Save the planet by cutting down on meat That's just a load of bull Essay

Save the planet by cutting down on meat That's just a load of bull - Essay Example In contrast, transport makes up just 13% of the world’s greenhouse gas footprint. Moreover, cows turn out methane gas is 23 times as damaging as CO2. Furthermore, livestock rearing takes up 30% of the earth’s surface. In light of this, Johnson suggests that Dr.Pachauri was perhaps right for being anxious about emissions of methane gas from livestock. Johnson affirms that although Dr.Pachauri’s scrutiny was spot on; his proposition to cut down on meat was ridiculous. Additionally, Johnson (2008) argues that while shunning meat consumption by humans would notably result in decreased methane output; Dr. Pachauri’s recommendation is mistaken as it ignores the pertinent issues at the heart of every environmental problem that presently afflicts the world. Some of these issues include: deforestation, destruction of species, the 1.3 billion people whose livelihoods are reliant on agriculture as well as the persistent human population boom. Currently, the world’s population is about 6.72 billion and anticipated to rise to 9 billion by 2050. Cows are not the problem; people eating the cows are the problem. Additionally, Johnson also reminds the UN of its historic role which entails: campaigning against global overpopulation, family planning championing for female emancipation, and all the real solutions to world’s intolerable and excessive population boom. In support of Dr. Pachauri’s proposition that meat production puts more GHG’s than the earth’s entire transport network, Smith et al. (2007, p.501) suggests that agriculture discharges considerable amounts of GHG’s (such as methane-CH4, nitrous oxide-N2O and carbondioxide-CO2) into the atmosphere. CH4 is generated when organic matter putrefies in anaerobic circumstances, especially from fermentative digestion by ruminant farm animals, from stockpiled droppings. This confirms that Dr.Pachauri is perhaps right for being anxious about methane gas emissions from livestock. On the

Tips About Writing About Yourself Essay Example for Free

Tips About Writing About Yourself Essay First you should gather all of your ideas.Writing is a process that involves at least four distinct steps: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. It is known as a recursive process. While you are revising, you might have to return to the prewriting step to develop and expand your ideas. Prewriting is anything you do before you write a draft of your document. It includes thinking, taking notes, talking to others, brainstorming, outlining, and gathering information Although prewriting is the first activity you engage in, generating ideas is an activity that occurs throughout the writing process. Drafting Drafting occurs when you put your ideas into sentences and paragraphs. Here you concentrate upon explaining and supporting your ideas fully. Here you also begin to connect your ideas. Regardless of how much thinking and planning you do, the process of putting your ideas in words changes them; often the very words you select evoke additional ideas or implications. Dont pay attention to such things as spelling at this stage. This draft tends to be writer-centered: it is you telling yourself what you know and think about the topic. Revising Revision is the key to effective documents. Here you think more deeply about your readers needs and expectations. The document becomes reader-centered. How much support will each idea need to convince your readers? Which terms should be defined for these particular readers? Is your organization effective? Do readers need to know X before they can understand Y? At this stage you also refine your prose, making each sentence as concise and accurate as possible. Make connections between ideas explicit and clear. Editing Check for such things as grammar, mechanics, and spelling. The last thing you should do before printing your document is to spell check it. Dont edit your writing until the other steps in the writing process are complete.

Theories Of The Origin Of The Moon :: essays research papers fc

The Moon is the only natural satellite of Earth. The distance from Earth is about 384,400km with a diameter of 3476km and a mass of 7.35*1022kg. Through history it has had many names: Called Luna by the Romans, Selene and Artemis by the Greeks. And of course, has been known through prehistoric times. It is the second brightest object in the sky after the Sun. Due to its size and composition, the Moon is sometimes classified as a terrestrial "planet" along with Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Origin of the Moon Before the modern age of space exploration, scientists had three major theories for the origin of the moon: fission from the earth; formation in earth orbit; and formation far from earth. Then, in 1975, having studied moon rocks and close-up pictures of the moon, scientists proposed what has come to be regarded as the most probable of the theories of formation, planetesimal impact or giant impact theory. Formation by Fission from the Earth The modern version of this theory proposes that the moon was spun off from the earth when the earth was young and rotating rapidly on its axis. This idea gained support partly because the density of the moon is the same as that of the rocks just below the crust, or upper mantle, of the earth. A major difficulty with this theory is that the angular momentum of the earth, in order to achieve rotational instability, would have to have been much greater than the angular momentum of the present earth-moon system. Formation in Orbit Near the Earth This theory proposes that the earth and moon, and all other bodies of the solar system, condensed independently out of the huge cloud of cold gases and solid particles that constituted the primordial solar nebula. Much of this material finally collected at the center to form the sun. Formation Far from Earth According to this theory, independent formation of the earth and moon, as in the above theory, is assumed; but the moon is supposed to have formed at a different place in the solar system, far from earth. The orbits of the earth and moon then, it is surmised, carried them near each other so that the moon was pulled into permanent orbit about the earth. Planetesimal Impact First published in 1975, this theory proposes that early in the earth's history, well over 4 billion years ago, the earth was struck by a large body called a planetesimal, about the size of Mars. The catastrophic impact blasted portions of the earth and the planetesimal into earth orbit, where debris from the

Feminists, Stereotypes and Stereotyping in the Media Essay -- Feminism

Feminists and Media Stereotypes      Ã‚   The media portrays feminists in unflattering ways. Largely because of the media portrayal, the word 'feminist' usually evokes images of crass, butch, men-hating, very masculine women. Many women believe in the feminist doctrine, but they would never consider themselves as a feminist because they cannot relate to the images of crass, butch, men-hating, masculine women.   In fact, it has only been within the past year that I've been able to accept the fact that I am a feminist and that my preconceived images of feminists are merely media stereotypes.    I'm now able to admit I care more about my own rights than whether or not someone will assume I fit the media stereotype of a feminsit. Feminism is the belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. One doesn't have to hate men, refuse to wear dresses, or be homosexual to be a feminist. Feminism isn't about male bashing, but rather about equality. Now I can (and do) admit freely that I'm a feminist. People may think that means I'm lesbian. They may think that means I hate men. They may think I have some sort of secret agenda. They can be as misinformed or stereotypical as they chose, I just want equal rights.      Yet now I have to wonder why those stereotypes exist and where they stemmed from. Were early feminists "butch" man haters? No. Early accounts from women and men of the time prove otherwise.    *   ... the 1848 Seneca Falls convention for a female Bill of Rights provoked editorials about "unsexed   women"...which insinuated that they had become activists because "they were too repulsive to find a   husband....These women are entirely devoid of personal attractions."...When a supporter, Senato... ...lifetimetv.com/shows/specials/changingface/illusions2.html Life Time Entertainment Services. 2000 Changing Face of Beauty: Models http://www.lifetimetv.com/shows/specials/changingface/models.html Life Time Entertainment Services. 2000 Changing Face of Beauty: Views. "Sela Ward" http://www.lifetimetv.com/shows/specials/changingface/views5b.html Life Time Entertainment Services. 2000 Changing Face of Beauty: Views. "Maricia Gillespie" http://www.lifetimetv.com/shows/specials/changingface/views.html Life Time Entertainment Services. 2000 Douglas, Susan J. Where the Girls Are: Growing Up Female with the Mass Media. New York: Random House Publishing, 1994, 278. Starr, Bernard. IT AIN'T JUST PAINT:AGING AND THE MEDIA  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.longevityworld.com/justpaint.html. 1997 Wolff, Naomi. The Beauty Myth. New York: Doubleday Publishing, 1991   

Professional market research plan for Bounce Fitness Essay

Research on competition †¢Comparing consumer attitudes to an organisation †¢Services and those of competitors †¢Identifying frequency of use of competitors products and services †¢Identifying key competitors and their strengths †¢Measuring awareness Research on consumers †¢Developing detailed consumer profiles †¢Identifying changes in attitudes and behaviour patterns †¢Identifying existing , potential or lapsed consumers Research on place †¢Identifying attitudes towards location †¢Identifying cooperative opportunities for distribution of information or services †¢Identifying demand for products or services at other locations Research on pricing †¢Identifying attitude towards pricing †¢Identifying cost †¢Testing alternative pricing strategies †¢Research on products and services †¢Evaluating competitors products †¢Evaluating consumer attitudes towards presentation and packaging †¢Identifying potential new products or services or ones which may be at the end of their life cycle †¢Measuring attitudes towards existing products or services Research on promotion †¢Measuring advertising and promotion effectiveness †¢Testing alternative massages †¢Testing and comparing different media options Project 2 Implement, monitor and evaluate the market research plan for Bounce Fitness. A.Develop a detailed ,realistic implementation program †¢Includes an implementation strategy for the identification , selection , contracting and monitoring of all external consultants †¢Defines and communicates clearly all priorities, responsibilities, timelines and budgets, along with all personnel involved †¢Outlines all resources required, where and how they would be obtained, along with associated costs and conditions. †¢Incorporate contingencies for at risk areas †¢Includes a monitoring process to ensure the project sticks to budget and stays on course †¢Determines how you will measure your stakeholder satisfaction at the end of the project †¢Includes an evaluation process for final review of your project. Part B Conduct an information session for contractors †¢Instruction to your researchers in regards to their role and your expectations †¢Documentation and submission procedures †¢Communication strategies Part C Evaluate the research process and findings †¢Evaluate the usefulness of the findings in terms of relevance to initial objectives †¢Evaluate the marketing research methods used †¢Suggest any adjustment required as a result of the evaluations †¢Provide a modified research and implementation plan that reflects the adjustments you would make B 1.Statement of market research needs 2.Include research objectives 3.Include project scope 4.Identify the specific data required, including how it will be gathered , quantified and processed 5.Include estimates of time lines and castings 6.Include all required forms and recording instruments for each research method chosen

