Urban Morphology of Dhaka City Spatial Dynamics of Growing City and the Urban Core Essay Example

Urban Morphology of Dhaka City: Spatial Dynamics of Growing City and the Urban Core Essay Urban Morphology of Dhaka City: Spatial Dynamics of Growing City and the Urban Core Prof. Dr. Farida Nilufar Department of Architecture, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Email: [emailprotected] com [Paper presented on the International Seminar on The History, Heritage and Urban Issues of Capital Dhaka, on the occasion of the Celebration of 400 years of the Capital Dhaka, Organized by the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, 17-19 February 2010. Accepted for Publication of Asiatic Society on the Celebration of 400 years of the Capital Dhaka, Organized by the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Accepted in June 2010] ABSTRACT: The fundamental morphological characteristics of Dhaka city is described here from a historical perspective. Since its establishment, Dhaka represents domination of an organic spatial character in general. Here in Dhaka, two dominant urban patterns are conspicuous within the successive stages of growth; they are the historical core or old Dhaka and the later development towards the north, known as new Dhaka. Besides, a few planned additions are also featured in this city. Thus, this study identifies that four major spatial patterns are co-existent in Dhaka; they are indigenous and informal developments; colonial and planned interventions. The essential morphological characteristics of these patterns, which are prevalent in Dhaka, are described here. Major discussion concentrates on the global spatial structure of the organic city and investigates the dynamics of its growth and the characteristics of morphological transformations through the ages. We will write a custom essay sample on Urban Morphology of Dhaka City: Spatial Dynamics of Growing City and the Urban Core specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Urban Morphology of Dhaka City: Spatial Dynamics of Growing City and the Urban Core specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Urban Morphology of Dhaka City: Spatial Dynamics of Growing City and the Urban Core specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It analyzes the axial maps of Dhaka and determines from ‘integration’ analysis [based on the method of Space Syntax as developed in UCL, London, 1984] that the spatial structure of the organic city has been shaping an urban core which coincides with the functional centers of the city in different historical stages. Thus the spatial dynamics of Dhaka and its core corresponds to a social history which remains as the underlying force behind the spontaneous formation of its morphological structure. . 1. Introduction: The city of Dhaka has arisen more or less spontaneously over four hundred years. In the history, the evolution of Dhaka as a town goes back to the 16th century. With the passage of time the entire city grew in a natural way, although it has some parts which have been deliberately created in the recent past by the designers, albeit in a fragmented way. Its different phases have developed and structured at different historical stages based on the vigour of that particular period of development. Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, has grown from a small Hindu trading centre to a metropolis. Its antiquity can be traced back to 7th century A. D. ; however, Dhaka rose to prominence only after it became the capital of Bengal[1] during the Mughal rule under the Muslims in 1610 A. D. For a long period of its growth Dhaka was confined within the medieval Mughal core. An early impetus in the growth of a new town outside the historic city, however, started in around 1764[2]. In spite of that only after 1906, on the declaration of Dhaka as the capital of the province of East Bengal and Assam, a spectacular development of the city has been manifested in the Ramna green belt outside the historic core in the newer part of Dhaka. Historian Bradely-Birt noted that a modern city has begun to rise. [Bradely-Birt, 1975: 261] This drift of development was impeded several times due to different political and economic reasons. However, after the independence of Bangladesh new Dhaka has experienced a phenomenal growth. Within the successive stages of growth, two dominant urban patterns are conspicuous in Dhaka; they are the historical core or old Dhaka and the later development towards the north, known as new Dhaka. The historic kernel of old Dhaka retains the traditional features it has inherited from the past. The natural endowment of its organic morphology is valued for its ‘indigenous’ urban pattern. The residential neighbourhoods of old Dhaka, locally known as ‘Mohallas’, which were the enclaves of caste or craft groups are considered by many to be a morphological archetype of this historic city. Outside the historic core, the newer part is a post colonial development, thereby sometimes metaphorically understood as a function of modernization. In the newer extensions of Dhaka, similar organic morphological patterns are prevalent which have been spontaneously developed without any rigid planning proposal. In terms of established planning principles the character of these areas is seen as a confused urban sprawl. There remains quite a lot of prejudice attached to these unplanned areas; and they are customarily described as ‘informal’ development. Nevertheless, these new generation organic areas are generally developed according to the aspiration of their inhabitants just like that of the historic city itself. The demarcation of the old and new town was geographically emphasized by the placement of the State Railway line which gave an idea about the existence of the main historic city in the quarters to the south and west of the loop formed by the Railway line. Ahmed, 1986: 99] To some people, to call the historical part old seems to be a general misconception about it; however, there is no doubt about the extensive livability and usability of the older part even in this century, and it is well understood that being a meaningful and living form, despite the loss of official and political patronage, the old city did not fade away but was thrived and enhanced. For this reason it is sometimes claimed that old city is as contemporary as the new city. [Khan, 1982: 1. 1] After traveling around fifty Indian cities including Dhaka in 1915-1919, Sir Patrick Geddes advocated that understanding the past is the first step in planning the present and future. [Spodek, 1993: 256] Geddes further added that The diagnostic survey . . . seeks to unravel the old city’s labyrinth and discern how this has grown up. Though, like all organic growths, this may at first seem confused to our modern eyes, that have for so long been trained to a mechanical order, gradually a higher form of order can be discerned the order of life in development . . In city planning then, we must constantly keep in view the whole city, old and new alike in all its aspects and at all its levels. The transition in an Indian city, from narrow lanes and earthen dwellings to small streets, great streets and buildings of high importance and architectural beauty, forms an inseparably interwoven structure. Once this is understood, the city plan ceases to appear instead as a great chessboard on which the manifold game of life is in active progress. [Geddes, 1919 as in Tyrwhitt 1947: 26-27] The evolutionary layering of urban form and meaning which Geddes uncovered as a town planner needs to be explored in historic studies of Dhaka. This article initially tries to identify the primary spatial patterns existing in Dhaka since its inception. Moreover, it aims to investigate the spatial dynamics of urban growth of Dhaka by analyzing the configuration of the urban grid and the resultant urban form in its historical perspective. It tries to pinpoint how the cumulative process of growth and consolidation has influenced the organic spatial structure of Dhaka. Fig: 1] It also endeavors to reveal the fundamental relation between configuration of space in an organic city like Dhaka and the way that it functions. 3. Urban Spatial Patterns in Dhaka Today’s Dhaka represents a composite form developed through ages. Its fundamental organic spatial homogeneity is interrupted at times by the patches of grid patterns. It is observes that there are five distinctive and co-existent u rban arrangements are prevalent in Dhaka. These can also be marked as ecological units, which are i] the old city ii] Civil Lines iii] New Indigenous or Informal communities; iv] the Planned Schemes and v] the Squatters’ Clusters. The squatters’ clusters are mostly transient in nature. However, the spatial pattern of the other four ecological types is discussed here. [Fig. 2 3] 3. 1 Indigenous Historic Structure Its organic character of the historic part is particularly distinctive with the densely built-up areas in comparison to the looseness of the later developments. Thus, like most Indian towns, the historical spatial structure of old Dhaka remains as the relic of the past. The pattern that exists in the old city is the winding and intricate street network and the walls defining the houses. The streets in the historic part were narrow. They were continuously twisted in and out, and were tortuous to an extreme degree in some places. The dead-end passages sometimes cut deep inside the urban block presenting a series of sharp turns. These were found indiscriminately along both the thoroughfares and the alleys. This pattern is more persistent in old city. However, a few long lines passed through the residential areas, which gave rise to another type of urban pattern e. g. Shankhari Bazaar Road, Tanti Bazaar Road. These were mainly the commercial interfaces of the city; and such areas have no lanes and by lanes as the access are from single bazaar streets. These streets are defined by closely spaced buildings in contrast to the former pattern where buildings are loosely spaced. Thus two distinct urban patterns exist in the old city. [Khan, 1982] However, the urban blocks of the latter type took more usual form of an accumulation of burgage plots whilst that of the former were divided by the dominant system of land holdings into smaller rectangular areas or segments. Fig. 3a] 2. 2. Colonial Interventions Civil lines A general grid pattern with broad traversing streets and rectangular blocks was proposed for the modernization of the historic city of Dhaka by Dr. Henry Charles Cutcliff, a British reformer. A radical engineering approach was needed in order to drive the broad straight streets through the crowded confusion of the city quarters. Although the scheme was not adopted in its entirety, it seems that all the later improvement of Dhaka was essentially based upon it. Ahmed, 1986: 182] In a later period Patrick Geddes was sensitive in dealing with historic areas and emphasized the ameliorative change through ‘conservative surgery’. [Geddes, 1917] Therefore, except in the northern extension of the historic core in and around Ramna area representing an orthogonal grid, the remaining historic city appears as organic. [Fig: 2] Consequently, the colonial city of Dhaka is not that visible as their intervention was limited within the linear civil line development along a few streets and the grid pattern of the Paltan [Cantonment]. Gupta claims that whereas the presidency towns were wholly planned on the grid in Europe, contemporary British Indian towns had only small sections planned, and subsequent growth was by accretion, in an ad hoc manner, by taking in adjacent villages. [Gupta, 1991: 596] However, the civil lines in the sub-continental cities were laid out as the British Precinct in the mid nineteenth century. Minto Road, Hare Road, Bailey Road, and Park Road are such developments in Dhaka outside the historic core. Their arrangement represents a formal and spacious one which is totally different in look from the dense development of the previous time. These were like Victorian suburbs characterized by low-density, horizontal development and broad tree lined roads giving access to a system of large compounds containing spacious single Bungalows in each plot. However, such pattern is being extinguished from the present urban form of Dhaka. 2. 3. New Indigenous Communities Informal Layout Another socio-spatial idiom in Dhaka is that of the upgraded indigenous neighbourhood, such areas like Kalabagan, Kathalbagan, Razabazaar, Mogbazaar, Malibagh etc. [Fig. c] They are labyrinthine mixture of lanes, by-lanes and cul-de-sacks like old Dhaka but wider and less intricate than the older city roads. They seem like the representations of traditional indigenous urban developments in the setting of a modern background. However, the formation of the blocks and main streets mainly followed the proposals of the Master Plan of 1959 and appear as longer and wider lines in the city structure. The inner roads or alleys are again narrow and winding o nes. Mostly they are organic in growth as they generate with the increasing plot division. Land uses are of a mixed type, however residential use gets prominence. The main thoroughfares become the major shopping strips and most buildings are designed to accommodate shops at the ground level. Generally the land use pattern resembles the old city rather than the civil lines. House design combines modern and traditional features in a harmonious blend. They cover the whole plot most of the time leaving narrow strips beside boundary walls as dictated by the planning authority but not like the courtyard houses of the old Dhaka. These popular settlements are very much like the old city development but the planning rules gave them a new look. 2. 4. Planned Schemes Geometric Layout The grid pattern of roads was introduced in the city for the first time in Wari and Gandaria in 1885. The state sponsored planned extensions for the upper classes were contrasted with the unsanctioned, spontaneous, tawdry development in the old city. Comprehensively planned residential areas of Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Uttara etc. re the successors of this type. Their street layout follows a rigid gridiron pattern with some semicircular arcs. [Fig. 3b] The land formation exerted a little influence on the new development and this why they are found globally to be in some way more logical or imposed upon their surroundings. The high space and service standards and physical designs of these schemes have an aura of Western suburbia, modernity, and status. They essentially follow the civil lines model, though without th e Imperial grandeur. Such planned schemes were generally situated at the fringes when the plans were undertaken; however now a days they are surrounded by the high density low income living due to the increase of population. 