Student Motivation Essay Example For Students

Student Motivation Essay Motivation in SchoolsThe topic I originally planned to look into for my Action Research Paper was the affect of reward systems on a students academic performance. My idea was that a students performance could be influenced by the presence of a reward system. I was interested in seeing if certain subject areas were more likely to use such systems than other subject areas. I strived to see if a students academic performance could mean more than just their exam scores and ability to complete assignments. I wished to see if a reward system could change the way a student was motivated in the classroom; to see if their overall attitude could be changed. I also thought to look into their attendance in classes where motivation was present. I wanted to see if they were less frequently absent and if they participated more. And lastly, I thought it would be interesting to see if students felt they could in turn change their destiny in education, or if they simply believed they are predestined f or something else. We will write a custom essay on Student Motivation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now As I was looking further into my topic at hand, I decided to go a different way with my paper. I got away from the reward system and decided to look into student motivation as my topic, focusing on the teacher-student relationship. In high school, I can remember one teacher that changed the way I saw science and it affected me greatly. Before this teacher, although I was always in advanced science classes, I never achieved high grades. I always struggled to keep up with other students, and when I performed poorly on exams, my previous teachers never thought to why I had done so. She approached science in a way I had never seen before, and she offered recognition and praise. She set up the classroom in such a way that I never felt I was being left behind, and she encouraged us always to work up to our potential, and then some. I was motivated to do well and in a way I had never cared for before. I chose to look from the students point of view, instead of talking only to teachers. I th ought it would be more useful to see what the students thought, as I am pursuing my graduate education in Secondary Education. My ultimate goal, to be a teacher, could only benefit from the research I was setting out to collect. I wanted to know what circumstances students felt most comfortable working in. Also, I wanted to see what made them tick inside the classroom. I had the opportunity to use some of the readings I had to complete for my SED 213 class for this paper. In that class, we used two textbooks which I felt fit my topics needs. The chapters on motivation proved useful to my paper, and even gave me ideas to look further into. In the chapter, it discussed a students need for affiliation and approval. By wanting to be a part of a group, a student might be motivated to perform in a certain way, in order to gain entrance to that group and in turn gain their approval. The idea of achievement motivation was also brought up, in which students need to excel only for their own s ake without external rewards. I found that Alfie Kohn, author of Punished by Rewards and many other books on education, feels that achievement motivation is most important to a student truly learning. He feels that authentic experiences in the classroom can only occur when the teacher leaves out all words of praise and punishment. He feels that praise can often be empty in nature, and in turn could actually do more damage to a student than good. Punishments are also damaging, because students could be turned off to learning because they constantly feel threatened by the teacher. He feels that if we want students to take responsibility for their learning, it is up to us to give them responsibilities. They will in turn learn to make good decisions by having the opportunity to decide what happens to them every day, and not by following someone elses directions. Kohn also feels that traditional grades turns students creativity off and causes them to lose interest in what they are learning. He also feels that they lea d students to avoid challenging tasks. He made a point of noting that most students feel the point of going to school is to get As, and not to really learn. It is this need to perform that poses a threat to the education of all students, and traditional grades are the ultimate cause. There is more to memorizing the right answers; because teachers havent completely done their job if the students dont understand why those answers are the right ones. Greg Michies book, Holler if you Hear Me, took the opposite approach to what Kohn proposed. He not only offered his students praise when he felt they deserved it, but he took the time to empathize with them. He knew nothing about their cultures, and in time he came to learn many things about them. In the courses that he taught he always sought to find the best way to relate the material to his students. He often had them read about people from their cultures to serve as motivation that they could be more than the neighborhood expected of t hem. He also motivated his students by keeping his ears open to them, he listened when they talked, which was not always the case with their other teachers. I initially planned to gather my research primarily by interviewing at least 10 high school teachers, varying in their subject areas. I also planned to look further into the differences in advanced versus regular classes when it comes to motivating students to perform. I looked forward to observing first hand the ways in which a teacher uses a reward system during my school visits. After changing my initial proposal, I also decided to revamp the method I was previously going to use to collect my research. Instead of interviewing 10 teachers, I decided to go right to the students, and I surveyed 30 students in two different classes. I was placed in Uniondale High