Game design Essay

Introduction, my game concept is based around football and cars hence the name soccer cars. My game is targeted for both core and casual gamers as the game might be addictive to both groups of gamers rather than one. The concept will introduce a new experience to the gaming world, the basic idea for the game is to battle with cars whilst racing and trying to get to the finish line before your competitors with possession of the football. The gamer will need to use their strategic skills and mind games to defeat their opponent and forcing them off the track to gain an advantage and create opportunities they can use to win the game. The game will have different levels ranging from beginner to world class. The game will feature stages the gamer can unlock by winning racing and collecting coins along the way. The game is designed to be played on console to give the gamer a better experience and have better visuals on the game which is an advantage and they can also go online tom play against rivals from different places. Genre, the genre of my game will be a combination of two genres, to give the gamer the best of both worlds which will be sport genre and racing genre. Features, soccer cars will feature different cars to choose from, from high performance cars such as the Lamborghini and the Bugatti and will include different footballs to choose from such as the official world cup ball. My game will be 3D to give the gamer the feel of being in the game, it will be single player with the option to also play multiplayer. There would be audio and visual feedback to guide the gamer of what to do and where to go in order to win the race. There will be leader boards to show scores and show who is leading the ranks and also my game will the gamer to play their own music if they wish to and talk to their opponent online using a headset. Platform, the platform for my game will be console as it will be easier to play on a console as the gamer will take total control over the whole game and according to my research that I did gamers are likely to purchase games on console. Intended audience, as this is a new game my target audience will be between casual and simulation so that hard-core gamers will find a way to really enjoy the game, but also want to make sure to welcome newcomers to the racing/sports genre. It’s a game in that you have people who love racing and others who love sports hence the target audience will also include both male and female. It will also be targeted at console owners as this is the main platform for the game. Language, the language for the game will be English by default but if the gamer decides to change the language they can simply change it in the setting s to the language they prefer. Sound consideration, Core game mechanics Single/multiplayer, this game will have both single and multiplayer, this is because it will give the user a chance to challenge others and showcase their skills. The player will only be able to control their car so as to make the game fair and have a fair race between users. In single player situations the player can play against the computer car or if they wish they can race against the clock to see if they will make it to the finish line in time and set new records. In cases of multiplayer players can play online or offline the choice is theirs to make. General movement, the movement of the cars in the game are limited and the user can accelerate, brake, change gears, turn left and right and also can jump as there will be obstacle during the race. The movement made will be up to which buttons the user presses on the controller of the console. right1430683JUMP 00JUMP Control summary, These are the controls that are going to be used for this game and if the user does not feel comfortable with these they can switch them to their personal preference in the controller section in settings. Initial set up, when starting the game for the first time a video introducing the gamer to the game will 1 / 3 play, this will information about the game itself, what to expect and so on. After the video finishes the player will have a trial run to familiarize themselves with the game and the controls. After the trial run the user will be taken to the main menu where all the fun begins and they can personalise their profile including their car they start with and the game begins. Territories (environment), the environment of this game will be real life racing, I have done this so as to excite the user of the game. All the racing tracks and cars included are real life tracks and objects to enhance the excitement of the game itself and also as many of the users might be real life racing fans and will know the track well as they might have visited the track beforehand and give them a head start to their opponents. Health, Challenges, this game consists of many challenges which have to be completed by the user to win the race, these are, collecting coins along the way, finding the hidden coins for double points and lastly getting the ball to the finish line to win the race. Because there is also trial time race the user will have to race to the finish line within the time given or they will not complete the task. The user will also need an eye for details that would be shown on their screen as they might need to change gear, look at the map to see where things are or to see how far or behind they are from their opponent. The challenges will vary depending on what level the user is playing as they will be easier on beginner but will get harder as the levels go up all the way to world class. Scoring system, the scoring system will work when the user collects coins and every coin is worth X10 and when the player collects the double coins they will get twice as much but the bonus scoreis gi ven to the race winner, the runner up and third place position only and it will be classed as cash, the money will be given as followed. Position Points 1st 5000 2nd 2500 3rd 1500 Stage progression, depending on the type of race the player wants to play they can choose from career mode or just race if the player picks the career mode they will have to go through 5 levels which are: Beginner Amateur Semi-pro Professional World class After the player has completed all the levels and collected all the coins and unlocked all the tracks and cars they would have completed the career mode but can always play online against new competitor’s every time. 3042920124396500-313671127979000Covert adverts, just like in real life racing companies can advertise their businesses on the cars as shown below and also there will be billboards on which companies can also advertise themselves. This will be benefiting both ends the company and me. More adverts will be seen when the game is loading and these will more likely to be big companies such as Monster advertising their energy drinks. Covert advertisement will be seen during the whole race as the whole track will have logos of different companies with their posters and messages on them. 35476121330700Failure states trigger, my game will include failure states trigger. For certain races during the career mode if you fail to adhere with the task you will have to restart the race or if you wish to if you have passed any check points you can start from there although this will cost you coins to do. This mode does not work when playing â€Å"just race† mode it only works on career mode. left19973700. Win/lose screen statistics, win/lose statistics will be shown at the end of every race in visual 2 / 3 feedback the reason for this being that if the player wants to see all the information they will have all the time they need to do so. The information will be presented with the player’s name, how many coins they collected, penalties, total and will be in order from first to last with how much they have earned from the race. An example is shown on the left side. Flowchart Narrative/storyline Characters Main character, in this game the main character will be the player himself, they will be able to control their car and everything else surrounding them including car settings, audio settings and gameplay settings. The main character car will be a black ford mustang with monster covert advertisement, the car will include special features that the player can access by using their coins to purchase them. The character car will be the 3rd fastest car in the game after the Lamborghini and the Bugatti. In order to keep the car in top shape the player will have to service then car on a regular basis as if the car is not serviced it will not go as quick. The car will also have its own football and this will come as a package and if the player wishes to they can customise the car to their personal preference. This character car is based on the research I carried out on the best muscle cars for racing on track and will be the car to win the races. NPC, the NPC which is non-player character will be a ghost car also known as the computer player. This car will be racing the player and the player’s objectives will be to beat the NPC to the finish line only on single player and on some other races in career mode. If the player fails to do so they will have to restart the race till they beat they car to the finish line with the ball in possession and the NPC will also be able to disposes the player of the ball. Other objects, just like any other game there will be many different types of other objects and these may include, nitro on the track, tyres and spare parts for the cars and different footballs for the race. Other objects will be found all over the race and during the race as most of these will be random objects to make life harder for the player. POWERED BY TCPDF (WWW. TCPDF. ORG).

