English 100 is a course that is basically designed to assist the students

English 100 is a very important course as far as our college education is concerned. It is the basic foundation for our higher education. It equips us with skills which help us to cope with the challenges which we are bound to encounter as we pursue our college education.English 100 is a course that is basically designed to assist the students to develop critical writing and reading skills. It is a build up for what we learned in the high school only this time we are required to adapt to a college way of thinking.To be a successful student in this crucial course one must do things in the right way. In this paper I will take you through what you should do so that at the end of it all you can come out shining. It is based on my own experience as an English 100 student and also tips taken from the various     experts of this area.One of the biggest asset you have as a student is time, how you mange it will determine your destiny as a student as it will greatly influence your perform ance in this course and your studies in general.It is very important that you take control of your time as a student in this course. You should make a plan on how you are going to utilize your time as far as this course is concerned. You should prioritize the most urgent and important activities giving them ample time so that you can produce quality work which will earn you good grades.You will be given many assignments which will require your input, if you plan your time well late submission of papers will not affect you. Late submission is highly penalized and it is something you can easily avoid through managing your time properly.You should make a time table early enough allocating areas which you feel you are weak more time than the other to get enough time to tackle them. It is also important to allocate some time for interaction with your fellow students so that you can learn from them also. (Lannon, J 11 2006)Class attendance allows the student to have an interactive session with the instructors and the other students. You should make a point of attending the classes regularly to ensure you gain maximally .If by any chance miss any lesson make sure you ask what was covered and go through it before the next session.Through this you ensure that you at no any time   Ã‚  you lag behind in your studies. While in class you should participate actively without fear of making mistakes. It is only through making these mistakes that you will learn to be confident. We all learn from the mistakes we make now and then, just bear in mind nobody is perfect. If your fellow colleagues we perfect surely you would not be seated in the same class with them learning this course, they would be somewhere else.It is also very important that you learn to respect other people opinions; at no time should you laugh at other people mistakes as this can affect your studies negatively.This is a very interactive course where you will learn greatly from the other, that is why you sho uld at all cost try to maintain good relations with your fellow students and also with the instructors. (Lannon, J 18 2006)Instructors are there for us and we should make every effort to utilize them to our advantage. Any difficulties that you may be experiencing should be discussed with your instructor. Always book an appointment with your instructor to avoid disappointment since there are other students who require the same kind of help from them.Group work has helped me a lot in polishing my writing skills as I have been able to get some vital tips from my fellow students. It is also in group work where your work can be read by the other student and get their opinion about it. On the other hand you will have a chance to go through their piece of work and offer advice where necessary.  Always give an honest opinion about your colleagues work but at the same time bearing in mind not to hurt their feelings as this may come to haunt you later.Note taking is an essential part of thi s course; it is advisable that you develop an accurate method of taking notes which can be referred to later when revising. Aim at noting all the important points you come across either in the cause of group discussion or class lectures. (Lannon, J 39 2006)

Martin Luther King and Malcolm X

Savannah Major February 23, 2013 Hon. English/ H. 3 Philosophies of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X The late 1950s to mid-1960s was a time when violence and injustice had reached its peak. Many people were treated unfairly and the mood of the country overall was very gloomy and unhappy. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were both very well-known activists who fought to make things equal and right. 80th activists shared similar beliefs against the racial Injustice brought against African Americans by whites although their methods of achieving that equality were completely different.MLK, for Instance, believed In approaching things in a peaceful, nonviolent fashion. However, most African Americans felt that his â€Å"peaceful approach† wasn't enough to reach his. as well as their, goals and turned to Malcolm X, who believed that arming up against whites was a necessity in order to protect yourself. In other words, fight violence with violence. In the speech, â€Å"Stride Toward Freedom,† MLK discusses the three different ways of dealing with oppression; acquiescence, resorting to violence, and the use of nonviolent resistance.Only supporting one of the three, nonviolence, King strongly isagrees with both acquiescence and using violence as a way of making peace. Acquiescence, when the oppressed resign to their oppression and just deal with it. giving up on it all together. MLK believes that is not the way out, claiming that by resigning â€Å"the oppressed become as evil as the oppressor. † (King 301) The second form of oppression, resorting to physical violence, completely goes against his views.

Unit 6 Big Ideas in Science SEMINAR Research Paper

Unit 6 Big Ideas in Science SEMINAR - Research Paper Example Atmospheric Carbon also comes from decomposition of dead animals. Sedimentary rocks like limestone, as well as seashells also contain carbon. Nitrogen, on the other hand, exists in the atmosphere as nitrogen gas. This nitrogen gas is converted to ammonia gas through the process of nitrogen fixation, and the ammonia is converted to nitrites then oxidized to nitrates through the process of nitrification. Nitrogen fixation is accomplished by nitrogen fixing bacteria as well as lightning. The resultant nitrites and nitrates are converted back to nitrogen gas by denitrifying bacteria through denitrification process. Nitrogen present in organic matter is converted into ammonia gas via ammonification process. Human activities affect the natural processes of water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles. Activities like burning of fossil fuels and coal releases nitrogen compounds, sulfur, and carbon compounds to the atmosphere, which, in addition to causing air pollution, leads to the formation of acid rain. Acid rain causes great damage to plants and animals. Increase of nitrogen in the atmosphere causes imbalance of nutrients available for plants, affecting their health and biodiversity. Other problems like leaching of nitrogen into the soil and resultant pollution and eutrophication results from increasing nitrogen in the air. Furthermore, the use of chlorofluorocarbons, CFCS, causes the breakdown of the ozone layer leading to the formation of Ozone hole. The result is an increase in occurrence of skin cancer due to penetration of ultraviolet light into the

The ONLY goal of the corporation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The ONLY goal of the corporation - Research Paper Example This principle means to say in a nutshell that a company’s sole interest is to maximize profits. According to Milton Friedman, a company should not focus on issues of social responsibility, but should focus on the welfare of the shareholders, as well as its profits. When it tends to concentrate on improving the society in matters such as reducing inflation, it can lead to autocracy. The social responsibility of the business is to use its resources to maximize its profits so long as it does so within the set rules. Milton comes out strongly to oppose any move that would seem to spend the shareholders money in a way that is not in their interest. The reason for this is that the stockholder is not able to decide how the corporate executive spends his money, for which projects and the amount to spend for such projects. Even charitable activities that are not geared towards generating revenue should not be taken up. This view by Friedman suggests that an enterprise should only undertake a certain activity because it is good economically and not because ethics dictates so. Though this view has been criticized by many, it has been taken up by business

Marketing to South Asians in Great Britain Assignment

Marketing to South Asians in Great Britain - Assignment Example It is "fundamental to successful marketing strategies. Until competitors copy or segment your segmentation, you have a competitive edge"(McBurnie and Clutterbuck, 1988). Why is this study important However, there are some segments of the British consumer public that are not being reached as effectively as others. One of these segments is the South Asian community - those from the Indian peninsula and the surrounding countries - and research shows that this represents half of the British immigrant population (Burton, 2002). Worldwide, immigrants from this region are underrepresented in marketing surveys and journal research (Stern, 1999; Williams, 1995). While 20,000 Indians and Eastern Europeans were recently allowed to immigrate into Germany because of shortages in the computer industry, there is no evidence that German marketers are taking advantage of this new segment (The Economist, 2000). This is a trend that is even more marked in Britain. There are several reasons for this: parts of the South Asian immigrant community are viewed as a sort of underclass (Lash and Urry, 1994); many perceive this group as lacking the purchasing power to join the consumer society (Sivanandan, 1989); there are very few South Asian marketing managers in British firms (Burton, 2002); and there is a confusion in some marketing firms as to how to reach the South Asian community (Gooding, 1998). While there is a growing awareness of this group as a "formidable [segment] as consumers, workers, and investors"(Palumbo and Teich, 2004), there are some areas of debate in just how this group should be reached. These include the rapidity with which immigrants from South Asia will gain consumer values similar to those of British society (Bhugra, Kamaldeep, Mallett, and Manisha, 1999); which consumer values will change at all, or remain the same (Ryder and Paulhus, 2000); whether or not British firms should use South Asian languages and cultural symbols in their marketing campaigns, trying to find a balance between a sense of welcome and a sense of ostracization (Palumbo and Teich, 2004; Koslow, Shamdasani, and Touchstone, 1994; Holland and Gentry, 1999); and at what point segmentation becomes isolation (Briley and Wyer, 2002). What will others learn from this study "There is no such thing as a simple demographic fact in international research" (Bartos, 1989). While research has shown a tremendous growth in technological capabilities of segmenting (Mitchell and McGoldrick, 1994), there is still a significant need for what has been termed a "bespoke" system (Openshaw, 1989) - one that can find target households and target customers efficiently. Some areas of concern that still exist in this area include more precise age targeting, outmoded data, and a way to predict what consumers will buy in the future - not just a list of what they have purchased in the past (Mitchell and McGoldrick, 1994; Openshaw, 1989). Why is this study necessary There is a good amount of research into qualitative characteristics of a successful segmentation strategy. Such concepts as well-designed planning, commitment and participation by senior management, effective selection of segment bases, flexibility with market trends, and marketing

