Dystopian Societies-1984 vs Fahrenheit 451

Dystopian Visions An imaginative society consisting of oppressive squalor in which all are heavily restricted by the absolute superiority of the ruling party. A society where repression and restrictions seem boundless, while the individual liberty of the citizen seems boundlessly obstructed. A society where mental deprivation and deception is the goal of the guardian; a society where misery and poverty are thrust upon the unsuspectingly loyal citizens; a society where the well- being of the people are of imperceptible acknowledgement, yet its inhabitants have been manipulated into perceiving such as utopian. Contrary to their deceit induced perceptions, these characteristics are quite the opposite of utopian, they are dystopian! Many authors portray their own vision of a dystopia through novels. Two highly intriguing dystopian novels are George Orwell’s, â€Å"1984,† and Ray Bradbury’s, â€Å"Fahrenheit 451. † Their visions were strikingly similar as the themes were both based on totalitarian governments maintaining control through propaganda and mental/social deprivation (mostly corporate and bureaucratic controls, although technological control was utilized). The protagonists find themselves in almost identical situations, for they have become enlightened of the misery, sacrifice, and evil that their society possesses. But they must conceal their knowledge, leaving them trapped, although they could not keep it hidden forever. In both novels came the mental sheltering of the society to thwart contradicting or rebellious thought that would come with the enlightenment of the sacrifices the society was withstanding. This social and mental control would render the majority of society incapable of independent thought, allowing the injustices to proceed. Forced ignorance masked the evil the government had laid upon them and if one were to unveil the ignorance, they had to conceal it with their lives. In both novels, those who could not shield their enlightenment would fall victim to the strong and cunning police forces of the society. These forces would brutally murder and vanquish the existence of those free of the government’s mental sanitation. As shown by the â€Å"thought police† in â€Å"1984†. This shows the extent to which the extinction of information and individuality was pursued. Another shared characteristic, although much more obvious in â€Å"1984,† is the use of propaganda in manipulating the people. In ‘Fahrenheit 451,† the propaganda came in the form of death. They would publically kill those who disobeyed, just as you see in the end of movie when they murder â€Å"Montag†. In â€Å"1984,† the society was infested with â€Å"Big Brother† propaganda. With posters, â€Å"Two Minutes Hate†, inflated numbers, and constant reassurance of â€Å"Big Brother† being the flawless and great protector of everyone, they deceived the people. I would like to point out the fact that they didn’t share the same figurehead type worship. In â€Å"1984,† everything and everyone was focused and revolved around â€Å"Big Brother†, whereas in â€Å"Fahrenheit 451,† there wasn’t as much as the singular idol to worship and direct praise towards. These societies painted by Bradbury and Orwell both utilized mental and social hindrance, through strong regulations. This type of control is otherwise known as the bureaucratic control. In â€Å"Fahrenheit 451† they put heavy restrictions on literature, and would incinerate all books they could locate. In â€Å"1984,† they were absolutely relentless with their regulations, even the wrong facial expression could get you killed. Corporate control was also highly utilized in these societies. Specifically, they would brainwash you as a daily routine called â€Å"Two Minutes Hate† in the, â€Å"1984,† novel. Here is an example of the Two Minute Hate’s effect on the people, â€Å"a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledge hammer, seemed to flow through the whole group of people like an electric current†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Orwell14). The government successfully manipulated the inhabitants into loving and feeling completely dependent to â€Å"Big Brother† and the government, while completely despising whoever â€Å"Big Brother† portrayed as the enemy. Big Brother† altered everything to make him seem absolutely flawless and created a false sense of superior and improving living conditions. All of this advertising and false media was not unique to, â€Å"1984,† though. In â€Å"Fahrenheit 451,† the government would use the media to show the deaths of those who broke regulations in place. Technological control was a third control used, as Telescreen monitors were implanted everywhere in â€Å"1984,† to ensure complete surveillance to avoid any risk of conspiracies or deviation from their norms. In â€Å"Fahrenheit 451,† they had robotic dogs that could sniff out and locate any human needed. The protagonists in these novels, Montag and Winston, are both unique to their society for they had the power to unveil the mask of ignorance and be enlightened to the true colors of the society they lived in. They both felt trapped and desperately needed to escape or alter their society. The differences between them and the others are made even more apparent by their wives and how they end up feeling about them. Winston mentally nicknamed his wife, â€Å"the human sound track,† (Orwell66) during their relationship. This being very similar to Montag’s feeling towards his bland and uninteresting wife as well. They both are overwhelmed by the now painfully visible misery and evil their society consists of, but must protect such thoughts with their lives. A significant difference between the two characters is the fact that Guy Montag was successful with his attempt to better society, for his city was destroyed leaving it up to him and some others to rebuild society. This unlike Winston, who was captured, tortured, and then allowed back into society with a new conformist attitude. These novels are criticizing the paths and patterns that human governments tend to take. With governments concealing/censoring information from the people and corruption being so widespread and apparent; these authors are presenting a possible outcome of our chronic blunder. Orwell was even directly criticizing the rule of Stalin in his day and how horrible such a society is and can be. These societies reflect the negatives of our society in a bloated and extreme way and if these relevant evils are not eliminated, our society is at risk of being reduced to a dreaded dystopia.

Swimming allows the body to burn calories

Swimming is one of the best exercises to get a person into shape.   From a scientific perspective, swimming has been found to be the ideal physical fitness activity.It targets many of the body’s muscles and helps strengthen and develop one’s body.   In fact, most researchers agree that swimming is the only activity that works on the entire body by improving a person’s cardiovascular conditioning, increasing a person’s muscle strength, improving one’s endurance, fixing one’s posture and making one more flexible all at the same time.These benefits that one can gain from swimming are unmatched by any sport as only swimming offers all of these benefits.   This short report shall discuss a few of the more specific reasons why swimming is the ideal physical fitness activity.The first reason, as already mentioned, is that swimming gives one a complete body workout.   It benefits the cardiovascular system without straining one’s heart and improves a person’s use of oxygen.   The timed breathing required in swimming conditions the body and allows a person to improve not only his endurance but also a person’s lung capacity.Swimming is also a perfect complement for cross-training workouts.   As a person who swims becomes more fit, the resting heart rate and respiratory rate is reduced thus allowing for more blood to flow into the heart and making the lungs more efficient.   Since swimming gives a complete body workout, it also allows one to burn calories faster than in any other sport.   A runner, on average, burns as many calories on a six mile run in one hour as a swimmer who was been swimming for one hour has burned.   Swimming not only develops one’s body but also helps people lose weight fast and helps keep people in good health.Another reason why swimming is considered as an ideal exercise arises from the fact that when a person swims the impact on the joints and bones is signifi cantly reduced by the buoyancy of the water.   The weight bearing environment of swimming therefore provides little stress to the body’s connective tissue and joints.This means that the body is not only strengthened but also protected from the wear and tear on the bones and joints.   Since a person weighs nearly 1/10th of his or her body weight in water, there is less gravitational stress on the body.   This greatly reduces the incidence of injuries and allows for a relatively rigorous and injury free work out.Swimming allows the body to burn calories at a rate of about three (3) calories a mile per pound of bodyweight.   Therefore, if a person weights approximately 150 (lbs) pounds and it take that person thirty (30) minutes to swim one (1) mile, which is about 1,760 yards or 1,600 meters, then that person will be burning almost 900 calories in one (1) hour.It is important to remember of course that these estimates may vary for different swimmers depending on skill a nd actual degree of physical conditioning.One of the most difficult things that a person encounters when getting into shape is the boredom from the routine.   Swimming is not only great exercise but it is also an entertaining activity.   It is fun for not only individuals but for groups as well and makes it easier for people who want to get in shape keep up their routine without getting bored.From a psychological perspective, swimming allows people to relax and swim with very little effort.   When a swimmer gets into the rhythm of swimming and allows the mind to focus on the stroke, it is similar to a form of meditation that provides the body with an overall feeling of general well being.Studies have shown that people who swim in the mornings or begin their days by swimming are more likely to have more energy for the rest of the day and are less likely to feel stressed or pressured.Swimming does not only give a person the psychological feeling of well being but also helps in o ther aspects such as the development of certain life skills namely sportsmanship, time-management, self-discipline, goal-setting, and an increased sense of self-worth through their participation in the sport.These reasons have led to the establishment of swimming as one of the best exercises to help a person maintain a healthy physique.

