Multiple Intelligences Theory Mi Was Developed Education Essay

Multiple Intelligences Theory Mi Was Developed Education Essay Multiple Intelligences Theory was developed by Howard Gardner in 1983 which suggests that all humans understand and perceive the world in different ways (Learning-Theories.com 2007-2013). Howard described them as seven   intelligences which are Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Visual-Spatial, Body-Kinesthetic, Musical-Rhythmic, Interpersonal (insight, metacognition) and Intrapersonal (social skills). The theory of multiple intelligences applies to all ages. This theory defines human nature from a cognitive perspective i.e. all humans have personal styles and preferences to learn and develop and implies that people have preferred learning styles, behavioural and working styles. Therefore teaching strategies, learning resources and activities should appeal to different types of intelligence learners represent and should encourage learners to use their preferred intelligences in learning (instructionaldesign.org, Multiple Intelligences (H. Gardner) . This theory implies that we are all intelligent in different ways and any individual may possess one type of intelligence and a mixture of intelligences. From the teachers point of view, all learners have their own strengths and weaknesses, so teaching, designed and planned according to their strengths and preferences, will not only stimulate their development but also build their confidence. Teaching learners with a mixture of intelligence types can be hugely challenging. All learners have different levels of abilities and potential and it is vital to address the multiple intelligences of the learners in order to help them develop and fulfil their potential. Logical -Mathematical  learners like reasoning, calculating whereas visual-spatial learners think in terms of physical space and enjoy illustrations and pictures. They are very conscious of their environments. Bodily-kinesthetic  learners learn best through movement and like making things, touching and role play. Interpersonal  learners like interacting with others and learn best through cooperative activities whereas Intrapersonal  learners are independent and understand ones own interests and goals. They understand their inner feelings; intuition and motivation, confidence and opinions. According to Gardner, verbal-linguistic learners enjoy expressing themselves orally and in writing. They often think in words and like reading, playing word games, making up stories etc. It can be very challenging to teach and satisfy different types of learning styles. The important thing is for teachers to understand that all learners have different ways of learning and doing things and therefore need classroom activities and techniques which appeal to their intelligence type. I strongly feel that a careful selection and use of classroom activities that cater for different types of intelligence profiles of the learners can encourage learning and at the same time provide meaningful and enjoyable learning environment. teaching strategies Gardners theory of multiple intelligences claims that there are numerous ways in which people learn to gain knowledge and understand the universe. Reber (1995) defines a cognitive style as the characteristic style or manner in which cognitive tasks are approached or handled. Thus an individuals cognitive style reflects his or her preferred manner of perceiving, remembering and thinking (TPPEL Reading 3.1 Individual differences and Learning). This theory identifies seven different ways in which a student might learn and provides some ideas on how to apply multiple intelligences to ESOL learners so that teaching methods appeal to their intelligence type and they all have the same opportunity to learn and develop. This theory can be applied to teaching ESL students because they all have their own preferred way of learning that is determined by their cultural and educational background and their personalities.  In order to apply this theory to ESL students, you need to observe and communicate effectively with your students to determine their types of intelligences because each intelligence also identifies a specific learning style which can help you choose appropriate teaching methods and plan effectively to reflect different intelligences in your classroom. Teaching strategies to meet multiple intelligences should include a variety of teaching strategies. Independent and group work provides opportunities to respond to different intelligence types and enhance learning because some students might be strong in interpersonal intelligence whereas others in intrapersonal intelligence. Group work providing body movement activities also helps bodily-kinaesthetic students. Effective planning should incorporate multiple intelligences teaching methods as some students might learn through more than one. For example, a student who is strongly verbal-linguistic might also have strong visual-spatial and interpersonal intelligences. Effective way to implement teaching methods (e.g. a lesson on job interview) to cater for these multiple intelligences can include some vocabulary (linguistic learner) or a video clip (visual-spatial) and a job interview role-play (interpersonal). Bodily-Kinaesthetic Intelligence learners like working with their hands and cant sit still for long time. Teaching method should combine body movement activities with linguistic activities. Total Physical Response is a good method for them. They remember material best if they act it out. Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence learners learn through using language effectively both in speaking and writing. They enjoy expressing themselves orally and in writing and doing different kinds of word games. Teaching method should focus on using language which should include reading a text or a book aloud or tell a story, debate a current issue. The Language Experience Approach (LEA) will be good for teaching reading skills. These students will also benefit from whole language approaches to reading. The Interpersonal Intelligence learners like group activities. They like talking to other people or like teaching people what they know. Teaching method should focus on cooperative learning strategies allowing students to work with others to carry out the tasks and complete activities. The Intrapersonal Intelligence learners prefer to work individually, therefore teaching method should focus on providing independent tasks and activities. Visual-Spatial Intelligence learners like drawing, r eading books that have lots of illustrations, doing puzzles and mazes. visual clues can help them to remember language. There are a variety of teaching strategies that can be used to improve learning.   