connectivity with the divine power and supernatural command. However, the power of the state or the ruler was represented by the complex and beautiful architectural designs and structures at that time. As the civilizations changed, traditions and customs evolved, people developed themselves and transformed themselves into urban form, hence, the architectural field progressed, and a need to divide it was felt. In order to understand the architectural importance and influence in the society, we will try to understand and discuss the Italian Architecture from its different perspectives and buildings that were built by the different emperors of that time. When we talk about the Italian Architecture, one can say that it owns a distinctive mixture of divinity, uniqueness, and power that were gained by the kings and rulers of that era. One of the many examples of this renowned architecture era is the Villa Rotonda at Vicenza, Villa Emo, Osborne House, etc. , which are the true examples of the fine Italian Architecture. In order to understand the Italian Architecture, we will comprehend the structural and historical significance of the two Italian buildings, that is, Hadrian’s Villa, and Villa Rotonda in the Italy. We will try to compare and contrast these two historical buildings, relating to the architects that built these buildings. Its design, the period, and the historical context will also be considered during this study. We will also try to analyze the ideas and concepts that are underlying these buildings. Illustration of any historical precedent that might have influenced their design will also be explained during the study. We will try to discuss the building elements and materials that were during their construction, and different modes of technology that were required by the architects in that century will also be considered in a detailed section of this study. In the early second century, there was an emperor Hadrian, who built a large Roman villa, which was called as Villa Hadriana of that time. Accordingly, now it is know as Hadrian’s Villa. This villa is one of the finest architectural and structural designs that have been built by the emperors in beautiful cities of Italy. An area of at least 100 hectares or 250 acres has been covered by a sumptuous complex of over 30 buildings. Excluding this area, unexcavated area of 300 more hectares is also considered the part of this villa. In this regard, a place for the World Heritage Site has been given by the UNESCO. At the time of the Emperor Hadrian’s life, this villa is considered as his preferable residency, whenever he was found to be in the Rome. There are several reasons of choosing an imperial palace outside Rome, rather than going for several other palaces that have been built by him and other emperors. Some miserable relations with the senate and the local Roman aristocracy were the primary cause of this influence for an imperial palace outside the city. Accordingly, the imperial residence was the Villa Hadriana. The ancient Tibur, which is now known as Tivoli has this villa built, and which is 28 kilometers away from the Rome. Two minor tributaries are surrounding this villa, which has been built on a hillside. It was built in such a way that a person can reach the villa by land or by boat very easily, via Tiburtina and via Aniene respectively. The travertine quarries, ample supplies of tufa, and unlimited lime was another significant reason of choosing this location of the villa, as these materials were used in the production of cement. The site was also very abundant in the water resources. Therefore, baths were also built inside the villa, which needed vast amounts of water. A traditionally structured villa can be seen in the central part of this palace. A garden with an elongated fountain was included in this villa. Two buildings were also built by the emperor, which were known as Latin library and Greek library. The main residential part of the palace included a large courtyard and a unique building having Doric columns in them. Portico and richly adorned rooms were built inside another grand court, which was known as Golden Court, as it was having very rich finds in it. A series of underground roads, storage facilities, passages, and slave quarters have also been built much below the surface of this villa. In order to run such a huge complex, most of the infrastructure was tucked away neatly, which as another uniqueness of this villa. However, even from the above findings and observations of the architects, it is still very hard to create the appearance of the villa, that it used to be at the time of the Emperor Hadrian, as all the upper parts of the various buildings have been loss during years and wars occurred in the region. Another uniqueness of the Villa Hadriana is its collection of rich monuments, which were brought from various parts of the Roman empire of that time. The display of this rich collection was a symbol of culture and learnedness among wealthy Roman Emperors of that time, especially the emperors, who ruled in the first and second century BCE. Some influences can be found from the two buildings of Marcus Tullius Cicero; Academia and Lyceum, which were famous for their philosophical education in the ancient Greece. Similarly, an area called Syracusa was found to be in the residence of Augustus, which also played an influential part in the various buildings that were built in the Hadrian’s Villa. There are some associations of this Hadrian’s villa with some ideas, which were taken by the previous emperors of that time. However, it is not possible to identify every association due to the dispersion of the artistic elements of the original villa that were built by the emperor. A famous monument in the ancient Athens was ‘Stoa Poikile’ that was painted colonnade, and therefore, the ‘Poikile’ of the Hadrian’s villa has been associated with this Greek monument.

