Essay Writing In Malaysian Schools

Essay Writing In Malaysian Schools Essay writing is a must for Malaysian secondary schools students. There are few types of essays that the students need to master. Guided writing, summary writing and continuous writing are the three main types of essay that are tested in examination. These three different types of writing test students ability to understand and use correct grammar, to apply language skills for interpersonal purposes, to apply language skills for informational purposes, and to apply language skills for aesthetic purposes (Malaysian Examinations Syndicate, 2004). Students have to excel in these three types of writing to be able to apply it in real life situation. Students are assessed on their writing skills in school tests as well as in the national standardized test. Different methods of assessment are used in evaluating students essays. At different levels and tests, there will be at least a minor difference in the method of assessing. In Malaysia secondary school, teachers are not given any specific guides to assess students written works. They assess according to their own methods and experiences. Many methods can be used for assessing students essays. Every method has its own specific guidance and teachers can use them based on their needs and students performance. For example, holistic scoring method is used to assess students essays in a generalized way that is to look at their works as a whole piece without analyzing it in details. Any method is analytic scoring method where teachers look at students performance in details. Both methods can be applied by teachers in classroom- based assessment. In this study, only two methods of essay scoring will be discussed which are mentioned above. Holistic and analytic scoring methods are very different and unique in their own way. Therefore, it is important that teachers know how to use both of them in assessing students essays. The subjects that will be chosen for this study are English teachers in secondary schools in Malaysia. They will be investigated on the ways they use to assess their students essay. A few students from their class will also be chosen to give feedbacks about their teachers assessment. 1.2 Statement of Problem Students essays are marked without a standard scale in Malaysian secondary schools. Teachers score their students based on what they think is good for them. They use mostly holistic scoring method which might not be fair to students (Bloom, Daiker White). The ministry of education might be responsible for what had happened. Teachers mark students essays according to what the ministry suggests. Holistic scoring method has long been implemented in schools. Is it the best method for teachers and students? Some problems have occurred with this method because it is not specific enough. It might also create biasness in the case where students are close to their teachers. This method views the essay as a whole without further analysis on each component. While analytic scoring method views the essay in a more specific way, it provides details for students to be able to know what is lacking in their essays. Analytic scoring method uses a rubric as a standard scale to mark essays. Analytic scoring method is regarded as requiring more work and is expensive while holistic scoring method is considered cheaper and more efficient. Holistic scoring method provides less information to students than analytic soring method. Each of the methods has their own advantages but there should be one method that is more suitable for essay scoring. 1.3 Purpose of the Study This study is aimed at investigating the use of holistic scoring method and analytic rubrics in essay scoring among teachers of Malaysian secondary school. This study is also aimed at discovering the relationship between the two methods. Another goal of this study is to find out how analytic scoring method can be applied in Malaysian secondary schools. 1.4 Significance of the Study Methods of essay scoring have been discussed by many experts all around the globe. It is important in a sense that it reflects students ability in writing essay. The wrong method used to mark their essays will cause their performance to drop. How students write essays, sometimes depend on how the teachers mark their essay. There is a vital connection between the two. Basically, Malaysian secondary schools teachers mark students essay according to what they believe is correct and suitable for their students and the method they use can be considered as holistic scoring method. It is very important that they know a method in specific so that they can mark students essay in details. With this study, it is hope that teachers will realized that analytic scoring method is a more suitable method to be used in essay scoring as it will enhance students writing skills precisely and increase the quality of their essays. 1.5 Research Questions The research questions for this study are as follows: How is holistic scoring method used in marking students essays? How are analytic scoring rubrics used in marking students essays? Why is the holistic scoring method mostly used in school? Why is the analytic scoring rubric rarely used for marking essays in school? How far is it possible to integrate analytic scoring rubric in the curriculum of Malaysian secondary school? CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction According to Normah Othman (2006), there is no specific scoring strategy implemented specially for a classroom-based assessment of direct writing in Malaysian secondary schools. As it is now, ESL teachers currently use a scoring method adopted from the Malaysian Examinations Syndicate. Therefore, teachers can choose to use analytic or holistic scoring. But most of the teachers use holistic scoring in Malaysian Secondary context. Below are the researches done at different countries on analytic and holistic scoring method. According to Alharby (2006), studies addressing issues related to performance assessment seem to be taking two relatively different directions. One if it is to search for the best scoring method that maximizes reliability and validity of assessment. This is usually accomplished by comparing two of the most popular scoring methods used with performance assessment, the holistic scoring method vs. the analytic scoring method. According to him again, the holistic scoring method is usually used with large scale assessment because it is less time consuming than the analytic method; the latter often producing a very large number of responses that need to be evaluated in a short period of time. The analytic scoring method, on the other hand, is usually used with classroom assessments because it provides more detailed feedback on students learning progress for teachers, students, and parents than does the holistic scoring method. In this research paper, the two essay scoring methods will be f ocused on in Malaysian secondary school context. Moon and Callahan (2001) reported that performance assessments have become more popular within classroom assessments for the last two decades. Methods used in performance assessment are analytic and holistic scoring methods. This two types of scoring methods have been concerned by many researches regarding issues such as its reliability (Parkers, Zimmaro, Zappe, Suen, 1998), validity (Kane, Crooks Cohen, 1999), cost (Picus, 1994), and practicality (Baker Aschbacher, 1992). In this research paper, all the mentioned issues will only be dealt as general factors that affect teachers of English in Malaysian secondary context in choosing essay scoring method. Waltman, Kahn Koency (1998) found that the way raters score individual responses affect reliability as well as the validity of an assessment. The two most common ways to score individual responses such as essays written by students are the holistic scoring method and the analytic scoring method. According to Clauser (2000), analytic scoring method is recommended for simple tasks such as tasks to evaluate students ability in spelling and grammar usage. On the other hand, Clauser recommends the holistic scoring method when the tasks are more complicated such as evaluating the adequacy of a haiku. According to Charney (1984), the holistic scoring method tends to be favored by large scale assessment with numerous examinees because it is less time consuming. In contrast, Vacc (1989) claimed that the analytic scoring method tends to be favored by classroom assessment