Creating intelligence-based lessons can help all students to understand and develop their abilities and strengths as well as work on their weaknesses. This will build their confidence and boost their achievement. It is very important for teachers to adapt lessons to meet and develop different intelligences in the classroom to enhance learning and facilitate second language learning. resources, The theory of multiple intelligences claims that we are all different in the ways we understand and perceive the world. Although it will be difficult to incorporate all intelligences into one lesson, I would try to integrate resources and materials which will allow students to work according to their multiple intelligences as much as possible. Careful selection and design of suitable resources is important for making sure that each intelligence learning style is addressed at some point. Below are some suggestions for working with different intelligence types in adult ESL classroom which are organized by multiple intelligences (Alan Chapman 2003-2012). Language exercises respond to linguistic, intrapersonal and also interpersonal learners. Verbal-Linguistic learners learn best through   reading and writing and enjoy telling stories and thinking in words. Basically they learn effectively through using words i.e. hearing and seeing words and also enjoy talking, so learning activities could include debates, discussions, role play, reading and writing tasks, word games and crosswords. Other suitable activities could be oral presentations, writing letters, stories or instructions. Visual-Spatial learners enjoy learning by looking at pictures, flashcards. They learn best through   working with pictures, colours and visualizing. Use of videos, visualization (posters, leaflets), colours, jigsaw puzzles and text with illustrations would be effective. Bodily-Kinaesthetic learners like to move around and act things out. They are tactile i.e. they learn by touching and manipulating objects. Learning activities could include role play, hands-on experience, construct human sentences to practice punctuation or word order, playing board games and following instructions to make something. Interpersonal learners are intuitive and are strong in understanding people, leading and organizing groups, communicating and persuading. They learns best by   working with others, socialising, sharing, comparing, and interviewing. Activities and resources such as co-operative tasks, group projects, interviewing, role play will build interactions amongst learners and therefore promote a sense of sharing and interaction. Peer coaching and discussions or debates will also work well with these learners. Intrapersonal learners are logical and strong in understanding self, recognizing strengths and weaknesses, setting goals. Intrapersonal learners enjoy working alone and like to pursue their own interests independently, therefore effective learning resources and activities would be making a diary, listening to audio tapes, independent reading or research. For example, a lesson on healthy eating including resources such as whiteboard, smartboard, picture and word cards, word search or cross, online self-assessment questionnaires, PowerPoint presentation, Internet for search and word processor for typing, leaflets or posters etc can respond to multiple intelligences in your classroom. Activities in this lesson can be surveys, interviewing, matching, Find Someone Who, making a poster, reading a leaflet or a text in silence or aloud, making a list in groups or individually, write about own eating habits, express likes and dislikes etc. and they can develop different types of intelligences of your learners: verbal-linguistic, naturalistic, visual-spatial, musical, interpersonal and intrapersonal. As a teacher, I think of my learners as individuals who represent many different ways of understanding, learning and developing skills and therefore need different types of classroom activities and approaches. Awareness of their abilities, strengths and weaknesses, styles and preferences will help you determine different intelligences you have in your classroom and plan teaching and learning resources based on the preferred multiple intelligence learning styles. Accommodating multiple intelligences of your ESL students in the selection and design of resources will significantly affect students learning and success. Choice of assessment methods Gardners theory (1985) proposes that all humans possess many different ways of knowing, understanding, and learning about our world. As a teacher, it is important for me to be aware of how my learners learn and develop skills according to their intelligence. My students demonstrates so many different individual strengths and weaknesses. MI theory offers teachers many suggestions to examine their assessment techniques in the light of intelligence differences. The teacher needs to develop different assessment techniques to address different intelligences   and focus on the type of intelligences being developed in the lesson. Pen-and-paper assessment methods work well the linguistic intelligence whereas survey or interview responds to the bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence as well as the interpersonal intelligence.  Mostly assessment tasks include quizzes, reading comprehensions, and writing tasks, which work best with verbal-linguistic learners. I use open questions frequently to check learners understanding which, I feel, is a very effective method of assessment. When my students are working in small groups, I ask each member of the group a different question or ask them to comment or explain the answers given by others. To address different learning styles, its important to ask different  types  of questions. A  comprehension question  can be used to assess Intrapersonal or verbal-linguistic learners to write a short text about a familiar topic or do a reading comprehension. To assess bodily-kinaesthetic learners, I might ask the student to stand up and interview other learners, describe a picture either verbally or in writing (visual-spatial), How can you ..? (Intrapersonal learners). Asking different kinds of questions allows students to express themselves and demonstrate their learning in their preferred way. Varying questioning techniques helps me to cater for various types of intelligences, because each student has individual way of learning and developing skills. I ensure that all the students have the opportunity to answer a different type  of question. In order to support multiple intelligences and different learning styles in the classroom, its important to incorporate written assessment like tests and homework and it contributes towards making your classroom friendly for all types of learners. How can you tell if your students really understand? (Maggie Meyer and Jenna Glock, 2004) Howard Gardners MI theory offers some useful suggestions in designing our lessons and assessments based on the multiple intelligences so that all students have the opportunity to learn, succeed and demonstrate achievement. When students have choices in ways to demonstrate their understanding, the evidence is more accurate. Students can choose from a variety of ways, designed by implementing the multiple intelligences, to demonstrate their understanding of learning outcomes. Many teachers use true/ false, multiple choice, and short answer tests to assess students knowledge and skills but they do not really give an accurate evidence of what students have learnt and whether they can reflect their learning and knowledge in practical ways. Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences proposes that each student has his or her own intellectual, strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, many different types of intelligences and learning styles can be found within a classroom and in order to get an accurate picture of the students strengths and weaknesses, appropriate assessment methods should be used. Therefore, it is important to have an intelligence profile for each student which will enable the teacher to employ appropriate methods of assessment. Traditional tests (e.g., multiple choice, comprehension text or writing tasks) do not allow students to show their knowledge in their own ways. Students should be given opportunities based on Multiple Intelligences to demonstrate their understanding and knowledge in their own preferred ways. Assessment methods might include presentations, independent work, group discussions / projects, peer assessment, sequencing, matching and tasks involving use of ICT. Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences implies that students may be weak in one area but they may be strong in other areas. Teachers should be aware of the great diversity in the intelligence types and learning styles of the students which could be influenced by their social, economic, cultural and educational background and can have a significant effect on students learning process. I feel that assessing learning, taking into consideration different intelligences, helps students to successfully participate in classroom learning. inclusive learning Howard Gardners multiple intelligences theory assesses seven different types of intelligence which indicate that people have their own individual way of understanding, learning, performing and developing skills. These intelligences are verbal/Linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, music/rhythmic, body/kinaesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal. Gardner suggests that all of the intelligences must be addressed in teaching in order for learning to be effective but it can be difficult to apply this in every lesson. Nevertheless, the teachers should try to address these intelligences as much as possible. The teacher should be aware of the fact that all students are unique and have their own individual abilities, interests, characteristics and strengths. Understanding students will enhance their progress considerably. Gardners theory of multiple intelligences offers useful ideas to address a range of intelligences and styles. Teachers need to take into account a wide range of learners in their planning to ensure inclusive learning environment. Therefore, teaching strategies and learning materials need to be matched with individual students intelligence type. First of all, as a teacher, you identify your students strengths and weaknesses and their personal way of learning i.e. learners with leadership qualities, logical thinking and intuitive, sociable, inquisitive learners etc. Questionnaires can provide useful information about multiple intelligences in your classroom. Structured planning should include a variety of ways to present materials (visual, multimedia), incorporate peer and group work, real-life situations activities, access to technology providing a range of opportunities for students to demonstrate learning. Including a variety of approaches to teaching and learning can make a significant difference to learning environment enabling different types of learners to successfully engage in their learning and the process of learning becomes more inclusive which supports widening participation and increases achievement. Individual differences and needs of students should reflect in teaching instruction and learning activities and must be relevant, challenging, meaningful and engaging. The following suggestions include presenting material in different format and styles. For example, for a spelling activity in an ESOL Entry 1 class, students may choose to write the missing letters, label the pictures, write the words, use letters to make the words, spell words in a team or individually. Such activities take into consideration multiple intelligences and learning styles. This allows students to use their own strengths. Another example include a reading activity, for which students can read on their own/aloud, re-tell the story, answer the questions individually or in a team, sort out the story in the correct order or match text with the illustrations. A learner-centred approach responds well to cater for diversity in the students as all students do not learn in the same way i.e. bodily-kinaesthetic learner prefers learning through touch/movement and hands-on learning is important for them. A visual learner, on the other hand, would prefer to see information in images or pictures. Interpersonal learners enjoy interacting with others, therefore, they work best in groups and through discussion with others. These learners can work equally well in groups or on their own whereas intrapersonal learners prefer to solve problems independently. It is crucial to provide materials and activities that address the multiple learning styles and enable students to make choices because students come from a variety of ethnic, cultural, social and educational backgrounds. Teachers can improve the learning environment for their students by planning tasks so that different intelligences are catered for. The possible impact on the progress and achievement of learners. (Workshop: Tapping into Multiple Intelligences) Applying Gardners MI theory helps students learn better because they realise and understand how they are intelligent. In Gardners view, learning is both a social and psychological process. When students understand the balance of their own multiple intelligences they begin to manage their own learning and to value their individual strengths. Teachers understand how students are intelligent as well as how intelligent they are. Awareness of students strengths in particular intelligence will help the teacher to plan opportunities for the students to have choices to work in their preferred way. Howard Gardners Theory of multiple intelligences proposes people develop different intelligences which influence their way of thinking and learning. It is important for the teacher to identify individual differences (strengths, preferences, and abilities) through careful observation and plan instruction, focused on multiple intelligences, to provide opportunities for students to experience and work with different kinds of material in different ways. Fostering different types of intelligences will make learning environment interesting, meaningful and engaging for all students. Using multiple intelligence teaching techniques increases student motivation, enhances learning and therefore, raises students achievement. The activities which allow students to learn in their preferred ways increases their self esteem as well as achievement. For example, verbal/linguistic students can be given activities including discussion, presentation , communication, proofreading, listening, creative writing and reading aloud whereas students who are body/kinaesthetic, can be given hands on experiments activities, role-plays and interview activities involving room arrangement and cooperative groups activities. Cooperative and leading a group discussion learning activities work well with interpersonal students whereas independent work which involves focus and concentration skills responds well to intrapersonal students. The aim of multiple intelligences based activities is to enable students to realise their learning potential and build on their strengths, so that students stay motivated and feel successful in their learning. (2000 words) Task 2 The class I observed was ESOL Entry 1 which had a very mixed group of students. The class consisted of 15 students between the ages of 25 and 65. 