Microbiology Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Microbiology Assessment - Assignment Example Similarly, S. aureus is also involved in many foodborne illnesses. It is highly salt tolerant and may survive in cheeses and foods with high salt content. Salmonella is notorious for its pathogenic properties in relation to food. It can survive strongly in desiccated conditions and is present in a number of foods like eggs, meat, milk and vegetables. Therefore, it is important to study the internal and external conditions of food so that the food infections may be controlled and quality of food be maintained. The growth and metabolic behavior of food-borne pathogens is highly dependent upon intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Therefore, it is mandatory to examine the environmental conditions for the control and elimination of pathogen-associated risks in food. The microbiological safety and food quality is largely dependent upon the detailed analysis of such factors. In view of Ross and Mckeen (1994, p. 241-264), the response of microorganisms to external and internal environmental factors forms the basis of predictive microbiology. In this study, three food-borne pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7, S. aureus and Salmonella are examined in relation to their survival in respective environmental conditions so that food safety and microbiological quality of food maybe ensured. Acid incorporation into foods as a mechanism of lowering the pH is an essential food preservation method. Low pH prevents the growth of spoilage organisms. Moreover, reduction in water activity is employed as a food preservation method. Therefore, we can say that low aW and decreased pH, are important elements involved in stability of foods having longer shelf life. However, the safety of current food techniques has been challenged by the release of E. coli O157:H7 infections from foods that were thought to be too acid rich that no enteric pathogen could have been survived. This has also changed the general perception that the conditions under which

What A Good American Should Be Like Essay Example for Free

What A Good American Should Be Like Essay To many, America is already a much developed country. Yet a lot of Americans themselves find it difficult to accept that their country is already at its peak success. Why? This is primarily because of the unequal views of both races and people’s economic status. These two are only a few of the many reasons why Americans refuse to say that they have already attained the American Dream. In this paper, two views of two different writers shall be examined. Namely, Leon E. Wynter who wrote the essay â€Å"Transracial America Sells†, and Langston Hughes who wrote the poem â€Å"Let America Be America Again† Before the writings are to be observed and examined, it’s very important that we gain knowledge about who the writers really are so as to be able to understand why they have views such as what they wrote. Leon E. Wynter has been writing for the Wall Street Journal for about 10 years now and has also been a regular contributor to the National Public Radio. His essays and articles which are published in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times and New York Newsday are usually a series of discussions on how the elimination of racial discrimination, specifically that of the black-Americans and the white-Americans, in the marketplace could contribute to the attainment of the American dream of equality. On the other hand, Langston Hughes is known for his poetry and compositions on how the old America used to dream of a free America in the future. He’s also known for contributing so much to the Harlem Renaissance through his written works. His writings show of his opinion on how laboring the people could help eliminate the inequality in the American society. As we go through these paper, several questions are to be considered to clearly understand what these two writers really suggest for the fulfillment of the American dream. Here are some of the questions we must consider: Which vision of the American dream is more compelling? Will the American dream be fulfilled by the marketplace or by labor? Which writer has a deeper understanding and what are the problems with the views of the less convincing writer?

Does An Individual Enjoy Freedom Of Occupational Choice

Does An Individual Enjoy Freedom Of Occupational Choice Why do working- class individuals continue to enter working- class, gender stereotyped jobs? Why do working- class boys look for heavy manual work (Willis 1977), in trades such as plumbing, electrical engineering and forestry? Why do working- class girls still swarm towards traditional female occupations, such as nursing and rarely for example, seek training as electricians, joiners, technicians and computer operators? We might expect that new production patterns, and new systems of education and training, coupled with the promise of lifting barriers to opportunity, might have dislocated the processes of class and gender reproduction of careers- but little has happened to counteract the influence of class race and gender on career choice. (Wilson 2010: 51) In view of the above statement, critically evaluate the contention that the individuals enjoy the freedom of occupational choice. Occupational choice is without doubt one of the most important decisions an individual makes in their lifetime. Sofer (1973) reiterates this by stating that; It is often critical in determiningincome; standard of living; health; self- esteem; social relationships; the quality of ones life; and the environment one can provide for ones family, including the chances of ones children to enter particular occupations. (Williams 1974:15) The above statement reflects how it is often perceived that if a person is satisfied within their working environment, then other aspects of their lives will follow on from this. Work plays a huge role in our life and we contribute a large majority of our time and effort to ensuring that we have chosen the right career, beginning from very early childhood when we embark into the education system, right through to when we leave school and decide where to go next. The past twenty years have seen rapid advances in the theories of occupational choice, but to date there has been little agreement as to exactly how and why we preside in a certain occupation over another. More traditional theories sided with the belief that we either happen upon a certain role, or that it is down to the development of the individual thanks to a rational process of decision making. These concepts have recently been challenged by theorists who believe that alongside the developmental and chance aspects of occupational choice, there are structural factors which make a massive impact. The objective of this essay is to determine the extent to which an individual enjoys freedom of occupational choice. This will be addressed by firstly defining occupational choice, then exploring how the theory has developed, critically evaluating the contrasting opinions and providing necessary academic literature where needed. The essay will logically move through these theories in refer ence to the objective provided and then arrive at a conclusion, reviewing all of the above. According to Watson (2003), occupational choice is an individualised process through which the self concept grows as abilities, aptitudes and interests develop (Watson 2003: 183). This definition has developed over many years after numerous studies have been conducted into occupational choice and its determinants. Preliminary theorists deemed it to generally rely on chance events whether they are planned or unplanned, that would eventually influence an individual to make certain decisions (Bright et al 2004: no page). This was referred to as the happenstance theory of occupational choice, which is now seen as highly inaccurate since it did not consider the individual and their personality alongside occurring events during their lifetime (Bright et al 2004: no page). Back in 1951, Ginzberg et al carried out a major study into occupational choice which has become known as one of the originating theories on the topic. Ginzbergs research focus was on the individual, and how by making decisions through defined life stages, the self concept is adapted. They deemed the process to be largely irreversible which has formed the basis of the argument for many critics (Slocum 1959:183). Super (1957) is probably the most notable critic of Ginzberg et als theory. He argues that