Saturday, December 28, 2019

Zone of Proximal Development Definition, Examples

The zone of proximal development is the gap between what a learner has mastered and what they can potentially master with support and assistance. This concept, highly influential in educational psychology, was first introduced by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky in the 1930s. Origins Lev Vygotsky, who was interested in education and the learning process, felt that standardized tests were an inadequate measure of a childs readiness for further learning. He contended that standardized tests measure the child’s current independent knowledge while overlooking the child’s potential capability to successfully learn new material. Vygotsky recognized that a certain amount of learning happens automatically as children mature, a notion championed by developmental psychologists like Jean Piaget. However, Vygotsky also believed that in order to advance their learning even further, children must engage in social interaction with more knowledgeable others. These more knowledgeable others, like parents and teachers, introduce children to the tools and skills of their culture, such as writing, math, and science. Vygotsky passed away at a young age before he could fully develop his theories, and his work wasn’t translated from his native Russian for a number of years following his death. Today, however, Vygotskys ideas are important in the study of education—especially the process of teaching. Definition The zone of proximal development is the gap between what a student can do independently and what they can potentially do with the help of a more knowledgeable other. Vygotsky defined the zone of proximal development as follows: â€Å"The zone of proximal development is the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.† In the zone of proximal development, the learner is close to developing the new skill or knowledge, but they need assistance and encouragement. For example, imagine a student has just mastered basic addition. At this point, basic subtraction may enter their zone of proximal development, meaning that they have the ability to learn subtraction and will likely be able to master it with guidance and support. However, algebra is probably not in this students zone of proximal development yet, as mastering algebra requires an understanding of numerous other fundamental concepts. According to Vygotsky, the zone of proximal development offers learners the best chance to master new skills and knowledge, so the student should be taught subtraction, not algebra, after mastering addition. Vygotsky noted that a childs current knowledge is not equivalent to their zone of proximal development. Two children might receive equal scores on a test of their knowledge (e.g. demonstrating knowledge of at an eight-year-old level), but different scores on a test of their problem-solving ability (both with and without adult help). If learning is taking place in the zone of proximal development, only a small amount of assistance will be required. If too much assistance is given, the child may learn only to parrot the teacher rather than mastering the concept independently. Scaffolding Scaffolding refers to the support given to the learner who is attempting to learn something new in the zone of proximal development. That support might include tools, hands-on activities, or direct instruction. When the student first begins to learn the new concept, the teacher will offer a great deal of support. Over time, the support is gradually tapered off until the learner has fully mastered the new skill or activity. Just as a scaffold is removed from a building when construction is complete, the teachers support is removed once the skill or concept has been learned. Learning to ride a bike offers an easy example of scaffolding. At first, a child will ride a bike with training wheels to ensure that the bike stays upright. Next, the training wheels will come off and a parent or other adult may run alongside the bicycle helping the child to steer and balance. Finally, the adult will step aside once can ride independently. Scaffolding is typically discussed in conjunction with the zone of proximal development, but Vygotsky himself did not coin the term. The concept of scaffolding was introduced in the 1970s as an expansion of Vygotskys ideas. Role in the Classroom The zone of proximal development is a useful concept for teachers. To ensure that students are learning in their zone of proximal development, teachers must provide new opportunities for students to work slightly beyond their current skills and provide ongoing, scaffolded support to all students. The zone of proximal development has been applied to the practice of reciprocal teaching, a form of reading instruction. In this method, teachers lead students in executing four skills—summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting—when reading a passage of text. Gradually, students take over the responsibility for utilizing these skills themselves. Meanwhile, the teacher continues to offer assistance as needed, reducing the amount of support they provide over time. Sources Cherry, Kendra. â€Å"What is the Zone of Proximal Development?† Verywell Mind, 29 December 2018. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-zone-of-proximal-development-2796034Crain, William. Theories of Development: Concepts and Applications. 5th ed., Pearson Prentice Hall. 2005.McLeod, Saul. â€Å"Zone of Proximal Development and Scaffolding.† Simply Psychology, 2012. https://www.simplypsychology.org/Zone-of-Proximal-Development.htmlVygotsky, L. S. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press, 1978.