because of the detailed feedback it offers to teachers, students, and their parents in terms of how students performed on t he assessment. Holistic Scoring Method The holistic scoring method was first introduced in 1960s and was known as the general impression scoring method (Hunter, 1996). Similarly, Ojeda (2004) stated that the holistic scoring approach is an approach where graders read to evaluate an essay as a whole-without focusing on or overemphasizing any one particular part or aspect. It started to become popular in the middle of the 70s (Boring, 2002). Huot (1990) pointed out that the holistic scoring method is a technique in which raters are asked to evaluate individual responses as a whole by their first impression without going to specific possible subdomains of the trait being tested. Klein et al. (1998, p.122) stated that this approach [holistic scoring method] is usually most appropriate when the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, that is when scores need to be sensitive to general features of answer quality, such as organization, style, and persuasiveness. In recent year, the holistic scoring method has become even mor e popular, especially with large scale assessments. In Malaysian secondary schools, this method is widely used. Besides that, many researchers have also tried to define holistic scoring approach. White (1984, 1985) defined holistic scoring as a global approach to texts, reflecting the idea that a written text is a single entity. White (1984, 1985) maintained that holistic scoring is preferable because it more closely simulates the impression a reader the meaning of the text as a whole rather than focus on individual features of the writing, such as grammar. White (1985), Weigle (2002), and Hyland (2002) describe holistic scoring as involving carefully selected and experienced raters who use their skilled impressions to give a paper a single, integrated score that is supposed to represent the writers overall writing ability. Powills, Bowers, and Conlan (1979) explained that this holistic approach to scoring essays is an attempt to evaluate wholes rather than parts so that performance on one facet does not determine the judgment of performance on the whole. Different researchers have identified different reasons for the increase of the holistic scoring methods popularity. Some think that it is because the holistic scoring method is the most direct assessment technique (Cooper, 1997); while others think that the reason is that the holistic scoring method is the most economical, flexible and applicable assessment (Huot, 1990; Veal Hudson, 1983). As for White (2004), he pointed out that despite disagreements that arise about the scorings of some papers; this has become the standard way of scoring gatekeeping writing tests in large-scale writing assessments. Findings by Coffman (1968), Freedman (1979), and Breland and Jones (1984) supported that holistic scoring helps focus raters on meaning, showing that holistic raters of essay writing ability seem to attend more to content features than to mechanics and sentence structure. One potential advantage of holistic scoring methods in the assessment of second language writing ability is that they are more practical. Godshalk, Swineford, and Coffman, (1966), Alloway (1978), and Powills, Bowers, and Conlan (1979) all found holistic scoring methods to be more efficient than analytic scoring methods, particularly for large-scale exams, noting the advantages of such an approach in saving time and money. Furthermore, Smith, Winters-Edys, Quellmalz, and Baker (1980) estimated that holistic scoring takes approximately two-thirds the time of analytic scoring. Although holistic scoring method is widely accepted as the most appropriate tool for this purpose, many writing practitioners and administrators reportedly view the holistic technique with reservation (Enginarlar, 1991, p. 39). Hamp-Lyons (1996, p. 234) objects to the single point score resulting from holistic grading, which she claims obscures a pattern of consistent overemphasis or underemphasis on basic language control. Another claim is that a higher share of midlevel papers seem to end up with split scores-scores 2 points apart that must be resolved by a third grader-so holistic scoring may be less effective for evaluating midlevel performances than an analytic method might be (Elbow, 1996b). According to East (2009), the strength of holistic scoring lies in its practicality, which in large-scale testing contexts is an important consideration. Besides that, Vaughan (1991) argues that researchers looking at holistic assessment have often assumed that given a scale that describes the characteristics of an essay at each level, trained raters will assess the essays in the same way every time (p.112). Despite all the strength of holistic scoring, Prior research has established that there are some problems with holistic scoring method. Charney (1984) speculates that scores in holistic readings are based on superficial features, such as handwriting, essay length, word choice and spelling errors. This is in accord with Stewart and Grobe (1979), who concluded that raters were primarily influenced by essay length and freedom from simple mechanical errors (p. 214). Diederich, French, and Carlton (1961) found that judgments made by essay raters under holistic scoring conditions were unreliable. They recommended that considerable effort should be done to establish and maintain reliable ratings. Diederich (1974) claimed that until holistic scoring procedures were refined, the score an essay received could depend more on who the rater was than on any qualities of the text itself. Charney (1984), Gere (1980), and Odell and Cooper (1980) also questioned the premises on which certain conclusions about the reliability of holistic scoring have been based. Charney observed that the way holistic raters read texts may create an unnatural reading environment in which scores might only reflect agreement on salient but superficial features of writing, such as the quality of the handwriting or the presence of spelling errors. According to Hamp-Lyons (1995), English as Second Language writers have a special need for scoring procedures that go beyond just the assign of a single score because one score does not allow raters to distinguish between various aspects of writing, such as language control, range of vocabulary, or organizational control. Hamp-Lyons also pointed out that it is problematic for second language (L2) writers since different aspects of writing ability seem to develop at different rates for different writers. Some writers may be strong in expressing content and organization, but limited in grammatical accuracy; others may have excellent language control at the sentence level, but be unable to organize their writing. All the aspects mentioned by Hamp-Lyons should be taken into consideration when teachers of English in Malaysian secondary schools score an essay. Additionally, holistic scores are not easy to interpret because raters do not necessarily use the same criteria to arrive at the same scores. One rater may assign a score to a writing sample based on content and organization, while another rater assigns the same score on the basis of language control (grammar) and vocabulary. Charney (1984) noted that time constraints affect raters depth of processing. When spending only two minutes on a paper, a rater may assign a score that only reflects agreement on salient but superficial features of writing, such as the quality of the handwriting or the presence of spelling errors (p. 78). In another study, Arthur (1979) found that the holistic rankings of second language learners (L2) essays written by lower-intermediate adult learners were related to frequency of spelling and grammar errors, and that the best predictor of rating was the length of composition. In addition, Raforth and Rubin (1984) found that college instructors perceptions of composition quality were most influenced by mechanics. A single holistic score assigned to a writing sample may thus represent different aspects of writing ability for different raters. In holistic rating of L2 writing samples, a significantly larger amount of inconsistent textual information must be processed in a limited amount of time, which may affect the ratings. Several studies have suggested that a quick holistic read of an L2 writing sample may not allow the rater the time necessary to accurately assess the writing performance. Huot (1993) noted