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A Personal Philosophy of Education
A Personal Philosophy of Education
Education refers to the learning processes involved in acquiring information. It is divided into two broad categories: formal education which is attained from institutions such as schools and informal/self taught education which is achieved through one’s life experience. Formal learning takes place in classroom settings and teachers are charged with the responsibilities of providing the curriculum according to the accepted plan of how learning should be conducted. Education equips an individual with basic life skills and advanced skills that are useful in one’s survival as well as making them more attractive than others in the job market. Education process begins when an individual is in the mother’s womb and continues throughout his life.
Discussion
Education is concerned with the future. It focuses on growth and development of all sectors of life even if one is studying issues of the past. Learning lays much emphasis on the conscious world, and as a result it entails all the activities intended to stimulate the thinking capability of individuals fostering their learning (Gibbs & Habeshaw, 2001).
For education to be effective in its purpose, there are certain beliefs that must be considered. First, education should be aimed at providing ample opportunity for all learners and students to gain information and knowledge to the very best of their effort, interest and ability regardless of culture, race, gender, ethnicity or social class. Secondly, education should reflect on democratic ideals that reflect the democratic society that we live in. Thirdly, all forms of education should be focused on how every student should be trained and moulded into becoming responsible citizens and members of the society. Fourthly, education should be aimed at teaching individuals how to think and not telling them what to think about. This involves creation of individuals who ask constructive and useful questions. Education should therefore play a major role in nurturing the curiosity and inquisitiveness of individuals.
The belief that every student entering a classroom has something the teacher can learn facilitates sharing of ideas and opinions among students. This gives the learners a safe atmosphere and a feeling that their opinions and thoughts are valued and thus they are convinced to share their challenges and accomplishments with the teacher. These beliefs are compatible with each other since they all focus on producing students who understand the importance of serving their community, helping others as well making major differences in their worlds.
The educational aims and objectives entail all the purposes for which learning is intended. To begin with, education is aimed at the physical, spiritual and mental development of individuals. Learners are trained to be self dependent and self confident with the acquisition of education. Their personalities, characters and cultures are developed and assimilated together with the knowledge they acquire (Bobbitt, 2000). This goes hand in hand with the existentialism philosophy which is concerned with what lies and takes place within and individual. Secondly, education is aimed at making individuals capable of earning their livelihood to facilitate them to lead a happy and secure life. On top of that, they should be able to contribute effectively to the society to enable grow strong and prosper. Education should also be aimed at its conformity with the technological advancements of the recent times so that it does not lag behind as the world advances. This enables the society address their problems and challenges with the best possible answers and solutions obtained from the technological advancements.
For effective learning to take place, different learning methods are used depending on the subject being studied and the type of content being delivered. For instance, a teacher may decide to use the lecture method. It is the most common form of passing information to learners. Teachers are expected to know how to present and develop lectures in addition to understanding its strengths and weaknesses. It is mostly used by teachers when introducing new topics, showing a relationship between practice and theory, summarizing ideas and when emphasizing main points of a concept. Lecture method is suitable for both large and small groups of learners. Other methods of learning can be combined with the lecture method to add meaning to the knowledge being passed to the learners.
Group or cooperative learning is another method of learning. This instructional pedagogy involves organizing of learners into small groups. These groups enable learners to maximize their time learning from one another. Research has shown that this method of has indicated possibilities of academic achievement. Learners subjected to this learning method have: higher self-esteem, higher test score, greater comprehension of what they are learning as well as improved social skills. Teachers are expected to give guidelines and directions on what is expected of the students prior to the group work (Gibbs & Habeshaw, 2001). The learners are supposed to be mixed heterogeneously, with considerations on ethnic backgrounds, race, academic abilities and gender. They should not be left alone to have groups based on cliques or friendship. John Dewey and his pragmatism philosophy supported the idea of group work since they enabled individuals to appreciate and learn from one another.
A guided-discussion is also a method of teaching that can be used by teachers. In this learning method, the teacher relies on learners to provide opinions, experiences, ideas and information. This method is used by instructors during post flight or pre flight briefings or during classroom discussions after the learners have acquired some experience and knowledge. It is the exact opposite of the lecture method (Gibbs & Habeshaw, 2001). The teacher should facilitate the discussion between the learners on top of treating them with impartiality and urging them to ask questions. Lastly, students can also learn to use the demonstration-performance method. This method involves learning of the mental and physical skills by their actual performance but under strict supervision. For instance, one may learn how to weld by welding, how to write by writing or how to read by reading. Knowledge on how to use machines, equipment and tools are passed using this type of instructional method.
