Proposal - short online course to training the faculty member how they Research

- short online course to training the faculty member how they can manage their online class - Research Proposal Example Indeed, in the current environment of advancing technology, online training hugely facilitates development of critical skills and knowledge. It provides a more innovative approach to education and acquisition of knowledge that can be adjusted to suit the needs and requirements of individuals. The role of faculty in online classes becomes important element of the success of the same. The proposal is for short training program for the faculty members of online courses so as to equip them with necessary skills to manage their online classes with high degree of efficiency 2. Problem statement The online training courses are major elements of constant learning environment that incorporates the demands of changing business compulsions. The online courses are distinct in their teaching methodologies that rely on digital communication vis-a-vis online conferencing techniques, email etc. The electronic interaction is much different to classroom communication. It requires multifunctional capab ilities that incorporate pedagogical skills like: effective learning processes that can be easily grasped by learners; creating comfortable learning environment; skills to resolve technical issues; and administrative knowledge that can explain the course logistics (Sargeant et al., 2006). Very often, the faculty members of online courses are not trained appropriately in the modalities of online classes. The working population and adult learners are therefore not able to exploit the vast potential of the same. Most importantly, the spatial features of learning environment and medium are crucial factors that influence the learning process. In online courses, the multimedia becomes the key component that is exploited judiciously by the teacher to make course curricula interesting, powerful and highly motivating (Sims, 2003). The efficacy of online teaching is considerably increased when teaching skills are integrated judiciously with managerial skills and use of technology. As such, it becomes essential to impart training to the faculty members to make them more effective online teachers. 3. Objectives 1. One week training course on management skills as required for online courses to equip them with the methodologies of electronic communication techniques. 2. To make online classes more effective and motivating. 3. Managing workload of teaching online. 4. Program description/ design framework The design framework of course is important for increasing the core competencies of the participants and equipping them with skills that add value to their knowledge and teaching skills. The various approaches to instructional designs offer effective teaching under different environment and medium of instructions. The training program would use ADDIE framework or Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation structure. Its stepwise approach helps the teachers to develop easy and iterative instructions which can be applied to real life situations, thus making t hem hugely relevant to the learners (Peterson, 2003). The ADDIE design process promotes active participation of the learners that exploits tacit knowledge of the learners and helps them apply critical thinking to resolve problems or look at problems from wider perspectives of creative advantages (Tee & Karney, 2010). The five stages are described as below: 4.1a. Analysis This part of the program is intended to identify and evaluate the needs of the learners so

Newspaper Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Newspaper Article - Essay Example Over 80 per cent of the health expenditure in India is in the private sector, while in most developed societies more than 80 per cent of health expenditure is borne by the exchequer. In SAARC, India’s infant mortality rate is 56 per 1,000 live births in 2005 better than that of only Pakistan. It is a far cry from 12 in Sri Lanka. Similarly, life expectancy at birth is 64 years in India, 63 in Nepal & 75 in Sri Lanka. The author of the article titled, â€Å"Financing healthcare in India†, dated: Jan 16, 2010, is Mr. N. J. Kurian. He is a visiting Professor at the Social Development, New Delhi and the Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad. The newspaper, The Hindu, carrying the article is one of the leading newspapers of India with a circulation of 1.45m and readership of 5.2m. The article attempted to give a panoramic view of the universal health care system with emboldened comparisons with the United Kingdom. Despite the detailed information, there was no information on the state of the African nations, or the emerging super power, China. Latin America, received little mentioning with a positive citation of Cuba. It would be unfair to say of any bias in the article as the pros and cons of each system, so mentioned, have been kept with utmost clarity and facts. The subjectivity has been supported with data, for marked credibility. The NHS has been kept as the role model for future course of action for other lagging countries without mincing matters. In US, the healthcare system is expensive with a nexus between private health insurance companies and healthcare providers. Invariably expensive drugs and procedures are prescribed by health insurance companies to the young, the employed and the rich, avoiding those who are elderly, unemployed and poor. Indispuably, all Americans already have access to at least emergency care and hospitals are legally obligated to provide care regardless of ability to pay. It

