Classroom Community in Distance Education Classrooms

Classroom Community in Distance Education Classrooms Study of a Sense of Classroom Community in Distance Education Classrooms of Dental Hygiene Schools in the US by I. Smilyanski, RDH, MS Sense of classroom community as a critical aspect of students’ academic success and overall satisfaction with their learning process The literature review presented some very important points regarding distance learning process in higher education in general, healthcare education, and dental hygiene education in particular. It is apparent that DE is one of the fastest growing fields in higher education, dental hygiene including.(reference from previous lit synth) This method of delivery is cost effective, efficient, and doesn’t appear to affect students’ academic performance to any significant extent.(reference from previous lit synth) However, there is a common thread that emerges in literature regarding students‘ negative perception of their learning experience and their overall lower satisfaction associated with DE.(reference from previous lit synth) Ever since the modern communication technology was introduced in a classroom, the debate is taking place about how important is the community spirit for students’ progress in their learning.1 At the turn of the 21st century, multiple seminal research papers presented the idea of a â€Å"spiritual learning community†1, a college classroom where community spirit is the main contributing factor for students’ graduation success1. A group of scientists attempted to look deeper into phenomenon of a sense of community in a college classroom. McKinney et al1 in their 2006 research made an effort to measure a sense of classroom community to see how it affects students’ satisfaction level. They also examined how the changes in students’ performance in a classroom can be correlated to the changes in their sense of classroom community.1 In their controlled study of 40 psychology students the authors used both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. 1 Sense of Classroom Community (SCC) was measured with the â€Å"Sense of Community Questionnaire† adopted from J. Schweitzer’s â€Å"the Sense of Community in Neighborhoods† assessment instrument.1 The authors made significant effort to eliminate potential bias, the data was made fully anonymous through the coding process.1 The results proved to be quite impressive. The Pearson correlation statistical analysis showed highly positive (p1 Another important observation made during this study: the higher examination grades were also correlated (p = .029) to the increase in the SCC.1 Unfortunately, the experiment was limited to psychology students. It is important to see if similar conclusions can be made from a study of a different course or a program so the findings can be fully generalized. The next study looked into the importance of a sense of classroom community in increasing learners’ satisfaction and decreasing their feeling of isolation.4 The study was performed on the group of 412 medical students located in multiple remote campuses in Arizona.4 The researchers used Rovai’s Classroom Community Scale as a measuring instrument.4 The results showed that the longer time students spent in their remote locations, the higher their feeling of isolation became.4 Their sense of classroom community and academic satisfaction has been decreased over that time as well.4 ANOVA data analysis showed that there is statistically significant (p4 It is important to point out that this research was done in the medical field, with the use of distance education modality in remote campuses, and it had large sample size and anonymous data collection. This makes the study’s findings even more valuable.4 To further this literature review into the area of distance education, it is essential to look into the Rovai and Lucking’s3 research of a â€Å"Sense of Community in a Higher Education Television-Based Distance Education Program† published in 2003.3 This important controlled study used a convenience sample of 120 adult learners. The research objective was to measure the sense of classroom community (SCC) in conventional and distance- interactive television based courses to see if there are any variations depending on which route is used.3 The study employed the Sense of Classroom Community Index (SCCI) which is a previous version of the Rovai’s Classroom Community Scale (CCS) described above.3 Reliability analysis of this scale was also performed with N = 511 and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of .96.3 The data from the pre-test and the post-test administered to the students was analyzed using the ANOVA and ANCOVA techniques. The results proved that the se nse of classroom community was significantly lower among television based course students at the end of intervention (one college semester) than it was at the time of the pre-test.3 The control group, students from conventional classroom, didn’t show similar trend.3 All the studies described above show similarities in their evaluations of the community spirit in higher education classrooms.1,3,4 They prove that the sense of classroom community (SCC) is the critical component when evaluating outcome of a higher education, whether it is conventional or DE method of delivery. 1,3,4 All the studies correlate a lower SCC to a lower students’ satisfaction, and potentially lower academic outcomes. 1,3,4 They also use various scales to measure the SCC with different levels of reliability. 