Concept of Flexibility in Architecture

Concept of Flexibility in Architecture 1.0 Introduction An Overview Of The Terminology And The Conceptual Framework This chapter aims to define the meaning of the term ‘flexibility’, †Adaptability’ and ‘typological variety’ are the other concepts that related to ‘flexibility’. Both N.John Habraken (2008) and Tatjana Schneider and Jeremy Till (2007) mention that flexibility and adaptability have overlapping meanings,but the colloquial and the technical meaning can provide a departure point for their clarification and the conceptual framework of the study. The meaning of the typological variety is more obvious, it points to freedom of choice (Duygu Albostan, 2009) The English colloquial usage of the word â€Å"flexibility† is : capabilities of being bent,pliancy. Susceptibility of modification or alteration; capacity for readily adaptation to various purposes or conditions;freedom from stiffness or rigidity. (Oxford English Dictionary Online,2009) It is important to refer professional or researchers who point out the technical meanings of the concept of flexibility ,according to their changing senses over time. Andrew Rabeneck, David Sheppard and Peter Town published two articles related to flexibility and adaptability. The articled entitled â€Å"Housing Flexibility† (1973) and â€Å"Housing Flexibility/Adaptability?† (1974) â€Å"Flexibility†is proposed against â€Å"tight-fit functionalism† (p.698) They introduced the term †tight-fit functionalism† that refers to the unhealthy situation of mass housing in the twentieth century of Europe.They explain it as miniaturized living areas with the cell types rooms which do not allow any changes(1973,p.698) The unsuccessful attempts in flexibility are criticized for they may lead to what they call the ‘fallacy of freedom through control†.(1973,p.701) Flexibility housing should be capable of offering â€Å"choice† and â€Å"personalization†. (1973,p.701) Rabeneck, Sheppard and Town involve the scope of flexibility in housing project. They see flexibility as a tool to make the minimal housing environments capable of offering for ‘choice’ and ‘personalization’. They criticize flexibility can lead to too technical or complicated housing projects. The adaptability approach,in contrast to the flexible,emphasizes planning and layout rather than constructional technique and services distribution.It is based on carefully considered variations in room sizes, relationship between rooms,slightly generous openings between spaces and little overt expression of room function.(Rabeneck, Sheppard Town, 1974, p.86) Rabeneck, Sheppard and Town claim that flexibility relates to design decisions about the permanent and fixed parts of the building:the structural system and service spaces, whilst adaptability related to consideration about the architectural layouts of the remaining spaces such as the organization of the rooms, their dimensions, the relation between the rooms and their functions. The concept of flexibility deals with the ‘constructional technique and services distribution†. (1974, p.86) As previous, they claim the flexibility related to structural system and services spaces, in â€Å"Housing Flexibility/Adaptability?† (1974) they again emphasize on the construction technique and the position of service spaces. They also compare the flexibility with adaptability. They claim that adaptability more towards the architectural layout. Herman Hertzberger emphasized the importance of the concept of flexibility in architectural design in his book entitled Lessons for Students in Architecture (1991). According to Hertzberger flexibility suggest and open-ended solution,which refers to what is called ‘rhetotic value’of flexibility that defines by Schneider and Till (2005). Flexibility signifies-since there is no single solution that is preferable to all others-the absolute denial of a fixed, clearcut standpoint. The flexible plan starts out from the certainly that correct solution does not exist Although a flexible set-up admittedly adapts itself to each change as it presents itself, it can never be the best and most suitable to any one problem;it can at any given moment provide any solution but most appropriate one. (1991, p.146) From Hertzberger’s perspective, flexibility refers to the caple of proposing different solutions for diverse users with no certain single solution but most appropriate one. He discussed flexibility in a different perspective by introducing the term ‘polyvalence’ which means a characteristic of a static form, a form that can be put into different users without having undergo changes itself, so that a minimal flexibility can still produce an optimal solution. (1991, p.147) Steven Groà ¡k discussed the difference between flexibility between flexibility and adaptability from a different perspective in his book entitled The Idea Of Building: Though and Action in the Design and Production of Buildings (1992). The spatial organization and internal environment may be suitable for only a limited array of uses. Here we should distinguish between ‘adaptability’, taken to means †capable of different social uses†, and â€Å"flexibility†, taken to means â€Å"capability of different physical arrangement†. The building’s capacity for accommodating changed uses will depend on the extent to which it is adaptable and/or flexible. (Groà ¡k, 1992, p.15-17) Groà ¡k tries to explain the the adaptability related to the use of space whilst flexibility refers to different physical arrangement.He emphasize that flexibility is valid not only for interior but also for the exterior adjustments. In this respect,it can be inferred that Groà ¡k agrees with the definition of Rabeneck, Sheppard and Town. Gerard Maccreanor explained the relation between the concepts of flexibility and adaptability by emphasizing the flexibility includes adaptability as well.