Monday, May 25, 2020

Overview of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan

The Tokugawa Shogunate defined modern Japanese history by centralizing the power of the nations government and uniting its people. Before the Tokugawa took power in 1603, Japan suffered through the lawlessness and chaos of the Sengoku  (Warring States) period, which lasted from 1467 to 1573. Beginning in 1568, Japans Three Reunifiers—Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu—worked to bring the warring daimyo back under central control. In 1603, Tokugawa Ieyasu completed the task and established the Tokugawa Shogunate, which would rule in the emperors name until 1868. The Early Tokugawa Shogunate Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated the daimyo, who were loyal to the late Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his young son Hideyori, at the Battle of Sekigahara in October 1600. In 1603, the emperor bestowed upon Ieyasu the title of Shogun. Tokugawa Ieyasu established his capital at Edo, a small fishing village on the marshes of the Kanto plain. The village would later become the city known as Tokyo. Ieyasu formally ruled as shogun for only two years. In order to ensure his familys claim on the title and to preserve the continuity of policy, he had his son Hidetada named shogun in 1605, running the government from behind the scenes until his death in 1616. This political and administrative savvy would characterize the first Tokugawa shoguns. The Tokugawa Peace Life in Japan was peaceful under the control of the Tokugawa government. After a century of chaotic warfare, it was a much-needed respite. For the samurai warriors, peace meant that they were forced to work as bureaucrats in the Tokugawa administration. Meanwhile, the Sword Hunt ensured that nobody but the samurai had weapons. The samurai were not the only group in Japan forced to change lifestyles under the Tokugawa family. All sectors of society were confined to their traditional roles much more strictly than in the past. The Tokugawa imposed a four-tier class structure that included strict rules about small details—such as which classes could use luxurious silks for their clothing. Japanese Christians, who had been converted by Portuguese traders and missionaries, were banned from practicing their religion in 1614 by Tokugawa Hidetada. To enforce this law, the shogunate required all citizens to register with their local Buddhist temple, and any who refused to do so were considered disloyal to the bakufu. The Shimabara Rebellion, made up mostly of Christian peasants, flared up in 1637, but was stamped out by the shogunate. Afterward, Japanese Christians were exiled, executed, or driven underground, and Christianity faded from the country. Arrival of the Americans Although they employed some heavy-handed tactics, the Tokugawa shoguns presided over a long period of peace and relative prosperity in Japan. In fact, life was so peaceful and unchanging that it eventually gave rise to the ukiyo—or Floating World—a leisurely lifestyle enjoyed by urban samurai, wealthy merchants, and geishas. The Floating World crashed down to Earth suddenly in 1853, when the American Commodore Matthew Perry and his black ships appeared in Edo Bay. Tokugawa Ieyoshi, the 60-year-old shogun, died soon after Perrys fleet arrived. His son, Tokugawa Iesada, agreed under duress to sign the Convention of Kanagawa the following year. Under the terms of the convention, American ships were given access to three Japanese ports where they could take on provisions, and shipwrecked American sailors were to be treated well. This sudden imposition of foreign power signaled the beginning of the end for the Tokugawa. The Fall of the Tokugawa The sudden influx of foreign people, ideas, and money severely disrupted Japans lifestyle and economy in the 1850s and 1860s. As a result, Emperor Komei came out from behind the jeweled curtain to issue an Order to Expel Barbarians in 1864. However, it was too late for Japan to retreat once more into isolation. Anti-western daimyo, particularly in the southern provinces of Choshu and Satsuma, blamed the Tokugawa shogunate for failing to defend Japan against the foreign barbarians. Ironically, both the Choshu rebels and the Tokugawa troops began programs of rapid modernization, adopting many western military technologies. The southern daimyo was more successful in their modernization than the shogunate was. In 1866, Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi suddenly died, and Tokugawa Yoshinobu reluctantly took power. He would be the fifteenth and last Tokugawa shogun. In 1867, the emperor also died, and his son Mitsuhito became the Meiji Emperor. Faced with a growing threat from the Choshu and Satsuma, Yoshinobu relinquished some of his powers. On November 9, 1867, he resigned from the office of the shogun, which was abolished, and the power of the shogunate was handed over to a new emperor. The Rise of the Meiji Empire The southern daimyo launched the Boshin War to ensure that power would rest with the emperor rather than with a military leader. In 1868, the pro-imperial daimyo announced the Meiji Restoration, under which the young Emperor Meiji would rule in his own name. After 250 years of peace and relative isolation under the Tokugawa shoguns, Japan launched itself into the modern world. Hoping to escape the same fate as once-powerful China, the island nation threw itself into developing its economy and military might. By 1945, Japan had established a new empire across much of Asia.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

