Wednesday, May 6, 2020
How Diverse Learning Environment Shape University Students...
A learning environment is described as the totality of factors such as the different physical locations, cultures and contexts that students learn. The term ââ¬Ëenvironmentââ¬â¢ is used interchangeably but not to describe the physical locations which can be out of class or classroom settings as well as outdoor activities. When talking of the learning environment, of high interest is the diversion from the conventional connotations of a room with desks and a chalkboard. This definition is cognisant that students can learn in various ways and in different contexts because with learning, the aim is creating an environment that brings optimum learning capacity. However, there is no single learning environment that can be described as optimum but there are factors that contribute to such environments. Among these factors are diversity which requires appreciation of other cultural, social, ethnic, religious and other backgrounds by both the institution and students. In order to full appreciate diversity, it is important to break all forms of stereotypes that are the source of imbalances. This paper looks at how diverse learning environment shape university students learning experience. Introduction A learning environment as described above focuses or is a combination of factors such as locations, cultures and contexts which are aimed at enriching the academic, sociological and psychological growth of the student. When planning a learning environment, it is important to understand thatShow MoreRelatedEarly Childhood Educators Promote Diversity, And As A Result Improve Academic Outcomes1413 Words à |à 6 Pagesneeds of a diverse student population continues to be a problem in American classrooms. ââ¬Å"While the student population is rapidly becoming more diverse, the teaching force remains predominantly white, female, middle-class, and from a European heritageâ⬠(Lin, 2010). As a result, many teachers do not have the cultural background to connect and related to students from diverse populations. While a lack of cultural connection does not negate the abilities of teachers to provide their students with a qualityRead MoreAcademic Socialization : Differences And Challenge s1227 Words à |à 5 PagesAdult ELLsââ¬â¢ Academic Socialization: Differences and Challenges Students who come from different academic, social, and cultural backgrounds have received different orientations towards literacy skills or the educational experience in general, which eventually influence their academic performance either as analytical readers, writers, class discussion participants, presenters, or note-takers. The multilingual and multicultural population of learners such as the ELLs comes to the English academic institutionsRead MorePersonal Statement : My Personal Philosophy Of Education1193 Words à |à 5 Pagesevery child should receive high quality education that is inclusive, relevant and meaningful to their life. I am a firm believer of making pedagogy relatable to my students. My vision is driven by my personal experiences with the American school system. I was what is thought of as ââ¬Å"A child at riskâ⬠. I am an immigrant, black, Muslim student. My life is complex as I am a part of multiple marginalized groups. Most of my teachers looked at me in a pity way. They always felt the need to feel sorry for meRead MoreLinda Cliatt Wayman Is A Poverty Stricken And Crime Ridden North Philadelphia High School1101 Words à |à 5 Pages This year, I watched her Ted Talk as she explained how she reformed this low-performing school and tackled problems from garbage issues to funding for more teachers. She said, ââ¬Å"We have to make sure that every school that serves children in poverty is a real schoolâ⬠¦that provides them with knowledge and mental training to navigate the world around them.â⬠She imposed a ââ¬Å"non negotiableâ⬠rule, which is a behavior based program that gave students more responsibility. It was proven to be effective whenRead MoreBackground And Introduction Of Kingsgrove High School875 Words à |à 4 Pagesis a comprehensive, co-educational secondary public school in the Rockdale region. According to the data presented on the My School website, students are predominately from low socio-economic b ackgrounds with a below average school Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) of 988 (Myschool, 2014). Kingsgrove High School also has 85% of students with Language Backgrounds Other Than English (Myschool, 2014). More than half of the total regional population (54.4%) speaks a language otherRead MoreHigher Education Is The Foundation For Critical Thinking.Critical1154 Words à |à 5 PagesHigher education is the foundation for critical thinking. Critical thinking leads students into making important goals so that they can achieve them successfully. With higher education allowing students to be successful, it creates a great pattern on how students learn more effectively. Students are now learning how to use different types of trends as a support system that gives them a higher level with the way he or she thinks. Higher education has a special commitment with critical thinkingRead MoreUnequal City : Race, Schools, And Perceptions Of Injustice Essay894 Words à |à 4 PagesColumbia