Reflection in Higher Education Learning Essay

Personal development planning (PDP) can involve different forms of reflection and reflective learning. Much has been written and said about reflection in recent times, but for many, it remains a somewhat mysterious activity – or is it a capacity? Whatever it is, if the titles of modules and courses, and references in QAA benchmark statements are anything to go by, we are using it extensively in a range of contexts in learning and professional development in higher education. This paper is intended to provide a background to reflection and reflective learning for the development of PDP within the higher education sector. It will provide a brief guide to current thinking about reflection, a discussion of its application in higher education learning and some practical support for the use of reflective activities. Developing a conception of reflection Like many topics in higher education, the notion of reflection has encouraged both a theoretical and a practical literature. The focus of this paper is primarily on the practical uses of reflection but a brief discussion of theoretical approaches will locate the thinking in an academic context and it will facilitate further study of the topic where this is required. The aim in this section is to produce a conception of reflection that takes account of the theory but that can be applied practically and usefully in formal and informal learning contexts. But we start from where we are†¦.. Starting from where we are†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦a common-sense view of reflection There is no point in defining reflection in a manner that does not relate to the everyday use of the word if further confusion is not to be created. ‘Reflection’ a word we use in everyday conversation. What might we mean by it? In common-sense terms, reflection lies somewhere around the notion of learning. We reflect on something in order to consider it in more detail (eg ‘Let me reflect on that for a moment’). Usually we reflect because we have a purpose for reflecting – a goal to reach. Sometimes we find ourselves ‘being reflective’ and out of that ‘being reflective’, something ‘pops up’. There has been no conscious purpose as such – but there is a useful outcome and there may have been a subconscious purpose. It is also apparent that we reflect on things that are relatively complicated. We do not reflect on a simple addition sum – or the route to the corner shop. We reflect on things for which there is not an obvious or immediate solution. Often the latter will be instigated by or associated with a range of feelings and the experience of such reflection may be emotional or spiritual. We return to issues concerning emotion and reflec tion later. It would seem that reflection is thus a means of working on what we know already. We put into the reflection process knowledge that we already have (thoughts, ideas, feelings etc), we may add new information and then we draw out of it something that accords with the purpose for which we reflected. A simple definition of reflection might be: Reflection is a form of mental processing – like a form of thinking – that we use to fulfil a purpose or to achieve some anticipated outcome. It is applied to relatively complicated or unstructured ideas for which there is not an obvious solution and is largely based on the further processing of knowledge and understanding and possibly emotions that we already possess (based on Moon 1999): Some theoretical approaches to reflection Reflection is theorised in so many different ways that it might seem that we a looking at range of human capacities rather than apparently one. To start with, we review briefly several of what might be called the ‘classical’ approaches. John Dewey wrote on the educational implications of a range of human mental functions over the earlier years of the twenty first century. His work was based on keen observation of the functioning of others and reflection on his own processes. Dewey’s interest in his own processes makes his writing particularly interesting in the current context. It appears that somewhere in the middle part of this century education researchers forgot that they are people too with, between their finger-tips, an amazingly useful resource from which to learn about human functioning. The return to this understanding could be seen to be an important benefit of the interest in reflection. The legitimacy of ‘I’ and ‘my functioning’ is being re-established and the role of personal development planning will also carry this forward in the near future. Dewey saw reflection as a specialised form of thinking. He described it as: ‘a kind of thinking that consists in turning a subject over in the mind and giving it serious thought’. His definition of reflection is that it is: ‘Active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it, and further conclusions to which it leads†¦it includes a conscious and voluntary effort to establish belief upon a firm basis of evidence and rationality’ (Dewey, 1933). Jurgen Habermas (1971) focused on the way in which humans process ideas and construct them into knowledge. Reflection plays a role in this process. Habermas talked about three kinds of knowledge –  instrumental knowledge – where we know ‘how’ or ‘that’ and where the concern of the knowledge is to understand and thereby function within, and control our human environment. – knowledge that is concerned with the interpretation of human action and behaviour. We largely ‘interpret’ in the social sciences in order to better our understanding of society and human behaviour. – knowledge that is a way of working with knowledge, acting on the first two forms of knowledge. This form of knowledge is developed through critical or evaluative modes of thinking and leads towards the emancipation or transformation of personal, social or other situations. It concerns the quality of the bases on which we make judgements. There is some disagreement about the role of reflective processes in the development of instrumental knowledge – given that the development of sophisticated science can match this form of knowledge. However, it certainly has an important role in the interpretation and comparisons of understanding in the second level and in the critical and evaluative modes of the third. David Kolb (1984) is well known for his development of the Kolb cycle – or cycle of experiential learning. The cycle is drawn in many different ways using different words that sometimes seem to affect its meaning. It is depicted below in a simplified manner that it is not too far from Kolb’s words: Concrete experiencing (have an experience) Active experimentation Reflective observation (try out what you have learned)(reflect on the experience) Abstract conceptualising (learn from the experience) The cycle revolves with new learning undergoing active experimentation and ‘recycled’ through new experiencing. In this way what was a cycle becomes a spiral (Cowan 1998). Thus Kolb considered reflection as a mental activity that has a role in learning from experience. In the Kolb cycle, reflection features as a development of the process of observation – and apparently it occurs before a person has learnt. Others would see reflection as part of learning and part of the processing of material already learned, having a  kind of cognitive ‘housekeeping role’ as well as generating new learning (Moon, 1999a). The notion of reflection as part of the means of learning something new seems to conflict with the common-sense use of the term (above). There is a massive literature on experiential learning, much of which is based on the Kolb cycle, and much of which perhaps over simplifies what is an immensely complex activity. While the cycle does have has value, it may say more about how we manage the learning of others, than about the process of learning per se (ie. it is more about the teaching process). Donald Schon focused on reflection in professional knowledge and its development (1983, 1987). He suggested that there is a crisis in the professions related to a mis-understanding of the relationship of theory to practice and of the kind of theory that a professional uses to guide her practice. The espoused theory – as learnt in formal institutions and in professional training – is not the theory that proficient professionals eventually use to guide practice. They build up an expertise from their practice (theory-in-use) by being reflective. Schon noted that the theory in use tends to be tacit. Professionals are not necessarily able to describe the basis on which they act. A particular role of professional development is to make this ‘knowing-in-action’ explicit so that it can be the subject of further reflection and conscious development. Schon suggests that there are two types of relevant reflection. Reflection-on-action is the reviewing that occurs after an event while reflection-in-action is part of the processing of an effective practitioner while actually acting. There are doubts expressed about the existence of a form of reflection that occurs while an individual is acting (eg Eraut, 1994) and sometimes Schon has been inconsistent in his writing. However he has had great influence in stirring up debate on the nature of professional knowledge and the role of reflection in professional education. Many others have written about reflection, most developing ideas from those mentioned above. Examples are Boud, Keogh and Walker, 1985; Boud and  Walker, 1998; Cowan, 1998, and Brockbank and McGill, 1998. Much of the material in this paper is derived from Moon, 1999 which takes a broader and sometimes more critical view of reflection and focuses on its relationship to learning. We thus have described a common-sense view of reflection and those of four influential theorists but we could be reviewing four different human activities that happen to have the same name – reflection. Might there be a common idea lurking there, or an explanation as to how the ideas could fit together? Moon (1999) suggests that the differences in approach are accounted for largely by different focuses – either on the process of reflection, on the purpose for it or the outcomes of reflection – in effect, how it is used. Schon, for example, is concerned about reflection as a mechanism for professional and perhaps personal development while Habermas is concerned with its role in the building of theory. Kolb explores the role of reflection in learning – setting a context for it, but referring relatively little to reflection itself. Dewey is exceptional in taking a holistic view of reflection as a process – a view that accords with the common sense definition above. Before we pull these ideas into a summarising model there is one more stray factor that some, but not all of the approaches to reflection mention and that is the role of emotion in reflection. Some theorists see the role of emotion in reflection as very significant and frequently neglected (eg. Boud, Keogh and Walker, 1985). However, there are questions to be asked. Is the emotional content of reflection always present and influential? We would seem to be able to reflect on a number of ideas without emotional content to the reflection. Then – are emotional effects the subject matter of the input and output of reflection (like other ideas on which reflection occurs), or do they steer the process of reflection (acting as a kind of milieu in which reflection takes place). Could they be part of the process of reflection? If they are part of the input and / or outcome – is it ‘knowledge of how I feel’ or is it the actual feeling that is part of the  input and / or outcome? All of these seem to fit experiences of reflection and there is no clear answer in the literature. A relatively simple input – outcome model of reflection seems to summarise the variety of approaches to reflection in the literature. It locates the approach of Dewey and the common-sense definition as concerned with the input and the actual psychological event of reflecting with others largely concerned with the outcomes of reflection. In other words, it suggests that reflection is a simple process but with complex outcomes that relate to many different areas of human functioning. Fig 1 provides a summary of these ideas and a basis for the consideration of reflection in PDP. Broadly it adopts the definition for the process of reflection on page 2 but recognises that there are different contexts for reflection that often influence our understanding of its meaning.Fig 1 An input / outcome model of reflection The relationship between reflection and learning What is the relationship between reflection and learning? Much has been written about both reflection and learning and there seems to be an assumption that reflection is related to learning – but what is the relationship? We explore it in this section (there is more detail in Moon, 1999) Reflection and the learner’s approach to learning One set of ideas that seems to be significant to unravelling the relationship between learning and reflection within the process of learning seem to be the research on approaches to learning (Marton, Hounsell and Entwistle, 1997). This research suggests that there is a fundamental difference in success in learning between adopting a ‘deep’ approach and a ‘surface’ approach to a learning task. A deep approach is where the intention of the learner is to understand the meaning of the material. She is willing to integrate it into her existing body of previous ideas, and understandings, reconsidering and altering her understandings if necessary. The new ideas are ‘filed’ carefully and integrated. In contrast, a surface approach to  learning is where a learner is concerned to memorise the material for what it is, not trying to understand it in relation to previous ideas or other areas of understanding. It is as if the new ideas need to be retained f or the moment, but not ‘filed’ for any lasting purpose. These approaches to learning are not ‘either or’ situations, but at extremes of a continuum and the same learner may choose to learn differently according to the task at hand. The conception of a continuum of approaches to learning allows us to hypothesise a hierarchy of stages of learning along the continuum that characterise surface and then progressively deeper approaches to learning. This is a useful device when we attempt to locate reflection in the process. It is important to note that we cannot actually see that learning has occurred, we can see only the results of learning which can be termed the ‘representation of learning’. The same area of learning might be represented in different ways – writing, oral account, graphic display and so on and it is through the description of the representation of learning that we identify the stages of learning. The stages are as follows: Noticing, – the least detailed form of learning – you cannot learn something if you do not notice it at some level (which could be unconscious). Representation is of the material is as memorised, modified only by the degree to which it is forgotten. Making sense – getting to know the material as coherent – but only in relation to itself. Facts may be fitted together like a jigsaw but not related to previous understandings. Representation is coherent reproduction, but not related to other ideas and not processed. Making meaning – the beginnings of deep approach – there is a sense of meaningfulness but there is not much evidence of going beyond the given. Representation is of ideas that are integrated and well linked. There is the beginning of development of a holistic view. Working with meaning – a sense now of going beyond the given, linking into other ideas. There is the creation of relationships of new material with other ideas. Representation is reflective, well structured and demonstrates the linking of material with other ideas which may change as a result. Transformative learning – evidence that the new learning has transformed current understandings in reflective processes. Representation demonstrates strong restructuring of ideas and ability to evaluate the processes of reaching that learning. There are creative / idiosyncratic responses. On the basis of this model, There are at least three ways in which reflection might be seen as relating to learning. a) Reflection has a role in the deeper approaches to learning – the last three stages described above, but not in surface approaches to learning (the first two stages); b) We learn from representing learning – when we write an essay or explain something or draw a picture of it, we represent it to ourselves and learn from the re-processing (Eisner, 1991). This is a reflective process; c) We ‘upgrade’ learning. For example, we can go back to ideas learnt only to the stage of ‘making sense’ (eg in the form of facts – bits and pieces) and can reprocess those ideas through reflection, integrating them with current understandings (Vygotsky, 1978). This might be conceived as a kind of ‘chewing the cud’ exercise – or cognitive housekeeping (see earlier). These forms of learning from reflection are commonly exploited in the patterns of higher education pedagogy. In the case of the first (a), there is much literature on the encouragement of students to take a deep approach to learning (Marton et al, (1997). At the same time, there is acknowledgement that nature of current higher education may inhibit these attempts (lack of contact with students, the ‘boxed’ nature of learning in a modular system etc). In particular it is worth remembering that assessment tends to drive student learning and if students (can) perceive that a deep  approach is the manner in which to succeed in a learning task, they are more likely to adopt such an approach. In terms of learning from the representation of learning (b), we ask students to reprocess their learning into essays, examinations, reports and explanations in tutorials. It is interesting to consider the implications of Eisner’s suggestion that we learn differently from different forms of representation. In different forms of representation we exploit reflection differently. We probably do not fully enough exploit the representation of learning as a means of enhancing learning in current higher education. A well functioning tutorial system is an example of a means by which we encourage students to upgrade their learning (c). A student lecture is not ideal ground for taking a deep approach to learning. It seems likely that the attempt to get notes down on paper would interfere with the processing involved in taking a deep approach to learning. Preparation for and involvement in a tutorial is the opportunity for many students to reflect on and process their learning into a more meaningful state – in other words, to ‘re-file’ it. Revision for examinations is another opportunity for review of previous learning such that understanding is deepened (Entwistle and Entwistle, 1992). It is interesting to note that the value of the Kolb cycle (see above), and the whole notion that learning is enhanced through experimentation or ‘doing’ is explained by a) and b). If learners are required to represent their learning in some meaningful activity, they will have have been forced to adopt a deep approach to the learning in the first place – or to upgrade their surface quality learning (c ) into more meaningful material. Reflection provides the right conditions for learning We have suggested above some ways in which reflection is immediately related to the learning process, but there also seem to be other forms of this relationship that are usefully described in the notion that the activity of reflection provides the right conditions for good learning (Moon, 1999a).  We summarise these ideas below, continuing the lettering system from above since these are more ways in which learning and reflection are interrelated. d) Reflection slows down activity, giving the time for the learner to process material of learning and link it with previous ideas. There is evidence that when a lecturer pauses in a lecture, the ‘wait time’ enables students to learn better (Tobin, 1987). We could more often stop and ask students to think about an issue that has arisen in a lecture (etc). e) Reflection enables learners to develop greater ‘ownership’ of the material of learning, making it more personally meaningful to themselves and improving their grasp of it (Rogers, 1969). It will also enhance the student’s ‘voice’ in her learning (Elbow, 1981). f) A particularly important means by which reflective activity generally supports learning is through the encouragement of metacognition. Metacognition is the awareness of one’s own cognitive functioning – in this case, learning. There is evidence that good learners have better metacognitive processes than poor learners (Ertmer and Newby, 1996). Study skills programmes that support learner’s awareness of their learning processes seem to be more successful than those that focus on techniques (Main, 1985). g) We suggested above that reflection occurs when we are dealing with material that is relatively complicated – or ill-structured. If we are encouraging students to reflect, we are, in a sense, challenging their learning. There is evidence that it is by challenging learners with ill-structured material of learning, that they improve their cognitive ability (King and Kitchener, 1994). 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Should we assess it?’, Assessment and Evaluation in HE 21, (2), pp121 – 130 Tobin, K (1987) ‘The role of wait time in higher cognitive learning’, Review of Educational Research, 57, (1), 69 – 75 Vygotsky, L (1978) Mind in Society, the development of higher psychological processes, Harvard University press, Cambridge, MA Watton, P and Moon, J, (2002 – in preparation) A collection of papers on work experience (not title yet), SEDA, Birmingham Wagenaar, T (1984) ‘Using student journals in sociology courses’, Teaching Sociology, 11, pp419 – 437 Young, A and Fulwiler, T (1986) Writing across the Disciplines, Boynton / Cook, Upper Montclair, New Jersey