Doesn't matter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Doesn't matter - Essay Example These characters show that they are born with special powers and abilities. Talking about The Secret Ibis, it comes to understanding that Doodle (the lead character who is physically unstable) was a disappointment to his family. Among all, his brother was more disappointed because he could not play with him the way he expected to run. In the second setting, Simon Birch, one can note that Simon was not able to be one of those kids who were normal. It should also be noted that he was a short heighted person who was not accepted by anyone not even the society he lived in (Hurst). It will not be incorrect to state that if Doodle or Simon were treated well by his brother and Joe then it could have been expected that there were betterment in their lives. The support from family or friends would have helped them to be accepted by the society in general. As a contradiction to this statement, it was marked in the short story that Doodle was not at all accepted by his brother as he was tortured by showing coffin that was bought Doodle (Johnson). Ultimately, Doodle’s brother left him alone when the storm occurred. Doodle lost his life in the storm as he was dependent upon his brother for reaching school. In a similar way, Simon was put to test by his friend who was rather supposed to provide a support to him. Just because of the misunderstanding, he wronged Simon (Hurst). The community has seemingly failed to understand the need of dealing with people who are abnormal but can be gifted in many ways. For instance, Doodle was a mighty heart because he was able to survive when everyone thought he will not. In the same way, Simon was considered as a person who was short and misfit in the society. However, in real terms, he was extremely talented and wise. Nevertheless, despite their gifted personalities, they were not provided with the support and acceptance that they deserved to have (Johnson). Through the above analysis, it comes to understanding that the two

Sedgefield Elementary School Media Center Essay

Sedgefield Elementary School Media Center - Essay Example Sedgefield Elementary School Media Center However, they expressed a concern on the more active involvement of educators and industry leaders in the state-wide effort of improving the public school curriculum, with the current emphasis on high schools. They have also informed me that they would want Sedgefield to be among the first schools to have its teacher-training program updated, and its learning and assessment systems enhanced. The group has already finalized its action plan to reinforce participation with this program, focusing on their critical role as media specialists in promoting information literacy. They also stressed their strong intent to take an active, collaborative role in specific initiatives that require the center’s support. Another matter which is worth noting is the group’s plan to strengthen our corporate social responsibility efforts. We have decided that while our role as library media specialists may seem remotely connected to corporate social responsibility, we can in fact, create a noteworthy impact, especially in the realm of education. Towards this end, we have already set our objective and action plans for CSR programs that have a particular relevance to education, for the latter half of the year. We have agreed that through these programs, we are not just helping the underprivileged through scaled-up corporate giving or through financial assistance – rather, we are implementing programs that are directly and meaningfully linked to our mission; that is, ensuring that students are successful users of all types of information.

Critical Thinking in Asking the Right Questions Research Paper - 1

Critical Thinking in Asking the Right Questions - Research Paper Example This is what will be attempted in the paper. The memo is written in response to the request made by director of operations regarding a leadership program for junior executives. The main issue discussed in the memo is the infeasibility of the proposed leadership program. The author argues that the proposed leadership program is not necessary because leaders are born and not made. Personal motivation of the direction of operations is questioned in the memo. The author concludes that a leadership program is not worth spending any money, and theories of leadership advocated by the director of operations are not in line with the culture of the company. Personal motivation behind the proposals is also highlighted in the conclusion. The reasons given in the memo for the infeasibility of the leadership program include selection issues, waste of money, ‘leaders are born not made’ view, leadership traits, and personal motivations of Miss Forsythe. Selection issues will be raised when many people will request for leadership training and this is something the company cannot afford, according to the memo. The leadership training will be a waste of money because the company has already fared well without such training in the past, and therefore the training is a waste of money. The philosophy of born leaders is used as a reason against leadership programs. The author argues that leaders are born and not made, and therefore leadership training will not help employees. Trait theory of leadership is used to dispel the idea of leadership training program in the memo. Another very important reason given against the leadership program is that the personal motivation of Miss Forsythe is to get the position of VP Human Resource. Ambiguity refers to the double meaning of words and phrases (Bach, 2012). There is ambiguity when the author talks about the company being prosperous

Theories on Cognitive Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Theories on Cognitive Process - Essay Example In verbal communication, it is not enough to refer to actual words or phrases to decode the meaning of the speaker. There may be some nuances or shades of meaning to any particular word or phrase depending on the intention of the speaker, and likewise, the recipient of the communication. As such, the combination of any two statements spoken in succession or randomly may or may not have a relationship, and such a relationship may only be inferred. Philosopher Paul Grice introduced this concept of implicature, in which the relationship of two statements is implied but not required. Hearers routinely work under a set of assumptions in their interpretation of verbal communication, and this is where the problem of pragmatics surface. While these assumptions may be accurate, ambiguities and nuances in meaning may give lie to a presumed fact and while such ambivalence may not be immediately apparent, failure to allow for such circumstances may lead to a misinterpretation of the speaker's intention, leading to a breakdown in communications. Pragmatic interpretation is considered by from this argument many as a non-demonstrative inference process, in which there is no certainty of the correctness of the hearer's interpretation. Pragmatism in communication may make use of inference to det... There are several views by which pragmatic interpretation is viewed, one of which is where it is considered completely metapsychological. In this view, the Fodorian central processes or "theory of mind" is applied in which mind-reading is involved. The authors propose that a metacommunicative module may be developed from the application of the Fodorian central system in which ambiguities of verbal communication may be resolved. Grice believed that comprehension is attained through a calculation or "working-out schema" which upon reflection may seem to be rather tedious with the use of long chains of inferences, and not convincingly a person normally would pursue comprehension. It also underestimates the metapsychological aspect of comprehension. The current trend in cognitive studies is to view the mind is modular, and Grice concurs that this implementation of his approach may be a way to work out the presence of a conversational implicature intuitively. This modular view of the mind is based on the tendency in evolution to select systems that promote efficiency, and that many of these systems are genetically subscribed. In mind-reading, it is assumed that it is not a general purpose reasoning mechanism, but a dedicated module that "exploits the regularities in intentional behaviour" although it is uncertain how this mechanism works. There are many theories, such as the rationalization account which uses a form of belief-desire reasoning, the simulation account where intentions are attributed through acting out the action for interpretation, the Gricean account of implicaturs and relevance-theoretic accounts. It is suggested that within the