School for my observations for another graduate course, and I thought I would use my time there to my benefit. Uniondale High School is in Nassau County. The school has about 1400 students in grades 9-12. There are 93 teachers in the school, with 27 other professionals and 24 para-professionals also on staff. The students are 77% African American, 19% Hispanic and 4% White and other. The average class size is 23 students. I decided to ask my cooperating teacher if she would allow the students to take my survey. After looking one over, she gave her approval and I set the stage for the surveys. She allowed me to be involved with them, instead of just observing in the rear of the classroom, so that made it easier for me to ask them to help me with my research. I waited until my second day of observing to distribute the surveys. I chose her two AP Social Studies classes because they had a smaller number of students. I felt that they would have more room to spread out during the surveys, so that no one would know what they were writing down. I also put the surveys on smaller pieces of paper so they could easily fold them up after finishing them. Before handing out the surveys I explained to them what I was using them for. I told them why I had decided to go into teaching, and how my research paper would help me to become the best teacher I could be. With that all said they were eager to get started. (I have attached a copy of the survey to the back of this paper). All of the students pooled felt that they would tend to work harder in classes where the teacher offered praise. On most of the surveys they wrote additional comments on the reverse side of the survey. Most felt that in their school there were more teachers that put students down than those who offered praise. When presented with the opportunity to receive encouragement for their hard work, they wanted to continue working hard because they enjoyed that feeling. They expressed the wish that more teachers would use words of encouragement in the classroom instead of only negative comments. They felt that there was more of an emphasis on what they didnt do than what they ha d done. When they forgot their homework assignment, a fuss was made from the teacher, but when they received a good mark on a paper nothing was said. They expressed that they often felt discouraged by this practice, and decided to not spend as much time on future assignments. A few students mentioned that it didnt matter if they received praise or not, they did not care to work hard in classes. They described a sort of unspoken code in the classroom where some students might decide to act up to keep face in front of the other students. In their words, no body wants to be the teachers pet. They had mixed feelings on whether a reward system would be beneficial in their classroom. Some felt that some students would only perform for the reward, and not the actual learning experience. Others felt that a student shouldnt need such a system, and that if they were interested in learning in general, they would learn with or without a reward system. They also were split on the idea of coopera tive learning. Some felt that it was useful in the classroom because it allowed the class to be broken down into smaller groups, and they would feel more comfortable asking questions. Others felt cooperative learning was ineffective because these small groups often didnt do the tasks at hand, and wasted time just socializing. They also felt that it wasnt fair for the whole group to receive the same grade because some students tend to not pitch in as much as others. The most responses came from the question about whether or not students felt teachers treated students differently. Overwhelmingly, most responded that teachers favored students in advanced classes over regular classes. They felt that advanced students had more freedom in class, and that not as many classroom rules were in place. They also felt that they got better grades because the teachers liked them better as well. Students in the regular classes often were subjected to stricter rules, with less opportunities for crea tive learning because they were too often falling behind in lesson plans because of classroom disruptions. As for whether or not teachers treat male and female students different, most felt it wasnt a practice at their school. They felt they were more likely to be judged by whether or not they were good students, not if they were male or female. .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 , .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 .postImageUrl , .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 , .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60:hover , .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60:visited , .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60:active { border:0!important; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60:active , .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60 .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub80cd7d8c2fcf9cb5d0fd3b6bb779a60:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Nonverbal communication EssayAlthough I felt that the surveys did produce enough feedback to help me with my research paper, I do feel that I could have also benefited from other sources. If given more time, perhaps I would have enjoyed setting up interviews with the students I observed. I was present in their class for three days in a row and I felt at the end that they were quite familiar with my being there. If I had been able to conduct interviews at the end, I feel that my answers could have included more detail on specifics, such as what types of praise they prefer or how a teacher could set up cooperative learning so that all could enjoy and benefit from it. I think that they would have enjoyed having more input in my paper, as they were already honored that I wanted to know what they thought about their classroom settings. I also would have liked to hand out he