Engineering Products Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Engineering Products Case Study - Essay Example 443-444). 1. EP is a British engineering firm. It is a first-tier supplier mainly of automotive components, with production and sales divisions located in the UK, Continental Europe (mainly France, Germany and Spain), North America, and other parts of the world. More than two-thirds of its workforce is in Continental Europe, which also accounts for nearly half of worldwide sales. 2. Customers, which comprise the multinational final produces for cards, demand a standardized product and have sought to standardise their methods of production through the sharing of â€Å"best practices†. 4. While generally the local company supplies local customers, Headquarters has taken a greater role in making decisions about sourcing, even entailing moving production from one country to another. The movement involves not only volumes but also manufacturing processes, thus encouraging greater coordination of manufacturing processes among the local companies. a. A performance-related-pay (PRP) package was implemented among the division’s plants, but local circumstances such that there were inequities in the measures of performance, the proportion of the workforce covered and the amount of their pay subject to performance measures; and c. International integration heightened internal competition among plants. One advantage is that afforded upward mobility to managers from all countries, and has abolished limits for promotions to within particular countries. However, it also engendered coercive comparisons among plants, reducing the bargaining power of employees, at times with the specific threat of closure. Environments and Operations (2004, p. 452), centralization for decision making and, thus, standardization, is determined by the pressure for global integration as against the pressure for responsiveness to local conditions. EP manufactures mainly

