Replacement of Mouse-Driven Screens by Multi-Touch Screens due to Interface Metaphors Free Essay Example, 1000 words

The mouse-driven interface has the and + for zooming in and out, this is used for increasing and reducing the size of images, documents among others. The screen also uses the scroll bars to scroll up and down the window. Zooming in and out on a multi- touch screens is achieved by pinching the screen to increase or reduce the size of objects and content displayed on windows. To scroll up and down the screen, sliding sliders, spinning pickers and simple sliding are used (Carroll et al, 2007). Interaction types and stylesThe underlying difference between the two screens with regard to interaction types and styles is the fact that the multi-touch screens are operated by touch while the mouse-driven screens are operated by the mouse events. Essentially, the mouse-driven screen involves a series of actions including dragging and clicking. The multi-touch screen has the ability to recognize and accept more than one or two points of contact on the screen surface. This creates an interactio n style that enables the user to perform complex functions such as pinching on the screen (Gersh, McKneely Remington, 2005). We will write a custom essay sample on Replacement of Mouse-Driven Screens by Multi-Touch Screens due to Interface Metaphors or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page Multi-touch screen products such as smartphones, tablets and laptops among others are featured with functions that can only be initiated by multi-touch gestures.

A Day without Laughter is a Day Wasted by Charlie Chaplin

â€Å"A day without laughter is a day wasted.† It was a simple but popular quote of Charlie Chaplin, one of the most famous actors as well as director and scriptwriter in the American Modernism Era. With a rags-to-riches story, Chaplin had overcome all the obstacles to become a Comedy King, represented an American Dream coming true. Charles Spencer Chaplin, Chaplin’s full name, was born in London, England, on April 16th, 1889. In a family of both parents who were entertainers, Chaplin spent his early years with his mother, who had no means of income due to her sickness, and his brother in Kennington. His father, who was an alcoholic, provided no support and made him come to the workhouse at the age of seven. Despite poverty and hardship, Chaplin had his first role as a paperboy in a play â€Å"Sherlock Homes† and kept on his career in entertainment, said that he â€Å"never lost sight of my ultimate aim to become an actor† until moving to the US for a contract with Keystone studio at the age of 14. It was 1914 when Chaplin’s first film acting debut on the movie Making a Living was released, at the beginning of the American Modernism. However, he strongly disliked the picture. For his second appearance in front of the camera for the movie The Tramp in February, Charlie Chaplin got to choose his costumes which then became his identity. He described in his autobiography: â€Å"I had no idea of the character. But the moment I was dressed, the clothes and the makeup made me feel the person he was.Show MoreRelatedMy Day Without Laughter Is A Day Wasted972 Words   |  4 Pages Charlie Chaplin once said â€Å"A day without laughter is a day wasted†. I cannot even begin to express how accurate that quote is because humor takes up an enormous portion in my day to day life. I love to laugh; I love that pain in your stomach that you get from laughing too hard. I love the feeling of lightness that you get physically and mentally from laughing too hard. My favorite televisio n shows, movies, videos, and people are somehow connected to if they have made me laugh or not. I would sayRead MoreAmerican Holidays11778 Words   |  48 PagesAmerican Holidays The following are holidays that we celebrate in the United States: New Years Eve and New Years Day New Years Day is the first day of the year, January 1st. it is a celebration of the old year and the new one to come. People make New Years Resolutions each New Years and promise themselves that they will keep this resolution until next year. New Years Eve is a major social event. Clubs everywhere are packed with party-goers who stay out all night and go nuts at midnightRead MoreFor Against by L.G. Alexander31987 Words   |  128 PagesCOMPREHENSION PRECIS AND COMPOSITION ras CARTERS OF GREENWOOD (Cineloops) DETECTIVES FROM SCOTLAND YARD (Longman Structural Readers, Stage 1) CAR THIEVES [Longman Structural Readers, Stage 1) WORTH A FORTUNE [Longman Structural Readers, Stage 2) APRIL FOOLS DAY [Longman Structural Readers, Stage 2) PROFESSOR BOFFIN S UMBRELLA (Longman Structural Readers, Stage 2) OPERATION MASfERMIND (Longman Structural Readers, Stage 3) QUESTION AND ANSWER: Graded Aural/Oral Exercises READING AND WRITING ENGLISH-A FirstRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 Pagesreserved. Printed in the United States of America. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by an y means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher. This McGraw−Hill Primis text may include materials submitted to McGraw−Hill for publication by the instructor of this course. The instructor is solely responsible for the editorial content of such materials

Copy Rights Free Essays

Why there Is piracy? There must be reasons for piracy. Piracy Is a committed by people for a number of reasons. Some of the reasons for this act are Identified below: To enjoy services or entertainment at low cost prices or no cost to the consumers. We will write a custom essay sample on Copy Rights or any similar topic only for you Order Now Expo: Music, games, videos, software from internet. For profit Competitive Advantage Sabotage 3. What is law? Malaysia’s copyright act 1987 came into effect on 1 December 1987, replacing the copyright act 1969. The 1987 act confers copyright on and protects computer programs (software). The 1987 act amended in 1990 to ensure compliance with the prescribed standards and minimum requirements under the Berne Convention. The copyright (application to other countries) Regulations 1990 came into force on 1 October 1 990, the day Malaysia acceded to the Berne Convention. [ source: http:// www. Abs. Org/Malaysia/intricacy/Piracy-and-the-Law. Com ] Point: Source: www. Slideshows. Net/Lonny/copyright-and-piracy-from-moral-and-legal- attendants-cit-presentation 1 . Copyright is a form of legal protection that grants people who create and produce material the exclusive rights to control certain uses of that material from being reproduced without the permission of the copyright owner. 2. Why Piracy E-SST The price For profit/competitive advantages 3. Moral Issues Give a chance to the creator to able to make a living and provide jobs for many other Decrease the chance to get problems. Note from Facial: Please find more and add. How to cite Copy Rights, Papers

