Mexico Export, Import & Trade

As an export orientated country, Mexico is the 15th largest exporter in the world. They are also the United States' second largest export market, making about 12.21 percent of U.S. total exports in 2009. With the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994 with the United States, Mexico's trade economy is heavily linked to the United States', with as high as 80.5 percent for Mexico's exports going to the U.S.

As a result, Mexico's economy suffered greatly during the 2008 global financial crisis and U.S. economic downturn, due to a drop in U.S demand of exports. Mexico's exports to U.S fell from US$234.6 billion in 2008 to $184.9 billion in 2009. GDP (PPP) of Mexico also posted a negative 5.25 percent growth in 2009, a drop from US$1.553 trillion in 2008 to US$1.471 trillion in 2009.

Mexico has also built an extensive network of free trade agreements with over 40 countries, such as the European Union, Japan Israel, and countries in South and Central America. This agreements liberalize the trade tariffs between countries and regions, and have made Mexico one of the most open country to trade. The United States and Canada are the two biggest importer of Mexico's goods.
List of Mexico's FTAs

North American Free Trade Agreement

Costa Rica - Mexico FTA

Nicaragua - Mexico FTA

Chile - Mexico FTA

European Union - Mexico FTA

Israel - Mexico FTA

El Salvador - Mexico FTA

Guatemala - Mexico FTA

Honduras - Mexico

Japan - Mexico FTA

EFTA - Mexico

(EFTA includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.)
Mexico's Import and Export Indicators and Statistics at a Glance (2010)

Total value of exports: US$303 billion

Primary exports - commodities: manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton

Primary export partners: US (80.5 percent of total exports), Canada (3.6 percent), Germany (1.4 percent)

Total value of imports: US$306 billion

Primary imports - commodities: metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft and aircraft parts

Primary import partners: US (48 percent of total imports), China (13.5 percent), Japan (4.8 percent), South Korea (4.6 percent), Germany (4.1 percent).

Canada Exports, Imports & Trade

Canada is the 10th largest exporter and 12th largest importer in the world. Although Canada is heavily involved in international trade, the US is by far its largest and most important trade partner. In 2009, 75.02 percent of Canadian exports were directed to the US, while 51.1 percent of imports came from the US.

Bilateral trade between Canada and the US increased by 52 percent between 1989 (when the US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into effect) and 1994 (when the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was implemented). Although NAFTA dramatically improved US-Canada trade relations, disputes still remain that pertain to intellectual property rights, softwood lumber, beef, tomatoes and other agricultural products.

Commodities dominate trade between the US and Canada. In agriculture, both countries are its counterpart’s largest export market – the US imports more than half of Canada’s food products while Canada imports nearly 20 percent of the US’s food product.

The energy trade is another critical element in US-Canada trade. Canada is the US’s largest oil supplier, accounting for 16 percent of US oil imports and 14 percent of US’s natural gas consumption. Besides sharing hydropower facilities on the western borders, national electricity grids for both countries are also linked to each other.

Canada’s Import and Export Indicators and Statistics at a Glance (2010)

Total value of exports: US$406.8 billion

Primary exports - commodities: motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Primary exports partners: US (75.02 percent), UK (3.37 percent), China (3.09 percent)

Total value of imports: US$406.4 billion

Primary imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Primary imports partners: US (51.1 percent), China (10.88 percent), Mexico (4.56 percent)

US Export, Import and Trade

US foreign trade and global economic policies have experienced drastic changes since the days of its founding fathers. Prior to the Great Depression and World War II, government and businesses mostly concentrated on developing the domestic economy irrespective of what went on abroad. Since then however, the US has generally sought to reduce trade barriers and coordinate the world economic system.

Today, the US is the world’s largest trading nation – simultaneously leading the world in imports and being among the top three exporting nations in the world. As the top export market for almost 60 trading nations, the US has had a certain degree of economic and political leverage throughout the world, which allows it to shape global policies towards its own.

One such policy is its commitment to global free trade. The US has had a major role in the formation of global trade agencies such as GATT, as well as its future incarnation as the WTO. Apart from the guidelines set by these agencies, the US also has numerous Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with individual nations.
Current FTA

US-Israel FTA - since 1985

North American FTA (NAFTA) –;since 1994, including Canada and Mexico

US-Jordan FTA – since 2001

Australia-US FTA – since 2004

US-Chile FTA – since 2004

US-Singapore FTA – since 2004

Dominican Republic-Central America FTA (DR-CAFTA) – since 2005, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic

US-Bahrain FTA – since 2006

US-Morocco FTA – since 2006

US-Oman FTA – since 2006

US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement – since 2007
FTAs waiting approval

Panama-US Trade Promotion Agreement

Colombia-US Trade Promotion Agreement

Republic of Korea-US FTA
Proposed FTAs

Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) – to include all countries in Western Hemisphere except Cuba

US-Middle East Free Trade Area (USMEFTA) – to include most countries in the Middle East

Transatlantic Free Trade Area (TAFTA) – European Union

US-Thailand FTA

US-New Zealand FTA

US-Ghana FTA

US-Indonesia FTA

US-Kenya FTA

US-Kuwait FTA

US-Malaysia FTA

US-Mauritius FTA

US-Mozambique FTA

US-Taiwan FTA

US-United Arab Emirates FTA

US-Southern African Customs FTA – to include South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia

US-Ecuador FTA

US-Qatar FTA
US Trade Deficit

The US trade deficit has been a hotly contested issue ever since the US first started posting trade deficits in the 1960s.

On the one hand, economists such as Federic Bastiat and Milton Friedman argue that successful, growing economies should see greater trade deficits while a shrinking economy would result in lower trade deficits.

However, the extent and size of the US trade deficit, particularly that of with China, has caused concerns within the US.  In an interview with the Associated Press in 2006, Warren Buffet expressed his belief that “the U.S trade deficit is a bigger threat to the domestic economy than either the federal budget deficit or consumer debt and could lead to political turmoil... Right now, the rest of the world owns $3 trillion more of us than we own of them.”

As such, there has been continual debate on whether the US should reduce its trade deficit.

Find out more the US Trade Deficit on EconomyWatch.com
US Import and Export Indicators and Statistics at a Glance (2010)

Exports: US$994.7 billion

Exports - commodities: agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2 percent, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8 percent, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0 percent, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0 percent

Exports - partners: Canada 20.1 percent, Mexico 11.7 percent, China 5.5 percent, Japan 5.1 percent, Germany 4.2 percent, UK 4.1 percent

Imports: US$1.445 trillion

Imports - commodities: agricultural products 4.9 percent, industrial supplies 32.9 percent (crude oil 8.2 percent), capital goods 30.4 percent (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8 percent (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys)

Imports - partners: China 16.5 percent, Canada 15.7 percent, Mexico 10.1 percent, Japan 6.6 percent, Germany 4.6 percent

North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA)

Too many trading forums and treaties are talked and debated about but we hardly remember their actual accomplishments. The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA, which came into force on January 1, 1994, is not just another treaty that aims to facilitate trade between its member nations. It is one of the world’s most powerful and successful treaties comprising the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The North American Agreement for Labor Cooperation (NAALC) and North American Agreement for Economic Cooperation (NAAEC) are major additions to this treaty. Following the unfortunate September 11/2001 attack in the US, the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPPNA) was also added to NAFTA.

Interestingly, the goods that are traded between the NAFTA members feature labels. These labels are printed in three languages, namely, English, Spanish and French. No doubt, NAFTA has been highly beneficial for consumers, farmers and ranchers.


How NAFTA Works

The major functions of NAFTA are:

    * Eliminate trade barriers in various service sectors belonging to its member nations.

    * Reduce high Mexican tariffs and help to promote agricultural exports.

    * Assist firms spanning the three nations to bid on government contracts.

    * Assure fair market value to investors by reducing risk and offering the same legal rights that are enjoyed by local investors.

    * Help investors to claim against a government by offering legal help.

NAFTA: Achievements

The achievements of NAFTA are:

    *      Spanning 1992 to 2007, agricultural exports grew from the US to Canada and Mexico at 156%
      
    *      From 1993 to 2007, there was percentage increment of goods exports by 231% to the U.S from Canada and Mexico
      
    *      In 2006, the export of services from the US to Mexico and Canada increased from $25 billion to $62 billion (125%). The same period witnessed increase in services export reach $37 billion from Canada and Mexico
      
    *      In 2006, the U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) increased to $331 billion in Canada and Mexico

NAFTA: Challenges and Prospects
The challenges for NAFTA are:

    *      Resolve current trade disputes pertaining to sugar, softwood lumber and trucking, just to mention a few.
      
    *      Address the issue of 10 million illegal Mexican immigrants in the US.
      
    *      Include Mexico in important provisions relating to investments.
      
