A Peoples History of the United States vs the Enduring Vision Essay Example for Free

A Peoples History of the United States vs the Enduring Vision Essay How complete are our textbooks these days? Yes, they may cover Christopher Columbus’s all the way to today’s current events. But just how complete are they? Often books tend to lean a certain direction, and offer perspective from only one point of view; most commonly the views of the victors, dominant country or possibly stories of heroes. What about the other side? Far too often the lesser of the two is left out of the textbooks and out of our minds. There are always two sides to a story, in this case, much of what we read is a mere, â€Å"partial truth†. In the following paragraphs and analysis, assumptions and generalizations we have made about our country and it’s â€Å"heroes† will be examined in an in-depth interpretation of the standard American textbook, The Enduring Vision vs. Howard Zinn’s, A People’s History of the United States, a strongly worded book meant to offer a different point of view, one not of the hero, but of men they truly were. Everyone knows who discovered America, Christopher Columbus, of course! â€Å"In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue† At a very young age we are taught that, but that’s only half the story. According to, The Enduring Vision, â€Å"Religious Fervor led Columbus to dream of carrying Christianity around the globe, but he also hungered for wealth and glory. †(p. 27) Upon discovery, Columbus became very fond of himself, and what he had done. He discovered a land and a people that before his discovery never existed. Because of this, Columbus’s hunger for wealth and glory came to the forefront. The textbook makes no mention of the less publicized portions of his life; it certainly was not carrying Christianity to the world. The book fails to mention, the cruel and inhumane things that were done to the Native American who currently inhabited the â€Å"New World†. Those actions seem to be brushed under the rug, because of the fact that he is an American hero. However, Howard Zinn offers a view from a different perspective. â€Å"†¦They willingly traded everything they owned†¦. They were well built, with good bodies and handsome features†¦They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no iron. Their spears are made of cane†¦. They would make fine servants†¦. With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want. † (Zinn 17) Columbus’s lust for wealth, power, and domination of the people blinded his view of spreading Christianity. In Columbus’s report back to the royal court in Madrid, Spain, Columbus uses religious talk to convince the court that he was establishing a community, and to establish fame and a reputation back in Spain. In exchange for a little help, Columbus was to bring them, â€Å"as much gold as they need†¦ and as many slaves as they ask. Concluding his report he said, â€Å"Thus the eternal God, our Lord, gives victory to those who follow His was over apparent impossibilities† (Zinn 20) this was not entirely true, his report was exaggerated, however, the court granted him his expanded fleet and men. However, Columbus was not out to colonize the new world, he was looking for his personal gain ; Gold, and slaves. This American â€Å"Hero† isn’t everything the history books and movies make him out to be. Columbus was a liar, cruel, and was out for glory and fame. It’s a sad truth to such an important piece of an American history. As American we would like to believe that Columbus was the man he was made up to be, and definitely not a â€Å"Christ-like† figure. He was much more than an explorer who owned a few slaves; he is a man responsible for the institution of slavery and the murder of many, many Native Americans. Another well-known figure in history has a distorted past, he happens to be one of our most respected presidents; Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson is perhaps most known for his hand in writing the Declaration of Independence. Although Jefferson was a major player in gaining our country’s independence from England; he wasn’t much for granting independence to a certain group of people in America. Although, it is noted that Jefferson had a personal distaste for slavery, that did not stop him from owning slaves, hundreds of slaves until the day he died. Jefferson even slipped a portion his views into the Declaration of Independence. It is a very common cliche phrase that is known by many, in which he lists property, in a list of â€Å"unalienable† rights. That among these are Life, Liberty, and property† However, Congress didn’t approve, and instead, they chose, â€Å"Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness†. Slaves were often referred to as property at that time, not human beings, but property, as if they were a possession. So, who really was Jefferson, was he a noble president, who still today remains a prominent figure in the history of the United States? Or was he just like everyone else, a slave owner, and didn’t truly believe that â€Å"All men are created equal†? Personally, I believe that Jefferson was a product of the time period. Being a slave owner was common; he was in line with what wealthy plantation owners. He may have believed that slavery was not a moral institution, but that doesn’t require him to being an abolitionist. According to Zinn, Jefferson’s paragraph was removed because, â€Å"slaveholders themselves with the desirability of ending the slave trade. †(Zinn 77) Thomas Jefferson was an