Standardized Assessments Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Standardized Assessments - Research Paper Example Standardized testing is a chief provision of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Standardized tests are often referred to as high stakes testing because the tests are utilized to gauge the proficiency of students against other students, teachers abilities are evaluated based on the outcomes of standardized tests, and schools are judged based on student’s scores from the tests. High stakes assessments are mandated by the NCLB and students complete these tests at different grade levels. High stakes testing is used to place students in selective course sections, rating schools against other schools, and influences merit pay for teachers. NCLB advocates believe that standardized testing is required to prepare students for the global economy, diminish inequalities in the school testing environment, and permit the execution of objective assessments. Introduction Standardized testing is a chief provision of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Standardized tests are often referred to as high stakes testing because the tests are utilized to gauge the proficiency of students against other students, teachers abilities are evaluated based on the outcomes of standardized tests, and schools are judged based on student’s scores from the tests. High stakes assessments are mandated by the NCLB and students complete these tests at different grade levels. Standardize tests lead to appraisal of educators, appraisal of pedagogies, curricula, and schools (Crump 54). Unfortunately the NCLB is worsening, not resolving, the difficulties that induce numerous students to be left behind. (Guisbond and Neill 12) High stakes testing is used to place students in selective course sections, rating schools against other schools, and influences merit pay for teachers. The merit pay aspect of testing has enticed instructors to form their content delivery based on the high stakes to prepare their students to surpass other students. The consequences of this mode of i nstruction are not beneficial to the students but it is advantageous for the teacher whose students do well on the test. If a student is less than proficient on the test then it reflects on the teachers instructional abilities. NCLB advocates believe that standardized testing is required to prepare students for the global economy, diminish inequalities in the school testing environment, and permit the execution of objective assessments. History of No Child Left Behind The NCLB is a component of educational modifications that emphasizes basic skills, prescribed assessments, and high-stakes testing (Crump 55). NCLB legislation requires that schools be held responsible for student development. High-stakes examinations and mandated testing has become the principal instrument for assessing student progression. The goal of the NCLB is to verify that students have a equitable chance to receive a high caliber education and attain proficiency on state academic achievement metrics and state a cademic testing (Crump 53). The NCLB legislation beginnings occurred when the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was created. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, that created Title I, was President Lyndon B. Johnson's efforts with the War on Poverty and Great Society programs and the goal was aimed to improve educational prospects for disadvantaged students (Crump 55). Federal financial support for education curricula decreased during President Ronald Reagan's presidency in the 1980s. The importance in education switched to tougher academic metrics, additional course obligations, an expanded school day, and modifications in the preparedness of teachers (Crump 56). Title I was modified in 1988 and necessitated states to confirm the academic accomplishment of disadvantaged students by standardized test scores (Crump 56). Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds were then allocated to schools and districts of disadvantaged students based on the student’

Thorpe Parks history Essay Example for Free

Thorpe Parks history Essay In 1970, the site was an active gravel pit owned by Ready Mix Concrete and in 1971 work was granted for the construction of a 500 acre Water Park. Thunder River and its surrounding area were developed in 1987, and 1988 saw the opening of the 630 seat Palladium Theatre. In 1989 Canada Creek, incorporating Loggers Leap, was developed. Since 1991 many attractions have been added. In 1996, X:/No Way Out, the worlds first pitch dark, backward roller coaster was introduced and for two years running, in 1996 and 1997, Thorpe Park was voted the most Parent-Friendly leisure in the UK. Pearsons, who owned The Tussauds Group, bought Thorpe Park in 1998. On 19th October 1998 it was announced that Pearson had sold the Tussauds Group to Charterhouse Development Capital for i 352m. Europes first 4D Cinema experience, Pirates 4D was opened in 1999 and in 2000, Europes highest water ride, Tidal Wave was added to the excitement of Thorpe Park. The Tussauds