Effectiveness of Mouthwash

Question: Describe about effectiveness of mouthwash using a chlorhexidine solution in theadults patient in reducing prevalence of ventilator associated pneumonia in the adult Intensive Care Unit? Answer: Background The patients who are critically ill, have been ventilated mechanically for a time longer than 48 hours, have the risk of developing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP). It is a hospital acquired infection that develops in patients during the process of treatment within the hospital setting and is not present at the time of admission. The pathogenesis of VAP is actuallywhen bacteria enters into the lower respiratory tracts and overwhelms the patients defenses. The chances of mechanically ventilated patients developing VAP are between 9% and 27% with a high mortality rate where 33-50% of patients acquiring VAP dying. Approximately one-third patients in ICUs receive mechanical ventilation as support therapy. When a chest radiograph of a patient shows a progressive or new infiltrate, cavitations, consolidations, or pleural effusions along with one or all of the following symptoms: change in color or new onset of purulent sputum, increase or reduction in white blood cells, organisms cultured from blood, bronchial brushing, etiological agent isolation by transtracheal aspirate or increase in temperature, VAP can be identified in the patient (Synders, Khondowe and Bell, 2011). The risk factors identified with VAP are: staffs inadequate hand washing, ventilator circuit management practices, antibiotic therapy previously, patients supine positioning without backrest elevation, nasogastric alkalinization or the presence of a nasogastric tube. According to the Institute of Healthcare improvements ventilator bundle, a 30 or more elevation of patients bed head, prophylaxis for deep vein thrombosis and peptic ulcer, sedation vacation, and assessing readiness to extubate may reduce risk of complications with mechanical ventilation (Munro et al., 2009). Oropharyngeal colonization, aspiration, gastric colonization and compromised lung defences are the factors associated with VAP development. The pooling of micro-aspiration of the secretion with bacteria which is above the endotracheal cuff of patients intubated results in the respiratory tract. Chlor-hexidine, a cationic chlorophenyl bis-biguanide which is an antiseptic agent, binds the oral tissues along with subsequently releasing the antiseptic properties slowly enabling long period of anti-bacterial action and hence has been used in mechanically ventilated patients as an oral disinfectant (Synders, Khondowe and Bell, 2011). Inclusion Criteria Studies Randomized controlled studies that uses the comparative groups, published in English in order to investigate the oral chlorhexidine like a decontaminant in VAP prevention in critically ill, mechanically ventilated adult patients were included. Interventions Studies that analyzed the usage of oral chlorhexidine against the tooth brushing, placebo and/or oral care interventions comparators to decrease in VAP in critically ill, and in patients who are mechanically ventilated, were focused. Participants Study participants had to be mechanically ventilated, aged 18 years or older, critically ill and admitted to the ICU. Outcome Measures To the measure the reduction in prevalence of VAP in those who are mechanically ventilated as well as critically ill ICU patients was the primary outcome interest. Exclusion Criteria Studies that were excluded included the research not investigating the VAP even if chlorhexidine was used, study of patients below 18 years, patients with known allergy or hypersensitivity to chlorhexidine, edentulous patients, extubated patients and patients already clinically diagnosed with pneumonia at the start of study. Incomplete study or data within studies included, unavailability of full-text articles and high attrition rates are the exclusion criteria for this review. Methodology Search Strategy An extensive search was undertaken for literature of published clinical trials that report prevention of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia with the use of chlorhexidine in case of oral care. Electronic databases searched to identify sources for relevant studies included MEDLINE, NCBI, and the University of Adelaide libraries. The reference list of articles and summaries were examined. Search terms such as Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia,chlorhexidine, mechanically ventilated patients, oral care,hospital acquired pneumonia, oral hygiene and mouthwash were used for the search. Data Collection The titles of the articles obtained by employing the search terms mentioned were considered and those that were relevant to the study on hand were identified. The articles were retrieved and reviewed considering the criteria mentioned for inclusion. The relevant articles were reviewed and analyzed independently to determine the quality of methodology. The methodological quality was assessed using quality assessment form freely available in Cochrane website. The external and internal validities of the RCTs were addressed by the assessment. Data Extraction To collect information from relevant studies, a data extraction tool was employed. An initial study determined the practicality of the study, range of search, testing as well as extraction tools. The tool included baseline characteristics such as citation, study id, setting, methodology, population, and sample size. Treatment effect measures The treatment effect measurement choice was the usage of the random effects model which is Mantel Haenszel method, risk ratio with 95% confidence intervals for weighted mean difference and intervals for dichotomous data. The value set for p was 0.05. Missing Data All studies included randomized the patients to a treatment or a group that can control it. Wherever pertinent data were missing from the trials included, it was called the absence of the results that add value to the study. Data Synthesis A statistical analysis software package, Review Manager was used for analysis where all the data was entered. The Cochrane Collaboration website offers the software for free. The included studies differed from each other with regard to age, trial settings, methods of treatment etc. The use of the random effects model allows the distribution of effects, and provides a combined estimate and average of value distribution. The effects of interventions were demonstrated using Forest plots. Subgroup analysis After identifying clinical diversity, subgroup analysis was conducted with respect to the varying concentrations of chlorhexidine used. Data was entered into review manager to obtain sensitivity analysis. Validity, Reliability and Quality These assessments of the study data was confirmed by initializing and employing a standardized form of data extraction from the Cochrane Collaboration. Results Using the random effects model, a pooled risk ratio of 0.64 was obtained. The possibility of critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients who acquire VAP while using chlorhexidine was found to be 36% less likely than in the controls. The result was consistent with a previous meta-analysis done by Chelbicki and Safdar in 2007 yielding a ratio of 0.70. Chan et al, in 2007 conducted a trial on effect of antiseptic oral decontamination on VAP and the results showed a significant reduction in with a ratio of 0.56. 2% chlorhexidine demonstrated a significant effect on VAP incidence. Patients with more underlying co-morbidities and multiple medical problems have a period of ventilation and intubation exceeding 24 to 48 hours and are found to be more prone to developing VAP and a host of other infections (Chan et al., 2007). Critical analysis Ironically, the use of chlorhexidine 0.12% or 2% was not found to reduce VAP occurrence. Therefore results obtained supported only the use of 2% chlorhexidine for reducing VAP in critically ill patients. Also, all studies except one reported blinding of assessors. This shows that bias could have been involved in studies that never reported blinding if blinding of assessors did not happen. The studies showed no effect of chlorhexidine in decreasing the mortality though. Owing to the limited number of trials that were carried out, it can be recommended that more studies need to be carried out on the administration procedure, optimal concentration and dosage of chlorhexidine even though 2% concentration had showed positive results. References 1. Berry, A., Davidson, P., Masters, J. and Rolls, K. (2007). Systematic Literature Review of Oral Hygiene Practices for Intensive Care Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation. American Journal of Critical Care, 16(6), pp.552 - 562.2. Chan, E., Ruest, A., Meade, M. and Cook, D. (2007). Oral decontamination for prevention of pneumonia in mechanically ventilated adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ, 334(7599), pp.889-889.3. Chlebicki, M. and Safdar, N. (2007). Topical chlorhexidine for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: A meta-analysis*. Critical Care Medicine, 35(2), pp.595-602.4. Hillier, B., Wilson, C., Chamberlain, D. and King, L. (2013). Preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia through Oral Care, Product Selection, and Application Method. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 24(1), pp.38-58.5. Khezri, H., Zeydi, A., Firouzian, A., Baradari, A., Mahmoodi, G., Kiabi, F. and Mogaddasifar, I. (2014). The Importance of Oral Hygiene in Prevention of Ventilator-Associ ated Pneumonia (VAP): A Literature Review. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 7(1), pp.12-23.6. Klompas, M., Speck, K., Howell, M., Greene, L. and Berenholtz, S. (2014). Reappraisal of Routine Oral Care with Chlorhexidine Gluconate for Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(5), p.751.7. Munro, C., Grap, M., Jones, D., McClish, D. and Sessler, C. (2009). Chlorhexidine, Toothbrushing, and Preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Critically Ill Adults. American Journal of Critical Care, 18(5), pp.428-437.8. Parsons, S., Lee, C., Strickert, D. and Trumpp, M. (2013). Oral Care and Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 32(3), pp.138-145.9. Synders, O., Khondowe, O. and Bell, J. (2011). Oral chlorhexidine in the prevention of ventilatorassociated pneumonia in critically ill adults in the ICU: A systematic review. South African Journal of Critical Care, 27(2), pp.48-56.