extremely intelligent man, and I believe he wrote that, with the foresight of the country in mind. He knew that it should not be a part of America going forward, however, at the time; it was a part of life. In addition to that, Jefferson needed to keep his popularity high, and by ending the slave-trade, Jefferson would lose many of his supporters. For this I believe that in this case Zinn may be bias, he goes after every flaw in people we look up to, and we simply cannot expect them to be perfect. Yes, they may have made some mistake and at times be hypocritical, but everyone is guilty of that at some time in their life, especially at a time where presidents where selected on what they had done in battle, not in politics. The next difference comes in the form of another president. Andrew Jackson, the face of our twenty dollar bill. According to the textbook, â€Å"Jackson’s victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans made him a national hero, and southerners admired him as a Tennessee slaveholder, a renowned Indian fighter, and an advocate of Indian removal† 216). Many American regarded Jackson as a â€Å"Living link to a more virtuous past. † Upon, gaining the presidency, one of Jackson’s first moves was to remove all the members of upper ranking officeholders†¦of the rival party. It was not well received by many; they began calling it the â€Å"spoils system†. He defended his actions by conveying that it was on the basis of Democracy; so that more people could work for the government. Jackson often gave jobs to family members or friends before giving the public their fair shake. Jackson was also willing to give jobs to people who weren’t qualified, because he knew them. This wasn’t the only thing that Jackson took heat for; his â€Å"morals† got him into more trouble. Jackson was easily bribed, and used deception as well as force to get what he wanted. Whether it was land or gold, Jackson was willing to use his power as president for his gain. Zinn 128) Zinn, points out the fact that this will never be printed in a text book, as Jackson is a face of this country. â€Å"If you look through high school textbooks and elementary school text books in American history you will find Jackson the frontiersman, soldier, democrat, man of the people-not Jackson the slaveholder, land speculator, executioner of dissident soldiers, exterminator of the Indians. †(Zinn 125) Strong and harsh words for a man, especially a president nonetheless. As we have seen in this and past examples, that Zinn emphasizes the other side of the story, the one you don’t hear about. Unfortunately, these are stories that everyone should know. Zinn, places an emphasis on teaching what the textbooks don’t, the textbooks focus on the spoils and fame of the individual. Howard Zinn provides an alternative view that sheds light on the morals of these men, which are not well publicized. Abraham Lincoln, the savior of the Union, often considered to be one of the best if not the best presidents in the history of the United States. However, this is one of the rare instances in which Zinn agrees with the textbook. For once, Zinn focuses on the results, rather the character. Lincoln didn’t believe that the African-Americans were his equal, but he did believe they had the rights of a human being; no human should be subject to being owned by another. However, Lincoln’s main priority was to preserve the Union, and to unite the States of America. The fact that Zinn agrees with the textbook in their positive view of Lincoln, shows the Zinn is not out to attack our great American Heroes. However, Zinn simply wishes for the other side of the story to be told, after all, all this stuff should be taught. Teaching as if this never happened, is like teaching addition without subtraction. Finally, we conclude with yet another president; our first President of the United States, George Washington: The fearless and ambitious leader that America looked to, to become our first president and lead the country in a positive direction. The Enduring Vision says it well, â€Å"American Victory depended on the ability of one man to keep his army fighting despite defeat† (120) Washington’s record in battle was poor, he lost more times than he won. However, the important part was that the people followed him. George was exceptionally tall for this time, so people naturally looked to him to lead them-despite losing. However, Washington was a slaveholder himself. Although, he did free them before he died. During the Revolutionary war, Washington did turn down a request of black slaves to fight in the army. (Zinn 83) Despite, his downfall, George Washington was an honorable man, who was the perfect choice for first President of the United States. Zinn tends to tarnish Washington’s reputation, with some of the things he chooses to publish; he gives Washington little credit for his accomplishments. In fact, I believe that Washington’s failures is what makes him such an insightful historical figure, failure spurred his ambition for bigger and better things. In conclusion, I have determined that much of what is printed is only partial truth. Thanks to Howard Zinn, people can explore the character that shaped out country. Although Zinn may seem to attack these men, he is simply pointing out that they weren’t the men they are made out to be in modern day history books and films. After reading, A People’s History of the United States, I am very pleased that someone decided that the truth must be told; even though it is not always what we want to hear.

