Category: Critical Reflection

What I Learned in Microeconomics? Essay

Microeconomics is the part of economics that studies the reactions of individuals and companies when making decisions depending on scarce resources and also studies the interactions among these individuals and firms. Economics is found everywhere, this is why it is so important to not only study economics but also understand it and relate it to events that occur around us. In this essay, I will be showing my understanding of microeconomics by associating things we studied in class to everyday life.

Firstly, market surplus is an excess supply of a commodity that producers aren’t able to sell. It occurs when supply is higher than demand which causes prices to be above equilibrium. In September, China’s exports dropped sharply by 16% due to the trade war between the US and China, the total trade surplus of China was $34.84 billion in September only. During market surplus, sellers increase sales by constantly decreasing price which increases quantity demanded until price reaches equilibrium. If China wants to go reach the equilibrium price, it should decrease its prices which will increase sales and eventually resolve the market surplus (Lee, 2019).

Secondly, a shortage is a situation where the amount of something needed is not sufficient. It occurs when supply is lower than demand which causes prices to be below equilibrium. Nowadays, there are 121 medicine shortages that occur at least 50 times per year as stated by 70% of hospital pharmacists. Without these medicinal drugs, treatments may not be as beneficial. These shortages occur due to seasonal changes and disease outbreaks like flu season. Since medicine is very inelastic people will continue buying it, this will cause prices to rise since the price is lower than equilibrium (Reiner, 2019).

Thirdly, a surplus is a situation where there is an excess of supply of a commodity. It occurs when supply is higher than demand which causes prices to be above equilibrium. The diamond industry is now going through a very rough time, there is a surplus of diamonds and stores have been burdened with inventory that is taking too long to sell. This surplus is caused by huge amounts of synthetic and lab-grown diamonds being imported from India which have become a huge threat since they can’t be differentiated from real diamonds. Ben Davis, an analyst, states that “the next months are still likely to be difficult for the industry”. Because diamonds are elastic, people will stop buying them, this will cause prices to decrease since the price is higher than equilibrium (Bloomberg, 2019).

Fourthly, price floor is a legal minimum price added by the government. Governments set price floors to stop prices from being too low. The Philippine government decided to set a price floor since there were too many cheap rice imports which decreased profit for local producers, imported rice can cost as low as $0.14 per kilo while the cost of producing for local farmers is $0.24. Having a minimum price floor will encourage people to purchase from local producers rather than imported rice. The price floor will be below equilibrium which means that it will have no effect on the market since it is not binding. In summary, by setting a price floor, revenue will be generated without causing a surplus (Rivas, 2019).

Lastly, tax is a compulsory contribution set by the government added to the costs of some commodities or on worker’s income. Due to the recent economic dip, the French government set a 3% tax on Amazon sellers based in France which generated in €25 million euros yearly. The fast-growing use of Amazon’s online retail market and people’s dependence on online shopping, allows sellers to have a higher elasticity than buyers. This results in sellers adjusting the 3% tax to customers especially since there aren’t that many alternatives to the choice and convenience provided by Amazon in France. This means that the tax burden will be on buyers rather than sellers, this causes the demand curve to shift to the left (Chandler, 2019).

In conclusion, taking this microeconomics course helped me recognize how connected economics is to our daily lives. It also helped me understand the reasons for implementing laws in the UAE such as VAT and the effect it has on our economy. Moreover, understanding microeconomics helped me comprehend my finance major more since I can relate things, I studied, from microeconomics to finance and it gave me a better perspective of events occurring in the UAE and around the globe.

References

1. Chandler, S. (2019, September 10). Amazon Makes Marketplace Sellers Pay for French Digital Tax. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonchandler/2019/08/19/amazon-makes-marketplace-sellers-pay-for-french-digital-tax/#4a471087f58a.
2. Reiner, S. E., Shaw, T. L., & Zweig, P. undefined. (2019, July 31). Hospital drug shortages are harmful and costly. We aim to fix them. Retrieved from https://www.statnews.com/2019/08/01/hospital-drug-shortages/.
3. Rivas, R. (2019). Farmers seek floor price as palay sells for just P7 per kilo. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/business/239117-farmers-seek-floor-price-palay.
4. Bloomberg. (2019, December 3). Diamond industry preps for a rough, rocky 2020. Retrieved from https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/commodities/news/diamond-industry-preps-for-a-rough-rocky-2020/articleshow/72341349.cms.
5. YenNee_Lee. (2019, October 14). China’s imports and exports fell more than expected in September. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/14/china-economy-chinese-imports-exports-trade-data-for-september-2019.html

Reflections on the Minimum Wage Based on Barbara Ehrenreich’s Article ‘Serving in Florida’

In the United States, there are many unjust laws that lead to social inequality. In today’s world, wage inequality has grown over the past 30 years, which creates many problems for people.

Currently, minimum wage workers don’t make enough money to sustain a comfortable life. In the article ‘Serving in Florida’, the author Barbara Ehrenreich decided to do a research assignment by working a series of low-paying jobs and wanted to see how it felt like working with minimum wage pay and see if that will affect her lifestyle at home. Her first job was as a waitress with an 8-hour shift with $2.43/hour pay plus leftover tips. She later found out that all her tips and paychecks didn’t add up quickly with her bills and rent. In a recent article that talks about minimum wage pay, people that work in restaurants mostly rely on tips to make a living because their normal pay is way less. Barbara Ehrenreich compares working at Jerry’s as a harsh workplace because the managers treat her unfairly with less pay and there were no breaks to be taken. She cannot even eat food or the manager will hiss to her “no eating” (p.365). In her article, she explains that the restaurant’s work environment is so bad that she can’t take a break because there is no breakroom, and the only time she can stop is only to use the restroom. Barbara Ehrenreich also explains that everything in the kitchen is a big mess. In the end, she found out that minimum wage pay is very difficult because the pay won’t cover a lot of payments needed in real life.