survey to other classes not on the AP level but could not find the time to do so. Instead of just focusing my time in Uniondale High School, I would have enjoyed pooling other schools from different areas other than Uniondale as well. Because my placement was in Uniondale, it made for easier access to the students. I had also wanted to survey two social studies classes from my old high school, but my relentless phone calls were not returned in sufficient time to allow that. I thought it would have served as a nice comparison, demographically, because my high school was in a neighborhood which consisted of mostly middle class white students and a very small Asian population. Unlike Uniondale, whose student body is primarily made up of African American students, with a small amount of Hi spanic students and even fewer Asian or whites. My Reaction I reviewed the surveys numerous times, and after reading my journal entry for my other graduate class on my observations, it came to me. The process I had gone through to write my paper was meta-cognitive in nature. I had picked my initial topic, only to find out later that a new topic would suit better. I changed it, and set out on a new road collecting information and analyzing it. And even now, when the paper is done the process continues because I realized there were limitations which if not present, my paper would have been even better. I think this is important to relay to students. I think that too often students, like me, have felt they are at a dead end. Instead of trying to run themselves around and go down a different educational road, they chose to relinquish control to fate and continue on the road they are familiar with. Motivation in the classroom can change that. Although I do not agree whole heartedly with Alfie Kohns philosophy on motivation, I do agree that students will work better if they feel they have a say in their education. In my classroom, on the first day of every year, I was thinking that I would put up on the blackboard these two words: student and teacher. I would put under each blank line, and I would ask my students to think of answers for what they expect from a teacher. I in turn, would write down what I expect from them as students. Giving them the option to say what they feel a teacher should be could be a positive growing experience for both them and myself. Each class could want different things, and I feel it is my job to realize their needs and try to address them as best I can. I know it sounds corny, but I truly feel that education in the classroom is a two way street. Teachers and students can only flourish when able to both get to where they are going by removing obstacles that would limit their driving experience. I look forward to my teaching career, and although I know Im bound to have a few fender benders along the way, I hope the journey as a whole is a productive one. Works Cite dDaniels, H. Bizar, M. (1998). Methods that Matter. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Ryan, K. Cooper, J. (2004). Kaleidoscope: Readings in Education (10th Ed.). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin. Michie, G. (1999). Holler if you hear me. New York: Teachers College Press. .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 , .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 .postImageUrl , .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 , .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5:hover , .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5:visited , .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5:active { border:0!important; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5:active , .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5 .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua5bcedf6df96e9f6b8c888177aeb07d5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: 12 Angry Men EssayMcDevitt, T. Ormrod, J. (2002) Child Development (2nd Ed.). Columbus, OH: Pearson Prentice Hall. http://216.239.57.104/u/nydoe?q=cache:OaYbZiCK2GkJ:www.emsc.nysed.gov/repcrd20http://www.alfiekohn.org

To Kill or Not to Kill essays

To Kill or Not to Kill essays To kill or not to kill. This is an extremely controversial question in todays society. The number of people who are for it still believe in the saying, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. These are the people who feel if you intentionally take the life of someone else, then yours should be taken as well. But then there are the other number of people who feel the death penalty should be banned because of its cruel and unjust way of punishment. Should we keep it or not? And if it is kept, how do we determine who should be sentenced to death? An easy way to answer these questions is to totally nullify capital punishment completely. One reason why the death penalty is so controversial is because many feel its cruel ways of punishment are unnecessary, even if the crime is murder, whether it be premeditated or unintentional. They believe there are other ways of condemnation besides execution. In the case of an unintentional death feelings are that the perpetrators should have the right to live, but have to face each day with the fact that they killed someone weighing on their conscience. On the other hand, such as with a voluntary murder, the ideas are somewhat similar. They believe the murderer doesnt deserve the death penalty. Chances are if a person is insane enough to kill another human being in the first place, they arent going to care what happens to them. They realize that their execution, in most cases, is going to be short and painless. This isnt a just punishment for someone who has inflicted severe pain upon another life. Our court system, after initiating a life sentence without parole, should not offer these killers the comforts they have in jail. They should be treated more or less like animals. In short, let the ones who institute a crime unwillingly live, but do not let the punishment be as severe as it would for a ...