    *      Enable funding and adequate mandates for key institutions like NADBank (North American Development Bank).
      
    *      Resolve the trade deficit of the US with Canada and Mexico, which grew from $9.1 billion in 1993 to $138.5 billion in 2007.

Promoting economic integration is not easy for any treaty but NAFTA rose to do just that. In 1994, NAFTA was established with a $6 trillion economy. By 2004, NAFTA grew to an economy of $12.5 trillion.

Global Trade

Global trade is the exchange of raw materials, goods and services across the geographical borders of countries across the globe. Foreign trade got its first impetus from the industrial revolution in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Rapid development in transportation facilities resulted in a surge in international trade in the twentieth century. Today, international trade has taken the form of outsourcing and multinational companies (companies that have a presence in several countries).

The History of World Trade

World trade was prevalent much before the formation of nation states. Some important examples of ancient long distance trade are:

    * The Egyptians imported spices from Arabia and the ‘Land of Punt’ (present day Somalia).



    * The Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled in Egypt from 305 BC to 30 BC, traded with India.



    * Arabian vessels were used to transport Indian goods to Aden.



    * Chinese goods made their way to India, Persia and Rome through the silk route.

From the eighteenth century, industrialization and colonization went hand in hand. The European nations increased their political power through trade. They exploited trading opportunities in eastern countries like India.


Present Global Trade Scenario

There was a dramatic rise in world trade volumes in the twentieth century. While in 1928, world exports amounted to US$31.7 billion, this figure had risen to US$4,215,000.2 billion by 1994. Studies conducted by the UNCTAD in 1994 show that trade in commercial services rose much faster than merchandise trade between 1970 and 1990.

The G-7 group, comprising of the US, France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Japan and Canada, has always commanded a dominant position in world trade. Gradually the significance of certain Asia Pacific nations, such as China, Singapore, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea, has risen.


World Trade Organization

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the most powerful body for controlling the dynamics of global trade. It has the power to enforce its rules through sanctions and helps in the formulation of trade agreements between various countries. It also oversees that agreement terms are adhered to by the participating countries and resolves disputes.


International Trade Models

The theory of international trade and its possible effects can be explained with the help of the following models:


Absolute Advantage Theory

Country A is said to have absolute advantage over country B if it can produce commodity C with lower cost of resources than Country B. On the other hand Country B can have an absolute advantage over country A in the production of commodity D. In this case the countries A and B would benefit by trade. Adam Smith put forward his theory of absolute advantage.


Comparative Advantage Theory

According to this theory a country would produce and specialize in those commodities in which it has comparative advantage in terms of resources. The relative factor endowments in a country play a vital role to govern the pattern of trade.


Heckscher-Ohlin Model

According to this theory a country will export that good which utilizes its abundant its factor of production more intensively. Conversely, the country will import goods that utilize factors of production that re locally less abundant in nature. Hence we see that variation in the factor endowments play a key role in the pattern of international trade in the case of the Heckscher-Ohlin Model.

On testing this theory empirically Wasily Leotieff found that this theory might not hold true always. For instance United States was found to export commodities that were labor intensive although it was a capital abundant country itself. This phenomenon was termed as the Leontief Paradox.


Specific Factors Model

This model assumes labor to be mobile but capital fixed in the short run. According to this model if the price of a commodity increases then the producer of that used the specific factor to produce the good would profit. The model is most suited for particular types of industries.


Gravity Model

According to this model the distance between the countries would influence the pattern of trade. Econometric findings have also supported this assumption.

Pakistani scientists succeed in mapping genome

Pakistani scientists have mapped genome of the first Pakistani, while with this historical achievement, Pakistan joins the ranks of the few countries - the US, UK, China, Japan and India - which have successfully sequenced the human genome.

Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine & Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi (KU) and Beijing Genomics Institute, China, have jointly mapped genome of the first Pakistani, living in Karachi.

Pakistan has become the first country in the Muslim World as well that has mapped genome of a first Muslim man.

This historical announcement was made by Prof Dr M. Iqbal Choudhary, Director International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), KU, while talking to a group of scientists at ICCBS. He said that the first Pakistani genome had been mapped using a newly developed technology ten years after the first human genome was discovered. The PCMD, working under the umbrella ICCBS, had reported mapping of the entire genome of a Pakistani male in just 10 months.

The individual who has been genetically mapped is a resident of Karachi, he added.

“According to the researchers, the newly-sequenced Pakistani genome has uncovered a multitude of ‘Pakistan’-specific sites which can now be used in design of large-scale studies that are better suited for the Pakistani population. The research team was comprised of Dr Kamran Azim, Assistant Professor in the Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research and Dr Yong Zhang, head of the genomics department at the Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen, China; among world leading genomics institutions,” he said.

Acknowledging the fact that the complete Pakistani genome has been sequenced for the first time Dr Azim said, “The new thing in the study is the technique which can trace back a mutation to the specific parent. We are still studying the actual genome data itself and how the genetic differences we identified may predispose this particular individual to certain diseases”.

Educational Publishing Companies

Education is every child's birth right. And it should not be denied to him to her. We live in an ultra modern age, where unfortunately, people are looked down upon, if they cannot meet the so-called standards of civilized society. And education is the only way of being able to meet these standards. Education is that tool that a person uses, to live his or her life comfortably. And what brings this education to the people is the various educational publishing companies. These companies are the ones that are in the business of publishing educational books, for schools, colleges, universities, and even for self study. Read ahead for some of the best ones in the field today.

Top Educational Publishing Companies

Here is some information about some leading educational publishing companies. By educational publishing, it means almost all domains in the field of education including different subjects and different manners of teaching. They provide expert study material, online and even in hard copies. The area of e-books and online education flourishes because of most of these publishing houses. Let us see some of these companies in brief.

Scholastic
Scholastic is one of the best and leading supplier of books for all age groups. They have books in stores all over the world, and even have an online Book Club, using which, parents, teachers, and students can check online for the books that they require, and order them online, which gives them a discounted rate as they ship the books by UPS.

Saxon
Saxon is another leading publisher. It focuses mainly on educational publications for school level children. It has catalogs online for books on Math, Science, etc. It also has a very useful Teacher Resources section, which helps and guides the teachers in their day to day teaching activities.

McGraw Hill Education
McGraw Hill is a leading company in finance, media, etc., that has branched into the education arena, and is doing very well too. They have teaching and learning materials and advanced tools for all ages, right from school education, higher education, and finally, even career education. It co-publishes books with other leaders in book publishing like MacMillan, Wright, CTB, etc.

Evan-Moor
Evan-Moor has been in the publishing business since 1999. They specialize in educational resources for students from pre-kindergarten to the 8th grade. All major subjects like Math, Science, Arts, Social Science, etc. are covered by them. They also have special resources on teaching methods in education for teachers to use.

Independence Educational Publishers
This publishing company focuses on supplying material related to social issues to educational institutions. Their book categories include crime & injustice, drug abuse, family, relationships, media, citizens' rights and participation, etc.

Shell Education
Shell Education provides books and online activities for school children, on subjects like Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, etc. They also have resources for professionals in the fields of Statistics, Social Studies, Science, etc. You can view catalogs online, and place orders from their site. After placing the order, you can also check the status of delivery of the material (books, CDs, DVDs, etc.).

Benchmark Education Company
Benchmark is another major publishing company. They publish books for preschool students, specialized professionals, and also for special education. They have foreign language training books, as well as beginners' books in English. They also organize workshops on different topics. Online shopping for these books can avail you of discounts.

List of Educational Publishing Companies

Given below is an educational publishers list of some other major publishers in the field of education.

    * Prentice Hall
    * Pearson
    * Curriculum Associates
    * Free Spirit Publishing
    * Highlights For Children Inc.
    * Peoples Education
    * Texas Instruments
    * Woodburn Press
    * Triumph Learning
    * Topics Education Group LLC
    * Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
    * Nelson Education
    * Zaner-Bloster Inc.
    * MacMillan
    * Linworth Publishing,Inc.
    * Merriam-Webster,Inc.
    * Rosen Publishing Group
    * Red Wings Learning
    * Primary Concepts
    * Saddleback Educational Publishing
    * StudentPublishing.com
    * Stone Arch Books
    * Wright Group

Those were the names of some of the leading educational publishing companies. Hope you found what you were looking for. You can visit their official websites for more information, free catalogs, and to avail the different offers and discounts that they offer.

Ethical Issues in Education

Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another. ~ G. K. Chesterton

Indeed, education is an ongoing process. We are always receiving and passing it on, adding something in the process, sometimes even taking certain things, impertinent from time to time, away from it while passing it on further. However, the industry of education is a serious one, requiring well defined ethics and values, well bound in visible legal outlines to regulate its exchange and distribution. Let us take a brief look at some of the most common ethical issues in education.