(1998) Flexibility is a â€Å"designed idea that leads to the collapse of the traditional layout†. (1998, p.40) Adaptability is a different way of viewing flexibility.The adaptable building is both transfunctional and multifunctional and must be allow the possibility of changing use; living into working,working into leisure or as a container of several uses simultaneously. Adaptability is not primarily concerned with a designed idea of flexibility based on the collapse of the traditional layout. An apparent robust identity and enduring presence within an urban context is required that allows the building to cope with future needs and changing conditions. (Maccreanor, 1998, p.40) Flexibility has for a long time been a subject of interest for architects. In the years to follow this resulted in many buildings with open, changeable planning around fixed service cores.One conclusion is that flexibility doesn’t simply imply the necessity of endless change and breakdown of accepted formula. On the contrary, the buildings that have proven to be the most adaptable, were those not originally planned for flexibility. (Maccreanor, 1998, p.40) Maccreanor points out flexibility is neither a characteristic of indeterminate space that allows â€Å"endless change†, nor is it a characteristic of detrminate space with too much technical equipments.In other words, if architects leave thir buildings open for infinitely different solutions for the users;they lead to â€Å"open-endedness † (Scheneider Till, 2005, p.158) and â€Å"uncertainty† (Hertzberger, 1991, p.117). By the same token,if architects put more emphasis on flexibility through building with movable partition, they will create â€Å"false neutrality† as a result of too much technical or strictly defined spaces (Schneider Till, Theory, 2005, p.158). They are the two controversial approaches to flexibility in architectural design that belong rather to â€Å"the rhetoric of flexibility† by Schneider Till (2007, p.5) Gerard Maccreanor has a different view about flexibility. He said that flexibility does not imply ‘an endless change’. He also asserted that the building which are not originally design for flexibility, can be the most adaptable one. Adrian Forty (2000) deals with flexibility as an issue that requires long-term thinking in architectural design. The incorporation of â€Å"flexibility† into the design allowed architects the illusion of projecting their control over the building into the future, beyond the period of their actual responsibility for it. (Forty, 2000, p.143) The confusion in meaning of â€Å"flexibility† is based on two contradictory roles: †it has served to extend functionalism and so make it variable† and â€Å"it has been employed to resist functionalism. (200, p.148)

Analysis of Land Consumption Rates

Analysis of Land Consumption Rates CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the Study Studies have shown that there remains only few landscapes on the Earth that are still in there natural state. Due to anthropogenic activities, the Earth surface is being significantly altered in some manner and mans presence on the Earth and his use of land has had a profound effect upon the natural environment thus resulting into an observable pattern in the land use/land cover over time. The land use/land cover pattern of a region is an outcome of natural and socio economic factors and their utilization by man in time and space. Land is becoming a scarce resource due to immense agricultural and demographic pressure. Hence, information on land use / land cover and possibilities for their optimal use is essential for the selection, planning and implementation of land use schemes to meet the increasing demands for basic human needs and welfare. This information also assists in monitoring the dynamics of land use resulting out of changing demands of increasing population. Land use and land cover change has become a central component in current strategies for managing natural resources and monitoring environmental changes. The advancement in the concept of vegetation mapping has greatly increased research on land use land cover change thus providing an accurate evaluation of the spread and health of the worlds forest, grassland, and agricultural resources has become an important priority. Viewing the Earth from space is now crucial to the understanding of the influence of mans activities on his natural resource base over time. In situations of rapid and often unrecorded land use change, observations of the earth from space provide objective information of human utilization of the landscape. Over the past years, data from Earth sensing satellites has become vital in mapping the Earths features and infrastructures, managing natural resources and studying environmental change. Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) are now providing new tools for advanced ecosystem management. The collection of remotely sensed data facilitates the synoptic analyses of Earth system function, patterning, and change at local, regional and global scales over time; such data also provide an important link between intensive, localized ecological research and regional, national and international conservation and management of biological diversity (Wilkie and Finn, 1996). Therefore, attempt will be made in this study to map out the status of land use land cover of Ilorin between 1972 and 2001 with a view to detecting the land consumption rate and the changes that has taken place in this status particularly in the built-up land so as to predict possible changes that might take place in this status in the next 14 years using both Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing data. 1.2 Statement of the Problem Ilorin, the Kwara State, capital has witnessed remarkable expansion, growth and developmental activities such as building, road construction, deforestation and many other anthropogenic activities since its inception in 1967 just like many other state capitals in Nigeria. This has therefore resulted in increased land consumption and a modification and alterations in the status of her land use land cover over time without any detailed and comprehensive attempt (as provided by a Remote Sensing data and GIS) to evaluate this status as it changes over time with a view to detecting the land consumption rate and also make attempt to predict same and the possible changes that may occur in this status so that planners can have a basic tool for planning. It is therefore necessary for a study such as this to be carried out if Ilorin will avoid the associated problems of a growing and expanding city like many others in the world. 1.3 Justification for the Study Attempt has been made to document the growth of Ilorin in the past but that from an aerial photography (Olorunfemi, 1983). In recent times, the dynamics of Land use Land cover and particularly settlement expansion in the area requires a more powerful and sophisticated system such as GIS and Remote Sensing data which provides a general extensive synoptic coverage of large areas than area photography 1.4 Aim and Objectives 1.4.1 Aim The aim of this study is to produce a land use land cover map of Ilorin at different epochs in order to detect the changes that have taken place particularly in the built-up land and subsequently predict likely changes that might take place in the same over a given period. 