Reading and assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading and assignment - Essay Example They form the basis through which voters decide who to vote for in elections. In America, it has become a common practice in elections for voters to decide on a cause or a political party first before considering the candidates that they would vote for. For instance, most American voters are attached to either Republicans or Democrats political parties (Wilson, DiIulio & Bose, 2011). During the nomination of candidates within political parties, voters supporting a political party may differ on candidates, but in the general elections all members of a party will vote for their chosen candidate whether they nominated them or not. Candidates who belong to a party which has more members are most likely to win the elections. The main goal of electing public executives is to unite political parties and draw a distinguished feature from other groups. Determining who makes up or who leads a political party is difficult. However, a political as an electorate body may be described to include all citizens who identify themselves with the party whether they are registered members of the party or not (Santos, 2011). As long as they identify themselves as members or vote for the party in elections, then they may be considered as part of the political party. As an organization, a political party consists of institutions such as national committees who run the affairs of the party and ensure that everything is done in accordance with the goals of the party and towards the achievement of the political party’s objectives. Finally, a political party in government is composed of elected and appointed officials affiliated with the party. A good example of this is Barrack Obama’s government and the House A ssembly. Political parties play a key role in campaigns. The national party committees and legislative campaign committees recruit candidates and carry out

Current impression of the american legal system Essay

Current impression of the american legal system - Essay Example Go back to the beginning: Problems arise between people; many of the problems go away by themselves, and others are solved through negotiation, economic pressure, or other informal means. But there remains a residuum of disputes that the parties cannot solve for themselves. The litigation process provides a mechanism for resolving those disputes. Consider what happens in subcultures in which litigation is unavailable. Among drug dealers, for example, disputes and claims of right are likely to be settled with drive-by shootings. But even aside from the threat of violence, the presence of unresolved grievances corrodes the public's sense of social order and well-being. In a fair, well-ordered, smoothly functioning society, problems get solved and injustices get corrected. We don't need a complex, adversarial legal system to resolve these disputes, however. We could adopt a much cheaper, simpler procedure-a judge could simply flip a coin to decide who wins. Or even simpler--set up computerized kiosks that would randomly generate decisions. The courts and police would then simply enforce the decisions determined by chance. That system could resolve many more problems at much lower cost. But a judicial system based on chance violates two of our fundamental beliefs about fairness: The courts should render decisions based on rules of substantive law that are fair, and they should do so after observing a fair process. The first task of civil procedure, then, is to implement substantive rules of law and the values and policies on which they are based. When a legislature or court announces a rule of law, the rule acquires authority simply by virtue of being the law. People respect the law and usually obey it without the threat of sanctions for failing to do so. But litigation provides both a backup mechanism for those cases in which people do not conform their conduct to the requirements of the law, and a forum in which the values and policies underlying the law can be articulated, reinforced, and worked out in new situations. Although no procedural system does this perfectly, a fair system will reduce the possibility of error by removing the barriers to a focused decision-making process. Civil procedure has a second task, too. We are offended by a dispute resolution system based on chance or corruption because it violates our understanding of fair process, in addition to being unlikely to produce results in accordance with just principles of substantive law. Civil procedure has an independent value in creating a litigation process that conforms to our concepts of fairness. A fair procedural system provides a public affirmation of our belief in justice under law. It also affirms the dignity of the individual litigants and of others like them. Litigation, like electoral politics, is an arena in which individuals can assert their values and the significance of their own interests. "Having your day in court" is a cherished American tradition. The role of civil procedure is to make sure that the day in court is a meaningful one. Under an adversary system as developed in the United States, fair process has several essential components. Parties to litigation must have an opportunity to adequately develop the facts and law in support of their cases and to present the relevant facts and legal arguments to the decision-maker. In the typical case, the parties must have a right to have a jury determine the facts of the case. The

Healthy Alternatives to Prescription Medications Term Paper

Healthy Alternatives to Prescription Medications - Term Paper Example    All these categories may be used complementarily with medical prescriptions or entirely on their own, as alternatives to western medicine. In general, the use of CAM does not imply the rejection of conventional medicine, but as a critical part of self-care management that shows ones responsibility for health and a pragmatic approach to managing the chronic condition in the best possible way (Moses 64). Notably, some cases require the use of the alternative medicine in place of prescription medication. For instance, a person may opt for physiotherapy instead of antidepressants to relieve stress. Of great importance is the need to ensure that the alternative medications are healthy since ensuring the safety of the patient is very important. The effectiveness of any alternative treatment should be accompanied by lack of adverse effects. The use of alternatives to prescription medication is healthy if undertaken under the principles of quality use of medicine, which calls for judiciousness, appropriateness, safety, and efficacy. Prescription medication is not always effective and in some instances, it does not work well enough as the alternative form of treatment. To begin with, the ineffectiveness of the conventional medication leads people to seek alternative medicine. For instance, biomedical treatment of chronic pain using long-term opioids, anticonvulsants, topical preparations, and tricyclic antidepressants is only marginally effective (Tan, Alvarez and Jensen 1420). For instance, Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FM), a chronically painful disorder of unknown origin that defies all clinical treatments is effectively managed by alternative treatments such as acupuncture, herbal and nutritional supplements, and massage  therapy (Sarac and Gur 48).  

Convergence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Convergence - Essay Example The Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is the most significant convergence service that is expected. It had been forecasted to generate $196 billion in 2007and by 2008, 20% of U.S. homes are expected to have VoIP telephones. Over $1 trillion in revenues through 2010 may be generated by aggregate VoIP revenue between now and 2010 alone. From a wide variety of business and consumer Internet Protocol appliances, convergence may also generate new revenue which includes next generation digital music players, home entertainment systems, home video phones as well as enterprise collaboration system. By 2010 the value of this market was forecasted to be worth almost $90 billion, over the next five years cumulate value will be $360 billion. Through 2010, other emerging products and services which would generate sizeable revenues include the following: enterprise collaboration software ($60 billion); Internet Protocol Television (IPTV, $55 billion); mobile phone content ($50 billion); network games ($35 billion); online music ($20 billion)."2 For the past decade, convergence wherein voice, video as well as data communications are supported by a single network has been an important future direction. As more legacy communications infrastructure is upgraded to integrated internet protocol (IP) equipment it will continuously give importance to future direction. Networking is simplified through network convergence, wherein instead of two three or more, it creates one infrastructure to operate and manage. All sorts of interactive as well as real-time multimedia applications and processes could conceivably be supported by converged network. When network convergence was first being proposed through Internet Protocol technology, about 10 years ago, it was a different age for communications and it was a time when in separate network universes, voice and data existed. Moreover, it was segregated by infrastructure which was designed to avoid interference. Internet Protocol eventually became the building block for singular pathway for all forms of network communications. For the past decade, network convergence has focused on voice-data integration in telephony through Internet Protocol technology. IP telephony session was held last week and a group of approximately 30 IT professionals including technical representatives from IBM Canada Ltd. As well as Cisco Systems Canada Co. assembled in order to discuss the driving business values of the technology. The discussion was focused initially on the most popular and proven of application of network convergence which eventually led to examining greater value of consolidating busi ness networks into one.3 In the near term, the health region has a need for a revamped telephony strategy in order to replace its aging as well as costly equipment and services. However, over time, there is a plan to address a wide range of communications challenges. At an "end of life" condition within five years, the health region has a large number of single-purpose propriety networks. During his presentation, Mr. Beaurivage, states that "Converging these single-purpose networks onto one IP-based platform offers unique integration possibilities."4

Classical Societies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Classical Societies - Essay Example They are mostly influenced by the nature of work they produce as they are of unique and elaborate quality. According to (Hunt For,2007)â€Å"  Classical period of ancient Greek history is fixed between 480 B.C., when the Greeks began to come into conflict with the kingdom of Persia to the east and 338 B.C., when Philip II of Macedonia with son Alexander defeated the Greek†. The art work of classical Greece style depicts the independent identity of human beings. It also shows the freedom of movement and freedom of expression of mankind of that era. In classical Greece artwork, the artist experimented the true nature of man and artist expand themselves beyond the aesthetic boundaries. Here the artist utilized the human expressions and nature to carve out masterpieces in marble. Here ,the human figure is utilized in many ways to bring out the best artistic value in them. The artwork here is projecting a girl who is holding doves in her hand which is a symbol of peace and harmon y.Normally, this kind of art work which is carved in marble,with a girl in the portfolio is seen to be placed in Greek Cemeteries.The greek girl standing here bows her head down to the dove which symbolizes her seriousness, which is not usually seen in a a girl of her age.This artwork was sculpted around 450 and 440 B.C.

