Moral Character in Higher Education free essay sample

For most people in today’s culture going to college is not even a question. Higher education is perceived as extremely important and is seen as necessary in order to achieve a successful life. A college degree has become known as an admission ticket into desirable careers allowing for access to at least a middle-class lifestyle. With over six thousand colleges in the United States, a professional degree can be readily earned. Amongst most American families it has become expected for the children to pursue a degree in a predetermined profession and thrive in college. With this pressure to succeed and possible uncertainty they feel going into it, forty six percent of students who enter college fail to even graduate within six years. Although the â€Å"purpose† of higher education is to obtain a degree of some sort, that is not the reason to attend college. Multiple years of tenuous studying, hard work, and collaboration with peers gives students the opportunity to discover, refine, and develop their character. We will write a custom essay sample on Moral Character in Higher Education or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Unlike major specific courses or general education requirements, the various dimensions of one’s moral character are cultivated through various experiences over many years. Possessing a certified degree can be admirable but also can mean nothing without proper social and moral skills. A student’s intention of attending college and his or her time spent enrolled is indeed directed towards earning their degree, but the greatest purpose of higher education and its global function is to develop and enroot moral character. A university’s purpose is not to pump out and issue thousands of degrees every year; it is to help mature an individual’s character. A problem in American society is that too many people have a self-centered mentality due to a lack of morality. Allan Bloom, a philosopher, classicist, academician, and author discusses the purpose of higher education in his novel, â€Å"The Closing of the American Mind†. He argues that the purpose of a student’s education â€Å"is not to make them scholars† but is instead intend to â€Å"provide them with a moral virtue—openness† (645). This â€Å"moral virtue† allows a student to be equipped with the necessary values and beliefs to be a well-rounded individual. As Bloom explains, much of our culture is â€Å"ethnocentric†, meaning that we believe â€Å"our way is better than others† (645). Being apart of a school system helps students become more aware of their surroundings and enables them to become less prejudice in a culturally diverse setting. History and social science classes can teach a student about other lifestyles and beliefs, but the only way to truly absorb an understanding is to be exposed to these different beliefs. Being exposed helps students grasp the magnitude of humankind. This allows them to realize their â€Å"preferences† and customs are simply â€Å"accidents of their time and place†, by-products of a random generation that could of turned them out anywhere in the world (645). Realizing one’s individual size raises tolerance of other culture’s ideas and beliefs, promoting a more civilized society. In addition to being physically exposed to other people, many colleges require students to take a course in non-Western culture to educate them about the many other ways of thinking and that no one way is better. By studying these other cultures, students recognize a â€Å"cultural cave† that is caused by all the â€Å"limitations† people within different cultures are influenced to follow (650). This â€Å"cave† often leads to isolation amongst people and a segregation of cultures. Culture should not be the standard by which we solely follow due to the barriers it sets. Instead, as a human race, people should act upon their moral beliefs. Earning a degree is essential, but gaining a ripened moral character with diverse cultural tolerances is far more important. A college’s educational quality and breadth of degrees is of high value and should not be sacrificed, however, a greater focus on building moral character is essential. A discipline in a degree certainly has to be accompanied with respectable ethics in order to be complete. The main reason it is important for a university to concentrate on the development of an individual’s character is because this is not something automatically acquired after going through college. Most students become engulfed in their coursework and focus all of their attention on passing their classes. They can tend to believe the number out of one hundred defines who they are and learning anything else other than the textbook becomes less important. The level of reported character gain does however vary by major. For instance, The National Survey of Student Engagement states that students in â€Å"social sciences report the highest gains in general character development and ethical behavior† as well as â€Å"general knowledge†, unlike math or science majors who â€Å"report the lowest gains on nearly every character development measure† (Kuh, Umbach, 47). Having good ethics can be extremely important when it comes