1.4.2 Objectives The following specific objectives will be pursued in order to achieve the aim above. To create a land use land cover classification scheme To determine the trend, nature, rate, location and magnitude of land use land cover change. To forecast the future pattern of land use land cover in the area. To generate data on land consumption rate and land absorption coefficient  since more emphasis is placed on built-up land. To evaluate the socio economic implications of predicted change. 1.5 The Study Area The study area (Ilorin) is the capital of Kwara State. It is located on latitude 80 31 N and 40 35 E with an Area of about 100km square (Kwara State Diary1997). Being situated in the transitional zone; between the forest and the savanna region of Nigeria i.e. the North and the West coastal region, it therefore serves as a melting point between the northern and southern culture.(Oyebanji, 1993). Her geology consists of pre-Cambrian basement complex with an elevation which ranges between 273m to 333m in the West and 200m to 364m in the East. The landscape of the region (Ilorin) is relatively flat, this means it is located on a plain and is crested by two large rivers, the river Asa and Oyun which flows in North South direction divides the plain into two; Western and Eastern part (Oyebanji, 1993). The climate is humid tropical type and is characterized by wet and dry seasons (Ilorin Atlas 1981). The wet season begins towards the end of March and ends in October. A dry season in the town begins with the onset of tropical continental air mass commonly referred to as harmattan. This wind is usually predominant between the months of November and February (Olaniran 2002). The temperature is uniformly high throughout the year. The mean monthly temperature of the town for the period of 1991 2000 varies between 250 C and 29.50 C with the month of March having about 300C. Ilorin falls into the southern savanna zone. This zone is a transition between the high forest in the southern part of the country and the far North with woodland properties. (Osoba, 1980). Her vegetation is characterized by scattered tall tree shrubs of between the height of ten and twelve feet. Oyegun in 1993 described the vegetation to be predominantly covered by derived savannah found in East and West and are noted for their dry lowland rainforest vegetal cover. As noted by Oyegun in 1983, Ilorin is one of the fastest growing urban centers in Nigeria. Her rate of population growth is much higher than for other cities in the country (Oyegun, 1983). Ilorin city has grown in both population and areal extent at a fast pace since 1967 (Oyegun, 1983). The Enplan group (1977) puts the population at 400,000 which made it then the sixth largest town in Nigeria. The town had a population of 40, 990 in 1952 and 208, 546 in 1963 and was estimated as 474, 835 in 1982 (Oyegun, 1983). In 1984, the population was 480, 000 (Oyegun, 1985). This trend in population growth rate shows a rapid growth in population. The growth rate between 1952 and 1963 according to Oyebanji, 1983 is put at 16.0 which is higher than other cities in the country. The population as estimated by the 1991 population census was put at 570,000. 1.6 Definition of Terms (i) Remote sensing: Can be defined as any process whereby information is gathered about an object, area or phenomenon without being in contact with it. Given this rather general definition, the term has come to be associated more specifically with the gauging of interactions between earth surface materials and electromagnetic energy. (Idrisi 32 guide to GIS and Image processing, volume 1). (ii) Geographic Information system: A computer assisted system for the acquisition, storage, analysis and display of geographic data (Idrisi 32 guide to GIS and Image processing, volume 1). (iii) Land use: This is the manner in which human beings employ the land and its resources. (iv) Land cover: Implies the physical or natural state of the Eaths surface. CHAPTER TWO 2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW According to Meyer, 1999 every parcel of land on the Earths surface is unique in the cover it possesses. Land use and land cover are distinct yet closely linked characteristics of the Earths surface. The use to which we put land could be grazing, agriculture, urban development, logging, and mining among many others. While land cover categories could be cropland, forest, wetland, pasture, roads, urban areas among others. The term land cover originally referred to the kind and state of vegetation, such as forest or grass cover but it has broadened in subsequent usage to include other things such as human structures, soil type, biodiversity, surface and ground water (Meyer, 1995). Land use affects land cover and changes in land cover affect land use. A change in either however is not necessarily the product of the other. Changes in land cover by land use do not necessarily imply degradation of the land. However, many shifting land use patterns driven by a variety of social causes, result in land cover changes that affects biodiversity, water and radiation budgets, trace gas emissions and other processes that come together to affect climate and biosphere (Riebsame, Meyer, and Turner, 1994). Land cover can be altered by forces other than anthropogenic. Natural events such as weather, flooding, fire, climate fluctuations, and ecosystem dynamics may also initiate modifications upon land cover. Globally, land cover today is altered principally by direct human use: by agriculture and livestock raising, forest harvesting and management and urban and suburban construction and development. There are also incidental impacts on land cover from other human activities such as forest and lakes damaged by acid rain from fossil fuel combustion and crops near cities damaged by tropospheric ozone resulting from automobile exhaust (Meyer, 1995). Hence, in order to use land optimally, it is not only necessary to have the information on existing land use land cover but also the capability to monitor the dynamics of land use resulting out of both changing demands of increasing population and forces of nature acting to shape the landscape. Conventional ground methods of land use mapping are labor intensive, time consuming and are done relatively infrequently. These maps soon become outdated with the passage of time, particularly in a rapid changing environment. In fact according to Olorunfemi (1983), monitoring changes and time series analysis is quite difficult with traditional method of surveying. In recent years, satellite remote sensing techniques have been developed, which have proved to be of immense value for