Digital Divide Essay Example for Free

Digital Divide Essay The term digital divide emerged in the mid-1990’s to describe the gap that exists between individuals who have access to technology and those that do not have access (Eamon, 2004). Computer technology has transformed modern society in profound ways (Behrman Shields, 2000). Everyday society exposes citizens to technology in some form. Citizens integrate technology into common tasks such as signing into work, paying bills, shopping, paying taxes, and even reading the local newspaper (Behrman Shields, 2000). The increasing integration of technology into society cause school systems to be more resolute about including technology in every classroom. School leaders generally agree that access to technology prepares students to succeed in the 21st century (Bell, Judge, Puckett, 2006). Other researchers point out that increasing access to technology in the classroom environment does not ensure academic improvement. These researchers point out that there are limits to the advantages that technology offers. A meta-analysis by Crismann, Badgert and Lucking (1997) involving 27 studies concerning academic achievement of students who received traditional classroom instruction or traditional classroom instruction with technology integration showed interesting results. On average, students receiving technology infused instruction attained higher academic achievement than 58. 2 percent of those in traditional classrooms (Page, 2002). The digital divide addresses societal differences that correlate to the educational outcomes of students. Such differences raised concerns about the emergence of the digital divide between the children on one side who are benefiting from technology and the children on the other side who the lack of technology access leaves behind (Becker, 2000). Key Terms and Definitions 1. Application – computer software; also called a program 2. Broadband – a type of data transmission in which a single wire can carry several channels at once. Broadband technology can transmit data, audio, and video all at once over long distances. 3. Chat – real time, text-based communication in a virtual environment 4. Digital Divide – the gap between those with regular, effective access to digital technologies and those without 5. Digital Technology – machinery and computer equipment used for practical and informative purposes 6. Learning Portal – any web site that offers learners and organizations consolidated access to learning and training resources from multiple sources 7. Multimedia – interactive text, images, sounds, and color 8. Network – two or more computers that are connected so users can share files and devices 9. Online – a computer communicating with another computer 10. World Wide Web (www) – a graphical Internet tool that provides access to homepages created by individuals, businesses, and other organizations Statement of Hypothesis Researchers define the digital divide as discrepancies in technology use and access in learning environments based on ethnicity and socioeconomic status (Pearson Swain, 2002). School systems and government programs supply technology equipment and software to United States’ schools in effort to close the digital divide. Nearly every school is now equipped with computers, and over two-thirds of our nation’s children have access at home (Shields Behrman, 2000). Equal access and supply cannot close the digital divide alone. Teachers need adequate training on selection of technology and integration of technology. Teachers, parents, and students must become technology literate in order to close the digital divide. Review of Literature Advantages of Technology and Academic Performance The digital divide influences academic performance because limited student access to technology minimizes experiences and knowledge necessary to succeed academically. Computer based technology contributes to children’s academic achievement. Researchers associate having a home computer to better academic performance (Jackson et al. , 2006). Schools play a critical role in providing access to computers to students who do not have home computers. Teachers can have a profound effect on the digital divide by carefully examining how and when technology use is necessary. Regular use of technology in the classroom directly contributes to student achievement, both by making students more effective in their learning and teachers more efficient in their teaching. Teacher education should not focus on technology alone, but on its alignment with the curriculum. In order for this alignment with the curriculum to take place, more computers must be available for students use. Technology integrated into the curriculum increases students’ time on task and extends learning into the home, beyond the traditional school day (Shield Behrman, 2000). Classrooms benefit from the advantages of technology if planning is efficient and effective for a particular group of students. Students must understand that the use of technology within lessons supports productivity. Technology is a tool that students use for learning, research, networking, collaboration, telecommunications, and problem solving. Technology lessons must be meaningful and engaging for students to improve academic performance. Teachers are able to shift student learning from memorizing answers to questions to knowing how to find answers. Activities that encourage students to use technology outside of the classroom such as using the technology lab, school media center, or local public library prepare students for future educational experiences. Using technology for academic tasks plays a positive role in student achievement (Wenglinsky, 2005). If students participate in authentic technology enhanced activities on a regular basis, these activities will offer students the support they need to become learners that are more proficient and possibly narrow the divide. Limitations of Technology and Academic Performance The level and quality of the student interactions with technology can limit the academic advantages that technology offers. Students must be able to use computers for more than web-surfing, chatting, game playing, and participating in low-level thinking activities. Student interactions with computers must be quality interactions that allow students to do research