to certain careers and lacking this morality can lead to severe problems. For instance, a civil engineer who is constructing a new bridge across a body of water could realize a potential problem that he or she is unable to figure out. The bridge would hold up fine given moderate conditions, but the support beams and column braces would not be strong enough to support the bridge in case of a powerful storm or earthquake. If the engineer lacks proper ethics, he or she might ignore the issue due to its unlikelihood in order to complete the project in time. Even though this could be a potential threat to many people’s lives, an individual can ignore the problem if he or she was not correctly influence to have good morals. This is not however a major concern because although some students lack the opportunity to grow their character, around eighty two percent of students claim their â€Å"college experience contributed substantially to their work ethics and efficiency† (Kuh, Umbach, 51). This ability comes from the university’s efforts to prepare students for their careers by having them work together to complete tasks and influencing them to develop an understanding of other cultures. Pursuing higher education to earn a degree is simply not enough; one must not only master a discipline in a profession, but also have a strong moral ground with a confident social outlook. Having proper ethics does not come natural for all people and therefore must be taught or influenced. In order to achieve such morality, one must learn to change their â€Å"human default setting†(199). This default setting is described by author, David Foster Wallace as the centralization of one self in respect to the world. In his commencement speech at Kenyon College, Wallace emphasizes the importance of having a sense of awareness of the surrounding world. The common cliche universities tend to adopt is that a higher education teaches you â€Å"how to think†. Wallace contends the idea that the importance is not solely about how one thinks, but â€Å"the choice of what to think about† (199). A true education should instill empathy regarding one’s thought process in various settings. For Instance, take the common scenario of ordering dinner at a restaurant. One might ask for their steak to be rare and no cheese on their vegetables. After the waiter brings about the food, the customer realizes that the steak is cooked too much and the vegetables he or she received had cheese on them. Typically, the customer would bark for the waiter only to give him a lecture on how the food is not the way it was ordered. Little does the customer know, the waiter did give the cook the correct order but due to the frantic rush of orders the cooks made a mistake. Even though the cooks were to blame, the furious customer put the automatic blame upon the waiter. An experience such as this shows how the customer believes he or she must be the most important person in the restaurant, not the numerous others also expecting their orders. This is what David Wallace would define â€Å"our default setting† to be, â€Å"hard-wired into our boards at birth† (199). Humans rarely naturally think about others in situations like this, for every experience one goes through it is seen through a self-centered egotistical lens. People’s thoughts and feelings are centered to them selves and view their lives more important then others. But this is not an individual’s fault but a flaw in human nature itself. It is so automatic for us to think this way that we must be taught otherwise. College allows humans to interact and learn in such a way as to understand other people’s lives and discover selflessness. Colleges are amongst the most diverse places in the world. People from all over the globe come to various universities in the United States to acquire a degree. Colleges supply a copious amount of peers to interact with and the influence from one’s peers significantly impacts an individual’s values and beliefs. Learning how to â€Å"consider the possibilities† of others and being â€Å"well-adjusted† in this world will undoubtedly improve the quality of life by allowing an individual to understand others. Being well adjusted simply means to be experienced in many incidences by which one’s moral values are put into place. Having a higher education is to be seasoned, wise, and sensible in life. The â€Å"real value† of a higher education â€Å"has nothing to do with knowledge† but â€Å"everything to do with simple awareness† (209). The simple awareness that we as mankind are all here on this rock floating in space for one reason, to survive, not to survive as an individual but as a species. This is only possible if we as humans can change our default setting by pursuing a higher education, because college is not about cramming as many textbooks as we can into our head or acquiring the greatest degree. It is about growing our moral character so that we see life more clearly and respond to situations with empathy for the true meaning of survival is live together peacefully and to be able to understand one another. Colleges improve humankind itself and the overall quality of life. This is why the main purpose of a higher education is to develop moral character.