Effects of the financial crisis on various UK industries

Effects of the financial crisis on various UK industries Economic Report The above graph shows the FTSE 100 index in the 5 years to the 14th October 2010.   The index value at any particular time is based on the share prices of the top one hundred by value with each organisation being weighted in proportion to its total market value (Pike, Neale, p.38 2009).   Despite this index only being a small percentage of the total companies in the United Kingdom it generally reflects the performance of much of the market. Prior to the financial crisis of 2008 leading to the crash in the markets-shown in the first quarter of 2009-investment in government debt was regarded as relatively risk free.   It is a sign of the fragile economy situation globally that investors no longer view such investments as a sure thing (Oakley, 2010).   This credit crisis has prompted investors to proceed with caution and despite initial positive trends the principles which underpinned investments in the past have been shattered resulting in large scale political reforms throughout much of the Western World (Future of investing, FT).   The suggestion of an unsteady recovery is reinforced by a recent article in the Economist which states that,   Big asset busts are usually followed by years of weakness as the over-borrowed repair their balance-sheets.   Experience suggests that several years of slow growth lie ahead.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oct. 7th 2010 It goes on to state that the reactive measures will be the biggest synchronised fiscal tightening on record.   Governments worldwide have had their hand forced in to budget cuts and other measures to sustain growth out of the crisis.   Whilst this statement points to and assures uncertainty should be highlighted that growth albeit at a slow pace is thought to be likely. The current economic situation, specifically in the United Kingdom, is underlined by the massive growth in unemployment.   Gilmore comments that the number of workless households has increased to 3.9 million over the last two years an increase of 389,000 (2010, p 39).   Furthermore, high profile cutbacks remain prevalent with Boots and Hewlett-Packard announcing combined cuts of 2,200 workers in the UK alone (Clark, 2010; Felsted 2010).   Whilst over the past two years there has been an overall escalation in unemployment there are some signs of improvement.   The three months to July 2010 witnessed the number out of employment fall to 2.47 million (Gilmore, 2010). It can be said that the current times are very uncertain and on that account the correct investment strategy will be vaguer than ever before.   For that reason, the general investment strategy which will be employed is buy and hold.   Not all investments will be made in this manner, however, for the most part this logic will be applied.   The buy and hold approach can be justified by looking at the market trend since the FTSE 100 began in 1984: It can be seen that after a dip such as in 1987 and in 2000 that the market tends to recover so despite the fragile economic situation a recovery, albeit a slow one as mentioned previously, can be envisaged. Sector Reviews Sector: Power The power sector is one of the main constituents of the FTSE 100. Utilities and Oil Gas alone make up 14 of the 104 constituents which complete the index, together counting for nearly a quarter of the net market capitalisation for all the industries included. It can therefore be deduced that any reasonable change in the power sector as a whole has a great influence on the performance of the top one hundred FTSE listed companies (FTSE Fact Sheet, 2010). For consideration, the sector has been split in to three main sub-sectors: mining, water utilities and oil gas. All three sub-sectors witnessed their three year minimum around 2009 and have recovered strongly since with one exception to be covered in more detail: oil gas. Mining The recovery can be expected to continue in the mining sector as commodity prices continue to rise. One of the major mined commodities, gold, has seen prices soar in recent times increasing nearly six fold since 2001 (Post1, 2010) to its current levels of $1361.20 per ounce. The market expects this price will continue to rise amid speculation that the United States government will commence quantitative easing once more (Murchie, 2010). Barrick Gold and Anglo Gold Ashanti have recently raised equity to eliminate bad hedges and does not expect to return to hedging at any price (Yahoo! Finance, 2010). Thus, both organisations expect the price of gold to continue to rise therefore gold companies with proven reserves are likely to increase in value. This theory is reinforced by a Goldman Sachs analyst, writes Alistair Dawber, who predicts that Gold will hit $1,650 within a year (Independent, 2010). Water and Utilities Water and Utilities in the United Kingdom show a strong recovery after the first quarter of 2009 also receiving boosts from an exceptionally cold winter. Profits of ScottishPower rose 7.9% last year due to the bitterly cold winter and Britains biggest supplier of gas and electricity witnessed profits soar 46% to  £554 million (Macallister, 2010). The Met office commented that it had been the coldest winter in thirty years (2010). Long term forecasts predict that this winter will be colder than average with more precipitation than would be the norm. Should this hold true then share prices will increase on the back of higher demand for gas and electricity which eludes to the sector share prices to trend upwards. Oil and Gas The first graphic representation shows the FTSE 350 index for Oil and Gas producers. A sustained recovery from the low in late 2009 was seen until Q2 of 2010 which observed a sharp decline. This deterioration is largely due to the Deepwater Horizon disaster and its effects are clear. BP (formerly British Petroleum) are the second largest company in the FTSE 100 index (FTSE