Group Vision and Mission Vision: Entertaining People. Mission: To deliver real growth in profits to take Europes leading entertainment world-wide. The Marketing Department are a small team who work across both Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures. It is the overall responsibility of the Marketing dept to ensure that the brand identities of the two Parks are maintained in all communication both on and off the Parks. They do this through first identifying the brand identity, target market, and visual representation of the brand, ie the logo. For Thorpe Park the target market is families with children over 12. Each year the marketing department will put a marketing plan together which covers the following areas: Product. Although almost with out exception a new attraction is launched each year, and the main launch communication will focus on that, general communication about the rest of the Park is required. Theme Parks provide a whole day out for the family and its not just bout the rides. The other attractions, places to eat, games, photography, the atmosphere all play an important part in delivering a great day out. Pricing. There is a complex pricing structure for the Park which looks to maximise the revenue the Park can achieve with its targeted number of visitors. Marketing will review the pricing each year and along with the finance department look at how the budgeted targets can be achieved through the pricing matrix. Advanced sales are important to the business so tickets booked in advance are discounted, also those booked via the Internet are further discounted as this is a more efficient way for us to produce the tickets. Advanced tickets reduce the queues at admissions as visitors already have their tickets and can go straight in to the Park. Promotion. Promotion of the Park happens via a number of different communication channels. Advertising. This is generally broken down into two areas; the creative production of the advert and then the choice of where to place that advert, TV, Radio, Press etc. For the year 2002 communication for Thorpe Park is the launch of the Worlds First 10 Looping Coaster, Colossus, targeting a young teen market. New adverts will be created for both TV and radio use. Promotions. Promotions are very import in incentivising visitors to come to the Park. The incentive is generally either a Buy One get One Free mechanic or a discount of the full adult or child price. Thorpe Park runs promotions on its own or in conjunction with the Tussauds Group, ie Tesco. Promotions are often run with a wide variety of retail and media partners, newspaper, or solus via a direct mail campaign to surrounding homes. Public Relations. This area is all about getting positive exposure in the media, TV, Radio and Press. This is generally achieved through issuing Press Releases and conducting interviews with journalists. Measuring the Success. Throughout the year, how the Park is doing against its financial targets is constantly reviewed, but in addition Marketing conducts ongoing research in to how the Park is performing on a daily basis. Questionnaires are handed out to visitors as they leave asking them to rank the rides experiences, eating places, how friendly and helpful the staff were, etc. This provides information on where things may be going wrong and how to put them right. New Media is a crucial area for involvement now and in the future. In addition to maintaining its own site: www. thorpepark. com, the Marketing department looks to exploit other opportunities for advertising, promotions and PR on other sites. Use of agencies. Thorpe Park uses a wide variety of agencies as they bring different areas of expertise and experience to the Park. We use and advertising agency to create the TV, Radio ads etc and also for all the design work for the Gate Map. The space for the TV, Radio slots etc is purchased by a media buying agency. We also use a Sales Promotion agency, PR agency and Internet design agencies. Some of these are different agencies to those used for Chessington World of Adventures. Corporate Hospitality makes it possible for businesses to entertain their guests at Thorpe Park. Thousands of corporate guests can be catered for at any one time, or even hire the whole Park for an evening. Education. An establishment like Thorpe Park offers the opportunity for students studying the leisure industry, business or animals to visit the Park and find out more about their subject. For this reason, it is possible for groups to incorporate an educational talk into their visit.

Trinidad and Tobago: Carnivals

