Curriculum as Influenced by Society and Technology Essay Example for Free

Curriculum as Influenced by Society and Technology Essay The current trend of technology in the classroom can be traced back to the early1900s when schools and museums, as a complement to verbal instruction, began to use visuals aids including drawings, paintings, and slides. In the 1920s, as film became widely used, The National Academy of Visual Instruction was formed to help distinguish between films that were for entertainment or educational value. As technology progressed and the television was introduced, the educational system began to use instructional television. During the 1970s and 1980s the biggest influence in the classroom, to date, came in the form of computers. As the 1990s progressed, computers and multimedia equipment continued to become more affordable and they began to be used across the world. The trend of technology in the classroom currently consists of multiple categories including Multimedia, Internet and Networking, Computer-assisted instruction (CAI), Computer-managed instruction (CMI), and teacher training. As the current trend of technology in the classroom continues to be centered on the inclusion of computers and other mediums, it only awaits to incorporate the next big step in technology. The Ever-changing Technology Trend The abacus, the slate, the red pad of paper, it is amazing to view the ever-changing technology in education today. As a society, not only has our language and communication developed, but the way that language and communication are expressed has changed drastically. In Mathematics an abacus was used to solve problems, now a student can program a graphing calculator to solve problems for them. Some schools allow children to bring laptops into class with them, in other schools it is mandatory that all students have a laptop to bring to school. From having no computers in the classroom to having dozens of computers in the classroom has been an evolution of the educational system. Technology in the educational system consists of many mediums, and the history to the current educational system is quite fascinating. What remains to be seen is how the ever-changing, ever-evolving technology will impact the schools today, and how technology will affect our schools in the future. The view of a teacher as the possessor and transferor of information is shifting to a new paradigm in which the teacher is now a facilitator or a coach. These new teachers provide appropriate learning environments that engage students in collaborative activities that require communications and access to information that only technology can provide. Technology engages students, and as a result they spend more quality time on basic learning tasks than students who use a more traditional approach. Students who have the opportunity to use technology to acquire and organize information show a higher level of comprehension and a greater likelihood of using what they learn later in their lives (Impact, 2005). The integration of technology into the curriculum has been shown to decrease absenteeism, lower dropout rates, and motivate more students to continue on to college. This current trend of technology in the classroom consists of multiple categories including multimedia, Internet and networking, computer-assisted instruction (CAI), computer-managed instruction (CMI), and teacher training: Multimedia Interactive multimedia combines text, graphics, sound, animation, and video into a single learning environment. The hardware of multimedia can include: Macintosh computers, audio digitizers, CD ROM players, graphic scanners, and videodisc players. Since information is presented in visual and verbal modalities, individual learning styles of students are easily accommodated. It is not only a presentation tool for the teacher, becoming the basis for classroom lectures, discussions, and simulations, but it is also a reporting and reference tool for students in preparing class assignments. Example of use: There is an ongoing multimedia project that is part of the seventh grade science curriculum at the Baker Demonstration School at National-Louis University. Students choose a mammal to study at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL. They then spend several sessions at the zoo observing this mammals physical characteristics, behavior, locomotion, and its zoo habitat. These observations become the raw data for constructing a multimedia presentation about their mammal. Internet and Networking There is a clear direction towards using the Internet to open education to students everywhere. The use of the Internet ranges from making course materials available on-line, to using the Internet as the communication tool for the course. With the vast capabilities of the Internet, computers are being networked for communication, research, and remote collaboration. Networks can help to break down communication barriers and connect students and teachers with the outside world. Access to a computer, a modem, and phone lines frees students and teachers from the physical limits and time constraints of the school environment. Networking also allows them to send electronic mail, participate in computer conferencing, and access information from remote sources. Example of use: Students studying the solar system can send questions directly to NASA scientists. Classes from different parts of the world could read the same book and share ideas and conclusions throughout the reading of the book. Another idea is for one class to write cliff hangers and have the other class finish the stories. In some cases, classes have done parallel science experiments or conducted surveys and then compared results with the other class. Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and Computer-managed instruction (CMI) (CMI) is the use of the computer to maintain records associated with student performance. This usually includes, but is not limited to, the results of particular Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) packages. As the student completes each lesson, the computer stores the progress, scores, records the results of all tests or quizzes completed, and it provides progress reports to the teacher. These reports, either individual or class-wide, may be used to rapidly identify unsatisfactory progress or weak areas (Harrison 1983). Example of use: An individualized curriculum could be written for each student allowing the teacher to more effectively utilize the limited class time available. These tools can help remediate students lacking in certain skills and allow students access to information presented in multimedia formats. Teacher Training Tremendous increase in technology-related in-service teacher training is taking place. Teachers are learning how to use electronic grade books and other teacher utilities to create puzzles, tests and quizzes, and other materials in order to assist them. Examples of training: After-school workshops conducted by the computer enrichment instructor and/or volunteers is one form of teacher training available, another is one-on-one tutoring carried out by volunteers or a computer enrichment instructor. Technology conferences attended by selected members of the faculty and teacher-to-teacher instruction utilizing those faculties with advanced technology skills also provides valuable teacher training. In addition to the technologies mentioned, the Education Coalition (TEC) considers the merger of computing, television, printing, and telecommunications as the most significant trend in education and technology. Bringing them together results in the whole having greater impact than each individual part (Lane Portway, ND). Technology is abundant in the classroom today in many forms such as computers, the internet, DVDs, CD-ROMs, etc. However, technology in the classroom â€Å"can be traced back to the early 1900s, when schools and museums began to include visuals such as drawings, paintings, slides, films, and models as a complement to verbal instruction† (Summary of Major Events in the Field, 2005). In the early1900s, still and video cameras were considered to be the technology of the future, the likes of which had never been seen before. It was hard to imagine, at this time in history, that they would be used on a daily basis in the home, let alone in the schools. Contrary to popular belief, the history of technology within education goes back a lot further than simply the introduction of computers and televisions into the classroom in the 1980s and 1990s. Throughout history, many people have had high hopes of how technology would affect education in the future. Thomas Edison said, books will soon be obsolete in the schools. Scholars will soon be instructed through the eye. It is possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with the motion picture. Our school system will be completely changed in ten years(Major Trends of the Decade, 2005). In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Thomas Edison was working on perfecting his invention, a kinetophone, which synchronized sound on a phonograph cylinder with pictures on a screen (Life of Thomas A. Edison, 2005). Edison dreamed that films would one day revolutionize education. â€Å"In 1911, he released a series of historical films about the American Revolution, becoming one of the first producers of films for classroom use† (Major Trends of the Decade, 2005). While his invention did not exactly revolutionize education, the modern version of inventions like the kinetophone is used on a regular basis in the classroom via television, video, and DVD. In the 1920s, film was seen as a progressive style of teaching, and was used in only a few select classrooms across America. To aid in the process of incorporating film into education, The National Academy of Visual Instruction was formed in order to help distinguish between films that were for entertainment and films that had educational value (Major Trends of the Decade, 2005). During this time, there was also an attempt to use radio broadcasts in the classroom; however, this trend died out within 15 years as there were often technical problems that could make teaching unpredictable. As film began to be used more often in classrooms across the world, the United States government had to prepare teachers for the advancement of technology in order to keep up with other advancing countries throughout the world. This was hard to do as many teachers worried about the fire hazards from film projectors and also feared that technology would one day replace them and they would no longer have jobs (Major Trends of the Decade). Classrooms would continue to experiment with this new technology for years to come, in hopes of keeping