Keynesian Economics
Keynesian economics is an economic theory named after John Maynard Keynes, a British economist who lived from 1883 to 1946. He is most well-known for his simple explanation for the cause of the Great Depression. His economic theory was based on a circular flow of money, which refers to the idea that when spending increases in an economy, earnings also increase, which can lead to even more spending and earnings. Keynes' ideas spawned numerous interventionist economic policies during the Great Depression.
In Keynes' theory, one person's spending goes towards another person's earnings, and when that person spends his or her earnings, he or she is, in effect, supporting another person's earnings. This cycle continues on and helps support a normal, functioning economy. When the Great Depression hit, people's natural reaction was to hoard their money. Under Keynes' theory, this stopped the circular flow of money, keeping the economy at a standstill.
Keynes' solution to this poor economic state was to "prime the pump." He argued that the government should step in to increase spending, either by increasing the money supply or by actually buying things itself. During the Great Depression, however, this was not a popular solution. It is said, however, that the massive defence spending that United States president Franklin Delano Roosevelt initiated helped revive the U.S. economy.
Keynesian economics advocates for the public sector to step in to assist the economy generally, which is a significant departure from popular economic thought that preceded it (Laissez-faire capitalism). Laissez-faire capitalism supported the exclusion of the public sector in the market. The belief was that an unfettered market would achieve balance on its own.
The proponents of free-market capitalism include the Austrian School of economic thought. One of its founders, Friedrich von Hayek, lived in England at the same time as Keynes. The two men had a public rivalry for many years because of their opposing thoughts on the role of the state in the economic lives of individuals.
Keynesian economics warns against the practice of too much saving and not enough consumption, or spending, in an economy. It also supports considerable redistribution of wealth, when needed. Keynesian economics further concludes that there is a pragmatic reason for the massive redistribution of wealth: if the poorer segments of society are given sums of money, they will likely spend it, rather than save it, thus promoting economic growth. Another central idea of Keynesian economics is that trends in the macroeconomic level can disproportionately influence consumer behavior at the micro-level.
Monetarism Economics
A monetarist is an individual who holds to the understanding that fluctuations in economic conditions are created as the supply of money within that economy increases or decreases. The general concept of monetarism is often attributed to the work of Milton Friedman, who related the flow of money in an economy to government efforts to control that flow. It is not unusual for a monetarist to also make note of unemployment levels as a factor that impacts the flow of money and thus exerts considerable impact on how a government structures its monetary policy.
In the most simplistic terms, a monetarist usually accepts the theory that the level of social spending has a direct effect on the level of inflation that is experienced within a given economy. This means that in situations where social spending is higher, the potential for inflation to rise is greater. Should social spending be curbed in some manner, this will help to lessen the possibility of inflation taking place, since there is less money being freely distributed through the economy.
As by products of an increase in inflation, a monetarist will often also state that the logical outcome of this economic condition is that there is less flexibility in the labor market. In other words, people will find it harder to locate and secure jobs that make it possible to earn enough money to maintain their buying power during the inflationary period. At the same time, this period of inflation can undermine productivity, due to increased costs that may lead to companies cutting back on production, and the number of workers needed to maintain that production. With less disposable income to feed the economy, it grows stale and the inflation is likely to continue, unless steps are taken to correct the imbalance.
A monetarist will tend to promote the creation of specific strategies that have the effect of stimulating the money supply within an economy. This in turn has the effect of restoring flexibility to the labour market, making it easier for displaced workers to find jobs that pay equitably and make it possible to enjoy a decent standard of living. At the same time, inflation begins to ebb as productivity rises and competition is restored to the marketplace. While the theory of monetarism may be employed in rather simple and straightforward ways, there are also many adaptations of the basic theory that a monetarist may develop in light of specific conditions that exist within a given economy. Those approaches can further be adapted to fit a localised economy, such as within a state or parish; apply to a national economy; or even be utilised to address issues in the world economy.
Which works?
You can see over the past years how different governments have used the different economic models to their advantage...Labour wanted us to spend, spend, spend and that worked our economy was booming however only to bursting point. The coalition took over and want to cut,cut,cut but is is really working? Do we need a happy medium to balance a stable economy?
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Black & Wiliam - Assessment for Learning
In 1998 professors Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam of Kings College, London, likened the classroom to a ‘black box’. Government initiatives focused on the box’s input and output, but not what went on inside it. Attention was paid to the process of teaching and learning, but this was sidelined in favour of ‘summative assessment’ – the recording of data for certification and evaluation.
