FreeBSD OS essays

FreeBSD OS essays There are many operating systems out in the world at the current time, however as youve probably realized or would guess some are better than others. For example windows is the most well known and most used Operating System out on the market today and for the last few years. However just because its the one that is most known and used doesnt mean its the best. In fact there are many other Operating Systems that are much better. However each Operating System is better for its own section, though some are overall better. Windows is one of the best for user friendliness but isnt very powerful. However FreeBSD is user friendly (assuming that the person knows something about computers) and is extremely powerful and very stable. Two things that Windows does not have. Some things that make FreeBSD a better Operating System than others out on the market, well the first and most important is the ports tree FreeBSD has, it is Unix based, and has a very customizable kernel for the core of the system. The first thing that makes FreeBSD different from many other Operating Systems is its file system. Its somewhat the same as most other Unix file systems such as on Linux systems. (The FreeBSD Project) Though it has its own commands that allow it to do specific things only unique to FreeBSD. And a very large difference between the file system on a FreeBSD machine rather than a Windows machine is that the navigation of a FreeBSD consists of a hierarchy type system. Much different that a Windows machine has. With a different navigation system than on a Windows machine, this means that there is more control for a user inside their own computer. Also there are many different ways to show and list what files are in a folder and what folders are inside a directory, you can even find out what files are in a different directory without having to be inside it ...

Singapore Facts, History, and Description

Singapore Facts, History, and Description A bustling city-state in the heart of Southeast Asia, Singapore is famous for its booming economy and its strict regime of law and order. Long an important port of call on the monsoonal Indian Ocean trade circuit, today Singapore boasts one of the worlds busiest ports, as well as thriving finance and services sectors. How did this tiny nation become one of the worlds wealthiest? What makes Singapore tick? Government According to its constitution, the Republic of Singapore is a representative democracy with a parliamentary system. In practice, its politics have been completely dominated by a single party, the Peoples Action Party (PAP), since 1959. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in Parliament and also heads the executive branch of government; the President plays a mostly ceremonial role as the head of state, although he or she can veto the appointment of top-level judges. Currently, the Prime Minister is Lee Hsien Loong, and the President is Tony Tan Keng Yam. The president serves a six-year term, while legislators serve five-year terms. The unicameral parliament has 87 seats and has been dominated by PAP members for decades. Interestingly, there are also as many as nine nominated members, who are the losing candidates from opposition parties who came closest to winning their elections. Singapore has a relatively simple judicial system, made up of a High Court, a Court of Appeals, and several types of Commercial Courts. The judges are appointed by the President upon the advice of the Prime Minister. Population The city-state of Singapore boasts a population of about 5,354,000, packed in at a density of more than 7,000 people per square kilometer (almost 19,000 per square mile). In fact, it is the third-most densely populated country in the world, following only the Chinese territory of Macau and Monaco. Singapores population is highly diverse, and many of its residents are foreign-born. Just 63% of the population are actually citizens of Singapore, while 37% are guest workers or permanent residents. Ethnically, 74% of Singapores residents are Chinese, 13.4% are Malay, 9.2% are Indian, and about 3% are of mixed ethnicity or belong to other groups. Census figures are somewhat skewed because until recently the government only allowed residents to select a single race on their census forms. Languages Although English is the most commonly used language in Singapore, the nation has four official languages: Chinese, Malay, English, and Tamil. The most common mother tongue is Chinese, with about 50% of the population. Approximately 32% speak English as their first language, 12% Malay, and 3% Tamil. Obviously, written language in Singapore is also complex, given the variety of official languages. Commonly-used writing systems include the Latin alphabet, Chinese characters and the Tamil script, which