Universityââ¬âwas interviewed for her book Unequal City: Race, Schools, and Perceptions of Injustice. The article argues that Sheddââ¬â¢s book suggests schools may be more powerful engines of adolescentsââ¬â¢ place in society than their neighborhoods. The study the article presents follows four students from 2001 to 2011 at four Chicago public schools. The students were between 14-17 years of age and two of the four schools were largely segregated. Specifically, one had no white or Asian students. TheRead MoreEducation Values Are The Cornerstone Of The Student Learning Process863 Words à |à 4 PagesAccording to Garfolo and Huillier (2015), ââ¬Å"Education values are the cornerstone of the student learning process and as such these values need to be clearly articulated to ensure that an inclusive and transparent process of learning assessment can take placeâ⬠(p. 152). Institutional accreditation encompasses the whole institution whereas; specialized accreditation includes 50 fields of specialization. There are six regional agencies located in United States responsible for accrediting institutionsRead MoreCompare/Contrast Standards1738 Words à |à 7 PagesRunning head: COMPARING TEACHER STANDARDS Comparing Teacher Standards Jennifer A. Young Grand Canyon University SPE- 529N Special Education Foundations and Frameworks 03/21/11 Comparing Teacher Standards | State Specific Standards amp; NCLB | NBPTS | CEC | INTASC | Teacher Qualifications | CONTENT KNOWLEDGE amp; SKILL-Teachers have in-depth understanding of the content they plan to teach.-Teachers provide multiple explanations and instructional strategies.-Teachers are leaders and mentorsRead MoreBarbara Sizemore : An Effective School System Essay1636 Words à |à 7 Pagesincome African American students (Bradley, 1996). She implemented several educational tactics, such as the development of the teacher and new school policies to create the school achievement structure program (Bradley, 1996). To enhance the learning experience of the African Americans and low income students, Sizemore made the school system suitable for all types of students. She did not strive to accelerate and advance the educational environment of the African American student body exclusively, but
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Effectiveness of Religious Rehabilitation Sample for Students
Question: Discuss the Religious, Psychological and Social aspects of Terrorist Rehabilitation and Identify the Limitations of this Counterterrorist approach and strategy. Answer: Terrorism in the recent past has been associated with religion more so the Islamic faith. Most terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda, Jihad and Islamic state in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are mainly comprised of young people who have been swayed by the wrong interpretation of the Quran by religious extremists (Roberts, 2011, pp. 365-382). These groups believe that killing those that are not of the faith is allowed and is beneficial to them. Singapore as a country has suffered from terror attacks and any other country in the world. Terrorism has, therefore, become a global threat. As a country destined to development, it has opened its borders for profitable trades, but instead, the borders have become porous for recruitment of terrorists into the country and outside. The state is tasked to find a solution to the growing number of terrorists to save the moral fabric of its society and economic well-being. Achieving this; the country has come up with a way to harmonize all the religious groups in the country. Singapore is one of the countries with a vast number of religious groups and races. Religious Rehabilitation Groups (RGG's) have been initiated to help in the process of bringing back sanity in the society (El-Said, 2015). The RGG's in conjunction with partner organizations such as Khadijah Mosque, Council for the Development of Singapore Malay/ Muslim Community (Mendes), the Singapore Malay Youth Library Association (Taman Bacaan) and Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) have initiated a program for terrorism detainees. More than 80 people have been detained about terror attack since 2003.Together with Muslim leaders spearheaded by Ustaz Ali Haji Muhammad and UstazMuhammad HasbiHassan, the RGG took counseling services to detainees. They are helped to learn that no one is born a terrorist and there is a second chance for them in the society. Regular sessions are being held in prisons by the Muslim officials to elaborate to the detainees some of the most misinterpreted Muslim concepts and contradicting doctrines in the religion. Also, the families of these prisoners have been supported financially and morally to show care and love to them. Many are willing to change from the counseling. It has been reported that almost two-thirds of the detainees have been released and are now part of the society. RRG could not have achieved this alone; several groups have joined the movement. They include; the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (Perga).On the other hand, some detainees are not receptive to the counselors since they think that the RRG is being financed by the government. Some have changed, and the program is becoming fruitful. When the detainees are released