The curriculum content should aim at integrating employability and life skills as well as vocational and general education skills. This enables learners relate what they study in class with their real life situations for better survival. By merging these skills they become more marketable in the job market since they are in a better position to handle all challenges that might come along their way. Curriculum content should also be geared towards development, awareness and mobility of learners’ careers (Bobbitt, 2000).This enables them adapt accordingly to the present and future changes and requirements of their careers. Experientialists supported curriculum content which prepared learners for future careers. Lastly, the curriculum content should meet the needs of students of both sexes, and of various cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
Students are expected to define their own learning goals as well as evaluating their own achievements. This gives them to the opportunity to be responsible for their learning. The knowledge students acquire in school, from their teachers and from their classmates and friends enable them solves life’s problems and challenges as well as improving their way of thinking. They are expected to value everyone and develop skills to work with other people. Teachers on the hand should strive towards imparting knowledge to their students and help them grow up to become responsible people in the society. Teachers also act as role models to learners and therefore they should set good examples for their learners to emulate.
Conclusion
Education is a lifelong process that brings latent ideas to consciousness, an idea that is widely supported Plato’s Idealism philosophy. Its claim that pursuing knowledge and identifying with the absolute mind is the stepping stone to understanding the truth is an emphasis on the importance of education to man.
References
Bobbitt, John. (2000). The Curriculum. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Gibbs, G & Habeshaw, T. (2001).Preparing to Teach: Introduction to Effective Teaching
in Higher Education. Bristol, Technical and Educational Services Ltd.
Urban Agriculture in Vancouver
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Urban Agriculture in Vancouver
The term urban agriculture is used in reference to the growing of food for human consumption in urban areas such as cities. The setup of an urban agriculture farm is mainly for two reasons: commercial or home use. The type of food grown depends on the urban farmer’s skills, passion, and experience and the market demand for a particular crop. Food crops such as vegetables, root crops, mushrooms, and flowers can be grown in an urban farm. Nonetheless, urban agriculture is not limited to crops. A farm can also raise poultry and rabbits to produce eggs and white meat. The goals of farming in an urban setting include:
To enhance the food security of a town or city
To encourage the production of local foods and animal products, which will reduce the ecological footprint. For example, the level of carbon footprint will go down when the food is grown near its consumers rather than a distant farm.
Encouraging social interaction and socially sustainable activities in high-density developments
Characterizing urban farming in Vancouver
The City of Vancouver is a major urban center in Canada with a population of about 600,000 people. In 2012, it released the 2011-2012 implementation update of the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan. The update (City of Vancouver 2012, p. 44) states that it approved three sites for lease by the SoleFood a not for profit organization. SoleFood provides training and employment opportunities for the City’s residents. The update further mentions that it recognizes fifteen other urban farms.
The urban farms are small-scale farms, labor intensive and utilize low technology. The urban farmers in Vancouver cultivate a variety of produce, which include livestock, mushrooms, hops, fruits, medicinal plants, and berries. However, vegetable varieties are the most common annual harvests. The harvest of the produce is non-mechanical usually by hand. Because of the proximity of the urban farms to the consumers, cars, vans, feet and bikes (VUFS, 2013) usually distribute the produce.
Each urban farmer can choose from a variety of distribution model. The models include farm gate sales, restaurant sales, farmer’s market sales, and community supported agriculture (CAS) (VUFS, 2013). CAS enables the farmer to choose which produce is distributed. Apart from the flexibility, a farmer who utilizes the CAS distribution model also receives payment early, when the costs are high (Schutzbank, 2012). A farm gate sale gives the farmers the option of selling their produce directly on the farm. The farmers are able to work and sell simultaneously. Although this is a common distribution model, it however faces legal barriers (zoning laws) in the City of Vancouver. Urban farmers also utilize the farmer’s markets. It gives them an opportunity of targeting a large number of consumers who visit the markets. However, at the farmers markets the urban farmers face stiff competition from the rural farmers: who produce in bulk and can afford to charge lower prices for their produce. By supplying restaurants with their produce, the urban farmer can have predictable sales and a steady income. The major risk of this distribution model is the legal challenges of urban farming in the City of Vancouver.
Farming revenue
The urban farms in the City of Vancouver compared to the rural farms are able to produce less, but higher value produce. Schutzbank (2012, p.87) outlines the various sources of revenue that an urban farm can explore. Urban farms can earn revenue through food revenue (revenue from the sale of produce) and secondary revenue (revenue from farm visits, education, and consultation).
Organization of urban farming in Vancouver
Urban farms located in Vancouver are normally organized as for-profit or non-profit. The zoning laws and designations are the main factors affecting whether a farm will be for profit or non-profit. in order to escape the some of the legal challenges, urban farms in the City of Vancouver join and work together under the umbrella of not for profit organization. The Vancouver Urban Farming Society mobilizes support for urban farming in Vancouver. It was established in May 2012, after a year and a half of lobbying which Thoreau, Faculty of Land, and Food Systems at the University of British Colombia (UBC) started in 2010. (Thoreau, 2011a)
Conclusion
There has been an increase in individual rift as urban growth and development pushed farming to the fringes of society. The result is the city dwellers are alienated from nature and labor. Therefore, urban farming is done at various land sites in Vancouver: brown fields, institutional land, commercial land and residential land are of great importance (Menders, 2006 p. 51-53). The urban farms in Vancouver reintroduce the concept of farming to the residents and provide them with a fresh of supply of both the seasonal and off-season food crops. The urban farms in the City of Vancouver further contribute to the City’s Green Action Plan 2020, which seeks to make the city the Greenest City by the year 2020
Works Cited
City of Vancouver. Greenest City 2020 Action Plan 2011-2012 Implementation Update, HYPERLINK “http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/report-GC2020-implementation-20121016.pdf” http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/report-GC2020-implementation-20121016.pdf. Web. June 24, 2014.