1,3,4 The final study that is presented here developed the device to be used as a measurement tool for the SCC and determined how reliable this tool is.2 In his 2002 study Rovai2 assessed data collected through the post-test from a random sample of 375 students enrolled in 28 various college courses to analyze validity and reliability of the scale that is based on the 20-questions survey.2 With the extensive use of inferential statistical analysis the author pro ved with the high degree of consistency that the Classroom Community Scale (CCS) can be fully relied on when measuring a SCC in higher education classroom.2 A. Rovai concluded that his 20-item questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument to be used in research.2 To conclude this literature review, there are very important questions that need to be answered about DE modality in dental hygiene education. Research is very limited in this specific field, however other areas show the trend of a lower sense of classroom community, lesser feeling of belonging, and lack of feeling of connectdeness.1-4 These are very important parameters to consider because they have large influence on how students perceive their learning experience and because they can potentially affect students’ outcomes.(references to be added) Rovai’s Classroom Community Scale appears to be a reliable tool that can be used when studying these factors.2 Although research in dental hygiene education and other fields didn’t establish that the DL is directly related to lower academic performance, some authors found a sense of community to be very important for overall learning experience.1 The following research will attempt to measure the SCC among remote campu s based students of multiple dental hygiene programs in the US and compare with control groups of students located within the host campuses. References 1. McKinney JP, McKinney KG, Franiuk R, Schweitzer J. The college classroom as a community: Impact on student attitudes and learning. College Teaching. 2006;54(3):281-284. 2. Rovai AP. Development of an instrument to measure classroom community. The Internet and Higher Education. 2002;5(3):197-211. 3. Rovai AP, Lucking R. Sense of community in a higher education television-based distance education program. Educational Technology Research and Development. 2003;51(2):5-16. 4. Vora RS, Kinney MN. Connectedness, sense of community, and academic satisfaction in a novel community campus medical education model. Acad Med. 2013.

Quality Management within Toyota Motor Company Essay

Abstract This paper explores multiple published articles discussing Toyota Motor Company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A review of Toyota’s decisions to hide important information prior to recalls leads us to a discussion of where Toyota can go from here. The paper includes recommendations for Toyota Motor Company in order to move forward after their 2010 recalls. In addition, organizational changes will assist Toyota Motor Company in overcoming their recall problems. Quality Management within Toyota Motor Company After a number of discouraging recalls at Toyota Motor Company in 2010, a number of quality management techniques were implemented. Toyota Motor Company’s SWOT Analysis played into the newly implemented quality management techniques. Toyota’s strengths allowed them to fight back quickly against these recalls that could have ultimately led to Toyota’s fall from one of the top motor company’s. Toyota Motor Company’s strengths include dominant position in the marketplace, strong brand recognition, strong focus on research and development, and broad production and distribution network. In addition to Toyota’s strengths, their weaknesses were reviewed in order to find opportunities to capitalize upon. The recalls were obviously a large weakness at Toyota. Opportunities were reviewed which included the growth of the global automotive industry. Last, Toyota’s threats were reviewed. Here it was found that powerful competition is a worry for To yota Motor Company. After the review of Toyota Motor Company’s SWOT Analysis, the issue of the recalls was assessed. Analysis shows the issue within Toyota Motor Company did not appear overnight. However, secretive management styles let the company astray. A diagram was created by functional area to summarize how Toyota has responded to these recall problems. The functional areas reviewed include management, production design and safety, quality, and manufacturing. Last, the analysis of Toyota Motor Company’s recall and quality management issues are discussed from a point of solving the problem. Recommendations are discussed that will help Toyota Motor Company to turn their weaknesses into strengths. Method Discussion SWOT Analysis Internal Factors Strengths Weaknesses Product †¢ Dominant position in the marketplace †¢ Strong brand recognition †¢ Strong focus on Research & Development †¢ Broad production and distribution network †¢ Product recalls have the ability to negatively affect brand image †¢ Declining sales in crucial geographic areas External Factors Opportunities Threats Competition †¢ Growth of the global automotive industry †¢ Potential benefit from partnering with BMW †¢The outlook for the new global car market is strong †¢ Powerful competition †¢ Appreciation of the Japanese Yen †¢ Environmental regulations †¢Natural disasters Strengths. Toyota has a number of internal product strengths as noted in the SWOT Analysis table above. Toyota’s market share in 2011 was 16.5 percent,  its highest market