Personal Application Assignment Essay Example for Free

Personal Application Assignment Essay A variety of texts and articles over the past few years have argued for the use of an alternative approach to teaching organizational behavior, one that emphasizes experiential learning. This approach emphasizes an existential, emergent view for learning organizational behavior (McMullen, 1979), where the role of the instructor is that of learning facilitator, responsible for designing experiences for students to base learning upon, rather than as teacher, responsible for lecturing on theory and concepts. While gaining wide acceptance, this approach has nevertheless created problems in the assessment of students performance. Significant learnings in this model of teaching occur not only from the development of concepts, but also from the experiences themselves. McMullen (as well as others) has proposed the use of a personal application assignment to help solve the problem of performance assessment. This assignment is based upon the experiential learning model formulated by Kolb (1971). This model is discussed in more detail in the text chapter on learning styles. Kolbs model argues that learning occurs through a process which might begin with a concrete experience, which leads to reflective observation about the experience. Abstract conceptualization follows in which models, paradigms, strategies, and metaphors are applied to the results of the experience. Active experimentation concludes the cycle as the concepts are then put into practice, thus generating new concrete experience. Figure 1 shows the model more clearly. In one sense, persons able to learn using all four modes of the model will be better able to take away learning from the variety of contexts in which they interact. We feel that the Personal Application Assignment is a useful tool for both evaluation of a students work in courses taught using an experiential approach; and further, that the Personal Application Assignment can serve as a way to help students learn to learn. The PAA is both an evaluation and a teaching technique. Our past history of teaching using this method has shown that the PAA, in order to be most useful, must include clear guidelines for the student. To that end we have undertaken to set forth the guidelines below to help students to understand the requirements for effective PAAs. Guidelines on Grading, Topic Selection, and Confidentiality First of all, we believe that a 20-point grading system simplifies understanding how each component of the paper is graded and weighted. There are five elements to the paper and each normally is weighted equally. These include the four elements in the learning style model and a fifth element that takes into account the introduction, integration, synthesis and general quality of writing in the PAA. The score given in each element depends upon how effectively the student has met all the criteria listed for that section of the paper. For the instructors part, we believe that instructors need to provide specific feedback as quickly as possible to students on why they were awarded points in each area and, more importantly, what they need to do to improve. To achieve these objectives the same summary sheet that guides the grading is provided to the student as feedback. This sheet is attached at the end of this handout. The above paragraph referred to the weighting as â€Å"normally† being equal for all parts of the paper. In cases where the quality of the student writing is clearly below acceptable standards for college- level courses, this component or the entire paper may be given a significantly lower grade. (Preparing a good quality initial draft to be reviewed by a peer will help eliminate this potential problem. An initial draft is not the same as a first draft or rough draft. It should be a version the student has already revised one or more times. Students should be responsible for seeking out help with their writing skills if necessary. Choosing a good topic is essential. Select an experience that relates to the assigned course topics. It should be an experience that you would like to understand better, (e.g., there was something about it that you do not totally understand, that intrigues you, that made you realize that you lacked certain managerial skills, or that was problematical or significant for you.) When students are excited about learning more about the incident, their papers are lively and interesting. The topic must be meaty enough to take it through the entire learning cycle. The incident does not have to be work related; an incident in any setting (sports, school, family, church, etc.) that relates to the course topics is acceptable. You should select a recent experience (not something that happened back in high school). The more recent the experience, the more likely it is that you could take actions that could improve your current interactions with a supervisor, group member, roommate, or other person with whom you have an ongoing relationship. You also may select an experience which is not ongoing if this is more salient to you. Two additional issues should be considered in choosing your topic. The first is confidentiality. Students sometime wish to write on a topic that is of a personal nature. They may be willing for the instructor to read their paper but not want this to be read by other students in the class. This is a reasonable request and confidentiality will be honored. Students who want their paper to be confidential should inform the instructor ahead of time and should write â€Å"confidential† at the top of the paper. There is one exception to the confidentiality rule. If a student describes conduct related to the University where significant University rules or State/Federal laws have been violated by other students or University staff, the instructor reserves the right to bring this issue to the attention of the appropriate administrator to ensure that the situation is remedied. Elements of the PAA 1. Concrete Experience In this part of the paper, students briefly describe what happens in the experience. A simple description of the events which occurred is not sufficient. The feelings experienced by the student as well as his or her thoughts and perceptions during the experience are relevant to this discussion. Another way of looking at the concrete experience would be to recognize that it possesses an objective and a subjective component. The objective part presents the facts of the experience, like a newspaper account, without an attempt to analyze the content. The subjective part is the here-and-now personal experience of the event. This experience is composed of feelings, perceptions and thoughts. Helpful hints: (1) It often helps students to replay the experience in their mind. After reviewing the experience, students should write a report of what they saw, heard, felt, thought, and heard and saw others doing. (2) Students should avoid presenting the detailed mechanics of the experience unless these are critical to the remainder of the paper. This section of the paper should be no longer than 1.5 pages long. (3) Students should avoid reporting the feelings and thoughts experienced after the experience being described. This retrospection is more appropriate in the reflective observation section. Example: We all sat at the table together. Not a sound came from any of us. Finally, after what felt like an hour to me, I simply had to say something. Why are all of you taking this course? I asked. One person, a small foreign looking man said, I needed this course to complete my MBA. Others laughed. Another person, a nicely dressed woman, said, Id like to get an easy A.' I thought to myself: What a bummer! I didnt want to be in a group with people who didnt take the subject matter seriously. When the meeting ended, my perceptions of the group had somehow changed. Maybe this was a good group to be in after all. Some of the members had similar interests to mine, and most of them were nice people that I could see getting along with. I felt somehow hopeful that this semester wouldnt be so bad after all. 2. Reflective Observation The student should ask him/herself: What did I observe in the experience and what possible meanings could these observations have? The key task here is to gather as many observations as possible by observing the experience from different points of view. The main skill to work on is perspective taking or what some people call re-framing. Try to look at this experience and describe it from different perspectives. For example, how did other participants view the situation and what did it mean to them? What would a neutral (objective) observer have seen and heard? If some time has passed since the experience, do you now see the situation differently? Look beneath the surface and try to explain why the people involved behaved the way they did. Reflect on these observations to discover the personal meaning that the situation had for you. Helpful hints: (1) If possible, discuss the experience with others who were involved to gain their views and clarify your perceptions. (2) Unhook yourself from the experience and meditate about it in a relaxed atmosphere. Mull over your observations until their personal meaning comes clear to you. Try to figure out why people, and you in particular, behaved as they did. What can you learn about yourself, looking back on the experience? If you write about a conflict or interaction, be sure to analyze both sides and put yourself in the shoes of the other people involved. Examples: In thinking back on the meeting, I began to see how the group might have taken my comments. My comments were, after all, somewhat aggressive. Some might even call them belligerent. Had I said these things before this class, or at work, I must confess that I would have surprised even myself. But it seemed there was more going on here than met my eye at the time. Sarah and Bob at first didnt seem to be the kind of people to combine forces on this job, so why was I arguing against them this time? Then it dawned on me: Their departments were about to be combined into the same division! Why hadnt I remembered that during the meeting? Many thoughts raced through my head. Was the cause of last nights high that we won the game? Was it the first time we had worked together as a group? Maybe the fact that member X wasnt there that night helped! But I still had a nagging hunch that my involvement, downplayed as it was from previous meetings, helped. 3. Abstract Conceptualization By relating assigned readings and lectures to what you experienced, you are demonstrating your ability to understand conceptually abstract material through your experiences. This process will help you refine your model of people and organizations. While some assigned readings and lectures will have varying degrees of relevance to your experience, it is important that you make several references and not limit your conceptualizing to just one source. Use at least two major concepts or theories from the course readings and cite them correctly e.g,, (Osland, Kolb Rubin, 2001, p. 31). By reviewing the assigned reading material, you should be able to identify several specific concepts or theories that relate to your experience. First, briefly define the concept or theory as you would for someone who was not familiar with it. What issue or problem does the theory examine? What variables are used to analyze the problem and how does the theory explain the link between causal variables and outcomes. What suggestions does the theory give as to effective management practices? Second, in a separate paragraph, apply the concept thoroughly to your experience. The tie-in should include the specific details of how the theory relates to and provides insight into your experience. Try to develop diagnostic questions based on the theory that help you to analyze your situation. Does the theory explain what causes certain behaviors or outcomes and were these causes present in your situation? Does the theory distinguish between effective and ineffective practices that help you to understand your situation? Does the experience support or refute parts of the theory? You are encouraged to suggest modifications to a theory to make it fit your particular situation better. Helpful hints: (1) It is sometimes useful to identify theoretical concepts that interest you first and then search out and elaborate on a personal experience that relates to these concepts. (2) An alternative approach is to select an experience you wish to understand better and then select concepts that apply to your experience. The example below shows how one concept was defined and applied in a student PAA. Abstract Conceptualization Example There are several organizational behavior concepts that help me understand this experience. One is the Thomas-Kilman theory of conflict (Osland, p. 284-285) which is based upon two axes, either the concern for ones own interests or the concern for the interests of the other party. The five styles reflect a low or high position on these two axes and are labeled competition, compromise, avoidance, accommodation, and collaboration. In the incident I described, my coach began with a collaborative style, high concern for both his own interests and the interests of the other party. He tried to work out a solution that would satisfy both of us but I neither saw nor heard his point of view. I just wanted to get my own way and practice in the same way I had on my previous team. I see now that the conflict style I used was the competitive style, high concern for my own interests and low concern for the interests of the other party. Looking back, this is the style I have used most often throughout my life; I usually got away with it before because I was such a good athlete. However, my experience with the coach supports the textbooks description (p. 285) of the losses that may result from using this style. I lost everything when I was kicked off the team and I certainly alienated the coach and the other players and discouraged them from wanting to work with me. 4. Active Experimentation This section of the paper should begin by summarizing what you learned about yourself as a result of writing the paper. What new personal insights and practical lessons did you learn about how to more effectively deal with these types of experiences. Make sure to focus on what you learned about yourself, rather than what you learned about someone else, general situations such as group behavior, or processes such as negotiation. This should be presented in a separate paragraph and not buried within your discussion of an action step. Next you should present four action steps that you will take to make you more effective in the future in these situations. (Future actions must be based on the experience reported in the Concrete Experience.) These actions can be stated in the form of guidelines as to how you would act differently or resolutions as to steps you could take to develop or practice particular skills. You should elaborate in detail how you see your action ideas being carried out. A given step might include several related activities to complete it. Sometimes students have a tendency to list an action step and then shift to explaining why they would take the action without sufficiently explaining the actual behavior they would modify. For example, the statement â€Å"I would strive to communicate better because people feel I don’t listen very well† does not tell a reader very much about what you would do to communicate better. Saying that â€Å"I will strive to communicate better by using active listening techniques where I will paraphrase the other’s viewpoint before presenting my own opinion† is a better indication of how you will carry out this action step. There should be a clear link between your action steps and the concepts presented in the abstract conceptualization section. If the theories you selected provide recommendations for improving management practices, you are encouraged to incorporate these ideas in formulating your action steps. Dont just repeat tips from the text. Try to include at least one action resolution that is based upon new knowledge that you have gained about yourself. If you were to re-live your experience, what would you do differently? What would you do to improve the situation? In past student PAA’s it is often difficult to sort out where one action step ends and another begins. Please provide a separate paragraph for each action step and number or otherwise demarcate the separate action steps. For example, â€Å"First, I would .. My second action step would be † This will help the reader differentiate between action steps and will ensure that you provide four distinct action steps as part of your plan. Explain why you would take these action steps. Why would the selected behaviors be likely to improve the situation? Helpful hints: (1) Project a future experience in which you envision the implementation of your ideas and then elaborate on that experience as a way of demonstrating how your actions will be carried out. (2) Where does this situation exist in your life (home, work, school)? Do you need a support system to make it happen? How will you obtain the cooperation of others to jointly improve the situation? (3) Try to imagine the final results of your experimentation. What will it be like if you accomplish what you want to do? Example of Action Steps: How then can I best utilize and improve my achievement motivation? First, I must arrange for some accomplishment feedback. This will be done by designing or perceiving tasks so that I succeed bit-by-bit, gaining a reward each time and thus strengthening my desire to achieve more. Second, I should look to models of achievement. If people around me succeed, it will further stimulate me. I will ask them how they go about setting realistic goals for themselves and observe how they get feedback from others regarding their performance. Third, I should modify my self-image to include my desire for personal challenges and responsibilities and my requirement of continual feedback. (As a first step, I imagine myself as a person who requires or must have success, responsibility, challenge and variety.) I will seek out situations that are more likely to provide these challenges in the future. Fourth, I must learn to control my reveries. Just beyond the borderline of awareness, many of us are constantly talking to ourselves. While it is fun to fantasize, I will try to make sure my aspirations are realistic given my current skills and time available to accomplish my various goals. I will spend time prioritizing my goals to ensure that I don’t try to do too much or too little. Finally, although I would never admit so, I agree that salary is a potential dissatisfier for me. Therefore, I must insist on what I perceive as a fair return for my performance. I will discuss my salary expectations with my supervisor to ensure I know what is expected and also to ensure that my boss knows my expectations. Wish me luck! Here is another example of a good action step, written by a student who wanted to stop being a passive follower and become more of a leader. I am going to take a more active role in team meetings. I will volunteer to be the team facilitator in at least one meeting during this semester. In all other meetings, I am going to make at least two process interventions to help the team function more effectively. To prepare myself, I am going to carefully observe other students who are excellent leaders, and I will read two articles on team leadership. I will also design an evaluation form on my team participation and ask my team to use it to evaluate me after the meeting I facilitate. Based on their feedback, I will continue working on possible weak areas during the rest of this course. 5. Integration and Writing The well written PAA has a focal issue and a story line with themes that are carried throughout each of the four sections. The idea of synergy applies here: The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. If integration is present, then the reader can attend to the content without distraction; if integration is absent, barriers prevent the reader from gaining a full appreciation of the content. Are the major themes that you have identified integrated throughout your paper? Make sure that the reflective observation takes into account the viewpoint of all the key people cited in the concrete experience. Do the concepts cited in abstract conceptualization fit well with these observations? Is there a clear link between the concepts or theories that you cite and the subsequent action steps that you formulate? Citing the theories is not just meant to be an academic exercise it should help guide the analysis of the situation and the planning of practical steps for improving future situations. Other barriers that prevent the reader from fully appreciating the papers content are spelling and grammatical errors, as well as the overall appearance of the final document. Since good writing skills are so important in the business world, there should be no errors in your paper. Use the spell check (and grammar check) on your computer before you hand it in. Sometimes reading a paper aloud will indicate where sections of a paper may need revision to simplify awkward or unclear sentences.