Trinidad and Tobago: Carnivals Carnival, The Pulse of Trinidad Tobago Draft Trinidad Tobago is a twin-island republic, located on the southern fringe of the Caribbean Sea, approximately six miles off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. The economy of this tiny republic (with an area of 1,979 square miles and a population of approximately 1.3 million) is acknowledged as the most prosperous and sophisticated, in the island states of the Caribbean region. It is largely based on oil and natural gas, which it mainly exports to North America.[1] The islands offer contrasting experiences, Trinidad hosts the commercial, financial and industrial activity of the nation; while Tobago is the Tourism destination of foreign visitors, with its sandy beaches, coral reefs, sport fishing, and all-inclusive hotels. The social experience is also a significant attraction. The widely diverse cultural components of the island nation, makes for interesting customs, foods, and activities. The resulting easy-going, laughter-filled nature of the average Trinidadian and Tobagonian, makes for a great host, and memorable experiences. This unique potpourri of peoples with their contrasting cultures, blended gradually into the personae known as a â€Å"Trini†, is annually rejuvenated in that cauldron of harmony, known as Trinidad Carnival. Trinidad Carnival developed as part of the Roman Catholic observance of Lent, which mandates the abstinence from meat and pleasure (carni flesh and vale to say good bye to). Its pre-Lenten activity culminates in two days of explosive masquerading, leading up to Ash Wednesday, but the actual festivities start with the parties, competitions and shows that begin right after the Christmas season is over. Of, course the creative activity that results in the vistas of sight and sound on Carnival Days usually start shortly after the end of the previous Carnival. Brilliant costumes by the thousands are created and assembled at Mas Camps throughout the island, as early as September. Hundreds of pannists religiously practice their musical arrangements at the various panyards, in preparation for the musical competitions. Songs specially created for the festival are performed nightly at the Calypso Tents and blared with monotonous regularity from the many radio-stations, who promote their favorites for the various Calypso, Soca and Chutney competitions. At the fetes (day time or night time), tourists will look on in amazement at the throngs of people effortlessly jumping in time with the beat of the runaway harmony of calypso or soca music played by the steelband, brass band, or the ubiquitous fete DJ. These parties are so infectious, that it impossible to be a spectator for long, and one by one, the non-participants fall prey to the music and energy, and shuffle or sway as best they can to the beat. These parties also present an opportunity to experience the aromas and tastes of many local dishes, generally, flavorful and spicy: corn soup, pelau, roti, doubles truly, finger-licking, delicious! The weekend before Ash Wednesday, hosts the finals of most of the major competitions of the Festival. On Saturday night, the Panorama competition final is the big event with remaining 16 bands competing for the highly coveted title of â€Å"Panorama Champion† and significant prize-money, in two categories large band and medium band. This event is the ultimate challenge, the moment for which all the participating pannists have so diligently practiced over the past several months. Emotions are so charged at the venue The Big Yard at The Queens Park Savannah from players and spectators alike, that the electrical energy could probably light up the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. The musical harmony can be heard from afar, sweet and euphoric to the connoisseur. In the wee hours of Sunday morning, the judges scores produce emotional highs for the winners and their supporters, lows for the disappointed, and fuel for lively debate until the next Panorama. On Sunday night, all look forward to experiencing the breathtaking spectacle of sound and color of the grand finale of all Competitions â€Å"Dimanche Gras†, so named because all the major finals took place at this event (until the Panorama Final was relegated to Saturday because of the significant logistics involved). The crowning of; the Calypso Monarch, the National King and Queen of the Bands can be enjoyed live, at the Queens Park Savannah, for an entry fee amounting to the cost of a ticket to a Broadway Show, or in the home, for free on National Television. Before the break of dawn on Monday morning precisely at four a.m. the Street Parades are officially launched with the Jouvert celebrations. This phase signifies the opening of festivities and is characterized by the portrayal of characters and ‘mas forms intrinsic to the development of Trinidad Carnival. One popular portrayal is the commentary on social and political events, through the satirical use of placards, costume and pantomime once the essence of the early Carnival art form. Several Bands parade in costume, but the theme and content are subdued and remind of the somber costuming of Halloween. Much like the grey of dawn, before the beauty of tropical sunshine. Monday evening breaks the exhausted sleep of revelers, who are part of the Big Parade, for the prelude to the big day, Carnival Tuesday. All registered bands parade in the streets in all the towns of the twin island nation, but the major spectacle occurs on the streets of the capital, Port of Spain. Costumes are elaborately made with beads, plumes, brocades, sequins, lots of color and style. To participate