Friday, December 20, 2019

The Sociological Imagination And Use Essay - 1683 Words

1. Explain what it means to use the sociological imagination and use at least one example to make your point. †¢ Wright Mills explains it as a vivid awareness of the relationship between your personal experience and the bigger society. so the way i would put it into my own words is knowing that the reason you do something isn’t the reason why another person does it. An example of this is going for a run. People can go on a run for many different reasons like to lose weight, to tone their body, for run, to be healthy and ect. 2. How would a conflict theorist explain the educational system in the United States? How would this differ from how a functionalist might see it? †¢ A social conflict theorist might explain our educational system in the U.S. as competitive like we are all competing against each other to get the best paying job. This is different from the functionalist because they would see it as all of us working together to achieve a goal. 3. Discuss the main ideas of symbolic interactionism. †¢ Society is the product of everyday interactions of the self. †¢ Its micro-level †¢ Its an ongoing process †¢ People interact in many ways using this. 4. What is the difference between correlation and causation? Which is harder to prove and why? Use an example to explain your answer. †¢ Correlation is usually when two things tend to happen together at the same time and causation is something happens because of something else. I think it is harder to prove causation becauseShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of the sociological imagination and its use in sociology.1483 Words   |  6 PagesSociological Imagnation The sociological imagination is the ability to look at the everyday world and understand how it operates in order to make sense of their lives. It is a state of mind, which enables us to think critically about and understand the society in which we live, and our place in that world as individuals and as a whole. C. Wright Mills, first wrote of the concept in 1959. His understanding of it being that it was a quest for sociological understanding involving a form of consciousnessRead MoreSociological Imagination1017 Words   |  5 PagesThe concept of â€Å"sociological imagination† is one that can be explained many different ways. A simple way to think of the sociological imagination is to see it as a way a person thinks, where they know that what they do from day to day in their private lives (like the choices they make), are sometimes influenced by the larger environment in which they live (Mills 1959, 1). What C.W. Mills meant by this concept is that it is the ability to â⠂¬Å"understand the larger historical scene in terms of its meaningRead MoreSociology Imagination833 Words   |  4 Pagesdefined sociological imagination as the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society. The sociological imagination is the capacity to shift from one perspective to another: from the political to the psychological; from examination of a single family to comparative assessment of the national budgets of the world; from the theological school to the military establishment; from considerations of an oil industry to studies of contemporary poetry.[1] Sociological Imagination:Read MoreEssay on The Sociological Imagination1389 Words   |  6 PagesMy personal condensed definition of â€Å"the sociological imagination† is that it is the idea one should be aware of the societal structures around themselves, and how those structures can influence a person and vice-versa. In addition, I think that having a â€Å"sociological imagination† also involves a deep appreciation for the importance of society and culture. Consequently, for a person that has completed a basic introduction to sociology college course and actually paid attention, I would hope thatRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination Essay1065 Words   |  5 PagesPaper Grade: 75 / C The Sociological Imagination The sociological imagination is an idea or a way of thinking that interlocks an individual in a society with the society as a whole. Most people refer to sociology as the study of how people or individuals interact with each other. In order to fully understand sociology and the concept of the sociological imagination as proposed by C. Wright Mills, one has to be able to envision the individual and the society working together to better understandRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination And Me Essay1343 Words   |  6 PagesThe Sociological Imagination and Me Charles Wright Mills was a writer, a researcher, a teacher, a scholar and a well known sociologist. He was the author of the 1959 book, The Sociological Imagination. This book was poorly received by the sociological community at first, but it is one of the most widely read sociological texts today. The Sociological Imagination and Mills’ other works have had an immense impact on sociology, as he influenced many other scholars and the â€Å"New Left† movement of theRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination, By C. Wright Mills799 Words   |  4 Pages The sociological imagination, a concept used by C. Wright Mills, is essentially the ability to perceive a situation or act in a much larger social context as well as examining the situation or act from many perspectives. In particular, it plays a paramount role in Donna Gaines Teenage Wasteland. It is a tragic story of 4 teens who together, committed suicide. The teens were deemed as â€Å"dropouts, druggies† [Teenage W asteland 8.2] by newspapers and were still treated with disdain even after theirRead MoreAnalysis Of Dalton Conley s You May Ask Yourself 1267 Words   |  6 PagesDalton Conley’s book, You May Ask Yourself, defines sociological imagination as, â€Å"The ability to connect the most basic, intimate aspects of an individual’s life to seemingly impersonal and remote historical forces† (Conley 2015, pg. A-11). Sociological Imagination is the idea of being able to step outside of the box, and evaluate society from an alternative point of view. Symbolic Interactionism, norms, socialization, and the idea of understanding yourself vs. understanding the social aspect ofRead MoreSociological Imagination Essay865 Words   |  4 PagesFrom The Sociological Imagination by C. Wright Mills addresses a distinction between personal troubles and public issues. Mills uses specific examples like unemployment and societal development. Mills explains the ability to connect the ind ividual problems with societal problems. Throughout the text, we can see how Mills uses the perspective of an individual to explain the perspective of society and vice versa. Using sociological imagination, I will explain how education is influenced by societyRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination and Freedom from Feelings of Entrapment1133 Words   |  5 PagesThe sociological imagination is the â€Å"quality of mind† (Mills, 1959: 4) that enables individuals to look outside their private sphere of consciousness and identify the structures and institutions in society that influence or cause their personal experiences. In this way, by looking at the bigger picture, they can understand their place in society and explain their circumstance in terms of societal influence. It was developed by Mills in a time of great social upheaval – industrialisation, globalisation