Fact Sheet, 2010) so any change in share price will have a large influence on both the sector and the whole economy. The second graph shows the correlation between the BP share price and the FTSE 350 Oil and Gas. The cost to BP, who are regarded as being ultimately responsible for the disaster, amounts to a pre-tax charge of $32,192 million. This amount relates to all costs sustained in relation to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the commitment to cover any future costs which BP feel they can estimate reliably (BP, 2010). As the cost of the disaster has already been absorbed by the company and the markets, assumi ng there is no further outfall, it can be expected that the market will continue to trend upwards and back towards its previous average. On this basis, the sector can be considered as a relatively safe investment. There is potential for very large returns within this sector however they arise with considerable risk. Those with a higher risk appetite may seek to invest in the companies partaking in the oil exploration taking place in the Falkland Islands. Investment Due to the positive nature of all three sectors in this uncertain economic period it has been decided that all three sub-sectors outlined will provide investment opportunities. This facilitates potential for excellent gains but at the same time it utilises one of the main strategies for managing risk, diversification (Jaeger, 2002, p.235). Sector: Transport and Leisure Transport and leisure is a broad ranging sector including companies such as Babcock International Group who specialise in a wide range of areas including defence to organisations such as First Group who are a leading transport operator in the UK and North America (First Group). As it is such a broad sector transport and travel and leisure will be combined due to the similar nature of the two sub-sectors. Food Beverages has been discounted for ethical reasons. Aerospace and Defence As much of this sub-sectors revenue comes from government spending, Aerospace Defence at first appeared to be a wise choice for investment although on closer inspection this was proved not to be the case.   This sector was eventually discounted largely due to the expected cuts in government spending in the United Kingdom and abroad which will have an influence on companies which rely on this spending to maintain profitability and current share price levels.   For example, Babcock International Groups revenues are 80% U.K based (Hoyos, 2010) which in the current climate is too much exposure to a single market.   The FTSE 350 index Aerospace and Defence shows the volatility across the sector throughout 2010. Automobiles and Parts Outside of the main organisations in this sector there is only comparatively small amount of information available outside of the major companies. Where the majors are concerned, a case could be constructed for investment however these are outweighed by the potential risks. In recent times there has been many disrupting events which have an effect on the volatility of share prices within the sub-sector. Three major car manufacturers, including one trading in the UK-Toyota, have announced large scale recalls. Toyota was forced to recall 10.9 million cars in the US and Canada (Simon, 2010) whilst both BMW and Dailmler AG have recalled a combined 698,800 vehicles. (Sky News, 2010)(WSJ, 2010). As well as the turbulent recalls demand for new cars in the UK has fallen and it is not expected that they will return to peak levels. Between 2007 and 2009 the amount of new cars purchased fell from 2.4 million to 1.9 million-of which 285,000 were purchased at a heavily discounted level under the Governments scrappage scheme (Sky News, 2010). The article goes on to state that sales figures are not expected to increase above 2 million for the next three years which would allude to a levelling of share prices at current levels. Food and Beverage The low which the FTSE 350 Food and Beverage experienced in March 2009 coincided with the bottom of the FTSE100, however, the dip was not as severe and the immediate recovery was swift and strong.   Whilst these are promising signs there has been a stagnation.   In Q2 and Q3 of 2010 the index has   fallen from its high of 541.81 in mid April to a its current level of 528.69 (Yahoo finance, 18th October).   In the same period the FTSE 100 after suffering from an initial drop recovered strongly and is now showing a positive growth curve in the short term.   It can be concluded that the performance of the sector as a whole is not matching that of other sectors which are performing well. An example of a poor performer in this sector would be Punch Taverns which is one of the largest pub companies in the United Kingdom (Punch Taverns, 2010). Shares in Punch Taverns are down over 15% in the last 52 weeks (Interactive Investor Trading, 2010). Travel Leisure A graph of the FTSE 350 index over the previous 5 years is shown. It can be seen that from its peak in 2007 there has been a huge loss in market capitalisation across the travel and leisure sector however this was met with a strong recovery from mid 2009 onwards and this trend looks to continue. The upwards movement of this index is underpinned by growth in many of the major companies in the sector such as British Airways, Ryanair Holdings and Easyjet. This shows growing investor confidence in one of the most troubled industries of the past 10 years. Investment It is this confidence and steady sustained growth within sub-sector four that makes the Travel and Leisure sub-sector the advised choice for investment however the other sectors will provide some potential for investment should an appropriate company be identified. Retailers UK retail sector employees around 3 million people. It is the 3rd largest in the world after USA and Japan. On a whole the retail sector generates around 8% of the UK GDP. 1 in 10 of the people in employment currently works in the retail sector. Shops account for more than