Literature Review of 14-19 Education Essay Example for Free

Literature Review of 14-19 Education Essay Abstract This literature review compares research conducted and articles written about the development of 14-19 education and the changes it has gone through since 2002. It briefly outlines the initial implementation of 14-19 education during the Thatcher government before going on to concentrate on how the Labour government introduced Diplomas and what the Coalition government are doing to push this agenda forward. It asks whether academic and vocational education can ever be valued equally and whether the introduction of 14 year olds in further education establishments is successful or not. The majority of the literature was commissioned either by the government or conducted in 14-19 educational establishments. Similarities and comparisons between the research are identified and questions are asked as to how successful it might be in the future. . History of 14-19 Education The idea of 14-19 education was introduced in 1983 by the Conservative government under its leader Margaret Thatcher. The first development was called the Technical and Vocational Education Initiative (TVEI), and was a pilot scheme was rolled out into schools and colleges in1988. The scheme was run by the Manpower Services Commission (MSC,) which came under the Department of Employment not the Department of Education and Science. Jeremy Higham and David Yeomans point out in the London Review of Education (2011) that, from 1988 to 2002 14-19 vocational education was on simmer and it was not until 2002 under the New Labour government that we saw renewed enthusiasm to for this area of education. The initiative came from the Curriculum 2000 Reform of Advance Qualifications. Between 2002 and 2010 the focus was back on the progression of our young people and, essentially, the future of our work force. The Labour government commissioned an independent enquiry by Mike Tomlinson in 2004 who proposed a new vision for 14-19 education, recommending the introduction of Diplomas. These would build on the strengths of the education system already in place. However the government rejected this and decided to keep GCSE and A levels but to offer diplomas as an alternative the initiative gained respect from schools, colleges and local authorities. Diplomas were introduced in 2008 but have not been successful in gaining credit in industry or education; this has brought forward many issues relating to 14-19 education from teaching and learning, funding, employer contributions and the integration of school age pupils in FE colleges. The current Coalition government commissioned Alison Wolf to review 14-19 education in 2011. Academic/Vocational Education and Funding A major divide in 14-19 education is attitudes towards academic and vocational training. To give equality and value to both sides of what is still an educational ‘divide’ we need to alter society’s thinking and social attitudes. The review of the 14-19 Green Paper by the Department for Education (2002) states that, ‘Pushing for parity of esteem in the current educational climate leads to ‘academicising’ vocational subjects. It was felt by some that the vocational was being forced into the traditional classroom-dominated achievement environment, rather than realistically accepting the different teaching and assessment demands of vocational courses. ’ (DfES, 2002) Even though there are differences between the academic and vocational routes, teaching and assessment methods have to be different, can the value of learning and the qualification be equal? The DfES review does state that to make attitudinal changes requires substantial investment as well as long term consultation and marketing campaigns which they compare to the commitment to improving the long term plan of the National Health Service (NHS). Connexions consulted with learners in 2001 to gain their view on government papers entitled: Green paper-Schools: Building on Success, 2001 and white paper-Schools: Achieving Success, 2001. The focus group of learners conducted by Connexions produced a positive response. Learners were enthusiastic about being asked to participate in the consultation and formulating opinions on education, they concluded that, ‘†¦the choice of core subjects was generally right. They wanted to maintain the entitlement to study a modern foreign language, design and technology, the arts and the humanities. The subjects, deemed essential for personal development for example citizenship (which is to be introduced as a statutory subject within the National Curriculum from September 2002), religious education, sex and health education, physical education, work related learning and careers education should all be compulsory although not necessarily studied to GCSE level if the young person does not want to. ’ (Connexions, 2002) Regarding the discussion on the equality of academic and vocational training young people were of the opinion that, ‘vocational pathways needed to be heavily publicised to young people themselves, employers and higher education institutions so that the pathways became quickly established to form part of the traditional pathways for entry to higher education. ’ (Connexions, 2002) Comparing the two opinions, the DfES review of the 14-19 Green Paper by the Department for Education and the consultations conducted by Connexions both from 2002. The DfES wanted to take their time to ensure development of 14-19 education was more successful, but the learners wanted action to be quick, as they could see the benefit of changing views and progression. This showed that they want to progress and do have aspirations of Higher Education (HE). Tomlinson’s (2004) VE proposal was not taken on board fully, only in part with Diplomas being introduced as an alternative to GCSE and A Levels. Do we need a radical reform of 14-19 education as he suggested? To change deep rooted attitudes and opinions in society about academic and vocational education, maybe it is necessary. An article in the guardian stated prior to launch of the diplomas, ‘We have never seen big new public qualifications arrive with so little input from people who have experience in qualifications and teaching. ’( Meikle 2007) It would seem that the implementation of diplomas has been rushed; therefore they have not achieved the status needed to change opinions. In response to Tomlinson’s (2004) proposals for diplomas the Nuffield Review (2009) asks the question, who is responsible for the Vocational Training Education system? In the UK it is not clear, but does include a long list of people: parents, students, the government, education and training providers and employers. Vocational courses have been seen to have less value than traditional educational routes with fewer opportunities to progress to HE and advanced qualifications but, as Alison Wolf (2011) points out, other