The Different Educational Philosophies Presented in the Movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1462 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/04/04 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Harry Potter Essay Did you like this example? When watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I observed the different teaching philosophies that Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, and Professor Umbridge display within the varied classroom setting. Essentialism is teaching the accumulated knowledge using core courses like English, history, math, science and foreign languages in a traditional academic discipline. The teacher is training the mind, promoting reasoning using pen and paper and administering examinations. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Different Educational Philosophies Presented in the Movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" essay for you Create order Perennialism is a philosophy that does not include flexibility in curriculum, rather is it quite rigorous in the standards, using the great books by historys finest thinkers and writers and enduring themes, to sharpen the students intellectual powers and enhance their moral qualities. Progressivism philosophy focuses on concerns, curiosity and real-world experiences that help students formulate meaningful questions, devise strategies to answer them, then tests their ideas to see if it works. The last thing on the teachers mind in this philosophy is testing. In evaluating Professor McGonagalls teaching practices at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I noticed that she incorporates and demonstrates three educational philosophies, namely Essentialism, Perennialism, and Progressivism. Professor McGonagall is known and well respected by both students and professors for her high level of student and classroom expectations. McGonagall is known for her strict, no-nonsense demeanor and as the master of her classroom. Because of the common culture that exists between both student and professor, she has gained the respect of all of her students. While her teaching strategies are traditional she is training their minds to promote reasoning. McGonagall uses great books by Hogwarts finest thinkers and writers while teaching them the traditional educational values of reading, writing, and arithmetic. At the beginning of class, she warns her students that anyone messing around will be forced to leave and not be welcomed back. She states, you have been warned (McGonagall). She provides her students with instructional demonstrations, where students are asked to conduct group experiments, such as the project-based learning approach. Her students tend to be inquisitive and ask many questions and in turn, she provides them with the help that is needed by roaming the classroom and answering their questions when needed. Overall, McGonagall utilizes two of the five teaching philosophies: Perennialism, and Progressivism. In the film, I believe that Warner Brother Studios chose to exemplify these two philosophies within McGonagall because they wanted to create a character who was a good example of moral ethics as well as honorable. She is capable of demonstrating both sides of the spectrum, the teacher-child-classroom relationship as well as the student-driven classroom relationships. She is able to allow the students to flourish in their creativity. In regards to McGonagall, I would model her teaching philosophy of Perennialism is a philosophy that does not include flexibility in curriculum, rather is it quite rigorous in the standards, using the great books by historys finest thinkers and writers and enduring themes, to sharpen the students intellectual powers and enhance their moral qualities. Progressivism philosophy focuses on concerns, curiosity and real-world experiences that help students formu late meaningful questions, devise strategies to answer them, then tests their ideas to see if it works. The last thing on the teachers mind in this philosophy is testing. I would avoid the strict rigorous demands of the curriculum, and aim to be more flexible one with the diverse learners in my class. Alongside McGonagall, Professor Sprout also uses the philosophy of progressivism in her classroom. She is a cheerful, roly-poly teacher, who is well liked by her students. Her philosophy offers a hands-on learning experience in an outdoor classroom setting. Within her class, she teaches them how to re-pot a Mandrake plant. She provides them with step-by-step instructions while also advising them of the dangers of their activity. The students are given tools for protection, then proceed with caution