up with the changing times. In the 1950s and 1960s, the demand for instructional television reached its height due to a shortage of teachers and overcrowded classrooms. In 1959, the Midwest Program of Airborne Television Instruction (MPATI) was created and 34 courses were televised to 2,000 elementary and secondary schools in six states (Saettler, 1990). Students were able to watch and learn from their classrooms, and many schools that were unable to participate in the program tried to acquire it by borrowing from other schools across the nation. It was a big step forward for the educational system and later in 1990, Christopher Whittle created a more advanced version of this known as Channel One, a show that aired in almost 12,000 public and private middle and high schools nationwide, while reaching 7. 7 million students (Borja, 2005). Studies done on MPATI showed that teachers disliked the program and found it interrupted their classes, so it lost much of its attraction to schools. While teachers did come to understand the importance of bringing the world into their classroom, the same situation evolved later with the classroom interruptions and Channel One in the 1990s and it has steadily declined in its use in classrooms. The decade of 1960 saw the introduction of computers into the educational setting, although it was not in many schools as the costs to supply them was too great for most school systems. The development of computers would continue to grow in the ‘70s and ‘80s, when microcomputers became available; more convenient for schools and somewhat more affordable. These decades saw rapid advancement in the way of computers, television, and video recorders, making it hard for schools to keep up with the latest equipment. As the 1990s progressed, computers and multimedia equipment continued to become more affordable and were widely used in many classrooms spanning the globe. While in the past students were content and well supplied by having a set of crayons, pens, pencils, books, and a chalkboard, technology has quickly advanced over the years to a point in which no classroom or student is complete without sophisticated sets of computers, DVDs, scanners, and the Internet. Technology has had a great impact on education in recent years. The trend to modernize schools and increase the amount of technology in the classroom has become apparent with the passing of new educational legislation and an increase of electronic devices in classrooms. Studies by major universities have also been undertaken to look at the use of computers and other items in learning and the effect that they have on students. The impact of technology on schools has been both positive and negative. While educators embrace the idea and the opportunities that new technology provides students, the trend has caused an increase in costs for an already under-funded system. Keeping up with such advances will be increasingly more expensive as time goes by. This cost is worth paying; however, as the trend in the workplace has also been moving toward technology as well. Studies have been undertaken by universities and researchers to learn the impact and necessity of technology in schools. A research project at the University of Georgia focused not only on the United States, but on many other English speaking countries as well, including Australia, Canada, and Great Britain. This study focused on the incorporation of media and technology in schools and the impact to which it has had on students and learning. The researchers found that these tools â€Å"are effective in schools as phenomena to learn both from and with. † (Reeves, 1998, The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools) The results of this effort point towards the importance of technology in school, and make an argument for its continued and increased use. Legislators, voters, and school officials have also realized the benefits of giving students an education involving technology. In recent years, the number of computers and other devices in schools has increased drastically. According to a study done by the California Department of Education in 2004, there were 1,181,649 computers in classrooms across the state. At that time, this was approximately 1 computer to every 5. 3 students. (California Department of Education, 2004) The number of computers in classrooms is expected to increase yearly, although the data has not yet been released for 2005. As these electronics do not come to schools cheaply, unless through donation, the State of California, as well as other states across the Union, have passed legislation to assist schools in purchasing the items. An example of this is California’s SB 1863, which was a bill signed into law by Governor Davis in 2002. This act grants non-profit organizations, such as public schools and hospitals, the ability to purchase computers and telecommunications systems at a discounted price (Bowen, 2002, SB1863). With legislation such as this in place, it is easier for schools to afford the necessary items they need to keep up with changing technology. As computers and other items are introduced into classrooms across the nation, teachers are being forced to learn how to use the technology and software in order to incorporate it into their lessons. For some, learning to do this can be difficult, while for others it may be simple. The amount of time it takes to learn the information and skills needed cuts into personal lives, taking away from family events and other activities. These hours are often unpaid, and are done from the teacher’s own desire to better instruct students for the future. Educating oneself to use computers and other devices is also expensive. Computers and their components are quite costly. Many teachers have to afford to buy the computers themselves. Teacher salaries are not exceptionally high, and purchasing such items is not always feasible. According to the American Federation of Teachers: The average teacher salary in the 2003-04 school year was $46,597, a 2. 