60% percent of students were Muslim from different nationalities- India, Iraq Kurds, Afghanistan and Somalia including 3 Gujarati learners and 1 Sikh learner. There was a great diversity in their educational and employment backgrounds. Most of them were unemployed but looking for work. There was a mix of men (6) and women (9). Some had spent 20 or more years in the UK and some came recently. Some have had no education in their countries of origin, some have never worked and some have had work experience in their native countries and also in the UK. One thing they all have in common is the need and desire to be able to communicate effectively in day to day life situations. However, they have very diverse levels of English language abilities and therefore have diverse learning goals. Before the observation, I talked with the teacher about her students and the things I would focus on. The topic of the lesson was job interviews to prepare students for the forthcoming speaking and listening exam as well as provide experience for real life situations. During my observation, my focus was on communication in the classroom. It was very interesting to see a very high level of interaction amongst the students and how everyone seemed so motivated and actively engaged in learning. When I entered the classroom, the teacher introduced me and then teacher began the lesson with showing some pictures and PowerPoint slides of job interview. To introduce the topic, the teacher asked learners some questions which they discussed with each other and in groups. The teacher asked the students to predict what they were going to learn which promoted student engagement as well as thought. While the teacher was introducing new vocabulary, all students were listening attentively. Some students had very limited knowledge of English, nevertheless it was amazing to see them enjoying their learning experience. Stimulating real life situations were created by making interview panels and swapping their roles as an interviewee and an interviewer. Learners had choices to pick their roles and were left free to experience the target language. The teacher used communicative language approach, pair-work and group work appropriately. Job interview role-play activity helped the less motivated learners to participate. I noticed that there were two students who were not very talkative, but they still participated and expressed themselves really well. All students in class were very motivated to learn English. The students very respectfully listened to the teacher and peers. All the students seemed to get along very well. Seating arrangement was adjusted according to the activities and the flexibility of the room space and it was apparently very relaxing, pleasant and safe Tables were organized in U shape for students to see the video of the job interview and listen to the teachers instructions. Tables were also moved and arranged for group work which encouraged students to participate in discussion. I was impressed with the teachers non-verbal communication techniques. He used gestures and facial expressions for his instructions and explanations. The teachers moved around the classroom to monitor and observe the groups during the activities. The teacher demonstrated interview skills rather than explaining and repeated if needed. His voice and tone was audible. He maintained eye contact while explaining and listening to students. He used gestures, eye contact and facial expressions such as smiling face to communicate with the learners and convey the messages. Different questioning techniques were used to check understanding and learning. Open-ended questions were used allowing students to discuss in groups, compare their answers and comment on the answers given by other learners or groups. The teacher aimed questions at each student. Some of the questions were what do you tell about you in the interview?, What things should you do or avoid during the interview? What do they ask y ou in the interview? What are strengths? etc. It was clear that the students felt very comfortable with each other and the teacher. The teacher used humorous strategies, a variety of visuals and activities to make the class lively and fun. All 4 skills were integrated i.e., reading, writing, speaking and listening. The teacher was very careful not to dominate the discussions or speaking, but rather gave the students opportunities to speak and practice their communication skills. Visual aids included question cards/answer cards, video, smart board, whiteboard. These visual aids were used effectively to present the topic and as part of language practice. Matching (Q/A) cards were used to reinforce learning and allow students to physically interact with each other. Video of job interview helped student to learn some important skills including body language and gestures. Listening to each other, to the teacher and watching the video improved their listening ability. Worksheets and the handouts were prepared taking into consideration the diverse range of learners, the individual needs of the learner (large print, colo urs, pictures and laminated). The teacher was careful about grouping the students as he did not want to have students working with students who spoke the same language or at the same ability. He had to stop two of the Kurdish students interact with one another in their own language. It was very interesting to watch the students work together and help each other. It showed that the students were very respectful and supportive of each other. On the whole the content and the function of talk were benefitting them. Task 3 As a teacher, I ensure that my teaching methods and learning resources match students preferred learning styles and intelligences. I strongly feel that choice and variety increases self esteem and motivation which has a very positive effect on learning. I believe that if learning is interesting, meaningful and successful, it establishes good relationship between the teacher and the student. From my experience and careful observation, I have identified many different types of intelligences and preferred learning styles of my students and in order to maintain students motivation to learn and achieve, I implement different approaches to teaching and a variety of activities and resources in my planning. (Gà ¶khan Bas, May 2008) As Gardner (1993) suggests, there are several kinds of intelligence in which people understand, learn and develop skills. The theory of Multiple Intelligences offers eight ways of teaching and learning styles. In this regard, teachers can ensure they provide enou gh variety in the activities they use so that as much of their pupils learning potential can be tapped as possible (Berman, 1998). Most of the students strive to improve their oral communication skills to enable them to improve their employment prospects and to cope with day to day life situations. One of the teaching methods, I use to provide students with the opportunities to improve their communication competence, is Communicative Language approach. As a teacher, I am very aware of my own body language as well as students and I often use eye contact, smile, move around to communicate and convey messages to students. Although I use a variety of questioning techniques and also let students to practice questioning skills, I feel that I need to explore more ways of assessing learning using levelled questions such as knowledge, comprehension and application questions as suggested by Reece and Walker (2003). Id also like to develop and explore more ways of getting student feedback. In order to develop my own practice, I would like to do more reading and attend staff development sessions such as teaching and learnin g master class sessions. I intend to read a book by Susan Wallace, Teaching and Supporting Learning in Further Education 2001.