from prison, the society becomes receptive to them and is given a second chance. The integration process is not just a walk in the park, some have been rejected. The government has initiated a program to help bring back these people to the society and be acceptable to everyone. Public education is being conducted in every constituency to enlighten citizens on the benefits of such actions. Religious leaders from both ends come together to educate their people to bring a religious harmony (Farmer, J. F. (2014, pp. 198). Reports have indicated that a significant number of those that get involved in terror activities are the youths. Avoiding this, the kids have been engaged constructively and are being educated and enlightened so that they avoid extremism. In an international conference on terrorist rehabilitation and community resilience, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf suggested that the solution to extremism calls for both the government and the non-governmental organizations to work together. Such a partnership is most effective in countering terrorism. Multiple factors draw youths to extremism that need to be looked into to combat the above problem. Such factors include; political grievances, economic constraints and lack of opportunities. Ideally, the rehabilitation process should encompass the ideological misconceptions of Islam, their physical, personal and communal needs and categorizes them as beneficiaries, not a terrorist. The above approaches can psychologically impress on them in a way that they realize that they are not marginalized by the community. By encouraging the act of submission to God, young people can understand what it means to be Muslim is and that Islam is a religion of peace (Capell, Sahliyeh, 2007). There have been limitations of this counter terrorist approach and strategy. A report by Ms. Rosleenda Mohammad Ali in the international conference on terrorist rehabilitation and community resilience revealed challenges that the psychologist counselors faced. They had hardcore detainees who were resistant to change and are deeply entrenched to radical and violent ideologies (Gunaratna, Jerard, Nasir, 2013). Most of the detainees were rebellious and tended to see themselves as victims of perceived injustice. They only wanted revenge and could settle for nothing less. They were repulsive in that they disliked the secular environment and viewed it as sin. A few cases of revulsion are reported by the Singapore government. The detainees further believed that anyone who does not defend Muslim is an enemy and therefore gave deaf ears to the counselors. The rehabilitation process, therefore, becomes difficult due to the set minds of most of the detainees. They perceive themselves as righteous and believe that they have the true' Islam (Becci, 2008). Another factor that makes the rehabilitation process more difficult is that the detainees and most of the people that have been radicalized believe that there is a reward after life they follow the true' Islam. These have misled a lot of individuals. Some have become totally resistant to rehabilitation. They say they will die for the faith. Detainees are not receptive to counseling and are holding on to the concept of tag dir (predestination) as an external source of rationalization for their present situation, and a means to absolve responsibility and control over their actions. Rehabilitation in Singapore is a work in progress, and the authorities are always on the lookout for new ways to improve the process (Ramakrishna, 2009, pp. 41-51). Singapore has a well-established network that is working to prevent further extremism. The work needs both the government and its citizen to join hands and say no to extremism and radicalization of the youths. All religious groups have to rise to the occasion and send a message of peace and harmony in the society as Singapore is made up of different religions and races. Since 2002, more than 60 people have been detained for involvement in terrorism-related activities. Measures have been put in place to reduce the number of such detainees (Vasu, 2008, pp. 17-32.) References Becci, I. (2008). Collapse and creation: the rise and fall of religion in East German offender rehabilitation programmes. Capell, M.B., Sahliyeh, E. (2007). Suicide Terrorism: Is Religion the Critical Factor?.Security Journal,20(4), 267-283. El-Said, H. (2015). Singapore: Crisis of Identity, Shared Values And Religious Rehabilitation. InNew Approaches to Countering Terrorism(pp. 138-173). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Farmer, J. F. (2014). Inmate Rehabilitation Revisited: Using Goffman and Perrow to Explain Constraints on Transformational Technologies in Prison.Journal of Social Science Studies,1(2), 198. Gunaratna, R., Jerard, J., Nasir, S. M. (Eds.). (2013).Countering Extremism: Building Social Resilience Through Community Engagement(Vol. 1). World Scientific. Ramakrishna, K. (2009). 'Counter?IdeologicalWork in Singapore: A Preliminary Assessment.Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism,4(2), 41-51. Roberts, C. (2011). Region and identity: The many faces of Southeast Asia.Asian Politics Policy,3(3), 365-382. Vasu, N. (2008). (En) countering terrorism: multiculturalism and Singapore.Asian Ethnicity,9(1), 17-32.