British Airways Management Environment

Management Environment: British Airways Introduction This report involves analysis of the organisational structure of British Airways and its PEST analysis. Management and its organisation in a public limited company are vital for any company to be successful. There are different types of organisational structures, which are acceptable, in public limited companies.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on British Airways Management Environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One such structure is the vertical system where there are a few people at the top who make the company decisions. The number of persons increases at the middle level management and lower level positions. This kind of system is bureaucratic in nature. Horizontal structure is another form of organisation where there are few positions at the top and that increase in the next row. There are few supervisors and many equals at the low level. The final str ucture is the divisional system which involves dividing functions and responsibilities based on specialty and geography. The public limited company to be analyzed in this report is British Airways, which uses the, horizontal structure (Henry, 2008). The figure on the next page represents the organisational structure for British Airways. Figure 1: Organisation structure of British Airways (British Airways, 2009). The chief executive heads the organisational structure of British Airways, and below them, they have customers and operations executive, management board and those directly reporting to the chief executive. They are the brains behind decision making in the company. BelowAdvertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The executive of the company, are those who are involved in implementing the decisions made by the executive. These include the communication, customers and investme nt departments (Rainey Hal, 1997). The executive then passes the mantle to the next level that ensures the running of the company is smooth at the management level. The operators at this level ensure all the technicalities of the company are put in place. The low levels ensure that all the company activities are carried out to the letter to ensure effectiveness. The breaking down of the management levels ensures that, supervisors have a few subordinates below them. This method is effective in that, the supervisors work closely with those below them a move which prove to be highly effective. The inclusion of the customers department in the company helps in better delivery of services because the representatives present the views of the customers. The organisational structure of British Airways reduces the inefficiencies which would have occurred in the execution of duty. The structure ensures that all departments are represented in the top management. This ensures that information m oves freely and efficiently through all the departments (Blau Scheonherr, 1971). The organisation of British Airways like any other company will suffer from different external pressures. The external environment of organisation affects the companies’ decision making and service delivery. The PEST analysis of the company identifies different factors which will affect British Airways’ organisational structure. The factors include political and legal factors, economic factors, social and cultural factors. Political and legal factors that affect the company include terrorism which has been on the rise in the recent years. This has led to the introduction of new security measures by the government. This has created fear among customers thus reducing their interest to travel leading to loss of market by the airline. There have been substantial regulatory reforms which have allowed many companies into the airline business thus increasing market competition. There is also dela yed decision making in the public sector, which affects the airline (Goodsell Charles, 1994). British airways being a public limited company is subject to government funding, but this funding has reduced due privatisation of part of the company. This means that decision making is no longer with the management but with the owners of the company. A major legal factor which affects British Airways is power of trade unions.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on British Airways Management Environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The workers trade unions have persistently demanded higher wages and benefits to their members. This has resulted to strikes, for example, those held between August 2004 to August 2005 and which affected normal functioning of the company. Economic factors will arise due to aspects such as the increase in prices of inputs of the airline business. The current insurgence in the Arab world in cou ntries such as Libya, Iraq, and Egypt has driven the prices of fuel very high. This means that, the prices of air traveling will increase thus resulting to fewer people paying for services with British Airways. These will in turn reduce the profits leading to poor service delivery. Another economic aspect is the economic recession which has hit the whole world. This has affected the airline in such a way that, it has to work with a slight budget. The number of customers has also reduced with most of them selecting the cheaper airlines and having fewer holidays. The increased competition from other airlines both local and international has limited further expansion of British Airways due to reduction in yields. There is also high inflation which has increased the cost of living of citizens. This has forced them to cut down their budgets by for example opting for less travelling and leisure so as to save. Social factors that affect the organization structures of the British airways ar e demographic, cultural changes and employer-employee relationship. These changes affect the size of the potential market together with the customer needs. The demographic changes have resulted to a grey generation who spend much on leisure and traveling. This means that the airline will have to out stretch it resources to cater for such a demand. The cultural changes have resulted in changes in lifestyle, tastes and fashions. This has resulted to customer requirement to travel to exciting ventures which might be available at airlines destination. With such changes, the airline has been forced to venture in unfamiliar territory or loss of business. The employee-employer relationship has deteriorated in the recent past with the employees striking so as to have increased salaries and to oppose mass retrenchment. This has led to massive losses to the company (Brassington Pettitt, 2007). Technological changes are other aspects that affect British airways. The technology involved the ai rline sector is expensive and fast moving. The airline lacks the funds to install systems such as check-in-system which helps customers to access information about their travel plans online.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Technology plays a crucial role in airline control and therefore, should be of high quality to prevent disasters. This factor forces the airline to invest in it so as to beat the competition. Changing ad implementing up to date technology ahs however been very expensive for the company. With proper investment in technology, the airline would make the work of their employees and customers easier. British airways has been successful to some extent. The company has registered success though with difficulties. These can be identified from the organizational structure and from the PEST analysis. Successes from the organizational structure are as follows: Division of management into small parts makes execution and implementation of decisions made by the executive simpler. This is because a supervisor has only a few subordinates below him or her. There is free communication between both employees and employers which have reduced on the strike actions resulting to better problem solving mec hanism. The organizational structure ensures that there is smooth running due to division of labor where an individual is aware of what is needed to be done (Golembiewski Robert, 1962). Successes based on PEST are as follows Political factors have led to the increase in security which has turned to be an advantage because customers feel secure when they are traveling with BA. This has led to increase in number of customers and in turn led to a boom in the business. Increased competition has come as a success because BA has worked to improve on it service delivery so as to remain at the top. In terms of the economic factors success is evident in the British Airways’ expansion through merger and privatization where the government has allowed an increase of individual shareholders into ownership of the business. Success from social factors is that the airline has worked hard to expand so as to cater for the growing demand from customers due to increase in population. Technologic ally, BA has highly invested to ensure they keep the same pace with the growing and fast moving technology. This has led to fast delivery of service to customers (Bohte Meier, 2001). Failures The organizational structure has led to delays in decision making and decision implementation (Wilson, 1989). This is as a result of many ranks in the structure where the real implementers are not involved in decision making. People on the ground are not involved in decision making a situation likely to lead in to opposition during implementation. Division of labor is not economical to any company because it limits flexibility in the field of work. Failures as identified from PEST analysis are as follows: Politically the government delays the decision making process because it has to be involved. The company has failed to offer best salaries to its employees resulting to strikes which affect normal operation. Economically, the company has failed to work towards new ventures likely to increase profits. Socially, the company has failed to cater for the growing demand. Technologically the company has not invested enough in technology which serves to ensure efficient service delivery (Kotler, 2008). Conclusion In conclusion, organizational structure of a company is a key to its success. British Airways’ organizational structure has helped the company achieve a lot. However, the failures identified should be eliminated to increase the efficiency of the company. The company should work towards increasing investment in technology since it will help in improved service delivery. The pest analysis explains what should be done to achieve the desired status. References Blau, M. and Scheonherr, A., 1971. Structure of organization. New York: Basic books. Bohte, J. and Meier K.., 2001.Structure and performance of public organizations: Task difficulty and span control. Rochester: Oakland university press Brassington F. Pettitt, S., 2007. Principles of marketing. London: Oxfor d university press. British Airways, (2010). 2009Annual reports. Available at www.britishairways.com/cms/global/microsites/ba_reports0809/our_business/w orkplace.html Golembiewski, T,. 1962.Behaviour and organization. Chicago: Rand-McNally. Goodsell, C., 1994. The case of bureaucracy. New Jersey: Chatham House Publishers. Henry, A., 2008. Understanding Strategic management. London: Oxford university press. Kotler, P., 2008. Principles of marketing. New York: Nuvision. Rainey, G., 1997. Understanding and managing public organization.San Francisco: Josey- Bass Publishers. Wilson, Q., 1989. Bureaucracy. New York: Basic books. This report on British Airways Management Environment was written and submitted by user Caitlyn Q. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

