Bladerunner - Humanity and Nature Essay Example for Free

Bladerunner Humanity and Nature Essay The central theme of Bladerunner is the relationship between humanity and nature. More specifically it has a purpose in showing how science can negatively influence this fragile relationship. Set in Los Angeles of 2019 we see the decadence of western society into an inhumane harsh impersonal, technology-dominated realm. The inhabitants who fight for their daily survival are in desperate want for nature, contact with which is denied to them by the unrestricted scientific progress and the consequent exploitation of the natural world conducted for the sole purpose of profit. Humanity is also losing touch with its own nature. The compassion, the empathy, the love and the emotion are all rare or absent. This ailing relationship between humanity and nature is conveyed through the means of scene setting, dialogue, plot, camera techniques and other film features. All these elements of cinematography synthesise to create an effective portrayal of the unifying theme. In Bladerunner the most prominent element of cinematography is mise en scene. It generates a context for the film and therefore makes the plot and themes acceptable. To set an appropriate scene different variables need to be controlled. These variables include location, props, lighting and colour. In general the location of the plot is in the vast urban canyons of 2019 LA. The imposing dark buildings, the dirty fog, perpetual rain and the crowded dark streets devoid of vegetation make up the backdrop of most scenes. All this is filmed in dark lighting, which complements the effect produced by the fog in obscuring the living details. From this the responder acknowledges the deterioration of society, the harsh conditions that the humans are subjected to and the way the human spirit itself is progressively destroyed under such conditions. Filming such a location at night provides the director with the opportunity to use chiaroscuro (a technique of strong contrast) to further convey the dominance of technology over humanity. For example in outdoor scenes the garish flickering neons are obtrusively visible but they fail to illuminate the obscure, dark, fogged surroundings, including the multitudes of faceless people. The prominent visibility of artificial things over human presence together with the qualities of the location indicates the degradation of human life under the rule of science. The clothing worn by characters is an important choice made as part of setting the scene. Most of the street people wear hooded dark clothing covering their whole body. This is possibly to protect them from the rain but it also hides their faces and their eyes from the camera and from us, creating an impersonal atmosphere in conjunction with the harshness of the surroundings. We get a feeling that everyone hides from everyone else and human interpersonal interaction is limited to the bare necessity. Sometimes the style of clothing worn by characters tells us something about the characters themselves. For example the trenchcoat style garments worn by Deckard are a throwback to the ? 20s and ? 30s detective genre in film, and the responder instantly sees Deckard as such. There are times when the clothing worn gives us an insight into the themes of the film. When we first see meet Racheal (and we think she is a human), her outfit with geometric power dressing shape, the black hues and the perfect hair create an impression of power and efficiency, qualities that are valued in androids. The next time we meet her we see her in a fur coat and underneath, a soft white blouse. Then when she lets her hair down the transformation is complete. By now we know that she is a replicant and for a replicant to be so human is ironic when the ? real humans dont show such qualities. This irony elucidates the deteriorated nature of humanity very effectively. The film is not only able to show the way humanity has lost contact with nature but also how much they appreciate and want it back in their society. The unicorn dream-scene conveys this effectively. The soft back lighting, the low tonal contrast, the colour and the lush vegetation create a setting that is very different to the usual scenes. It is contrasted with real world to further reinforce the lack of nature in society. The short length of the scene, and the fact that the scene is only Deckards dream, conveys the elusiveness of nature and shows us that humans still ? dream of having the presence of nature back in their world-weary lives. Another method used by the cinematographers to show the want for nature is through the presence of artificial animals. While the artificiality of the animals shows the destruction of nature the way humans still keep them as pets conveys their yearning to bring back nature. The decay of human spirit is also shown through the dialogue. In Bladerunner the scarcity of the dialogue itself potrays the lack of human interaction and consequently the lack of empathy or emotion. Characters only speak when it is necessary for their own survival and comfort but not for the sake of emotional involvement. However, the replicant slaves, who supposedly feel no emotion, interact more sensitively with each other. This irony again has the effect of showing the dehumanisation suffered by this society. The absence of nature and the way society deals with this is revealed through the way they refer to nature. For example at Tyrells office Decker asks Racheal if the owl is artificial, to which she replies of course it is. A similar conversation that occurs later between Salome (Zhora) and Decker about artificial snakes, further reinforcing the sad truth. Another common literary language feature that is used in Bladerunner is symbolism. The film is filled with visual symbolic codes. The unicorn, a mythical creature, which, according to myth, is a fragile and elusive being of beauty known for its rarity. In the film it symbolises the rarity of nature and its beauty and fragility. There are other symbols that signify the elusive presence of nature in human life. One is the unnaturally weak and indistinct sun. The sun is the source of all life on earth and natures sustaining energy. The weakened presence of the sun is possibly due to the fog but the importance lies not in the cause of the weakness. The dim sun is an indication that nature is being destroyed or is already destroyed. Another symbol is the motif of the human eye. Close to the beginning of the film we are presented with an ECU of Holdens eye reflecting bursts of flame. The fiery human spirit. The motif carries on throughout the film, the close up of eyes during the Voigt-Kampff tests, Mr Chews eye shop, the glowing eyes of the owl and the gruesome death of Tyrell. In many cases we encounter human figures whose eyes are hidden. The important example is Tyrell whose eyes are hidden by the thick glasses, but this is also true for the little people or the street people. If the eyes symbolise the human spirit then it is also true that the concealment of the eyes represent the destruction of this spirit. The characters and the way they respond to events in the plot is the most significant way through which the creators of the film express their concerns about the relationship between humanity and nature. It is through the characters and the way they are influenced by the society in which they live that the audience are able to receive the majority of information about that society. To make up a character the director (Ridley Scott) has to synthesis the acting, the physical qualities of the actors, the costume, the lighting and the camera work. Harrison Ford plays Deckard; a Detective who is forced to put up in insensitive wall around him so as to carry out his job properly, but with the help of Racheal and Batty his soul comes through. The seriousness, the no-nonsense speech and the mechanical execution of his tasks all contribute to this image of a tough guy cop. It is also sad to see that he is forces hide his emotions and sentiments for the sake of survival in this harsh world. By the end of the film we sense that if Batty and Racheal had not saved him his spirit would have been lost under the pressure. Rutger Hauer has possibly the most appropriate natural qualities to play Roy Batty (robot? ). The ? Aryan look, a western cultural assumption of superiority and the Swedish accent with the concise overtones which is particularly effective in a quiet voice make him the perfect super/sub-human replicant. To enhance the effect the hair is died white, his body and face is always lit up to prominence, and almost always the image is shot from underneath making him look surrealistically handsome and at the same time imposing. However the way he responds to the events in the plot show that he has more ? humanity in him that the people who consider themselves human. The most memorable instance is they way he moaned for the death of Pris. He is not ashamed to return to the most basic instinct of openly showing emotion. This beautiful scene along with other such human responses from a replicant serves to convey the suppression of human nature in the society. Rachael is played by Sean Young as the replicant who doesnt know she is an android. The characters function is similar to that of Batty. To show the deterioration of everything ? human in the world of 2019. Her transformation itself carries the message. When she thought she was a human her conduct was much like a robot; the emotionless soulless state of mind everyone is in. But once she begins to realise that she is replicant her appearance becomes increasingly ? human. This humanisation is portrayed through the use of costumes, the use of varying light and the use of ECU. Tyrell is the other character who has an important function in conveying the themes. Genuinely lacking emotions or empathy, his main objective is the profit margin. He is part of the corporate dictatorship that has suppressed the spirit of the people and destroyed the natural world. His character is the total antitheses of Batty. The overconfidence in his intelligence, the impersonal way in which he addresses other characters, the opulent surrounding in which he lives show him as powerful tyrant. The irony is that he holds the status of God when he is not even fit to be a human. Thus through the development of characters and their response to the events of the plot, Ridley Scott and the actors communicate the way relationship between humanity and nature has evolved (deteriorated) into the world of 2019 LA. In effect all the techniques mentioned above portray a society of individuals who are weary of the world they live in. They are rejects who lead a pitiful existence in a wasteland called earth because they are not fit enough to go the out-world colonies. Suppressing their own natural instincts for the sake of physically surviving they really the walking dead. Scientific progress conducted not for the best interests of humanity but for the best interests of business has effectively brought about the progressive degradation of society. By exploiting and destroying the natural world human can no more find solace or beauty so as to recuperate their weary minds and rekindle their dying spirits. In summary the techniques that are unique to film such as camera, lighting, costuming, colour and location works in conjunction with common literary techniques such as visual symbolism, irony and characterisation to effectively convey the relationship between humanity and nature.

