School Privatization Essays - Organizational Theory, Administration

School Privatization Our society, as a whole, has been heading toward a decentralized system of conducting its affairs. Large corporations have been getting larger , meanwhile governments have been giving up increasing amounts of their control. This decentralization has affected even former mainstays of government control, such as phone and power companies. As decentralization becomes more of a reality, there has been a great deal of debate over what controls the government should maintain or relinquish. The public school system has long been a source of frustration. Many feel the schools would be run more efficiently and with better results if privately run companies were to take over. They feel that with the existing large, encumbering bureaucracy, the government is simply unable to provide the proper base that is necessary to support a successful school system. The proponents of privatized school systems have long maintained that governments are not as knowledgeable about individual school environments as those who and they have to manage many schools, whereas the owners of a specific private subsidized school would be well informed about the school's circumstances and can concentrate on that school alone. They say that the governments role should become that of regulator, not schoolmaster, and that since the private schools do not face the political constraints that the municipal governments face,they would be more able to adapt to change. Since the operation of public schools is more bureaucratic and centralized than private subsidized schools, it is expected to inhibit rather than promote educational innovation. Private schools, being less bureaucratic and more decentralized, are expected to be more efficient organizations and to have a better perspective than their public school counterparts. They are also expected to provide a greater incentive and opportunity to come up with more innovative programs than public schools in order to stay competitive. Bureaucracy is expected to hinder initiative and efficiency, whereas the private sector in general is expected to be more dynamic and responsive because of their need to stay competitive. It is hoped that this competitiveness will foster innovation. On the other side of the debate is the group that favors continued government control over the school system. They argue that privatizing the schools would lead to a decreased focus on the needs of the children with an increased emphasis placed on the bottom line. They maintain that the companies taking over for the government would focus their attention more on cutting corners to make larger profits rather than on the education of children. With continued government control over the school system, there will remain a stability that is necessary to insure a full and equal educational opportunity for all. Having the education system privatized would create inequalities in the method that education would be provided. Those who oppose privatization agree that not only would municipal control maintain stability, but would also ensure fair and equal teatment for all. The same would not hold true if the schools were placed in private hands. Schools that do not make a profit along with teachers that are no longer needed would simply let go in order to save money or maintain profits. I can see that there are several benefits on both sides. The economic benefits are obviously in favor of a decentralized school structure. There be no bureaucracy to wade through to make the simplest decisions, in the system would allow teachers to make important ground level decisions as they see fit. This increased efficiency includes many benefits, but with what cost? What about the special needs children, or the under privileged, will the private companies take care of them? What happens when these companies don't make enough money on a school, will they close it down? The children whose schools have been closed will have to travel further and further just to get to school, if they even go. Maybe there should just be mega-schools were ten schools are combined into one, all to save the managing company money. With government control, there may not be efficiency but there is some stability. That is the important thing. Companies can open and close their doors in a day, but schools are more important than companies. Education is the key to our futures, can we afford to gamble with what is a stake? The government must become more efficient at doing its job in managing our schools, and business has proven itself to be efficient. Maybe there is a way to combine the two and receive the best of both worlds.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH LOVED ONE essays

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH LOVED ONE essays WAYS TO CONNECT WITH LOVED ONES FAR AWAY Two years ago, I excitedly left my family and friends for my far away dream land, Canada. However, just on the second day after arriving here, the excitement was gone. I was homesick. I missed my family and my friends, and I missed my hometown. All I could do was to hurriedly call my parents. This was my experience. Many international students may have a similar experience. As international students, they study alone in strange countries. They need emotional supports from their family. They need connection with their old friends. In general, international students use letters, e-mail, telephone and online chat to keep in touch with family and friends far away. Letters, the most traditional communication method, are still used by international students. Whether writing or reading a letter, the process is an emotional experience. For instance, when I wrote a letter to my family, I felt as if I had talked with them face to face. I didnt feel lonely anymore. All I could feel was love. When receiving a letter from my parents, I often open the envelope in a rush and read it carefully word by word. When finishing it, I would read it again just in case any word was omitted. The joy brought by the letter could last for days. However, waiting for a letter is not a joyful thing anymore. Its torture. The cycle of an international mail is time-consuming. For instance, it takes ten days for a mail from my hometown to Montreal. Many students cannot stand the long wait. They choose the alternative, e-mail. Today, e-mail is widely used as a means of communication. First, the cycle time of an e-mail is very short. It is delivered as soon as the Send key is pressed. It only takes minutes or hours to arrive at the destination mail box. Second, e-mail is convenient. Unlike traditional mail, there is no stamp or post office trip for e-mail. The basic requirements are an e-mail addres ...