How to get an Order of Protection

How to get an Order of Protection What do you do when you feel unsafe with someone in your family or household? Contacting law enforcement and getting an order of protection may be for you.   The Facts An order of protection (also called a restraining order) is an official legal document, signed by a judge, that is filed against a current or former family member or household member or other similar relationship. The order forces that individual to keep at a distance and is intended to prevent his or her abusive behavior toward you. Enforceable in court, it can be drafted to meet your specific needs as they apply to your situation. How It Works An order of protection can require the abuser to stay away from you and limit other forms of access; it can prevent the abuser from contacting you by phone, cell phone text messages, email, mail, fax, or third parties. It can force the abuser to move out of your home, give you exclusive use of your car, and award you temporary custody of your children along with child support, spousal support, and the continuation of insurance coverage. If the order of protection is violated by the abuser- if he or she visits you at home, in the workplace, or anywhere else or makes phone calls, sends emails, or attempts to contact you- the abuser can be arrested and placed in jail. How to Obtain One To get an order of protection, you have several options. You can contact the states or district attorney or inform the police that you wish to apply for an order of protection. You can also go to the county in which you or your abuser resides, and ask the court clerk for Order of Protection forms, which must be filled out. After the paperwork is filed, a hearing date will be set (typically within 14 days) and you will be required to appear in court on that day. The hearing may take place either in family court or criminal court. The judge will ask you to prove that you have experienced abuse or been threatened with violence. Witnesses, police reports, hospital and physician reports, and evidence of physical abuse or assault are often necessary to convince the judge to issue an order of protection. Physical evidence of abuse such as injuries caused by abuse or photos that show past injuries, property damage, or objects used in the assault will help make your case. How It Protects You The order of protection provides you an opportunity to define your safety needs. If children are involved, you can request custody and restrictions on visitation or no contact orders. Whenever the abuser violates the terms of the order of protection, you should call the police. Once you obtain one, it is imperative that you make multiple copies of the document. It is important that you carry a copy of your order protection at all times, particularly if you have children and there are custody and visitation limitations. Sources â€Å"Domestic Violence.†Ã‚  American Bar Association, www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/resources/law_issues_for_consumers/protection_howget/.â€Å"Obtaining an Order of Protection.†Ã‚  FamilyEducation, 25 July 2006, www.familyeducation.com/life/divorce-law/obtaining-order-protection.

Centralisation and Decentralisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Centralisation and Decentralisation - Essay Example We dissect a case in which the center is not a solitary individual yet a gathering, a populace. There are, on a fundamental level, a few phases of an org issue where one can present an aggregate control issue: the agreement arranges, the checking stage, the requirement stage. As the first venture in this plan, for the purpose of simplification and similarity with different regions of provision, we cast our examination in a class of models that has turned into the workhorse multi foremost executor structure: the "normal org" model, which concentrates on the contracting stage. One variant of the normal office model, known as inherent regular org, is a great first estimate to the issue of control of policymakers by residents. Aghion and Tirole's (1997) worry is a substantive one: while org-graphs, titles, and formal occupation obligations are effortlessly measured, it is troublesome to concentrate by means of reviews or different means the personalities of the individuals who have subje ctive information. The vague, indescribable, delicate nature of subjective information can result in overview reactions to be problematic and unverifiable, but then this learning is key to firm esteem. Authoritative scholars contend that human co-operation and correspondence channels, for example, gatherings are the essential hierarchical instrument by which the administration chain perceives the vicinity of subjective information and lets the holder of this learning substantively impact the choice.

Written assignments Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Written assignments - Assignment Example One of the major marketing concepts of a brand is communication; properly communicated brand enhances the establishment of brand’s position, shields the brand from competition, and promotes the brands market performance. The brand has products that are driven from the consumer needs and are managed through the three basic stages including; introduction, elaboration and fortification. As such through this approach, it has been possible for the management to obtain a means of product-market introduction, elaboration and fortification. This has been done over a long period of time hence enabling the brand to be leading provider of soft drinks worldwide. The brand has employed the concept of functional needs thereby enabling it to solve consumer problems. This concept enables the brand to solve the consumers’ externally generated problems such as thirst. It also employs the symbolic concept that enables one to feel associated to a certain class or group of people. To some extent the brand also employs a mixture of symbolic, functional, and experimental concepts hence it brings a universal benefit to the consumers. Despite of its multiple concepts, it has been able to put forth a strong image and a strong brand management mechanism that has enabled it to stay ahead of all of its competitors. The concepts selected for this brand has made it possible for it guide its market positioning decisions. The concepts employed have provided a basis for the determination of its market boundaries and expansions (Peter 9). The way in which the brand concept and its image is being managed over a long period of the life of the brand has created trust on the brand among the consumers. Throughout the three management strategies which include; introduction, elaboration, and fortification, ‘positioning strategy as a marketing concept has enabled consumers to understand