Article Reflection: 50 Cats by Angelo and Cross

Article Reflection: 50 CATS by Angelo and Cross The article I read is â€Å"50 CATS by Angelo and Cross†. After I read the title of this article, two questions jumps out in my mind—-â€Å"what is CATS? † and â€Å"who are Angelo and Cross? †. With my strong curiosity, I choose to read this article. Before I read it, I decided to find the answer of these two questions first. CATS is the abbreviation of Classroom Assessment Techniques. Angelo and Cross are authors of a book named â€Å"Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers†.After read the description of this book, I learned that the book is aims to offer advises on classroom assessment for teachers at all levels. The book include what classroom assessment entails and how it works; how to plan, implement, and analyze assessment projects; twelve case studies that detail the real-life classroom experiences of teachers carrying out successful classroom assessment projects; step- by-step procedures for administering the techniques; practical advice on how to analyze your data; the fifth classroom assessment techniques is also a part of this book.Classroom assessment is the process of collecting information from students about their growth as learners. It also gives a feedback of the effectiveness as teachers. The purpose of classroom assessment is to improve the quality of students’ learning. The result may help teachers to adjust their teaching strategies. The fifty classroom assessment techniques are divided into three main parts: techniques for assessing course-related knowledge and skills; techniques for assessing learner attitudes, values, and self-awareness; techniques for assessing learner reactions to instruction.Each of them has been subdivided depend on different situations. In a word, they are in detail and everyone of them are very speedy and flexible. They often consume only a few minutes to assess students and get easy and quickly feedba ck. As future teachers, I think it is necessary for us to learn these fifty classroom assessment techniques. In these fifty classroom assessment techniques I think we should master the techniques for assessing course-related knowledge and skills for basic level.In this section, the assessment has been divided into five subsections. I pick up five of them which are easy to use and quick in response to analyze. 1. Background Knowledge Probe This technique is designed for assess students’ prior knowledge. They are suppose to be short, simple questionnaires which is used at the beginning of a class and serve as pretest. It also can be used as posttest after they finish a chapter. For instance, the instructor may ask students to list courses they have already taken in the relevant field as a pretest.Or, after the instructor teach a certain unit he or she may ask students to write relevant knowledge they have learned which is recalled by this course. That is serve as posttest. Such probe may require students to write short answers or give them multiple-choices to do just in no more than ten minutes. This technique will bring the background knowledge of students and help teachers to determine the appropriate level to begin a lesson. It’s a feedback on the range of how the students prepared for particular class.I believe this technique can be used any time to assess changes in students’ knowledge. The same question can be used in different situation as well. Minute Paper Maybe minute paper is the most frequently used technique. Under this technique, it provides us two questions: What was the most important thing you learned during this class? And What important question remains unanswered? Students are required to write a brief respond in two or three minutes.Personally I think this two questions can show teachers whether their instructional goals get by the students, meanwhile, this is also a way for students to remind themselves to have a genera l evaluation of what they have learned. Give them an opportunity to think what they want to know and what they still confused about. In this way students get awareness of self-assessment unconsciously. One-Sentence Summary This technique is aims to assessing students’ skill in synthesis and creative thinking. Students should answer the questions â€Å"Who does what to whom, when, where, how and why? about a given topic and write a long summary grammatical sentence include all of these points. In this assessment teachers can get the information about how’s the students’ ability of logical thinking and their ability of summarize. Directed Paraphrasing Instructor will ask students to paraphrase part of a lesson for a specific audience and purpose, using their owe words. This is especially useful for pre-professional students who will be asked in their careers to translate specialized information into language that clients or customers can understand.This technique allow teachers to examine students ability of transforming information into form that can be understand by certain audiences. It can be work in the classroom put students into groups and ask them to paraphrase a lesson and transforming to each others. Student-Generated Test Questions Students are asked to write two or three questions and accompanying correct responses. This assessment will give teachers information about what kind of questions are meaningful to students and how they answer the question is also shows how well the students learned, its a feedback of their study as well.I will continue read this article and analyze all of the fifty classroom assessment techniques. It’s a good modal for teachers to learn and give students appropriate assessment in different situations. They are valuable assessments not only for assessing knowledge of students, but also provide teachers quick feedback and serve as an evidence to adjust their lesson plan or rubric. We can incorpor ate these classroom assessment techniques into every class session.