2 percent increase from the year before. This falls short of the rate of inflation for 2004, this was 2. 7 percent. When adjusted for inflation, the 2003-04 salary actually drops 0. 4 percent from 2002-03. (American Federation of Teachers, 2005, Teacher Salaries Lag Behind Inflation) Teachers are also placed in another predicament as workplace trends are requiring computer and technology skills be incorporated into everyday business. A teacher’s job is to prepare their students for the future. In order to accomplish this goal, educators must be able to instruct their pupils in the areas of technology. To do this, teachers must be educated themselves, and in such a fashion that the teachers are forced to purchase nearly unaffordable items out of their own salaries. Including technology into the classrooms is important. Teaching students to use these items is beneficial to them and their futures. However, getting the tools to all students is difficult as funding is limited. Underprivileged schools tend to be less likely to have the computers that they need as funding is simply not available for them. This contributes to the problem of the technological divide, in which students from lower income areas do not have the equipment or skills to keep up with students in better neighborhoods and situations. In 1998, the incorporation of technology in schools cost roughly 16 billion dollars (Reeves, 1998, The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools). This money comes mostly from federal funding, but according to the study at the University of Georgia, it will not be enough to keep up with future needs. Technology in the schools is important. The inclusion of computers and other media in education of students will have a drastic impact on their future. These items are expensive but needed. Legislators are passing actions that will allow for funding to be available to purchase these items and place them into classrooms. In order for teachers to keep up with advancements in education, they have to learn to use the technology themselves. This takes their time away for other activities which they participate in and it can be costly in itself. The monetary cost of the inclusion of this trend in education is the biggest impact to which the system faces. Affording to pay for such material is difficult, as funds are hard to obtain. So, where will classrooms be in 10 years, 20 years? The question becomes where will teachers be? There are many proponents for online and virtual classrooms where a school room is not required, but there are many who object to this because school is not only where a child goes to learn, but it is also where a child goes in order to learn how to function in society. Currently in California, a new program has been implemented into high schools, it is the virtual enterprise, which gives students the opportunity to learn about business. However â€Å"there are no textbooks in the virtual enterprise (VE) programs. The classrooms don’t have the average-looking furniture; the furniture generally consists of cubicles, office desks, computers, fax machines and telephones. The teacher is called the coordinator, and the daily instruction is conducted with direct input from appoint company officers† (Tekaat-Davey, 2006). This form of environment is giving children a look into a more corporate environment, and for those students interested in a corporate world it is a very interesting form of education, and it is giving students a heads-up into how the â€Å"real-world† functions. Often, it takes a lengthy period of time for schools to implement new technologies because of the money constraints, however â€Å"a unique component of VE is the fact that it is very cost effective for the respective sites† (Tekaat-Davey, 2006). Many businesses donate the computers and other supplies that are needed in order to make the virtual enterprise environment work. This is an innovative approach that is giving the teacher a different role, but it may take on force because it is so much more cost effective. It seems that the goal of the future is to show children how to integrate technology into their lives effectively. Another aspect of technology is how small it makes the world, everything is so much closer through computers now, and students are going to be taught how best to interact and learn about different cultures, but schools in the United States are also going to need to compete more thoroughly with technologies in schools worldwide. Currently, 90 percent of schools have Internet connectivity and more than 33 percent of teachers have Internet access in their classrooms (Gahala, 2001). So yes, technology availability is there, but how to use it effectively is going to be the