Barbara Ehrenreich’s experience, reflected in her article, as well as the experience of a large number of Americans, says that the minimum wage needs to be raised. If the president didn’t increase minimum wage pay, then no one would be able to make a living or pay rent, and later on, there would be more people living out on the streets. A solution to alleviate the problem should be the government raising the minimum wage pay and allowing equal rights among others. Having minimum wage pay increased a little higher should be necessary because people can get paid equally with other coworkers around them. The pay raise can also help the workers pay off their rent or their utility bills they have to pay by themselves, and it will likely decrease inequality around them.

My First 30 Days of Employment: Reflective Essay

TBA Leicester is a private sector, Leicester-based Software Company and part of the TBA group, officially formed in April 2017, comprising three sites: one in Leicester, one in Delft, and one in Doncaster. The group also has offices in Romania, Germany, and representatives in North America, South America, and Oceania. The group is owned by Finish company Konecranes, which specializes in the manufacture and service of cranes and lifting equipment, however, the group itself specializes in management solutions for container terminals and warehouses, particularly with their software, Autostore. In their own words, Autostore allows customers to “control the movement and storage of various types of cargo in and around a container terminal or port. The system enables you to make better use of your assets, labor, and equipment, plan your workload, and receive real-time information that enables cost-effective, improved decision-making” (TBA Group, 2019). Autostore is an extremely flexible and popular product, proof of this is found in the fact it is installed in “over 20 container terminals worldwide” (TBA Group, 2019), catering to facilities that can process 75’000 containers per year to facilities, which can process more than 750’000 thousand containers per year, and managing everything on the terminal, from the trucks bringing to containers to the gate, to the ships that take the containers across the ocean, and everything in between. The group has recently taken on a massive project in the form of the Hadarom Container Terminal in Israel. This is a semi-automated terminal with a capacity of two million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent), this means that the terminal is expected to process two million twenty-foot containers each year, and is aiming to be fully operational by 2021.

I have been lucky enough to work for this company for the last month. My role within the company was that of a ‘placement software engineer’, which in practice was similar to that of a junior software engineer. As a result of this, I was placed in the development team rather quickly, starting with basic tasks, before branching out into more varied and complicated areas of the system. In this essay, I’m going to talk about my experience in the first 30 days of working for the company and what I’ve learned.

The first crucial point during my placement came before I had even stepped foot into the building. I have had previous jobs in this field, however, these were attained with the help of a family friend, and were also for the most part remote, meaning I remotely connected to their system from home. Even when I did have to go into their office, they were only small companies with a very limited number of employees, and they all shared a very relaxed atmosphere. As I arrived at the gates of TBA Leicester, it became clear that this was nothing like what I had previously experienced. It was a large facility, with large, imposing gates. It was immediately obvious that this was not what I was previously used to. This was a large, professional organization with men in suits and expensive cars parked in the car park. It was rather overwhelming and extremely intimidating. Seeing this from the outside, naturally led me to assume that the first several months of my placement would be spent taking tea and coffee orders. Thankfully, I couldn’t have been more wrong. As I stated in my August Log Book at the time, “I am happy that I have been given legitimate tasks within the company, rather than just getting tea and coffee. With this in mind, I like to think that during my first month, I have really risen to the challenge, although it is obvious I still have a lot to learn”.

That being said, the items I was tasked with weren’t difficult, for the most part, they were basic items like updating user views in the database or fixing very small and well-defined bugs in the Visual Basic 6 client. The biggest thing I learned from a technical level during this first month was the testing standard. I learned that the level of testing I had become accustomed to during my university studies simply wasn’t up to industry standard, and that certainly bit me in the beginning. However, I like to think I quickly adapted to this by learning from my mistakes as I went.

The main positive I gained from my first 30 days of employment was confidence. As stated above, upon entering TBA I initially felt quite intimidated, but after I met and greeted each member of the team, trying to remember as much as I could about each of them including names and areas of expertise (so I knew who I could ask if I have a problem in the future), I found that everyone was quite welcoming, friendly, and most importantly very patient, creating an excellent environment for me to begin to learn.

Overall, I considered the results of my first month to be positive, an opinion which seemed to be reinforced by my supervisor, who commented positively in my January Log Book: “The first few weeks for anyone joining is always a bit frustrating. This is due to the amount of new information that needs learning before any substantial work can be undertaken. However, Callum has shown a positive attitude and got on well with all tasks assigned. We have some more challenging tasks lined up for the coming weeks and are keen to see how Callum performs with these”.

In conclusion, these 30 days at the company were extremely useful for me. It was a great experience that gave me a real understanding of the industry in which I want to grow professionally. TBA Leicester has been a great place to achieve all of my career goals and I look forward to continuing to be part of such a great team of professionals.

‘Pride and Prejudice’ Reflective Essay

Imagine a world without money, and wealth is non-existent! It must be a lifeless world. With money, one can satisfy many needs in one’s life, and happiness is promised. In the times of Jane Austen, society is in an era where money and wealth are vital contributors to joy. In her book Pride and Prejudice, the aspect is highly unmistakable. The author centers her work on Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s family, who have five daughters; Jane, the eldest, Elizabeth, Lydia, Kitty, and Mary. The family lacks a son figure, a blow to the family. It is real that once Mr. Bennet dies, there is no one to inherit the property; thus, it will go to his distant cousin Mr. Collins and the family will be left in poverty. When a rich man, Mr. Bingley, and his friend Mr. Darcy land in their adjacent neighborhood, Netherlands, Mrs. Bennett’s fear is relieved. She sees a potential suitor for one of her daughters to save them from poverty. Mrs. Bennet shares the issue with her husband, and it gains approval. Mr. Bingly is an amiable man while his friend is erroneous at first glance, as presumed by Elizabeth. In this analysis, the central theme is money and wealth. In the entire work, the quantity of money and wealth one has spearheads the decisions made by characters in crucial issues such as marriage.