preparing accurate land use land cover maps and monitoring changes at regular intervals of time. In case of inaccessible region, this technique is perhaps the only method of obtaining the required data on a cost and time effective basis. A remote sensing device records response which is based on many characteristics of the land surface, including natural and artificial cover. An interpreter uses the element of tone, texture, pattern, shape, size, shadow, site and association to derive information about land cover. The generation of remotely sensed data/images by various types of sensor flown aboard different platforms at varying heights above the terrain and at different times of the day and the year does not lead to a simple classification system. It is often believed that no single classification could be used with all types of imagery and all scales. To date, the most successful attempt in developing a general purpose classification scheme compatible with remote sensing data has been by Anderson et al which is also referred to as USGS classification scheme. Other classification schemes available for use with remotely sensed data are basically modification of the above classification scheme. Ever since the launch of the first remote sensing satellite (Landsat-1) in 1972, land use land cover studies were carried out on different scales for different users. For instance, waste land mapping of India was carried out on 1:1 million scales by NRSA using 1980 82 landsat multi spectral scanner data. About 16.2% of waste lands were estimated based on the study. Xiaomei Y, and Rong Qing L.Q.Y in 1999 noted that information about change is necessary for updating land cover maps and the management of natural resources. The information may be obtained by visiting sites on the ground and or extracting it from remotely sensed data. Change detection is the process of identifying differences in the state of an object or phenomenon by observing it at different times (Singh, 1989). Change detection is an important process in monitoring and managing natural resources and urban development because it provides quantitative analysis of the spatial distribution of the population of interest. Macleod and Congation (1998) list four aspects of change detection which are important when monitoring natural resources: i. Detecting the changes that have occurred ii. Identifying the nature of the change iii. Measuring the area extent of the change iv. Assessing the spatial pattern of the change The basis of using remote sensing data for change detection is that changes in land cover result in changes in radiance values which can be remotely sensed. Techniques to perform change detection with satellite imagery have become numerous as a result of increasing versatility in manipulating digital data and increasing computer power. A wide variety of digital change detection techniques have been developed over the last two decades. Singh (1989) and Coppin Bauer (1996) summarize eleven different change detection algorithms that were found to be documented in the literature by 1995. These include: 1. Mono-temporal change delineation. 2. Delta or post classification comparisons. 3. Multidimensional temporal feature space analysis. 4. Composite analysis. 5. Image differencing. 6. Multitemporal linear data transformation. 7. Change vector analysis. 8. Image regression. 9. Multitemporal biomass index 10. Background subtraction. 11. Image ratioing In some instances, land use land cover change may result in environmental, social and economic impacts of greater damage than benefit to the area (Moshen A, 1999). Therefore data on land use change are of great importance to planners in monitoring the consequences of land use change on the area. Such data are of value to resources management and agencies that plan and assess land use patterns and in modeling and predicting future changes. Shosheng and Kutiel (1994) investigated the advantages of remote sensing techniques in relation to field surveys in providing a regional description of vegetation cover. The results of their research were used to produce four vegetation cover maps that provided new information on spatial and temporal distributions of vegetation in this area and allowed regional quantitative assessment of the vegetation cover. Arvind C. Pandy and M. S. Nathawat (2006) carried out a study on land use land cover mapping of Panchkula, Ambala and Yamunanger districts, Hangana State in India. They observed that the heterogeneous climate and physiographic conditions in these districts has resulted in the development of different land use land cover in these districts, an evaluation by digital analysis of satellite data indicates that majority of areas in these districts are used for agricultural purpose. The hilly regions exhibit fair development of reserved forests. It is inferred that land use land cover pattern in the area are generally controlled by agro climatic conditions, ground water potential and a host of other factors. It has been noted over time through series of studies that Landsat Thematic Mapper is adequate for general extensive synoptic coverage of large areas. As a result, this reduces the need for expensive and time consuming ground surveys conducted for validation of data. Generally, satellite imagery is able to provide more frequent data collection on a regular basis unlike aerial photographs which although may provide more geometrically accurate maps, is limited in respect to its extent of coverage and expensive; which means, it is not often used. In 1985, the U.S Geological Survey carried out a research program to produce 1:250,000 scale land cover maps for Alaska using Landsat MSS data (Fitz Patrick et al, 1987).The State of Maryland Health Resources Planning Commission also used Landsat TM data to create a land cover data set for inclusion in their Maryland Geographic Information (MAGI) database. All seven TM bands were used to produce a 21 class land cover map (EOSAT 1992). Also, in 1992, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources completed mapping the entire State of Georgia to identify and quantify wetlands and other land cover types using Landsat Thematic Mapper â„ ¢ data (ERDAS, 1992). The State of southern Carolina Lands Resources Conservation Commission developed a detailed land cover map composed of 19 classes from TM data (EOSAT, 1994). This mapping effort employed multi-temporal imagery as well as multi-spectral data during classification. An analysis of land use and land cover changes using the combination of MSS Landsat and land use map of Indonesia (Dimyati, 1995) reveals that land use land