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
The Dangers of Social Networking free essay sample
Remember when you were ten years old, and you had hundreds of friends from various parts of the world who all interacted with you over Facebook? No? That scenario doesnââ¬â¢t exactly describe my childhood, either, but it does ring true to many of todayââ¬â¢s children. In our state, in our country, and throughout the world, an increasing number of children are using social networking websites. We like to think that this is safe for children to be doing. After all, social networking websites have privacy settings. However, many children are either unaware of such settings, or simply donââ¬â¢t use them. As a matter of fact, a large number of children lie about their ages on their social networking profiles, deliberately avoiding the age-based privacy settings that these websites have so cleverly implemented. Of course, we also assume that the parents of these children are monitoring their social networking. We will write a custom essay sample on The Dangers of Social Networking or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This is true to a certain extent; most parents try to regulate their childââ¬â¢s internet usage. However, the rules are often poorly reinforced, and many parents are not as aware of their childââ¬â¢s internet activity as they believe themselves to be. As a result of the increase in social networking, many of todayââ¬â¢s children have already experienced cyberbullying. Most of us have heard of Megan Meier, the thirteen-year-old girl who committed suicide after having been bullied over Myspace a few years ago. While this certainly is an extreme case of cyberbullying, it is something that we can expect to see more and more of, especially with the increase in young social networkers. In less extreme cases, a child who is cyberbullied is more likely to experience depression, anxiety, bedwetting, headaches, and low self-esteem. These effects may even be long-term, following the child into his or her adult life. Unfortunately, most of the children who are cyberbullied are also bullied in school. As a result, the internet becomes an inescapable means of harassment to these children, forcing them to cope with bullying both in and out of school. Another issue with children using social networking websites is their ability to ââ¬Å"tal k to strangers.â⬠Many children today are using social networking as a means of making new friends. This is a scary concept because in reality, there are no guarantees that the people that children are befriending are the people that their profiles portray. Just imagine how easy it would be for a sex offender to make a fake profile, befriend an overly trusting child, and lure him or her to meet in person. In addition to this potential danger, we have to consider that many recent internet-based sex crimes have been committed in a more straightforward manner than we anticipate. In fact, most of these sex offenders were upfront with the child about their ages and their intentions to have sex with the child. Furthermore, a majority of the children who met the offender in person did so on more than one occasion. Although this disturbing information is difficult to face, it demonstrates that many children are not mature enough to recognize the danger in their online activities. Wit h all of the risks that accompany children using social networking websites, why does it continue to be a problem? It seems like we should be taking action to prevent such dangers, yet more and more children are using social networking websites every day. Something must be done; no benefits of social networking can possibly outweigh the safety of a child.
Monday, March 9, 2020
Free Essays on Dana Tiger
Dana Tiger Dana Tiger has established herself as one of Americaââ¬â¢s leading contemporary artist. Dana was born in 1961 and is of Creek/Seminole and Cherokee descent. She is the daughter of Jerome and Peggy tiger and has a brother named Chris and a sister named Lisa. Danaââ¬â¢s father was a nationally claimed artist until he died of an accidental self inflicted gunshot wound to the head in 1967, when Dana was only five. Her mother Peggy was always a housewife and remains today as her only parent. Her brother Chris was also an artist until he was murdered in 1990 and in 1992 her only surviving sibling, Lisa, was told she tested positive for HIV. Dana was married to Donnie Blair in 1992. They have a daughter named Christie and a son named Coleman Lian. They live in a log cabin studio in the country near Tahlequah, Oklahoma right in the heart of the Cherokee Nation (Dana Tiger, ââ¬Å"Biography,â⬠artnatam.com/dtiger/bio.html). Dana was raised by her mother and her uncle, Johnny Tiger Jr. was sort of a father figure to her. Although Jerome Tiger died when Dana was only five, he was a prolific legacy. Danaââ¬â¢s Uncle Johnny recognized her talent early, and served as a mentor and tutor. Her mother Peggy also gave Dana a lot of guidance. She received her education from Oklahoma State University and received a lot of art instruction from her uncle. She has won several awards from juried competitions as a student from the Five Civilized Tribes Museum and the Heard Museum. As a professional artist she has also won several awards including the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in 1978, 1980 and 1987; the Tulsa Indian Art Festival and Pow Wow in 1988 and 1989, and the Cherokee National Museum in 1988 and 1989. In 1985 at age twenty-four, Dana began her full time career as an artist. Since then, her one-woman shows have been sellouts (Dana