Business Research Paper

The purpose of business research is to allow a business to set itself apart from its competitors by gathering as much information on the industry that it can and utilizing that data to create unique methodologies and business practices. Researching a business will provide information on things such as what products consumers like or do not like to buy, what the start-up costs will be, and whether any new business opportunity is viable to undertake. Researching also reveals the profitability potential of products and services and how they size up competitively with similar products available in the market. The most successful business in each industry are perfect examples of how to successfully market, advertise, and sell your products so they should always be considered. According to chapter 1 of the textbook, it does not matter whether you are a small mom & pop bakery or a large corporation like Nabisco, business research is equally important to your company. In my personal experience I have found that the company policies and procedures set forth by the upper management will directly reflect how the employees will react to their clients and impact the business. Personal Experience I have worked for fortune 500 companies such as Verizon, AT&T, and Time Warner in the telecommunications industry and I have learned how each of these companies markets their products to both businesses and consumers. The breakthrough in technology of fiber optic internet and television that became available to consumers in the last ten years was a huge push for all of these companies. There are many different ways the companies got the word out to their customers. The top methods included direct mail, television commercials, email and internet marketing, billboards, radio advertisement, and direct sales at retail locations or residential campaigns. I was part of the residential campaign selling products to consumers at their homes. The money that companies would spend on advertising (usually in the millions) is relatively hard to track and is becoming less effective today. For example, direct mail campaigns have a less than 1% chance of reaching the customer. Whereas visiting a customer at their home has a better chance of influencing the customer to buy the product by learning exactly how it will benefit them and tailoring a package to fit their needs and save them money. I learned that many customers had switched to a competitor due to poor customer service, high prices in the area, or a lack of services offered. In some cases, just telling someone that new technology was now available in their area instantly piqued their interest. Every consumer is different, but everyone wants to feel like they are getting the most value for their money. That is why I would always try to offer the highest level of customer service, the best products, and the best value for the money. Many times people are willing to spend more money for the same products with a higher level of customer service. That is why fancy restaurants are popular, because the atmosphere and the customer service make it a much better experience than cooking a steak at home. So understanding your customer, your competition, and the market are all important factors in researching any business.

A Subaltern’s Love Song Essay

â€Å"A Subaltern’s Love Song† is a rhapsodic poem that details the poet’s real-life infatuation. Betjeman does not use the military definition of subaltern here, but instead is referring to someone in an inferior position. The author struggles, somewhat happily, against his love interest as she continually bests him at tennis. In Literature, poems can often be very difficult for one to comprehend and interpret the author’s perspective. Many people grew only being exposed to the basic â€Å"Roses are red, violets are blue† form of poetic expression, so anything that fails to employ simple rhythmic phrases can be somewhat aloof to some people. Poetry is one of the most artistic forms of literature because it influences the author to express big thoughts and imaginations in somewhat of an abbreviated writing style, in contrast to essays, short stories, and many more. A Subaltern’s Love Song by John Betjeman is an example of poetry that takes the reader on a journey of music and a love story. It was not until I actually read through the poem once did I realize that the title â€Å"A Subaltern’s Love Song† would actually allude to the character of this poem. The context of this poem is most certainly romantic, and indicative of a love story, however the form of the poem actually has a rhythm to it. I am not exactly certain if the author purposefully paralleled the word â€Å"song† in the title with music, but it was something that stuck out to me and was one of the things that did capture my interest in this particular poetic work. Due to the fact that I am a one who enjoys reading love stories, my imagination was most certainly ignited by reading this poem. Another thing that particularly stuck out to me about this poem was the use of ambiguity regarding the soldier and the love interest. The author was successful in my opinion with his use of ambiguity to â€Å"raise questions and suggest outcomes. † (Clugston, 2010) All of the aforementioned components of â€Å"A Subaltern’s Love Song† allowed me to be an active and responsive reader while I was reading this. The archetypal approach is the best analytical approach that can be used to describe this poem. The poems does not direct it attention to only one sole approach. Because the poem is not just limited to the author’s feelings or way of thinking but it is delivered in a manner that the author has you thinking of different ways to show your love. The archetypal approach is being used in line five where it states â€Å"Love-thirty, love-forty, oh! Weakness of joy† (Clugston, 2010). It relates the weakness to as getting older in life and taking a chance on love. This also shows his progress through life in which he learns to love and finally ask for marriage. Were in the last stanza of the poem it sums up the whole meaning of the poem. A good poem should write in such a way that it does not immediately reveal all of its secrets. But neither should the language be couched in such arcane and esoteric terms that discovering its meaning become impenetrable. Poem is not a synonym for puzzle. When the inherent message of a poem becomes impossible to understand, then it becomes a more of an ordeal than a pleasure. The references should, in my view, be accessible to scrutiny in such a way that its treasures are unlocked upon careful and considered reading. A deliberately confusing poem serves no purpose other than to prove what a smart Alec the poet is. A Subaltern’s Love Song is a perfect example of a well-structured poem. Upon first reading this seems little more than a clever poem written about a few posh twerps with too much time on their hands. But, there is so much more going on. It’s a love story that was not directly stated and I enjoyed the reading.