Maharashtra APMCs: Current Status and Substitute Marketing

Maharashtra APMCs: Current Status and Substitute Marketing Shivaang Sharma In India, the marketing of agricultural produce is regulated by Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act 1966, which provides for the constitution of market committees by state government, notification of agricultural commodities as also place of marketing of agricultural produce. Hence, the marketing of notified agricultural produce in areas other than notified areas is illegal. The areas so designed by the state government are known as Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) markets or Mandies. The age old monopoly of wholesale markets under the government’s regulation have essentially curbed the advancement of a competitive marketing system in the country, providing provision of help to farmers in direct marketing, organizing retailing, smooth supply of raw materials to industries specialising in agro processing and the adoption of an innovative marketing technologies and systems. The objectives of this report are to: Examine the current status of state agricultural markets and efforts to strengthen their marketing infrastructure. Examine the progress made by alternative marketing channels such as Shetkari Bazaars and Contract farming. Agricultural markets in the country are established (Table 1) and regulated under each state’s APMC acts. The entire physical area within each state is separated and affirmed to be a market area where Market Committees manage the market yards which themselves are established by the individual state governments. When a specific location within the state is confirmed as a market area, it automatically comes within the jurisdiction of the state’s appointed market committee. Within this area only persons who have been granted licence for operating within the region may be free to engage in wholesale marketing activities. These legally established monopolies of wholesale markets which are government regulated have essentially curbed the growth of a more advanced competitive system of agrarian marketing within the realm of each state. Therefore an efficient system of agricultural marketing is much needed for the expansion of the agrarian part of the economy since it further l eads to incentives and mediums for increased agricultural and allied sectors production thereby helping subsistence farmers to commercialise themselves and their businesses more effectively. Table 1: Division wise distribution of APMC main market and sub market yards in Maharashtra: Source: Director of Marketing (DOM), Pune. As per the policy of Government of Maharashtra, produce of agriculture, whether processed or not, including horticulture, animal husbandry, pisciculture and produce from forests are defined as agricultural produce. From time to time, the agricultural produce of the area are notified as agricultural produce for marketing in designated market place by the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection. In this backdrop, GOI constituted an expert committee on strengthening and developing of Agriculture marketing in December 2000, which was followed by constitution of an inter ministerial task force to review the parent system of Agricultural marketing in the country and to recommend measures to make the system more efficient. The committee in its report of June 2001 and Task force in its report of May 2002 made a number of recommendations not only to improve the existing regulated marketing network but also to promote a parallel marketing network in the private and cooperative sector. These recommendations included: analysing the requirements to provide and strengthen existing marketing infrastructure, promote competitive alternative agricultural marketing infrastructure through involvement of private and cooperative sector, provide infrastructure facilities for grading, standardization and quality certification of agricultural produce and to provide training for farmers, entrepreneurs and market functionaries on agricultural marketing. Consequent upon this development, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation, GOI launched a credit linked back ended capital investment subsidy scheme for development/Strengthening of Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure, Grading and Standardization (AMIGS) with effect from 20th October 2004 with the view to creating: Additional Agricultural Marketing infrastructure Strengthening existing agricultural marketing infrastructure Promoting competitive alternative agricultural marketing infrastructure through the involvement of private and cooperative sectors. Since the scheme was linked to market reforms, the states which have amended the APMC Act to include private participation and contract farming are now eligible for availing the benefit of subsidy under the scheme. The state of Maharashtra being one of the leading states to adopt the new policy of Union government has amended its APMC act and the scheme is in operation since 5th September 2006. Some aspects of this scheme include: Grain units – godown, drying yard, site development and machinery; Milk unit- bulk coolers, combine harvesters and auction sheds. Table 2: Geographical coverage of APMCs in Maharashtra: Source: Director of Marketing (DOM), Pune. Considering the geographical coverage of APMCs within the state (Table 2); as of 31st March 2011, 188 proposals having a financial outlay of Rs. 22,671.32 Lakh, bank loan of Rs. 14,191.68 Lakh and eligible subsidy of Rs. 4,692.61 Lakh were received from different banks by NABARD, Maharashtra Regional Office, Pune. In order to review the processes implemented by the APMCS of Maharashtra, a detailed study was conducted by NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Development). Progressing to the second objective of this report, we begin by analysing the alternative popular marketing channel which is growing in conjunction with the conventional APMC set up i.e. Shetkari Bazars. The Farmer’s Market (Shetkari Bazar) is an idea of marketing the agrarian produce directly to consumers by producers (farmers). By excluding the intermediaries who in the model appear to be an inflationary force, the agrarian produce reaches its destination in good condition due to minimal in between handlers. As a result, this method leads to better price realization for the farmers and also quality produce reaches the consumers at far lower lower price levels. This format of conducting agricultural marketing has previously been enforced in Andhra Pradesh (which was called Raithu Bazar). This format is meant to assist small scale farmer producers (with fewer quantities of fragile vegetables and fruits) to secure better price levels thereby escaping commercial exploitation in the market yard by Dalals. Since 2nd July 2002, as per the government resolution No. APMC-1099/PC.305/11-c, Govt. of Maharashtra has decided to set up Shetkari Bazars in the state and MSAMB has been appointed as nodal agency for implementing this scheme. The produce brought by farmers