To begin with, Austen states that it is a universally accepted truth for every good man with possession to want a wife (p.1). The statement is authentic, as Bennet’s family takes advantage of it. They know that the rich man would want a wife; coincidentally, they need suitors from a fruitful ground to save them from impending poverty. When Mrs. Bennet learns of Bingley’s arrival, she forces Mr. Bennet to call on him and give the proposals of their daughters. He is at once reluctant because of her teasing and sarcastic nature. Mr. Bennett pins her down at first as she tells her that her daughters are unintelligent, except for her favorite Elizabeth, who is intelligent and witty. He organizes to meet with Bingley, as the rich man accepts to visit the Bennetts. He gains interest in Jane, and this reflects the happiness of her mother. Events evolve, which makes Bennett’s, have a good time together. Later Bingley’s sister, Caroline, sends a letter to Jane requesting to come over for dinner. This event is an excellent enlightenment for the two to marry and live happily with each other.

Besides, Mrs. Bennet gets in to steer Mr. Collins to propose to Elizabeth. The young lady turns down the proposal, a great disappointment to the mother. Mrs. Bennet thought it a merry for the man would inherit their estate and, thus a better position for her daughter. Mr. Collins turns to Elizabeth’s friend, Charlotte, who accepts her proposal and they marry. Collins wants a woman because of his old age and Charlotte is married when love is not the basis. Elizabeth keeps her love for another man, Mr. Darcy, despite the reality that hits her with the behavior she presumes he has (p.131). He is prejudiced against Elizabeth for her low social position. In turn, Elizabeth prejudices against him for his pride. However, with time, Mr. Darcy is compelled to fall in love with Elizabeth. Unfortunately, he receives a shock, for he is not expected to marry a lady from a lower class. Darcy makes his first proposal to Lizzie, which goes unaccepted. He later comes back to propose to her when each of them has the right attitude. Elizabeth drops her pride and Darcy drops her prejudice. In turn, she accepts her proposal, and they get married as Elizabeth is in love with him and his wealth.

All in all, Austen reconfirms that money and wealth are vital factors in marriage. We can see that when Mrs. Bennet learned of Mr. Bingley coming to the Netherlands, it was of great joy. Luckily, her daughter Jane is married to him later. She is the top cheerer to the success of their marriage. She gives her best to ensure that the two are at par, inciting events for them to be together. She comes to provide a hand to Mr. Collins to see to it that her daughter Elizabeth is married to him. Unfortunately, she declines the proposal. Of more joy, Elizabeth gets married to Mr. Darcy, who is wealthier than the Collins. Their nasty daughter Lydia is married too after Darcy meets payments for her. Bennett’s family is much overjoyed for their problem is solved as the daughter gets married. Indeed, money and wealth bring their joy.

Foucault ‘Discipline and Punish’ Essay

Michel Foucault, author of the book ‘Discipline and Punishment: The Birth of Prison’ lived from 1926 to 1984 and was a French philosopher, historian, and sociologist.

This novel shows how the prison looked and changed, what torture was used, what punishments were used against prisoners, and what a typical day looked like at this place.

Foucault undertook a critical reflection on the philosophical tradition associated with rationalism and empiricism. The book begins with a description of the brutal public execution of Robert-François Damiens in 1757. Over the past 80 years, the prisoners’ situation changed utterly; they had time to pray, eat, study, and had to work. You can ask yourself, how did it happen that there was such a significant change? Once the execution was a theatrical spectacle in which other people could look at the whole process, see the one who committed the crime, and then be executed in front of them. It was to be a punishment not only for the body but also for the spirit. Its purpose was also to scare others from committing crimes and rebelling against laws that the authorities determined

Over time, there was a change in mentality associated with the social pursuit of justice and a greater awareness of the people who turned into firm masses rebelling against these processes. Two contrasting ways of punishment are described. The first is a public torture demonstration, and the second is disciplinary punishment, which gives psychologists and prison staff power over criminals to observe and oversee their entire process. The sentence was supposed to change the behavior of the convict, and he was to become a better person and understand what he did wrong. Over time, the dark dungeon of the prison was replaced by a bright, modern place, but the author warns that such visibility can be an ambush, a trap. Through this, society enforces the power and knowledge of its control systems, which leads to placing these factors on an increasingly individualized level. This can be seen daily by the ability of institutions to follow our lives. The ‘prison continuum’ is still in our society, from secured places like prisons to areas of residence, employees, and everyday life at work, and home.

All are disciplined and enslaved by the deliberate or careless supervision of one person by another. This is a rather depressing vision of a state permeated with a network of power relations. There are two types of it: power over bodies through supervision techniques and criminal institutions, and power that is exercised over human life, over the population.

Barracks, dormitories, and factories are new techniques. This is to minimize unwanted phenomena. Each unit is subjected to a hierarchical system. Time, timetable, and punctuality are other elements organized by discipline. This applies to the lives of all of us – at school, at work, at the university. It is a capillary system that means subjecting the whole of society to disciplinary techniques. We are subordinated every day, by most factors such as appropriate clothing, appropriate behavior, and not being late.

The human ‘I’ is the result of subjugation and constructed to control society better. The human body becomes an object through disciplinary techniques used as a tool, as an employee, prisoner, or soldier, depending on the tasks assigned, it must be controlled. If we are convinced that someone is watching us, then we succumb to self-subjugation. An example of this is the prison model described in the book, which looks like a round building with prisoners’ cells with a courtyard in the middle. There was a guard tower from where they had an ideal view of what the prisoners were doing. Instead of controlling people, it is much easier when society observes itself because everyone has an interest in ensuring that nobody protrudes beyond the norm. At the soul level, our conscience would be such a controlling factor.

In ‘Discipline and Punish,’ the author shows how the system has changed, and how it affects our daily lives, how power and society currently control and subjugate us. A controlled force is done using a variety of techniques and systems. Although each of us is entirely different, we must adapt to society and be subject to different rules and rules. But is this good for all of us?

Opinion on Death Penalty Essay

Introduction:

The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is a highly contentious topic that has sparked intense debates worldwide. As I reflect on my opinion about the death penalty, I find myself wrestling with moral, ethical, and practical considerations. This essay aims to delve into the complexities of the death penalty and explore the reasons behind my evolving perspective.

Understanding the Death Penalty:

The death penalty is a legal sanction that involves the execution of individuals convicted of heinous crimes, typically murder. Proponents argue that it serves as a deterrent, promotes justice, and provides closure for the victims’ families. On the other hand, opponents contend that it violates the right to life, is prone to error and irreversibility, and fails to address the root causes of crime.