Family assessment paper Essay

Family Assessment Paper 2382 Instructor Introduction The family just recently moved to my neighborhood and we casually said hi to each other. I went to their house and introduced myself and informed them of my intentions. I explained to the family that I was going to perform a family assessment and that this was about assessing the family processes and interactions and identifying both the weak and strong points in the family. I further discussed with the family that the purpose for this assessment was purely academic, confidentiality will be maintained and no diagnostic tests of any kind will be made. Permission was given before scheduling the interview and verified again prior to start. This was verbally consented and there was no need to sign any papers. Therefore, we set up the appointment for 5 o’clock in the evening on Saturday February the 11th 2012 and the interview was going to be at their home in the living room. As of my plan I wrote and grouped my interview questions. I was to interview the kids first and then finish up with the parents, the mother being the very last because of the abuse questions and assessment. I had the abuse assessment forms in envelopes for them to fill out at the end of the session. I planned to get the genogram with both the parent. So on this day of interview all the five family members were present. We gathered in their living room and being covered with all the information, the environment was tens free. I interviewed the kids first. And theirs was general, and I mostly wanted to know what their roles were in the family as a whole. Structural Assessment Family composition/ separate genogram attached The family consists of three kids, ages 15, 13 and a 6month old. The Kids’ names are Pt, Ks and Ax. None of the parents have been married before. This was their first one. They also have two large dogs and a small cat that they  recently adopted. Nobody else lives at home with the family Home and community environment. They live in a single family house. Pt has his own room, ks has her own room too and the parents share the room with baby Ax. They stated to don’t know many people yet in the neighborhood but so far it is a calm environment. They live near a community park, library, the kids’ school and day care is just a couple of blocks away, a hospital, dental clinic, a fire department nearby as well as a shopping center. Occupation and education background Mother is pursuing a RN. nursing degree and works 1 day a month in a nursing home. Father is a truck driver and is gone most of the week. He is mostly in Texas and Chicago. They both attained an equivalent of a high school diploma back in Poland. Mother is mostly the caregiver in the house while the father is the provider. This is a family that moved from Poland ten years ago, they lived in California before moving to Minnesota six years ago. Kids Assessment The oldest kid, a teenage boy just said he loved helping in the house especially since the baby came and he has been doing a lot of that. He does dishes, helps younger siblings with their assignments (mother is very busy with school and sometimes does not understand English very well). He said he wishes his dad would be home more but he also understood that he had to provide for them and pay the housing. He was a very calm young man and pleasant to talk to. Next I interviewed the 13 year-old girl, I had to talk about fashion at some point to get her attention and it worked. Morbidly obese and she said she has been trying to lose weight but she can’t stop herself from eating anything sweet she lays her hands on. She said she really wanted a girl sibling when her mom first said she was pregnant but when her baby brother was born she got over it fast .She is very helpful with the baby too and loves him dearly. Sometimes offers to sleep with him so her mother can get some sleep. Structural family relationship- Bb’s family is from Poland and she does not have any relatives in the United States. Rn is also from Poland. His brother lives in Chicago thus he can’t  help with the new baby and daycare is too expensive. So for now Bb has to stay home and watch baby Ax. However, she also goes to school and when she is gone to school; she has a lot of trouble finding help with the kids. She is doing evening classes so that Pt and Ks can help babysit after school. And that has been working out so far but would love to find a permanent solution. Cultural and religious tradition The family is white from Polish background. Bb and Rn were born and raised up in Poland. Their first two kids, Pt and Ks were born in Poland but have grown up mostly in the US. They speak multiple languages but more articulate in English. The family is a staunch Catholics and they go to a polish church in Minneapolis. They celebrate religious holidays like Easter and Christmas. They value Christianity and believe that Church is the basis of spirituality. The family also believes in baptism and eating sacrament so they have all their kids baptized. Functional Assessment Family interaction and roles Bb does not work much, but just once in a month. She stays home with the kids; she wishes she could work more because they are falling behind on the mortgage and can’t afford to buy things that she would want to have. For instance she wants a newer car but she can’t afford one now. However, they are managing although they have been able to cut back on other things that they were used to, before, such as family trips. Baby Ax was an accidental pregnancy and they were all much unprepared for it. It was especially hard on the family when Bb had to stop working because she had HTN and gestational diabetes. She was on bed rest for most of the pregnancy. The family has been through a lot lately and they are not doing well with the baby. Rn is complaining paying all the bills and finds it very hard to help with the baby. Power decision making/problem solving The family believes in authoritative rearing of kids and parents work well with the kids when they have done something undesirable. They do not believe in whipping the kids but discipline in denying privileges and giving time outs. Mother is mostly the disciplinarian. According to Bb, they agree on  punishment according to what the kids have done and they both support each other in disciplining the kids. The power and decision making is the father’s role and they will consult with him even when he is far on matters that need his attention. Abuse assessment. I used the abuse form that I had prepared from the questions on (Varcarolis, 2007 pg. 591) to interview the mother on abuse. I asked her the four questions from the abuse assessment screen (figure 26-2). 1. Have your ever been emotionally or physically abused by your partner or someone important to you? 2. Within the last year, have you been hit, slapped, kicked or otherwise physically hurt by someone? 3. Within the last year has anyone forced you to have sexual activities? 4. Are you afraid of your partner or anyone you listed on the assessment list? The mother denied being abused physically emotional or sexually in the past year. She denied feeling unsafe. She denied being threatened and said she felt safe in the home. Her verbal and nonverbal communication was congruent. Father also denied any kind of abuse and really expressed lots of appreciation about the wife instead. I also asked the following questions regarding their kids on (Varcarolis, 2007 pg. 598). 1. What arrangements do you make when you have to leave your child alone? 2. How do you discipline your children 3. When your infant cries for a long time how you do get him to stop? 4. What about your child’s behavior bothers you the most? These questions were to assess the possibility for children abuse and neglect but the results were negative regardless of the stressors the parents disciplines their kids fairly as I mentioned earlier in the power decision making / problem solving. They never leave the baby alone in the home and they attend to the crying baby promptly and calm him down by meeting his needs. Generally, the rationale for the screening is to ensure consistent and accurate assessments and protection of all individuals and or families at risk for domestic violence, maltreatment and neglect. (Varcarolis, 2007 pg. 587) On the same note women are victimized about six times more often than men (Varcarolis, 2007 pg. 586). Communication Different communication techniques were used during this interview, it  included open ended questions, seeking clarification, focusing and summarizing. There were also some non-verbal communication such as silence, nodding of the head, eye contact, smiles, movement of hands, looking up unto the roof, looking down onto the floor and movement on the seats. Active listening played a major role in data generation. There were also some interruptions with the kids seeking attention, dad and mom at different times taking breaks to smoke and a couple incoming phone calls. Expression of feelings/individuals: The family showed respect and peace among themselves members listened to each other’s opinions. No curse words to each other during the interview and I was very impressed with the respect to one another overall. Even though the father is away, he calls 3-4 times a day to talk to the kids and his wife. They are a close-knit family and try to stay together even during a crisis. Dad said love, patience and peace is the key to their long lasting marriage of their18 years. Regardless of all the stress they are going through, financially and with the baby care, they are clinging together still. Mother also expressed a nonverbal communication congruently in support dad’s statements Self-destructive behavior: Both parents smoke in the home and this is very unhealthy for the kids and to themselves. Father also drinks a lot on the days when he is off. This family eats out a lot too even with the limited finances, this in itself is expensive and choice of foods are not always the healthiest considering the fact that the family members are obese or overweight. Stages: (Friedman) Observation of family member’s interactions: Positive interactions were seen within the family members. The children were seen playing and interacting very well, and occasionally coming to the parent for attention and seeking clarifications on what to eat and not to eat. Leadership/Submission: Leadership and submission characteristic are evident within the family system. Though at times parents have episode of arguments, but they are always quick to come to a compromise. Father enforces rules and advices the wife to follow suit in order to have a common voice. Activities shared: Both  parents stated â€Å"we take them on a walk and sometimes biking and occasionally weekend trip when the time permits but we are barely surviving so we have not done anything for a longtime now. Emotional Support: Emotional Support was observed when the mother heard the last baby crying, she hurriedly rush to the scene to see what went wrong. Household chores responsibility: Household chores mainly domestic in nature rest primarily on the mom. But husband agreed to help whenever he is home. The children are also very helpful especially when their dad is gone. Caregiver- Shared or primary: Mother is the primary caregiver. Division of tasks: Mother is the one mainly doing chores in the house, when the husband is around he does not do much because he is â€Å"always tired†, mother’s statement. Stressors/strengths The mother sometimes feels unappreciated because she is taking care of the home and the kids while husband is away and wishes the husband would recognize how tough of a task this is. She feels like the house is not always clean and she loves to keep her house clean and neat but also understands that the baby is priority now. She gained 50 pounds with the pregnancy and she wants to lose it fast, she worries with her age she might never look the same again. The children are very well mannered and they understand that there is time for everything. They will follow instructions on when to go to bed and when to turn off all their gadgets (I-pod).Father hates his job but is willing to do it for as long as he can support his family. He realizes that it’s the sacrifice he has to make. Their financial situation is a big stress. The whole family has had to cut back on a lot of things and become very frugal in their spending. They would love to get ahead with the bills and be able to afford some holiday, but that is not going to happen soon so they try to do fun things in order to forget about their situation. Rn being gone is also a stressor for all the other family members and him. The baby is a joy but also a stressor since they have to make a lot of changes to take care of him. Their main strength is spirituality and lots of patience with one another. They get their strength from having good communication techniques. Clinging together unto their marriage is one of the big strengths in this family. Most families break up during situational crises that bring so much stress until couples can’t put  up together any longer. Mom stated â€Å"it is and has been very difficult but out we won’t fall apart.† So much patience was expressed. Thinking in Action journal This assignment was one of the most complex and challenging one so far in this semester. When we were given the instructions during clinical orientation, as well as in the 2381 lab, I thought it was going to be a simple assignment of which it wasn’t. However, at first I had more fun preparing for the interview, going up and meeting the family. Setting up the interview appointment was itself very exciting to me and this really incited me to looking forward to that scheduled day of 02/11/12. Before I knew it, the day of the interview was here and I arrived at the interviewee family home right on time so that do not interrupt with any of their plans. Amazingly they were all set in their living room ready for me. It started all well with open ended question since I had given them all the information prior and had verbally consented the interview at the time of scheduling. All went well with therapeutic communication and I gathered as much information as possible. I observed all their non-verbal in congruent with verbal communication. I demonstrated active listening a lot which of course enabled them to provide more information. I was amazed with how much they opened up for me. They answered all my questions in details without any signs of hesitation. This confidently revealed to me the big strength of my therapeutic communication giving me the feeling of empowerment and trust winning as a student nurse. At the end of the interview I was glad that I answered their all questions and gave them all the information as needed. I enjoyed this day and I will always remember it!!. As I started writing my paper, it was a little more challenging to organize all the data I collected appropriately, but eventually I managed. Although it was time consuming, it also was a very good learning experience. Works Cited Ackley, J. B., & Ladwig, B. G. (2011). Nursing Diagnosis Handbook. St. Louis: Elsevier Mosby, St. Louis. Varcarolis, E. M., & Halter, M. J. (2010). Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. St.Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier. Varvogli, L., & Darviri, C. (2011). Stress Management  Techniques: evidence-based procedures that reduce stress and promote health. Health Science Journal, Child Care Assistance for postsecondary Students. www.getreadyforcollege.org/pdfGR/ChildCare.pdfSimilar

Statistics COMPREHENSIVE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Statistics COMPREHENSIVE - Essay Example Therefore nominal data where attributes can be ranked but the distance between ranks has no meaning. c. interval data- in this level of measurement the distance between ranks has a meaning, data can be ranked and at the same time the distance has meaning, for example temperature data is interval data where temperature difference has meaning. The average and median calculated has a meaning but ratio calculations have no meaning where one cannot state that 100 degrees Celsius is twice 50 degrees Celsius. d. ratio- in ratio level of measurement the absolute zero value has a meaning, all statistical calculation of central tendencies and dispersion are meaningful, for example data containing number of customers that visit a retail shop, the value zero has meaning and the ratio calculations also has meaning where it can be stated that 20 customers is twice 10 customers. The mean, mode and median are all measures of central tendencies of data; the mean is determined by adding up all the values in a data set and then dividing the number of observations. In the example the value of the mean will 27/8 = 3.375 The Median is the middle value of an ordered data set for odd observations or the mean value of the middle two variables for even observations. In the example the median will be 3 +4 = 7, then 7/2 = 3.5, therefore median = 3.5 Advantage: The median is not affected by

Asda and Tesco - Restructuring to reflect multichannel markets Assignment - 1

Asda and Tesco - Restructuring to reflect multichannel markets - Assignment Example The retailer’s differentiation in terms of pricing for goods like groceries is very close to each other which at time may prove to be successful in the economy of scale. However, the brands in such oligopoly have to devise and introspect to analyze new strategies to stay competent and build the sustainability factor among their offerings. Thus the competence in terms of product knowledge and consumer’s awareness has also increased the post purchase services along with long term value addition a strong product strategy. The consumer’s buying decision making skills along with the seller’s knowledge about products utility and likewise information provides the base for development of distinctive market growth facilities. Nevertheless, the recommendation to be competent at all times needs a constant monitoring of competitors strategies along with consumer’s feedback generation making the process more suitable and at par with the current time. The strategic application of channel sales and use of E-commerce has to have a specialized outlook for both the brands to upkeep the market share and grow from thereon. The retail business is evolving at a very swift pace where the brands are devising new techniques to adapt with the contemporary business environments and adopting management practices. The assignment here would critically evaluate the way the retailers of the UK like ASDA and Tesco are reacting to the changing marketing channels and the ways they are strategising the multichannel sales, and the internal processes modifications those the brands have undertaken to attract consumers and give the best value for money, in regards to the consumers perception of the brand. In this process, the brands and its offerings are being designed to suit the needs and wants of the consumers. Therefore, the use of Online buying and delivery is the next generation sales and distribution aspect that