In order to restore the balance they advocated ‘formative assessment’, or assessment for learning (AfL). In AfL, information from marking or other means of assessment is used as feedback to modify learning activity. This might take the form of teachers giving comments on how a student can improve their work instead of awarding grades, or students assessing for themselves where their weaknesses lie. It is based on the idea that all students can improve, and fosters a spirit of cooperation in the classroom, with students actively involved in their own learning. (AfL should not be confused with the mere performance of classroom tests by teachers. If the information from such tests is simply used to record progress, it is not directly contributing to improving learning.)
Black and Wiliam (1998) had demonstrated in a wide-ranging research review that such an approach could improve both learning and exam results. However, they and their colleagues at Kings realised that they needed to provide practical examples of its use if AfL was to be widely adopted. They went on to develop a project with 48 teachers and Oxfordshire and Medway LEAs – the King’s, Medway, Oxfordshire Formative Assessment Project (KMOFAP). This project developed formative practice in four areas.
Developing formative practice
•Questioning:
Teachers found that if they allowed more time for students to reply to their questions, more thoughtful answers were given. They also found that lessons became richer if they changed the focus of questions from testing students’ knowledge of facts to exploring their understanding. For example, a science teacher who had begun lessons with questions such as ‘What is this instrument and where would you find it?’ now began to ask questions such as ‘Why do you think these two plants have grown differently?’
•Peer and self-assessment:
Teachers encouraged students to take more ownership of their own learning by helping them to understand learning targets. ‘Traffic-lighting’, in which students assigned red, amber or green to a piece of work, according to the degree which they did or did not understand it was also found valuable. Peer assessment showed that students were more likely to challenge each other’s judgments of their work, thereby sparking discussion and debate.
•Marking:
One of the central tenets of AfL is feedback which identifies what the student has done well and focuses on what he or she can do to improve. Following the research evidence that students pay more attention to comments when they are not accompanied by marks, teachers were encouraged to give comments only. This required effort from both student and teacher, but led to the fostering of better learning environments as all saw that learning was improving.
•AfL through summative assessment:
AfL has to operate in a world of summative assessment, but exams can be used to directly improve learning. Students were encouraged to understand the criteria against which exams were marked, and to revise more actively by generating their own exam questions, explaining parts of units to each other and marking peers’ work.
In order to restore the balance they advocated ‘formative assessment’, or assessment for learning (AfL). In AfL, information from marking or other means of assessment is used as feedback to modify learning activity. This might take the form of teachers giving comments on how a student can improve their work instead of awarding grades, or students assessing for themselves where their weaknesses lie. It is based on the idea that all students can improve, and fosters a spirit of cooperation in the classroom, with students actively involved in their own learning. (AfL should not be confused with the mere performance of classroom tests by teachers. If the information from such tests is simply used to record progress, it is not directly contributing to improving learning.)
Black and Wiliam (1998) had demonstrated in a wide-ranging research review that such an approach could improve both learning and exam results. However, they and their colleagues at Kings realised that they needed to provide practical examples of its use if AfL was to be widely adopted. They went on to develop a project with 48 teachers and Oxfordshire and Medway LEAs – the King’s, Medway, Oxfordshire Formative Assessment Project (KMOFAP). This project developed formative practice in four areas.
Developing formative practice
•Questioning:
Teachers found that if they allowed more time for students to reply to their questions, more thoughtful answers were given. They also found that lessons became richer if they changed the focus of questions from testing students’ knowledge of facts to exploring their understanding. For example, a science teacher who had begun lessons with questions such as ‘What is this instrument and where would you find it?’ now began to ask questions such as ‘Why do you think these two plants have grown differently?’
•Peer and self-assessment:
Teachers encouraged students to take more ownership of their own learning by helping them to understand learning targets. ‘Traffic-lighting’, in which students assigned red, amber or green to a piece of work, according to the degree which they did or did not understand it was also found valuable. Peer assessment showed that students were more likely to challenge each other’s judgments of their work, thereby sparking discussion and debate.
•Marking:
One of the central tenets of AfL is feedback which identifies what the student has done well and focuses on what he or she can do to improve. Following the research evidence that students pay more attention to comments when they are not accompanied by marks, teachers were encouraged to give comments only. This required effort from both student and teacher, but led to the fostering of better learning environments as all saw that learning was improving.
