Importance Of Sanskrit In Hinduism Religion Essay

Importance Of Sanskrit In Hinduism Religion Essay Most people may question about the nature of religion itself. Often the answer will be that Religion is the belief in God, the soul and afterlife. Religion may be also described as a set of rules or the way which a member in that religion should act throughout his life. Besides a number of rituals and symbols which address the psychology of human beings, religion is a way of life. Hinduism and Judaism are mothers of all modern religions in the world. Further on from Judaism came Islam and Christianity. Hinduism, which is the worlds oldest organized religion, is the dominant religion in India. In fact, the origins of Hinduism can be traced back to at least 2500BCE. Hinduism consists of thousands of different religious groups that have evolved in India 1500 BCE. This religion managed to survive and even thrive in modern times. Hinduism is different from other religions, such as, Christianity. It has no Pope and it has no hierarchy. Unlike any other religion, Hinduism has no particular founder, for instance, the founder of Christianity is Jesus Christ. This religion is more viewed as the research of various men throughout the years, who were called Rishis, which were Christ like masters. Originally, before the Persians gave the name Hinduism to this religion it was called Sanatana Dharma meaning Righteousness. Besides its name, Hinduism has gone multiple changes and developments throughout the years. There are two attempts which explain how Hinduism started to develop in India. For a particular reason both of these theories draw on the famous verse Ekam Sat, Viprah Bahudha Vadanti for their effectiveness. The first theory is the Indo-Aryan Migration Theory, which began started after the relationship between Sanskrit, Greek and Latin was discovered. This theory states that at the end of the Indus Valley Civilization (around 1700BCE) a number of Aryans immigrated into northern India from central Europe and Minor Asia. According to this theory the Aryans began to mix with the Indigenous Dravidian. Eventually the Aryans religious stream together with the Indigenous stream is what formed and started Hinduism. The second theory is the opposite of the first theory. It is the Out of India Theory, where it states that Hinduism began out of India. There are even passages in the Mahabharata and other Hindu texts which support this idea. According to this theory the Aryan culture was not developed by migrants or outside invaders, but it was introduced through the Indus valley civilization. This theory has two beliefs. First is that Hinduisms religious development was completely original and new. Its second belief is that the similarities between Sanskrit, Greek and Latin languages are the effect of the Aryan migration, out of India and into Europe. At this point Aryan tribes from India started bringing their culture, language and religion to spread throughout Europe. Eventually it is not very important whether the Aryans came from outside or inside of India. Hinduism should be seen as a religion which was born 3,000 years through the Aryan culture, according to the rule of Ekam Sat, Viprah Bahudha Vadanti. The unifying force of this verse is what created the Hinduism of today. Hinduism has a lot of scriptures.   The scriptures consist of the history and culture of India. All Hindu scriptures are considered as revealed truths of God. In fact Hindu scriptures state that  all Hindu Scriptures were written by God. Vedas, meaning knowledge, are the first sacred books of Hinduism. There are four Vedas, which are supposed to teach men the highest aspects of truths which can lead them to God. Vedas and Upanishads are Shruti scriptures. According to Vedas Self Realization is one and the goal of human life. Vedas contains a detailed discussion on rituals and ceremonies which lead to attain self-realization. There are 4 Vedas, which are; Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda. The very first important book of Hindu, Rig Veda, states; Ekam Sat, Viprah Bahudha Vadanti, which means that there is only one truth even if men describe it differently. Hindu believes that There is One and only God and One Truth. This book is a collection of prayers and praises. All the four Vedas describe different knowledge. For instance rig Veda describes the knowledge of hymns, Yajur Veda describes the knowledge of Liturgy, and Sama Veda describes the Knowledge of Music, while Atharva Veda describes the Knowledge given by Sage Athrvana. Hindus believe in One and Only God, who is Brahman  which can be expressed in various forms. According to the Hindus God has no human or any other form. However they believe that there is still nothing wrong to believe in a God with a name and form. In fact in the Shruti scriptures of Hinduism, Brahman has been described both as  Saguna Brahman as well as Nirguna Brahman, God with attributes and God without attributes, respectively. In the Upanishads, God is described as  Neti. Despite this, Hindus still believe that there is only One God. Lord Krishna stated, Call me by whatever name you like; Worship me in any form you like; All that goes to One and Only Supreme Reality. Therefore when a Hindu worships any God form he is actually worshiping the One and Only God Brahman. Even in Christianity although we believe in one and only God, He expresses himself in three different forms, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Language and religion are inseparably related, like Hinduism and Sanskrit. From the very beginning, Vedic thought has been expressed through the Sanskrit