is derived from Indias Southern Brahmi system. Religion in Singapore The largest religion in Singapore is Buddhism, at about 43% of the population. The majority are Mahayana Buddhists, with roots in China, but Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhism also have numerous adherents. Almost 15% of Singaporeans are Muslim, 8.5% are Taoist, about 5% Catholic, and 4% Hindu. Other Christian denominations total almost 10%, while approximately 15% of Singapores people have no religious preference. Geography Singapore is located in Southeast Asia, off the southern tip of Malaysia, north of Indonesia. It is made up of 63 separate islands, with a total area of 704 kilometers square (272 miles square). The largest island is Pulau Ujong, commonly called Singapore Island. Singapore is connected to the mainland via the Johor-Singapore Causeway and the Tuas Second Link. Its lowest point is sea-level, while the highest point is Bukit Timah at the lofty elevation of 166 meters (545 feet). Climate Singapores climate is tropical, so temperatures do not vary much throughout the year. Average temperatures range between about 23 and 32 °C (73 to 90 °F). The weather is generally hot and humid. There are two monsoonal rainy seasons- June to September, and December to March. However, even during the inter-monsoon months, it rains frequently in the afternoon. Economy Singapore is one of the most successful Asian tiger economies, with a per capita GDP of $60,500 US, fifth in the world. Its unemployment rate as of 2011 was an enviable 2%, with 80% of workers employed in the services and 19.6% in industry. Singapore exports electronics, telecommunications equipment, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and refined petroleum. It imports food and consumer goods  but has a substantial trade surplus. History of Singapore Humans settled the islands that now form Singapore at least as early as the 2nd century CE, but little is known about the early history of the area. Claudius Ptolemaeus, a Greek cartographer, identified an island in Singapores location  and noted that it was an important international trading port. Chinese sources note the existence of the main island in the third century  but provide no details. In 1320, the Mongol Empire sent emissaries to a place called Long Ya Men, or Dragons Tooth Strait, believed to be on Singapore Island. The Mongols were seeking elephants. A decade later, the Chinese explorer Wang Dayuan described a pirate fortress with mixed Chinese and Malay population called Dan Ma Xi, his rendering of the Malay name Tamasik (meaning Sea Port). As for Singapore itself, its founding legend states that in the thirteenth century, a prince of Srivijaya, called Sang Nila Utama or Sri Tri Buana, was shipwrecked on the island. He saw a lion there for the first time in his life  and took this as a sign that he should found a new city, which he named Lion City- Singapura. Unless the big cat was also shipwrecked there, it is unlikely that the story is literally true, since the island was home to tigers but not lions. For the next three hundred years, Singapore changed hands between the Java-based Majapahit Empire and the Ayutthaya Kingdom in Siam (now Thailand). In the 16th century, Singapore became an important trading depot for the Sultanate of Johor, based on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. However, in 1613 Portuguese pirates burned the city to the ground, and Singapore vanished from international notice for two hundred years. In 1819, Britains Stamford Raffles founded the modern city of Singapore as a British trading post in Southeast Asia. It became known as the Straits Settlements in 1826  and then was claimed as an official Crown Colony of Britain in 1867. Britain retained control of Singapore until 1942  when the Imperial Japanese Army launched a bloody invasion of the island as part of its Southern Expansion drive in World War II. The Japanese Occupation lasted until 1945. Following the Second World War, Singapore took a circuitous route to independence. The British believed that the former Crown Colony was too small to function as an independent state. Nonetheless, between 1945 and 1962, Singapore received increasing measures of autonomy, culminating in self-government from 1955 to 1962. In 1962, after a public referendum, Singapore joined the Malaysian Federation. However, deadly race riots broke out between ethnic Chinese and Malay citizens of Singapore in 1964, and the island voted in 1965 to break away from the Federation of Malaysia once more. In 1965, the Republic of Singapore became a fully self-governing, autonomous state. Although it has faced difficulties, including more race riots in 1969 and the East Asian financial crisis of 1997, it has proved overall a very stable and prosperous little nation.