Occupational Hazards among Sanitary Staff in Hospital

Occupational Hazards among Sanitary Staff in Hospital Occupational Hazards among Sanitary Staff Working at Tertiary Care Hospitals of Karachi Abstract Improper waste management increases the risk of occupational hazard among staff working in hospital. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify awareness and practices associated with occupational hazards among the sanitary staff working at tertiary care hospitals. The study was conducted at 2 government hospitals in Karachi, from October 2012 to January 2013. An anonymous, self-descriptive questionnaire was used to collect data. Among 106 participants, only 39% (n=41) received training on managing hazardous waste. Moreover, only 51% (n=54) were able to differentiate between hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Around, 69% (n=73) respondents had provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) whereas; only 36% (n=38) were compliant with it. Two third of the participants reported that they have encountered injury from hospital waste. Fisher’s Exact Test revealed that use of PPE is associated with education, experience, training and awareness. The study revealed great need of awareness about health hazards among sanitary staff working at hospitals along with provision of facilities. Keywords: Occupational Hazards, Personal Protective Equipment, Waste Management, Sanitary Staff. Hospital waste serves to be the most hazardous waste material which can lead to life threatening infectious diseases. Poor and improper handling of waste increases the risk of exposure to pathogenic organisms.1 Waste material generated from hospitals are considered as hazardous hence, it needs to be treated cautiously.2 In developing countries, there is scarce awareness and knowledge about proper management of hospital waste.3 All staff working at hospital is prone to acquire infections. However, sanitary staffs are at greater risk.4 A number of diseases can be transmitted via contact with hazardous hospital waste including Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.5 Therefore, training of sanitary staff working at healthcare facilities is essential.4 All healthcare facilities needs to prepare their own policies to ensure proper management of hospital waste and provision of staff safety.6 Appropriate management of hospital waste is based upon hospital administration, policies, finance, staff training, and active participation of staff.7 The staff responsible for handling hospital waste needs to be provided with all essential PPE.8 This study focuses on awareness of occupational hazards among sanitary staff working at government hospitals in Karachi. The study was conducted at two tertiary care government hospitals of Karachi from October 2012 till January 2013. It was a cross sectional survey conducted on 106 participants that had given consent and who had minimum of 3 months of experience. The survey was conducted through a structured questionnaire and data was analyzed through SPSS. Among 106 participants 71% (n=75) were male and 29% (n=31) were females. Mean age of participants was 40.23 (+ 9.5 SD). As displayed in Table 1, among all participants 62% had work experience of more than 5 years. Majority (n=36, 34%) of the participants had received secondary education. Participants who had done intermediate (n=23, 22%) were working as shift supervisors. Job responsibility of participants included dusting and cleaning wards (n=41, 39%), collection of hospital waste (n=32, 30%), segregation of hospital waste (n=18, 17%), and disposal of waste material (n=15, 14%). Table 1 Demographic Profile of Study Participants 15 25 32 34 24 23 36 23 41 32 18 15 14 24 30 32 23 22 34 22 39 30 17 14 During job tenure, only 41 (39%) staff received formal training on handling hospital waste and preventing health hazards by following standard precautions. However, 54 (51%) of the respondents were aware about hazardous and non-hazardous waste products. Among all participants, only 19 (18%) underwent medical inspection and 67 (63%) of them received Hepatitis-B vaccination. However, among recipients of Hepatitis-B vaccine, only 37 (35%) received complete vaccination i.e. all 3 doses of Hepatitis-B. On inquiring about availability of PPE, 73 (69%) responded that PPE are provided by hospital whereas, only 38 (36%) of the respondents were using PPE. Among all participants, 87 (82%) were compliant with hand washing. With regard to separate collection of hazardous waste from non-hazardous waste, 47 (44%) of the respondents said that they collect waste separately. However, only 21 (20%) of the participants reported that they carry hazardous and non-hazardous waste separately. Majority (n=88, 83%) were using open containers for carrying waste material. Around 69 (65%) of the participants responded that they have encountered injury from hospital waste. Among them, 2 (2%) encountered needle stick injury, 30 (28%) experienced sharp injuries, 24 (23%) came in contact with blood and body fluids, and 14 (13%) got other types of injury. Only 18 (17%) of the participants didn’t experienced any illness, however 21 (20%) experienced gastrointestinal tract problems, 28 (27%) suffered from respiratory disorders, 14 (13%) got eye infections, 11 (10%) came in contact with skin diseases, and 14 (13%) encountered blood borne diseases. With regard to compliance of using standard precaution 34 (32%) of the participants always use gloves, only 7.5% of the participants always use apron, and 31 (29%) always use masks. The Fisher’s Exact test revealed a significant association between experience and use of PPE (P=0.027). Similarly, highly significant association has been identified between training and compliance with use of PPE (PPPP=0.078), was found to be insignificant (see Table 2). Table 2 Association between Compliance with Use of PPE and Demographic Characteristics * Significant ** Fisher’s Exact Test applied due to low cell count Generation of waste at hospitals demands for it proper disposal to avoid hazardous consequences associated with it. It is the prime responsibility of hospital to maintain clean and healthy environment to reduce infections associated with hospital wastes.6 Therefore, it is essential to provide appropriate training to ensure staff safety.9 In current study, less than half of the respondents received training and around half of the respondents displayed awareness about hazardous waste material. The study also displayed an association between training as well as awareness about hazardous waste with compliance to PPE use. Similarly, available evidences in the field also suggests that training of staff along with regular follow-ups can foster compliance with appropriate waste management practices.10 Available literature also suggests that for appropriate management of hospital waste and safety of hospital staff, continuous training programs needs to be organized.8 Current study revealed that only 18% of the sanitary staff went through medical inspection and around 35% of the staff received complete doses of hepatitis B vaccination. In contrast, previous study on sanitary staff working in tertiary care hospital of Rawalpindi reported that none of the sanitary staff went through medical checkup or received any vaccination before or during job tenure.4 The findings of current study revealed that availability of PPE was inadequate. However, it is essential to provide continuous supply of PPE and to bring change in attitude of staff towards use of PPE. The efforts of providing training, creating awareness, and providing personal protective equipment will not be of worth if staff will not comply with the appropriate waste handling and management strategies. Our study also demonstrated that only one third of the respondents were using available PPE. However, non-compliance with appropriate management of hospital waste makes sanitary staff prone to infections.10 Hence, efforts need to be made for providing training and creating awareness among sanitary staff for handling hazardous hospital waste. Moreover, organization should develop relevant policies and protocols to ensure appropriate handling and disposal of hospital waste. Organizations should also take initiatives for conducting medical inspection and vaccinating all hospital staff including sanitary staff. Availability of PPE should be adequate and staff needs to be encouraged to use PPE. Evidence based interventional research can be conducted to ensure appropriate handling of hazardous hospital waste for preventing sanitary staff from infectious diseases. References Hossain MS, Santhanam A, Nik Norulaini NA, Omar AK. Clinical solid waste management practices and its impact on human health and environment-A review. Waste Manag 2011; 31:754–6. Ross DE. Safeguarding public health, the core reason for solid waste management. Waste Manag Res 2011; 29:779–80. Janjua NZ, Khan MI, Mahmood B. Sharp injuries and their determinants among health care workers at first-level care facilities in Sindh Province, Pakistan. Trop Med Int Health 2010; 15:1244–51. Ahmed I, Farooq U, Rabia M, Naheed A, Maryum A, Asia A. Awareness among sanitary workers regarding their job: A survey at tertiary care hospital. Medical Forum Monthly: A Journal for all Specialties. Retrieved from http://www.medforum.pk/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=467:awareness-among-sanitary-workers-regarding-their-job-a-survey-at-tertiary-care-hospital. Hayashi Y. Proper disposal of medical wastes infection prevention and waste management at Hiroshima city, Asa Hospital. Rinsho Byori, 2000 (Suppl 112):26-31. Hashmi SK, Shahab S. Hospital and biomedical waste management. In: Iliyas M, Editor, Community medicine and public health. 4th ed. Karachi: Time Publishers, 2003, pp. 426-37. Yadav M. Hospital waste-A Major Problem. Hospital Today 2011; 8: 276-282. Pandit NB, Mehta HK, Kartha GP, Choudhary SK. Management of biomedical waste: Awareness and practices in a district of Gujarat. Indian J Public Health 2005; 49:245-7. Al-Khatib IA, Al-Qaroot YS, Ali-Shtayeh MS. Management of healthcare waste in circumstances of limited resources: a case study in the hospitals of Nablus city, Palestine. Waste Manag Res 2009; 27:305–12. Ikram A, Hussain Shah SI, Naseem S, Absar SF, Ullah S, Ambreen T, et al. Status of hospital infection control measures at seven major tertiary care hospitals of northern punjab. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak 2010; 20:266–70.