The Use of X-Rays in Dentistry Essay Example for Free

The Use of X-Rays in Dentistry Essay Dentistry is increasingly becoming a major part of people lives in today’s society, being taken for granted and often little thought about. As technologies advance treatment becomes cheaper, quicker, and the outcome becomes more aesthetically pleasing and longer lasting. As braces, dentures, crowns, procedures and techniques change and improve at an alarming rate, one aspect has remained the same for a longer period of time. This is the use of X-Rays. X-Rays have been used in dentistry since the mid 1900’s, and continue to be used in the same way today. They are an effective way of finding and identifying various oral problems, allowing for early prognosis and prevention of more serious issues. How is an x-ray produced? Diagram showing a Dental x-ray tube. In a dental (and most other uses of x-rays including all medical uses) x-ray tube, x-rays are formed as electrons from a hot wire filament are accelerated onto a target anode. A high-voltage unit is used to set the anode at a large positive potential compared to the negatively charged filament. The electrons are pulled onto the anode at very high speeds and are suddenly decelerated on impact. As this impact occurs, some of the kinetic energy is converted into electromagnetic energy, as x-rays. This means that the anode therefore emits x-rays as a result of being smashed with high-energy electrons. The x-rays spread out from the focal spot, through the tube window and onto the region to be examined. How is an image formed? X-ray films that are used in dental radiography consist on an emulsion/gelatine mix containing chemicals that are sensitive to x-ray radiation. This is a silver halide either bromide or chloride. The emulsion/gelatine mix and their suspension is set onto a flexible, transparent tinted blue base. Emulsion is used in all types of analogue photography, but the type used in x-ray photography is of a different kind to that used in light photography. The emulsion is usually coated on both sides of the base in layers around 0. 1mm thick. As both sides of the base are coated, there is twice the amount of radiation sensitive silver halide, and so the speed at which an image is produced is increased significantly. Another way to increase the speed of producing an image would be to just have one side with a larger thickness of emulsion. This however would slow down the developing, fixing and drying stage, meaning taking x-rays would take an unreasonable amount of time. Some x-rays requiring more detail use film with emulsion on one side only. When x-rays, gamma rays, or light strike the grains of the sensitive silver halide in the emulsion, some of the halide (Br- or Cl-)  ions are released and captured by the silver (Ag+)ions. This chemical change is of such a small nature that it cannot be detected by ordinary physical methods and is called a latent (meaning hidden) image. However, the exposed grains are now more sensitive to the reduction process which happens during development of the film. When exposed to a chemical solution (the ‘developer’), and the reaction results in the formation of black, metallic silver. It is this silver, suspended in the emulsion-gelatine on both sides of the base that creates an image. Seeing things with X-Rays Different materials have different properties, including x-ray absorption ability. This is exactly the same with body parts, especially teeth. Radiation passes through skin the easiest, followed by the guns and soft tissue. These parts show up as the very darkest areas on an x-ray. Harder tissues absorb and black more radiation from hitting the film and so show up as much lighter areas. Metal implants, fillings and crowns (most artificial features) show up as the brightest white. The different depths of materials is also shown, nerve endings and dentine contours being visible on most developed films. This image shows that a root canal procedure has been successfully completed, meaning less time and money is wasted fixing procedures that have failed. Also visible is an amalgam filling (Brightest white) Measuring Radiation The Sievert The  sievert  (Sv) is the  International System of Units  (SI)  derived unit  of  equivalent radiation dose,  effective dose, and  committed dose. Quantities that are measured in sieverts are designed to represent the  stochastic  biological effects of  ionizing radiation. The sievert should not be used to express the unmodified  absorbed dose  of radiation energy, which is a clear physical quantity measured in  Grays. To enable consideration of biological effects, further calculations must be performed to convert absorbed dose into effective dose, the details of which depend on the biological context. This can be far more complicated than just multiplying by a weighting factor. The sievert is a fundamental part in  radiation dosimetry, and is named after  Rolf Maximilian Sievert, a  Swedish  medical physicist renowned for work on radiation dosage measurement and research into the biological effects of radiation. One sievert equals 100  rem, an older unit of measurement still used in many areas and by older generations of practitioners. One sievert carries with it a 5. 5% chance of eventually developing cancer. Doses greater than one sievert received over a short time period are likely to cause  radiation poisoning, possibly leading to death within weeks. This is a major risk considered in dental use as many doses of radiation could be received during a day in surgery.