as she explains and demonstrates what they will do. She double checks their work and asks for understanding. From this, we can gather that she is an encouraging and thoughtful teacher who focuses on the individuals learning and progression throughout the time in her class. Her teaching philosophy of Progressivism allows them to gain real-world experiences that can be utilized during their years at Hogwarts. There is no testing in her classroom, the pupils education is built around their experience, while they focus on one discipline at a time. Professor Sprouts education states that if a single pupil wants to come, then the school ought to remain open for that pupil (Professor Sprout). Ultimately, I feel that Warner Brother Studios chose to show Professor Sprout in a way where progressivism is seen in a nurturing light because the students face peril, evil, darkness, and restriction of creativity among other professors within the school. In my own classroom, I would adopt Professor Sprouts way of teaching in a progressive light, we see that she is very encouraging, supportive, and allows students to lead and she follows in their footsteps. Consequently, we observe that Professor Umbridge adopts a completely different philosophy when teaching her students. The philosophy she demonstrates in her classroom is Essentialism. Essentialism is teaching the accumulated knowledge using core courses like English, history, math, science and foreign languages in a traditional academic discipline. The teacher is training the mind, promoting reasoning using pen and paper and administering examinations. Professor Umbridges demonstrates this by standing in front of the class as she teaches them which gives her a sense of superiority which exemplifies the idea of teachers being in control and in charge. When she does this, she is imparting her wisdom and knowledge so that the students may learn from her instead of discovering on their own. She is endowing them with her great wisdom and knowledge that is passed down from previous tried and true educators. Umbridge is viewed as the mouthpiece for the Ministry of Magics political stand on the practices and policies that govern Hogwarts. This teacher intimidates her students with an iron fist approach telling them there will be discipline, order, and obedience in her classroom. She has a set of classroom rules in place where speaking is never an option. She does not call her students by their names but refers to them as children (Umbridge). Because there will be no talking in class without her permission, Professor Umbridge insists they raise their hands. What she teaches her students is that they will gain knowledge through their examinations, she believes that learning in school is by a theoretical approach, studying and test taking. She also warns the students not to question her methods and compares this act to doubting the Ministry. Students quietly sit at their desks and write with pen and paper and rote information from their textbooks. Instead of focusing on the students opinions, she only deems the Ministries and her own as the guiding force in the classroom. The filmmakers chose to portray Umbridge in this traditional, old school way of teaching where students are to be seen but not heard. However, despite Umbridges views on how the classroom should be run, I would not agree. When teaching my future students, I would not adopt this theory. I would want to find more creative ways and other avenues that would allow them to test their understanding of subject other than her test-taking methods. I would allow my students to have a voice and that their opinions are welcome. After viewing the film and being able to critique the different educational philosophies that are presented, I was able to solidify my own teaching philosophy of Progressivism which focuses on concerns, curiosity and real-world experiences that help students formulate meaningful questions, devise strategies to answer them, then tests their ideas to see if it works. Modeling acceptance, encouraging creativity, understanding, and helping my students to pursue their interest while also being a role model. Overall, this film showed me the more effective ways of teaching students in a way that allows their creativity to flow and where they feel the most comfortable. The students dislike for Umbridge and adoration for McGonagall was blatantly obvious and continuously shown throughout the film which made it all the more obvious on which professors philosophies encourages and discourages learning. The level of respect, learning, and relationship development that occurred between student and professor is what appealed to me the most when watching this film. What was discouraging, was the number of forceful rules and discipline that professors like Umbridge displayed which eliminated an excitement for learning. When subjected to this environment, students are not able to enjoy their time spent in these classrooms during their academic years at Hogwarts. This film allowed me to cohesively see and understand the different philosophies that are brought into the classroom and how they affect the learning environment as a whole.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