Mendes, W. Creating and Implementing Food Policy in Vancouver, Canada. Urban Agriculture Magazine. 2006: 51- 53
Schutzbank, M. H. Growing Vegetables in Metro Vancouver: An urban farming census. (M.Sc.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 2012.
Thoreau, C. Increasing the Sustainability of Urban Farming in Vancouver.(B.A.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, (2011a).
Vancouver Urban Farming Society. Understanding our practices from seed to scrap: the 2012 Vancouver Urban Farming Forum, HYPERLINK “http://www.urbanfarmers.ca/publications/reports” http://www.urbanfarmers.ca/publications/reports. Web. June 24, 2014.
The Science of Shopping
The Science of Shopping
There is a lot of science behind what we buy and how we buy. The intention of a retail store or any business for that matter is to attract customers and to get them to buy as much as possible. The science of shopping explains how the environment affects people and how they think. There the tiny details that the shopper does not notice and a business that succeeds is the one that noticed these details.
Shopping places comprise various levels such as the decompression zone an area where valuables should not be placed. The decompression zone is the area from the entrance of the shop covering about 5 to 15 paces. Usually, when shoppers get into the store, they move for the first 5 to 15 paces without looking at commodities within this zone. The prominent offers should be placed beyond the decompression as well as carts. Usually, shoppers will walk past a cart if placed at the decompression zone and when they pick out the commodities they want to buy the get limited because they have nowhere to put them. When that kind of frustration creeps in, the shopper might leave.
Paco acknowledges that men do not like shopping and as a result, they do not do much of it. Most shops are designed to cater to the woman because this group has a greater affinity for shopping. Unlike men, they examine merchandise, compare the value of products and generally take their time before making the purchase. Men, on the other hand, do not notice things beyond those they had prearranged to buy.
Customers do not like waiting for check out and long waits can influence the buyer’s perception of the entire shopping experience. Buyers can estimate their waiting time up to a minute and a half and anything beyond that seems longer than it actually is. Store owners can use engaging ways in order to shorten the perceived time. Ways to interact with customers as they wait can include showing funny clips and so forth.
The Mechanics Of Shopping
The mechanics of shopping define various physical and anatomical abilities and limitations, needs, and tendencies of the average shopper that the retail environment should be designed in reference to. Stores should be designed to be friendly to the human-animal with consideration for age, gender, income level, and tastes. The shopping environment should reflect the people that are using it. The mechanics of shopping describe that outside displays particularly signs should have big and bold letters showing a brief message that is also simple otherwise shoppers will not catch as they walk fast into or past the store.
When shoppers get into the store, the first few paces are about adjusting from the environment of the outside to that of the inside. Usually, people walk faster outside and when they get into the store they start reducing their pace and stop a few paces later until then they are not concentrating on the goods. A lot is going on with the shoppers in terms of how they are adjusting to the new environment and store owners should not expect them to pay attention to anything at this time. This is called the twilight zone.
Stores should understand that shoppers need free hands in order to shop. A person may come with a court and some sort of language be it a purse. When they are forced to carry these things and shop at the same time, it is unlikely that they will purchase more. There should be a place be it a shelf where people can place their language so that they can be able to shop freely without unnecessary frustration.
The Demographics of Shopping
Women have a greater affinity for shopping than men. When they are in the store they are more likely to walk around with a relaxed pace, taking their time to explore merchandise, and compare their values. They are also open to interactions with the staff. Men, on the other hand, have no patience shopping and it is even hard to get them to accompany women for shopping. Most purchasing is traditionally done by a woman and the experience often appears to give them pleasure and as a result, they do it dependably and agreeably. The majority of women, unlike men, look at the price tag on commodities. Men ignore this almost as a measure of virility. For this reason, it is easy to upgrade men that it is women. Men are also more suggestible than women-they are always anxious to leave the store and will agree almost to anything just to do so.
The lack of discipline showed by men is an opportunity to rake profits although at times men are seen as trouble that is not worthwhile and most businesses concentrate on making their store an environment for women. However, men today are doing more purchase and the trend will continue. This may explain by the fact that men these days stay single longer and they learn to run to the store for commodities their fathers never used to buy. There is also the fact that women these days work harder and longer so men are forced to shoulder the responsibility of shopping.