Character Education and Core Virtues Essay

When I signed on to teach English at a core virtues school, I had no idea what I was in for. I nodded and smiled in my interview when the Headmaster explained the virtues curriculum, and I parried back with everything I thought she wanted to hear; how I could infuse my lessons on To Kill a Mockingbird with discussions about empathy and courage. I may have even quoted Atticus’ line about walking around in someone else’s skin. I figured I could tack on some of that quaint â€Å"virtue† stuff before getting to the real meat of the lesson, the academic stuff. And for the first year I taught at Crossroads Academy, that’s pretty much what I did. I made some empty gesticulations toward the core virtues bulletin board in my classroom and made some token mentions of fortitude at obvious moments in our reading of The Illiad and The Aeneid. I was teaching literature, but I certainly wasn’t doing Aristotle proud. I mean come on. Character education? Core virtues? I teach English, not Sunday school, and besides, I teach middle school. If I were to walk into my eighth grade English class and wax rhapsodic about prudence and temperance, those kids would eat me alive. It’s hard enough to keep the attention of a classroom full of middle school students without coming on like an 18th-century schoolmarm. Character education is not old-fashioned, and it’s not about bringing religion in to the classroom. Character is the â€Å"X factor† that experts in parenting and education have deemed integral to success. Somewhere along the way, someone must have started dosing me with the character education Kool-Aid, because five years in, I have come to understand what real character education looks like and what it can do for children. I can’t imagine teaching in a school that does not have a hard-core commitment to character education, because I’ve seen what that education can mean to a child’s emotional, moral, and intellectual development. Schools that teach character education report higher academic performance, improved attendance, reduced violence, fewer disciplinary issues, reduction in substance abuse, and less vandalism. At a time when parents and teachers are concerned about school violence, it is worth noting that students who attend character education schools report feeling safer because they know their fellow students value respect, responsibility, compassion and hard work. From a practical perspective, it’s simply easier to teach children who can exercise patience, self-control, and diligence, even when they would rather be playing outside – especially when they would rather be playing outside. American schools used to focus on character education and civic virtue. The founders of this country, including John and Abigail Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin wrote about the importance of character education in maintaining the new republic. Those founders would likely be horrified by the loss of this goal, as they all cite character education as the way to create an educated and virtuous citizenry. As Gallup polls show that over ninety percent of American adults support the teaching of honesty, democracy, acceptance of people of different races and ethnic backgrounds, patriotism, caring for friends and family members, moral courage, and the Golden Rule in public schools, it seems odd that this facet of American education has disappeared from public debate over curriculum and academic content. The core virtues — prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice — make it into nearly every lesson we teach at our school and every facet of our daily lives on campus. The curriculum we use, designed by Mary Beth Klee, is a non-sectarian education in intellectual, moral, and civic virtues through literature, and can be used in conjunction with any academic curriculum. As the core virtues program uses examples to literature in order to illustrate character, I choose my texts accordingly. In my middle school Latin and English classes, we explore the concept of temperance through discussions of Achilles’ impulsive rages, King Ozymandias’ petulant demand that we â€Å"Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair,† Macbeth’s bloody, â€Å"vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other. † This week, I gained a fantastic teaching assistant who has raised my character education skills to the next level, a wise teacher who has illustrated the importance of temperance far better than I — or Achilles or Macbeth — ever could. A Mallard duck (Mom Mallard to our students) took up residence on our campus this week. Mallards, or anas platyrhynchos, are also known as â€Å"dabbling ducks,† and this particular duck has apparently been dabbling in Aristotelian philosophy, because she’s presented our students with a real-life lesson in the core virtue of temperance. Her nest, made from feathers she’s plucked off her own breast and filled with ten eggs, lies about eighteen inches from the entryway to our main building, a path our students take in out of school at least six times a day. Mom Mallard doesn’t seem too worried about our students’ feet†¦ as long as they keep moving. However, the second those feet stop and one of the children pauses to take a good, long, look, she quacks angrily and abandons her nest. Her first day in residence, she spent more time off the eggs than she did on them, and we realized we were going to have to find a way to teach our students some self-control. It just so happens that this month’s virtue is temperance; stopping to think about our actions before we enact them, giving the best of ourselves, and saying â€Å"no† to our weaknesses. The middle school students use the term â€Å"temperance,† and the lower school kids use the term self-control, but tomato, tomato, it’s all the same idea. In Stanford’s famous experiment on self-control, children were faced with the immediate reality of one marshmallow versus the promise of two marshmallows if they can just wait for fifteen minutes. The children who were able to resist temptation and wait fifteen minutes for that second marshmallow had better life outcomes in the form of lower obesity rates, higher SAT scores, and higher levels of education. Self-control itself does not make a kid smarter, or fitter, or more proficient at test-taking, but it’s the essential skill hidden within all of these positive outcomes. Character education is not old-fashioned, and it’s not about bringing religion in to the classroom. Character education teaches children how to make wise decisions and act on them. Character is the â€Å"X factor† that experts in parenting and education have deemed integral to success, both in school and in life. Paul Tough, author of How Children Succeed, calls that character-based X factor â€Å"grit,† while educational consultant Dr. Michele Borba calls it â€Å"moral intelligence. † When I asked parenting expert Borba to explain why she thinks character education is so overlooked as a vital part of children’s success, she wrote, â€Å"That’s what parents don’t seem to get, the hidden values of character traits for success. They see character education as fluff, because that’s often how it’s taught — posters and worksheets. Character education needs to be relevant. It needs to be woven in curriculum, not tacked on. We are such a trophy-, SAT-obsessed society, but if parents would recognize the value beyond the humanness, civility and ethics, they might get it. † Here on our campus, our marshmallow is a duck. Our students must weigh their desire for a quick peek at Mom Mallard with the promise of ten ducklings waddling around our playground in 28 days. If everyone, even the youngest, most impulsive kindergarteners, can learn to exercise self-control, we will all benefit. Next week, Mom Mallard will catch a bit of a break from our students, because they will be confined to their classrooms for a week of standardized testing. Our character education curriculum may not show up as an increase in this year’s test scores — but then again, it could: self-control, after all, is exactly what’s needed to put off a video game or a TV show for another 20 minutes to finish reading or studying. Though temperance isn’t easily measured with number two pencils and bubble forms, it has the capacity to foster and reinforce the skills those bubble forms do test.

Why Is Act 3 Scene 1 a Turning Point in Romeo and Juliet?

Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare, the play is based on forbidden love and deathly consequences. The beginning of the play starts with a prologue, the main point of this is to get the audience’s attention and set the scene but to also explain the whole outline of the play. By doing this Shakespeare is also acknowledging one of the main themes of the play, which is fate. In the prologue Shakespeare chooses to use a lot of violent language- â€Å"Their death†¦ Civil blood makes civil hands unclean†¦ Parents rage†¦ †-. Blood is associated with fighting and battles; ‘Rage’ is a strong word, hinting towards anger. This establishes the violent, angry mood of the play. However, the prologue also informs the audience other themes involved in the play. Fate plays a big part in the play, we learn that the two lovers meeting will lead to unfortunate events happening, -â€Å"A pair of star crossed lovers take their life†¦ †-, this quote is saying that their death is inevitable and this also links in with the violent theme. Also by telling the audience how the play is going to end, this then becomes fate in action as the audience know what’s going to happen next. This is a good use of dramatic irony because we learn the outcomes of the play and all through it we know what will happen if a character chooses a certain path. The prologue also hints that we aren’t meant to on anyone’s side-â€Å"Two houses both alike†¦ †- the two rival families are both the same and so this gives us the chance to make our minds up. In the first scene, we see a street brawl between the servants of the two families; this first scene shows us how the hatred has run through not just the family but the servants also,-â€Å"When I have fought with men, I will be cruel with the maids- I will cut off their maiden heads†¦ †-, this shows how violent the feud has become because even the servants are talking about raping the oppositions maids. ‘Maiden heads’ was a slang word for virginity. In the first scene we meet Benvolio, a Montague, and we quickly learn that he is the peace maker, â€Å"Put your swords up, you know not what you do†¦ this shows that he is not a fighter, he just wants to keep the peace. Also the quote reminds us of when Jesus who said, â€Å"Forgive them father of their sins, for they know not what they do†¦ †-. This suggests that innocent people may die for others. We are also introduced to Tyblat, who is a Capulet filled with rage for the Montague’s an d the word peace, â€Å"I hate the word, as I hate hell†¦ † he is one of the characters who will instigate a fight. The next important scene is The Capulet Ball, where Romeo and Juliet first meet. It is also when Tyblat swears that although he is not dealing with the Montague’s intrusion now he will later,† I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to the bitterest gall†¦ † ‘Gall’ means poison, which makes us think of pain and suffering, thus building up the tension. Once again Shakespeare shows that Tyblat is nothing more than a big ball of rage, however this is very important as it starts the chain of events that would lead to the death of the two lovers. As Romeo first spots Juliet he uses very descriptive words to describe the way she looks, he is fascinated by her beauty, †Beauty to rich to use†¦ , he also sees her as a rare thing, as if he’s never seen someone so beautiful, â€Å"Snowy doves trooping with the crows†¦ †. We also learn that Romeo can change his mind incredibly quickly because at the beginning of the play he seems to be ‘in love’ with a Rosaline, whil st talking about her he uses a lot of oxymoron’s,† Sick health†¦ †, this shows us his confusion from an early point in the play, although when he sees Juliet he claims to be ‘in love’, from this we learn that he is very indecisive and can’t make up his own mind, â€Å"Did my heart not love till now? , this question hints at his indecisiveness and confusion. When Romeo and Juliet finally meet the moment is very child like, they just stare and move around each other almost as if to scared to touch. They also speak in the form of a sonnet to show the love that is building up between them. The famous balcony scene is also a huge step towards the oncoming events. As Romeo climbs over the orchard garden Juliet is talking to herself on her balcony. In this part the two lovebirds confess their undying love to each other and decide to get married the next day. Whilst claiming to love each other it all seems very serious but it’s just seems like simple child’s play as everything happens within twenty four hours, including a marriage. The marriage is conducted by the Friar who mysteriously states, â€Å"These violent delights have violent endings, and their triumphs die, like fire and powder†¦ † the first bit of the quote links with the violent theme of the play, even the Friar himself sees that Romeo and Juliet getting married would end badly, however he still agrees to marry them. The most important scene of all is act three scene one, this after the wedding and where finally everything unfolds. Also as this scene is filled with violence it contrasts with the past scene of the wedding, which is a juxte position of love and hate, which makes the fighting more shocking and harder to take in. In act 3 scene 1, Tyblat turns up at the beach to fight with Romeo but ends up having a short comedic fight with Mercutio but there is no violence just funny comments, â€Å"Here’s my fiddlesticks, here’s that you shall make you dance†¦ , Mercutio is making a small mockery of Tyblat and this slack attitude results in the anger within Tyblat building which would lead to the death of Mercutio. However as Romeo arrives the mood of the whole play changes. As Tyblat approaches Romeo, Romeo had just come from his wedding to Tyblat cousin Juliet, and so when Tyblat asks Romeo to fight, Romeo suddenly claims to love Tyblat and uses that as an excuse not to fight, â€Å"But love thee better than thou canst devise†¦ †, I think that this aggravates Tyblat even more, as he feels that Romeo is just making fun of him. As Romeo backs down Mercutio gets angry because he is very proud and sees the backing down as â€Å"O calm dishonourable, vile submission†¦ † This comments leads to brawl between Mercutio and Tyblat, this ends in the unfortunate death of Mercutio. As he realises that he is dying, Mercutio leaves the audience with something to think about. â€Å"A plague of both your houses. † The death of Mercutio hits Romeo the hardest as he was his closest companion. Romeo begins to fill with rage and goes after Tyblat, who had previously run off. Once he has found Tyblat, Romeo looses all sense of control, â€Å"Doom thee to death†¦ † the alliteration of the hard‘d’ makes us think of pain, as it’s a hard sound, making the audience think of death. Everything that happens before this was a build up to act three scene one, from the ball to the marriage. Romeo is the main character who we learn more and more about as the play progresses. In the beginning he is a soppy teenager and determined that he is ‘in love’ with Rosaline yet when he sees Juliet her perks up and changes his mind almost immediately. He believes strongly in fate and he uses it as an excuse to justify his actions and as a way of not taking responsibility, â€Å"Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars- but he that hath the steerage of my course, direct my sail†¦ † He knew that there would be some consequence if he went to the ball, yet he still went and it resulted in the death of his closest friend and a member of a rival family. Romeo is reluctant to change the ‘chosen path’ that has been laid out for him; he feels he isn’t responsible for his own actions. I think the speech reveals that Romeo’s state of mind isn’t really all there, he seems to be omewhere else, he is willing to let everyone else take responsibility for him, he seems really deep yet stupid. e. g. I blame him for the death of Mercutio, because if he had not been so cowardly and had just fought Tyblat himself, then Mercutio would have not felt the need to intervene. Fate is the main theme of the play , it seems that every action is able to be linked with the theme fate; when Tyblat states, â€Å"This intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert into the bitterest gall†¦ † and so that was the reason he went looking for Romeo and that lead to his own death. We the modern audience didn’t really believe in the whole fate thing as we know that is not possible because science and technology has proved it. Although, Elizabethans would have been more inclined to believe it, they didn’t really know much about science and so believed what they were told. Personally I think that it’s the parent’s fault that the events unfolded the way they did, because if they had the courage to put aside their differences and just be civil none of the unfortunate events would have happened, yet they chose to carry on quarrelling which resulted in the death of their own children and family members. Comparing the 2 film versions of â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† Zeffirelli This version is very traditional and is filmed in Verona itself, it keeps very much to the original script. The actors wore traditional clothing which would have been worn by the original actors who performed the play first. Throughout the film it is very dull and has a lack of colour, it isn’t eye catching and doesn’t give people a lot of things to get excited about. The fighting from act 3 scene 1 wasn’t very realistic looking and didn’t look like fighting at all. In this version of the film they wear very old fashioned clothes and they are totally different to the Luhrmann film. Luhrmann Not as traditional as the Zeffirelli version, it still sticks to the script. Instead of swords like the older one, it has guns and it has a lot of action scenes. The Montague’s and Capulet’s are seen as 2 gangs who both hate each other. They also wear more modern clothes and the 2 groups wear entirely different outfits. In this version the director chooses to skip between Juliet, who has just been married and Romeo and Tyblat fighting, this is a good use of juxte position as the audience doesn’t really know what to feel. I preferred the Luhrmann film more than the Zeffirelli version, I liked that it was more modern and it was easy to understand, the actors were very good and I could relate to their characters more. I liked the idea that the Montague’s and the Capulet’s were both seen as gangs and I liked the costumes that they all wore. I defiantly prefer the newer version more and would defiantly watch it again! In overall act three scene one is the main turning point in the play because up till then, Romeo and Juliet the play is seen as comedic, no real threatening events have happened and its all light and airy, however when the mood changes and people start fighting and killing each other, different emotions are brought out from the audiences watching it. All the characters seemed to have changed as the play progressed and it’s because of the characters personalities, if Romeo hadn’t been so irresponsible then he would have never gone to the ball thus Tyblat would have no reason to seek revenge for the gate crash and this also means that Mercutio would have never been killed. It’s the main point of the play and creates tension and suspense that is needed for the audience watching to really get into the play. It’s where the play where it becomes a tragedy, two of the main characters, Tybalt and Mercutio have been killed. The build up to this has been from Acts 1 & 2 and what happens after those two acts causes the two characters to be killed. From then on it also makes the two â€Å"star crossed lovers† to commit suicide, If act 3 scene 1 hadn’t happened then the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet would not have occurred, basically it is seen that fate brought the end to the both of the lovers. I feel that the play would be seen in many different ways, depending on who was watching it and also what period of time they were in. Modern teenagers watching it would