Report market sells product internationally Essay

Report market sells product internationally - Essay Example The report would also include an analysis of the market segments and the beer market in the nation. The report would also showcase the market entry strategies and a specific product mix for the new market and would also include an analysis of the integrated marketing communication and other market strategies for entering the market successfully. Finally a set of plausible recommendations would be prepared that would be framed on the basis of the study conducted in the course of research. The present era of business environment is largely stated by various circles as the age of turbulence and intense competition. The entry of globalisation has made the world turn into a boundary less structure with firms expanding beyond political and geographic boundaries to reach out to new markets. This has also triggered a wave of competition among the organizations to establish their organizations in the market. The present study would deal with the international expansion of a beer company in the UK market. The choice of the market assumes significance considering the presence of a strong demand and favourable future opportunities in the nation. Background According to a report published by Nielsen the total beer industry in UK is valued at 3.48 billion pounds with volumes expected to be around 18.7 million hl. This shows a considerable scope for business in the market. However the market is also characterised by intense levels of competition as the market is dotted with a large number of players with highly established brand image and formidable brand positioning (Nielsen, 2009, p.6). Aim The main aim of this study would be to frame a business report that would try to uncover the business potential of UK as a beer market. The report would try to analyse the business market of the nation and would frame up a market entry plan that would also include formulating a product mix specifically designed for the UK market. The report would also cover the aspect of positioning and integrated marketing communication as well as an entry strategy for the company in the UK market. Scope The business report would analyse the business attractiveness of a new market in the context of the beer market in UK. The report would analyse the appropriateness in choosing the UK market as a destination for investment for foreign market players in the beer industry. Country Information Geographies UK is one of the most developed economies of the world with its importance being that of one of the pioneer nations of the industrial revolution. Geographically the nation is located in Western Europe with a total area of 243,610 square kilometres. The nation has a long coastline in the Atlantic Ocean that serves as its sea link with the USA. London the capital city of the nation is also known as the commercial and financial hubs of the world with

Personal Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Personal Philosophy - Essay Example It is an imperative effort to ensure a keen and meticulous understanding of the behaviour and inclinations of infants and toddlers in order to come up with more effective and profound methods and approaches of providing learning and care to infants and toddlers. This piece of article shall present a personal philosophy that will concentrate more on the different topics related to infant and toddler learning and care. It shall provide relatively intended recommendations on how to improve the existing methods of training up infants and toddlers. This shall discuss on the manifold factors that affect and influence the learning process and care involving infants and toddlers. Also, an elaboration on child’s important participation in carrying out the steps drawn out from the personal philosophy will be provided as well. It is my ardent belief that early childhood development learning and care should be provided at places wherein these young individuals will be given the ability to hook up with the world and would trigger their earliest possible environmental consciousness that will help them to grow and improve their learning process. It is highly important that while infants and toddlers need to make a connection with the natural world most on their own, it is likewise important to make sure that training centers for infants and toddlers should provide an environment that is safe, amicable and full of love and care. They should be exposed in an environment where they can feel that they are loved and cared. The eventual or future personality and attitude of our children is heavily contingent to how they were trained when they were still young. Seen this way, it would be a significant step to employ a type of teaching that would help them develop their self-confidence that will surely help them beco me active learners. It is my

Science and Math Is More Important Essay Example for Free

Science and Math Is More Important Essay Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is more important for students to study history and literature than it is for them to study science and mathematics. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. (250-300 words) ESSAY History, literature, science and mathematics are all classic and very important subject in their own sense. No subject can be given more or less importance in life. However, in my opinion, studying science and mathematics are more important than studying history and literature. Firstly, science and mathematics are essential to most subjects. In other words, No matter which subject you want to learn, economics, finance or mechanics, you must have sufficient science and mathematics knowledge to understand it. For example, if person after studying science in secondary school, it is still possible to change lanes towards law at university, but if one only does the art subjects in school, one has no possibility of becoming an engineer later. My second reason is, studying science contributes abundantly to the human life. What I’m trying to say is, without science or mathematics, there won’t be any technology, which we will still be in our prehistoric days without it. Electricity is a typical example. How will we survive if the magical power vanished? Not only it’s used for lighting but to make most machines work. We need electricity like we need air to breathe. Although Shakespeare or Charles Dickens’s work are all very fascinating, but so are Newton’s laws of gravity and movement. And actually, without the creation of paper or pen, which is science, William Shakespeare wouldn’t exist. In conclusion, it is clear that the importance of science and mathematics have to be learnt is much more than studying history and literature. Science and mathematics should be the two most necessary and impotent subjects in our modern life.