and create original multimedia products. Although 99% of public classrooms have access to computers, many students are not meeting the technology standards set by the National Educational Technology Standards (Morgan VanLengen, 2005). While technology exposes students to activities that allow them to use higher order thinking and problem solving techniques, they still prefer to engage in non-academic activities on the Internet. Becker (2000) states that â€Å"most student Internet activities were recreational in nature such as email, chat rooms, web-based games, web surfing, and listening to music†. Many children’s activities on the Internet appear to be for entertainment purposes instead of educational purposes. While the Internet gives students access to an array of educational tools, it also gives them access to non-academic material. Teachers often have trouble monitoring student use of appropriate websites, electronic mail messages, instant messages, and live chat rooms. Without careful observation, students can easily use school time to access material that is inappropriate for children and will not improve academic improvement. Even if teachers properly monitor students, they may not benefit from having access to computers in the classroom. Research by Lilia C. DiBello (2005) states that many teachers have not been properly trained to integrate technology in the classroom. While teachers may be comfortable with navigating various types of software, they often have trouble implementing the technology to meet technology standards (DiBello, 2005). Teacher preparation programs now require future teachers to take a technology course as a graduation requirement. However, technology is rapidly changing and school systems offer few opportunities that allow teachers to keep up with the changes modern technology brings. When teachers are not willing and not prepared to integrate technology into their classrooms, they often fail to prepare students to perform authentic tasks using the computers. Teachers often use computers for low-level thinking activities such as drill and practice (Pearson Swain, 2002). According to Pearson and Swain (2002), students in high-poverty schools use computers for drill and practice 35% of the time, as opposed to students in low-poverty schools, who used computers for drill and practice 26% of the time. Schools who are below the poverty line are also more often to use computers for remedial purposes instead of higher order thinking skills. Teachers rarely teach students to use the computers to answers questions that they ask, research topics, or to prepare multimedia projects that coincide with the subjects they have learned in the classroom. Importance of Closing the Divide The digital divide exists both quantitatively and qualitatively. Gillan (2003) supported that quantitative gaps exist in schools and families where there is not enough access or time spent with technology. Qualitative gaps refer to selection of appropriate applications and quality training. Many studies have drawn the conclusion that the key factor in closing the digital divide may not be access alone. As years have passed, attention moved away from who is connected to the question of who is served. It is important to consider that the upper-to-middle classes are given high-quality access to technology because technologists are hard at work creating â€Å"solutions† designed just for them. According to Morgan and VanLengen (2005), most affluent students use software that requires the use of critical thinking skill. Less affluent students predominately use drill and practice software. Many school officials feel that technologists ignore solutions for the poor. The result is often that schools give the poor low-quality access that could actually hurt them and, in some sense, widen the divide. Because of the continued influences of technology on society, the United States must address the digital divide and implement strategies to narrow the gap. It is imperative to focus on what can be done if needs cannot be met. Students that are technology savvy have significant advantages over their peers. Students with limited technology skills will not have the same educational or job opportunities and information that will be necessary for full and knowledgeable participation in society. Leaders should not subject students to the wrong side of the digital divide just because computer access at home is limited or none. It is the responsibility of the schools and communities to help narrow the gap. The schools are the primary source of computer access. Schools can promote digital equity for young children by including access to computer resources used in developmentally appropriate ways (Judge, 2005). The digital divide has consequences that extend beyond the school. If the digital divide was only a matter of unequal access to equipment, closing it would simply involve duplicating the resources of wealthy schools in poorer schools (Riel, Schwartz, Hitt, 2002). Educators need to learn the basics of information literacy: searching, evaluating materials for quality, risk assessment, and equally important privacy protection. These skills go beyond online behavior to include mass media and everyday communications. Conclusion It is the job of educators to plan technology-integrated lessons that are appropriate for the particular group they are teaching. Educators must have knowledge and skills to integrate technology into meaningful activities of interest and relevance to children. Educators need to be aware of the advantages and the limitations of technology for all students. The primary key to closing the digital divide is investment in literacy and education. The biggest barrier to use of digital technology is lack of skills. It is possible that the next generation of the World Wide Web, referred to as Internet, emphasizes the need to go beyond text to give users a sensory experience of the web. Some governments are exploring the use of cell phones, and applications like voice recognition technology or use of visual icons on various devices. The implications for closing the digital divide are important to society. Closing the digital divide will offer educational advantages, future employment and earning opportunities, chance for social and civic involvement, equity, and civil rights for all.