share in 4 years. This strong market share allowed Toyota to hold a competitive advantage against their competition. In addition to holding a dominant position in the marketplace, Toyota possesses strong brand recognition through a number of brands. These brands include Toyota, Lexus, Prius, Corolla, Yaris, Camry, Sequoia, 4Runner, Scion tC, Highlander, Land Cruiser, and a number of other brand names. These brands are some of the most desired premium brands in the world according to the Company Profile report for Toyota Motor Company documented by MarketLine. Another strength of Toyota is their strong attention to research and development. According to the Company Profile report, Toyota’s focus on research and development is pointed towards the creation of new and improved products. Research and development operations are conducted at 14 facilities located around the world. This strength has allowed Toyota to increase the technology included in existing products. One of these products, a Pre-collision System (PCS) helps drivers avoid collisions. Overall, the strong focus on research and development has been a big strength for Toyota. Last, Toyota’s production and distribution network has been a big strength for the company. Toyota produces automobiles, related parts, and other components through more than 50 manufacturing companies throughout 27 countries and regions, not including Japan. As mentioned on the Toyota Motor Company website, major locations include Japan, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, Thailand, China, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, and Brazil. As reported by Toyota Motor Company, during fiscal year 2013 the company had consolidated vehicle sales totals of 8.871 million units (TCM, 2013). As reported by Toyota Motor Company, this was an increase of 1.519 million units compared to the previous fiscal year. In addition to the widespread production of Toyota products, the company has a large distribution network. Toyota’s distribution network is one of the largest in Japan encompassing four sales channels (Toyota, Toyopet, Corolla, and Netz). In 2012 the distribution network of these channels was comprised of 283 dealers. In addition to this network, Toyota operates over 170 Lexus sales channels in Japan. As reported by Toyota Motor Company, in fiscal year 2013 these networks accounted for the following vehicle sales: Japan sales totaled 2.279 million units In North America vehicle sales totaled 2.469 million units In Europe vehicle sales totaled 799,085 units Asia came in at total vehicle sales of 1.684 million units Central and South America, Oceania and Africa came in at 1.640 million units As you can see, Toyota’s distribution network is widespread allowing for diversification and a wide reach of clientele, ultimately boosting revenues and sales. Weaknesses. A large focus of the case study focuses on the weakness of Toyota’s product recalls. As many are aware, Toyota has encountered a number of recalls in the recent past. It is a concern that these recalls could negatively affect Toyota’s brand imagine ultimately leading to decreased sales for the company. When searching for Toyota recalls it was easy to find a few recent recalls. The most recent is a recall of 700,000 Toyota Prius models which were recalled over electronic issues in the United States (csmonitor.com, 2014). Another very recent recall includes certain versions of the Lexus RX crossover. In this case, more than 261,000 vehicles are being recalled due to a brake issue (csmonitor.com, 2014). In addition to the many recalls, Toyota has been involved in a number of lawsuits. In December 2012, Toyota settled a suit by paying $17.4 million to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to settle claims related to the June 2012 recall of potential accelerator pedal entrapment issues. This bad press will ultimately result in a negative effect on consumer’s confidence in Toyota’s brand. In addition, the settlement of suits ultimately decreases Toyota’s profits. As a result of this bad press Toyota saw a decline in 2012 sales in important geographic areas. Declining sales in fiscal year 2012 were seen across North America, Asia, and Europe. Opportunities. As reported by the article, Global automotive industry to experience modest growth in 2012, a number of opportunities exist in the global automotive industry (2012). The Japanese auto industry responded from natural disasters which had caused reduced inventories and production. It is forecasted that the industry will continue to grow increasing Toyota revenues. In June of 2012, BMW and Toyota signed a long-term partnership. The two companies are partnering on the developments that will help to increase market share and sales. This relationship is expected to increase technology between the two companies as  well as result in new product development. In addition to these opportunities, the new car market is experiencing moderate growth which will assist in increased sales and profits. Threats. Intense competition in the worldwide car market has become very competitive. This competition will likely increase in the upcoming years as competitors add more technology and increase developments. In addition to the intense competition, the appreciating Japanese Yen has become a big concern for Toyota. Last, environment regulations have the potential to increase production costs. Emissions regulations that are updated periodically could cause issues in new car production. Evolvement of Quality Management