a third of consumer spending; due to this the retail sector is very important to how the economy on a whole performs. Usually if there is a drop in retail, the GDP of the economy would be affected greatly as well. The year 2007 marked the beginning of the credit crisis which resulted in the UK facing an economic downturn. This affected many companies, including Woolworths. Woolworths before the credit crisis was one of the major companies in the retail sector. Due to the crisis, which lasted from 2007-2009, Woolworths went into administration on the 26th November 2008. During late 2009 market the end of the period of the recession, which allowed the retail sector to improve its growth, as shown in the graph below. Investment The retail sector is ideal because of its high growth before the credit crisis, this sector is now quickly recovering and should be expected to be at a high growth as before the credit crisis. There should be high growth especially during the Christmas period. The House leisure Personal Goods sector would be an inappropriate option in my opinion because it involves lots of manual and material costs. This sector will also gain lower growth unlike the retail sector, which should have higher growth. Telecommunications The telecommunication sector offers a wide variety of jobs and is an important sector for the economy. The UK is one of the leading locations for telecommunication in Europe. In recent times, the competition between telecommunication companies has sharply risen since the early 1990s. This is due to the rapidly increasing use of phone lines, internet and mobiles etc. This sector also was affected with the credit crisis during late 2007 as shown below on diagram. One of the largest companies in the telecommunications sector BT faced their third-quarter profits had been reduced to 81 per cent. This was due to the poor performance from the BTs IT network division. BT had also had to write off a lot of its contracts which resulted in a loss of  £336 million. But it should be considered that this was due to the credit crisis, now that the crisis is finished, most companies should start to develop more growth in the telecommunication sector. Investment Telecommunications is constantly developing through mobile devices, video calling and other services. Todays technology has an impact on the telecommunication sector, such as Apple, that supplies innovative telecommunication service through its Iphone. There telecommunication service offers many new services, which suggest this sector would be ideal for strong growth The Tech Hardware sector involves lots of constant research that includes innovation and development, which could involve lots of costs in this sector. The Electronic Electronic Equipment sector involves large costs of investment because of the development and material costs involved, you must take into consideration of the current competiveness in the market today. This sector makes up for 4 per cent of the Europeans municipal waste, which is growing three times faster than any other waste management system, as discussed by Waste online website. It would not be recommended to invest in the Media sector because of the competiveness in this market. Current organisations in the media sector are losing out from customers, due to the vastly availability of free media available online. Pharmaceuticals Biotechnology Sector: Chemicals General The pharmaceuticals and biotechnology sector is a massive industry, there are many companies involved with the field. The value of the global pharmaceutical market is expected to grow 5-7 percent in 2011, to $880 billion, compared with a 4-5 percent pace this year, according to IMS Health. The sector divides itself into two sub-sectors. Pharmaceutical companies: Develop and manufacture prescription and over-the-counter drugs (aspirin, cold remedies, birth control pills), as well as vaccines. Biotechnology companies: Create new biological substances for use in drugs and diagnosing tools through research and development. The sector is mainly occupied by small, extremely specialised, research firms. As these companies dont have a normal income flow, but rely more upon new discoveries to help fund future research any breakthroughs or licensing arrangements. As this can lead to large revenues which may help fund even further research. On the other hand due to the small size of the businesses any delays in acquiring funding may cause cash flow problems. Along with this trading can be very irregular as new discoveries can cause share prices to rocket. There has been a trend in the pharmaceutical industry whereby small biotechnology companies are carrying out the premature work on new discoveries, before selling their work to the industry leaders, which is quite similar to an outsourcing model. The end result allows the product to be sold in large quantities to a global market. The industry has seen very drastic changes over the past few quarters, since performance was affected by factors such as generic competition. The next 5 years suggest a major change between the introduction of new products and patent loses. One of the main reasons why the global pharmaceutical market growth, will be limited to 5-8% through 2014 is because over the next five years. Products that generate sales upwards of $142 billion will eventually face competition from generic products. Also upcoming products are not likely to reach the same amount of sales, as products lose their patent protection. Fig 1. The above graph shows the FTSE-350 of the Pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector over a period of 4 years. You can see the affects of the credit crisis in the first quarter of 2008, after this there is a slight increase in the market however the market crashes in the first quarter of 2009. Overall the sector produced total revenues of $615.1billion in 2008. One of the most profitable sectors of the market in 2008 was cardiovascular which was worth 19.8% of the markets