The future of healthcare financing Research Paper

The future of healthcare financing - Research Paper Example With many driving forces affecting the market, e.g. consumerism and internet, various alternative health care financing companies have emerged. With the market looking for new solutions, the future of health care financing will be embedded on e-health plans. Technology has become an important aspect towards the changes being experienced in the sector (Schimpff 109). Many e-plans are likely to arise in order to cater for the increasing demand for reliable health care. In addition, many multinational companies are likely to shift into the health care sector in order to tap in the increasing profits. This will aim at reducing the risks and uncertainties associated with concentrating on a single market. The future of health care will be characterized by an effective relationship between the patients and the health care providers. Initially, the relationship did not exist. However, over the past few years, the relationship between the patients and doctors has improved tremendously. This is creating a base for the future health care financing. Doctors will be an important source of information on the best health care plan. This will play a significant role in enhancing the treatment process. Economists estimates that the hospital prices for privately insured patients will continue to rise especially in the consolidated markets. They forecast that providers will maximize their revenues through excessive use of imaging, testing, and specialty care. Therefore, in future, the government will have to intervene in order to prevent overexploitation of the population by the health care providers who are leaning more on profit maximization rather than service delivery (Cleverley, James and Paula 56). This move will be forced by the widening disparity on prices between various health sectors. The future of health financing will be characterized by effective systems. The health care providers will be

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 111

Case Study Example The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) might influence my neighborhood’s need by enhancing the access to health care for the vulnerable clients especially the uninsured and destitute patients (Harkness & DeMarco, 2015). Moreover, the HRSA makes positive contributions in health care delivery that might involve establishing long-term and sustainable programs that address neighborhood’s health care need. HRSA might also influence my neighborhood’s need by training and developing more health professionals to gain sufficient skills to address health needs of the poor in an efficient and cost effective manner. I must develop a plan to address care costs for my clients. The plan will include encouraging and helping the clients to claim all their health benefits. It also includes urging clients to apply for NHS-funded care that caters for all care costs (Harkness & DeMarco, 2015). I will also advice the clients to purchase "care fees annuity† that will ensure that they receive guaranteed income for life. Moreover, clients should adopt preventive care that entails visiting the doctor for physical and medical check-up that reduces health care costs for the entire family. Clients can also perform self-exams, eat healthy foods, and exercise regularly to improve their immunity. I would also encourage my clients to visit state-sponsored health facilities and negotiate health