A Study of Digital Literacy in a Marginalised Community

Introduction: Many young students enter into higher education with less focus and understanding of the digital and computing skills which is beneficial for higher education. Current as well in future, most of the new jobs will require excellent digital skills and work will be based only on the digital world, improving digital literacy is an essential part of the higher education and training.Courses either full or part time will help the young learners to learn the subjects in the digital world enable students to gain the skills and confidence they need to use digital technology not only to support their learning but also in the work environment. Definition - Digital Literacy: The concept of digital literacy was introduced by Paul†¦show more content†¦Knowledge about Operating System: Topic Don’t Know Little Known Known Better Well Known General Operating System (File Saving, Editing, Operating System) 3 24 33 97 Only 2% of the students do not know about the operating system. Rest of the students has some knowledge about operating system. Though most of the students do not have system facility, they learnt computer in their academic curriculum. Knowledge about Mailing: Topic Don’t Know Little Known Known Better Well Known Mail ID Creation, Mailing, File Attaching 67 30 30 30 43% of the students do not know about mail id creation, sending mail, file attaching, 19% of them known little, 19% of them known better, 19% of them known well. Group Mails Knowledge: Topic Don’t Know Little Known Known Better Well Known Group Mails 118 29 5 5 75% of the students do not know about group mail, 19% of them known little, 3% of them known better, 3% of them known well. Knowledge about Browsing, You Tube: Topic Don’t Know Little Known Known Better Well Known Browsing, You Tube 68 40 20 29 43% of the students do not know about youtude, browsing, 26% of them known little, 13% of them known better, 18% of them known well. Knowledge about Information Searching: Topic Don’t Know Little Known Known Better Well Known Information Searching 60 34 33 30 38% of the students do not know about Information Searching, 22% of them known little, 21% of them known better, 19% of themShow MoreRelatedBenefits Of Social Networking Systems Essay1201 Words   |  5 Pages2.1. Media Literacy Traditionally, media literacy was taught in schools discussing its various aspects such as media ownership, censorship and advertising. However, today’s media networks which usually operate online require more complex understanding of digital work that is not generally taught in schools. It requires that individual learn and participate safely in the new emerging social networking sites. There are number of components to media online literacy: †¢ Technical literacy which includesRead MoreTechnology And Its Impact On The Classroom Essay3638 Words   |  15 PagesInformation Communication Technology (ICT) in this digitally mediated world has led to the need for digital education in schools, which in turn can bring both potentials and challenges in divergent school settings, as digital literacies bring differing values and meanings in relation to the setting they are situated in. Transitioning from old to new literacies; digital literacy as a socially-imbued construct; digital divide; ICT out-of-school; educators and ICT; and implementing ICT in the classroom will beRead MoreInclusive Teaching Learning 2 Essay examples12114 Words   |  49 PagesYou might like to use the Small steps - big difference tool to help you identify the challenges most relevant to you. In this CPD builder you will find a wide range of information and guidance on inclusion in the form of research, checklists, case studies, good practice advice, videos and activities. There are suggestions of how you can use each resource for CPD to ensure that inclusivity is embedded into all activities and goes further than a tick box approach, alongside prompts to help you reflect

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

American Theatre marks 10th year Essay Example For Students

American Theatre marks 10th year Essay Ronald Reagan, miraculously recuperated from an assassination attempt, was gearing up his second Presidential campaign against a Democratic ticket with a woman, no less, in the V.P. slot. Los Angeles was sprucing up for a XXIIIrd Olympiad summer extravaganza. Glengarry Glen Ross was a gleam in the Pulitzer committees eye, but The Real Thing was selling more tickets on Broadway. The evening news was rife with images of disasters in Bophal, Beirut and a California McDonalds, but Hill Street Blues and Cheers offered a measure of reassuring familiarity on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Roseanne still had a single-syllable last name, and nobody had ever heard of Beavis and Butt-head. It was April 1984, American Theatres first issue appeared that month on U.S. newsstands with an American icon Sam Shepard in cowboy hat and flannel shirt, brow furrowed against the suns glare, cigarette dangling on its debut cover. The