Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift - Essay Example Arguments are presented to raise awareness about a trivial matter in a light-hearted manner and this is where the piece becomes important for its humorous worth. Such arguments do not lack force but refuse to impose views on others and this is what Suzanne Britt’s essay is all about. In a Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift highlights the subject of poverty in Ireland in very harsh and satirical manner. It is important to understand that there is a very clear line dividing humor and satire and Swift’s work is not humorous in any way. His language is abrasive and there is little use of compassion. Even if logic is applied, it is twisted around which makes it appear like reversed logic. There is nothing mild about his essay and while his main purpose was to draw attention to the extremes of poverty in Ireland and the growing population problem, his solution might appear to be an attack against the government instead of a concern for societal good. Such themes were usually Swift’s favorites as Fox tells us, â€Å"Recurrent famine, widespread poverty and misery amongst the native peasantry, the failure to create a more self-reliant economy, and the landlords moral complacency are the principal targets of Swift's anger.† There is too much politics in the essay, which is one reason the essay cannot be truly enjoyed. No serious facts or statistics have been used and thus the essay lacks objectivity. With the kind of harshness he employed, statistics were definitely needed to support his case. In the contrast, we can use the example of Suzanne Britt’s essay, Neat people vs. Sloppy people. This essay has made good refreshing use of humor. The author has tried to attract attention to the differences between the attitude of neat and sloppy people and has employed humor with such ease and precision that every person would love this piece.

The Relationship And Unity Of The Malaysian People Education Essay

The Relationship And Unity Of The Malaysian People Education Essay The new economy policy was introduced by the government to strengthen the relationship and unity of the Malaysian people. By introducing new economy policy, the number of job opportunities had increased irrespective ethnicity, thus improve the relationship between people from different races. Besides that, DEB also played the roles to reduce and eliminate the identification of each race based on their works and living place. For example, Malay people usually live and work in the village while Indian people live and work on the estate. This will result in less interaction between both races and unities between them will not success easily. DEB had overcome this problem by providing equal opportunity to all Malaysian. The national Education policy was set up as recommended by Razaks Report 1956. According to the KLIK website (n.d), the aim of this report was to establish a national education system that would promote the cultural, social, economic and political development accepted by the nation as well as making the Malay language as the national language and the main language used in school. After Razaks Report, the government introduced a few education reports that contained better recommendations or the upgraded version of the first one. Government always changed the recommendations and policies due to the current education system that keep changing along with the globalization. Years ago, people did not care about education as they were not afforded for it. Nowadays, as the government had introduced pre-school for a child at the age of 5 and 6 years old in order to provide them with formal education. Preschool is the suitable place to explore the students talents and help them to improve it. At this time, the students are young and always ready to learn something new. This is the time for the teacher and parents to train the kids to be responsible, well-manner and able to contribute to the country. Along with the development of the country, people started to realize that people that is well-educated have the power to be respected and get higher income compared to someone without education. A national principle known as rukunegara is the basic principles that must be obeyed by all Malaysian. National principle is used to promote social balance and unity among different races that live in Malaysia. By following this principle, we can prevent from the tragedy 13 may from happen again. All the five principle focused on the relationship between man and god, king, country, law and constitution. The last part of the principle is good behavior which is reaching the goal of NPE to develop various potentials among student. By practicing it correctly, we may produce well potential students in various aspects, thus improve the quality of our country. Nowadays, people started to realize that education in school is not about performing well in the exam only but students have to involve in co-curriculum activities in order to identify their talent while train them to be more discipline. There are a few factors that lead to the NPE such as the factor of religious, social, politic, economic and individual. As