The Divergence of U.S. and UK Takeover Regulation Essay

The Divergence of U.S. and UK Takeover Regulation - Essay Example In the article, there is a big difference in takeover regulation of companies in UK and US. The law of Delaware in the United States provides a peaceful condition in which the ruling board is given the mandate in the decision making of the type of tender to be issued. On the other side, United Kingdom uses a defensive tactic by targeting the ruling board. This tactic prohibits the management from interacting with other management in a peaceful manner. However, during the takeover regulation in the US, the court usually decides over tender and offers the rules concerning it. On the contrary, UK lawyers disappears when the hostile bidders launches their bids. By the use of this tactic, the UK were able to private their regime through the institutional inventors of which their counterparts could not. Though both the American and English system of corporate governance has different features, they share ownership. The hostile tactic of takeover gives priority to function as a disciplinary instrument undertaken by the management. Nevertheless, both possess different rules and regulations governing the takeover battle. Finally, the difference in approach between US and UK is relevant as it provides education leading to enhancement of the economy of the entire

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Report - Essay Example A couple of mails recently received from the customers read that they are highly unsatisfied with our contact services. Some of them have complained in very harsh words that their calls were not picked. The problem is reported to have persisted 24 hours and they were never replied. Due to the malfunction of the helpline, many customers have incurred exaggerated telephone bills. Some of them have even personally visited the office and complained about the same quite rudely. This has upset the whole administration. â€Å"big screen† mobiles and many have related it to the unusual design of the sets. One of the customers has mentioned that all purchasers of this particular model have found same deficiency in the performance of this mobile. He wants the company to return his money in place of the mobile. prolonged use of mobiles that has exposed their ears to microwave radiations. Customers who have experienced headache after prolonged usage of the mobiles asked for modification in the design of the mobiles that would reduce ears’ exposure to microwave radiations. maintain the company’s reputation. Instant replacement of helpline with an efficient system is advised. Customers have strongly recommended that the company should seriously think over the development of a 24 hour live chat system in which customers can address their issues without having to make expensive calls to the administration. design of the mobile does not allow the use of suitable battery. It is strongly recommended to reconsider the design of the mobile to eliminate this issue. The director is advised to forward his immediate response to the customers’ queries about the mobile return and payback, since the mobiles were initially issued without a payback guarantee. The above mentioned issues have had considerable adverse effects on the affection of the customers with our

Significance of the Study Essay Example for Free

Significance of the Study Essay This study is all about Wi-Fi connections on school campuses and the proper usage of it, there are several reports show, that some students don’t use those Wi-Fi connections for school projects, assignments, etc but they use it more on social networking sites such as Facebook, twitter, tumblr etc. other students use it for watching/downloading porn. The researcher aims to know what is the real purpose of Wi-Fi connections on school campuses and what they do to those students who are addicted to social networking sites. It will give help to those students who are addicted to social networking sites and how do they stop using it even in school hours. The study is very helpful because it improves the knowledge of the people that are involved in the study. It will give information on how students react physically and emotionally. Scope and Delimitation of the Study This study was undertaken to determine the usage of Wi-Fi connections on school campuses by third year high school students of Maryhill College during the school year 2012-2013 the respondents of the student were 223 third year students. This study also focused on proper usage of students of Wi-Fi. The aspects looked into were the meaning of Wi-Fi, proper usage of internet connection of students and other wireless connections. Definition of Terms For better understanding of the study the following were defined briefly: Internet. is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite (often called TCP/IP, although not all applications use TCP) to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless and optical networking technologies Wireless network. efers to any type of computer network that is not connected by cables of any kind. It is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and enterprise (business) installations avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment locations. Wireless local area network (WLAN. ) links two or more devices using some wireless distribution method (typically spread-spectrum or OFDM radio), and usually providing a connection through an access point to the wider internet.