Networking Class - Analog and Digital Comparison Paper Essay

Networking Class - Analog and Digital Comparison Paper - Essay Example Some technology experts are of the view that technology is becoming more difficult to define. Technology involves so much today and the processes and activities included keep on increasing as technology changes (Buchanan, 2013). There are various forms of technology, of which the most common are analog and digital forms. Analog technology is process of recording data linearly from on-point to another which digital technology is the process of recording data using the binary system, which includes zeros and ones, and storing the data in digital devices. The variations in the two forms create a number of benefits and disadvantages of each form. Analog technology is relatively easy to produce and data is well represented. However, it is difficult to transmit and receive data, there are a lot of interruptions especially noise, and analog devices are relatively expensive and data is not accurate. There are various forms of analog technology; Amplitude Modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), phase modulation (PM) and Quardrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) (Sharma, Mishra, & Rajiv, 2010). Amplitude modulation is a technique in which the strength of the signal sent is changed or varied depending on the information being sent. AM bounces of the atmosphere and when conditions are optimal, it can be received across the world. However, this technique is usually affected by noise making it not clear. Frequency modulation is a technique in which the frequency of the signal being sent is modulated or changed depending on the information being sent. FM can broadcast a number of channels on the same signal. This technique is limited to certain regions and areas and cannot be used out of the boundaries of that region. Phase modulation is a technique in which the phase angle of the information sent is changed to the proportion of the message sent. This technique is much simpler compared to the rest. However, it needs a