stated in the first national principle which is belief in God, all the citizens supposed to have a religion to be obeyed. In Malaysia, the official religion is Islam. Even though Malays people are Muslims, which does not mean other people from different ethnic cannot join the religion. Besides that Muslims, other people are free to embrace any religion that they want. As Malaysia has multiracial citizens, social factor is one of the important factors that lead to NPE. In Malaysia, we can communicate and live happily with other ethnics as we respect each other as the citizen of the same country. All of them are living or work at the same places without arguing because the spirit of unity as stated in the second national principle which is loyalty to king and country. Each person has different skills in developing the national economy. For example, there are some people that mastering business while the others are skillful in buying and selling stock. This differentiation occurs due to different potential and education level that they got. When they are knowledgeable, they know how to compete in order to get profit as well as improve the economy level of the country. The last factor is individual factor. At school, students talent will be identified in order to develop their skills and potentials that are different between each person. Living in a community with a good manner will result in harmony and balance citizens. Besides that, their potentials and skills may help the country development in various aspects such as education, music and others. Education in Malaysia has started years ago. Formal education in Malaysia used to take place at the mosque and castle before changing into a place called school. Before independence, people that live in a rural area with low income rarely have the opportunity to go to school as they were not afforded for it. The developing of this country has improved the education in Malaysia thus provide a better opportunity for children to get education. Before 1982, the education system that had been used in Malaysia was Old Primary School Curriculum. As stated by fiq2705 (2012), the syllabus introduced a lot of subjects thus make it not suitable for a student in primary school. Besides that, this system was fully depended on textbooks with limited teaching aids and references. The student will get bored easily as the teacher was not creative to make the teaching and learning process more interesting. As the result of this, many people had criticized the education system at that time due to a lot of problems occur. To overcome this problem, the government had introduced New Primary School Curriculum. New Primary School Curriculum also known as Kurikulum Baru Sekolah Rendah (KBSR) had upgraded and improved in many ways better than the system before. As stated by are_niece02 (2010), the main focus of KBSR were to implement 3M among students which is reading, writing and counting. The students were divided into two phrases. Phrase 1 contained the Year 1 until 3 students while year 4 to 6 students were in phase 2. Each phrase stresses on different skill and knowledge suitable to the student age. According to are_niece02 (2010), the syllabus that had been practiced during KBSR was flexible for students as they balanced the emotional, spiritual, intellectual during the teaching and learning process. Due to this, on-going assessment had been introduced in order to identify the student performance and problems occur during the study process. Besides that, the teacher was requested to be more creative and not totally depended on text books. One of the problems occur during this program we re the lack of the capable teacher in certain subjects, thus they need to work more than other teacher. Role of a teacher is to teach. Teachers will felt confidence with the abilities that they have in certain subject. Headmasters role is to match the teachers abilities. Besides that, they play the biggest role in developing the potential of students and teachers in various aspects. For better understanding, i have made some research at a Sekolah Kebangsaan Putrajaya Presint 9 and meet with their headmaster, senior assistant and teacher.There are some activities that had been held at the school on to achieve NPE goal such as gotong-royong, Merdeka day celebration, Prophet Muhammad celebration, choral speaking competition and sports day. Gotong-royong is a compulsory activity that the students must join on every Monday before the assembly. During this activity, students are divided into a few groups. Each group will be accompanied by 3 teachers and have their own place to do this activity. Teachers are responsible to give instructions and guide the students. At the same times, they will make sure that the activity runs smoothly with any undesirable thing happen. The task for each group is they must clean up the place and make sure everything is well organized. Besides that, there is also a time when they will paint the school building. In order to make the activity more interesting, the school will give free drink on that day. The objective of this activity is to make them feel equality. No matter which family they are from, no matter which