elements such as values and previous research had been ignored (Slocum 1959:184) and he also believed that an individual is matched to an occupational role not only because of their character and merit, but also by the opportunities which are available at the time (Williams 1974:31). Super had recognised the more vocational aspect of occupational choice that a child is subjected to whilst growing up, such as work experience and changing job roles. Supers work contained situational exper iences that highlight more structural factors such as the socio- economic status of the childs parents (Watson,T :2008:230) and the current availabilities within the labour market. Although Supers work delved into the subject much deeper than the proceeding research by Ginzberg, it has limitations due to the way that it only highlighted the potential influence of parents and peers on a child- nor does he examine how this impact can be either positive or negative. The weaknesses of the two studies mentioned so far include that both were carried out on white middle class American males, and therefore cannot be considered to be a true reflection of developmental occupational choice. More valuable research would include information on both sexes, and also recognise the impact of different social class status in the United Kingdom. Musgrave (1967), Mead (1934) and Miller and Form (1951) reinforce the latter point that the main drawbacks of Supers studies was that he failed to fully recognise the significance of parental and peer influence on a child (Slocum 1959: 142-3). Musgrave (1967) took the work of Ginzberg and Super and applied a more sociological stance to give recognition to the way in which we as individuals learn, watch and observe even before entering the labour market, which helps to shape our perception of society (Watson 2003:183). He formulated four stages through which an individual passes; pre-work socialisation, entry to the labour force, socialisation into the labour force and lastly, job changes (Williams 1974:101). The pre work stage focuses on how children imitate adults by games such as doctors and nurses where they take on an imaginary job, and act out how they perceive the role to be. This role playing or role-taking as Miller and Form (1951) refer to it then develops in the second and third stages which cover the individuals entry into a working environment and the career path they eventually decide on, whilst the fourth stage considers any changes that may happen occupationally (Slocum 1959:142). Role- playing shows the influence adults, and more specifically our parents can have on our career choice. A more recent study into the importance of parental roles has been carried out by Dryler (1998). Although on a Swedish cohort, she confirmed that parents in a specific industry will encourage their child to follow in their footsteps. In addition to this, she discovered that the parent of the same sex as the child is more influential if they are in a particular line of work (Dryler 1998:394). There are similarities between the work of Dryler (1998) and Greico (1987). Greico recognised that some individuals are not merely influenced by their parents, but physically supported toward a certain job by being sponsored or recommended (Watson 2003:185). The work of Dryler (1998) and Greico (1987) mirrored earlier observations by Bandura (1977) and Kohlberg (1966) that focussed on social learning and cognitive development, theories that both acknowledge how children emulate their parents, specifically those of the same sex to themselves (Dryler 1998: 377). Interestingly, Dryler also denoted t hat if the parent and child are of different sex, then the opposite is true (Dryler 1998:394). Whipp (1980) and Ram (1994) carried out research which is consistent with the findings of Dryler and Grieco, agreeing that a child can literally be pushed into a job of their parents choosing, which differs greatly from Ginzbergs original theory that individuals have freedom of occupational choice. This also demonstrates how children are not necessarily exposed to all the career opportunities available, and that their parents can be a driving factor in limiting this. These findings also support the theories of Marshall, Swift and Roberts (1975) that ability is nurtured which Hollingshead (1949) suggested can relate to where our parents are situated in the class structure as to how a child portrays a particular job role, which will be looked at in more detail in the next section of this paper (Abercrombie and Warde 2003:141, Slocum 1959:147). However, it must be recognised that childhood observation of our parents may have totally the opposite impact, and a job role may be chosen simp ly to be different. The research discussed so far has mainly focussed on the individual and our behavioural maturation alongside values and beliefs, and how these achieved roles affect our occupational choice. Whilst the work into the developmental aspects of occupational choice is invaluable, it does not help to fully explain the issues mentioned by Wilson (2010) and Willis (1977) in the question. Therefore it is necessary to look at how the theory has developed, and widened to incorporate structural factors which are outside of the individuals control- also known as ascribed roles. Three advocates in the structural related factors field of theory are Roberts (1968), Kiel et al (1966) and Miller and Form (Furlong 1996: 561- 65, Williams 1974: 78 97). They understand that whilst psychology plays a huge part in our occupational choices, we are often faced with issues including, the current economy, gender, ethnicity and class which will be now be analysed in more detail. Traditionalists such as Kuh and Wadsworth (1991) believe that as individuals, we are born into one class- and it is very hard to migrate into other classes (Kuh and Wadsworth 1991: 537-555). In contradiction to this is the notion of social mobility, which is the ability of an individual to move from one class to another (Goodhart 2003). The Government is working hard to increase social mobility, and has appointed Alan Milburn to assist them further with their plans to eradicate the so called barriers to opportunity that Wilson (2010) refers to (Stratton 2010 and Wilson 2010). Hutton (2010) believes that the working class are simply not presented with as many opportunities as those in the classes above them, and Sennett and Cobbs (1972) went as far as to say that being working class creates psychological barriers acknowledging how it may not only be economic difficulties that affect an individual (Reay et al 2001:855-74). Goldthorpe (2003) counteracts this, stating how the class syst em is in decline in Britain, whilst Goodhart (2009) observes that there is no viable way of measuring who belongs in what class therefore statistics on class mobility are often complex and flawed (Goldthorpe 2003:239, Goodhart 2009). In his own studies, Goldthorpe (2003) draws heavily from the previous work of Ginzberg and Super with relation to the self concept development theory, but is distinguishable by the way in which parental class is addressed in more depth and he also incorporates modern empirical evidence to support his work (Goldthorpe 2003: 234). Although he deems class as important, he makes clear that this is only in the entry and lower levels of the labour market (Goldthorpe 2003:238). This is supported by Layder et al (1991), Giddens (1984) and Blau et al (1956), who agree that an individual is affected by different factors at different times in their life, particularly when they enter the institution system and the job market (Watson 2003:184, Williams 1974: 31). Goldthorpe (2003) refers to the rich as risk averse, highlighted by the recent stock market collapse where high paid city bankers still received huge bonuses and pay packets after losing millions of the nations money in risky transaction s. This translates the way in which the working class have to rely on education more heavily as they do not have as much to fall back on as their higher class peers (Goldthorpe 2003: 235). Pakulski and Waters (1996) disagree, stating that parents class makes no difference to their childs eventual occupational choice (Abercrombie and Warde 2003:130). In stark contrast to the earlier research, Garner (2008) states that social class is the single most influential factor in educational attainment, suggesting that our parents class is directly related to the grades we will eventually achieve, and also for what institution we gain them from (Garner 2008). Savage and Egerton (1997) and