in the parade (‘play mas), apart from purchasing a costume from the â€Å"Mas Camp† which can now be done from overseas via the Internet you must be physically fit; for the process of jumping and dancing on the asphalt, in 97 ° F + temperatures, is no picnic! As a result, from the month of December, gyms and parks are invaded by intended masqueraders, sweating and jiggling, in the hope of miraculously looking like Brad Pitt, Barry Bonds or Halle Berry in their precious little costumes. On these Parade days, the crowds on the streets would rival those of New O rleans Mardi Gras. There are specific parade routes for the bands to use in order to access the three main judging venues in the capital city. The most popular venue with spectators and masqueraders alike, the Queens Park Savannah, is the place to be when the color and glitter of the sea of swaying costumes are caught in the splendor of the setting sun! The magic of Carnival is not just in the audio-visual spectacle, but for the islanders, it is a time when the soul of the Trinidadian regenerates itself, while achieving the goal of the religious of observance of Lent. The nation experiences lower crime rates, while social and class differences are set aside. It is as though the soul of the Trinidadian recognizes that the time has come for the annual leveling of the human playing field, which is necessary for peoples of a diverse ethnic heritage, to coexist in harmony and to foster the cross-fertilization of cultures, critical to the identity of a unique Trinidadian. At this time, the superficial world of commerce is placed on the back burner. Carnival is a time to enjoy the art, music, friendships, and simply to relax. So significant an event is Carnival to the Trinidadian, that those, who found it difficult to return to the motherland every year to be part of the renewal, have began to introduce the process to their adopted countries and cities: New York, Boston, Miami, Toronto and Notting Hill (England). However, as any Trini will own, it is not the same. Carnival in Trinidad Tobago, once truly experienced cannot be forgotten, and the attraction to return is difficult to resist. Source Out of an annual US import of 631 million cu ft of LNG, 439 million cu ft originated in Trinidad Tobago Energy Information Administration; US Natural Gas Imports by Country (Annual)

Dairy Products :: Nutrition, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals

Milk is an excellent dietary source of high-quality protein vitamins and minerals. Dairy products like cheese also are an important part of a well balanced diet Cheese is contain of the same basic materials found in milk, but in the form concentration. Include casein, fat, some vitamins , soluble and insoluble salts. Soy bean protein is a popular food ingredient used throughout the world for its nutritional and functional properties, especially after the FDA in the United States allowed a soy health claim in 1999(Fukushima, 2001). This claim has sparked the development of new soy foods (Zhong, Wang, Xu, & Shoemaker, 2007).The traditional product coagulation of soy proteins has also been considered a way of producing soy protein gels, The milky white floid obtained from soybean by soaking ,grinding and filtering is called soymilk.(A.A. Gatade, and, & Sahoo, 2009)Soymilk contains some major and minor components like protein ,fat, carbohydrate ,calcium ,iron, sodium, carotene, vitam in-E, and riboflavin(A.A. Gatade, et al., 2009). The soymilk is used in many products like yogurt, cheese, etc.(Wang, Xiong, & Wang, 2001). Uses of animal rennet became limited for religious reasons .Most of Muslim people consider that cheese is produced by an enzyme which comes from an animal and slaughtered on the non Islamic way no halaal. And also soybean cheese for vegetarian people who did not eat animal product .. Calf rennet which prepared and obtained from the fourth stomach of calves sucking (Nagodawithana & Reed, 1993) one of the important enzymes is traditionally used for cheese making all over the world . Since 1960s. the production of cheese increase considerably and number of cattle decrease this caused lessen in rennin. Owing to the rapid growth and the relative inexpensive growth substrate the microbial rennet like milk-clotting enzyme (MCE) proteinase is very important in dairy technology has become a popular rennet substitute.(Pei, Yu, & Chou, 2005).Proteinase is capable of cleaving protein into peptides and amino acids, they are characterized by their optimal pH (acid, neutral or alkaline), their temperature, their ability to hydrolyze specific proteins (Law,1999). Milk coagulation is the basic step in cheese manufacturing. Milk clotting enzymes are the primary active agents in cheese making, which involves the enzyme-mediated cleavage of kappa-casein which covering the protein micelles at the peptide bond Phe 105-Met 106 that renders the casein micelles unstable and eventually causes aggregation that yields a clot or a gel.

Trace the roots of conflict in Syria. Which theory of international relations can be applied to understand this concept? Justify your answer.

