There are two parts to this week's discussion.Part 1Over the past 2 months, we've addressed many issues and topics related to End of Life Issues and Perspectives. We have seen how many aspects of death and dying vary across time and across cultures.Technology plays an important role in these changes. Based on this week's Learning Resources, as well as what you have learned in the class so far, what is one significant change related to death, dying, and bereavement that you think might happen over the next decade? You can choose any issue or phenomenon that interests you. An excellent response will be at least 2-3 paragraphs in length, using complete sentences and concise language. Please cite at least 2 of this week's Learning Resources in your response.Please be sure to use APA citations in your text and to include your reference list. When you refer to and/or discuss any resources, you need to include a citation for that source, such as: (Braincraft, 2015). For more info on APA style, visit the APA Citations and Style module in this online classroom. Part 2: The study of death and dying compels us to think about life and living. In Week 7, we saw that being proactive about death planning is as much about living on your own terms as it about putting your affairs in order. Undoubtedly, addressing the practical aspects of death reduces headaches for those who are left behind. But beyond wills and estates, our exploration of death inevitably raises questions about legacy. Once we are gone, how will we be remembered?The second part of this discussion is to compose your own obituary. This can be an obituary that reflects your life thus far, or an aspirational obituary that reflects the life you want to be remembered for. Don't know where to start? Search the Internet for tips on writing an obituary (remember to cite any references you use). You do not need to include any details that you don't have (e.g. date or cause of death) and there is no length requirement. It can be as short or as long as you like. Once you have written your obituary, analyze it. What does this statement about death say about what is important to you in life? Are you "living up" to your obituary?

Signature Assignment: A Study of Educational Accountability and School ImprovementAssignment Content Over the last 2 decades, federal policies have been put in place to develop greater school accountability. Some might say these are working, and some might say they’re not. The intent behind increasing accountability was to lead to ongoing school improvement, thus increasing student learning and performance. For this assignment, you will analyze the public policy initiatives meant to boost accountability thereby promoting school improvement. Research and select 2 or 3 public policy initiatives designed to increase educational accountability in K–12 schools. Write an 875- to 1,050-word paper in APA FORMAT in which you assess the relationship between the educational accountability measures directed by public policy initiatives and continuous school improvement. Complete the following in your paper: Examine the purpose of each initiative, including its impact on educational accountability. Explain the impact of the initiatives on the following stakeholders: School staff Students and families Analyze the challenges and successes associated with the initiatives. Evaluate the influence of the initiative(s) on continuous school improvement. Justify changes you recommend to the public policy initiatives. Cite references to support your assignment.

Due date and grading: This assignment is due by the end of Week 8. It is worth 10% of your course grade and will be graded with a rubric. To view the rubric, access the assignment from the Assignments area of the classroom. Outcomes you should achieve by completing this assignment Organize information clearly in an explanatory essay (Course outcomes 1 and 2) Use an introduction paragraph with a thesis statement and a concluding paragraph to frame an essay (Course outcomes 1 and 2) Demonstrate accurate grammar and mechanics in writing (Course outcome 3) Topic You began your research project by reading an article from the news about a current issue or event in society. Your goal in this essay is to explain to your professor how the research and writing you have done for your research project changed your understanding of that issue or event. You will explain what changes occurred in your understanding and how those changes occurred. Here are some questions you can consider in developing ideas for your essay: What changes occurred in your understanding? Do you know more about the issue/event now than you did before? (Probably!) Do you look at the issue/event from a different perspective following your research? Have you reconsidered opinions or assumptions that you held at the beginning of the semester? How did those changes occur? Which sources from your research had the greatest effect on your understanding? Did the process of writing about your topic affect the way you thought about it? What role did interaction with your classmates and/or professor play in your understanding of your topic? Organizing and supporting your essay Your essay must include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction should gain your reader’s attention, orient the reader to your topic, and state your thesis. The body of the essay should include focused body paragraphs in support of your thesis statement. There are various ways you might choose to organize information in the body of your essay. Here are some suggestions you can consider: You might focus each body paragraph on a step of the research process and how that step affected your understanding of the issue/event. You might focus each body paragraph on your understanding at a particular time relative to the research process (before, during, after). You might focus each body paragraph on a particular aspect of the issue/event and explain how your understanding of that aspect developed during your research. The essay’s conclusion should answer the question “So what?” by placing the essay’s explanations into a larger context. To accomplish this, you can consider addressing one or more of these questions: Will your current understanding of your event/issue affect your future actions or decisions? If so, how? What lessons—about interpreting current events, about your field of study, about the research process—can be drawn from the experience of completing the research project? Is research of the sort done in WRTG 112 a worthwhile activity? Why or why not?