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie Essay The Characters and short about their backgrounds: Mr Justice Wargrave Had worked as a Judge for many years and had a fine reputation all over the country. He had killed several people by giving them the death sentence one of them is Edward Seton. Seton was probably innocent. Vera Claythorne Worked as a Schoolmistress. Her crime was killing Cyril Ogilvie Hamilton, by not trying to help him by while he was about to drown. She was his nanny. Philip Lombard Explorer, that has travelled all around the world. Was known as a man that you can rely on in stressful situations. He killed 21 men of an East African tribe by leaving them when mercenaries attacked their village. Miss Emily Brent Was an old cynical lady. Because of her a girl named Beatrice Taylor killed herself by jumping from a bridge. She was working with Emily as a maid. And when she got pregnant Emily froze her out. General Macarthur An old General who sent a man named Arthur Richmond to a certain death when he found out that he was having an affair with his wife. Dr Armstrong He owned a practice and was very popular in the upper class of England. He accidentally killed Louisa Mary Clees. He operated her while he was drunk and she died because of that. Tony Marston A man in his mid twenties, very handsome and popular around women. He drives very carelessly and ran over John and Lucy Combes. They both died. Mr Blore A former inspector at Scotland yard. Because of him James Stephen Landor died. He killed himself after being sent to prison innocent. Blore planted the evidence against Landor. Mr and Mrs Rogers They worked as servants. Were married. They worked for Jennifer Brady. Jennifer was a sick old Lady and giving her, her medicine, was a part of their job. One time they didnt give it to her and they inherited a lot of money. One day in August, eight people got a mysterious letter. Eight strangers, all carry a well-hidden secret. They are all invited to Nigger Island, an island that was very famous for people who like to read gossip magazines. The Island is located right outside the Devon coast, and is called Nigger Island cause the island is shaped like a head with the lips of a Negro. They all arrive on time but the weather is terrible and the women are a bit anxious about being on the Island since theres a storm coming. When they get to the Island, they find out that their host and hostess are delayed. They arent alone on the Island. The Owens has hired two servants, Mr and Mrs Rogers. Including them, they are ten people. Mr and Mrs Rogers serve a fantastic dinner, and serve them drinks afterwards. While Mr Rogers serves them the drinks, they hear a mysterious voice. The voice accuses every one of them of a terrible crime: MURDER! Mrs Rogers fainted of the shock. They tried to find out where the voice came from, and discovered that its a gramophone put up against the wall in the adjoining room. They are all very upset, and thats why no one thinks its a murder when Anthony Marston dies just a few minutes later. He choked of his drink, said the doctor, then he gave Mrs Roger a sleeping drug and sent her to bed. Thats how the terrible story began. The others sat up late discussing the mystery about all this. First the very vague invitation, then the voice and their missing host and hostess. They also discuss the letters, and discover that there are different senders. The sender is always a U. N. Owen = unknown. And why the shower curtains were missing. Early next morning Dr Armstrong woke up by someone knocking on his door. It was Mr Rogers, something was wrong with his wife. He couldnt wake her. When Dr Armstrong takes a look at her, he sees that shes dead. Probably heart failure, he cant know for sure without his medical instruments. Thats why nobody thinks the second death is a murder. But when General Macarthur dies from a hard hit in the back of his head while hes sitting on the beach, they start to wonder. After discussing the evidence, as Judge Wargrave calls it they come to the conclusion, that Mr unknown is one of them. The weather is so bad that no one could be able to get out to the island. Not even the daily boat with groceries came. The next on the list was Mr Rogers. He was out chopping wood for the fireplace when someone almost cut his head of with an axe. The men found him a few hours later, when they wondered why he hadnt woken them up. Suddenly Vera remembered something: The old nursery jingle. Ten little nigger boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little nigger boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little nigger boys travelling in Devon; One said hed stay there and then there were seven. Seven little nigger boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were six. Six little nigger boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little nigger boys going in for law; One got into Chancery and then there were four. Four little nigger boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little nigger boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. READ: The characters of Birling and Goole in An Inspector Calls EssayTwo little nigger boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little nigger boy left all alone; He went and hanged himself and there were none. My God, he was killing by the jingle! Anthony Marston choked, Mrs Rogers overslept, General Macarthur stayed on the coast of Devon and Mr Rogers was chopping up sticks. Another weird thing is the tray with the adornment little nigger boys, in the dining room. After each death theres one missing. And no one notices until after the second death. The fifth to be killed was Miss Emily Brent. She was sitting alone in the dining room, when the killer struck. She was half-asleep from a sleeping drug, which the killer had slipped into her coffee, when she was killed with a cyanide injection. Vera came to fetch her, but when she heard a bumblebee buzzing, she knew what had happened. Now there were only five of them left. I guess theres no need to say that the atmosphere was very tensed and they were all very frightened. Vera went to bed early that night, and no one had to tell her to lock her door carefully. The men remained downstairs talking. They were trying to figure out how they all could be lured into this mess. Philip Lombard had been asked to come to protect Mrs Unknown jewellery, he had even brought a gun. While they were talking Vera went into her room, but suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. She screamed and in a second or two, the men broke into her room. They turned on the lights, and discovered that the hand was seaweed hanging from the ceiling, but something else was wrong. Someone was missing the Judge. When they got to the living room he was sitting in a chair, with a judge wig and robe. It was Emilys missing yarn and the shower curtain. He was dead, shot in the head, probably with Mr Lombards gun. Mr Lombard, was now a suspect. So they put all lethal weapons and drugs into a box with a lock on it, and then put the box in a chest that also had a lock on it. They gave one key to Mr Lombard, and the other one to Mr Blore. So if someone wanted to open the boxes they had to have both keys. That night Vera went to bed feeling a bit safer. She thought the boat would come in the morning, and with all dangerous weapons locked up, they would survive the night no doubt. Mr Blore was determined not to fall asleep. So he lay on his bed waiting for something to happen. And his waiting paid of. Around half past two, he heard footsteps outside his door. He sprung to his feet; noiseless he opened the door, just in time to see doctor Armstrong walk out the front door. He went to fetch Lombard and together they searched for Dr Armstrong. When the morning came, the two men were sure that Dr Armstrong was the killer. They woke Vera up and told her what had happened during the night. The Island was very small and bare, so theres no place to hide except or the house. They figured that there was nothing left to do, so they went down to the bridge and waited for the boat. They knew who the killer was, they had searched the whole island last night without finding him and Lombard had his gun with him. It was finally over they thought. In good faith, Mr Blore went up to the house to get them something to eat. After a while Vera and Lombard wondered were he were, and went up to the house to look for him. They found him dead, hit in the head by a stone statue formed as a bear. The statue had fallen from the window above. Now they knew who the killer was. It was Dr Armstrong and this proved that he was still alive. Vera and Lombard went for a walk on the cliffs, they figured they would be safer there. Because there they could se him coming long before he could get to them. Suddenly Vera saw something in the water. It was stuck between two rocks. They went down to look at it and when they got closer they realised it was a human body. They pulled up the body and when they saw whom it was Lombard pulled his gun. It was Dr Armstrong! With only two people alive on the island they knew that it had to be one of them. Vera insisted that they should lay Armstrongs body over the high tide mark. The body was heavy, and while Lombard was busy with the body Vera stole his gun. They struggled with the gun for a few minutes and suddenly the gun went off. Lombard fell dead to the ground. Vera went up to the house. In every guestroom she saw a dead body on the bed: first Anthony Marston, then Mrs Rogers, General Macarthur, Mr Rogers, Miss Brent and Judge Wargrave. She felt very tired, though she hadnt eaten anything all she could think of was to go to sleep. She went into her room. In the middle of the room there was a noose hanging from the roof with a chair under. READ: Alice Walker-Everyday Use EssayShe climbed up the chair a put the noose around her neck like she was in a trance. Then she kicked the chair away. People on shore had been told that there was going to be a test on the island, to see how people react when they are marooned on an island for a week. Thats why the boat didnt come. But after a few days they started to wonder. When the boat got there, all they found were dead bodies and the worst crime mystery England ever seen. They knew the order of the crimes, cause Vera had written a diary and they knew the time of death of Lombard. The rest they could figure out. Vera hanged herself, but normally the chair would lie on the floor, but it was neatly put upright in a corner. And the gun lying in the hallway. The police were puzzled but everything solved when a fisherman found a message in a bottle. The Judge, Mr Justice Wargrave, had written the message. This is the content of the letter: He was the murderer, and the reason that he killed all those people was because ha had always felt a need for killing. But he also had a strong sense of whats right and whats wrong. And one day when he was talking to his colleagues they discussed that there must be a lot of crimes that the law cant touch. Crimes like death help and car accidents often cant be proved. In his mind he came up with a plan. A plan that would help him convict murderers. He loured nine people to the island including him they would be ten. Finding the people wasnt very hard. He asked people hed met a few questions, and without knowing it people told him exactly what he wanted to know. He chose the Nigger Island cause the name fitted with the old nursery jingle he had learned at school as a child. Slipping cyanide in Tony Marstons drink wasnt difficult, cause at that time no one suspected murder, same thing with Mrs Rogers. General Macarthur was also an easy target while he was sitting alone on the beach. Everyone was asleep when he killed Mr Rogers and Miss Brent wasnt suspecting anything when he put sugar in her coffee. And by the time he gave her the lethal dose of cyanide, she was to affected by the drug to notice him. He engineered his own death with the help of Dr Armstrong. He told him that he knew a way to find out who the murder was. They would convince the others that he was dead so he could snoop around without anyone knowing. All the doctor had to do was to say that he was dead, and ketchup did the trick with the bullet hole. He told the Doctor that he wanted to meet him on the cliffs later. When the good doctor came, he was pushed into the ocean. No one could she him when he threw the bear of stone at Blore. Vera took care of Lombard and herself. All he had to do was to put the chair back, and then take his own life. And he built some kind of catapult to throw the gun into the hallway after he had taken his own life. But first, he wrote this letter. My notes: Theres really not much to write about the characters, because Agatha hasnt written much about them. Just their actions and reactions, not much about their appearances. I think that her main reason about the book was just to entertain people, to give us something scary to read. The book is realistic but it in the same time its not. I wouldnt be surprised if some maniac really did something like his, not in Sweden though. Agatha Christie has written the book from an observers point of view. But she also get individual sometimes, you know what Veras thinking when she writes in her diary and so on. The book is written in old-fashioned everyday English speech. For example: Fancy a drink ehh? My thoughts about the book: I liked the book but I dont think its one of her best. Ive read quite a few but I liked the other ones better. I cant say that the novel has effected me, not like On the beach. After that book I started o think about world peace and things like that, but as I said this isnt likely to happen in Sweden. I dont know what else to say, I liked the book, it didnt affect me in any special way and I cant recognise their feelings in my own life. Agatha Christie Agatha Christie is famous throughout the world. She has written 78 crime novels, 19 plays and 6 novels written under the name of Mary Westmacott. Her books have sold billions of copies in English and another billion in 44 other languages. Her last published book, sleeping murder, was published in 1976. Staring: Miss Marple, one of two persons that she often used in her books. The other one is Hercule Poirot. Hercule was a detective and Miss Marple was an old lady who kept her eyes open and had a sense for details. They always solved their murders. She was born in Torquay, and were married to Sir Max Mallowan, archaeologist.