Whos The Boss? Essay -- essays research papers fc

Who’s The Boss?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A typical relationship between an employee and an employer exists on the acknowledgment of who is in charge; an employee must accept the employer as an authority. A worker should address the employer with a certain amount of respect and professionalism. An employer should have control of their employees and make it clear that they are the boss.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In David Mamet’s play Glengarry Glen Ross, however the relationship between the employees and the employer is extremely atypical. There is no correlation to what is believed to be the norm. The language Mamet uses in the play makes the peculiar relationship believable. The arguing and resentment can be felt be the reader. The employees in this particular office have â€Å"forgotten† who the boss is; they do not speak to him with any respect or dignity. The employer accepts the way he is treated and does not stand his ground; he allows his employees to walk all over him. This office is not the kind of work place where the boss has the last word; there are numerous times throughout the play where the boss and his employees actually fight. The relationship between one of the employees, Shelly Levene, and his employer, John Williamson, reflects this abnormal relationship. Williamson is the boss, or manager of this particular branch of a real estate company, he does however have two bosses, Mitch and Murray. The play begins with Williamson making an announcement regarding the jobs of all of the employees in the office. There is a contest beginning to see who could close the most deals. Whoever won would win a car and whoever lost would be fired. In the following conversation between Williamson and Levene, the two are discussing whom the good leads are going to. Levene has told Williamson that without the good leads he will not be able to close, in which case, he will be fired. Williamson has said that he has to give the leads to the closers and that Levene has not been a closer. I pick up the conversation after many pages of arguments, Williamson agreeing to Shelly’s bribe and right when Shelly is asking for two l eads.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"WILLIAMSON. I’m not sure I have two.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LEVENE. I saw the board. You’ve got four†¦   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  WILLIAMSON. I’ve got Roma. Then I’ve got Moss†¦ LEVENE. Bullshit. Th... ...n’t agree with this and believes that it is Williamson giving the orders and that if Williamson were to call up Mitch or Murray they would tell him to follow whatever Levene says. Williamson is a timid man. He does not like confrontation. Whenever Shelly or anyone began to yell at him he would just walk away. Shelly is an older and somewhat outspoken man; he knows that Williamson is timid and therefore talks the way he does to him. Shelly is feeling the pressure of the younger men taking his role as the best. All of the stress and pressure in the office causes everyone to be on edge. I think that Williamson is a bit more understanding because he realizes that Shelly’s job is being threatened. All of these pressures and feelings cause Williamson and Levene to resent each other. The language used by Mamet to portray all of this really makes the reader feel the stress and tension in the office. The reader can hear the arguing and disagreeing. The extreme language helps the reader understand the lack of control in the office as well as the atypical behavior between an employee and employer. Works Cited 1. Mamet, David. Glengarry Glen Ross. New York: Samuel French, Inc., 1982. Whos The Boss? Essay -- essays research papers fc Who’s The Boss?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A typical relationship between an employee and an employer exists on the acknowledgment of who is in charge; an employee must accept the employer as an authority. A worker should address the employer with a certain amount of respect and professionalism. An employer should have control of their employees and make it clear that they are the boss.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In David Mamet’s play Glengarry Glen Ross, however the relationship between the employees and the employer is extremely atypical. There is no correlation to what is believed to be the norm. The language Mamet uses in the play makes the peculiar relationship believable. The arguing and resentment can be felt be the reader. The employees in this particular office have â€Å"forgotten† who the boss is; they do not speak to him with any respect or dignity. The employer accepts the way he is treated and does not stand his ground; he allows his employees to walk all over him. This office is not the kind of work place where the boss has the last word; there are numerous times throughout the play where the boss and his employees actually fight. The relationship between one of the employees, Shelly Levene, and his employer, John Williamson, reflects this abnormal relationship. Williamson