Essay --

The effects of observational learning on children Does allowing children to watch violent television and what they see on a daily basis in their lives from peers and adults effect their actions, and thoughts? The answer is simply yes! When it comes down to the facts, children’s behaviors are greatly influenced from what they see going on around them. Children can be taught to be violent or they can be taught to be kind, they can be taught to be confident, or they can be stripped of their self-confidence, they can be taught to be great or they can be taught to fail in life all from observing how adults and peers in their life act. Children start out in life observing everything that everyone and everything around them are doing. They learn to walk, talk, and feed themselves from observing what their parents, siblings, and other people around them do. They learn these things from observing and then imitating them. â€Å"It has been found that infants as early 6 weeks old imitate facial expressions and infants 6 and 9 months of age have shown to exhibit deferred imitation of actions demonstrated with objects† (Jones, Hebert. 197). â€Å"Recently researchers at the University of Washington and Temple University have found the first evidence revealing a key aspect of the brain processing that occurs in babies to allow this learning by observation† (â€Å"Baby Brains Learn Through Imitation†). In their study they found that when a baby observed an adult touch a toy with their hand the same part of the brain that controls the same hand on the child would light up. The same was true if they obs erved an adult touch the toy with their foot, the foot part of the child’s brain would light up. These results showed that when babies observed someone els... ...Jones and Hebert found that infants as early as 6 weeks old imitate facial expressions and infants 6 to 9 months of age have shown to exhibit deferred imitation of actions demonstrated with objects. Greer, Dudek-Singer and Gautreaux found that even weeks after their study was completed that the children’s behavior was still able to be reinforced with the plastic discs that were used in their experiment. The exposure to chronic alcoholism by parents effect children well into adulthood and in almost every area of their lives from health to relationships and Huesmann, L. R., Moise-Titus, J., Podolski, C., & Eron, L. D. found that exposure to early childhood violence on television effects children well into adulthood. These studies are proof that what children observe growing up does effect what they learn and can have horrible effects on who they are when they grow up.

Challenge the Power of Government Essay

The Internet has recently become the object of detailed research. This research is being conducted in numerous areas of science, including politics. The claims that Internet threatens the power of government are becoming too frequent to ignore them; this is why it will be interesting to address these issues once again, and to objectively evaluate whether such claims have any grounds. Thesis statement: the power of the Internet does not challenge the power of government, but on the contrary, creates favorable conditions for promoting the governmental policies and political positions. The question of the Internet power and its possible impact on the power of physical governments is directly connected with the definition of Internet, its current functions, development, and opportunities which it provides to its users. The direct connection of Internet and globalization processes is viewed as the major challenge to the power of governments all over the world. This political position may seem correct and grounded at first glance. Going deeper into the issue, one will find certain misunderstandings and misconceptions, which relate to what real role Internet plays today. Lessig (2000) writes about Internet as the structure of norms, the power of which can be strengthened or disabled by its users. He emphasizes the fact that â€Å"Cyberspace is an architecture first. It is a platform that gets designed. It is constituted by a set of code – by software and hardware that makes cyberspace as it is† (Lessig 4). First, if the Cyberspace is a mere architecture, governed by the software and hardware, why do politicians raise the issue of Internet challenging the power of governments? It is hardly possible to imagine, that any hardware could challenge the power of any government in the world. Simultaneously, if the issue is relevant, the Internet cannot be called â€Å"mere architecture† (Lessig 4). It means that the current state of the Internet is something more than architecture. Possibly, it is the set of communicational, social, and other norms which allow the Internet users impact (or not impact) the power of government and other political structures. Thus, Lessig’s statement contradicts itself but deserves attention within the framework of the current discussion. Farrel (2006) discussed the issues of the Internet political impact in connection with the globalization processes. â€Å"Globalization, and in particular the rapid increase in the flows of financial resources and information across the borders, has important consequences both for policy interdependence and for the role of the state† (p. 354). While did the dissemination of cross-borders in the Cyberspace lead to the uncontrolled spreading of gambling, pornography, extremist political material, about which Farrell wrote, and how did this relate to the power of government? If the dissemination of cross-borders in the Cyberspace has become uncontrollable, does