Peru Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Peru - Essay Example A good example is when President Alberto Fujimori who ruled the country from 1990 to 2000 was found guilty for grave violation of human rights by the Peruvian Supreme Court. The conviction and prosecution of the president in the country indicated that the country was able to deal with crimes of such levels. The verdict aimed at achieving accountability after the crimes committed in the country and the globe (Giddens & Thomas, 30). Cases of grave human rights violation have often been presented at the international criminal court basing on the absence of effective judiciary systems in the member states. The trial of the former Peru president was successful despite the many challenges. The trials of Head of States such as Slobodan Milosevic and Charles Taylor have taken place in the international court. However, Peru’s approach indicates that national governments can be able to prosecute former leaders by putting unique and highly competent judiciary system in place (Lee, Ambrose, 70). Basing on the second principle of the Rio Declaration targeting sharing and management of transboundary resources, States have, in accordance with the principles of international laws and charter of the united nations, the sovereign rights to extract and exploit their resources pursuant to their own developmental and environmental policies, and the responsibilities of ensuring that activities within their control and jurisdiction do not cause harm to the environment of neighboring states and beyond. Political borders are drawn on natural resources and environment that overlap into one another. Such resources are often extracted for developmental gain although sometimes it may result in consequences such as pollution (Kauffer, 40). The consequences of extraction may cross the political boundary set and affect the neighboring states. Peruvian people and boundary have to be protected from the effects of resource extraction in the neighboring countries such as

Newspaper Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Newspaper Article - Essay Example Over 80 per cent of the health expenditure in India is in the private sector, while in most developed societies more than 80 per cent of health expenditure is borne by the exchequer. In SAARC, India’s infant mortality rate is 56 per 1,000 live births in 2005 better than that of only Pakistan. It is a far cry from 12 in Sri Lanka. Similarly, life expectancy at birth is 64 years in India, 63 in Nepal & 75 in Sri Lanka. The author of the article titled, â€Å"Financing healthcare in India†, dated: Jan 16, 2010, is Mr. N. J. Kurian. He is a visiting Professor at the Social Development, New Delhi and the Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad. The newspaper, The Hindu, carrying the article is one of the leading newspapers of India with a circulation of 1.45m and readership of 5.2m. The article attempted to give a panoramic view of the universal health care system with emboldened comparisons with the United Kingdom. Despite the detailed information, there was no information on the state of the African nations, or the emerging super power, China. Latin America, received little mentioning with a positive citation of Cuba. It would be unfair to say of any bias in the article as the pros and cons of each system, so mentioned, have been kept with utmost clarity and facts. The subjectivity has been supported with data, for marked credibility. The NHS has been kept as the role model for future course of action for other lagging countries without mincing matters. In US, the healthcare system is expensive with a nexus between private health insurance companies and healthcare providers. Invariably expensive drugs and procedures are prescribed by health insurance companies to the young, the employed and the rich, avoiding those who are elderly, unemployed and poor. Indispuably, all Americans already have access to at least emergency care and hospitals are legally obligated to provide care regardless of ability to pay. It

Access to the Bendee Essay Example for Free

Access to the Bendee Essay The availability of relevant local culture, indigenous practices and knowledge combined with new ideas in technology and science can generate successful sustainable community development through innovation. Indigenous knowledge will not only contribute to the success of intervention, but better still its sustainability into the future. Numerous indigenous communities worldwide have always developed, operated and acted to different life challenges using indigenous methods passed on from one generation to the next. Our main focus in this paper will be to study and design a simple bridge, highlighting the use of relevant traditional and indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage amongst the Aboriginal people and technology to create a way across the Nebine Creek. Introduction Access to the Bendee Downs site requires vehicles to cross the Nebine Creek which remains impassable during the wet seasons. The site is a ten hour car trip from Brisbane, the closest city with a major airport, and can be accessed via the Murra Murra Road off the Balonne Highway or the Munda Munda Road and east via Fernlee Road. See more: Analysis of Starbucks coffee company employees essay Nebine River is approximately twenty meters wide. The bridge design would respect the Nebine Creek’s cultural importance to the Kooma People; it provides a place where they can identify with their homeland and share their culture hence should be protected (EWB Challenge, 2010). The property has become a conservation icon for the region due to its conservation values. About 40km