class they are, all students required to join this activity. It is one of the ways to train the students to be patient and tolerant while doing something. Without struggle, nothin g can be success. Besides that, students will be more discipline and follow the instruction given. Usually, when this activity finished, the students will take care of their area even the program was over. This activity has improved the students in many ways. They take good care of their surroundings to make sure that it will be clean thus people can live peacefully. By applying this in a community, it will improve the relationship between neighbourhood thus strengthen the unity. The objective of Merdeka Day Celebration is to make the student appreciate and proud with our country. Nowadays, kids and teenagers spend a lot of time with the machine more than having interaction with human beings. They usually play video games, surf internet and Facebooking during their free time. Spending less time with the older prevent them from learning about the things happen in the past. They just know the history based on what had been taught in the classroom. So, by holding this activity in the school, it can enhance the student knowledge about the life before independent. During this activity, teachers play their role to decorate the hall and preparing some suitable materials. Some of the students will be helping the teachers in the hall while the others will join poster competition. They are requested to draw something related to independence day and the winner will be announced on the day of the celebration. The poster activity goal is to make the students show their cr eativity and at the same time appreciating our country. Early in the morning, all students and teachers will gather in the hall to sing the national anthem, and the school song. After that, there will be a speech by a person that had the experience living during before independent. By exposing the story to the students, they are able to experience and imagine the life before. Thus, they realize how grateful they are nowadays. To solve the problem occur between ethnics, they will improve the social interaction between different races by respecting each other. This situation achieves the goal of NPE which is to produce balanced individuals. Another celebration held in the school is the Prophet Muhammad birthday celebration or also known as maulud. The objective of this celebration is to make the student remember the prophet Muhammad that had left us years ago. In this activity, teachers are responsible to prepare some materials such as Quran, inviting Ustaz and others. Besides that, the students will participate in some competition such as Tadarus Al-Quran, Tilawah Al-Quran, Story Telling and others. This activity was held in order to develop student potential in Islamic ways. During the celebration day, each class has to participate in banner decoration to develop their creativity. Usually, the banner will be written in jawi, thus this activity had improved their jawi writing. By the end of this activity, students are not only enjoying it but they learn more about the story of the prophet, how Islam develops and at the same time improve their skills in reciting al-Quran. So, by practicing it correctly, we can produce p eople that are not only excellent with academic but well-develop in religion. Having high intellectual but without the application of noble character could bring to the worst of the society and the nations (TIM 2011) The next activity held Coral Speaking Competition. The objective of this activity is to increase the English usage of the student and at the same time improve their vocabulary and pronunciation. Teachers are responsible to train the students one each class. Together with the students, the teacher will discuss and prepare the texts for their team. Each class will compete with each other and the winner will be getting a present during closing event. The theme of the choral speaking are different in each year depend on the current issue. So, at the same time, students learn and know about the thing happen in their surroundings. On the day of the competition, each team will present their choral speaking with their own creativity such as use fancy cloth, funny text and others. By the end of this activity, the student is not only enjoyed it but they also improve their English. English is an international language that is been spoken by people around the world. By holding this activity ever y year, students will be more competitive to be the best in English. Thus, they can communicate with others from different country and enhance their knowledge and at the same time strengthen international relationships between others. The last activity is sport day. As stated in Utusan online ( 2013) , students are starting to join sport and curriculum since 1985 and now the government had introduced Satu Murid Satu Sukan (1M1S). Joining this activity will improve the students psychomotor, cognitive and effective. The student may develop potential in the sport that they like. Teacher are responsible to prepare the place that the activity will be held. At the same times, students will join training to prepare