Evidence based practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Evidence based practice - Essay Example We aim to look deeply into the methods used in this research to come to a conclusion whether the results that are given are credible and whether we can be relied on. In this study a sample group of 61 adolescents diagnosed with cancer is used. This number is not good enough as there are many types of cancer and a larger group would have given better results. The reference group used to compare the mental health and vitality of the patients and the adolescents who were normal comprised of 300 young adults. Interviews were done by phone which brings in the possibility of lack of integrity. Though we can’t rule out the possibility that the adolescents interviewed gave correct information, they could also have given false information as there was no direct contact with the interviewer (Woodgate, 1999, Parry & Chesler, 2005). In the study we are not given the names of the adolescents who were interviewed. That speaks positively of the condition of anonymity required for social and scientific surveys. From the results, the adolescents diagnosed with cancer show reduced mental health and vitality, their depression levels are high compared to that of the reference group which shows higher levels of mental health and vitality and lower levels of depression. This report can be faulty taking that many of the patients receive treatment after a period of time and they are likely to undergo depression at such times due to the effect of the therapies. The adolescents can therefore suffer from low mental health and vitality for as long as they are undergoing the treatment and then the levels of mental health and vitality start rising once treatment is over. The results are collected up to 48 months after the first test. The study concludes that their mental health at that time is higher than that of the reference group. This is also a matter of probabilities as the adolescents suffer from other problems like lack of funds, they are unable to play well, some drop from sc hool as their parents or guardians are not willing to continue paying for their fees, some feel isolated and also some feel that their parents are too caring always calling them to check whether they are safe and taking medication (Collins et al., 2000; Ware & Kosinki, 2001; Tedeschi & Calhom 2004). There are also other problems which come as a consequence of smarting from cancer like change of facial appearance and baldness which can make the adolescents’ esteem to be very low. This can cause lower mental health and vitality and can cause the levels of depression to be higher than that of the reference group. The increased mental health could have been attributed to accepting the situation and learning to live with it and also by efforts from counseling and guidance which are not mentioned in the study. There are other disorders that make the adolescents to have low mental health and vitality apart from cancer. The reference group that was used does not reflect such a situat ion. It is common to find adolescents who are suffering from diseases like diabetes and TB which as well will cause the levels of depression to rise. This means that at one time the reference sample may show results where the

Definition paper. The word is Honor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Definition paper. The word is Honor - Essay Example variety of reasons like courage, good works, self-sacrifice and many others; though the word can also be attributed to things which are considered sacred and to gods. Respect is an equal of dignity, the value of a person to another. Being an abstract word, honor is quite difficult to explain although there are synonyms that one can use to let the word be expounded on. Probably the easiest way to understand the word honor is to point out to its value through the actions, words or other manifestations. It is like explaining the presence of air. One can not really hold air and show it to another person to let the other understand its meaning or see how it looks like. Proving there is air is done by pointing out to its effects, showing the tree move in response to the presence of air. The same method is utilized in this quest to define the word honor or honour. Honor held by a person can be seen through other people’s response to his presence. An honored man, when he speaks is taken not on a light mood but considered to speak like a god, having the authority over others, the confidence and attention of his listeners because of what is known about him. Integrity is most often the product of similar abstract things like goodness, love for others, kindness, endurance, care, hard work, determination, and other values or concepts of worthiness. Hard work may be rewarded with the honor of a position in an office. For instance, a clerk who works hard to gain the favor of his employers can be promoted to a higher level where he can enjoy more pay and more benefits as a consequence of his employers’ confidence in him because of his performance. There are also distinctions which are not brought by the hard work and confidence directly effected by the person. For instance, a prince can inherit the reputation bestowed upon his father, be coming the king next to his father after his death. Money which is one of the things that draw the respect of others can also be inherited

Increasing investment attractiveness of CIS countries Research Paper

Increasing investment attractiveness of CIS countries - Research Paper Example As compared to the Baltic and Eastern European nations, the CIS countries experience serious economic crisis and gradual growth in restructuring the productive framework in the respective countries; resulting in the need for increased investments (Shiellis, 2003). The significance of the investments can extend to close the investment gap because of insufficient savings. The external factors that are increased investments include the transfer of managerial skills, technology, processing of information, and a proficient knowledge of sales and marketing.The dissolution of central planning created a market of 100 million consumers in Eastern Europe and 300 million in the successor countries to the USSR. Phyllis says that among the CIS, Russia is having the highest population and several states advocated to embrace the policy of free trade, which permitted imported commodities to meet the local demand. As a result, the imported commodities become wide during the first years of change as t he people used their savings in buying the western goods and services. Due to the economic crisis and escalating inflation rate immediately after the transition, there was a significant decrease in the savings and lowered incomes resulting in the inability for the local consumers to purchase the western products. On the contrary, foreign investors in Eastern Europe privatized the firms from the government and already began to restructure the industries with the objective of increasing the local production.

Education and Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Education and Religion - Essay Example As the world continues to reel from the effects brought about by technological change, the religious educational community is now experiencing the challenges associated with the transition to a more learner-personalized, ICT-enabled education. Some questions reflect the search for purpose behind the technology transition: Why do we need to integrate technology into the religiosity? How can technology support learners’ religious-based educational experiences? How can technology support a more productive future in learning about Judaism? In recent years, there has been notable strategic guidance and investment in ICT initiated and sustained by various First World governments. ICT as a term has been featured as a replacement of ‘IT’. ICT represents the computing and communication facilities and features that are used to assist teaching, learning and a wide array of activities in education (Ager 2003). Other definitions of ICT relate to ICT as a capability or â€Å"l iteracy†. Based on the discussion of religious-based education, Information Technology (IT) makes up the knowledge, skills, and understanding necessary to utilize information and communication technologies optimally, securely, and meaningfully across the contexts of learning, work, and daily life. Similarly, ICT is referred to as"literacy" by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and is defined as: "the interest, attitude, and ability of students to appropriately use digital technology and communication tools to access, manage, integrate and evaluate information, construct new knowledge, and communicate with others in order to participate effectively in society". Thus, the integration of ICT into RE only underlines the necessity for acquiring new skills for a new age. In 2004, the first non-statutory nationwide support for teaching REwas started. This has been launched mutually by the QCA, the DCSF, key UK religious groups and RE experts, this framework: "supports the entitlement to RE for all students, regardless of race and civilization; specified national expectations for teaching and learning in RE; and provides guidance for teachers (QCA 2004). What exactly are the activities and outcomes related to quality teaching of Religious Education What about quality learning in learning Judaism Such an inquiry draws even more questions - and not surprisingly, produces multiple perspectives as to what should be deemed as "acceptable" quality of teaching-learning. The impact of ICT on religious students at all the key stages has been highly commendable. It has given them access to a new world of information and knowledge, and guided information as to which is available through their teachers. Annually, research is undertaken to demonstrate enhancement in students' comprehension, skills, and knowledge in ICT use. Religious education contributes to students' social development by giving them an opportunity to reflect on the importance, for believers and others, of a sense of community and belonging. Students have an opportunity to consider how beliefs and values underpin societies and how and why believers and others try to make the world a better place for all. Pupils gain awareness of religious and cultural diversity within society and in other parts of the world (Best 1996). They have an opportunity to consider issues, such as justice, prejudice and extremism, that impact on societies. Establishing Criteria for Quality Teaching and Learning There has been a premium attached to ICT training of all practicing teachers in first world countries. It is encouraging to note that there has been a tremendous growth in the books, online materials, and handbooks for sharing and exchanging ideas, curriculum materials and case studies (Potter 2005). As an outcome, ICT has been gaining steady popularity among teachers/learners specifically for drafting and implementing lesson plans out of the classrooms. RE forums and chat rooms are one of the best ways to share ideas with fellow RE teachers and pick up tips, as are lists of favorite or popular

Education - One of the Most Powerful Social Institutions Assignment

Education - One of the Most Powerful Social Institutions - Assignment Example It equips an individual with skills and experience needed for the maintenance of the society through self-enhancement and upward social mobility. Conflict perspective suggests that education creates social barriers between individuals, which sustains social inequality. Instead of looking at things in a societal level, symbolic interaction perspective zeroes in on classroom and school dynamics, which influences the individual’s outlook in life. From a functionalist perspective, education is seen as the primary agent of shared values and norms. Education is not responsible for just teaching academic knowledge but it should also develop an individual’s identity that corresponds to what is accepted by the society. Functionalism studies social events and institutions by looking at its manifest and latent functions. With education, it’s manifest or obvious function is teaching academic knowledge, as well as, developing the social skills of the individual. As an agent of development and stability, it is responsible for the transmission of culture by instilling shared values and norms corresponding to that of the larger society. And lastly, equipping an individual with knowledge, values and social skills, it creates an opportunity for upward social mobility through employment. The educational institution is primarily responsible for developing individuals as contributing members of the society. Latent or hidden funct ions of the institution are to create a safe and practical place for parents to leave their children behind as they make a living and become contributing members of the society. Education also serves to control the entry of individuals in the labour force. Lastly, it creates and establishes social networks through friendships, partnerships and relationships between individuals essential as they grow and mature. Conflict perspective views education very differently from the functional perspective.     