48 Writing Prompts for Middle School Kids

48 Writing Prompts for Middle School Kids 48 Writing Prompts for Middle School Kids 48 Writing Prompts for Middle School Kids By Ali Hale Are you stuck for something to write about? Or are you looking for prompts to use in the classroom? These prompts are aimed at middle school students (roughly age 11 – 14) – but younger or older writers might enjoy trying them as well. I’ve split them into different types of prompts – imaginative prompts, non-fiction/essay prompts, short story prompts and journaling prompts – but feel free to use them in any way you like. For instance, you might choose one of the imaginative prompts and use it as the basis for a story. A few of these prompts are taken from other people’s lists of writing ideas; for each of those, I’ve given you a link to the original source so you can check out the whole list if you want even more prompts. Twelve Imaginative Prompts If you found a treasure chest buried in your garden, what would you most like to discover inside? Invent an imaginary sport. What are the rules? How does the scoring work? Who typically plays it? If you had three wishes, what would you use them for and what might go wrong? Imagine that you woke up tomorrow as a member of the opposite sex. What would be different about your life? Where would you go, if you could go anywhere in the world? Who would you want to go there with? Imagine inventing a new holiday or celebration. What would you call it? When would it be celebrated? (Would it be the same date every year, like Christmas and Valentines Day, or would it move, like Thanksgiving and Easter?) What would people do during that holiday? If you were invisible for a day, where would you go and what would you do? Think of someone you dislike, or someone whose views and values are very different from your own. Now write a diary entry from their perspective, exploring why they see things this way. â€Å"  Imagine a future in which we each have a personalized robot servant. What would yours be like? What would it do? What features would it have?†(from smallworldathome.blogspot.com) â€Å"If you could live inside any video game, which would you choose?   Why?† (from journalbuddies.com) â€Å"If a wizard could tell you anything about your future, what would you most like to know?† (from edutopia.org) If you could meet any character from any book (or TV show or film), who would it be? What would you say to them, and what would they say to you? (based on a prompt from daringtolivefully.com) Twelve Non-Fiction or Essay Prompts What do you see as the biggest problem facing people your age today? Write about the most recent book you read. What was good about it (and what wasnt)? Who would you recommend it to? Who do you admire most in history and why? Whats more important: being healthy or having lots of money? Explain why you think so. How should cyber-bullying be tackled? If you ran your school, how would you change things? Does being fair mean treating everyone exactly the same? (Explain why / why not.) What do you think the world will be like in 50 years time? What will have changed for the better? What will be worse? Do you think humans will ever live on other planets? If yes, how would our society change? If no, how will we deal with problems like over-population and climate change on our own planet? Which scientific discovery or invention has changed the world the most, in your opinion? Explain why. â€Å"Many parents give children a weekly or monthly allowance regardless of their behavior because they believe an allowance teaches children to be financially responsible. Other parents only give children an allowance as a reward for completing chores or when they have behaved properly. Explain what you think parents should do and why.† (from education.depaul.edu)   Should school children wear uniforms? Why – or why not? (based on a prompt from dailyteachingtools.com) Twelve Short Story Prompts A child from the year 2300 travels back to our time. How and why? What do they find surprising (or even horrifying) about our daily lives? Start a story with this line of dialog: I wont do it, and you cant make me! Two friends send secret messages to one another through a hiding place that only they know about. One day, a message in someone elses handwriting appears in the hideout. What does it say? How do the friends react? An argument breaks out at a restaurant, where one person is clearly in the wrong. Do they back down or do they keep arguing? What happens next? A small child loses their favorite toy while on a trip to a park a long way from their home. What is the toy? Do they get it back again – if so, how? Scientists invent a medicine that makes the people who take it immune to colds and the flu but it has a side effect that no-one knows about for twenty years. What is the side effect? What happens as a result? Four young teenagers go wild camping without any adults. Their cell phones cant get a signal. Then one of them gets sick. What do they do? Someone has to face their worst fear in order to prevent something terrible from happening. What are they so afraid of? Why do they have to face it? Two enemies meet in an isolated place, by chance. One of them – who normally comes out best in any conflict – is badly hurt. How does the other person respond? â€Å"What happens when a normal girl  discovers a teleportation device in the park across from her house that only she knows how to use?† (from thejohnfox.com) â€Å"A poor young  boy or girl  comes into an unexpected fortune.  Not all fortunes are good. Sometimes discovering a fortune will destroy your life.  Ã¢â‚¬Å" (from thewritepractice.com) â€Å"Its your characters first day at a new school. He or she wants to get a fresh start, develop a new identity. But in his or her homeroom, your character encounters a kid he or she knows from summer camp† (from creative-writing-now.com) Twelve Journaling Prompts What is the best thing you’ve done this year? Why? Write about a typical (even boring!) weekday. It might seem dull now – but in 20 or 30 years, you might be fascinated to read about the little details of your life. What job or career do you want when you grow up? Why? How does your family celebrate Christmas (or any other holiday of your choice)? Write down the details and your family traditions. What one thing would make your life easier? Is it something you can go about achieving, or do you need to accept you can’t have or do it right now? How could you help someone else this week? Write a list of all your ideas. What would you do if you had a whole weekend free of any other responsibilities (chores, homework, etc)? Write a list – and if you can, choose one or two of these things to do this Write about the people in your family. What are their hopes and ambitions? What are their hobbies and interests? What’s your bedroom like? Big, small, tidy, messy? Describe it in detail. Which season of the year do you like best? Why? â€Å"Write about your favorite childhood toy.† (from dailyteachingtools.com) â€Å"Write about something that you wish you could say to someone else.  Ã‚  What is it, and whom would you like to say it to?  Ã‚  Is there anything stopping you from saying it?† (from journalbuddies.com) I hope these prompts have given you lots of ideas to write about! You might want to pick a regular time each week to tackle a writing prompt (e.g. Sunday afternoons). If you’ve got any prompts of your own to share, why not add them in the comments below? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! 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Rhetorical Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rhetorical Communication - Essay Example It is quite unusual to compare these forms of expression because they differ in purpose, appeal, argumentation, language usage, and eventually in literary devices presence. The most obvious difference concerns the aim of creation these two literary genres. Rhetoric always has a purpose, and its purpose is to persuade listeners in something. That is why despite the fact that Lincoln`s speech seems not to have obvious persuasion motive it is still aimed to influence the public in a certain way and provoke certain reaction. Lincoln is going to become a President for the second time and in his speech he needs to sum up his previous work. Nevertheless, he still needs to look in future that is why in his rhetoric he aims to combine his experience at president`s post with his expectations regarding future. The main topic of his speech is Civil War, and unfortunately the discussion of this topic is painful and unpleasant for the nation but the President needs to do it. In the very first paragraph Lincoln touches the topic of Civil War and outlines vague mood of the nation regarding this issue: â€Å"The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.† Further Lincoln briefly explains the situation, the reasons, and the negative consequences of the Civil War. Emily Dickenson as a poetess explores emotional side of the event and tries to demonstrate the War from her perspective of an ordinary citizen by examining the concepts of victory and defeat: Dickenson does not need to persuade someone in something, the aim of her poetry is self- discovery, deeper reflection, and expression of opinion on the topic. However, it is possible to suggest that the purpose of the poetry is elusive as the purpose of art in general as it mostly

Critically evaluate the claim that childrens early grammars are based Essay

Critically evaluate the claim that childrens early grammars are based around lexically specific schemas - Essay Example The Verb Island hypotheses (Tomasello, 1992) was formulated to explain the lexical-centered application of grammatical rules in children’s utterances. The development of children’s acquisition of linguistic skills has been under investigation for a long while. However, no theory has received universal approbation. The arguement that young children’s verbs are independent, each developing its own mini-syntax unrelated to other verbs (Tomasello, 1992,2000) though well known in the academia, has also been criticized. According to Tomasello in the insular stage of development, children have inventory specific lexical schemas each used only for the specific predicates. This schemas are independent and do not form a grammatical pattern. It is in a later stage of growth, children develop abstract systems of construction of inter-related verbal patterns. These early absence of grammatical representations are attested by a number of recent studies. The children’s early grammatical constructions are ordered around concrete lexical material. These lexical constructions consist of a term showing relation, often a verb and an open slot meant to be filled by various elements. (Tomasello 1992,2000; Pine and Lieven 1993; Dabrowska 2000;Israel, Johnson and Brooks 2000).The short sentences are from a diary study adopted from Tomasello (1992:285ff). The utterances are from his 2-year-old daughter. The formational mechanism of the utterances shows that they are determined on the occurrence of specific lexical words. They are made up of an element with an open slot that is completed by a noun like expression. The given table identifies the following pattern: That’s_____, More_____, ______get-it. The early child parlance is marked by such lexically specific constructions. In all the multiple word combinations made by Tomasello’s 2-year-old daughter, it is possible to trace this predilection for the lexical centered speech formation. The