The impact of Queen Victorias Death on Australia :: essays research papers fc

Queen Victoria’s Death Queen Victoria’s reign, lasted 63 years, from 1837 to 1901. She ascended the throne of Great Britain, when she was 18. Despite being the Queen of Britain, and a very influential and prominent person, she also had an impact on Australian history. In Australia the most apparent legacy of Queen Victoria’s reign is manifested in the names of the two states, Victoria and Queensland. There are also a large number of other important buildings and places, named in her honor such as, the Queen Victoria Building, in Sydney. Victoria was loved and respected by her subjects, and Australian society at the time was affected greatly by the loss of their beloved Queen. An example of the affection and grief felt by the Australian people is apparent in the following poem, written by J D Horne of Castlemaine, Victoria. â€Å"Who can recall to memory the life Of one so loved, so dear — A devoted mother, Queen and wife A friend when few drew near — And not in silent agony Be melted into tears. A nation weeps her, The whole world mourns her... Dead, did I say? Ah! No! She lives In every loving heart. A nation’s grief is not assuaged – No time can heal the smart. She lives forever, and her deeds Will live in memory too, And history recount her praise For all the ages through. For never monarch lived on earth So worthy of our song...†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Victorian era, as it became known, was the time of Queen Victoria’s reign. Victoria’s death signaled the end of an era. It was a rich and significant period in Britain, which had a positive influence on Australia also. It saw profound social changes culminating in the rise of the middle class, population growth, and an increase in wealth. Victoria was Queen and so it was seen as a product of her reign and so the love for her increased. Victoria’s death created a feeling of insecurity and uncertainty of what would result. However, it also created the feeling of opportunity and a new beginning. â€Å"There was a sense not only in London but in all the capitals of the world that an age had come to an end, a stronger sense than there had been when the 19th century itself drew to a close.† (1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There were mixed feelings with the end of Victoria’s reign. At the time Australian culture still revolved around Britain and most Australian’s were either born in Britain, or had relatives residing there.

Evaluate the idea that gender and sexuality are socially constructed Essay

In recent years sociologists have been studying the great extent to which gender roles are learned. Many behaviors that have traditionally been thought to be genetically determined male or female behaviors turn out to be learned behaviors and therefore subject to change in future generations. In a summary of gender role socialization studies, David Shaffer (1979) points out that by the age of two, children have generally learned to recognize â€Å"maleness† and â€Å"femaleness† on the basis of clothing and hair styles. By the age of three, children usually have learned to prefer sex-typed toys and recognize that girls become â€Å"mommies† and boys become â€Å"daddies†. By school-age, children realized that they are expected to engage in appropriate gender behavior and if they do not, they will meet with disapproval from other children and adults. Many sociologists have personally questioned the value of such early gender-role learning and raised questions about how this learning can inhibit later opportunities in terms of education and career selection (Howe, 1979). To understand how gender and sexuality are socially constructed we must look at the adaptive and functional nature of socialization. One can look at the content of socialization as adaptive for the individual and functional for the society. As adaptive for the individual, the content of socialization involves knowledge necessary for individual to adapt to the changing situation of their daily lives, while, as a function for society, the content of socialization involves the knowledge necessary for its members to maintain a society as an ongoing entity. Knowledge of social rules, appropriate emotional behavior, social situations, technical knowledge, one’s self-identity, and communicative abilities give individuals an ability to adjust their behaviors to one another in the different groups and situations in which they encounter each other. Such adjustments are necessary for the ongoing existence of a society. Only people know how to adjust their behaviors to each other can the group activities and relationships which make up a society be maintained. Only with a socialized adult population can anything such as a society be said to exist. The particular content of socialization becomes highly important in terms of the make-up of the society that one is observing. If the content of socialization were to change, people’s activities and motivations would change, and clearly the society would change. So, on a sociological