Week 4 Discussion-Epi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 4 Discussion-Epi - Essay Example 006) Joseph Imoka, the World Health Organization’s tuberculosis coordinator in the country’s health ministry, said, â€Å"TB will attack HIV/AIDS patients who already have low resistance.† Kampala Henry Wasswa, (2006) About 12 cases of tuberculosis was reported in October 2007 in a place called Yellowknife and the TB team in Yellowknife are treating them carefully in addition to spreading awareness among the people who are potentially exposed to it. The bacteria that cause tuberculosis attack not only the lungs, but also other parts of the body. The primary causes of contacting this disease is poor nutrition and over- exposure to smoke and over-crowding. The at- risk group involves the Aboriginal population (Alix McNaught, 2008) and people who live in crowded slums and other places. The conventional methods of detecting outbreaks of diseases such as surveillance of any notifiable disease that is clinician based or laboratory based are less sensitive and timely, leading to poor outcomes and delayed treatment of diseases and therefore a system has been put in place for early detection of outbreaks. In the case of the West Nile Virus, (WNV) cases have been reported to have been imported from countries like Nicaragua etc. The WNV is an arbovirus that belonged to the family of Flaviviridae and generally transmitted among avian hosts and mosquito vectors especially the Culex. Humans and horses are accidental secondary hosts. (Kramer LD, Li J, Shi PY., 2007) Migrating birds are considered responsible for the outbreaks of WNV to places such as Asia, middle East, Americas, Africa, Europe, France, Israel and Egypt. Considering the above two cases, the tuberculosis disease could only be an outbreak because of the occurrence of stray cases in certain areas. To be called a cluster, a larger number of cases are needed to have been reported. Whereas, in the case of the WNV virus, the virus is easily spread through migratory birds and mosquitoes to high risk areas and is

Maryland v. Pringle, 540 U.S. 366 (2003) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Maryland v. Pringle, 540 U.S. 366 (2003) - Essay Example After asking Partlow, the driver, for his registration the police recognized a roll of money in the compartment and sought to perform a consensual search before allowing them to proceed. The police seized $763 and cocaine stuffed behind the armrest of the back seat. The three acted ignorant of the drugs and money by denying ownership or knowledge of the drugs. This prompted the officers to have all the three arrested, taken to the police station and given a Miranda warning (Carmen & Walker, 2014). However, Pringle relinquished his Miranda rights confessed to own the drugs and money without the knowledge of his friends. Consequently, the trial court sentenced him for possession of cocaine for circulation. However, Pringle claimed that his arrest was illegitimate but was denied motion and had to face ten years of custody without parole. Although, the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland unanimously supported the conviction, the Court of Appeals of Maryland reversed it. The court reveal ed lack of sufficient evidence to arrest, since even Pringle did not show any sign of previous knowledge, control, or authority over the drugs and money. Firstly, the officer’s arrests did not breach the Fourth Amendment by arresting Pringle on probable cause. However, there was not proof of Pringle’s culpability beyond rational doubt. Based on the case Brinegar v. United States (1949), warrantless searches should be founded on reasonableness. The arrest was not reasonable given that speeding was the particular reason for pulling the car and not drugs and money. Consequently, a determination of the events leading to the arrest by the court led to the reversal of the decision to convict Pringle for ten years. Despite acknowledging that the money was innocuous, and not worth consideration as a determinant of probable cause, the court agreed on the existence of probable cause in facts such as driving at