themselves for the competition. Student are divided into 4 groups. Some one of the activities take place on that day are 100m sprint, broad jump and others. The Co curriculum had improved the student knowledge as well as train them to conduct and manage an activity. It has achieved the goal of NPE which is to produce creative students. Students also will look at school as interesting place that develop their skills and potential. The interaction in class is really important. In this area, the teacher plays the biggest role to communicate and help students in different ways. As an English teacher, there are some activities that are suitable to be conducted in class such as an individual teaching guide, quiz, ICT activities, spelling bee, and story telling. During teaching and learning process, here will be some students that are slow learners. This student cannot catch up what the teacher teaches. So, to help them understand the lesson. The teacher will spend special time for them before starting a new lesson. They can ask the teacher directly anything that they do not understand. By doing this, there are no students left out during the teaching and learning process. Using ICT programs in the classroom will attract the students interest and make them understand easily. ICT programs occupy all the learning style since there will be sound, picture, and activities that they have to do to enhance the understanding. Conducting quiz will be useful because the teacher can analyze which part or question that most of the students get wrong. Besides that, students will improve their understanding level. Spelling bee and storytelling is the activities that bring many advantages to the student. By joining this activity, they can improve their English. Besides that, it encourages student being competitive in order to be the best. Spelling bee improve their vocabulary and pronunciation. On the other hand, story telling improve the memorizing skills and their creativity to tell a story. Both activities help them in their studies. For example, there are some subject that need them to memorize the formula. So, by introducing this activity to the student, student are able to apply it in real life. In conclusion, the National Education Philosophy (NPE) plays the biggest role in developing education in Malaysia. It introduces various concepts in education, curriculum, co-curriculum and others. Besides that, NPE act as a guide for a teacher to improve their teaching style and activity in order to achieve the school objectives. As a whole, the changed in education as occur due some people opinions about education and the benefit of being educated. As stated in NPE, the objective of it is to develop physical, intellect, emotion, spiritual and social of the citizen to betterment. As a future educated, it is my responsibility to understand the contain of NPE and use it as a guide during my teaching lesson.

Factory Farms and Animal Cruelty Essay -- Religion Morals Animal Right

Factory Farms and Animal Cruelty Imagine that Christ meant these words literally. Imagine that accepting Christ as your personal savior required lunching with him. Of course, if Christ were coming over today for lunch, you would probably dust, vacuum, adjust the pictures on the walls, pick your best outfit, comb your hair, jot down a few questions about heaven. But what would the two of you eat? Would you serve Christ fried chicken? How would you feel about setting a plate of steaming, sizzling pork chops in front of your savior? A few hard-boiled eggs wouldn't hurt, right? Maybe a glass of milk to wash it all down? For many Christians, faith has little to do with what's in the fridge. Lunch with Christ would raise issues far more problematic than choice of food. However, I propose that if the above-mentioned foods came from modern factory farms, Christ would not eat or drink them. I will argue that Christians are obligated to be morally concerned about animals, and that this obligation brings Christians into moral conflict with modern factory farms. Furthermore, I will argue that Catholic Social Teaching (hereafter "CST") should emphasize a theocentric basis for such obligation and conflict. Rethinking Aquinas: Why Animals Matter Some Christians think the words "animal rights" smack of wacky liberalism or of sentimentality. Such thinking presupposes that animals are not proper objects of moral concern. After all, in Genesis God commanded Adam to rule over creation. God gave Noah "everything that lives and moves" for food (Gen. 1:28). Therefore, according to this way of thinking, animals exist exclusively as means to human ends. This position, which I call the Utility Thesis, does agree with some traditional Ca... ...nson, Andrew. Factory Farms. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1991. Linzey, Andrew. Introduction. Animals on the Agenda. Ed. A. Linzey et al. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998. ---."The Theos-Rights of Animals." Animals and Christianity. Ed. A.Linzey et al. New York: Crossroad, 1990. Paape, Max. "Researchers Develop Effective Mastitis Treatments." Agricultural Research Service. 14 Jul. 2005. United States Department of Agriculture. 1 Nov. 2004 http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/ha/han15.htm Regan, Tom. Introduction. Animal Rights and Human Obligations. Ed. A. Linzey et al. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1976. Regan, Tom. "A Reply to Griffiths." Animals and Christianity. Ed. A. Linzey et al. New York: Crossroad, 1990. Wojtyla, Karol. "On Social Concern." Catholic Social Teaching. Office For Social Justice. 1 Nov. 2004 www.osjspm.org/cst/srs.htm