countries have reformed their systems and increased numbers of students taking two and three year learning programmes. She states, ‘Bringing vocational pathways into a single framework would give formal equality of standing between, academic, vocational, and mixed pathways, recognise areas of overlap between them; provide opportunities to combine, transfer, and progress between them; and ensure greater educational content within vocational programmes. It would make them easier for learners to identify progression routed to advanced level and beyond. ’ (Wolf, 2011) Wolfe (2011) agrees with the views of Tomlinson (2004) over the integration of academic and vocational education. With this in mind, as well as the research from the DfES and Connexions I quoted earlier, I believe it is the roles and responsibilities that need definition, from the education and political establishments to all people involved as well as those undertaking the training. However, a structured achievement and progression route in VE is necessary to engage employers and bring value to FE training and qualifications if we are to see equality between academic and vocational training. Wolf has recommended that the government extends funding up to the age of 24, as not all students will have achieved a Level 2/3 by the age of 19. To ensure students achieve their potential in Maths and English, extending funding was also proposed. Wolf criticised the funding structure at present, saying that it gave colleges the incentive to create programmes for profit but not for the benefit of the students. She agreed with Foster‘s opinion in 2005, and The Nuffield Review 2009, that funding should follow the learner encouraging institutions to collaborate which would integrate education and provide the best educational programme for each individual student: ‘Policy levers, i.e. funding and performance measures, should focus on collective action rather than promote institutional competition’ (Nuffield, 2009) Funding used as a ‘policy lever’ could achieve more integration of academic skills into vocational areas. Teaching and Learning and Inspection VE has been taught in FE colleges because they are equipped for vocational subjects. Schools have primarily chosen classroom based vocational subjects as they do not have the facilities to offer practical vocational learning, which defeats the object of VE. The opening of new educational establishments currently planned to open between now and 2014 University Technical Colleges (2012) (UTC) will give VE an identity of its own as well as integrate it with the national curriculum. Compulsory education to the age of 18 will be introduced from 2013 with more opportunity and choice being given to students to access VE making it more important than ever to progress 14-19 education. Issues were raised during research by the Learning and Skills Research Network (LSRN) who researched ‘the capacity of the teachers and their institutions to meet the needs of younger learners’ (Harkin, 2006). For example, the college environment could be overwhelming and frightening, especially at lunchtimes. The research questioned who was responsible for the students, were they mature enough to be treated in an adult way? This identified conflicting views: some teachers thought they needed supervision all the time at college but others commented that colleges were not ‘in loco parentis’, but still had a duty of care. They did, however say that college support in the classroom was essential to maintain the safety of the student as well as managing behaviour. In conclusion, it was identified that getting feedback from 14-16 year old students about teaching and learning was difficult due to their unpredictability and poor literacy skills. For example, discussion was often an alien concept for formulating and articulating their opinions and views, it is a more andragogical approach, one not used enough in a school environment for them to feel confident in expressing themselves. FE tutors need to have a clearer understanding of how teaching is carried out in schools, as it probably follows a more pedagogical approach. To ensure that college tutors adapt their teaching to the needs of younger student the TLRC said that, ‘There is a particular need for pedagogical training, rather than training in behaviour management, and for staff to understand the prior attainment of the students’ (Harkin, 2006, p. 36) I feel that there is a need for behaviour management training during professional development as it complement teaching and learning in the classroom. The Nuffield Review (2009) highlighted the importance of teachers being central to the planning of the curriculum for 14-19 year olds, ‘Teaching quality and the relationship between teachers and learners is central to successful education. This requires a respect for the profession of teaching – for the role of teachers as the custodians of what we value and as the experts in communicating that to the learners. Teachers should be central to curriculum development, not the ‘deliverers’ of someone else’s curriculum. (Nuffield, 2009) Tomlinson (2004) said that the quality of learning depends ‘heavily on the quality of the teaching’ and that teachers would need time to develop their own skills in their subject area to keep up to date and inspired, especially in vocational teaching. Foster (2005) also said that, more emphasis was needed on updating professional knowledge and industry development and even suggested sabbatical and secondment opportunities between education and industry. This I feel is idealistic in today’s economic climate but I have in recent years seen increased opportunities to update professional skills within my own teaching establishment. He also asked that FE colleges improve employability and skills in their local area to contribute to economic growth and social inclusion and offer a range of courses that have solid foundations. With these extra roles are FE colleges spreading themselves too thinly? FE colleges are like the ‘middle child’ aiming to please both compulsory education and higher education as well as employers. How can they do this most effectively and gain respectability for the diversity they offer both in courses, abilities, social backgrounds and disabilities of their students? Foster 2005 compared the situation in this country to the one in America where they have no formal inspection process and colleges have a strong self-regulation policy. Giving responsibility and trust to our colleges would see the higher levels of achievement already evident in America. Assessment of institutions is an added pressure. Working in English education we have come to accept it, but is the English system’s controlling, heavy- handed approach necessary? Foster compared Britain with its European neighbours and concluded that they had a much lighter touch. Such development here would give FE