3. Spatial Dynamics of Growing City: Urban core and functional pattern in Dhaka Above the levels of technology and economic condition of the population, the patterns of areal expansion and the urban form of Dhaka have been dominated largely by the physical configuration of the landscape in and around the city, particularly the river system and the height of land in relation to flood level. Islam, 1996: 191] Thus the ground plan of Dhaka shows a less systematic form possessing a kind of homogeneity depending on the continued adaptation to the land morphology and also possibly to the culturally derived patterns in the historic core. Thus guided by the natural determinants, however, the demand of its dwellers shaped it as a city of variety. The shifting pattern of land use distribution, mainly that of commercial activities, in Dhaka seems not follow the categories commonly used by the literature of city planning and urbanization for western cities and even specifically for south-east Asian cities. Mollah, 1976: 39] Although it is claimed that the generalized functional growth pattern of Dhaka is concentric around the business districts [Chowdhury, 1981: 15], the character of – Concentric Zones seems not to be applicable here because the phenomena they describe assume consistency and continuity of a feature, whereas Dhaka is characterized by discontinuities of factors and multiplicity of sectors and circuits. Indeed, historians assert that the fundamental source of the life of Dhaka had been determined by political considerations as these have unfolded over time. Ahsan, 1991: 397] In fact, Dhaka faced six major phases of socio-economic and political changes during its evolution. The following part of discussion seeks to understand the morphological changes o f the urban core of spatial structure of Dhaka since historical time by analyzing available maps from 1859 2007 and simulating two previous stages [Pre-mughal and Mughal Period]. Two maps are available from Pakistan period; one is of 1952 at the inception of Pakistan with the indigenous city and the colonial development seen as a whole; and the other is of 1960. Besides, four maps are considered from the Bangladesh era [Maps of 1973, 1987 and 1995 are prepared by the Survey of Bangladesh’, and Map of 2007 is prepared by DCC]. This study tries to pinpoint how the cumulative process of growth and consolidation has influenced the spatial structure of Dhaka at a global scale by using the tool of Space Syntax'[3] as developed by AAS, Bartlett, UCL, London. Here the spatial structure of Dhaka city is modeled with axial lines following the conception of Space Syntax and the axial maps[4] are analyzed with Depthmap[5] to identify the integration core[6]of the spatial structure of the whole city. The brief historical overview has been highlighted the fact that as Dhaka has grown in size, scale and extent, and the distribution of urban functions has evolved and changed according to the dictates of political and commercial considerations. However, it is not clear whether these changes were arbitrary, or whether there was any logic to the pattern of relocation. In what follows, integration analysis by the Space Syntax will explore the way in which urban growth brought about changes in the configuration of the urban grid, and hence in the distribution of integration throughout the city. These purely configurational changes are considered in relation to the changing pattern of urban functions, to see if they relate to one another in a systematic way. This study tries to explore the fundamental relation between the configuration of space in Dhaka and the way that it functions. Finally, it determines the spatial structure of Dhakas urban core and the process of its transformation through ages. 3. 1. Pre-Mughal Hindu Core of Dhaka [before 1608]: Dhaka was a small Hindu trading centre in Pre-Mughal time. As revealed from cartographic evidences the area lying to the east, north-east and south-east f Babur Bazaar going up to the Dholai River on the northern bank of the Buriganga seems to face the old town. It is now thought that Dhaka was confined between the Dholai Canal [on the north east boundary of the city] and the Buriganga River from its inception until 1608, which ushered in the Mughal period. The oldest city consisted of a few market centers like Lakshmi Bazaar, B angla Bazaar, Shankhari Bazaar, Tanti Bazaar etc. along with a few localities of craftsman and businessmen like Patua-toli, Kumar-toli etc. [Dani, 1956: 7] The centre is thought to have been near the Bangla Bazaar. According to Dani, the main business area was in Sadar Ghat and Victoria Park, which had extended upto Nawabpur Road in later part of 15th century [Ahsan, 1991:397- 398]. No detailed maps from this period are available on which to develop an axial model. However, in order to remake the picture of the past, a reconstruction of the Hindu core has been developed here from the oldest detailed map of Dhaka in 1859 [prepared by Rennell]. [7] The spatial analysis of axial map shows that in the pre-Mughal Dhaka, the global integration core was formed with Nawabpur Road-Johnson Road leading towards the Sadar Ghat. It also touched part of Islampur Road, Bangshal Road and Shankhari Bazar Road. This loop like core coincided with the functional heart of the city as described by Dani. [Fig. 4] 3. 2. Mughal Dhaka [1608- 1764]: Dhaka rose to prominence only after it became the capital of Bengal during the Mughal rule in 1610 AD. [Bhattacharya, 1935: 36-63] The then ‘New Dhaka’ was inaugurated by Islam Khan with the establishment of Lalbagh Fort in 1679, Chandnighat and the Chawk [the market place beside the old fort at present Central Jail]; and it continued to grow under the subsequent Mughal Subaders until 1717. Dani, 1956: 31] According to Manrique, a visitor to the city, in 1640 the city stretched for 4. 5 miles along the Buriganga river with a population of about 200 thousand [excluding the Europeans and the visitors] [Taifoor, 1956: 15] which raised to 9,00,000 in 1700. During this period, the needs of administration and defence coupled with flourishing commercial activities led to Dhaka’s growth, and from a suburban town Dhaka became a metropolis. [Khan Atiquallah, 1965: 2-6] In time, Dhaka grew beyond the limit of the Dholai Canal; and the Mughal Dhaka had encompassed the pre-Mughal core. [Fig. ] In 1640 the expansion to the west [to Maneswar and Hazaribagh] and the north [up to Phulbaria, on the fringe of the Ramna area] was significant; besides it’s eastern limit was up to Narandiu [Narinda] [Manrique as in Chowdhury and Faruqui, 1991: 48] Bradley-Birt described as away beyond for fourteen miles, the city stretched as far as Tongi, a vast labyrinth of streets and villages, the camps of armies and all that followed in their terrain [Bradley-Birt, 1975: 159]. However, the Mughal ruins identified the extension of the Mughal city mainly to the west of the Fort and following the river bank. The expansion occurred with the Old Fort in the centre. In this growth of Mughal Dhaka the general characteristics of a Mughal city are noticeable. The Fort served as the nerve centre of the city, and the adjacent market places and the surrounding mohallas growing out of the residential needs follow the well established pattern with winding roads. The areas to the south and south-west of the Fort up to the river bank grew mainly as commercial areas and the areas to the north and north- east grew as residential areas. Chowdhury Faruqui, 1991: 48] The Chawk with the mosque was the main market place of Mughal Dhaka and the river front was transformed into the main commercial area. However, the older part of the city also gained importance by the establishment of European factories in the vicinity of Babur Bazaar and Bangla Bazaar. [Ahsan, 1991: 398] There were two principal roads/thoroughfares in the city. One running parallel to the river from Victoria park to the western fringe of th e city and other ran from the park to Tejgaon[8]. The glory of Dhaka came to an end by the early part of the 18th century with the shifting of the provincial capital from Dhaka to Murshidabad in 1717. In this period the activities of the European traders increased. So the life of Dhaka city was still thriving and it continued in its earlier setting without any farther expansion. [Chowdhury Faruqui, 1991: 52] In the absence of a detailed map of Mughal Dhaka, a second reconstruction was developed during this research based on a combination of historical documents and the findings of other researchers who have tried to define the boundary of the Mughal capital, Dhaka. It too is based on the original map of 1859. The spatial analysis of Mughal Dhaka produced a global integration core along Bangshal Road which was linked up with Nawabpur Road. Thus, in the Mughal period, the integration core lay on the northern periphery of the city seemingly as an extension of the pre-Mughal global core. The historical statement that the Fort served as the nerve centre of the city does not fit with the syntactic analysis; rather the global integration core connected the Mughal centre [the Chawk and the old fort] with the Hindu core [Bangla Bazaar surrounding the present Court House area]. The integration core therefore connected the administrative and commercial foci as described earlier by historians, but seems to leave out the city life on the river side. When the river was also considered as a route, and connected to the street system through its ports the global core has a dramatic shift from the northern periphery towards the river front which reveals a probable importance of the river on the life of Dhaka at that period. [Nilufar, 1997:111] However, the spatial analysis reveals that the integration core of Mughal Dhaka was an extension of the pre-Mughal core. It also connected the Mughal and pre-Mughal functional cores with bazaar streets. However, Islampur Road had not yet gained spatial importance globally. [Nilufar, 1997: 113] 3. 3 Dhaka in the Pre-Colonial Period- Rule of the East India Company [1764-1857]: With the fall of the Mughal Empire in 1707 Dhaka faced a serious decline in economy, population and administrative importance which caused the subsequent contraction of urban area. An English trading company attained political domination and took over the control of Dhaka city in 1764. Most of the commercial activities which survived were carried out in the enclosure of Chawk [Ahsan, 1991: 401]; and the old fort and its surroundings remained the heart of the city where all the central and provincial offices were also located. [Ahmed, 1986: 130-143] In 1800 population of Dhaka declined to 200 thousands, like that of 160 years back. According to Rennell the city was four miles long and two and half miles wide in 1793 which reduced to three miles in length and one and half mile in width in 1814. Mamun, 1990: 49] In 1859, Rennell prepared a map of Dhaka city as extending from Narayanganj to Iron Bridge and from the Buriganga river to Nimtali Kothi [present Asiatic Society]. In this map the jungles indicate a decline in population and a subsequent contraction of urban area. In fact the decline in economy, population and administrative importance brought about shrinkage in the area of Dhaka city. [Fig 6] The axial analysis of the spatial system of 1859s Dhaka depicted th at the city had densely inhabited areas in the pre-Mughal Hindu core extending towards the Mughal centre [the Chawk]. At this period, most of the areas to the west of the Mughal centre were segregated. The global integration core took the shape of a loop connecting the pre-Mughal global core to the Chawk, and also leading towards north [in Purana Paltan area] thus reaching out towards the extending city. The river side also got importance in the spatial structure. This phase might be called the period of unification, when the pre-Mughal and Mughal centres were joined, and projected outwards in the direction of the future city and the river. The most integrated line was Bangshal Road, and the next was Nawabpur Road, the two bazaar streets. Thus, the global integration core largely coincided with the commercial interface which was the focus of the city life. Again, the administrative areas were also linked to the core at its southern edge. In order to avoid the influence of the uninhabited garden areas in the north, the built-up areas of the 1859 spatial structure were analyzed separately but no changes occurred in the picture of integration with respect to Islampur Road. Fig. 8] This might indicate that this bazaar street could not gain any significant global importance in the city structure around 1859. However, Islampur Road and a number of bazaar streets were locally important. [Nilufar, 1997: 112] 3. 4. British Colonization of Dhaka [1858-1947]: The old Mughal town did not expand with British rule, but it underwent a vast physical renewal following no definite plan. This transformed the medieval Dhaka into a modern c ity with metalled roads, open spaces, street lights and piped water supply. Ahmed, 1986:130-143] The State Railway was opened in 1885-86 and the rail line was laid through the city to connect it with areas outside Dhaka. The placement of the railway line gives an idea about the existence of the main city to the quarters south and west of the loop formed by the railway line. However, the building of a new town started beyond the rail road in Ramna. [Ahsan, 1991: 401] However, most of the residential quarters were within the historic core; and the river front and the area near the Victoria Park was a prized location for high class residents. Islam, 1996: 14] An irregular road pattern was prevalent to the south in the historic core; while the grid pattern of roads was introduced in the city for the first time in 1885 in Wari and Gandaria as planned residential areas. Hazaribagh, Nawabganj areas in the western quarter of the city, were developed in the same period as industrial areas. [ Chowdhury Faruqui, 1991: 54-55] Civil lines were also added beyond the city limit in 1906. The British crown shifted the administrative centre from the old fort area, and new buildings were constructed on a new site near Victoria Park, on the present site of the Court House. Ahmed, 1986: 141] From Mughal time the Chawk Bazaar had been the main centre of the citys trade and commerce in Dhaka, and it remained so after 1859. The business areas during this period extended towards the north by way of the Nawabpur Road into Ramna to serve the British bureaucrats who lived in the new town. [Ahsan, 1991: 402] In 1905, in the middle stage of the British era, Bengal was divided and Dhaka was chosen as the capital of the eastern part. [Islam, 1991: 197] Another significant incidence to the city of Dhaka was the foundation of Dhaka University in the vicinity of Ramna in 1921. Early records of the East India Company [1786] describe the city boundary as: Buriganga in south, Tongi in the north, Mirpur in the west and Postogola in the east. [Karim, 1964: 37] Although it was the overall limit of the city by the end of the 18th century, the area lying to the north of Mir Jumlas gate [near Ramna] was very sparsely populated. According to Rennell, the population decline which started from 1764 reached its lowest ebb in 1867 when the population reduced to 51,636. Since 1872 the population recorded a continuous growth. The spatial pattern was changed in this phase by the extensions at the periphery and by an increase in destiny within the built up areas with densely packed, short and tree-like broken lines. In the map of 1916[9], the global integration core was pushed towards the north near the Ramna Garden where the newly-planned, relatively orthogonal grid was being introduced. Thus the most integrated lines were in the area where the old [pre-British] part met the new [developed in the British era], which indicated a change in the social life of the city during the colonial period. [Fig. ] In order to have an idea about the life of the people who were living in the densely built up areas of the old city, the built up area in 1916 was analyzed syntactically without the colonial additions. [Fig . 8] In this analysis, the higher global integration values were attained by the bazaar streets, Islampur Road and Nawabpur Road. Thus the most integrated lines extended parallel to the river, forming a lin ear integration core which coincided with the functional core of the city. It seems that Islampur Road attained its spatial significance in the old city only from the colonial era. . 5. Dhaka as the Capital of Pakistan [1947-1971]: In 1947, the British Colony achieved its independence after two hundred years of colonization and Dhaka attained the status of the provincial capital of the East Pakistan. Unlike many colonial cities in India, the colonial influence on Dhaka could not be claimed as substantial. The overall expansion of the city began from 1947. [Huq, 1991: 428] Administrative, commercial and residential needs caused an influx of people and it resulted in a massive growth of the city. The city expanded mainly towards the north. Dhanmondi area, as previously adorned with paddy fields, lying towards the north-west fringe of Dhaka turned into a residential area after 1955. The Mirpur Road formed an axis and high lands on either side were occupied up to Mohammadpur and Mirpur. The high land available in north-east and north-west of Ramna within different pockets between the previously developed areas like Purana Paltan to Naya Paltan, Eskaton to Mogbazaar, Siddheswari and Kakrail to Kamlapur through Razarbagh and Santinager, Segun Bagicha all came to be occupied mostly by residential use. All these happened without any formal planning. Then the government founded Dacca Improvement Trust [DIT] in 1956 and started planning in a piecemeal manner: industrial district in Tejgaon, New Market in Azimpur, staff housing in Motijheel, high class residential area in Dhanmondi. However, at this stage there was no plan for the future growth. In the meanwhile Dhaka was becoming more and more unmanageable. So a Master Plan was eventually prepared by consultants in 1959 on behalf of DIT. 10] The DIT developed Gulshan model town