A Film Review On The Film Thunderheart

A Film Review On The Film Thunderheart In this film review Im going to discuss how the Native Indians and white Americans are presented in the film Thunderheart and the stereotypes within the film and in which extent it meets the overall purpose. Thunderheart is about an quarter Native Indian FBI agent called Ray Levoi that wont except his Native Indian background and considers himself to be a white American. However things changed when he was assigned to investigate murders that have taken place in the Badland South Dakota. Purely because of his background he was given this task, Ray wasnt keen on doing the task, his body langue said it all four minutes into the film he was very stiff all the way through the interview, small pauses when I was asked questions as well as denying that he knew his biological father who was half Sioux saying he died when he was a baby. Beside how he felt, to please the white man he thanks him and got on with it. Already made his mind up that these murders were done by the Sioux Indians, he go es to reservation area and looking for the prime suspect Jimmy who he believes is responsible for the murders because Frank Coutelle also an FBI agent who he admires told him so. However series of events that take place Ray starts to doubt that Jimmy is responsible, but Frank sidetracks him and makes him believe that the Native Indian police planed the evidence. The change doesnt come quickly 40 minutes into the movie Ray is still denying his heritage when he was asked by Maggie about his nationality he replied The United States this just shows the audience that he is willing to lie to everyone even to those that already know about it. But at some stage in the course of the story, Ray is freed from his stuck-up attitude to Indian culture with the help of spiritual journey that he experience, made to understand the many problems of the violence torn Indian community and forced to accept his own past (the film is set in the late 1970s). Inspired by real events that have took place on several American Indian reservations during the early 1970s, particularly the Wounded Knee incident in South Dakota. The aim of this film was to create a different version of the Wild West and not the Hollywood type where the American Indians are portrait to be savages, indigence and violent people that arent civilised. This film is trying to get away from that entirely and want to show what the American government has treated native Americans The opening scene of the film shows the Native Indians doing a Pow-wow dance, in the early hours of the morning just as the sun is rising. It is a beautiful setting with a blue sky and a tinted shade of light orange at the bottom of the horizon by the waking sun. This portraits them to be spiritual people that are connected to their culture and that they live a very simple life compare to the way the white Americans live. Pow-wow dance is about renewing thoughts of the old ways and to preserve a rich heritage and also that the community bond stays tight because without that they wont have much left. The Native Indians are shot in medium-close-up given them a sense of power and importance and not the outsider that isnt not part of the American dream. As it gets lighter the camera moves away giving a long shot of the whole ceremony that is surrounded by mounts which shows that they coexist with nature and that over the years nothing has changed in terms of the landscape. However this a lso shows how isolated they really are from the outside world and from the number of people that come to the ceremony it indicates that there arent many Native Indians left because normally large number of people would attend it. As the sun light gets stronger the Native Indian fade way, this is symbolic because it shows that the invasion of the white people happened so fast that feels like the change occurred over night and that the Native American become invisible as if they werent there anymore, just part of the history now. The background music that is played in this scene which consists of Shamanic drums, traditional Native American flute and people singing, is very peaceful, relaxing, makes you feel closer to natural life and gives the audience a flavour of what the native culture is like. Two minutes into the film the Extreme Long Shot, gives the audience the perfect view of the Badlands landscape, which shows that over the years there hasnt been any dramatic change, which in dicates that the Native Indians respect the natural habitat that they live in. In the next shot is depressing and mostly shocking to the audience because that last thing they expected. In this scene a Native Indian man is running from the distance, with windswept hair, clear sky, and the sun giving a warm feel and being in the middle of the screen enhances his beauty even more, giving the audience the impression that he is free as the wind, but the closer he gets you can hear that he is breathing heavily, tired and things arent what they seem. The audience were set to believe that everything was good like that American government tells them and all of sudden they witness someone being shot in cold blood. This just show that the white Americans are ruthless killers that have no remorse to what they are doing and are treating these people like animals, in which makes that white man the hunters and the Native Americans the prey. This shows that even the FBI agents that meant to restore order and peace are the same people that are committing these horrendous crimes . Even the people at the very top believe that the indigenous people dont fit into their society therefore they need to help these people that are caught in the illusion of the past to come to terms of the reality of the present. This just shows that the white man are there to change the indigenous people way of life, culture because they are burdening the image they are trying to sell to the rest of world, which consists of being on the move consistently and that hard labour pays. Indigenous This sense of place helps the movie with its weakest story element, the supposition that because the Kilmer character is a quarter Indian, he will somehow summon up his roots to help him decide between good and evil. An FBI agent at the time this film was shot would probably have had little difficulty in choosing between his roots and the rule book, and the rules would have won. Still, this is a movie, after all, and at the end there is a sense of rightness in the way everything turns out. There is also the sense that we have seen superior acting, especially by Kilmer.