language. Thus, Sanskrit forms the basis of Hindu civilization. Sanskrit literally meaning cultured or refined is one of the richest and most systematic languages in the world, which is older than Hebrew and Latin. The first words in English language came from Sanskrit. For instance, the word mother came from Sanskrit word  mata  and father came from Sanskrit word  pita. Forbes Magazine, (July, 1987) wrote: Sanskrit is the mother of all the European languages. The literature and philosophy expressed in this language have a beauty and profundity, which is unsurpassed. As language changes, so does religion. Although the bass of Hinduism was formed the vocabulary and syntax of Sanskrit, modern languages such as Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada and others, are now the primary carriers of Hindu thought within India. The shift from Sanskrit to these languages formed not only a change in the meaning of words but also a change in how religion was interpreted. However in the last century, Hinduism started to emerge in two various forms. One is from 1896, in Chicago where Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu religious teacher, traveled to England and other countries in Europe and created several followers. Swami was a trailblazer for most of Hindu teachers who came to the west and are still coming today. Hindu holy men have brought a new set of Hindu vocabulary and thought to the western culture. The second significant transplantation of Hinduism into the West has occurred through the increase of immigration oh Hindus who were born in India and moved to the West. These members are actively engaged in building Hindu temples and other institutuin in the West. As the popularity of Hinduism increases in the west, the emerging forms of this ancient tradition are being reflected through the medium of western language, mostly English. However the meaning of words is not easily moved from one language to another. It is said that the more distant two languages are separated by geography climate and latitude the more the meaning of words shift and eventually the more worldview shifts. There is not a lot of difference between Sanskrit and the Indian regional language when compared to the difference between a western language, for instance, Sanskrit and English. The problem of Christianization of Hinduism is the difficultly of bringing Hinduism to the West. It is a natural mistake which we make to approach Hinduism with Christian, Jewish or Islamic notions of God, soul, heaven, hell and sin in mind. We translate these notions, to notions in Christian thought, such as, Brahman as God, atman as soul, papa as sin and dharma as religion. However this is not correct, Brahman is not the same as God, atman is not the same as soul, papa is not sin and dharma is more than simply religion. When one is reading sacred writings of a particular religion, for instance, Upanishads or Bhagavad-Gita, one must read them on their own terms and not from the perspective of some other religion. Because Hinduism is being reflected through Christianity, Judaism and Islam, the theological uniqueness of Hinduism is becoming completely lost. Ideally anyone who is interested in Hinduism and would love to understand he must first have knowledge of the Sanskrit language. However even the first generations of Hindu immigrants did not know Sanskrit. The Hinduism of these immigrants is through the regional languages. In fact Hinduism is still related very closely to its Sanskrit roots through the regional languages. The problem is that these languages are still not being taught to the new generation, and eventually this will lead the regional languages of India will die after one or two generations. Thus, this means that the second generation will lose their regional ethnic roots and become more westernized. This problem of religious and cultural change can be resolved by identifying and creating a dictionary of religious Sanskrit words. This will eventually stop us to translate words as Brahman, dharma and papa, thus, these words will become part of the common spoken language when speaking of Hindu issues. However this is already happening with the words karma, yoga and dharma. They became part of common English speech, but not with their ultimate religious meaning. These words are terms taken from the sacred scriptures of Hindu, such as, the Bhagavad-Gita and the ten major Upanishads. Some of the translations of Hindu terms are: Brahman refers to the Supreme Principle. Everything which is created and absorbed is a production of Brahman. The word Brahman must not be confused with Brahma. Brahma God of creation. Dharma is also derived from Sanskrit meaning to hold up, to carry or to sustain. The word dharma refers to that which upholds or sustains the universe. Human society, for example, is sustained and upheld by the dharma performed by its members. In philosophy dharma refers to the defining quality of an object. For instance, coldness is a dharma of ice. In this case we can think that the existence of an object is sustained or defined by its essential attributes, dharmas. Yoga also derived from the Sanskrit means to join, to unite or to attach. We can think of yoga as the joining of the à ¥tma with the paramà ¥tma, the soul with God. There are numerous means of joining with God: through action, karma-yoga; through knowledge, jà ±Ãƒ ¥na-yoga; through devotion, bhakti-yoga; through meditation, dhyà ¥na-yoga, etc. Yoga has many other meaning. For example, in astronomy and astrology it refers to a conjunction (union) of planets. Pà ¥pa is what brings one down. Sometimes translated as sin or evil.