it mean that government is too weak to invent effective measures of such control? I would assume that the physical weakness of state governments and state policies to put the Cyberspace under control is more relevant in this discussion; there is no challenge to the power of government. Moreover, it is only partially a challenge to government’s power; those who view the Internet as the challenge to the political power of the government tend to admit its weakness. However, the situation is better to be described as follows: the power of the Cyberspace creates new conditions for the world governments to exercise their power and to invent new instruments of power. The only problem is that governments do not yet understand, how the Cyberspace issues should be addressed, but hopefully, it is the matter of time. The challenge, about which cyber libertarians tend to speak, should not be addressed as the striving to neutralize the power of government. This challenge should be equaled to the opportunity, which government should properly address in order to retain its power and to spread its control onto the Cyberspace, too. The Internet has initially been designed â€Å"as a technology that would be resistant to centralized control† (Boas 8). The absence of the centralized control was always connected with the already mentioned dissemination of the cross-borders in the Cyberspace (Farrell 354). This is why cyber libertarians try to convince the public that the Internet challenges the power of government. Let’s view the issue through a different prism. â€Å"In our transnationally linked and globally integrated world, both borders, and the attendant sharp distinction between the domestic and the foreign, are again losing meaning. In an interdependent global economy, basic issues such as unemployment and income inequality are no longer domestic problems subject to domestic solutions. Once more, it is far from clear, who is independent and who is not† (Kobrin 10). The argument to which cyber libertarians relate in their argument is rather weak in the light of the numerous international agreements, which regulate the globalization processes in the physical world. The bright examples of the international agreements (the GATT, the WTO, and the EU) create favorable conditions to assume that the Cyberspace can also be subjected to such agreements and regulations, if properly addressed by governments and other international organizations. Obviously, there is no challenge to the power of government but again, it is the vast area of opportunities to create a powerful set of political and legal norms to control the Cyberspace users’ behavior. The issue of territory and the elimination of geographical borders in the Internet can easily be compromised by the creation of international agreements and regulatory bodies. Such step will only prove the power of international governments. Stating that the Internet challenges the power of the Government is rather weak due to the inherent ambiguity of the power in general (Kobrin 15). In order to speak how and why the Cyberspace challenges the power of government, one should primarily determine what he (she) means under the word â€Å"power† – does it imply the possibility to tax the operations taking place within the e-commerce space, or the possibility to regulate and control the spreading of the extremist political information in the Cyberspace? â€Å"The Ukraine experience demonstrates that, under certain circumstances, online activists can affect politics in regimes where there us no thriving independent media sector. For starters, activist websites can become an alternative source of news and commentary in countries where traditional media are under state control†. (Drezner 3) Evidently, the discussion of the Internet creating challenges to the power of government can be held only within the environment, where the public trusts the blogs more than it trusts its own government. The political events in Ukraine, Georgia and other countries are the evidence of the government’s weakness and public mistrust. In these conditions not only the Internet, but any other instrument may serve the means of changing the political regime or challenging the government’s power. The Internet in these states challenges the power of the government due to the fact, that the government itself is incapable of governing numerous issues in the nation’s civil reality. The Cyberspace is viewed as the attempt to change the existing social conditions, but again, challenging the power which does not exist or is underdeveloped in the state is hardly possible. In the developed states, the self-regulation of the Cyberspace is far from being a challenge to the power of government. On the contrary, it is the means of aligning the needs and goals of the nation with its technological advancement. It has been mentioned, that the Internet is the vast area of opportunities for the national governments to create a set of norms and regulations, similar to the WTO and the GATT in the physical world. It is difficult not to agree to Farrell, that â€Å"private actors are increasingly serving the channels of influence, or the proxies for states. In other words, private actors are not creating self-regulatory realms that are outside the reach of states. Instead, they are increasingly coming to serve as vectors of state influence† (p. 16). In the countries, where the power of government is sufficient for the public to trust it and to respect it, the Internet cannot but serve the means of promoting the state political, social, cultural and economic positions. Moreover, the