High and Popular Islam Essay -- Islam History Religion

History of the Middle East and North Africa 600-1258 Unlike India that has a clearly defined caste system to divide classes, other nations have classes that are implied by economic and social differences. The Middle East after the rise of Islam had an implied class system as well, referred to as High Islam and Popular or Low Islam. There is no actual High and Popular Islam that people are officially divided into, but is perceived through historical analysis. They are concepts derived from historical findings that provide a way to compare and contrast the people, religion, and government of Islam. (Frierson) Hopefully this essay will shed some light on these concepts. â€Å"Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light.† (Cow 2:257) Jesus Christ would never have expected animated DVD’s, Santa upstaging neither his ‘birthday’, nor the endless sects of Christians all claiming to truly understand his message and scripture. (Unless of course one is Christian and believes he is god and therefore knows all) Whether Muhammad foresaw the possibility of the Muslim community headed for similar disregard of the sacred is debatable. However, the fact that the sin of idolatry was so feared by Muslims has proven substantial power to suppress the same abandonment of the sacred that Christianity has modernized to. Despite the lack of Muhammad dolls and Allah t-shirts, the religion of Islam evolved into a government, empire, and ultimately a vague ideal of holiness interpreted thousands of ways. Having a faceless, mysterious deity not only prevented commercialism of a religion, but served to allow any culture to adopt their unique vision of God. When Muhammad first formed the small... ... English translation of The Koran. London: Penguin Classics, 2006. Specific Sura The Cow (Referred to as Cow) Frierson, Elizabeth. In-class lectures, PowerPoint’s, and Portfolio Guidelines University of Cincinnati Course Number 15-HIST-170-001, 20 September- October 2010. (Referred to as Frierson) Haug, Dr. In-class lectures and PowerPoint’s, University of Cincinnati Course Number 15-HIST-170-001, 20 September- October 2010. (Referred to as Haug) Lewis, Bernard. Islam: from the Prophet Muhammad to the Capture of Constantinople, Volume 1. Oxford University Press, 1987. (Referred to as Lewis 1) Lewis, Bernard. Islam: from the Prophet Muhammad to the Capture of Constantinople, Volume 2. Oxford University Press, 1987. (Referred to as Lewis 2) Ochsenwald, William and Sidney Fisher. The Middle East: A History. McGraw-Hill, 2004. (Referred to as F&O)

The Use of Alcohol Should be Banned for all State University Undergradu

The Use of Alcohol Should be Banned for all State University Undergraduate Students "According to the Core Institute, an organization that surveys college drinking practices, 300,000 of today's college students will eventually die of alcohol-related causes such as drunk driving accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, various cancers and heart disease" (Phoenix House). All around the State campus, at frat parties, in black-light-lit dorm rooms, and even at casual social gatherings, alcohol can be found in abundance. Despite the many downsides to alcohol use, college students as a whole maintain a very casual attitude toward drinking. I believe that drinking causes many more problems than it is worth to anyone, which is why I propose that the use of alcohol should be banned for all State University undergraduate students. Granted, alcohol has a very strong and important historical and cultural background. "Babylonians were brewing beer, which they considered a gift from the gods, in 5000 B.C" (Hoechsmann). Indeed, it is said that Noah stocked the Ark with beer. Furthermore, wine is mentioned in the Bible about 165 times, and it plays an important role in Christian religious traditions. During church communion, Christians eat bread and drink wine to memorialize the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins. At weddings, the English custom of toasting the bride gave us the modern word bridal (Hoechsmann). Throughout history, alcohol in its various forms has been used for a multitude of rituals; to many people, banning alcohol would be denying them their cultural heritage. Many people — both drinkers and non-drinkers — will argue that alcohol has advantages. Some of the effects of alcohol that are generally seen as positive are gi... ...k." Alcohol Culture. 2000. http://www.drinksmart.org/more.html (7 Nov. 2000). Iowa State University. "Sexual Assault Resources and Information." 2000. http://www.public.iastate.edu/~mswc/sexual_assault.html (8 Nov. 2000). Iowa State University. "Tuition and Fees." 21 Aug. 2000. http://www.iastate.edu/~registrar/fees/ (7 Nov. 2000). Phoenix House Foundation. "Facts on Tap." 2000. http://www.factsontap.org/ (5 Nov. 2000). SAMHSA. "Children of Alcoholics: Important Facts." 2000. http://www.health.org/nongovpubs/coafacts/ (8 Nov. 2000). Shyness Clinic. "The Problem." 1998. http://www.shyclinic.com/ (6 Nov. 2000). Soolsc. "Facts and Statistics." Drinking: A Student’s Guide. http://www.glness.com/ndhs/stats.html (6 Nov. 2000). ThinkQuest. "The Problem." Driving Under the Influence. 1998. http://library.thinkquest.org/23713/frameset.html (8 Nov. 2000).

Best Man Wedding Speech -- Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Best Man Wedding Speech Good Evening everybody...I hope you are all enjoying everything so far...My name is Frank Levy, and I am Rick's Best Man for the evening. I happened to find out that there was a pool going on as to how long my Best Man's speech was going to be, and I was the only one who bought in at 60 minutes, so you might as well all just relax, sit back and enjoy the ride. When Rick first asked me to be a "Best Man", I wasn't really sure what my responsibilities were suppossed to be. I asked around, and was told that my main duties for today were: To ensure that the groom arrives on time, To make sure he is sober, And to make sure he is looking good. Well 2 out of 3 isn?t bad... After all I?m best man, not a plastic surgeon! I was also worried about how long...