List of Ethical Issues in Education

Following are some of the most common moral, legal and ethical issues in education that are most often faced by the givers and receivers of education, along with the education institutes, management thereof and, sometimes, parents and guardians of students.

Educational Resources With Respect to Special Education: The passing of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 by the Federal Government marked the first milestone in special education of children with disabilities. Prior to this act, handicapped children had no other recourse but to attend general public schools and curriculum which were not appropriate given their special requirements. Post this act, funds were given to states for the development of educational curricula for children with disabilities and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, 1975, made available to all handicapped children between 3 years and 21 years of age the right to a Free, Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

Choice of Teacher: The eternal contention between a principal and the parents regarding which teacher the child in question should be assigned to the following year is one of the major moral and ethical issues in education. There are two, very predictable outcomes to this debate - either the principal uneasily resigns to parental logic or the former evade the latter’s request by making a blanket statement saying it is not in school policy to honor parents’ opinion as far as choice of teaching faculty goes.

School Uniforms - Should They be Made Compulsory?: As is generic to every controversy, this one also has two sides to it - a "for" side and an "against" side. Arguments in favor of imposing uniforms observe what the lack of a uniform dress code has done to school campuses nationwide - immodest piercings, provocative or too casual attire, outrageous hair colors and styles, etc. etc. Advocates against imposing school uniform argue that clothing has no effect, whatsoever, on education and what one wears to school has no bearing on what is taught at school. Also, state the latter, it is not necessary that all students are able to afford a uniform - would they be denied education for want of a uniform? A happy mid path between these two school uniform debates could be to enlist a strict dress code, enumerating what NOT to wear at school, failing to follow which would invite fine or suspension. This is better than either imposing a complete compulsion of school uniforms in public schools or holding a way too liberal stance on what to wear at school.

Discipline Issues: To put it in short, it is the age old zero tolerance policy vs. give-em-another chance policy. Both policies should work side-by-side in all educational or other institutes. Zero tolerance policies should be imposed upon aggressive and anti-social and behavioral in-disciplinary actions such as bullying and carrying firearms to institutes. Second-chance policies may be used to encourage better academic performance and instill the habit to try harder the next time. The opportunities, however, should not be kept unlimited for the same default by the same individual. Giving second chances does not translate into spare-the-rod-and-spoil-the-child attitude!

Addressing Diversity: With students from socially and ethnically diverse backgrounds seeking admissions in schools today, the issue of whether or not to address diversity poses a serious question. Racial inequality and ethnic differences have been an issue in public schools since the time public schools were founded. The foremost step towards addressing diversity in schools should come from the curriculum itself. Involving different ethnic sports and multicultural festivals at schools would mark the beginning of an attempt to combine students from diverse backgrounds into a bond of institutional unity. Moreover, including prominent historical annals derived from different ethnicity as part of a collective study of world history would encourage students to get familiar with each others’ racial, cultural and ethnic differences. Rather than letting diversity come in the way of education, the importance of diversity should be upheld.

Besides the above mentioned ethical issues in education, there are other noteworthy issues - teacher evaluation, sex education, value education, tracking and random drug tests in campuses - that prevail surrounded by controversy. Each of these issues require fine scrutiny and deep understanding but even then, there would always be that "depends upon the situation" factor that would decide which way the verdict rests.

Standardized Testing Pros and Cons

Not only in America but throughout the world, standardized tests have become an integral part of the educational system. It has been more than 50 years, that the US education system has made standardized test as an ideal benchmark to judge student's academic performance. The American College Testing (ACT), the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), California Achievement Tests (CAT) and Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) are just some of the many standardized tests conducted in the US to assess candidates on a common platform, apparently. Every year millions of students take standardized tests and they have to answer various questions asked by darkening bubbles in OMR sheets. Students are no more strangers to standardized tests, as it is an integral part of college life, though with some sad memories. Standardized testing pros and cons have been discussed for decades and it is one of the most controversial testing techniques. Some light has been shed on standardized testing debate in this article.

List of Standardized Testing Pros and Cons

Before we begin to know more about pros and cons of standardized testing, let us know about the origin of standardized testing. Earliest account of standardized testing comes from China where Chinese government asked candidates to fill a form regarding their knowledge of Confucian philosophy and poetry. Based on the Greek and Socratic methods, essays were the main source of testing students in western world. As industrial revolution changed the world, students and kids were not much introduced to farming and agriculture. Gradually, they were put behind desks and there emerged standardized testing in a more modified form, as it was easier and faster method to judge large number of students. By the world war II, IBM came with up with a computer processor that could read darkened pencil marks on answer sheets. Henceforth, standardized testings have evolved as a major tool to assess students. There are lots of pros and cons of standardized testing in schools and certainly, the truth lies somewhere in the middle of them. Moreover, understanding pros and cons of standardized testing requires an in depth study of the impact of this type of educational testing system on students, which in itself is a daunting task.

Pros of Standardized Testing

    * It is easier to assess a large number of students using standardized tests, as the use of computers makes it easy to check answer sheets.
    * It is more accountable and accurate, as the computers check the OMR sheets. There is hardly any scope for error. Hence, testing system becomes extremely transparent.
    * It results in faster and timely results. There is no waste of time, as student's can get their results even on the spot, or very soon after exams have been conducted.
    * Everyone is assessed on same platform irrespective of different courses, teachers, schools and any other criteria.

Cons of Standardized Testing

    * Learning is not objective and it is not just about memorizing facts and figures. Scholars have judged standardized testing to be a very mechanical way to test students.
    * One can answer maths questions by logic in standardized testing, but when it comes to history and arts, how can Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) provide a total understanding of the student's ability?
    * To prepare students for standardized tests, there is a common syllabus in many schools and many students become mechanical in their approach to study. They'll memorize the day American Civil War broke out, but they won't know why and how did it broke out. This hinders their ability to understand American culture and history, from a closer perspective.
    * Students who don't have very good school facilities in the form of excellent teachers or good resources, may feel disadvantaged in these tests.
    * Since syllabuses vary for every State, it is difficult to combine and provide a common syllabus for Standardized testing.
    * Schools are graded on their performance and that depends on number of students passing standardized tests. Hence, in a race to be ahead, instead of in depth teaching, schools just focus on standardized test preparation.
    * Creativity and critical thinking skills can't be judged based on standardized tests.

These are apparently some of the most widely accepted standardized testing pros and cons. Certainly, when arguments for both sides are weighed, we will find that standardized testing can't possibly test students on creativity and communication. While for sciences, it can be a great tool to asses students, making it compulsory for humanities seems a way too far. Also, we need to think if academic scores or good ACT or SAT scores are the real reflection of a student's talent? May be a student has the potential to become a great singer but caught in the rut of exams. Scholars need to rethink about the effectiveness of standardized tests in the last 50 years. Only that can present before us the true picture of standardized tests pros and cons in a more emphatic manner.

Social Issues in Education

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." - John Dewey

If there is one thing that makes or breaks an individual - it is his education. Schools, where children study, learn and prepare for life, thus need to provide the right kind of environment so that students can get an education properly.

In schools, students are taught languages, mathematics, science, history and a number of other subjects. They get to participate in sports activities, socialize with their peers and learn how to adapt themselves in different social situations. However, an impediment in the path of the child development at schools, comes by way of the various social issues that plague our education system. So, what are some social issues in education? Let's try to understand them.

Social Issues in Education

Emotional Issues
Society has changed considerably in the last few decades. Today, the divorce rate is very high in America and many school going children are brought up in single parent families. Growing up in broken homes can adversely affect the emotional health of a student and this may lower his performance at school. You may read more on single parenting. However, even when children are brought up in homes where both parents are present, it's not necessary that there emotional needs will be met, as in majority of families today, both the parents are working.

Ethnic Issues
Children belonging to certain ethnic groups such as blacks, are expected to be slower learners as compared to others. There are certain stereotypes that have been attached to specific races and, children belonging to them, suffer from low self-esteem.

Gender Issues
Another of the education social issues is differentiation on the basis of sex. Girls have lesser opportunities, compared to boys for studying, in certain sections of the society. Expectations from girls to score high in studies or study further, are less too. You may read further on gender discrimination in education.

Economic Issues
Some social issues in education arise due to the economic strata a student belongs to. Students who belong to poor families, go to public schools which are not so well equipped with technology. This automatically puts them at a disadvantage, when compared to the students who go to some good private schools. You may further refer to how important is technology in education.

Cultural Issues
Students belonging to immigrant families, may not be well versed with English language. This creates a barrier in communication between students and teachers and thus, such students are not able to receive proper education. More on cultural diversity in the classroom.

Ethical Issues
There are certain ethical issues in education which too, affect students such as - whether to allow cell phones in school or not, should school uniforms be made compulsory, etc. More on should cell phones be allowed in schools.