constant battle between teachers and technology experts. This country has developed in technology gradually over the years, even though sometimes it seems like it has been overnight. The growth of technology has been an ever-adapting process, and it is constantly changing. â€Å"Technology is not transformative on its own. Evidence indicates that when used effectively, ‘technology applications can support higher-order thinking by engaging students in authentic, complex tasks within collaborative learning contexts’ (Means, Blando, Olson, Middleton, Morocco, Remz, Zorfass, 1993)† (Gahala, 2001). But, will technology change the role of a teacher is what concerns many teachers today, and the answer is possibly. â€Å"As students become more self-directed, teachers who are not accustomed to acting as facilitators or coaches may not understand how technology can be used as part of activities that are not teacher-directed. This situation may be an excellent opportunity for the teacher not only to learn from the student but also to model being an information seeker, lifelong learner, and risk taker† (Gahala, 2001). So, even though the process of education may change, the traditional principles still hold, teachers are there to be a guide and a facilitator for education and knowledge. It is a teacher’s responsibility to incorporate current technologies into the history of teaching in order to give students the best possible education they can receive. Technology use impacting student grades All four research questions considered how technology use (low/high) as defined by overall use, teacher use and student use in the classroom effected at-risk students classroom grades. Inferential statistics showed no significant affect on at-risk student grades for any of the independent variables—teacher use, student use or overall technology use. For all the independent variables of teacher use, student use and overall technology use, the 1st quarter grades are higher for high technology using teachers. But that trend did not continue into second quarter for any of the independent variables. Since low GPA is a criterion for being identified at-risk at the studied school, it is logical that these students had low grades. However, some of these students had no passing grades, which is equivalent to a GPA of zero. The grade point average mean for the 66 at-risk students is 1. 52 at the end of the school year 2000–2001. Any grade mean above a zero is an improvement for some of the identified at-risk students. A possible explanation for this decline in grades is a greater use of technology in the 1st quarter. The researcher informally observed that students are immersed in technology in many of the classes: Power Point slide shows, travel brochures, postcards and video interviews are being created for presentations. During the 2nd quarter the classrooms slowly returned to a more traditional style. Some teachers, in informal discussions with the researcher, said they are using drill and practice, word processing for writing, and Internet for research projects. Without the use of technology infused in the classroom teachers would never know that with more constructivist methods students could achieve at higher levels. From research on the ACOT classrooms, students use technology as a tool to collect, organize, and analyze data; to enhance presentations; to conduct simulations and to solve complex problems. One of the changes seen over this 10-year study is the change in the lower-achieving students; the ones teachers could not reach with the teacher-centered learning. These students began to respond positively given the alternate ways of expressing their knowledge, which not only raised their self-esteem but their status with the teachers and their peers. The at-risk students are likely to show improvement in academic achievement when technology is used in the classroom appropriately. The conditions needed for appropriate use of technology to improve education are: first, the successful use of technology requires teachers to face their beliefs about learning and the efficacy of different instructional activities. Second, teachers view technology as one possible tool that must be used in the curriculum and instruction framework with meaning. Third, teachers need to become risk takers, experiment with technology, help and share with peers. Fourth, technology can be a catalyst for change, but the process of integrating technology is a long-term challenge for the teachers. In closing on student grades and technology, from the ten-year study conducted by ACOT comes this statement: â€Å"teachers also discovered that students who did not do well in a typical setting frequently excelled when working with technology. Low achievers had a chance to experience success and began concentrating and applying themselves to their projects† (p. 95). This study supports the findings in the present study indicating that the technology should be incorporated into the curriculum in meaningful, student-centered methods. Conclusion The impact of technology in schools is somewhere between its the only way to make a positive change in schools to its a new fad. They see technology as a strong tool for positive change but it must be presented in the right ways. Steps must be taken for technology to make a difference. Leaders of the schools must include everyone at the beginning of