The Jamestown Fiasco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Jamestown Fiasco - Essay Example Following the way the Spanish had dealt with the Indians, Smith used force to make Powhatan leave the lands, and he actually achieved that. Smith saw Indians in the English Virginia as slaves. Smith tried his best to encourage the English settlers to grow their own, but the settlers fancied the way Indians lived without much work, and many escaped to join the Indians. Smith had limited authority until the end of 1608 when most of the influential council members had either resumed for England or had died. Using the added authority that he gained after that, he forced the settlers to work by proposing that those of them that only those of them would get food that worked. Smith continued assaults on the Indians, but did not feel like killing them. Smith’s treatment of Indians was not consistent with the type of relationship the Virginia Company had aspired to develop with them, so the returning council members claimed that Smith had been unnecessarily rude towards the Indians. Th e council members were also granted a charter because the conciliar government had not been able to adequately control the settlers. Therefore, the company chose a governor that gained advice from the council but made independent decision. This improved the government in Virginia and the laws for all kinds of corruption were well-defined. The military discipline made the colonists work in an organized manner. The Lawes also formulated special rules that defined how the Indians were to be dealt with. The company aspired to make certain Indians part of the company, though they had generally even become more ruthless towards the Indians than Smith had been. Despite that, the colonists were short of corn and continued to retrieve it from the Indians even after ten years of military government. Lack of equal distribution of profits among the shareholders and private enterprises generated a disincentive for the colonists to work hard enough to grow the corn. The trend of independent farmi ng surfaced between 1609 and 1614. Meanwhile, Gates and Dale proceeded to develop the land all through James up to Henrico. Virginia was being rapidly developed. Gentlemen in Virgina became six times as many as they were in England. Gentlemen were knowledgeable people meant for strategic planning, not for menial jobs. Gentlemen were much more in number than the laborers, due to which the productivity suffered. Virginia needed more craftsmen than gentlemen. The company thought that there was a lot of steel, gold and silver to be found in Virginia, so it demanded workers skilled in their exploration. But the author thinks that the settlers would have faced an increasingly challenging time had the company received workers belonging to diverse vocations as it aspired. Having little to do in their respective professions in Virginia, many would resort to becoming gentlemen rather than joining the laborers in the fields. The company wanted the colonists not to spend their whole effort and time on farming, because it wanted precious things like silk, sugar and wine to be sent to England rather than grains, but there were hardly any riches to be transported to England in the early years. This discouraged both the leaders and the workers. Finally, the Virginia Company was able to cultivate tobacco and send it to England, but the original goal remained unachieved. I was convinced by the author’s arguments since most of them are supported with the original pieces of

Saudi undergraduates' perceptions about English academic listening Dissertation

Saudi undergraduates' perceptions about English academic listening difficulties and their strategies to cope with these diffic - Dissertation Example For English language schools in Iran however, the skills of listening are not highlighted even with the significant access available in terms of listening materials in classrooms, such as CDs and DVDs. As a result, students believed that their difficulties in understanding what they were listening to did not match their competence. According to Graham (2006) persistent issues in securing listening skills may cause passivity as well as a decreased motivation and decreased involvement in the lessons. In other words, the listening skill is not given enough attention in the classroom and is not given sufficient value in the global setting (Graham, 2006). Two challenges are seen in the listening skill. One challenge refers to the understanding of the skills process itself, and another is on selecting the medium by which the listening strategy can be transmitted in the classroom (Graham, 2006). The latter may inhibit students from improving their listening skills at the lower levels in the classroom setting. Studies on explicit listening instructions seem to be important in terms of the choice of language and in securing listening strategies because the challenge at the lower language levels is to understand the context of teaching the listening strategies. ... Nagle and Sanders (1986) have secured a listening comprehension-processing model indicating how the automatic and controlled processes help listeners secure meaning based on an oral input. Moreover, evidence based on a varied context and input from the Constructivist construction by Vandergrift (1999) suggests how listeners can gain meaning based on oral support. Various studies highlight the types of learning strategies which second language learners apply during listening (Carrier, 2003; Chang and read, 2006). Authors contend that good language learner applications must be used in order to help students who are struggling in their language learning. Hassan and colleagues (2005) carried out a review of ESL studies which highlighted learning strategies from various languages. Most of the studies indicated that learning strategies, include metacognitive (learning awareness), cognitive (mental learning), and socioaffective learning (individual and social interaction behaviour). Hassan, et.al., (2005) identified learning strategies as strategies which learners use often in order to improve their learning. Chang and Read (2007) assessed visual support in the process of foreign language learning processes, evaluating the effect of various kinds of listening support on low level proficiently learners in English learning in Taiwan. Four groups took part in their study with two groups assigned to listening supports and another one focused on pictures or a written background text. A third group was a recipient to listening input repetition and the fourth group was the control group, not having any listening support. A listening proficiency test followed, then a short

Charles Messier's Butterfly Cluster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Charles Messier's Butterfly Cluster - Essay Example He actually searched for comets and to avoid confusion between comets and Messier objects, he and his colleagues compiled them in a list in 1771. It was a remarkable achievement. The list is known as the Messier Catalog or Messier Object List. The list contains a total of 110 objects. The list contains nebulae, galaxies and star clusters. Body During the process of these observations, the first object they observed was the Crab Nebula (M1). A total of 103 objects were listed by Messier and his colleagues (Burnham 73). The Crab Nebula is a ball of gas left over from a supernova explosion. M2 is a globular cluster of stars in Aquarius, M3 is located in Canes Venatici, and Messier 4 to Messier 7 are located in the constellation of Scorpius. The Butterfly Cluster is Messier 6. This object can be seen by telescope clearly, and in the grayish color by naked eye. The Butterfly Cluster existence was first noticed by Giovanni Battista Hoderna in 1654. Ptolemy discovered it while he was observ ing M7, and declared it as a part of M7. After that, Phillips Loys de Cheseaux (1945-1946) observed it and recognized it as â€Å"a very fine star cluster.† And finally it was catalogued by Charles Messier in 1764 in the list of Messier objects (The Griffith Observer 259). The Butterfly Cluster is an open cluster of stars in the constellation of Scorpius known as Messier 6 or the Butterfly Cluster as it resembles a flying butterfly with open wings and antennae. The stars of the cluster twinkle, and it looks very beautiful in the sky. It is visually a very rewarding object; the butterfly pattern is very visible and obvious. It has been placed in the 6th position in the list of Messier objects. Scorpio is located in the Milky Way and contains many massive objects other than M6 and Messier 7. The Butterfly Cluster has a magnitude of 4.2, an angular diameter of 25 arc minutes, and lies at a distance of 1,600 light years with a luminosity of 8,300 suns. The Butterfly Cluster is ab out 50 million years old and can be seen in summer nights clearly with binoculars. The objects (M6 and M7) are the summer’s finest and brightest clusters. Different astronomers have different opinions about M6’s age. According to Burnham, it is 100 million years old; WEBDA estimates its age to be around 95 million years, and 51 million years according to the Sky Catalogue 2000.0. Messier objects of the â€Å"Messier Summer Chart† are clearly visible on summer nights. Messier objects help astronomers to adjust the distance scale of the universe. The above image shows the view of M6 (outcropped). The image was taken through the Astrograph, Takahashi E-180. How Can It Be Seen? It can be seen about 3/ 1-2 degrees northwest of M7 which is located near the tail of Scorpius. It appears as a hazy patch in the dark sky but it should not be confused with Messier 7. Messier 7 is brighter than Messier 6. M7 is seen in between and the Butterfly Cluster is on its lower side. Messier 6 contains many other Messier objects such as M21, M23, NGC 6167, and NGC 6193. Its magnitude is fainter than M7, and fills the field of 25 angular diameter. One of the ways to find the Butterfly Cluster is to identify the two well-known asterisms of Scorpios and Sagittarius. It has two irregular loops of blue and white stars on both wings and at 40-50x, it has three bright stars in the butterfly’s body. The Butterfly Cluster contains almost 80 stars (Plotner 400) with B type blue (hottest) and K type orange stars (BM Scorpii, HD 160371). The brightest K type orange star is a semi-regular