History of the Omagh Bombing in Northern Ireland

History of the Omagh Bombing in Northern Ireland On August 15, 1998, the Real IRA committed the most lethal act of terrorism in Northern Ireland to date. A car bomb set off in the center of town in Omagh, Northern Ireland, killed 29 and wounded hundreds. Who Real IRA (Real Irish Republican Army) Where Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland When August 15, 1998 The Story On August 15, 1998, members of the paramilitary Real Irish Republican Army parked a maroon car packed with 500 lbs of explosives outside a store on the main shopping street of Omagh, a town in Northern Ireland. According to later reports, they intended to blow up the local courthouse, but could not find parking close to it. RIRA Members then made three warning phone calls to a local charity and a local television station warning that a bomb would go off shortly. Their messages about the bombs location were ambiguous, though, and the police effort to clear the area ended up moving people nearer to the bombs vicinity. RIRA denied accusations that they had deliberately provided misleading information. RIRA took responsibility for the attack on August 15. People around the attack described it as akin to a war zone or killing field. Descriptions were collected from television and print statements by Wesley Johnston: I was in the kitchen, and heard a big bang. Everything fell on me - the cupboards blew off the wall. The next thing I got blasted out into the street. There was smashed glass everywhere - bodies, children. People were inside-out. –Jolene Jamison, worker in nearby shop, Nicholl Shiels There were limbs lying about that had been blown off people. Everyone was running round, trying to help people. There was a girl in a wheelchair screaming for help, who was in a bad way. There were people with cuts on their heads, bleeding. One young boy had half of his leg completely blown off. He didnt cry or anything. He was just in a complete state of shock. –Dorothy Boyle, witness Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. People were lying on the floor with limbs missing and there was blood all over the place. People were crying for help and looking for something to kill the pain. Other people were crying out looking for relatives. You could not really be trained for what you had seen unless you were trained in Vietnam or somewhere like that. –Volunteer nurs on the scene at Tyrone County Hospital, Omaghs main hospital. The attack so horrified Ireland and the UK that it ended up pushing forward the peace process. Martin McGuiness, the leader of the IRAs political wing Sinn Fein, and party president Gerry Adams condemned the attack. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said it was an appalling act of savagery and evil. New legislation was also immediately introduced in the UK and Ireland that made it easier to prosecute suspected terrorists. Investigations in the immediate aftermath of the bombing did not turn up individual suspects, although the Real IRA was an immediate suspect. The RUC arrested and questioned about 20 suspects in the first six months following the attack, but could not pin responsibility on any of them. [RUC stands for Royal Ulster Constabulary. In 2000, it was renamed the Police Service of Northern Ireland, or PSNI]. Colm Murphy was charged and found guilty of conspiring to cause harm in 2002, but the charge was overturned on appeal in 2005. In 2008, families of the victims brought a civil suit against five men they charge were instrumental in the attacks. The five included Michael McKevitt, who was convicted in a case brought by the state of directing terrorism; Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy, Seamus Daly and Seamus McKenna.

Managing Transitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing Transitions - Essay Example Therefore, if change is inevitable, the question the author brings up is how to manage the transition so that the change occurs smoothly. The change, according to the author, is an event, an inescapable event. Company CEO's eventually age and retire. Or an entire industry, such as the automotive industry in the US, is adversely affected by costs spiraling out of control over a long period of time, which results in a financial crisis for the entire industry. No longer is business a usual possible. The question addressed by the author is this - when these events confront the business, what is the process of change which will allow the business or organization to transition smoothly through the change, and become stronger as a result. The marketplace is littered with examples of companies which did not succeed in answering this question. They did not succeed, according to the author, because the change process is a cultural, and psychological - social process, and not simply an event. For example, when a new CEO takes the reigns of a company, he of she does so with new ideas, and the desire to expand the business to new markets and new customers. By definition, this means that the company must change; they must transition out of an existing psycho-social culture and take on a new one which is representative of the new leader. This is a process that often takes years. The company that understands this, and manages the transition well, remaining productive with existing business while creating new opportunities is the company which succeeds. The company which allows the transition to consume valuable resources which are needed to 'feed' the existing business often winds up 'starving' its current clients, or pushing its people past the point of effectively. The results are declining productivity, profits, and can result in the total implosion of a business. The author uses the three step model for managing change which has been identified since 1935. First called the "unfreeze, change, refreeze' model by Kurt Lewin. Lewin used the example of changing the shape of an ice cube as an illustration of changing the social culture of an organization. Simply chipping away at the ice cube does not change its shape; it reduces the ice cube to shavings. Energy must be put into the social system, held in a 'frozen' state by the existing market, cultural and social forces in order to bring the system to a pliable state where transition is possible. Next the entire process of transition must be managed. The process often requires new control systems, new training or existing staff as well as new staff. Managing the process often can require bringing in an outside consultant, a new player who is put in a position of non-biased authority to assist all stakeholders to make adjustments to a changing social order. When the process of change has transacted, and the new culture is emerging, a final surge of energy is required by the system in order to 'refreeze the system in its new state, and prevent old habits and old culture from reemerging in the newly transitioned organization. William Bridges described this three step process as follows. He calls the unfreeze process as the 'ending, loosing, or letting go' phase. One could call this a death phase, as old habits and methods must be terminated, and left behind. However, this death is the

Organization Development and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Organization Development and Change - Essay Example lly taking into consideration are the content of the agreement (contract) as well as the inter-personal relationships that may occur in the process of organizational development. It is usually imperative that certain issues, specifically the content of the contract are mentioned and comprehended at initial stage of the contract. One of the issues that is usually addressed by many organizations making efforts to engage into contract is clarification of the specific terms of the agreement: This is usually undertaken in order to ensure that the two parties do not engage in future conflicts by improving the level at, which they understand the terms of the contract. Another main focus in regard to content-oriented issues that are usually exhibited during contracts in organizational development process is the essence of addressing complex issues that may arise among professionals and stakeholders engaged in making the contract. That is, it is imperative to set terms that basically indicate the role of each stakeholder for instance: Who is responsible for solving any form of conflict that may arise in future; indicating issues to be addressed by the contract; ways by, which the overall goals of the contract will be achieved and the specific phases/stages of the organizational development process. The process of organizational development also involves the engagement into contract that basically leads into development of relationships. The process of organizational development usually begins with a scenario where one of the stakeholders in the organization contacts other organizational development practitioners in order to engage into a contract. The stakeholder may be the Chief Executive Officer or even a project manager that is facing challenges in regard to certain issues of organizational development. The process of determining whether the two parties should engage into any form of relationship is usually guided by a clear statement of the specific functions of the

Stressful Conditions at the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Stressful Conditions at the Workplace - Essay Example The other measure to relieve stress in the workplace is accessing training needs and conduct of training to augment effectiveness in job performance including time management and assertiveness training. This can be done through attending short workshops for training purposes and participating in training aimed at improving understanding of stress management practices. Other measures to relieve job-related stress include talking to other employees at the workplace on a stressing situation to gain their support especially human resource managers, colleagues, managers, and trade union representatives (Murray, 5). Talking can also be with people outside of work, for example, family and friends to gain their insight and get their views on the stressful situation. When the issue is excessive workload, the employee should ensure this gets the attention of the manager to allow (Murray, 5)for a better and convenient work allocation fitting the needs of the employees and solve the stress from the job. Maintaining a balance between play and work allows for the use of leisure time to prepare the employee for work and relieve job-related stress. This includes regular exercising, taking holidays, maintenance of a healthy diet, and maintaining support networks. Learning to think positively about a job-related stress, counseling, and seeking medical intervention are the other measures of relieving job-related stress.   Ã‚  

A P by John Updike Analysis

A P by John Updike Analysis In the short story A P, John Updike explains how Sammy is a young man working as a cashier. One day three young ladies come into the supermarket half dressed wearing only their swimsuits. Sammy is intrigued by these young women, along with everyone else in the supermarket. Sammy watches their every move, as the girls made their selections. Sammy tries to play the hero at the end of the story; however he may have been his own worst enemy. Sammy describes the three girls in great detail throughout the story. The one that caught my eye first was the one in the plaid green two-piece. She was a chunky kid, with a good tan and a sweet broad soft-looking can with those two crescents of white Just under it, where the sun never seems to hit at the top of the backs of her legs (496). Sammy refers to the next young lady as, one with chubby berry-faces, the lips all bunched together under her nose, this one, and a tall one, with black hair that hadnt quite frizzed right, and one of these sunburns right across under the eyes, and a chin that was too long-you know, the kind of girl other girls think is very striking and attractive but never quite makes it, as they very well know, which is why they like her so much (497). Last but not least, there was Queenie. She didnt look around, not this queen, she just walked straight on slowly, on these long white prima donna legs. She came down a little hard on her heels, as if she didnt wa lk in her bare feet that much (497). He had nothing better else to do than to day dream about the three young ladies, and ponder what to do next. From the third slot I look straight up this aisle to the meat counter, and I watched them all the way (498). It was a small town with not much to do. Sammy was not trying to make a career out of working at the A P supermarket. From the moment the girls walked into the supermarket Sammy was checking them out. The ladies were walking towards the meat department, being led by Queenie of course. They stopped and asked McMahon a question about somethings whereabouts in the supermarket. The moment the girls turned and started walking away from McMahon, Sammy noticed that McMahon was checking them out from head to toe. Sammy said, Poor kids, I began to feel sorry for them, they couldnt help it (498). In this moment, Sammys feelings for the girls changed, and he started to sympathize with them. He forms a different perspective of the girls. He feels sorry for them because of the way McMahon is gawking at them. Up to this point he has been looking at the two girls and Queenie the same way as McMahon did. Maybe Sammy did not see it that way just by looking at himself. He noticed how McMahon sized up their joints (498), and he did not approve. The girls make it to the check out aisle with their Herring Snacks. Sammy proceeds to check the snacks out for the young ladies. Lengel is Sammys manager, who is also a friend of Sammys family. Sammy spotted Lengel, as he made his way over to the check out aisle and the girls. Sammy immediately starts thinking oh great, here we go. Then everybodys luck begins to run out. Lengel comes in from haggling with a truck full of cabbages on the lot and is about to scuttle into the door marked MANAGER behind which he hides all day when the girls touch his eye. Lengels pretty dreary, teaches Sunday school and the rest, but he doesnt miss that much. He comes over and says, Girls, this isnt the beach. Lengel continues to repeat himself over and over again. The only time someone repeats themselves, is when one does not understand what the speaker is saying. This is not the case. Queenie and the girls understood what Lengel told them. But this isnt the beach (499). The girls were almost out of the store. They were not on this huge shopping spree. We werent doing any shopping. We just came in for one thing (499). Lengel would not leave the situation alone, he kept pushing the issue. That makes no difference, we want you decently dressed when you come in here (499). After arguing with Queenie, Lengel throws in the white flag. Girls, I dont want to argue with you. After this come in here with your shoulders covered. Its our policy (500). Sammy does not approve at all. He was offended by the way Lengel treated the girls. Sammy feels they were treated to harsh. Policy is what the kingpins want. What the others want is juvenile delinquency (499). As, Queenie and Plaid and Big Tall Goony-Goony, were leaving the supermarket Sammy decided to quit. He thought it was best to stand up for what you believe in. You didnt have to embarrass them (500). He did consider for a moment what he was doing was wrong, but he talked himself out of it. But it seems to me that once you begin a gesture its fatal not to go through with it (500). Lengel was trying to talk him out of it. He was trying to make Sammy think about what he was fixing to do. Lengel said, Youll feel this for the rest of your life (500). Sammy thought about that for a second but he remembered how he made that pretty girl blush makes me so scrunchy inside (500). Some people may argue Sammy was a true hero. He displayed a true act of heroism that day in the supermarket, and stood up for what he believed in. Sammy did not approve of the way everyone was gawking at the girls, and the way Lengel embarrassed. He felt protective of them. Sammy made the decision to quit his job based on what he thought was the right thing to do. However, Sammy got himself into this situation. Sammy quit so abruptly. He did not think of the consequences. If he hated his job that much he could have given them a two week notice. Sammy did not dwell on what type of stress this would put on his parents, or how hard it would be to find another job after quitting on a whim. He let his hormones get the best of him. The girls gave him a way out, gave him an excuse to quit the AP. Sammy acted immaturely, which is why he lost his job. Sammy showed throughout the story some heroic traits. His innocence and immaturity got the best of him. When Sammy left the supermarket he realizes what just happened. My stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter (501). Sammy comes to the realization that he has to grow up now. And that being an adult is hard work. He is no longer working for friend of the family. That he is not a child anymore, My white shirt that my mother ironed the night before (500). And Sammy did not want to be like his coworkers. Sammy did not regret the decision he made. He wanted to achieve bigger goals in his life than just being a store manager at the AP. Sammy quit his job because of his innocence and lack of maturity. Work Cited Updike John. AP. Exploring Literature. Writing and Arguing about Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay. Ed. Frank Madden 4thed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009. 496-501.