the plan, not after technology arrives. Leadership in the school system must plan for technology. Hire a full time technology director, involve the school in the changes, and provide the services that are needed for technology to succeed in the schools. Teachers must change the way they teach. Classrooms must take on the student-centered learning methods. Teachers need to become facilitators. Students need to be allowed to use technology as a tool, which will enable them to collect, analyze, and create major projects. When schools are prepared for technology, the entire school benefits. The quality of the time for technology to be integrated into the curriculum is the key to student learning, not the quantity of time with technology. Technology is not the entire solution for keeping at-risk students in the classroom, but it is a start in the right direction. References Aitoro, J. R. (2005). No Child Left Behind. VAR Business, 21, 1-2. American Federation of Teachers, (2005) Teacher Salaries Lag Behind Inflation. Retrieved from http://www. aft. org/presscenter/releases/2005/100605. htm on December 15, 2006 Borja, R. R. (2005). Channel one struggling in shifting market, Education Week, 24(43), 3-14. Bowen, D. (2002). SB 1863. Retrieved from http://info. sen. ca. gov/cgi-bin/postquery? bill_number=sb_1863sess=0102house=Bsite=sen on December 15, 2006 California Department of Education, (2004). Number of Computers Used for Instruction. Retrieved from http://www. cde. ca. gov/re/pn/fb/yr04numbcomp. asp. on December 15, 2006 Gahala, J. (2001). Critical Issue: Promoting Technology Use in School. Retrieved from http://www. ncrel. org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te200. htm. on December 15, 2006 Harrison , J. and M.. (October 1983). How computers can help the schools. Education Flip Side. 2(7) page 70. Impact of Technology on Student Achievement, The. Apple Education; K-12 Education. Retrieved from http://www. apple. com/education/research. on December 15, 2006 Lane, C. , Portway, P. (No Date). Trends. The Education Coalition. Life of Thomas A. Edison,The. Retrieved from http://memory. loc. gov/ammem/edhtml/edbio. html. on December 15, 2006 Miller, M. and Cruce, T.. A 20th Century Timeline: Classroom Use of Instructional Film, Radio, and Television, retrieved from http://www. arches. uga. edu/~mlmiller/timeline/timelineintro. html. on December 15, 2006 Reeves, Thomas C, (1998). The Impact of Media and Technology in Schools. Retrieved from http://www. athensacademy. org/instruct/media_tech/reeves0. html. on December 15, 2006 Saettler, Paul (1990). The Evolution of American Educational Technology. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

Platos Repubulic- Music, Art, Literature Essay -- essays research pap

In The Republic, Plato uses many different aspects in Books II, III, and X including: art, literature, and music. These aspects play a huge part in the building of the â€Å"ideal city†. Plato includes what can and cannot be used and what is good and what is bad for the city. While building the city, everything is broken down and analyzed by Plato. Art as an imitation of real things, three types of imitation, the types of literature, art, and music allowed and not allowed in the city, and the impact of art on the people of the city will all be analyzed in this paper. Books III and X contain information on art as an imitation of real things. â€Å"Imitation, we say, imitates human beings performing forced or voluntary actions, and, as a result of the action, supposing themselves to have done well or badly, and in all of this experiencing pain or enjoyment† (287). Plato also describes art as the imitation of real things as a copy of an object. A painter paints a picture of a couch. The couch in the painting looks the same as the couch that was used for the painting, but the couch in the picture is a copy of the original couch. Plato makes it seem that art imitates the objects and events of real life. Plato furthers his point by introducing his theory that a copy of a copy of an object is imitation. For example, carpenters build a bed which they did not originally event. The carpenter’s bed was built by the carpenter but it was based off another bed that was originally created by God. This makes the carpenter’s bed a copy of another bed. When a painter is painting he also creates a copy of an object. If he paints the carpenters bed, it is a copy of a copy of an object. Plato includes, â€Å"imitation is surely far from the truth, and, as it... ...s that the people are very important to Plato. If degrading artwork, stories, or poems enter the city it could make the people weak, unhappy, and very depressed. On the other hand, if positive artwork is introduced the whole mood of the city changes. They could be come strong, happy, and vivacious. Plato made sure that there was no literature or music that sad or discouraging in the city. As seen in Books II, III, and X, art, literature, and music played a large part in putting the ideal city together. The imitation of art had a large impact on everyone in the city, each type of music had to fit the personality or job of each person in the city, and the literature had to be watched closely so that the women, children, and even men were not distraught by it. While building the ideal city Plato had to make sure everything was perfect so that everyone was happy.