Hamidian Era Essay Example for Free

Hamidian Era Essay â€Å"Analyse the Hamidian era from the perspective of either the Balkan or the Anatolian or the Arab provinces, discussing the different ways in which that region was treated by the Ottoman government, and the different ways that region responded†. The Balkan region of the Ottoman Empire had always been a crucial part of it vast domains. The Balkan states can be credited with shortening the lifespan of a troubled empire. More specifically, Albania it can be argued contributed a great deal in bringing about the eventual demise of the Empire. The late British MP Audrey Hebert succinctly stated that, â€Å"In the end, like Samson in the Temple of Gaza, they pulled down the columns of the Ottoman Empire upon their own head. It was the Albanians and not the Serbs or Bulgars or Greeks who defeated the Turks†. It is strange then that not enough research has been done to deeply analyze the Albanian nations’ contributions towards the Ottoman Empire. This essay will look at the Hamedian agenda in relation to the Balkan region, focusing specifically on the Albanian nation. This essay will analyze the Sultans policies vis-a-vis the Albanians to conclude that in the end the Empire lost a once great ally of the Empire due to its detrimental centralizing policies, which attempted to strip away national in a time when nationalism was a central them in the region. The loss of Albania within the Balkans culminated in the Young Turk revolution, which brought an end to the Hamedian era. Sultan Abdul Hamid II is generally remembered as a pious ruler. The Hamedian agenda was multi-faceted. The Sultan sought to unify the Muslims under the banner of Islam to repel outside intruders. He also wanted complete authority in order to centralize his Empire. The Ottoman context at this time was characterized by strong nationalist calls from within the Empire. This sweeping nationalism was inspired by Western Europe and various European states encouraged nationalist movements within the Empire thus further compounding the multitude of political, social and economic problems confronting the Sultan. Sultan Abdul Hamid II attempted to undermine the growing nationalist problem by employing his policies of pan-Islamism. Pan-Islamism gained real momentum only after the signing of a treaty in Berlin in 1878. The treaty was a consequence of the Ottoman defeat against the Russians a year earlier. As a result the Sultan auspiciously suspended the constitution and exiled Ottoman Bureaucrats whose where seen as a threat to the Sultans power. The major outcome of this European headed congress however was that the Empire had lost large parts of the majority Christian Balkan territories. The Sultan then distanced himself from the secular orientated ideas of the preceding Tanzimat era. His policies â€Å"went from being, ostensibly supra-religious during the hey-day of the Tanzimat, to more emphasis being placed on Islam in tone and nuance†. An example of this is his education policy, which put forward school curriculums very Islamic in nature. The Balkans had always been a key economic resource for the Ottoman Empire, owing to its large population, huge fertile lands and well located position inside Europe. The congress’s decision resulted in Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria gaining independence. This greatly hindered the Sultan’s desire for centralization. Without worrying about ruling a large Christian population, the Sultan could now focus exclusively on his Muslim subjects. He did this in two ways. Firstly, the Sultans’ subjects needed to form â€Å"a cohesive new core of identity,† especially since the Muslim population made up over 70% of the Empire. Secondly, Abdul Hamid was not afraid to use his title as Caliph of the Believers to rally support from his subjects to call for jihad against the infidel colonialists. Of course this was part of the pan-Islamic propaganda used so well by the Sultan. In 1877 the Islamic agenda of the Sultan became very apparent. The San Stefano, treaty was forced on the empire after the Russians had defeated the Ottomans in war. The treated stipulated that the majority Albanians lands be given to Serbia, Bulgaria and Montenegro. The Albanians were ethnically non-Slavic and most of them were Muslims. They were known to be very loyal to the Empire. Some of the best soldiers who served in the Janissary corps came from Albania. Not long after the treaty of San Stefano, prominent figures from Albania came together in response to a congress that they perceived as dangerous to the Albanian national interests. This phase in Albania’s’ history is known as the national awakening. The initial result of this congress was the formation of the â€Å"league of Prezren† on 20 June 1878, lasting until 1881. With a coalition of land-owners, religious scholars and intellectuals, the league had almost 300 members. They came from Kosovva, Yannya, Isscodra, and Monasstir. The league submitted a document consisting of sixteen plans to the Sultan in 1878. At least 47 Albanian representatives signed this document. Article 1 clearly outlined that the Albanians were not against the Empire. Article 2 had clearly stated the Leagues’ loyal stance towards Abdul Hamid. We find the following in article 6: â€Å"In view of the situation in the Balkans, we will not allow any foreign troops to enter our territory. We will not recognize Bulgaria and do not even wish to hear its name mentioned. If Serbia does not agree to give up the regions it has occupied illegally, we will deploy volunteer corps (akindjiler) against it and do our utmost to bring about the return of these regions. We will do the same with Montenegro. † â€Å"It is understood that the Government may not interfere in the affairs of the League. Accordingly, the League will not interfere in the administrative affairs of the Government, unless the latter can be shown to have issued orders involving the use of force. † (Article 14) The formation of the league coupled with the resistance against the decisions of the congress of Berlin contributed in heightening the nationalistic tendencies of the Albanians. The call amongst the Albanians to unify the four populated vilayets into one autonomous province grew louder. However this clearly ran counter to the Sultan’s policy to unite the Empire on an Islamic basis and not a nationalist one, therefore rendering their demands impossible to accept. The Albanians became increasingly disgruntled with the policies of the Empire. However the Sultans endeavour to redefine the Ottoman identity as purely Islamic was â€Å"mainly directed at curbing nascent proto-nationalist acuities of the Ottoman Muslims. † Such a context deemed the ideas of league as harmful to the agenda of Abdul Hamid. The notion of a separate national entity, in this case â€Å"Albanianism’’ was thus actively suppressed by Abdul Hamid. Indeed Albanian nationalism became very pronounced and posed a threat to the Sultan. The idea of a national identity became so popular in Albania, that a traveller from England became astonished to observe that Albanians viewed themselves as Albanians and not as â€Å"Turks or Christians like other minorities in the Empire†. However language became a key hindrance for the Sultans plans. The Albanian language united them. In the wider Balkan context language aided in further agitating the growing nationalistic tendencies within the region. However the use of language as a basis for Albanian unity was not welcome by all. The Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople outlawed the use of the Albanian script in writing. Sticking to the social contours set by the Sultan the Patriarch intended to divide the Albanians on the basis of creed. † Local Orthodox Patriarchs threatened Albanian bishops teaching the language with excommunication. However such attempts were ultimately unsuccessful. The Albanian issue was also expressed in military terms further perplexing the Sultans problems. The Albanians fiercely resisted the points of the aforementioned treaty, which gave away territory to its neighbours, in particular the cessation of Ulcinnj, Plavve and Gusinnje to Montenegro. The Albanians represented by the league were even prepared for what they believed to be an imminent attack by Montenegro and Serbia. The military capabilities of the Albanians were well known to the Sultan. A close confidant to the Sultan and chief secretary of the Empire Tahsin Pasha (1894-1909) describes the Sultans views towards the Albanians. The Albanians occupied first place [in the empire]. Abdul Hamid believed in the bravery and devotion of Albanians. This certainly constituted the foundation of Abdul Hamid’s policies†¦in Rumeli; the Albanians were considered a bastion of Abdul Hamid’s policies† The Sultan was able to use the military might of the Albanian forces. 1879 was the year in which they defeated an army form Montenegro in Gussnye. The Empire would suppo rt or restrain Albanian military activity depending upon its political interests at the time. Albanians generally fitted into the wider Ottoman political plans, and although the league acted as an independent government inside Albania, collecting taxes and administering the region for example, the Sultan largely ignored this due to the Albanian opposition to a complete dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and its territories. However in 1881 when the pan-Islamic policy of the Sultan had reached a new level, the league was seen as a threat and officially dissolved. Many people were exiled to the western peninsula of Asia. Following on from the dismantling of the League of Prezren, Abdul Hamid had always attempted, until his removal in 1909, to use the loyal elements of the Albanians to maintain control of the Balkan region. The former vizier Mehmet assad Sefvett Pasha suggested that the Albanians should be heavily relied on for security in Europe. The general Derrvish Pasha also supported this view. The Sultan was fully aware of the strategic importance the Albanians held within the Empire. The Albanian population was of great size, and well placed in the Balkan region. They were key in defending the Empire from the Balkans. Due to the loyalty and importance the Albanians had to the Sultan, he expanded the role of the Albanians within the Empire. Many were hired as his palace guards, and given a greater chance of participation in the Ciragan Palace (the Ottoman Parliament). They were also appointed to keep the Sheikh-a-Islam safe. Nevertheless Abdul Hamid maintained a feeble hold over population of Albania. Tribal loyalty was a strong force amongst the Albanian people. This loyalty eventually evolved to become expressed through nationalism, a notion that had already swept the region. The Sultans use of pan-Islamism to centralize his Empire, and more specifically to create a loyal defensive Albanian front in Europe became interpreted as an infringement on the Albanian right to self-recognition. The Alabanian language was used to promote national solidarity amongst the Albanian population, something the Sultans at times abstract policies could not deal with. However it is also true that the Albanians shared a common cause with the Sultan. They rejected and resisted foreign encroachment of the Empire and did not wish for its dissolution. The formation of the league of Prezren is evidence for these sentiments. In the end the question of why the Albanians and the Sultan could not work together, even for the short term to solve these shared issues is difficult to answer. However what becomes pretty clear is that the Sultans policy of uniting his empire on the basis of religion was persistently competing with the powerful force of nationalism, and in this case Albanianism. To conclude, nationalist movements, which had engulfed the Balkans— the Serbs, Montenegrins and Greeks — had an impact on the Albanians. The Albanians wanted greater autonomy within the Empire. The Albanians did not necessarily despise the rule of Abdul Hamid or his Empire. They were after all â€Å"loyal subjects for 500 years† and always â€Å"felt secure,† within the Empire. They disagreed with the idea that they could not gain greater autonomy like the rest of the Balkan states around them. Abdul Hamid’s attempt at centralization infringed on the national aspirations of his subjects thus pan-Islamism was antithetical to granting self-government to the different segments of the Ottoman Empire. The Albanians wanted greater autonomy but this clearly ran counter to the Sultans plans of centralization via the medium of pan Islamism. The Sultan lost the support of the Albanians and this paved the way for the committee of union and progress to gain huge support in the Balkans (especially in Macedonia). This eventually led to the dethronement of the Sultan. The Sultans policy failed to confront a tough nationalism, and ultimately became his undoing.