that when the rater is required to read a text so quickly for a limited set of criteria outlined in a scoring rubric, the need for agreement may hinder a rich, personal response to the text, thus affecting the consistency of the scores. Hamp- Lyons (2003) has cautioned that it is difficult to accurately capture the criteria used by raters during the quick read of a holistic scoring. Apart from that, Grobe (1981) concluded from an analysis of essays and correlation with holistically obtained scores that teachers see good writing as being closely associated with vocabulary diversity (p. 85). Sakyi (2001) supports Grobes view that raters decisions on awarding scores are significantly influenced by vocabulary diversity and the extent of grammatical error, but also by the range and sophistication of syntax and the style or format of the writing. Sakyi also notes from his own research that for raters who made a conscious effort to follow the scoring guide, the restrictions imposed on them to assign a single score at the end caused them to depend mostly on only one or two particular features to distinguish between different levels of ability (p. 129). Analytic Scoring Method The analytic scoring method was introduced at the same time as the holistic scoring method (Boring, 2002). Hunter (1996) explained that for the analytic scoring method, the domain being tested is subdivided to smaller subdomains. Each of these subdomains is then evaluated by itself. The sum of these subdomains would, by default, reproduce the whole. Proponents of analytic scoring methods (Jacobs, Zinkgraf, Wormuth, Hartfiel, Hughey, 1981; Hamp-Lyons, 1990; Huot, 1993; Weigle, 1999) have found several advantages to this method of scoring. One of the advantages is with multiple scores; analytic scoring schemes provide more information about a test takers performance than holistic scoring schemes and permit a profile of the areas of writing ability. Analytic scoring methods can provide specific feedback, which is needed in measuring achievement, predicting future success, and accurately placing students (Shaw, 2002; Bacha 2001), as well as providing useful diagnostic feedback on writing performance (Jacobs, et al., 1981; Hamp-Lyons, 1991; Cohen, 1994). In the assessment of L2 writing ability, analytic scales are very useful if a students writing ability is developing at differing rates for situation such as when vocabulary is good, but organizational control is lacking. Hamp-Lyons (1991), Huot (1996) and Weigle (2002) have suggested that analytic-type scales are generally more reliable than holistic-type scales since each candidate gets more than one score, and multiple scores contribute to reliability. Regarding intra-rater reliability, some research has suggested that analytic scoring is more useful than holistic in training inexperienced raters. It is argued that the raters can more easily interpret and apply the scoring criteria in separate domains than the criteria as described in one holistic rubric (Francis, 1977, and Adams, 1981, both cited in Weir (1990); Hartog, Rhodes, Burt, 1936; Cast, 1939; Bauer, 1981; and Weigle, 1998). Cumming (1990) suggested that an analytical scale tends to reflect what raters do when rating samples of writing or other language performance that is consider the individual features of writing one by one. According to Vacc (1989), the analytic technique is preferred over the holistic scoring method when detailed feedback is needed, especially with classroom assessments. Another reason to use analytic scoring method is that it has been argued that training raters to use analytic scoring rubrics is relatively easier than training them to use holistic scoring rubrics (Cohen, 1994; McNamara, 1996). According to Boring (2002), one advantage of the analytic scoring method over the holistic scoring method is that with the analytic technique, it is possible to give various weights to different subdomains based on their theoretical importance. In addition, Kroll (1990) described that it can help meet the need that many ESL learners who fail writing tests have, for feedback on both the deficiencies and the qualities in their writing (Kroll, 1990). There are, however, a number of disadvantages to using an analytic scoring scheme for the assessment of direct writing samples. The primary concern regarding analytic scoring is practicality. As Weigle (2002) pointed out, it generally takes longer to score a writing sample using an analytic rubric since the rater must make multiple decisions for each writing sample and thus must read the sample multiple times. Some critics doubt whether writing ability can be measured by a composite score based on different aspects of writing. White (1985) argued that writing is more than the sum of its parts, and that the use of an analytic scoring scheme may in effect divert attention from overall essay effect. Weigle (1999) noted information is lost when raters revise their scores on the different scales once they consider the single composite score. Raters may also tend to rate holistically rather than analytically so that the rater ends up assigning a writing sample the same score in every domain (Cohen, 1994). An additional problem with analytic scoring and rater bias surfaced in Cummings (1990) descriptive analysis of raters comments. Cumming (1990) also found that both novice and expert raters tended to analytically evaluate ESL compositions on both language control and writing ability, implicitly attributing separate values to each of these domains. Hamp-Lyons (1989) noted another potential problem in the reliability of analytic scoring schemes in that an analytic scoring method may favor essays where performance criteria are easily and quickly extracted from the writing sample. While an analytic scoring method offers the potential of additional information regarding the students L2 writing ability, there are potential problems of reliability and validity derived from the scoring procedures. Conclusion All the researches had shown that the method used by teachers in assessing students essay will definitely have an impact on students writing skills and ability. It is very vital to use the correct method so that students will improve their performance. From all the researches also, it can be concluded that most of them focus on the reliability, validity and practicality of the two scoring methods from many perspective. There is very few or none research is done on the teachers point of view on the two methods. In this research paper, the teachers opinions will be concern as much as possible. 2.2 Definition of terms Holistic scoring method is a method which teachers use to evaluate a piece of students writing for its overall quality. It is a method used in essay scoring whereby a single mark is awarded to an essay from a range of marks categorized in different performance bands in which each band is characterized by descriptors based on the total impression of the essay as a whole. It is widely used in Malaysian schools to mark essays in school-based and public examinations. Analytic scoring method is a method that teachers use to assess students written works more specifically and in detail. It is usually based on a well structured rubric where all the components that need to be assessed are stated out clearly and in detail. This method views an essay in as technical a manner as possible. It is not a common method used in Malaysian secondary schools. CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction The first purpose of this study is to investigate the use of holistic scoring method and analytic rubrics in essay scoring among teachers of Malaysian secondary schools. This study is also aimed at discovering the relationship between the two methods. Another goal of this study is to find out how analytic scoring method can be applied in Malaysian secondary school. As for the research questions in this study, the first one is how holistic scoring method is used in marking students essays. The second question is how analytic scoring rubrics are used in marking students essays. The third question is why holistic scoring method is mostly used in school. The fourth question is why analytic scoring rubric is rarely used in marking school essays. The last question is how possible is it for analytic scoring rubric to be integrated in the curriculum of Malaysian secondary school. To fulfill the purpose and research questions for this study, only one method is used. Fifty survey questionnaires were distributed. 