will not be levied cess at the Shetkari bazaars in all districts and key taluka places by APMCs from the area. As per this resolution, a state level committee is setup under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister of Marketing, Govt. of Maharashtra, for implementing and monitoring of this scheme. The district level committees are also set up under the chairpersonship of respective district collectors with the following objectives4: To help farmers to get reasonable rates for their produce; To benefit consumers by giving them fresh produce at reasonable prices; Immediate value realization of the produce to farmers without any deductions; To provide produce in appropriate weights and measures to consumers; To being producers and consumers together to avoid chain of middlemen. The MSAMB has planned setting up of 100 Shetkari Bazars in the state by the next 5 years. The cost of setting up a single bazaar is estimated to be around 20 25 Lakh. Hence, MSAMB is providing loan to the maximum extent of 10 Lakh per beneficiary. Interest is subsidized up to 50% of the total loan. The rate of interest for the loan is 5% p.p. with 10 years payback period. To avail this loan, the APMC has to submit the proposal to the MSAMB along with the detailed plan and estimates and get prior approval for the same before beginning construction. There have been some compelling success stories in the realm of Contract farming which have transformed the fortunes of farmers belonging to specific regions of Maharashtra. Manchar village in Pune district of Maharashtra is famous for its high quality potato crops. Pepsico company recently began buying the produce of over 6000 acres of land in the area. The key elements of Pepsico’s success are its unique partnership with local agencies, execution of technology transfer through well trained extension personnel, supply of agricultural implements free of cost, regular and timely payment to farmers and the maintenance of a perfect logistic system. This is especially beneficial considering the amount of PHL minimised and the time saved by farmers who otherwise would need to transport their precious crops to the APMC market yard at the daily risk of losing some of their crops to handling, weather and potential road accidents. Recently, Sanghar Exports, Pune, also entered into contract farming of banana with the farmers in Pune (Phoolgaon) and Solapur. In this case however, the contract is only for the purchase of the agricultural produce. In conclusion, owing to the nature of the APMC marketing pipeline, inflationary practices have become inescapably endemic within the APMC marketing apparatus which can only be removed by a two-fold method. Firstly promotion and financing of alternative marketing channels such as Shetkari Bazaars, Contract farming and direct marketing must be followed. Secondly, by reducing the number of middlemen currently included within the APMC marketing process (such as dalals, auctioneers etc) along with increasing the number of licenses granted to more farmers and dalal shops from operating within the market yard shall lead to considerably reduced auction price rates since it inevitably leads to greater supply and more competitive bidding at the market auction yards at the market yards. Furthermore, there exists a dire need to strengthen existing marketing infrastructure, promote competitive alternative agricultural marketing infrastructure through involvement of private and cooperative sector, promote direct marketing and direct integration of processing units with produces, supply infrastructure resources meant to be utilised for standardization, grading and quality certification of agrarian goods, to introduce negotiable warehousing receipt system, also to promote pledge financing, forward and future markets and to create awareness and provide training to farmers, entrepreneurs and market functionaries on agricultural marketing. Hence, although these APMCs have facilitated the provision of a variety of services and forward linkages to farmers for long time after the opening up of Indian economy in late nineties, but, the age old practices and procedures incorporated within their functioning have invited criticism from all quarters in recent past. Since their incorporation, farmers have lost confidence in APMCs due to number of malpractices like lack of transparency, high charges levied by commission agents, wrong weightments and restriction of marketing licences for farmers and auctioneers alike (which curtails supply thereby exacerbating food price inflation). References and Bibliography: www.msamb.com www.nabard.org www.agmarknet.in http://www.msamb.com/schemes/default.htm All table sources: Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board Director Marketing, GOM, Pune.

The Jewel in the Crown : Daphne Manners :: Jewel in the Crown Essays

The Jewel in the Crown : Daphne Manners Daphne Manners was a woman that was ahead of her time she was not prejudice in a hateful way. The prejudice she had was purely ignorance of the day and age. She did not dislike someone just because they were Indian. Daphne Manners even made negative comments about the prejudices that she saw happening. She ignored the social norms when she started falling for Hari Kumar. Had Miss Manners followed the standards for the day and age of the story she would never had given Hari a second look. A woman that left India because her husband " had to many Indian colleagues" for her liking raised Daphne Manners and she still was offended when she saw her friends abused by prejudices. (Pg 90 Scott, Paul. The Jewel in the Crown. [1996.] Vol. 1 of the Raj Quartet. Rpt. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998.) While on the train Lili experienced a typical reaction from the English passengers they were riding with and Daphne Manners stated ' I get really angry about the kind of thing that happens over here." (Pg 94 Scott, Paul. The Jewel in the Crown. [1996.] Vol. 1 of the Raj Quartet. Rpt. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998.) In 1942, English colonists in India did not feel they needed to treat the native inhabitants with any form of humanity. Daphne Manners on the other hand knew that they deserve to be treated as humans. She said "Honestly Auntie, a lot of the with people in India don't know they're born." (Pg 90 Scott, Paul. The Jewel in the Crown. [19 96.] Vol. 1 of the Raj Quartet. Rpt. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998.) When Miss Manners interviewed at the hospital she talked with the Matron who told her "If your wise you'll trade on all three [of her sponsors] but avoid too obvious an association with the fourth." (Pg 97 Scott, Paul. The Jewel in the Crown. [1996.] Vol. 1 of the Raj Quartet. Rpt. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998.) Matron was referring to the stigma that went with Lady Chatterjee. Daphne took a chance of not getting the position by telling her " My real sponsor is Lady Chatterjee." (Pg 97 Scott, Paul. The Jewel in the Crown. [1996.] Vol. 1 of the Raj Quartet. Rpt.