Free Essays - Animal Farm :: Animal Farm Essays

Social commentary is sometimes found at the heart of good art, whether that art form is literature or popular music. The novel, Animal Farm by George Orwell, and the rock album, Animals written and performed by Pink Floyd share the same characteristic of scathing social commentary. The artworks also share an animal metaphor that serves to cast a dark light on human social interactions and stratification functions. Conversely, the artworks individually attack the diametrically opposed, socio-economic systems of communism (by Orwell) and capitalism (by Roger Waters). The artworks are individually astounding, but when viewed in tandem, alludes to the idea that socio-economic systems are still evolving and in time the terms capitalism and communism will be thought as ineffective as feudalism.   The shared characteristics of social commentary and animal metaphor literally, are what make these particular artworks the amazing examples of their respective genres that they are. The animal metaphor tends to depict humans as being motivated by our animalistic desires, as well as the tendency among ourselves to be highly competitive and often, ruthless. In Animal Farm, Orwell puts the pigs as being the leaders, or the exploiters of the masses, depending on your point of view. Waters does the same in Animals, depicting the pigs as uncaring, self-involved, and overbearing masters of the masses. In both works, dogs are an enforcer-type, driven either by a sense of patriotism, honor, and pride, but also those misanthropes who relish in the power they have been given and enjoy abusing those weaker than themselves. The sheep are a shared characteristic of both works, depicting them as easily manipulated and led to the slaughter.   The works diverge from one another in which philosophy they individually espouse. Orwell’s novel is an obvious attack against communism. The pig characters of the novel represent the political figures of the early days of the Soviet Union. Orwell goes on to depict the system of the so-called â€Å"class-less† society as an incredible failure, while time would ultimately prove his early analysis as being correct. Any large-scale, highly organized society in all of human history has required social stratification, and Russia of the early twentieth century would prove to be no different. As with any society, those with power have been and still are tempted to abuse that power for their own individual ends, often at the expense of those that have granted them their power. Capitalism is not immune from this inherent flaw in social stratification either.

Higher education Essay

Education in its general sense is a form of learning in which the knowledge, skills, and habits of a group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through teaching, training, or research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of others, but may also be autodidactic. [1] Any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. Education is commonly divided into stages such as preschool, primary school, secondary school and then college, university or apprenticeship. A right to education has been recognized by some governments. At the global level, Article 13 of the United Nations’ 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recognizes the right of everyone to an education. [2] Although education is compulsory in most places up to a certain age, attendance at school often isn’t, and a minority of parents choose home-schooling, e-learning or similar for their children. Contents [hide] 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Formal education 3. 1 Preschool 3. 2 Primary 3.3 Secondary 3. 4 Tertiary (higher) 3. 5 Vocational 3. 6 Special 4 Other educational forms 4. 1 Alternative 4. 2 Indigenous 4. 3 Informal learning 4. 4 Self-directed learning 4. 5 Open education and e-learning 5 Development goals 5. 1 Internationalization 5. 2 Education and technology in developing countries 5. 3 Private v public funding in developing countries 6 Educational theory 6. 1 Purpose of schools 6. 2 Educational psychology 6. 3 Learning modalities 6. 4 Philosophy 6. 5 Curriculum 6. 6 Instruction 7 Economics  8 See also 9 References 10 External links Etymology[edit]. Etymologically, the word â€Å"education† is derived from the Latin educatio (â€Å"A breeding, a bringing up, a rearing†) from educo (â€Å"I educate, I train†) which is related to the homonym educo (â€Å"I lead forth, I take out; I raise up, I erect†) from e- (â€Å"from, out of†) and duco (â€Å"I lead, I conduct†). [3] Education can take place in formal or informal educational settings. History[edit] Main article: History of education Nalanda, ancient center for higher learning. Plato’s academy, mosaic from Pompeii Education began in the earliest prehistory, as adults trained the young of their society in the knowledge and skills they would need to master and eventually pass on. In pre-literate societies this was achieved orally and through imitation. Story-telling continued from one generation to the next. As cultures began to extend their knowledge beyond skills that could be readily learned through imitation, formal education developed. Schools existed in Egypt at the time of the Middle Kingdom. [4]. A depiction of the University of Bologna, Italy, founded in 1088 Matteo Ricci (left) and Xu Guangqi (right) in the Chinese edition of Euclid’s Elements published in 1607 Plato founded the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in Europe. [5] The city of Alexandria in Egypt, founded in 330 BCE, became the successor to Athens as the intellectual cradle of Ancient Greece. There mathematician Euclid and anatomist Herophilus; constructed the great Library of Alexandria and translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek. European civilizations suffered a collapse of literacy and organization following the fall of Rome in AD 476. [6] In China, Confucius (551-479 BCE), of the State of Lu, was China’s most influential ancient philosopher, whose educational outlook continues to influence the societies of China and neighbours like Korea, Japan and Vietnam. He gathered disciples and searched in vain for a ruler who would adopt his ideals for good governance, but his Analects were written down by followers and have continued to influence education in East Asia into the modern era. [citation needed] After the Fall of Rome, the Catholic Church became the sole preserver of literate scholarship in Western Europe. The church established cathedral schools in the Early Middle Ages as centers of advanced education. Some of these ultimately evolved into medieval universities and forebears of many of Europe’s modern universities. [6] During the High Middle Ages, Chartres Cathedral operated the famous and influential Chartres Cathedral School. The medieval universities of Western Christendom were well-integrated across all of Western Europe, encouraged freedom of enquiry and produced a