The Life of a Maasai Moran Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Life of a Maasai Moran - Research Paper Example The Maasai are a humble group of people who practice nomadism and derive their livelihoods from the animals they keep and hunting and gathering. Among the Maasai, the birth of a male child is a symbol of power. A man is only considered a true man when he sires a male child. The more the males sired the more power and authority and respect one earns from the members of the community (Lekuton 37). There are men who have been made chief of the community because having the highest number of male children. Such a man’s opinion in affairs of the community is taken very seriously and any one who disobeys his command is punished severely. The Maasai believe that it’s the God’s will to have male children and the more the male children the more God is happy with them and is blessing them (Barber 6). The male children are important because they protect the community and it’s wealth from all forms of threat ranging from other neighboring communities to wild animals. T he birth of a male child in the community is received as great news and calls for ceremonies that have been performed for many years handed over from one generation to the next. The ceremonies begin very early in the morning with the village elders meeting together and deciding on the name to be given to the child. The name is given based on the time of the year and events of axiological significance to the community happening as at that time of the year. The child could be born at a time when the community is preparing to go for war or during the rainy season, or dry season or many other significant periods. The name is settled on by the village elders on consensus and will be announced to the rest of the community at a time deemed appropriate by the village elders. This is followed by songs of praise to the father of the child as the community assembles at the assembly point. On such a day, all activities of the community are stopped and ceremonies take center stage. The women wil l all be congratulating the woman who gave birth at this point as others give and seek advice. Those women who give birth to girls and have no boys are advised by the mother of child on how to get a boy and those who have had many boys give advice to the fellow mothers on how to get more and more boys. It is to be noted that at this time the maiden girls are required to be present and will be responsible for all the singing and all the cooking and preparations for the ceremony. According to Saitoti and Galaty (87) a Maasai man is not allowed to perform any domestic chore. His duty is to take care of the community’s safety against all incoming threats. At exactly eight in the morning the Maasai Moran kill a bull chosen by the village elders and drain the blood. The father of the child pours some to the ground and takes a sip. This is done under close supervision by the eldest member of the community. It is believed that the ancestor are still living together with the community and oversee the overall well being of the community by blessing them with rain and good cattle herds. The blood has to be poured first to the ground so that the ancestors can have the first sip. They come first in each and every activity of the community. Forgetting to pour a sip to the ground before taking the blood is a grave mistake and is accorded a whole repentance ceremony. Once the father of the child has poured some to the ground and then taken a sip, the rest of the elders take each a sip of the blood