Ballistics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ballistics - Research Paper Example o empirical evidence to back up this claim that criminal cases have been affected because the jurors are now more well-versed in Forensic Science through these television series—making it more difficult to get a guilty verdict as jurors require more forensic evidence—a study has been conducted on 1027 jurors that show that â€Å"46 % expected to see some kind of scientific evidence in every criminal case† (Barak, Kim and Shelton, 2006 as cited in Shelton, 2008, p. 5). Now, because gun-related crimes continue to rise since 2002, with 68% of murders in the United States in the year 2006 being committed with the use of a firearm, it can be said that much of the scientific evidence being expected by jurors relate to ballistics, which is a specialized area in the field of Forensics (National Institute of Justice, 2010, para. 2). In fact, the study on â€Å"the CSI Effect† found that â€Å"32 % expected to see ballistic/firearms laboratory evidence in every criminal case† (p. 5). This introduction into Forensic Science and Ballistics does not only highlight their key role in crime-solving, but also emphasizes the role of scientific evidence in serving justice. It can be said, then, that no matter how the television series may have exaggerated some aspects of crime scene investigation, like the time the evidence is processed, it cannot be refuted that the field of Forensics and Ballistics play crucial roles in the criminal justice systemâ €”CSI Effect or not. Having established the importance of Forensic Science and Ballistics, I will now outline what this paper will contain. In the course of my paper I will provide background and history of the field and I will then examine the many changes undergone by ballistics in the 20th century. Case studies will be examined to highlight the points that I will be making. I will then conclude with some thoughts as to where the field may go in the future. Forensic Science, most commonly known by its shortened name of Forensics, is