cover change were evaluated by using remote sensing to calculate the index of changes which was done by the superimposition of land use land cover images of 1972, 1984 and land use maps of 1990. This was done to analyze the pattern of change in the area, which was rather difficult with the traditional method of surveying as noted by Olorunfemi in 1983 when he was using aerial photographic approach to monitor urban land use in developing countries with Ilorin in Nigeria as the case study. Daniel et al, 2002 in their comparison of land use land cover change detection methods, made use of 5 methods viz; traditional post classification cross tabulation, cross correlation analysis, neural networks, knowledge based expert systems, and image segmentation and object oriented classification. A combination of direct T1 and T2 change detection as well as post classification analysis was employed. Nine land use land cover classes were selected for analysis. They observed that there are merits to each of the five methods examined, and that, at the point of their research, no single approach can solve the land use change detection problem. Also, Adeniyi and Omojola, (1999) in their land use land cover change evaluation in Sokoto Rima Basin of North Western Nigeria based on Archival Remote Sensing and GIS techniques, used aerial photographs, Landsat MSS, SPOT XS/Panchromatic image Transparency and Topographic map sheets to study changes in the two dams (Sokoto and Guronyo) between 1962 and 1986. The work revealed that land use land cover of both areas was unchanged before the construction while settlement alone covered most part of the area. However, during the post dam era, land use /land cover classes changed but with settlement still remaining the largest. CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction The procedure adopted in this research work forms the basis for deriving statistics of land use dynamics and subsequently in the overall, the findings. 3.2 Data Acquired and Source For the study, Landsat satellite images of Kwara State were acquired for three Epochs; 1972, 1986 and 2001. Both 1972 and 1986 were obtained from Global Land Cover Facility (GLCF) an Earth Science Data Interface, while that of 2001 was obtained from National Space Research and Development Agency in Abuja (NASRDA). 0n both 2001 and 1986 images, a notable feature can be observed which is the Asa dam which was not yet constructed as of 1972. It is also important to state that Ilorin and its environs which were carved out using the local government boundary map and Nigerian Administrative map was also obtained from NASRDA. These were brought to Universal Transverse Marcator projection in zone 31. Table 3.1 Data Source 3.2.1 Geo-referencing Properties of the Images The geo-referencing properties of both 1986 2001 are the same while image thinning was applied to the 1972 imagery which has a resolution of 80m using a factor of two to modify its properties and resolution to conform to the other two has given below; Data type: rgb8 File type: binary Columns: 535 Rows: 552 Referencing system: utm-31 Reference units: m Unit distance: 1 Minimum X: 657046.848948 Maximum X: 687541.848948 Minimum Y: 921714.403281 Maximum Y: 953178.403281 Min Value: 0 Max Value: 215 Display Minimum: 0 Display Maximum: 215 Image thinning was carried out through contract; contract generalizes an image by reducing the number of rows and columns while simultaneously decreasing the cell resolution. Contraction may take place by pixel thinning or pixel aggregation with the contracting factors in X and Y being independently defined. With pixel thinning, every nth pixel is kept while the remaining is thrown away. 3.3 Software Used Basically, five software were used for this project viz; (a) ArcView 3.2a this was used for displaying and subsequent processing and enhancement of the image. It was also used for the carving out of Ilorin region from the whole Kwara State imagery using both the admin and local government maps. (b) ArcGIS This was also used to compliment the display and processing of the data (c) Idrisi32 This was used for the development of land use land cover classes and subsequently for change detection analysis of the study area. (d) Microsoft word was used basically for the presentation of the research. (e) Microsoft Excel was used in producing the bar graph. 3.4 Development of a Classification Scheme Based on the priori knowledge of the study area for over 20 years and a brief reconnaissance survey with additional information from previous research in the study area, a classification scheme was developed for the study area after Anderson et al (1967). The classification scheme developed gives a rather broad classification where the land use land cover was identified by a single digit. Table 3.2 Land use land cover classification scheme The classification scheme given in table 3.2 is a modification of Andersons in 1967 The definition of waste land as used in this research work denotes land without scrub, sandy areas, dry grasses, rocky areas and other human induced barren lands. 3.5 Limitation(s) in the Study There was a major limitation as a result of resolution difference. Landsat image of 1972 was acquired with the multi spectral scanner (MSS) which has a spatial resolution of 80 meters, whilst the images of 1986 and 2001 were acquired with Thematic Mapper â„ ¢ and Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) respectively. These both have a spatial resolution of 30 meters. Although this limitation was corrected for through image thinning of the 1972, it still prevented its use for projecting into the future so as to have a consistent result. Apart from this, it produced an arbitrary classification of water body for the 1972 classification. 