tutors more self-esteem, less pressure and more time to teach. Employer contribution FE has always had to promote and build strong relationships with industry and employers, including, supporting apprenticeships and work experience, and forming partnerships with employers to develop qualifications and make them relevant to industry. The TLRP in 2006 concluded that, ‘We need a sector-by sector analysis of the distinctive role apprenticeship can play in providing the knowledge and skills required in the contemporary economic and occupational context. Further and higher education, as well as employer bodies and trade unions, need to be involved in a forward-looking partnership that lifts the work-based route out if its social inclusion ghetto’ (The Teaching and Learning Research Programme 2006, p.40) In 2004, Foster commented that the LSC National Skill Survey of 2004, found that only 15%, of employers had made use of FE colleges when enquiring about training and skills needed in industry. Whilst Tomlinson ( 2004) wanted to reform 14-19 education and merge VE and academic learning, he had no view on how industry and employers would be an imperative and central part of the development in VE. College qualifications and skills teaching will not stand up to industry standards if employers are not consulted thoroughly. They need to be consulted initially to develop qualifications that are relevant as well as periodically to integrate changes, updates and progression within industry. Links with employers have traditionally been through apprenticeships, mainly for 16-18 year olds. The introduction of adult apprenticeships has had an impact on apprenticeships available to young people as older apprentices can offer life skills and additional qualifications to an employer, The Wolf Report confirms this, stating that 19+ students with A levels took the majority of Advanced Apprenticeships. In 2008/9 there was a 7% fall in the number of 16-18 year olds starting on apprenticeships. This was due to the promotion of adult apprenticeships as well as the economic downturn of the country. With the age of compulsory education rising and a lack of apprenticeships being offered by employers, it will be important to strengthen the links with employers to help young people stay in education, learn valuable skills and contribute to society for our future work force. The Wolf Report (2011) highlighted the need for employer engagement, saying that employers have gradually been ‘frozen out’ of the way VE operates. Strengthening links between employers and VE is one of Wolf’s major recommendations, as well as prioritising the development of apprenticeships and work experience and increasing the involvement of employers in FE colleges to improve employability. Her report recommendations summed up below, state; ‘Implementing its recommendations should raise the quality of provision, increase the time spent teaching and thinking about students, reduce the time spent on pointless bureaucracy, increase young people’s skills in critically important areas and make a real difference to young people’s ability to obtain employment’ (Wolf, 2011, p.144). From the TLRP report 2006 and the Wolf Report 2011, 5 years apart, has much changed or been implemented? Working with employers, I have seen the effect of the economic decline in employment opportunities and feel that some of the changes necessary are beyond the power of education specialists and need to come from alternative government policies to increase employment opportunities. The future The future involves change and evolution of what we have in place at present to ensure FE tutors keep up to date with knowledge and skills. The government have introduced 13 University Technical Colleges (UTC) which will start to open in September 2012, with a government commitment to another 24 and plans for 100 in the next 5 years. UTCs are linked to a university and will be open all year round with a timetabled day between 8. 30am and 5. 30pm and cater for between 600-800 students. They will cover academic subjects in Maths, English, Sciences, Humanities and Languages as well as transferable employment skills. UTC students will have two specialist vocational subjects i. e. Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing. The lengthened day will ensure that all homework, enrichment and work experience is covered in the timetable. FE colleges will have the opportunity to become co-sponsors but they will be led primarily by a university. Does this reduce the role of FE colleges? more seems designed to strengthen the progression forward to HE and not FE, whereas Foster (2005) described FE as essential to widening participation in HE and removing barriers. Another emerging education route is Studio Schools which will be state-funded and accommodate 300 students, time tabled between 9am and 5pm. Six are already open with another 6 planned by the end of 2012. They will teach through community projects, enterprise and work experience. By focussing on how subjects are delivered they may be able to contribute to closing the divide in vocational and academic education. These 2 different types of establishments are similar in the way they are designed to transform of 14-19 education, such as opening times and their work and the community experiences approaches to learning. The biggest difference is the number of students enrolled. It seems that large academies have been growing over the last couple of years with numbers in excess of 1000 students. Throughout the research I have read there has been no mention of class sizes. It has been proved in the past that some students do not flourish in a large class environment but yet no one has thought to research this. I think on occasions students become a number and I hope that in the future we can still personalise education for the individual as they are all unique. Conclusion During this literature review I found a diverse range of opinions articles written about VE and academic education and how they can be both valued in society . In January 2012 Alison Wolf backed the action to remove the equivalency of GCSE’s from most vocational subjects. I feel this widens the gap of value between the two education routes but, UTC’s and Studio Schools offer alternatives and it may be an advantage to separate academic and VE entirely. Through this research I have looked at many areas, concerns and government policies and one of the areas that I think is more important and has a direct relationship to teaching is how 14-16 years old learners integrate into FE colleges and whether learning is appropriate and meets their needs this is an important consideration that requires more research. Word Count-3100 Bibliography Connexions. (2002). Results of the Connexions Service consultations held with young people on the green paper. 14-19: extending opportunities, raising standards. Connexions. DfES. (2002). 