is the boss, or manager of this particular branch of a real estate company, he does however have two bosses, Mitch and Murray. The play begins with Williamson making an announcement regarding the jobs of all of the employees in the office. There is a contest beginning to see who could close the most deals. Whoever won would win a car and whoever lost would be fired. In the following conversation between Williamson and Levene, the two are discussing whom the good leads are going to. Levene has told Williamson that without the good leads he will not be able to close, in which case, he will be fired. Williamson has said that he has to give the leads to the closers and that Levene has not been a closer. I pick up the conversation after many pages of arguments, Williamson agreeing to Shelly’s bribe and right when Shelly is asking for two l eads.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"WILLIAMSON. I’m not sure I have two.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LEVENE. I saw the board. You’ve got four†¦   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  WILLIAMSON. I’ve got Roma. Then I’ve got Moss†¦ LEVENE. Bullshit. Th... ...n’t agree with this and believes that it is Williamson giving the orders and that if Williamson were to call up Mitch or Murray they would tell him to follow whatever Levene says. Williamson is a timid man. He does not like confrontation. Whenever Shelly or anyone began to yell at him he would just walk away. Shelly is an older and somewhat outspoken man; he knows that Williamson is timid and therefore talks the way he does to him. Shelly is feeling the pressure of the younger men taking his role as the best. All of the stress and pressure in the office causes everyone to be on edge. I think that Williamson is a bit more understanding because he realizes that Shelly’s job is being threatened. All of these pressures and feelings cause Williamson and Levene to resent each other. The language used by Mamet to portray all of this really makes the reader feel the stress and tension in the office. The reader can hear the arguing and disagreeing. The extreme language helps the reader understand the lack of control in the office as well as the atypical behavior between an employee and employer. Works Cited 1. Mamet, David. Glengarry Glen Ross. New York: Samuel French, Inc., 1982.

Metacognition Student Achievement Essay

Metacognition has generally been described as thinking about one’s own thoughts. The realization that a human being cannot exist in isolation of his inner self, that he is constantly probing that dam of his very essence to evaluate situations and resolve the never-ending puzzles that daily confront him. Kornell (2009), has described metacognition as self-reflection and conscious awareness. An even more elaborate definition is that given by Serendip (2009). He defines it as â€Å"a reflective practice that helps one discern general patterns in one’s own views and abilities†. Whichever definition one feels comfortable with, it cannot be said to be superior to the other, because metacognition deals with the intangible and cannot be weighed on a scale. It has, however, been the subject of widespread research all over the world. Psychologists are now asking themselves, what causes that tip of the tongue experience, when you are sure you know someone’s name but cannot recall it? Or what is at play when one conveys a feeling of uncertainty? Why is it that humans are able to have certain cognitive abilities that animals apparently do not have? For example, if asked what year America gained independence, one may readily recall with certainty, or one may say with complete uncertainty that he does not know. The answer may also lie in between, showing a certain degree of uncertainty by replying, for example, I think it was 1776. Whatever answer one gives, it demonstrates an ability to question one’s memory and experience. According to studies that have been done, this ability can be improved. Thus, the science of metacognition is now rampant, with studies being carried out on the cognitive abilities of monkeys, children, students, and ways in which they can be improved. Metacognition 2 One study which was carried out to test the cognitive abilities of rhesus monkeys, was that conducted by Kornell, Son & Terrace (2007). In this trial, the monkeys were initially trained to select a given picture from a sample of six pictures by touching the image on a touch-screen monitor. After this training period, they were shown six sample pictures which were then simultaneously removed and replaced with nine, one of the previous six being among them. As soon as they selected the sample they thought was among the previous six, they were required to bet on their choice by depressing an icon on the screen for certainty, with a reward of redeemable food tokens, or loss of tokens, if wrong. A further icon for a low risk bet was also there. After carrying out this experiment for a suitable period of time, they concluded that the monkeys would invariably only bet when they were sure that they knew the correct answer. The researchers were therefore