It is rather difficult for me to share with current experience that I don’t have. As a matter of fact I do not work. However, while searching the Video for this assignment I remembered a talk I had with a boy who spends his most time at home due to his illness. This talk impressed me much twice. First, I asked myself a question that does not have the answer. That is » why children suffer from illnesses» and the second, what if there were a library that would be accessible at any time from anywhere with huge number of sources and that would not need to move there. Now I have found the answer for that it is a Virtual Library.

Virtual LIbrary is a great option for 21st century’s young people with different backgrounds to develop and advance in the frame of rapidly changing time. I believe it would help people who need special care to be motivated to stand on their feet to struggle with their illnesses and join the society. Unless, the time they spend at home make them feel alone and needless to the community they belong to. Such a library will provide up to date sources that enrich their views towards the world where they live. Modhighern technology is the key instrument in these libraries. Various digital devices are tend to establish access to peoplea with the world of LIterature. Virtual Library of Birmingham is an excllent example of high quality library service for life-long learning and enjoyment. Moreover, the construction and the design of the library meets all necessaties of visitors.

The idea of Virtual Library can fulfill the gap that exists in our society, especially in Education. On the one hand it is a great solution to enourmous numbers of problems from the perspective of Inclusive Education.On the other, a beneficial way to develop reading skills among young students who spend less time reading books and other sources.

Reference

Virtual Library of Birmingham. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11SPISd1q

Writing a Literature Review

Since the time when I failed at writing part of literature review, some time passed. Looking back that time I came to the next points. First, literature review is not a descriptive list of relevant materials. It is a set of literature read, evaluated, and analyzed in advance so as to formulate an answer to a reserach question. Second, the purpose of this part is not to prove the existance of the issue, it is to identify to what extent this issue has been studied before and what gaps exist at current time. Third, all reading materials should be credible and reliable. And, fourth, this part should be easy to follow and comprehensible for readers to get first understanding of what the nature of research is.

Regarding to what is happening with my literature review now, I think I have already framed my research question and it sounds like ” What are the parents’ understanding about their role in their children’s academic development?”. Now, I have passed to the next stage that is searching relevant literature. I quite well understand I need to read a large volume of material but at current time it covers only 7 articles. While reading these materials I mostly face with the following challenges as inconsistencies of  style, research techniques, and lack of time. After reading only these seven reliable sources I have identified that my research area has been investigated before but from another angles.Outlining gaps in the literature, I will illustrate other researchers’ findings in terms of time, location, and experience. However, I guess I will face with some difficulties my group mates outlined in thier writings. For instance: identification of  another appropriate resources, existing gaps in literature in the context of Kazakhstan, and some misunderstandings concerning to writing a literature review.

In overall, literature review is a step by step work that requires great responsibility, time, and researching skills.

My experience and expectations with APA style.

Everything in our life is set into definite frame according to which we have to follow some regulations to protect ourselves and our interests. Moreover, we are taught to respect others and others’ interest too. In my understanding APA style is one of the frames where educators’ contributions are protected and others are advised to value their hard work in terms of exact rules.

Looking back at academic process which I have had in my life before Nazarbayev University, I can say paraphrasing someone’s ideas and presenting it in a new scale happened frequently. By all means we enumirated educators’ names at the end of our papers, however, with the purpose of underlining to what extent the topic is hot or not. In addition, I do not remember any strict rules according to which the reference should have to be fulfilled.
My first experience with APA style took place at Nazarbayev University at pre master course. During that time I was confused about how to use and what for I needed that. I totally agree with some of my group mates the more you read the more confused you become. Except numbering the pages, all punctuation signs depending the resource material vary and sometimes I wonder whether it is possible to remember all. Due to such situations some students advice to rely on special websites to save time and energy.These sources are valuable both for new students to learn and for experienced to revise and check.In this turn, I usually face with a challenge in identifying the type of resource. Moreover, I feel I still need a thorough studying of this style. After readaing almost all my group mates’ blogs I have defined some solutions for exact difficulties I face nowadays.
Taking into account the importance of APA style I expect to maintain all challenges and produce a good work in accordance with this universal formatting style.

My thesis choice.

At first, I intended to study students’ self-esteem and its impact on school achievement. When I started investigating the area more deep I came to the thought that this idea has been closely linked with students’ Psychology.

During the first year of studying I think I had a struggle with myself in terms of academic and personal affairs. I had a slight understanding of what a research is. Time passed, I did some research due to my topic and I defined that this issue is not of my plate. However, this area is not new for me but still I consider lack of experience might influence negatively on the quality of the research work.  By this reason I have decided to change the thesis topic.

Of all sessions “Educational leadership” and “Educational Policy Analysis” impact on me sufficiently in terms of defining a new research area.  Personally, I clarified for myself the notion of what Leadership is. . The most remarkable points that I like in Reihl’s work that he defines three most important implications of the definition “Leadership”.  First, Leaders do not merely impose goals on followers, but work with others to create a shared sense of purpose and direction (Reihl, 2003). The distinct ability of an education leader to lead a team to a definite goal might occur not only in the administrative circle but also in relation of a teacher with parents. The issue about a teacher and a parent’s collaboration is hot at current time and that’s why it is widely discussed through different angles. At sessions of Education Policy Analysis we studied the policy instruments that might be implemented to analyze alike cases. During one of hot discussions I came to the idea to explore and understand parents’ perception about their role in children’s academic development.  Thus my thesis topic sounds “Parents’ perception about their role in academic development of their children”.

At current time I’m in the process of seeking relevant literature to make a piece of remarkable contribution to the system of Education in Kazakhstan.

Referance.

Reihl,L.(2003).What We Know about Successful School Leadership. National College for School Leaders.