3.2 Population and sampling The population chosen for this study was teachers of English from Malaysian secondary schools. The population was selected randomly. There was no distinction between gender and races. Fifty teachers from different schools were given the questionnaire. Six schools were chosen to answer the questionnaires. All the teachers chosen to answer questionnaire were teachers of English. All the schools chosen are selected randomly to ensure that there is no bias. 3.3 Instrumentation The instrument used was a questionnaire consisting of 5 sections. The survey is constructed in 5 sections to answer all the research questions. A copy of the survey is attached to appendix A. 3.4 Procedure and time frame This research took about 6 weeks to complete. It started during the 6th week and ended in the 12th week of the semester. During this period of time, the researcher went to six Malaysian secondary schools to give out the questionnaire. First of all, the researcher identified the schools that are suitable for the study. Schools that have at least 8 teachers of English were selected. Secondly, the researcher went to the schools and met with the principal of each school. The researcher asked permission from the principal to give out the questionnaires. Almost all the schools asked the researcher to leave the questionnaires there for collection the next week. The researcher left the questionnaires there according to the number of teachers of English in each school. Thirdly, the researcher went back to each school the next week and collected all the completed questionnaires. Some questionnaires were not collected mainly because teachers were busy with examinations. After collecting all the questionnaires, data were analyzed. 3.5 Analysis plan All the data collected from the survey will be analyzed according to research questions. The first and second sections of the questionnaire are to answer the first two research questions on analytic and holistic scoring. These two sections consist of characteristics on both analytic and holistic scoring. The answers respondents have chosen will reveal their scoring method accurately. Item A1 to A3 will be on analytic marking method, while A4 to A6 will be on holistic marking method. The following graph will present the result for each item. Figure 3.1 . The outline of the presentation of result for section A of the questionnaire Where: A1 I use analytic marking method (mark according to specific criterion) A2 I concentrate on one criterion at a time and read the response specifically for that criterion. A3 I read the response and mark errors in spelling, sentence structure and coherence A4 I use holistic marking method (mark essay as a whole) A5 I read the response and give a mark as a whole A6 After the first reading I assign one band score to the response and confirm this after subsequent readings. Another graph will be for section B. The following graph is to summarize the percentage for section B. Figure 3.2. The outline of the presentation of result for section B of the questionnaire Where: B1 Is the marking scheme holistic guide? B2 Is the marking scheme analytic guide? B3 Do you find the marking scheme easy to interpret? B4 Do you find the marking scheme easy to apply? B5 Do you feel the assessment criteria in the marking scheme provide an accurate and fair assessment? B6 Do you think it is necessary to change the current marking scheme? The third section answers the third research question on holistic scoring. This section is to explore the reasons of teachers who use holistic scoring. The fourth section answered the fourth research question on analytic scoring. This section is to explore the reasons of teachers who use analytic scoring. 7 reasons presented in the questionnaires were according to literature review. This is to find out why teachers like to use holistic or analytic scoring. Two graphs as follow will be used to summarize the result. Figure 3.3. The outline of the presentation of result for section C of the questionnaire Where: C1 I like to use it. C2 It is more convenient. C3 It costs less. C4 It saves time. C5 It is reliable. C6 It provides good feedback for students. C7 It is fair. Figure 3.4. The outline of the presentation of result for section D of the questionnaire Where: D1 I like to use it. D2 It is more convenient. D3 It costs less. D4 It saves time. D5 It is reliable. D6 It provides good feedback for students. D7 It is fair. The last section is to examine the possibility of using analytic scoring in Malaysian secondary context. This answered the last research question. This section is on curriculum of Malaysian secondary school and the use of analytic scoring. If teachers are more positive towards using analytic scoring, it suggests that it is possible to use. The graph used to analyze the result is as follows. Figure 3.5. The outline of the presentation of result for section E of the questionnaire Where: E1 It is possible to mark students essays based on specific features and criterion in school E2 I think that teachers are willing to use analytic scoring rubric in school E3 Analytic scoring rubric is suita

Research on Education Policy Development in Secondary School

Research on Education Policy Development in Secondary School CHAPTER THREE:  METHODOLOGY This chapter presents the methodology used in carrying out the research. The research design, population, sample and sampling techniques, instrumentation, validity, reliability, administration and method of data analysis. Research Design Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The design gave the researcher the necessary information to be able to draw some basic conclusions about the adequacy of the data as regards policy implementation in education (Cooper Schindler, 2001). Descriptive survey research design is one in which a group of people or items is studied by collecting and analyzing data from only a few people or items considered to be representative of the entire group (Nworgu, 1991:54). Population The population of the study comprised 247 public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. The respondents consisted of all the 247 school principals and 8452 teachers in senior secondary schools in the State bringing the total population to 8,699 (Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board, 2015). Sample and Sampling Techniques The sample for this study comprised 1,305 principals and teachers (15% of 247 = 37 principals and 15% of 8452 = 1268 teachers) using the multi-stage sampling technique. Multi-stage refers to sampling plans where the sampling is carried out in stages using smaller and smaller sampling units at each stage (Wikipedia, 2016). Instrument For Data Collection The instrument for data collection of research data was the questionnaire titled: Assessment of implementation of Education Policy changes Questionnaire (AIEPCQ). The questionnaire was divided into sections A and B. section A was on demographic information and section B was divided into four parts with eight items on each of the parts making a total number of 32 items. Part I focused on information and communication technology (ICT) in public secondary schools, II on the universalization of Junior secondary education, III on professionalization of the teaching profession, and IV on the school-based management policy in senior secondary schools. Document analysis was to supplement questionnaire data. The questionnaire was designed in such a way as to gather information on the perceptions and experiences of a wide range of participants through narrative of their participation and observation of the role of policy implementation. Respondents were asked to indicate the extent to which th ey agree with each statement using the modified Likert type scale ranging from Very High Extent to Low Extent. Very High Extent (V.H.E)-(4 ) High Extent (H.E)-(3 3.99) Moderate Extent (M.E)-(2 2.99) Low Extent (L.E) -(1 1.99) Respondents indicated the extent to which they agree or disagree with the statements. The responses were assigned numerical value. Validity Content and face validities of the instrument for the study were determined. The content and face validity were determined by the scrutiny of two lecturers in the department of Educational Management including the researchers supervisor. Their comments and corrections were adopted to improve the quality of the instrument. Reliability The reliability of the instrument was determined through the use of Cronbach