Idiopathic parkinsons disease

Idiopathic parkinsons disease Introduction: Idiopathic Parkinsons disease (IPD) is a movement disorder associated with loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the development of Lewy bodies. A reduction in normal striatal dopamine levels of 80% or more results in the cardinal symptoms of IPD, namely bradykinesia, rigidity, rest tremors and postural instability (1). Although the motor symptoms of Parkinsons disease are well defined, the non-motor features of this disorder are under-recognized and, consequently, undertreated. Non-motor symptoms and their management have been recognised by the UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence as an important unmet need in IPD (2). Results from a recent international survey show that up to 62% of non-motor symptoms of IPD, such as apathy, pain, sexual difficulties, bowel, urinary incontinence, and sleep disorders might remain undeclared to health-care professionals because patients are either embarrassed or unaware that the symptoms are linked to IPD (3). Results from early studies suggested that urinary dysfunction (UD) affects between 37% and 70% of individuals with IPD (4). However, many of these studies may have overestimated the prevalence of UD since they were published prior to the recognition of multiple system atrophy (MSA) as a separate disease entity. In addition, many studies recruited patients with symptomatic bladder dysfunction from tertiary referral centers. The use of non-validated questionnaires and the inclusion of patients with other forms of Parkinsonism such as cerebrovascular Parkinsonism may have led to further bias (5). More recent studies, using accepted diagnostic criteria for IPD, have found the prevalence of UD to be between 27% and 39%. When compared to a control group the relative risk of bladder symptoms in IPD is 2-fold (6). The aim of this work is to evaluate the urinary symptoms at different stages of IPD severity and its relation to urodynamic tests. Patients and methods: This study was conducted on 57 patients with probable IPD attending Urology and Neurology departments, Tanta University Hospital for evaluations of the lower urinary tract symptoms. ALL patients were subjected to, history taking including International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), physical examination and neurological examinations. IPD patients were stratified into 5 stages according to Hoehn Yahr disability stages (7). The IPSS questionnaire was administrated to each patient by one of us to help the patient understand the questionnaire. All men underwent digital rectal examinations and pelvic ultrasonography to exclude prostatic hyperplasia. Eight patients diagnosed with prostatic hyperplasia were excluded from the study. All patients (49 patients) were subjected to urodynamic studies. Statistical analysis: Data are presented as mean  ± SD. Analysis was performed with SPSS statistical package version 12 (SPSS, USA). For statistical purpose the disease severity stages were divided into mild (stages 1 and 2 HY), moderate (stage 3 HY) and severe (stages 4 and 5 HY). Results: Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients; This study was carried on 49 patients with probable IPD, 31 male patients and 18 female patients, their age ranged from 56-73 years (mean 63.73 ±7.21 years).The duration of illness was 4-11 years (mean 7.81 ±3.27 years).According to Hoehn and Yaher classification of Parkinsons disease disability stage, we had 4,10,29,5,1 patients distributed into stages 1 to 5 respectively. The number of patients in stage 3 was higher than other stages; this may be due to few lower urinary symptoms in early stage of the disease and severe motor and psychiatric symptoms that affect daily life activities in advanced stages. Antiparkinsonian drugs received by the patients were levodopa (41patients), dopamine agonists (39 patients) and anticholinergics (24 patients). Lower urinary tract symptoms; The most frequent symptoms of lower urinary tract dysfunctions were symptoms due to storage disorder which include nocturia (77.5%), urgency (36.7%) and frequency (32.6%) (Table 1). The IPSS index scores; The total IPSS scores and irritative index scores were correlated significantly with disease severity while obstructive index scores did not (Table 2). Also, there was significant correlation between total IPSS score and quality of life score (Table 3). Urodynamic parameters; In this study, we found 33 (67.3%) patients with detrusor hyperreflexia, 6 (12.2%) patients with hyporeflexia, 10 (20.4%) patients with normal detrusor function (Table 4). Volume at initial desire to void and maximum bladder capacity (urodynamic parameters associated with filling phase) were correlated with disease severity while detrusor pressure and post-void residual urine(urodynamic parameters associated with voiding phase) did not (Table 5).There was significant correlation between irritative symptoms score index and volume at initial desire to void and maximum bladder capacity meanwhile the obstructive symptoms score index had no significant relations with any of urodynamic parameters (Table 6). Antiparkinsonian drugs; The patients were divided into 2 groups, one group was taking anticholinergic drugs (24 patients) plus Levodopa or dopamine agonists, the second group was taking Levodopa and dopamine agonists(25 patients). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups as regard the mean of urodynamic parameters (Table 7). Table 1. Frequency of the of lower urinary tract symptoms of IPD patients Symptoms Patients NO % Nocturia 38 77.5 Urgency 18 36.7 Frequency 16 32.6 Incomplete emptying 4 8.1 Intermittency 3 6.1 Weak stream 1 2 Table 2. Total, irritative, and obstructive symptom indexes of IPSS at each stage of disease severity Stages of disease severity No Pts Mean IPSS ±SD Irritative obstructive total Mild(stages 1,2) 14 6.3 ±2.1 1.4 ±1.2 7.6 ±2.4 Moderate(stage 3) 29 7.9 ±3.2 3.3 ±2.6 11.2 ±4.5 Severe(stages 4,5) 6 10.4 ±2.7 6.2 ±3.5 16.6 ±5.1 One-way ANOVA P =0.001 Table 3. Correlation between IPSS and Quality of life scores at different stages of disease severity Stages of disease severity Total I-PSS mean ±SD Quality of life score mean ±SD Mild (stages 1,2) 7.6 ±2.4 2.8 ±1.9 Moderate (stage 3) 11.2 ±4.5 3.7 ±1.4 Severe (stages 4,5) 16.6 ±5.1 5.2 ±1.1 One-way ANOVA P=0.003 Table 4. The frequency of urodynamic findings in IPD patients Stages of HY No. Pts Normal Hyperreflexia Hyporeflexia 1 4 3 1 0 2 10 3 7 0 3 29 4 20 5 4 5 0 4 1 5 1 0 1 0 Total No. (%) 49 10(20.4) 33(67.3) 6(12.2) Table 5. Urodynamic parameters at different stages of severity of IPD Stages of disease severity Volume at initial desire to void (mean ±SD)(ml.) Maximum bladder capacity (mean ±SD)(ml.) Maximum void phase. detrusor pressure (mean ±SD)(cm.water) Post-void residual urine volume. (mean ±SD)(ml.) Mild (14Pts) 115 ± 28 195 ± 60 55 ± 15 13 ± 12 Moderate (29Pts) 95 ± 25 191 ± 59 57 ± 20 20 ± 18 Severe (6Pts) 89 ± 20 184 ± 56 59 ± 25 22 ±20 One-way ANOVA P=0.006 Table 6. Correlation between urodynamic parameters and IPSS scores Urodynamic parameters Irritative score Obstructive score R P r P Initial void desire vol. 0.95 0.001 0.92 0.35 Max Bladder capacity 0.76 0.04 0.68 0.27 Detruser pressure 0.96 0.24 0.89 0.17 Post residual Urine Vol. 0.89 0.43 0.94 0.06 Table 7. Correlation between urodynamic parameters (storage phase parameters) and antiparkisonian drugs Urodynamic parameters Anticholinergic drug group N0=24 Non anticholinergic drug group No=25 P Initial void desire vol. 102 ±27 97 ±25 ≠¥0.05 Max Bladder capacity 192 ±58 188 ±56 ≠¥0.05 Discussion: Urinary dysfunction in IPD is most frequently caused byurinary storage problems, rather than voiding dysfunction, and manifest as an overactive bladder (8). In the current study, the most prevailing urinary symptom in IPD, was nocturia (up to 77.5%), followed by urgency (36.7%) and frequency (32.6%) and these results are going with previous studies (9, 