Measuring Intimate Partner Violence

Measuring Intimate Partner Violence A number of researchers found domestic violence to be a major contributor of physical and mental health problems in sufferers. (REF) Some studies have reported about rising rates of domestic violence related homicides. (REF) It has been observed that abused women very frequently get chance to be in contact with healthcare system sometimes for routine checkups and at other times to seek emergency care for injuries. Healthcare providers thus are in appropriate position to identify abuse and provide or devise possible interventions. These indications let researchers and human rights activists to approach the problem of domestic violence as a public health problem. Bachman (2000) and Saltzman (2004) strongly recommended for accurate measurement of domestic abuse in healthcare setups as this information could be very useful for identification of abuse as well as for devising intervention activities for victims. One important methodological concern common to domestic violence research has been measurement of abuse. Although violence is a measurable phenomenon but its accurate measurement is also influenced by perception of people about the act. Researchers have found variability in perception of people about certain abusive acts as violent or not. For instance, forced sex or martial rape is still not considered an abuse in many societies around the world. A number of international organizations have provided the definitions of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) with clear description of acts in various categories. For instance, The Australian Medical Association (AMA) (1998) defined domestic violence as, the domination, coercion, intimidation and victimization of one person by another by physical, sexual or emotional means within intimate relationships. An outline of types of abuse in Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) was provided by Australian Public Health (1990). According to this description: Physical abuse is causing pain and injury; denial of sleep, warmth or nutrition; denial of needed medical care; sexual assault; violence to property or animals; disablement; and murder Verbal abuse includes humiliation, degradation, intimidation, subjugation, including the threat of physical violence; Economic abuse includes deprivation of basic necessities, seizure of income or assets, unreasonable denial of the means necessary for participation in social life; and Social abuse is isolation, control of all social activities, deprivation of liberty, or the deliberate creation of unreasonable dependence. The common acts for physical violence measured in researches on domestic violence include slapping, throwing something that could hurt, pushing, hitting with a fist or anything that could hurt, kicking, dragging, choking, threatening or actually using a gun, knife or other weapon. (Mazza, Dennerstein Ryan, 1996) Sexual violence has been measured by these acts; physically forcing to have sexual intercourse against her will, having sex because she was afraid of what her partner might do, being forced to do something sexual she found degrading or humiliating.(Brown, Lent, Brett et al, 1996) Previous researches have shown that how researchers frame their questions about violent victimization can have a profound effect on disclosure rates. (Tjaden, 2000) For instance, it will be more convenient for women to respond accurately to the question framed as, Has your partner ever physically forced you to have sex against your will? than asking question as Have you even been abused or raped? (Ellsberg, Heise Shrader, 1999) It has been recommended by previous researches that asking clearly worded, direct questions about the respondents experience of specific acts also obtain correct information from the participants. (Bagshaw et al. 2000; WHO Geneva, 2005) Studies have also investigated the effectiveness of type of screening procedures for domestic violence screening in healthcare setups. Webster Holt (2004) reviewed the medical records for evidence of positive partner violence for women attending prenatal clinics. A self-report checklist is an effective alternative to direct questioning in detecting women who are experiencing partner violence and is acceptable to women. It has also been reported that health professionals need to use a variety of questions to elicit womens experiences of domestic violence. (Hegarty et al, 2000) Some other recent studies compared brief self-report abuse screening instruments with long clinician-administered abuse screening questionnaires

Children Interacting with Television Advertising Introduction :: essays research papers fc

Children Interacting with Television Advertising Introduction The following research has sought to understand the influence of television on children over the past twenty years using a variety of social models, from public policy and industry self-regulation, to how children receive and process media messages and the parental responsibility in monitoring what is acceptable for children to view. As a baseline, our research used a model of children interacting with television. We expounded on this model in an effort to seek current data and information that affects children today. Our group divided this model into the following categories:  · Decision to View Television  ·Public Policy Makers  ·Consumer Protectionists  ·Industry Self-Regulation  ·Television Advertising Message  ·Receiving and Processing Message  ·Cognitions  ·Behaviors  ·Parents After analyzing this model, we conducted our own research to study current trends and determine whether childrens’ b ehavior has changed significantly in the past 20 years. Our empirical research includes studies in contemporary advertising techniques, changes in children’s television viewing preferences, and the relationship to childhood development. Each category explains a different element of the process of how children interpret and act upon the medias influence. The Decision to View Television and Parental Influence Today, children in the United States watch an average of 3 to 5 hours of television every day, and up to an average of 24 hours of television a week. Did you know that on average, children will see 576 or more commercials each week? Children’s programming devotes up to 12 hours to advertising a week. Research has demonstrated that the effect of television viewing on children leads to a number of possible problems. Television affects social and emotional behavior, creativity and language skills, and school achievement. There is an organization out there in support of children and parents who are concerned with the way television is being viewed. The name of this organization is CARU, Children’s Advertising Review Unit, and it is an industry supported self-regulatory system of the children’s advertising industry. â€Å"CARU works with the industry to ensure that advertising directed to kids is truthful, and above all fair.† (Better Business Bureau) The purpose of CARU is to maintain a balance between controlling the message children receive from advertising, and promoting the important information to children through advertising. Another organization working towards controlling advertising towards children is the â€Å"Children’s Television Act of 1990 who limited advertising on children’s programs to 10.5 minutes per hour on weekends and 12 minutes per hour on weekdays.