Education System of Britain

According to the research of Oversea Education Center (2000), is that â€Å"Education in the United Kingdom (UK) is compulsory for everyone between the ages of five to sixteen. † This mean that no one left behind in their system that everybody must be in school to learned and participate. I believed that the learning and participation of students would require equality in the school system. Does the school system can provide this equality to all students? I know that this problem has been existed on other countries.Is the system in Britain practices equality or inequality still persisting? This essay will explore on the educational system in contemporary Britain acting to decrease or increase social inequality highlighting current issues. Equality Impost Britain’s Government partnered with Sutton Trust funded by Peter Lampl tried to make the education system as equal as possible by making â€Å"new scheme aimed at giving talented children of all backgrounds access to q uality education†.They are pronouncing that all can access this mean more to the poor that will be given the chance to develop their talents and able to have an education they wanted. There are striking findings from domestic and international survey that the English education is improving. But while average standards in education in the UK are high, the traditional problem of inequality, and especially with the educational outcome and social class, remain very strong pointed out by David Miliband (2003). Inequality IncreasedThe problem starts young: as early as 22 months according to pioneering research of cognitive ability of very young children. At the age of two poor show advance but was overtaken at the age of 6 by the rich family and will maintain its advancement at the age 7-11. But more social differences can be seen in secondary level as Leon Feinstein (2003) demonstrated. On the other hand, University system practice inequality that affected most of the poor from rem ote areas that wanted to avail the opportunity that offered by millioner philanthropist and the Britain’s government program.John O'Leary, Education Editor (2000), reported that â€Å"Almost half the entrants are from independent schools and only one in 25 comes from the poor neighborhoods identified as sending fewest students to university. Barely one in ten is from a working class home. † The universities still practice elitism in their university depriving most of the poor students. Thinking that students coming from the independent school have more advantage since they have all the good facilities they need to learned to their full potential compared to the students coming from the public schools.The increased in Social inequality is more observed reported by John Clare, Education Editor (2000), he stated in his report that Eleven top universities accused of state bias, this was supported by the research gather â€Å"It estimated that every year 3,200 pupils from independent schools gained a place at a top university to which, statistically, they were not entitled. † There bases in accepting entry is on predicted grades rather than A-level grades. This apprehended the schools of sending pupils to avail the opportunity.The statistics that John Clare emphasized is a clear indication that social inequality is increasing in Britain’s educational system. Remarkable evidence which was also sparked by Gordon Brown condemning Oxford College in rejecting a teenager Laura Spence that elitism in Britain’s top universities are still practiced despite the campaign by Mr. Lampl giving opportunity for all and providing all the necessary materials needed by the students just to discover and develop their talent to the full potential.A writer Ben Russell (2000) wrote the description of Mr. Lampl as a â€Å"scandal† the current situation where children from poorer backgrounds accounted for 50 per cent of the school population but on ly 13 per cent of the entry to top universities. He further added that University inclined more on constructing building and research instead of finding youngster from inner cities and other deprived areas.In respond to the allegation that universities practice social inequality lots of school, the university answered as presented by Ben Russell â€Å"they say the students are not applying and they are not coming through. I suggest there's some truth to that but our universities has to become much more pro-active by going out and selling themselves to the schools. † This response of universities to the founder is not acceptable by some public schools who tried hard to let there students enters to the top 13 universities and avail the opportunities offered.Another finding that inequality is increasing in Contemporary Britain