Critical Reflection on Professional Practice | Education

Critical Reflection on Professional Practice | Education In this essay I will critically review the literature on the role of the modern educator. To this end I will consider the history of teaching and the impact of modern educational theory before defining â€Å"reflective teaching†. I will then go on to consider the ramifications of critical reflectivity at different granularities. The concept of a â€Å"teacher† in the modern sense mayhave originated with the ancient Greeks. The Socratic Method set out byPlato and Xenophon encourages the learner to become an independentthinker through a process of elimination of working hypotheses.Throughout the European â€Å"dark ages† scholarly pursuits were largely thedomain of the clergy, who developed the school system and theprofessional school educator came into being. By Victorian times,however, the role of the educator was that of an instructorwho, in the spirit of John Locke, perceived children as â€Å"blank slatesonto which knowledge can be written† . Then, in the 20th Century, the view of education, and consequently the role of the educator, changed dramatically. The concept of a â€Å"teacher† in the modern sense mayhave originated with the ancient Greeks. The Socratic Method set out byPlato and Xenophon encourages the learner to become an independentthinker through a process of elimination of working hypotheses.Throughout the European â€Å"dark ages† scholarly pursuits were largely thedomain of the clergy, who developed the school system and theprofessional school educator came into being. By Victorian times,however, the role of the educator was that of an instructorwho, in the spirit of John Locke, perceived children as â€Å"blank slatesonto which knowledge can be written† . Then, in the 20th Century, the view of education, and consequently the role of the educator, changed dramatically. Educational theory in the 20thCentury was influenced by, amongst others, Piaget, Vygotsky and Dewey.It will be worth briefly reviewing their ideas. Jean Piaget developed the notion of constructivism in which learnersare considered to construct their own â€Å"theories† of the world.  Constructivism acknowledges the need to build upon and modify existingknowledge rather than simply to fill learners heads with knowledge. Lev Vygotsky emphasised the importance of scaffolding for childrenscognitive development in which the sociocultural environment isinternalised as knowledge is constructed.   As such learning was nolonger situated exclusively in the head but became an interactionbetween the child, peers and educators. John Dewey endorsed Vygotskys sociocultural approach and highlightedthe subjective nature of communal learning.   He is credited withpopularising socioconstructivist ideas into what became known asprogressive education. Another important influence came from cultural theory in the form ofwhat is known as postmodernism. Postmodernism is not a theory butrather a rejection of the â€Å"certain†. Instead, â€Å"meaning is always inprocess†,   and that which seems to be external reality is a culturalconstruct. Postmodernism demands a shift in perspective. Derrida   wrote: â€Å"The center is at the center of the totality, and yet, since the centerdoes not belong to the totality (is not part of the totality), thetotality has its center elsewhere. The center is not the center.† Perhaps the most important contribution of postmodernism to education,then, is the identification and questioning of underlying assumptionsand a blurring of focus from naà ¯ve clarity to reflective holism. As thinking human beings it isnear-on impossible to not be reflective in an everyday sense of theword. However the term â€Å"reflective teaching† refers to something moreprofound something systematically undertaken by practitioners thatâ€Å"implies flexibility, rigorous analysis and social awareness.†Ã‚   I willnow consider how a teacher might be critically reflective at threegranularities: (i) the fine-grain which occurs whilst teaching; (ii)the medium-grain which occurs retrospectively; (iii) the large-grainwhich considers teaching in the context of wider society. Fine-grain reflection relates to whatSchà ¶n calls â€Å"reflection-in-action† . I interpret reflection-in-actionto be a sociocultural process that is not located solely in theteachers head. Indeed it is a process of which the (experienced)teacher is not consciously aware. Rather, it relates to concepts suchas routines, attention and making judgments. It is a subtle teachingskill that is often at odds with the fashionable notion ofâ€Å"well-planned lessons†. The long-term refinement of fine-grain reflection over time is perhapswhat distinguishes the â€Å"expert† from the â€Å"novice† practitioner.Luntley   investigated the nature of expertise which he defines asâ€Å"attention-based knowledge†. He reports on an experienced teacher in amathematics lesson who drew shapes on the board and asked the classwhich ones were similar. She received answers that made no sense (toher) and reflected afterwards: â€Å"I was beginning to think: Oh God! There is something I am missinghere. [Laughter] Something that is obvious to them but not obvious tome.† The teacher then took action to resolve the issue because she: â€Å"recognised a mismatch between the pupils focus of attention and herown, and was able to interrogate this in order to respond in a waywhich changed the direction of the lesson, but enabled her to re-focusthe pupils ideas.† It is difficult to imagine how a trainee teacher might instantlyimprove their â€Å"expertise† and reflect instinctively at the chalk facelike this. Sheer experience seems necessary but it may be that thisexperience can be enhanced through systematic medium-grain reflection. Medium-grain reflection has profoundimplications. Postmodernism suggests the need to be mercilesslyself-critical.   A consequence of this is the lack of a yard-stickagainst which to measure progress. For example, one cannot simplyreflect on how to improve test scores without reflecting that anenvironment engineered for passing tests may actually damage childrenslearning by other standards.   Similarly, one cannot simply reflect onhow to reduce classroom noise levels as a way to â€Å"improve† behaviour.Rather we must identify and reflect on the complex power relations atplay in the classroom. Given these shifting-sands and the opaque nature of presuppositions, itis clear that reflective teaching at the medium grain size is no simpletask. There is no formula or recipe to follow rather it is therejection of such. Practitioners retrospective reflection is in factan attitude that encompasses many areas. Here I will attempt to listjust a few of them. The teacher must consider his or her own â€Å"wholeness†Ã‚   in thesociocultural context of the classroom. Age, gender, ethnicity,class-background, culture, religion, political views are relevant.Similar holistic consideration must be given to the pupils. Furthermorethe classroom itself is a complex sociocultural environment demanding aholistic reflection. The teacher must also consider the nature of the curriculum : how it isto be implemented and what is meant by learning and how we assess it.Policies and models and recipes and formulas abound, both voluntary andcompulsory (such as the 1988 Education Reform act which introduced aNational Curriculum). Reflective practice can be valuable in helpingteachers remain cool-headed amidst passing frenzies such as the currentunsubstantiated craze for â€Å"Accelerated Learning†. However it is no good the teacher merely being aware of thesociocultural nature of the environment, or the possible flaws in thecurriculum, as though this might vaccinate her from problems. Theentire purpose of reflective teaching is to inform practice throughâ€Å"evidence-informed professional practice†Ã‚   such as reflective markingof pupils work, discussion with colleagues, classroom observations,journal keeping and so on. Another aspect is how critical reflective practice might inform ateachers professional development, such as the acquisition offine-grained â€Å"knowledge-based attention† mentioned above. Professionaldevelopment should be considered holistically in a wider socioculturalcontext as a â€Å"process of enlightenment† that is â€Å"a reflective andcommunal process†.   The next step up after school and career focused critical reflection isteachers reflecting on their role in wider society which I discuss inthe following section.   Large-grain reflection refers tocritically considering ones role as a teacher within wider society. Itcan involve quite pragmatic issues such as joining a union, decidinghow to vote and keeping an eye on political developments such as thecurrent â€Å"dominant managerialist ideology†Ã‚   in the work place. It can also involve philosophical and ideological considerations aboutthe future of education. During the ‘cultural revolution of 1960sAmerica many teachers (e.g. Herbert Kohl ) came to reject the ideal ofschool altogether, imagining a future utopia in which society educatesits young without institutionalisation. Other educationalists havevisions of how the nature of learning might be revolutionised in anincreasingly complex and technological society (e.g. Seymour Papert ). Considering that the teaching profession does not offer the greatestfinancial returns, working conditions or status the higher ideals areessential to me personally. Teaching must be seen as a holisticlifestyle an attempt to â€Å"save the world† even to be enjoyable. For me reflective teaching contains an inherent paradox -yet this is its strength. It is a ‘formula for thinking that teachesus to reject formulae for thinking. It is an ongoing questioning andanalysis at all granularities in which our attitude should be aholistic, dynamic process rather than a static set of commandments.Although critical reflection should be painful to a degree, the returns are enriching and invaluable. Research Proposal: Child Attachment with Care Providers Research Proposal: Child Attachment with Care Providers Rationale The author has chosen to focus on the area of nursery care for children aged six months to five years, chiefly because it is an area of personal and professional interest, and because despite a wealth of research on parenting attachment, child development, behavioural development and the like, the field of study is still lacking in good, applied research which explores how children become acclimatised to a nursery environment, and what factors may affect this process. Because of social and societal changes â€Å"many infants tart their out-of-home lives at an early age with non-familial caregivers in childcare settings† (Lee, 2006 p 133). This care setting has potentially long-term implications for the child, the family, and for society as a whole. â€Å"The infant-caregiver relationship is crucial for infants since this first relationship with a caregiver will not only provide a working model for the subsequent relationships with teachers but will also set the stage for adju stment, development, and learning in the current setting and for later school life† (Lee, 2006 p 134). Attachment theories explore how attachment between child and caregiver affect these issues.The focus on attachment theories is also related to the need for nursery workers to engage in partnership working with parents in order to ensure good supportive exchanges of information from both sides, and to promote the best possible experience for the child (and their peers). The author has observed great differences between different children in the ways that they settle into the nursery environment. Some children adapt quickly to the new situation, the caregivers and the activities, while others take much longer, displaying ongoing signs of separation anxiety and other behaviours which indicate they are not fully acclimatised to the nursery environment and carers. While there are arguments here about whether or not childcare workers and parents should expect certain levels of conformity from such young children, and about the individual needs of children being met in a flexible, responsive manner, there is no doubt that children do need to learn to interact in peer groups and to integrate into environments other than the home environment at some point during their developmental processes. The adaptation to the new environment may be related to parenting styles, attachment, or the characteristics of caregivers. Literature Review A range of variables might affect the child’s ability to settle into the childcare environment. Some of these are potentially derived from the home setting, from attachment to parents and other caregivers, and from the kinds of parenting styles that the child has already experienced and from the family situation (David et al, 2003). Other variables are related to (potentially) biology and the social behaviours which reinforce gender. Turner (1991) explores the complex relationships between attachment and gender and child integration with peers in preschool environments, and shows that there are gender differences in these phenomena. How much this is due to carer and peer preconceptions of appropriate child behaviour is not clear, but Phillipsen et al (1999) show that social acceptance, and carers’ perceptions of behaviour and peer interactions are mediated by preconceptions about expected behaviours. This author is concerned that children’s individuality and indi vidual circumstances are perhaps, on the basis of such studies, not being given enough attention, and that this drive for behavioural conformity is perhaps serving a different purpose to the expressed, child-focused aims of nursery providers. McKown and Weinstein (2002) also relate teacher expectations to gender and to ethnicity in early years environments, and so the kinds of demographic information that would be needed in an exploratory study of this kind would include gender and ethnicity questions. Other authors have researched relationships between children and their childcare providers, and shown that the relationship between these may vary according to the perceptions of different childcare workers (Howes et al, 2000), and according to the sensitivity and characteristics of the childcare workers (Gerber et al, 2007). This study would focus on the kinds of perceptions of attachment identified by Howes et al (2000). A more useful study would employ an objective observer to measure and record attachment behaviours (Delamont, 2002), but this is a small scale academic piece, and there are insufficient resources to employ an objective, skilled observer. Other variables affecting the child’s ability to settle must obviously derive from the nursery environment. These may be characteristics of caregivers and caregiver-child relationships, which may be in turn influenced by nursery policies, by organisational culture and norms and managerial practices, and also by the personalities of the caregivers (Cryer et al, 2005). Resources may also affect this environment. Lee (2006) found that â€Å"infants and their key caregivers did build firm (close, secure, synchronous) relationships in the relationship-valued and supportive childcare context† (p 140). This suggests that the context may affect this process in significant