quest the content of socialization is something to which the sociologist should and must pay attention (O’Brien, 2001). Charles H. Cooley (1964), a pioneer of American socialization studies, referred to an individual’s self-concept as a â€Å"looking-glass self†. Cooley implied that our self-conceptions reflect our interpretation of the relations to our behavior of those around us with whom we interact. According to Cooley, we not how others respond to our actions, which produces in us a feeling about ourselves, which influences how we perceive ourselves. For instance a person who drops something and overhears another’s remark about how clumsy he is, may come to think of himself as a clumsy individual. We come to think of ourselves in terms of our understanding of how others think about us. It is through interaction that we come to apply to ourselves such labels as â€Å"kind† or â€Å"mean†, â€Å"awkward† or â€Å"graceful†. To see oneself as beautiful is to interact with persons who see you as meeting the criteria of beauty. Whether one sees oneself as an ugly duckling or a beautiful swan depends upon the flock with which one swims. As a naturalistic and empirical quest for understanding the various aspects of social reality is that everyone both influences and is influenced by society, sociology is ultimately a quest for self understanding. Humans beings are not isolated entities; we are not hermits who live apart uninfluenced by one another. Rather, we are social beings who can only be fully understood when the social context of our actions are taken into account and carefully studied. In order to carry out the quest for sociological knowledge it is necessary to have an understanding of the types, uses and limitations of the various sociological tools or methods. The sociological quest can be the appropriate sociological map or theory (Shaffer, 1979). Now I want to look at social life as a process and structure in the social construction of gender and sexuality. Social life involves processes of socialization, culture, and deviance. Learning how to act in society via socialization, developing and sharing of orientations toward social life via culture, and the negative sanctioning of inappropriate behaviors via the labeling process of deviance are universal processes, which are necessary to social life, and found in all societies. Although their particular make-up will vary from society to society, these three processes exist in all human societies. But, in addition to these processes, there also exists in all societies some relatively permanent patterns of organized social life that sociologists refer to as social structures. It is within and through social structures that the processes of socialization, culture and deviance take place. Just as the processes of human life take place in the structure of the human body so, too, the processes of society take place within and are influenced by social structures (Macionis, 1997). The most basic social structure around and through which social life takes place are groups; groups range in size from relatively small informal groups such as families, to large bureaucracies and formal organizations such as businesses and governmental agencies. All groups are composed of members who have met certain criteria for membership, who play certain understood roles in the group, and who have a sense of group belonging, which is sometimes termed a â€Å"we-feeling† or a â€Å"consciousness-of –kind†. Groups, related to one another in terms of their performing similar social activities, together from the social structures called social institutions. For example all the groups primarily involved in educational activities together form a society’s educational institution. It is through and in groups, and the institutions that they compose that the basic social processes of a society take place. It is in social groups that the learning of socialization takes place that cultural roles are shared and acted upon, and that deviance is ascertained and punished. People know how to perform roles in groups because they have knowledge of how to act which they developed in the process of socialization, because they share cultural understandings with other group members with whom they interact, because they have an understanding of what is considered deviant and unacceptable behavior in the various groups to which they belong (O’Brien, 2001). When we consider how females and males differ, the first thing that usually comes to mind is sex, the biological characteristics that distinguish males and females. Primary sex characteristics consist of a vagina or a penis and other organs related to reproduction, secondary sex characteristics are the physical distinctions between males and females that are not directly connected with reproduction. Secondary sex characteristics become clearly evident at puberty, when males develop more muscles, a lower voice, and more hair and height while females form more fatty tissue, broader hips, and larger breasts. Gender is a social and not a biological characteristic. Gender consists of