Jessica Rodriguez Essay -- English Literature

Moton and Paradise Historical Accuracy in Equiano’s Novel Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself, has become a very important piece of literature. Equiano established a new type of literature with this novel. It was the first autobiography/slave narrative ever written. Many other slaves, such as Fredrick Douglass, followed his example in writing autobiographies or slave narratives. Equiano not only gives detailed descriptions of his homeland, of which we still know little about, he also gives a powerful account of the Middle Passage. Despite these captivating accounts, many critics have come to question the authenticity of Equiano’s history. Many do not believe that he was the man he claimed to be. Although there is some evidence to suggest this, there is not enough to discredit Equiano’s accounts. Equiano’s autobiography offers a powerful and truthful account of the author’s history, and his experiences with the slave trade and the Middle Passage. Despite the critics’ accusations, Equiano’s novel is historically accurate. Olaudah Equiano was born in the southern part of Nigeria known as Isseke (or Essaka) in the year 1745. Equiano provides much information on their customs and rituals. He explains in detail the dress, religion, dance, and customs of the Igbo people. One recurring topic is cleanliness. Equiano states â€Å". . . our cleanliness on all occasions is extreme. . .† (9). After his kidnapping, he is astonished at the lack of cleanliness he encounters. He also describes how important dance is in his culture. Equiano claims, â€Å"we are almost a nation of dancers, musicians, and poets. Thus e... ...e to witness the fruits of his hard labor, but he did not quit fighting for what he believed in until the very end. Olaudah Equiano is a historically accurate novel worthy of being treated as a viable piece of literature. Works Cited Carretta, Vincent. â€Å"Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa? New Light on an Eighteenth-century Question of Identity†, Slavery and Abolition, 20, 3 (December 1999), 96-105 Costanzo, Angelo. Surprising Narrative: Olaudah Equiano and the Beginnings of Black Biography. New York: Greenwood P, 1987. Equiano, Olaudah. Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself. New York. Modern Library. 1789. Slattery, Katherine. â€Å"The Igbo People – Origins and History.† November 1999. Queen’s University of Belfast. April 2005. http://www.qub.ac.uk/en/imperial/nigeria/origins.htm.