of the Nebine Creek flow through the properties and it has a 4km permanent waterhole behind the old homestead. During the rainy seasons, the wetlands render the river impassable yet still it hosts a vast diversity of birds and fauna hence rendering it regionally, nationally and internationally valuable (EWB Challenge, 2010). Our design had to borrow much from the indigenous knowledge of the local community in conserving the site to design a technologically sound bridge. The following were considered in the design process: †¢ The maximum load it can support at the middle. †¢ The maximum load divided by the weight of the bridge (a measure of efficient use of materials) †¢ Aesthetic appeal of the final project to give the conservation efforts a boost. †¢ The materials to be used. We settled on locally available materials like wood to make it affordable and to make use of indigenous knowledge. The design process was geared towards solving the problem of impassable road by building a beam wooden bridge that would be capable to allow even small vehicles to go across. This was supposed to present a creative solution and involve teamwork in implementing the design. Background Information Indigenous knowledge, sometimes referred to as ‘local knowledge’, ‘traditional science’ or ‘folk knowledge’ is a form of knowledge that is unique to a culture or society. It is passed from generation to generation by word of mouth and cultural rituals and has been applied in almost all forms of life including cooking, health care, agriculture, conservation, education and several other facets of life that have sustained societies the world over. The indigenous way of practical learning has been interrupted by the abstract form of formal and academic way of learning witnessed presently (Fien, 2010). As the indigenous knowledge disappears, with it goes the valuable knowledge about ways of living sustainably. In order to fulfil our objective of the design project, first we sought to find how the Aborigines lived and travelled in the past. This we did to help us understand the local conditions and provide a productive context for our design to help the community. Traditionally Aboriginal people carried as little as possible in their journeys and usually chose implements which were multi-purpose. They would revisit favourite campsites of previous years where they had left that were too heavy to carry. These items would be left closer to water so that it wouldn’t need to be carried far. The women carried items on their heads and would make a ring shaped cushion of human hair, manguri, to wear when carrying heavy loads such as a big wooden dish etc. Men sometimes after hunting would carry a kangaroo on their heads. They carried their babies in a pouch in the back of a possum skin cloak (Berowra Valley Regional Park, 2010). This knowledge was very important in choosing the best type of bridge. Types of Bridges Several types of bridges are in existence today such as: Beam Bridges, Box Girder Bridges, Arch Bridges, Truss Bridges, Suspension Bridges, Cable Stayed Bridges. Examples of these bridges are included in the appendix Beam Bridges A beam bridge is very simple. The farther apart its supports are, the weaker it becomes. Although the beam needs careful design, it is cheap and easy to manufacture but this compromises on its beauty. Box Girder Bridges This is similar to the beam bridge but with a girder, box shaped, which makes it stronger. The girder needs careful design; it is cheap and easy to manufacture but not very beautiful. The performance of a beam bridge can be improved by using supports i. e. arches, trusses, cables. Arch Bridges Being one of the oldest types of bridge, they have great natural strength. Instead of pushing straight down, its weight is carried outward along the curve of the arch to the supports at each end. These supports or abutments carry the load and keep its ends from spreading out. Although they are heavy, they are strong if well designed and can be very beautiful. Truss Bridges Truss bridges are mostly empty space, but very effective. They are made of thin triangulated assemblies of metal members. They have a very good strength to weight performance and can be incorporated into any design. They are usually very beautiful. Suspension Bridges A suspension bridge as its name suggests, suspends the roadway from huge main cables extending from one end of the bridge to the other. All the highly stressed parts of a suspension bridge are in tension apart from the towers. These cables which rest on top of towers are secured at each end by anchorages. They have a high aesthetic value, are light and strong. They span greater distances, are expensive and are susceptible to wobble if designed improperly. Cable-Stayed Bridges The cables are attached to the towers which bear the load alone. They are very beautiful and require less cable. They are easier and faster to build but require stronger towers. Core Material The design process Design of an arch bridge. Initially, a suspension bridge and other options were considered but because of the sandy nature of the place and foundation limitations, we decided on an arch bridge. We set to design a timber bridge over the Nebine Creek not only capable of carrying pedestrians and animals but also motor vehicles. This bridge would be built on concrete and stone abutments for the many girder span designed. Instead of pushing straight down, the weight of the bridge (mainly made of laminated softwood) is carried outward along the curve of the arch to the supports at each end. These supports or abutments carry the load and keep its ends from spreading out. The abutments should carry a span of 22 meters. Four pairs of wooden beams, running lengthwise to the in relation to the bridge i. e. ‘longitudinal’, will rest on hammerhead bearings. The wooden beams are made of wooden pieces put in layers and glued together to form a larger beam. The layers, which are glued laminated wooden beams to make them more durable, are laid horizontally to form the main beam. Each pair measures 1 meter by 0. 