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Awareness and Application of Sustainable Construction †Free Samples

Question: Discuss avout the Awareness and Application of Sustainable Construction. Answer: Introduction The domestic sector in the United Kingdom account for a large percentage of the energy consumption (Barrett, et al, n.d.). The major energy consumers are space and water heating as opposed to lighting and electrical appliances. Some statistics prove that the older a building is the poorer its energy performance. When the space heating is saved, there is a significant scope for energy efficiency improvements. The structure, construction process and the occupancy process are deemed environmentally responsible and resource efficient in sustainable construction. The practice is maintained throughout the buildings entire life cycle from the site location, to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. The main aim of green construction is to have development that satisfies the needs of the current population without affecting the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Abidin, 2010). Construction is considered sustainable if it enhances living, working and leisure environment for the population management, consumes minimum energy as well as generating minimum waste over its life cycle. Such a construction integrates with the natural environment and ensures the use of renewable resources where possible. Green construction avoids causing permanent damage to the natural environment by demolitions and consumption of a large amount of resources. It is rather considered unsustainable when it causes unnecessary waste of energy, water or materials due to short life, poor design, inefficiency or the low standard construction techniques (Ortiz, et al, 2009). The zero or low carbon design technologies seek to introduce high standards of fabric energy efficiency so as to reduce the energy demand and to incorporate low carbon energy technologies to reduce the carbon emissions from heat and power generation. The projects require a huge investment in the carbon-saving infrastructure deployment in the construction of residential and commercial sites (John, et al, 2005). The aim of the sustainable construction is to reduce wastage and carbon emissions while ensuring that the natural resources are maintained for the future generations. The zero carbon design technologies implemented usually seek to reduce the need for energy as well as utilize the available energy efficiently. Some of the non-depletable natural energy sources are used such as the wind and solar energy. Biomass is a form of bio-energy that is obtained from the wood fuel, energy crops or the wood waste, agricultural residues of the biological components (Matthews, et al, 2012). The designers such as the architects and the engineers are responsible for the design of a building that optimizes the electrical, heating, and cooling loads. The construction depends highly on the selection of specific materials to use and reduce the loads. This is achieved by the design and utilization of free energy gains or the passive gains and the specification of mechanical and electrical equipment and systems that satisfy the energy loads. The designs should aim at creating a more commercially viable zero carbon home by orienting it for maximum solar gain and renewable energy generation. The designs seek to conserve all the resources and ensure that the structure is self-sufficient. The use of large windows on the sides of residential buildings, plantation to cover the open lands or even on the walls of buildings gives an ecological feel. The use of efficient water gutter system to collect rain water for reuse in house chores. Another design approach is the installation of so lar heaters on the rooftops to conserve electricity when hot water is required (Ilha, et al, 2009). The life cycle assessment is a very resourceful tool for assessing environmental performance and sustainable development. One of the key ways to manage the zero carbon in sustainable construction is to involve it in legislation. It should be stated as a mandatory target as well as have a strategic plan to eliminate the carbon emissions to the highest level by the year 2050 in the UK and in 2030 in the USA. The international community needs to embrace the move to ensure that the environment is protected. There are several decisions that need to be made when considering the sustainable construction such as the increase of profit margins, green credentials, and business opportunities (Kukudia, et al, 2004). The choice of renewable energy systems is highly dependent on the construction site. The site could be located in a region where the solar energy is abundant or where there is a lot of wind. In the urban areas, there is a lot of waste materials that can be converted to biomass which is another suitable form of energy especially for small energy requirements such as heating and cooking. Many building are coming up with designs that conserve the natural resource management provided. The key concern on lighting is achieved by ensuring that the building is well lit and no electricity is used for lighting during the day. During the night, there can be solar energy, wind energy, or hydropower. Water is another key resource in construction and residential setups. Rain water can be collected and used for the wash areas and toilets. The greywater can be used to irrigate, water the open areas or even in washing cars (Ugwu, 2006). Conclusion To reduce the carbon footprint during construction, the operational team needs to use products that cause minimal harm to the environment. These materials need to be energy efficient in terms of their manufacture, distribution, use and disposal. The paper broadly discusses the environmentally friendly alternatives such as the use of low energy forms of construction as well as being mindful of processes that could cause emission of CO2. Reference List Halliday, S. Sustainable Construction; Butterworth Heinemann: London, UK, 2008. Barrett, P.S.; Sexton, M.G.; Green, L. Integrated delivery systems for sustainable construction. Build. Res. Inf, 27, 397404. Abidin, N.Z. Investigating the awareness and application of sustainable construction concept by Malaysian developers. Habitat Int. 2010, 34, 421426. Ortiz, O.; Castells, F.; Sonnemann, G. Sustainability in the construction industry: A review of recent developments based on LCA Constr. Build. Mater. 2009, 23, 2839. Ortiz, O.; Pasqualino, J.C.; Castells, F. Environmental performance of construction waste: Comparing three scenarios from a case study in Catalonia, Spain. Waste Manag. 2010, 30, 646654. John, G.; Clements-Croome, D.; Jeronimidis, G. Sustainable building solutions: A review of lessons from natural world. Build. Environ. 2005, 40, 319328. Bainbridge, D.A. Sustainable building as appropriate technology. In Building without Borders: Sustainable Construction for the Global Village; Kennedy, J., Ed.; New Society Publishers: Gabriola Island, Canada, 2004; pp. 5584. Ugwu, O.O.; Kumaraswamy, M.M.; Wong, A.; Ng, S.T. Sustainability appraisal in infrastructure projects (SUSAIP) Part 1. Development of indicators and computational methods. Autom. Construct. 2006, 15, 239251. Matthews, E.; Amann, C.; Fischer-Kowalski, M.; Huttler, W.; Kleijn, R.; Moriguchi, Y.; Ottke, C.; Rodenburg, E.; Rogich, D.; Schandl, H.; Schutz, H.; van der Voet, E.; Weisz, H. The Weight of Nations: Material Outflows from Industrial Economies; World Resources Institute: Washington, DC, USA, 2000; Available online: https://pdf.wri.org/weight_of_nations.p (accessed on 24 May 2009) Buildings 2012, 2 148 Ilha, M.S.O.; Oliveira, L.H.; Gonalves, O.M. Environmental assessment of residential buildings with an emphasis on water conservation. Build. Serv. Eng. Res. Technol. 2009, 30, 1526. Kukadia, V.; Hall, D.J. Improving Air Quality in Urban Environments: Guidance for the construction Industry; Building Research Establishment (BRE) Bookshop, CRC Ltd.: London, UK, 2004.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Music and Psychology free essay sample