Free Essays on Outsourcing

Outsourcing Business Processes Summary This paper captures the most prominent services and issues associated with today's outsourcing environment. Outsourcing is the modern business term for having other companies accomplish basic business processes rather than doing them inhouse. While outsourcing has always been an important business option, modern technical capabilities are fast making outsourcing a critical requirement in competitive, cost conscious industries. However, our recent experience with terrorist challenges indicates that a second look is needed to ensure that outsourcing risks are still acceptable. This paper (1) benchmarks classical (but modern) outsourcing methods to provide a starting point, (2) notes what information system services are being outsourced, (3) provides examples of how those services were being promoted and leveraged, with some comments on terrorist related risks, and (4) indicates how the experts suggest that outsourcing, if it is reliable and secure, should be addressed in contracts (incentives). An awareness of these basic aspects of outsourcing is important to the business analyst or consultant. Benchmarking Modern Outsourcing Charles L. Gay and James Essinger (2000) provide not only a generic (non-high-tech) framework within which to view modern, high-tech outsourcing, they also provide this framework from the British perspective, often using United States companies as examples. They list numerous benefits and hazards of outsourcing, only indirectly considering terrorist acts, and they explore the different business relationships that apply in the world of outsourcing. Based on their perspectives, we can conclude that outsourcing is a well developed but also complex topic, one that is often over simplified and, thus, is often improperly implemented. Nevertheless, with the British framework in mind, one should view the numerous and quickly evolving high-tech extrapolations of outsourcing ... Free Essays on Outsourcing Free Essays on Outsourcing Summary: According to the election-year bluster of politicians and pundits, the outsourcing of American jobs to other countries has become a problem of epic proportion. Fortunately, this alarmism is misguided. Outsourcing actually brings far more benefits than costs, both now and in the long run. If its critics succeed in provoking a new wave of American protectionism, the consequences will be disastrous for the U.S. economy and for the American workers they claim to defend. Daniel W. Drezner is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and the author of "The Sanctions Paradox." He keeps a weblog at www.danieldrezner.com/blog; full references and data sources for this article can be found here. THE TRUTH IS OFFSHORE When a presidential election year coincides with an uncertain economy, campaigning politicians invariably invoke an international economic issue as a dire threat to the well-being of Americans. Speechwriters denounce the chosen scapegoat, the media provides blanket coverage of the alleged threat, and legislators scurry to introduce supposed remedies. The cause of this year's commotion is offshore outsourcing the alleged migration of American jobs overseas. The depth of alarm was strikingly illustrated by the firestorm of reaction to recent testimony by N. Gregory Mankiw, the head of President George W. Bush's Council of Economic Advisers. No economist really disputed Mankiw's observation that "outsourcing is just a new way of doing international trade," which makes it "a good thing." But in the political arena, Mankiw's comments sparked a furor on both sides of the aisle. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry accused the Bush administration of wanting "to export more of our jobs overseas," and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle quipped, "If this is the administration's position, I think they owe an apology to every worker in America." Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, meanwh... Free Essays on Outsourcing Outsourcing Business Processes Summary This paper captures the most prominent services and issues associated with today's outsourcing environment. Outsourcing is the modern business term for having other companies accomplish basic business processes rather than doing them inhouse. While outsourcing has always been an important business option, modern technical capabilities are fast making outsourcing a critical requirement in competitive, cost conscious industries. However, our recent experience with terrorist challenges indicates that a second look is needed to ensure that outsourcing risks are still acceptable. This paper (1) benchmarks classical (but modern) outsourcing methods to provide a starting point, (2) notes what information system services are being outsourced, (3) provides examples of how those services were being promoted and leveraged, with some comments on terrorist related risks, and (4) indicates how the experts suggest that outsourcing, if it is reliable and secure, should be addressed in contracts (incentives). An awareness of these basic aspects of outsourcing is important to the business analyst or consultant. Benchmarking Modern Outsourcing Charles L. Gay and James Essinger (2000) provide not only a generic (non-high-tech) framework within which to view modern, high-tech outsourcing, they also provide this framework from the British perspective, often using United States companies as examples. They list numerous benefits and hazards of outsourcing, only indirectly considering terrorist acts, and they explore the different business relationships that apply in the world of outsourcing. Based on their perspectives, we can conclude that outsourcing is a well developed but also complex topic, one that is often over simplified and, thus, is often improperly implemented. Nevertheless, with the British framework in mind, one should view the numerous and quickly evolving high-tech extrapolations of outsourcing ...