Westergaard (1995) agree with Garner (2008), claiming that children can do well in education purely because of the distribution of wealth (Abercrombie and Warde 2003:130-1). The Government seems to sit on the fence with regards to the impact of parental class on occupational choice; Nick Clegg and Harriett Harman are both of the opinion that whilst parents play a crucial role, ultimately class inequalities still remain (Stratton 2010, EHRC 2010)- explaining why the Government is taking such a stance on social mobility. The above discussion on social class shows how the stereotypical roles referred to by Willis (1977) may be undertaken by working class in dividuals purely due to the opportunities that are available to them and the class status inherited from their parents. Although Wilson (2010) suggests that this is still the case, the research mentioned has proved that this debate is not easily settled since there are strong arguments from either side by numerous theorists and influential figures. Another structural factor which may affect an individuals choice of occupation is that of gender. In todays modern society, the hypothesis is that gender inequalities have been eradicated, but the National Equality Panel found recently that men are still paid up to twenty one percent more per hour than women who have the same job role and qualifications (EHRC 2010). This report has been devastatingly critiqued by numerous academics, including Saunders (2010) and Caldwell (2010) who both believe that the EHRC have confused the meaning of inequality with that of prejudice and discrimination (Caldwell 2010:7 and Saunders 2010:14). This demonstrates how, like class, gender is a hard topic to define and quantify, therefore its affects on occupational choice are very difficult to measure. In 1984, Martin and Roberts looked at the relationship between gender and career choice, and found that a womans decision making process is related to the assumption that she will become a mother and therefore be more dedicated toward child rearing and domesticated duties (Watson 2003:192). This study suffers due to the fact that it is over fifteen years old and therefore cannot be considered as accurate in the present time. However, more recent work has been carried out by Riddell, Gaskell and Banks (1992), who discovered women are more likely to be pulled towards domestic subjects in early schooling (Abercrombie and Warde 2003:472), which illustrates how gender is already affecting occupational choice at a very young age by implying stereotypical roles to each sex . Although Riddell et als research is newer than Martin and Roberts it still has limitations because times have changed so much in the past ten years or so and it does not properly consider the aspirations of males compar ed to those of females. In 2000, Hakim demonstrated that preferences had changed dramatically, women were being offered more opportunities, and businesses had adapted to become more flexible towards them. She identified three work life preference groups; home centred, work centred and adaptive, claiming that most women in America and the United Kingdom could be placed into the adaptive group- therefore achieving a balance between their work and home lives (Watson 2003: 194). More recent studies have also found there to be a more wide range of job opportunities available to both sexes, with the armed forces being an example of how gender atypical roles have deteriorated. The Royal Air Force now offers over ninety percent of its roles to women, whilst the Navy and the Army have approximately three quarters of their roles available to both sexes (MOD, no date). This does however insinuate that not all opportunities are entirely equal- although progress has been made over the last century as attitudes have chan ged and women are looking for self fulfilment from their occupations (Watson 2003:194). Formal institutions have often been blamed for the different educational development of boys and girls. Timperley and Gregory (1971) found that there were approximately four times as many females wanting to continue on in education after school, whereas males were more likely to go straight into the labour market (Wilson 1974:193). Timperley and Gregorys paper would have been far more persuasive if it had been carried out in the last ten years and also if it had covered a nationwide cohort rather than just one particular area. Since this study, research has also begun to cover individual attitudes toward occupational roles, it cannot be said that women nowadays subscribe to the assumption that they will have children- many women are in fact the total opposite and careers are becoming first priority. Harper and Haq (2001), support this by stating that British women who delay motherhood, are likely to be more ambitious in terms of their educational and occupational achievements (Harper and Haq 2001:713). This can also be related to the way in which gender roles have in some cases switched altogether, with some men choosing to stay at home with the children whilst the woman of the household is the main breadwinner. However, this is hard to measure since studies cannot clarify individual aspirations and boys may not apply themselves as much as girls if they believe that the occupation they want to go into does not need high grades, particularly if they are looking at trades or the armed forces. Although class and gender are two of the most prominently researched structural factors that may impact on an individuals occupational choice, Wilson (2010) also mentions the issue of race. The afore mentioned EHRC report found that white working class boys and black Caribbean boys historically have bad attainment grades (EHRC 2010), whilst Haw (1998) concluded from her study that some staff were confused with regards to the treatment of Muslim pupils (Abercrombie and Warde 2003:474-5). Blackwell (2003), looked at the impact of ethnicity in greater detail, and implied that occupational choices in different ethnic groups can largely be related to historical and political reasons. She also noted that ethnic segregation in occupational roles is less than gender segregation, highlighting how differentials can be created by the individual, rather than by the market (Blackwell 2003:726-7). Most studies in racial impact on occupational choice have been slanted towards the opportunities avai lable in the market, but it would be more useful if the authors had considered individualistic factors that relate to culture and political views. Taking into account the studies mentioned; it would seem that ethnicity is not a deciding factor of an individuals occupational choice- and further studies could focus on whether this is true. Returning to the question posed at the beginning of this paper, it is now possible to state that whilst an individual does have freedom of occupational choice to some extent, there are, as Wilson (2010) states, many factors which also have an impact. The findings of this essay suggest that when the individual proceeds through the development of self concept, they can be influenced by parents, peers, class, formal institutions, the current economy, gender and their ethnicity. Further work needs to be done to establish whether individuals in the present times are still impacted by the socio-cultural factors mentioned by Willis (1977), and also to attain whether aspirations are affected by opportunity availability. It is now more acceptable to see women in roles such as plumbing and engineering, but the impact of gender and class is still being argued. Structural factors are very much related to the individual in the sense that certain job roles have historically been filled by certain class origins or by a particular gender- and it has proven difficult to change peoples perceptions of certain careers. New government policies are attempting to eradicate inequalities, although it will be difficult to change individual attitudes and values towards certain jobs- especially in the tough economic climate that is being experienced due to the recession. Overall, it could be said that if an individual is given a fair and varied exposure to all job roles available, then it will be down to their own choice, but in reality this will be very hard to achieve because what may be a good job for one person, may not be perceived as that to another. Word Count: 3260 words (Excluding bibliography) References Abercrombie, N. and Warde, A. (2000) Contemporary British Society. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Polity Press Blackwell, L. (2003) Gender and Ethnicity at Work: Occupational Seggregation and Disadvantage in the 1991 British Census British Journal of Sociology, Vol 37, pp. 713-31 [online] Available at: [Accessed 16/11/2010] Bright, J.E.H. et al. (2005) The Role of Chance Events in Career Decision Making Journal of Vocational Behaviour, Vol 66, Part: 3: pp. 561-576 [online] Available at: [Accessed 19/11/2010] Caldwell, C. (2010) Inequality in a Meritocracy Financial Times, 30th January, p. 7 [online] Available at: [Accessed 20/10/2010] Carol, A, Parry S. (1968) The Economic Rationale of Occupational Choice. Industrial and Labor Relations Review. 1968. pp183-196 [online] Available from Business Source Premier [Accessed 20/10/2010] Chang, T.F.H. (2003) A Social Pyshcological Model of Womens Gender-typed Occupational Mobility Career Development International, Vol 8, Part: 1: pp. 27-39 [online] Available at: [Accessed 15/11/2010] Dryler, H. (1998) Parental Role Models. Gender and Educational Choice The British Journal of Sociology, Vol 49, Part: 3: pp. 375-398 [online] Available at: [Accessed 20/10/2010] EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE (2010) How Fair is Britain? Executive Summary The First Triennial Review. EHRC [online] Available at [20/10/2010] Furlong, A. et al. (1996) Neigbourhoods, Opportunity Structures and Occupational Aspirations British Journal of Sociology, Vol 30, Part: 3: pp. 551-565 Garner, R. (2008) Social Class Determines Childs Success The Independent, 18/09/2008, [online] Available at: [Accessed 19/10/2010] Goldthorpe, J. (2003) The Myth of Education Based Meritocracy- Why the Theory Isnt Working New Economy, pp. 234-239 [online] Available at: [Accessed 20/10/2010] Goodhart, D. (2009) Oh Do Keep Up: Social Mobility Is Far From Dead Sunday Times, 26/07/2009 Harper, B. Haq, M. (2001) Ambition, Discrimination, and Occupational Attainment: a Study of a British Cohort Oxford Economic Papers, Vol 53, Part: 4: pp. 695-720 [online] Available at: [Accessed 15/11/2010] Hutton, W. (2010) Extract: Them and Us: Politics, Greed and Inequality- Why We Need a Fair Society The Guardian, 26/09/2010, [online] Available at: [Accessed 19/10/2010] Kuh, D. Wadsworth, M. (1991) Childhood Influences on Adult Male Earnings in a Longitudinal Study British Journal of Sociology, Vol 42, Part: 4: pp. 537-555 [online] Available at: [Accessed 16/11/2010] Ministry of Defence (MOD) (no date) Equality and Diversity in the Armed Forces [online] Available at http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Personnel/EqualityAndDiversity/. Accessed 15/11/2010 Reay, D. et al. (2001) Choices of Degree Or Degrees of Choice? Class, Race and the Higher Education Choice Process British Journal of Sociology, Vol 35, Part: 4: p. 855-874 Saunders, P. (1997) Social Mobility in Britain: an Empirical Evaluation of Two Competing Explanations British Journal of Sociology, Vol 31, Part: 2: pp. 261-288 Saunders, P. (2010) Difference, inequality and unfairness: the fallacies, errors and confusions in the Equality and Human Rights Commission report- How Fair is Britain Civitas Online Report, October [online] [Accessed 20/10/2010] Slocum, W.L. (1959) Some Sociological Aspects of Occupational Choice American Journal of Economics and Sociology. January 1959. pp 183-196 [online] Available from Business Source Premier [Accessed 19/10/2010] Stratton, A. (2010) Nick Clegg Outlines Plans For More Social Mobility The Guardian, 18/08/2010, [online] Available at: [Accessed 19/10/2010] Watson, T.J. (2003) Sociology, Work and Industry. 4th ed. London: Routledge Williams, W.M. (1974) Occupational Choice. London: George Allen and Unwin LTD Willis, P.E. (1977) Learning to Labour: How Working Class Kids Get Working Class Jobs. Farnborough: Saxon House Wilson, F.M. (2010) Organisational Behaviour and Work. a Critical Introduction. 3rd ed. Abingdon: Routledge

Cash for Good Grades

Cash for Good Grades Sometimes parents think of kids school work as their jobs. But adults get paid for their work so why shouldnt students get paid? Studies show paying kids to get good grades raises their grades,attendance and the graduation rate. Students will put in more effort when they are getting rewarded for good work.This is why paying students for getting good grades is a great idea. Cash for good grades would be a great way for students to get a head start in working for pay. Kids would be able to appreciate school more and perform good on tasks for rewards.ÂÂ   In an article about cash for good grades it reads,Cash for grades can jump start students motivation by providing real world rewards for efforts and performanceLindsay, Samantha. (How to Start Paying Students for Good Grades Effectively). This gives kids a real world experience of being rewarded for good performance. It gives them a jump start at the adult life by teaching them that they perform good on task that they will be rewarded. With this being said children will be more successful and have better attendance in school. If it raises grades and creates good attendance,paying children for school is a great idea. Paying children for school will definitely encourage students to keep their grades up. If you were getting paid to come to school and do better wouldnt you put in extra effort? With that being said This article states,There have been studies that experimented with paying students to attend and do well in school. The rate of students missing 15 or more days dropped 10 percents Studies show paying kids will encourage them to stay in school and keep their grades up. The money will encourage them to keep doing good in school and succeed to graduation and possible enroll in college if they want to. the promise of money for grades increases the students drive for success and good marks soon follow. When students get paid for their good grades they try better in school. They give it their best and try to get get good grades, because they can do whatever they want with their money. The students like it better if they are rewarded. It makes them feel better and that they are progressing. Money also excites kid before they get to school. It excites everybody because if you dont have a job chances are you dont regularly have money and cant buy the things you want Cleveland local news interviewed a student that says, Im excited to get the money. It makes me want to come to school on time.Some kids dont have money and this will help them (Cincinnati High School Paying Students To Come To School). Kids will want to show up to school and make it appoint to make sure they make As and Bs in all of their classes. This help kids who are less fortunate and live in poverty. In some places like Memphis one in three families live in poverty and paying their students small portions for good grades will help them. Its great because it will give kids some cash and parents who live in low income housing, etc can save their money up. Money will also motivate students to do better in school. With that being said ,a quote from WREG.com news channel 10 students say, Sometimes its the mindset and money motivates people. Weve received about 9,000 over the course of 3 years. (Memphis Program Paid Students for Good Grades and Their Parents to Get Jobs). This would also be grade for students planning to head off to college after high school. They could have a head start and have money saved up from high school and be able to pay for a portion of their college with the money they receive.This would also encourage students to maintain a A-B average.Salespeople often get bonuses for high sales numbers, so why not apply this same philosophy to your student in hopes that the potential for income increases effort? Paying students for good grades can help kids save up money for college,excite students, make students actually want to come to school daily ,and give students a head start in real world getting paid for good,well done work. It incentivizes them to maintain high grades. Its a great source of motivation.This is why paying students for good grades is effective. Works Cited Cash for Good Grades. N.p., n.d. Web.Http://www.facebook.com/wreg3. Memphis Program Paid Students for Good Grades and Their Parents to Get Jobs. WREG.com. N.p., 12 May 2015. Web. 09 Feb. 2017. Https://www.facebook.com/923thefan. Cincinnati High School Paying Students To Come To School. CBS Cleveland. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2017. Lindsay, Samantha. How to Start Paying Students for Good Grades Effectively. How to Start Paying Students for Good Grades Effectively. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2017.