level of self-regulation in these states is surprisingly aligned with the high degree of governmental control towards the Cyberspace users’ behavior. The U. S. policy was initially aimed at providing the Internet users with the opportunities for self-regulation. This opportunity was never anticipated to challenge any state authority and was a purposeful step of the governmental structures. When the governmental authority is supposed to be challenged by the Cyberspace, such claims are at least misleading. As long as they are connected with the self-regulation of the Internet, they are easily denied; the self-regulation of the Cyberspace is gradually disappearing and is being replaced by the limits both democratic and non-democratic governments set onto the private actors and the objects they try to access (Farrell 16). This is why, the current political conditions and the current (surely, powerful) position of the Internet does not allow stating that the Cyberspace challenges the power of government. Conclusion The issue of the Cyberspace challenging the power of the Government should be objectively considered. At first glance, these claims may seem relevant, but obviously, the Cyberspace cannot challenge the power of Government for the following reasons: 1. In powerful developed democratic societies the Government possesses efficient methods of regulating the Cyberspace individuals; the Internet is viewed as the means of promoting the influence of the Government, and not challenging it. 2. In underdeveloped and young states the Internet seems to challenge the centralized power, when population views it as an alternative and more reliable source of information. However, such situation is the proof of the government’s weakness and the underdevelopment of the state power as such; definitely, the Internet cannot challenge something that does not exist or is at the initial stage of its development. Works cited Boas, T. C. Weaving the Authoritarian Web: The Control of Internet Use in Non-Democratic Regimes. University of California, Berkeley, 2005. Drezner, D. W. Weighing the Scales: the Internet’s Effect on State-Society Relations. University of Chicago, 2005. Farrell, H. â€Å"Regulating Information Flows: States, Private Actors, and E-Commerce†. Annu. Rev. Polit. Sci. 9 (2006): 353-74. Farrel, H. The Political Economy of the Internet and E-Commerce. Draft Book Chapter. Kobrin, S. J. â€Å"Neomedivalism and the Postmodern Digital World Economy†. The Journal of International Affairs, Spring (1998): 361-86. Lessig, L. Architecting for Control. Lecture Given at the Institute for Human Sciences, Vienna, AS, 2000.

The Global Business Crisis and Consumer Behavior

The Global Business Crisis and Consumer Behavior: Kingdom of Bahrain as a Case Study Durra Mansoor & Akram Jalal January 2011 Summary: This research aims to learn how Bahrain consumers affected by global financial crisis since 2007. Additionally, it focuses on changes in consumer behavior after global crisis. The result of this research is based on questioner analysis which tries to measure knowledge about global crises to randomly selected consumers in Bahrain. The World is facing with economic challenges. America, powerful Europe and Asia affected by financial crises in some different levels.The global financial crisis affected all consumers in the World not only economically but also psychologically. This new financial situation increased panic and uncertainty on consumers in globe. In hard and stressful times such as economic crises, consumer behavior changes have occurred. Because of FC, consumers changed their behaviors by reducing their consumption. People became money-minded and they don’t want to spend money for premium products anymore, and they prefer cheapest products. They redefine â€Å"necessities† and â€Å"luxuries†. Also you can read  Business Ethics ComprisesSo, they only buy the things which are taking place on their shopping list. They’re comparing products and making their choices by compromising quality. Some of them started to manage their income by searching on e-commerce websites to catch best price. They are planning their purchasing by postponing expenditures like discretionary expenditure to make savings. Thus, their total expenditure amount decreased because of global crisis. According to Mansoor and Jalal (2011), the role that consumers play in these days is very crucial to business’ survival.It is driving force behind the success of many businesses, because most of the contemporary consumers spend major time on buying decisions. Consumers buying decision is changing person to person. However, after economic crises, consumer started to spend much time for information and decision making. By predicting consumer’s behavior, a business can understand consumerâ₠¬â„¢s needs, and can work on fulfilling the needs and meeting the expectations of their customers (Mansoor and Jalal, 2011). Businesses should work hard for success of their businesses and try to strengthen their long-term strategies.They should personalize their products to earn consumers’ loyalty. Making investment to their brand and differentiating themselves against to their competitors are also crucial. Businesses should add new and irreplaceable products to their portfolios and build tight relations with their consumers to survive in financial crisis. Consumers in Bahrain adapted to new trends after financial crisis. They preferred to purchase less priced and substitute products compared by expensive products. They though that expensive products are not that much worthy by considering their high prices.