researched by Jeremy Lovell (2005) â€Å"The results show that social mobility in Britain is much lower than in other advanced countries and is declining ,† and it was suppported with Co-author Stephen Machin said â€Å"low income groups were trying to manage to keep pace with middle income, but the gap between middle and high was widening rapidly and those in the very top bracket were accelerating out of sight. † This issues is the result of inadsequate education policiy and globalization which was entrenching wealth inequalities acrross the world.The effect of this are fewer graduates from the poorer community landed on a good job in the market. (Lovell 2005). More evidence reveal by Julie Hyland(2004) â€Å"Britain: social inequalities widen under Blair government†. This is because of the government policy that imply from welfare reform through to privatizing key services. That was before abandoned by Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) (1994) which established a â€Å"Commission on Social justice† that sought to redefine measures of social inequality, that used to give justice to labor and leave d the traditional social reformist programmed.The factor to this issue is the polarization of â€Å"class and wealth† this giving more chance for the riches to make more shares and in facts doubled in 1999. (Hyland 2004). The IPPR demonstrate that social inequality means that â€Å"the UK education system continues to experience high levels of geographical segregation,† the reports states. â€Å"At any time since 1989 around a third of children living in poverty would have to move to schools in wealthier areas for there to be an even spread of poor children between schools.† The poor students tried hard to make them avail what the rich students have but the system has failing on looking this issues. The results can also be seen in the record obtain by deprived schools that lower records attaining in education compared to better-off areas. The writers further added (Hyland 2004), â€Å"Examining the period since the early 1980s as a whole confirms that a class b ias in entry and success within higher education remains and has even grown. † If more students from higher class can enter into universities and few from lower class there is no improvement in the educational system.The data prove that in â€Å"1981, 23 percent from high-income backgrounds obtained a university degree, and only six percent from lowest income and it increase by 37 percent in 1999. † If this will not give importance to changes in the educational system inequality would be double in the coming years. The worst evidence that the educational system in Britain’s social inequality is the case of Pamela Relf reported by Tania Kent (2000) that inequalities not only happening in the poor students striving to be successful but to a teacher itself.Pamela Relf was the longest serving teacher in the Middlefield primary in St. Neots, Cambridge shire. Only she failed to report on the first day of service in the new term felt very bad that she instead drove a ri ver near her house and end her life. She left a note telling that â€Å"I am finding the stress of my job too much. The pace of work and he long days are more than I can do. † Not only Pamela Relf but had another teacher hanged himself Daniel Overfield and a boy who is 12 years old. All the issues concerning the schools work performance and these terrible incidents have common social roots.Tania Kent described as the outcomes of two decades of attacks on public education by the former Conservative government, which have been continued and deepened under Labor Prime Minister Tony Blair. Since Labor took office in 1997, schools have had to confront the highest levels of state intervention ever experienced within the public education sector. The aims of prime Minister Tony Blair is to lift the standards by publishing the results in â€Å"league tables† that the pay also of a teacher was based on their performance that ties teachers’ salaries to pupils’ test exam results.The system was able to create stress both to students’ and teachers’ that resulted on tremendous death of the three victims that hardly cope up the challenge. The system is failing that castigation is focused on the part of the teachers. The stress given to teachers made the other teacher to leave their job. The researcher Tania Kent further exposed that Association of teachers and Lecturers (ATL) in the conference discussed a report warning of an increase in pupil suicides due to the pressures resulting from what the union termed â€Å"factory farming† teaching.It is very alarming that 35 children aged 14 and below committed suicide in Britain in1997. These are due to stress and pressure to pass the compulsory test. The issues making pressure both the teachers’ and students’ damage the emotional and mental capacity of each individual and these will result to a more poverty and of course increase inequality in educational system in Bri tain. Moreover we cannot blame that Black graduates do not want to become teachers within a racist education system.Deborah Gabriel (2006) an author on Black Britain acknowledge one of the lecturer Sonia Davis, said that a senior lecturer in education