of the opinion that the monkeys were guided by a cognitive ability. They also tested two monkeys on metacognitive control. This is the ability to use metacognitive ability to influence behavior. An example would be requesting for a hint when one is unsure of an answer, a common trait with humans. In this trial, two monkeys were presented with a few sample pictures to place in a certain order. They were also availed of onscreen visual hints if they needed. The penalty for using the hints was a less appetizing banana flavored pellet, instead of the more attractive M&M candy. As the test progressed, it became apparent that the monkeys were using the hints less and less, and would only resort to them when they were sure that they did not know the right answer. This ability to have control over one’s metacognitive ability had been tested on humans for many years, and it was only now that it was becoming clear that it was also present in animals. However, how prevalent this is among them, cannot be clear and it cannot be generalized from this study that only involved rhesus monkeys. Metacognition 3 Smith & Washbum (2005) have taken animal research a notch higher and carried out trials that probe the memory, referred to as monitoring the memory. In the test, animals which were given various tasks to do based on what they had done before, declined to engage in the more difficult tasks, a result that was the same as similar tests carried out on humans. The animals were selective and seemed to have the same analogous capacity as human. There was no doubt that they were using their metacognitive abilities to seek in their memories, and when they remembered that the task was arduous, they declined to take the test. Kornell & Terrace (2007) also carried out some trials seeking to find out if monkeys benefited from learning. They did this with two rhesus monkeys which were given two problem sets to solve. In one difficult set, they were given hints to assist them after a suitable training period. In the other set, they were given no hints. The number of hints they used to solve the problem set steadily declined over time, the performance, however, did not change, it stayed the same. The monkeys were solving the problem with skills they had acquired from the hints and were using them less and less because they had â€Å"learned†. This is fascinating and opens up very interesting questions about the training of animals. There are other areas of animal metacognitive behavior which have been studied. Hampton, R (2009), carried out studies on rhesus monkeys to determine if they made decisions when they had information, or sought information when ignorant and immediately made a decision. The results were quite revealing. They carried out two sets of tests. In one test, the monkeys witnessed food being inserted into some opaque test tubes. These tests were referred to as the seen trials. In the other test, the food was inserted into test tubes without their knowledge. Metacognition 4 The monkeys were then required to identify the tubes which had food in them. In trial after trial, they would first look down the tubes to ascertain if the food was there and if it was, they selected the tube. What was evident from these tests is that the monkeys sought information first, by peering down the tubes, when ignorant, and only immediately selected the correct tubes without investigating, when they knew the food was there. That means they knew when they knew and only sought information when they knew that they did not know. This is a characteristic which is prevalent among human children, orangutans and rhesus monkeys. It is, however, not clear with capuchin monkeys when they were exposed to a similar trial about a decade before. There is room for more research on animals. According to Smith & Washbum, a lot needs to be investigated regarding the gifts different animals have. For example, monkeys and dolphins seem to exhibit more cognitive abilities than pigeons, whose reactions appear to be more stimulus based. Further research in this area can yield very important information which may stimulate a whole spectrum of research into cognitive abilities of different animal specie. Additionally, there is a lot of room into studies on the ability or lack of ability of animals to make quantitative judgements, for example, their mood. Metacognitive abilities is also a subject of importance in developing learning capabilities for children. Loh, A (2009), has made suggestions on methods to use to improve metacognition learning for children as young as two year olds. Since parents spend the most amount time with children of this age, they are best placed to practice the techniques recommended by Loh. He says that children should be encouraged to think about their thinking process in order to develop their intellect and intelligence. Children should be engaged, soon after an activity, to gauge their Metacognition 5 thinking process and the techniques they used for a task. Immediately after this activity, they should be asked certain questions, for example : 1. They should be asked about the process they used to achieve the result. This way, they will recall the steps and learn the process. 