Alpha method. Cronbach Alpha is a reliability co-efficient that reflects how well the items in a set are positively correlated to one another (Sekaran, 1992:69). The instrument was administered once to 20 sampled respondents that were not part of the sample. The reliability co-efficient was determined using the cronbach alpha. The internal consistency of the instrument was computed to be 0.71 Administration of Instrument The researcher including three trained research assistants administered the questionnaire to the school principals and teachers. A total of 1305 questionnaire was administered, 1200 were collected back and found suitable for an analysis. Method of Data Analysis Mean and rank order statistics were used in analyzing the four research questions raised. The criterion mean of 2.5 was adopted. z-test statistics was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. CHAPTER FOUR:  RESULTS AND DISCUSSION This chapter focused on the results and discussion of findings obtained in this study. One thousand two hundred copies of the questionnaire were retrieved and found suitable for analysis. Table 4.1: Distribution of respondents according to their status. STATUS No. Administered No. collected Percentage Return Principals 37 37 100% Teachers 1268 1163 92% Total 1305 1200 Research Question 1: To what extent is the policy on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in senior secondary schools in Rivers state implemented? Table 4.2 Mean (X), mean set and rank order of principals and teachers on the extent of policy on the implementation of information and communication technology (ICT) in Rivers State. S/N Items Teachers N = 1163 Principals N = 37 Mean set Rank Remark 1. Development of skills through the use of computers 3.18 2.84 3.01 5th High extent 2 Use of Computer to enhance productivity 2.69 3.03 2.86 6th Moderate extent 3. Effective teaching by teachers through the use of computers 3.06 3.08 3.07 4th High extent 4. Creation of effective human capital through the use of computers 2.98 3.29 3.14 2nd High extent 5 Students learn effectively through the use of computers 3.13 3.08 3.11 3rd High extent 6. Ease teachers workload through the use of power point 2.58 2.57 2.58 8th Moderate extent 7. Increased individualization of learning by students through the use of ICT 2.86 2.65 2.76 7th Moderate extent 8. Students exposure to the rudiments of computer literacy 3.37 3.11 3.24 1st High extent AGREEMENT 2.98 2.96 2.97 Source: Field Research, 2015. Table 4.2 shows an aggregate mean of 2.97 for both principals and teachers, the highest mean scores of 3.24, 3.14, 3.11, 3.07, 3.01, 2.86, 2.76 and 2.58 were ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th respectively having means above the criterion mean of 2.5 were accepted indicating that school administrators to a moderate extent implement policy on the use of information and communication technology in Rivers State. Research Questions 2: What is the extent of implementation of policy on the universalization of Junior Secondary Education in Rivers State. Table 4.3 Mean (X), mean set and rank order of principals and teachers on the extent of policy on the universalization of junior secondary education in Rivers State. S/N Items Teachers N = 1163 Principals N = 37 Mean set Rank Remark 9. Disarticulation of JSS from SSS 2.72 3.16 2.94 6th Moderate extent 10. Provision of free and compulsory basic education 2.94 3.35 3.15 2nd High extent 11. Compulsory nine years of primary and junior secondary education 2.94 2.49 2.72 8th Moderate extent 12. Emphasis on curriculum diversification 2.82 3.19 3.01 5th High extent 13. Automatic transition from primary to Junior secondary education 3.17 2.86 3.02 4th High extent 14. Restructuring the school system 2.98 3.24 3.11 3rd High extent 15. Students gets more experience before proceeding to senior secondary 3.34 2.97 3.16 1st High extent 16. Few students to a teacher in the classroom 2.60 3.11 2.86 7th Moderate extent AGGREGATE 2.94 3.05 2.99 Table 4.3 shows an aggregate mean of 2.99 for both principals and teachers, the high mean scores of 3.16, 3.15, 3.11, 3.02, 3.01, 2.94, 2.86 and 2.72 were ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th respectively having means above the criterion mean of 2.5 were accepted indicating that universalization of junior secondary education to a moderate extent in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State is implemented and therefore accepted. Research Question 3: To what extent is the policy on professionalization of the teaching profession in Rivers State implemented? Table 4.4 mean score, mean set and rank order of principals and teachers on the extent of the policy on professionalization of the teaching profession in Rivers State. S/N Items Teachers N = 1163 Principals N = 37 Mean set Rank Remark 17. Continuous teacher professional development 3.02 2.27 2.65 6th Moderate extent 18. Compulsory training of non-professional teachers 3.01 2.70 2.86 4th Moderate extent 19. Must be registered with the professional bodies in Nigeria 2.58 3.05 2.82 5th Moderate extent 20. Improvement of quality education at all levels 2.61 2.54 2.58 7th Moderate extent 21. Development of in-service training 3.11 2.92 3.01 3rd High extent 22. Recruitment of only professional teachers 3.08 2.97 3.02 2nd High extent 23. Regular exposure to innovations in the profession 3.01 3.05 3.03 1st High extent 24. Development of knowledge and skills through mastery of subject matter 2.61 2.41 2.51 8th Moderate extent AGGREGATE 2.89 2.74 2.82 Table 4.4 shows an aggregate mean of 2.82 for both principals and teachers, the high mean scores of 3.03, 3.02, 3.01, 2.86, 2.82, 2.65, 2.58 and 2.51 were ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th respectively having means above the criterion mean of 2.5 were accepted indicating that the policy on professionalization of the teaching profession in Rivers State to a moderate extent will help teachers get a worthwhile experience and impart sound educational morals to the students. Research Question 4: To what extent is the policy on school-based management in Rivers State implemented? Table 4.5 mean scores, mean set and rank order of principals and teachers on the implementation of the policy on school based management in Rivers State. S/N Items Teachers N = 1163 Principals N = 37 Mean set Rank Remark 25. To facilitate school effectiveness 2.79 3.22 3.01 2nd High extent 26 Co-operation between school and community 3.02 2.78 2.90 6th Moderate extent 27. Improved infrastructures in schools 2.42 2.78 2.60 8th Moderate extent 28. Provision of funds to cover running costs 2.89 2.97 2.93 5th Moderate extent 29 Committed community support can enhance accountability 3.12 3.00 3.06 1st High extent 30. Contribution to school planning 3.09 2.81 2.95 4th Moderate extent 31. Provision of support to school activities 2.63 3.29 2.96 3rd Moderate extent 32. Regular access to public funds 3.09 2.70 2.89 7th Moderate extent AGGREGATE 2.88 2.94 2.91 Source: field Research, 2015 Table 4.5 shows that with an aggregate mean of 2.91 for both principals and teachers, items 29, 25, 31, 30, 28, 26, 32 and 27 ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th 7th and 8th in a descending order respectively, they were therefore accepted indicating moderate extent on how the school-based management policy has encouraged communities and schools to work co-operatively in enhancing educational growth and development in the state. Ho1: There is no significant difference between the mean scores of school principals and teachers on the extent policy on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in pubic secondary schools in Rivers State is implemented. Table 4.6: Summary of z-test on the difference between teachers and principals on the extent of implementation of policy on the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. Status No. of Respondents X S.D DF Level of significance z-cal z-crit Remark Teachers 1163 2.98 0.98 1198 0.05 0.11 +1.96 There is no significant difference Principals 37 2.96 1.08 Table 4.6 shows that the z-calculated of 0.11 is less than the z-critical value of + 1.96 at 0.05 level of significance with a degree of freedom of 1198. The null hypothesis is therefore accepted, meaning there is no significant difference between the mean rating of principals and teachers on the extent policy on the use of ICT is implemented in senior secondary schools in Rivers State. H02: There is no significant difference between the mean scores of