Meaning of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Meaning of Life - Essay Example Besides these tortures, he encountered constant threats of being thrown into the gas ovens probably because of his physical appearance. However, in spite of the experiences he faced in the three camps that he served, he emerged as a visionary person. His reason for being optimistic was that human beings hold the freedom of choosing the manner in which they view the circumstances they undergo on a daily basis. Therefore, they create meaning from such circumstances. Frankl outlined three experiences that the prisoners went through after their arrival at the concentration camps, during their stay there and after they were freed from the camps. After realizing where they had been taken to and the reason for their transfer, the first experience that the prisoners felt was the shock. Later, the shock would be replaced by a second experience. The experience would be the phase of psychological reaction as well as apathy. These were the necessary methods that the prisoners would use to cope with the abuse that they received from their supervisors. During this stage, the fear of death was no longer the prisoners’ concern. On the contrary, the part that was most painful was the insults that they received. The prisoners would be given uniforms that were more of rags (Frankl, 7-26). Also, they would be issued with shoes most of which did not fit them. Those who had reported with better shoes had no choice but to give them to the SS guards or risk s evere punishments. At a time, the prisoners were forced to walk bare footed on the snow since their shoes had been worn out. The author describes a twelve-year-old boy who he saw being taken to the sickbay. The boy had been forced to stand attention on the snow bear footed for hours because there were no shoes for him at the camp. The results were that the boy’s toes got some frostbites. Frankl writes that there was a frequent

Inclusion2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Inclusion2 - Research Paper Example Inclusion as a â€Å"term and as a practice was initially introduced with reference to disability but now refers to a general practice of equality and an active effort to attempt to determine ways that children are not precluded from services and experiences due to their difference, including a disability.†1 Inclusion in the context of a Jewish Primary School draws into consideration the issue of the Jewish religion particulars, which requires a particular understanding and knowledge concerning said religion that not just anybody would be equipped to impart. Thus, to require inclusion that mandated the teaching of the Jewish religion may be beyond the requirements for inclusion in the laws expressed by the United States law makers. However, if we are considering just the disability of the child that happens to be Jewish, then they would be treated the same as any other child under the law as pertains to their disability. Why include children with disabilities in Jewish schools ? In the case of children that attend Jewish schools, there is a real good chance that those children live in a family that at least one of the parents practices the Jewish religion. ... Inclusion is a â€Å"means of assuring social justice for all students with the objective of ensuring a greater benefit to society as a whole.†2 Therefore, all teachers should aim to be an inclusive teacher with a classroom where â€Å"the full participation of all students in all aspects of schooling†3 is embraced and accomplished. Research has confirmed that â€Å"teachers who embody and promote inclusion have been shown to improve learning for all students, regardless of significant individual differences.†4 In a report that described the â€Å"first national study specifically designed to determine the near-term effects of day schools on the academic, social, and Jewish trajectories of former students during their college years. The study considers the impact of day schooling in a variety of areas including Jewish identity and connections to Jewish communal life, as well as social and academic integration into college. The study contextualizes the experience s of students from day schools through comparison with Jewish undergraduates from private and public school backgrounds. Although the findings suggest that day schools can do more to improve math and science learning and to address the needs of diverse learners, the report also validates that day schools provide top-notch preparation for a broad range of colleges and universities, including those that are the most selective.†5 So, it would appear that to allow for inclusion in such a powerfully impactful environment during the formative years, the long-term effects are greatly to be desired by all Jewish students, and by logical extension, especially for those Jewish students with