Abstract Syria represents an interesting opportunity for International Relations because of the nature of the conflict representing two conflicting ideologies, namely realism and revolutionism. The need for intervention by the international community is clear, with peace negotiations consistently failing. This paper investigates the nature of the conflict as resulting from a complex set of socio-economic factors, compounded by authoritarian rule by the state. International relations can be used as a theoretical explanation to determine the role thereof in aiding the peaceful resolution of the conflict. Introduction The world currently appears to be in a constant state of conflict with ongoing wars worldwide, some garnering more media attention than others. John F. Kennedy was famously quoted as saying that â€Å"[t]here is another kind of war – new in its intensity, ancient in its origin – carried out by guerrillas, subversives, insurgents and assassins, †¦in which we try to achieve victory and eroding the enemy instead of challenging him. It leverages the discontent.† Syria is an example of this kind of war, where conflict began years ago, eventually transforming into a civil war. The opposition fought against the corrupted government army leading to large numbers of civilian casualties. Various theories of international relations (IR) are applicable to the conflict in order to understand the nature of the war between rebels and the national authoritarian system. This essay aims to apply IR theory to the Syrian conflict to gain a deeper understanding of the theoretica l aspects and the conflict respectively. The proposed theoretical application includes interventionism and the three traditions theory. The underlying cause of the conflict is a complex set of factors, including political repression, an uneven economy, corruption and a severe drought, and for the purposes of IR, certain countries have an interest in ensuring that the situation in Syria remains contained with support being given to both sides of the conflict. Through application of the theory to the totality of the conflict, the relevance thereof will be clear. History and Background of the Conflict The ruling political system in Syria began in the 1970’s with the Bashar family, who has historically ruled through pressure and extreme authoritarianism. The current leader, Bashar al-Assad acceded leadership in 2000 relying on armed oppression and intelligence apparatus provided by the Baath Party as well as leading business families (Manfreda, 2012). With the ruling government controlling the media and therefore controlling the information available, the opposition demanded the downfall of the ruling party and a new beginning for Syria contained in the Damascus Declaration of 2005 (Efrat, 2012). The conflict in Syria began in 2000 where there was a growing expectation of political and social change following the death of Hafez al-Assad. â€Å"The authorities’ monopoly of everything has established an authoritarian, totalitarian and cliquish regime that has led to a lack of politics in society, an economic collapse and exacerbating crises of every kind† (Efrat, 2012).The expectation of the people was that this authoritarian rule would end with Hafez’s death. However, ruling power remained concentrated in the Bashar family, compounding the already corrupt political repression of Syria. Living conditions continued to worsen and despite widespread objection to the state, many civilians accepted the regime for fear of further violent oppression. This social situation was exacerbated by a persistent drought, which all but destroyed the agricultural sector with particularly bad conditions in northern Syria. This in turn saw a significant reduction in the GDP of the country and widespread migration to cities away from rural industry (Efrat, 2012). With the deteriorating prevailing socio-economic conditions, civilians began using new media as a means of organizing themselves politically in order to have their opinions heard, demanding real reforms (Efrat, 2012). The combination of economic, political and natural resources factors in Syria is not favourable for a positive societal outcome. A risk assessment for the country is classified CC for Sovereign risk, currency risk, banking-sector risk, economic structure and D for political risk (EIU, 2012). With the rising intens ity of the civil war, more extensive international sanctions put pressure on public finances and sanctions on the Central Bank of Syria continue to depreciate the currency even further (EIU, 2012). Further economic decline is experienced through the reliance on oil exports which has led to a partial crash of financial markets, as the E.U has imposed an embargo on oil exports from Syria which has led to a resultant minimizing of oil production. Previously, Europe has purchased over 95% of the total oil exports in Syria and therefore this embargo has had a significantly negative effect on the economy. This has led to a decline in investment in the country as companies investing in oil exports in Syria face legal consequences (Blas, 2012). Stocks have seen massive decline in recent years with over half the value being lost this year along (Legget, et al., 2009). The conflict has seen several phases over the years and is constantly evolving. However, these changes have effectively seen a concentration of wealth in the ruling family, and their cronies and allies, effectively further disenfranchising the population. The situation has deteriorated to such an extent that ideological differences have resulted in a constant violence with no clear diplomatic solution which has led to an increased involvement by the international community. International Relations Arguably, there are a number of theoretical concerns in IR that are applicable to the conflict in Syria. These are applicable as a means of deepening the current understanding of the conflict, which may lead to the development of an equitable solution. As the world moves towards globalization, IR becomes more important and one can argue that these represent the need to have firm principles to regulate and balance competing interests between nations, as well as competing interests within a particular nation, such as Syria. IR however plays