Issues At first glance, it seems that Toyota’s gas pedal issue appeared overnight. However, upon further research, evidence was found to prove the opposite. As reported in the article Secretive Culture Let Toyota Astray, evidence that Toyota cars could suddenly speed up had been piling up for years (2010). At the time of the recalls, Toyota had known about this gas pedal problem for more than a year. The problem was stated to be Toyota’s secretive corporate culture in Japan which ultimately conflicted with United States requirements that auto makers disclose safety threats. New initiatives brought to the table by Toyota have attempted to correct the previous secretive culture of Toyota. Total quality management initiatives have been put in place to assist in better customer service and safety and repair issues. According to Jacobs and Chase, total quality management can be defined as managing the entire organization so that it excels on all dimensions of products and services that are important to the customer (Chase and Jacobs, 2014, p. 296). The table following this discussion addresses the steps Toyota has taken in response to its recent quality recall problems. Functional Area Quality Management Steps Management †¢ Managing Director names to oversee any safety-related issues †¢ Top down management approach Product Design & Safety †¢ Troubleshooting teams known as Swift Market Analysis Response Teams work to  find any safety issues that need to be reported Quality †¢ TAQIC – Toyota Advanced Quality Information Center staffed by a group of employees who compile repair reports from dealerships worldwide †¢ 1000 engineers hired to spot-check quality Manufacturing †¢ No drastic changes to assembly lines Results/Discussion Problem Solution As discussed in the diagram above, there were many opportunities for Toyota after their encounter with the recall situation. Akio Toyoda, the head of the company, acted quickly by implementing a top down management approach instead of the more popular Japanese â€Å"bottom up† approach that slows down the decision making. In addition, Akio cut board of directors by fifty percent and cut out management layers. Akio also began meeting with his top five advisers on a weekly basis. In these meetings decisions were made quickly. Akio pushed his team to make â€Å"always better cars.† This change in the way the organization is managed helped Toyota to stay on top even through the recalls. Recommendations Many recommendations have been made to assist Toyota Motor Company in improving the recall situation they encountered in 2011. Some recommendations Toyota should follow include as recommended by the North American Quality Advisory Panel include the following: Give North American operations more independence in making recall decisions Strengthen quality control processes Extend development time of new products to include more safety tests Create a role of Chief Safety Technology Officer Create and launch a Safety Research Center focused on protecting the most important clientele (children, teens, and seniors) These ideas follow the concept of total quality management which focuses on two fundamental goals: Careful design of the product (in the case of Toyota Motor Company, the vehicle) Ensure that Toyota Motor Company systems can produce this design  in a consistent manner Quality at the source seems to be a great way for Toyota Motor Company to proceed. Quality at the source means that the person who is doing the work is taking the responsibility for making sure the work meets specifications. As previously discussed, safety control will be a huge initiative for Toyota Motor Company going forward. If implemented, these recommendations can do a lot to help Toyota Motor Company increase their organizational effectiveness. As previously discussed, many organizational steps were taken by Akio Toyoda after these recalls. It seems that Toyota could greatly benefit from organizational learning. As stated by Operations and Supply Chain Management, â€Å"it has been argued that organizational learning is critical to sustaining a competitive advantage† (Chase and Jacobs, 2014, p. 138). Organizational realignment was important to Toyota Motor Company after the 2010 and 2011 recalls. According to a Toyota news release in December of 2008 organizational changes include the establishment of the below: A Government and Public Affairs Group which was focused on quick response to inquiries from around the world while also unifying public affairs functions. An Accounting Group aimed at strengthening the business management and financial management system of Toyota Motor Company. A Europe and Africa Operations Group intended to assist with business planning in African and Central Asia. The group was also established to conduct business promotion events in both Europe and Africa. A Production Engineering Group aimed at increasing the strength of the quality control system for semiconductors for hybrid vehicles. The recommendations made are important to Toyota’s future. Reorganization and creation of new groups within the organization will help Toyota to overcome these recalls. References Ingram, A. (2014, Feb 12). Toyota recall: 1.9 million Prius vehicles recalled to fix software glitch. Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2014/0212/Toyota-recall-1.9-million-Prius-vehicles-recalled-to-fix-software-glitch Jacobs, F. R., & Chase, R. (2014). Operations and supply chain management. (14 ed.). New York, NY:

Review An Internship in the Marketing and Sales...