Curriculum as Influenced by Society and Technology Essay

The current trend of technology in the classroom can be traced back to the early1900s when schools and museums, as a complement to verbal instruction, began to use visuals aids including drawings, paintings, and slides. In the 1920s, as film became widely used, The National Academy of Visual Instruction was formed to help distinguish between films that were for entertainment or educational value. As technology progressed and the television was introduced, the educational system began to use instructional television. During the 1970s and 1980s the biggest influence in the classroom, to date, came in the form of computers. As the 1990s progressed, computers and multimedia equipment continued to become more affordable and they began to be used across the world. The trend of technology in the classroom currently consists of multiple categories including Multimedia, Internet and Networking, Computer-assisted instruction (CAI), Computer-managed instruction (CMI), and teacher training. As the current trend of technology in the classroom continues to be centered on the inclusion of computers and other mediums, it only awaits to incorporate the next big step in technology. The Ever-changing Technology Trend The abacus, the slate, the red pad of paper, it is amazing to view the ever-changing technology in education today. As a society, not only has our language and communication developed, but the way that language and communication are expressed has changed drastically. In Mathematics an abacus was used to solve problems, now a student can program a graphing calculator to solve problems for them. Some schools allow children to bring laptops into class with them, in other schools it is mandatory that all students have a laptop to bring to school. From having no computers in the classroom to having dozens of computers in the classroom has been an evolution of the educational system. Technology in the educational system consists of many mediums, and the history to the current educational system is quite fascinating. What remains to be seen is how the ever-changing, ever-evolving technology will impact the schools today, and how technology will affect our schools in the future. The view of a teacher as the possessor and transferor of information is shifting to a new paradigm in which the teacher is now a facilitator or a coach. These new teachers provide appropriate learning environments that engage students in collaborative activities that require communications and access to information that only technology can provide. Technology engages students, and as a result they spend more quality time on basic learning tasks than students who use a more traditional approach. Students who have the opportunity to use technology to acquire and organize information show a higher level of comprehension and a greater likelihood of using what they learn later in their lives (Impact, 2005). The integration of technology into the curriculum has been shown to decrease absenteeism, lower dropout rates, and motivate more students to continue on to college. This current trend of technology in the classroom consists of multiple categories including multimedia, Internet and networking, computer-assisted instruction (CAI), computer-managed instruction (CMI), and teacher training: Multimedia Interactive multimedia combines text, graphics, sound, animation, and video into a single learning environment. The hardware of multimedia can include: Macintosh computers, audio digitizers, CD ROM players, graphic scanners, and videodisc players. Since information is presented in visual and verbal modalities, individual learning styles of students are easily accommodated. It is not only a presentation tool for the teacher, becoming the basis for classroom lectures, discussions, and simulations, but it is also a reporting and reference tool for students in preparing class assignments. Example of use: There is an ongoing multimedia project that is part of the seventh grade science curriculum at the Baker Demonstration School at National-Louis University. Students choose a mammal to study at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL. They then spend several sessions at the zoo observing this mammal’s physical characteristics, behavior, locomotion, and its zoo habitat. These observations become the raw data for constructing a multimedia presentation about their mammal. Internet and Networking There is a clear direction towards using the Internet to open education to students everywhere. The use of the Internet ranges from making course materials available on-line, to using the Internet as the communication tool for the course. With the vast capabilities of the Internet, computers are being networked for communication, research, and remote collaboration. Networks can help to break down communication barriers and connect students and teachers with the outside world. Access to a computer, a modem, and phone lines frees students and teachers from the physical limits and time constraints of the school environment. Networking also allows them to send electronic mail, participate in computer conferencing, and access information from remote sources. Example of use: Students studying the solar system can send questions directly to NASA scientists. Classes from different parts of the world could read the same book and share ideas and conclusions throughout the reading of the book. Another idea is for one class to write cliff hangers and have the other class finish the stories. In some cases, classes have done parallel science experiments or conducted surveys and then compared results with the other class. Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and Computer-managed instruction (CMI) (CMI) is the use of the computer to maintain records associated with student performance. This usually includes, but is not limited to, the results of particular Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) packages. As the student completes each lesson, the computer stores the progress, scores, records the results of all tests or quizzes completed, and it provides progress reports to the teacher. These reports, either individual or class-wide, may be used to rapidly identify unsatisfactory progress or weak areas (Harrison 1983). Example of use: An individualized curriculum could be written for each student allowing the teacher to more effectively utilize the limited class time available. These tools can help remediate students lacking in certain skills and allow students access to information presented in multimedia formats. Teacher Training Tremendous increase in technology-related in-service teacher training is taking place. Teachers are learning how to use electronic grade books and other teacher utilities to create puzzles, tests and quizzes, and other materials in order to assist them. Examples of training: After-school workshops conducted by the computer enrichment instructor and/or volunteers is one form of teacher training available, another is one-on-one tutoring carried out by volunteers or a computer enrichment instructor. Technology conferences attended by selected members of the faculty and teacher-to-teacher instruction utilizing those faculties with advanced technology skills also provides valuable teacher training. In addition to the technologies mentioned, the Education Coalition (TEC) considers the merger of computing, television, printing, and telecommunications as the most significant trend in education and technology. â€Å"Bringing them together results in the whole having greater impact than each individual part†¦ † (Lane & Portway, ND). Technology is abundant in the classroom today in many forms such as computers, the internet, DVDs, CD-ROMs, etc. However, technology in the classroom â€Å"can be traced back to the early 1900s, when schools and museums began to include visuals such as drawings, paintings, slides, films, and models as a complement to verbal instruction† (Summary of Major Events in the Field, 2005). In the early1900s, still and video cameras were considered to be the technology of the future, the likes of which had never been seen before. It was hard to imagine, at this time in history, that they would be used on a daily basis in the home, let alone in the schools. Contrary to popular belief, the history of technology within education goes back a lot further than simply the introduction of computers and televisions into the classroom in the 1980s and 1990s. Throughout history, many people have had high hopes of how technology would affect education in the future. Thomas Edison said, â€Å"books will soon be obsolete in the schools. Scholars will soon be instructed through the eye. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture. Our school system will be completely changed in ten years†(Major Trends of the Decade, 2005). In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Thomas Edison was working on perfecting his invention, a kinetophone, which synchronized sound on a phonograph cylinder with pictures on a screen (Life of Thomas A. Edison, 2005). Edison dreamed that films would one day revolutionize education. â€Å"In 1911, he released a series of historical films about the American Revolution, becoming one of the first producers of films for classroom use† (Major Trends of the Decade, 2005). While his invention did not exactly revolutionize education, the modern version of inventions like the kinetophone is used on a regular basis in the classroom via television, video, and DVD. In the 1920s, film was seen as a progressive style of teaching, and was used in only a few select classrooms across America. To aid in the process of incorporating film into education, The National Academy of Visual Instruction was formed in order to help distinguish between films that were for entertainment and films that had educational value (Major Trends of the Decade, 2005). During this time, there was also an attempt to use radio broadcasts in the classroom; however, this trend died out within 15 years as there were often technical problems that could make teaching unpredictable. As film began to be used more often in classrooms across the world, the United States government had to prepare teachers for the advancement of technology in order to keep up with other advancing countries throughout the world. This was hard to do as many teachers worried about the fire hazards from film projectors and also feared that technology would one day replace them and they would no longer have jobs (Major Trends of the Decade). Classrooms would continue to experiment with this new technology for years to come, in hopes of keeping up with the changing times. In the 1950s and 1960s, the demand for instructional television reached its height due to a shortage of teachers and overcrowded classrooms. In 1959, the Midwest Program of Airborne Television Instruction (MPATI) was created and 34 courses were televised to 2,000 elementary and secondary schools in six states (Saettler, 1990). Students were able to watch and learn from their classrooms, and many schools that were unable to participate in the program tried to acquire it by borrowing from other schools across the nation. It was a big step forward for the educational system and later in 1990, Christopher Whittle created a more advanced version of this known as Channel One, a show that aired in almost 12,000 public and private middle and high schools nationwide, while reaching 7. 7 million students (Borja, 2005). Studies done on MPATI showed that teachers disliked the program and found it interrupted their classes, so it lost much of its attraction to schools. While teachers did come to understand the importance of bringing the world into their classroom, the same situation evolved later with the classroom interruptions and Channel One in the 1990s and it has steadily declined in its use in classrooms. The decade of 1960 saw the introduction of computers into the educational setting, although it was not in many schools as the costs to supply them was too great for most school systems. The development of computers would continue to grow in the ‘70s and ‘80s, when microcomputers became available; more convenient for schools and somewhat more affordable. These decades saw rapid advancement in the way of computers, television, and video recorders, making it hard for schools to keep up with the latest equipment. As the 1990s progressed, computers and multimedia equipment continued to become more affordable and were widely used in many classrooms spanning the globe. While in the past students were content and well supplied by having a set of crayons, pens, pencils, books, and a chalkboard, technology has quickly advanced over the years to a point in which no classroom or student is complete without sophisticated sets of computers, DVDs, scanners, and the Internet. Technology has had a great impact on education in recent years. The trend to modernize schools and increase the amount of technology in the classroom has become apparent with the passing of new educational legislation and an increase of electronic devices in classrooms. Studies by major universities have also been undertaken to look at the use of computers and other items in learning and the effect that they have on students. The impact of technology on schools has been both positive and negative. While educators embrace the idea and the opportunities that new technology provides students, the trend has caused an increase in costs for an already under-funded system. Keeping up with such advances will be increasingly more expensive as time goes by. This cost is worth paying; however, as the trend in the workplace has also been moving toward technology as well. Studies have been undertaken by universities and researchers to learn the impact and necessity of technology in schools. A research project at the University of Georgia focused not only on the United States, but on many other English speaking countries as well, including Australia, Canada, and Great Britain. This study focused on the incorporation of media and technology in schools and the impact to which it has had on students and learning. The researchers found that these tools â€Å"are effective in schools as phenomena to learn both from and with. † (Reeves, 1998, The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools) The results of this effort point towards the importance of technology in school, and make an argument for its continued and increased use. Legislators, voters, and school officials have also realized the benefits of giving students an education involving technology. In recent years, the number of computers and other devices in schools has increased drastically. According to a study done by the California Department of Education in 2004, there were 1,181,649 computers in classrooms across the state. At that time, this was approximately 1 computer to every 5. 