Initial Perspective: The Quest for Justice:

Initially, my opinion on the death penalty leaned toward support. I believed in the principle of “an eye for an eye,” viewing it as a means of delivering justice to the victims and their families. The idea that the most heinous crimes should be met with the harshest punishment resonated with my sense of fairness. I saw the death penalty as a way to maintain societal order and prevent potential recidivism.

Questioning the Ethical Dilemmas:

However, as I delved deeper into the issue, I started questioning the ethical implications of the death penalty. I came to realize that endorsing state-sanctioned killing contradicted my belief in the sanctity of human life. The irreversible nature of capital punishment raised concerns about the potential for wrongful convictions and the loss of innocent lives. The realization that mistakes can and do occur in the justice system made me question the validity of using death as punishment.

Rehabilitation and Alternatives:

Additionally, my reflection led me to question the effectiveness of the death penalty as a deterrent. Studies have shown inconsistent evidence regarding its deterrent effect, with many arguing that investments in rehabilitation, education, and addressing socioeconomic factors are more fruitful in preventing crime. As I contemplated the possibility of rehabilitation and the potential for individuals to change, I found it difficult to reconcile the notion of permanently ending a life.

Human Fallibility and Social Justice:

One aspect that significantly influenced my opinion was the recognition of human fallibility within the justice system. Numerous cases have emerged where innocent individuals were wrongly convicted, only to be exonerated years later. The possibility of executing an innocent person is a grave injustice that weighs heavily on my conscience. The existence of racial and socioeconomic biases within the criminal justice system further magnifies concerns about the fairness and equality of the death penalty.

Evolution of Perspective: Embracing Restorative Justice:

Through reflection and introspection, my perspective on the death penalty has shifted toward embracing restorative justice. I have come to appreciate the value of rehabilitation, reconciliation, and the potential for personal growth and transformation. Rather than focusing solely on punishment, I believe in fostering a system that promotes healing, addresses root causes, and seeks to reintegrate individuals into society.

Conclusion:

Reflecting on my opinion regarding the death penalty has been a thought-provoking journey. As I grapple with moral, ethical, and practical considerations, I have evolved from a staunch supporter to someone who questions the effectiveness, fairness, and irreversibility of capital punishment. I now lean toward embracing restorative justice and prioritizing rehabilitation over retribution.

The death penalty remains a deeply divisive issue, and opinions may vary. However, through introspection and critical examination of the complexities surrounding capital punishment, I have reached a reflective stance that values the preservation of life, the potential for redemption, and the pursuit of a more just and compassionate society.

Essay on Police Brutality Movies

Get Out, a 2017 American horror film written and directed by Jordan Peele, follows Chris Washington, a young African-American man who uncovers a disturbing secret when he meets the family of his white girlfriend. Throughout the film, layers of underlying racism are uncovered from the family and their community until finally, Chris realizes that they have been running an operation in which they transplant white brains into black bodies. By revealing these liberal whites’ professed admiration for the black race as fetishistic and opportunistic, Peele scratched at an unspoken, larger truth that resonated with audiences worldwide.

There are many stereotypes in horror genres towards colored people, especially towards people who are African American. Countless movies have been created that are cast with mainly white people that praise them and their efforts, while simultaneously damaging the image of minorities as they are rarely included. Films like (show timeline) include negative stereotypes and representations of African Americans which are damaging, negative, and greatly supporting racism. An array of movies traveling back to the 1930s till now are’ mirroring the racialized climate of modern society”. Some of these stereotypes and representations depicted in these (Timeline) films include: the white savior (The Blind Side, Greenbook, The Help, and Freedom Writers), the trope of ‘the black guy dies first’ (Scream 2, Gremlins, Day of the Dead), white fragility (guess whos coming to dinner (1962)) and the reconciliation between black and white people ( IN the heat of the night(year)),(the defiant ones)

Jordan Peele’s film ‘Get Out’ is a combination of horror and comedy, with the inclusion of a provocative focus on race relations in America. Get Out was created based on the features of the late 1960s film ‘Night of the Living Dead’. Both films similarly tackle and diminish the trope of “The black guy dies first” and also feature a black protagonist. The black guy dies first, that sounds silly, you might say, yet it is a real tragic trend that has been occurring in movies since the 1900s. Black actors were added in films to ‘relieve the unremitting whiteness of the casts’ and so were usually killed first in an early scene to clear the field for the white character to serve as the hero and save the day. Night of the Living Dead is a film from the 1960s that explored the black hero and confounded the cliche black guy dies first trope. It was the first movie that expressed a black male lead who didn’t die almost instantly as the film began.

It should be noted that this representation of African Americans in this movie used to be considered ‘good’ as there were rarely any movies with black representation in them. However, compared to now, the representation has severely worsened as it ultimately contains bad tropes.

Ben the lead character in the film saves a group of white people during a zombie apocalypse. He survives until the end but in a turn of realism gets ‘shot down by a military of white police and civilians’. This is a reference in itself to the racism occurring in modern society between police and black people and a comment on the racial politics of the time. Relating to Get Out unlike the character of Ben, Peele’s character survives. He tackles the trope of the black guy dying first, surviving to the end, and just as we think his fate has become the same as Ben his black police officer friend arrives to save the day. In our minds, we think Chris is going to die at the hands of the police because that’s the representation that has been pushed forward to us. Without realising ourselves the viewers are surrendering to the racist tendencies of white people. This ending scene also truly “demands that audiences consider who among us is truly monstrous”.

This is potentially the second police encounter of the film. In the first encounter, early in the film, Rose and Chris are pulled over for a broken taillight. Even though Rose is driving, the police officer asks to see Chris’ ID and he hands it over, sadly accustomed to being profiled by the law.