COM101 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

COM101 - Essay Example ce the audience that a child raised by a gay couple is no different from other children, he uses his achievements in school and his small business to illustrate this fact. He also uses examples from his own family to show that this family is no different from others. Finally, the overall structure of the presentation was excellent. He starts by introducing himself as a son of a lesbian couple, offers his supporting arguments and then closes by restating that children raised by gay couples are just like any other children. This organization helps to bring out the key points clearly. However, this presentation could have been more effective if the speaker had used a slower pace in his speech. Some of the words may not be captured by everyone in the audience, especially those whose first language is not English. Secondly, in order to address concerns the audience may have had, the speaker should have taken some time to respond to the questions from the audience. Finally, in order to make his argument more convincing, he needed to give some statistics relating to the issue. For example, he could give statistics relating to children raised by gay couples in Iowa

Investigating Problems with Minorities and Community Policing Essay

Investigating Problems with Minorities and Community Policing - Essay Example How can we investigate problems between minorities and police services? Importantly, what is the nature and extent of the problems between the police and minority communities? How widespread are the problems and for whom are these issues problematic? Aiming to be both descriptive and prescriptive, the following will explore what has been done regarding this problem, and whether or not the innovations were effective? Finally, what are the possible solutions to the present problems between police and minority communities? Seeking to address these questions as they pertain to the issue of minorities within the United States and their relationship to the police services, the following will provide a thorough analysis of a complex phenomenon (Skogan, 2003). The United States of America boasts the highest incarceration rates on the planet, even higher than places such as China, Iran or Russia. According to a report released by the Pew Center for Research on the United States, nearly one in 100 persons in the United States is incarcerated (2008). Accordingly, the state of California alone spends $8.8 billion annually on incarceration costs and while the statistics above are, remarkable, so too are the racial disparities within the American penal system. Accordingly, while African-Americans account for just 13% of the total population, their incarceration rates are much higher than for all other ethnic groups. With nearly 50% of the total prison population in the United States, African-Americans account for a disproportionate number of inmates in this country. Importantly, it is estimated that African-Americans have a 16% risk of going to prison in their lifetime, compared to a 2% risk for whites. According to scholar Scot Wortley, â€Å"blacks are still 2 times more likely to experience a stop by police and four times more likely to experience both.

Unbroken Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Unbroken - Essay Example The scene provides some insights into the early struggles of Louie and his Spirit of fortitude to overcome. Despite the sickness, Louie beats the odds and becomes an accomplished athlete in his school days. It was while in school that he met Glenn Cunningham who becomes his mentor. Louis puts all his efforts in the sports and soon starts breaking a record becoming the fastest high school miler in 1934.He goes on to become the youngest distance runner in the Olympic team, qualifying in the 5k trial against some of the best in the sports he set his sight in Berlin Olympics in 1936 (Oney). At the Olympics, however, he could not match the Finnish runners who seemed more experienced and technically superior to Louei finishing in seventh position. No sooner, had he set his sight on the 1940 OlympicGames than two countries, Germany, and Japan began to exert pressure on nations. The following year 1941,saw Louie join the air corps service on a crew as a bomber into the world war 11 operations. Life for him is relatively calm with no demanding duties at that time until December while at the Pacific theatre when the Pearl Harbor was bombed. Japan eventually conquers many territories leading to America’s entrance into the war. Louie together with other men was to go for bomb raids. The pilot to the crew was Phillip Allen and together with others made up crew no.8 in the 372nd bomb squadron of the 307th Bomb group, seventh Air Force. His duty included operating his position with the NordenSight; that would assume the flight of the plane, calculate the target angle, and drop a bomb at the best moment (Hillenbrand 17). The scene provides a deep insight into the real life experiences in the camp as bomber. It includes conversations between Luie and the rest of the crew as they familiarize with each other and the team leaders efforts to build an effective team. The crew’s first mission came in December 1942, which was to dismantle the Japanese base

Environmental theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Environmental theory - Essay Example ?s otherness’ requires not identifying oneself (or one’s own interests, or indeed humanity or humanity’s interests) with wider nature, and recognizing that wider nature is not merely an extension of human culture (i.e., its material resource). Similarly, liberal ‘political reasonableness’ requires accepting neutrality the level of the justification of principles of justice; one should not expect them to enshrine one’s own conception of the good† (1). With nature considered to be something existent unto itself, it must be considered within the framework of political liberalism. Having presented his argument and attempted to make it clear, the author then moves on to explore what he means more fully regarding ecological justice. This process starts with a more thorough exploration of what it might mean to take a non-instrumental view of nature and how to consider what it would mean to respect nature’s otherness. Essentially, he describes ‘nature as other’ as something â€Å"independent of, or not determined by, the significances attributed to it, and the modifications made to it, within local landscapes† (2). While he acknowledges that this is an imprecise definition, he also makes the case that it is precise enough for the purposes of his argument. To determine what it means to respect nature’s otherness, he then presents what he terms three fundamental truths that must be kept in mind. The first of these is that ideas of ‘awe and humility’ must be given priority over concepts of arrogance and superiority over nature as it simply exists. This suggests that humans should â€Å"maintain a respectful distance† from the idea of nature by avoiding making any express demands on it. This includes making any attempt to put its resources to meeting human consumption demands or to involve it as an object of human adoration. The two additional truths include the No Teleology Thesis and the Autonomy Thesis, each of which assert the concept

The Next Generation Space Telescope Essay Example for Free

The Next Generation Space Telescope Essay For decades the Hubble Telescope has played a pivotal role in astronomy’s history.   However, by 2013, the Hubble may pail in comparison to the Next Generation Space Telescope.   Now known as the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists are hopeful that this Hubble upgrade will prove beneficial in advancing space discovery.   This infrared, observation device named after NASA’s second director will be built, maintained, and operated by NASA along with the help of Canadian and European space associations (NASA, 2007).   With the tentative date of June 2013, scientists are eagerly awaiting a launch that will take place off the Ariane 5 rocket (European, 2007). With its mission well defined, the Webb Telescope will look for evidence to substantiate the Big Bang Theory.   Also, while studying the stars and other celestial bodies, they hope to uncover the origins of the galaxies (Birth, 2007). Taking advantage of the Webb Telescope’s new optic capabilities will do this.   The new scope will have a primary mirror that is six times larger than that of the Hubble Scope (NASA, 2007).   This mirror will be comprised of numerous segments, all of which will unfold post launch.   These segments will be perfectly positioned through the use of micrometers. The telescope also contains an Integrated Science Instrument Module. This module is composed of a Near Infrared Camera, a Near Infrared Spectrograph, and a Mid Infrared instrument.   These properties will allow the telescope to be light sensitive from a wavelength of .6 to 27 micrometers.   Webb’s telescope will have such visual acuity that â€Å"we can see details the size of a U.S. penny at a distance of about 24 miles† (NASA, 2007 ).  Ã‚   This telescope’s visual capacity is so great that it can even detect the faintest of objects.   With the hope of studying the first stars and galaxies of the universe, the scope has been designed to view bodies up to 100 times more than the Hubble (NASA, 2007). Once all of the images and data have been collected, they will be sent to earth via a higher frequency radio transmitter. However, for this to occur, certain precautions must be taken.   The near infrared instruments work at 30 Kelvin while the mid infrared instruments work at 7 Kelvin (Koris, 2007) To accommodate this, sunshades will be made to protect the scope from the sun’s harsh glare.   The shades will reduce the telescope temperature up to 50 Kelvin, allowing for all machinery to work properly.  Ã‚   Precautions like these are essential, as the Webb telescope will not be serviceable like the Hubble Telescope (NASA, 2007). Unlike the Hubble that is only 600 kilometers away, the Webb telescope is some 1.5million kilometers from the earth and far beyond a space shuttles reach. With an estimated cost of   $35 million dollars, the Webb Telescope went into its first design phase and by the summer of 2007 it is speculated that the telescope will go into its second and more detail oriented design phase.  Ã‚   Scientists have high hopes for the James Webb Space Telescope.  Ã‚   NASA (2007) even stated, â€Å"JWST [James Webb Space Telescope] will be the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It will study every phase in the history of our Universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own Solar System† (NASA, 2007). Works Cited Birth of Stars and Protoplanetary Systems 2007, Available at   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://jwstsite.stsci.edu/science/starbirth.shtml European Space Agency 2007, James Webb Space Telescope Overview,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Available at http://www.esa.int/esaSC/120370_index_0_m.html Koris, Sally 2007, ‘James Webb Space Telescope Sunshield Membrane Passes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Critical Space-Readiness Testes’, Available at   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases NASA 2007, The James Webb Space Telescope, Available at http://www.jwst.nasa.gov/whois.html

The different stories Essay Example for Free

The different stories Essay The protagonists from the different stories all seem to have their changes or their epiphanies occur quite quickly. These changes are not brought about by lengthy self-reflection or deep pondering, instead, they occur, seemingly, in a flash, as a series of events seem to suddenly open their eyes. For example, Robert, from â€Å"Cathedral†, goes through a long narration of explaining the hows and the whys of the main event in the story (the visit of his wife’s blind friend) before, finally, expressing his realization in just nine words at the very end of the story. To be more specific with regard to Robert’s case, we see how, in much of the story, he talks not so much about himself as a person – a husband, a friend, etc – but as merely someone who is annoyed by an unwanted visitor. Robert talks much of his wife (with not a lot of affection, take note) and her friend, but he does not talk about himself, only reiterating again and again his annoyance and discomfort. This method of writing distances the readers from Robert and makes him an unsympathetic character who readers may not appreciate. This technique actually strengthens his epiphany, and, in a way, makes it an epiphany of the readers as well. When Robert said â€Å"I didn’t feel like I was inside anything† (Carver), the reader, along with Robert, also realize that though Robert is the one telling the story, he seems not to be in the story as an important character himself. Robert was in his house, yes, but he was not â€Å"in† a relationship with his wife as seen by their strangely cold exchanges (for example the dialogue about Beulah); he was not â€Å"in† any friendly relationships [â€Å"You don’t have any friends,† she said. â€Å"Period. † ( (Carver)]; and he had no connection with the blind man either. In â€Å"Good Country People†, the change in Hulga is abrupt as well. The cold, rude, disconnected and â€Å"intellectual† big blonde moves from self-confidence and self-possession into fear, anger, and panic as soon as she loses that which â€Å"she was as sensitive about (†¦) as a peacock about his tail† (OConnor, Good Country People). Earlier in the story, Hulga is portrayed as a woman who is cold and out-of-touch with the world she lives in because she thinks that her education has separated and made her better than those in her vicinity. She paints herself as someone who cannot be touched by any emotions because, in Hulga’s own words: â€Å"I don’t have illusions. I’m one of those people who see through to nothing† (OConnor, Good Country People). And yet when she loses her artificial leg, suddenly, Hulga is no longer confident or fierce or composed; she is dependent and weak and afraid (â€Å"Her voice when she spoke had an almost pleading sound† (OConnor, Good Country People)). We see with Hulga how all her confidence and brusqueness was stored in that artificial leg and, therefore, with its sudden loss came her sudden change. Lastly, in â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†, the grandmother is the one whom we see changed. Indeed her change from being a rather selfish old lady (as in sneaking the Pitty Sing into the car and deciding not to own up to her realization of her mistake), is given a 360-degree turn in the face of her own mortality. Even her interaction with The Misfit shows her change. In their first encounter she tries to flatter him , in order to save her life; she says to him â€Å"I know youre a good man. You dont look a bit like you have common blood. I know you must come from nice people! (OConnor, A Good Man is Hard to Find). However, at the mention of talk and prayer, the grandmother suddenly becomes aware of something beyond her picture of him as just a killer and she tells him â€Å"Why youre one of my babies. Youre one of my own children! (OConnor, A Good Man is Hard to Find). This part allows us to see how the grandmother has gone beyond her own self and has acknowledged the humanity of The Misfit, even though he is the eventual death of her. Works Cited Carver, Raymond. Cathedral. 30 July 2009 http://www. ndsu. nodak. edu/instruct/cinichol/GovSchool/Cathedral2. htm. OConnor, Flannery. A Good Man is Hard to Find. 30 July 2009 http://www. turksheadreview. com/library/texts/oconnor-goodmanhard. html. OConnor, Flannery. Good Country People. 30 July 2009