a broader global role in ensuring that relations between countries are kept at a diplomatic level for the greater good of all countries in the international community (Goldstein, 2007). The three traditions theory is of obvious relevance to the Syrian conflict because of the duality between realism and revolutionism in the conflict. Wight (1991) argues that all leading ideologies in IR fall within the three traditions of realism, rationalism or revolutionism. Realism includes ideologies such as anarchy, power politics, conflict, warfare and pessimism, whilst diametrically opposed to this is revolutionism which includes perspectives of humanity, revolutionary change, anti-state beliefs and utopianism. Rationalism falls between these two extremes and essentially for the purposes of IR, these theories are to an extent co-dependent as they are incomplete in isolation and are complimentary as traditions rather than exclusive (Dunne, 1993). Arguably therefore, there is a need for a balance of these traditions, and a society which is based on either extreme is one that will necessarily breed conflict. The three traditions theory sees application in the Syrian context, particularly when recalling the conflict of ideology between the ruling regime and the opposition. Realism as the dominant ideology of the Bashar regime is the disciplining factor in Syria with the opposition representing the revolutionary tradition. The state arguably represents an extreme realist perspective, with complete ignorance of the international community and the assertion that they exist as a sovereign state in isolation refusing to acknowledge accountability in the international community. Realists emphasize elements of anarchy, power politics and warfare (Wight, 1991), pessimistic of human nature and exploitative of the less powerful. This is a growing trend in the Syrian conflict, with an increasing disregard for the welfare of the people in Syria for financial advantage of the ruling family (Taylor, 2012). Opposition forces contradict the realist tradition by the propulsion of revolutionist ideology, s etting goals for the freedom and fulfillment of humans. Revolutionists argue that in order to do this, the class system needs to be overthrown with a classless society established (Marx, 1967). By abolishing a classless society, humans would again be united and there would be no need for states or international relations. To an extreme, revolutionist ideas see humankind at the center, claiming a world society inclusive of everyone. The existence of these two ideological extremes represents the greatest roadblock in the resolution of the Syrian conflict, which necessitates the need for international intervention, because of a lack of willingness to compromise between the state and the opposition. Again, this represents the applicability of the three traditions theory, as arguably the presence of the international community in the resolution of the conflict represents the rational tradition presence. This means that there will be a compromise between the controllers of the state resou rces, i.e. the state on the one hand, and domestic society on the other, as represented by the opposition. The consequence of a dominant realist ideology is that the state will not participate in IR unless it represents a substantial investment in state outcomes, essentially meaning that the Syrian government will not engage in treaties that are not specifically to their advantage. A shift in favour of the domestic population removing state power arguably is not in the interests of a realist ideology and therefore will not be respected for the purposes of IR. Syria can be described as a â€Å"weak post-colonial state†, categorized by a defective economy, a lack of coherent national economy and lack of sustaining basic levels of welfare and resources provided to the population (Saul, 1974). The Syrian people in rural areas have an extremely low standard of living, concentrated on traditional, yet defective agriculture and significant dependence on world markets and external economic interests. There is little state legitimacy as a result of inefficient and corrupt administration wit h a lack of concern for public opinion about the government and no significant efforts made to increase the perception of state legitimacy. Post-colonial states have often shown vulnerability towards violent conflicts as a result of corrupt state institutions, authoritarian rule and the use of natural resources as a means of funding the economy without engagement of the national population and as a result, spiraling socio-economic conditions with no clear agenda for improvement thereof. This has plagued developing nations globally and is referred to as the resource curse. The presence of IR in these conflicts essentially forms a middle ground for the establishment of legitimate state institutions in order to mediate the extremes of realist and revolutionist ideological differences. In addition to the three traditions theory, interventionism also adds depth to the conflict. Interactions with Saudi Arabia, Russia, USA, France and Britain have arguably been aimed at the manipulation of the economy, society or affairs of another nature in Syria. With the civil war in Syria, both sides of the conflict have been receiving aid from external parties. Saudi Arabia for example supports the opposition with speculation that it is a means of breaking international relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria. In doing so, they are ensuring that the balance of power does not benefit Iran, using their oil wealth to arm the Syrian opposition, although not directly involving themselves in the conflict (Manfreda, 2012). On the other hand, the Syrian government benefits from a relationship with Russia, where the Russian government provides weapons in the name of national defense and security. Incidences in international affairs has seen Russia and China using their ve to power in the United Nations Security Council to prevent a resolution condemning the Syrian government for violent suppression of anti-government protests (Grand View, 2012). Despite aid being used as a form of international political leverage, Syria has also found itself at the centre of international relations for