5 meters, 15 centimetres thick. The span is 22 meters. The beams are to be made of softwoods like pine which are readily available in the community. To hold the pieces together firmly, metal brackets would be used to bolt the pieces together. On top of the stringers, small pieces of timber would be laid across and a coating of asphalt pavement would provide the road wearing surface. Since the stream has high banks and can hold rising waters caused by a flash flood during the rainy season, a concrete and stone arch bridge was chosen. The goal was to maintain the level of the road to allow for maximum potential stream flow. Traditionally, each family amongst the Aboriginal people would have a canoe, made from a single sheet of bark heated under low temperatures and then bent into shape. These canoes were used for fishing and crossing rivers especially during the rainy seasons. A base of clay built in the bottom of the canoe, would be used to light fire to cook some of the fish caught from the river. The remainder of the fish would be brought ashore to be shared amongst the rest of the people. Crossing rivers, they would put logs across minor streams and sometimes large rocks would be used (Berowra Valley Regional Park, 2010). Examples of these are shown in the appendix. A simple model would be made of wood to test the usability of the bridge. A bridge plan diagram was drawn to determine the amount necessary; this was done by tracing on the arch at the bottom with a pencil. On the model, an allowance of 10 inches is left from the end of the boards on the bottom cut to allow plenty of support on the stringers to carry the weight of the bridge. The amount of arch on the model was determined by using tack and string to make the arch. Wood glue is used to attach the pieces together, the cut out pieces are attached to the top of the stringer with a bead of wood glue and small screws (they are put on the underside so that they do not show. The pieces are then brought together to form the model beam.

Effects of School Funding on Student Academic Achievement

Effects of School Funding on Student Academic Achievement Education Policy Analysis Maya Boyle Mike  Robinson Introduction Background For the past 50 years, SAT scores for high schools across the nation have been steadily falling. Because the SAT is a fairly consistent method of testing the academic aptitude of high-school age children, this trend is concerning. As it stands, by the standards of the College Board, high school academics are preparing students less and less adequately for the rigours of secondary education. This paper seeks to address what policy initiatives can be taken by states to raise these scores. Research I hypothesised at the beginning of the study that per capita expenditures on primary and secondary education would have a significant effect on SAT scores. By using multiple data sets: population data from the US Census Bureau, education expenditure results from the Department of Education, a partial data set from STATA, and participation levels by the College Board, I amassed a collection of variables that I considered to be most valuable to determining the relationship between state education policy and SAT scores Mean scores of college-bound seniors The SAT Stacks of college test prep books Basic Conclusions By analysing what I determined to be the most significant factors affecting SAT performance, I concluded that the factor which could most effectively boost SAT scores came on the heels of SAT participation. SAT scores were strongly correlated with participation levels. A greater percentage of high school students taking the exam in each state resulted in a weaker performance. A disproportionately high number of high-scoring participants take the SAT whether or not initiatives are undertaken by state governments or schools to boost participation. Those students typically score higher. The increase in participation of students taking the SAT will come from a portion of the population who otherwise would transition straight to career paths out of high school. Education initiatives typically give these students an opportunity to take the test, and these students typically score lower. Ultimately, from a policy perspective, the best way to boost scores is to ready the portion of students who are being given the opportunity to take the SAT through funding and other education initiatives. It is useless for them to take the exam if all it does is prove that they are not ready for college. Literature Review Zajonic, Robert B., Bargh, John A. Birth order, family size, and decline of SAT scores. American Psychologist 79.1 (1989): 179-197. http://www.apa.org. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. The survey of SAT scores and birth order demonstrated that a negligible fraction of the decline in SAT scores can be explained by changes in family dynamics. In general, SAT scores showed little variation with birth order and family size, which was far less than that which was found in other data sets. Murray, Charles, and Richard J. Herrnstein. Whats Really behind the SAT-Score Decline?. Public Interest 106 (1992): 32-56. This survey of SAT scores and population distinguished between the separate populations of high school students who took the SAT and those who did not. Suggested that the greatest effect on the SAT-score decline was the regression of academic capabilities of high-school age teenagers. This possibly came from the ‘dumbing-down’ of textbooks Wharton, Yvonne L. List of Hypotheses Advanced to Explain the SAT Score Decline. (1976). The hypotheses analysed in this study suggested that changes in schools, society, population, and an increase in problems with the tests themselves are the greatest contributors to the decrease in SAT Scores. A list of variables: â€Å"The first major category (changes in the schools) is further broken down into hypotheses related to curriculum, institutional policies, teachers, and students. The second major category (changes in society) lists hypotheses related to family, religion, civil rights, crisis of values, national priorities, economic, labor movement in education, and technological changes. (Abstract)† Model Objective In this report, I will attempt to determine which two variables would most significantly positively effect mean SAT scores in college-bound high-school adolescents. An exhaustive list of the variables I used were: Mean Composite SAT scores, Mean Verbal, Mean Math, Geographical Region (dummy variable), Population, Per pupil expenditures (primary and secondary education), Government education spending, Median household income, Percent of High School graduates taking SAT. Models The primary models I used to determine which two variables that could be affected by state education policy were: Regressing SAT scores against government spending and income Regressing SAT scores against state population and percentage of high school students who took the SAT Regressing SAT scores against per pupil expenditures on primary and secondary education and percentage of high school students who took the SAT Finally, I developed a model with each of the variables that ultimately seemed most relevant: Regressing mean SAT scores, controlling for population, per pupil expenditures, median household income, and the percent of students taking the SAT. Hypothesis Before I ran the regressions, I hypothesised that the main factors affecting SAT performance would be median household and per pupil expenditures for primary and secondary education. I anticipated that states with a higher portion of domestic wealth would score better because there would be more local money going into infrastructure, and assumed that states with higher levels of spending on primary and secondary education would be higher because they reflect a greater education initiative. Methodology/Data Testing the Hypothesis For each regression, I focused most specifically on the coefficient, t-statistic, and r-squared result. Regression 1 I hypothesised that an increase in government spending will increase states’ SAT scores, controlling for median household income Null hypothesis was not proven What does this mean? R-squared: accounted for about 1/4 of the variance Coefficients were both negative Government spending raises, SAT scores decrease As median income increased, SAT scores decreased T-statistics Both are statistically significant y=-6.62*1071+-4.4581992+1107.044 Regression 2 I hypothesised that larger states receive more funding, and thus would have higher scores. Additionally, more people would lead to greater variance in scores Null hypothesis was not proven What does this mean? R-squared: accounted for about 82% of variance Coefficients: Negative relationship between both population and participation T-statistics: Participation is highly significant, population minimally. y=-1.24*1061-2.82+1021 Regression 3 I hypothesised that primary/secondary education funding would significantly play a role on SAT scores. Additionally, a larger pool of participants accounts for a wider breadth of performance Null hypothesis was not proven What does this mean? R-squared accounted for about 82% of variance Coefficients: Weak, positive relationship with funding, yet a stronger negative relationship with student participation T-statistics: Participation is highly significant y=.00432771-1.9841922+999.483 Regression 4 I hypothesised that funding for primary and secondary education and the percentage of high school students who take the exam will be most important Hypothesis proven true What does this mean? R-squared: accounted for about 88% of variance Coefficients: Expense, Participation, and Region 1 were negatively correlated; all the rest had positive effects T-statistics: Only participation was under -1.96; Regions 2 and 4 were over 1.96. These were the most significant. The t-statistic of population was at -1.94, which I considered significant for the intents and purposes of this data. y=-1.36*1061 + .00002822 .00660463 + 1.7964 -2.05165 2.3291556 + 45.0287 + 23.81498 + 989.8613 Analysis Regression 1 Government spending as a whole ultimately does not aid SAT performance. Regardless of whether or not it builds infrastructure, it seems as if funds set aside specifically for primary and secondary education are the most necessary to boost SAT scores. Additionally, I determined that- at least when it comes to SAT scores in high schoolchildren, Wealth does not denote academic success. As was determined from the methodology of regression 1, the statistical relevance of income and insignificance of government spending led me to reason that income played a greater role in determining SAT scores than government spending. Further, I questioned if the results for regression 1 had anything to do with causality, because the states that score more poorly on SATs will receive more money from the government to ameliorate educational infrastructure. Regression 2 Participation was negatively