Impact of Social Issues in Education

According to the "Education Research Center, United States", around 7,000 high school students, drop out of school every day! The high drop out rates are propelled by social issues in education as mentioned above. These issues basically have two kinds of impact - firstly, the student's performance suffers and secondly, the teacher's expectations do not remain the same for everybody. That's why certain political issues on education have been raised to deal with these social problems.

The government is running various bilingual programs in schools, where majority of students belong to immigrant families. This helps them learn English and other subjects faster. Secondly, the government has come up with "private-school vouchers", with the help of which students of public schools can attend private schools to get a superior education.

Some current issues in education with regards to politics, that require immediate attention by policy makers are - Providing family and medical leave to all working parents so that they can spend quality time with their children, providing financial support to low-income families and single mothers, giving scholarships to teachers to study further and running training programs for them and lastly, taking steps to prevent the spread of HIV, STDs among adolescents. More on sex education.

These are some of the major social issues in education currently. The government has to make certain policies and see to it that they are implemented properly, to tackle these issues. Besides political will, a change in society's attitude is needed too, to ensure that these issues do not arise any further.

How has Technology Changed Education

This millennium stands testimony to the fact that human mind is one of the new frontiers which we are trying to conquer. Breath taking technologies are being introduced almost every year and it seems we're on the way to make our life easier and more comfortable. Education - that is a reflection of the development of a society and is the foundation stone of the bright future of a nation has undergone drastic changes in the last fifty years. How has technology changed education? This question will be critically analyzed in this article.

Positive Effects of Technology on Education

Talking in a positive sense, the impact of technology on education has been phenomenal. Using Internet and computers as en effective medium to establish communication between schools, teachers, students and parents; educational institutes have been able to handle many issues that were previously not handled with ease due to geographical limitations or lack of adequate training technologies. Here are some of the most positive aspects of technology in education, in this segment of the article on, 'how has technology changed education'.

Enhanced Teaching and Learning
Technological developments like digital cameras, projectors, mind training software, computers, PowerPoint presentations, 3D visualization tools; all these have become great sources for teachers to help students grasp a concept easily. It has to be understood that visual explanation of concepts makes learning fun and enjoyable for students. They're able to participate more in the classroom and even teachers get a chance to make their classes more interactive and interesting. The importance of technology in schools can be understood from the fact that it empowers the educational system and produces better students.

Confidence Booster
Being exposed to technological wonders like computers and the Inter net and learning to operate them from an early age, students are able to develop a sense of self esteem and confidence. There are many things that students are able to do on their computer that their parents aren't even aware of, this helps them create their own special world and this gives them a feeling of being special. This makes them believe that they stand strong in global competition.

Increased Cooperation Amongst Peers
A majority of teachers have stated a very surprising fact that introducing technologies in classroom has increased peer to peer interaction. Many kids who're comfortable in handling computers come out to lend a helping hand to students, who face problems in working on computers. Reading more on how important is technology in education will help you know more about role of technology in education. The importance of technology in the classroom goes beyond computers and Internet. They're now, just as important as notebooks and school bags.

Increased Knowledge
Teachers have reported that students who sincerely complete their research projects by referring to the plethora of information available on the Internet are able to develop good analytical and research skills. By referring to a large number of resources, a serious student utilizes his or her common sense and judgment skills to choose the best material and use it as an advantage to complete the project. By getting exposed to numerous ideas for their assignments and the creative ways to finish them, students develop excellent research abilities. Certainly, 'how has technology changed education' needn't be a question that is difficult to answer.

No Geographical Limitations
With the introduction of online degree programs there is hardly any need of being present physically in the classroom. Even several foreign universities have started industry oriented online degree courses that aspirants can join. Distance learning and online education have become an integral part of the education system now a days. Certainly, the value of off-campus education may never be equal to that of on-campus training but for diploma and other courses, when the student is thousands of mile away from the educational institute, these online courses can be of great advantage.

Negative Effects of Technology on Education

Teachers and scholars across the globe have unanimously stood for integrating technology in education. This is owing to the fact that just like students, even teachers find it easier to circulate study materials by using Internet as a communication tool. Technological developments have made life easier for teachers and students. However, there is a certain negative impact of technology that needs to be analyzed in order to understand how has technology changed education.

Poor Teacher - Student Relationship
Many teachers have a common complaint that negative habits of students are more exacerbated due to the use of technology. In countries like the US, where assignments and homeworks are required to be submitted online, students tend to forget common email etiquette like salutation and sometimes, even adding texts in the attachments! Moreover, the trend of last day submissions has now transformed into last hour, last minute submissions. Students submit their assignments even hours after the time for submission is over and their emails don't contain any explanation or a note of apology.

Moreover, questions, queries and problems regarding any topic in assignments that should reach to the teacher within 24 hours of submission of the homework, remain due for days. Not many students are even bothered to get their queries cleared. Those few who raise questions want them to be answered online which is not always possible, as teacher - student interaction is something that is vital to understand intricate topics. The trend of blackboards wherein, teachers post online notes, lectures, assignments and other information has cultivated the habit of skipping college lectures amongst students.

The belief that Google is always there, has made students disorganized and impatient. They just want to copy and paste the information, so that they can finish the assignment. Going to the college library, searching for information from books or even online library facilities seems to be a daunting task for students. Teachers have expressed concern that not many students are productively utilizing technology for their growth. Teachers are also concerned about the fact that students don't fix appointments with them to seek answers to queries or to know something more about the subject. This is one of the negative ways of how has technology changed education.

Increasing Incidents of Cheating
Technological developments like graphing calculators, high tech watches, mini cameras and similar equipments have become great sources to cheat in exams. It is easier for students to write formulas and notes on graphing calculators, with least chances of being caught. While vigilance can curb this problem, there seems know clue as how issues of plagiarism and 'cut- copy - paste' will be dealt with. Students pick up any one website and the contents in the exact manner, as given in the website.

Lack of Focus
SMS or text messaging has become a favorite pastime of many students. Students are seen playing with their cell phone, iPhones day and night, right from crossing a street, or driving and very often even between lectures. Being ever-connected to the online world has resulted in lack of focus and concentration in academics and to some extent, even in sports and extra curricular activities. It is certainly not possible to read a difficult subject and at the same time, chat with a friend, and remain logged in on facebook. These are very obvious distractions that have eroded the sense of mental focus, peace and concentration ability from students' life. Video gaming for instance has become the greatest distraction for students. Teenagers are easily influenced by any new gadget and technology being introduced in the market and this has also made them splurge unnecessarily.

Poor Reading and Writing Skills
Reading seems to be a lost hobby in this age. While there is a plentiful of information in the form of free ebooks available on the Internet, anybody who likes reading will agree that reading a book online and reading a printed form of book certainly has some prominent differences. Even if students were reading books online, it would have been fair but the fact is that owing to bombardment of information, the moment a teenager opens a website, he is lost elsewhere, either searching for new games or opening his or her facebook profile. Since assignments are mostly done online, hand writing skills of students have become pathetic.

It is understandable that in this age of computers, there is hardly any requirement of hand writing skills but still, a good hand writing is an integral part of learning. It improves our eye to hand coordination, makes us more focused and gives us an opportunity to express ourselves, more profoundly. Writing skills also convey deeper aspects about our personality like our organizational abilities and ability to express our ideas in a refined manner. Certainly, typing on a keyboard doesn't impair creativity in writing (in fact they're useful, as using a backspace, one can easily change previous sentences). Nevertheless, hand writing skills are certainly an integral part of good education.

The information detailed above covered some vital points regarding how has technology changed education. Since technology has both positive and negative dimensions, we must make efforts to help students and kids realize the potential in the proper use of technology. Since kids always love freedom, respective authorities must ensure that they are not overdosing students with strict rules and regulations regarding using technologies in schools and colleges. But, certain rules are essential to avoid overuse of technology in education. That will ensure that technology is used for improving a student's life and not wasting valuable resources like time and money.

Problems With Today's Education System

Education makes a man. This is so true! The skills, knowledge and learning from school and college, carry us well into our personal and professional lives, in our later years. However, is our education system good enough to prepare the children, the future of our country, to lead their best life? What are the problems with today's education system? Let's find the answers...

List of Problems with Today's Education System

De-motivated Teachers
One of the biggest problems with education in the United States is that the entire teaching staff has the same salary structure. The education sector does not recognize or pay well teachers who make an extra effort or take an initiative to be innovative and creative in their teaching methods. This de-motivates the teachers to some extent and thus, may inculcate the tendency to not give their best, in many of them. Moreover, due to lower salaries of the teachers, intelligent and capable people do not want to enter this profession at all. This can create a dearth of quality teachers in the future in the United States.