10). These may lead to urinary incontinence, which may be in part functional if immobility or poor manual dexterity complicates the situation. Since many patients with IPD have a disturbed sleep pattern and nocturnal polyuria, the actual prevalence of definite nocturia may be overestimated (12). In this study, the most striking finding of bladder dysfunction in IPD patients is detrusor hyperreflexia, which is reported in 67.3% of symptomatic patients whereas detrusor hyporeflexia is reported in 12.2% of IPD patients and normal bladder function in 20.4%. Another study which evaluated voiding function in IPD found that 67% had detrusor hyperreflexia, 16% had hyporeflexia, 9% had detrusor hypereflexia with impaired contractile function, 3% had hyperreflexia with detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia and only 6% had normal detrusor functions (11). Dopaminergic mechanisms are thought to play a central role in normal micturition control and dysfunction of these may lead to detrusor overactivity. Dopaminergic neurons have both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on micturition acting via D1 and D2 receptors respectively. Such neurons are of particular abundance in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the midbrain. The most widely accepted theory is that the basal ganglia inhibits the micturition reflex in the ‘normal situation via D1 receptors, and that cell depletion in the SNC in IPD, results in loss of this D1-mediated inhibition and consequently detrusor overactivity (12). However, 12.2% of our patients had hyporeflexia which may be explained possibly by drugs especially anticholinergic and dopammiergic drugs which can inhibit bladder function and impairment of autonomic nervous system in advanced IPD. In this study, both pathological urodynamic parameters, volume at initial desire to void and maximum bladder capacity decreased with disease severity. These findings can be explained by detrusor hyperactivity. In contrast, other studies showed that post-void residual urine volume increased with disease severity (13, 14). This finding was not fully understood, but this was explained on the assumption that with advanced disease process, long standing hyperreflexia may eventually lead to impairment of bladder contractility together with the hypokinesia of pelvic floor muscles resulting in bladder outlet obstruction with consequent increase in post-void residual urine volume (13, 14). Others believe that they may be secondary to anticholinergics, obstructive uropathy, or point to the presence of multiple system atrophy (15). Because many IPD patients are on multiple drug therapy, which can inhibit bladder function, the current study, demonstrated that the mean of urodynamic parameters did not differ in patients who did or did not receive anticholinergics or dopaminergic drugs, which suggests that it is part of the IPD itself. These results are going with that of Araki et al. (11), who found no difference in the mean of urodynamic parameters among patients on different antiparkinsonian drugs (11). On the other hand, many studies showed conflicting results(16-18)that some suggest cortical dysfunction (18) or a possible implication of nondopaminergic lesions in the occurrence of bladder dysfunction in IPD (16). Lower urinary tract symptoms quantified by IPSS showed that irritative symptoms index score correlated with disease severity and with detrusor overactivity that was manifested urodynamically by decrease in volume at initial desire to void and maximum bladder capacity(storage phase) whereas the obstructive symptoms index score did not correlate with disease severity nor urodynamic parameters. In contrast, some other studies show that, irritative symptoms index score correlated with detrusor overactivity and obstructive symptoms index score correlated with voiding underactivity. Additionally, both irritative and obstructive symptom index scores increased with disease severity (13, 21).This discrepancy between the present study and other studies may be explained by fewer numbers of patients in advanced disease stage and the patients evaluated under multiple drugs therapy in advanced disease. In conclusion, most of the patients with IPD suffer from urological disorder; most commonly is detrusor hyperactivity which results in irritative urinary symptoms that correlate well with disease severity. These disabling symptoms significantly affect quality of life of IPD patients. References: 1-Clarke C. Parkinsons disease in practice. 2nd ed. London: Royal Society of Medicine Press Ltd; 2006 2-Chaudhuri KR, Healy D, Schapira AHV. The non motor symptoms of Parkinsons disease. Diagnosis and management. Lancet Neurol 2006; 5: 235-45. 3-Mitra T, Naidu Y, Martinez-Martin P, et al. The non declaration of non motor symptoms of Parkinsons disease to healthcare professionals. An international survey using the NMSQuest. 6th International Congress on Mental Dysfunctions and other Non-motor Features in Parkinsons disease and Related Disorders. Dresden October, 2008. Park Related DisordersP0II: 161. 4-Andersen J. Disturbances of bladder and urethral function in Parkinsons disease. International Urol and Nephrol 1985;17:35-41. 5.Blackett H, Walker R, Wood B. Urinary dysfunction in Parkinsons disease: a review. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2009 Feb;15(2):81-7. 6- Hobson P, Islam W, Roberts S, Adhiyman V, Meara J. The risk of bladder and autonomic dysfunction in a community cohort of Parkinsons disease patients and normal controls. Parkinsonism Related Disorders 2003; 10:67-71. 7-Gelb DJ, Oliver E, Gilman S. Diagnostic criteria for Parkinson disease. Arch Neurol 1999;56:33-39. 8-Eckhardt MD, van Venrooij GE, Boon TA; Symptoms and quality of life versus age, prostate volume, and urodynamic parameters in 565 strictly selected men with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urology 2001 Apr; 57(4):695-700. 9-Hoehn MM, Yahr MD. Parkinsonism: onset, progression and mortality. Neurology 1967; 17: 427. 10-Defreitas GA, Lemack GE, Zimmern PE, Dewey RB, Roehrborn CG, OSuilleabhain PE. Distinguishing neurogenic from non-neurogenic detrusor overactivity: A urodynamic assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with and without Parkinsons disease. Urology2003 Oct;62(4):651-5. 11-Araki I, Kuno S. Assessment of voiding dysfunction in Parkinsons disease by the international prostate symptom score. J Neurol Neurosurg and Psych 2000;68:429-433. 12- Porter B, Walker R. The night time problems facing Parkinsons patients. CME J Geriat Med 2007;8:99-103. 13- Araki I, Kitahara M, Oida T, Kuno S. Voiding dysfunction and Parkinsons disease: urodynamic abnormalities and urinary symptoms. J Urol2000 Nov;164(5):1640-3. 14-Seki S, Igawa Y, Kaidoh K, Ishizuka O, Nishizawa O, Andersson KE. Role of dopamine D1 and D1 receptors in the micturition reflex in conscious rats. Neurourol Urody2001; 20:105-13. 15-Yoshimura N, Mizuta E, Yoshida O, Kuno S. Therapeutic effects of dopamine D1/D2 receptor agonists on detrusor hyperreflexia in MPTP lesioned parkinsonian cynomoglogous monkeys. J Pharmacol Exper Therap 1998;286(1):228-233. 16-Pavlakis AJ, Siroky MB, Goldstein I and Krane RJ. Neurourologic findings in Parkinsons disease. J Urol 1983; 129:80-83. 17-Stocchi F, Carbone A, Inghilleri, et al. Urodynamic and neurophysiological evaluation in Parkinsons disease and multiple systems atrophy. J Neurol Neurosurg Psych 1997;62:507-11. 18-Wing K, Werdelin L, Nielson K, Stimpel H. Effects of dopaminergic treatment on bladder function in Parkinsons disease. Neurourol Urodyn 2004;23:689-96. 19-Aranda B, Cramer P. Effects of apomorphine and L-dopa on the Parkinsonian bladder. Neurourol Urodyn 1993;12:203-209. 20-Christmas TJ, Chapple CR, Lees AJ, Kempster PA, Frankel JP, Stern GM. Role of subcutaneous apomorphine in parkinsonian voiding dysfunction. Lancet1988 Dec 24-31;2(8626-8627):1451-1453. 21- Dubow JS. Autonomic dysfunction in Parkinsons disease. Dis Mon 2007;53:265-274.