Another example of this type of police brutality shown throughout films is in the movie Greenbook. During this film the African American character, Don, stumbles upon countless police encounters, most of them ending up with him in some type of trouble for doing nothing wrong. On the way to their final stop, they are pulled over by the local police. The officer tells them that Don, can’t be out past sundown. The police force Don out of the car to be frisked and the racist officer insults Tony by calling him ‘half a n***r’. Tony immediately punches the redneck officer in the face, and both he and Don are arrested and taken to jail. This scene brings to light police brutality which has been occurring in America’s history as well as the present, and the world is now only seeing the true horrors that modern society is putting colored people through. Director of Get Out, Peele, describes this type of scenario perfectly by stating, ‘This movie was meant to call out the fact that racism is still simmering underneath the surface, so this ending to the movie felt like it was the gut punch that the world needed, as something about it rings very true.’

Get Out is such a big deal because it addresses how white liberals contribute to society by being racist. However, they do it more unconventionally. For example, in the garden party scene;

The Caucasian people seem to only comment on Chris’s physical attributes which emphasizes how they fetishize Chris because of his appearance and don’t acknowledge him internally just because of who he is. Over the progression of the movie, it’s clear that Chris gradually becomes more and more uncomfortable with the weird comments made about him as the people are racially prejudiced, disguising it in forms of flattery. White Fragility plays a role in this movie as white people hold the privilege of living in a socially insulated environment that protects them from race-based stress.

In this part of the movie, according to what white fragility is, the Caucasian people hold more expectations of comfort to speak what they want knowing that they are protected. This is the type of racism that sometimes goes unheard of and it’s why this movie is such a big deal because it sheds light on the reality of what people of color deal with in real life. People want to watch accurate representations of them in movies so they can emotionally connect to them. They want to watch movies where the groups shown on-screen accurately portray them because it’s more authentic. At the end of the movie, there’s a moment where Rose and Chris almost have a reconciliation. However, they don’t and Chris ends up leaving Rose to die. https://www.inverse.com/article/28344-twitter-reaction-jordan-peele-racial-getout

So far we have seen many representations of the black community in films. Get Out acts as a homage to Night of the Living Dead, a reference to Greenbook, and an improvement of representation for movies in the past century. Many tropes, representations, and stereotypes Get Out tackles within its film to overcome the racism that has been occurring in the film community. The people behind the screenplay a huge role in making representation accurate and authentic.

Reflective Essay on My Leadership Experience

This essential reflection is concentrated on my very own expertise of leadership whereby I recommend areas for my very own development. I’m additionally exploiting hereby leadership theory and ideas in analyzing and evaluating the leadership case that I’m presenting. Leadership could be a method or series of actions directed toward cluster goals; it’s a systematically incontestable pattern of behavior with sure objectives. It helps to direct and motivate managers, employers, and employees on how to perform the task in what way. I currently reflect on why I failed first with theoretical knowledge without practical operation in the first experience and then was able to win by using skills of being a leader by using Gibbs’ reflective cycle.

Description

Leadership is the art of directing, motivating, and inspiring a group of people to achieve the desired tasks of any organization. I remember a leadership experience that helps to inspire me a lot and helps to become a good leader. I remember a situation when I overcome a problematic situation through my leadership skill. It was 3 years ago when I participate in a basketball competition and this competition; it required five members of a team who represent the class and I was a leader who leads this team and provides procedures, strategies, ideas, plans, and take a decision to win the match. We practice 4 hours a day and do some exercises. On that day we were nervous, and suddenly on that day one of my team members felt inquiry due to falling on the ground when we were playing, and the doctor said to take some rest. So, the count of my team member is reduced. We find a lot of difficulties because he was a well-known player on my team, so that’s why we all lost hope and felt to lose the game. So, as a team leader, I played a vital role in the team, I manage the team, make plans, ideas, and strategies, and motivate all team members by adopting the right decision to win the match and to handle this situation. And the whole team follow the guidelines that I provided and then finally we win the match. So, that was a time when I became the leader of the team and we won the match with the help of my leadership skills. After solving the problems in the process, I finally knew the power and skills of leadership for the first time, how they can handle any critical situation with their active mind and find the solution to any problem.

Feelings

In the beginning, I was confident to perform in this competition with infinite expectations. I was looking forward to doing well in this match, which was not a one-person job. I hope all the people who had contact with me would regard me as a good leader. During that time, I feel that our team will lose the match and face failure. And also think that why it has happened to us and thought that if God gives us one chance, then we overcome this problematic situation. I react during this experience, very calmly and peacefully, because I remind myself that hope never fell down and try to adopt useful ideas that will be beneficial for the team. Along with this, the win and failure of my team matter to me because I was the leader of the team and my one decision will definitely change the whole game. So, if I lose my hope, the whole team lost our hope. So, I react bravely and motivate my team members on how to win the team and get to know the power of leadership for the first time.

Evaluation

In the beginning, I thought I had good coordination and communication with the team member. During the experience, many things happened which helps me to learn more about things like how to corporate with others, and how to deal with a problematic situation, and that proves to be beneficial for me and it worked. However, I had overlooked a critical point that this was the competition, not the case in class, where accidents happened frequently. So, when a problem came, I could not solve it immediately. After the adjustment, I could handle the working and control of the teams, which means all things square measure totally different. What you are doing in one scenario won’t forever add another. I want to use your judgment to decide on the simplest course of action and also the leadership vogue required for every scenario. For instance, I will be got to confront an associate degree worker for inappropriate behavior, however, if the confrontation is just too late or too early, too harsh or too weak, then the results could prove ineffective.

Analysis

In retrospect, why did I fail at the beginning of my first experience of being a leader? Firstly, I was so confident about management’s theoretical knowledge that I did not realize the necessity of reality. However, theory and practice are complementary and inseparable because students can learn a lot from specific situations while training can better understand the idea. No doubt, with a limited number of team members, the team performs well in the competition due to make proper communication and cooperation level among themselves. And all members follow the rules and guidelines provided by the leader. So, that things help the member to get more interaction with each other and learn more skills from each other, along with this, the team won the match from this set of data, he was ready to combine clearly the concepts being given to him, regarding every chunk of data as a possible contribution to what the team was attempting to realize, and establish the issues and challenges in the manner. Leaders did all this with the assistance of the team, during which it should even be noted that cooperation may be a necessary part of leadership, that should be thought of in triple-crown leadership.