Design of Mobile Banking Application

Design of Mobile Banking Application Mobile banking is the topic of today as internet banking was a few years ago. [3] Globally millions of people already use mobile devices to do their banking transactions. Mobile phones as a device with high security standards and direct connections, allows customers to access a wide range of services throughout the world. This is due to the success of the mobile and internet banking which the mobile device brings both banking channels together as a compact and highly personal channel to make mobile banking a reality. [31] The mobile device also presents new opportunities in payment structure thereby formulating an easy means for transacting payments through the innovative combination of mobile technology. Mobile devices have greater reach all around the world especially in developing nations with lower knowledge of its existence. At the same time they provide a fast and effective way for customers to send money to dependants in other countries or location. As it is said, Mobile banking is big news in Africa which started out in countries as South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria where mobile phone users especially in the urban areas traded minutes by sending credits to their relatives in villages in order to communicate with them when the need arises. But then these transactions took up an increased trend by building awareness for Mobile banking deriving various mobile banking platforms such as the SMS, WAP etc. [21] In West Africa, there are concerns on how this can be implemented and how the customers would embrace such technology. This will be discussed further in chapter 2 and 5. The mobile banking transaction consists of three main components and these are: The User Customers who make use of the application The Device Mobile handset, PDA etc The Mobile Network Operator (MNO) These can be Financial Institutions, Mobile service provider or combination of both. The user can request for the service using a mobile device which connects the client application and the MNO through a wireless network, GPRS etc. [28] The mobile phone has become an invasive device which has fewer disadvantages than most technologies. The answer to this can be said based on its penetration in poor economies (Africa in particular) and a customers demand for the use of telecommunication. With a mobile phone, people can be reachable and have a secure mobile device in the palm of their hands to easily get information anytime they desire which makes communication easy. The Mobile Network Operator may also be classified as a server supplier which serves as a link between the mobile user and the mobile phone in transacting data. [10] Mobile banking offers the prospect of increasing the efficiency of payment systems and also expanding the access to financial services. These objectives may be in tension based on financial integrity or consumer protection. [31] Mobile banking has also had its criticisms, one being security. The fact still remains that there are measures in place to tackle such risks involved especially in terms of fraud or money laundry. [29] The mobile banking services have expanded in Africa cutting across East, West and the southern region of Africa. In Kenya today, a customer can send money via mobile using the Short Message Services (SMS) mobile banking platform. [24] It has been spoken about the potential expansion for mobile banking as its awareness builds around Africa and how it could lower the cost of banking and build a customer-banker relationship. [6] In implementing a mobile banking structure, there are varieties of mobile banking platforms such as short Message Service (SMS), Mobile web (WAP) and Mobile Client application (J2ME, BREW etc.) and so on. Each Mobile banking platform has its strengths and weaknesses which in effect is important to identify, for this will enhance further development in its future prospect and be appropriate for financial services. [17] SCOPE AND PURPOSE The scope of this project is to implement a mobile client based application using Java application (J2ME) and then determine how effective and secure it will be to a society and users. Questions may be asked why mobile client application. This is because it is at the moment known to be the quickest and easiest way of transacting data on the mobile device in any given time. There should be mobile network coverage for the application to function. Mobile client application also known to be standalone mobile application is most suitable to implement for a complex financial transaction. A basic requirement for mobile client application platform to be implemented is that of the software been required to be downloaded on the mobile device before it could be used, though further requirements will be needed to support the development environment (J2ME) to function on the device. [20] The J2ME client application connects to a server through the wireless enabled device or GPRS which allow customers gain access their bank statements and also perform other banking transactions such as money transfers, pay bills etc. With the support of Nokia Ltd, developers have easy access to development tools by opening an online community for developers focused in developing applications based on J2ME. [29] Therefore the scope highlights a broad view of the project in implementing a mobile banking application using J2ME Java 2 application. The hardware devices to be used are a Mobile device and a PC /Laptop. The software tools used are Sun Java Wireless Toolkit 2.5.2 for CLDC, NetBeans IDE 6.8, MySQL server, Apache web server, Edit Plus 3, Notepad etc. The purpose of this project is to design and implement a mobile banking application demonstrating its benefits and tackling flaws encountered in its implementation, thereby creating an awareness of the banking platforms which best ensures a safe and secure means of transacting data in West Africa. Therefore i embark on implementing the project and then demonstrate how it will function. AIM AND OBJECTIVES The project is aimed at implementing a mobile banking application to develop its technology and then demonstrate how it could be beneficial to developing countries and financial institutions as mobile payment system is one of the biggest hits in Africa. This will enable mobile network operators who connect to the everyday reality of the customers, diversify in what is known as a growing market and also implement security measures to ensure a safe and secure mobile banking transaction. The objectives of this project that has been formulated to aid the implementation and success of the project are: To investigate current Mobile banking platforms, methods and technologies used in West Africa and how effective and productive it has been to the countries/nations. This was carried out with the aid of Journals, articles and information from the internet and media. To investigate and determine the benefits, threats, and weaknesses of implementing a mobile banking application in West African region. To investigate on the security breaches in existence and measures to be taken into consideration when implementing the application due to a high risk of data exposure in that region. To derive techniques to be used to implement the application on a mobile device. To design, test and implement a secure mobile client application to make easy access to customers checking their account balances through Mobile Java enabled devices etc BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT (OVERVIEW) Literature Review (Chapter 2) This chapter will analyze, investigate and discuss views on the methods involved in implementing a mobile client application in West Africa and how this can be implemented. Various challenges that may disrupt the implementation will be discussed thereby formulating a means of solving its challenges and how to improve the current situation. The author will also address general questions arising from exploration of countries in West Africa (Nigeria and Ghana in particular) and how this will be solved. Structure of Mobile Banking (Chapter 3) This chapter will explain the structure, meaning and various types of mobile banking in existence. With a clear structure in place, the project will encompass methods and steps to ensure a successful implementation of mobile banking platforms in West Africa. Mobile Banking Implementation (Chapter 4) This chapter critically examines the implementation process involved in deriving a method that can be implemented, steps to be taken into consideration and testing of the application. The various steps taken will be derived from Unified Software Development Process (USDP). USDP is a generic process for the UML and will apply the iterative lifecycle model of USDP. [17] [10] Project Conclusion and Recommendation (Chapter 5) The final chapter will encapsulate the previous chapters and the author will discuss on further development to ensure the progress of the project, future improvement in the system designed and how it will be beneficial to the case study chosen. The conclusion will talk about the state at which the project was completed and what more can be implemented. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW AND PROBLEM DEFINITION LITERATURE REVIEW This Literature review is about addressing general questions arising from exploration of countries in the West African region in particular. As i mentioned earlier in the previous chapter, one of the objectives of this project is to investigate the use of mobile banking in West Africa, and then determine which mobile banking platform best suites the economies and masses by further expanding the view based on its availability, accessibility, affordability and security. [29] In carrying out my research, i limited my search on few West African countries to accommodate the time limit and information given in completing this project. There are 15 countries in West Africa; but in my research i will engage on using a sample size (limiting my search to two countries Nigeria and Ghana), whereby i will analyze and investigate the development of mobile banking and its effect caused in the implementation in those countries. [2] This will enable a fair view recommendation in my conclusion thereby concluding on which mobile platform can best be applied. Both countries (Nigeria Ghana) have active Mobile banking initiatives currently implemented; but as low and middle income countries respectively, they come from different starting points and face different issues. As such, they help to frame the particular questions which are focused to derive a result in the implementation of Mobile banking in West Africa. These few questions are: What is happening to mobile banking in these developing countries, and is it likely to lead to greater accessibility and affordability? Will Mobile banking in West Africa develop spontaneously and will there be an enablement required for it to function effectively? What are the measures in place (if any) to ensure a fast and secure means of mobile banking. Are financial institutions aware of Mobile banking in Nigeria and Ghana and what mobile banking platforms have been applied? What benefit does Mobile banking contribute to the economy and how will the customers embrace such technology? In this project, various investigations are carried out to identify the elements of an environment in adopting Mobile banking methods which would maximize the likelihood of access to financial services and how it will expand greatly in West Africa. Because of its restricted time and focus, the project was designed to be exploratory, rather than definitive (seeking to understand what was happening in both countries mentioned above) and in the process develop an approach towards market development and awareness of which could be of wider value across the continent. The project comprised the following elements: Investigation on existing mobile banking platforms used as mentioned earlier and the different approaches adopted in different Countries. In my research, i realized that mobile banking platforms follow a wide range of mobile application expansion in West Africa where so many banks are embarking on the system. This was because of the success of new mobile devices manufactured to provide excellent characteristics with larger processing power, large amount of memory, enabled Java programming and GPRS/GPS service.[4] Furthermore, mobile network operators in the Western region of Africa adopted 2.5G network, which uses GPRS as an information bearer. With the expansion of 3G networks, it has made mobile banking more productive. These type of networks enable greater amount of data to be transmitted between the client and server applications using much secure and stable connectivity. [4] With the adoption of the 2G network, WAP was implemented and due to disadvantages in terms of security and availability, the development of the mobile client application was introduced. WAP mobile application was useful for less powerful mobile devices. [4] [9]Taking a look at other West African countries like Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Niger etc. in which they know little about mobile banking, with an awareness and banks adopting mobile banking platforms, these nations will adopt mobile banking platforms. The vast major countries in West Africa in which mobile banking is implemented are Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and few others. [3] In carrying out my analysis on the growth and implementation of mobile banking in West Africa, i looked at developing countries in that region and examined how effective mobile banking can be. In my research, i sampled two countries Nigeria and Ghana and examined all aspects relating to the project topic. RESEARCH ON MOBILE BANKING IN NIGERIA AND GHANA The growth of Mobile banking in Nigeria started in 2006 beginning with the SMS system of banking which is widely common and still practiced. The WAP and Mobile client application system started in 2008 and ever since has been expanding in technology. Internet banking is one of the mobile banking systems that had a low penetration rate in Nigeria due to poor internet facilities and a high cost of acquiring internet service (Table 2.1).