Child and Young Person Development Essay Example for Free

Child and Young Person Development Essay Understand child and young person development Understand the expected pattern of development for children and young people from birth to 19 years It is important to remember that development is holistic, and each child is unique and will develop in their own way. Many skills and areas of development overlap with one another. A child does not learn the skills needed to play football, for example, which may be considered as a physical skill, without having social, communication and cognitive skills as well. Aspects of development include physical, communication and language, intellectual/cognitive, social, emotional and behavioural and moral. Physical development This is an important area of children`s development and one often assumed will take place automatically as they grow and mature. Although children will develop many skills naturally as they get older. * 0-3 years. This is a period of fast physical development. When they are first born, babies have little control over their bodies. There movement are dependent on series of reflexes (for example, sucking and grasping) which they need to survive. In their first year they gradually learn to control over their bodies so that by 12 months, most babies will have a degree of mobility such as crawling or rolling. In the second year babies will continue to develop quickly and it is at this stage most children will start to walk. Their ability to control their movements will mean they will start to use their hands for pointing, holding small objects and will start to dress and feed themselves. They will be able to play with a ball and will enjoy climbing. In their third year, children will start to have more control over pencils and crayons and will enjoy turning pages in books. They should be able to use cups and feed themselves. They will start to walk and run with more confidence, and will be exploring toys such as tricycles. * 3-7 years. At this stage children will be able to carry out more co-ordinated movements and will be growing in confidence as a result. They will be refining the skills developed so far and will he more control over fine motor skills such as cutting, writing and drawing. They will be become more confident in running, hopping, kicking a ball and using larger equipment. * 7-12 years. Children will continue to grow and develop many of their skills. They may start to have hobbies and interests which mean that they are more practised in some areas, for example, sport or dance. Girls in particular will start to show some of the early signs of puberty from the age 10 or 11. In boys, puberty usually starts later, when there will be another period of rapid physical growth. * 12-16 years. At this stage of development, young people will be growing stronger. Boys will be starting to go through puberty and many girls have completed this process and have regular periods. Girls will experience breast enlargement and increase fat layers. Boys will experience enlargement of their testes and penis and muscle strength. Their voice will become deeper. Boys and girls may experience a growth spurt at this time also. * 16-19 years. This is the stage which young people become adults and often at their peak of their physical performance. Although many girls may have reached physical maturity, boys will continue to grow and change until their mid-20s. Communication and language development * 0-3 years. From the earliest stages adults will usually try to communicate with babies even though they are not yet able to understand what is being said. This is because it is important for babies to be stimulated and have an interest shown in them. Babies will be listening to language from those around them and will enjoy songs and games. Most will try to speak around 12 months although pronunciation will not be clear and words will usually be used in isolation. Between 1 and 2 years they will start to put words together and their vocabulary will start to increase fairly rapidly so that by 2 years, most children will know 200 words. Between 2-3 years children will be starting to use negatives and plurals in their speech. * 3-7 years. As children become more social and wider experiences they will start to use familiar phrases and expressions. They will also ask a large number of questions. * 7-12 years. By this stage most children will be fluent speakers of a language, and will be developing and refining their skills at reading and writing. Intellectual and cognitive development Children`s intellectual development will depend to a wide extent on their own experiences and the opportunities they are given from the earliest stages. It is also important that children will learn in a variety of ways. * 0-3 years. Babies will start to look at the world around them and will enjoy repetitive activities in which they can predict the outcome. For example, when something is hidden from they are able to find it. They may start to recognise colours. * 3-7 years. This is the period of development in which the children are becoming more skilled at the aspects of numbers and writing, as well as continuing to learn about their world. They will also start looking for adult approval and will start to learn to read. * 7-11 years. Children will start to develop activities or subjects which they enjoy. They will still be influenced by adults and will become fluent in reading and writing skills. They will develop their own thoughts preferences. * 12-16 years. Young people will usually now have a clear idea about their favourite subjects and ideas. They will be reflecting on their achievements and choosing their learning pathway. They also lack in confidence or avoid situations in which they have to do less popular subjects, to the extent they may truant. * 16-19 years. by the time they come to leave school, they will be thinking about a career and college choices based on the pathway and subjects they have selected. Social, emotional, behavioural and moral development * 0-3 years. Very young children will be starting to find out their own identities. They will need to form a strong attachment, the earliest of which will be the parents and carers. At this stage of development children may start to have tantrums through frustration and will want to start doing things for themselves. * 3-7 years. Children will still be developing their identities and will be starting to play with peers and social using imaginative play. This helps them to develop their concept of different roles in their lives. It is also important they are able to learn boundaries and why they are necessary. They will also be given a responsibility, for example, a class helper. * 7-12 years. Children`s friendships now will become more settled and they will have groups of friends. They will also require more independence to carry out activities such as problem solving. They will continue to need praise and encouragement and will be increasingly aware of what others may think of them. * 12-16 years. At this stage the self-esteem of children and young people can be very vulnerable. They still want to be independent of adults and spend more time with friends their own age, but continue to display childish behaviour. It maybe they are unsure how to behave in different situations. * 16-19 years. As young people enter adulthood they may still need advice and guidance from other adults. They will lack experience and individuals will vary in emotional maturity and the way which they interact with others. Personal factors Pupils` health If pupils suffer from poor health or a physical disability or impairment, this may restrict their development opportunities. For example, a pupil who has a medical condition or impairment may be less able to participate in some activities than other children. This will effect physical development but may also restrict social activities, for example, participating in sports. The child`s emotional development may also be affected depending on their needs and the extent they are affected. It is important that as I as an adult I`m aware of how pupils may be affected by these conditions and circumstances, so I can support them by ensuring them that they are included as far as possible. External factors Poverty and deprivation are likely to have a significant effect on pupil development. Statistics show that children who come from deprived backgrounds are likely to thrive and achieve well in school, as parents will find it more difficult to manage their children`s needs, which will in turn impact on all areas of development. These will all affect the way in which pupils are able to respond in different situations. Pupils will come from a range of different family environments, cultures and circumstances. Many families go through significant changes during the child`s school years. These may include a family break-up or a new partner, bereavement, illness, moving house or changing country. The personal choices of pupils will affect their development as they grow older, as they decide on friendship groups, extra-curricular activities, academic involvement and so on. They may need advice and support from adults to enable them to make the right choices. If a child is looked after or in care, this may affect their development in different ways. However, they will be usually monitored closely and there will be regular meetings with the school to ensure that they are making expected levels of progress. Where there are any issues, these will then be addressed straight away. In some cases children may come to school without any previous education- for example, if they are from another country where formal education may begin later. Alternatively they may come from a home schooling environment or a different method of schooling, so they may need to have some additional support until they become settled. Theories of development include Cognitive Piaget believed that the way children think and learn is governed by their age and stage of development, because learning is based on experiences which they build up as they become older. As children`s experiences change they adapt what they believe. For example, a child who sees only green apples will believe all apples are green. Children need to extend their experiences in order to extend their learning, and will eventually take ownership of this themselves so that they can think about experiences that they have not yet developed. Psychoanalytic Freud stated that our personalities are made up from three parts- the id, the ego and the superego. Each of these will develop with the child and each will develop in a subconscious way driven by psychological needs. The id is the instinctive part of our personality; in other words, it is based on biological needs such as hunger. A baby will cry if it is hungry and will not consider the needs of others around it. * The ego starts to develop as the child realises thats its behaviour may affect how its needs are met. For example, if it is hungry, it may not decide to cry for food but to wait, as food will come anyway. * The s uperego develops later on in childhood and it is based on the development of the conscience, the superego may develop conflicting views to that of the ego, and may punish the individual through guilt. Alternatively if the ego behaves well the superego will promote pride. Humanist Maslow was originally interested in behaviourism and studied the work of Watson. He also acknowledged Freud`s belief in the presence of the unconscious-however he did not think that individuals were driven by it. He felt that knowledge of ourselves were driven by it. Humanistic psychology is based on our free will, although we have a hierarchy of needs without which we will be unable to continue to progress. Social learning Bandura`s approach was also one of behaviourism, in other words, it was accepted the principles of conditioning. However Bandura stated that learning takes place through observing others rather than being taught or reinforced. Children sometimes copy the behaviour or activities of adults or peers without being told to do so, meaning learning is spontaneous. Operant conditioning Operant conditioning theory states that our learning is based on consequence which follows a particular behaviour. In other words we will repeat those experiences which are enjoyable and avoid those that are not. This is relevant for for learning experiences as it is for behaviour. For example, a child who is praised well at a particular task again. B. F. Skinner called this positive reinforcement. This work closely linked to that of John Watson, discussed below, although it differs from Watson`s in that individuals are more active in the process of learning and will make their own decisions based on the consequences of their own behaviour. Behaviourist Watson believed that we was all born with the same abilities and that anyone can be taught anything-it dies not depend on innate ability but on watching others. His idea `classical conditioning` and was born out of Ivan Pavlov`s research using dogs. Pavlov devised an experiment by ringing a bell when dogs were about to be fed, which made them salivate, as associated it with food appearing. The bell was then rung repeatedly with no food and gradually the dogs stopped salivating. Watson discounted emotions and feelings while learning and based on his theories purely on how individuals can be `trained` to behave in a particular way. Social pedagogy Social pedagogy is a humanistic framework to support development. It refers to holistic approach to the needs of the child through health, school, family and spiritual life, leisure activities and the community. Through social pedagogy the child is central through their involvement and interaction with the wider wide. The framework is socially constructed and may vary between cultures, contexts and the time it takes place. Methods of assessing development needs: * Assessment frameworks * Observations * Standard measurements * Information from carers and colleagues It is important to understand the purpose of observations as part of my role. This is because I will need to report back to the teacher, who will in turn report to parents and carers on the pupil progress. Parents and teachers should share information about pupils to enable them to work together in the pupil`s interest. These observations may be carried out formally and informally, these have advantages and disadvantages. Informal observations will be those which I carry out each day as work with pupils. These may be small but over time it will enable me to build a picture of each pupil. I may notice, for example, that individual is able to understand a new concepts very easily. A disadvantage to informal observations is that it may not be recorded and you might forgot. I may also be asked to carry out formal observations on pupils to support the teacher in assessing pupils` Standard measurements are used to measure a child`s physical development and to determine whether they are growing at the expected rate for their age. It is unlikely that I will be required to carry out this kind of check, as it will be done by health visitors. The Assessment Framework of Assessment Triangle is the term given to the way in which a child is assessed, to determine whether they are in need and what the nature of those needs is. In his way the child`s best interests can be planned for with regard to their stage of development. Standard measurements and assessment frameworks will be useful in deciding on whether the child is reaching expected milestones of development in different areas. I should not to be required to use these without the guidance and support form teacher or SENCO. Disability may affect development in a number of ways. Depending on the pupil`s needs, it may cause a delay in a particular aspect of their development – for example, a physical disability may affect their social skills if they become more withdrawn, or their behaviour if they become frustrated. Development may also be affected by the attitudes and expectations of others – if we assume that a disabled person will not be able to achieve and do not allow to take part, we restricting their development in all areas. When I am working with pupils who have special educational needs (SEN), you will find that many professionals and parents speak about the danger of `labelling` pupils. This is because it is important that we look at the needs of the individual first, without focusing on the pupil`s disabilities or impairment. How different types of intervention can promote positive outcomes As a teaching assistant I am involved in intervention groups and other group work on order to support pupils who are not progressing at the same rate as others. This is advised by either the SENCO or another professional who links with the school. * Social worker – a social worker might be involved if a child has been a cause of concern in the home environment or if the parents have asked for support. They will liaise with school regarding Looked After Children (LACs). Occasionally schools may contact social services directly if they have concerns about a child and their home environment. * Speech and language therapist – they will give a diagnosis of a particular ommunication delay or disorder and will also advise school and parents about ways in which they can support the child. Speech and language appointments will usually be delivered in blocks, followed by activities for pupils to work on before their next review. * Educational psychologist – they may become involved if, following intervention and action from speech and language therapists and teaching staff, the child is still not making progress. They will carry o ut an assessment and suggest next steps * Psychiatrist – may be asked to assess a child if there is serious concerns about their emotional development. Children will usually have been referred through a series of assessments before this takes place. * Youth justice – this form of intervention is a public body which aims to stop children and young people offending. The youth justice team may be involved in a partnership with schools and the community where there are cases of offending behaviour. It also acts in a preventative way by running youth inclusion programmes, which are targeted towards those who may be at high risk of offending. Physiotherapist – will advise and give targets to pupilsto work on around the development of their gross motor skills. They give exercises for school staff and parents to work on each depending on the needs of the child. * Nurse/health visitor – these medical professionals may be involved in supporting the development of some children where they have physical and health needs. They will usually come into school to advise and speak to staff generally with parents present. * Assist ive technologies – these are technologies which enable pupils who have specific needs to access the curriculum. They range from computer programmes to specific items such as a speech recognition device or a hearing aid and will give the individual an increased level of independence. How play/activities are used to support speech, language and communication We need to encourage children and young people to develop language and communication skills as much as possible, as this is a key area of their development. Adults will need to give children and young people opportunities to take part in speaking ang listening for different purposes and in different situations. It is important that pupils use language both in whole class and small group activities and I encourage them to talk about their own ideas. In early years play experiences can enhance all areas of development and can be directly specifically to address individual areas such as speaking and listening or can be used more generally to support all. Through play children will learn both about themselves and about others, and will use their speech, language and communication skills in order to interact in a non-pressured environment. As children grow older their play takes on rules which require skills of negotiation. Children and young people still need to receive the chance to enjoy self-directed activities and equipment which support their creative and investigative skills. It is important that they have opportunities to use their own initiative and at times work collaboratively. Project work particularly when problem solving, can support children and young children to develop their personal, learning and thinking skills. A great deal of our communication with others is expressed non-verbally. It is important for children and young people who are autistic for example may well have difficulty in recognising and interpreting non-verbal signs, when working with a pupil who has communication and interaction needs, you will to be using different non-verbal strategies to support them. Through using this foem of communication you will be giving pupils additional aid to understand. The kind of strategies to use include: * Using gestures – this could be something as simple as thumbs up or beckoning the pupil to come over. Pointing to objects – you can help pupils to understand by giving concrete examples of what you are discussing and encouraging pupils tp point to different objects in a similar way * Through facial expressions – a smile or a nod can show approval while you also indicate excitement, disapproval, happiness and other emotions * Through the use of body language – you show that you are giving the pupil attention through the way the way in wh ich you sit or stand A number of visual and auditory approaches can also be used to enhance communication * Pictures can be used to initiate or supplement conversation as they are a good starting point. The pupils can also use pictures to illustrate their ideas. * Games are often used successfully to initiate pupil`s speech and involve them in social interaction * Signs support pupils who are unable to communicate verbally. However, they should not be used exclusively by these pupils; other children will enjoy learning different signs as well as teaching them to one another * Technology such as CDs, computer programs and interactive white boards are useful means of stimulating pupil`s communication skills * Modelling language is important as it gives hildren the chance to hear the correct use of language * Music and singing are excellent ways of reinforcing language for all age groups * Drama and movement activities can provide alternative ways to communicate ideas Understanding the potential effects of transition on the children and young people`s development Whatever age group I am supporting at some stage I will be working with children or young people going through a transition phase. The term `transition` is applied in different situations in which children and young people will pass through a period of change. As well as more obvious school-based transitions, such as starting school, changing classes or key stage, or passing on to secondary school, children will pass other periods of transition with may lead to long or short term. These may include changes in personal circumstances or experiences, passing through puberty or simply a change in activity i the classroom. Different types of transition include: * Emotional – for example, bereavement, entering/leaving care * Physical – for example, moving to a new educational establishment, a new home/locality from one activity to another * Physiological – for example, puberty, long-term medical conditions * Intellectual – for example, moving from pre-school to primary or post-primary It is important that children have positive relationships during periods of transition, as they will need to feel secure in other areas of their lives. They may need to talk to someone about how they are feeling and make sure that there is opportunities for them to do this.