Moreover, this state of affairs was harmonious with transformational leadership theory, which is targeted at people’s interaction with others, as they produce a solid relationship that results in trust, which successively results in magnified intrinsic and alien motivation in each the leader, and therefore the follower before any competition build a different arrange and strategy for the team if any downside occurs, then this could be applied at the place of initial one and on the spot, member don’t lose their hope and don’t get in a hurry. What is more, downside resolution wasn’t the sole task of our supervisor, however, it concerned everybody in our team, so, a group-shared activity. Also, get an additional range of individuals because of the total limit of members that may be used in the place of any member in the case of an emergency. The speculation maintains that the leader sees a path that has to tread and gets the cluster to accomplish it by commanding, rewarding, soliciting suggestions, etc.

However, I came to grasp that I failed to undergo development programs for inventive downside resolution, which I feel is critical, considering that for a frontrunner, the employment of cooperative skills and creativity techniques is a component of the leadership strategy.

Conclusion

Throughout my expertise, I learn plenty of things from my expertise that square measure positive on my behalf of me. I learned skills like leadership, motivation, directing, inspiration, communication, and cooperation from my expertise. It empowers me and boosts my information level as becoming a leader. Also, I failed to place myself in an exceedingly correct position. I used to be the leader during this task, which meant I was required to relinquish this team an easy angle, however, I failed to. In the starting, I felt that the leadership drawback was innocuous. Later, once I complete the matter, it absolutely was rough to simply accept that I had done thus badly, thus I had maintained the established order. The expertise was positive and I did well during this, however, I need to enhance some area units square measure as that later facilitate me to become a more robust smart leader like increasing group action, don’t simply feel down hope, and increasing the information concerning all areas. The primary life to require is to still learn management information. Learning can never stop, rising social skills as a result of I failed to have a decent understanding before, that junction rectifier to the separation of reality and theory. Now, I actually have to mix theoretical information with expertise to attain additional generous use of the facility of information. I will be able to find out how to create totally different reflections within the same scene to seek out the proper technique, and then believe victimization a similar thanks to facing different things to conjointly react in time. In sum, Gibbs’ cycle helps me find out how to replicate myself. With this model, I will simply acknowledge my strengths and weakness, keep in mind to create up for the deficiency, and create plans in situations that I actually have never thought of. I take into account that Gibbs’ cycle is beneficial in distinguishing and evaluating myself.

Reflective Essay on a Research Paper

The usage of social media has increased tremendously through the years. As mentioned by Kuss and Griffiths (2017), social media is being used as several different mediums for instance it is used for communication, learning, and collaborating. , This has led individuals to develop problematic, compulsive as well addictive habits toward the usage of social media (Balakrishnan and Griffith, 2017). In regard to this issue, the use of social media has made an impact on the development of children and adolescents especially in terms of cognitive development.

Kircaburun (2016) has conducted a study on social esteem, daily internet use, and social media addiction as predictors of depression among Turkish adolescents. The researcher recruited 1130 adolescents between ages 12 and 18 from secondary and high schools in the southern region of Aegean. In terms of data collecting, the researcher used the Children’s Depression Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and as Social Media Addiction Scale. It was found that self-esteem, daily internet usage, and social media addiction are the predictors of depression among adolescents in the Aegean region.

The plus point of this paper by Kircaburun (2016) is that the participants that were recruited were based on random sampling. Carr (1994) mentioned that the finding of quantitative research is most likely to generalize a whole population or even a sub-population that involves a larger sample when it is randomly selected. Besides that, due to researching a specific result, quantitative research has a higher chance of participants’ personal bias that it would likely enter the data spectrum which may affect the results of the study. Hence, collecting a large sample size would be beneficial to quantitative studies (Miller, 2020).

Besides random sampling, this study has a relatively large sample size which is 1130 adolescents. According to Patel, Doku, and Tennakoon (2003), it was mentioned that by acquiring a large sample size, is said to have a higher chance of representing the population, limiting the influences of outliers. Miller (2020) also stated that by having a large sample size, the statistical analysis would be reviewed in a deeper depth which then would result in the outcome of producing a greater credibility.

However, this paper has limitations The first one is that the researcher only focused on one region in this case it is Aegean. Researchers are at risk of that by testing a group from one region that does not necessarily represent the general population. With the certainty that we have enough data gathered for research, based on the mean of the data analysis would then represent a result that would be relatable or usable to the population (Miller, 2020). It would be an error if we compare the participants of this study which are from the southern region Aegean and the general population of Turkey. In a study conducted by Banerjee and Chaudhury (2010), they mentioned in their article that for instance, if they were to compare the mental health of lawyers in Delhi and the mental health of lawyers in India as a whole that would be a dangerous observation to consider. They further stated that it is unsure to which extent the sample study and the population of Delhi are similar to the larger population of the country.

Besides this, this study has another limitation whereby according to the researcher, he mentioned that this research was using quantitative scales as well as self-reports. The reason for this is biased. An individual tends to be influenced by social desirability whereby they tend to only report socially accepted experiences (Salters-Pedneault, 2020). The response bias affects the inaccuracy as well as it lack of precision of measurement qualities in the data analysis of a research. However, there are several reasons for an individual to respond which leads them to answer those questionnaires unwillingly or they are unable to respond accurately (Dodd-McCue and Tartaglia, 2010).

The next article to be reviewed is by Asmiarti and Winangun (2018). Their study was regarding the role of YouTube media as a means to optimize early childhood cognitive development. In this study, they recruited three young children between the ages of 2 to 3 years old. The three children belonged to different districts in the Pati Regency, Indonesia. The method these researchers used was qualitative research using the phenomenology research design whereby interviews and observation were carried out to collect data. They have found that YouTube videos are to be used as a means to optimize early childhood cognitive development in terms of language, imagination as well and color recognition.