2. What strategies did they use? This will engage them actively in the thinking process by beginning to adopt strategic thinking of alternative techniques they can use to achieve better results. 3. What do they think about the end result? Is it good or bad? This will help them to evaluate their work. 4. Offer them puzzling tasks that have more than one solution. This exposes them to cognitive conflicts 5. Engage them in debates and discussions with other children 6. Allow them to practice reciprocal teaching where they form groups and one child teaches members of his group. 7. Once they engage on a task, allow them to continue undisturbed. Help them with clues if they get stuck. Further, they can be assisted with questions that will incline them to probe their mind even more, for example, what they learned from the task and what they found difficult. Additionally, they can be probed to find out if they have a next goal and what will help them to achieve it. Metacognition 6 There has been more research in the field of metacognitive abilities of children. Young children’s understanding of mental life, or â€Å"theory of mind†, is an area that is currently being explored by various scientists. According to science daily (2008), a new study had made a link between theory of mind as assessed in kindergarten children and their metacognitive abilities in elementary school. Early theory of mind competencies positively influenced metacognitive abilities acquired later. 174 children between the ages of three and four were used as study subjects to investigate this relationship. Wolfgang Schneider, P. H. D. , of the University of Wurzburg, who carried out the trial, said that knowledge from this research can be used to develop training programs for young children. For all the progress that has been done on metacognition in animals and children, none can rival that of learners. The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (2009), says that students with metacognitive needs have difficulties in setting priorities and planning their tasks. Additionally: 1. They are poor at strategizing in order to accomplish a task methodically 2. They procrastinate and are unable to start their work. 3. They are inattentive and make careless mistakes. 4. They are not able to identify their faults or know how to seek help. With these type of students they recommend the following teaching strategies : 1. Teachers should tutor them on how to plan and show them the scoring rubric for the assignment. 2. They should be taught on estimation of time needed to complete a task. 3. They should be assisted with think-aloud strategies. Metacognition 7 4. They should be cajoled to get engaged actively in their work by asking them how they are doing the work and how they will remember to solve the problem. 5. Teachers should be specific in their assignments to students by providing scoring rubrics for each question and how they have been calculated. However, Pierce (2004), dealt even deeper in metacognition for students. He was of the opinion that study strategies were generalized and teachers did not teach them in class. They assumed that students had already learned them. When they taught a strategy, students used the same strategy taught for all subjects. According to him, students needed to acquire three types of knowledge in order to improve their metacognitive abilities. These are : 1. Declarative knowledge which is having at their grasp factual information, for example, speed is distance divided by time taken. 2. Procedural knowledge which is knowing how to do something. Using the previous example of speed, they should know the formula for speed and the steps required in its calculation. 3. Conditional knowledge – This is knowing when to use a certain procedure and why one strategy is better than another. In applying the three types of knowledge for study strategies for example, students need declarative knowledge to know that a high school history textbook is different from an article analyzing the same textbook. They need procedural knowledge to take notes from such a textbook and conditional knowledge to know when such notes should be taken. According to Pierce, study techniques improve learning but are hardly ever taught. Additionally, many students do not internalize success as caused by ability and effort. Metacognition 8 Lippman, Danielsson & Linder (2005), differed slightly with some researchers of metacognition. They claimed that most studies taught metacognitive skills and then measured the effects of training. Instead, they should quantify the use of metacognition. In a study that they carried out at an American university, their aim was to find out how much metacognition is used in a laboratory and how the setup encourages the use of metacognition. Three groups of students were used and their proceedings videotaped and their verbal comments recorded. In one group, students were given a set of instructions to follow. The same was done for the second group and in addition, they were expected to explain their reason. The