Psychopathology Paper Essay Example for Free

Psychopathology Paper Essay Over the  years,  scientists and mental health professionals have made great strides in the treatment of psychological disorders. For example, advances in psychopharmacology have led to the development of drugs that relieve severe symptoms of mental illness. Clinical psychology  is dedicated to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illnesses and other emotional or behavioral disorders. More psychologists work in this field than in any other branch of psychology. In hospitals, community clinics, schools, and in private practice, they use interviews and tests to diagnose depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses. People with these psychological disorders often suffer terribly. They experience disturbing symptoms that make it difficult for them to work, relate to others, and cope with the demands of everyday life.    Clinical psychologists usually cannot prescribe drugs, but they often work in collaboration with a patient’s physician. Drug treatment is often combined with psychotherapy, a form of intervention that relies primarily on verbal communication to treat emotional or behavioral problems. Over the years, psychologists have developed many different forms of psychotherapy. Some forms, such as psychoanalysis, focus on resolving internal, unconscious conflicts stemming from childhood and past experiences. Other forms, such as cognitive and behavioral therapies, focus more on the person’s current level of functioning and try to help the individual change distressing thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.    The field  of  counseling psychology is closely related to clinical psychology. Counseling psychologists may treat mental disorders, but they more commonly treat people with less-severe adjustment problems related to marriage, family, school, or career. Many other types of professionals care for and treat people with psychological disorders, including psychiatrists, psychiatric social workers, and psychiatric nurses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a psychiatric health nurse we works closely with other disciplines to arrive at the most appropriate plan of care for the client and the family. The physician’s responsibility is to make a medical diagnosis when there is sufficient support to determine that a psychiatric problem is present. The taxonomy used to make the medical diagnosis is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, commonly called the DSM-III-R of the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM-III-R uses a biopsychosocial perspective but is considered atheoretical, so that it can be readily accepted and used by all who diagnose the psychiatric client. The nurse assists the process by sharing important information about the client from the nursing history, mental status assessment, and daily observations. A working knowledge of the DSM-III-R is important in maximizing the team effort to help the client. Knowledge of the criteria will help the nurse for deciding on a particular medical diagnosis found in the DSM III-R may help the nurse in making a clinical condition about a nursing diagnosis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The DSM-III-R is a multiaxial system. The diagnostic criteria are inclusive for each diagnosis and allow room for individual differences within a pattern of behavior by including phrases such as â€Å"at least one of the following† or ‘for at least 6 months†. Five axes constitute the format for a complete psychiatric diagnosis. A five digit coding system is used for the first three axes. Axis I comprises the major mental disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar illness, and substance abuse disorders. A disorder of this nature is usually the main reason the client is seeking help. On the other hand, Axis II comprises the personality disorders and developmental disorders such as paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder. This axis separates the patterns of lifestyle and coping that have developed from childhood from the more acute manifestation of behavior in the major mental disorders. Axis III indicates the related physical disorders and conditions that may be influencing the client’s response to the psychiatric problems such fro example, asthma, gastric ulcer, or diabetes. Axis IV indicates the severity of the psychosocial stressors over the past year such as anticipated retirement, natural disaster and change in residence with loss of contact with friends. The Axis V represents the global assessment functioning (GAF) both currently and over the preceding year.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So how does Axis I differ from Axis II? Now let’s try to compare and contrast their similarities as well as their differences. Under Class A Axis II are the personality disorders; paranoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder, and schizotypal personality disorder. Personality is vital to defining who we are as individuals. It involves a unique blend of traits—including attitudes, thoughts, behaviors, and moods—as well as how we express these traits in our contacts with other people and the world around us. Some characteristics of an individual’s personality are inherited, and some are shaped by life events and experiences. A personality disorder can develop if certain personality traits become too rigid and inflexible. People with personality disorders have long-standing patterns of thinking and acting that differ from what society considers usual or normal. The inflexibility of their personality can cause great distress, and can interfere with many areas of life, including social and work functioning. People with personality disorders generally also have poor coping skills and difficulty forming healthy relationships. Unlike people with anxiety disorders, who know they have a problem but are unable to control it, people with personality disorders generally are not aware that they have a problem and do not believe they have anything to control. Because they do not believe they have a disorder, people with personality disorders often do not seek treatment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A paranoid personality disorder applies to a person who displays pervasive and long-standing suspiciousness. This suspicious pattern affects perceptual, cognitive, affective and behavioral functions in specific ways. In person’s with paranoid personalities, perception is extremely acute, intense and narrowly focused in search of clues or the real meaning behind other’s behavior or life events in general. In a cognitive side, the great perceptual distortion is present in paranoid personality. Cognitive disturbances may range from transient ideas of reference, in which a person believe others are giving them special attention or gossiping about them unlike Manic disorder the client is easy going and friendly. The paranoid person’s affective domain reflects a lack of basic trust, extreme suspiciousness, vigilant mistrust, guardedness and hostility. Typically, paranoid person assume a callous, unsympathetic approach to others in an effort to purge themselves of any tendencies to experience humor or affectionate and tender feelings.   For the most part, they remain coldly reserved and on the periphery of events, seldom mixing smoothly with people in social situation, remaining withdrawn, distant and secretive instead.   Rarely do they seem relaxed and unguarded. Unlike with Axis I manic bipolar disorder, Manic clients are self-satisfied, confident and aggressive and feel on top of the world and in control of their destinies, paranoid patient are reserved type while manic is transparent, the manic clients remarks are very similar to free associations, disorganized and incoherent. Manic client is full of ambitious schemes and exaggerations while a paranoid person often engages in verbal interchanges designed to test others honesty. The content of their verbalization usually reflects themes of blame, deceit, control, persecution and self-aggrandizement. Similarities of manic and paranoid personality disorder are that they appear hypervigilant, mobilized and prepared for attack.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Socially detached, shy and introverted persons may be described as having schizoid personality disorder while Schizophrenia is psychotic disorder characterized by disturbances in thought, perception, affect, behavior and communication lasting longer than 6 months. Schizoid refers to persons exhibiting perceptual, cognitive, affective and behavioral patterns that fall within the healthier end of the schizophrenic spectrum. This personality disorder differs from schizotypal personality disorder in that the latter’s symptomatology more closely resembles schizophrenia. In contrast to both schizotypals and schizophrenics, schizoid personalities do not demonstrate odd or eccentric perceptual, cognitive and behavioral patterns.   Persons with schizoid personalities exhibit a distorted pattern of perception, characterized by a reduced ability to attend, select, differentiate and discriminate adequately between and among interpersonal and social sensory inputs while the perception of Depressive disorder clients may be distorted too because of their intense affective states. They perceive the world as strange and unnatural. For instance, a client with deep guilt feelings may interpret the sound of wind in the trees as reproaching voices (illusion) the severely depressed client may less frequently experience hallucinations. Auditory hallucination may be present such as a client may hear voices blaming her or telling her that she is worthless. Illusion and hallucination do not occur in Schizoid personality disorder. They are able to recognize reality despite their faulty interpersonal or social perception. Schizotypal personality disorder is one of a group of conditions called eccentric personality disorders. People with these disorders often appear odd or peculiar. They might display unusual thinking patterns, behaviors, or appearances. People with schizotypal personality disorder might have odd beliefs or superstitions. These individuals are unable to form close relationships and tend to distort reality. In this respect, schizotypal personality disorder can seem like a mild form of schizophrenia—a serious brain disorder that distorts the way a person thinks, acts, expresses emotions, perceives reality, and relates to others. In rare cases, people with schizotypal personality disorder can eventually develop schizophrenia. Additional traits of people with this disorder include the following; dressing, speaking, or acting in an odd or peculiar way, being suspicious and paranoid, being uncomfortable or anxious in social situations because of their distrust of others, having few friends and being extremely uncomfortable with intimacy, tending to misinterpret reality or to have distorted perceptions (for example, mistaking noises for voices), having odd beliefs or magical thinking (for example, being overly superstitious or thinking of themselves as psychic), Being preoccupied with fantasy and daydreaming, tending to be stiff and awkward when relating to others, coming across as emotionally distant, aloof, or cold. Hallucination, and illusion may not be present in schizotypal personality disorder but it is always present in Schizophrenia. There is lack deterioration of functioning in schizopherenia while their no huge deterioration is schizotypal personality, they are also in touch with reality and they are aware of their eccentricities and their deterioration is occurring within a time frame while Schizophrenia is usually diagnosed in people  aged 17-35 years, delusions, false personal beliefs held with conviction in spite of reason or evidence to the contrary, not explained by  that persons cultural context  is present. Their is hallucinations,  perceptions (can be  sound, sight, touch, smell, or taste) that occur in the absence of an actual external stimulus  (Auditory hallucinations, those of voice or other sounds,  are the most common type of hallucinations  in schizophrenia, disorganized, thoughts and behaviors, disorganized speech, catatonic behavior are also manifested. Literature Cited: Million, Theodore Davis Roger. (1996). Disorders of Personality: DSM IV and Beyond. Published by Wiley. Kaplan, Harold, M.D Saddock, Benjamin, M.D. (1990). Modern Synopsis of Psychiatry. Maryland USA. The Williams and Wilkins Company Introduction to Personality Disorder. Capella University. Retrieved March 11, 2008 from http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/center_index.php?id=8 Personality Disorder. MayoClinic.com. Retrieved March 11, 2008 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/personality-disorders/DS00562/DSECTION=2 Schizophrenia. PSY web. Retrieved March 11, 2008 from http://psyweb.com/Mdisord/jsp/schid.jsp About Clinical Psychology. American Psychological Association. Retrieved March 13,2008 from http://www.apa.org/divisions/div12/aboutcp.html