Abstract This paper is a personal review of an internship in the marketing and sales department of B.Z. Berlin (a tabloid newspaper based in Berlin). The paper reviews how my capacities in those department help satisfy the 4Ps (promotion, price, placement, and product) of marketing. Different components of the marketing mix exhibited in my duties included creating a balance of salacious with genuinely positive and heart-warming news; creating cash giveaways to generate regular readership; diffusing criticism of the tabloid industry through balanced reporting of positive news; and encouraging advertisers to buy space in both the online and the print version of the tabloid. The paper also uses the The Paradigm of Survival, to analyze the tabloids marketing mix. This theory stresses the need for all products to be marketed based upon their ability to satisfy basic human needs, such as sexual desire, fear, or security. As well as personal reflections the paper contains analysis of the cu rrent state of the news industry and the challenges of coping with a world in which papers must compete for readers and advertising revenue both online and in print. KEYWORDS: tabloid, 4Ps, Paradigm of Survival; Marketing Mix; Newspaper Industry Internship review: The marketing and sales department of B.Z. Berlin While interning at the marketing and sales department at B.Z. Berlin (a tabloid newspaper in Berlin), I was able to gain an insiders view of how both print and digitalShow MoreRelatedInternship Review: The Marketing and Sales Department of B. Z. Newspaper, Berlin1757 Words   |  7 Pages Internship review: The marketing and sales department of B.Z. Berlin While interning at the marketing and sales department at B.Z. Berlin (a tabloid newspaper in Berlin), I was able to gain an insiders view of how both print and digital publications must position themselves in the competitive, ever-changing news marketplace. Marketing within the communications industry is extremely cutthroat and even relatively popular tabloids with an established readership like B.Z. Berlin must fight for marketRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesSingapore Taipei Tokyo Editorial Director: Sally Yagan Director of Editorial Services: Ashley Santora Acquisitions Editor: Brian Mickelson Editorial Project Manager: Sarah Holle Editorial Assistant: Ashlee Bradbury VP Director of Marketing: Patrice Lumumba Jones Senior Marketing Manager: Nikki Ayana Jones Senior Managing Editor: Judy Leale Production Project Manager: Becca Groves Senior Operations Supervisor: Arnold Vila Operations Specialist: Cathleen Petersen Senior Art Director: Janet Slowik ArtRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 PagesELEVENTH EDITION MARKETING MISTAKES AND SUCCESSES 30TH ANNIVERSARY Robert F. Hartley Cleveland State University JOHN WILEY SONS, INC. VICE PRESIDENT PUBLISHER EXECUTIVE EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITOR PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE MARKETING MANAGER ASSISTANT MARKETING MANAGER MARKETING ASSISTANT DESIGN DIRECTOR SENIOR DESIGNER SENIOR MEDIA EDITOR George Hoffman Lise Johnson Carissa Doshi Dorothy Sinclair Matt Winslow Amy Scholz Carly DeCandia

Religion in Germany

For good reason, the intersection of the huge topics â€Å"religion† and â€Å"Germany† is understandably Martin Luther. Luther was born in Eisleben, Germany, in 1483, and his family soon moved to Mansfeld, Germany. Luther received a superb basic education in Latin and German, entered the University of Erfurt in 1501, where he received his baccalaureate degree in 1502 and his master’s degree in 1505. Urged by his father, Luther undertook graduate work in law, but switched to theology within six weeks, owing, he said, to a violent thunderstorm that so terrified him (â€Å"besieged by the terror and agony of sudden death†) he promised God to become a monk if he survived. Luther began his so-called priestly formation at the University of Erfurt, became a priest in 1507, transferred to the University of Wittenberg in 1508, and completed his doctorate in 1512, which the University of Erfurt granted based on his studies at Wittenberg. Five years later, the rift with Catholicism that became the Protestant Reformation began and the ripple effect of Luther’s Ninety-five Theses in 1517 changed the world forever. Today, Germany is still a Christian nation, although, in keeping with religious freedom, there is no official religion. â€Å"Religionen Weltanschauungsgemeinschaften in Deutschland: Mitgliederzahlen† analyzed results of the 2011 census and found that ca. 67% of the population identified themselves as Christian, i.e., Protestant or Catholic, while Islam comprised ca. 4.9%. There are very, very small Jewish and Buddhist groups that are barely measurable, so the remaining population, i.e., ca 28%, either belong to unidentified religious groups or do not belong to any formal religious group. The German constitution (Grundgesetz fà ¼r die Bundesrepublik Deutschland), which opens with these stirring words: â€Å"Human dignity is inviolable,† guarantees freedom of religion for everyone. The core of this guarantee of religious freedom is based on â€Å". . . the freedom of religion, conscience and the freedom of confessing one’s religious or philosophical beliefs are inviolable. Uninfringed religious practice is guaranteed.