This study has several advantages. First and foremost, the researchers were able to gain insights through non-participant observation in their natural settings. As mentioned by Denzin (1989), using the qualitative method, researchers would be able to derive specific description based on the feelings, opinion as well and experiences of the participants and therefore, interprets the meanings of their actions (Rahman, 2016). Researchers will have the opportunity to observe the problems as well as the behaviors of the participants directly. Furthermore, by carrying out an observation, researchers are able to gather specific insights regarding their participants. This is because, during this process, they have the tendency to understand the context of what is going on as a whole. Researchers tend to use this method as a way of gathering information regarding the participant’s choices and the problems they are facing every day (Miller, 2019).

Another advantage that was found in this study is that the researchers used an unstandardized interview method to gain information from participants. Punch (1998) stated that an unstructured interview is conducted as a method to understand the complexity of the participant’s behavior to which there would not be any limitation during the field of inquiry regarding the participants (Punch, 2014). In qualitative research, open-ended questions would be asked in order to collect information for the research. It does not only rely on the close-ended question alone. This procedure is to gather possible information that may be overlooked due to close-ended questions (Miller, 2019). With the direct interaction between researchers and participants, the data collection would be subjective as well as detailed (Rahman, 2016).

As there were strengths in this study, there are limitations as well in this study. One of the limitations is that it is associated with the reliability and the validity of the information collected by the researcher. The researchers in this study should be able to deduce the relevant information that is needed in this study in order to have valid results. It is stated by Patton (2002) that researchers must make sure that during the interview phase, they are to collect data that reveals the objective of the study. He also further mentioned that there are no specific tests that can be conducted to obtain reliable and valid data in qualitative research. Seale (1999) stated that a qualitative researcher should ensure the reliability of a study in terms of trustworthiness (Golafshani, 2003). Trustworthiness is the main content of analysis in a qualitative method. It is crucial to include this throughout the data analyzing process that involves the preparation, organization as well and reporting of the results (Elo et al., 2014). Creswell and Miller (2000) further mentioned that as for validity, it is suggested that validity is affected by the perception of the researchers which is shown in the techniques.

Another limitation of this study is that researchers are limiting their findings to one specific group in Pati Regency, Indonesia instead of generalizing the results as the research approach that was used was the phenomenology method. How are the results beneficial to the population in Indonesia if the data collected represents one particular group in the country? A large amount of data needs to be analyzed which could be a disadvantaged individual in generalizing the individual prospect (Maxwell, 2013). Moreover, this study has a small sample size by which there are only three participants were recruited. Hence, this small sample size is unable to represent the entire population of Indonesia. As stated by Lam (2015), he admitted that he does not wish to claim wider generalization due to his small sample size in his study (Rahman, 2017). Therefore, there is a need to carry out follow-ups in order to maintain the accuracy throughout the process which would be time-consuming (Miller, 2019).

The next journal focuses on the TV programs that are watched by children, especially cartoons. Young children are exposed to TV at an early stage which brings negative effects to their brain development. There are three factors that affect the brain development of a child. Firstly, the relationship between the child’s genes and brain development however it is said that the surrounding environment molds the functionality of the brain. The next factor is that thinking, as well as imagination, is the strongest factor to affect the function of the brain till the age of 12. Lastly, the early mind setting predicts the children’s future actions (Habib and Soliman, 2015). In a study conducted by Haasan and Daniyal (2013), the researchers concluded that watching the channel Cartoon Network has a great impact on children in terms of dressing, lifestyle, violent and aggressive behaviors, and also their language.

The last article that is to be reviewed is by Ghilzai et al., (2017) titled Impact of Cartoon Programs on Children’s Language and Behavior. These researchers analyzed the effect of language change as well as the behavioral development of children due to the overindulgence of watching cartoons. The method that was carried out was a mixed method approach where 30 mothers as well as the sibling of younger children aged between 5 to 12 years old were required to answer an open-ended interview questionnaire. Besides that, the researchers also carried out an experiment with one of the participants by which he was exposed to numerous cartoons aired on TV and that he was interviewed after watching the cartoons. This study found that children exposed to such cartoons have higher language acquisition. However, along with that, the children have shown aggressive and violent behavior with their siblings as well as their friends.

Similar to the previous journal articles, this study has strengths. One of the strengths of this study is that it uses both quantitative as well as qualitative methods in other words this method is called the mixed method. Ghilzai et al. (2017), conducted an open-ended interview questionnaire as well as they conducted another interview with a participant. By conducting such a design in research, it enables the researchers to investigate more complex areas of the human and also their social world. As to which The quantitative method addresses “how” and “why” questions whereas the quantitative method addresses “how often” and ‘how many”. Hence, by conducting a mixed-method approach, a researcher is able to obtain new empirical insight (Malina, Nørreklit, & Selto, 2011). Hence, by using mixed methods, a wider perspective can be derived on the intended subject (Moss 2017).

The next strength of this study is that it regards data collected in both methods quantitative and qualitative which simply means that there is more data to analyze. Mixed method research investigates more than one approach that produces statistical analysis along with observation that results in a more comprehensive outcome (Moss, 2017). According to Teddlie & Tashakkori (2003), researchers are able to examine and provide a relevant interpretation of the data collected (Hughes, 2016). Besides producing more data, a mixed-method design is capable of offering more gateways for future researchers (Moss, 2017).

However, there is a limitation in this study to which it needs to be addressed. The number of participants in this study is relatively unbalanced by which 30 mothers and siblings of the participants were required to fill in the questionnaire whereas in terms of gathering qualitative data, only one participant was involved during that interview session. It would be difficult to draw findings based on this data. It is stated by Wisdom and Creswell (2013), that a mixed-method approach increases the complexity of evaluating the data of a study. These researchers further mentioned that a researcher who is planning on conducting a method of research needs to take extra steps in terms of planning to make sure that all aspects of the research in described accurately. Moreover, describing the data in a mixed method design tends to be complicated as well it is time-consuming as data and interpretations are often in an abstract form (Hughes, 2016). Besides that, mixed methods are prone to having difficulties in collecting accurate data. , The mixed method approach increases the likelihood of epistemological contradictions and would lead to contradictions in the data collected from qualitative and quantitative (Cojocaru, 2010).