The potential benefits for supply chain management by utilizing AHP Dissertation

The potential benefits for supply chain management by utilizing AHP for supplier selection - Dissertation Example 1993). Under such circumstances, the purchasing department plays an important role in cost reduction, of which supplier selection is an important part. To illustrate, an issue has been brought up in the case study. Leading companies need to maintain their position in market; however, cost of production constitutes the problem of company expanding or technology innovation. Supplier selection is a multi-criteria problem which includes both quantitative and qualitative factors. (Ghodsypour, S. H.,1996). The companies that still continue with the traditional method of supplier selection may lose competitiveness. Acknowledgement First and foremost, I would like to show my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Louis Knight, a respectable, responsible and resourceful scholar, who has provided me with valuable guidance in every stage of the writing of this thesis. Without her enlightening instruction, impressive kindness and patience, I could not have completed my thesis. I shall extend my thanks to Felix, Li for all his kindness and help. I would also like to thank all my teachers who have helped me to develop the fundamental and essential academic competence. My sincere appreciation also goes to Mary, Liu, for doing the English typographic and corrections. Dr. Louis Knight, Aston University, Engineering and Applied Science. L.KNIGHT2@aston.ac.uk Felix Li, University of Warwick, Statistics department. felixli@hotmail.ac.uk Mary Liu, Olympia Education Service LTD. lyqlyq1688@hotmail.com Contents Abstract 3 Acknowledgement 4 Table of Figures 7 Photo credit: 7 List of Tables 8 Chapter 1: Introduction 9 1.1 Introduction 9 1.2 Background 3 Chapter 2:Literature review 4 2.1 Supplier selection in SCM 4 2.1.1 Benefits of supply chain management 4 2.1.2 Responsibilities of the purchasing department 5 2.1.3 Supplier selection: Criteria affect choosing suppliers in supply chain management 8 2.1.4 Supplier performance of Tsingtao Company 10 2.2 Analytical Hierarchal Process 11 2.2.1 Analytic Hierarchy Process - Concept 11 2.2.2 AHP in supplier selection 12 Chapter 3:Methodology 13 3.1 Research objective 13 3.2 Research design 13 3.3 Data collection 13 3.4 Research method 17 3.4.1 Case study (why & how) 17 3.4.2 Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) 19 Chapter 4:Findings 21 4.1Characteristics of purchasing supply chain in beer industry 21 4.2 Supplier selection using AHP analysis 27 4.2.1 Building the supplier evaluation criteria system 27 4.2.2 Building judgment matrix 27 4.2.3 Defining first-level criteria weights 28 1.Calculating maximum eigenvalue of the judging matrix 29 2.B is the judgment matrix B= (b) nn 29 3.Calculate consistency test 29 4.From the table of average and random consistency criteria, it can find the necessary average and random consistency criteria RI. 29 Chapter 5:Main Findings and discussion 33 5.1 Findings 33 5.2 Discussion 35 5.2.1 35 5.2.2 Sensitivity analysis 35 Chapter 6:Conclusion 36 36 Reference 37 Appendixes 42 Table of Figures Figure 1: Current method of supplier selection 15 Figure 2: Agenda of having suppliers 16 Figure 3: Definition of terms 16 Figure 4: Criteria for supplier elevation 27 Photo credit: Cover page: http://thenextwavefutures.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/shipping_containers.jpg List of Tables Table 1: Supplier evaluation

Night by Elie Weisel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Night by Elie Weisel - Essay Example The story opens up to the feelings of Eliezer, his faith in God, and how his relationship particularly changed with his father throughout the novel. As Eliezer goes on to suffer some of the worst scenarios of the holocaust, he develops a strange relationship with his father. The only perception of his father is what he narrates himself, thus the readers do not know what the father thinks or feels. Throughout the novel, it is evident that his father, Shlomo, remains a constant factor that is with him at all times. His father is an old, emotional man, who loved Eliezer and is totally dependent on him for support. As the story begins, Eliezer starts to suffer at the hands of the Nazis, and that slowly gets him to lose his faith in God. He and his father survive the severe conditions together and he helps his old father as much as he can. Even though the cruelties have led Eliezer to lose faith in God and trust in all the people around him, he manages to maintain the bond of love that he has for his father. He thinks of his father and cares for him as he says â€Å"I was thinking of my father. He must have suffered more than I did† (Wiesel 56). Even though he sees many people in his camp that beat their fathers and abuses them out of frustration, he controls his fears and lets the father-son relationship be the factor that keeps him struggling. He also prays to the Lord to give him strength to never do what other children have done to their fathers. However, there is a time in the story when Eliezer explains his experience with some worse conditions. He faces intense situations which breaks him to pieces and takes away all the love, care, patience, and faith from his heart. In fact, there are many moments in the story when Eliezer describes his numb feeling towards his father and then how he tries to wash it away. At one occasion he says â€Å"I stood petrified. What

FIFA World Cup 2014 - Brazil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

FIFA World Cup 2014 - Brazil - Essay Example At the same time, FIFA was very arrogant about it. Opposition politicians were very angry with the bill that was drafted, but it was passed by the government anyway. What this shows is that corporate might has the power to change the laws of a host country whenever it is favorable. Another cause of the FIFA World Cup is that many poorer Brazilians were made homeless after they were removed from their homes. Many of these people had nowhere else to go. The reason why they were evicted is because the Brazilian government needed to build infrastructure, such as roads and highways, leading into the stadiums of major cities. According to the evictees, the government was not interested in cooperating and in some cases gave residents as little as five days to leave (Daibert). Brazil has signed many treaties with regards to adequate housing, but unfortunately in the lead-up to the World Cup violations were committed in a haste to prepare for the event. It could be said that this FIFA World Cup in Brazil has caused up to 250,000 Brazilian citizens to become homeless. In cases where residents have been given new housing, the conditions have been significantly worse than the original residences. International law dictates that when people are evicted from their homes the y should be moved to housing of the same level or even greater. In some cases compensation has been given, but only to a level of 20 to 40 percent of the value of the houses (Daibert). The last line of the article sums it up because these people wish that the World Cup had never even come to Brazil. It has been estimated that 3.7 million tourists attended the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil (Heitner). All of these tourists, both domestic and foreign, spend money that contributes directly to the Brazilian economy. Since the average tourist is expected to spend close to $2,500