Concepts of Theorists Theories

Concepts of Theorists Theories Introduction The founding fathers of sociology developed various theories to help in studying the social world with the aim of giving meaning to social phenomena. The concepts of such theories were used to explain the relationship between individuals and the factors that held the society together.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Concepts of Theorists’ Theories specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Consequently, the scholars developed different theories that represented their views about the society. The theories are still being used to explain the events that occur in different communities. Thus this paper will focus on the application of various sociological theories in real life situations. The theories and their applications are as follows. Theorists and their Concepts Michael Foucault: Sexuality and the Queer Theory Foucault studied the history of the concept of sexuality from the seventeenth century. His aim w as to disapprove the hypothesis that the â€Å"Western society has seen repression of sexuality and that sexuality has been unmentionable† (Johnson, 2008). According to Foucault, sexuality has always been viewed in two different ways. In the Asian civilization, sexuality is considered to be an art and a unique experience. However, it is kept a secret so that its power can be preserved. The western society on the other hand considered it to be a science. Thus the truth behind it should be confessed (Johnson, 2008). This means that even though sexuality has always been viewed as something sinful, there is always a compulsion to confess one’s sexuality in order to acknowledge its existence. This theory is applicable in explaining the ongoing debate on the legitimacy of homosexuality and guy relationships. Even though such relationships have been declared sinful, those who engage in them still confess their sexual orientations publicly. Due to enlightment, the society has changed its perspective on sexuality by accepting those who engage in unnatural sexual acts (Calhoun, Gerteis, Moody, 2007). Thus today, pervasion is viewed as a form of identification rather than an attribute. It is for this reason that individuals are classified as homosexuals or heterosexuals. In the context of the debate on the legitimacy of homosexual relationships, Foucault argues that sexuality is a social construction rather than a natural occurrence. This means that people hold different opinions on unnatural sexual acts. Thus it is not possible to achieve consensus on the legitimacy of homosexual relationships. Dorothy Smith: Institutional Ethnography Institutional ethnography is a sociological concept of inquiry that focuses on making new discoveries instead of mere testing of various hypotheses or using a particular theory to find empirical evidence. According to this concept, language is the medium through which ideas and thoughts are exchanged between individuals and the realms of the society (Calhoun, Gerteis, Moody, 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This means that language is used to make discoveries on how various social institutions function. The aim of institutional ethnography is to help individuals to integrate new discoveries with existing knowledge in order to participate effectively in the institutions that they act in. This concept can be applied in understanding the functioning of the political system as an institution (Johnson, 2008). For example, the recently introduced health care reforms Act (PPAC) in the US, was based on the concept of institutional ethnography. Through the use of language such as written texts, the citizens complained of the inefficiencies of the health care system. The government used the same procedure to discuses and to develop policies that addressed the health care issues. Thus written texts formed the link between the people and the government. Besides, the Act was developed as a written text that defines the new health care laws. This means that the texts act as the basis for controlling or coordinating the activities of the health care system. Thus language in this case played three roles which include identifying the weaknesses of the health care system, formulating the response strategies and coordinating the activities of the health care system. Herbert Marcuse: Classical Theory (One Dimensional Man) ‘One dimensional man’ is a classical sociological theory that was written by Herbert Marcuse in response to the lack of freedom in the society (Calhoun, Gerteis, Moody, 2007). He argues that technological advancement have led to a comfortable, democratic, reasonable and a smooth society. However, all these accomplishments have been realized at the expense of freedom. Thus the rights and freedom of speech, thought and consciousness continue to decl ine as industrial development continues. This means that alternative modes of realization should be put in place in response to the current societal capabilities. Herbert’s theory and its concept of freedom can be used to explain the unrest that is currently being witnessed in the Arab world. Arab countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa are currently facing a lot of political challenges as citizens seek to over through their local governments.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Concepts of Theorists’ Theories specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The aim of these unrests is to help the citizens to regain their freedom and rights. As the countries developed, economic and political systems that are beyond the control of the citizens were created. This led to domination as the leaders used social institutions to serve their interests at the expense of the citizens. Democracy which is a product of modern civilization has not helped to save the situation since it does not eliminate the position of the ruler or the ruled. This means that democracy only facilitates the election of leaders in a fair manner but can not guarantee better leaders. Thus the economic and political developments in the troubled Arab countries led to comfort and prosperity. However, it created a social system that undermines the freedom and rights of the citizens (Johnson, 2008). Talcott Parsons: Structural Functionalism Structural functionalism is a sociological perspective whereby the society is interpreted as a structure with various parts that are interrelated (Calhoun, Gerteis, Moody, 2007). Under this theory, the society is addressed as a whole by focusing on how its constituent parts (elements) such as norms, institutions, traditions and customs function together. According to Persons, the nuclear family is â€Å"the basic building block of the society† (Johnson, 2008). He argued that the society is coherent and resembles an organism whose various organs (social institutions) unconsciously work together in a quasi-automatic manner in order to realize social equilibrium. Persons’ theory and its concept of functionalism, is applicable in the development of the modern industrialized society. Industrial development especially in the Western society has led to the creation of various social institutions such as politics or government, modern economy and formal education. These institutions are interdependent since they support each other. For example, the government enforces the laws that govern other institutions, the economy provides the revenue that supports other institutions and education provides the knowledge that informs decision-making in every institution. The industrialized society is thus held together by the constitution which defines the shared values. The significance of the individual in this case is thus seen in terms of the status of their position in reg ard to social relations as well as the behaviors that are linked to their status (Johnson, 2008).Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Emile Durkheim: Mechanical and Organic Solidarity Solidarity relates to the various types of integration and the level to which they occur in societies or groups and their neighbors. It refers to the social ties that bind members of the society together (Johnson, 2008). Solidarity in various societies is based on different factors. Mechanical solidarity is the result of the homogeneity among individuals. This means that individuals feel connected as a result of similarities in lifestyle, education or religious affiliation. Thus mechanical solidarity is common in traditional or less developed societies. Organic solidarity is the product of specialization in work and the interdependence among individuals (Johnson, 2008). Thus it is common in the industrialized society that is characterized by high levels of specialization. The concept of solidarity applies in regional integration or globalization as a social phenomenon. Initially, different countries were independent and strived to pr oduce all goods and services that were just enough for their citizens. This was thus mechanical solidarity. However, this became difficult due to scarcity of resources and internal inefficiencies. Consequently, various countries began to specialize in what they could best produce. They also produced surplus goods which were exported in exchange of what they could not produce. This means that countries became dependent on each other and this led to solidarity (Johnson, 2008). This type of solidarity has led to regional integration and globalization. It is therefore an organic type of solidarity that is based on economic and political ties. Thus even though different countries hold different values and pursue varying economic and development policies; solidarity has been maintained at the global level due to the interdependence among countries. Max Weber: Theory of Rationalization Rationalization is a â€Å"process whereby various social actions are based on teleological efficiency c onsiderations or calculations instead of being informed by emotions, tradition, customs or morality† (Johnson, 2008). Weber explained the concept of rationalization in his work titled â€Å"the protestant ethics and the spirit of capitalism† (Johnson, 2008). In this work, he explained that some religious denominations such as Calvinism are focusing on rationalization in order to fulfill their salvation needs. He also studied bureaucracy and pointed out that leadership or authority is shifting towards rationalization. Thus most societies especially in the developed countries are using the rational-legal system of authority. The overall effect of increased rationalization is the creation of a social system that is based on rules and rational control. The concept of rationalization informs the management of modern organizations especially in the private sector that focuses on profits and efficiency. The management policies that govern such organizations are based on econom ic considerations in order to facilitate effective goal achievement. This means that the goals of the organizations are being prioritized and the management policies override the values of the individuals (employees). Besides, the organizations have adopted the rational-legal form of authority in order to facilitate effective succession in leadership (Johnson, 2008). The rules and regulations that govern the organizations have become the masters of the employees since they are beyond the control of the latter. This has led to dehumanization as employees become increasingly alienated from the organizations that they work for. Thus rationalization has created a social system in the workplace that deprives the employees of the freedom to engage in what they deem to be right. Ralf Dahrendorf: Class Conflict Theory Dahrendorf studied class conflict in the post-capitalist society. According to Dahrendorf, the post-capitalist society is characterized by â€Å"a diverse class structure and a fluid power system† (Calhoun, Gerteis, Moody, 2007). Thus the inequality that exists in the post-capitalist society is more complex than it was during Marx time. He also argues that capitalism has greatly changed especially with the emergence of the public companies whereby ownership does not lead to automatic control over means of economic production. Thus class conflict has shifted to a straggle between those who exercise authority and those who obey. Class conflict in the post-capitalist society has been institutionalized. Besides, elaborate distinctions have been made in regard to skill levels, income, life chances and prestige. Dahrendorf’s perspective on class conflict applies to the labor relations in the modern economy. Unlike in the past when employers were not keen on the welfare of the employees, they currently focus on the development of their human capital in order to create competitive advantages in their businesses. Thus the work environment has been improved through better pay, employee training and diversity programs. However, class conflict still exists as employees seek to influence the decisions of the employers in relation to work conditions. This leads to power struggle between those in authority (employers) and those who obey (employees). The institutions such as trade unions, parliament and the judiciary have assumed the responsibility of handling the class conflict between the various classes. Through these institutions, class conflict has led to an improvement in work environment in the modern economy (Johnson, 2008). Karl Marx: Marxism Theory Marxism is a socio-political as well as an economic view of how the society can be improved through the introduction of socialism. It is based on the premise that social change takes place due to the struggle between various classes that are always against each other in the society (Johnson, 2008). According Marx, capitalism is responsible for the exploitation of the proletariat s who work for the bourgeoisies. Thus the inequality between the proletariats and the bourgeoisies can only be reduced through proletariat revolution. Such a revolution would enable the proletariats to be in control of the government in order to introduce socialism by reposing private wealth and using it for the benefit of all citizens. Marx expected capitalism to collapse due to the tensions associated with it and communism will be introduced. Marxism can be used to explain the distribution of resources in most governments in the world. Even though capitalism has not yet collapsed as was expected, the class conflict between the rich and the poor has greatly influenced the distribution of resources. Due to huge differences in income and constant protests by the poor, the key sectors of the economy have been nationalized. For example, education, defense or security and health care systems are being controlled by the government. This means that most of the resources in the above secto rs are owned by citizens through the government and not private individuals. Thus the benefits that accrue from these sectors are obtained for free or at subsidized prices in order to benefit the poor. This is a form of socialism since it focuses on equal distribution of resources (Johnson, 2008). Kingsley Davis: the Theory of Mental Hygiene and the Class Structure This theory relates to the way individuals are considered to be either superior or inferior in the eyes of others. According to this theory, there are two classes in the society namely, the mobile and the immobile class. The mobile class is associated with the protestant ethic while the immobile class is associated with the caste system (Johnson, 2008). The relationship between social class and mental hygiene is that the latter has adopted the protestant ethic which is inherent in the mobile class. Thus a person is considered to be normal if he is able to choose a calling and excel in it. The person who requires occupatio nal therapy is considered to be mentally ill. In this theory, life is viewed as a competition whose morality dictates that the participants abide by the rules. The theory applies in the control of crime in the society. Individuals are expected to move up the social ladder through hard-work. Besides, they must acquire their wealth in a legitimate manner. The people who are able to realize social and economic success are thus considered to be mentally healthy (Calhoun, Gerteis, Moody, 2007). This means that the focus of the society is to promote success through hard-work rather than crime. Thus the prevention of delinquency will be achieved as individuals pursue success through legitimate means. Conclusion The above discussion illustrates the application of various sociological theories in real life situations. The theories and their concepts address the dynamics of the society in terms of the social, political and economic occurrence as discussed above. While some theories focus of a particular aspect of the society, other theories applies to a wide range of situations. For example, Marxism has political, social and economic dimensions (Calhoun, Gerteis, Moody, 2007). The application of the above concepts thus illustrates the role of sociological theorists and their theories in interpreting the social world. Bibliography Calhoun, C., Gerteis, J., Moody, J. (2007). Comtemporary sociological theory. London: Blackwell Publishing. Johnson, D. (2008). Contemporay sociological theory. New York: Springer.

The Internets Involvement in Society essays

The Internets Involvement in Society essays The Internet is a new revolution to all of mankind. People are using computers for tasks unimaginable ten years ago. This paper will share with you ideas on computer use and the Internet in the twenty- first century. The Internet, introduced to consumers in 1996, has grown immensely over the past four years. Other technologies took up to thirty-eight years to reach fifty million people. The Internet only took four years to reach well over fifty million users. The Internet's extreme rate of growth will continue while we have no idea where it will take us. The Internet is becoming the most important tool to humans today. There are many different uses for every kind of person. For instance, online banking saves time and money over traditional banking. Small businesses have been rewriting the rules to commerce with the use of the Internet. Kendra Bonnett states: Just three years ago a study for Internet commerce estimated that thirty-seven million people in North America (age sixteen and older) had access to the Internet. Among this group, twenty-four million reported that they have used the Internet during the last three months, and only seven percent have purchased products or services over the Internet. (An IBM guide to doing e-business, 2000, p. 9) The number of people involved with the Internet is what makes it such a success. The Internet will continue to grow while people find more uses for it every day. It is able to find information on any topic imagined at your greatest convenience. As the Internet keeps growing, problems continue growing as well. With the help of the Internet, people are distributing copyrighted data for a profit. This is data that should be sold in the retail market. Examples would be musical files, games, and applications. Stefan Ventroni (2000), an attorney for Hit Box Music, believes that the rights of creative artists are being trampled on because of the Internet (p.1). Each albu...