The Great Inflation :: American History Essays

The Great Inflation In late-1922 the German government were forced to ask the Allies for a moratorium on reparations payments; this was refused, and she then defaulted on shipments of both coal and timber to France. By January of the following year, French and Belgian troops had entered and occupied the Ruhr. The German people, perhaps for the first time since 1914, united behind their government, and passive resistance to the occupying troops was ordered. A government-funded strike began as thousands of workers marched out of their factories and steel works. The German economy, already under massive pressure, gave way. The huge cost of funding the strike in the Ruhr and the costs of imports to meet basic consumer needs were met by the familiar expedient of the printing presses. Note circulation increased rapidly, and by November 1923 had reached almost 92 trillion marks. With less than three per cent of government expenditure being met from income and with the cost of one dollar at four billion marks, Germany was in the throes of economic and social chaos. Starvation became a reality for millions of people, despite a bumper cereal harvest, as shops reverted to the barter system. Farmers refused to accept the effectively worthless, banknotes in exchange for grain, and food quickly began to run short in the cities. Prices rose one trillion-fold from their pre-war level. More importantly, for the long-term political future of Germany, the middle and working classes saw their savings wiped out. These were, in essence, the people who were later to become the hard-core of the Nazi vote. Economists will argue that runaway hyperinflation has two sources. Firstly, it arises through a fall in the foreign exchange value of a currency, when an adverse balance of payments reduces foreign investors demand for the currency. A falling exchange rate increases the cost of imports and, therefore, the cost of living. Wages rise as workers try to maintain their standard of living, especially if previous institutional arrangements have linked wages to living costs. Firms paying higher wages raise the price of the goods they sell, prices rise still further, the foreign exchange value of the currency falls still more, and the cycle continues. Secondly, it arises through a large budget deficit which no one believes will narrow in the future. Faced with the prospect of budget deficits for many years to come, the usual sources of credit available to the government decline to make further loans; the government can no longer borrow to cover the deficit between revenue and expenditure. The only alternative is to print more and more banknotes. As government workers and suppliers present their

The Most Compelling Scene in The Crucible Essay -- Essay on The Crucib

The Most Compelling Scene in The Crucible 'A sound'. The scene that I find most compelling in the Crucible begins with this stage direction on page 116 and ends with Proctor's line 'It is evil and I do it' on page 120. In this scene, Elizabeth and John Proctor are allowed to talk together, alone, for the first time in three months. I find this scene compelling, as it creates a touching piece of drama to see the couple reunited again, and it is upsetting for the reader or audience to think that Proctor might be hung soon after. It also causes us to feel admiration for the strength of Elizabeth's character and the intensity of their relationship. Just after the entrance of Elizabeth, Proctor's feelings are blatant to those around him, and the lack of dialect from him, as well as the stage directions, shows us the passion he's feeling at this moment. As John and Elizabeth first see each other, Proctor ignores what Danforth has to say to him, and the repetition of the stage direction 'Proctor is silent, staring at Elizabeth' shows his coolness at Danforth, and how unnecessary and inadequate words are to express what he's feeling. As Parris makes his offer of cider 'from a safe distance', it shows that even he is aware of how potentially dangerous Proctor could be with the amount of emotion he is feeling as he makes sure that he is out of harm's way. Also, the way he stops speaking abruptly and holds his hands out as if to show that he means no harm even though Proctor has said nothing and only turned 'an icy stare' upon him shows that he is being extremely careful lest he angers Proctor too much. The first part of this scene is compelling, as it shows how actions truly speak louder than words, as Proctor d... ...e intensity of John and Elizabeth Proctor's feelings, which are never portrayed anywhere else, as strong emotions in public were frowned upon by the Puritans. They are both strong characters, but in different ways; Elizabeth seems to be the redeeming light for the selfishness and deceit in Salem as she does what helps others and is right even though at risk of being hurt herself and Proctor is strong enough to have not confessed until now, even though he claims that 'spite only keeps [him] silent'. It is the addition to the plot that this scene brings, the revelation of the sheer depth of Proctor and Elizabeth's characters, the frank verity with which they speak to each other and the fact that the scene remains unfinished and unheard by any other characters gives me the basis of my argument that this scene is the most compelling in the play 'The Crucible'. The Most Compelling Scene in The Crucible Essay -- Essay on The Crucib The Most Compelling Scene in The Crucible 'A sound'. The scene that I find most compelling in the Crucible begins with this stage direction on page 116 and ends with Proctor's line 'It is evil and I do it' on page 120. In this scene, Elizabeth and John Proctor are allowed to talk together, alone, for the first time in three months. I find this scene compelling, as it creates a touching piece of drama to see the couple reunited again, and it is upsetting for the reader or audience to think that Proctor might be hung soon after. It also causes us to feel admiration for the strength of Elizabeth's character and the intensity of their relationship. Just after the entrance of Elizabeth, Proctor's feelings are blatant to those around him, and the lack of dialect from him, as well as the stage directions, shows us the passion he's feeling at this moment. As John and Elizabeth first see each other, Proctor ignores what Danforth has to say to him, and the repetition of the stage direction 'Proctor is silent, staring at Elizabeth' shows his coolness at Danforth, and how unnecessary and inadequate words are to express what he's feeling. As Parris makes his offer of cider 'from a safe distance', it shows that even he is aware of how potentially dangerous Proctor could be with the amount of emotion he is feeling as he makes sure that he is out of harm's way. Also, the way he stops speaking abruptly and holds his hands out as if to show that he means no harm even though Proctor has said nothing and only turned 'an icy stare' upon him shows that he is being extremely careful lest he angers Proctor too much. The first part of this scene is compelling, as it shows how actions truly speak louder than words, as Proctor d... ...e intensity of John and Elizabeth Proctor's feelings, which are never portrayed anywhere else, as strong emotions in public were frowned upon by the Puritans. They are both strong characters, but in different ways; Elizabeth seems to be the redeeming light for the selfishness and deceit in Salem as she does what helps others and is right even though at risk of being hurt herself and Proctor is strong enough to have not confessed until now, even though he claims that 'spite only keeps [him] silent'. It is the addition to the plot that this scene brings, the revelation of the sheer depth of Proctor and Elizabeth's characters, the frank verity with which they speak to each other and the fact that the scene remains unfinished and unheard by any other characters gives me the basis of my argument that this scene is the most compelling in the play 'The Crucible'.