14-19 green Paper Consultation Workshops Review. DfES. Foster, A. (2005). Realising the Potential, A review of the future of further education colleges. Nottinghamshire: DfES Publications. Nuffield Foundation. (2009). Educational for All The Future of Education and Training for 14-16 Year Olds. The Future of Education and Training for 14-16 Year Olds. Fuller, A. and Unwin, L. (2011). London Review of Education, Vocational education and training in the spotlight:back to the future for the UKs Coalition Government. London: Routledge. Harkin, J. (2006). Behaving like adults:meeting the needs of younger learners in further education. London: Leaning and Skills Council. Higham, J and Yeomans, D. (2011). Thirty years of 14-19 education and training in England: Reflections on policy, curriculum and organisation. London Review of Education, 217-230. Hodgson, A. and Spours, K. (2010). Journal of Education and Work, Vocational qualifications and progression to higher education: the case of the 14-19 Diplomas in the English system. London: Routledge. Hodgson, A. and Spours, K. (2011). London Review of Education, Educating 14-19 year olds in England: a UK lens on possible futures. London: Routledge. Hodgson, A. , Spours, K. , and Waring, M. (2005). Higher Education, Curriculum 2000 and the future reform of 14-19 qualifications in England. London: Routledge. Huddleston, P, Keep, W, Unwin, L,. (2005). Nuffield Review of 14-19 Education and Training Discussion Paper 33, What might the Tomlinson and white paper proposals mean for vocational education and work based learning? Teaching and learning Research Programme (2006). 14-19 Education and Training. London: Teaching and Learning Research Programme. Teaching and Learning Research Programme. (2006). 14-19 Education and Training:A Commentary by the Teaching and Learning Research Programme. London: Teaching and Learning Research Programme. Tomlinson, M. (2004). 14-19 Curriculum and Qualifications Reform, Final Report on the Working Group on 14-19 Reform. Wolf, A. (2011). Review of Vocational Education-The Wolf Report. Websites Studio Schools Trust. n. d. [online] Available at: www. studioschooldtrust. org [Accessed 30 January 2012] University Technical Colleges. n. d. [online] Available at:. www. utcolleges. org [Accessed 30 January 2012] Newspaper Articles Baker, L. (2011). ‘Wolf’s backing of vocational training is great, but she ducks the question of how much it will cost ‘The Times Educational Supplement. 25 March 2011, p. 31. Meikle, J. (2007) ‘Diplomas being introduced too fast, warns MP’s’, The Guardian. 17 May 2007. [online] Vasager, J. (2012). ‘Thousands of vocational qualifications to be stripped out of GCSE league tables’. The Guardian. 31 January 2012. [online] Wolf, A. (2012) ‘An end to qualifications that have no real value’ The Guardian. 31 January 2012. [online].

Child Labour :: essays research papers

Our Efforts and Experiences – Part - I â€Å"In all the civilized societies all over the world system of child labour is condemned as a social evil but the fact is the system is prevelent on a large scale in a country like India. It is noticed that, in recent times our society is showing some signs of awareness about this social evil. This is the first part of the article giving details about the efforts undertaken in and around Ahmedpur for eradication of this system. Since past 12 years I am working on various issues related to rural areas through People’s Institute of Rural Development and Rachanatmac Sangharsha Samiti (Maharashtra). To generate employment for farm labour through â€Å"employment guarantee scheme†is our sustained and major activity. While working with farm labour during 1988-90 I was exposed to the issue of Child Labour. When I saw the children working as child or boned Labour in agriculture, I could realise the intensity of this issue. Agriculture is a main source of employment for labour in rural areas. Child Labour working in farms, or as a bonded labour or as a herdsman has an adverse impact on the employment of adult people. When dialogue was initialed with farm labour on this issue. They narrated that when child works as a Child Labour he/she actually supports the family. They feel that child provides something to eat to a family. This is a general feeling among the rural masses about Child Labour. The common understanding among this labour class is more working hands means more income for a family. But this calls still could not decide, whose hands these should be? They are not understanding that small hands are depriving of big hands from employment. The difficult life they are living and ignorance of these farm labour is responsible for such type of their attitude towards their own children. It made us realised that there is a need of structural   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  changes in the society and we resolved to work for structural changes. In the society and we resolved to work for structural changes. In the initial period neither we had any plan nor a concrete stralgy to deal with the situation. We decide to have a dialogue with farm labour on this issue. Already we were discussing with them about employment minimum wages, equal wages for equal work, laws for the profection of a farm labour etc.

A Comparative Analysis of the Hero’s Quest: Harry Potter Vs King Arthur Essay

ABSTRACT From the pages of literature many ideas are born. Often these ideas are borrowed, passed down and transferred from work to work; author to author. This has led many to conclude that a generic mold has been established for certain ways of telling-or in some cases retelling-a story, and that authors often write to fit this mold, whether purposefully or not. The main mold discussed by celebrated novelists such as Joseph Campbell, and used frequently by renown authors like J.K. Rowling and T.H. White, is that of the classic hero. Rowling has made her young protagonist, Harry Potter, very similar to the King of Camelot, as presented by the many Arthurian authors, including T.H. White and Sir Thomas Mallory. There are a great deal of parallels between Potter and Arthur and I have analyzed the plot and other aspects of both stories-along with the works of critics and researchers like Campbell-to demonstrate the shocking similarities between the two heroes. The amazing similarities from both stories spawn from the constant recycling of the hero and his quest. Harry Potter as a person, is a very dynamic character with complete mood changes and varying personalities, yet when it comes to his adventures he is not at all unique. King Arthur, as a hero, is a very dynamic character but as a person he is flat and boring. To compare both I read the complete Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling ( Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.), I’ve read the authoritative Arthurian legends (The Sword in the Stone, by