Henry David Thoreau Essay Example for Free

Henry David Thoreau Essay Transcendentalism is a very important movement that occurred not only in literature but in life as well. The transcendentalist movement was a movement that was basically the thought of everyone having an over-soul. The over-soul is the thought of a relationship between God, nature, and man. The movement had many different characteristics like individuality, feelings being priority over reason, the fact that nature was divine, and that nature held truths. Transcendentalists used the truths that they observed in the world and in nature to change the way society was and how people see themselves in the world. Although the idea of a utopia was not successful, the movement sparked a change in literature. Emerson and Thoreau are the two people most associated with transcendentalism. They both wrote essays about their experiences in nature and influenced many other writers to do the same (hence the transcendentalist movement). The transcendentalist thought is especially apparent in Walt Whitman and Emily Dickenson’s work. Whitman and Dickenson both show many traits of the movement, but the most apparent trait is individualism. Individualism is often portrayed in Emerson and Thoreau’s work as being equal. Everyone has a soul, inner truth is the only thing that matters, and fulfillment comes from knowing one’s self. In Emerson’s essay Nature, he describes man as being universal and related. In the quote â€Å" . . . that great nature in which we rest . . . that Unity, that Over-Soul, within which every mans particular being is contained and made one with all other. . . . We live in succession, in division, in parts, in particles. Meantime within man is the soul of the whole; the wise silence; the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally related; the eternal ONE. † Emerson is saying that all men have souls and that each soul is a part of an even bigger soul, the universal soul. This is basically saying that we are all equal, but at the same time we are separated because we each have a soul of our own. In another essay, self-reliance, he stated â€Å"Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In this, he is saying that being misunderstood is being great. This also says that being misunderstood is forgetting what society says you should be or act like and doing what you want to do in order to find yourself and be your own person. By not caring about what others may think about your choices and decisions, you can be your own person and set an example for others to do the same. Not only was Emerson talking about being an individual, he was also adding a bit about your feelings being more important that reason. Thoreau also writes about individualism in his essays. In Walden, Thoreau writes about the experiences and life of his life. He writes â€Å"†¦ if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet success unexpected in common hours. † This is saying that you should live the way that you want to live and that your inner truth or inner desires are all that matter. Everyone has inner truth and desires and to live the life that you want to live then you should go for the dreams that you have always wanted to come true. This is a prime example of individualism because everyone has dreams and inner truths about the way that they want to live and it is completely up to them to live the way that they want to live. He also addresses individualism in another essay titled Civil Disobedience. He writes â€Å"But, to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no government men, I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government. Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step towards obtaining it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In this, he is encouraging people to take a stand for the rights and respect they deserve. In a way, he is telling people to stop ignoring the unfair government and do something about the way you feel. This is showing again how everyone has inner truth and they should do something to change the way the world is to be better. Thoreau wanted the government to change and so he spoke about what he believed to be true. This is him showing his individualism and encouraging others to speak up as well about the truth that they believed. Like Emerson and Thoreau, Whitman and Dickenson have both used individualism in their works, but Whitman does a better job at portraying it. In Whitman’s poem ‘Song of Myself’, Whitman writes about everyone being equal and having equal opportunities. He states â€Å"I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise, regardless of others, ever regardful of others, maternal as well as paternal, a child as well as a man, stuffed with the stuff that is course, and stuffed with the stuff that is fine † In this quote he is comparing total opposites to each other. This is a way of showing how even the opposites are the same. Regardless of others, ever regardful of others means that others mean nothing to you, yet others mean everything to you. It’s contradicting, but in a way that says although others mean nothing to you, they affect you in certain ways. Everyone affects you, but you are not everyone. You are simply yourself and that is what I get from what Whitman was describing. In another part of the poem, Whitman says ‘I am as bad as the worst, but thank God, I am as good as the best. ’ This quote stands out because it means no one is better than anyone. Just because you don’t get in trouble doesn’t mean you are any less wrong or less bad. Just because you do good things doesn’t mean you are any better! Being good is simply being good and the same goes for being bad. No one is any better or worst. This means that everyone is equal and has equal opportunities. Dickenson also uses individualism as a theme in some of her works as well. In the poem ‘Heaven Has Different Signs—To Me’, Dickenson writes â€Å"The Rapture of a finished Day—Returning to the West—All these—remind us of the place, That Men call paradise† In this poem Dickinson is describing what heaven would be like. This quote refers to the end of the day for men. Individualism is living the way you want and reaching fulfillment. This quote shows how men are fulfilled in their lives and of what they call paradise. To me, I don’t think she is writing about heaven, I think she is writing about a utopia. She is writing about a place that everyone is equal and enlightened. Dickinson and Whitman both write about being equal and living the life that you want to lead. Even though they both write about individualism, Whitman portrays it much more and it is more apparent. They were both influenced by the transcendentalist movement, but Dickinson focuses on other traits like how nature is beautiful and simple and the relationship that nature, life, and death have. The transcendentalist movement may be over, but it left an imprint in literature. Many people speak of individualism and the name most associated with it in the movement is Walt Whitman. Works Cited Poemhunters. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Quotations by Author. Walt Whitman Quotes. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Thoreau, Henry D. Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau. Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau. Jone Johnson Lewis, n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Thoreau, Henry D. Walden. N. p. : Jalic, 2003. Print. Whitman, Walt. (1836)Nature. Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Oregon State College, n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Whitman, Walt. Self Reliance. Mrgunnar. net. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.