† But the guarantee does not stop there. The very nature and form of the government reà ¯nforce and bolster that guarantee with many safeguards that strengthen one another synergistically, e.g., a democratic society, popular sovereignty, a strong emphasis on social responsibility, and binding federalism among the sixteen German states (Deutsche Bundeslà ¤nder). There is an excellent, in-depth discussion of religious freedom in Germany in Wikipedia  which provides many details and examples for those who wish to know specifics. It is certainly worth one’s time. The overall distribution of religious affiliations can be outlined roughly as follows: you’re more likely to encounter Protestants in the North and Northeast and Catholics in the South and Southwest; however, â€Å"Germany Unity†Ã¢â‚¬â€the joining of the German Democratic Republic (the â€Å"DDR†) and the Federal Republic of Germany (the â€Å"BRD†) on 03 October 1990—skewed this rule of thumb. After 45 years of communist rule in East Germany, many, many families had drifted away from religion altogether. So, in the former German Democratic Republic, you’re more likely to encounter individuals and families who don’t identify themselves with any church affiliation. Despite the rough geographic distribution of various religious adherents, many of the holidays that began as religious holy days centuries ago are still part of German culture, regardless of location. â€Å"Fasching†Ã¢â‚¬â€also known as Karneval, Fastnacht, Fasnacht, Fastelabend—begins either a 11:11 on 11 November or on 07 January, the day after the Feast of the Three Kings, depending on your locale, and runs until Ash Wednesday (der Aschermittwoch), the beginning of Lent—the fortyday period of fasting and abstinence immediately preceding Easter. Knowing that they will have to set their frivolity aside during Lent, people party extensively; perhaps to â€Å"get it out of their system† (verrà ¼ckt spielen). The celebrations are mostly local and vary from village to town to city, but inevitably culminate in the week leading up to Ash Wednesday. Participants dress in outlandish costumes, prank one another, and generally try to have a frivolous time. It’s mostly harmless, playful, and inconsequential silliness. For example, Weiberfastnacht is the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, usually in the Rhineland, but there are pockets of Weiberfastnacht all over. Women kiss any man who catches their fancy, snip off their ties with scissors, and end up in bars to laugh, drink, and recount the day’s exploits. There are parades of various sorts and sizes over the weekend before Easter weekend. Costumes abound, groups strut their stuff (â€Å"stolzieren ungeniert†), as they say, with lots of good-humored hooting and hollering. Rosenmontag, the Monday before Ash Wednesday, has the most extravagant carnival parade in Cologne, but very respectable rival parades also take place throughout the Rhineland, all of which the German television network broadcasts, not merely nationwide, but to other Germanspeaking areas, particularly in Austria Switzerland. The next day, Fastnachtdienstag, additional parades take place, but the focal point of this day is the so-called burning of the â€Å"Nubbel†. The Nubbel is a straw-filled figure—a scapegoat—that the merrymakers fill with all the sins they committed during the carnival. When they burn the Nubbel, they burn their sins away, leaving them with nothing to regret during Lent. After sacrificing the Nubbel and not wanting to waste a good Lent at their disposal, the revelers once more start partying into the wee hours of the night just before Ash Wednesday, in hopes of having something about which they can be a bit contrite, even remorseful. This attitude is in keeping with a very human exchange Luther had with Philip Melanchthon, one of Luther’s companions and an early Protestant theologian. Melanchthon was a rather circumspect man whose unwavering mien annoyed Luther from time to time. â€Å"For goodness’ sake, why don’t you go and sin a little?† urged Luther in exasperation. â€Å"Doesn’t God deserve to have something to forgive you for!† For the record, Martin Luther was a rather lusty, earthy monk who, after the Catholic Church excommunicated him, married and commented several times about how delightful it was to awake to find â€Å"braids on the pillow† next to his. Luther would have loved and sanctioned the very ethos of Fasching, for he said â€Å"Wer nicht liebt Wein, Weib, und Gesang, Der bleibt ein Narr sein Leben lang.† (â€Å"Who loves not women, wine, and song, Remains a fool his whole life long.†)