school principals and teachers on the extent policy on the universalization of junior secondary education in Rivers State is implemented. Table 4.7: Summary of z-test on the difference between teachers and principals on the extent of implementation of policy on the universalization of junior secondary education in Rivers State. Status No. of respondents X S.D DF Level of significance z-cal z-crit Remark Teachers 1163 2.94 1.05 1198 0.05 0.66 +1.96 There is no significant difference Principals 37 3.05 0.99 The result from the table shows that, the z-calculated value (-0.66) is less than the z-critical value of (+1.96). The null hypothesis is therefore accepted, indicating no significant difference between the mean rating of principals and teachers on the extent of implementation of policy on the universalization of junior secondary education in Rivers State. Ho3: There is no significant difference between the mean scores of school principals and teachers on the extent policy on professionalizaiton of the teaching profession in Rivers State is implemented. Table 4.8: Summary of z-test on the difference between teachers and principals on the extent of implementation of policy on professionalizaiton of the teaching profession in Rivers State. Status No. of respondents X S.D DF Level of significance z-cal z-crit Remark Teachers 1163 2.89 1.02 1198 0.05 0.78 +1.96 There is no significant difference Principals 37 2.74 1.15 The result from the table shows that the z-calculated value (0.78) is less than the z-critical value (+ 1.96). The null hypothesis is therefore accepted indicating no significant difference between the mean ratings of principals and teachers on the extent of policy on professionalization of the teaching profession in Rivers State is implemented. Ho4: There is no significant difference between the mean scores of principals and teachers on the extent school-based management policy in Rivers State is implemented. Table 4.9: Summary of z-test on the difference between teachers and principals on the extent of implementation of school-based management policy in Rivers State. Status No. of respondents X S.D DF Level of significance z-cal z-crit Remark Teachers 1163 2.88 1.05 1198 0.05 0.33 +1.96 There is no significant difference Principals 37 2.94 1.08 The result from the table shows that the z-calculated value of -0.33 is less than the z-critical value of + 1.96. The null hypothesis is therefore accepted, meaning that there is no significant difference between the mean score of principals and teachers on the implementation of the school-based management policy in Rivers State. DISCUSSION OF FINDING/IMPLICATIONS The main aim of this study was to assess the implementation of education policy changes in senior secondary schools in Rivers State. In other words, the purpose of the study was to capture the extent of implementation of the different policies introduced as regards teaching and learning. The administration of schools, and the experiences gained. The study addressed the following: Implementation of policy on the use of ICT in senior secondary schools in Rivers State. The answer to research question one revealed that the extent school administrators implement policy on ICT in senior secondary schools in Rivers State is development of knowledge and skills through the use of computer, computer usage enhance productivity. There is effective teaching by teachers through the use of computers, creating of effective human capital through the use of computers, students learn effectively through the use of computers in schools, it eases teachers workload through the use of power point in schools, there is in creased individualization of learning by students through the use of ICT and students are exposed to the rudiments of computer literacy. The respondents agreed on all the items as being adequate and were all accepted. The findings considered ensures that all the items were strongly accepted as ICT inculcation in the school curriculum will help improve students learning and teachers effectiveness majority of the respondents totally agreed on the extent to which ICT policy implementation in schools will lend to high level of development, and their roles on managing the implementation of such policies. The result of hypothesis one shows that there is no significant difference between the mean scores of school principals and teachers on the extent to which they do implement policy changes. The above is in line with Adeosun (2010:196) who observed that the major objective is to develop computer and technological literacy through the introduction of computers in secondary schools similar to what has been done in many other countries including turkey and morocco. The implication to policy makers is that school administrators have high regard for ICT integration in secondary schools, the lack of and inadequacy of ICT equipments and facilities might undermine the achievement of policy goals or frustrate the implementation of such policy. According to Ekoro, (2011) facilities are plants, buildings and equipments which enable people to carryout their activities effectively. This implies that ICT integration in secondary schools will develop such society if the necessary equipments and facilities are provided to enable people carryout their activities effectively. According to Adomi, Okiy and Ruteyan (2003), the absence of ICT equipments in most Nigerian schools leads students to resort to cybercafà ©s for internet access. ICT application and use will prove beneficial in improving Nigerias educational system and giving students a better education. A technologically advance workforce will lead to ICT growth in Nigeria, with the potential to improv e military technology and telecommunications, media communications and skilled CT professionals who will be well-equipped to solve IT problems in Nigeria and other parts of the could (Goshit, 2006). Implementation of policy on universalization of junior secondary education. The answer to research question two on the extent of implementation of the policy on the universalization of junior secondary education in Rivers State are; Few students to a teacher in the classroom, there is free and compulsory basic education, there is automatic transition from primary to junior secondary education, compulsory, uninterrupted nine years of primary and junior secondary education, disarticulation of junior secondary School from senior secondary school, provision of free and compulsory basic education, students gets more experience before proceeding to senior secondary and restructuring the secondary school system. The results of the study presented, shows the importance of the perceived relevance of the universal basic education policy in the school system. The results of hypothesis two indicated no significant difference between the mean scores of principals and teachers on the extent of implementati

The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus Essay examples -- essays researc

The following is a book report about: The Leadership Secrets of Santa Claus, and was written by, (Cottrell, et al., 2003). This is an eighty-page leadership skill-building book, published by the Performance Systems Corporation in 2003. There are eight main points (Santa Secrets) discussed by the authors in this book and I agree with them all. However, I will attempt to reveal why I agree that to â€Å"Build A Wonderful Workshop† is important, discuss one secret (â€Å"Listen To The Elves†) I see being practiced in my unit, and express how I will spearhead effecting to â€Å"Share The Milk And Cookies†. I agree with the authors’ idea of â€Å"Building a wonderful workshop†. This chapter speaks on making our mission our main idea while remembering our core values to help us stay focused on our teammates and purpose. Our mission, values, and team are the foundation, cornerstone, and core of what we do, how well we do it, why we do it, and how we see each other in our given roles. If we as a team earnestly keep this statement and all it incorporates as our focus, then I believe the other eight â€Å"secrets† cannot be far off. One of the â€Å"secrets† I see being practiced in my unit is: â€Å"Listen to the Elves†. In this chapter the author discusses the importance of inviting participation from the team. The author also encourages the reader to notice how others perceive them and to spend some time walking in their teammates shoes. I believe this motto involves the entire team, is a constant work in progress...