Extraverts tend to seek out songs with heavy bass lines, while those who enjoy more complex styles such as Jazz and classical music tend to e more creative and have higher IQ-scores. Another study conducted by researchers at Heritor-Watt University looked at more than 36,000 participants from all over the world. Participants were asked to rate more than 104 different musical styles in addition to offering Information about aspects of their personality. Here are some personality traits for different styles of music.Pop Top 40 hits Iranian Selene Gomez Flow Arid Honest and conventional. While pop music lovers are hard-working and have high self-esteem, researchers suggests that they tend to be less creative and more uneasy. Rap and Help/Hop Snoop Dog Dry. Drew In spite of the stereotype that rap lovers are more aggressive or violent, this is actually not true. Rap fans do tend to have high self-esteem and are usually outgoing. Country Would you rather watch CM instead of MAT? Country music fans are typically hardworking, conventional and outgoing. While country songs are often centered on heartbreak, people who gravitate awards this type Of music tend to be very emotionally stable. Rock / Heavy Metal Rock ; Heavy Metal music are not as aggressive as people may think. Fans of this style of music are usually gentle. They tend to be creative, but are often introverted and may suffer from low self-esteem. Ended Fans of the Indies genre are typically introverted, very smart and creative. They also tend to be less hard-working and less gentle. Anxiousness and low self- esteem are other common personality characteristics. Dance People who prefer dance music are usually outgoing and assertive. Classical Classical music lovers are typically more introverted, but are also at ease with themselves and the world around them. They are creative and have a good sense Of self-esteem. Jazz, Blues and Soul People who enjoy jazz, blues or soul music were found to be more extroverted with high self-esteem. They also tend to be very creative, intelligent and at ease. It was found that the reason people sometimes feel defensive about their taste in music might be related to how much it relates to their attitudes and personality.People do actually define themselves through music and relate to other people through it but we havent known in detail how music is connected to identity, he explained. (Adrian North Of Heritor-Watt University in Edinburgh, 1. K) Questions? Why then do we go to music as a first sign of help? We probably think that music is indirectly telling us something about the other persons personality. Big four personality traits: openness to experience, extroversion, agreeableness, emotional stability.Overall the results showed that music references were reasonably accurate in conveying aspects of personality. Of the four traits, it was a persons openness to experience that was best communicated by their top 10 list Of songs, followed by extroversion and emotional stability. Extroversion is the act, state, or habit of being predominantly concerned with and obtaining gratification from what is outside the self. Introversion is the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in ones own mental life.