3.6 Methods of Data Analysis Six main methods of data analysis were adopted in this study. (i) Calculation of the Area in hectares of the resulting land use/land cover types for each study year and subsequently comparing the results. (ii) Markov Chain and Cellular Automata Analysis for predicting change (iii) Overlay Operations (iv) Image thinning (v) Maximum Likelihood Classification (vi) Land Consumption Rate and Absorption Coefficient The fist three methods above were used for identifying change in the land use types. Therefore, they have been combined in this study. The comparison of the land use land cover statistics assisted in identifying the percentage change, trend and rate of change between 1972 and 2001. In achieving this, the first task was to develop a table showing the area in hectares and the percentage change for each year (1972, 1986 and 2001) measured against each land use land cover type. Percentage change to determine the trend of change can then be calculated by dividing observed change by sum of changes multiplied by 100 (trend) percentage change = observed change * 100 Sum of change In obtaining annual rate of change, the percentage change is divided by 100 and multiplied by the number of study year 1972 1986 (14years) 1986 2001 (15years) Going by the second method (Markov Chain Analysis and Cellular Automata Analysis), Markov Chain Analysis is a convenient tool for modeling land use change when changes and processes in the landscape are difficult to describe. A Markovian process is one in which the future state of a system can be modeled purely on the basis of the immediately preceding state. Markovian chain analysis will describe land use change from one period to another and use this as the basis to project future changes. This is achieved by developing a transition probability matrix of land use change from time one to time two, which shows the nature of change while still serving as the basis for projecting to a later time period .The transition probability may be accurate on a per category basis, but there is no knowledge of the spatial distribution of occurrences within each land use category. Hence, Cellular Automata (CA) was used to add spatial character to the model. CA_Markov uses the output from the Markov Chain Analysis particularly Transition Area file to apply a contiguity filter to grow out land use from time two to a later time period. In essence, the CA will develop a spatially explicit weighting more heavily areas that proximate to existing land uses. This will ensure that land use change occurs proximate to existing like land use classes, and not wholly random. Overlay operations which is the last method of the three, identifies the actual location and magnitude of change although this was limited to the built-up land. Boolean logic was applied to the result through the reclass module of idrisi32 which assisted in mapping out separately areas of change for which magnitude was later calculated for. The Land consumption rate and absorption coefficient formula are give below; L.C.R = A P A = areal extent of the city in hectares P = population L.A.C = A2 A1 P2 P1 A1 and A2 are the areal extents (in hectares) for the early and later years, and P1 and P2 are population figure for the early and later years respectively (Yeates and Garner, 1976) L.C.R = A measure of compactness which indicates a progressive spatial expansion of a city. L.A.C = A measure of change in consumption of new urban land by each unit increase in urban population Both the 2001 and 2015 population figures were estimated from the 1991 and the estimated 2001 population figures of Ilorin respectively using the recommended National Population Commission (NPC) 2.1% growth rate as obtained from the 1963/1991 censuses. The first task to estimating the population figures was to multiply the growth rate by the census figures of Ilorin in both years (1991, 2001) while subsequently dividing same by 100. The result was then multiplied by the number of years being projected for, the result of which was then added to the base year population (1991, 2001). This is represented in the formula below; n = r/100 * Po (1) Pn = Po + (n * t) (2) Pn = estimated population (2001, 2015) Po = base year population (1991 2001 population figure) r = growth rate (2.1%) n = annual population growth t = number of years projecting for *The formula given for the population estimate was developed by the researcher In evaluating the socio economic implications of change, the effect of observed changes in the land use and land cover between 1972 and 2001 were used as major criteria. CHAPTER FOUR DATA ANALYSIS 4.0 Introduction The objective of this study forms the basis of all the analysis carried out in this chapter. The results are presented inform of maps, charts and statistical tables. They include the static, change and projected land use land cover of each class. 4.1 Land Use Land Cover Distribution The static land use land cover distribution for each study year as derived from the maps are presented in the table below LANDUSE/LAND COVER CATEGORIES 1972 1986 2001 AREA (Ha.) AREA (%)

Uncle Toms Cabin :: American America History

Uncle Tom's Cabin Uncle Tom's Cabin is one of the most famous and popular pieces of Civil War literature. It was drawn from selected pieces of a real life memoir done by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Uncle Tom's Cabin was a book that drew many people into the fight over the institution of slavery. Northerners hailed the book saying it exposed the truth, while southern slaveholders and plantation owners claimed that it had many falsehoods in it. President Lincoln, when he met Stowe called her, "the little lady who started this big war." Originally planned for a series of short essays for the National Era (an abolitionist newspaper) in 1851-1852, Stowe gathered so much information, that is was too large for newspaper print, and was published originally by the Boston publishing company Jewett. Immediately it became a hot seller, with northerners and southerners alike. It sold more copies than any other piece of literature, with the exception of the Bible and soon Stowe was touring the United States and Europe to speak against slavery. Many argued that there were false reports in what she wrote because the slave owners were portrayed as heartless devilish men, and the slaves were portrayed as their victims. These were mostly Southern slave owners who believed they treated their slaves well and the slaves were happy. To respond to this, Stowe published A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin a year later, in 1853, to provide documentation of the truth upon which her novel is based. Uncle Tom's Cabin tells a story of adversity in the struggle for freedom, a look into human cruelty as well as human compassion, and one man's loyalty to those he is indentured to. It is set in a period just before the Civil War; during the time when the black people of America were not citizens, but property and had no rights. In the south during this time, the blacks were forced to work hard labor on plantations and were required to live in small dorms outside of their owner's homes. However, the novel is more than just a narrative of slaves, but of human emotion rising up in the face of adversity. It is a story of the fight for freedom, and an account of the history of America. The author brings out the humanity in the slaves, and describes the great injustices that took place during the time.