great variety of fine scholars and natural philosophers, including Thomas Aquinas of the University of Naples, Robert Grosseteste of the University of Oxford, an early expositor of a systematic method of scientific experimentation;[7] and Saint Albert the Great, a pioneer of biological field research. [8] The University of Bologne is considered the oldest continually operating university. Elsewhere during the Middle Ages, Islamic science and mathematics flourished under the Islamic caliphate established across the Middle East, extending from the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Indus in the east and to the Almoravid Dynasty and Mali Empire in the south. The Renaissance in Europe ushered in a new age of scientific and intellectual inquiry and appreciation of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. Around 1450, Johannes Gutenberg developed a printing press, which allowed works of literature to spread more quickly. The European Age of Empires saw European ideas of education in philosophy, religion, arts and sciences spread out across the globe. Missionaries and scholars also brought back new ideas from other civilisations — as with the Jesuit China missions who played a significant role in the transmission of knowledge, science, and culture between China and Europe, translating works from Europe like Euclid’s Elements for Chinese scholars and the thoughts of Confucius for European audiences. The Enlightenment saw the emergence of a more secular educational outlook in Europe. In most countries today, education is compulsory for all children up to a certain age. Due to this the proliferation of compulsory education, combined with population growth, UNESCO has calculated that in the next 30 years more people will receive formal education than in all of human history thus far. [9] Formal education[edit] Systems of schooling involve institutionalized teaching and learning in relation to a curriculum, which itself is established according to a predetermined purpose of the schools in the system. School systems are sometimes also based on religions, giving them different curricula. Preschool[edit] Young children in a kindergarten in Japan Main article: Early childhood education Preschools provide education up to the age of between 4 and 8 when children enter primary education. Also known as nursery schools and as kindergarten, except in the USA, where kindergarten is a term used for primary education. Preschool education is important because it can give a child the edge in a competitive world and education climate. [citation needed] While children who do not receive the fundamentals during their preschool years will be taught the alphabet, counting, shapes and colors and designs when they begin their formal education they will be behind the children who already possess that knowledge. The true purpose behind kindergarten is â€Å"to provide a child-centered, preschool curriculum for three to seven year old children that aimed at unfolding the child’s physical, intellectual, and moral nature with balanced emphasis on each of them. â€Å"[10] This period of education is very important in the formative years of the child. Teachers with special skills and training are needed at this time to nurture the children to develop their potentials. [citation needed] Primary[edit] School children line, in Kerala, India Main article: Primary education Primary (or elementary) education consists of the first 5–7 years of formal, structured education. In general, primary education consists of six or eight years of schooling starting at the age of five or six, although this varies between, and sometimes within, countries. Globally, around 89% of primary-age children are enrolled in primary education, and this proportion is rising. [11] Under the Education For All programs driven by UNESCO, most countries have committed to achieving universal enrollment in primary education by 2015, and in many countries, it is compulsory for children to receive primary education. The division between primary and secondary education is somewhat arbitrary, but it generally occurs at about eleven or twelve years of age. Some education systems have separate middle schools, with the transition to the final stage of secondary education taking place at around the age of fourteen. Schools that provide primary education, are mostly referred to as primary schools. Primary schools in these countries are often subdivided into infant schools and junior school. In India, compulsory education spans over twelve years, out of which children receive elementary education for 8 years. Elementary schooling consists of five years of primary schooling and 3 years of upper primary schooling. Various states in the republic of India provide 12 years of compulsory school education based on a national curriculum framework designed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training. Secondary[edit] Students working with a teacher at Albany Senior High School, New Zealand Main article: Secondary education In most contemporary educational systems of the world, secondary education comprises the formal education that occurs during adolescence. It is characterized by transition from the typically compulsory, comprehensive primary education for minors, to the optional, selective tertiary, â€Å"post-secondary†, or â€Å"higher† education (e. g. university, vocational school) for adults. Depending on the system, schools for this period, or a part of it, may be called secondary or high schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, middle schools, colleges, or vocational schools. The exact meaning of any of these terms varies from one system to another. The exact boundary between primary and secondary education also varies from country to country and even within them, but is generally around the seventh to the tenth year of schooling. Secondary education occurs mainly during the teenage years. In the United States, Canada and Australia primary and secondary education together are sometimes referred to as K-12 education, and in New Zealand Year 1–13 is used. The purpose of secondary education can be to give common knowledge, to prepare for higher education or to train directly in a profession. The emergence of secondary education in the United States did not happen until 1910, caused by the rise in big businesses and technological advances in factories (for instance, the emergence of electrification), that required skilled workers. In order to meet this new job demand, high schools were created, with a curriculum focused on practical job skills that would better prepare students for white collar or skilled blue collar work. This proved  to be beneficial for both employers and employees, for the improvement in human capital caused employees to become more efficient, which lowered costs for the employer, and skilled employees received a higher wage than employees with just primary educational attainment. In Europe, grammar