Heart disease Essay Example for Free

Heart disease Essay Before you start the rehabilitation programme you will have an initial assessment to find out how much exercise you can safely do. A physiotherapist or an exercise physiologist can then carefully work out a programme of exercises for you, tailoring the programme to your individual needs. At the beginning of each session you will do warm-up exercises which involve stretching your muscles. All the exercises will be carefully explained to you. The exercises will be aerobic (exercises that help to improve your heart and circulation). You will be encouraged to increase your exercise gradually over the weeks of the rehabilitation programme. It is very important that you work within your limits and follow the advice given to you. At the end of each exercise session you will do cool-down exercises to stretch out your muscles and prevent them from aching the next day. It is normal to feel anxious about exercise after a heart attack. However, attending rehabilitation classes can help give you the confidence to become active again. Relaxation You will be able to practice different relaxation techniques and find one that suits you. You will also find out how important relaxation is for people who have had a heart problem. If possible, encourage your partner or a family member or friend to go along with you. This will help lessen their fears as well and give them the chance to ask any questions. This may involve structured but informal sessions within your group. You may cover one or more topics in each session and will have the opportunity to ask any questions. Going back to work. People who have had an uncomplicated heart attack will usually be able to return to work. You can talk to a member of the cardiac rehabilitation team about the type of work you do. They will help to assess how easily you might take up your job again and when you should return to work. Attending cardiac rehabilitation classes gives you the opportunity to ask questions and talk about any worries you may still have.