Video Game Player Dynamics Essay -- Video Gaming Psychology

In the article â€Å"The Individual and the Group in Console Gaming† the authors identify several facets of group dynamics in the gaming environment. Most notably is the way in which players can compete while collaborating, and collaborate while competing. Ultimately there are three types of play identified: Competitive: the goals of each player is directly in contradiction to the goals of other players. The goal of the game is to defeat the other opponents in some way. It is important to note that this does not necessarily mean that the players are directly affecting each other, they may be attempting to navigate a challenge the computer represents in a better manor than the other players, with the victor being identified by a score or some kind of timer. Cooperative: the goals of each player is not necessarily contradictory to the goals of other players. In cooperative games the players may find it beneficial to aid each other, but their goals are ultimately distinct. At times collaboration will help one player more than another, and they may turn on each other at a given time. These types of games can transform into competitive at key moments, most often when the score is shown. Collaborative: this is a newer dynamic that is appearing more and more often in gaming. In collaborative type play the goals of all players is completely aligned and the outcomes rely on the group as a whole. There is no benefit to striking out on ones own while your erstwhile allies fail, the outcome being that the entire group loses. This type of play often requires the most collaboration amongst the group and stratagems that require everyone to succeed, at times with the support of the rest of the group. These dynamic... ...oercion, control: cs*w or how policy mediates mass participation Proceedings of the 2007 international ACM SIGGROUP conference on Supporting group work (GROUP'07) 167-176. Kittur, Suh, Pendleton and Chi (2007) He says, she says: conflict and coordination in Wikipedia Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems (CHI'07) 453-462. Konstan, Miller, Maltz, Herlocker, Gordon and Riedl (1997) GroupLens: Applying Collaborative Filtering to Usenet News. Communications of the ACM, 40 (3). 77-87. Vieweg, Hughes, Starbird and Palen (2010) Microblogging during two natural hazards events: what twitter may contribute to situational awareness Proceedings of the 28th international conference on Human factors in computing systems (CHI'10) 1079-1088. Angier (2002) Why We're So Nice: We're Wired to Cooperate. The New York Times, July 23, 2002.

Illuminati Essay

On the first experiment, they use a pepper-like substance called Potassium Permanganate (KMn04) which is an oxidant and an oil-like substance called Brake Fluid which is a fuel. When they combined these two substances in a stainless container, this results on having a little fire on the container. And they said it is because of the Chemical Reaction made by the two substances and the mixture should release energy in the form of heat that’s why this results on combustion. At first, I thought that the Brake Fluid they used is just a simple Cooking Oil and the Potassium Permanganate is just a pepper.But those â€Å"simple† substances I thought made an amazing experiment which makes me understand how heat was released by a Chemical Reaction. On the second experiment, the special substance they use is Dry Ice – which is a Frozen Carbon Dioxide – together with a balloon, funnel, mortar and pestle (to crush the Dry Ice) and a bottle with water. They crushed the D ry Ice first into small pieces then they put in the funnel which is connected to the balloon, and after this they put the balloon with Dry Ice onto the bottle with water.They let the Dry Ice be poured into the water which results in Sublimation and the gas this made was used to inflate the balloon. This gas is called Carbon Dioxide. I already knew that a Dry Ice is a Frozen Gas, but I didn’t know that this gas is a Carbon Dioxide which is commonly used to inflate a balloon. Before the experiment started, I knew that the combination of Dry Ice and water has something to do to inflate the balloon because I’ve done this before with my siblings.On the third experiment, they used a wick, an aluminum tray, one spoon of salt peter (salitre), one spoon of sugar and lighter. First they combined the salt peter and sugar into the tray then they insert the wick. After that they light it using the lighter and this result on having a smoke-effect because of Oxidation. I have learned so many things on this experiment, first is that when the salt peter and sugar were heated, the electrons of the sugar were transferred to the salt peter. And that the molecules released with oxygen will be a smoke which we can be seen.On the last experiment, Faye Young, a Prosthetics Artist made fake blood using water, corn syrup, liquid soap and food color, these liquids are Miscible – refers to two/more substances that can be dissolve into one another without separating. And she also did a fake finger using Clay which is a Malleable object, and she painted it with make-up foundation. I am amazed on how simple objects like Clay, Food Color, Liquid Soap, Corn Syrup and Water can be an effective additive on creating illusions or imitations of some parts of a human body (like fingers and blood).