In conclusion, the three research designs approach has advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, before conducting research, a researcher is to foresee the limitations and strengths that influence the results of their study. Hence, proper planning and studying have to be done carefully before research is carried out.

Reflective Essay on Educational Leadership

Introduction

Whole School Improvement initiatives have been used as a vehicle for improving primary education quality (World Bank, 2004). Treating schools as the unit of change, school improvement initiatives gave rise to the idea of change as a reform of education to orchestrate a complete change in school culture and organization to improve performance. In the whole-school reform or improvement process, it’s very important to identify the needs of the school in which sector change is necessary and which remarks will be appropriate for the school. To identify this need we need to observe closely the school system and its internal and external facts from both inside and outside of the classroom. There can be different sectors or areas to reform in different schools according to their context and needs.

According to the Educational Quality Improvement Program, there are four major areas of school improvement:

Physical environment:

In terms of improvement of the physical environment of the school, we need to work on the infrastructural development of the school.

• Classroom, library, playground, laboratory, common room, etc.
• Beautification of the classroom and best use of limited space as an alternative playground
• Planned infra-structural and sustainable development

Sometimes external resources from the annual budget of the school, as well as internal resources, can help to improve the physical environment of the school. School Managing Committee (SMC), Govt., and other donors play an important role in this improvement.

Cognitive development/ Developmental environment:

In a school, cognitive development is very significant and effective. It is actually creating a convivial learning environment and teaching-learning process

• Create a fear-free environment for learners
• Using a different approach to student-centered learning and need-based learning
• Proper use of learning materials etc. to ensure a better learning space

Teachers and administration together can ensure the improvement of this environment. They can make a fearless ambiance for learners as well as themselves. Teachers also need a fearless relationship with their administrative authority and school leaders.

Social environment:

Equity practice in all aspects like gender, religion, socio-economic background, color, and ethnic minority and consider all the social and cultural contexts of the students.

• Remove all forms of the inequity (gender, race, religion, socio-economic background)
• Involve the community and students in the ongoing improvement of the school and day-to-day decision-making.
• Ensure social and cultural context-based learning based on respect and empathy

Addressing all forms of discrimination and creating an equitable place among all of the students is a very hard job. A teacher has a very major role there. First, there’s a need to create a belief within them that they are the agents of undertaking disparities and then motivate them to address these disparities.

Institutional environment:

It is the professional environment of the school. Managerial, administrative, organizational, and professional things are included in this environment.

• Make existing teachers more professional
• Focus on decision-making, community involvement, etc.
• Collegial relationships and cooperation among all teachers through interdependency and collaboration

If we consider the Comprehensive Framework, there are three elements of improvement and those are a) improvement culture, b) improvement process, c) improvement outcome

Key four actions or initiatives to improve schools:

1. Develop a plan: After identifying the area that needs to improve, we need to develop a plan and set objectives. In this improvement process, the role and expectations of every stakeholder need to be clear to them. Being a centralized system, all office admin should be actively involved in this plan. Besides experts, external facilitators and internal facilitators need to invest. In the initial stage of change, some anxiety or issues can be created. So, in addition, there also should be a plan to tackle those things.
2. Clarify and develop the role of school authority and the criteria for the school-based process: Principals need to take a very significant role in this stage. He/she needs to support other staff and clarify their role and the overall process. Listen to their opinion and make them a decision maker. He needs to observe and monitor the progress of individual teachers and give them the necessary feedback. In these changing relationships, head teachers are encouraged to adopt a more open and participatory management style, and parents, school management boards, and students are considered crucial partners in the day-to-day functioning of schools.
3. Stress staff development and technical assistance: In this step, the principal or admin needs to give other teachers technical support. To implement a new improvement process, some resources and cooperation will be needed. Besides, they need help to reduce involved persons’ stress and difficulties to cope up with the changes.
4. Plan for continuation, spread, and review: Consider the overall process and the possibility of the plan continuation. If the success would not achieve up to the mark then consider an alternate way. If the existing process works then consider to spread in a broader way and make a review of the plan.

The above-mentioned initiatives of school improvement can be implemented through the framework of Comprehensive or EQUIP framework.

If we consider the Comprehensive Framework of Reezgit & Creemers, there are three elements of improvement and those are-

• improvement culture,
• improvement process,
• improvement outcome.

The mentioned four major areas of improvement can be reconsidered under these three elements.

On the other hand, Michael G. Fullan’s comprehensive framework for classroom and school improvement has also three elements-

• classroom improvement,
• teacher as a learner,
• school improvement.

In the whole school improvement plan, there are some similar things which need to be improved. All of them are interdependent so the improvement process is also interdependent. The whole thing needs to be improved in a simultaneous way and it is an ongoing process.

For taking actions or initiatives for school improvement there are some challenges or obstacles that need to be overcome-

• Simultaneously working towards multiple objectives, tracking progress, and collaborating among team members is too complicated
• The initial stages of change can create discomfort and anxiety among stakeholders
• Lack of readiness – leading to a less-than-desired level of achievement
• Lack of willingness of internal leader and administration
• Stress with more work and lack of readiness to accept new changes
• Learning a new skill through practice and feedback becomes difficult sometimes
• Poor organizational condition of the school ( peer norms, administrative leadership, resource management)

Conclusion:

As discussed in this paper, whole school improvement is a change management strategy, it is concerned with changing the ‘whole’ school’s organizational culture and structure, and also school-community relations. A school may have various issues of improvement but if all the stakeholders do not work collaboratively, then the problem will never be resolved. All the stakeholders need to work collaboratively and effectively to address those issues. This paper tried to reflect on the inter-connectedness of all the issues and it also shows how solving one problem will lead to solving other parts of the puzzle incorporated different frameworks.

References-

• World Bank Support to Education (2004): A Systems Approach to Achieve Learning for All
• Reezigt, GJ., & Creemers, BPM. (2005): A comprehensive framework for effective school improvement. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 16(4), 407-424.
• Fullan, M. (2013). Great to excellent: Launching the next stage of Ontario’s education reform. www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/reports/FullanReport_EN_07.pdf