Issue Of Single Sex And Coeducational Physical Education

Issue Of Single Sex And Coeducational Physical Education There has been a constant debate surrounding the idea as to whether or not students would benefit more from a single sex environment or mixed sex environment for education (Mael, 1998). This debate has led to extensive research into this issue whereby some researchers have supported single-sex classes while others have supported mixed-classes the two nature of classes have been particularly discussed in relation to issues such as socioemotional, academic, as well as interpersonal development (Harker, 2000). The purpose of this study is to investigate whether it is advantageous to run single-sex physical education classes as opposed to coeducational classes, in which case the relationship between several variables will be examined. In addition, the study attempted to delve into the impact of these variables upon the effectiveness of physical education learning for girls. The study involved both qualitative and quantitative study techniques, whereby, a total of 50 female students were interviewed. To collect more information, the researcher repeated this process on 10 female physical education teachers. Questionnaires were designed and administered to both the female students and the teachers, in which case the questions that were asked were both open-ended and closed-ended. To ensure informed participation, Cone and Foster (2003) pointed out that it is critical to seek informed consent from the participants and also ensure their confidentiality. In this view, the researcher will ensure that a clear, informed and voluntary agreement is made by the participants (Ellis and Earley, 2006). The kind of informed consent, which will be used in this study, will have to meet specific requirements including a statement that the study is about research, specification of any experimental procedures, a description of the procedures that will be involved, an explanation of the purpose of the research, and details of the expected period of participants involvement (http://www.strath.ac.uk, accessed 22.02.2013). Analysis of the results of the interview presented quantitative variables for establishing the girls effectiveness for learning football skills, which was statistically significant, meaning that single-sex environment was preferred. Similarly, the conclusion from the qualitative data was that single-sex physical education environment is a better learning environment,as it offers a more supportive and comfortable environment for girls than a coeducational environment (Elwood and Gipps, 1999). To review the differences of female participation levels in both single sex PE and mixed sex PE Introduction The issue of single-sex and coeducational physical education is a grand debate and has no sign of ending any time soon. Numerous research regarding the pros and cons of coeducational against single-sex has been undertaken in the UK and the world at large, though its results have been largely mixed and unclear (Mael, 1998). In other words, the results of these studies and reviews has been lacking of consistency or strong evidence about the disadvantages and advantages of signal-sex classes over coeducational classes (Mael, 1998). Nevertheless, one of the stronger suggestions is that, when evaluating the effectiveness of either single-sex or coeducational classes, it is important to assess both the social and and the cultural context of the school environment (Smithers and Robinson, 2006). This study is aimed at identifying the all-round debate that concerns the issues of social cultural environment including learning achievement, curriculum design, social issues, and the experience of children in learning physical education among many others. Historically, the issue of gender and education has led to a perception of schools as crucial roots of fostering development of equal society and social change, whereby a social situation for the women is perceived to be less repressive (Salomone, 2004). Nevertheless, the approaches to the question of single-sex physical education can be taken from different perspectives. In this regard, some academic sources provide that, in order to prepare women to stand out academically, it is also important to make sure they take part in physical education, a subject which is becoming compulsory in schools around the world (Oloffsson, 2007). Although this can only be successful if issues of structure, and conditions of physical education classes are put into consideration while designing an all inclusive educational curriculum. Unfortunately studies show that it is a constant battle to get girls to even participate in physical education as shown by Evans (2006) who states that 35% of girls do not enjoy PE compered to a mere 17% of boys. Most importantly, it is argued that girls in single-sex schools can excel academically simply if the lesson is structured to encourage and motivate girls to acquire specific skills, even in areas that are perceived to be male domain, including the sciences (Salomone, 2004). It is also argued that schools should be symbols of equality and environments that can provide students with early knowledge and experiences of gender equality in order to avoid nurturing a society that propagates unequal gender patterns (Warrington and Younger, 2001). In respect to gender equality, the position has been that coeducational classes are a preparation for a society that values gender equality, however it is stated by Hoffman et al. (2008) that females experience gender inequality from a young age as males receive more direct attention from teachers from nursery through secondary school. Nevertheless, provided that gender inequality in most societies is natural, it is important to instill the virtue o f gender equality and awareness in the stakeholders including teachers to avoid the reproduction of gender inequity in academic training (Salomone, 2004). The current educational environment focuses on the achievement of qualifications such as GCSEs and general academic success. However, the educational experience of students throughout their school years must not be ignored. Many researchers have shown how girls experiences within a coeducational PE environment is difficult for them in a number of different ways. For example, it was suggested that teachers intellectually motivated boys and rewarded girls for exhibiting suitable feminine characteristics. Evans (2006) also comments to suggests that girls feel self conscious when par taking in physical activity as being sporty is not considered to be a desirable feminine trait. It was also found that the boys had a tendency of dominating the classes, in which case the teachers supported their domination by taking their contributions more seriously than that of the girls. Howe (2001) suggests that this is due to sports being viewed as a mans game possibly resulting in teachers over looking girls contributions. Notably, the tendency of boys to dominate classes does not affect all boys and at the same time some girls are not typically silent, but exhibit the behaviour of boys. More recent research has shifted focus towards the differences within and between gender groups. The way that students experience schooling is affected by factors such as social class, ethnicity and race; however, the patterns of gender identified in early research is carried on throughout coeducational schools in the present day. This, however, does not mean that the educational system in single-sex environments is entirely positive thus showing why this study is necessary to explore this rather undisputable issue. The issues of coeducational and single-sex physical education classes has been largely researched but the long-term social implications have been scarcely studied this study will explore this aspect in an extensive view. Notably, most of those who support coeducational classes can encourage males and females to work together constructively. In other words, coeducational set ups proponents suggest that the classes should be structured to mirror a real-life situation. In contrast, the proponents of single-sex class argue that, since the female classes do not reflect a real-life situation, it is only important to have single-sex classes. In other words, they propose that, since the western societies are male-dominated and since women plays a second fiddle when it come to opportunities, power, and payments amongst other issues there is a need to separate females and males classes. It is, therefore, important for the students as well as the educators to change this wave of inequality in schools and physical education in particular. Those who have supported single-sex have maintained that single-sex educational environment can present girls with an opportunity to deliver themselves from the strings of discrimination and get an opportunity to prove that they do not have to play a second fiddle to boys. The little evidence that has been presented in relation to the long-term social implications of mixed and single-sex physical education classes has not shown any significant discrepancies in regards to personal development differences between males and females in coeducational and single-sex environments. However, on overall, more questions have been left unanswered in respect to this issue. Therefore, this study investigated whether it is advantageous to run single-sex physical education classes as opposed to coeducational classes, in which case the relationship between several variables was examined. In addition, the study attempted to establish the impact of these variables upon the effectiveness of physical education learning for girls. Literature review A mixed-gender Physical Education (PE) has sparked a lot of argument amongst many stakeholders including researchers and educators (Issues, 1999), most of whom are interested in promoting the learning environment for the females so they can be educated effectively just like the male students (Carpenter Acosta, 2001). Many of those who have studied this area have thought that integration of male and females during PE lessons would remove the problem of discrimination since both genders would receive similar instructions as well as the curricular content (Griffin, 1983). However, many other researchers have contradicted this observation because they found that mixing girls and boys during PE lessons did not amount to equitable treatment for girls (Chepyator-Thomson Ennis, 1997; Derry Phillips, 2002; Hutchinson, 1995). In a qualitative study conducted by Griffin (1983; 1984), integration of both genders during physical education was presented as neither conducive nor equitable for girls and some boys. The capacity of girls to learn in such environments was inhibited by the behaviuor of boys including display of physical contact, verbal harassment and taking of girls turns (Griffin, 1983). On the other hand, girls did not inhibit the performance of boys and actually opted to stay away from them (Griffin, 1983). Another highly influential factor that affected the mixed-gender classes is the manner in which boys controls the activities during the PE classes, hence rendering the girls more or less inactive (Chepyator-Thomson Ennis, 1997; Derry Phillips, 2002). Furthermore, girls have a tendency of losing enthusiasm during interaction with their peers in the course of physical education this makes them to develop a fearing attitude and a negative feeling towards the interactive physical activity, whi ch in effect reduces their level of participation (Kunesh, Hasbrook, Lewthwaite, 1992). Furthermore, the settings of physical education classes are important in shaping the attitudes of girls towards participating in physical education. Researchers such as Sallis and McKenzie (1991) have agreed that the participation in physical education, by adolescents, is largely influenced by positive learning experiences. Research studies have also disclosed that girls are increasingly ending their participation in physical activities at the high school level (Jaffee and Ricker, 1993; Douthitt, 1994). The level of girls participation in physical activities is influenced by factors such as self-esteem, level of enjoyment, the time of engaging in learning, perceived athletic competence, and the health benefits gained by taking part in the physical activities (Brustad, 1993; Jaffee Manzer, 1992). The debate by different researchers regarding the suitability of mixed-gender PE has been highlighted by many researchers, with Koca (2009) reporting that many researchers have found that mixed-gender PE provides an opportunity for the learners to interact socially and share positive ideas. However, on the flip side of the coin, the likes of Olafson (2002) supported an argument that the perceived social interactions during mixed-gender PE classes is the same factor that makes adolescent girls to avoid taking part in the coeducational classes. In a study conducted by Treanor, Graber, Housner and Wiegand (1998), which aimed at interviewing the students to find their opinion regarding the best approach to physical education; that is, the one between coeducation or single sex physical education is better and most suitable. The findings of this study were that a majority of the students prefers single-sex classes over the mixed-gender classes. Nonetheless, Treanor, et al. (1998) noted tha t the views of the students alone could not be relied upon to resolve that single -sex classes are the most suitable for middle school physical education especially because their views are biased and lack any credible ground. Although most of the students implied that their preference for single-sex classes was based on issues such as better behaviuor, more practice time, less fear of injury and better competition, most of their opinions was not subject to their personal conviction, but on gender-bias attitudes. Derry (2002) echoed the findings of Treanor et al by supporting that an awesome 75% of the students interviewed pointed out single-sex classes as their preferred mode of classes. Derry (2002) also added that 84% of the girls that participated in single-sex physical education classes maintained that they liked such an environment and would like to continue with it next time. Ideally, it is known that as students approach their adolescent age, they become less physically active. This problem has been cited as the major determining factor in the attitude of students before they enter the adolescent age and after they are past the adolescent age (Harmon Ratliff, 2005). The results as presented by Harmon Ratliff (2005) shown that the percentage of girls who are active in physical exercises decreased from 31% in the 9th grade to 17% in the 12th grade. Similary, Treanor, et al. (1998) found that males have a relatively high level of participation in physical education in all the three middle school grades. To add to this, Felton et al. (2005) found that 45% of the 12th grade girls and 67% of the 9th grade girls were found to take part in an energetic physical activity about 20 minutes for at least three days per week. Whitlock (2008) disclosed that indeed adolescence is a stage of dramatic change and hence it is a period that a young girls undergoes a lot of hardships. In this stage, girls undergo a dynamic and developmental life when they make very important decisions regarding their typical behaviours such as physical activity, diets, use of tobacco and alcohol, and participation in social activity among other aspects of life that shapes their health and wellbeing up to the time they become adults (Whitlock, 2008). Essentially, developmental changes, under which the young adolescent girls undergo a traumatic experience, cause them a lot of trouble for example, because of sexual harassments and incidents of upsetting remarks that is common in environments of mixed-education (Derry Phillips, 2004). Some of these facts were affirmed in Olafsons (2002), where one of the girls reveled that , like they dont know the emotional pain they cause when they call you bad names (p. 2). This student was comp laining about the way she is usually offended my the male students who use offensive names when referring to girls. Olafson (2002) found that the tendency of girls to skip physical education is mainly because they have an attitude that such activities are totally embarrassing. The reason for this is because the girls kept complaining that the boys used offensive language and insulted them severally hence they would rather keep off such activities. Olafson also realised that the girls behaved in a strange manner in order to avoid attending the PE classes, including presenting notes from their parents claiming that they have been told not to attend PE classes, refusing to put on gym outfit, and skipping classes altogether. The male students have been found to mock girls in respect to their body type and also putting them, something that really annoys girls. Constantinou, Manson, Silvermans (2009) studied the behaviuor of girls when attending physical education classes and found that boys show no regards to the girls abilities but rather belittle and disrespect them. Actually, they found that the offensive acts that were perpetrated to humiliate girls were not common amongst the boys themselves. Several studies have associated self-esteem with physical education It has been suggested that thegirlss participation in physical activities is largely as a result of self esteem. Eriksson, Nordqvist, and Rasmussen (2008) defines self esteem as the extent to which individuals like themselves as persons. A commonly determining factors of the girls self-esteem when they are in their adolescent age includes their body type and size this determines whether their self -esteem is positive or negative. Some of the female students in Olafson (2002) claimed that they avoid physical activities at school because they have a negative feeling towards showcasing their bodies especially in front of male students. In fact, it has been found that girls who participate in physical education lessons struggle to improve the outlook of their body so they can have the kind of body type and image that they perceive to be perfect. The girls were found to have perfected an image of favorable body types in their minds and also observed to have developed a habitual tendency of evaluating the body of their peers through constant gazes (Olafson, 2002). It was ideally learnt that girls were expected to be always in control, to be graceful, and generally to be able to do at least all things. It was expected the girls should stay composed even if they got injured in the course of the physical exercises. When girls accidentally got injuries in the their face and looked funny, the boys mocked and looked down upon them (Olafson 2002). Besides being offended based on the way girls appear, the studies have also found that the nature of boys including their competitive behaviuor and body size is a significant factor that turn off girls during coeducational classes. Derry (2002) found that boys were very domineering during physical education and this was causing girls to reduce their level of participation. According to girls, boys have the habit of taking over everything in coeducational classes. A case in point is whereby boys have the perception that girls are less capable of doing things and hence always find themselves taking charge of everything (Derry, 2009). This concept is also found in Derry (2009) whereby a girl that was interviewed claimed that she did not like playing with boys because if she is given a chance to enter the pitch with them, she can hardly get a chance to touch the ball. On the other hand, the comments of teachers regarding this issue show that boys look down upon girls and have a perceptio n that physical education is too competitive for them to take part (Koca, 2009). Furthermore, girls are intimidated by the physical size and strength of boys. They also do not like their aggressive and intimidating attitude (Derry, 2002). Despite the degrading manner in which girls are treated by boys, Constantinou, et al. (2009) found that girls have a conviction that they are competitive and athletic. Constantinou, et al. (2009) added that the female students who believe they are athletic feel comfortable participating in physical activities together with boys because, as they said, this makes physical learning a fun and an interesting experience. Their findings were echoed by Olafson (2002) who agreed to the fact that they had fun in physical learning. In summary, there are study findings that have revealed that coeducational physical education is advantageous,, but at the same time there are other studies that have supported the idea that physical education should be based on single-sex. Generally, the students who were asked about their opinion regarding coeducational physical education, maintain that positive interaction with the other gender is the main advantage (Osborne, et al. 2002). Additionally, it is believed that coeducational environment promotes exchange of diverse ideas from both genders; but overall, the studies show that the majority of the students supports single-sex physical education (Osborne, et al). Methodology This study interviewed a total of 50 female students, 25 of whom will come from coeducational classes and the last 25 will come from single-sex physical education classes. The students that were selected to participate in the study had to be in the age bracket of 12 and 15 years and within school years 7 and 9. The female participants were asked a series of open-ended and semi-structured questions regarding their personal physical education experiences. To gather more information, the researcher repeated this process on 10 female physical education teachers, 5 of whom came from single-sex classes and 5 from coeducational classes. Throughout the interview, an audiotape was used to record the conversation and later transcribed for analysis. In order to supplement the audio interview with observable features, the researcher videotaped the proceedings with a camera. The study included 4 different secondary schools two of which were single sex physical education and the other two were coe ducational. To identify common themes, different categories were identified and grouped depending on the nature of the ideas, and henceforth the frequency counts were computed and responses were coded. Any information that was of no use was discarded appropriately. To ensure informed participation, Cone and Foster (2003) pointed out that it is critical to seek informed consent from the participants and also ensure their confidentiality. In this view, the researcher will ensure that a clear, informed and voluntary agreement is made by the participants (Ellis and Earley, 2006). The kind of informed consent, which will be used in this study, will have to meet specific requirements including a statement that the study is about research, specification of any experimental procedures, a description of the procedures that will be involved, an explanation of the purpose of the research, and details of the expected period of participants involvement (http://www.strath.ac.uk/, accessed, 22.02.2013). Results As discussed, the research involved both qualitative and quantitative techniques. The hypothesis that collected quantitative data stated that girls in single sex classes achieved significantly higher goals for learning football skills than girls in mixed-sex physical education classes. To achieve this, a questionnaire was adapted from the Fennema and Shermans Self-Confidence for Learning Mathematics Scale (1976), which was filled out by the students to reveal their opinions regarding their level of learning football skills. This scale is divided into three sub-scales levels that quantify goal achievement, which was categorised into footballs suitability of gender, confidence of learning, and effectiveness of football. To this effect, the researcher identified standard deviations, means, as well as t-test, with the aim of identifying the relevant relationship amongst different variables. Table 1 presents the standard deviations and the means of the sub-scales as derived from the SPSS. On the other hand, the results for the t-Test have been presented in Table 2, this shows the comparison of groupings which was taken after the tests. The total number of the questionnaires completed was 50, 25 from the mixed-sex settings and 25 from the single sex settings. The students answered 15 questions, which were allocated scores ranging from 1 to 4, whereby the highest scale represented the highest confidence level. This has shown that the means and standard deviations from the sub-scales reveal that girls in single-sex settings had a higher achievement of goals for learning football than girls in mixed-sex learning environments. The results of a t-test of the relationship between girls in mixed-sex settings and effectiveness variables of single sex classes revealed that the 2 groups were significantly different since the p-value for single-sex was higher than that of the mixed-sex (before-test 0.57 From the results of the interviews, the divide was apparent with some students preferring coeducational classes while others preferred single-gender physical education classes. The preference for either of the two PE environments was conducted with the help of a questionnaire and allowing the researcher to analyse the common themes qualitatively. Many of the girls explained that they preferred single-sex classes over mixed-education because they did not like the behaviour of boys who kept domineering and telling the teachers what to do hence causing a lot of trouble. One of the girls who provided this sentiment commented that coeducational PE is an unstable as the teachers are forced to waste a lot of time trying to force discipline into the uncooperative boys. These sentiments are similar to those proposed by Osborne et al. (2002), who observed that the majority of girls dislike the uncooperative nature of boys during coeducational PE classes and linking back to point made by Hoffma n et al. (2008) where he stated that boys receive more attention in class than girls. It may be that these girls have a preference for coeducational classes as they want to prove their abilities and skills to their opposite sex. In this respect, one of the female students maintained that she is good in sports and therefore felt good when sharing a pitch with boys so she could show them that she is also capable of playing football and others sports just like them or even better. Another female student revealed that she hated sharing a pitch with boys because she was worried about her looks, an observation that contrasted with Obsbone et al. (2002) conclusion that girls perform better when soccer is inclusive of both sexes. Koyucu (2010) agrees with this telling us that many young girls a very self conscious about their image, this mainly comes from the media and the way in which they portray many women. Students participation in physical education is ideally dependent on the environment of learning (Derry Phillips, 2004). The way students partake in the education environment in turn influences factors such as skills development, off-task behaviour, and activity time. One student who supported same-sex PE classes maintained that she did actually learn more when in a single sex environment simply because the instructor does not waste time trying to discipline the errant boys. She added that she concentrated more in single sex classes, and therefore gets a chance to practice what she has been taught. This observation had been echoed by Derry and Phyllips (2004), who noted that students who joined same-sex classes interacted more with teachers and had more time to learn. The interaction in same-sex classes was characterised by more girls approaching their instructors to ask questions than their counterparts in coeducational classes. From the open-ended questions as well as the observab le features, it seemed the structure in the PE classes was a great determinant of the way students interacted in classes. Apparently, the students as well as their teachers agreed that the classes are more fulfilling when students have more friends to interact with in the class. In this regards, a female student mentioned that she liked to play football in class when she had many friends to mingle with, because it made football more interesting. Elsewhere, a female student remarked that provided she was friendly to other classmates, she enjoyed working as a team with them because she communicated well with them. Another female student maintained that the majority of the boys were not only bigger, but also stronger than girls and this has caused girls to avoid boys during physical education. The comments of these students amplified those of Derry (2000), which found that girls are usually aware of the high athletic ability exhibited by boys, in addition to their noticeable strength a nd physical size, which supersedes those of girls. The differences between boys and girls was ideally a source of intimidation on the part of girls and hence they ignored boys that had bigger body sizes. In regards to class structure and social impact, the students and teachers revealed that the way peers treated each other was a critical factor influencing the way the students interacted. This perception was tied to the expectation set by teachers as well as the nature of the classroom environment. The students that were interviewed seemed to be very much aware of their learning environment as well as the way other people perceive their activities. Discussion The quantitative results from this study revealed that the effectiveness of learning football skills for girls in a single-sex environment is better than the girls effectiveness within a coeducational setting. A previous study by Lirgg (1994), has found that the girls in single-sex environments were more confident while learning PE lessons than their mixed-sex counterparts. It was also evident that the students skill levels were positively associated with the type of class. Those girls that were confident of their skills in football cited coeducational environment classes as their preference while the girls that were described as non-authorities identified with single-sex classes. The information regarding the opinion of girls on the way boys conducted themselves during physical education classes as well as the way the boys viewed their own conduct showed a rather negative side of boys. Many girls maintained that the boys have notoriously made the classes troublesome and were not cooperative at all. As such, the girls lamented that the uncooperative behaviour exhibited by boys was particularly annoying and caused trouble to the class environment. The girls were perturbed by the fact the teacher had to keep on ordering the boys to pay attention during PE classes. Perhaps, the boys could have had an opinion different from that of the girls because, from the review of literature, they do not perceive their conduct as disorderly and considers their behaviour as suitable. Hargreaves (1994) suggests that t