Tiger, ââ¬Å"Biography,â⬠geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/5059/danabi o.html). Dana is a m... Free Essays on Dana Tiger Free Essays on Dana Tiger Dana Tiger Dana Tiger has established herself as one of Americaââ¬â¢s leading contemporary artist. Dana was born in 1961 and is of Creek/Seminole and Cherokee descent. She is the daughter of Jerome and Peggy tiger and has a brother named Chris and a sister named Lisa. Danaââ¬â¢s father was a nationally claimed artist until he died of an accidental self inflicted gunshot wound to the head in 1967, when Dana was only five. Her mother Peggy was always a housewife and remains today as her only parent. Her brother Chris was also an artist until he was murdered in 1990 and in 1992 her only surviving sibling, Lisa, was told she tested positive for HIV. Dana was married to Donnie Blair in 1992. They have a daughter named Christie and a son named Coleman Lian. They live in a log cabin studio in the country near Tahlequah, Oklahoma right in the heart of the Cherokee Nation (Dana Tiger, ââ¬Å"Biography,â⬠artnatam.com/dtiger/bio.html). Dana was raised by her mother and her uncle, Johnny Tiger Jr. was sort of a father figure to her. Although Jerome Tiger died when Dana was only five, he was a prolific legacy. Danaââ¬â¢s Uncle Johnny recognized her talent early, and served as a mentor and tutor. Her mother Peggy also gave Dana a lot of guidance. She received her education from Oklahoma State University and received a lot of art instruction from her uncle. She has won several awards from juried competitions as a student from the Five Civilized Tribes Museum and the Heard Museum. As a professional artist she has also won several awards including the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in 1978, 1980 and 1987; the Tulsa Indian Art Festival and Pow Wow in 1988 and 1989, and the Cherokee National Museum in 1988 and 1989. In 1985 at age twenty-four, Dana began her full time career as an artist. Since then, her one-woman shows have been sellouts (Dana Tiger, ââ¬Å"Biography,â⬠geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/5059/danabi o.html). Dana is a m...
Friday, February 21, 2020
Discussions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Discussions - Assignment Example On the contrary, those with little or no self-efficacy have no control of tempting and hard situation and will hence succumb to activities such as irresponsible sexual activity and unnecessary drug use. The big question that arises is ââ¬Å"can people with low self-efficacy be helped to improve on the same?â⬠the answer is a big reassuring yes. Through health education programs to people especially adolescents can be helped to adequately improve their self efficacy. But exactly how can this be achieved? It is very simple; the adolescents through the health educator programs are taught to always consider the long term effects of their actions rather than just the tempting pleasurable impact of the situation at hand. In the process the adolescents are taught to always weigh immediate tempting pleasurable effects of the situation and the future devastating effects. If the future effects outweigh the effects presented in that moment in terms of risk then the adolescents should avoi d the situation but if the future benefits outweigh the present risk then they should cautiously consider other factors then undertake the activity if no other risks are involved (Bastani 67). In short the adolescent are cautioned to always think out of the box when faced with such a situation. For example through ââ¬Ëone on one dialoguesââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëabstain from sexââ¬â¢ campaigns adolescents can be made aware of the impact of irresponsible sexual activities. The adolescents can be educated on the benefits of abstaining and refraining from irresponsible sex amongst themselves. Safe sexual activities such as abstaining and use of condoms can also be instilled in such adolescents in the process. Adolescents who have undergone the educator program will easily avoid irresponsible sex than those who havenââ¬â¢t simply because they will have the knowledge of what they are getting into (Karimzadeh 105). Number 2 Brief interventions in substance use treatment. This was the title of an article posted on www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/booksNBK64942/. The article is generally about the model used by professionals such as psychologists, nurses, social workers among others to individuals who canââ¬â¢t access special care or those who simply donââ¬â¢t want to access it. One of the brief interventions mentioned is the stages of change model. The stages of change model were credited with the success of helping smokers quit the vice. Support that involves a huge deal of motivation directed to the person who wants to deal with the substance abuse problem is vital for the model to prove successful. The first stage that was identified is where the individual gives excuses. Afterwards a new phase is arrived at where the individual admits that the drug use indeed is a problem to him or her, but he or she is not ready to quit the vice. Later, the individual enters a new phase where the individual has given a thought of trying to quit and is now preparing to do so. The n ext stage is the most important it is referred to as the action stage because it is the stage where the individual now put his or her words and intentions into action by literally halting the consumption of the drug. It mostly happens four weeks after contemplation of stopping the vice but it might sometimes even take six months. In this stage the individual should receive ample and regularly support to help cope with the withdrawal symptoms. After the action stage the individ