schools or academies date from as early as the 16th century, in the form of public schools, fee-paying schools, or charitable educational foundations, which themselves have an even longer history. Community colleges offer nonresidential junior college offering courses to people living in a particular area. Tertiary (higher)[edit] Students in a laboratory, Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University See also: Higher education and Adult education Higher education, also called tertiary, third stage, or post secondary education, is the non-compulsory educational level that follows the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school or secondary school. Tertiary education is normally taken to include undergraduate and postgraduate education, as well as vocational education and training. Colleges and universities are the main institutions that provide tertiary education. Collectively, these are sometimes known as tertiary institutions. Tertiary education generally results in the receipt of certificates, diplomas, or academic degrees. Higher education generally involves work towards a degree-level or foundation degree qualification. In most developed countries a high proportion of the population (up to 50%) now enter higher education at some time in their lives. Higher education is therefore very important to national economies, both as a significant industry in its own right, and as a source of trained and educated personnel for the rest of the economy. University education includes teaching, research, and social services activities, and it includes both the undergraduate level (sometimes referred to as tertiary education) and the graduate (or postgraduate) level (sometimes referred to as graduate school). Universities are generally composed of several colleges. In the United States, universities can be private and independent like Yale University; public and state-governed like the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education; or independent but state-funded like the University of Virginia. A number of career specific courses are now available to students through the Internet. A liberal arts institution can be defined as a â€Å"college or university curriculum aimed at imparting broad general knowledge and developing general intellectual capacities, in contrast to a professional, vocational, or technical curriculum. â€Å"[12] Although what is known today as the liberal arts college began in Europe,[13] the term is more commonly associated with universities in the United States. [citation needed] Vocational[edit]. Carpentry is normally learned through apprenticeship. Main article: Vocational education Vocational education is a form of education focused on direct and practical training for a specific trade or craft. Vocational education may come in the form of an apprenticeship or internship as well as institutions teaching courses such as carpentry, agriculture, engineering, medicine, architecture and the arts. Special[edit] Main article: Special education In the past, those who were disabled were often not eligible for public education. Children with disabilities were often educated by physicians or special tutors. These early physicians (people like Itard, Seguin, Howe, Gallaudet) set the foundation for special education today. They focused on individualized instruction and functional skills. Special education was only provided to people with severe disabilities in its early years, but more recently it has been opened to anyone who has experienced difficulty learning. [14] Other educational forms[edit] Alternative[edit]. Main article: Alternative education While considered â€Å"alternative† today, most alternative systems have existed since ancient times. After the public school system was widely developed beginning in the 19th century, some parents found reasons to be discontented with the new system. Alternative education developed in part as a reaction to perceived limitations and failings of traditional education. A broad range of educational approaches emerged, including alternative schools, self learning, homeschooling and unschooling. Example alternative schools include Montessori schools, Waldorf schools (or Steiner schools), Friends schools, Sands School, Summerhill School, The Peepal Grove School, Sudbury Valley School, Krishnamurti schools, and open classroom schools. To a greater or lesser degree, ideas from these experiments and challenges to the system may in time be adopted by the mainstream, as to a large degree has happened with kindergarten, an experimental approach to early childhood education developed by Friedrich Frobel in 19th century Germany. Other influential writers and thinkers have included the Swiss humanitarian Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi; the American transcendentalists Amos Bronson Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau; the founders of progressive education, John Dewey and Francis Parker; and educational pioneers such as Maria Montessori and Rudolf Steiner, and more recently John Caldwell Holt, Paul Goodman, Frederick Mayer, George Dennison and Ivan Illich. Indigenous[edit] Na Schoolyard. Teaching indigenous knowledge, models, methods in Yanyuan County, Sichuan in China Main article: Indigenous education. Indigenous education refers to the inclusion of indigenous knowledge, models, methods and content within formal and non-formal educational systems. Often in a post-colonial context, the growing recognition and use of indigenous education methods can be a response to the erosion and loss of indigenous knowledge and language through the processes of colonialism. Furthermore, it can enable indigenous communities to â€Å"reclaim and revalue their languages and cultures, and in so doing, improve the educational success of indigenous students. â€Å"[15] Informal learning[edit]. Main article: informal learning Informal learning is one of three forms of learning defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Informal learning occurs in a variety of places, such as at home, work, and through daily interactions and shared relationships among members of society. For many learners this includes language acquisition, cultural norms and manners. Informal learning for young people is an ongoing process that also occurs in a variety of places, such as out of school time, in youth programs at community centers and media labs. Informal learning usually takes place outside educational establishments, does not follow a specified curriculum and may originate accidentally, sporadically, in association with certain occasions, from changing practical requirements. It is not necessarily planned to be pedagogically conscious, systematic and according to subjects, but rather unconsciously incidental, holistically problem-related, and related to situation management and fitness for life. It is experienced directly in its â€Å"natural† function of everyday life and is often spontaneous. The concept