at De Montfort University and spokesperson for the African Forum for Education believes that recruiting more black teachers without making radical changes to the education system is pointless. † She further stress out to Black Britain that out of around 1000 trainee teachers in the first year of a teaching programmed, not one is black.The reason for the lack of interest, she asserts is: â€Å"A damaged system. Black teachers can see the trauma experienced by black pupils and many do not want to be in that situation. † All the weighted issues above would still be increasing and never stop if these were not given immediate actions. The damaged that have been done will increase; the action should be now we will not wait for a nother victim for this social inequality in Britain educational system. ConclusionThe above issues would if not be given consideration the educational system increases the social inequality and part of it is the difference between the ethnic groups in their social profiles and by their geographical concentration in inner-city areas with poor education provision. This subject of inequality was very much to the forefront of the debate on education. But there were high hopes that education would make for greater economic and social mobility and thus lead to reduction in inequalities.The continues support of the different agency especially the Sutton Trust that give opportunities to poor families and continues expansion of public-sector with the little cost to families has been entailed would greatly helps decrease the social inequalities in Britain’s educational system. References Clare, John 2000, â€Å"Eleven top Universities Accused of Sate Bias†, Viewed 8 January 2007 , . Gabriel, Deborah 2006, â€Å"Black graduates do not want to become teachers within a racist education system† Black Britain Online, viewed 8 January 2007, from . Hyland, Julie 2004, â€Å"Britain: Social Inequalities widen under Blair Government† viewed 8 January 2007, . Kent, Tania 2000, â€Å"Suicides reveal impact of government attacks on Britain's education system† viewed 8 January 2007, from . Leon Feinstein2003, ‘Inequality in the Early Cognitive Development of British Children in the 1970 Cohort’, Economica (Vol. 70, No. 1)Lovell, Jeremy 2005, â€Å"Social Inequality entrenched in Britain† Viewed 8 January 2007; . O'Leary, John 2000, â€Å"Elitism in Universities†, Viewed 8 January 2007, < http://www. psychology. nottingham. ac. uk/sutton/Reports. htm>. Oversea Education Center 2000, â€Å"British Education System†, Viewed 7 January 2007, . Russel, Ben 2000, â€Å"Universities Need more Cash to Widen Access†, V iewed 8 January 2007, from .

The Learning Process

According to constructivist theories of learning, an individual learns concepts by interpreting and developing meanings of things, such as their experiences or information encountered, based on their existing knowledge. (Newhouse, Trinidad, & Clarkson, 2002, p.7; Richardson, 2003, p. 1625) Accordingly, individual learning occurs in two ways: first, by acquiring knowledge from his or her interaction with his or her immediate environment; and second, by gaining knowledge from formal settings and instruction. (Newhouse, Trinidad, & Clarkson, 2002, p. 7) Thus, an individual learns from his or her active participation in making sense of new information and experience obtained from either an informal or formal setting. Critical thinking is a form of a higher order thinking skill or metacognitive process that involves collecting, sorting, analyzing, and concluding from information to meet a goal or objective. (Wilson, 2000, p. 7) Critical thinking goes beyond mere knowledge and concept acquisition. (ibid) It involves being able to judge the relevance of the knowledge acquired and knowing how to apply knowledge to varying areas or domains of learning. Improving thinking skills necessitate approaches that stimulate the learner’s interest and provide opportunities for the individual to relate his or her existing knowledge to new realities and experiences. For instance, Newhouse, Trinidad, & Clarkson (2002) suggest the use of computer-based learning systems in the classroom as a strategy to teach higher order thinking skills and improve the learning of students. (p. 11) The authors argue that computer technologies have the potential to create learning environments that support the development of problem solving and critical thinking skills in students by exposing them to experiences that require â€Å"extending and challenging their ways of thinking and acting.† (p. 13) Hence, computers allow students to improve the way they think and use knowledge. Work Cited: Newhouse, P.C., Trinidad, S., & B. Clarkson (2002). Quality pedagogy and effective learning with Information and Communications Technologies (ICT): a review of the literature. Perth, Western Australia: Specialist Educational Services. Richardson, Virginia (2003). Constructivist pedagogy. Teachers College Record, 105(9): 1623-1640. Wilson, Valerie (2000). Can thinking skills be taught? In Education Forum for Thinking Skills (appendix 3). Scottish Council for Research in Education. Retrieved April 27, 2008 from http://www.scre.ac.uk/scot-research/thinking/index.html