Exploration of Bondage in Middle Passage Essay -- essays research pape

Bondage can be defined as a state of subjection to a force, power, or influence or the state of being under the control of another person. Throughout the novel Middle Passage, written by Charles Johnson, bondage is a reoccurring theme. The characters in the novel are bonded physically, emotionally, or psychologically. Some characters are bonded and can not escape their bondage. Others choose to place themselves in the situations. Throughout the course of the novel, some of the characters gain their freedom and move forward with their lives. Other characters are never able to gain their freedom because their lives end in death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Within the first page of the book we are introduced to Rutherford Calhoun, an ex-slave. He has been recently freed and has chosen to settle down in New Orleans. According to Rutherford, â€Å"New Orleans wasn’t just home. It was heaven†(2). Rutherford is in search of living the life of what he envisions as a free man: happy and self-directed. However, Rutherford finds himself bonded to new things. As scholar Barbara Z. Thaden asserts, â€Å"Rutherford discovers that his freedom is only a different type of slavery† (254). Thaden also notes, Rutherford leads â€Å"a life of petty crime, drinking, womanizing, and running from commitment of any kind† (254). He becomes bonded to gambling, stealing, and debt. As scholar Ashraf H.A. Rushdy argues, â€Å"gaining his freedom has only trapped him further into the futile struggle to preserve and promote his individuality† (375).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In New Orleans, Rutherford becomes a petty thief. He says that he â€Å"looked for honest work† but â€Å"found nothing† so he stole (3). Rutherford also says that stealing was â€Å"a way to shake off stress and occupy his hands† (103). As scholar Ashraf H.A. Rushdy notes, â€Å"stealing, for Rutherford, is more than an occupation: it is a philosophy†(376). As a child, Reverend Peleg Chandler â€Å"[noticed] the stickiness of his fingers†(3). In order to gain access aboard the Republic, Rutherford steals Josiah Squibb’s paper and continues his habit of stealing throughout the voyage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rutherford also becomes bonded to gambling and as a result, ends up in debt. Rutherford would play card games â€Å"that lasted three days and nights†(7). Because he lost most of the card games he played and used what money he had to play card games, ... ...i were bonded to slavery. They had to give up their freedom to become bonded to the Republic as slaves. They were treated harshly and their only choice to escape their enslavement was mutiny. The Allmuseri were also bonded to their beliefs. Thaden illustrates that Johnson had â€Å"inscribed into the Allmuseri mindset many classical Buddhist beliefs†(255). The Allmuseri believed that the ship was condemned to death because they had allowed themselves to kill so many of the whites.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As scholar Barbara Z. Thaden expresses, â€Å"Rutherford learns on his voyage that the more people escape the bonds of others, the more trapped they become in bondage to their own egos†(257). Johnson shows throughout the novel that no man is truly free of bonds and that freedom doesn’t exist without bondage. Rutherford gains a new idea of freedom as a result of his experience aboard the Republic while Falcon, bonded to his ego, never gains freedom because he takes his own life. As scholar Ashraf H.A. Rushdy suggests, â€Å"Rutherford learns that bonds and connections are a matter of surrender to another order of being, and are not simply determined by racial or biological destiny† (377).

Abington Hill Toys

ABINGTON-HILL TOYS, INC. 1. INTRODUCTION Abington-Hill Toys’ new president, Vernon Albright, hires a new company comptroller, David Hartly. Hartly’s first task was to complete an analysis of the firm’s condition and generate financial planning for the company. 2. METHODOLOGY A. Current ratio B. Acid-test ratio C. Inventory Turnover Ratio D. Debt-Equity ratio E. Gross Margin F. Net Profit Margin G. Z Score 3. SOLUTION A. 280,000/290,000=. 97 B. 130,000/290,000=. 45 C. 900,000/150,000=6 D. 490,000/710,000=. 69 E. 300,000/1,200,000=. 25 F. 60,480/1,200,000=. 05 G. 1. (-10,000/1,200,000)+1. 4(60,480/1,200,000)+3. 3(126,000/1,200,000)+ 1. 05(1,200,000/1,200,000)=1. 46 4. CONCLUSION The current ratio of . 97 means for every $. 97 of current assets, Abington Hill Toys has $1 of current liabilities. Since the current ratio is less than the standard of 3. 5, Abington Hill Toys implies a high risk and a probable incapability to generate sufficient working capital to meet i ts short-term needs. The acid-test ratio of . 45 is less than half of its current ratio which means Abington Hill Toys’ inventory comprises of more than half of its current assets.The inventory turnover ratio of 6 is higher than 5 which is the standard for companies in this industry. Since this ratio is higher than average, Abington Hill Toys is showing strong sales. The higher than standard inventory ratio could also mean ineffective buying of inventory. The debt-equity ratio of . 69 means Abington Hill Toys has $. 69 of debt to every dollar of equity. This would put them in at a lower risk to enhance financial leverage. The gross margin is at 25%. This means Abington Hill Toys is only profiting 25% above their direct costs. This is equivalent to the standard of other companies in this industry.The net profit margin of 5% is less than the standard of 8%. Abington Hill Toys’ net profit margin means equity holders will only receive 5% from every dollar after all expense s, interest, and taxes are paid. The low Z score of 1. 46 would sway me to not lend the money. By Altman’s scale, Abington Hill Toys has a 95% chance of going into bankruptcy in 12 months. Along with the high probability of going into bankruptcy within 12 months, the net profit margin of 5% doesn’t seem worthwhile. I would rather invest in something safer for that low of a return.