Consumer Behaviour Essay -- Technology, The iPhone

Symbolic Consumption: The iPhone In this era of emerging economies and growing globalisation, the demand for symbolic goods continues to expand, and at a fast rate. With recent advances in technologies such as personal digital assistants (PDA’s), satellite/tracking devices, mobile phones and many others springing up almost every day, it is not surprising that consumers would be willing to part with large amounts of cash for these products. One of such technological advancement is the iPhone, a fascinating instance of adaptation, which is fast becoming a most sought after brand. The issue however is whether this new technological advancement of the iPhone is going to be a continuous trend or will just fizzle out in the nearer future. To understand deeply the phenomenon of symbolic consumption, we must first understand what it means. According to Kerrigan et al. (2004), symbolic consumption deals with the consumption of products and services as sources of meaning. An important aspect of symbolic consumption is that consumers no longer consume products simply for their functional value, but for their symbolic value, for what these products mean to themselves and to others (Kerrigan et al 2004). In other words, these products more or less become commodity signs. Digital-era commodity goods like the iPhone are symbolic markers or what Thorstein Veblen would call conspicuous consumption or â€Å"status symbols† (2007). To make sense of this rapturous reception, the iPhone would however now be examined as a notable instance of symbolic consuming culture. In June 2007, the hottest cellular phone hit town, with a vast array of technological wonders never before put together inside a tiny gadget called cell phone (Blokdijk 2008). It was Ap... ...d therefore argue that products involve a form of natural process within which the designer plays a key role. Like any product, the iPhone has its own life span or in other words, evolutionary timeline, its own inherited traits, its own product design and its own adapted state through its environment. As global technology is continuously introduced and replaced, it would get to a stage where the symbolic value of the iPhone would no longer be appreciated. This is because more advanced and superior mobile devices would have come into place, thereby stealing the limelight from the iPhone. Additionally, the study of behaviors and attitudes towards a specific technology such as the iPhone are extremely vulnerable to new products and trends, making the findings of any study outdated in a very short period of time. In other words, social values also changes over time. Consumer Behaviour Essay -- Technology, The iPhone Symbolic Consumption: The iPhone In this era of emerging economies and growing globalisation, the demand for symbolic goods continues to expand, and at a fast rate. With recent advances in technologies such as personal digital assistants (PDA’s), satellite/tracking devices, mobile phones and many others springing up almost every day, it is not surprising that consumers would be willing to part with large amounts of cash for these products. One of such technological advancement is the iPhone, a fascinating instance of adaptation, which is fast becoming a most sought after brand. The issue however is whether this new technological advancement of the iPhone is going to be a continuous trend or will just fizzle out in the nearer future. To understand deeply the phenomenon of symbolic consumption, we must first understand what it means. According to Kerrigan et al. (2004), symbolic consumption deals with the consumption of products and services as sources of meaning. An important aspect of symbolic consumption is that consumers no longer consume products simply for their functional value, but for their symbolic value, for what these products mean to themselves and to others (Kerrigan et al 2004). In other words, these products more or less become commodity signs. Digital-era commodity goods like the iPhone are symbolic markers or what Thorstein Veblen would call conspicuous consumption or â€Å"status symbols† (2007). To make sense of this rapturous reception, the iPhone would however now be examined as a notable instance of symbolic consuming culture. In June 2007, the hottest cellular phone hit town, with a vast array of technological wonders never before put together inside a tiny gadget called cell phone (Blokdijk 2008). It was Ap... ...d therefore argue that products involve a form of natural process within which the designer plays a key role. Like any product, the iPhone has its own life span or in other words, evolutionary timeline, its own inherited traits, its own product design and its own adapted state through its environment. As global technology is continuously introduced and replaced, it would get to a stage where the symbolic value of the iPhone would no longer be appreciated. This is because more advanced and superior mobile devices would have come into place, thereby stealing the limelight from the iPhone. Additionally, the study of behaviors and attitudes towards a specific technology such as the iPhone are extremely vulnerable to new products and trends, making the findings of any study outdated in a very short period of time. In other words, social values also changes over time.

Government Intervention On The Internet Essay -- essays research paper

Government Intervention on the Internet During the last decade, our society has become based on the sole ability to move large amounts of information across great distances quickly. Computerization has influenced everyone's life in numerous ways. The natural evolution of computer technology and this need for ultra-fast communications has caused a global network of interconnected computers to develop. This global network allows a person to send E-mail across the world in mere fractions of a second, and allows a common person to access wealths of information worldwide. This newfound global network, originally called Arconet, was developed and funded solely by and for the U.S. government. It was to be used in the event of a nuclear attack in order to keep communications lines open across the country by rerouting information through different servers across the country. Does this mean that the government owns the Internet, or is it no longer a tool limited by the powers that govern. Generalities such as these have sparked great debates within our nation's government. This paper will attempt to focus on two high profile ethical aspects concerning the Internet and its usage. These subjects are Internet privacy and Internet censorship. At the moment, the Internet is epitome of our first amendment, free speech. It is a place where a person can speak their mind without being reprimanded for what they say or how they choose to say it. But also contained on the Internet, are a huge collection of obscene graphics, Anarchists' cookbooks, and countless other things that offend many people. There are over 30 million Internet surfers in the U.S. alone, and much is to be said about what offends whom and how. As with many new technologies, today's laws don't apply well when it comes to the Internet. Is the Internet like a bookstore, where servers can not be expected to review every title? Is it like a phone company who must ignore what it carries because of privacy; or is it like a broadcast medium, where the government monitors what is broadcast? The problem we are facing today is that the Internet can be all or none of the above depending on how it is used. Internet censorship, what does it mean? Is it possible to censor a... ...m for our mind's thoughts will fade away. We must regulate ourselves as not to force the government to regulate us. If encryption is allowed to catch on, there will no longer be a need for the government to intervene on the Internet, and the biggest problem may work itself out. As a whole, we all need to rethink our approach to censorship and encryption and allow the Internet to continue to grow and mature. Works Cited Compiled Texts. University of Miami. Miami, Florida. http://www.law.miami.edu/c6.html. Lehrer, Dan. "The Secret Shares: Clipper Chips and Cyberpunks." The Nation. Oct. 10, 1994, 376-379. Messmer, Ellen. "Fighting for Justice on the New Frontier." Network World. CD-ROM database. Jan. 11, 1993. Messmer, Ellen "Policing Cyberspace." U.S. News & World Report. Jan. 23, 1995, 55-60. Webcrawler Search Results. Webcrawler. Query: Internet, censorship, and ethics. March 12, 1997. Zimmerman, Phil. Pretty Good Privacy v2.62, Online. Ftp://net-dist.mit.edu Directory: /pub/pgp/dist/pgp262dc.zip.

