Professional Learning Communities Focusing On the Contributions of Research Paper

Professional Learning Communities Focusing On the Contributions of Utilizing Social Media Within Learning Commun - Research Paper Example from his students, some suggesting new ideas of improving the lessons including use of power-point presentations, or issuance of course special notes concerning specific areas that they did not learn. The teacher can also take advantage of his or her student’s presence in the social media to create an online blog and a discussion forum. It is from these blogs and discussions that the teacher can acquire knowledge on the various needs of his/her students (Ke and Hoadley, 2009). Planning a lesson by integrating the needs of the students will ensure that students became active participants in the lessons, making it interesting (Eshach, 2007). Through the social, a teacher will be able to interact with the student’s parents, telling them on the progress of their students in relation to their academic capabilities. For example, facebook has a provision in which an individual can make a list of friends whom he or she can constantly interact with. A teacher can make a list of the various parents of his/her students. From this list, he can notify these parents on the progress of their students, and try to get some feedback on how to improve the academic capability of his/her students (J and Hunt, 2006). From these feedbacks, a teacher can have an idea on how to develop the teaching plan that he or she will use while conducting the lesson. Information from parents is crucial because parents know the intellectual and physical capabilities of their children. Basing on this information, a teacher can develop a plan that will factor in the intellectual capability of his/her students (Dunlap and Stephens, 2009). For example, in a classroom setup, there are fast learners and slow learners. Fast learners have the capability of grasping issues in class in a quicker manner, and do... This essay approves that planning a lesson by integrating the needs of the students will ensure that students became active participants in the lessons, making it interesting. Through the social, a teacher will be able to interact with the student’s parents, telling them on the progress of their students in relation to their academic capabilities. The social media is an important tool during this process of planning and preparing of a lesson by the teacher. Social sites such as twitter and facebook enable teachers to interact with their peers. The social media also helps in improving communication between a teacher and a student. This report makes a conclusion that that the social media plays a big role in helping teachers to handle their teaching lessons in a professional and ethical manner. This is because they are able to interact with their peers, acquiring ideas from each other on how to handle their teaching profession. It also encourages collaboration, between the teachers, students and their parents. This is a positive aspect in education because it will most definitely result to an improvement on the academic capabilities of students. This is because the teacher will acquire knowledge on the weaknesses of his or her students, and build upon those weaknesses, to ensure that the child learns, and achieves the outcomes of the lesson/ course under consideration.

Fiji's relative global economic development Essay

Fiji's relative global economic development - Essay Example Till the 1980s, the descendants of Indian laborers that the British had brought on the islands dominated the country. Since 1987, the islands have faced a number of military coups that have disrupted attempts to form a democracy. The 1990 constitution of Fiji strengthened the powers of the native Melanesian community over the political scenario although an amendment in 1997 gave equal powers to the Indians and the natives. However, political turmoil has continued in the islands resulting in disturbances in the economic activities of the population and trade relations with the rest of the world (CIA). Fiji had an estimated population of 918,675 in 2007, of which 30.9 percent is below 15 years of age, 64.7 percent between 15 and 64 years and 4.4 percent above 64 years (CIA). 54.8 percent of the population are native Fijians, mostly Melanesian and Polynesian mix, 37.4 percent Indians and the remaining 7.9 percent others comprising of Europeans, other Pacific islanders and Chinese. About 92 percent of the Fijian population is literate (Bank of Hawaii, 1998). Fiji is richly endowed with natural resources, with forest, fish and mineral assets and is among the most developed among the Pacific Ocean islands. Yet, the economy of Fiji is still dependent on revenues from sugar export, tourism and remittances from Fijians abroad. 8.9 percent of Fiji's GDP of $2.033 billion in 2007 was accounted for by agriculture, 13.5 percent by industry and 77.6 percent by services, mostly tourism. One third of Fiji's industrial activity is related to sugar but processing of sugar is inefficient. Fiji exports most of the sugar output to Europe and may be hit by proposed subsidy cuts on sugar by the European Union. Tourism has also been affected by the repeated coups in the country. The Reserve Bank of Fiji anticipated a contraction of the economy by 3.1 percent in 2007-08 (CIA) and a runaway current account deficit, which was 23 percent of GDP in 2006. Relative Economic Development and Concerns Fiji ranks 92nd in the Human Development Index (HDI) and in terms of per capita Gross Domestic Product at Purchasing Power Parity, with $6,049 and 108th in terms of life expectancy at birth, which is 68 years (HDR). In 1998, Fiji ranked top of the World Bank's list of lower-middle income group countries and was in the same category as Latvia, Peru, Lebanon and Costa Rica (Bank of Hawaii, 1998). However, political instability and lack of industrial activity have resulted in some contraction of the economy since then. Fiji is a small country, slightly smaller than New Jersey. The economy is also far smaller than the United States. The per capita GDP at official rates in Fiji in 2007 was $4,100, less than one-tenth of what it was in the US, at $46,000. Life expectancy at birth in Fiji, at 68 years, was also lower than in the US, 78 years. Population below the poverty line in Fiji in the last estimated year, 1990-91 was 25.5 percent and the unemployment rate was 7.6 percent. On the other hand, only 12.4 percent of the population in the US was below the poverty line in 2004 and the unemployment rate in 2007 was 4.6 percent. Fiji exports primary products, mostly agricultural to the US and Europe, and imports manufactured commodities. The major concern for the Fijian economy is the political uncertainty that the islands have been facing over the last two decades. This has resulted in