Creationism - The Theory of Evolution is not Logical Essay -- Biblical

Creationism - The Theory of Evolution is not Logical Genesis 1:1â€Å"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.† This quote, taken from the Hebrew Bible describes the belief that religious Jews and Christians follow. These two religions think that man, the earth, and the rest of the universe were originally created instead of the theory of evolution. This view on the origin of the earth is unique, because it was the first religion to practice monotheism (belief in one God), and that God alone created the universe. Contrary to African and Hindu theories, Jews and Christians believe that the world was created by one higher power. As explained in the Bible, God worked for six days. During these six days God created the entire universe. On day one, the planet Earth was formed ...

Lasers And Their Uses :: essays research papers

Lasers and Their Uses We have all at some point in our lives used or seen someone use a laser. They are used in compact disc players for stereos or computers, laser surgery, laser printers, holography, cutting and borring metals, communication, bar-code scanners, etc. Over the past three decades' lasers have become a tool used daily by many people and they have become very useful in scientific research. As you can see lasers are a very useful and important tool which is why I have chosen this topic to write about. The term laser is an acronym. It stands for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". They produce a narrow, intense beam of coherent light. In a laser the atoms or molecules of a crystal, like ruby or garnet-or of a gas, liquid, or other substance-are excited so that more of them are at higher energy levels than are at lower energy levels. If a photon whose frequency corresponds to the energy difference between the excited and ground states strikes an excited atom, the atom is stimulated, as it falls back to a lower energy state, to emit a second photon of the same frequency, in phase with and in the same direction as the bombarding photon. This process is called stimulated emission. The bombarding photon of the emitted photon may then strike other excited atoms, stimulating further emission of photons, all of the same frequency and phase. This process produces a sudden burst of coherent radiation as all the atoms discharge in a rapid chain reaction. The light beam produces is usually pencil thin and maintains its size and direction over very long distances. Lasers vary greatly in the way they look and what they are used for. Some lasers are as large as buildings while others can be the size of a grain of salt. There are many parts to lasers. I will now explain what they are and their uses. 1) Pumping systems: The pumping system is used to transmit energy to the atoms or molecules of the medium used in the laser. a. optical pumping systems uses photons provided by a source such as a Xenon gas flash lamp or another laser to transfer energy to the lasing material. The optical source must provide photons which correspond to the allowed transition levels of the lasing material. b. collision pumping relies on the transfer of energy to the lasing material by collision with the atoms or molecules of the lasing material. Again, energies which correspond to the allowed transition must be provided. This often done by electrical discharge in a pure gas - or gas mixture - in a tube.