•AfL through summative assessment:
AfL has to operate in a world of summative assessment, but exams can be used to directly improve learning. Students were encouraged to understand the criteria against which exams were marked, and to revise more actively by generating their own exam questions, explaining parts of units to each other and marking peers’ work.
Bullying
Bullying is something that's been around for so many years, when I was at school it was more where you got to sit in the dinner hall but with the introduction of facebook and other social networking sites bullying can take place 24 hours a day!
It is an awful thing for both the child and their parents. All UK state schools have an anti bullying policy and it is taken very seriously within school settings however it is hard to manage outside of school. Sites like facebook do have 'reporting' tools to try to eliminate bullying but it is very hard to police.
I found some really useful websites and links that give help and advice on bullying and organisations such as Bullying UK that can help children and families. There are also national campaigns through charities like the NSPCC and childline. National bullying week is held every year to raise awareness of bullying how to spot if someone is being bullied and how they can get help.
Parents Channel website has some really useful videos too. Take a look...
http://www.parentchannel.tv/video/bullying-5-9-signs
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Yourchildshealthandsafety/WorriedAbout/DG_10015786
http://www.bullying.co.uk/
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/resourcesforteachers/classroomresources/bullying_wda55551.html
Children's Commissioner for England
Maggie Atkinson is the Children's Commissioner for England. The Commissioner and her team make sure that adults in charge listen to children and young people.
The role of the Children's Commissioner was created by the Children Act 2004 and is there to promote the views of children and young people from birth to 18 (up to 21 for young people in care or with learning difficulties).
What does the Children's Commissioner do?
Listens to what children and young people have to say and speaks up for them.
Speaks up for children who are often not listened to like disabled children, asylum seekers, children with mental health problems and those who get into trouble with the law.
Informs the Government and other people who make important decisions what children and young people like to do and what they are concerned about.
Use her unique power to enter places where children live to speak to them and find out how they are being treated. Pass on the views and experiences of children and young people to the media.
Investigate complaints procedures for children and young people, to make sure that they work.
What the Commissioner Cant do...
Help individual children and young people with their problems.
Force the Government, schools and services to change.
Work on issues that aren’t relevant to children and young people in England.
Vision
Children and young people will be actively involved in shaping all decisions that affect their lives, are supported to achieve their full potential through the provision of appropriate services, and will live in homes and communities where their rights are respected and they are loved, safe and enjoy life.
Mission
We will use our powers and independence to ensure that the views of children and young people are routinely asked for, listened to and that outcomes for children improve over time. We will do this in partnership with others, by bringing children and young people into the heart of the decision-making process to increase understanding of their best interests.
How can young people have their say?
Children and young people can have their say by answering questions, creating shapes in Shape It! and uploading content such as videos, PowerPoint presentations and photographs to the children's commissioners website. Their views are used to shape our policies and influence decision-makers.
The Children's Commissioner website is very good very attractive and easy for children and young people to understand, however I think the biggest problem is that children don't know that it exists! I did not know we had a children's commissioner and I have asked round a number of friends/family adults and children and no one has any idea about it!
The website is a fantastic resource for children however I think its a great shame that it is not getting to the children and young people that really need it!
The role of the Children's Commissioner was created by the Children Act 2004 and is there to promote the views of children and young people from birth to 18 (up to 21 for young people in care or with learning difficulties).
What does the Children's Commissioner do?
Listens to what children and young people have to say and speaks up for them.
Speaks up for children who are often not listened to like disabled children, asylum seekers, children with mental health problems and those who get into trouble with the law.
Informs the Government and other people who make important decisions what children and young people like to do and what they are concerned about.
Use her unique power to enter places where children live to speak to them and find out how they are being treated. Pass on the views and experiences of children and young people to the media.
Investigate complaints procedures for children and young people, to make sure that they work.
What the Commissioner Cant do...
Help individual children and young people with their problems.
Force the Government, schools and services to change.
Work on issues that aren’t relevant to children and young people in England.
Vision
Children and young people will be actively involved in shaping all decisions that affect their lives, are supported to achieve their full potential through the provision of appropriate services, and will live in homes and communities where their rights are respected and they are loved, safe and enjoy life.
Mission
We will use our powers and independence to ensure that the views of children and young people are routinely asked for, listened to and that outcomes for children improve over time. We will do this in partnership with others, by bringing children and young people into the heart of the decision-making process to increase understanding of their best interests.
How can young people have their say?
Children and young people can have their say by answering questions, creating shapes in Shape It! and uploading content such as videos, PowerPoint presentations and photographs to the children's commissioners website. Their views are used to shape our policies and influence decision-makers.