Ancient Political Philosophy Essay

What is Philosophy? The Central Questions of Philosophy – Political Philosophy †¢ Value – Ethics (Good, Evil, Right, Wrong, Justice) †¢ Political Philosophy – Aesthetics (Beauty) †¢ Reality – Metaphysics (Cosmology, Ontology) †¢ Knowledge – Epistemology (Theory of Knowledge) PHI 7100 History of Philosophy: The Classical Philosophers  ©2013 Richard Legum – all rights reserved 1 What is Philosophy? Political Philosophy Some central questions of Political Philosophy: †¢ What ought the relationship between a person and society (government) be? †¢ What does society owe its citizens? – Safety (Protection)? Education? Health Care? A Job? †¢ What do the citizens owe society? – Pay taxes? All their possessions? Serve in the military? †¢ What is the just form of government? PHI 7100 History of Philosophy: The Classical Philosophers  ©2013 Richard Legum – all rights reserved 2 PHI 7100 Richard Legum, Ph. D. 1 8. The Central Questions of Philosophy Political Philosophy 7/8/2013 The Central Questions of Philosophy – Political Philosophy Plato The state is the individual writ large (The state is the same as an individual, but on a larger scale) †¢ Three Parts of the Soul – Rational (reason) – Spirited (emotional – defender/enforcer) – Appetitive (emotional – driven by basic desires). PHI 7100 History of Philosophy: The Classical Philosophers  ©2013 Richard Legum – all rights reserved 3 The Central Questions of Philosophy – Political Philosophy Plato †¢ Three kinds of the citizens – Gold – Those possessing reason (Wisdom/Knowledge) – philosophers – Silver – The enforcers of the law – the guardians/soldiers – Bronze – The craftsman, merchants, farmers, etc. †¢ The Republic is the Utopia – Teleology – The goal of the state is to achieve harmony †¢ The gold people, The Philosopher King (the one who knows best) , should rule PHI 7100 History of Philosophy: The Classical Philosophers  ©2013 Richard Legum – all rights reserved 4. PHI 7100 Richard Legum, Ph. D. 2 8. The Central Questions of Philosophy Political Philosophy 7/8/2013 The Central Questions of Philosophy – Political Philosophy Aristotle †¢ The city (polis) is the natural political â€Å"community† or â€Å"partnershipâ€Å" †¢ The aim of the city is to allow citizens the possibility to live a good life, and to perform beautiful acts †¢ Justice is having a constitution (a social contract of sorts) supporting the accomplishment of these goals PHI 7100 History of Philosophy: The Classical Philosophers  ©2013 Richard Legum – all rights reserved 5 The Central Questions of Philosophy – Political Philosophy Aristotle. †¢ Goals of the state are much greater for Aristotle than they were for Social Contract Theory of the Renaissance (Thomas Hobbbes Leviathan (1651), John Locke Two Treatises of Government (1689), Jean Jacques Rosseau The Social Contract (1762) ) – in the pre-government state (pre-social contract) – the state of nature– people fear of violent death, unstable economic relationships, losing their property – The government arises from a Social Contract for the purpose of protecting the citizens PHI 7100 History of Philosophy: The Classical Philosophers  ©2013 Richard Legum – all rights reserved 6 PHI 7100 Richard Legum, Ph. D. 3

The 10 commandments of employee discipline and dismissal

Last year alone, hundreds of adverse rulings were slapped upon scores of companies, resulting to millions of liabilities. It is sad to note that many employers today, either abetted by their HR and personnel managers, or against the professional advice of HR and lawyers, do not really adhere to the provisions of the Labor Code, on the rules of dealing with their own workers in the matter of discipline and dismissal. Despite all the seminars, workshops and symposia, that HR personnel attend regularly, management never seems to learn. The result could be very damaging, if not disastrous. An adverse decision by the NLRC and the Supreme Court entails not only an order to reinstate workers and pay them full backwages but also moral and exemplary damages. The greatest damage is upon the good name and corporate image and goodwill of the companies, or an irreparable damage on the harmonious relations between employees and management, resulting to declines in productivity, quality and profits. To help address this problem, this writer is now embarking on an advocacy through the PMAP, the official association of people managers in order to address this problem. Last week, I was in Baguio, then to Iligan. Today, I am in Davao then later this week, to Cagayan de Oro, in July in Tacloban, Bicol and Batangas. By August, I will conduct seminars in Cebu, Mandaue, and Mactan on the critical need to go back to the rule of law in leading and managing people. I have 10 commandments on employee discipline and dismissal. First, management should respect the workers' rights in the exercise of the employers' prerogatives to hire and fire people, to transfer, promote and demote. The Labor Code is explicit and unequivocal. The DOLE, NLRC and the Supreme Courts are strict and uncompromising. The second commandment is that management should adhere to the specific just causes for termination of employment, under Article 282 of the Code, like serious misconduct, insubordination, fraud, breach of trust, gross and habitual negligence and crimes. Third, employers should follow the authorized causes under Article 283, like redundancy and retrenchment, labor-saving devices and closures. Fourth, the strict rules on due process, under Article 277 (b) should never be compromised. Fifth, management should always bear in mind that, in illegal dismissal cases, it is the employers and not the complainants who have the burden of proof. Sixth, the proof must be enough to qualify, under the law, and controlling doctrine, as falling within the quantum of substantial evidence. In Cebu alone, many firms failed to comply with these basic principles. The seventh commandment is that management should master the art and science of proper and adequate documentation, from hiring to retiring. Legal forms should be prepared following the intricate procedures and formalities. The advice of expert lawyers should be sought. Some lawyers may be excellent in criminal and civil laws but are absolutely clueless in the practice of labor laws and labor relations. Any mistake could endanger the viability of the business and the career of CEOs and COOs and some HR executives. Commandment number 8 is the crucial choice of lawyers and consultants and the proper handling of labor cases before the Labor Arbiters and the NLRC, the appellate and the Supreme Court. The ninth commandment is knowing how to respond to summons, adverse decisions, writs of executions and other legal processes. Out of sheer lack of knowledge or worse, lack of respect for law and fundamental workers' rights, many monumental mistakes had been committed. The tenth is for management to proactively train their executives, managers and HR staff how to avoid and prevent cases to be filed against the company. A small investment in these forward-looking, developmental and empowering seminars can go a long way in saving the business from the adverse effects of unfavorable court rulings.