Lesser Focus on Science and Math
The American education system does not focus on the most important subjects i.e. science, math and language. Researches have shown that America is far behind countries like Japan, in inculcating a scientific spirit amongst its students. Also, countries like Russia, Sweden, Italy and Canada, undertake awareness campaigns, from time to time to encourage literacy and reading amongst the children. Such initiatives are not given due importance in the United States. No wonder that the high school dropout rate has reached almost 50% in many of the cities.

Lack of Opportunities
It is often seen that students from poor families go to public schools. The education problems in public schools are manifold. One of the major drawbacks of public schools is that they are technologically backward. This means that children belonging to poor families, already are disadvantaged, compared to those who go to private schools as these schools are very advanced in terms of technology and teaching methods. This divide is one of the major problems with today's education system.

Only One Language
Majority of the students in America know only one language i.e. English. Compare this with students in other countries in Europe and Middle East, who know two, three or even more than that! Today, when the world has become such a small place, with people of different cultures and countries working together in multinationals, it puts the multilingual students from other countries at an advantage over the American students who can only speak English.

Racial and Economic Segregations
Researches have shown that in the schools, groups get formed amongst the students, on the basis of the race or economic strata of the society, the students belong to. It is also seen, that teachers too behave with and treat the immigrants and African-American students differently. This may cause many self-esteem issues in such students, when they grow up.

Teachers' Expectations
There is a strange phenomenon which is observed in both public and private schools, which is proving to be detrimental to the students' knowledge and learning. In schools, teacher's expectations vary according to the face and ethnicity of the students. When it comes to African-Americans, there have been certain stereotypes established i.e. they are slow learners and they will do well only in sports like basketball and football. So, most of the teachers expect the African-American students to fare poorly in intellectual pursuits and thus, this can have a detrimental effect on these students. It is not surprising to see that most of the students in science and math clubs are whites while sports bodies are full of blacks.

Some Other Problems
Besides the ones mentioned above, some of the other problems with today's education system are - widening of gap in the academic performance of boys and girls (the grades of boys are falling steadily, especially as they reach higher grades), students belonging to rich or middle class families doing well in studies while those belonging to poor families run the risk of dropping out and lastly, lack of funds with the public schools to upgrade the infrastructure, curriculum and quality of teachers.

As you can see, there are numerous problems that exist in the education system. So, it can be rightly said that it would require a hell lot of initiative, zeal and hard work, on the part of the government authorities, schools and teachers, to do away with these negatives plaguing the education system.

Scaffolding In Education

Scaffolding is a concept based on the theory proposed by Lev Vygotsky, known as, 'Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)'. It is one of the most popular teaching methods in education. In this mode of instruction a teacher helps the student initially, to learn a new concept and offers maximum assistance. Gradually, the teacher sets up newer tasks for the students to perform and apply their knowledge independently. The zone of proximal development literally means the distance between what children can do on their own and what they can do when assisted by an adult. Scaffolding in education is a strategy in which a knowledgeable person equips the student and provides him with all the information and support to acquire or learn a particular thing.

What is Scaffolding in Education?
Teachers use this strategy regularly in classrooms. A teacher demonstrates a particular skill to students and then provides them with assistance, while students attempt to master the skill. It literally is transferring the responsibility from the teacher to the student in order to teach the student to work independently. The assistance is not taken away immediately, rather it is a gradual transformation. One of the examples of scaffolding in education would be when a teacher teaches students how to solve a sum in maths using given properties. The teacher then asks students to solve the sum on their own and come up with the answer and corrects them if they have made mistakes. Teaching itself is a skill, therefore before using this strategy, a tutor has to be skilled with his teaching skills. This strategy helps students learn from their mistakes and clears all doubts about certain concepts while mastering a skill.

Characteristics of the Vygotsky Scaffolding
Jamie McKenzie, the editor of an online education journal has pointed out the eight characteristics of the scaffolding strategy that a teacher must follow in order to teach a student. They are as follows.

    * A step by step instruction procedure helps in reducing confusion over concepts of acquiring skills.
    * Explain the importance of learning or mastering a particular skill.
    * The students must be able to analyze the instructions and come up with their ways to tackle the matter.
    * Offering assessment of the work students have done helps them learn and understand what is expected of them.
    * A teacher must point out other resources where students can refer for help to learn more about the skill or information being taught to them
    * The activity must be well planned and keep students interested and should not be posed as a fear in any which way, due to which they will lose interest in understanding the concept of the task.
    * Efficient delivery of the scaffolding instruction will save time and is a quick and interesting way of educating students.
    * The basic aim of this strategy is to provide knowledge to students and help them overcome their fear of performing and making decisions.

Scaffolding in Education: Examples
Scaffolding in education involves the concept of interventionist study. The earliest application of the study was done with toddlers of ages 3,4 and 5. They were given the task of making a pyramid with a set of blocks. The tutor was asked to help the child only as much it would for him to understand what was to be done. This study was done by Wood, Ross, and Bruner in 1986. From this study they came up with 6 forms of support that a child could be provided with.
Another example was of reciprocal teaching, a study carried out by Palinscar and Brown in 1985. Here students were provided with reading strategies by a tutor. These strategies were;

    * Self-Directed Summarizing
    * Questioning
    * Clarifying
    * Predicting

The tutor helped the students with each of these strategies till they could understand the importance of each and its application.

Advantages of Scaffolding in Education
The main advantage of this strategy is that it helps the learners associate acquired knowledge with new concepts. It also helps in building a sort of self confidence in students. Scaffolding also helps reduce fear and anxiety about a certain concept which if not taken away leads to frustration. Another advantage of scaffolding is that it is tailored according to the individual requirement of the learner., which leads us to the disadvantage of scaffolding.

Disadvantages of Scaffolding in Education
As mentioned in the advantages of scaffolding, that it is tailored for individual learners, application of this strategy in a classroom gets quite tedious. The strength of a class is often large and applying the strategy to each student may become quite time consuming.

Software Applications for Scaffolding
To overcome the disadvantage of individual attention, there are various software applications available for scaffolding which a teacher can offer students as a learning resource. This proves the importance of technology in education. There are certain software tools such as Thinker Tools, Knowledge Integration Environment and Progress Portfolio which help learners master the skills he wishes to acquire.

Thus, scaffolding in education has its own benefits, when applied strategically. Application of this instruction in classroom is not impossible, certain modifications in scaffolding would help. It is definitely advantageous for learners.

Importance of Education in Society

Education, if looked at beyond its conventional boundaries, forms the very essence of all our actions. What we do is what we know and have learned, either through instructions or through observation and assimilation. If when we are not making an effort to learn, our mind is always processing new information or trying to analyze the similarities as well as the tiny nuances within the context which makes the topic stand out or seem different. If that is the case then the mind definitely holds the potential to learn more, however, it is us who stop ourselves from expanding the horizons of our knowledge with self doubt or other social, emotional, or economic constraints.

While most feel that education is a necessity, they tend to use it as a tool for reaching a specif target or personal mark, after which there is no further need to seek greater education. Nonetheless, the importance of education in society is indispensable and cohering, which is why society and knowledge cannot be ever separated into two distinct entities. Let us find out more about the role of education in society and how it affects our lives.

Purpose of Education in Society

Education is Self Empowerment
Receiving a good education firstly helps empower you, thus making you strong enough to look after yourself in any given situation. It keeps you aware of your given surroundings as well as the rules and regulations of the society you're living in. It's only through knowledge that you can be able to question authority for its negligence or discrepancies. It is only then that you can avail your rights as a citizen and seek improvement in the structural functioning of governance and economy. It's is only when a citizen is aware about the policies of its government can he be able to support or protest the change. As a whole, people can bring about development only when they know where improvement is necessary for the greater good of mankind. Education helps you understand yourself better, it helps you realize your potential and qualities as a human being. It helps you to tap into latent talent, so that you may be able to sharpen your skills.

Financial Stability and Dignity of Life
Another importance of education is that it helps you gain sufficient academic qualification so that you may be able to get suitable employment at a later stage. A decent employment would be combined with hard earned remuneration or salary through which you can look after your personal expenses. While you earn for yourself, you gradually begin to realize the true worth of money and how hard it is to earn it. You realize the significance of saving for a rainy day and for unforeseeable contingencies. You feel empowered because there is a new sense of worth that develops within you, and you feel the need to be independent and free from any further financial support.

Advantages of Higher Learning
There also comes a phase when the amount you are earning presently will seem inadequate because your aspirations and expectations from yourself will have grown considerably. After this, you will want to change jobs so as to have a higher profile. However, here is when you need to be prepared. A promotion of this figure can occur in two given situations, which are that either you have the necessary higher academic qualification or a college degree which allows you a safe passage, or that you have amassed enough practical experience which allows you to be a suitable candidate for the employment you seek.