whatever traits a group considers proper for its males and females. This is what makes gender vary from one society to another. Sex refers to male or female, gender refers to masculinity or femininity, so sex you inherit and you learn your gender as you are socialized into specific behaviors and attitudes (Gilmore, 1990). The sociological significance of gender is that it is a device by which society controls its members. Gender sorts us on the basis of sex, into different life experiences. It open and closes doors to power, property, and even prestige. Like social class, gender is a structural feature of society. Biology plays a significant role in our lives. Each of us begins as a fertilized egg. The egg, or ovum, is contributed by our mother, the sperm that fertilizes the egg by our father. At the very moment the egg is fertilized, our sex is determined. Each of us receives twenty-three pairs of chromosomes from the ovum and twenty-three from the sperm. The egg has an X chromosome. If the sperm that fertilized the egg also has an X chromosome, we become female. If the sperm has a Y chromosome we become male. That’s the biology. Now the sociological question is, does this biological difference control our behavior? Does it make females more nurturing and submissive and males more aggressive and domineering? (Macionis, 1997) Almost all sociologists take the side of â€Å"nurture† in this â€Å"nature vs. nurture† controversy. The dominant sociological position is represented by the symbolic interactionists. They stress that the visible differences of sex do not come with meanings built into them. Rather each human group determines what these physical differences mean for them and on that basis assigns males and females to separate groups. It is here that people learn what is expected of them and are given different access to their society’s privileges. Most sociologists find compelling argument that if biology were the principal factor in human behavior all around the world we would find women to be one sort of person and men another. In fact, ideals of gender vary greatly from one culture to another and as a result, so do male-female behaviors. For example the Tahitians in the South Pacific show a remarkable contrast to our usual expectations of gender. They don’t give their children names that are identifiable as male or female, and they don’t divide their labor on the basis of gender. They expect both men and women to be passive, yielding and to ignore slights. Neither male nor females are competitive in trying to attain material possessions (Gilmore, 1990). Society also channels our behavior through gender socialization. By expecting different attitudes and behaviors from us because we are male or female, the human group nudges boys and girls in separate directions in life. This foundation of contrasting attitudes and behaviors is so thorough that, as adults most of us think, act and even feel according to our culture’s guidelines of what is appropriate for our sex. Our parents are the first significant others who teaches us our part in this symbolic division of the world. Their own gender orientations are so firmly established that they do much of this teaching without even being aware of what they are doing. This is illustrated by a classic study done by psychologists Susan Goldberg and Michael Lewis (1969). They asked mothers to bring their 6 month old infants into their laboratory to supposedly observe the infant’s development. Secretly these researchers also observed the mothers. They found that the mothers kept their daughters closer to them. They also touch and spoke more to their daughters. By the time the children were 13 months old, the girls stayed closer to their mothers during play, and they returned to them sooner and more often than did the boys. When they set up barriers to separate the children from their mothers, who were hiding toys, the girls were more likely to cry and motion for help, the boys ere likely to try to climb over the barrier. Goldberg and Lewis (1969) were able to conclude that in our society mothers unconsciously reward their daughters for being passive and dependent, their sons for being active and independent. These lessons continue throughout childhood. On the basis of their sex, children are given different kinds of toys. Preschool boys are allowed to roam farther from home than their preschool sisters, and they are subtly encouraged to participate in more rough and tumble play. Even get dirtier and to me more defiant. Such experiences in socialization lie at the heart of the sociological explanation of male/female differences (O’Brien, 2001). In today’s society mass media plays a vital role in gender and sexuality roles. Sociologist stress how this sorting process that begins in the family is reinforced as the child is exposed to other aspects of society. Especially important today are the mass media, forms of communication that are directed to large audiences. Powerful images of both sexes on television, music and the internet reinforce society’s expectation of gender. Television reinforces