The Impact Of Globalisation For Children

The Impact Of Globalisation For Children Introduction There are varying definitions of globalisation as it spans across a wide spectrum affecting many aspects of our lives. For this paper, it will focus on evaluating the inferred consequences of globalisation on children and families including poverty, economic growth, political organisations, migration and displacements, inequality, climate change and cultural influence. The challenges faced by children and families are onerous. Whatever the implications and effects, children are most vulnerable. Their lives depend on what we do for them in this age of globalisation. They are our future and how we deal with the various components of globalisation, will affect the future. Political The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), 1989, acts as a paramount umbrella that sets minimum standards for governments to uphold childrens rights to basic needs, healthcare, education, legal and social services in their countries. Currently organisations such as United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), World Bank, World Health Organisation (WHO) and other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) support developing countries with infrastructural and financial assistance to alleviate poverty and provide care and education to under developing children. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) support developed countries in investing into building human and social capital to increase skills and knowledge to tackle famine. While governments in developed countries take a pro-active role in promoting and establishing national frameworks in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), these services are operated by private entrepreneurs in developing countries. Equity and accessibility becomes questionable as political alliances between countries and organisations set their own agendas marginalising resource poor countries. For instance, the World Bank, with the US as its biggest investor, works with private corporations serving the interests of rich nations by exploiting the cheap labour and resources from the developing countries. Funds could be better used to assist in raising the standard of living and improve the lives of families and children in poor and developing countries. Economic Economic growth is pivotal to lifting people above the basic sustenance level in developing countries. But focus on economic growth alone does not reduce poverty. Save The Children, 2010, argues that without a more nuanced discussion on the relationship between economic growth and poverty reduction, children will not fully gain from the potential benefits of growth. Unequal distribution of wealth and benefits is hampering the banishment of poverty. Policies that favour labour intensive industries such as agriculture and small enterprises have a greater effect on poverty than growth in the financial services. Money may be flooding into the country but only to a select few stand to gain. In terms of child mortality and combating under-nutrition, countries that record moderate economic growth fare the best; those with poor growth had worse results; but surprisingly, countries with outstanding rate of growth did not fare very well (Gabriele and Schettino, 2007). Recent statistics released estimated over 40% reductions in global under-five mortality rate since 1990 (IGME, 2012). Notwithstanding a higher indicator of life chances for children across the globe, the continual widening income gap will cause a reversal in the current improvement of mortality rate. Policies should target specific elements of pro-poor growth strategies that promote equality, redistribution and eradication of poverty. Ultimately, it is the improvement of the quality of life for the poor that matters; where children are given their rightful place in education, child growth, health and opportunities to further their future. Climate Change Climate change has been identified as the biggest global health threat to children in the 21st century (Save the Children, 2009). The Greenhouse effects largely caused by human activities are now experienced by countries throughout the world. The impact made by climate change on food security, healthcare, clean water supply and livelihoods has a profound influence on urbanisation, migration, poverty and armed conflict. Climate change affects national healthcare budgets. Less developed countries already buffeted by the disintegration of healthcare services and infrastructure; grapple with any crippling effects of climate change affecting the economy. The sum effect put children and their families at greatest risk. Children under 5 years are most vulnerable to its consequences. Poor families could be pushed into the deeper end of their troubles bringing about long term consequences on their childrens survival. Millions of children in affected areas suffer from malnutrition and babies are born malnourished and/or with anomalies. For example, children from the poorest 20% of households in many developing countries have up to 5 times the mortality rate of children from the richest 20% households (DHS, 2009). Migration and Displacement Globally, there is an increase in economic migration driven by income disparities, exploitation, and demand for labour. Mass migration leads to growing urbanisation because it is perceived to offer more stability for people who come from agricultural and natural resource-based livelihoods. It is estimated that millions of urban-dwellers in low and middle income countries are living in poverty with lack of access to clean water and decent sanitation (UN-Habitat, 2003). Slums and overcrowding plague many cities where poorly constructed homes and densely populated areas pose greater risks of fires, disease outbreaks and disasters endangering many children. Millions, both poor and affluent, could be displaced by the next 40 to 50 years due to climate change. While most will move within their own countries, many will also cross