Comparing Culture in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Pride and Prejudic

Culture in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Pride and Prejudice, and Neuromancer America was formed on the basis of culture. Many different cultural backgrounds flocked to this one area and in the process many existing cultures were destroyed, while the new influx of humanity meshed to create an American culture. This constant flow of cultures from all over the world has kept the American culture in a state of flux. Each historical period has presented its classical viewpoint of American culture through the eyes of its most accomplished authors. There are narratives about clashes of cultures, presentations of cultures and even some focused on teaching a culture. The narratives provide a glimpse into an era that may no longer exist. To understand the effect of narrating one must comprehend its make-up. Essentially there is a three-layer distinction in a narrative-- the text, story and fabula. The simplest component of a narrative is the fabula. A fabula can clearly be exemplified by a comic strip in which each box represents a new event in a chronological sequence. Many times a narrative is presented with no obvious order of events. An excellent example of this is Leslie Silko's novel, Ceremony. The main character, or as Mieke Bal describes it in her book Narratology: Introduction to the Theory of Narrative, the actor, narrates his life by jumping from his childhood to the present, back to the past and finally ending in the present. In addition to this, Bal, defines the text of a narrative as "a finite structure . . . composed of language signs" (5). Using this definition, one could again feel free to use a comic strip as an example of a narrative, but in reality a narrative is much more complicated. Using the d istinct stru... ...ader with an opportunity to experience a culture that no longer exists, or is yet to come. A look at the layout of classical narratives from the beginning of America to the present describes and relives the lives of so many individuals. In providing this glimpse into the past or the future, narratives shape the readers perspective of that time period, leaving the reader with a specific viewpoint on the history of American culture. Works Cited Austin, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Washington Square Press Book, 1960. Bal, Mieke. Narratology: Introduction to the Theory of Narrative. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1985. Gibson, William. Neuromancer. New York: Ace Books, 1984. Sawyer, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Airmont Books, 1962. Silko, Leslie Marmon. Ceremony. New York: Penguin Books, 1977.

Relating The Odyssey to our Lives :: Homer

Getting somewhere is not just the destination, but even more so the journey. The goals are our destination and obstacle and temptations litter the voyage. Like Odysseus, achieving these goals is not a cinch. Obstacles must be faced or avoided, and temptations should be resisted. Our entire lives we all try to accomplish our own personal goals. Like Odysseus, we all have long-term and short-term goals to realize. In life, we all want something we long for and will work relentlessly until we reach that objective, like Odysseus’ ambition to reach his wife and son in Ithaca. Of course we all have minor, transitory goals such as building a house or finishing an essay. Some instances of Odysseus’ secondary goals are him escaping the Cyclopes and keeping his men from eating the lotuses. Personal goals, however, will manage to be interrupted in one way or another. On our journeys we all must resist, or give into, temptations that may hinder our ascent to our goal. All people give into temptation at least once in their lives. One time that Odysseus gave into temptation was when he listened to the Sirens’ songs. We don’t always collapse into temptation, like when Odysseus wanted so badly to kill the suitors but forced himself to wait for the right time. Another time Odysseus defied temptation was when he refused to reveal himself to the people but ceased expose himself until he felt it was the right time. Temptation is not the only thing to obstruct our expedition. We all face obstacles in our life like Odysseus did. A common obstacle in life is a person that you clash and don’t get along with. A good analogy for this in Odysseus’ quest was when he had to evade the Cyclops. Also, people don’t always evade the people and problems that get in their way, but face them. One case of this is when Odysseus had to confront Antinous. Relating The Odyssey to our Lives :: Homer Getting somewhere is not just the destination, but even more so the journey. The goals are our destination and obstacle and temptations litter the voyage. Like Odysseus, achieving these goals is not a cinch. Obstacles must be faced or avoided, and temptations should be resisted. Our entire lives we all try to accomplish our own personal goals. Like Odysseus, we all have long-term and short-term goals to realize. In life, we all want something we long for and will work relentlessly until we reach that objective, like Odysseus’ ambition to reach his wife and son in Ithaca. Of course we all have minor, transitory goals such as building a house or finishing an essay. Some instances of Odysseus’ secondary goals are him escaping the Cyclopes and keeping his men from eating the lotuses. Personal goals, however, will manage to be interrupted in one way or another. On our journeys we all must resist, or give into, temptations that may hinder our ascent to our goal. All people give into temptation at least once in their lives. One time that Odysseus gave into temptation was when he listened to the Sirens’ songs. We don’t always collapse into temptation, like when Odysseus wanted so badly to kill the suitors but forced himself to wait for the right time. Another time Odysseus defied temptation was when he refused to reveal himself to the people but ceased expose himself until he felt it was the right time. Temptation is not the only thing to obstruct our expedition. We all face obstacles in our life like Odysseus did. A common obstacle in life is a person that you clash and don’t get along with. A good analogy for this in Odysseus’ quest was when he had to evade the Cyclops. Also, people don’t always evade the people and problems that get in their way, but face them. One case of this is when Odysseus had to confront Antinous.