Who is the Green Knight? Essay -- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essa

Who is the Green Knight? The Green Knight is described as an unusual and supernatural figure in the fourteenth century story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Throughout the story he is portrayed as a very confident individual who intends to play a game with one of the knights of the Round Table. In doing this, the Green Knight hopes to show that the knights of the Round Table indeed have flaws and weaknesses; this is the Green Knight's overall goal. However, the Green Knight himself can be viewed as a being prone to flaws and experiencing weaknesses. As the deceitful master plan he creates develops throughout the story, so does the truth behind his intentions for such a plan. Thus, the role and purpose of the Green Knight is to be known. The Green Knight's physical features are well depicted in the story. He is noted for his green skin pigmentation and giant size: "One of the greatest on ground in growth of his frame: From broad neck to buttocks so bulky and thick" (161). The Green Knight is looked upon as "half a giant on earth" and highly regarded because of this. Arthur's court becomes amazed to see such a creature of such enormous size. The Green Knight's language is charming and abrupt when he asks firmly: "Where is the captain of this crowd? Keenly I wish to see that sire with sight, and to himself say my say" (163). To a king this may seem a bit rude to addressed in such a way. The Green Knight's plan is to test the court. He wants to test one of Arthur's knights. Because of their fame and how well they are known for their chivalry and courage, the Green Knight seizes this as an opportunity to place before them a challenge. Sir Gawain takes on the challenge. The Green Knight offers his head to be cut off in ex... ...k to it saying: "Sir courteous knight, If contest bare you crave, You shall not fail to fight" (164). He did not know what he was being asked to do or offer. The Green Knight had not yet made it clear to him. Arthur was not going to back down from such a challenge for it was not a knightly thing to do, especially not after hearing what great things the Green Knight says about Arthur and his men. The Green Knight's honesty and confidence places quite an impression on Arthur and his men. Sources Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 7th Edition, Vol. 1 Ed. M.H. Abrams. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2000. pp. 156-210. http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projf20003a/charactr.htm, by Yevgeniy Gelfand http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projs4a/gawain.htm http://www.greenknight.com/ http://www.ancalagon.de/tolkien/howe/gawain.jpg

Howard Stern Essay -- essays research papers fc

How might one explain Howard Stern? Yes, he is a refreshing change from the typical, politically correct figure, and he provides humor and sex for late night audiences who are growing weary of Leno and Letterman. And while Howard Stern, shock jock turned television host, is more on the same wavelength as a Jerry Springer than a late night comic, Stern has always claimed--like Jerry--that his show is just an act. The idea that Howard Stern could come close--but not too close--to naked women on his television show, might have created the impression that this was just an act after all. He would say things that any other husband could not get away with, and it was okay, because it was all an act. His integrity and sense of honesty was intact, because he could look and not touch, even if he was standing just an inch away. Of course, that idea would not sit well with all, but in the world of Howard Stern, everything was copacetic. That is, until his wife left him. It might have been, as with many couples, that the pair divorced for a variety of reasons and that it had nothing to do with his untoward behavior. Still, the fact that he was married for many years, despite his lewd comments, gave him credibility. He was married and because he maintained that he was a faithful, it gave him a dual persona. People would think "Howard is all right. He speaks his mind. So what." But with a single Stern, the picture changes. He is no better than any other dirty old man now. At least that is the perception. While many speculate about the breakup--as who would stay married to a man who ogles other women every day on the air--Stern maintains that the separation had nothing to do with his on screen behavior. He said: " I take most of the blame because I'm a workaholic, and when I'm not working I'm hiding in my basement trying to recover, and I've pretty much hidden from life. I don't think it's easy to be married to me " ("Not-so-private" 68). Stern's contention that his marriage crumbled because of his habits rings true. In the film Private Parts based on his life, Stern revealed that he was of good character, remained faithful to his wife and that he was hard to live with off the air. Howard Stern is a recluse at home and marria... ...t marriage is something that is good for society. Still, if the couple do split for good, what he does as a bachelor will have an effect on his fans and his critics. But just as he makes fun of homeless people for example, it appears that he has set up a foundation for them on the sly ("Jock" 15). That is the mystery of Stern. He is both kind and callous. And while he can be both things at the same time, he is consistent in each trait, as he has hardly wavered from his positions over the years. Works Cited Donovan, Doug. "Motor Mouths. (Brief Article)." Forbes 20 Mar 2000 : 226 " Jock shock: is Howard Stern secretly helping the very same people he mocks? (radio talk show host's H and A Stern Family Foundation, Inc. rumored to help homeless people)." New York 14 Jun 1999:15. "Not-So-Private Parting: That sensitive radio guy, Howard Stern, feels the pain as his marriage unravels. (Up Front)(Brief Article)." People Weekly 8 Nov 1999: 68

Music and Learning

TETTEH OKLEY CEPHAS TOPIC: MUSIC AND LEARNING; incorporating music rhythm into studies to aid memory and recall. Case Study at the University of Ghana,Accra. Submitted as research proposal to Mr Adotey, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1. 1 Background of the research 1. 2The study area 1. 3Problem statement 1. 4 Aims and objectives of this study 2. Literature review 3. Methodology 3. 2 Methodological considerations 3. 2. 1 Qualitative framework of study 3. 3. Data collection and procedure 3. 3. 1 Instruments,participants 3. 3. 2 Data analysis 4. Discussions;summary of discussion . INTRODUCTION 1. 1 background to the research Are people typically geniuses? Statistically, people probably are not. In fact, most people probably aren't even intellectually gifted at all. Most people are likely to be pretty much average, maybe a little bit above average, or a little below, but very average none the less. It is universally understood tha t people strive to learn to become wiser and more informed about the world around them. The more people learn, the more powerful they can become. It is the speed at which people learn that separates the geniuses from the average people from the learning disabled.Geniuses don't run into problems while learning, because they learn so fast. It is everyone else that could really use help. One solid way to increase the speed at which people learn is with music. People learn through music and their minds grow faster because of it. Some music, when implemented properly, can have positive effects on learning and attitude. Music is a powerful thing, and when we understand its significance, it can bring dramatic changes both positive and negative into our lives (Kristian David Oslon). Sceintific research on the neurological and developmental effects of music on learning has fascinated educators since long. rom soft music in the nursery to musical toys and dance lessons, encouraging music invo lvement in a fun way strengthens individual educational, physical and emotional development. Learning is the process of acquiring modifications in existing knowledge, skills, habits, or tendencies through experience, practice, or exercise. Learning includes associative processes, discrimination of sense data psychomotor and perceptual learning, imitation,concept,formation,problem solving, and insight. prominent psychologist and educationists have over the years propounded ways though which learning could be improved and made easy. f them music is no exception Music is one of the few activities that involves using the whole brain. It is intrinsic to all cultures and can have surprising benefits not only for learning language, improving memory and focusing attention, but also for physical coordination and development. Of course, music can be distracting if it's too