Biometric Security Technology Essay -- Technological Computers Essays

Biometric Security Technology You have seen biometric technology in the films Mission: Impossible and Gattaca. The technology has also graced the covers of many weekly news magazines. But many people, even though the technology has been widely talked about for the last half decade, are still surprisingly unaware of what biometrics are and why the technology is so important for computer security and personal identification. Biometrics are automated methods of recognizing a person based on a physical or behavioral characteristic (2001). Essentially, biometric security technologies are used to accurately identify individuals on a unique trait. The most common biometric security techniques used currently are: signature verification, face geometry, finger scan, hand geometry, passive iris scan, retina scan, and voice print (2004c). According to The Biometric Consortium, 'enterprise-wide network security infrastructures, government IDs, secure electronic banking, investing and other financial transactions, retail sales, law enforcement, and health and social services are currently benefiting from biometrics' (2001). Though biometric technology will soon be commonplace on personal home computers and small company computer systems, the high cost of biometric security means that, for the most part, currently only federal, state, and local governments, the military, and large corporations will be able to afford the new technology. That said, however, hardware manufacturers and software developers are currently creating and selling products for the office user who wants to protect their machines from nosey coworkers (2004a). And Microsoft, developer of the world?s most popular computer operating system, said newer versions ... ...ion.html [23 June 2004]. (2002, February 18). About Biometrics. Information Technology Laboratory. [Online]. Available: http://www.itl.nist.gov/div893/biometrics/about.html [23 June 2004]. Bertolucci, James. (2004a, June 25). Products for the Paranoid. PC World [Online]. Available: http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116573,00.asp [23 June 2004]. Mace, Scott. (2004b, February 24). Gates Previews Security Projects. PC World [Online]. Available: http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,114916,00.asp [23 June 24]. O?Brien, James A. (2004c). Management Information Systems: Managing Information Technology in the Business Enterprise. New York: McGraw-Hill. Newell, Adrienne. (2004d, March 19). Are Biometrics Coming to a PC Near You? PC World [Online]. Available: http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,115289,00.asp [23 June 2004].

Religion and Morality Essay

Morality as dependant on religion The idea of whether morality and religion are linked or not was first looked upon by Plato, where in his Euthyphro Dilemma he asks, ‘Is what is pious loved by the Gods because it is pious, or is something pious because it is loved?’ In other words he is questioning whether things are good because God commands them to be, or does God command them because they are good? I will first examine the view followed by theists today, that things are good because God loves them and that religion and morality are linked. There are a number of ways which you can establish a possible link between religion and morality, the first being heteronomously. Heteronomy is the view that morality depends on religious belief, or things derived from religion. The rules in heteronomous societies are from religious authority so will obviously be linked to religion, however a non-religious person is still capable of being heteronomous as they live and abide by the culture’s laws therefore adopting a morality based on religion. To a certain extent it is hard to deny aspects of heteronomy, since words like ‘good’ and ‘evil’ are shaped by religion. It would be hard to present an ethical theory free from these terms. A theonomous link can also be made, where morality and religion depend on one source (for example, in Western cultures God) who is the fundamental designer of what is moral. Unlike Heteronomy, Theonomy does not require a religious authority as it is to do with the individual’s personal belief in the aforementioned source. The Natural Law theory developed by Aquinas is considered theonomous, in which an uncaused cause is the creative source for all. We can access God directly in this theory by fulfilling our purposes in life set by Him at our creation. The view that things are good through God’s command is directly illustrated in The Divine Command Theory, the common theory adopted by believers in the God of Classical Theism. According to Emil Brunner (1947), ‘The Good consists in always doing what God wills at any particular moment’, as it essentially impossible for God to command an evil act. If nothing was commanded or forbidden by God then there would be no wrong or right and arguably, there would be chaos. The DCT can be seen to provide a strong foundation for a stable necessary morality to be built upon as well as personal reasons to abide by it. For example, taken from the views of Kant (although not directly aimed at the DCT) the belief in the existence of an afterlife gives us incentive to live a moral life, which we otherwise may not be able to force ourselves to do. The presence of such an afterlife, and the fear of punishment make it rational (According to William Craig) to go against your own self-interest for the benefit of others, as self-sacrificial acts are looked upon well by God. This provides more answers to the question ‘Why be Moral?’ The DCT can be accessed through the Decalogue in the Bible (Exodus 20, old Testament), which provides a set of ten absolute, deontological commands by God. Also through the New Testament in Jesus’ ‘Sermon on the Mount’ where he makes laws much more situationalist with teachings such as ‘Love your neighbour’, which are flexible and apply to many situations. Finally, many theists argue that it does not make sense for morals to exist in a non-moral universe as there is nowhere they originate from, they don’t fit into a natural universe. They do however fit into a theistic universe where they were created by a moral creator (i.e God), it is then easy to see why they exist. This is supported by philosophers such as John Newman who states that feelings of responsibility and guilt point to God, and by D.I Trethowan, who suggests that an awareness of obligation is an awareness of God. Aii) Morality as independent from Religion A belief in morality as being totally independant from God is an autonomous belief, and there are many arguments in compliance with Autonomy, very much to do with the idea of free-will. If we really are to act with personal freedom of choice then we cannot act out of fear of God’s punishment, it totally voids the notion of free-will; and if God is omniscient and omnipotent he would know what decisions we are to make anyway and he would have the ability to stop us making the wrong ones. James Rachels concludes that no being like God can exist who requires us to abandon our moral autonomy is worth worshipping. There are theories in concurrence with Autonomy which allow still for a good, firm morality without dependency on religion such as Utilitarianism (greatest good for greatest number) so it can be said that religion is unnecessary There are many autonomous arguments against the DCT, beginning with the fact that God himself is not bound by any moral law. This would mean that God’s Ten Commandments could easily have been totally the opposite to what they are, encouraging acts like murder and we would still consider them to be good as God is the epitemy of good. This worrying problem was recognized by philosophers such as G.W Leibniz, who decreed, ‘Why praise him for what he has done, if he would be equally as praiseworthy if he had done the contrary?’ There is belief that if God had commanded acts such as murder, people still would not do them as we through our intuition feel they are intrinsically wrong. Another difficulty with the DCT lies in the many different interpretations which can be drawn from God. The existence of lots of different religions all with equal claim to God makes it very complicated as we cannot tell which one is right. Also, if morality depends on God then surely it would be impossible for an atheist to live a moral life, but this is obviously untrue as so many atheists do live morally. Further criticisms of the DCT stem from its assumption that God is omnibenevolent, a claim which is not easy to comprehend for the atheist because of the undeniable existence of evil. Lastly, many people argue that religion is itself immoral, as it is through religion that the most part of suicide bomb attacks, and other horrific acts are carried out. Examples could be drawn from the events in America involving the Twin Towers, or more recently the teacher in Sudan who is imprisoned for allowing a teddy to be named after the prophet Muhammad. If not for religion, these arguably ridiculous acts would never be justifiable. Hume said on the subject, ‘the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous. Richard Dawkins in ‘The God Delusion’, clearly advocates the theory that religion is immoral when he discusses the story of Lot. This ‘righteous’ man is to be saved from the destruction of Soddom and Gomorrah because he is the most worthy man, however he offers his daughters for gang rape. According to Dawkins this emphasizes the serious disrespect for women in an intensely religious culture. B) To what extent is one of these claims more convincing than the other Going back to the basics of the Divine Command Theory, there are 613 commands in the Bible which were originally in effect, but are not now because they are ‘outdated’, and theists argue that an omniscient God used them knowing they would be relevant for different times. These theists fail, however to a provide a logical explanation for why there is nothing in the Bible which can be related to biological advances such as cloning, an omniscient God should be capable of filling in these gaps in moral law. Furthermore, as Dawkins relevantly points out – how can someone decide that parts of the Bible are now irrelevant, this is just picking and choosing which parts are in your best interest to follow. This suggests that the Bible and therefore the DCT does not in fact provide a stable foundation for morality as there are numerous conclusions to be drawn from ‘relevant’ parts. It must also be taken into consideration that the Bible is not in its original form, through hundreds of years it has been composed and revised so (as put forward by Dawkins again) does it not seem strange that we base our whole morality on such a distorted teaching. Another feature of the DCT, is that everyone will be judged by God, punished for their sins, often in the form of natural disasters. People could say that the recent tsunami and Hurricane Katrina incidents were a form of punishment, but as Dawkins once again highlights, why did this have to happen? It is hard to believe that everyone who died in these disasters was evil, so why could our omnipotent God of Classical Theism not just strike down the individuals without causing so much collateral damage. Moreover, this persuasively further argues the immoral messages religion can be seen to give. Often, it is argued that the set in stone rules of the DCT inspire people to live a moral life out of the incentive of making it to heaven, and avoiding hell. This may be true, but does it not tarnish the goodness of an act when it is done out of selfish reason? Does it then make that act immoral? Yes it does, so it can then be said that the DCT again fails to provide a stable, reasonable basis for morality. These set in stone rules are also cause for discussion, as they are obviously inarguable to a Divine Command Theorist. To them, consequentialist views such as killing someone to save a greater number would undisputedly be wrong. Even if our intuition is what is telling us that defying a command is right, the believer in DCT would say it is our intuition at fault; They do, however fail to take into consideration that by their own decrees intuition is given to us by God to live morally, so why would we intuitively want to go against God? Dawkins’ arguments suggest that religion is responsible for the most part of evil in the world and his descriptions of people like terrorists as e.g. ‘Not psychotic; they are religious idealists who, by their own lights, are rational’ certainly make sense. However he makes it seem that no religious person has the capacity to do good, which can easily be refuted at the mere mention of the names Mother Theresa, or Martin Luther King. He also unsurprisingly doesn’t mention the likes of atheist like Stalin who birthed communism in Russia. Despite this, the majority of Dawkins views and the massive flaws in the DCT show the latter statement in the initial question (‘Is something good because God commands it, or does God command something because it is good?’) to be the most convincing of the two. Although the DCT offers a way for humanity to be good, religion itself harbors too many inconsistencies to base everything we stand for on.