Radical Feminism Versus Liberal Feminism

Feminist theories are an extension of feminism into theoretical and philosophical discourse. They aim at understanding of the nature of gender inequality . They in turn examine women’s social roles and life experiences . While in general some provide a critique of social relationships . Most feminist theories also focus on analysing gender inequality and the promotion of women’s rights, interests and issues . Among such theories are the Liberal feminism and the Radical feminism theories. While Liberal and Radical feminism both seek to ensure that women have access to resources and human rights in a gender equal environment they however do not necessarily employ similar methods in achieving these results. Each has its own distinct reason behind whatever methods they engage to achieve their goals. Wikipedia the free internet dictionary defines feminism as â€Å"the belief that women have equal political, social, and sexual, interlectual and economic rights as men do. It a discourse that involves various movements, theories and philosophies which are concerned with the issues of gender differences . The adaptation of the equality for women and the campaign for women’s rights and interests†. Ritzer (1992) indentifies feminism as that board of theories which analyse the social world of the point of views of women and other minority groups and the major objective is to investigate the situations and experience of women in diverse societies. Britannica encyclopaedia indentifies the term feminism as used to describe a political or economic, cultural, or economic movement aimed at establishing equal rights and legal protection for women. It involves political, cultural sociological theories . As well as philosophises concerned with issues of gender differences. It also is a movement that advocates for women’s rights and interests. Patriarchy according to Robert (1991) is â€Å"derived from a Greek word Patria means father and arche means to rule, beginning, and origins. A male head of the family excising autocratic authority or by extension a member of the ruling class, government of a society controlled by senior men. † Scafer (2000) describes a radical group as a group that is set apart from others because of obvious physical differences. According to Bryson in Haralambos and Holborn (2000), â€Å"radical feminism is a theory that views women as an oppressed group which has to struggle for its liberation against its oppressors. † According to Harton and Hunt , â€Å"a liberal is one who accepts the social system as basically sound but feels that extensive reforms maybe needed. † Liberal feminism is the first form of feminism recorded; it asserts the equality of men and women, through political and legal reform. It’s mostly individualistic thus it focuses mainly on women’s ability to show and maintain their equality through their own action and choices . It looks closely at the interactions that occur between men and women in the public sphere . Liberal feminism cites such interactions as the starting ground from where to transform society into a more gender equitable place . However other issues important to liberal feminists also include reproductive rights , abortion access, sexual harassment voting , education , fair compensation for work , affordable health care , and bringing to light the frequency of sexual and domestic abuse against women. This philosophy tends to have a neutral vision towards different gender. It requires women to mould themselves to fit a citizenship that already exists. On the other hand Radical feminism is a movement that got its inspiration largely from the Marxist theory. It addresses issues Liberal feminism overlooked. It is a â€Å"current† within feminism that pays a great deal of attention to the theory of patriarchy. According to Haralambos, Horlborn and Heald (2000), â€Å"Radical feminism blames the exploitation of women on men. † The term Radical is derived from the Latin word Radix, radic, meaning the root. Radical feminist strongly believe that the root cause of the oppression of women emanates from the patriarchal society that they exist in. The main perpetrators being male. They identify patriarch as a system of power that organises society into a complex of relationships based on an assumption of males being the more superior of the sexes. The end result in such societies is the oppression of women by men . Radical feminists identify only one solution, to challenge and completely overthrow patriarchy by whatever means possible . Including opposing standard gender roles. Whatever they see as male oppression of women calls for a reordering of society†, Wikipedia the internet free dictionary. Liberal feminists generally work for the eradication of institutional bias and the implication of better laws. They legally challenge ideas and practices that result in women being seen as second class citizens. They do not challenge capitalism, patriarchy or any other fundamental structures of society. They a dvocate for transformational changes. Liberal feminists wish to achieve gender equality by working with the system rather than over throwing it , or example liberals do not call for the abolishment of the marriage institution instead they want the institution to be structured in such a way that it is not oppressive and imbalanced . In contrast Radicals are extremists and they strongly believe in a revolutionary change. Radicals on the left wing according to Henslin (1995) believe that subjugation of women is the most basic and fundamental cause of oppression. Radicals therefore believe that the only way to deal with that oppression is to have a complete radical change . They unlike the liberals, they call for the eradication of the existing structures that result in women being oppressed. Campbell and Warsaw (1970) postulate that radical feminism aims to challenge and over throw patriarchy, opposing gender roles and what they identify as male oppression of women. Liberal feminist movement is preferred by government than other forms of feminism movement’s. The liberals see value in working with the system therefore usually the liberal feminists work hand