Movie Review of War Horse Essay

Stephen Spielberg’s War Horse is a based off of its Tony award-winning Broadway play. The movie starts off in Devon where we are first introduced to a young man named Albert, his father Ted, mother Rose and Lyons the landlord. The father goes to a horse auction in high hopes of finding a horse to help plow the land for crops in order to pay rent and make a living. Once Ted is at the auction he looks upon this horse that is much smaller in size than all the other horse but seemed to have more energy than the rest. At the auction Lyon and Ted bid on the horse going back and forth over price until Ted uses part of his rent money to out bid Lyon. Once ted returns back to the farm his wife realized that this is not the kind of plow horse needed in order to plow this land and also the amount of money he spent in order to get him. Albert decides he is going to train the horse and plow the stone filled field; he then names the horse Joey. Albert begins spending time with Joey trying t o train him. Just like new recruits need to go through basic training in the military they need to learn how to fight and shoot. At first Joey is a little reluctant to learn from Albert but after while begins to get into the swing of things. One day Albert decides that he can’t wait any long to teach Joey how to plow, the land needs to be plowed in order to plant crops and see for the overdue rent. Once again Joey is reluctant to learn how to wear the plow collar but starts to accept it and puts it on. They attempt to plow thru the hard dirt and rocks with little to no result. At one point it seemed that there was no end until it started to rain. Once it started raining Albert noticed the soil loosed up and little and started plowing again, this time with vengeance and determination. Joey and Albert work tirelessly through out the night and rain whereby the next day they have plowed thru all the rock and soil. Time goes by and Albert continues spending time with Joey training him to be mor e obedient and a riding horse. Everything seemed to be going well for the family until one a big storm comes and wipes out all of the crops the have planted. Ted realizes that if he doesn’t do something quick he will not be able to pay Lyon for rent and end up losing his farm. Being despite for money Ted thinks he has no other choice but to sell Joey to the Army. The young officer who purchases Joey realizes that it is something special about  this horse and tells Albert that he promises to return Joey once the war is over. Afterword’s Joey was then trained to be a military horse. After being engaged in machine gun combat the captain is killed and Joey and the remainder of the horses were captured and now under German command. Once at the German camp a young man asks if the horses could be used for the ambulance to pull the wounded off the battlefield. The brother of the young man is called into duty while the brother was asked to stay and watch the camp. The young man unable to persuade his brother not to go into combat takes Joey and another horse goes and grabs him and they run away to a windmill at a farm where they were found and executed by firing squad for treason. The next day the Germans take Joey and the other horse, Topthorn, and end up pulling heavy artillery up a hill. Moving forward Albert was now fighting beside Lyons’s son David who was an officer by this time. After the struggle into no mans land they finally make their way through the dreadful German trenches. Joey and Topthorn made it through yeas of hardship in the Army, although Topthorn was a healthy horse sadly died due to exhaustion. Left to fend for himself Joey is left alone and faces a fierce looking tank. He is confused and freighted and not sure where to run or what to do. As the tank approaches him he decides to take a leap of faith and leaps on to and over the tank. Confused and frightened he runs through no mans land, where he is running and leaping over barbed wires and mortar made holes, he gets entangled in one of the barbed barriers. A scary sight for anyone one to see a horse entangled all over by barbed wired piercing the horse along with deep cuts. To Joey this looks like it’s the end. He struggles to get untangled but just makes it worse. The struggle tires him out and he just rests in position. Two soldiers from both sides decide to come out of their safety and come help Joey. They can’t believe any man or animal could have survived that night. The soldiers release Joey and flips for the ownership of Joey. The coin was flipped and the British soldier won the toss. Albert who has joined the Army and has been injured due to a gas bomb is now resting at a British medical facility and over hears someone talking about an amazing horse that has been rescued from no mans land. The Army doctor looks and Joey and deems him to bad off to put him out of his misery due to the injuries from the barbed wires. Before the Sgt was about to shoot Albert makes a sound that Joey learned as a young colt. He is once again reunited  with his first owner Albert. Unfortunately, only officers can have their horses shipped home and now finds a huge dilemma in being able to keep Joey. The unit comes together and gives Albert all that they could for the auction in order to win him back. He loses the auction to an older gentleman and begs to keep the horse. The older gentleman wanted Joey because it reminded him of his granddaughter who was killed in the war. After a brief conversation with the older man he realizes that the best place for Joey to be is with his best friend and owner and gives joey back to Albert. Albert and Joey return home to the farm where by they are met by mother and father. How I might use what I’ve learned from this movie to counsel veterans is going to be very different from most. I have a different view on things and share same experiences. I have been to combat three times and know the feeling and triggers that many of the veterans I speak to have. As a soldier we all go through trials and tribulations rather it be trying to get promoted or having the unfortunate task of having to take a human life. Merriam-Webster defines tribulations as distress or suffering resulting from cruel or unjust treatment of misfortune (Dees, 2011). Its easy for me to emphasize when discussing military trauma because I have experienced it myself. This allows me to have a special relationship with a veteran and makes it much easier for us to discuss what feelings are present and what type of trauma has occurred. Trauma is the Greek word for wound. The word also means damage and defeat (Dees, 2011). John 16:33 says that I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (NKJV). Many returning combat soldiers have this feeling. Unfortunately, this is not something that can be seen on the outside but a battle within the individual. For many soldiers resilience starts in basic training. It starts with learning and understanding of military standards and unit comradely. In reference to the Resilience life cycle this would be the Before Building Resilience Phase (Dees, 2011 p.86). In the â€Å"During phase† of the life cycle is when I see soldiers who are just dealing with their trauma going through life seeking help in understanding why they have experience the horrific trauma of combat and are looking for an guidance. I like to reference James 1:2 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God  has promised to those who love him (NKJV). During the â€Å"After phase† soldiers are starting to seek help and getting back into their â€Å"normal Routine†. They have the will and want to be back to normal and having a better understanding that it’s going to be a rough road but a road worth traveling! References: Dees, R. F. (2011). Resilient Warriors. San Diego, California: Creative Team Publishing. The BIBLE King James Version

Summary of the Lawnmower Man

Summary The lawnmower man The lawnmower man is a short story by Stephen King. The lawnmower man is about Harold Parkette, who after an accident with his lawnmower and the neighbors dog, decides to sell his lawnmower. After a while the lawn starts to get higher. He decides to hire a lawnmower to do the lawn for him. He calls the firm Pastoral greenery and outdoor service. Not long after a lawnmower shows up at his house. He is the usual type, he knows all to well. While the lawnmower takes care of his lawn, he sits down whit the paper and a beer.A loud racketing roar awakens him from his thoughts. He rushes to the front lawn. He is greeted by a strange sight. The lawnmower is driving itself, and the lawnmower is completely naked and is crawling on all four behind the mower eating the grass. Harold gets terrified by the experience. The lawnmower tells Harold that he isn’t actually working for Pastoral greenery and outdoor service, but his boss is Pan, who is a apart of the greek mythology, he is the god of animals and wild.He is half goat halt human. The lawnmower man tells Harold that his boss is always looking for new recruits. Harold is frightened and goes to the phone to call the police, and tell what is going on. While on the phone with the police, the front door gets smashed and in comes the lawnmower with the lawnmower man behind him. The lawnmower man tells him that Harold made a mistake by calling the police.He gets closer to Harold, and Harold retreats to the kitchen while holding a chair in front of him. The lawnmower decides that it’s Harold turn to get lawned. Harold runs out of the door and onto the lawn. He trips over his own feet, and the last thing he sees is mower sharp blades which are green from cutting the lawn. The police arrives after the neighbors calls them, and all thats left of him is in birdbath, and the smell of newly cut grass is still in the air.