new publication was feted with champagne, cheese and good-humored comments from publisher Peter Zeisler (the issue was in his hands, after all, oozing Shepard mystique!) at the New York Department of Cultural Affairs auditorium on Columbus Circle. Among the celebrants that day were three members of the fledgling magazines board of advisers John Hirsh, John Houseman and Alan Schneider-who would not be present to contemplate its 10th-year anniversary this month. There have been 109 editions of American Theatre since Shepard glowered from that first cover, and while many elements have remained constant Zeislers prickly editorials, the trend-revealing compilation of national theatre schedules, a savvy eye trained on Washington and the politics of arts patronage the issue you now hold bears evidence of changes, large and small, made over the years, Perhaps the most dramatic came in June 92, when a full-color cover and a sleek redesign, supervised by New York-based graphic designer Michael S. Aron, gave American Theatre new visual and editorial impact. A new Individual Charter Membership program initiated last year has increased the magazines steadily growing circulation by more than 25 percent, creating an estimated readership of more than 80,000 in the U.S. and abroad. Other changes have been incremental. American Theatre evolved (during a year-and-a-half planning and production process) from Theatre Communications Groups 11-year-old monthly newsletter for theatre professionals, Theatre Communications, which by early 1984 was bursting at the seams with information and feature material, Although dance, opera, classical music and other art forms had their own national publications, there had been no general-circulation theatre magazine in the U.S. since the fondly remembered Theatre Arts folded in the 1960s. Zeisler and his TCG publications team deputy director Lindy Zesch, publications director Terence Nemeth and me as editor saw the transformation of TC into AT as an undertaking whose time had come. The inclusion of playscripts was planned from the magazines inception, but it was more than a year before the expensive and time-consuming process of play selection, editing and publication began. With eventual funding assistance from the California-based Audrey Skirball-Kenis Theatre, the playscript series has given readers first access to a remarkable range of new works and has become one of the magazines most valued features. From the beginning, the list of writers contributing to American Theatre read like a whos who of notable theatre critics and commentators among them have been Eric Bentley, Misha Berson, Eileen Blumenthal, Robert Brustein, Roger Copeland, Richard Eder, Michael Feingold, Elinor Fuchs, Richard Gilman, Mel Gussow Jonathan Kalb, Jan Kott, James Leverett, Todd London, Charles L. Mee Jr., Benedict Nightingale, Julius Novick, Marc Robinson, Gordon Rogoff, Scott Rosenberg, Richard Schechner, Don Shewey, Alisa Solomon, Jan Stuart, Ross Wetzsteon and Matt Wolf. .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 , .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 .postImageUrl , .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 , .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635:hover , .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635:visited , .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635:active { border:0!important; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635:active , .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635 .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua3b847a55a98212c5afa9bfa40b18635:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Verbatim Theatre and April's Fool EssayNurturing writers to follow in such distinguished footsteps soon became a priority, and with the advent of an innovative Affiliated Writers program created in tandem with The Jerome Foundation, the magazine began to offer support and mentorship to a new generation of theatre writers resulting in such memorable articles as Robert Coes Verona, Mississippi, a powerful account of Cornerstone Theatre Companys interracial production of Romeo and Juliet in Port Gibson, Miss., that may serve as the basis of an upcoming Steven Spielberg film. Writer-development assistance from The James Irvine Foundation, in the form of a California Commissio ning Fund, supported essays on the impact and after-math of the Los Angeles riots by on-the-scene commentators Allan Parachini and Susan Albert Loewenberg. But the magazines profound impact on the nations theatrical culture cannot be evoked by citing individual articles from the hundreds that have appeared in American Theatres pages. A clearer measure of its indispensibility may be the fact that many readers (not to mention editors and staffers) find it hard to conceive that the publication doesnt predate Geraldine Ferraros nomination speech, Glengarry Glen Ross or Hill Street Blues. Ive been reading American Theatre ever since I was high school, an actor well into middle age recently confided by way of a compliment, and Ive saved every issue. Thatll be valuable collection one day, I assured him.