T.H White, and Le Mort d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Mallory.) The author’s own life stories were also analyzed in hopes that I could perhaps come to a conclusion of why their Heroes are so alike. HARRY POTTER VS KING ARTHUR The King Arthur novels have been a part of literature for years, influencing authors, movies and even song writers. This generation’s â€Å"King Arthur† is known by another name. He was conceived on a napkin by a struggling single mom and goes by the name of Harry Potter. Many parts of Rowling’s Harry Potter Series are infused with elements of the Arthurian legend. From reading and researching both stories I have found many parallels between both tales. Arthur and Harry are both the protagonists of their worlds, both were deprived of their parents at an early age, both were on quests to achieve their destiny, both had old wizard mentors, and neither knew of his own importance till a late age. This extended essay explores the themes and characters linking the two tales and also analyzes the author’s life and language and how they affected the story. Joseph Campbell is a world renown author who wrote the book â€Å"The Hero With a Thousand Faces.† Mentally digesting this book has helped me to understand the bonds that tie all heroes together and was what led to the thought that Harry and Arthur are very similar. Both Arthur and Harry fit into the category that Joseph Campbell refers to as the ‘classic hero.’ Both character’s lives follow the pattern of up and downs that rules the life of any literary being. Using excerpts and themes from this and other novels written by Campbell I will bring to light the chilling parallels between both dramas. Both Harry Potter and King Arthur lived lives that were chosen by them. This may seem obvious as their lives were written out by their author’s imagination, but in the novels themselves their fates were pre-destined. Harry Potter was the only person ever to survive Lord Voldemort’s Avada Kedavra curse, also known as the killing curse. Any time that someone does something for the first time–something that was thought impossible–they are immediately raised on a pedestal of awe and leadership. Having survived the curse, Harry thwarted Voldemort’s plan of world domination, therefore saving the wizarding world. Besides being the first to survive the curse, Harry was also the wizarding community’s savior, and he was only one year old. So at a very early age Harry already had a reputation to live up to. What put the final seal on the situation was Sybill Trelawney’s prophecy which stated that â€Å"neither can live while the other survives,† meaning that when Voldemort returned to conquer the world Harry would be the only one capable of saving everyone†¦again. No pressure Harry. His destiny was chosen for him, but then again isn’t every protagonist’s destiny chosen for them in a sense? The magician Merlin, who is living life backwards was already aware of who Arthur was going to be when he urged Uther Pendragon to give him his first born child in exchange for his help to lay with the Duke of Cornwall’s wife, Lady Igraine. Merlin knew Arthur would grow up to be King and save Britain from the Saxons when he saw the Wart stumbling across the forest floor in T.H. White’s â€Å"The Sword in the Stone.† So the fact that he knew Arthur would become King when he asked Uther for his child means that Merlin is the person who chose Arthur’s fate. Had it not been for his request to receive Arthur, Uther would never have given him over and perhaps Arthur would never have become King. Furthermore, Merlin was the one who placed the sword in the stone and prophesied that whoever pulls it out would become King. Merlin already knew that Arthur was of noble blood, but had he not placed the sword in that stone nobody would have known that Arthur was the heir to the throne. So not only did Merlin arrange for King Arthur to actually be born, but he also arranged for the circumstances that made his nobility come to life, therefore Merlin steered Arthur’s destiny. Arthur and Harry were also raised in complete ignorance of their true lineage. Merlin knew that Arthur would not be safe with the Duke of Cornwall on the prowl for Uther’s heir, so he hid him away with a knight named Sir Ector. Knowing that Arthur would be safe Merlin went to live in the woods nearby, and left him alone until his services were needed again. Therefore Arthur grew up thinking he was Sir Ector’s nephew and had no idea of his noble heritage. He lived comfortably enough and managed to gain the proper morals and code of honor that would one day benefit him as King. Harry was not so lucky. From what we surmise from JK’s novels, Harry Potter would have lived quite a comfortable and quiet life had he not been thrown into tragedy when Voldemort attacked. On the night of the attack Harry was barely a year old, and his parents and he were quietly enjoying their evening at Godric’s Hollow. Voldemort burst in and massacred James and Lilly Potter, Harry’s parents, but when he attempted to kill Harry, the love that Harry’s mother had shown in trying to protect her child formed a sort of protective barrier which caused the curse to bounce back and strike Voldemort. Dumbledore hid the orphaned Harry with his Aunt and Uncle Dursley, who wished to have nothing to do with him due to his being of â€Å"that lot,† meaning a wizard. For eleven years Harry grew up hated and ridiculed with his aunt and uncle, not having a clue of his magical world connections. At this point we notice that while Arthur grew up comfortably with his loving foster family, Harry grew up hated and down trod with his unbearable aunt and uncle. Also, while Arthur’s foster brother Kay greatly helped him on quests and adored him as his own brother, Harry was bullied and annoyed by his cousin Dursley. Another striking similarity between Arthur and Harry is that they both exist to protect and save the people they lead. When Harry unwittingly vanquished Lord Voldemort as a young baby he saved the wizarding community from the greatest threat it had ever faced, at least until Voldemort returned in The Goblet of Fire. So from a surprisingly early age Harry was the savior of his people. When he attended Hogwarts and became a prominent figure in the lives of many people he was not only their â€Å"leader,† but their savior. After Lord Voldemort had returned to power Dumbledore started to guess that he and Harry would be pitted against one another until one was vanquished. This was made certain by was Sybill Trelawney’s prophecy: â€Å"‘The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches†¦ born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies†¦ and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not†¦ and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives†¦ the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies†¦Ã¢â‚¬  So once again Harry was made the only one capable of saving the world from the evils of Marvolo Riddle, or Lord Voldemort. The power which he had that Voldemort knew nothing about was his deceased mother’s love, which made it possible for baby Harry and teenage Harry to thwart Voldemort on every attempt he made to conquer the wizarding world. In the final part of J.K Rowling’s thrilling series Harry vanquishes Lord Voldemort once and for all, therefore f ulfilling his prophecy and saving â€Å"his people.