Huxleys Brave New World Essay -- Huxley Brave New World Essays

Huxley's Brave New World Today, in 21st century United States, people are concerned with the fast pace of new and growing technology, and how these advances should be used. In the last decade alone we have seen major advancements in technology; in science, cloning has become a reality, newer, more powerful drugs have been invented and, in communications, the Internet has dominated society. There is a cultural lag due to the fast rate of increasing technology, and while the governments of the world are trying to keep up their role as censors and lawmakers, we as individuals are trying to comprehend the effects it has on our lives. Will these advances enhance our lives to an unprecedented level of comfort, or lead to the loss of actual happiness? In the early 1930's, when Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World, this was a question he felt was worth asking. In Huxley's Brave New World there are two forms of happiness: physical and actual. The fulfillment of physical happiness is the basis of the New World society. Residents never have to worry about food, shelter, job security, or sickness. One will never look fat, wrinkly or become weak with brittle bones and, thus, even the fear of growing old is taken away. Mustapha Mond, one of the world controllers in the novel, sums up physical happiness with the statement: ?The world is stable now?They?re well off; They?re safe; They are never ill; they?re not afraid of death; they?re blissfully ignorant of passion and old age(Huxley 220). The characters, Bernard Marx, Lenina Crowne, and Helmholtz Watson are each looking for more than what is offered by physical happiness, they are looking for actual happiness. Actual happiness ?relates more to the mind and heart? (HH Dalai Lama 21). For example, Helmholtz has the desire to be creative and Lenina has the desire to love. Bernard Marx, knowing that he is different and considered inferior to other Alpha-plus males, has the desire to not only fit in, but to be respected by others. Other individuals in the Brave New World are content while these three characters are searching for something not given to them by the government, something beyond physical happiness. They are searching for actual happiness. Individuality, which is one of the strongest values in the United States today, is taken away at the moment of conception in the B... ...e a prophetic tone seventy years after it was written. Our society?s priorities, like the one in the Brave New World, seem to be quite shallow in its obsession with physical appearance and conspicuous consumption of material objects. People undergo surgery to improve their appearance and maintain their youthful image of themselves. People, generally, judge others as well as themselves by their possessions, status, and appearance, rather than the quality of their character. Cloning is no longer science fiction, and with increasing technology, the absolute need for mothers and fathers could disappear. At what point does social stability outweigh human nature? There needs to be a balance between physical and actual happiness, and where the proper balance should be is questionable. Huxley doesn?t have the answer, but he leaves the reader with an idea of why balance is so hard to find: ?Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery? (Huxley 221). WORKS CITED: Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: HarperCollins, 1998. Lama, HH Dalai. The Art of Happiness. London: Hoddler and Straughton, 1999.

Merck’s Risky Bet on Research

While Kenneth Frazier worked liability suits for Merck, he caught the company’s attention and they hired him in 1992. By 1999 Frazier was appointed Merck’s general counsel. Merck saw that Frazier had several good personality traits and values that would benefit their organization. Kenneth Frazier is a very hard-working man and has been taught not to fail and to push himself to excellence. Frazier has always pushed himself to always do better, he has never just settled. Frazier likes to take risks to see how far he can push himself and to see what he can accomplish. Frazier has a very high self-esteem and a need for achievement. Under the five big personality traits, Frazier best fits under openness to experience. He is willing to take risks and is daring and open minded. I believe one of the most important terminal values to Frazier is a sense of accomplishment. Even though, there are several terminal values that I believe are important to Frazier, I feel this is the most important. Frazier lost his mother at a very young age and was raised by his hard-working father. His father taught him to work equally as hard and to always strive for excellence. Frazier believes that at work he should never back down and always strive for more, and that you must work hard to accomplish everything you want. This especially showed when Merck found their drug Vioxx was doubling the risk of heart attach and strokes and Frazier fought each case instead of taking the easy way out and negotiating settlements. Frazier won 11 of the 16 cases. Frazier was determined to win and he did. Frazier gets pleasure from achieving his goals and enjoys the social recognition that he gets by winning his cases. Instrumental values are just as important as terminal values. The most instrumental value that stands out in Frazier is his ambition. Frazier is not only hard working but understands what it takes to achieve his goals. A few of the other instrumental values that I feel are important to Frazier are being responsible, polite, and daring. Working as a litigator or in management you will not always be liked. At times people will go against you and not agree with what you are doing. Frazier is daring as he goes against others but when he must go against others he does it respectfully and politely so he can get others to take his side and agree with him. Frazier has some very important personality traits that will help him influence Merck’s culture in his role as CEO. Frazier’s openness to experience gives him the ability to have an open mind and the ability to take risk that will allow him to move the company forward. Frazier also has the ability as CEO to mentor other managers to achieve the company’s goals. After watching Frazier handle some of Merck’s liability suites, the company decided that Frazier would be a valuable asset. Merck could see that Frazier had some very important personality traits that could benefit their company.

Imporatance of 3 Period Name Lesson Essay

For the purpose of giving a clear perception of an idea in association with language, Montessori advised that the â€Å"three period lesson† of Seguin should be used. The periods are: 1st period: â€Å"The association of the sensory perception with the name†. Example: Give the child a large and a small cylinder and say â€Å"this is large† and â€Å"this is small. † 2nd period: â€Å"Recognition of the object corresponding to the name. † Example: Ask the child to indicate which is the large cylinder and which is the small cylinder. rd period: â€Å"the remembering of the name corresponding to the object. † Example: show the child the large cylinder and say â€Å"what is this? † then show him the small cylinder and say â€Å"what is this? † The 3 period name lesson is very useful because it is very simple and very clear for the child. Furthermore the teacher does not ask the child to actually name the object until she is sure he can recognize it. The importance of the three period lesson can’t be underestimated. This tool can be used anywhere. In the classroom we use it to introduce letter sounds, number values and symbols, continent names, plants and animals, but it is not limited just to the classroom. It can also be used in the playground, in the kitchen, at music lessons, even at the super market. It can even be used to introduce object names in a second language. There is no limit to how this lesson can be used because, under the right circumstances, there is no limit to the amount of information a child between the ages of 3 and 6 is capable of absorbing. The real beauty of the three period lesson is that it allows Montessori teachers to meet each child exactly where they are. In other words, the technique allows the children as much time as they need to learn each new concept – some children will absorb a concept quickly and only need the lesson once or twice while other children may want to be given the lesson many times until they are confident enough to move on.