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah - Assignment Example He narrates his ordeal passionately, giving all the finer details that leave your mouth agape and wondering in awe. Ishmael wrote this book to highlight the plight of child soldiers and the kind of trials and tribulations that they undergo. This was a protest letter of some sort to the various authorities, particularly in countries where there are rampant cases of very young boys being forced into the army to fight enemies. In the book, Ishmael covered death as a theme and indeed it stands out because people are being killed; Ishmael only survives by a freak of chance. Ishmael, together with the other child soldiers, experiences nothing but brutality; he faces problems which almost necessitate his death. For instance, if not for the timely intervention of UNICEF to rescue Ishmael and youths alike after three years of fighting in the army against fierce rebels, he would have been nothing but dead meat. With further assistance of Laura Simms, Ishmael travels to the United States of Ame rica, to New York City, where he proceeded to finish high school and graduate from college. Ishmael becomes an advocate and gets involved in a number of international organizations that deal with aiding children who are forced to be soldiers in their respective countries. He wrote this book to show the whole world how him and the other young boys, while in Sierra Leone, lead extremely brutal lives full of adversity. This is clearly brought out when at some point, as they see a fascinating beauty of the ocean, they are forced to get through a torture of walking on hot sand that burns their feet, a scene that reminds one of the simple truth – pain is sometimes so close to pleasure. They initially are taken care of by a Good Samaritan, a fisherman, and make a day of it. But it doesn’t take long before they get captured by some fierce villagers who are so scared of them that, in fact, threaten to kill them. Fortunately, they get saved by cassette tapes. Ishmael really want ed to show people how dangerously a child soldier lives and how seeing tomorrow to such children happens normally by sheer luck; he demonstrates that point when he recounts the incident when he was so scared of death every time that eventually it makes him wonder out loud: â€Å"how many more times do we have to come to terms with death before we find safety?† (Beah, 2008). At some point, the story becomes sad when Ishmael can’t get sleep, there are constant noises around, dogs are howling and running from one place to the other and all he can think about is how something bad is going to happen. The noises wake up one of his comrades, Alhaji, he suspects that something is wrong but ignores that feeling and goes back to sleep. When morning comes, Ishmael and Alhaji start to wake up the other friends. Unfortunately, Saidu doesn’t respond when they talk to him. They try to check if there’s something wrong with him and realize that he is dead. The two prepare his body ready for burial because in that village, it’s an abomination to let a dead body to stay unburied overnight. Another important theme that Ishmael intended to cover and successfully managed to do was enmity. He wanted to bring to the fore the fact that as a child soldier, one is exposed to real and even at