Six sigma (IEG) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Six sigma (IEG) - Assignment Example These rules and regulations are applicable to nearly all the organizations regardless of their size, scope or duration of a given project. While the major trends towards quality assurance and improvement can be traced back into 1960s and 1970s, the real origin of this concept from a mathematical view point can be stretched back to as early as the late 18th century. This comes in the form of the works of Carl Fredrick Gauss (Burton & Sams, 2005,p. 9). Later on, the developments kept coming in, and in the present day the concept of Six Sigma is a gift of the 1980s quality based initiatives. It was for the first time introduced in 1986 by a cellular telecommunication based company Motorola. Towards the early 21st century, many companies and experts from the field of quality management have brought about developments, yet the patent rights to original ownership and idea belong to Motorola. Later recognition and realization by the giants of quality based manufacturers such as Generic Electric gave the concept more sound bases with regard to the overall concepts of quality possessed in Six Sigma and its generic application to the various industries. Six Sigma constitute number of steps and features based on which the quality measures are adopted. These come along in the form of overcoming the defects and errors in the routine services and manufacturing processes. For this purpose, Six Sigma determines and sets forth a strict parameter of certain rate and ratio. This rate comes along in the form of 3.4 defective parts in a total of one million produced. In order to maintain the guidelines and parameters of quality given by Six Sigma, the incumbent company ought to have a defect rate of as low as only 3.4 items in a total of one million. This rate will further reduce as the rate of production increases. The Significance of Six

State and Society in 20th century China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

State and Society in 20th century China - Essay Example It was 1975 when Deng took the control of China – in just two years after Deng started a plan – which lasted for 10 years, i.e. from 1977 up to 1987, and became known as a ‘political structural reform’ (Gittings, 2006, 165); the main target of this scheme has been the extinction of old political ideas – referring mostly to those developed during the governance of China by Mao – and their replacement with new political principles – incorporated within the above scheme. The efforts for China’s political reform had many opponents; one of them has been Hua Guofeng – a successor of Mao, in terms of his political ideas and targets. The resistance of Hua and his supporters towards the political changes promoted by Deng proves the refusal of Chinese politicians to be aligned with the current political trends (Gittings, 2006, 167) and their preference towards the traditional principles of Communism – as expressed through Mao ’s political choices. It could be stated that political reform in China was imposed because of the need for an economic reform – which could not be achieved unless the political structure and principles in China were changed – after making this assumption Deng enforced the development of the country’s political structure through a licence granted in 1986 (Gittings, 2006, 197). Certain aspects of the attempted political reform attempted by Deng after 1986 are the following: a) change of the country’s political system to capitalism – even if communism has been the primary political system its structure has been changed showing similar characteristics with political systems that are based on capitalism (Gittings, 2006, 213), b) development of ‘patriotism’ – a concept that was not particular supported during the governance of the country by Mao (Gittings, 2006, 209), c) the increase of the political civilization in China (Git tings, 2006, 13), d) the improvement of the relationship ‘between intellectuals

Coursework on back pain Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

On back pain - Coursework Example Acute low back pain usually refers to a period of less than two to four weeks. There are various diagnostic groupings for patients with low back pain. The classifications center on clinical findings, history of patient and response to treatment. Mechanical causes involving the spine are the etiology for most patients with acute low back pain. This is because of the weak link between symptoms, examination results, and anatomic change. Diagnosis of non-mechanical causes such as an infection or cancer has greater certainty but signifies a small portion of acute low back in primary care (Willis, 1999). A patient’s history and physical examination largely determines the extent to which a caregiver searches for a precise diagnosis. History and physical examination helps identify patient’s exposure to the risk of low back pain and those with neurologic compromise that warrants thorough evaluation and treatment. Furthermore, history and physical examination of patients helps in identifying issues that may affect choice of therapy or prolong pain (Swezey, 2006). Clinicians should follow relevant guidelines to boost the appropriateness of diagnostic testing in primary evaluation of patients with acute low back pain. A short physical exam is necessary since most patients do not report all symptoms or other risk issues relating to the low back pain. For instance, for efficient assessment, patients should be standing for posture, flexibility, and spine symmetry. On the other hand, assessment of the hip for range motion and pain is necessary for back pain with groin symptoms (Waddell, 1996). History and physical examination also helps in identification of patients at high risk for persistent symptoms due to psychological and social factors. For instance, histories of depression, substance abuse, or socio-economic status are consistent with persistence of low back pain. Early identification of these factors can boost the outcome of care. Some strategies

Compare & Contrat (ancient) greece &rome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Compare & Contrat (ancient) greece &rome - Essay Example There are lot of similarities and differences between these two ancient civilizations. This paper briefly explains the similarities and differences between these two great civilizations of all time. Both Greek and Rome civilizations originated in cities. Greece was situated near the coastal area whereas Rome was located in the geographical middle of a generally north-south plain bordered on the east with mountains and on the west by the sea (Comparisons Between the Ancient Greeks and Romans) Both the ancient Romans and the Greeks enjoyed recreational activities a lot. Many of the sports and games at present are the modifications of the ancient Greek and Rome recreational activities. For example the current form of wrestling and boxing has originated from these civilizations. In fact these civilizations can be considered as the originators of recreational activities in the world. Ancient Greeks were succeeded in inventing Olympic Games for the recreational purpose. Every city in Greece and Rome had at least one gym during this period. Both the civilizations were well aware of the need of physical workouts to keep the health intact. Moreover, the women community also had their own ways of recreation. Music, drama, dance, and poetry were some of the common items among the women community for recreational purposes during this period (Ancient Greece) The Flavian Amphitheater or Colosseum Was Erected by Flavian Emperors in Rome for recreational activities during this period. The purpose of the Colosseum was to provide entertainment to the public and the Roman emperors.  The games included were gladiatorial contests, wild-beast hunts, and reenactment of battles the Romans had fought. Collosseums were constructed in oval shape in order to give all the spectators a clear view of what was going on inside. The modern construction technology of modern football grounds can be attributed to the

Theories of Harnold Innis and the internet Essay

Theories of Harnold Innis and the internet - Essay Example Innis would have analyzed the Internet as something else because it promotes both oral and written traditions; however, it also diverges from these traditions and presents an opportunity for balancing them, if only content producers, distributors, and consumers focused on using the Internet for preserving the positive characteristics and ends of oral and written traditions. The Internet preserves both oral and written traditions to varying extents. The Internet is a form of written tradition to some extent because of its ability to be produced quickly and to be shared efficiently with many people (Week 2, 4). An example is writing a blog that anyone can see if it is set to public viewing. The Internet can also produce shallow information that does not tackle long-term values, as Innis noted about written traditions. The Internet does not preserve written tradition alone, however, because, while Innis’ definition of written tradition lacks many features of oral tradition, the Internet can enable oral communication. An example is a video call. I can call my friend and I can hear her voice and see her facial expressions, gestures, and other forms of non-verbal expressions (Week 3, 2). On this regard, the Internet defies the restrictions of written traditions. Furthermore, the Internet also promotes written traditions because it can â€Å"dumb down † human functions for creativity and critical thinking (Salutin). To some extent, the Internet can make people lack creativity and critical thinking skills if it trains people to want to read short articles without full analysis. Nevertheless, the Internet has its oral traditions too. Though not all users practice oral traditions through the Internet, there are social spaces for deeper thinking and interactions. TED talks and forums that encourage real-time or delayed interaction for exploring long-term human values and issues are examples of oral traditions. The Internet can provide spaces for people

Compare & Contrat (ancient) greece &rome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Compare & Contrat (ancient) greece &rome - Essay Example There are lot of similarities and differences between these two ancient civilizations. This paper briefly explains the similarities and differences between these two great civilizations of all time. Both Greek and Rome civilizations originated in cities. Greece was situated near the coastal area whereas Rome was located in the geographical middle of a generally north-south plain bordered on the east with mountains and on the west by the sea (Comparisons Between the Ancient Greeks and Romans) Both the ancient Romans and the Greeks enjoyed recreational activities a lot. Many of the sports and games at present are the modifications of the ancient Greek and Rome recreational activities. For example the current form of wrestling and boxing has originated from these civilizations. In fact these civilizations can be considered as the originators of recreational activities in the world. Ancient Greeks were succeeded in inventing Olympic Games for the recreational purpose. Every city in Greece and Rome had at least one gym during this period. Both the civilizations were well aware of the need of physical workouts to keep the health intact. Moreover, the women community also had their own ways of recreation. Music, drama, dance, and poetry were some of the common items among the women community for recreational purposes during this period (Ancient Greece) The Flavian Amphitheater or Colosseum Was Erected by Flavian Emperors in Rome for recreational activities during this period. The purpose of the Colosseum was to provide entertainment to the public and the Roman emperors.  The games included were gladiatorial contests, wild-beast hunts, and reenactment of battles the Romans had fought. Collosseums were constructed in oval shape in order to give all the spectators a clear view of what was going on inside. The modern construction technology of modern football grounds can be attributed to the