stereotypes of the sexes. On prime time television, male characters outnumber female characters by two to one. They also are more likely to be portrayed in higher status positions. Viewers get the message, for the more television that people watch; the more they tend to have restrictive ideas about women’s role in society. The expectations to the stereotypes are notable and a sign of changing times. Video games have some youths spending countless hours playing games. Even college students, especially males, relieve stress by escaping into video games. But more studies into the affect of these games on the ideas of gender are needed. Because the games are the cutting edge of society, they sometimes also reflect cutting edge changes in sex roles (Macionis, 1997). As women change their roles in society, the mass media reflects those changes. Although media images of women are passive, subordinate, or as mere background objects remain and still predominate, a new image has broken through. Exaggerating changes in society, this new image nonetheless reflects a changing role of women, from passive to active in life outside the home, from acquiescent to dominate in social relations. Books, magazines, DVD’s and video games are made available to a mass audience. And with new digital advances they have crossed the line form what we traditionally think of as games to something that more closely resembles interactive movies. Sociologically, what is significant is that the content of video games socializes their users. Gamers are exposed not only to action, but also to ideas as they play. Especially significant are gender images that communicate powerful messages, just as they do in other forms of mass media (O’Brien, 2001). Lara Croft, an adventure seeking archeologist and star of Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider 2, is the essence of the new gender image. Lara is smart, strong, and able to utterly vanquish foes. With both guns blazing, she is the cowboy of the twenty-first century, the term cowboy being purposely chosen, as Lara breaks gender roles and assumes what previously was the domain of men. The old remains powerfully encapsulated in the new. Lara is a fantasy girl for young men of the digital generation. No matter her foe, no matter her predicament, Lara always is outfitted in form fitting outfits, which reflect the mental images of the men who created this digital character. Their efforts have been so successful that boys and young men have bombarded corporate headquarters with questions about Lara’s personal life. Lara had caught young men’s fancy to such an extent that more than 100 web sites are devoted to her. The final reward of the game is to see Lara in a nightie one can question that regardless of tough girl images just how far stereotypes have been left behind (Macionis, 1997). Gender stratification gives males and females unequal access to power and prestige and property on the basis of sex. It is closely associated with class and caste stratification and is a related phenomenon of gender stratification. Some but not all societies have men and women as unequal with the latter being more seen. Sexual in equality is characteristic of societies that are stratified in other ways as well. Women have historically occupied a position of inferiority to men in the class structured societies of the Western world. Sexual inequality may sometimes be seen in societies that are not otherwise stratified, in such instances men and women are always physically as well as conceptually separated from one another. The rise of gender stratification often seems to be associated with the development of strongly centralized states. Because social stratification of any kind tends to make life oppressive for large segments of a population, the lower classes are usually placated by means of religion, which promises them a better existence in the hereafter. Gender inequality is not some accident; instead it is the institutions of each society that work together to maintain the group’s particular forms of inequality. Customs throughout history both justify and maintain these arrangements. Although men have resisted sharing their privileged positions with women, change has come (O’Brien, 2001). By playing a fuller role in the decision making processes of our social institutions, women are going against the stereotypes and role models that lock males into exclusively male activities and push females into roles that re considered feminine. As structural barriers fall and more activities are engendered, both males and females will be free to pursue activities that are more compatible with their abilities and desires as individuals. As they develop a new consciousness of themselves and their own potential, relationships between females and males will change. Certainly distinctions between the sexes will not disappear. There is no reason for biological differences to be translated into social inequalities. The reasonable goal is appreciation of sexual differences coupled with equality of opportunity which may lead to a transformed society.