[3] Globa Com a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) uses the SMS system of banking in collaboration using some banks in the country. According to the official of Globa Com, in which he stated that Glo Mobile banking subscribers will soon have access to paying bills and other utility bills on their mobile with a collaboration with several financial organizations. This proves the growth and expansion on Mobile banking in Nigeria and the rest of West Africa. As at 2008, the internet banking system had a 6% penetration rate in a population of 140million in Nigeria. In regards to mobile banking, its penetration rate is close to 50% with a prospect for more expansion as analyzed below. [4] One may ask why a large difference between both banking systems. This is due to low infrastructure and technology in satellite transmission across West Africa. In Ghana, There are measures to ensure the wide spread of Mobile banking services for commercial banks have been advised to introduce mobile banking platforms to enable its customers in carrying out banking services even outside the banking premises which was the only way to transfer funds, check balances etc. [5] Mobile banking service penetration As analyzed above in table 2.1, mobile banking services has penetrated in both countries compared to internet banking which has very low penetration. For Mobile client applications to be implemented, a mobile device with GPRS, WAP enabled and java compatibility should be used. These applications implement secure API and web service technology. Mobile banking features on a mobile phone have been provided to users in which it is secure and easy to use. This concept is a competitive advantage on the market of mobile phone manufacturers in which competitive advantage is the possibility of success. [13] Emmanuel Okoegwale stated in his report that offshore transfer of WAP mobile banking was a disaster based on an internet-based technology applied to the mobile which was a slow, unreliable and costly system for customers in Nigeria with poor coverage, handset limitation and inadequate customer awareness to the system. At the moment, the SMS system of banking is dominant for mobile banking transaction. [4] TECHNOLOGY With the standardization of the 3rd generation mobile communication systems in 2000, technology became a vital impart in the world of mobile banking. In 2000, 2.5G 2.75G network increased the data transmission. Then, the 3G network system which transmits wideband TDMA and CDMA, voice and high bit-rate data and portable units. There are speculations of the 4th generation mobile communication systems called the 4G to be implemented in 2010. The current mobile technology used in Ghana and Nigeria are: SMS (The à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“request replyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? text application) WAP (Web application) J2ME (Java application) Short Message Service The Short Message Service system involves a user and a Mobile Network Operator exchanging text messages through a secure encrypted channel. But first, the user needs to be registered with the bank to receive the facility. Once registered by the bank, the user will be advised a text will be sent to him to confirm the registration. The service will then be registered and the user would be able to receive text alert once in a while especially when a transaction has taken place in the customers account. The structure of a secure SMS system is therefore highlighted below. An SMS System of banking With the SMS system, the user can request for his current balance by (requesting) sending a text to a bank message code and then get a response. The message code helps to identify the user and then recognise his request, in which it will initiate a response (sending his current balance). The disadvantage of SMS system of banking is that scammers send SMS messages identifying themselves as the bank, and also request for further bank details from the user such as PIN number, account number etc. This fraud has made the SMS system of banking insecure. This method is still experienced in Nigeria and Ghana respectively as i was able to identify that as a challenge. Another disadvantage is the user cannot store his credit card information on the mobile devices to pay a bill due to poor mobile infrastructure in place in West Africa. Also, no payment history can be derived from the mobile device when using an SMS system of banking. WAP (Web Application) The WAP system uses an internet browser on a mobile device. The user accesses his account from the banks website. This is similar to internet banking practiced on a PC or laptop. A major constrain in the WAP system is old mobile handsets have no built-in mobile browser, therefore restricting users in using such method. In Ghana and Nigeria, most mobile handset users use sophisticated handsets with GPRS, 3G and wireless enabled. Few banks such as Diamond, Intercontinental, Bank PHP and Ghanaian Commercial bank have adopted this method of banking, but yet to completely introduce it to all their customers. This is due to the long wait and procedure their customers have to take in registering for the facility. Some banks have created a special web page which will be suitable for their customers to register on their mobile screens. Mobile browsers are vulnerable to the same security risk been experienced in internet banking. However, there are differences in terms of safer means of transacting data on a mobile device than on the PC or laptop. This is because as at June 2009,[21a] creators of Trojan horses viruses and other types have not fully focused on the mobile market; though viruses still affect mobile devices, but it is not as rampant as the PC or laptop. J2ME (Java Application) J2ME is classified as an application used to implement a mobile client application. This application needs to be downloaded and installed on a mobile device which is java enabled, and then linked directly to a server. The application is said to require an effort to install, but it is known to becoming popular around the world. This is because it is faster than logging into the web browser to access a banks website. With further development in its technology, its user interface will be much easier to navigate.[21a] Applications as this are highly secure due to its implementation and information designed to function with a security algorithm, whereby all banks use different security algorithms. The disadvantage in using this method is programs downloaded on a mobile device can be stored and if not signed or logged out, it could be vulnerable to security risk. This can be tackled by introducing a timeout system method when implementing the code.[21a] CONNECTIVITY There are various network connectivity used in mobile transmission. Network Connectivity Mobile device users communicate using wireless networks anywhere at any given time. Mobile devices can be connected as well at any place and at anytime to the wireless network. Wireless network connectivity are regulated by frequencies. The user receives wireless network connection on his mobile on the frequency and wavelength of the antenna. Signal problems may occur based on the blocking and reflection of large buildings, the size of wavelength may be too small and the distance of the wireless antennas (mast) may be too far. This has been further tackled in developed nations, but West African countries still experience these problems. Signals can take many different paths and may case delay (3-12 micro seconds). [17] The effects of low or no signals in West Africa are based on short and long term fading of the signals. The short term fading can be classified as buildings, hills, trees etc., while the long term fading can be said to be the distance between the sender and the receiver, for it may change when the user moves to a different coverage area. MOBILE PLATFORMS Mobile devices come in different ranges, shapes and sizes. This is why mobile developers cannot system the same mobile platforms for another mobile device. For example, mobile applications developed to function on a Nokia handset will not function on a Windows Mobile/ Windows CE handset, though some applications may function on handsets manufactured by different companies. An example is the snake game on a Nokia and Sony Ericsson handset. This is due to the specification in both devices which will be further explained. Also, these devices are manufactured by different companies using different techniques. Mobile devices are categorised into: Microsoft PDA and Smart phones These devices use a mobile 5 and 2003 pocket edition platform to function. Types of devices in these categories are XDA, SPV-M, MDA, I-MATE, HTC S623 etc. Nokia and Sony Ericsson Devices These devices use a Symbian platform to function. Types of devices in these categories are P900, N series, W series, 9300 communicator etc. RIM Blackberry Device The blackberry device is a unique kind of device, for it has its unique platform and for such features (such as push e-mails) to function, it will need to register with RIM company, and then be connected to the blackberry enterprise server (BES). With other devices such the HTC device you can download the outlook e-mail feature from the mobile web. Palm Smart phones The palm device also uses Microsoft mobile 5 platforms along with the palm Operating System (OS) platform. Devices in this category are Treo 600, Treo 650, Centro, Palm pre etc. Microsoft PDA phones, smart phones are also manufactured by Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Palm and other mobile companies. These devices have similar functions which are: They have the push e-mail function You can create, edit and read on the device using applications such as word, powerpoint, spreadsheets etc. There are differences between using a blackberry device and other devices. As mentioned earlier, the blackberry device is a unique kind and this has made its devices more demanding and competitive in the mobile market. Analysing these mobile devices in terms of usage in Nigeria and Ghana, most people are so focus driven when new kinds of mobile handsets are introduced into the market. They look forward to having one without the knowledge of its features or technology. The mobile platforms in use are listed and some are explained below: Symbian platform Palm OS platform Java platform RIM (Blackberry) platform Windows Mobile platform Linux platform Symbian platform The name Symbian was derived based on Microsofts domination in the mobile market, therefore making four mobile companies ( Ericsson, Panasonic, Motorola and Nokia) along with the development team of Psion (a UK based company) form a new company called Symbian. The Symbian platform was also called EPOS. Symbian is known to be an open source operating system (OS) specifically designed for mobile devices and smart phones with frameworks, libraries and user interface originally developed by the company Symbian LTD. [29b] The Symbian platform is specifically engineered to handle error (which is similar to Java) and uses the concept of a server rather than traditional device drivers. The Symbian platform uses an SDK development environment. Figure 2.3 shows the architecture of the Symbian platform. Java platform Java was developed as a language for embedded programming of washing machine, microwaves etc. In 2000, Java language became sophisticated with large classes supporting desktop like application and requiring memory resources and significant processing. The growth of mobile devices reached the critical mass which made Sun re-launch a smaller version of their SDK called J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition). J2ME now retains integration with larger SDK Sun like Palm OS and Symbian platforms. The architecture of J2ME (as shown in figure 2.3) was further partitioned into the virtual machines, configurations and profiles(as shown on figure 2.4). The J2ME also has support for OTA provisioning. Java ME technology was created in order to handle the constraints connected with building applications for small devices. Palm OS The Palm was launched as a software house developing handwriting recognition software for some manufacturers handheld. In 2001, palm split to become two companies, one responsible for development of operating systems and the other PDAs. Palm functions with a single -tasking third -party kernel which was developed by KADAK. It has a real-time operating system which is able to handle hardware interruption while task switching. EVALUATION AND FINDINGS A search was carried out to analyse the current Mobile banking Structure in West Africa and what banking strategies have been implemented to ensure customers have a safe and secure means of Mobile banking. Before implementing a Mobile client application, such evaluations should be carried out by using SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis, this will enable me carryout a proper implementation of Mobile banking in West Africa. In achieving my findings, I carried out various objectives which are listed below: I carried out a search to analyse the current Mobile banking Structure existing in West Africa and how effective, accessible and affordable it has been to the economies or nations. This was carried out with the aid of Journals, Articles and information from the internet and media. Results: The mobile banking platforms in existence are SMS, WAP and Mobile client application. An evaluation of my findings from my literature search was carried out to determine the benefits, threats, and the weaknesses of implementing a mobile banking application in West African region. Results: The benefits are greater expansion in banking facility and the economy at large. Security measures were derived when implementing the application due to a high risk of data protection in that region. What techniques were introduced in current mobile banking platforms? Results: Techniques derived to implement the application on a mobile device are SMS alert system, banking advertisement and customer-to-bank relationship. ANALYSIS AND INVESTIGATION Analysis and investigation are issues that may arise when implementing a mobile banking platform. To investigate the above given aim and objectives, ill be using a range of resources, like books, journals, but the main source of my information will be the Internet; resources from news websites, white papers and government publications etc. thereby providing an up-to-date information to carryout my research. This method was adopted due to constrains in distance and information from West African countries. According to Sola fanawopo(2008) on the growth in mobile banking services in Nigeria, he stated that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“some of the transactions that can be conducted with Glo Mobile banking include checking balances, viewing of the last five transactions on account. He also stated Glo Mobile (Owner by Globa Com) subscribers can transfer money from one account to another within the same bank.[23] Emmanuel Okoegwale in an article went further to elaborate on when Nigeria started using Mobile banking system which he said started by transaction based activities whereby customers were notified through the SMS system of banking in respect to the recent banking transactions done on their account.[3] With the recent penetration of internet and Java enabled mobile devices, Nigerian banks deployed full fledged banking through mobile device with various means of services made available, but this was made possible in the bank. The internet being a channel to mobile banking had penetration rate of 6 percent (%) in a population of 140million,with mobile technology been close to 50 percent (%) penetration with prospect for growth.( see table 2.1) [4] The banking sector in Ghana has witnessed a significant amount of transformation in the adoption of banking which also known in Ghana as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"m-banking.