loud or too jarring, or if it competes for our attention with what we're trying to do. But for the most part, exposure to many kinds of music has beneficial effects Music affects the process of learning and thinking.Listening to quiet and soothing music while working helps an individual to work faster and in a more efficient way. it has the ability to make the listener acts positively and feel motivated. The power of music to affect memory is quite intriguing. Mozart's music and baroque music, with a 60 beats per minute beat pattern, activates the left and right brain. The simultaneous left and right brain action maximizes learning and retention of information. The information being studied activates the left brain while the music activates the right brain.Also, activities which engage both sides of the brain at the same time, such as playing an instrument or singing, cause the brain to be more capable of processing information. Listening to music facilitates the recall of information19. Researchers have shown that certain types of music are a great â€Å"keys† for recalling memories. Informati on learned while listening to a particular song can often be recalled simply by â€Å"playing† the songs mentally. Further on,music has a calming effect on the mind and his even known to speed the recovery of health ailments. Studies have shown that music plays a vital core in enhancing creativity.It has a positive impact on the right side of the brain, triggering the brain centers responsible for the enhancement of creativity. Certain â€Å"ragas† are known to activate the â€Å"chakras† of our body, thus giving us an added advantage in other creative tasks. Music increases spatial and abstract reasoning skills. These are the skills required in tackling problems, solving puzzles and taking decisions. Listening to Mozarts is known to have a positive effect on the spatial-temporal reasoning, simply put,it makes you smarter. Have you tried learning anything by combining it with music or rhythm? or example, counting with a certain repeating pattern, or learning cer tain maths basics by giving it a tune, or learning poetry by reciting it musically. basically the combination of the rythm of a favorite song rhythm to something to be learnt makes it easier to remember since songs are are not plain words but are actually compositions with immediate catching rhythms. An interesting aspect of music is how it eliminates depression,which reduces brain activity and hampers the minds ability to plan and carry outs tasks, by increase the sorotonim levels of the brain making the brain alert. ensational rhythms can cause the brain waves to resonate in synch to the beat,thus leading to increased levels of concentration and increased mental alertness. This helps the brain to change speeds of processing easily as need be. Music as a whole usually helps increase discipline. Rythms are easy to catch and recall and if intertwined with subject topics would help a student to recall . Everyone who have been through elementary school can not deny the fact that the re citing of poem did not in one way the other help he. Most of us still vividly remember so well some of this poems.This is because this hard knowledge was presented in a way that sounded so well still sound pleasant to the ear. Students appear to learn and retain more when the subject matter is presented through rhythm and/or song. They can also retrieve information if taught the correct cues. Students do not have to be musical scholars or prodigies in order to benefit from the joys of being taught mnemonically. Students who have difficulty retaining information because they cannot read or have not been taught any memory strategies, can often learn effortlessly through rhythmic and musical mnemonics.When textual information is presented as the words of a song or familiar tune, it is better recalled and its memory is more durable. Also, when the lyric and melody are partnered and then rehearsed, the melody is an effective cue for retrieving the lyric. (Chazin & Neuschatz,1990; Gfeller , 1982; Wallace, 1994; Yalch, 1991; Gfeller, 1982). 1. 2. STUDY AREA The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the Ghanaian universities. It was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold coast, and was originally an affiliate college of the University of London which supervised its academic programmes and awarded degrees.It gained full university status in 1961, and now has nearly 40,000 students. The original emphasis was on the liberal arts, social sciences, basic science, agriculture, and medicine, but (partly as the result of a national educational reform programme) the curriculum was expanded to provide more technology-based and vocational courses and post graduate training. The university is mainly based at Legon about twelve kilometres northeast of the centre of Accra, Ghana.The medical school is in Korle Bu with a teaching Hospital and secondary campus in the city of Accra(Accra City Campus) meant for workers or the working class. It also has a gradua te school of nuclear and allied sciences at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, making it one of the few universities in Africa offering programmes in nuclear sciences. The university also has another branch of its Business school located in the Central city of Accra. The school can boast of big Department of Psychology upon its introduction into the University in 1967.It now is one of the fields with over thousands students. 1. 3PROBLEM STATEMENT †¢ Is it worth it all to use music to aid recall or improve memory †¢ which kinds of music rhythms are appropriate †¢ how can these rhythms be fashioned into the learning and teaching strategy to improve memory †¢ was the use of song rhythms able to aid recall and memory. †¢ If indeed it is shown that students benefit from learning subject matter in the classroom mnemonically through music rhythms, what is preventing teachers from using them more often in the classroom? 1. 4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To conglomerate the knowledge of music into the learning strategy to aid concentration and cognition †¢ To precisely state methods by which music can be incorporated into learning to aid easy recall of stuffs learnt †¢ To examine whether the attachment of the knowledge of music and rhythms to learning really aids recall and memory improvementt †¢ To prescribe the kind of music rhythms to be used in learning which can aid cognition precisely recall and memory improvement †¢ To help lecturers to sufficiently use music rhythms in teaching their students 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Yates (1972) chronicles how the Ancient Greeks, who invented many arts, also invented the art of memory. Just like their other arts this was passed onto Rome and subsequently descended in the European tradition. This method of impressing place, image, and music on memory has been called ‘mnemotechnics’ or mnemonics. †¢ The reviewed literature reveals current and past studies on the subject of using musical mnemonics as an effective memory tool in the classroom and beyond. A musical mnemonic is a useful tool for disciplines that require a great deal of memorization.Mnemonics can be teacher created or students created and should not be introduced until the student knows how to use them correctly. The literature reports that in general students, who have been taught through mnemonic instruction, outperform students taught by traditional instruction techniques. Much of the prior research was conducted in the curriculum areas of science, history, geography, English, social studies and foreign language vocabulary. The literature is presented from two complimentary perspectives; medical and educational. †¢ Sacks (2007) researched the phenomenon of brainworms.Brainworms are overly catchy tunes designed to bore their way into the listener’s ear or mind and are not easily forgotten. They were described as â€Å"cognitively infectious music agents† by a newsmagazine i n 1987 (p. 42). Sacks (2007) searches for the qualities that make a tune become almost impossible to delete from memory. Is it timbre? Rhythm? Melody? Repetition? â€Å"Or is it arousal of special emotional resonances or associations† (p. 43)? He recounts a song from his youth â€Å"Had Gadya† a Hebrew song that was long and repetitive and that became â€Å"hammered† (p. 44) into his head.He queries: â€Å"Did the qualities of repetition and simplicity†¦ act as neural facilitators, setting up a circuit (for it felt like this) that reexcited itself automatically? Or did the grim humor of the song or its solemn, liturgical context play a significant part too† (p. 44)? †¢ Sacks (2007) reports on how our brains are helplessly sensitive to music, and how the â€Å"automatic or compulsive internal repetition of musical phrases is almost universal† (p. 44). The brain treats musical imagery and musical memory in a unique way that has no equivalen ts in the visual mind.Melody, with its unique tempo, rhythm and pitch â€Å"tend to be preserved with remarkable accuracy† (p. 47) whereas visual scenes are often not recalled as accurately. Because of this â€Å"defenseless engraving of music on the brain† (p. 47) musical imagery and memory even occur in people who that they are not musical. Neurologically, people tend to find those brainworms or catchy tunes completely irresistible and unforgettable. This comes as no surprise to the advertising world that makes their millions out of flooding our world with such nauseating jingles as â€Å"Rice-a-Roni; the San Francisco treat! or â€Å"800-588-2300 Empire, today! † †¢ Mnemonics 14 †¢ Hodges (2000) marvels at the new revelations that the latest â€Å"neural machinery† has shown us, on the effects of music on the brain. He derives the following premises from neuromusical research. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The human brain has the ability t o respond to and participate in music. The musical brain operates at birth and persists throughout life. Early and ongoing musical training affects the organization of the musical brain. The musical brain consists of extensive neural systems involving widely †¢ †¢ istributed, but locally specialized regions of the brain: o Cognitive components Affective components Motor components The musical brain is highly resilient. In the same article he quotes a neurologist, Frank Wilson (1986) who states that â€Å"†¦ all of us have a biologic guarantee of musicianship†¦. we all have the capacity to respond to and participate in the music of our environment† (p. 18). Research from the Classroom and Learning Environment Gfeller (1986) did extensive research with learning disabled children and how musical mnemonics affect their retention and recall.She chose as subjects for her research both learning disabled and non learning disabled students. The study focused on the memorizing of multiplication facts through repetition either by chanting the numbers and product to a simple tune or standard verbal rehearsal. After the initial trial, the non disabled students reported significantly greater recall of the facts than the learning disabled participants (p ; . 05). By the end of the fifth trial however, both sets of participants who had learned their multiplication facts †¢ Mnemonics 15 usically, remembered significantly more (p ; . 001) than did any of the students using verbal recitation. Gfeller (1986) emphasizes the importance of teaching the students how and when to use a mnemonic. After all, the mnemonic is only effective if the student can access it, retrieve it and subsequently utilize it. She also encourages the use of familiar melodies in creating mnemonics. Students in her trial remarked that â€Å"†¦ the facts most easily recalled were those rehearsed to melodies reminiscent of songs they previousl †¢ Music and Learning TETTEH OKLEY CEPHAS TOPIC: MUSIC AND LEARNING; incorporating music rhythm into studies to aid memory and recall. Case Study at the University of Ghana,Accra. Submitted as research proposal to Mr Adotey, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1. 1 Background of the research 1. 2The study area 1. 3Problem statement 1. 4 Aims and objectives of this study 2. Literature review 3. Methodology 3. 2 Methodological considerations 3. 2. 1 Qualitative framework of study 3. 3. Data collection and procedure 3. 3. 1 Instruments,participants 3. 3. 2 Data analysis 4. Discussions;summary of discussion . INTRODUCTION 1. 1 background to the research Are people typically geniuses? Statistically, people probably are not. In fact, most people probably aren't even intellectually gifted at all. Most people are likely to be pretty much average, maybe a little bit above average, or a little below, but very average none the less. It is universally understood tha t people strive to learn to become wiser and more informed about the world around them. The more people learn, the more powerful they can become. It is the speed at which people learn that separates the geniuses from the average people from the learning disabled.Geniuses don't run into problems while learning, because they learn so fast. It is everyone else that could really use help. One solid way to increase the speed at which people learn is with music. People learn through music and their minds grow faster because of it. Some music, when implemented properly, can have positive effects on learning and attitude. Music is a powerful thing, and when we understand its significance, it can bring dramatic changes both positive and negative into our lives (Kristian David Oslon). Sceintific research on the neurological and developmental effects of music on learning has fascinated educators since long. rom soft music in the nursery to musical toys and dance lessons, encouraging music invo lvement in a fun way strengthens individual educational, physical and emotional development. Learning is the process of acquiring modifications in existing knowledge, skills, habits, or tendencies through experience, practice, or exercise. Learning includes associative processes, discrimination of sense data psychomotor and perceptual learning, imitation,concept,formation,problem solving, and insight. prominent psychologist and educationists have over the years propounded ways though which learning could be improved and made easy. f them music is no exception Music is one of the few activities that involves using the whole brain. It is intrinsic to all cultures and can have surprising benefits not only for learning language, improving memory and focusing attention, but also for physical coordination and development. Of course, music can be distracting if it's too loud or too jarring, or if it competes for our attention with what we're trying to do. But for the most part, exposure to many kinds of music has beneficial effects Music affects the process of learning and thinking.Listening to quiet and soothing music while working helps an individual to work faster and in a more efficient way. it has the ability to make the listener acts positively and feel motivated. The power of music to affect memory is quite intriguing. Mozart's music and baroque music, with a 60 beats per minute beat pattern, activates the left and right brain. The simultaneous left and right brain action maximizes learning and retention of information. The information being studied activates the left brain while the music activates the right brain.Also, activities which engage both sides of the brain at the same time, such as playing an instrument or singing, cause the brain to be more capable of processing information. Listening to music facilitates the recall of information19. Researchers have shown that certain types of music are a great â€Å"keys† for recalling memories. Informati on learned while listening to a particular song can often be recalled simply by â€Å"playing† the songs mentally. Further on,music has a calming effect on the mind and his even known to speed the recovery of health ailments. Studies have shown that music plays a vital core in enhancing creativity.It has a positive impact on the right side of the brain, triggering the brain centers responsible for the enhancement of creativity. Certain â€Å"ragas† are known to activate the â€Å"chakras† of our body, thus giving us an added advantage in other creative tasks. Music increases spatial and abstract reasoning skills. These are the skills required in tackling problems, solving puzzles and taking decisions. Listening to Mozarts is known to have a positive effect on the spatial-temporal reasoning, simply put,it makes you smarter. Have you tried learning anything by combining it with music or rhythm? or example, counting with a certain repeating pattern, or learning cer tain maths basics by giving it a tune, or learning poetry by reciting it musically. basically the combination of the rythm of a favorite song rhythm to something to be learnt makes it easier to remember since songs are are not plain words but are actually compositions with immediate catching rhythms. An interesting aspect of music is how it eliminates depression,which reduces brain activity and hampers the minds ability to plan and carry outs tasks, by increase the sorotonim levels of the brain making the brain alert. ensational rhythms can cause the brain waves to resonate in synch to the beat,thus leading to increased levels of concentration and increased mental alertness. This helps the brain to change speeds of processing easily as need be. Music as a whole usually helps increase discipline. Rythms are easy to catch and recall and if intertwined with subject topics would help a student to recall . Everyone who have been through elementary school can not deny the fact that the re citing of poem did not in one way the other help he. Most of us still vividly remember so well some of this poems.This is because this hard knowledge was presented in a way that sounded so well still sound pleasant to the ear. Students appear to learn and retain more when the subject matter is presented through rhythm and/or song. They can also retrieve information if taught the correct cues. Students do not have to be musical scholars or prodigies in order to benefit from the joys of being taught mnemonically. Students who have difficulty retaining information because they cannot read or have not been taught any memory strategies, can often learn effortlessly through rhythmic and musical mnemonics.When textual information is presented as the words of a song or familiar tune, it is better recalled and its memory is more durable. Also, when the lyric and melody are partnered and then rehearsed, the melody is an effective cue for retrieving the lyric. (Chazin & Neuschatz,1990; Gfeller , 1982; Wallace, 1994; Yalch, 1991; Gfeller, 1982). 