Movement Between Schools of Thought Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Movement Between Schools of Thought - Essay Example Behaviorist theorists believe that human actions are the results of conditioned responses to direct or indirect stimuli and these behaviors can be changed or altered by applying new stimuli that will supplant the old ways the individual is accustomed to (DeMar, 1989). Denouncing mentalistic concepts of consciousness, Watson strongly believed that actions were instinctual reactions involving limited aspects of the cognitive process and biological constraints (Myers, 2008). Based on the theories of Edward L. Thorndike, Skinner designed experiments to test his theory of operant conditioning using rats and proved that behaviors can be shaped and manipulated using various positive and negative stimuli (Myers, 2008). Behaviorist theory was spurned by the growing belief that all behaviors, those of humans and animals, were the result of behaviorist conditioning (Graham, 2010). Psychologists that studied these philosophies developed numerous learning techniques that have been of benefit to e ducators. References Boyd, H. & Bee, D. (2006). Adult development. Boston: Pearson. Cherry, K. (2011). B. F. Skinner Biography (1904-1990). About.com Guide.

Formal assessment & Austin (1991) Essay Example for Free

Formal assessment Austin (1991) Essay Formal assessment has been described by Austin (1991) as a process of â€Å"gathering information and utilization of that that information for individual and institutional improvement (p. 2). The information gathered may include the students’ weakness and strengths in certain subjects’ areas. Emphasis in formal assessments is focused on the results of a standardized evaluation tests that are administered under strict and regulated environments. However, that information is very important for student since they are able to know how well they are progressing and measures to undertake to deal with their weaknesses. Assessment forms an important component of teaching and leaning that has a greater impact on student learning (Saliu 271). Saliu goes on to demonstrate that assessment should be able to measure the criterion for which it was intended while maintaining consistence at the same time (271). This paper will discuss major components of formal learning which include reasons for assessing and administering tests to students, relevant formal assessments that may be administered, advantages and disadvantages of each particular assessment. I will however, put forward some recommendations on what the teacher and institution needs to pay attention to in order to achieve the objectives of formal assessment. Reasons for assessing and administering testing to students The main reason for administering assessment is to monitor the student’s progress in learning as compared to other students of the same age or level (Wilson and Scalise 11). Assessments results are useful in screening and making decision on the level of qualifications to base career growth activities. The results are very useful to the curriculum developers and syllabus preparation by both governments and institutions (Council of Europe 6). Results provide a good guide for program or course evaluation since it presents the information in form of scores. The results obtained are used by local and federal departments’ in policy formulation and implementation. Formal assessment should be viewed as a tool that can be used to measure the level at which students receives information from the teacher rather than just giving of grades 1 to 5 (Saliu 272). Moreover, formal test can give valuable information regarding a student progress in mastering the subject content of a particular course at certain levels of study. The results offers a good insight to the teacher when organizing the materials and content for students to lean at comfortable pace yet achieving at their best level possible (Saliu 272). Clearly delimited results are very useful in facilitating students to focus their time and energy towards self improvement . The information obtained from standard test is very useful in deciding a student’s career interests and future goals. The assessment report should be able to reflect a student’s goals and give a clear indication on which areas need help. Motivation is an affective factor in formal assessment which propels the teacher to be devoted towards helping students to learn (Wiggins 38). The teacher gets encouraged after seen students pass well in the subject or course given to students by that teacher (Fitzpatrick and Michael 101). Students get to care about their learning and seek to improve on their weaker areas after the results are released. When a teacher is encouraging and appears to be responsive to students’ feeling, students respond by becoming very constructive and enthusiastic towards achieving higher scores (Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot 4). The information obtained from formal assessments may guide the teacher to group the students in a way that they can help each other hence creating a class relationship that supports learning process. There is a sense of self acceptance created by students admitting difficulties. This forms a healthy atmosphere for learning from peers (Saliu 273). Grading in formal assessments provide documented information of what a particular student learnt which is useful in job application and academic advancement admissions (Saliu 273). Despite being crucial widely applied by all leaning institutions, grading has several shortcomings which have been put forward by critics. An example of critics includes Wilson and Scalise (2006) held a view that grading does not have a match with the effort students put in answering examination questions. The ultimate grading does not allow the feedback by the students since it denies them the opportunity to review their work after a formal examination. Moreover, students do not get useful comments upon which they can build future progress on their work- those comments are destroyed with their poor grades (Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot 6). When feedbacks finally are given by the examiners it is either very shallow for instant a single line comment or so late since students may have moved to another grade. Evaluation of the learner’s performance has been difficult for instance marking open-ended questions in standard exam papers (Wilson and Scalise 11). Since individual needs of students cannot be met fully by teachers, limited opportunities for the learner’s growth to realize quality results dominate. To make it worse, inability of all pupils to produce good hand written work hence true reflection in scores limit the learners capacity to acquire more knowledge and to develop deeper understanding of the subject involved. These make it difficult for the pupils to be plausibly and effectively answer or tackle examination questions (Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot 8). No effective follow-up can be done by students who might be interested in enhancing their academic performance (Wilson and Scalise 11). Grading in formal assessment has failed to accurately give students’ strength and weakness to the teacher since it does not give adequate time. Nevertheless, it is not flexible both in terms of content to be tested and level of ability of each student (Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot 12). If we consider a grade of â€Å"2† in philosophy of education course awarded, it will only say that a student learned a great deal of the information but it will no show what content was or was not mastered (Wilson and Scalise 12) Teachers form the majority of assessors of students’ learning for formal assessments. Students can also test their work and test that of their peers and provide an immediate feedback for improvement. The test can be administered by other external examiners such as Standard Aptitude Tests (SAT) (Council of Europe 8). Assessment may be administered at any time of student leaning but it has to be regulated if its purpose is to achieve a defined set standard. The nature of an assessment is determined by the type of cohort of students and upon the need for assessing. The content of what to asses should entirely be guided by the desired end results and the application of those results (Weeden, Winter and Broadfoot 5). Pros and cons of deferent forms formal assessment Formal assessment may take different dimensions according to where it is administered and the target group. Tests may be in form of standard set examinations which are mainly norm-referenced. Formal assessment may also include examinations designed locally by a faculty to offer an objective or subjective assessment (Council of Europe 9). Standardized exams are administered to a specific group which is entirely structured in a multiple-choice question (objective) or descriptive questions (subjective) in one subject area. The results are compared with a set standard (reference). It is applied to students in a given program, course or a level. The main advantage of standard set examination is that it can be adopted view quickly and its implementation is quite easy. It reduces the faculty time requirements in tools design, development and grading (Council of Europe 9). Norm-referenced assessment gives objective scores which provides for generalizations of the results with other student in other places or times. It provides a reference group that is required by the faculty or the testing body. Another benefit of standard test is its application by state or national standards exist for a given discipline or profession such as accountancy, medicine among others (Saliu 273). May be beneficial or required in instances where state or national standards exist for the discipline or profession. It can be applied in comparing the levels of knowledge across several institutions (Astin 3). There are several shortcomings that are associated with this form of assessment. One of the major disadvantages of standard tests according to Wilson and Scalise is that, it has a limit of what it can measure in during testing time (636). It is a culprit of the elimination of the proper process of learning by not reflecting what a student has actually learnt in a given program or course. It may not be able to completely evaluate a particular objective of an entire course (Council of Europe 9). Since most standardized tests are done at the end of a course or program, they fail to provide relevant feedback to both the teacher and the student which would otherwise be used to motivate the student learning. The tests can neither determine a student’s progress on a daily basis nor the achievements in varying periods (Hart 17). They cannot also effectively evaluate the knowledge of a specific course content area which keeps on changing such as social sciences. Another demerit of standardized achievement tests arises due to the administration of multiple-choice tests which pose a grater potential error of guessing the correct answer. (Saliu 243). It only provides a summary evaluation of few parts of whole course. The outcomes may not have direct deductions for course improvement or that of an individual student’s advancement. The results are highly liable to misinterpretation by the teacher or other interested parties such as admitting institutions and employers. Since majority of these tests are commercialized someone (student or program) have to pay to obtain them. When pressure is so much pressed on the passing the tests, the teacher may be forced to teach to the test and not the development of the student skills (Council of Europe 9). A single test is not perfect in providing enough information that ensures a complete assessment. Different tests on a particular subject at deferent times provide almost different information on a student. Locally developed exams can be beneficial since its content and mode is inclined to specific objectives and students’ features of the course or program (Wiggins 37). It can establish specified criteria for measuring performance associated with to curriculum. It can be useful in the development of relevant process of learning of particular group of students. A more localized grading system by faculty can provided a speedy feedback mechanism for teaching betterment. The teacher will have a greater control over the analysis and use of the results in improving students leaning processes and course materials (Wiggins 38). However, locally developed tests require a substantial coordination more so throughout the phases of design and development (Fitzpatrick and Michael 101). It may not provide a basis for cross-institutional comparisons for students in same level of study. These particular tests are time consuming on side of the teacher since they require a lot of attention and effort in designing and administering. In order to provide validity and reliability in these tests an expert may be required expertise in accurate measurement (Council of Europe 11). It may not provide the element associated with the external comparison in relation to other institutions offering similar course or program. Performance appraisals are another form of formal assessments that can be administered to measure competency of acquired skills in a real world situation (Burke 29). They are set standards that seek to evaluate students in a specific class or level (Hart 74). They are credited to providing a relatively direct measure of what has been learned rather than taught in a program or course (Ryan 290). They are mostly preferred to other methods of measuring since they are able to evaluate the application skills learnt in specific settings. They are in tandem with aims of professional training programs and fields which have well specified skill development programs (Ryan 290). Nevertheless, performance appraisals have their share of limitations which include high costs associated with effort and time consumption. Their grading are mostly more subjective than other formal assessments (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). The sample of performance appraised might not as well be the typical of the student since it might have been triggered by the presence of appraiser. An aptitude test forms yet another important form of formal assessment. An aptitude test has the advantage of measuring the level of knowledge that a student already possess before entering a grade level or a program (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). This provides the teacher with prior information on the likelihood of a students degree of performance and success in the class. It will determine the information which a student already has compared to set norms. This will further illustrate the level of learning for a particular student which comes in handy when designing individualized instructions (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). The teacher will have no difficulties in giving advanced instruction for those students that are gifted while at the same time giving a remedial assistance to those who need help. Since modern education is taking learner-centered approach, results of aptitude test provide relevant information that can teachers use to group students for effective cognitive learning. The results are applied in determining when a student develops a learning disability (Council of Europe 12). Aptitude tests face some challenges and limitations that are usual to test. They are limited to measuring students’ capacity to learn new projects and accomplishments. The results do not reflect on the skills or knowledge that students have had no previous training (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). Since information obtained from an aptitude test gives skills and knowledge students had already acquired in past, it fails to guide the teacher on the application of future instruction. Teacher involvement in formal assessment Recommendations for reducing the shortcoming of formal assessments lie heavily on the teacher and the entire institution involvement in setting exam questions and administration of the examinations. The teacher should choose a test very carefully that will match with the requirements of a course or a program (Council of Europe 28). The teacher should review information on previous sample of performances to ensure the test’s reliability and validity from test publishers. The faculty should engage experts to review the previous summary reports of similar exam results in creating a more updated report for the faculty (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). The teacher is not supposed to teach to exam otherwise the results would be compromised. The instructor or teacher should be involved in grading systems that focus more emphasis on the feed forward. The institutions should make sure that standardized tests are marked and the papers that can be returned are done in time increase the feedback flow. The grading system should be focused on the offering a true picture of what has been mastered and what has not fully mastered. There should be model answers drawn from others student solutions to provide those who have failed with a way of what was expected of them (Saliu 274). A syndicate with other institutions which have similar objectives in testing can be formed to reduce the costs of developing instruments and to provide an element of externality. The exams department should incorporate outside experts to provide relevant input for development and grading system (Fitzpatrick and Michael 118). In order to reduce the shortcomings associated with performance appraisals training for appraisers should be provided so that they are able to stick to specified criteria (Wiggins 38). It is imperative to alter criteria till acceptable consistency of measurement is reached for testing in multiple situations. Since the result of performance appraisal cannot be used alone to grade a student, Ryan (1994) suggested that results should be cross-validated with other measures of performance (290). Formal assessment includes undertaking fixed, regulated and standardized tests. Grading forms a major part of measurement for mastery of content. Although grading in standard tests is a norm accepted everywhere, it its shortcomings. There are several reasons for formal assessment and standard testing which include monitoring students’ progress, comparing the results with peer; it also provides a measure of level of student knowledge. When the assessment is done appropriately, it can be a source of both the student and teacher motivation. It can create trust among the students and teacher. The component of grading has been an issue of hated debate due to its inadequacy to address all areas of students’ learning. Grades are issued but they cannot be rectified since the doors are closed immediately after results are released. Standard tests, locally developed tests, aptitude tests and performance appraisal are major shapes taken by formal assessment. Although formal assessment provides a standard measure for evaluation of learning among students of a particular cohort or group, it fails to give comprehensive ability of a student. Works Cited Astin, Alexander W. Assessment for Excellence: The Philosophy and Practice of Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. Portsmouth: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1991. Burke, Kay, ed. Authentic Assessment: A Collection. Illinois: Skylight Training and Publishing, Inc. , 1992. Council of Europe. Common European Framework of Reference fo Languages: Learning Teaching, Assesment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. , 2001. Fitzpatrick, Jody L. and Morris Michael. Current and Emerging Ethical Challenges in Evaluation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1999. Hart, Diane. Authentic Assessment: A Handbook for Educators. . New York: Addison-Wesley, 1994. Ryan, Alan G. Towards Authentic Assessment in Science via STS. Bulletin of Science, Technology Society (1994): 290. Saliu, Sokol. Constrained Subjective Assessment of Student Learning. Journal of Science Education and Technology (2005): 271-284. Weeden, Paul, Jan Winter and Patricia Broadfoot. Assessment. New York: Routledge, 2002. Wiggins, Grant. The Case for Authentic Assessment. ERIC Digest (1990). Wilson, Mark and Kathleen Scalise. Assessment to Improve Learning in Higher Education: The BEAR Assessment System. Higher Education (2006): 635-663.