[3] According to Daniel Nonors report on mobile banking in Ghana, he said à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“subscribers to the facility in Ghana still account for a tiny percentage of the banking public, but fast gaining groundsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. He went further to explain the use of advanced mobile phones and services by Ghanaians who have embraced the mobile technology. [1] One of Ghanaians top banks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Ghana Commercial bank GCB is yet to introduce the mobile client system of banking to their customers in 2010. [24] MTN ( one of West Africans mobile service operators launched mobile banking in Ghana called MTN Mobile Money which will allow customers pay for utility services, transfer money and other banking services. For this to function, customers will have to register with authorized mobile money agents or partnership banks. [5] Ivatury and Mas (2008) predicted that poor people in developing countries are more likely to use mobile phones in undertaking financial transactions. [8] However, there exists poor internet connectivity in most countries in West Af Design of Mobile Banking Application Design of Mobile Banking Application Mobile banking is the topic of today as internet banking was a few years ago. [3] Globally millions of people already use mobile devices to do their banking transactions. Mobile phones as a device with high security standards and direct connections, allows customers to access a wide range of services throughout the world. This is due to the success of the mobile and internet banking which the mobile device brings both banking channels together as a compact and highly personal channel to make mobile banking a reality. [31] The mobile device also presents new opportunities in payment structure thereby formulating an easy means for transacting payments through the innovative combination of mobile technology. Mobile devices have greater reach all around the world especially in developing nations with lower knowledge of its existence. At the same time they provide a fast and effective way for customers to send money to dependants in other countries or location. As it is said, Mobile banking is big news in Africa which started out in countries as South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria where mobile phone users especially in the urban areas traded minutes by sending credits to their relatives in villages in order to communicate with them when the need arises. But then these transactions took up an increased trend by building awareness for Mobile banking deriving various mobile banking platforms such as the SMS, WAP etc. [21] In West Africa, there are concerns on how this can be implemented and how the customers would embrace such technology. This will be discussed further in chapter 2 and 5. The mobile banking transaction consists of three main components and these are: The User Customers who make use of the application The Device Mobile handset, PDA etc The Mobile Network Operator (MNO) These can be Financial Institutions, Mobile service provider or combination of both. The user can request for the service using a mobile device which connects the client application and the MNO through a wireless network, GPRS etc. [28] The mobile phone has become an invasive device which has fewer disadvantages than most technologies. The answer to this can be said based on its penetration in poor economies (Africa in particular) and a customers demand for the use of telecommunication. With a mobile phone, people can be reachable and have a secure mobile device in the palm of their hands to easily get information anytime they desire which makes communication easy. The Mobile Network Operator may also be classified as a server supplier which serves as a link between the mobile user and the mobile phone in transacting data. [10] Mobile banking offers the prospect of increasing the efficiency of payment systems and also expanding the access to financial services. These objectives may be in tension based on financial integrity or consumer protection. [31] Mobile banking has also had its criticisms, one being security. The fact still remains that there are measures in place to tackle such risks involved especially in terms of fraud or money laundry. [29] The mobile banking services have expanded in Africa cutting across East, West and the southern region of Africa. In Kenya today, a customer can send money via mobile using the Short Message Services (SMS) mobile banking platform. [24] It has been spoken about the potential expansion for mobile banking as its awareness builds around Africa and how it could lower the cost of banking and build a customer-banker relationship. [6] In implementing a mobile banking structure, there are varieties of mobile banking platforms such as short Message Service (SMS), Mobile web (WAP) and Mobile Client application (J2ME, BREW etc.) and so on. Each Mobile banking platform has its strengths and weaknesses which in effect is important to identify, for this will enhance further development in its future prospect and be appropriate for financial services. [17] SCOPE AND PURPOSE The scope of this project is to implement a mobile client based application using Java application (J2ME) and then determine how effective and secure it will be to a society and users. Questions may be asked why mobile client application. This is because it is at the moment known to be the quickest and easiest way of transacting data on the mobile device in any given time. There should be mobile network coverage for the application to function. Mobile client application also known to be standalone mobile application is most suitable to implement for a complex financial transaction. A basic requirement for mobile client application platform to be implemented is that of the software been required to be downloaded on the mobile device before it could be used, though further requirements will be needed to support the development environment (J2ME) to function on the device. [20] The J2ME client application connects to a server through the wireless enabled device or GPRS which allow customers gain access their bank statements and also perform other banking transactions such as money transfers, pay bills etc. With the support of Nokia Ltd, developers have easy access to development tools by opening an online community for developers focused in developing applications based on J2ME. [29] Therefore the scope highlights a broad view of the project in implementing a mobile banking application using J2ME Java 2 application. The hardware devices to be used are a Mobile device and a PC /Laptop. The software tools used are Sun Java Wireless Toolkit 2.5.2 for CLDC, NetBeans IDE 6.8, MySQL server, Apache web server, Edit Plus 3, Notepad etc. The purpose of this project is to design and implement a mobile banking application demonstrating its benefits and tackling flaws encountered in its implementation, thereby creating an awareness of the banking platforms which best ensures a safe and secure means of transacting data in West Africa. Therefore i embark on implementing the project and then demonstrate how it will function. AIM AND OBJECTIVES The project is aimed at implementing a mobile banking application to develop its technology and then demonstrate how it could be beneficial to developing countries and financial institutions as mobile payment system is one of the biggest hits in Africa. This will enable mobile network operators who connect to the everyday reality of the customers, diversify in what is known as a growing market and also implement security measures to ensure a safe and secure mobile banking transaction. The objectives of this project that has been formulated to aid the implementation and success of the project are: To investigate current Mobile banking platforms, methods and technologies used in West Africa and how effective and productive it has been to the countries/nations. This was carried out with the aid of Journals, articles and information from the internet and media. To investigate and determine the benefits, threats, and weaknesses of implementing a mobile banking application in West African region. To investigate on the security breaches in existence and measures to be taken into consideration when implementing the application due to a high risk of data exposure in that region. To derive techniques to be used to implement the application on a mobile device. To design, test and implement a secure mobile client application to make easy access to customers checking their account balances through Mobile Java enabled devices etc BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT (OVERVIEW) Literature Review (Chapter 2) This chapter will analyze, investigate and discuss views on the methods involved in implementing a mobile client application in West Africa and how this can be implemented. Various challenges that may disrupt the implementation will be discussed thereby formulating a means of solving its challenges and how to improve the current situation. The author will also address general questions arising from exploration of countries in West Africa (Nigeria and Ghana in particular) and how this will be solved. Structure of Mobile Banking (Chapter 3) This chapter will explain the structure, meaning and various types of mobile banking in existence. With a clear structure in place, the project will encompass methods and steps to ensure a successful implementation of mobile banking platforms in West Africa. Mobile Banking Implementation (Chapter 4) This chapter critically examines the implementation process involved in deriving a method that can be implemented, steps to be taken into consideration and testing of the application. The various steps taken will be derived from Unified Software Development Process (USDP). USDP is a generic process for the UML and will apply the iterative lifecycle model of USDP. [17] [10] Project Conclusion and Recommendation (Chapter 5) The final chapter will encapsulate the previous chapters and the author will discuss on further development to ensure the progress of the project, future improvement in the system designed and how it will be beneficial to the case study chosen. The conclusion will talk about the state at which the project was completed and what more can be implemented. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW AND PROBLEM DEFINITION LITERATURE REVIEW This Literature review is about addressing general questions arising from exploration of countries in the West African region in particular. As i mentioned earlier in the previous chapter, one of the objectives of this project is to investigate the use of mobile banking in West Africa, and then determine which mobile banking platform best suites the economies and masses by further expanding the view based on its availability, accessibility, affordability and security. [29] In carrying out my research, i limited my search on few West African countries to accommodate the time limit and information given in completing this project. There are 15 countries in West Africa; but in my research i will engage on using a sample size (limiting my search to two countries Nigeria and Ghana), whereby i will analyze and investigate the development of mobile banking and its effect caused in the implementation in those countries. [2] This will enable a fair view recommendation in my conclusion thereby concluding on which mobile platform can best be applied. Both countries (Nigeria Ghana) have active Mobile banking initiatives currently implemented; but as low and middle income countries respectively, they come from different starting points and face different issues. As such, they help to frame the particular questions which are focused to derive a result in the implementation of Mobile banking in West Africa. These few questions are: What is happening to mobile banking in these developing countries, and is it likely to lead to greater accessibility and affordability? Will Mobile banking in West Africa develop spontaneously and will there be an enablement required for it to function effectively? What are the measures in place (if any) to ensure a fast and secure means of mobile banking. Are financial institutions aware of Mobile banking in Nigeria and Ghana and what mobile banking platforms have been applied? What benefit does Mobile banking contribute to the economy and how will the customers embrace such technology? In this project, various investigations are carried out to identify the elements of an environment in adopting Mobile banking methods which would maximize the likelihood of access to financial services and how it will expand greatly in West Africa. Because of its restricted time and focus, the project was designed to be exploratory, rather than definitive (seeking to understand what was happening in both countries mentioned above) and in the process develop an approach towards market development and awareness of which could be of wider value across the continent. The project comprised the following elements: Investigation on existing mobile banking platforms used as mentioned earlier and the different approaches adopted in different Countries. In my research, i realized that mobile banking platforms follow a wide range of mobile application expansion in West Africa where so many banks are embarking on the system. This was because of the success of new mobile devices manufactured to provide excellent characteristics with larger processing power, large amount of memory, enabled Java programming and GPRS/GPS service.[4] Furthermore, mobile network operators in the Western region of Africa adopted 2.5G network, which uses GPRS as an information bearer. With the expansion of 3G networks, it has made mobile banking more productive. These type of networks enable greater amount of data to be transmitted between the client and server applications using much secure and stable connectivity. [4] With the adoption of the 2G network, WAP was implemented and due to disadvantages in terms of security and availability, the development of the mobile client application was introduced. WAP mobile application was useful for less powerful mobile devices. [4] [9]Taking a look at other West African countries like Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Niger etc. in which they know little about mobile banking, with an awareness and banks adopting mobile banking platforms, these nations will adopt mobile banking platforms. The vast major countries in West Africa in which mobile banking is implemented are Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and few others. [3] In carrying out my analysis on the growth and implementation of mobile banking in West Africa, i looked at developing countries in that region and examined how effective mobile banking can be. In my research, i sampled two countries Nigeria and Ghana and examined all aspects relating to the project topic. RESEARCH ON MOBILE BANKING IN NIGERIA AND GHANA The growth of Mobile banking in Nigeria started in 2006 beginning with the SMS system of banking which is widely common and still practiced. The WAP and Mobile client application system started in 2008 and ever since has been expanding in technology. Internet banking is one of the mobile banking systems that had a low penetration rate in Nigeria due to poor internet facilities and a high cost of acquiring internet service (Table 2.1).