Which is why college education is very important after high school and must not be taken for granted. When faced with the option of choosing between a highly qualified candidate and a not so educated candidate, the employers will most probably go in for the qualified person. The reason being that a qualified candidate will not require much investment of the employer's time and money so as to teach him or her the ways of functioning and performing the tasks of the workplace. On the contrary, a novice applicant will need to be taught every thing from scratch, which many employer's are not willing to do. The same applies to people who seek higher education and get advanced diplomas while working. These people are continuously improving their profile and their knowledge base so as to go higher up on the competitive ladder.

Helps Plan Ahead
Those who have amassed enough education steer the path of development and progress for their country. It is these individuals who go ahead and become teachers, scientists, inventors, welfare activists, soldiers and politicians who work together to form the very backbone of the society. Without this pool of intellect, the economic and social framework would crumple and fall, paving its way for anarchy, degradation and violence. While this intricate balance of growth is maintained, there will be a continuous rise in progress in all quarters of life, whether that be personal growth or development of the nation as a entire entity.

This progress has a very important role to play for the coming generations, which will reap the benefits of our hard work, and develop upon it. At the same time, the negative impact of our actions shall have its collateral damage on the coming generation as well. Which is why we must be exceptionally prudent about the decisions we make and the actions we take in the present.

Education plays its continuous role in all spheres of life. The reason being that if we are aware of the drawbacks of a decision and we know about the possible contingencies and collateral damage, our consequent actions would be wiser, which would help us to keep danger at bay at all times. Hopefully this article on the importance of education in society, has been informative and useful.

Why is Education the Key to Success

Everyone of us is a bundle of unique gifts and talents. Our relative success in life depends on how much we believe in ourselves, trust our own private genius, nurture it and let it grow freely. What education does is that it provides us with the opportunity to unravel and realize our inborn talents, while providing us with the skills of thinking and solving problems on our own. Both education and success are relative concepts in the sense that there is a wide difference of opinion regarding what is real education and what is real success. In this Buzzle article, I present you with my argument about why is education the key to success, based on my own understanding of what real education and true success means.

What is Real Education?

Real education is the one which enables you to think for yourself and apply what you have learned. Purely knowing facts and being able to effectively remember and recall them isn't being educated. To be educated is being able to make your own decisions and form your own opinions about things. It is the imparting of skills that enable you to succeed in any field of human endeavor and make your original contribution. What good education requires is a one-to-one interaction between a good teacher and student.

There are two factors of education which must mold two different aspects of the human psyche - one is analytical intelligence and the other is emotional intelligence. The former deals with the ability to solve technical problems while the latter deals with the ability to empathize, communicate, connect with our fellow human beings. A wholesome education system must educate both these facets of the human psyche to mold a character with all the abilities required to live a happy and successful life.

Why is Education the Key to Success?

Man is what his thoughts make him. Education provides direction to these thoughts. Success is more than just accumulation of material wealth. I believe that success is not a destination but a never ending journey in self exploration. It is unlocking your true potential to make your life itself a work of art. Success has more than one dimensions to it. Acquiring material wealth is not the only one. To what degree have you conquered your self and achieved liberation from wanting and needing things is another indicator of success. Education plays a large role in determining our potential for achieving this success. Here are some of the prime arguments supporting the idea of education as the veritable key to success.

High Educational Qualifications Provide Better Job Opportunities
Specialized knowledge gained through higher education opens opportunities in the form of well paying jobs, with a challenging work profile. While higher education may not guarantee success, it certainly puts you in a position to work with the best in the field and gain valuable experience, which helps you in the long term pursuit of professional success. So graduation through college and working hard to get through graduate school has its benefits.

Provides the Requisite Skill Set to Succeed
Education that enables individuals to succeed is not just the formal kind. The direct education that one gains through hands-on experience and working with the masters in a field, that goes beyond purely bookish knowledge, prepares you for success. Real education begins when you start applying what you learned through formal education to solve real world problems. The discipline, perseverance and ability to apply oneself pave the path to success.

Provides Access to the Vast Store of Human Knowledge
Just being able to read and write, provides you access to the vast store of human knowledge in the form of books, which is the combined wisdom of ages. A man benefits from the path shown by the great masters of any field by accessing this knowledge store. Distilling knowledge to gain wisdom is the ultimate aim of education. Great minds like Newton have acknowledged the contributions of their predecessors which contributed to their success. Standing on the shoulders of the great giants of men who made magnanimous contributions to human knowledge, we can see further than they did.

Education Through Experience Provides the Real Edge
A college degree or any kind of formal education can provide you with the knowledge required to succeed in your field. It does not ensure success unless you learn to apply what you learned and apply it effectively to find innovative solutions. Education provides you with the means, but the application required to succeed must come from within you. The edge that winners gain over their competitors is through experience and out of the box thinking.

Ultimately Success Is All About Self Belief
No institution can provide better education than life itself. Besides conventional education, the lessons we learn through our day-to-day life, our ability to adapt and self introspect, adoption of a strong value system and most importantly, self belief are the keys to success. The importance of education lies in its ability to forge a man of character.

The real key to success is self belief, which can unlock your inner potential. Education which puts you on the path of self discovery, leading to self belief, adds meaning to your life and provides you with the means to achieve lasting success in life. As rightly put by W.B.Yeats, education lights the inner fire and provides us with the ability to think independently, making success only a matter of time.

The Importance of Comprehensive Exams in Graduate Programs

The Comprehensive Exam

In many fields, graduate students studying for Master’s, PhDs, and other advanced degrees are required to take comprehensive exams, commonly called "comps." Comps differ widely from field to field, and could involve written components, oral components, or other demonstrations of proficiency. Comps are often a major milestone in the graduate student’s course of study because they challenge the student to learn a very great deal about the field he or she is studying. Graduate programs can be viewed as requiring students to demonstrate both a breadth of knowledge in the field as a whole and a depth of knowledge about a specific area of interest. Whereas the dissertation is the demonstration of depth, the comprehensive exam is how a student shows breadth. Read more on achieving success in exams.

Comps or No Comps?

It seems logical to require comps exams for future PhDs and others studying for terminal degrees in the field of study. After all, a terminal degree ought to indicate that the individual is an expert in the field and has learned, if not all there is to know, at least a sufficient amount that further schooling would be impractical. A student who receives a PhD in history is, and ought to be, expected to know a very great deal about history. However, in the United States some academics hold the opinion that, in certain fields, comps exams should not be required.

Specialization

Increasingly, the academic world is characterized by intense specialization. Those who receive terminal degrees are often experts in a very, very small area of their field, rather than in the field as a whole. There are several complex reasons for this, and often the reasons differ from field to field. In some fields, especially in the sciences, specialization is necessary because it’s at the level of extreme specificity that the most important advances are made. In other fields, specialization is necessary to stand out from others who are competing for a very small number of job openings. Whatever the reason, some people think that specialization is important enough that graduate students should devote most of their time to it.

Do Comps Get in the Way?

Valuing specialization over a breadth of more general knowledge had led some people, especially academics, to conclude that comprehensive exams are unnecessary and even detrimental to students’ futures. For example, in the field of philosophy, there are far more new PhDs given each year than there are open academic positions. This means that getting a job at a university in a philosophy department is extremely competitive. In order to stand out from the crown, young philosophers need to publish articles in their areas of interest, attend conferences, and distinguish themselves in any other way that they possibly can. According to some, the intensive study and preparation required to take the comprehensive exams in philosophy prevent PhD students from devoting enough time to distinguishing themselves in the field.

The Value of Expertise

Although the arguments against comps are understandable, getting rid of comprehensive exams would be detrimental to the academic world. If graduate students are not required to learn as much as they can about their fields, they will be less prepared to teach others or to enter demanding jobs after they receive their degrees. Although they may excel as specialists, they will lack the flexibility, historical perspective, and big-picture view that higher education ought to impart. It might be argued that, if specializing works, then it must be a good thing. However, the value of advanced degrees can only go down if those who obtain them can no longer be considered experts. Institutions that grant terminal degrees to students who have not demonstrated, through comprehensive exams, that they are among the most knowledgeable individuals in the field, will lose their reputations as prestigious centers of learning.

Educational Malpractice

In the US, educational malpractice is not an unheard term. Students and parents have dragged educational institutions in courts on account of neglectful teaching, carelessness and inability to make the candidates competent enough to get employment. In most of the educational malpractice cases, plaintiffs have claimed that the educational institutions and its teachers or staff were unable to fulfill their duties of educating them properly, as promised at the time of admission.