Educational Services an Overview

Development of an Instrument to Assess Student Perceptions of the Quality of Tertiary Education in INDIAN Context Suparswa Chakraborty Educational services can be categorized into five parts: (a) primary education services; (b) secondary education services; (c) higher education services (i. e. , education beyond secondary education includes all tertiary education); (d)  adult education; and (e) other education services (e. g. , liberal arts, business, professional). Such education and training encompass degree courses taken for college or university credits or non-degree courses taken for personal edification or pleasure or to upgrade work-related skills. Such education and training services can be provided in traditional institutional settings, such as universities or schools and in specialized institutions. Higher (tertiary) education, adult education, and training services are expanding rapidly. These services include academic and training courses on information technology; languages; executive, management and leadership training and hotel and tourism education. They also include educational testing services and corporate training services. Many of these are practical courses for use on the job. Some can be used as credits toward degrees; and some are non-degree courses. Increasingly, educational institutions and publishers are teaming up with information technology companies and other experts to design courses of instruction on a variety of subjects. Large companies also are developing education and training courses to improve the skills of their employees and to keep them up to date on their latest products. Such services constitute a growing, international business, supplementing the public education system and contributing to global spread of the modern â€Å"knowledge† economy. Availability of these education and training services can help to develop a more efficient workforce, leading countries to an improved competitive position in the world economy. Education is at present one of the least committed of services sectors, due to recognition of its â€Å"public good† element and the high degree of government involvement in its provision. The benefits associated with liberalising education services and facilitating greater and stronger public and private education services can co-existing which would benefit students and education service providers would get improved in the following manner: Facilitating access to education and training courses that in qualitative and quantitative terms which are not otherwise available in the public sector; and †¢ Providing a competitive stimulus to institutions with flow-on benefits to all students. †¢ The education services negotiations should aim to give consumers (students) access to the best education services wherever they are provided and through whatever mode of supply they are provided. †¢ Ensuring measures that consumers (learners) are not damaged by services of low quality, and a safety-net in such areas. There are cases, for example, where the quality of a service supplied by a â€Å"university† in one state is not necessarily of the same level as that supplied by a university of another state, due to the difference in higher education system of the two states. It has also emerged that the quality of education services fails to be correctly judged, in cases where the service is supplied by a â€Å"degree mill† of one university by means of Distance-Learning. It is difficult to arrive at a universally acceptable articulation of what quality in education means. At the same time, such articulation is critical since it plays an important role in shaping the practice of education. It has often been possible to bring about such quality in education at a small scale with intensive utilization of recourses. However, the provision/distribution of quality education by a large-scale system is a daunting challenge. ’ Quality’ as a term refers to ’how well’ certain objects and processes achieve their given aims. It is validating as well as comparative. Its most immediate connotation is ’better’. ’ Better’ as ifferentiated from ’good’, and implying the existence of at least two objects or processes, between which a comparison across a decided set of parameters can be established. Understanding quality in education requires an appreciation of the aims of education; the social and philosophical roots of these aims as well as determining the nature of the organisation and system that is best oriented to achieve them. Educational quality concerns typically encompass topics such as teacher training, textbooks and materials, evaluation and physical infrastructure especially institution buildings. However the quality of these processes/topics can only be understood with reference to the objective of the education system of which they are but a part. Educational objectives in turn are influenced by societal notions of a child, human learning and schooling. The most common worldly application of the term and concept of quality is in the context of products and services. To define quality in the field of education, it may be instructive to examine the more widely practiced usage of quality, and explore its appropriateness or applicability for education. Quality: A Conceptual Exploration Owlia and Aspinwall (1996) interpreted the quality for higher education in terms of the quality dimension by using Garvin’s quality framework (Garvin, 1987), service quality dimension (Parasuraman, Zeithaml & Berry, 1985; 1988), and software quality dimension (Watts, 1987). However, the dimension identification frameworks focuses mainly on defining the quality aspect of the product features (Garvin, 1987) and service features (Parasuraman, Zeithaml & Berry, 1985; 1988). We adopted a more comprehensive approach to classify the quality attributes of education. The framework we proposed is derived from West, Noden and Gosling (2000)’s viewpoint of quality in higher education. We called it the Input–Process–Output (IPO) framework in which ‘Input’ refers to the entry requirements, ‘Process’ refers to the teaching and learning process, and ‘Output’ refers to the employability and academic standings (as shown in Figure 1 below). This classification of quality attributes is in accordance with the organization’s operation system of converting the inputs (e. g. raw materials) into outputs (e. g. products and services) via the process (e. g. procedures). In this way, one can associate the quality improvements with the operating system of any organization, including those from the education sector. Some of the quality dimensions identified in Owlia and Aspinwall’s (1996) study are partially covered in the IPO framework. Current understanding and interpretations of the word ’quality’ owe much to their roots in the evaluation of manufactured products. Pioneering management techniques and concepts related to quality and quality management have become common place, and many applications to the field of education can be sought while cautiously keeping in mind the large differences between the commercial world and education. In fact, quality in education has increasingly been understood through the framework of users and in terms of its value for money. To the extent that the service of education and the provision of commercial services are similar, that is both have ’end-users’ and an expectation of ’value-for-money’, parallels are feasible. However, such parallels often regard the provision of education as similar to a marketable service such as getting a haircut. In such cases, (as the market understands it), the individual seeking the service is generally aware of the outcome that the service will provide her with–a haircut usually results in kempt hair for instance. In other words, the user has the means to evaluate the quality of the service. In the case of education, except for very specific skill-oriented training that has readily identifiable outcomes in the short term, it is not very easy to determine what the rather long term process of ’being educated’ will lead to. This is largely because the ’aims’ of education that is the pressing reasons for educating members of a population in any society or country, emanate from the need to create a social and intellectual environment as members of which individuals will be capable of making and acting on rational decisions concerning themselves and their society rather than building people with a specific set of skills. Most users–parents or children–in the case of education, do not have the means in terms of either understanding and/or experience to evaluate quality–whether the child is receiving an education (given the stated aims or those which a parent understands), except in very rudimentary ways–and how it could be better (i. e. through comparing it to some sort of ideal). In other words, the information asymmetry between the service provider and the user, especially poor users, is an important characteristic of education that must be taken into explicit account. In addition to the lack of a shared understanding of quality between consumers and providers, the field of education is also characterized by the absence of a consensus on the notion of quality. For instance, most consumers and the providers of a service, for example telephones, not only agree on what is meant broadly by ’high quality’ in their domain, but, until new technological innovation comes about, this notion remains largely constant. On the other hand, education likes many other systems or endeavours (such as good health, reform or democracy) has a continuously evolving discourse as well as vibrant debates on what constitutes quality, how can it be achieved and provided in the most optimal way to a large number of children14, making it difficult for such a constant notion to exist. Additionally, inherent in the concept of a desirable social and intellectual environment (to be evolved through educating the population), are ideas concerning values which individuals should possess as this is in the interests of society, even though all individuals themselves may not want to imbibe these (take for example, religious or racist tolerance, or fairness in the face of ’self-interest’). Many such values would not be pertinent as an outcome, were the individual’s education being carried out from a purely market oriented (i. e. mployability) perspective, but they are the founding principles of systems of governance such as democracy. This further jeopardizes the application of market or management-derived concepts of quality to education, since the good/commodity being examined for quality, i. e. education, contains many features not demanded explicitly and in some cases actually even shunned by its customers. Therefore, ’quality’ as appl ied to the provision of commercial services or products cannot be directly applied to the provision of education due to the nature of education, and the inherent ’aims’ in its provision. A Framework for Quality in Education As discussed above, the notion of quality in education is not one, which can be simply transcribed from the predominant concept of quality that has evolved from the commercial world. It needs to be unique to the field of education and based on a deeply contextual, need-based view incorporating pedagogic principles and educational aims rather than a fixed prescription or set of guidelines. A viable framework for