of ‘education through recreation’ was applied to childhood development in the 19th century. [16] In the early 20th century, the concept was broadened to include young adults but the emphasis was on physical activities. [17] L. P. Jacks, also an early proponent of lifelong learning, described education through recreation: â€Å"A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play, his labour and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself he always seems to be doing both. Enough for him that he does it well. â€Å"[18] Education through recreation is the opportunity to learn in a seamless fashion through all of life’s activities. [19] The concept has been revived by the University of Western Ontario to teach anatomy to medical students. [19] Self-directed learning[edit]. Main article: Autodidacticism Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) is a contemplative, absorbing process, of â€Å"learning on your own† or â€Å"by yourself†, or as a self-teacher. Some autodidacts spend a great deal of time reviewing the resources of libraries and educational websites. One may become an autodidact at nearly any point in one’s life. While some may have been informed in a conventional manner in a particular field, they may choose to inform themselves in other, often unrelated areas. Notable autodidacts include Abraham Lincoln (U. S. president), Srinivasa Ramanujan (mathematician), Michael Faraday (chemist and physicist), Charles Darwin (naturalist), Thomas Alva Edison (inventor), Tadao Ando (architect), George Bernard Shaw (playwright), Frank Zappa (composer, recording engineer, film director), and Leonardo da Vinci (engineer, scientist, mathematician). Open education and e-learning[edit] Main articles: Open education and E-learning In 2012, e-learning had grown at 14 times the rate of traditional learning. [clarification needed][20] Open education is fast growing to become the dominant form of education, for many reasons such as its efficiency and results compared to traditional methods. [21] Cost of education has been an issue throughout history, and a major political issue in most countries today. Open education is generally significantly cheaper than traditional campus based learning and in many cases even free. Many large university institutions are now starting to offer free or almost free full courses such as Harvard, MIT and Berkeley teaming up to form edX. Other universities offering open education are Stanford, Princeton, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Edinburgh, U. Penn, U. Michigan, U. Virginia, U. Washington, and Caltech. It has been called the biggest change in the way we learn since the printing press. [22] Many people despite favorable studies on effectiveness may still desire to choose traditional campus education for social and cultural reasons. [23] The conventional merit-system degree is currently not as common in open education as it is in campus universities, although some open universities do already offer conventional degrees such as the Open University in the United Kingdom. Presently, many of the major open education sources offer their own form of certificate. Due to the popularity of open education, these new kind of academic certificates are gaining more respect and equal â€Å"academic value† to traditional degrees. [24] Many open universities are working to have the ability to offer students standardized testing and traditional degrees and credentials. [citation needed] There has been a culture forming around distance learning for people who are looking to enjoy the shared social aspects that many people value in traditional on-campus education, which is not often directly offered from open education. [citation needed] Examples of this are people in open education forming study groups, meetups and movements such as UnCollege. Development goals[edit] World map indicating Education Index (according to 2007/2008 Human Development Report) Russia has more academic graduates than any other country in Europe. [when? ] (Chart does not include population statistics. ) Since 1909, the ratio of children in the developing world going to school has increased. Before then, a small minority of boys attended school. By the start of the 21st century, the majority of all children in most regions of the world attended school. There are 73 million children,[clarification needed] mostly female children in poor families, who did not start elementary school. There are more than 200 million children, mostly females from poor families, who did not go to secondary school. [25] Universal Primary Education is one of the eight international Millennium Development Goals, towards which progress has been made in the past decade, though barriers still remain. [26] Securing charitable funding from prospective donors is one particularly persistent problem. Researchers at the Overseas Development Institute have indicated that the main obstacles to receiving more funding for education include conflicting donor priorities, an immature aid architecture, and a lack of evidence and advocacy for the issue. [26] Additionally, Transparency International has identified corruption in the education sector as a major stumbling block to achieving Universal Primary Education in Africa. [27] Furthermore, demand in the developing world for improved educational access is not as high as foreigners have expected. Indigenous governments are reluctant to take on the recurrent costs involved. There is economic pressure from those parents who prefer their children to earn money in the short term rather than work towards the long-term benefits of education. [citation needed] A study conducted by the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning indicates that stronger capacities in educational planning and management may have an important spill-over effect on the system as a whole. [28] Sustainable capacity development requires complex interventions at the institutional, organizational and individual levels that could be based on some foundational principles: national leadership and ownership should be the touchstone of any intervention; strategies must be context relevant and context specific;[clarification needed] they should embrace an integrated set of complementary interventions, though implementation may need to proceed in steps;[clarification needed] partners should commit to a long-term investment in capacity development, while working towards some short-term achievements; outside intervention should be conditional on an impact assessment of national capacities at various levels; a certain percentage of students should be removed for improvisation of academics (usually practiced in schools, after 10th grade). Internationalization[edit]. Nearly every country now has Universal Primary Education. Similarities — in systems or even in ideas — that schools share internationally have led to an increase in international student exchanges. The European Socrates-Erasmus