total value. That is equivalent to $121.7 billion. Forecasts suggest that the growth of the market is set to shrink with a likely CAGR of 3.6% fro, 2008-2013. This should cause the value of the market to increase to $734 by the end of 2013. Top ten companies top 10 pharma bio.jpg Emerging Markets Other recent trends include focusing on emerging markets such as the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). This is due to sales in emerging markets that have been growing at faster rate than sales in the established markets (IMS, 2010). Within the next five years these emerging markets will generate as much revenue as the traditional markets such as the U.S. market (largest pharmaceutical market) along with Europe and Japan. Source: IMS health Construction Materials Sector: Industrials materials This sector includes companies that are involved with discovering, developing and processing raw materials and mining/refining of metals, chemicals and forestry. Due to this sector supplying materials for construction, it heavily relies on a strong economy. This sector can also be very unpredictable as it is vulnerable to supply and demand due to prices of raw materials such as gold. In general construction activity declined rapidly by 10.5% in 2009. Estimates backed by fragile private sector housing, industrial and commercial property activity suggest a further fall of 1.6% in 2010. The most profitable in the sector over the past year was infrastructure and public non-housing (such as schools) which increased by 10% and 25% Recent data shows slight signs of recovery in the private sector, particularly in new housing. This is backed up by survey evidence which shows a slight increase in housing activity in the final quarter of 2009 construction2.jpg In 2010, private sector housing activity is expected to show further signs of a gradual recovery, but recent signs of increased investor confidence in commercial property may not translate into stronger activity until 2011. This is shown in the graph below. contruction 1.jpg Review Public housing: Weak activity in the private sector has caused output in this sector to have fallen in 2009. However due to the governments drive to help increase affordable housing there are signs of increase in the second half of 2009. Public housing is expected to rise around 6-7% within the next two years. Private housing: Output for private housing was forecasted to drop by nearly 30% last year. Forecasts suggest the recovery period will be gradual. Housing indicators also show recovery in house prices and mortgage approvals. Output in this sector is set to rise to 1% this year pushing it to 10% in 2011 Infrastructure and public non-housing: This sector is continuously growing over the past year this has been due to a number of high- profile projects such as road and rail projects across the UK, the schools building programme and the 2012 Olympics Private commercial and industrial: Over 25% of output has plunged since last year in this sector according to forecasts. Even though there has been interest to investors in this specific sector. Output will likely increase again in 2010, as the commercial sector underperformed industrial, before it returns to normal growth. Repair maintenance: As the current economic situation is slowly recovering, maintenance and private repair are expected to stabilise and eventually grow in 2011. However its different story for public repair and maintenance as its easier to push back spending on this area than make a cut in new high- profile investments Chemicals General including:- Support Services Tobacco Industrials Materials including:- Industrial Transportation Industrial General Industrial Engineering Sector: Chemicals General Sub Sector 1: Chemicals The chemical industry is very crucial to UK manufacturing as it provides the essential compounds for the manufacturing processes and the also the large number of jobs it creates. The industry is equivalent to 1.5%GDP. UKs manufacturing industry total sales of  £62.62bn over the period of 2005 to 2009. However when the economy fell into recession one of the key sectors to be hit by this was manufacturing which the chemical industry is a key supplier of. This sector is highly competitive which has lead to a great deal of mergers and acquisitions. Majority of the major companies in the UK industry are global players which are focused on core ` activities which involve specialised synthesis or final formulation of products. Before the economic recession growth was steady and would have increased over a period of time, however due to the sluggish growth of the UK economy and also globally. Growth will stay reasonably restrained in 2011-2012. Along with the dire state of the governments finance which will eventually lead to tax rises and spending cuts. Therefore this subsector will not be a profitable investment. However export markets in emerging economies are more likely to successful. Sub Sector 2: Health Care Equipment Services The Healthcare industry is broken down into smaller groups such as medical devices, laboratory equipment, system and technology and associated services such as management, training and education. The majority of companies that operate in the UK are foreign-owned mostly American. This sector exports up to  £4bn worth of products and services annually into the global market. Overall this sector is growing extremely fast as there are so many countries working to improve their health care services and facilities. The main reason to the UKs growing presence in the global market is down to the positive relationship between the government, the industry, NHS and private sectors. Along with the well developed health care infrastructure. One of the main themes of the healthcare industry has become cost reduction this is due to the difficult economic times. It is very crucial that the organisations look for new ways to help decrease costs. Therefore this sub sector will not be a profitable investment.