Virtualization Concept and History

Virtualization Concept and History Virtualization refers to a creation of software- based representation or a virtual resource that can apply on application, servers, desktop, operating system storage and network. It is used to reduce the expense while increasing the ability of businesses. The concept of virtualization is to provide an environment where multiple independent systems can run at the same time sharing a resource.(1) [ref: vmware.com] History of virtualization Virtualization is believed to have its origin, when IBM started to develop robust time sharing solution in late 1960s and early 1970s. The aim of IBM was to develop a robust time sharing solution which will increase efficiency among a group of users who share a common resource. It helped in dropping the cost of providing computing capability for each individual in an organization. market.(2)[Ref: docs.oracle] IBM worked on S/360 mainframe system design as a replacement to other system to maintain compatibility. On July 1, 1963 MIT introduced project MAC which stands for Mathematical and Computation. They were in need for new computer hardware capability for simultaneous user, since GE had a commitment towards a time sharing method MIT choose GE as their vendor. Bell Labs were also in need for similar system. In response to MIT and Bell Labs IBM designed CP-40 mainframe.CP-40 was not sold to customer and was used only in labs.CP-40 was later evolved into a commercial Main Frame to support virtualization called CP-67.CP-67 was referred to as CP/CMS where CP was the program in virtual machine and CMS stood for Console Monitor System. CMS was single operating system designed to be interactive. CP/CMS was released to public in 1968, but the stable version was released in 1972. Now VMware, Microsofts Hyper-V, Xen and KVM take up to 93% of the total market share in virtualization.(3)[Ref:everyth ingvm.com] Relevant for data centers: Virtualization technique is used in data centers for abstraction of physical hardware, create pools of logical resource consisting of CPUs, file storage, memory, and networking and offer those resources to users in virtual machines. There are various advantages of data center virtualization, some of them are heat reduction, cost reduction, easy backup, testing using snapshot (if a mistake is done it can be easily tested by backtracking the snapshots), vendor lock-in not required as the abstraction between hardware and software makes the virtual machine run on any hardware, and easier to migrate on cloud.(4)[Ref: techrepublic.com] Relevant for cloud computing: Virtualization is the basics for data sharing in cloud computing. It helps the guest user with tools required to execute their request and it helps the provider with giving the ability to house different guests with no additional cost. Virtual machines from the providers server to the users screen is one of the different various approaches developed to secure and ensure privacy of the cloud. Cloud computing can exist without virtualization but it will be inefficient and difficult as it enables rapid scaling of resources. It can be practical only if the backend is flexible and efficient.(5)[ref IEEE paper by Meryeme Alouane and Hana El Bakkali] Virtual Machine running in different servers and emulating hardware can create complexity in virtualization. There are security issues working for and against virtualization. If virtual servers are isolated it helps in reducing security issues although it may not be aware of each other guest system and an attack to the host may impact all the running virtual machine on that particular server. Until every company integrate virtualization into their existing IT framework, the standard of virtualization will not exist. Bibliography http://www.vmware.com/solutions/virtualization.html https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E26996_01/E18549/html/VMUSG1010.html http://www.everythingvm.com/content/history-virtualization http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-benefits-of-virtualization-in-the-data-center/ IEEE paper- Virtualization in Cloud Computing: existing solution and new approach by Meryeme Alouane and Hana El Bakkali. Published : 2016 2nd International Conference on Cloud Computing Technologies and Applications (CloudTech) http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7847687/