Shakespeare And Frost - Masters Of Their Trade :: essays research papers

"The art of the poet is to explore the very questions of human existence". The art of poetry is a deep and involved process, which when used properly to infer an existentialist message, can turn lines of ink into a work of art. Major and famous authors of times past and present have frequently, and continue to deal with these issues of human existence. Two of these masters, William Shakespeare and Robert Frost are examples of writers who have made the step from poetry to works of art. This is shown in Frost’s On a Tree Fallen Across the Road and in Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 30 where major existentialist and metaphysical themes are dealt with. Frost’s On a Tree Fallen Across the Road, includes major metaphysical and existentialist themes that are clearly portrayed by the poet, Frost, in a story about travellers who’s journey has been bared by a hurdle, represented by a fallen tree. "The tree the tempest with a crash of wood, Thrown down in front of us is not to bar Our passage to our journeys end for good." The first three lines of this stanza already expose this existentialist message. When read literally we see a group of travellers whose passage has been impeded by a tree which has fallen across the path of these travellers, however when we read deeper into the passage we find Frost referring to "Our journey", a term commonly used in existential writing as a description of life, and the tree a representation of the problems or hurdles faced in life. In his poetry Frost commonly refers to life as "his journey" and in this instance Frost has written about the unexpected challenges, distractions and hurdles thrown into life, which can side track or take our minds of the "journey" at hand. Frost continues his existentialist theme by going on to say: "We will not be put off our final goal We have it hidden in us to obtain." Frost believes that every individual has the ability to reach the goals they have set while on their "journey", and every person needs to have goals set, otherwise their would be no need to partake this journey, therefore answering this question "why are we here", and along with his use of natural imagery, simple language and symbolism Frost is able to deal with the major existentialist question and concepts. Shakespeare And Frost - Masters Of Their Trade :: essays research papers "The art of the poet is to explore the very questions of human existence". The art of poetry is a deep and involved process, which when used properly to infer an existentialist message, can turn lines of ink into a work of art. Major and famous authors of times past and present have frequently, and continue to deal with these issues of human existence. Two of these masters, William Shakespeare and Robert Frost are examples of writers who have made the step from poetry to works of art. This is shown in Frost’s On a Tree Fallen Across the Road and in Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 30 where major existentialist and metaphysical themes are dealt with. Frost’s On a Tree Fallen Across the Road, includes major metaphysical and existentialist themes that are clearly portrayed by the poet, Frost, in a story about travellers who’s journey has been bared by a hurdle, represented by a fallen tree. "The tree the tempest with a crash of wood, Thrown down in front of us is not to bar Our passage to our journeys end for good." The first three lines of this stanza already expose this existentialist message. When read literally we see a group of travellers whose passage has been impeded by a tree which has fallen across the path of these travellers, however when we read deeper into the passage we find Frost referring to "Our journey", a term commonly used in existential writing as a description of life, and the tree a representation of the problems or hurdles faced in life. In his poetry Frost commonly refers to life as "his journey" and in this instance Frost has written about the unexpected challenges, distractions and hurdles thrown into life, which can side track or take our minds of the "journey" at hand. Frost continues his existentialist theme by going on to say: "We will not be put off our final goal We have it hidden in us to obtain." Frost believes that every individual has the ability to reach the goals they have set while on their "journey", and every person needs to have goals set, otherwise their would be no need to partake this journey, therefore answering this question "why are we here", and along with his use of natural imagery, simple language and symbolism Frost is able to deal with the major existentialist question and concepts.

Discerning Contemporary Approaches towards Effective Education

The pursuit of learning, it must be argued, is an activity that brings into perfection the finest essence of human persons. And the reason for this, as I have mentioned in my previous paper, is quite self-evident: to engage in learning – or any activity analogous to the purposeful acquisition of knowledge – is to nurture the gifts which, at best, summarily render humanity as creatures cut above the rest – i. e. , freewill and rationality (Moore and Bruder 67). Thus, the supreme importance of creating welcome avenues for learning needs to be considered as a task second to none.At the very least, all human persons are, by virtue of their innate superiority, necessitated to constantly strive to create windows of opportunities for higher learning, as well as address ebbs of challenges which, if left unchecked, may end up frustrating the correct methodologies to progressive learning. In view of such felt need, this paper argues for the necessity of framing forward-loo king goals that can best address the contemporary challenges, which otherwise can pose serious threats to the attainment of quality education.To this end, this study deems it appropriate to limit the discussion into unraveling three concrete goals that may be adopted, in the hope of addressing contemporary concerns to education: first, to rethink the model of educational Psychology operative on most learning institution; second, to revolutionize classroom management towards greater inclusion and participation; and third, to re-conceptualize the appreciation of education as that which prepares students for a greater role in the society later on in their otherwise brief lives.It needs to be firstly pointed out however that in itself, education cannot be reduced into these three goals. The human mind, it needs to be argued, is capable of learning many facets of knowledge; and as a consequence, the goals with which each learning facet takes can be taken distinctly from others. For insta nce, if one were to pursue an education in Engineering, the specific goals with which his or her learning process takes must see through the need to develop one’s knowledge of precise mathematical theories on the one hand, and skills relative to concrete application of calculated findings on the other hand.The goal of a person studying Engineering therefore falls more into the acquisition of a knowledge that integrates abstract mathematical theories with concrete skills in fine arts and drawing. One does not compare such goal with, say educating someone who, while mentally impaired, manifests strains of learning nevertheless. The point in contention here lies in the plain recognition that learning can and must always be construed with its varying goals, â€Å"depending on the learner’s frame and chosen field of competence† (Ten Dam and Volman 282).Three Forward-Looking Goals It merits firstly arguing that there is a need to rethink the model of Educational Psych ology operative on many learning institutions nowadays. Herein it would be necessary to cite that there appears to be two major schools of thought being adopted into the conduct of present-day education: the behaviorist and cognitive paradigms. On the one hand, the behaviorist model of education is most often gleaned on learning strategies that take students as ‘passive learners’ – i. e. , as mere reactors to learning stimuli.The stance, as it were, takes on a highly stereotyped understanding of human behavior; it â€Å"takes the mind of a child as a tabula rasa upon which the message of experience is to be written† (Wartofsky 113). On the other hand, the cognitive model of education adopts a paradigm which is exactly the opposite of the behaviorist model. It believes that learning instruction has to promote the mental abilities already intrinsic to human persons, even before they enter their respective learning places – they are mere mental process es that need to be unraveled.When a learner is therefore taken under the acute lenses of cognitive philosophy, the process of developing the unique abilities of abstraction, analysis, cognition, deconstruction, problem solving and self-reflection are the aspects that act as the crux of one’s learning. There is, however, a danger in choosing only one paradigm to adopt. On the one hand, it is certainly unwise to take learners as though they were programmed to uncritically absorb everything that they are being taught.Learning is not entirely about external influences. On the other hand, it is equally self-defeating to regard students as process-induced organisms, without recourse to appreciating their concrete situations. Learning is not completely about internal processes. This is why, it is imperative to rethink the psychological model of Educational. At best, what appears to be a more promising model to adopt is that which seeks to integrate these twin paradigms into a compre hensive model for education.Concretely, this can be achieved by taking learners as â€Å"highly structured organisms, who in their own unique ways, do try to ‘make sense’ of their life experiences in a manner that is not only active but also constructive† (Wartofsky 113). In other words, what Wartofsky correctly notes stems from a keen, if not correct observation that learning is much more than the acquisition of knowledge and the development of innate skills. Learning, instead, brings into fruition one’s knowledge and skills, by charting how one is able to successfully apply these concepts into prolific results.Secondly, the telling need to revolutionize the pedagogies and strategies pertinent to effective classroom instruction represents an unmistakably rapidly-growing concern for most educational institutions. At the very least, the old model of traditional instruction needs to be supplanted with better strategies which are now available in the field. L earning, it needs to be noted, is a delicate process; it must be attended to only by acceptable approaches and inviting programs. For such reason, Kounin believes that classroom management is of the essence in the entire learning process – i.e. , â€Å"good classroom management† must be considered as an indispensable requisite to student’s learning† (qtd. in Emmer and Stough 104). And there are reasons to think the manner by which educators create and design appropriate classroom management styles spells the difference between the welcome promotion of learning and the unfortunate frustration of the same. On the one hand, revolutionizing the contemporary approach to learning necessitates a thorough re-evaluation of the technical aspects of classroom management.This re-evaluation process entails, still according to the suggestions of Kounin, putting a fair amount of effort and energy to apply all the three aspects of classroom management into the learning en vironment: first, to ensure that â€Å"preparations† relative to academic programs and campus regulations are properly articulated and clearly outlined so as to facilitate their effective implementation; second, to determine head-on whether or not the interaction transpiring between the educator and learners during the â€Å"actual† learning process are marked by appropriateness and facility; and third, to determine a program that assesses and monitors how educators are able to â€Å"control† the environment for learning (Vasa 64-66).One may correctly notice that this specific program seeks to guide the learning process before it is undertaken, during its implementation and after the process has been completed. Simply put, the process is comprehensive. And it is with good reasons that a learning institution must adopt such a revolutionary program to guide their respective educational goals and visions into welcome fruition. On the other hand, it has to be likewi se appreciated that any effort to revolutionize classroom management cannot stop at ensuring that the aforesaid technical aspects work effectively in the service of efficiency and facility. With equal or more emphasis, there is a need to revolutionize, in a manner being drastic but progressive, the fundamental concept of the learning process itself.Herein, it is wise to reminded what P. Freire has to say about the matter – i. e. , learning cannot be seen as an asymmetrical process, where teachers dole out incremental nuggets of knowledge and students receive them uncritically as though they were nothing but repositories of data and information. When a learning institution engages in this type of one-way instruction, Freire believes that it adopts an unmistakably restrictive â€Å"banking concept of education†. He believes that under this model, â€Å"knowledge is (considered as) a gift bestowed by those who consider themselves knowledgeable upon those whom they consid er to know nothing† (Friere).Instead, Freire maintains that classroom instructions, as indeed the entire process of education, have to revolutionized so as to cater to the need to â€Å"strive for the emergence of consciousness and critical intervention in reality† (Freire). For only when educators see the supreme importance of promoting the learner’s concrete appropriation of his or her learning can learning environments break free from the traditional spoon-feeding model of instruction that has long plagued the many educational systems. Thirdly, there is a certainly a need to re-orient the goal of education in respect to its duty to prepare the learners in discerning their chosen vocations relative the needs of the society later on. Nowadays, education is often seen as a personal ticket to success; an instrument which yields a higher rate of success to the top.More and more therefore, the call to recover the thrust of education from this highly individualistic frame becomes even more relevant. As indeed, the need to underscore the intricate relations between the goals of education and the needs of the society cannot be under-appreciated. In ways of more than one, learning is really about participating in the network of relationships latched in humanity’s basic sociality. Learning is indeed about â€Å"the increasing ability to participate in the social and culture practices which are considered important in the society† (Ten Dam and Volman 285). And this does not entail seeing the education of students as a precursor their filling up certain stereotyped roles which a society demands.Ten Dam and Volman believes that â€Å"adequate participation† in the society â€Å"does not mean behaving according to a fixed set of norms, but being able to deal flexibly with the differences and other choices and possibilities† (284). Thus, learning is about empowering the students to discover their inner gifts while they are at school so that they can use them for the sake of society’s wellbeing later. In the ultimate analysis, it must be recognized that â€Å"the content of education has† indeed something â€Å"to do with society’s need for people who are prepared for the conditions of life in a civil society† (Daniliuk 13). To briefly conclude, this paper ends with a thought that affirms the abiding necessity of conceiving forward-looking goals to help address the contemporary conduct of education.Time is indeed changing fast; and so is the manner by which the world understands education and human learning. In order to adapt, challenges must be met with equivalent responses and adequate solutions. Three concrete suggestions have been raised in this paper: to re-conceptualize the model of educational Psychology, to revolutionize classroom management approaches, and to recover the role of education in respect to the needs of the society. Surely, there are still a lot more chall enges to hurdle; a lot more Goliaths to slay. For the time being, the world can rest assured that for as long as concrete steps are being framed to address educational issues, there can be little doubt that humanity’s can always strive for constant learning. References Daniliuk, A. â€Å"The Role of Education in the Formation of a Civil Society†. Russian Education   Ã‚   and Society, 50, 5, 2008. Emmer, E. & Stough, L. â€Å"Classroom Management: A Critical Part of Educational   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychology,   Ã‚   with Implications for Teacher Education†. Educational Psychologist, 32, 2, 2001. Freire, P. â€Å"The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education†. Ten Dam, G. & Volman M. â€Å"Educating for Adulthood or for Citizenship: Social Competence as   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   an Educational Goal†. European Journal of Education, 42, 2, 2007. Vasa, S. (1984). â€Å"Classroom Management: Selected Overview of Literature†. Teacher Education   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Monograph, 1, pp. 64-74. Wartofsky, M. â€Å"On the Creation and Transformation of Norms of Human Development†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leonard Cirillo & Seymour Wapner, editors. Value Presuppositions in Theories of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Human Development. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1986.   