Preparing for Success Essay

Education is the basis of creating a life full of wealth and contentment. Obtaining a high school education can help one succeed in his or her future and give one the opportunities to pursue his or her aspirations. Unfortunately many students lack the education, resources and knowledge to enter adulthood after graduating high school. They are not sufficiently prepared to enter into the work force, succeed at a university, or have any understanding on how to be an ethical citizen. Students should be given the chance to develop a strong work ethic, be given the opportunity to explore different careers and college options, acquire skills that will help them in college and obtain an understanding of how their government works before graduating high school. A strong work ethic is obtained by developing a sense of independence and becoming dependable. Every year, if students’ reliance on teachers was decreased, they would be forced to rely on themselves to remember when coursework i s due. During my senior year at the high school I attended, El Molino High School in Forestville California, students in my English class were given a syllabus with an outline of the course and dates when homework was due. The teacher did not remind us when assignments were due, and we had to remember when work was due. In college, a student has to rely on himself or herself to take notes, remember when homework is due, and study on his or her own for exams. Therefore academic skills learned in high school should be similar to the skills required in a college classroom and those that people can use in their adult lives. Students graduating from high school should†¦be able to read with understanding classic literature and write well-organized and grammatically sound essays; they should know the basic outlines of American and European history, have a good beginner’s grasp of at least two natural sciences as well as pre-calculus mathematics (Gutting). Having these basic skills and learning to become self-sufficient would make the transition from high school to career less stressful for those who decide not to attend college. Being independent and learning to rely on oneself will help one become more  dependable, and in turn, a better employee. To strengthen a student’s work ethic, high schools should require students to rely more on themselves, which would help students become more independent. Students will not know what career they want to pursue once they graduate high school if they are never given the opportunity to investigate and experience different occupations. For students who have decided not to attend college, high school should be the institution where different careers can be explored. High schools should have the responsibility of helping students find internships or job shadowing opportunities specific to careers students are interested in. At El Molino High School a career based project, during our senior year, was given so students had the opportunity to research the occupation they are interested in. They were then required to find an internship or a volunteer opportunity related to the career topic they had selected. Students could then find out what they liked and didn’t like about the career through first-hand experience and have more insight into whether or not they wanted to pursue that career after graduation. For my project, I chose to volunteer at a convalescent center to gain experience in the nursing field. After the project was over, I knew nursing was the right career for me, and decided to pursue a degree in the health care industry. But if a career based learning project is not required, counselors should help students find internships, attend job fairs, and find classes that would be beneficial to the career a student wants to pursue. High school should be a place where students are given adequate preparation for the work world, whether they are attending college or not. In high school, many students have no idea which college they should attend. Counselors should take the time to discuss with each student his or her plans for after graduation. The counselor and the student should then construct a list of universities that have programs corresponding with the degree the student wants to pursue. At the end of my junior year at El Molino High School, I met with my counselor and we created a list of ten colleges that had respectable nursing programs. Making the list helped me to narrow down my search and choose a college, but many students at my high school did not take advantage of the opportunity to meet with their counselor because the information about meeting was not broadcasted well.  Meeting with a counselor when going through the college process is incredibly helpful. If more students made the effort to receive help from high school counselors and counselors made a better effort to reach out to all students when exploring college options, they would have an easier time choosing a university. High school should thoroughly prepare students who are planning to seek a higher education after graduation. Academic skills learned in high school should be similar to the skills required in a college classroom. Developing adequate study habits is key to success in college. Studying for a couple hours every day, whether or not there is homework, should be second nature to a student when he enters college. Attaining proper note taking skills in high school and figuring out a format that best helps one study is a critical aspect to receiving good test grades. Some students do not have a chance to learn how to take usable notes. At Analy High School, which is a high school near El Molino, students were never taught how to take usable notes which made it more difficult for them to study for tests due to poor organization of the notes they did take. I taught one my friends from Analy the note taking styles I had learned. After he mastered the different styles and started taking organized and usable notes his grades improved. A specific section in freshman English should teach students the different note taking styles. In my sophomore English class we were introduced to different not taking styles including the Cornell method, which I found was a very useful way to study for tests. Another element that should be incorporated into high school curriculum is different essay and paper formats. Many high schools only teach the MLA paper format, and do not cover APA, which is the format many college students are required to use for their papers. If core classes taught techniques that students could utilize in college, the transition between institutions would be less difficult. After graduating high school, students should have a general understanding of how their government works in order to become competent citizens. According to Theodore Sizer â€Å"knowledge of the government to the extent the child will be equipped to make informed choices among persons and issues that affect his own governance† (119), is one of the general elements of an efficient education system. To make decisions when voting that will benefit oneself, he or she needs to be informed on all the candidates and propositions. When I was in Advanced Placement  Government, my class spent a significant amount of the first semester researching candidates and understanding the propositions for the 2012 election. Though few people were eighteen and had the ability to vote, reviewing the information in the voting packet helped us understand how the voting process works, and how to read the propositions thoroughly so we when we did vote, we could understand exactly what we would be voting for. All high schools should offer a course that helps students understand the voting process and sufficient information about the American government should be provided to all students before they have the capability to vote. High schools should be able to sufficiently prepare students for their lives after graduation by giving them tools to develop a strong work ethic, explore colleges and careers, and understand how the government works. If students were given these opportunities for improvement in high school, the transition into an adult life would be easier. Works Cited Gutting, Gary. â€Å"What Is College For? (Part 2).† The New York Times: The Opinion Pages. 11 Jan. 2012. 17 Nov. 2013. Sizer, Theodore. â€Å"What High School Is.† Reading Culture. White Plains, NY: Longman, 2011. 119.