† Arthur also was presented as a hero and savior for his subjects. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, historian and author of History of the Kings of Britain, around 1100 Britain was overrun by Saxons, Picts, and Scots. Arthur came about due to the subdued and downtrodden imaginations of the British people. Whenever a people are subject to tyranny they create heroes and saviors. Arthur was the product of poverty, hunger and injustice, so in the Arthurian legends he is the ultimate hero, the total savior and the peace bringer of Camelot. Another similarity between both heroes is that Arthur is helped on his way to victory by the legendary Sword Excalibur, and Harry defeated Lord Voldemort with the aid of The Elder Wand. As both novels developed the presences of many characters guide the protagonists in the right direction, but none more so than their mentor and protector. For Harry it is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, and for Arthur it is the enigmatic Merlin. Harry was hidden for his own safety by Dumbledore and throughout the whole series he was nudged in the right direction by him. In the Philosopher’s Stone, Dumbledore tells Harry how the Mirror of Erised works, in the Chamber of Secrets he sends Fawkes to rescue him from Slytherin’s Heir and the basilisk, in The Prisoner of Azkaban he gives Hermione the Time Turner†¦there are a cornucopia of examples on how Dumbledore is always helping Harry along the way. Although J.K. Rowling claims that Dumbledore had flaws and was ‘gay,’ he was still one of my favorite characters due to his complete devotion to the novel’s cause: defeating Lord Voldemort. In this sense Dumbledore is Harry’s main parent al figure, aside from his Godfather, Sirius, and he sees him through all the hard times. Merlin is that reason that Arthur exists. So if anything, you could sort of call Merlin Arthur’s father. Not only did he arrange for the birth of Britain’s greatest king, but he made him king by putting the sword in the stone. He guided Arthur through his quests and adventures and made him Lord of the Knights of the Round Table. Whenever anyone thinks about Arthurian legend they think of Merlin. Merlin, who found Wart wondering in the woods. Merlin, who taught him valuable life lessons by turning him into different animals. Merlin, who gave him the marvelous sword Excalibur. In both books the mentors are described as having long, white, flowing beards, pointed hats with stars and astrological robes of purple, half rimmed spectacles and twinkling blue eyes. Is it coincidence that J.K. had all these parallels between Arthur and Harry AND Dumbledore and Merlin? Both Harry and Arthur lead very distinguished, eventful and public lives. The life of the hero isn’t an easy one, but it is quite rewarding. As Campbell puts it â€Å"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself† (Campbell). Both of these heroes have accepted their fate and played the role perfectly. A common thread found in most hero stories is the chance at immortality. Campbell writes in his novel, â€Å"The Hero With A Thousand Faces,† that â€Å"To this very day, the possibility of physical immortality charms the heart of man† (Campbell, 188). All hero figures, from Gilgamesh, to Buddha, to Jesus, even Arthur and Harry are all presented with immortality. This longing for eternal life can be understood when we see what a hero is and how man (and woman in JK’s case), fears death. As we know, a hero is spawned during times of upheaval and social distress. Arthur was thought up during the Saxon’s occupation of England and Harry was born when J.K. needed to be saved from poverty and discontent. Whenever a peoples is oppressed they think of becoming rich, overcoming their difficulties and living forever. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry is presented with the opportunity to keep the Sorcerer’s Stone, from which he can create the Elixir of Life, enabling him to live forever. In the Deathly Hallows he was searching for the three Deathly Hallows, one of which was the resurrection stone. The Resurrection Stone made it so that Harry could bring back anyone from the dead. Yet because he didn’t want the Sorcerer’s stone or the Resurrection stone for his own use, he made himself immortal in a different way. He made himself immortal in his follower’s memories and in his many fans’ minds. Arthur, also, had the chance at immortality. On his quest for the Holy Grail he was presented many times with challenges and dilemmas for which the reward was immortality. When Arthur is killed by his son Mordred, he is then taken to the Isle of Avalon to be treated. A popular legend, current among the British people, claimed that King Arthur had never actually died and that he would one day return to his people when their need was great. In this sense King Arthur was thought to be the perfect man, pure of sin. Harry is similarly clean of sin – as Dumbledore tells him in Half-Blood Prince, â€Å"In spite of all the temptation you have endured, all the suffering, you remain pure of heart, just as pure as you were at the age of eleven.† Finally, the greatest parallel between both heroes is the quest. The myths and legends surrounding King Arthur center on the quest for the Holy Grail. According to legend, King Arthur saw the Grail in a vision, and subsequently he and his knights attempted to find the Grail. The Holy Grail and the vessel used by Christ at the Last Supper that was then used by St. Joseph to catch the blood of Christ were then thought to be the same cup. While the location of the Grail was forgotten over time, there was a prophecy at the Court of King Arthur that the Grail would one day be rediscovered by a descendant of St. Joseph. According to the prophecy, the person who would find the Grail would be the person designated to sit in the Siege Perilous, the perfect seat at the round table. This would be Sir Galahad. In comparison Harry Potter is also on a quest. In fact seven quests, one for each book written. Each one of the Harry Potter books written involves quests. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Voldemort is on a quest to find the Philosopher’s Stone to achieve immortality. Voldemort’s quest becomes Harry’s quest, as Harry believes himself to be the only one capable of stopping Voldemort from obtaining the Stone once he learns that Dumbledore has left Hogwarts. The quest takes Harry through a series of obstacles, and while he is accompanied at first by Ron and Hermione, it is he alone – like Galahad – who must complete the quest and save the Stone from Voldemort. Philosopher’s Stone actually tells us about two quests – the quest for the Stone, as well as Voldemort’s quest to kill the boy who has been prophesized to be the only one who can be his undoing. As Galahad’s seat is marked with his name, signifying that he is the only one who can find the Grail, Voldemort’s attack on Harry as a baby leaves him marked with the scar that signifies Harry as Voldemor t’s equal and as the only one who can vanquish Voldemort. Also, Harry is the only one who can achieve the quest for the stone, like Galahad is the only one who can find the Holy Grail. As in Arthurian legend, Harry is not the only one who embarks on quests through the Harry Potter series. In Philosopher’s Stone, Voldemort uses Quirrell to try to find the Stone. The entire Hogwarts teaching staff (with the one notable exception of Professor Lockhart) is looking for the Chamber of Secrets in Book Two. The Dementors are searching for Sirius Black in Prisoner of Azkaban. The other contestants in the Triwizard Tournament, like Knights of the Round Table, are also on quests as they complete each Tournament task in Goblet of Fire. At the Yule Ball, the contestants and the judges even sit at a large round table. In Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort is on a quest to obtain the prophecy and regain his power. This signifies that many try, or feel compelled to achieve the status of hero, but the true hero doesn’t choose his destiny. The true hero becomes what he is because he has no choice, because it is in his blood. Like Harry and Arthur, who did not choose their future, and never wanted fame and glory, the true hero does things alone. There exists many parallels between both heroes and in finality we can conclude that this is no mere coincidence. Rowling must have intended to at least base her protagonist off of Britain’s greatest hero: King Arthur. The reason that J. K. Rowling is able to put so much life and actuality in her writings is that she herself has experienced much of what she writes. She was born on July 31st, 1965 in Gloucestershire, England. Divorced and living off of welfare Rowling wrote Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on a napkin between her daughter’s naps. When Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published her life changed. Much like Harry’s life, Rowling’s has the characteristics of a fairy tale. Barely making a living she managed to get by and lived in a small apartment flat in Edinburgh, where she says she was rescued by Harry Potter. She was given money to finish her books and has since become richer than even the Queen. She has written the harshness and nightmares of her pre-Potter life into her books, which is why they appear so real. Whenever a people live an oppressed lifestyle they create saviors to rescue them, which is what J.K did. T.H White, on the other hand lived a pretty well off life, yet displeased with the world he too re-made a hero for himself, Arthur. There isn’t much in common between both authors other than their British descent and the fact that they write. Their language is also very similar and the way they write is strikingly alike. Perhaps it’s the fact that they both attended Exeter college? In the quest for literary glory, both authors overcame tremendous upheaval and problems of a bad economic start. Yet they both wrote novels that changed mankind, and that continued the Hero’s journey through literature. It is certain true then, that â€Å"There is only one hero, and he has a thousand faces† (HWTF, Campbell). BIBLIOGRAPHY White, T.H. â€Å"The Sword in the Stone.† Random House, Inc. October 1963 Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.† Cornell Books Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rowling, J.K. â€Å"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.† Cornell Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Campbell, Joseph. â€Å"The Hero With A Thousand Faces.† New World Library Books, 1949, First Ed.

Use of e-HRM deliver more cost effective service - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1486 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Information Systems Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? INTRODUCTION Huub J.M Ruel and Tanya Bondarouk defines e-HRM as a way of implementing policies, strategies and practices in organizations through the conscious support and with the full use of channels based on on-line technologies on the web. Throughout Europe E-HRM has been a common practice and two thirds of all the organizations in Europe have already adopted them. The major determinants of adopting e-HRM are the size, work organization and configuration of HRM. (Stefan Strohmeie, RÃ ¼diger Kabst(2009). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Use of e-HRM deliver more cost effective service" essay for you Create order Organizational adoption of e-HRM in Europe Journal of Managerial Psychology vol 24. no-6p p482-501) The main goal of E-HRM is actually to improve the efficiency of the human resources administration to achieve reduction in cost within the organization by using various e-HRM processes like using e-HRM to recruit employees etc. cuts the manual cost of the whole recruitment process as it is done digitally. In this essay we are going to be discussing about the use of E-HRM and how it delivers low cost service to an organization and why it was adopted or why it is preferred, what is expected out of it, what are its advantages and disadvantages? How it functions? Is it actually helping in cutting the cost of the organizations a lot? What are the outcomes? What exactly is E-HRM? Well, it is basically the planning, implementation and application of information technology for both networking and supporting at least two individual or collective actors in their shared performing of human resource activities ( N. Venkateswaran Asst. Professor, Department of Management Studies, Panimalar Engineering College, Chennai, 2007 ). Here the word implementing has a very broad meaning, for example to make something work or to put something into practice in order to have it realized. LITERATURE REVIEW E-HRM is a fast way of doing HRM .It was adopted or in other words discovered in the first place, for both the profit and the non-profit organizations, they have replaced the online based HRM tools with the face to face HRM for the employees and the managers since the 90s. Organizations generally prefer E-HRM because of its numerous advantages. In order to have better productivity and efficiency gradual implementation is adopted in organizations, another important feature of e-HRM is its nature of adapting to any client, and as the basis for strategic decision-making it collects