Talent TV, the Reality

AGAZINE ARTICLE Talent TV, the reality. Talent TV; Your one big chance to humiliate yourself world wild in front of a live audience and a panel of overly critical judges, with the often slim chance of getting yourself somewhere in life other than ‘’You’ve been framed. ’’ A chance for the Talent TV audience to express their schadenfreude based humour by ‘booing’ and taunting the not-so-talented.So you’ve decided to enter the talent TV show â€Å"Britain’s got talent,† due to the misleading nod’s and smiles of encouragement from your not really listening mother. Only to go to the producers auditions where, instead of picking just the talented acts and saving mislead people like yourself from public humiliation, send you through leaving you with the impression that you are in fact talented.Then comes the somewhat tedious public audition process, where if you’re lucky Simon Cowell will compare you to some k ind of tone-deaf animal and that will be the end of it, however the slightly more unpropitious will be booed off stage by the audience themselves. However you will still have to wait and hear how horribly you did from each of the judges in turn and unnecessarily officialise that is a definite no before finally leaving the stage, your dreams and your ability to go out without being noticed as ‘that rejected contestant’ behind.In the society, day and age we live in everybody seems to have the impression that derivative ideas are the way to go. Therefore being the reason for the hundreds of talent TV shows now drowning our TV guides; Britain’s got talent, American idol, x-factor, The voice, Britain and Irelands next top model and America’s next top model, which are only the start of an endless list of mind-numbing programs now available.However the shows are not the only derivative idea in the whole Talent TV ordeal, the acts in which are performed seem to ha ve lost originality as the years go on. Every act is more or less completely predictable, seen as though the variety is so little. There is singing, dancing, dog acts, sometimes magic acts and some sort of comedy performance (deliberately or not) within every episode and every series. Therefore meaning mine and everyone else’s expectations of something completely new is very little.And as if humiliating just the rejected contestants isn’t enough, the whole town in which the contestant is from seems to go down with them, on multiple occasions ‘’Britain’s got talent,’’ has been reviewed and remarks such as ‘’Britain’s got talent, more like Britain lacks talent,’’ have been included, which leaves the very ‘country proud’ people more than a little humiliated as well. However many people, half of which being the winners of the show themselves, believe that Talent TV is merely a once in a lifeti me opportunity to become famous.This would possibly be true if you weren’t allowed to re-enter yourself in the upcoming auditions for the next show. People may argue this side of things but really sometimes all we need is someone to laugh at rather than ourselves. So what happens to the rejected once their auditions have been aired? Well they get to live a life of either having no life whatsoever, by not leaving the house, or leaving their houses just to be chased back in with comments like ‘hey, I saw you on Britain’s got talent†¦ you were awful. Those who compete in the first place have to have a very strong personality, one which isn’t affected by snide remarks from the public, or if it really was incredibly horrible, remarks from the press too. On the less embarrassing and more glamorous side of Talent TV many future celebrities such as groups like One Direction, Little Mix or diversity are found in the hundreds of auditions, for people like these and sometimes the odd finalist/semi-finalist a whole new world of opportunities opens up for them, so in some way Talent TV could be seen as a one way ticket to fame, that is if you have talent.So if you find yourself, adult or child, even contemplating entering into the time-wasting competitions for Talent TV save yourself the humiliation of Simon Cowell’s metaphors, schadenfreude based humours and mislead interpretations by ensuring you are worthy of getting through at least the auditions. However, if prove worthy in front of Simon Cowell and his panel of criticizing judges, you may be on the road to achieving your lifetime wishes, that is if you are prepared for the bumpy ride ahead.