quality in education could be envisaged as consisting of the following main components: Aims of education, curriculum, pedagogy and material, school organization and relationships, evaluation and assessment, and the nature of provision. The relationship between the design and constitution of these various components would have to be carefully conceptualized to ensure coherence in the experience of education by children. For instance, design of a curricular document needs to be based on the aims of education and epistemological concerns. Similarly, assessment needs to be understood as a means to strengthen and constantly improve children’s education in the context of the stated curricular objectives through appropriate pedagogic practice, rather then as a tool for classifying children as ’failed’ or ’passed’ and thus deciding whether their education will continue. Each of these aspects of education and its quality are discussed in more detail in the following sections. Aims of Education The ’aims of education’ refer to a broad set of principles that provide direction to the practice of education. They play an important role in determining the institutions, curriculum, and pedagogy and assessment system for providing education. What aims are worth pursuing in education is therefore an important question and the answer is often complex, especially in the context of a diverse socio-cultural milieu. In general, the aim of education could be articulated as building capabilities and instilling values in individuals considered necessary for leading personally and socially fulfilling lives. The form and nature of education in any society is deeply influenced by the notion of a human being predominant in that society, and is closely linked to the understanding of what is ’good’ for people which in turn is based on views regarding human nature, needs and potential. It is therefore not surprising and somewhat inevitable that different societies, and even different groups of people in the same society, propound different notions of education making it a contested concept. Other concepts that influence the process of formulating the aims of education include the understanding of human learning and the notion of a child in society. In education, learning is understood as ’. . . having acquired ability to do something on the basis of experience and effecting a change in the learners’ understanding’ and while learning, thus defined, is an inevitable outcome of living for most, ensuring that the aims of education become part of learning requires active teaching. What these aims actually comprise of, and more importantly translate into through the working of a system of education depends on the nature of governance in a specific nation. For example, France and Prussia historically implemented education systems designed by the elite aimed at developing their respective countries into industrial powers. Given that India is a democracy, the educational aims in the country implicitly imbibe the special characteristics of such a governance system. These include equal participation of all members, an interest in social relations and their control, the potential to make amendments without disorder, and institutions that are flexible to readjustment. As Dewey explains, even a superficial examination of a democratic government’s (such as India’s) interest in the education of its citizens yields that since a democracy dismisses the idea of external authority, education is a must to ensure that popular suffrage leads to an appropriately chosen government. Further, the author suggests that since democracy represents almost a way of life (since it requires understanding the effect of one’s action on others and thereby communicating and accommodating continuously on an individual, societal or communal level) rather than just a governance system, it is only through education that these capacities can be built and such behavior brought about. Further, given that education has been discerned as a means towards progress for not only social and economic prosperity but also for facilitating equitable access to commonly provided, individually appropriated experience, it is important that the distribution of education should be characterized by the ideal of equality of educational opportunity. This is particularly in the case of India where the social order represents pervasive inequalities of wealth and opportunity, and can often lead to social position in terms of wealth and opportunity being correlated with future access to, and experience of, education. This is where the public system of education provided by the state assumes importance as the large majority of India’s poor can afford to access education only through the government system since it is free, and this is likely to remain the case for the foreseeable future. Therefore, it is important to realize that in the context of India, the state has an active interest in shaping each citizen–indeed, the idea or concept of ’state’ itself virtually depends for its existence on education, since it is only education that can effectively transmit the ideal of a democratic state to the next generation, thereby ensuring its perpetual continuity. Following the 86th Constitutional amendment, free and compulsory education in the age group of 6 to 14 is now a fundamental right in India under Article 21 (A). Thus, the aims of a system of education reflect the underlying values on which it is built, which in turn are contextual to human society, with individuals viewed both as atomistic constituents of that society as well as a collective. In practice, the aims of education are often stated in somewhat indeterminate terms. For instance, an oft-stated aim is ’the all round development of children’. This statement clearly requires clarification if it is to provide any direction for the content or the process of education. There is a need to specify what defines such all round development and once a list is drawn it has to be determined whether to include all or select on the basis of relative importance. On the other hand, examples of very specific aims include the focus on producing skilled labour for the economy. While such an aim certainly provides some direction to the educational context, it is too narrow and can impede excellence in other worthwhile aspects of life. Formulating aims that refer to general abilities such as rationality, critical thinking, creativity and others as an end, do avoid being too narrow on the one hand, but are also relatively more specifically definable on the other; and therefore, may work better for school systems. By virtue of being better-definable they help educators translate educational aims into classroom processes. For instance, teaching the concept of numbers and other mathematical operations maybe one of the accepted means of inducing rational thinking in a child, and therefore worthy of inclusion in the curriculum. Further, it is important to ensure that the content and process of teaching mathematics to children actually does translate into rational thinking and does not get restricted to the narrow objective of passing examinations Other common classroom processes prevalent in many schools include repetition of words and poems after the teacher without adequate comprehension and copying ? Sart S (such as a flower) drawn on the blackboard without error. It is questionable whether such practices provide meaningful stimulation for expression or creativity. Meaningful decisions about content and method in education require consciousness of the aims of education as articulated by an education system. The above illustrations are indicative of the absence of such an awareness governing the practice of teaching. In order to ensure that classroom strategies actually emerge from the professed aims of education it is important to include teachers in the discourse on the aims of education and not restrict this dialogue to a few educationists. The agreed-upon aims of education should broadly constitute a ’philosophically and historically informed set’ whose rationale is ’fully stated, public, and revisable’. Indian scenarios The professional education sector in INDIA comprises various types of providers. The largest group is made up of Universities and Affiliated colleges, which are large institutions offering a broad range of vocational and academic subjects at various levels, and are attended by both young people (17-28 year olds) and adults. Deemed Institutions and Autonomous colleges are another substantial group and have traditionally catered for 17-15 year olds taking Advanced level courses. More recently, however, they have broadened both their course offering and their student profile. Specialist Colleges concentrate on specific areas of the curriculum such as management , engineering and professional or land based subjects. They often have well developed links with employers and industry because of the specialist nature of the subjects taught. Finally, Specialist Designated institutions cater mainly for adults, as do External Institutions. The latter, however, also cater to the needs of educationally disadvantaged students through Distance Learning Mode. The purpose of this study is to explore the professional education classroom and its effects on student persistence and satisfaction. In order to face the challenges of student retention, the classroom must be explored to determine how these experiences affect the student attrition process. The classroom is a part of the curricular structure that links different disciplines around a common theme. Understanding the elements of the classroom experience will provide students, faculty, staff, and administrators with a vital sense of shared inquiry. The classroom experience must be designed to provide positive experiences through the adoption of various learning strategies. The article seeks to ascertain to what degree the classroom experience enhances student learning and persistence and, if so, how it does so. Beyond its obvious policy implications, the study purports to provide the context for a series of reflections on the ways in which current theories of student persistence might be modified to account more directly for the role of classroom experience in the process of both student learning and persistence. The study identifies variables associated with student integration or lack thereof, into the educational environment and whether or not these variables have an effect on student persistence. Lastly, the study purports to provide the aspects of student satisfaction and student perceptions of their learning experiences. The Problem As a result of low retention rates, administrators are seeking strategies to create a positive atmosphere that is supportive in meeting student needs in order to ensure student persistence. There is a critical linkage that exists between student involvement in classrooms, student learning, and student persistence. Research studies have identified factors that contribute to and influence student decisions to persist, or leave college before accomplishing their intended educational goals (Astin, 1987, 1993; Bean, 1983; Braxton, 1995, Bogdan & Biklen, 1992; Endo & Harpel, 1982; Tinto, 1975, 1987, 1993). In particular, Tinto’s attrition model (1975, 1987, & 1993) is among those strategies that have been used in an attempt to describe and categorize the student attrition process. Although