third group was given a question to answer and expected to explain, in a presentation, the method they had used to get results. In analyzing the results, Lippman et al (2005) saw no difference in the amount of metacognition in the different groups. However, the most important finding was that there was a difference in how metacognition made students change their behavior in tackling the lab assignments. For example, in the third group, the verbal exchanges revealed that the use of metacognition made the students more creative. This was a different approach as was the one used by Mevarech & Kramarski (2003). In this study, 100 eighth graders, studying algebra in four classrooms, were divided into two groups. One group was exposed to cooperative learning and also given metacognitive training. The other group was given cooperative learning but without metacognitive training. At issue was mathematical modeling and problem solving skills. After tasks to perform were given, the results showed that the group which had been given metacognitive training did outperformed the other that only had a cooperative setting. There was significant difference with the two groups with regard to planning, processing and reflection. They concluded that the cooperative Metacognition 9 setting is not enough to enhance modeling skills. Metacognitive skills are important in how to approach a problem, how to control and monitor the solution and how to reflect on the final answer. As a result of such studies, Mevarech & Kramarski (2003) designed the learning tool called IMPROVE, whose letters stand for : Introducing the new material Metacognitive questioning Practicing Reviewing Obtaining mastery on higher and lower cognitive processes Verification Enrichment and remedial The important thing in IMPROVE is the approach in problem solving. Students are able to approach a scenario with a systematic method which first and foremost addresses the question of what is the issue at hand. They then investigate to find out how different the problem is from others and what the best strategies are to solve it. As can be seen from all the studies mentioned, metacognition is an area of development that has a lot of room for growth. Animals which have been shown to have metacognitive abilities can be researched further in order to discover if this is something widespread within the animal kingdom, and if not, then what actually determines metacognition of a species. With children too, the theory of the mind is interesting and further studies should be carried out to determine if there are other areas of their lives that can benefit from improved research on Metacognition 10 metacognition. For example, are high levels of metacognition genetic? Does diet affect levels of metacognition? What role does disease play in metacognition? It would also be interesting to see new research in the study techniques of students. More than anyone else, their place in society is critical because they take over reins in business, government and the civil society within only a few years after leaving college. Their overall performance in school is therefore a top priority. Of serious concern should be when study techniques should begin to be taught and how they would be standardized. Additionally, quantifying the use of metacognition as advocated for by Lippman (2005), needs to generate more study. If his research is anything to go by, then the approach to metacognition training must also address, not just the amount of metacognition ability gained, but also how it is channeled to productive use. This is an area that can prove very challenging and rewarding because teaching metacognition techniques is one thing, but being able to teach the type of techniques that can produce quantifiable measures cannot be easy. However, it is possible that the same metacognition graduates will discover new methods and strategies to impart more abilities in metacognition. Metacognition 11 References Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (2009). Metacognitive Skills. 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Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. icme-organisers. dk/tsg18/S32MevarechKramarski. pdf Metacognition 12 Mevarech, Z. & Kramarski, B. (2003). Metacognitive Questioning and the use of Worked Examples. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www. memory-key. com/StudySkills/IMPROVE. htm Peirce, W (2004, November). METACOGNITION: Study Strategies, Monitoring, and Motivation. Retrieved on July 29, 2009, from http://academic. pgcc. edu/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/metacognition.htm ScienceDaily (2008, August). Young Children’s ‘Theory Of Mind’ Linked To Subsequent Metacognitive Development In Adolescence. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2008/08/080814154429. htm Serendip (2009). Metacognition. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://serendip. brynmawr. edu/exchange/wfrankli/ii09/metacognition Smith, D & Washbum, D. (2005, February). Uncertainty Monitoring and Metacognition by Animals. 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