Personal Development Report Essay

This personal development report reflects upon my learning experiences and outcomes during my first year at Nottingham Trent University. It aims to document the ways in which I have developed and areas for further consideration as part of a continual learning process. The report will be structured around 5 main areas as shown below 1. Placing learning on BABM within the wider context of lifelong learning 2. Taking personal responsibility for career planning 3. Taking personal responsibility for the learning process 4. Valuing the importance of developing personal effectiveness 5. Demonstrating an enquiring mind I have also looked at how all this learning at university relates and fits within a wider context of lifelong learning. Conclusions and recommendations for what I am going to do to improve in the months from May 2001 to 2002 are based on the areas I have mentioned in the above. I will do this in the form of a Personal Development Plan using the smart objectives as follows: (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Related to overall life-long goals and set over a Time period). I have made conclusions of the development plans, which have concentrated both on Core Transferable skills and also some softer skills. Introduction 1.My Learning At University Within A Wider Context Of Lifelong Learning 1.1 The concept of lifelong learning The concept of lifelong learning is as relevant now as it has ever been, with the traditional job for life being replaced by shorter periods of work for different firms requiring essentially the same skills and qualities in employees. Therefore the ability for these skills to be transferable is very important. To develop these skills therefore is extremely important with many employers putting greater emphasis upon these core skills and less emphasis upon specific skills. These skills can be used in many different situations and circumstances to allow the employee to perform to the best of their ability. â€Å"The concept of work is continuously changing. An individual not only has several jobs in a lifetime but may also have several careers. Therefore everybody needs continuous updating of skills and competence throughout their working life† ERT report, 1989 The following skills are widely considered to be Core Transferable Skills  · Organisational Skills  ·Ã‚  Interpersonal/ Social Skills  · Analytic and Problem Solving Skills  · Teamwork  · Creativity  · Self Motivation  · Initiative and Leadership 1.2The learning curve It is these skills that have been particularly important to develop whilst at university and it is the experience of university both academically and socially that has provided the ideal environment for these skills to be developed. The combination of leaving home and adapting to a completely different environment both educationally and socially has meant that the learning curve especially in the first semester was very steep. To live away from home for the first time without any contacts in an unknown city is a life changing experience and forces oneself to adapt and mature quickly after leaving the security of the family home. Being entirely responsible for yourself is also a new experience requiring maturity and forward thinking as well as planning to enable yourself to function. The way in which these skills have been developed forms the backbone for lifelong learning, one which employers recognize and actively seek in graduates. 1.3Lifelong learning defined The concept of lifelong learning is complex and is not easily defined resulting in no unilateral definition, however its importance is widely agreed. â€Å"The Development of human potential through a continuously supportive process which stimulates and empowers individuals to acquire all the knowledge, values, skills and understanding they will require throughout their lifetime and to apply them with confidence, creativity and enjoyment in all roles, circumstances and environment† Longworth, 1996 p22 â€Å"The need for a learning society to convert and compete is not just urgent, it is a matter of economic life and death. It is a matter of social success or disaster. It is a matter of survival† Cann in Bradshaw, 1995 The development of these skills both as part of the BA Business Management Degree and the wider University experience is key to becoming an attractive employee This is particularly so as years two and three of the Degree are â€Å"in company† so the development of these skills and the pace at which these must be  developed is crucial. This report will aim to reflect upon my first year experienc e and where appropriate utilize activities, questionnaires and assignments in an attempt to build a personal development review and action plan for the proceeding 12 months in the form of a personal development plan. 2.Taking Personal Responsibility For The Learning Process The biggest contribution to taking responsibility for the learning process was the decision to further my learning at university. This decision has allowed myself the opportunity to further my learning both academically and socially in ways that I would be unable to had I not made the decision to attend university. Also the decision to accept my place on the BABM course was another way in which I have demonstrated my personal responsibility for learning. The course is intense for each of the three years, more so than most undergraduate courses and the decision to accept a place on this course rather than other courses where workload and intensity were less was important. The course aims to enrich individuals with far greater experience both academically and in terms of transferable skills therefore by choosing BABM I feel I have made the best possible choice to continue my learning in the most relevant way providing me with higher levels of transferable skills than other graduates may have. 2.1 Taking responsibility for myself To be able to take responsibility for the learning process I have had to take responsibility for myself and become more accountable to myself in terms of making myself work harder and setting aside time in which to work. .University work is very different to that I have encountered before in terms of deadlines are much longer, scope for research is much larger, less specific titles to assignments etc etc so being accountable for myself is very important. 