Functional Irrationality Essay -- Psychology Psychological Essays

Functional Irrationality (1) I. Introduction The view that some forms of irrationality may serve a useful purpose is being increasingly entertained, despite the disquiet it elicits. The reason for the disquiet isn't difficult to discern, for if the view were made good it might threaten the unqualified normative primacy that rationality enjoys in the evaluation of thoughts, beliefs, intentions, decisions and actions. In terms of the predominant "rational explanation" model, reasons both generate and justify actions, and carrying out the dictates of reason is held up as an ideal. If it can be shown that under some circumstances or for certain types of action irrational elements or procedures would produce "all things considered" better results, this would put these deliberative "ideals" in question. Nozick (1993), going deeper, advances the view that we accord rationality intrinsic value (over and above its instrumental value), because deciding and believing in a way that is responsive to "the net balance of reasons" has come to form an important part of human identity. We value a person's believing and deciding rationally in a way that is responsive to the net balance of reasons, and we think that is good and admirable in itself, perhaps because so deciding and believing uses our high and intricate capacities and expresses them, or perhaps because that embodies an admirable and principled integrity in guiding beliefs and actions by reasons, not by the whims or desires of the moment. (Nozick 1993: 136) In this paper I want to explore whether such entrenched assumptions and intuitions preempt a coherent account of functional irrationality, or whether, despite the presumption against it, it can be defended within th... ...McLaughlin (eds) Actions and Events. Perspectives on the Philosophy of Donald Davidson. Dunn, Robert. 1995. "Motivated Irrationality and Divided Attention", Australasian Journal of Philosophy 73,3: 325-335. Elster, Jon. 1989. Solomonic Judgements. Studies in the Limitations of Rationality. Cambridge: CUP. Johnston, Mark. 1995. "Self Deception and the Nature of the Mind", in C. MacDonald and G. MacDonald (eds) Philosophy of Psychology. Debates on Psychological Explanation: 433-460. Basil Blackwell. Nozick, Robert. 1993. The Nature of Rationality. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Rawls, John. 1993. Political Liberalism. New York: Columbia University Press. Rorty, Amà ©lie. 1980. "Where Does the Akratic Break Take Place". Australasian Journal of Philosophy. Vol. 58, No. 94: 333-346. in Action. Essays in the Philosophy of Mind. Boston: Beacon Press.

Freedom of Speech in Cyberspace -- Internet Web Papers

Freedom of Speech in Cyberspace Introduction As the Internet has become more widely recognized and used by people all over the world, it has brought a new medium in which information can very easily be broadcast to everyone with access to it. In 1995 there was a projected 26 million Internet users, which has grown to almost 300 million today. One major problem with this is that everyone represents different countries and provinces which have different outtakes on certain types of freedom of speech as well as different laws about it. This proposes a new type of law that would need to be written in order to determine whether or not something is illegal on the Internet. A person in one country can express what they want to, but that expression may be illegal in another country and in this situation whose laws are to be followed? What I propose to do accomplish in this paper is to discuss the freedom of speech laws of the United States of America and those of France, China, and Canada. I will examine what about them is simila r and what about them is different. The bringing of the Internet has brought many new types of businesses as well as ways in order to communicate with the world, but as with each new endeavor or invention, there needs to be a way in order to govern its use and policies. There must also be ways in order to punish those not following the new laws and policies of use, since that the country that the person is in may allow what they did, but it may not be allowed on the Internet or in a different country. In other words, there is the need for international laws governing the Internet. Freedom of Speech in Other Countries France One famous discrepancy in speech laws differing in two countries was that of the United States of America and France in the year of 2000. The French government was suing Yahoo!, a US web search company who also has a sales division. Yahoo! had web pages that were selling Nazi memorabilia on its US based website. â€Å"The charge was that the company had violated French laws prohibiting the advertisement, exhibition or sale of any objects likely to incite racial hatred, and that it had offended the 'collective memory' of the country - an allusion to the Holocaust years - by allowing online auctions of Nazi paraphernalia.† One may think that this case would end easily by saying that a US based web... ... US is a successful one. People should have their right to thought and to express what they believe and think freely to whoever they want. In Canada I believe that the CRIA should follow the model of the RIAA, because it is wrong to steal music from other people. Laws should be made so that one artist’s copyrighted music is protected over the Internet, no matter what country the person trying to download it is residing in. Bibliography .Guardian Unlimited. August 11, 2000. Regulating the net http://www.guardian.co.uk/theissues/article/0,6512,353264,00.html  ·The Economist. August 9, 2001. Putting it in its place http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/jbalkin/telecom/puttingitinitsplace.html  ·John Naughton. November 26, 2000. Yahoo! For brave French courts http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,6903,402959,00.html  ·Jennifer Lee. August 30, 2001. U.S. May Help Chinese Evade Net Censorship http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/jbalkin/telecom/nyt08302001.pdf  ·Nua Internet How Many Online http://www.nua.ie/surveys/how_many_online/world.html  ·Jay Lyman. December 17, 2003. Canadian Recording Industry Hunts P2P Users http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/32426.html

Unit 17

Unit 17: Working in the Social Care Sector Investigate Potential Careers in Social Care M1: Assess how a care worker can contribute to providing a positive experiencing for uses of social care services Case study Jean is a care worker in a residential care home. Her job is to provide care for the physical, social and emotional needs of the residents she works with, as well as liaising with a variety of people who are linked with the residents. Mary is 86 and recently widowed, at which time she moved into the care home where Jean works.Mary has a large family who visits regularly and play an active part in her care plan. She suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and is a little hard of hearing. She had an active life whilst her husband was still alive. She loves to read, watch the soaps on television and listen to music. She also loves to sew and knit but struggles because of her medical condition. Jean, Mary’s care worker, will need to work with doctors – a specialist with arthritis, physiotherapy and occupational therapist. All these things will help Mary positively because it will help her with her arthritis.Jean will also need to work with a grievance counsellor so that Mary can talk to someone about the death of her husband, Mary may feel even better that the person she’s talking to is a professional so she/he will maintain client confidentiality and will help her. Jean will need to get in touch with the care home community – people who teach dancing lessons, exercise and if possible entertainers because Mary had an active life when her husband was alive, Mary is in a care home but that doesn’t mean that she should be disengaged from society.Jean will need to know about Mary’s diet and will also need to work with the chef of the care home so that Mary can eat because if Jean just gives her anything to eat Mary may not eat it and will go to bed hungry. Jean will need to make sure that in a clinic or a GP Mary will have t he same nurse all the time and that in the care home most of the people that work with her are the same people. This will help Mary build relationships and trust with the people she works with and to feel comfortable to talk to someone and if she is being abused she may feel comfortable to tell another staff at the care home.Jean will also need to work with Mary’s family and friends so that when they want to visit Mary they will know what time to come, when visiting hours are and on which days they are longer. Mary is Jean’s patient so it is important that she knows what Mary enjoys doing in her spare time, communication is a very important skill because Jean is going to need to understand Mary, so that she can make her feel like she's in important in the care home. Jean will have to think about what Mary likes to eat – if she's a vegetarian, if she has any allergies, if she needs to eat halal or kosher food.Jean will need to know if Mary has any religious belie fs, if she's a Christian she may need a Bible in her room, if she’s Muslim she may need a prayer mat, it will be very important that jean learns about Mary’s religious beliefs and her culture so that Mary can feel comfortable and relaxed in the care home. Putting a TV in Mar room, putting a TV in everyone’s room, would stop arguments with the people in the care home and she would probably put on subtitles which some people may not like. Jean will also need to get a hearing aid for Mary; this will improve Mary’s hearing.Even though Mary is in a care home not everything is brought directly to her so some arrangements will need to be made. The practical arrangements that Jean will have to do for Mary will be to see a grievance counsellor possibly every week, do her shopping every week and to arrange for her transport whether she’s going to take public transport, because if so she will need a over 60’s free bus pass but if Mary isn’t goin g to take public transport then Jean will have to arrange for a bus maybe for her and some other people in the care home as well.Jean will also have to arrange Mary’s appointments at the GP or the clinic or with her physiotherapy. Jean will have to think about items Mary may need – laptop, telephone, TV. Mary could use her laptop (Skype) and a telephone to communicate with her family and friends, who could possibly live out of the country. Jean could provide a positive experience by teaching Mary, in her own spare time, how to use the latest gadgets (which could help her communicate with her family and friends better) and just by being there and interacting with Mary and being there for her and keeping her safe will make it a positive experience.Care workers that are patient, caring and empathetic will help make a positive experience for everyone because by having these 3 things this could help you have a better understanding of their lives and may feel more sympatheti c towards them and when people understand people better they are, most of the time, less likely to abuse them. If the patients are being abused in the care home, having someone that the patients can talk to and trust in the are home can help them confined in them and tell them that someone is abusing them and it can be stopped. Having a care worker that is meeting an individual needs can be very helpful to their patients because this will make them feel very important and it could boost their self esteem. It is very important to have good communication skills in a care home because this could help build relationships and trust however there may be some barriers but that shouldn’t stop a care worker from trying to communicate with their patients.