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
RATIO ANALYSIS (FTSE 100) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
RATIO ANALYSIS (FTSE 100) - Essay Example s group of ratios basically compares the income statement account of a company to investigate whether a company is able to generate profits in its operation. Profitability ratios mainly focus on a companyââ¬â¢s return on investment (Murthy, 2014). Some of the profitability ratios include ratios like, Return on Capital Employed, Gross Profit Margin, Profit Margin, Return on Assets, as well as Return on Equity. For this report we will only use the Return on Equity and Gross Profit Margin ratios. Return on Equity ratio is mainly used to compare the profitability of a company to another company in the same industry. For a general case, a company with a higher Return on Equity ratio shows that the company is more profitable. The ratio shows the efficiency with which the shareholdersââ¬â¢ equity is turned into profits. The higher the ratio, the more efficient the company is in convert the shareholdersââ¬â¢ equity into profits. From the calculations above, the ROE ratios for TESCO are generally lower than those of Sainsbury. This shows that Sainsbury is more profitable than TESCO. However, the ROE for TESCO in 2014 is higher than of 2013, showing that the company is increasing its profitability efficiency with time. At the same time, the ROE for Sainsbury in 2014 shows that the company keeps on improving the efficiency with which it turns the shareholdersââ¬â¢ equity into profits as it is higher than that of 2013. Gross profit margin is this ratio that is used to investigate the financial health of a company by finding out the profit left after taking care of the cost of goods sold. The higher the gross profit ratio, the healthier the firm is. From the calculations above, TESCO exhibits higher gross profit margins in both years than those of Sainsbury. Generally, TESCO is financially healthier than Sainsbury as there is more profits left in its accounts after it accounts for its cost of goods sold than those of Sainsbury Plc. However, looking at the more recent gross profit
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Wisconsin Fast Plants Brassica Rapa
Wisconsin Fast Plants Brassica Rapa In Module 1, we used plant genetics of the Wisconsin Fast Plants, Brassica rapa to study transmission genetics. Brassica rapa was used since it is a model organism. A model organism possesses life cycles and characteristics that make them exceptionally suitable for transmission genetic study, including a short generation time, manageable numbers of progeny, adaptability to a laboratory environment, and the ability to be housed and propagated inexpensively (Pierce, 6). Brassica rapa possesses all of the necessary qualities to be a particularly good candidate for our experiment. Brassica rapa yields seeds from the moment it is a seed in about 34 days (Lauffer, 18). The relatively short life cycle and other model organism traits make Brassica rapa relatively easy to manage in a classroom setting. However, there are setbacks in using Brassica rapa, including parthenogenesis where there is a production of viable seeds without a male parent to contribute pollen. This serves as a possible p roblem in analyzing the offspring because the progeny will have characteristics identical to the female parent. However, with a short life cycle, manageable progeny, and adaptability to laboratory conditions, Brassica rapa serves as a good model organism to study transmission genetics. By examining the phenotypes of Brassica rapa to determine the possible genotypes of the plants, Gregor Mendels basic principles of heredity of transmission of genetics from parent to offspring are being studied. Mendels observations in his experiments involving pea plants revealed that the phenotypes of the plants may be used to predict the geneotypes of the plants. Mendel only used absolute characteristics in examining the plants of interest such as color, size and shape instead of quantitative characteristics. This makes the determination of the genotype straightforward, consistent and objective. However, the genotype does not solely determine the phenotype of the plant. A given phenotype arises from a genotype that develops within particular environment (Pierce, 46). The genotype determines the boundaries for development but how the phenotype develops is also determined by other genes and environmental factors. Several genotypes with the known phenotypes of interest of Brassica rapa are known. The stems of Brassica rapa may be purple or non-purple. The purple color results from the pigment anthocyanin and is a controlled by the dominant allele, ANL. Anthocyaninless mutants of Brassica rapa fail to produce anthocyanin pigments (Burdzinski, 1). The anthocyaninless plants therefore have non-purple stems and are controlled by the recessive allele, anl. The anthocynanin pigment is extremely important in plants because the presence of anthocyanins that provide the colour palette for the breeder (Delpech, 207). The colors produced by the pigment guides the pollinator to the source of the pollen to ensure the process of pollination. In addition to the color of the stem, the trichomes on the plants are another characteristic controlled by genes. The presence of hair is most notably present on the upper portion of the stem and on the leaves. The characteristic for hair is controlled by the dominant a llele, HIR while the characteristic for being hairless is