international borders (UNFCCC, 2008). A research by Save the Children, 2008, found that children tend to move independently or with their parents due to war, natural disasters or to support their families. Moving alone to escape from poverty, exploitation, calamities, pursuing better educational or job opportunities can pose grave dangers for children as they face the risk of exploitation and abuse. The influx of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to any given country threatens the local infrastructure as it leads to competitive scrambling of health, education and shelter resources which will have serious impact on child survival. Inequality and Social Injustice The richest 5% people in the world receive 114 times the income of the poorest 5% population (Kirby, 2006). The globalisation trend of widening income gap is altering the structures of families, economies and society. Such persistent disparity would result in dire consequences for families and their children in terms of security and social stability. Compared to the poor, children and families from affluent households have better access to healthcare, education, legal and social services. Gender inequality is prevalent in most patriarchal societies. If one gender is considered more economically and socially viable than another, resources would be unequally distributed. Access to services is limited for women and girls in societies where the male gender receives preferential treatment. Globalisation is creating a ballooning underclass that is struggling due to growing income gaps and lack of job opportunities. This presents an ideal environment for international criminal syndicates who are spreading cancerous crimes that exploit and victimise women and children e.g. drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal trade. Shift in Family Structure Globalisation has reshaped family structures into a more diverse profile. It has altered the roles of parents, women, family structure, and child rearing practices. Today, the traditional role of women as caregivers can be assumed by fathers, extended families, guardians and domestic helps. As more women join the workforce, demand for early childhood services increases provided they are accessible, affordable and of quality. In most patriarchal societies, expectations of child rearing remain the mainstay of women while work, whether formal or informal, adds to their burden. The worldwide trend in increasing divorce rates is pushing the likelihood of single parenthood (usually headed by a woman) as an alternative viable lifestyle in developed and developing countries. Cultural Globalisation Mass migration further extends the perimeters of diversity in multicultural societies. Adjustment to new cultural framework causes transitional disequilibrium from set beliefs to new influences. Culture is transient. Throughout history, the retention, evolution or desertion of personal beliefs were outcomes of exchanges, religious conversions, conquests and colonisation. Cultural beliefs and practices affect family structure and function as well as childrens sense of identity and belonging. In many Asian and sub-Saharan societies, collective mentality is the prevalent social perspective; placing others before self. Child rearing is viewed as a shared responsibility within the interdependent community and such notion deters individualism. Western child rearing philosophies promotes individualism. The exposure of Western influences has not threatened the existence of indigenous cultures but its assimilation may be deemed beneficial. Media and Technology Globalisation facilitates cultural imperialism where the export of movies and music, particularly from the West, has widespread influence in the world. The advent of the internet extends the influence to a far wider reach exposing children to a myriad range of content which can be beneficial or detrimental. Consumer technology is another effect of globalisation. Computers and mobile phones have become an integral part of our lives especially in the affluent societies. Children today are much more conversant with technology. However, over-dependence and overuse of such devices by children could compromise their interactive and inter-personal skills development. The media coupled with technology are influential in shaping values, beliefs and lifestyle. Other Risk Factors AIDS today is a worldwide problem and globalisation has played no small part in the spread of this disease. Numbers are growing in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. AIDS through heterosexual transmission is prevalent in Africa. Globalisation through geographical mobility extends the spread of the HIV. Women and children with HIV in developing countries are ostracised from the community usually without or with little medical help. Wars not only destroy lives but have detrimental effects on children. Reduced food supply contributes to the lack of nutrition for children. Healthcare becomes scarce as priorities are diverted, for example, money spent on arms instead of vaccinations. Education opportunities are reduced in times of war. Children are separated from their families through death and evacuation usually leading to their abandonment. Conclusion The effects of globalisation affecting families and children are long term and far-reaching. The many issues raised merely highlights the complexities and never-ending debate as to what measures are needed and how they can be implemented for the improvement in quality of life and proper raising of children with the provision of at least the basic necessities. On the macro level, governments and international organisations with vast resources at their disposal, should question their commitment to help. They can certainly do more by putting aside differences, biasness and ulterior motives. Schools, service providers, parents and caregivers should continue to fulfil their responsibilities in making the best effort in the upbringing of children regardless of cultural bias and work demands.