Comparing Schindler essays

Comparing Schindler essays An Accurate Depiction of History There have been many documentaries and dramatic productions focusing on the Holocaust. The film, Schindlers List is one of the most serious, accurate, and compelling nondocumentary accounts so far. With the vision of unforgettable images, this movie shows the anguish and endless struggle the massacred Jews suffered. This film explores the many sides of humanity during one of the most terrifying times in recent history. Some people, however, may respond negatively to the fact that there may be some historical inaccuracies, or maybe a lack of focus on the real issues, but no film can ever capture the full torment, or the whole sequence of a six-year war. I feel this movie gives an efficient description of what the Holocaust was merely all about. It frankly describes the senseless murder of innocence Jews. Schindlers List clarifies and depicts three major stories. One is the true tale of the Holocaust, displaying new representations of bad memories. Thes e images of the Jewish ghettos presented may or may not be accurate, but they certainly looked creditable. Everything from the people, the streets, and the clothing they wore all gave me an overall impression of gloom and despair, an exact detail of what was taken place at the time of the Holocaust. The second story given was that of Oskar Schindler himself. At the start of the film Schindler is no more than a self-centered capitalist who sees the advantage of employing Jews because they work for lower wages. Later, we get some impression that his perspective changes, and he risks losing everything to save as many lives as he can. The third story lies on the Nazi commander of Krakow, Amon Goeth, a man who is on the full brink of madness. As written in many documentaries, Goeth could easily have become an immoral monster, but in this movie he shows unexpected intensity and confusion in his character. Particularly, in the tense scene with his Jewi...

Past Perfect Worksheets for ESL Learners

Past Perfect Worksheets for ESL Learners In general, the past perfect is used to express something that had happened before something else in the past. The key to understanding the past perfect is that is used to express something which was completed in the past before something else took place. Past Perfect Positive Form Review Subject had past participle objects Examples: Alex had finished the test before Tom asked to see it.They had lived in France for 10 years before they moved home. Past Perfect Negative Form Subject had not past participle objects Examples: She hadnt eaten by the time he arrived.We hadnt bought the car when he told us the news. Past Perfect Question Form (Question Word) had subject past participle? Examples: Had you done anything before he arrived?What had she done to upset you so much? Important Note! Regular past participles in -ed, irregular past participles of verbs vary and must be studied. Already / Before Already is used in the past perfect positive form to something that something had been completed before another action occurred.Before is used in the past perfect in a similar sense to already, but in all forms. Examples: They had already completed the work when he arrived.She hadnt been able to eat lunch before he telephoned. For For is used to express the duration of time something had happened before something else occurred in the past. Examples: Susan had worked as an assistant manager for five years before she was promoted.They had lived in that house for ten years before he moved in with them. By the Time By the time is used to express the point in time up until which something had happened. Examples: By the time he asked me, I had completed everything he requested.They had eaten by the time he walked into the room. Past Perfect Worksheet 1 Conjugate the verb in parentheses in the past perfect tense. In the case of questions, use the indicated subject as well. They ____ (eat) before he arrived.____ (you finish) the report before he asked for it?Jennifer _____ (buy) the house before the market crashed.What _____ (she do) that upset him so much?Our boss _____ (not make) the decision yet when management changed their mind.The students _____ (write) the report, but the teacher made them do it again.Mark _____ (want) to go to New York, but his wife changed his mind._____ (they invest) in that stock before the market improved?Alex _____ (not do) the gardening before it started raining.Their decision _____ (make - passive voice) before conditions changed.We _____ (eat already) so we werent hungry._____ (Tom choose) the color for his room before he was asked to paint it black?Sarah _____ (drive) three hundred miles by the time she arrived in Tacoma.Few people _____ (understand) the news when the consequences began to appear.The reporter _____ (not tell) the cameraman to get ready when the president walked into the room.Bob _____ (purchase) the fir st generation iPad two weeks before the second generation was introduced. I _____ (print) the report before he gave me the updates._____ (Henry come) home before the called the police?She _____ (not complete) the article when the news changed everything.The coach _____ (reserve) rooms for everybody so there werent any problems. Past