persistence in college is important, students’ overall satisfaction with their educational experiences and their interactions on the college campus are the most important factors (Tinto, 1993). Collectively, the educational environment and organizational culture is important in determining student satisfaction and their motivation to persist. Statement of the Problem Research studies in the past have analyzed student retention, particularly among traditional university student populations (Anderson, 2001; Astin, 1993; Braxton, 2000; Cope & Hannah, 1975; NCES, 1997, 1998, 1999; Noel et. al. , 1985; Tinto, 1975, 1987, & 1993). As McLeod and Young (2005) have proposed, it is necessary to investigate the factors that influence a student’s decision to remain or not to remain enrolled at a minority institution. The most important factor in predicting a student’s eventual departure from college is absence of sufficient contact with others (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1979). Ostrow, Paul, Dark, and Berhman (1986) found that supportive relationships enable students to better cope with the demands of the college environment. Few studies exist which focus on the higher education classroom and the manner in which it can effects student persistence and satisfaction of students enrolled on traditional university campuses. Evident in previous studies is the recognition that institutional variables do influence a student’s decision to persist in attaining their educational goals. There is a critical linkage that exists between student involvement in classrooms, student learning, and student persistence. The classroom plays an important role in the student learning and persistence process. According to McKeachie (1970, 1994) and Smith (1980, 1983), it is evident that multiple relationships exist between teacher behaviors and student participation in classroom discussions and learning. Student participation in the higher education classroom is relatively passive (Smith, 1983; Karp & Yoels, 1976; Nunn, 1996), and lecturing is dominant (Fischer & Grant, 1983). The author Nunn (1996) found that classroom traits, specifically a supportive atmosphere, are as important to student participation as are student and faculty traits. The recognition of the importance of classroom environment is part of another area of inquiry, namely the role of classroom context, its educational activities and normative orientations, in student learning. Instead of focusing on the behaviors of faculty, a number of researchers have focused on the role of pedagogy (Karplus, 1974; Lawson & Snitgen, 1982; McMillan, 1987) and, in turn, curriculum (Dressel & Mayhew, 1954; Forrest, 1982) and classroom activities (Volkwein, King, & Terenzini, 1986) as predictors of student learning. Generally speaking, these have led to a growing recognition that student learning is enhanced when students are actively involved in learning and when they are placed in situations in which they have to share learning in some positive, connected manner (Astin, 1987). As numerous researchers have suggested (Astin, 1984; Mallette & Cabrera, 1991; Nora, 1987; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980; Terenzini & Pascarella, 1977), the greater students are academically integrated in the life of the institution, the greater the likelihood that they will persist. Students who feel they do not fit academically in the environment of the institution possess lower levels of satisfaction than those who feel they belong (Bean & Bradley, 1986; Pervin & Rubin, 1967). Astin (1993), Friedlander (1980), Parker and Schmidt (1982), Ory and Braskamp (1988), and Pascarella and Terenzini (1991), all suggested that student involvement in the classroom influences learning. When students are actively involved in the life of the college, especially academically, they will possess greater acquisitions of knowledge and skill development. Juillerat (1995) determined students who participate actively in their learning experience possess higher satisfaction rates than less involved students. According to Endo and Harpel (1982) and Astin (1993) student and faculty engagement, both inside and outside the classroom, are important to the student development process. Endo and Harpel (1982) suggested further those students who persisted which were reported to have had higher levels of contact with peers and faculty and also demonstrated higher levels of learning gain over the course of their stay in college. High levels of involvement prove to be an independent predictor of learning. The more time students invest in their own learning, the higher their level of effort, the more students learn. Braxton, Milem, and Sullivan (2000) wrote that research studies left social integration unexplained. Institutional type (Chapman & Pascarella, 1983), organizational attributes ( Berger & Braxton, 1998; Braxton & Brier, 1989), motivations for attending college (Stage, 1989), financial aid (Cabrera, Nora, & Castaneda, 1992), fulfillment of expectations for college (Braxton, Vesper, & Hossler, 1995), sense of community in residence halls (Berger, 1997), student involvement (Milem & Berger, 1997), life task predominance (Brower, 1992), and self-efficacy (Peterson, 1993) are among the concepts given to understand both academic and social integration and their effects on student departure decisions. Various constructs may also be derived from the role of the institutional classroom in the student departure process and the identification of forces that influence academic integration and social integration. Tinto (1997) suggested that if social integration was to occur, it must occur in the classroom, because the classroom functioned as a gateway for student involvement in the academic and social communities of a college. Thus, the college classroom constitutes one possible source of influence on academic nd social integration. Student Satisfaction and Perceptions of the Classroom Experience The authors, Bean and Bradley suggest student satisfaction is defined as â€Å"a pleasurable emotional state resulting from a person’s enactment of the role of being a student† (1986, p. 398). Overall life realization includes fulfillment with specific domains, such as student satisfaction (Coffman & Gilligan, 2000). Therefore, it is assumed that a students’ overall satisf action with the learning experience is an indicator of college persistence. In addition, Coffman and Gilligan (2000) further found that those students who withdraw from college prior to graduation are less likely to be able to identify someone on campus with whom they had developed a significant relationship. These students report low satisfaction with their personal interactions, social isolation, and absence of opportunities for academic contact. Most of these students report academic difficulties which occur in the classroom highly influenced their departure from college. According to Juillerat (1995), a student related variable that has been found to be connected to student satisfaction is institutional fit. The more acquainted a student is with the environment of the institution, the more he/she will fit into the culture of the institution. Students who feel as if they do not fit into the culture of the institution possess lower levels of satisfaction than those who feel that they belong. According to Juillerat (1995), student satisfaction is the extent to which a students’ perceived educational experience meets or exceeds his/her expectations. Student satisfaction can be defined by the positive and negative gaps in the expectation level and perceived reality. If a students’ expectation is matching or exceeds his/her evaluation of reality then seemingly the student is satisfied. On the other hand, if a students’ expectation is higher than his/her evaluation of reality then seemingly the student is dissatisfied. This approach to defining student satisfaction assists institutions in determining satisfaction levels and closes the gap between reality and expectations. Bean and Bradley (1986) determined that the number of friends a student has, along with his/her confidence in his/her social life, has a significant effect on satisfaction levels. Weir and Okun (1989) found similar results in the amount of contact a student has with peers, faculty, staff and administrators was positively correlated with academic satisfaction. The availability and formal and informal interaction with faculty, staff and administrators for interaction with students is related to student satisfaction and persistence. Endo and Harpel (1982) further suggest that a student expectation for peer involvement academically is a contributor to student satisfaction and persistence. Another important factor of a students’ overall satisfaction with the learning experience is their perceptions of their academic programs of study. The authors Bean and Bradley (1986) suggest if a student is academically integrated and interested in their course of study, motivated to study, and likes the faculty teaching the course will possess high satisfaction. Juillerat (1995) suggests, stimulating coursework and high teaching ability of professors is related to academic satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to explore the higher education classroom and its effects on student persistence and satisfaction. In order to face the challenges of student retention, the classroom must be explored to determine how these experiences affect the student attrition process and ultimately the BRANDING of the Institution by minimizing the GAPS in the service delivery. The classroom is a part of the curricular structure that links different disciplines around a common theme. Understanding the elements of the learning experience will provide students, faculty, staff, and administrators with a vital sense of shared inquiry. The classroom experience must be designed to provide positive experiences through the adoption of collaborative learning strategies. The article seeks to ascertain to what degree such strategies enhance student learning and persistence and, if so, how they do so. In conclusion, administrators in higher education should embrace an understanding of strategies for minority student retention. Administrators have continuously overlooked the essentially educational and developmental character of persistence as it occurs in most institutional settings. There is a rich line of inquiry of the linkage between learning and persistence that has yet to be pursued. Administrators must continue to fully explore the complex ways in which the experiences in the classroom shape both student learning and persistence. The author Braxton (1995) questioned the role of faculty teaching in student satisfaction and persistence. Administrators must be equipped to face the challenges of minority student retention and be proactive in their approaches retain minority students. A students’ ability to be connected to the institutional environment and their ability to adapt to the organizational culture are related to vocational and educational stability, student satisfaction, and student success. The institutional environment and the organizational culture mediate student academic and social experiences in college. Educational stability, student satisfaction, and student success are the building blocks of the retention process this service quality delivery only reinforces the EDUCATIONAL BRAND. [pic]