The Children's Commissioner website is very good very attractive and easy for children and young people to understand, however I think the biggest problem is that children don't know that it exists! I did not know we had a children's commissioner and I have asked round a number of friends/family adults and children and no one has any idea about it!
The website is a fantastic resource for children however I think its a great shame that it is not getting to the children and young people that really need it!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Smacking debate
http://www.itv.com/daybreak/lifestyle/familiesandparenting/thesmackingdebate/
The Smacking debate...should we or shouldn't we?! Personally I am against it, the law says you can smack your child as long as you do not leave a mark....but what do you think? With it being highlighted in the soaps recently daybreak looked into the issue the video clip is on the link above and worth a quick watch!
The Smacking debate...should we or shouldn't we?! Personally I am against it, the law says you can smack your child as long as you do not leave a mark....but what do you think? With it being highlighted in the soaps recently daybreak looked into the issue the video clip is on the link above and worth a quick watch!
British couple reveals sex of child they raised as ‘genderless’ for 5 years
Fox News article!!...
A British couple who raised their child as "gender neutral" in a bid to break free from stereotyping revealed Friday that their five-year-old is a boy.
Beck Laxton and her partner Kieran, from Sawston in central England, referred to their son, Sasha, as "the infant" and dressed the youngster in ambiguous outfits to keep his sex a secret from friends and strangers.
They decided to tell people the child's gender after it became more difficult to conceal when he started pre-school.
Laxton, a 46-year-old web editor, told the Cambridge News of her reasons for raising a "genderless" child.
"I wanted to avoid all that stereotyping," she said. "Stereotypes seem fundamentally stupid. Why would you want to slot people into boxes?"
Even the couple themselves chose not to discover whether Sasha was a boy or a girl until half an hour after his birth -- and in an email announcing the birth they simply told family and friends they "had a baby called Sasha."
"I don't think I'd do it if I thought it was going to make him unhappy, but at the moment he's not really bothered either way," she said. "All I want to do is make people think a bit."
The couple is happy to allow Sasha to wear flowery clothes -- and sent family and friends a Christmas card with a photo of the boy dressed in a pink fairy outfit.
Sasha is encouraged to play with gender-neutral toys in the family's television-free home, Laxton said.
A couple from Toronto hit the headlines in May last year when they refused to reveal the sex of their baby, Storm, as they wanted to raise the child "to be free of societal norms regarding gender."
What do you think?...Is it really a great idea? Are they being kind and giving the child the choice of how they want to grow up or are they just forcing their opinion onto a child who is to young to understand?!
Personally I think if they wanted the child to grow up with non gender specific toys I can agree with that but to not tell people the sex of the child are they just storing up issues for the child in the future?!
A British couple who raised their child as "gender neutral" in a bid to break free from stereotyping revealed Friday that their five-year-old is a boy.
Beck Laxton and her partner Kieran, from Sawston in central England, referred to their son, Sasha, as "the infant" and dressed the youngster in ambiguous outfits to keep his sex a secret from friends and strangers.
They decided to tell people the child's gender after it became more difficult to conceal when he started pre-school.
Laxton, a 46-year-old web editor, told the Cambridge News of her reasons for raising a "genderless" child.
"I wanted to avoid all that stereotyping," she said. "Stereotypes seem fundamentally stupid. Why would you want to slot people into boxes?"
Even the couple themselves chose not to discover whether Sasha was a boy or a girl until half an hour after his birth -- and in an email announcing the birth they simply told family and friends they "had a baby called Sasha."
"I don't think I'd do it if I thought it was going to make him unhappy, but at the moment he's not really bothered either way," she said. "All I want to do is make people think a bit."
The couple is happy to allow Sasha to wear flowery clothes -- and sent family and friends a Christmas card with a photo of the boy dressed in a pink fairy outfit.
Sasha is encouraged to play with gender-neutral toys in the family's television-free home, Laxton said.
A couple from Toronto hit the headlines in May last year when they refused to reveal the sex of their baby, Storm, as they wanted to raise the child "to be free of societal norms regarding gender."
What do you think?...Is it really a great idea? Are they being kind and giving the child the choice of how they want to grow up or are they just forcing their opinion onto a child who is to young to understand?!
Personally I think if they wanted the child to grow up with non gender specific toys I can agree with that but to not tell people the sex of the child are they just storing up issues for the child in the future?!
Friday, December 2, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)