Failed Educational Malpractice Lawsuits: Prominent Causes

Educational malpractice cases have always attracted debates from scholars and judicial stalwarts. It is a fact that in many cases, colleges and universities always had a stronghold in the cases due to reasons that are not very difficult to understand. There are plenty of reasons why the judiciary has discarded plaintiffs arguments in a majority of cases against educational institutions. The biggest limitation in announcing a punishment against educational institutions in malpractice cases is that courts don't have an exact definition of what all constitutes the duties to educate a child. It is yet to decide, when should a child be deemed educated? Just because the child is unable to read or write with the expected level of proficiency at the end of educational year, makes the school or college responsible for it? Similarly, the reasons behind failure of a student to come up to an expected mark, after learning was imparted to him or her can't be exactly stated. A child spends significant number of hours at home besides the school. What if the child didn't diligently pursue his or her studies at home? Or what if the parents were careless in looking after the child and helping him at his work. It is a fact that good learning atmosphere is not only important at school but also at home. Moreover, every child is capable in his or her own unique ways. Not everyone has same aptitude, emotional, social, cultural and environmental upbringing. This effects performance in the academic career. Considering public schools, colleges or universities responsible for the poor performance of a student certainly raises several questions.

Educational Malpractice Suits

A large number of legal lawsuits have been filed against institutions on several charges. While not pointing out to exact cases and their complete details, here are some common reasons as to why parents, students and colleges or universities have been in the courtrooms.

    * A school sued parents for not paying the tuition fees and in return the parents sued the school on charges of racism, poor education practices and absenteeism of the school staff.
    * A group of students battled in court against their college administration for being unable to stop cheating and using unfair means by several students in the college exams.
    * Some cases have also been filed by students who passed high school but complained of having reading and writing skills at par with seventh grade students.
    * A child is misdiagnosed with a learning disability, is sent to a normal school and is unable to learn anything for many years. Parents sue the doctor and the school, both.
    * A student joined a college after winning athletic scholarships however, after completing four years of education, he feels incompetent in the employment world. Sues the college eventually.
    * Several cases also include stances where vocational training institutions have been sued because even after the complete training, students ended up with no employment.

The above examples of educational malpractice lawsuits, though don't directly depict the exact cases, are just some incidents, where lawsuits have been filed against private and public educational institutions. It is a fact that many cases in educational malpractices have been rejected by courts due to the inability of the plaintiffs to prove in the court that the defendant was responsible for the loss occurred to plaintiffs. Nevertheless, in some cases, lawsuits have been won by plaintiffs and that has triggered hopes for many others who have been in the legal battle against institutions.

Benefits of Educational Technology

Today, everything that we come across has some technological connotation to it. Be it at home, school or workplace, technology has found a comfortable niche and has become an integral part of life. With the use of technology, several arenas are seeing changes and education is also one of them. The birth of educational technology has proved to be a boon to students the world over. Not only in the regular setting, but also in educating students with special needs have known to be benefited with the introduction of this modern invention. Let us now discuss the uses and benefits of educational technology in this modern day setting.

What is Educational Technology?
The term 'educational technology' has a broad perspective and is also referred to as instructional technology or learning technology. This method plays a vital role in enhancing the learning process of students and also assists teachers in communicating with the students in an easy way. Educational technology can be a classroom affair, or can be even taken out of the classroom. This technology has successfully transformed the stereotypical image of classrooms into a modern and more interesting one. Thanks to this modern development, classrooms are no longer a boring place and learning is actually a fun experience. With the use of computers and software programs, which provide learning materials, technology has changed education to a great extent.

Educational Technology Benefits
There are a number of benefits of introducing technology in the field of education. There has been a positive impact of technology on education. Virtual classrooms have made learning easier for the student community. With the potential use of technology, the learning speed and style have undergone a sea change and communication has become more easier. Here are some of the benefits of educational technology.

    * One of the benefits of educational technology for students is that it helps them improve their learning capabilities. Since it is one field which is constantly changing, new updates can be easily introduced to the students and class plans can be prepared with the help of the software.
    * In the earlier days, education was considered to be mostly for the elite class and people under other strata were quite ignorant of it. With the introduction of educational technology, there is no discrimination and everyone is equally accessible to get educated.
    * The information can be portrayed in various ways with the help of study materials. Knowledge has become easily accessible to students in every part of the world with the implementation of technology in the field of education. Online classrooms help students to interact with other students belonging to the same stream, but located somewhere else in the world.
    * Since the Internet is the main medium and other things like handheld tablet PCs and smart boards have entered the arena, students do not have to carry heavy backpacks loaded with books. They can walk in comfortably to the classroom where these equipments are already placed.
    * With the birth of virtual classrooms, the instructor from any part of the world can teach the learner (or learners) who may be living at the other end. The reach of this technology is quite far and students living in the remote parts can also avail it with ease.
    * In special education, the educational technology has brought about a sea change where the needs of students are catered to in a different manner. With the introduction of the software which teaches students with special needs, the appropriate study materials are designed so that learning is comfortable.

With the inclusion of technology, the concept of education is undergoing a modification, for the betterment of the students as well as the teachers. Hence, the introduction of technology is important in education. Thanks to educational technology, now learning and teaching have become an enjoyable experience.

Hair Makeover for Men

A good hairstyle often reflects many aspects of your personality. For example, a hair style like that of Pierce Brosnan or George Clooney, with a little gray hair, depicts a firm and no-nonsense personality. On the other hand, a hairstyle like that of Brad Pitt depicts a casual and extremely pleasant personality.

Hair makeover for men is basically targeted at giving men the hairstyles that suit them. There are many different factors that are considered by the hairstylists when they suggest hair makeovers to men. The following are some of the important points that are considered by hairstyle experts when they advice men a hair makeover:

    * Shape of the Face
    * Skin Tone
    * Height of the Man
    * Personality and Temperament
    * Height of Neck
    * Structuring of Hair
    * Length of Hair
    * Face Cut
    * Age

These points are considered by the hair stylists in order to impart the best possible makeover. There are 2 basic ways with the help of which you can decide the hair makeover for yourself. The first one involves the use of software such as online hair makeover for men or virtual hair makeover, which would allow you to see your picture with a new hairstyle that suits you even before you go the hairstylists. The second type of makeover is the one that is given by the hairstylist himself over a period of several months.

Free Hair Makeover for Men - Software
Now-a-days there are many different software and programs that are available on the Internet such as virtual hair makeover for men. While using these software all the user has to do is download the software from the Internet and then submit a picture of himself and see the preview, with the new hair style. In some cases you may not have to download software and you would need to submit your picture directly to the website, in the prescribed format. The type of software and websites provide free hair makeover for men.

Programs like these in some cases are so intelligent that they even recommend some makeover hairstyles and even hair coloring ideas, on the basis of features like the face cut of the person or the tone of the skin, hair color etc. After you have the preview of the new hair style, you may as well take a printout and hand it over to the hair stylist to get that new hair style done. To know more about hair care products and related accessories, read more on hair accessories.

Hair Makeover for Guys - Conventional Way
Many hairstylists often opine that using software such as virtual hair makeover for men is not a good option as the virtual preview of the hair styles often looks good and hence different than the practical hairstyle. This also means that it does not yield expected results when it is actually implemented by the hair stylist.

Hairstylists often emphasize the importance of gradual evolution of a hair makeover for men. This fact is rightly emphasized upon because human hair tends to grow in different projections after hair makeovers, and this is where you need a good haircut. The stylists hence put an emphasis upon regular and periodic trimming, straightening and styling using hair straighteners, as the hair that grows after the first change in hairstyle goes haywire. Thus hair makeovers, before and after trims and finishes help in giving finishing touches to the hair styles.

As personal opinion I would recommend you to go in for a hairstyle makeover for men that is styled out by the hairstylist over a longer period of time, say a period of 15 months. The biggest advantage of availing these kind of services is that the hairstylist develops a hairstyle that is suitable for you. Hairstyle makeover for men will not only help you look good but you are also bound to "feel good" as a result. The makeover will also give your personality a newer and better dimension.

Makeover Tips for Girls

We have all grown up reading fairy tales like Cinderella and watching movies like My Fair Lady, waiting for our own fairy godmothers and Professor Higgins' to wave their magic wands and transform us to unleash our inner beauty so that it would reflect on the outside. But then those are childhood dreams and they wane with time, much like our earlier unwavering faith in Santa Claus. So, like presents from our loved ones replace those from Santa, the magic wand that our well wishing patrons brandished for us is replaced by two much more practical and possible, almost magical objects - makeup and fashionable clothes. Just complement the right makeup techniques with the current fashion trends and you have the perfect makeover. In this article, we provide for you the perfect makeover tips for girls, to let out your inner beauty queen.

For a makeover that will surprise everyone you know, you will need to move out of your comfort zone. If you are tomboy, who has always been comfortable in a pair of shorts and a t-back, then you need to become a little more girl like in your demeanor. On the other hand, if you are someone who is generally perceived as mild and meek, then a little boldness in your wardrobe and your makeup would revamp your look. But the changes need to be acceptable to you. Do not follow a trend blindly, unless you think that it would suit you and definitely do not constrain yourself to fashion diktats. While there are some people who can carry off almost all looks, there are others amongst us, who are not that lucky and need to be careful about what suits us. If you are unsure about what to wear and how to apply makeup, consult a stylist who can help you out. This article on makeover tips for girls gives you the basics that you can use to change your style quotient.