3 students. (California Department of Education, 2004) The number of computers in classrooms is expected to increase yearly, although the data has not yet been released for 2005. As these electronics do not come to schools cheaply, unless through donation, the State of California, as well as other states across the Union, have passed legislation to assist schools in purchasing the items. An example of this is California’s SB 1863, which was a bill signed into law by Governor Davis in 2002. This act grants non-profit organizations, such as public schools and hospitals, the ability to purchase computers and telecommunications systems at a discounted price (Bowen, 2002, SB1863). With legislation such as this in place, it is easier for schools to afford the necessary items they need to keep up with changing technology. As computers and other items are introduced into classrooms across the nation, teachers are being forced to learn how to use the technology and software in order to incorporate it into their lessons. For some, learning to do this can be difficult, while for others it may be simple. The amount of time it takes to learn the information and skills needed cuts into personal lives, taking away from family events and other activities. These hours are often unpaid, and are done from the teacher’s own desire to better instruct students for the future. Educating oneself to use computers and other devices is also expensive. Computers and their components are quite costly. Many teachers have to afford to buy the computers themselves. Teacher salaries are not exceptionally high, and purchasing such items is not always feasible. According to the American Federation of Teachers: The average teacher salary in the 2003-04 school year was $46,597, a 2. 2 percent increase from the year before. This falls short of the rate of inflation for 2004, this was 2. 7 percent. When adjusted for inflation, the 2003-04 salary actually drops 0. 4 percent from 2002-03. (American Federation of Teachers, 2005, Teacher Salaries Lag Behind Inflation) Teachers are also placed in another predicament as workplace trends are requiring computer and technology skills be incorporated into everyday business. A teacher’s job is to prepare their students for the future. In order to accomplish this goal, educators must be able to instruct their pupils in the areas of technology. To do this, teachers must be educated themselves, and in such a fashion that the teachers are forced to purchase nearly unaffordable items out of their own salaries. Including technology into the classrooms is important. Teaching students to use these items is beneficial to them and their futures. However, getting the tools to all students is difficult as funding is limited. Underprivileged schools tend to be less likely to have the computers that they need as funding is simply not available for them. This contributes to the problem of the technological divide, in which students from lower income areas do not have the equipment or skills to keep up with students in better neighborhoods and situations. In 1998, the incorporation of technology in schools cost roughly 16 billion dollars (Reeves, 1998, The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools). This money comes mostly from federal funding, but according to the study at the University of Georgia, it will not be enough to keep up with future needs. Technology in the schools is important. The inclusion of computers and other media in education of students will have a drastic impact on their future. These items are expensive but needed. Legislators are passing actions that will allow for funding to be available to purchase these items and place them into classrooms. In order for teachers to keep up with advancements in education, they have to learn to use the technology themselves. This takes their time away for other activities which they participate in and it can be costly in itself. The monetary cost of the inclusion of this trend in education is the biggest impact to which the system faces. Affording to pay for such material is difficult, as funds are hard to obtain. So, where will classrooms be in 10 years, 20 years? The question becomes where will teachers be? There are many proponents for online and virtual classrooms where a school room is not required, but there are many who object to this because school is not only where a child goes to learn, but it is also where a child goes in order to learn how to function in society. Currently in California, a new program has been implemented into high schools, it is the virtual enterprise, which gives students the opportunity to learn about business. However â€Å"there are no textbooks in the virtual enterprise (VE) programs. The classrooms don’t have the average-looking furniture; the furniture generally consists of cubicles, office desks, computers, fax machines and telephones. The teacher is called the coordinator, and the daily instruction is conducted with direct input from appoint company officers† (Tekaat-Davey, 2006). This form of environment is giving children a look into a more corporate environment, and for those students interested in a corporate world it is a very interesting form of education, and it is giving students a heads-up into how the â€Å"real-world† functions. Often, it takes a lengthy period of time for schools to implement new technologies because of the money constraints, however â€Å"a unique component of VE is the fact that it is very cost effective for the respective sites† (Tekaat-Davey, 2006). Many businesses donate the computers and other supplies that are needed in order to make the virtual enterprise environment work. This is an innovative approach that is giving the teacher a different role, but it may take on force because it is so much more cost effective. It seems that the goal of the future is to show children how to integrate technology into their lives effectively. Another aspect of technology is how small it makes the world, everything is so much closer through computers now, and students are going to be taught how best to interact and learn about different cultures, but schools in the United States are also going to need to compete more thoroughly with technologies in schools worldwide. Currently, 90 percent of schools have Internet connectivity and more than 33 percent of teachers have Internet access in their classrooms (Gahala, 2001). So yes, technology availability is there, but how to use it effectively is going to be the constant battle between teachers and technology experts. This country has developed in technology gradually over the years, even though sometimes it seems like it has been overnight. The growth of technology has been an ever-adapting process, and it is constantly changing. â€Å"Technology is not transformative on its own. Evidence indicates that when used effectively, ‘technology applications can support higher-order thinking by engaging students in authentic, complex tasks within collaborative learning contexts’ (Means, Blando, Olson, Middleton, Morocco, Remz, & Zorfass, 1993)† (Gahala, 2001). But, will technology change the role of a teacher is what concerns many teachers today, and the answer is possibly. â€Å"As students become more self-directed, teachers who are not accustomed to acting as facilitators or coaches may not understand how technology can be used as part of activities that are not teacher-directed. This situation may be an excellent opportunity for the teacher not only to learn from the student but also to model being an information seeker, lifelong learner, and risk taker† (Gahala, 2001). So, even though the process of education may change, the traditional principles still hold, teachers are there to be a guide and a facilitator for education and knowledge. It is a teacher’s responsibility to incorporate current technologies into the history of teaching in order to give students the best possible education they can receive. Technology use impacting student grades All four research questions considered how technology use (low/high) as defined by overall use, teacher use and student use in the classroom effected at-risk students’ classroom grades. Inferential statistics showed no significant affect on at-risk student grades for any of the independent variables—teacher use, student use or overall technology use. For all the independent variables of teacher use, student use and overall technology use, the 1st quarter grades are higher for high technology using teachers. But that trend did not continue into second quarter for any of the independent variables. Since low GPA is a criterion for being identified at-risk at the studied school, it is logical that these students had low grades. However, some of these students had no passing grades, which is equivalent to a GPA of zero. The grade point average mean for the 66 at-risk students is 1. 52 at the end of the school year 2000–2001. Any grade mean above a zero is an improvement for some of the identified at-risk students. A possible explanation for this decline in grades is a greater use of technology in the 1st quarter. The researcher informally observed that students are immersed in technology in many of the classes: Power Point slide shows, travel brochures, postcards and video interviews are being created for presentations. During the 2nd quarter the classrooms slowly returned to a more traditional style. Some teachers, in informal discussions with the researcher, said they are using drill and practice, word processing for writing, and Internet for research projects. Without the use of technology infused in the classroom teachers would never know that with more constructivist methods students could achieve at higher levels. From research on the ACOT classrooms, students use technology as a tool to collect, organize, and analyze data; to enhance presentations; to conduct simulations and to solve complex problems. One of the changes seen over this 10-year study is the change in the lower-achieving students; the ones teachers could not reach with the teacher-centered learning. These students began to respond positively given the alternate ways of expressing their knowledge, which not only raised their self-esteem but their status with the teachers and their peers. The at-risk students are likely to show improvement in academic achievement when technology is used in the classroom appropriately. The conditions needed for appropriate use of technology to improve education are: first, the successful use of technology requires teachers to face their beliefs about learning and the efficacy of different instructional activities. Second, teachers view technology as one possible tool that must be used in the curriculum and instruction framework with meaning. Third, teachers need to become risk takers, experiment with technology, help and share with peers. Fourth, technology can be a catalyst for change, but the process of integrating technology is a long-term challenge for the teachers. In closing on student grades and technology, from the ten-year study conducted by ACOT comes this statement: â€Å"teachers also discovered that students who did not do well in a typical setting frequently excelled when working with technology. Low achievers had a chance to experience success and began concentrating and applying themselves to their projects† (p. 95). This study supports the findings in the present study indicating that the technology should be incorporated into the curriculum in meaningful, student-centered methods. Conclusion The impact of technology in schools is somewhere between it’s the only way to make a positive change in schools to it’s a new fad. They see technology as a strong tool for positive change but it must be presented in the right ways. Steps must be taken for technology to make a difference. Leaders of the schools must include everyone at the beginning of the plan, not after technology arrives. Leadership in the school system must plan for technology. Hire a full time technology director, involve the school in the changes, and provide the services that are needed for technology to succeed in the schools. Teachers must change the way they teach. Classrooms must take on the student-centered learning methods. Teachers need to become facilitators. Students need to be allowed to use technology as a tool, which will enable them to collect, analyze, and create major projects. When schools are prepared for technology, the entire school benefits. The quality of the time for technology to be integrated into the curriculum is the key to student learning, not the quantity of time with technology. Technology is not the entire solution for keeping at-risk students in the classroom, but it is a start in the right direction. References Aitoro, J. R. (2005). No Child Left Behind. VAR Business, 21, 1-2. American Federation of Teachers, (2005) Teacher Salaries Lag Behind Inflation. Retrieved from http://www. aft. org/presscenter/releases/2005/100605. htm on December 15, 2006 Borja, R. R. (2005). Channel one struggling in shifting market, Education Week, 24(43), 3-14. Bowen, D. (2002). SB 1863. Retrieved from http://info. sen. ca. gov/cgi-bin/postquery? bill_number=sb_1863&sess=0102&house=B&site=sen on December 15, 2006 California Department of Education, (2004). Number of Computers Used for Instruction. Retrieved from http://www. cde. ca. gov/re/pn/fb/yr04numbcomp. asp. on December 15, 2006 Gahala, J. (2001). Critical Issue: Promoting Technology Use in School. Retrieved from http://www. ncrel. org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te200. htm. on December 15, 2006 Harrison , J. and M.. (October 1983). How computers can help the schools. Education Flip Side. 2(7) page 70. Impact of Technology on Student Achievement, The. Apple Education; K-12 Education. Retrieved from http://www. apple. com/education/research. on December 15, 2006 Lane, C. , & Portway, P. (No Date). Trends. The Education Coalition. Life of Thomas A. Edison,The. Retrieved from http://memory. loc. gov/ammem/edhtml/edbio. html. on December 15, 2006 Miller, M. and Cruce, T.. A 20th Century Timeline: Classroom Use of Instructional Film, Radio, and Television, retrieved from http://www. arches. uga. edu/~mlmiller/timeline/timelineintro. html. on December 15, 2006 Reeves, Thomas C, (1998). The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools. Retrieved from http://www. athensacademy. org/instruct/media_tech/reeves0. html. on December 15, 2006 Saettler, Paul (1990). The Evolution of American Educational Technology. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