2.2 Time management Because the work is very different to that experienced before I have had to manage my time in a much more responsible manner to enable me to fulfill my potential, progress, and attain the best possible marks for myself. Examples of where I have managed my time effectively are physically difficult to produce as the BABM timetable is extremely varied from week to week so to produce a timetable where work and free time could  be planned in advance was very difficult to do. Undoubtedly time management and grades are very much linked and my grades for semester 1 and those received thus far for semester 2 have been good and I feel this has been partly due to my good time management skills. My peer assessment feedback included 5 of 6 people stating that I was well organized and three out of 6 stating that I was disciplined. This is included in appendix 1. 2.3Taking responsibility for learning The DLBM debate where our topic was â€Å"interviews are the most unreliable method of selection† required ourselves to complete a large amount of research. Our group split into two and four with the latter researching that I was a part of. The grade we received for this was high 70% and showed the level of research the group had done and is typical of myself being keen to take responsibility for learning. Development of interpersonal skills I am a member of The Herefordshire Golf Club where in 2000 I was captain. In this role I was required to talk to people of different ages and backgrounds and I feel this role has allowed my interpersonal skills to develop and I have learned a lot from this position as it provides a different scenario from academic studies. This role also developed my leadership skills as well as my organizational skills. 3.Value The Importance Of Developing Personal Effectiveness As part of the Developing Learning for Business and Management module the group completed two sessions on personal effectiveness including â€Å"ËÅ"assertiveness’ and â€Å"ËÅ"effective communication/ active listening’ These sessions have allowed my awareness to the importance of assertiveness and communication skills to be greatly improved and have highlighted ways in which I can improve on these skills. My level of skills prior to the sessions was of a good level and I believe I have the basic fundamentals to allow myself to develop communication and assertiveness naturally. However my increased awareness brought about by the sessions has allowed myself to take a more proactive approach to developing personal effectiveness. 3.1Demonstrated active listening/ effective communication An example of where I have demonstrated both active listening/effective communication whilst  being assertive was in a role-play with Vanessa Knowles DLBM lecturer as part of a tutorial session. Vanessa played the part of the under performing employee and I played the part of the employer. Vanessa used several different behaviour characteristics in attempt to alter my opinions and decisions. I feel that I learnt a lot by this, the importance of clear communication and active listening whilst not letting some-ones behaviour alter my decisions. 3.2Development of self confidence The session also increased my confidence especially as the role-play was conducted in front of an audience and made me more willing to be assertive rather than passive which is a tendency I will sometimes withdraw to. In the peer assessment feedback session this was something people felt was maybe a weakness of myself. Ben Gasson for example said â€Å"You should be more confident and forceful, often what you have to say is just as valid if not more so than other people, just say what you think sometimes† This analysis is very true of myself and to be more assertive I must first become more confident within myself. 3.3Development of leadership skills In the Belbin peer assessment it was also said that I was sometimes fearful of conflict. This I agree is true sometimes when maybe I am unsure of all the facts or am not in a position to speak confidently, I sometimes let others dominate me when really their ideas are no better than my own. However I feel that the example as mentioned above (role-play) demonstrated my ability not to be fearful of conflict. I am not a person to cause conflict within a group but at the same time I would not say i am fearful of conflict and can be assertive when necessary. One area for development are my leadership skills. Although I feel that I have become much more confident this year and this has enabled me to take a more active or leadership role in certain situations. However I feel that I still have a long way to go to enable myself to be a natural leader and to do so would be a great achievement. To improve this area of personal effectiveness is a definite priority for the next 12 months. My job at Marks & Spencer’s requires me to work on the customer service desk listening to customer’s complaints and dealing with their problems. This role requires me to have good active listening skills and not be fearful of conflict whilst maintaining good customer service. This shows that my personal effectiveness and assertiveness can when necessary be very prominent. 3.4Ability to effectively communicate My ability to effectively communicate has been demonstrated in many ways this year, presentations, debates, meetings, interviews etc. My peer assessment said that my presentation skills are good and I can speak in confidently at a good pace. This was highlighted in the DLBM debate where it was mentioned in the group mark sheet as well as the business simulation feedback sheets. 4.Work With Others To Achieve Goals The ability to work with others to achieve goals is another very important transferable skill that employers seek. The Belbin team role questionnaire included in appendix __ and states that predominantly I am a team worker co-coordinator. This opinion is held by both myself and my peer group showing that I view myself and my group views me as a team worker. 4.1Working with others in practice My ability to work with others to achieve goals, I believe is one of my biggest strengths. Much of the work on BABM is team orientated as this will be the case when in the workplace in years 2 and 3. Examples of this have included the business simulation module where I feel I made a good contribution to the team. Other examples have included the DLBM debate, the organizational behaviour presentation as well as the smaller group assignments we have be set. 4.2My role within groups The experience I have gained working in groups this year has developed many of my skills far more than a normal undergraduate course may have done. My skill within groups is one of analysis and reflection of what others have said and making rational and coherent arguments from debate. This ability has proved to be very useful this year however I feel than within group work I need to take a more pro active role  stimulating debate and discussion. As was stated in my peer assessment feedback I sometimes need to â€Å"relax, say what I think, and