correlated with SAT scores, and significantly so. I reasoned that a base participation rate includes a skewed population of students who intend to go to college regardless of domestic initiatives to send high school students to college before allowing them into the workforce. Therefore, if more students choose to take the SAT, those students will be those who had not necessarily planned their high school education to ready them for the SAT. There scores thus will be lower. Regression 3 While the results of my first regression clearly suggested that government spending as a whole has little to no effect on SAT scores, I aimed to determine that per pupil expenditures on education for primary and secondary schooling had a strong positive correlation with students’ SAT readiness. This was not the case. Government education expenditures was loosely correlated with SAT scores, but not significantly so. This result could possibly have come from different years of availability for each variable. Many of the variables were derived from an old STATA data set that suited my intents, but I added other variables to develop a more individual project. Government spending was one of these variables, and the data may have been more recent than others. Further, as was the case with regression 2, the levels of participation played a strong and significant factor in determining the rate at which students would score on the SAT. The t-statistic was highly significant, so I trust that this correlation is true. I expect the population shift that I described in my previous analysis will still stand. Regression 4 Ultimately, I determined that as much as I had hoped that income and per-pupil education expenditures would have strong effects on the scoring of high schoolers on the SAT, because such effects are easily fixable through initiatives. I was wrong. Expense and income both were determined to be insignificant, with expense ultimately having a negative correlation with SAT scores. This cannot show the whole picture, however. Wealthier states traditionally have stronger educational infrastructures and students who perform better on the SAT. I can only assume that wealthier states are those which have educational initiatives to give more students the chance to take the SATs in the first place, and thus have a pool of lower-scoring students. Conversely, students in states with low median incomes had to have a significant personal initiative to take the Test in the first place. Therefore, the relationship between income and infrastructure is that which renders the relationship negative. Tables Table 1: Table of Means Table 2: Description of Data Variable | Obs Mean Std. Dev. Min Max -+ state | 0 region | 50 2.54 1.128662 1 4 pop | 50 4962040 5459782 454000 2.98e+07 area | 50 70759.14 85796.76 1045 570374 csat | 51 944.098 66.93497 832 1093 -+ vsat | 51 447.8431 31.87562 395 515 msat | 51 496.2549 35.58418 435 578 percent | 51 35.76471 26.19281 4 81 expense | 51 5235.961 1401.155 2960 9259 income | 51 33.95657 6.423134 23.465 48.618 -+ high | 51 76.26078 5.588741 64.3 86.6 college | 51 20.02157 4.16578 12.3 33.3 spending | 51 1.75e+07 2.03e+07 270000 1.03e+08 participat~n | 51 39.33333 32.1538 3 93 Table 3: Regression 1 Table 4: Regression 2 Table 5: Regression 3 Table 6: Regression 4 Table 7: College Board Participation Rates Table 8: College Board Participation Rates (cont.) Basically this isn’t really done. 80 Mount Holyoke CollegeSAT Scores: An Econometrics Perspective 1

Toni Morrisons Sula - A Multi-faceted Interpretation of Sula Essay

A Multi-faceted Interpretation of Sula In The Apocalypse in African-American Fiction, Maxine Lavon Montgomery weaves a multi-faceted interpretation of Toni Morrison's Sula. Montgomery submits, "drawing upon an African cosmological system, Morrison maintains that although life in modern America is chaotic, it is possible to escape life in the West and recover the time of the black community's non-Western beginnings" (74). Though Montgomery makes a highly detailed argument advancing several significant ideas that are well worth acknowledging, her final conclusions exceed what can be clearly supported in Sula. Montgomery's first major heading of "Modern Chaos and Ancient Paradigms" (75) sketches her belief that "natural disasters, unexpected deaths, and continued racist oppression serve as bitter reminders of the near-tragic dimensions of life, for to be black in America is to experience calamity as an ever-present reality, to live on the brink of apocalypse" (75). She supports this statement with the origins of the Bottom... Toni Morrison's Sula - A Multi-faceted Interpretation of Sula Essay A Multi-faceted Interpretation of Sula In The Apocalypse in African-American Fiction, Maxine Lavon Montgomery weaves a multi-faceted interpretation of Toni Morrison's Sula. Montgomery submits, "drawing upon an African cosmological system, Morrison maintains that although life in modern America is chaotic, it is possible to escape life in the West and recover the time of the black community's non-Western beginnings" (74). Though Montgomery makes a highly detailed argument advancing several significant ideas that are well worth acknowledging, her final conclusions exceed what can be clearly supported in Sula. Montgomery's first major heading of "Modern Chaos and Ancient Paradigms" (75) sketches her belief that "natural disasters, unexpected deaths, and continued racist oppression serve as bitter reminders of the near-tragic dimensions of life, for to be black in America is to experience calamity as an ever-present reality, to live on the brink of apocalypse" (75). She supports this statement with the origins of the Bottom...