Makeup and Clothing Tips for Girls

Giving makeover tips in a generic manner is not easy because it needs to be very personalized. Every person has a style that suits them according to their body structure. The makeover tips for girls and women given here may not help you change your look completely but will definitely make you stand out in the crowd with the way you carry yourself.

    * Always try and opt for a natural makeup look. This will retain the innocence and freshness of your face, and yet make you appear more mature. If you do want to experiment, then opt to innovate with eye makeup. Experiment with eye shadows and eyeliners of different colors and shades. Use paler, pastel colors and shades that accentuate your skin tone in the morning. If you like to wear glitter makeup, then restrict the use of an eyeshadow with glitter to the evenings, when you are going out for a party or other such occasions. As a girl, it is always better to opt for a lip gloss as compared to a lipstick which tends to make you look older. Always keep your skin clean and moisturized and clean any trace of makeup before you go to bed.
    * One of the best ways to change the way you look is to go in for a haircut. Go to a professional who can help you choose a style that will suit your face shape and is also in fashion. Opt for hair highlights and lowlights, depending on your preference. As a young girl, you can try shades that may seem dramatic like pink, purple or my personal favorite, electric blue. Hairstyles with bangs are a current rage and suit youthful appearances. Hair makeover tips for black women and girls who have curly or frizzy hair is to use a hair serum. For hairstyles, you can opt to straighten the top section of your hair and cut them into bangs. Use hair accessories like hair bands and clips to enhance the look.
    * Nail art is a good way to draw attention to your hands. Go wild with different nail art variations. You can opt for polka dots, stripes, designs, gems, stick-ons; the options are endless.
    * Always use a moisturizer and a sunscreen before you step out to ensure proper skin care.
    * When it comes to clothing, it is important to add color to your ensemble. This is one of the most important makeover tips for women and girls. Most of us tend to be monochromatic in our look and stick to a favorite color while buying clothes. Experiment with new colors and shades. Also try out new styles that appeal to your taste.
    * Accessorize. It is key to any look. Depending on the style you are sporting, accessorize your look. If you are going in for a rocker chick look, then wear silver chains looped with your belt, boots or converse shoes, silver earrings, etc. If preppy clothes are more your style, then wear pearl necklaces, match your belts with your shoes, wear hair bands and other such accessories. A single show stopping accessory should not be overshadowed by other trinkets. Try and minimize the urge to wear too much jewelry. Over-accessorizing can kill the look of an outfit.

These are some makeover tips that you can use, if you are trying to change the look that you present to the world everyday. There is no one day miracle solution. The change will take time and a lot of perseverance on your part. It will be easy to be tempted to let go and slip back into routine. But if you really want a Tim Gunn or Trinny and Susannah style miracle, then you will need to work at it.

Makeover for Men

It is said that we form a perception and form an image about a person within few minutes by just looking at that person. And I think this notion can be trusted. Let me ask you this, haven't you formed an image of that gorgeous lass at the coffee shop or the hunk on the other table. Well, yes we do and we do it by simply observing that person. So, if you're a guy and if you want to be observed and to get that image printed on other persons mind, then it's time to get some makeover for men.

Male Makeover

Getting a hair makeover done can be the simplest and the most effective of all if you want to see the change in you. You must have observed that if you change your hairstyle, it also changes the way you look. And being the most simplest, it is also the most crucial makeover for men. Hair makeover for men doesn't only mean simply getting a haircut, but it means to let your hairstylist give a new hair style to you. For this, you need to remember two things, one, go to a popular hair salon either those just for men or the unisex salon. To do this, simply get opinions from your friends. And second, trust your hairstylist. Let him/her know what you want and see the magic happen.

The trend of getting virtual makeover for men is also increasing. Virtual makeover gives you the power to see yourself in different and vivid styles virtually, and then choose the best one you like. Just getting a makeover done can be a risky business, especially if you are not satisfied with the after effects. Hence, I think by far it is the best method to get a makeover. Also if possible, try to add some new clothes to your wardrobe other than your normal wear, try something different.

Makeover Tips for Men

Once you've got yourself a makeover done, it is important for you to care for it, and let the money which you've invested in it do some talking. Mentioned below are a few of the makeover tips for men.

    * Workout – Along with the makeover, it will also be good to have a great body. Doing a workout doesn't necessarily mean to do heavy weights in the gym. Even if you spend 15 minutes of running and 15 minutes of either push-ups, pull-ups or sit-ups, even that will be beneficial.
    * Polish your shoes – It is said that a lot can be said about a person, by looking at his/her shoes. Hence, always wear neat sneakers and if you are wearing leather shoes always polish them.
    * Trim your hair – It's important for you to trim excess hair to look in shape. Trim hair above your ears, on the nape. Also if you've got bushy eyebrows then get them done too.
    * Floss - Very important. It is not only a good habit, and healthy to floss your teeth, but also keeps your teeth clean and shinier. It may help to impress someone with a simple smile of yours.
    * Facial hair – If you've got facial hair then indulge in maintaining them properly. Your beard or soul patch must look like you wear them as your crown, and must not put an impression that you are too busy to trim them!
    * Basic hygiene – It is important to maintain personal hygiene to feel good about yourself. Cut your nails on time, not only wash your face but use an exfoliate to remove the dead skin and put a glow on your face, apply lip balm to avoid chapped lips.

Makeover for men is not only required for those who need it or those who don't have style. Well, I personally believe that each and every person has his or her own haircut style. Whatever it may be! Even if you've got a particular way of dressing or hairstyle, it's your style. But then don't you think that others will like to see a new you? And I am sure that you yourself will feel great. You can always give it a try at least. After all, change is always for good. Cheers!

Virtual Makeover

Oftentimes, you long for a great hairstyle or a new hair color, but when it comes to actually getting it done, you chicken out at the last minute. Sometimes, you get the better of your anxiety and bravely head to the salon to get a makeover. After the job, you walk proudly to the mirror in a hope to admire the stylish figure that would stare back at you! Horror, horror, that's the moment you discover something has gone wrong! The hairstyle was never meant for your face cut and the hair color looks completely out of place on your head. The stylist cannot be blamed, for she was only following your directions. How could the hairstyle and color that perfectly suited your friend, look so horrible on you? How you wish you could 'undo' the makeover job! How you wish you could have taken a 'preview' of the job! Yes, previewing the makeover is now not as difficult as undoing it. Forget about this one nasty incident and sign up for a virtual makeover tool so as to avoid such 'accidents' in future.

What is a Virtual Makeover

Virtual makeover is a software application that allows you to try any makeup product or even hairstyles, hair colors to check how they actually look on you. There are hundreds of thousands of looks and styles to choose from. From changing the color of your lips to applying an eyeshadow, you can choose any makeup tool from an array of makeup options available. The main purpose of this application is to allow you to take a preview of your makeover. If you think the look doesn't suit you, you can edit it by making appropriate changes and try on a new look. You can even try on celebrity looks and haircuts. For instance, you can try Jennifer Aniston's hairstyle along with Scarlett Johansson's lip color. You can also choose a particular application technique for applying eyeshadow so as to get a desired look for an eye makeup. You can also get several haircut styles and ideas by browsing these sites. In short, virtual makeover tool allows you to play with your look without spending a dime and most importantly, without altering your physical appearance. You can go for an actual makeover, only when you are completely convinced with your online 'avatar'.

How to Use a Virtual Makeover Tool

Virtual makeover is available on many websites that deal in cosmetics and makeup products. To use this tool, you must have a clear photo of yourself on your computer. Either take a closeup on your digital camera on scan a closeup photo which shows your face and hair clearly. Now search for any of these websites on Google. Sign up on the site of your choice. Upload your photo when you are prompted. You will notice a myriad options for hair, lip color, eye shadows etc. Choose from the available virtual makeover hairstyles and see how it changes your look in a mouse click! Some sites also offer you an option of trying out accessories with your new look. Thus, you can try out a funky pair of eyeglasses or an unusual shade of contact lenses. Some websites also offer virtual makeover for men, where you can play with your facial hair or try on some headgears like hats. Once, you are done with your look you can save it for future reference. You can also share it with your friends, so as to get their opinions on your new look. You can even take a printout of your makeover look and take it to the salon so that your stylist knows what exactly you are looking for.

Virtual makeover tool is really fun to work with. You will be astonished to see how a simple change of lip color can glamorize your look. You can try out some bold hair colors or short hair styles which you would never dare to do in your real life. In the process, you may just discover your true look.

Virtual makeover is sure fun, but more than that it is a great utility for people who wish to bring radical changes to their physical appearance. You are least likely to encounter any unpleasant experiences this way.