ways. However, it is the characteristics of the child his or herself, and their parents or their attachment to their parents which may be the issue here, hence the focus on attachment theory. Rydell et al (2005) suggest that â€Å"a central prediction from attachment theory is that the quality of the child’s attachment to parents will be related to the quality of relationships with other people† (p 188). Therefore, it is important as part of the proposed study to assess the parenting experience and any markers of attachment from the point of view of the parent(s). This may be important in identifying children’s ability to develop secure relationships with other carers (Rydell et al, 2005). Bowlby (2007) argues that babies and toddlers will have their attachment seeking response activated in the absence of a primary or a secondary attachment figure when they are in the presence of a stranger and in unfamiliar surroundings, which is what may happen in nurseries when children do not ‘settle’. This attachment seeking response may be terminated if the child is able to develop an attachment to a secondary carer (Bowlby, 2007). Bowlby (2007) suggests a model of childcare that actively promotes and monitors long-term secondary attachment bonds between baby and carer. This kind of model is shown in the theory of having a key person identified for each child within the setting, which has benefits for the baby/child, in terms of affection and attachment, for parents, and for the key person (Elfer, 2002). Understanding this in the context of the child-caregiver relationship is challenging, because this relationship is multidimensional (Lee, 2006). Aims The aims of this study are: to answer the following question: Why do some children settle in nursery in a short space of time and some take longer, using the same settling in method?; and to model the complex interactions between the factors which may be seen as affecting this process. Theories of attachment will be used as a framework to inform and support the design of the study, but a range of potential variables will be explored in order to fully develop a model of understanding which may answer the key research question. Other aims of this study are that it should improve understanding in order to help childcare workers and parents support children’s transition into the childcare environment Methodology While an ethnographical methodology would be a logical choice of research methodology in this case (Massey, 1998), there are some issues around this kind of approach, including the potential bias of the researcher and the issues cited elsewhere about observation and participant observation. Perspectives other than that of the researcher need to be addressed, and data from parents and from the childcare setting needs to be incorporated. A Grounded Theory approach will be used, chiefly because of the way that this methodology supports the inclusion of a range of qualitative data sources along with quantitative data in the form of descriptive statistics and demographic characteristics (Borgatti, 2005; Glaser and Strauss, 1967). Grounded Theory sets out to develop models of knowledge and explication which are ‘grounded’ in the data under investigation, the nature of which always include ‘rich’ qualitative data (Charmaz, 1994). The complexity of Grounded Theory m odels lies in their derivation from the data themselves, and so would serve well this attempt to address a complex phenomenon likely to be affected by a range of variables. Grounded Theory allows the researcher to make full use of the data (Bell and Opie, 2002; D’Onofrio, 2001). Data analysis is via a process of constant comparison of the data with each other, through stages of analysis towards an end model (Charmaz, 1994; Glaser and Strauss, 1967). The kinds of complexities, the human nature of the interactions within the childcare environment, and the many variables that would likely affect the child’s interactions within that environment, do not lend themselves to a quantitative methodology, particularly one carried out on so small a scale. Nor would it be ethical to carry out quantitative research on vulnerable children when there is no hope of gaining a statistically significant sample size for a good quality quantitative study. Therefore, a qualitative study, which supports and exploratory approach, has been deemed more suitable. Methods which collect talk and conversation would be suitable for this kind of research (Adelman, 1981), but due to the vulnerability of the children involved, the data collection methods must be chosen with care. Similarly, the data collection methods and sources have been selected to include all relevant information which might indicate factors which impinge upon the infant or child’s ability to settle into the nursery environment. Because of the issues of perception discussed above, participant observation was ruled out as a data collection approach (Arnould, 1998). The data collection methods were chosen to minimse the impact on children, parents and childcare workers. These will include exploratory questionnaires given to parents and semi-structured interviews with nursery caregivers, documentary data in the form of the children’s nursery records, nursery policies, mission statements and staff training and orientation documents, and interviews with staff. All these kinds of data sources are suitable to a Grounded Theory Approach (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). It is important to take into account the complexities and details of the context, both physical and behavioural, within which the child behaviours are taking place, because this may indicate factors within the nursery itself which affect the child’s orientation into that environment. The data collection tools, which consist of a parental questionnaire and a pro-forma for the semi-structured interviews with childcare providers, will be informed by the use of established measures, including the Q-Set measure (Moss et al, 2006). Other studies have applied such measures to a similar situation in relation to attachment theory (Moss et al, 2006). Interviews will be audio-taped, anonymised at point of recording, and then transcribed as text documents. All data, from questionnaires, interviews and documentary sources will be transferred into an electronic qualitative data analysis programme such as NVivo, for ease of management and improved analysis (Drisko, 2004). NVivo allows for the development of models from qualitative data, but also supports the integration of quantitative and demographic data to develop correlations between these data and qualitative concepts and findings (Drisko, 2004). Because Grounded Theory tends to treat the literature review as a concurrent process (Glaser and Strauss, 1967), and literature sources as a form of data in themselves (D’Onofrio, 2001), the use of NVivo also supports and aids this process in terms of the management of large amounts of textual data (Drisko, 2004). Ethical Considerations It is important that the quality of the research is such that it is justifiable to carry it out within this setting (see methodology section above). Ethical considerations include the ethics of carrying out research on small children who are unable to give consent, and the affects the research might have on their caregivers. Research that distracts the childcare workers or affects their ability to take care of children would not be ethical. Participant observation was deemed as unsuitable (Arnould, 1998).Having a ‘strange’ adult (the researcher) in the environment might also disturb the ‘status quo’. Therefore, an observational method was not chosen, and parents given full information sheets and consent forms for participation in the study. Only those parents who consent will be included, and data will only be gathered pertaining to their children. Ethical approval will be sought from the researcher’s place of study (via normal ethics committee approv al). Permission will be gained from the child care organisation’s manager, and staff will be recruited via information sheets and consent forms in the same way that parents were. Staff interviews will be carried out at a location convenient to the place of work, and at agreed times which do not interfere with their normal workload. All interviews and demographic data including even the location and name of the childcare setting will be anonymised. Timescale Because of the data collection methods chosen, the timescale is adjusted to take into account the difficulties in gaining good response rates from questionnaires and in fitting in the interviews with the childcare providers in a way that does not place them under undue stress or affecting their working lives. A three month timescale (from the point of ethical approval) is projected for the data collection phase of this project, which will allow for an initial recruitment of the sample, distribution of questionnaires, a second round of questionnaires to improve response rates, and concurrent interviews with childcare providers and collection of documentary evidence from the childcare setting. The concurrent literature review must also take place within this timescale, and so literature searching, identification and collection will occur during the data collection phase, and critical literature review and analysis will commence during this phase and continue through the data analysis p hase of the research. This second phase, data analysis, should take a further three months, from initial analysis to completion of a model. Writing up should take a further two weeks. Conclusion It is anticipated that this study will illuminate the still murky waters of attachment with childcare providers, the potential benefits of the â€Å"key person† in relation to attachment and to promoting the adjustment of the child to the childcare setting. It should also shed light on demographic and other characteristics which may affect this process, thereby, at the very least, identifying key areas for further, more in-depth or targeted research. Because this is an exploratory study, the potential richness of the data should allow for some insight and discovery about issues affecting attachment and adjustment. Attachment theories would need to be explored in much greater detail than this brief proposal allows, and the quality of the existing research on these theories applied to this setting appraised. The resultant model should incorporate the evidence from the literature with the evidence from the study data into a model which may inform future approaches to caring for c hildren within this setting. Bibliography Adelman, C. (1981) Uttering Muttering : collecting, using and reporting talk for social and educational research. London:Grant McIntyre Arnould, E.J. (1998) Ethical Concerns in Participant Observation/Ethnography. Advances in Consumer Research 25 72 Asher, S.R., Pankhurts, J.T., Hymel, S. and Williams, G. (1990) Peer rejection and loneliness in childhood. In Asher, S.R. and Cole, J.D. (eds) Peer rejection in childhood. Cambridge studies in social and emotional development (253-273) New York: Cambridge University Press. Bell, J. and Opie, C. (2002) Learning from Research : getting more from your data Buckingham: Open University Press. Birch, S.H. and Ladd, G.W. (1997) The teacher-child relationship and children’s early school adjustment. Journal of School Psychology 35 61-79. Birch, S.H. and Ladd, G.W. (1997) Children’s interpersonal behaviours and the teacher-child relationship. Developmental Psychology 34 934-946. Borgatti, S. (2005) Introduction to Grounded Theory www.analytictech.com accessed 12-07-08. Charmaz, K. (1994)The grounded theory method: An explication and interpretation. In Glaser,, B. (ed) More grounded theory methodology: A reader p 95-115 Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press. Coady, M. (2001) Ethics in early childhood research in: MacNaughton, G., Rolfe, S. and Siraj-Blaqtchford, S. (2001) Doing Early childhood Research: international perspectives on theory and practice Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cryer, D., Wagner-Moore, L., Burchinal, M. et al (2005) Effects of transitions to new child care classes on infant/toddler distress and behaviour. Early Childhood Research Quarterly 20 37-56. David, T., Goouch, K., Powell, S. and Abbott, L. (2003) Birth to Three Matters: a Review of the Literature Nottingham: Queen’s Printer. Delamont, S. (2002) Fieldwork in educational settings London: Falmer Press DeMulder, E.K., Denham, S., Schmidt, M. and Mitchell, J. (2000) Q-sort assessment of attachment security during the preschool years: links from home to school. Developmental Psychology D’Onofrio, A. (2001) â€Å"Grounded Theory† Qualitative Research Methods in Education Spring/Summer http://muse.widener.edu accessed 10-7-08. Drisko, J.W. (2004) Qualitative Data Analysis Software: A User’s Appraisal.† In Padgett, D. (ed) The Qualitative Research Experience p 193-209. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Gerber, E.B., Whitebook, M. and Wienstein, R.S. (2007) At the heart of childcare: predictors of teacher sensitivity in center-based child care. Early Childhood Research Quarterly22 327-346. Glaser, B.G. Strauss, A.L. (1967) The discovery of grounded theory: strategies for qualitative research. Chicago: Aldine Goossens, F.A., and van Ijzendom, M.H. (1990) Quality of infants’ attachments to prorfessional caregivers: relation to infant-parent attachment and day-care characteristics. Child Development 61 832-857. Howes, C, Phillipsen, L.C. and Peisner-Feinberg, E. (2000) The consistency of perceived teacher-child relationships between preschool and kindergarten. Journal of School Psychology 38 113-132. Howes, C. (1999) Attachment relationships in the context of multiple caregivers. In Cassidy, J. and Shaver, P.R. (eds) Attachment Theory: research and clinical applications9671-687). New York: Guilford Press. Lee, S.Y. (2006) A journey to a close, secure and synchronous relationship: infant-caregiver relationship development in a childcare context. Journal of Early Childhood Research. 4 (2) 133-151. Massey, A. (1998) â€Å"The way we do things around here: the culture of ethnography.† Ethnography and Education Conference, Oxford University www.voicewisdom.co.uk accessed 13-07-08. McKown, C. and Weinstein, R.S. (2002) Modeling the role of child ethnicity and gender in children’s differential response to teacher expectations. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 32 (1) 159-184. Moss, E., Bureau, J-F., Cyr, C. and Dubious-Comtois, K. (2006) Is maternal Q-Set a valid measure of preschool child attachment behaviour? International Journal of Behavioural Development 30 (6) 488-497. Phillipsen, L.C., Bridges, S.K., McLemore, T.G. and Saponaro, L.A. (1999) Perceptions of social behaviour and peer acceptance in kindergarten. Journal of Research in Childhood Education. 14 68-77. Rydell, A-M., Bohlin, G. and Thorell, L.B. (2005) Representations of attachment to parents and shyness as predictors of children’s relationships with teachers and peer competence in preschool.† Attachment and Human Development 7 (2) 187-204. Turner, P. (1991) Relations between attachment, gender and behaviour with peers in preschool. Child Development 62 1475-1488.