1. 2. STUDY AREA The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the Ghanaian universities. It was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold coast, and was originally an affiliate college of the University of London which supervised its academic programmes and awarded degrees.It gained full university status in 1961, and now has nearly 40,000 students. The original emphasis was on the liberal arts, social sciences, basic science, agriculture, and medicine, but (partly as the result of a national educational reform programme) the curriculum was expanded to provide more technology-based and vocational courses and post graduate training. The university is mainly based at Legon about twelve kilometres northeast of the centre of Accra, Ghana.The medical school is in Korle Bu with a teaching Hospital and secondary campus in the city of Accra(Accra City Campus) meant for workers or the working class. It also has a gradua te school of nuclear and allied sciences at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, making it one of the few universities in Africa offering programmes in nuclear sciences. The university also has another branch of its Business school located in the Central city of Accra. The school can boast of big Department of Psychology upon its introduction into the University in 1967.It now is one of the fields with over thousands students. 1. 3PROBLEM STATEMENT †¢ Is it worth it all to use music to aid recall or improve memory †¢ which kinds of music rhythms are appropriate †¢ how can these rhythms be fashioned into the learning and teaching strategy to improve memory †¢ was the use of song rhythms able to aid recall and memory. †¢ If indeed it is shown that students benefit from learning subject matter in the classroom mnemonically through music rhythms, what is preventing teachers from using them more often in the classroom? 1. 4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To conglomerate the knowledge of music into the learning strategy to aid concentration and cognition †¢ To precisely state methods by which music can be incorporated into learning to aid easy recall of stuffs learnt †¢ To examine whether the attachment of the knowledge of music and rhythms to learning really aids recall and memory improvementt †¢ To prescribe the kind of music rhythms to be used in learning which can aid cognition precisely recall and memory improvement †¢ To help lecturers to sufficiently use music rhythms in teaching their students 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Yates (1972) chronicles how the Ancient Greeks, who invented many arts, also invented the art of memory. Just like their other arts this was passed onto Rome and subsequently descended in the European tradition. This method of impressing place, image, and music on memory has been called ‘mnemotechnics’ or mnemonics. †¢ The reviewed literature reveals current and past studies on the subject of using musical mnemonics as an effective memory tool in the classroom and beyond. A musical mnemonic is a useful tool for disciplines that require a great deal of memorization.Mnemonics can be teacher created or students created and should not be introduced until the student knows how to use them correctly. The literature reports that in general students, who have been taught through mnemonic instruction, outperform students taught by traditional instruction techniques. Much of the prior research was conducted in the curriculum areas of science, history, geography, English, social studies and foreign language vocabulary. The literature is presented from two complimentary perspectives; medical and educational. †¢ Sacks (2007) researched the phenomenon of brainworms.Brainworms are overly catchy tunes designed to bore their way into the listener’s ear or mind and are not easily forgotten. They were described as â€Å"cognitively infectious music agents† by a newsmagazine i n 1987 (p. 42). Sacks (2007) searches for the qualities that make a tune become almost impossible to delete from memory. Is it timbre? Rhythm? Melody? Repetition? â€Å"Or is it arousal of special emotional resonances or associations† (p. 43)? He recounts a song from his youth â€Å"Had Gadya† a Hebrew song that was long and repetitive and that became â€Å"hammered† (p. 44) into his head.He queries: â€Å"Did the qualities of repetition and simplicity†¦ act as neural facilitators, setting up a circuit (for it felt like this) that reexcited itself automatically? Or did the grim humor of the song or its solemn, liturgical context play a significant part too† (p. 44)? †¢ Sacks (2007) reports on how our brains are helplessly sensitive to music, and how the â€Å"automatic or compulsive internal repetition of musical phrases is almost universal† (p. 44). The brain treats musical imagery and musical memory in a unique way that has no equivalen ts in the visual mind.Melody, with its unique tempo, rhythm and pitch â€Å"tend to be preserved with remarkable accuracy† (p. 47) whereas visual scenes are often not recalled as accurately. Because of this â€Å"defenseless engraving of music on the brain† (p. 47) musical imagery and memory even occur in people who that they are not musical. Neurologically, people tend to find those brainworms or catchy tunes completely irresistible and unforgettable. This comes as no surprise to the advertising world that makes their millions out of flooding our world with such nauseating jingles as â€Å"Rice-a-Roni; the San Francisco treat! or â€Å"800-588-2300 Empire, today! † †¢ Mnemonics 14 †¢ Hodges (2000) marvels at the new revelations that the latest â€Å"neural machinery† has shown us, on the effects of music on the brain. He derives the following premises from neuromusical research. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The human brain has the ability t o respond to and participate in music. The musical brain operates at birth and persists throughout life. Early and ongoing musical training affects the organization of the musical brain. The musical brain consists of extensive neural systems involving widely †¢ †¢ istributed, but locally specialized regions of the brain: o Cognitive components Affective components Motor components The musical brain is highly resilient. In the same article he quotes a neurologist, Frank Wilson (1986) who states that â€Å"†¦ all of us have a biologic guarantee of musicianship†¦. we all have the capacity to respond to and participate in the music of our environment† (p. 18). Research from the Classroom and Learning Environment Gfeller (1986) did extensive research with learning disabled children and how musical mnemonics affect their retention and recall.She chose as subjects for her research both learning disabled and non learning disabled students. The study focused on the memorizing of multiplication facts through repetition either by chanting the numbers and product to a simple tune or standard verbal rehearsal. After the initial trial, the non disabled students reported significantly greater recall of the facts than the learning disabled participants (p ; . 05). By the end of the fifth trial however, both sets of participants who had learned their multiplication facts †¢ Mnemonics 15 usically, remembered significantly more (p ; . 001) than did any of the students using verbal recitation. Gfeller (1986) emphasizes the importance of teaching the students how and when to use a mnemonic. After all, the mnemonic is only effective if the student can access it, retrieve it and subsequently utilize it. She also encourages the use of familiar melodies in creating mnemonics. Students in her trial remarked that â€Å"†¦ the facts most easily recalled were those rehearsed to melodies reminiscent of songs they previousl †¢