Different Generations Speak Different Languages Essay

Different generations in the same country speak different â€Å"languages†? Sounds impossible, but it is indeed the case. Consider situations in which your mother does not understand what you say to your classmates, situations in which you cannot figure out what your mother refers by a simple abbreviation and situations in which your father cannot reflect your undertone of some words. Different generations speak different â€Å"languages†, causing conflicts and misunderstandings. According to the passage â€Å"What can words do and cannot do†, words have denotative meanings and connotation meanings. Denotative meanings are meanings defined by the dictionary, which cause little misunderstandings. On the other hand, connotative meanings are associated with personal experiences and are likely to cause conflicts. But in the context of communication between different generations, there are both likely to evoke misunderstandings. Some connotative meanings of words are so widely recognized by a certain generation or group of people, that they consider these meanings as denotative meanings. But these meanings are unknown to other groups and are not included in the dictionary. The word, â€Å"net†, for example, may mean â€Å"a trap made of netting to catch fish or birds or insects† in your grandfather’s dictionary but means â€Å"a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange† when you talk to your friends meet on the â€Å"net†. From this aspect, language of different generations do differ in the conception of words. Different generations may be confused by denotative meanings, not to mention by connotative meanings. â€Å"The connotative meaning of a word is the associations and overtones people bring to it. †¦When we hear a word, the thoughts and feelings we have about that word and about the person using it determine what that word ultimately means to us. † (â€Å"What can words do and cannot do†,Weaver, Understanding Interpersonal Communication, pp. 230-333 ) Consider the word â€Å"news† perceived by different generations. Your grandfather may reflect news as titles in printed newspaper or radio messages while your father form in his head the television correspondent and you, a teenager thinks of web-sites. These difference in language is brought by the development of social and technology. Words and phrases have their life cycle, there are times when certain words and expressions thrive and time when they die. It is not uncommon that older generations tend to use words, phrases and expressions that are seldom used by younger generation. Moreover, young people have the tendency to make expressions short. For example, instead of saying â€Å"good morning†, they say â€Å"morning†, instead of â€Å"lots of laughs†, they type â€Å"LOL† and so on. So next time when talking to your grandmother, use less abbreviations. Difference languages spoken by different generations giving rise to unavoidable misunderstanding, so bearing in mind that different person has varied perception of words and may not understand what you mean. Don’t be bothered to interpret in detail what you mean to be fully understood by other generations.