3 Dimensional Modelling in Architectural Design

3 Dimensional Modelling in Architectural Design Computer software technology is an important part of computer technology, because computer is made up of computer software, computer software technology is one of the most concerned area in the computer technology, human today manipulated by the fast development of computer technology. Todays software development tends to be more professional and directionality, as a student whom is studying design, we are often in pursuit of better results and had to use special design software to achieve our goals. As a design student we must be all familiar with computer 3 dimensional modeling software programs Today I’m going to discuss the most common known and most frequent used 3 dimensional modeling software program using by not only design student but also many professional architecture designers and jewelry designers, products designers, urban, interior, exterior designers! Introduction to 3 dimensional modeling: The so called 3 dimensional, according to the theory, is where the human describes any point in three-dimensional space by means of three coordinates, and we labeled each coordinates, the x coordinate, y coordinate and the z coordinate, where the x coordinate represent left and right of a space, y coordinate represent up and down of a space and z coordinate represent front and back of a space. Thus it concluded the formation of the human stereoscopic vision; the 3 dimensional models are made up of 3 dimensional computer software programs, this to achieve further development of computer technology in variety of industries. We live in a three-dimensional world; meanwhile, we also live in an informatization era and informatization era which is characterized by computers and digital. Computers are widely used in all industries. Today’s two-dimensional imaged computer would no longer be satisfied, we wanted the computer to be able to express a more reality form and the 3 dimensional modeling software programs can turn this into reality. The so-called three-dimensional modeling is to use 3 dimensional data to build up existing objects in reality or our imagined objects and reconstructed this objects in computer. It includes the basic information such as the 3D coordinates define the locations of object points, the color of the object surface, Transparency, and texture etc†¦3 dimensional modeling programs is widely used in various areas, and it provides an Intuition, so 3 dimensional images play an increasingly important role in various fields. There are many benefits and good reasons of why using 3 dimensional modeling software programs, Firstly, knowing how to use 3 dimensional computer software programs can develop our intelligence to enhance our imagination. During our study life time, Because of our learning system and the environment, we have become less able to produce unique imaginations and less able to elaborate on ideas. Mainly because of the stress we are dealing with each day, we have become uncreative; most of the time we thought copying would be a much simpler way to produce work. However knowing how to use a 3 dimensional modeling software program will fill this vacancy. Secondly, those who know how to use 3 dimensional modeling programs can make abstract graphic image become more intuitive and easy to understand. Introduction to Rhino 3 dimensional modeling techniques: Rhino is a powerful three-dimensional software program; it is the first powerful AGLib NURBS modeling technology complete the introduction of the Windows operating system software. Rhino is easy to use, highly flexible and highly accurate modeling tools. Rhino provides almost all tools to be used in the creation of three-dimensional models; it can create any imaginable shape, it can also create any project cannot be completed in reality therefore Rhino is a very powerful 3 dimensional modeling making software program 3 dimensional modeling making is the basic consensus in design making process, without model building, the design idea would be difficult to present. It plays an important part in the design process, because a realistic 3d model is able to reflect the turn quality and the material of the model, it truly made our design ideas becomes real. Rhino 3 dimensional Modeling discussion: Modeling making is the basic modeling technique; Todays 3D modeling software programs has its own unique modeling system, modeling method can have many different types, but the main 3 types are the NURBS modeling, Polygon modeling and Patch Modeling. The rhino software program provides NURBS modeling making, subdivision modeling, Carving Modeling and polygon modeling. Polygon modeling is the oldest method, and is also the most common method; polygon modeling is the splice of triangles and quadrilaterals, the 3 dimensional model we see on screen is connected by the â€Å"face† of polygons,and every â€Å"face† are different sizes and orientations, by arrenging these â€Å"faces† it complete a very complex 3 dimensional model. NURBS modeling, Is the most popular modeling method, it offers great flexibility and precision for handling model shapes, is a much more simply and efficient method, it seems everyone can create their 3 dimensional model using the NURBS technology. Subdivision modeling is also sometimes called the sub modeling, is a way of as it named, it applies subdivision surfaces to create new geometry that has the result of smoothing out geometries, like cubes, pyramids, it produces smooth out render shapes. Usage of rhino 3D modeling in my project analysis: To be able to present my imagined design idea to my audience and translate my imagined design idea to reality, at this stage I began to use 3 dimensional software program rhino to build my imagined 3 dimensional model. To build up a 3 dimensional model using rhino, it sometimes take longer times, therefore it would be better for us to choose a final development model to build instead. This way we can concentrate on every details of the model. When using a 3 dimensional modeling program creating a model, we need to think carefully about its structure, we must have a full understanding of this model, if we are not certain about the model structure then the model that we are going to build would not have a realistic appearance, the details would be missing. Therefore I prefer the quality, not the quantity. The usage of this 3 dimensional software program rhino has clearly improved the quality of my design, rhino provides models with texture, the textures of the model is actually just an image we see on screen, but after rendering, it can make the model appeared more detailed and more realistic. Compared with wireframe models, it is a higher level technology. Design process: Collect relevant information, research relevant artworks Design concept: sketch out all usable and suitable ideas Deleting unusable and unsuitable ideas Set up a final development model 3 dimensional modeling making using 3 dimensional software program rhino Knowing how to use this 3 dimensional programs rhino, I have learned many valuable know ledges, firstly, to have a well presented three-dimensional model is a very important process when creating a design work, without a good 3 dimensional model, it is impossible to complete a good design work. And with the help of this 3 dimensional program rhino, it made design work become smooth, easy and efficient. Design concept: My design is called the rain angle, the rain angle was inspired by the weather of Auckland, where the i did a record of the weather of Auckland, i noticed the weather of Auckland was interesting due to the quickly speed change of temperature. The temperature is colder in the morning, the temperature is hotter during lunch time, the temperature rises at lunch time and temperature drop in the late afternoon. i also noticed Auckland is always high in level of humidity, before it rains, humidity usually increases, When it is raining, relative humidity draws near 85%-100%,Auckland average humidity is between 75%-98%, therefore it sums up a conclusion that Auckland rains very frequently, i did a record of Auckland weather by collecting data on the website â€Å"the accuweather.com† the red dot represents a day it rained, and base on these red dots, I did a graph that shows the rain data of Auckland! Yet Auckland has unstable temperature, and rains frequently, but it does not effect on wild life’s living, people always say New Zealand is the last paradise for the birds, as New Zealand has more species of flightless birds – both living and extinct – than any other country. i recorded a weather data graph and translated the weather data graph of Auckland into a 3 dimensional model (the rain angle) the flow and the geometry allows the model to collect rain water, rain water will be reused by birds, birds’ uses as a water tank and a bird’s bath! This model is specially designed for birds.