Program[29] facilitates exchanges across European universities. The Soros Foundation[30] provides many opportunities for students from central Asia and eastern Europe. Programs such as the International Baccalaureate have contributed to the internationalization of education. The global campus online, led by American universities, allows free access to class materials and lecture files recorded during the actual classes. Education and technology in developing countries[edit]. The OLPC laptop being introduced to children in Haiti Technology plays an increasingly significant role in improving access to education for people living in impoverished areas and developing countries. There are charities dedicated to providing infrastructures through which the disadvantaged may access educational materials, for example, the One Laptop per Child project. The OLPC foundation, a group out of MIT Media Lab and supported by several major corporations, has a stated mission to develop a $100 laptop for delivering educational software. The laptops were widely available as of 2008. They are sold at cost or given away based on donations. In Africa, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has launched an â€Å"e-school program† to provide all 600,000 primary and high schools with computer equipment, learning materials and internet access within 10 years. [31] An International Development Agency project called nabuur. com,[32] started with the support of former American President Bill Clinton, uses the Internet to allow co-operation by individuals on issues of social development. India is developing technologies that will bypass land-based telephone and Internet infrastructure to deliver distance learning directly to its students. In 2004, the Indian Space Research Organization launched EDUSAT, a  communications satellite providing access to educational materials that can reach more of the country’s population at a greatly reduced cost. [33] Private v public funding in developing countries[edit] Research into low cost private schools found that over 5 years to July 2013, debate around low-cost private schools to achieving Education for All (EFA) objectives was polarised and finding growing coverage in international policy. [34] The polarisation was due to disputes around whether the schools are affordable for the poor, reaching disadvantaged groups, provide quality education, supporting or undermining equality, and are financially sustainable. The report examined the main challenges that development organisations which support LCPSs have encountered. [34] Surveys suggest these types of schools are expanding across Africa and Asia and is attributed to excess demand. These surveys also found concern for: Equity, widely found in the literature, as the growth in low-cost private schooling may be exacerbating or perpetuating already existing inequalities in developing countries, between urban and rural populations, lower- and higher-income families, and between girls and boys. The report says findings are that LCPSs see evidence girls are underrepresented and that they are reaching some low-income families, often in small numbers compared with higher-income families. Quality of provision and educational outcomes: You cannot generalise about the quality of private schools. While most achieve better results than government counterparts, even after their social background is taken into account, some studies find the opposite. Quality in terms of levels of teacher absence, teaching activity and pupil to teacher ratios in some countries are better in LCPSs than in government schools. Choice and affordability for the poor: parents can choose private schools because of perceptions of better-quality teaching and facilities, and an English language instruction preference. Nevertheless, the concept of ‘choice’ does not apply in all contexts, or to all groups in society, partly because of limited affordability (which excludes most of the poorest) and other forms of exclusion, related to caste or social status. Cost-effectiveness and financial sustainability: Evidence is that private schools operate at low cost by keeping teacher salaries low, but their financial situation may be precarious where they are reliant on fees from low-income households. The report said there were some cases of successful voucher and subsidy programmes; evaluations of international support to the sector are not widespread. [34] Addressing regulatory ineffectiveness is a key challenge. Emerging approaches stress the importance of understanding the political economy of the market for LCPSs, specifically how relationships of power and accountability between users, government and private providers can produce better education outcomes for the poor. Educational theory[edit]. A class size experiment in the United States found that attending small classes for 3 or more years in the early grades increased high school graduation rates of students from low income families. [35] Main article: Educational theory Purpose of schools[edit] Individual purposes for pursuing education can vary. The understanding of the goals and means of educational socialization processes may also differ according to the sociological paradigm used. In the early years of schooling, the focus is generally around developing basic interpersonal communication and literacy skills in order to further ability to learn more complex skills and subjects. After acquiring these basic abilities, education is commonly focused towards individuals gaining necessary knowledge and skills to improve ability to create value and a livelihood for themselves. [36] Satisfying personal curiosities (education for the sake of itself) and desire for personal development, to â€Å"better oneself† without career based reasons for doing so are also common reasons why people pursue education and use schools. [37] Education is often understood to be a means of overcoming handicaps, achieving greater equality and acquiring wealth and status for all (Sargent 1994). Learners can also be motivated by their interest in the subject area or specific skill they are trying to learn. Learner-responsibility education models are driven by the interest of the learner in the topic to be studied. [38] Education is often perceived as a place where children can develop according to their unique needs and potentialities[39] with the purpose of developing every individual to their full potential. Educational psychology[edit] Main article: Educational psychology Educational psychology is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of educational interventions, the psychology of teaching, and the social psychology of schools as organizations. Although the terms â€Å"educational psychology† and â€Å"school psychology† are often used interchangeably, researchers and theorists are likely to be identified as educational psychologists, whereas practitioners in schools or school-related settings are identified as school psychologists.