Perfect Worksheet 2 Choose the correct time or quantity expression used with the past perfect tense. How (much/long) had you known Peter before he proposed?They had (yet/already) eaten by the time he arrived.Cathy hadnt finished the report (when/by) the time he asked for it.Phillip had requested all the forms (as soon as/before) he began the application process.How (much/long) wine had they drunk before they were asked to stop?She had made the decision long (after/before) he asked her to marry him.They had always wanted to visit Amsterdam (so/as) they went!Jackson hadnt been able to read the book (when/as) the teacher asked him to quote from it.Susan had (yet/already) printed the report before her boss requested it.Had they (yet/already) heard the news or were they surprised? Answers For Past Perfect Worksheet 1 Conjugate the verb in parentheses in the past perfect tense. In the case of questions, use the indicated subject as well. They  had eaten  before he arrived.Had you finished  the report before he asked for it?Jennifer  had bought  the house before the market crashed.What  had she done  that upset him so much?Our boss  hadnt made  the decision yet when management changed their mind.The students  had written  the report, but the teacher made them do it again.Mark  had wanted  to go to New York, but his wife changed his mind.Had they invested  in that stock before the market improved?Alex  hadnt done  the gardening before it started raining.Their decision  had been made  before conditions changed.We  had already eaten  so we werent hungry.Had Tom chosen  the color for his room before he was asked to paint it black?Sarah  had driven  three hundred miles by the time she arrived in Tacoma.Few people  had understood  the news when the consequences began to appear.The reporter  hadnt told  the cameraman to get ready when the president walked into the room.Bo b  had purchased  the first generation iPad two weeks before the second generation was introduced. I  had printed  the report before he gave me the updates.Had Henry come  home before the called the police?She  hadnt completed  the article when the news changed everything.The coach  had reserved  rooms for everybody so there werent any problems. Answers for Past Perfect Worksheet 2 Choose the correct time or quantity expression used with the past perfect tense. How  long  had you known Peter before he proposed?They had  already  eaten by the time he arrived.Cathy hadnt finished the report  by  the time he asked for it.Phillip had requested all the forms  before  he began the application process.How  much  wine had they drunk before they were asked to stop?She had made the decision long  before  he asked her to marry him.They had always wanted to visit Amsterdam  so  they went!Jackson hadnt been able to read the book  when  the teacher asked him to quote from it.Susan had  already  printed the report before her boss requested it.Had they  already  heard the news or were they surprised?

Biography of Hans Hofmann, Abstract Expressionism Pioneer

Biography of Hans Hofmann, Abstract Expressionism Pioneer Hans Hofmann (March 21, 1880 - February 17, 1966) was an American painter born in Germany. He was one of the foremost pioneers of the abstract expressionist movement. As an art instructor for four decades, he influenced some of the greatest painters of the 20th century. Fast Facts: Hans Hofmann Occupation: Painter and art teacherBorn: March 21, 1880 in Weissenburg, BavariaDied: February 17, 1966 in New York, New YorkSpouses: Maria Wolfegg (died 1963), and Renate Schmitz (married 1965)Selected Works: The Wind (1942), Pompeii (1959), Song of the Nightingale, (1964)Key Accomplishment: 1963 New York Museum of Modern Art retrospective that toured three continents.Notable Quote: In nature, light creates the color. In the picture, color creates the light. Early Life and Education Born to a German family in Bavaria, Hans Hofmann demonstrated a keen interest in science and mathematics from an early age. At age sixteen, he followed his fathers career path and took a job with the government. The younger Hofmann worked as an assistant to the director of Public Works. The position allowed him to indulge his love of mathematics while patenting a wide range of devices, including a portable freezer for military use and a radar system for sailing ships. During his government employment, Hans Hofmann began to study art. Between 1900 and 1904, while living in Munich, he met his future wife, Maria Miz Wolfegg. He also befriended Philipp Freudenberg, owner of the high-end department store Kaufhaus Gerson and a passionate art collector. Still Life. Geoffrey Clements / Getty Images Through Freudenbergs patronage over the next decade, Hans Hofmann was able to move to Paris with Miz. While in France, Hofmann immersed himself deeply in the avant-garde painting scene. He met Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and many others. As his reputation grew, Hofmanns painting Akt (Nude) appeared in the 1908 Berlin Secession show. Leaving Germany When World War I broke out in 1914, Hofmann and his wife were forced to leave Paris and return to Munich. The government disqualified him from military service due to a respiratory condition, and he opened an art school in 1915. In 1924, he married