the purpose of maintaining some measure of international diplomacy and peace measures, where they have been forced into quasi-peace agreements. In 2005, France and USA pressured the Syrian army to withdraw troops from Lebanon. More recently the United Kingdom and the United States of America, amongst other Western states have been increasingly intervening in the civil war providing aid in the form of communications, logistics and advice. The expectation however is that the involvement in the conflict will develop into more active intervention, such as the United Kingdom asking Syrian rebels to â€Å"set out a vision for how a post-Assad Syria could be governed† (Blitz, 2012). Conclusion It is clear that interventionism exists as a form of IR with regards to Syria for two apparent reasons. The first is to gain some form of political advantage, although arguably this is a secondary concern as the situation becomes more severe. These countries are therefore intervening in the conflict through provision of aid as a means of gaining some form of international bargaining power to shape future international relations. The second concern, which arguably forms the basis of Western intervention is in the interests of the international community generally, namely the protection of peaceful relations in international affairs. Although the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen, clearly there is no obvious solution to the conflict in Syria, and to the extent that the three traditions theory remains without a complimentary equilibrium and as a result IR is used to provide the diplomatic compromise between realism and revolutionism, it is arguable that without IR peace ful compromise will never be reached. Although it is not clear whether IR will provide an equitable solution to this conflict, it is evident that the opposition and state forces in Syria are unable to reach a solution internally and the only realistic solution therefore is reliant on IR theory to attempt to resolve the conflict in the absence of any other practical solution. Bibliography Blas, J.(2012). EU ban forces Syria to cut down oil production. [online] Available: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c9d67952-e823-11e0-9fc7-00144feab49a.html#axzz2CbUQfxlZ. [Accessed 3 November 2012] Blitz, J. (2012) UK asks Syrian rebels to set out vision. The Financial Times Online [online] Available: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b17d1b50-301f-11e2-891b-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2DLXN4VjY [Accessed 5 November 2012] Dunne, T. (1993) Mythology or MethodologyTraditions in International Theory. Review of International Studies, Vol 19, pp. 305 – 318 Efrat, Y. (2012) The roots of the Syrian Uprising. [online] Available: http://www.challenge-mag.com/en/article296/the-roots-of-the-syrian-uprising.htm. [Accessed 2 November 2012] Goldstein, J. (2007) Core Principles of International Relations Theory. [online] Available: http://www.joshuagoldstein.com/jgcore.htm [Accessed 5 November 2012] Grand View (2012) The Reasons why Russia Supports Syria [online] Available: http://grandviewinkiev.com/the-reasons-why-russia-supports-syria [Accessed 5 November 2012] Leggett, K., Solomon, J. and King, N. (2006) On the Borderline: Threat of Wider Mideast War Grows; Israel Blames Iran, Syria for Backing Hezbollah as fighting escalates; Tough Choices for Washington. Wall Street Journal. Malas, n. (2012) Attach on Syrian Opposition Town Kills Score. Wall Street Journal Online [online] Manfreda, P. (2012) Current Situation in Syria. [online] Available: http://www.middleeast.about.com/od/syria/tp/current-situation-in-syria.htm. [Accessed 2 November 2012] Manfreda, P. (2012). Saudi Arabia and Syrian Uprising. [online] Available: http://www.middleeast.about.com/od/syria/a/Saudi-Arabia-and-syrian-uprising.htm. [Accessed 5 November 2012] Manfreda, P. (2012). Options for Intervention in Syria. [online] Available: http://middleeast.about.com/od/syria/tp/Options-for-intervention-in-syria.htm. [Accessed 4 November 2012] Marx, K. (1906) Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, Vol. I. The Process of Capitalist Production. Engels, F. & Untermann, E. (eds.), Moore, S. & Aveling, E. (trans.) Chicago: Charles H. Kerr and Co. Saul, J. (1974) The State of Post-Colonial Societies: Tanzania. The Socialist Register, Vol 11, pp 349 – 373 Taylor, A. (2005) Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad May Have $1.5 Billion In Assets Around The World. 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Explain How Children and Young People’s Development Is Influenced by a Range of Personal Factors

Explain how children and young people’s development is influenced by a range of†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Personal factors There are many factors that influence a child/young person development such as health issues, sensory impairment, disability, learning difficulties. Even before birth a child needs to reach many milestones and however small or large they can cause a delay in a childs development and in many cases are completely out of the childs or parents control.Faulty genetics for example is a factor that is completely out of our control and as a child grows they could face obstacles from their peers if they have the wrong hair colour or are smaller or taller than average. Certain factors before birth can be avoided if a mother-to-be takes care of herself such as not smoking/drinking or taking drugs and this provides the best for her unborn child. If these situations are not avoided issues like low birth weight, traumatic birth, lack of oxygen at birth can all cause long ter m issues and thus contribute to the way a young person learns and develops.If a child suffers from health issues such as asthma, it may make them unable to take part in activities and then lessen the understanding of being able to be part of a team. Learning difficulties, physical disabilities and sensory impairments like blindness and deafness can again can make them unable to socialise and work with other children which is a major part in helping and assisting their development, also they could be withdrawn and make them feel like they don’t belong. A child with learning difficulties can also be held back so then