information for it, and it also collects information for all the other basic and support processes in the organization. E-HRM also helps in giving a prompt insight into reporting and analyzing the organizations functions, it also has a main role in giving a better continuous workflow in the process of the business, its efficiency, productivity and better employee satisfaction. Since E-HRM is a decisi ve step towards a paperless office, it helps in lowering the business costs more effectively and efficiently. According to ( N.Venkateswaran, department of management studies, Panimar engineering college, Chennai, 2007 ) for a more cost effective benefit, most of the organizations choose E-HRM as compared to the other available options because of its modularity and the solutions can also be accessed and used in a web browser.There is a good level of data security and access to individual modules are protected .It records the documents and their component parts, has a parametric and customizability character, access to archived records and documents, the interface is user-friendly and there is a good level of connectivity with the clients existing information system for example the enterprise resource planning, payroll accounting, attendance registration, document systems and lastly it also has a multi-language support. In order to standardize and harmonize the HR processes and policies the multinational companies also appear to use the introduction of e-HRM. Therefore from the above mentioned details we can sum up the reasons or goals of organizations in making steps toward e-HRM .There are mainly three of them, firstly to improve the strategic orientation of human resource management, secondly to Reduce the costs of the organization and thirdly to improve the Client service by facilitating the management and the employees. By now we are aware that the use of e-HRM helps in reducing the cost of the business, but we are not aware of how e-HR Management reduces the cost of the business. Here we will be discussing about how it does so. Basically e-HRM automates the key human resource business process which in turn reduces the services delivery costs, it also reduces the correction costs by improving the accuracy of the human resource information, since the informations are available on the web to the employees the printing and distribution costs are elim inated, which might also be found as an eco-friendly plus and the employees productivity is also improved by providing universal access on 24/7 basis, lastly it enables more cost effective decision through improved analysis of human resource information (John Storey, (2007) Human resource management 3rd edition ). Based upon Beer et Al.s suggestions about the expected outcomes of human resource management, it is crystal clear that a certain set of outcomes are aimed to be achieved by e-HRM . The e-HRM goals are usually confused with the e-HRM outcomes but actually there is a huge difference between the goals and outcomes. As mentioned earlier, E-HRM is an approach of carrying out HRM, It is a way of thinking about and using HRM strategies, policies and practices. Most of the organizations expect to achieve certain goals by following specific E-HRM guidelines, like to make progress in the Human Resources strategic orientation, an improvement in consumer focus and satisfaction, and a decline in costs or an increase in efficiency. These goals can lead to expected outcomes. Along with the set up goals ,depending upon the way in which individuals and common parties want to be affected by e-HRM, the outcomes will to some extent change the state of HRM within the organization and through individuals or groups it will actually end up in a fresh HRM state. (Academic review Ruel, HuubÂÂ  andÂÂ  Bondarouk, TanyaÂÂ  andÂÂ  Looise, Jan KeesÂÂ  (2004)E-HRM: Innovation or Irritation: An Explorative Empirical Study in Five Large Companies on Web-based HRM.ÂÂ  Management Revue, 15 (3). pp. 364-380) Therefore we can draw that though E-HRM has its disadvantages, for example the use of e-HRM can lead to the separation of staff members in the organization that needs personal support, the need for interaction among the staff members and the manager also reduces i.e. the managers and the staff members have lesser face-time and the risk of losing touch with the staff members also increases, it is also Subject to corruption, hacking and data losses as it is done using IT. Yet the advantages takes over its disadvantages as it helps the organizations to deliver a more cost effective service to its business and it is indeed a boon to any organization especially the multinational or very large firms as it gets very difficult to manage the employees at different levels and to gather massive amount of information about them, their achievements, history of career, analyzing it, comparing etc. becomes very difficult, therefore E-HRM makes it easier for the organizations to function smoothly by improving the HRs administrative efficiency to achieve cost reduction, by helping to improve the employee competences, resulting directly in cost reduction and a reduction of the administrative weight. Nowadays we have a whole range of products that we can implement in a company HR department that will support all analytics and decision maki ng and make our life easier. Software and its major benefits that I am writing about are HRMS/HRIS platform solutions, complete Talent Lifecycle management, you can record and manage personnel records, automatically generate reports and letters etc. Basically from recruitment, pay reviews, salary analysis and trainings up to stock options, succession and career and creation of HR Character, You can do more than you can imagine, but we have to remember to first find out quite a lot of time to make a market research for the best software or pay big amount of money to make your own bespoke one, but especially in big corporations Return of Investment of this purchase is very high, after a while you will ask yourself how could I work without it?. E-HRM saves you time every aspect of HR management is encouraged for a more collaborative approach CONCLUSION Therefore in laymans language we can conclude by stating that e-HRM is the next it thing and a boon for huge companies as it makes their work more efficient by making all the work just a click way! BIBLOGRAPHY (Stefan Strohmeie, RÃ ¼diger Kabst(2009). Organizational adoption of e-HRM in Europe Journal of Managerial Psychology vol 24. no-6p p482-501) ( N.Venkateswaran, (2007) e-HRMdepartment of management studies, Panimar engineering college, Chennai, Academic review Ruel, HuubÂÂ  andÂÂ  Bondarouk, TanyaÂÂ  andÂÂ  Looise, Jan KeesÂÂ  (2004)E-HRM: Innovation or Irritation: An Explorative Empirical Study in Five Large Companies on Web-based HRM.ÂÂ  Management Revue, 15 (3). pp. 364-380) John Storey, (2007) Human resource management 3RD edition