49 Opinion Writing Prompts for Students

49 Opinion Writing Prompts for Students One of the most common essay types is the opinion, or persuasive, essay. In an opinion essay, the writer states a point of view, then provides facts and reasoned arguments to support that viewpoint. The goal of the essay is to convince the reader to share the writer’s opinion. Students arent always aware of how many strong opinions they already hold. Use the following opinion writing prompts to inspire them to start thinking and writing persuasively. Prompts About School and Sports School- and sports-related topics often elicit strong opinions in students. Use these writing prompts to kick off the brainstorming process. Ch-ch-ch-changes. What is one thing about your school that needs to change? Is bullying an issue? Do students need longer breaks or a dress code? Choose one vital issue that needs to change and convince school leaders to make it happen.Special guest. Your school is trying to decide on a famous person to give a speech or presentation to students. Who do you think they should choose? Write an essay to convince your principal.Oxford or bust. Is the Oxford comma essential or obsolete?Scribble scrabble. Do students still need to learn cursive handwriting?Co-ed conflict. Would students perform better if more schools were single-gender rather than co-ed? Why or why not?Participation awards. Should there be winners and losers in sports, or is participation the ultimate goal?Homework overload. Write an essay to convince your teacher to assign less homework.Sports. Which sport (or team) is the best? What makes it better than the others?No slacking. Write an essay persuading a fellow student to do their homework. Class trip. This year, students get to vote on where to go for a class trip. Write an essay convincing your fellow students to vote for the place you’d like to go.Superlatives. Which would you rather be: a top student, a talented athlete, or an accomplished artist?Virtual athletes. Video games competitions are often aired on TV and treated like sports competitions. Should video games be considered sports?Class debate. Should classes that students may not use or that don’t interest them (such as physical education or foreign language) be required? Prompts About Relationships Friendships, dating, and other relationships can be both rewarding and exasperating. These writing prompts about relationships will help students explore their feelings about both the positive and the negative moments. Snitch. Your best friend tells you about his plan to cheat on a test. Should you tell an adult? Why or why not?Give it a chance. Your best friend is convinced that she would hate your favorite book, even though shes never read it. Convince her to read it.Friendships vs. relationships. Are friendships or romantic relationships more important in life? Why?Driving age. What age do kids start driving in your state? Is that age too old, too young, or just right? Why?Truth or consequences. Your best friend asks your opinion about something, but you know that a truthful answer will hurt her feelings. What do you do?Who chooses? Your best friend is visiting, and you want to watch TV together, but his favorite show is at the same time as your favorite show. Convince him that your show is a better choice.Fun times. What is the most fun thing you and your best friend have ever experienced together? Why does it deserve the top spot?Dating. Are long-term dating relationships good or bad for teens ? New friends. You want to spend time with a new student at school, but your best friend is jealous. Convince your friend of the importance of including the newcomer.Be mine. Is Valentine’s Day worthwhile or just a scheme for the greeting card and chocolate industry to make more money?Debbie Downer. Should you cut ties with friends or relatives who are always negative?He loves me not. Is it really better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?Elders. Should you respect your elders merely because they are older, or is respect something that must be earned? Prompts About Family, Pets, and Leisure Time The following writing prompts related to family, furry friends, and free time will help students reflect on preferences, ethics, and integrity. Self-reflection. This time, youre the one who needs convincing! Write an essay to persuade yourself to start a healthy habit (or kick a bad habit).Paper wars. Should toilet paper hang with the loose end resting on the top of the roll or hanging from the bottom?Movie vs. book. Choose a book that has been made into a movie. Which version is better, and why?Weekend wanderings. Do you prefer to stay home on the weekends or get out and do things around town? Write an essay to convince your parents to let you do what you prefer this weekend.Sweepstakes. A travel agency is hosting an essay contest to give away an all-expenses-paid trip to the one place in the world you’d most love to visit. Craft a winning essay that convinces them they need to choose you.Zoo debate. Is it ethical to keep animals in zoos? Why or why not?Presence of pets. Should there be limits on the types of places pets can go (e.g. airplanes or restaurants)? Why or why not?Inspiring stories. What is the most inspir ing book you’ve ever read? Why is it so inspiring? Dollar discovery. You find a $20 bill in the parking lot of a crowded store. Is it okay to  keep it, or should you  turn it in to customer service?Vacation day. What is the very best way to spend an unexpected day off from school and why is it the best?Digital or print? Is it better to read books in print or digitally? Why? Prompts About Society and Technology The people and technology around us have a significant impact on our lives. These writing prompts encourage students to consider the effect that society and technological advances have on our day-to-day lives. Reverse technology. Pick one technological advancement that you think the world would be better off without. Explain your reasoning and persuade the reader.Out of this world. Do aliens exist? Why or why not?Social media. Is social media good or bad for society? Why?Emoji. Has the use of emoji stunted our ability to express ourselves in writing, or does it help us identify our emotions more precisely?Auto safety. Have advancements like self-driving cars, blind spot indicators, and lane departure warning systems made driving safer, or have they just made drivers less attentive?Exploration Mars. Write a letter to Elon Musk convincing him that you should be part of a colony to Mars.Fundraisers. Is it okay for kids to stand outside stores and ask shoppers for money for their sports teams, clubs, or band? Why or why not?Inventions. What is the greatest invention ever made? Why is it the best?Important cause. In your opinion, what global problem or issue deserves more attention than it curr ently receives? Why should more time and money be invested in this cause? Minimalism. Does living a minimalist lifestyle make for a happier life? Why or why not?Gaming gains. Are video games generally a positive or a negative influence? Why?Rose-colored glasses. Is the current decade the best era in history? Why or why not?Paper or plastic. Should plastic bags be outlawed?

The Determination of the Causes of Violence Perpetrated by Students Research Proposal

The Determination of the Causes of Violence Perpetrated by Students - Research Proposal Example The issue has exhibited its potential to compromise the quality of education, a factor that places emphasis on the need to understand the real causes of such violence. Parents and school administrators have embarked on a blame game concerning the issue. However, there is a need for a more rational view which should establish why the perpetrators of such violence in school choose to do so. Notably, the majority of the teenagers perpetrating violence are between the ages of 12 and 18 placing them in the category of adolescents. Previous research has sought to highlight some of the leading factors that may motivate students to involve themselves in violent acts. However, none of the previous researches have been conclusive regarding the issue. In a bid to establish the causes of violence perpetrated by students in school, a mixed methodology research will be carried out. In the United States, violence in school has been reported since 1927. However, the 1980s registered an increased prevalence of school shootings and other forms of violence perpetrated within the school. In the 1990s, such cases became more popular and their effects became more widespread. According to statistics, about 200 cases of violence in schools have been reported in the United States. In this country, there is an ever increasing fear of future occurrences of violence perpetrated by students. The type of violence in question denotes school shootings, rape cases, bullying, stabs, and other cases of minor violence. Although the media has been blamed for exaggerating the seriousness of the issue, there is no doubt that violence in schools needs real solutions. In order to define effective strategies of intervention, there is a salient need to understand the root causes of the problem (Barnes, Brynard, & de Wet, 2012). Previous researches have indicated that a considerable percentage of students admit to experiencing a form of violence in school.

London Elections 2006 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

London Elections 2006 - Essay Example These two incidents virtually sealed the fate of the Labour party, as it were. In the city of London especially, a meltdown in the support for the Labour party was almost certain. Since the Labour party came to power in 1997, the Tories have been showing better and better performance at local elections. The Tories had a bigger share in the local government than the Labour, and they have been putting in some good performance. Hence the Toreis naturally had an upper hand. Still, it was a tough fight for everyone involved, and the key battleground for the three major contesting parties - the ruling Labour party, their main opposition the Conservative party, and the steadily rising Liberal Democratic party - was of course the city of London with its 32 boroughs. London accounted for 40% of the 4,361 seats contested across England (Woodward 2006).While the Tories and the Libs aggressively pushed for positive gains, the Labour assumed more of a defensive stance, desperately bent upon doing damage control. The Labour braced up to face heavy pressure, while the Tories were poised to win a string of councils in the London suburbs from the Labour (Sherman et al. 2006). As it turned out, the Labour lost Crawley, ... That the Labour government was able to secure 2012 Olympics for London seems to have counted for nothing. The whole tide was against them. It may have to do with cost of living or "quality of life" issues, broadly speaking, or with more particular areas like crime and transport where the Labour government seems to have fared bad. Some say the Labour failed to protect the working man. According to another view, their wavering educational policy distanced them from many of their potential supporters (Sanderson 2006). The heavy losses the Labour party took necessitated a serious analysis on its part as to the reasons behind such depressing defeat, and while some are obvious others are not. But the most obvious, almost luridly obvious, were the sleazy sex scandal involving the Labour MP John Prescott that erupted shortly before the election day, and the row over a decision executed by the home minister Charles Clarke to release a number of serious offenders, all of them being prisoners o f foreign origin, on tenuous and unjustifiable grounds. The Conservatives too performed poorly in the northern cities like Machester, Liverpool, Sheffield, and Newcastle. However, they have been able to compensate for their losses by securing a strong foothold in London, as well as in some areas of South. Overall, the Conservatives came out with the biggest percentage of election results - nearly 40 percent. The Labour and the Liberal Democrats found themselves lagging behind at about 27 per cent each (Webster, Sherman 2006). In all, Labour lost 19 councils and 298 seats (Woodward 2006). It was a disaster alright for the Labour, though not quite