Electoral Reform Green Paper: Strengthening Australia’s Democracy Essay

The term electoral system has broadly been used to refer to all elements of procedures used to choose or elect political representatives. However, the public discussion in Australian electoral system has narrowed down since the September polls. These include the mechanism voters preference over set of aspires are captured and further aggregated to produce the results of the elections. The description dismisses the important concerns considered critical criteria which should employed to select the groups, candidates and parties that will appear on the ballot paper. The two critical dimensions of the electoral systems are what Rae terms as ballot structure† and the â€Å"electoral formula.† According to Australian Government Electoral Reform Green Paper, (2013) the ballot structure is the choice of the electoral system that is presented to the electorate on the ballot papers and the procedures of recording their preferred candidate. Notably, the electoral formula is the ru le applied, given specific set of recorded electorates, to determine the victor or the winners. Ballot Structure of the Senate Elections Since 1934, it has been established that the ballot structure of the senate elections has been one full preferential candidate. Essentially, the electorate is the prima facie that the law permits to indicate the order of preference for every candidate appearing on the ballot paper. However, in 1948, the formula for electing the senate was changed from the originally majoritarian one to the version in which the single transferable vote proportional representation. As noted by Bonham, (2013) from the initial application of the system in 1949 until 1993, the number of candidates per vacancy steadily went up. Together with the increased number of senators from each state from six to ten in 1949, and from ten to twelve in 1984, the increased number of the electorate per vacancy produced a shocking growth in the ballot papers. Therefore, the increased length of the ballot papers coupled with the full preferential voting requirement encouraged voluminous number of the citizens to vote by si mply transcribing the numbers from how-to-vote cards given to the voters by the party agents at the polling stations. Furthermore, disparities are observable in the electoral systems as reported by Australian Government Electoral Reform Green Paper, (2013) in its argument, the party voting concept allows the candidates with low votes to legitimately build their votes up to the level of emerging a winner. Besides, the system insists that the votes transferred to them from other candidates must mirror the considered will of the electorate. Unlike the ticket voting, it permits the voters to adopt the preferred order of which they are ignorant of, or they are less concerned thereby surrendering their votes to parties. Besides, the party voting rather than voting individual candidates denies the voters absolute flexibility as a proportional representative voting system. Notwithstanding this, a trend emerged during the period of 1949 to 1983 for the senate elections to use the informal vote. Therefore, since 1970 to 1983, at every senate elections the rating of the informal voting nationally was over 9 percent. However, during the senate elections in 1974, in New South Wales, the voters had a task to order 73 senatorial candidates correctly for them to cast their votes formally. During the tenure of Whitlam Government, the stakeholders opted to retire the requirements for full preferential numbering; however, the overwhelming number of opposition senate in the opposition blocked the Bills. Finally, the current system of electoral system of ticket voting â€Å"above the line† voting system as well as full preferential electoral system referred to as â€Å"below the line† was introduced (Farrell & McAllister, 2003). Notable differences in the two electoral systems are identifiable in the procedures. In the preferential system, the electorate makes decisions on the most desirable candidate to the least. However, when no candidate attains the required majority votes, the candidates in possession of the least number of votes are awarded according to her or his wishes and the following preference is then counted. This process is repeated until that time a particular candidate attains an absolute majority. Unlike the proportional representation system, the above the line system in which the candidates are elected on the preference of their proportional representation in the party. Farrell & McAllister, (2003) points out that the elected surplus of the elected candidate votes of the first quota is then distributed in a fraction that values the continuing candidate of the next preference shown on the line. In a nutshell, the candidates are elected until vacancies are entirely filled. When selecting the senators, the voters use preferential voting system. The preferential voting system allows the voters to list the candidates in their preferred order. The Australian cross-party parliamentary committee has recommended tough and party rules and changes to the voting system of the senates. This is geared towards stopping the minor electoral games. The joint standard committee on electoral matters recommended the changing of the electoral laws for optional preferential above the line voting and optional partial below the line voting in the senate. According to the proposers, this would give the voters’ additional control over the flow of their preference by giving them the option to rank all the parties above the line (Farrell & McAllister, 2003). Above all, the process would make it easier for the electorate to choose to vote below the line requiring ranking a minimum of six candidates. The current senate voting laws, the voters have the power to choose one pa rty above the line. Besides, their preference flows are determined solely by the party, or they must number all the boxes below the line to distribute their preferred candidate evenly. Moreover, the current electoral system leads to election of senate candidates of those occupying their or second group of the popular party. This leads to election of the senators with very small votes. This system differs from the preferential representation system which their tally is an absolute indicator of their support by the people. In fact, in a preferential voting system, these are no scale of measuring popularity of senators. However, they are rather defined by the electorate in terms of comparison with the other candidates. In this voting system, it is easy to conclude on hypothetical examples in which the candidate with zero polls on first preference would have defeated all the other opponents in a head to head contest. The absolute difference in the two voting systems can also be observed in the strategic manipulation of voters, thus sacrificing democratic rights of the electorate. Strategically, most commentators have argued that ticket voting system can be manipulated by preference harvesting. Kelly, (2008) asserts that the system involves micro parties exchanging their voting tickets, hoping party with least votes would ascend to senate. The preference harvesting was clearly observable in the 2013 voting results. Essentially, the preference harvesting differs from the individual electoral process because t is pragmatic. Unlike the representative voting system which considers the ideological alignments of the electorate, the system is based on the basis where the electorate hardly has control on the outcome. It is established in the outcome of the elections that the above the line voting system has no credit to the voters. Above all fundamental differences in the two electoral processes, the outcome of the election should be determined by the wishes of the voters. In the evidence of the last election, there was no observable connection between the preference that the ticket voting system attributed to the voters and the ones they actually held. This raises a key difference in the electoral systems and on which covers the wills of the voters. Proportional representation The common feature of proportional representation is that the political parties must exceed a certain vote threshold in order to win the seats. It is clear that the previous election results have led to effortless demands for electoral reforms with the constitutional objectives addressed. Essential research done on the 2013 election found that the 38 percent of the small parties in the senate were beneficial for democracy. Besides, the most favorable, if the public opinion is to be observed is the abolition of the group voting tickets, currently operational. The proportional representation is critical to chapter seven of the constitution that requires the election process to be left in the conscious decisions of the voters. Thus, the obvious route to consciously respect the constitution in the electoral reforms is to copy the example of the New South Wales and distribute voting preference as the voters allocate them, or authorizes the voters to number the every box above the line. Additionally, the determination of the parties to respect section seven of the constitution is reflected in the representative voting system. According to section seven of the constitution, the senate shall be compost of senators for each state, directly elected by the electorate. Justifiably, the in 1984 the Chief Justice of the High Court rejected the above the line senate voting on grounds that the section required the voters vote for individual candidates as they wish to choose as senatorial representatives (Ghazarian & Monash University, 2010). However, the rule did not admit that above the line voting system amounted to any contradiction other than section seven. Notably, the principle that held by the proportional representation system of the electoral system of the senate must be based on choosing individual candidates rather than parties were, nevertheless, objective. As noted by (Kelly, 2012) more than a single authority involved in electoral reforms suggested that the voting system would be violated by the provisions that limited individual candidates in respect to aggregate of their party votes. Ideally, this is can be observed from the electoral threshold based on individual candidate would eliminate all the major party candidates with the exception of those at the top of the party ticket. Critics of the proportional representation voting system highlights that it not clear that the preference threshold would attain this. They assert that there might not be a handy alternative for challenging the above the line voting system that limited the candidates from choosing their preferred candidate. Besides, holding to the backers of the individuals with the good taste of the proportional representative voting, voting for the parties remains a constitutional disorder (Kelly, 2012). Arguably, it is unreasonable to penalize the political parties performing poorly for failing to meet the threshold seems to pass the consequences to the electorate who voted for them. Besides, democracy foundations of any conscious voting system respects the fact that the vote belongs to the electorate who registered, however, not to a particular party that the above the line voting which happen to give first preference to particular political parties. Happily, a report from Australian Government Electoral Reform Green Paper, (2013) asserts that the adoption of the proportional representative will grant observable credit to the most honest alternative of optional preferential voting above the line. Besides, the electoral body in the line of meeting section seven of the constitution examined photo identification, no-brainer of prohibiting people as serving the state as registered officers for more than a single party and tightening of the late campaign blackout. The senate electoral system should be changed to adopt the optional preferential voting. . The greatest impact of the 2013 election of preference harvesting should be abolished. Notably, the results of 2013 elections were unusual and interesting, preferably in the senate where small parties enter into back door negotiations. This raises the integrity of the voting process and the constitutional threshold. Holding that below the line voting system is constitutionally required, it is wise to argue that the basic criterion for election of the senate should that that puts the democratic rights of the voters in the heart. This can be achieved by allowing the voters to record their preferences truthfully and meaningfully. Therefore, considering the role of the senate in the constitutional reforms, the nearly and easily achievable deal is the OPV. However, the OPV does not achieve it fully. Essentially, the system does not permit the electorate to express equal preference for more than one candidate. Besides, it does not permit voting indifference to be shown with an exception from the least preferred candidate for the voter. The good news holds that the OPV does not require the voter to write large numbers on the ballot paper purporting to express preferences that are never held. But the system will ensure that the numbers on the ballot papers express the true preference of the voters. Besides, the introduction of the OPV below the line will automatically default the use of above the line voting. The key policy for implementation will be to use ne ballot paper to suffice the votes. The single ballot raises expresses as genuine preference the voter holds. Bonham, (2013) argues that unless the voters are required to write more than one ballot paper, vote exhaustion may lead to the election of candidates with less than a quota. Conclusion Voting in Australia is compulsory and uses preference ballot in single seats for the representatives of the house. Today, there are many parties that usually vie for the senate. Although it varies from state, dozens run and some parties gunners no votes. However, due to the preferential allocation system, it is equally possible to be elected to a senate even with less than 14.3 percent of the primary votes (Ghazarian & Monash University, 2010). For instance, in New South Wales the senate papers are printed in 7-point font and the voters are given magnifying lenses to read them. In a nutshell, proportional representation system is advised to lead to proportional results of the election. Besides, parties should win the senatorial seats on the proportion of their vote size. However, to uphold the integrity of the constitution, the senate should adopt democratic voting variations such as single transferable vote which votes for candidates rather than parties. References Australian Government.( 14 November 2013) Electoral Reform Green Paper: Strengthening Australia’s Democracy (2009), at Bonham, Kevin.( 14 November 2013) â€Å"Senate Reform: Change This System, But To What?†, at http://kevinbonham.blogspot.jp/2013/10/senate-reform-change-this-system-but-to.html, accessed Farrell, D. M., & McAllister, I. (January 01, 2003). The 1983 change in surplus vote transfer procedures for the Australian senate and its consequences for the single transferable vote. Australian Journal of Political Science, 38, 3, 479-491. Ghazarian, Z., & Monash University. (2010). Australian minor parties in transition in the Senate, 1949-2007. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/consultation/elect_reform/strengthening_democracy, accessed Kelly, N. (2008). Evaluating Australian electoral reforms: 1983-2007.Kelly, N. (2012). Directions in Australian electoral reform: Professionalism and partisanship in electoral management. Canberra: ANU E Press. Source document