Reflections of a scholar

Anxiously, on the first day at Nairobi Teacher's College undertaking studies as a second-year student, I was afraid of this step. I believe in my achievement and I can break the wall of fear i.e., I am courageous and confident that all will be well. Now I am going to be an English teacher, I will be learning a lot such as reading and writing skills. In addition, I will be learning how to teach inclusive classrooms. The first week was the most amazing week because we are building a new relationship between my classmates and teachers. Every moment since that day, I am surrounded with wonderful teachers and classmates; thus, I feel like they are my second family.

During the first week, we sat in a semi circle and all of us could face each other. Then this sitting arrangement facilitated introduction among us. Mr. Nader started the class with an amazing simple game where each of us picked a piece of paper from the box containing a question. These pieces of papers were used it to introduce ourselves. Therefore, I could notice the excitement on our faces, it was simply amazing.

However, we started the following week by grasping the course content. The first lecture was conducted by Dr. Vanitah on “Teaching and Reading”. She started with the importance of reading as a teacher and as a student. Moreover she touched on the benefits of reading such as improving our language. Therefore, this course was important to me because after graduating I would like my students to also know the importance of reading and how it will aid in comprehension of English language. Ambitiously, I would like to implement the joy of reading to my students as their teacher. During the course we were studying about “inclusive classroom”, the student’s diversity with regard to culture, language, gender and socioeconomic status. Furthermore the course expounded on how to teach and deal with student who suffer from learning disabilities, ADHD, as well as the gifted and talented students.

In my teaching practice I knew that all students are equal no matter their different nationalities and background; besides, every student has the opportunity to get education. Also I’m aware about dealing with students with disabilities. Moreover I applied a new teaching style which I adopted from Mr. Nader because he used to surprise his students with his teaching style. My understanding of the teaching profession is that it is practical. I want students to think seriously, and occupied in what I’m (or any other teacher) teaching. Most of my scholars in primary school need illustrations and consequently practice what they learnt.

Other outstanding information is that I can be tough in handling rowdy students. I wish to see the constructive side of them and teach these rowdy kids how to relate with others rather than bullying. In extreme cases, I can be firm on them, but no harder than I can.

It was hard to understand what is going on at Bahrain’s Teacher College. Each day I explored many things that gave me the courage to stand on my feet. I looked at the mirror and murmured to myself that I can overcome these obstacles. According to my view, I can see that our instructors are motivating us in a perfect way. I hope to achieve my best during this semester, and use this teaching opportunity to enhance my skills and be the English teacher that I have always dreamed to be.

Sampling 101

There are two types of sampling methods, these are; probability sampling also known as random sampling, and non-probability sampling (Kothari, 2004). Jackson (2011) describes probability sampling as a method where each member of the population has a known probability of selection to be part of the sample. 

In statistics and survey methodology, sampling is concerned with the selection of a subset of individuals from within a population to estimate characteristics of the whole population. Researchers rarely survey the entire population because the cost of a census is too high. The three main advantages of sampling are that the cost is lower, data collection is faster, and since the data set is smaller, it is possible to ensure homogeneity and to improve the accuracy and quality of the data (Babbie 2001). Each observation measures one or more properties (such as weight, location, color) of observable bodies distinguished as independent objects or individuals. In survey sampling, weights can be applied to the data to adjust for the sample design, particularly stratified sampling (blocking). Results from probability theory and statistical theory are employed to guide practice. In business and medical research, sampling is widely used for gathering information about a population (Black, 1999).

When the set of all possible items in a population is very large it may be too costly or time consuming to do a comprehensive analysis of all of the items. For example, during a survey, there isn’t enough time or resources to talk to every participant of the survey, witness every process step or look at every quality record. If the customer base is large, it may be too costly to survey all the customers to determine their satisfaction level. Evaluating or estimating attributes or characteristics of the entire system, process, product or project through a representative sample can be more efficient while still providing the required information. To legitimately be able to use a sample to extrapolate the results to the whole population requires the use of either probabilistic or non-probabilistic sampling methods, (Babbie 2001).

How the employment of natives improves the business of tourism

The tourism industry is multifaceted and consists of a large variety of tour operators, hotel operators, cruise ships and recreational activity providers. Tour operators can have a particularly large impact since they influence tourists’ choices to go to a particular destination, and they contract with many other operators (hotels, recreation, etc.). Tour operators who run their own tours can make a big impact by hiring local guides, limiting group size, and including educational messages. Tour operators can also develop a “sustainable supply chain” of providers who adhere to sustainable practices (Sweeting, 2003).

Tourism is human-resource intensive due to the service nature of the industry. It is among the world’s top job creators and allows for quick entry into the workforce for youth, women and migrant workers. The wider tourism economy provides, both directly and indirectly, more than 230 million jobs, which represents about 8 per cent of the global workforce. Women make up between 60 and 70 per cent of the labor force in the industry and half the workers are aged 25 or younger (ILO, 2008). In developing countries, sustainable tourism investment can help create job opportunities, especially for poorer segments of the population. The move toward more sustainable tourism can increase job creation especially among the locals. Additional employment in energy, water, and waste services and expanded local hiring and sourcing are expected from the greening of mainstream tourism segments. 

Furthermore, an increasing body of evidence suggests significantly expanded indirect employment growth opportunities from segments oriented toward local culture and the natural environment (Cooper et al,. 2008, Moreno et al., 2010, and Mitchell et al., 2009).

Tourism creates jobs directly and leads to additional (“indirect”) employment. It is estimated that one job in the core tourism industry creates about one and a half additional jobs in the tourism-related economy International Labour Organization (ILO 2008). There are workers indirectly dependent on each person working in hotels, such as travel-agency staff, guides, taxi and bus drivers, food and beverage suppliers, laundry workers, textile workers, gardeners, shop staff for souvenirs and others, as well as airport employees (ILO 2008). These relationships influence the many types of workplace relationships that include full-time, part-time, temporary, casual and seasonal employment and have significant implications for employment opportunities within the sector.

Local community’s participation in the conservation of natural resources

The importance of nature-based tourism is not lost on national governments. They are fully aware that it can bring numerous socio-economic benefits to a country or locality, by generating foreign exchange, creating local employment and raising environmental awareness. But a surprising number of countries are neither fully exploiting this potential nor managing current nature-based tourism effectively. This is evident from the low priority generally assigned to tourism planning and coordination. It is also evident from the fact that many protected areas are deteriorating rapidly as a result of over-visitation and insufficient investment in protected area management, (Inskeep, 1991).

A general failure to acknowledge the importance of tourism and environment, and lack of coordination and cooperation between those responsible for these areas, are much to blame. Thus although the tourism industry is often represented at ministerial level, its interests are frequently not fully integrated with those of the various ministries, or are considered much less important. The same applies to the environment. A minister with responsibility for the environment often has to deal with ministers who represent supposedly more important defence or industry interests. In such situations, the environment usually loses out. The environment may not even have a spokesperson of its own.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, natural resources remain central to rural people’s livelihoods. Local norms and customs shape people’s everyday forms of resource use. In contrast, the commercial uses of natural resources often remain highly centralized, conditioned by government policies of the colonial and post-colonial eras.

A pan-African review of the impacts, challenges, and future directions of community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) highlights the diverse range of forms of community involvement in natural resource management that have emerged across the continent during the past twenty years. Community based natural resource management means different things to different actors in different places across sub-Saharan Africa. In much of western and central Africa, community based natural resource management is interpreted by government authorities, donor agencies, and NGOs as benefit-sharing or outreach between national parks and adjacent communities.