Mcdonalds Case Study

McDonald’s case study For at least 30 years McDonald’s had the lead consumer base in the fast food market. They seemed to have the market monopolized, however in time it’s consumer base drifted away. It would appear that Mcdonalds had become comfortable in the position it was in and put little to no emphases on product variety or quality and simply focused on the speed and convinience as the customer draw. Mcdonalds was suffering from low growth and market base as well as decreasing profits. The factors which affected this low growth and lack of profit was not only its competitors but also public opinion of the quality and variety of the food not being up to the same standards of the competition such as Wendy’s or Burger king. Public opinion on Mcdonalds was that the food it sold was of poor quality with little to no variety and people would sacrifice the convinience and speed of their order for taste and variety. To solve this problem Mcdonalds needs to bring back the once reliable customers that it lost to the competition. This can be done a few different ways. – Introduce new aspects to the existing menu, maybe different choices for existing products, possible rebrand and remarket some of these products with a possible price break. – Possibly improve the flavour of its beef as to improve the taste in all its burgers. -Introduce new items on the menu similar to products of the competition ie. Burger King and Wendy’s. – New slogan, new product apperance on the cups and containers. This is to represent the â€Å"new† Mcdonalds. The previous list of ideas can be implemented the easiest by a complete marketing blitz of the new product line and image for the company. The size of the company allows it to have the resources to do this type of campaign with very little financial risk, basically the company has nothing to loose but more customers. Mcdonalds Case Study McDonald’s case study For at least 30 years McDonald’s had the lead consumer base in the fast food market. They seemed to have the market monopolized, however in time it’s consumer base drifted away. It would appear that Mcdonalds had become comfortable in the position it was in and put little to no emphases on product variety or quality and simply focused on the speed and convinience as the customer draw. Mcdonalds was suffering from low growth and market base as well as decreasing profits. The factors which affected this low growth and lack of profit was not only its competitors but also public opinion of the quality and variety of the food not being up to the same standards of the competition such as Wendy’s or Burger king. Public opinion on Mcdonalds was that the food it sold was of poor quality with little to no variety and people would sacrifice the convinience and speed of their order for taste and variety. To solve this problem Mcdonalds needs to bring back the once reliable customers that it lost to the competition. This can be done a few different ways. – Introduce new aspects to the existing menu, maybe different choices for existing products, possible rebrand and remarket some of these products with a possible price break. – Possibly improve the flavour of its beef as to improve the taste in all its burgers. -Introduce new items on the menu similar to products of the competition ie. Burger King and Wendy’s. – New slogan, new product apperance on the cups and containers. This is to represent the â€Å"new† Mcdonalds. The previous list of ideas can be implemented the easiest by a complete marketing blitz of the new product line and image for the company. The size of the company allows it to have the resources to do this type of campaign with very little financial risk, basically the company has nothing to loose but more customers.

Kappe House and Stahl House Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Kappe House and Stahl House - Research Paper Example There is a lot of similarities between these houses, ranging from the environment in which they are built to the materials and designs used to construct them. The application of sophisticated designs, which places the two as floating on space, coupled with their suitable integration with the natural environment, makes these Kappe and Stahl houses the icons they are today. However, there are still a lot of differences that can be indentified between these houses. For example, while the Kappe house is mostly constructed from glass and wood, the Stahl house has glass and steel as its major construction materials. Kappe house was constructed between 1965 and 1967, by architect Raymond Kappe on a hillside with many trees, as his own residence (Raymond, 17). Considering that the land on which the house is constructed is a steep hill, then, designing a structure that would well be accommodated by such land topography was a challenging task. The house was constructed using glass and wood, bu t there had to be established firm support for the house, due to the steepness of its location. This being the case, Kappe build six concrete towers to support the house and ensure it would withstand all forces while remaining more stable (Kevin, 4). The size of the house is 370 square meters, raised on decks to avoid the effects of underground springs, such as busting of such springs and carrying away the floor or bringing the whole house down altogether. The unique thing about this construction is the use of natural materials. The house is mainly constructed out of wood, which is cut in form of beams, to enhance its strength and ensure that the wood can support the weight of the house, which is constructed floating on the space. Steel is yet another material used in the construction of this house, since as a natural metal, it is very strong, and thus can withstand the tension caused by the weight of the floating house. Additionally, the choice for steel as the metal to use in the house construction was informed by its ability to withstand rusting. The house has a sophisticated geometric form, which consists of vertical and horizontal structures, constructed in tires and then joined to other outer structures and an extended roof, all of which floats on space, supported by the concrete and steel structures (McCoy, 7). This geographic form effectively combines the traditional architectural designs with aspects of modernism, giving the structure an aesthetic touch that remains an attraction to present day (Dylan, A2). Due to its attractiveness, the house has attracted many advertisements, using the house as the backdrop. The most significant of this house is its design, which blends well the human construction with the natural environment, thus effectively fit well as an icon of integrated natural environment and built environment. There are two key challenges that were presented by the nature of the environment in which the house is constructed. The land on whi ch the house is constructed is sloppy. As a result, a strong support system was required to support the house on such a land topography, which necessitated Kappe to design and use six concrete towe

Write a discussion in the form of a literature review that identifies Essay

Write a discussion in the form of a literature review that identifies what the different research philosophies are - Essay Example Thus, the choice of methodology for answering a research question or investigating a specific problem is an important decision for the final result or outcome. The way in which people collect and interpret data or information during the research is broadly varying and depends on the research philosophy followed by a researcher. Every methodology has its own philosophical groundwork, which is important for understanding as it promotes better informed research (Eriksson & Kovalainen, 2008). The aim of this research is to provide an overview of the literature related to various research philosophies including both ontological and epistemological research stances, and to explore such main philosophical research paradigms, as idealism, realism, positivism, interpretivism, pragmatism, and phenomenology. Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill (2012) explain that practically every stage of research process is based on assumptions about human knowledge, and state that these assumptions shape the researcher’s understanding of the questions he/she is looking answers for. Therefore, assumptions of the researcher predefine his/her research philosophy – the way which he or she views the world (Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill, 2012; Crossan, 2003). Research philosophy is defined by Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill (2012, p. 127) as â€Å"the development of knowledge and the nature of that knowledge†. Proctor (1998) explains that research philosophies depend on the level of enquiry and can be differentiated by three categories: epistemological (what can be known?); ontological (what is the nature of reality?); and methodological (how can a researcher explore/find what he/she believes can be known?). More detailed overview of ontological and epistemological stances in provided in th e next section. While researchers rarely take time to explore and analyze assumptions related to their personal values, this practice could be very helpful in understanding wider

Explain how you would apply the law to handle this situation Essay

Explain how you would apply the law to handle this situation - Essay Example Such discriminations fall under the law title â€Å"Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1974† which deals with prohibition of discrimination based on sex, race, color, religion and national origin. It is located in volume 42 of the United States Code from section 2000e (Cihon & Castagnera, 2008). In the scenario, the three candidates were all qualified to handle the position of assistant manager but only one got the position. There were two women and one man and the man got the job. Filing of a sex discrimination charge is not really viable the female who were two were the majority sex and the man who was the minority sex was the one who was picked for the position. The sex-based discrimination definition from the EEOC indicates that it involves treating someone unfavorably because of that person’s sex but this was not the case in the scenario. Section 2000e-1 [Section 702] (m) under the subtitle of â€Å"impermissible consideration of race, color, religion, sex or national origin in employment practices (Cihon & Castagnera, 2008)† explains that any claim of unlawful employment practice such as the one made by the two women interviewees who are the complaining parties have to demonstrate the discrimination they claim was the motivating factor for the interview results. This is carried out in order to rule out other motivating factors that may have led to the interview outcome. The two women have to provide evidence that the third candidate who was a man and who got offered the job was given to it purely because he was a man and he was white. According to the scenario, he was simply offered the job because he played golf with the manager and was his friend but not because of his race or national origin as the discrimination charges indicate. Further, the company can justify the employment of the man as an assistant manager using Section 2000e-1 [Section 702] (h) of the

Background research on Center of Residence life Essay

Background research on Center of Residence life - Essay Example Center for Residence Life also organizes activities that are directly related to developing the surrounding environment and community near the campus. The number of staff working in the Center for Residence life is quite large and includes full time and part time staff members (Crawford, 2011). The main competitors of the Center for Residence life include community service centers and also other student activity programs within the campus. This is because as the center struggles to gather a loyal customer base, the students have a variety of activities to choose from and may not necessarily take part in the activities of the Center for Residence life (Crawford, 2011). Outside community activities also appeal to a huge number of students who are looking for fun and do not necessarily wish to be involved in community development. Also, clubs and societies reduce the number of students that het involved in Center for Residence life plans and activities. Participants in other clubs and societies find their participation time consuming and thus they cannot juggle handling another activity such as those organized by the Center for Residence life. (Crawford, 2011) The company’s customers mostly consist of students within the campus. This is so because the company was started in the campus and hence has a huge customer base from the campus. These students have either enrolled in the campus or are part of the campus alumni. Other customers for the company include students from other campuses (Crawford, 2011). This is in an effort to promote cross-campus interactions and build healthy relationship networks amongst students in campus. Community members around the campus are also part of the customers that that the company boasts of. This is due to the fact that the activities of the Center for Residence life are considerate of community development activities and thus involve the public in some of its