controlled by the recessive allele, hir. Another characteristic used to study the genetics of fast plants is the color of the leaves. When the leaves appear dark green, it is a result of the plant producing a significant amount of chlorophyll. The plants with dark green leaves are controlled by the dominant allele, YGR. On the other hand, plants with yellow-green leaves produce less chlorophyll and are controlled by a recessive allele, ygr. The final trait used to determine the possible genotypes of the fast plant is stem height. When a plant produces four to ten times less of gibberellic acid than a standard plant, the stems of the plant does not elongate as much and the plant appears dwarf. The plants with gibberellic acid deficiency are thus short and are called Rosette-Dwarf. The dwarf characteristic is controlled by the recessive allele, ros. On the other hand, plants that produce up to twelve times more gibberellic acid than the standard plants have stems that elongate more than usual. The tall stems are controlled by a recessive allele, ein. When a plant produces the average mount of gibberelic acid, it is average in height. With these known phenotypes and genotypes, it is possible to predict the genotypes of plants by examining their observed characteristics. Since the phenotype of plants are affected by both genetic and environmental factors, it is important to house the plants with sufficient light and water. The timing of seed germination is highly sensitive to several aspects of the seed maturation environment, including water availability, soil nutrients, photoperiod, temperature and light quality (Dechaine, 1297). Therefore, it is important to keep the plants hydrated during flowering, fertilization and seed development so that the plants can yield high levels of seeds. It is also important to provide sufficient water and light to the seeds for successful germination. Effective fertilization and germination of the plants are necessary in determining the genotypes of the parents. Without the observable phenotypes of the progeny, the genotypes of the parents would remain unknown. By analyzing the phenotypes of the parent Brassica rapa plants along with their given corresponding genotypes, cross-breeding the plants would yield progeny with observable characteristics that will determine the genotype of the parents. If the cross-breeding is carried out successfully with negligible parthenogenesis, the unknown genotypes of the parent plants can be known after the crosses. Materials and Methods Materials A group of seven Wisconsin Fast plants were assigned to the group for identifying phenotypes and possible genotypes. A set of four pots, each pot with two plants, labeled as red were assigned to the group for the cross. Stakes and metal wires were used to secure plants in place. Pollination bags and chenille rods were used in the pollination process. Filter papers and petri dishes were used to germinate the seeds. Throughout the entire process, white light and water was used. Methods We obtained a group of seven Wisconsin Fast plants. The plant labeled as #1 was told to be the wild type stock or Standard that was used to which the other plants were compared. The height of the Standard plant was measured and the shape and color of the leaves and stems were observed and noted. In addition, the trichomes, or hairs on the leaves and stems were also observed and recorded. We then observed and recorded the observable traits seen in the remaining six plants relative to the Standard. After recording the observations of the phenotypes of all seven plants, we referenced the genetic stock description list in the manual of Module 1 to assign a name to each Wisconsin Fast Plant. The genetic stock description list includes a description of whether the observed phenotype is the result dominant or recessive alleles. Based on the given information, we were able to determine to possible genotypes of the Wisconsin Fast plants. A set of four pots color coded as red was assigned to the group. Each pot had two plants: one with either recessive or dominant genotype and one with unknown genotype. We placed a stake next to each plant and gently looped the attached metal wire around each plant to secure it in place. A pollination bag was then gently placed over each pot. The pots were placed into a large tray and placed under white light. The trays were filled with 1-2 inches of water twice a week. After several class periods, the plants had flowers. We pollinated the plants using a chenille rod by gently touching the anthers of one flower on Plant 1 with the tip of the rod to collect the pollen grain and delivered the pollen grain to the stigma of a flower on Plant 2 in the same pot. Similarly, we gently touched the anthers of one flower on Plant 2 with the tip of the rod to collect the pollen grain and delivered the pollen grain to the stigma of a flower on Plant 1 in the same pot. We repeated the process for the other three plant pots. The pots were returned to the large tray and were continued to be watered twice a week. Approximately twenty days after pollination, we stopped watering the plants and they were allowed to try for about five days under white light. Then, the seeds were collected by rolling the dry pods between the hands. The collected seeds were placed in a petri dish with a moist piece of filter paper. The petri dish was constantly kept under white light for one week and watered twice a day so that the filter paper remained moist. After one week, the seeds had germinated and the seedlings phenotypes were observed and recorded.
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