Writing a Law School Resume Length, Formatting, Sections

Your law school resume is an important element of your application. While not all schools require resumes, many top schools do, and those that don’t often allow applicants to submit a resume as supplemental information. A resume for law school should be different from a job resume. In particular, the law school resume should contain significantly more detail than a standard employment resume. The most important elements to emphasize in a resume for law school are your academic achievements, so make sure those are featured prominently on your resume. Length and Formatting Resumes for law school should be a maximum of one to two pages in length. According to Stanford Laws admissions site, Stanford requires a one-to-two page resume describing your academic, extracurricular and professional activities. The University of Chicago Laws admissions team offers a bit more leeway, stating, You can go into more detail than you would in a typical resume for employment (use your judgment though; very rarely does one need more than 2-3 pages). The resume format and style must be professional and should include headings for each section, bulleted details, and dates and locations for each activity. Choose an easy-to-read font and include standard margins at the top, bottom, and sides of each page of your resume. What to Include Since your educational experience is the most important element of your resume to potential law schools, the first section immediately below your name and contact information should be education. The sections that follow education can be adjusted to suit your personal experience. Most students list awards and honors; employment, internships, or research experience; leadership or volunteer experience; publications; and skills and interests. Consider the law schools to which you’re applying, and make sure that you highlight qualifications you possess that are important to those schools. Don’t include objectives or lists of professional qualifications, as these items are not relevant to the law school resume. Its also best to avoid accomplishments from your high school resume and instead focus on qualifications and experiences gained during and after college. The following sections are often included in law school resumes. Be sure to include only those sections that are applicable to you, and modify or remove any sections that do not apply. Education List the college institution, location (city and state), degree or certificate earned including majors and minors, and the year earned. If you didn’t earn a degree or certificate, list the dates of attendance. You can also include study abroad experiences within the education section. List your overall undergraduate GPA and GPA in your major for each institution attended (especially if higher than your overall GPA). Honors/Awards/Scholarships List any honors, awards, and scholarships you achieved during college as well as the year(s) you earned them. These can include deans list, Latin honors, and major scholarships or recognition. Employment/Research/Internship Experience List your position, the name of the employer, location (city and state), and the dates you were employed. Include your specific duties under each employer, making sure to note any recognition or special achievements (e.g., increased sales by 30% in the first year as a section manager). By quantifying your work for each organization, youll make it easier for the admissions team to see what you contributed. Always start your job descriptions with strong action words (directed, led, mentored, organized) to convey purpose and direction. Other items to include in an experience section are research work and internships. Similar to employment, include the position held, the name of your direct supervisor, dates you worked on each project, your specific duties, and notable accolades. Leadership/Volunteer Work If you held positions of leadership on campus or in outside organizations, be sure to detail these in your resume. Similar to work experience, include the leadership position held, the name of the organization, dates you held the position, your specific roles, and important accomplishments. Volunteer work is particularly impressive on a law school resume. Just like paid work experience, consistent volunteering shows a strong work ethic as well as community engagement. Make sure to include each volunteer experience and include the name of the organization, duties performed, and dates of service. Publications This section should list any publication credits you have earned during college. It may include your thesis, if published, newspaper bylines, and other personal writing that has been published in on-campus or off-campus publications. Skills/Interests In this section, you can list foreign languages, membership in organizations, and extracurricular activities that are important to you. Some applicants also use this section to list their technical proficiencies including advanced computer skills. If there is something that you have participated in for a long time, or in which you possess particularly high level skills, be sure to indicate so in this section.