in hand with the governments. For example in the United States of America Liberal Feminism have historically worked for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment which ensures that men and women are treated as equals under democratic laws that also influence important spheres of women’s lives including reproduction, work and equal pay. In Britain they supported such measures as the Sex discrimination Act (1975) and the Equal Pay Act (1970) in the hope that these would help end discrimination. Were as radical feminists don’t work closely with the government and neither does the government desire to work with them. To them the government also represents within it patriarch. At the same time the government views the radicals more often than not undesirable as they advocate certain changes that do not necessarily work hand in hand with what the government desires. Most times conflict occurs between the two. Radical feminism places emphasis on the oppression of women by men . This idea distinguishes the Radical theory from the Liberal theory as the later concentrates on the oppression of both men and women. Unlike the radical feminists, liberal feminist take into consideration less dominant men who are oppressed by other men. Thus liberals view gender inequality as power that men have as a group over women and also the power that some men have over women. According to Valerie Bryson (1999) radical feminists see women as an oppressed group who had to struggle for their own liberation. Radical feminists view society and especially the society and especially the family as the key institution oppresses women in modern society. Similarly, liberal feminist also believe that the social system catalyses gender inequality. They believe that society should not impose separate roles for women and those they should be allowed to compete freely with men and they should enjoy the same privileges and opportunities. Radical feminists challenge and thrive to completely over throw patriarchy, by opposing the normal gender roles. They believe that male domination over women is as a result of gendered roles. Such roles have a diminishing effect on the importance of women is society. They argue that men exploit women because of the free domestic labour that they provide. Women are excluded from other important issues such as politics and positions of power and influence. On the same note liberal feminists identify gender roles as one of the main reasons responsible for gender inequality. They believe that childhood conditioning prepares the children for the inflexible and rigid gender roles that they take up in the future. Valarie Bryson (1999) identifies Radical feminism, â€Å"it tends to ignore variations in experience of oppression of women of different classes and ethnic background. Radical feminism originated from the west. Most radicals are white hence radical feminism tends to concentrate on those problems that affected the white women. Very little attention is paid to those that affected the black women. Similarly, liberal feminism originates from the western hemisphere hence most who subscribe to this school of thought are white women . According to Giddens (2004), â€Å"liberal feminists aim for gradual change in the political, economic and social systems of western societies. † Therefore liberal feminism too tends to ignore the experiences of women in other societies. The liberal feminists have played a huge rule in ensuring that women in Zimbabwe have access to resources and opportunities . They set up organisations that see to the welfare of women. For example the Musasa Project. This project aids mostly women who would have been subjected to violence and the aid is for free. It has assisted women to come to terms with issues such as physical abuse by spo uses and boyfriends as well as to help them realise that it is not right them to be abused in such ways. Likewise radical feminists have fought for women to have equal access as men to resources. Through doing so several groups have been formed by the Radical feminists in Zimbabwe organisations such as WOZA and Girl Child. WOZA, Women of Zimbabwe Arise is an organisation that was started in 2003 by women who felt compelled to empower female voices in Zimbabwe. Their main objective was to achieve social justice for women as well as to provide them with a forum on which they could speak about the things they want for their country. In conclusion both liberal and radical feminism provide women all over the world with a platform to share their experiences. They both involve the formation of organisations that provide a voice for women to be heard. While Liberal feminists challenge only ideas and practises that treat women as second class citizens. They concentrate mostly on the public sphere issues, for example representation off women in politics and women being paid equal salaries with men when performing similar jobs. While on the other hand the radical feminists challenge the private interaction that exists between men and women. They concentrate on the private sphere issues, for example non-rights to sexuality, rape and violence. The end of the day both theories work towards enabling women to achieve their full potential REFERANCES_ _ Charvet . J. (1982) Morden Ideologies Feminism En. wikipedia. org/wiki/Feminism Haralambos, M and Holborn. M, (2000) Sociology ;Themes and perspectives. Harper Collins, London _Henslin, J, M, (1995). Sociology :Alyn and Bacon London_ Rizter, G. (1992) Sociological Theory. McGraw-Hill, Ino, New York. _ _Schaefer R. T (2004) Sociology ; A Brief Introduction 5th Edition , McGraw , New York_ Giddens A Sociology 4_th Edition (2004) Blackwell Publishing _ Warsley , P. (1970). Introducing Sociology. Prengin Books, New York WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY IN AFRICA NAME ; Ndafadzwa Chuchu PROGRAM; Bsc (Hons) Management and Entrepreneurial Dev_ _ ID NUMBER ; WMG0308090028 LEVEL _ ; _1. 2 MODULE ; Gender in Enterprise *LECTURER *; Mrs Kashora QUESTION ; Compare and contrast Radical and Liberal Feminism

Impact Of The Australian Economy On Australia s Performance

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