be more confident† and this is an area I need to work on in the next 12 months 4.3Teamwork outside the classroom During 2000 I have played golf for The Herefordshire Golf Club where much of the competition is in team format. Very different to university teamwork where communication is key, playing golf requires analysis of the situation and choosing the best course of action in a short time consulting your partner to achieve the best possible result. Again I feel I have learnt a lot from this sporting experience as often I am under pressure to make team decisions quickly at university and although in an entirely different situation the process is the same. 5.Demonstrate An Enquiring Mind An enquiring mind and to be interested in your work is essential to being successful, without this I feel would result in lack of motivation and a significant reduction in output. My educational background shows how my enquiring mind is diverse and heavily influenced the â€Å"ËÅ"A’ level subjects I chose. I tried to choose subjects I was genuinely interested in and felt that I would be most motivated to work hard on. This at the time didn’t include business studies but my work experience at Marks & Spencer’s has led me to become interested in business. I wanted to know why decisions were taken at head office, what influenced them and how they took those decisions. My father works in business and as I have always been interested in his work and find it interesting. 5.1Examples of enquiring mind At university it is particularly important to have an enquiring mind as many of the subjects are only covered very briefly in the actual lectures therefore requiring me to be interested in them and to have an enquiring mind to allow myself to get a good knowledge of each subject. This is very different to â€Å"ËÅ"A’ levels and I feel that I have improved greatly in this area since attending University. However I also feel that I still have a lot of room for improvement particularly in subjects that I find difficult and those that are maybe less interesting to myself. I should try to complete all the recommended reading rather than completing only that which I find interesting. I found the organizational behaviour module to be particularly interesting and read a lot of the textbook despite the fact that the essay I had to write was only a small proportion of the book. For the DLBM debate I was part of the â€Å"research team† as I enjoy finding information that can be used to form an argument. I enjoy reading national papers and try to do so as often as I can as I am interested in the wider scope of global business. My enquiring mind sometimes get the better of me and I find myself reading about completely irrelevant topics to that I am meant to be studying for and wasting time but I believe this reflects my enquiring mind For the information systems/ information technology module we could either build a website of produce a leaflet. Despite the fact I had never produced a website before I chose to do this as I enjoy using computers and felt that although this would be more difficult it would be more beneficial to myself in the long run. 6.Take a Personal Responsibility For Career Planning Taking responsibility for career planning is very important, and the BABM course demands that students do this much earlier than other students on other undergraduate schemes. Because of this career planning is very important specifically with regards to years two and three of the course to enable me to make the maximum of my interview and company opportunities. The first step in career planning for myself was my work experience at Marks & Spencer’s that motivated me to choose the BABM course. Choosing to be on the BABM course itself also was of great importance to my future career with the uniqueness of the course enabling me to gain more experience earlier. 6.1Interview skills development Whilst on the BABM course I have had to take responsibility for my future career and have demonstrated this in a number of ways. Firstly interview technique was important to develop and the practice interview as part of the DLBM module gave good feedback as to my style and competencies. The feedback I got (see appendix 3) was generally good with areas to improve on including becoming more focused upon the process I went through when giving examples rather than the example itself. Also I tended to undersell myself when given the chance to impress but apart  from this the feedback was generally good 6.2C.V and application form enhancement My C.V and application form was also another area that required me to take personal responsibility. I read articles on the Internet and books from the library on how to write a C.V as well as attending lectures on C.V’s. I got feedback from my dad who takes part in selection processes as part of his job as well as Vanessa Knowles the DLBM lecturer. The feedback I got was very good highlighting areas that needed to be improved 6.3Increasing personal awareness of placements For the pre selection week I researched each company individually, sent off for their annual reports, looked at their web sites and read the national press to gain any knowledge I could before I attended the sessions. This gave me an insight not only into the companies that I was researching but also the industries they operated in. It also allowed me to view the types of placements offered to students such as myself and has increased my knowledge of the type of placement I am looking to secure. 7.Conclusions I feel that in the last 12 months I had developed tremendously as a person and feel that I have become much more confident, outgoing and assertive. My transferable skill base has improved greatly due to my experience on BABM and at university generally. I feel that my value as a person to an organization has increased greatly and I feel confident that the skills I have learnt this year will continue to be used long into the future not only just during the period â€Å"in company†. However I realize that my skills can and will be improved enormously by the experience I will gain whilst in company and that lifelong learning is a valid and very important concept. My personal development plan outlines areas I intend to improve over the next two years and contains ways in which I intend to monitor evaluate and measure myself and my development. I have tried as far as possible to make my targets Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant and Timescaleable to enable myself to develop myself in the most effective manner. The personal development plan will allow myself to continually review my progress and will hopefully prove a useful tool in the next two years whilst on the BABM course