Evaluating The Hci Developments Over Recent Years Computer Science Essay

Evaluating The Hci Developments Over Recent Years Computer Science Essay In the following assignment I will be talking about how interfaces have improved along the years in products and computer systems, with relation to GUI (Graphical User Interfaces) and the contrast of using non graphical interfaces. For the Distinction criteria, I will explain on the improvement of using interfaces within gaming and how this has been improved with the world of motionless gaming such as Kinect. For the final Distinction criteria I will compare my interfaces with real life interfaces and talk about how they relate and how they contrast. I will conclude the assignment with my main points and any potential summaries I have. The GUI: History of the GUI: In the computing and technical world, the graphical user interface has sharpened the way we as humans have designed and improved technology over the recent years and decades. Interfaces allow the end user to look at a graphical representation on their actions which cannot be shown in real life. For example, surfing the internet and viewing landscapes that are on the other side of the world would not be possible in a real life visual perspective. The GUI (Graphical User Interface) was implemented into the Apple Lisa computer in January 1983. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak purchased the GUI technology from a corporation called Xerox at their research centre called PARC (Palo Alto Research Centre) and used the technology in the Apple Lisa computer which since then started the revolution of interfaces within technology devices. 1 The Apple Lisa Computer Before a Graphical User Interface was implemented, a fellow competitor called Microsoft developed a CLI (Command Line Interface) that resembled the name MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) on IBM Computers in 1981. IBM (International Business Machines) is a large international company which supply computer hardware and software. They used MS-DOS on their computer systems to provide an interface that required the knowledge of commands and complex wording. This limited the market to a small amount, only professors and students was able to operate it with prior knowledge. But with the release of Apple Lisa, this broadened the audience to allow less technical people to operate a computer. 2 Image displaying the MS-DOS which was used on IBMs computers Advancements With the ongoing progress of developing interfaces and applying them to a variety of screens such as LCD and LED monitors, this has allowed technical manufacturer to explore the interface and include ways of familiarising the user with HCI (Human Computer Interaction) elements. Elements such as proximity, the ability to group similar icons together to make the human think the buttons are related. Another important element of HCI is continuity. Continuity is used in most operating systems to keep the familiar colour schemes and desktops without a drastic change. This will allow users to become familiar to the interface without the need to learn to use it again. Some more advances of interfaces over the years is the technology of 3D imagery and gaming. Games such as RTS (Real Time Strategy) Starcraft II can be played with the aid of Nvidias 3D GPU (Graphical Processing Unit) series. This allows 2D content to be rendered with 3D physics and displayed using glasses. 3 With the technology of 3D arriving in the current technological world, interface design has changed in a way that humans perceive the experience. Such so that other projects have included the 3D technology such as theme park rides, 3D computer systems, computing gaming and television. This has revolutionised the way we, as humans interact with everyday devices. A large proportion of society uses technology in their everyday lives, from checking their email, surfing the internet, checking their bank balance at an ATM machine etc. Technology has been integrated into culture so deeply, that as a society we all cannot communicate and work efficiently without it. Mobile Devices and Development: In modern technological news, mobile platforms and gaming has developed on a large scale over the current years. The idea of playing simple games on a wireless mobile device anywhere started a revolution for the gaming industry, the development of computer games and interface design. In my opinion, the first major mobile platform for gaming was Snakes. Introduced to arcades in the mid 1970s. Its sequel Snakes II was eventually introduced on the Nokia 3310 in the year 2000. This successful handset was hinting game developers to in cooperate different interface design into a smaller handset device, rather than an arcade or gaming console. 4 The above image is an example of many different interfaces that Snake has been developed into. Since the thought of how to place simple gaming projects into smaller handsets and mobile phones, arguable the Smartphone and touch screen devices provided a firm platform for developers and many game companies to work with. An example of this would be the iPhone handset. The iPhone handset (iPhone 2 Generation) was implemented by Apple on January 9th 2007 and announced to the public. It was one of the most successful Smartphones and PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) integrated together. Users had the ability to surf the internet, download application to run on their handsets, make calls, take pictures and send them to another handset or computer etc. The icons were smaller, controls and commands were made for touch and point, interface design that was new to the market. 5 Current iOS interface during writing the assignment The main differences from any phone during that time, was the complexity and power of the iPhone applications and development area. Apple provided the App store to sort all applications into a centralised place for users to download and interact with. The applications correspond of utilities and maps to gaming and various map searching apps. Over the constant development of iPhone handsets it was labelled as one of the major device for mobile gaming, a label which changed the way gaming and interfaces were developed. Now devices have the ability to run high end graphics and with the iPhone 4 device, retina display was introduced (960ÃÆ'-640) and has the smallest pixels ever to be introduced on a Smartphone device. With mobile development and gaming changing the way we use interfaces, the ability to scrap the interface from touch and use our current movement was recently introduced by Microsoft, this was known as Kinect. Project Natal (Kinect) was created by Microsoft recently in late 2010 as a motion controller for gaming.  [6]  You are the controller. No gadgets, no gizmos, just you! The quote basically means that the controller is the user, and no touch or physical contact will be needed. The technology of recording motions and gestures is proving successful; with regards to future gaming it will shape the future of interfaces. 7 Mention Holograms potentai future. Comparision of Intefaces

Coal, Strip Mining, and its Environmental Effects Essay -- Essays Pape

Coal, Strip Mining, and its Environmental Effects Going to a school like Penn State entitles you to many advantages that smaller schools don’t have, such as diversity, world renowned professors, and several different majors to choose from. All of these things I knew before going to Penn State. However, one thing I was not aware of was the enormous amount of coal that the state of Pennsylvania has, and the power that its coal gives to the rest of the United States. Northeastern Pennsylvania, after all, has the only commercial deposits of anthracite coal, the premium coal for domestic use (Lecture 2/11/02). With all of coal found in Pennsylvania, there has to be ways to extract it from the hard ground in which it resides. The two ways we learned about in class were strip mining and underground mining (2/13/02). Strip mining is the coal mining procedure that I found most interesting. Strip mining, for example, has the highest productivity out of all the ways to mine coal; it extracts thirty to forty tons of coal per worker per day (2/13/02). Also,...