Miz. Hofmanns reputation as an art instructor reached overseas, and in 1930, a former student invited him to teach the 1930 summer art session at the University of California at Berkeley. After spending two years traveling between the U.S. and Germany to teach and work, he postponed a return trip to Germany for the foreseeable future. Hans Hofmann lived in the United States for most of the rest of his life, applying for U.S. citizenship in 1938 while Europe was barely a year away from the start of World War II. In 1934, Hans Hofmann opened his art school in New York and offered classes for the next 24 years. In the summer, he moved his instruction to Provincetown, Massachusetts. He earned tremendous respect as an instructor working as a mentor to Helen Frankenthaler, Ray Eames, and Lee Krasner, as well as becoming close friends with Jackson Pollock. Hans Hofmann (American, b. Germany, 1880-1966). Fantasia, 1943. Oil, duco, and casein on plywood. 51 1/2 x 36 5/8 in. (130.8 x 93 cm). Gift of the artist. Berkeley Art Museum, University of California. Photo: Benjamin Blackwell. Â © Renate, Hans Maria Hofmann Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Abstract Expressionism Hans Hofmann was the only painter of the group of New York-based artists given credit for popularizing abstract expressionism who was directly involved with the Paris avant-garde before World War I. With that connection, he bridged the gap between two of the most influential communities of artists in the 20th century and inspired a generation of painters. In his own work, Hofmann explored color and form. He claimed that art could be given its voice by distilling it to its basics and removing unnecessary material. Among his prominent pieces was The Wind. For years, many historians believed that seeing paintings like it was a key influence on Jackson Pollocks development of the drip painting technique. More recent examination has led art historians to believe that Hofmann and Pollock were experimenting with poured paint at the same time. The Wind (1942). University of California, Berkeley Art Museum In 1944, Hans Hofmann received his first solo gallery show in New York. Art critics celebrated it as a step forward in the exploration of the abstract expressionist style. His work during the 1940s ranged from playful self-portraits executed with bold strokes to colorful geometric shapes that echoed the work of European masters Hans Arp and Joan Miro. Later Work After a retrospective at the Whitney in New York in 1957, Hofmann experienced a late-career renaissance of interest in his work. He quit teaching in 1958 and focused on the creation of art for the final years of his life. Artists and critics alike celebrated his work around the world. In 1963, New Yorks Museum of Modern Art mounted an even more extensive retrospective that traveled across the U.S., South America, and Europe. During the 1960s, Hofmann endured significant sadness due to the passing of many of his artist friends. In response to the deaths of Franz Kline and Jackson Pollock as well as others, he dedicated new pieces to their memory. The most significant blow occurred in 1963 with the passing of Miz due to a heart attack. In the fall of 1965, Hofmann married Renate Schmitz, a woman 50 years his junior. They remained together until his death from a heart attack on February 17, 1966. Hans Hofmann (American, b. Germany, 1880-1966). Memoria in Aeternum, 1962. Oil on canvas. 84 x 72 1/8 in. (213.3 x 183.2 cm). Gift of the artist. The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Â © 2010 Renate, Hans Maria Hofmann Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Educator Hans Hofmann was arguably the most influential art instructor of the 20th century. He influenced a generation of young European artists through his teaching in the first years after World War I. Later, particularly in the 1940s, his instruction inspired a generation of American artists. Hans Hofmanns School of Fine Art in Munich focused heavily on the ideas of Paul Cezanne, Wassily Kandinsky, and the Cubists. He offered regular one-on-one critiques, which were a rarity in art schools of the time. Some historians count Hofmanns Munich school as the first ever school of modern art. One of Hofmanns most lasting contributions to the understanding of art was his push/pull theory of spatial relations. He believed that contrasts of colors, forms, and textures created a push and pull in the mind of the viewer that must be balanced. Hofmann also believed that social propaganda or history lessons put an unnecessary burden on paintings and did not make them better works of art. The additional content worked against a vivid depiction of space and the pure magic of creating two-dimensional art on canvas. Legacy As an instructor and mentor, Hans Hofmann was at the center of some of the most significant movements in modern art from the turn of the 20th century to the 1960s. His avid interest in the colorful work of Henri Matisse took the young Hofmann away from a focus on cubism that ultimately led to his work with slabs of color in his mature abstract expressionist work of the 1950s and 1960s. Sources Dickey, Tina. Color Creates Light: Studies with Hans Hoffman. Trillistar Books, 2011.Goodman, Cynthia. Hans Hofmann. Prestel, 1990.