[3] Globa Com a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) uses the SMS system of banking in collaboration using some banks in the country. According to the official of Globa Com, in which he stated that Glo Mobile banking subscribers will soon have access to paying bills and other utility bills on their mobile with a collaboration with several financial organizations. This proves the growth and expansion on Mobile banking in Nigeria and the rest of West Africa. As at 2008, the internet banking system had a 6% penetration rate in a population of 140million in Nigeria. In regards to mobile banking, its penetration rate is close to 50% with a prospect for more expansion as analyzed below. [4] One may ask why a large difference between both banking systems. This is due to low infrastructure and technology in satellite transmission across West Africa. In Ghana, There are measures to ensure the wide spread of Mobile banking services for commercial banks have been advised to introduce mobile banking platforms to enable its customers in carrying out banking services even outside the banking premises which was the only way to transfer funds, check balances etc. [5] Mobile banking service penetration As analyzed above in table 2.1, mobile banking services has penetrated in both countries compared to internet banking which has very low penetration. For Mobile client applications to be implemented, a mobile device with GPRS, WAP enabled and java compatibility should be used. These applications implement secure API and web service technology. Mobile banking features on a mobile phone have been provided to users in which it is secure and easy to use. This concept is a competitive advantage on the market of mobile phone manufacturers in which competitive advantage is the possibility of success. [13] Emmanuel Okoegwale stated in his report that offshore transfer of WAP mobile banking was a disaster based on an internet-based technology applied to the mobile which was a slow, unreliable and costly system for customers in Nigeria with poor coverage, handset limitation and inadequate customer awareness to the system. At the moment, the SMS system of banking is dominant for mobile banking transaction. [4] TECHNOLOGY With the standardization of the 3rd generation mobile communication systems in 2000, technology became a vital impart in the world of mobile banking. In 2000, 2.5G 2.75G network increased the data transmission. Then, the 3G network system which transmits wideband TDMA and CDMA, voice and high bit-rate data and portable units. There are speculations of the 4th generation mobile communication systems called the 4G to be implemented in 2010. The current mobile technology used in Ghana and Nigeria are: SMS (The à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“request replyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? text application) WAP (Web application) J2ME (Java application) Short Message Service The Short Message Service system involves a user and a Mobile Network Operator exchanging text messages through a secure encrypted channel. But first, the user needs to be registered with the bank to receive the facility. Once registered by the bank, the user will be advised a text will be sent to him to confirm the registration. The service will then be registered and the user would be able to receive text alert once in a while especially when a transaction has taken place in the customers account. The structure of a secure SMS system is therefore highlighted below. An SMS System of banking With the SMS system, the user can request for his current balance by (requesting) sending a text to a bank message code and then get a response. The message code helps to identify the user and then recognise his request, in which it will initiate a response (sending his current balance). The disadvantage of SMS system of banking is that scammers send SMS messages identifying themselves as the bank, and also request for further bank details from the user such as PIN number, account number etc. This fraud has made the SMS system of banking insecure. This method is still experienced in Nigeria and Ghana respectively as i was able to identify that as a challenge. Another disadvantage is the user cannot store his credit card information on the mobile devices to pay a bill due to poor mobile infrastructure in place in West Africa. Also, no payment history can be derived from the mobile device when using an SMS system of banking. WAP (Web Application) The WAP system uses an internet browser on a mobile device. The user accesses his account from the banks website. This is similar to internet banking practiced on a PC or laptop. A major constrain in the WAP system is old mobile handsets have no built-in mobile browser, therefore restricting users in using such method. In Ghana and Nigeria, most mobile handset users use sophisticated handsets with GPRS, 3G and wireless enabled. Few banks such as Diamond, Intercontinental, Bank PHP and Ghanaian Commercial bank have adopted this method of banking, but yet to completely introduce it to all their customers. This is due to the long wait and procedure their customers have to take in registering for the facility. Some banks have created a special web page which will be suitable for their customers to register on their mobile screens. Mobile browsers are vulnerable to the same security risk been experienced in internet banking. However, there are differences in terms of safer means of transacting data on a mobile device than on the PC or laptop. This is because as at June 2009,[21a] creators of Trojan horses viruses and other types have not fully focused on the mobile market; though viruses still affect mobile devices, but it is not as rampant as the PC or laptop. J2ME (Java Application) J2ME is classified as an application used to implement a mobile client application. This application needs to be downloaded and installed on a mobile device which is java enabled, and then linked directly to a server. The application is said to require an effort to install, but it is known to becoming popular around the world. This is because it is faster than logging into the web browser to access a banks website. With further development in its technology, its user interface will be much easier to navigate.[21a] Applications as this are highly secure due to its implementation and information designed to function with a security algorithm, whereby all banks use different security algorithms. The disadvantage in using this method is programs downloaded on a mobile device can be stored and if not signed or logged out, it could be vulnerable to security risk. This can be tackled by introducing a timeout system method when implementing the code.[21a] CONNECTIVITY There are various network connectivity used in mobile transmission. Network Connectivity Mobile device users communicate using wireless networks anywhere at any given time. Mobile devices can be connected as well at any place and at anytime to the wireless network. Wireless network connectivity are regulated by frequencies. The user receives wireless network connection on his mobile on the frequency and wavelength of the antenna. Signal problems may occur based on the blocking and reflection of large buildings, the size of wavelength may be too small and the distance of the wireless antennas (mast) may be too far. This has been further tackled in developed nations, but West African countries still experience these problems. Signals can take many different paths and may case delay (3-12 micro seconds). [17] The effects of low or no signals in West Africa are based on short and long term fading of the signals. The short term fading can be classified as buildings, hills, trees etc., while the long term fading can be said to be the distance between the sender and the receiver, for it may change when the user moves to a different coverage area. MOBILE PLATFORMS Mobile devices come in different ranges, shapes and sizes. This is why mobile developers cannot system the same mobile platforms for another mobile device. For example, mobile applications developed to function on a Nokia handset will not function on a Windows Mobile/ Windows CE handset, though some applications may function on handsets manufactured by different companies. An example is the snake game on a Nokia and Sony Ericsson handset. This is due to the specification in both devices which will be further explained. Also, these devices are manufactured by different companies using different techniques. Mobile devices are categorised into: Microsoft PDA and Smart phones These devices use a mobile 5 and 2003 pocket edition platform to function. Types of devices in these categories are XDA, SPV-M, MDA, I-MATE, HTC S623 etc. Nokia and Sony Ericsson Devices These devices use a Symbian platform to function. Types of devices in these categories are P900, N series, W series, 9300 communicator etc. RIM Blackberry Device The blackberry device is a unique kind of device, for it has its unique platform and for such features (such as push e-mails) to function, it will need to register with RIM company, and then be connected to the blackberry enterprise server (BES). With other devices such the HTC device you can download the outlook e-mail feature from the mobile web. Palm Smart phones The palm device also uses Microsoft mobile 5 platforms along with the palm Operating System (OS) platform. Devices in this category are Treo 600, Treo 650, Centro, Palm pre etc. Microsoft PDA phones, smart phones are also manufactured by Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Palm and other mobile companies. These devices have similar functions which are: They have the push e-mail function You can create, edit and read on the device using applications such as word, powerpoint, spreadsheets etc. There are differences between using a blackberry device and other devices. As mentioned earlier, the blackberry device is a unique kind and this has made its devices more demanding and competitive in the mobile market. Analysing these mobile devices in terms of usage in Nigeria and Ghana, most people are so focus driven when new kinds of mobile handsets are introduced into the market. They look forward to having one without the knowledge of its features or technology. The mobile platforms in use are listed and some are explained below: Symbian platform Palm OS platform Java platform RIM (Blackberry) platform Windows Mobile platform Linux platform Symbian platform The name Symbian was derived based on Microsofts domination in the mobile market, therefore making four mobile companies ( Ericsson, Panasonic, Motorola and Nokia) along with the development team of Psion (a UK based company) form a new company called Symbian. The Symbian platform was also called EPOS. Symbian is known to be an open source operating system (OS) specifically designed for mobile devices and smart phones with frameworks, libraries and user interface originally developed by the company Symbian LTD. [29b] The Symbian platform is specifically engineered to handle error (which is similar to Java) and uses the concept of a server rather than traditional device drivers. The Symbian platform uses an SDK development environment. Figure 2.3 shows the architecture of the Symbian platform. Java platform Java was developed as a language for embedded programming of washing machine, microwaves etc. In 2000, Java language became sophisticated with large classes supporting desktop like application and requiring memory resources and significant processing. The growth of mobile devices reached the critical mass which made Sun re-launch a smaller version of their SDK called J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition). J2ME now retains integration with larger SDK Sun like Palm OS and Symbian platforms. The architecture of J2ME (as shown in figure 2.3) was further partitioned into the virtual machines, configurations and profiles(as shown on figure 2.4). The J2ME also has support for OTA provisioning. Java ME technology was created in order to handle the constraints connected with building applications for small devices. Palm OS The Palm was launched as a software house developing handwriting recognition software for some manufacturers handheld. In 2001, palm split to become two companies, one responsible for development of operating systems and the other PDAs. Palm functions with a single -tasking third -party kernel which was developed by KADAK. It has a real-time operating system which is able to handle hardware interruption while task switching. EVALUATION AND FINDINGS A search was carried out to analyse the current Mobile banking Structure in West Africa and what banking strategies have been implemented to ensure customers have a safe and secure means of Mobile banking. Before implementing a Mobile client application, such evaluations should be carried out by using SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis, this will enable me carryout a proper implementation of Mobile banking in West Africa. In achieving my findings, I carried out various objectives which are listed below: I carried out a search to analyse the current Mobile banking Structure existing in West Africa and how effective, accessible and affordable it has been to the economies or nations. This was carried out with the aid of Journals, Articles and information from the internet and media. Results: The mobile banking platforms in existence are SMS, WAP and Mobile client application. An evaluation of my findings from my literature search was carried out to determine the benefits, threats, and the weaknesses of implementing a mobile banking application in West African region. Results: The benefits are greater expansion in banking facility and the economy at large. Security measures were derived when implementing the application due to a high risk of data protection in that region. What techniques were introduced in current mobile banking platforms? Results: Techniques derived to implement the application on a mobile device are SMS alert system, banking advertisement and customer-to-bank relationship. ANALYSIS AND INVESTIGATION Analysis and investigation are issues that may arise when implementing a mobile banking platform. To investigate the above given aim and objectives, ill be using a range of resources, like books, journals, but the main source of my information will be the Internet; resources from news websites, white papers and government publications etc. thereby providing an up-to-date information to carryout my research. This method was adopted due to constrains in distance and information from West African countries. According to Sola fanawopo(2008) on the growth in mobile banking services in Nigeria, he stated that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“some of the transactions that can be conducted with Glo Mobile banking include checking balances, viewing of the last five transactions on account. He also stated Glo Mobile (Owner by Globa Com) subscribers can transfer money from one account to another within the same bank.[23] Emmanuel Okoegwale in an article went further to elaborate on when Nigeria started using Mobile banking system which he said started by transaction based activities whereby customers were notified through the SMS system of banking in respect to the recent banking transactions done on their account.[3] With the recent penetration of internet and Java enabled mobile devices, Nigerian banks deployed full fledged banking through mobile device with various means of services made available, but this was made possible in the bank. The internet being a channel to mobile banking had penetration rate of 6 percent (%) in a population of 140million,with mobile technology been close to 50 percent (%) penetration with prospect for growth.( see table 2.1) [4] The banking sector in Ghana has witnessed a significant amount of transformation in the adoption of banking which also known in Ghana as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"m-banking.[3] According to Daniel Nonors report on mobile banking in Ghana, he said à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“subscribers to the facility in Ghana still account for a tiny percentage of the banking public, but fast gaining groundsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. He went further to explain the use of advanced mobile phones and services by Ghanaians who have embraced the mobile technology. [1] One of Ghanaians top banks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"Ghana Commercial bank GCB is yet to introduce the mobile client system of banking to their customers in 2010. [24] MTN ( one of West Africans mobile service operators launched mobile banking in Ghana called MTN Mobile Money which will allow customers pay for utility services, transfer money and other banking services. For this to function, customers will have to register with authorized mobile money agents or partnership banks. [5] Ivatury and Mas (2008) predicted that poor people in developing countries are more likely to use mobile phones in undertaking financial transactions. [8] However, there exists poor internet connectivity in most countries in West Af