Characteristics and Impacts of American Reconstruction Essay -- Americ

Characteristics and Impacts of American Reconstruction The key goals of Reconstruction were to readmit the South into the Union and to define the status of freedmen in American society. The Reconstruction era was marked by political, not violent, conflict. Some historical myths are that the South was victimized by Reconstruction, and that the various plans of Reconstruction were corrupt and unjust. Actually, the plans were quite lenient, enforcing military rule for only a short period of time, ignoring land reform, and granting pardons easily. The task of Reconstruction was to re-integrate America into a whole nation, securing the rights of each man and establishing order once again. There were three major Reconstruction plans; Lincoln, Johnson, and Congress each offered a strategy to unify the nation. Lincoln’s plan, in 1864, required ten percent of the voting population of each state who had voted in the 1860 election to take an oath of allegiance to the Union and accept the abolition of slavery. Then that ten percent could create a state government that would be loyal to the Union. Confederate officials, army and naval officers, and civil officers who had resigned from office were all required to apply for presidential pardons (Boyer, 443). Lincoln’s plan did not at all deal with freedmen’s civil rights, which is a definite weakness. Under his ten percent rule, no freedmen could be part of a state government. Also, it did not address land reform, an economic weakness of Lincoln’s strategy. Finally, under Lincoln’s plan, no federal military occupation was required in Southern states. This left the freedmen at the mercy of the states for protection. Congress viewed this plan as far too lenient, and in 1864 passed the Wade-Davis bill. This bi ll required the majority of voters in each Southern state to take an oath of loyalty; only then could the state hold a convention to repeal secession and abolish slavery. Although Lincoln’s plan may have been too lenient, this bill would have been far too harsh and delayed readmission to the Union for a very long time. Lincoln did not sign the bill into law, or pocket-vetoed the bill, and was soon assassinated. Therefore, he did not have a chance to implement his plan of Reconstruction, and his goal was not met. After Andrew Johnson assumed the presidency following Lincoln’s assassination in ... ...n did create black institutions in response to Reconstruction; there was a cropping up of black churches, schools, and higher education establishments (Boyer 458). Reconstruction made the nation as a whole feel ‘reunited’, but it was viewed as a failure and waste immediately after its completion (Boyer, 471). It laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement by passing the 13, 14, and 15th amendments, even though they would not be implemented to protect minority rights for nearly a hundred years. Reconstruction also established a policy of treating African-Americans as second-class citizens. The nation was taught that it was alright to treat blacks as inferior people because the government would not even guarantee them the right to vote in state elections. However, Reconstruction did pave the way for share-cropping and the factory system, which would lead to an economic boom as American expanded. Reconstruction threw America into upheaval, and by 1875 the North had tired of the various plans and politics, and longed to end Congress’s plan (Boyer, 467). Boyer, Clark, et.al.Enduring Vision,Volume II: From 1865. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston:2000.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Please answer the following questions.1. What does the acronym DAP in the field of early childhood education stand for? In one sentence, explain what the phrase means to you when you spell it out. (4 points)â€Å"DAP† – Developmentally appropriate practiceDAP refers to a framework designed to encourage young children’s optimal learning and development. Ensures that children’s goals and experiences are suited to their learning and development and challenging enough to promote their progress and interest. Best practice is based on knowledge and not on assumptions of how children learn and develop. DAP is the best practice to promote excellence in early childhood education.2. What three areas of knowledge must all early childhood professionals consider in relation to DAP? (These are outlined under the first DAP core: Knowledge to consider in making decisions.) (6 points= 2 points eac h)Below three areas of knowledge that must be considered by all early childhood professionals should consider in relation to DAP: a. Knowing about child development and learning.Knowing what is typical at each age and stage of early development is crucial. This knowledge, based on research, helps us decide which experiences are best for children’s learning and development. b. Knowing what is individually appropriate.What we learn about specific children helps us teach and care for each child as an individual. By continually observing children’s play and interaction with the physical environment and others, we learn about each child’s interests, abilities, and developmental progress. c. Knowing what is culturally important.We must make an effort to get to know the children’s families and learn about  the values, expectations, and factors that shape their lives at home and in their communities. This background information helps us provide meaningful, rele vant, and respectful learning experiences for each child and family.3. Describe an example of what a DAP activity or interaction looks like with children. (5 points)I quoted an example of teaching a Preschooler an example of DAP activity with Children: Good preschool teachers maintain appropriate expectations, providing each child with the right mix of challenge, support, sensitivity, and stimulation. With their knowledge, skill, and training, teachers can ensure that programs promote and enhance every child’s learning. DAP in preschool looks like:â€Å"In the dramatic play center, two 4-year-old girls are pretending to read menus. Jaimi, noticing that neither girl has taken on the role of waiter, takes notepad and pencil in hand and asks them, â€Å"May I take your order?† Over the next few days, more children join the restaurant play. Waiters set tables, take orders, give orders to the cook, and prepare checks for diners.† Jaimi is an observant, inventive, and intentional teacher. Her intervention sparks fresh play, tempting children to take on different roles, enrich their social and language interactions, and use writing and math for new purposes.4. List the five guidelines of DAP and explain what each one means in your own words. (10 points= 2 points each)These guidelines address five key aspects of the teacher's role:I. Creating a caring community of learnersThe early childhood setting functions as a community of learners in which all participants consider and contribute to each other's well-being and learning.Social relationships are an important context for learning. Each child has strengths or interests that contribute to the overall functioning of the  group. When children have opportunities to play together, work on projects in small groups, and talk with other children and adults, their own development and learning are enhancedII.Teaching to enhance development and learningTeachers use their knowledge about children in genera l and the particular children in the group as well as their familiarity with what children need to learn and develop in each curriculum area to organize the environment and plan curriculum and teaching strategies.Teachers develop, refine, and use a wide repertoire of teaching strategies to enhance children's learning and development.III.Planning curriculum to achieve important goalsEffective curriculum plans frequently integrate across traditional subject-matter divisions to help children make meaningful connections and provide opportunities for rich conceptual development. Curriculum promotes the development of knowledge and understanding, processes and skills, as well as the dispositions to use and apply skills and to go on learning.IV.Assessing children's development and learningAssessments are tailored to a specific purpose and used only for the purpose for which they have been demonstrated to produce reliable, valid information.Assessment of young children's progress and achiev ements is ongoing, strategic, and purposeful. The results of assessment are used to benefit children in adapting curriculum and teaching to meet the developmental and learning needs of childrenV.Establishing reciprocal relationships with familiesReciprocal relationships between teachers and families require mutual respect, cooperation, shared responsibility, and negotiation of conflicts toward achievement of shared goals.Parents are welcome in the program and participate in decisions about their children's care and education. Parents observe and participate and serve in decision making roles in the program.

Minority Groups Issue in Modern World

Minority Groups Issue in Modern World Introduction Minority groups have always been part of every society. In any given society, there are those people who are considered weak or lesser by virtue of one aspect or another most of which are natural.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Minority Groups Issue in Modern World specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Women have for a long time considered as minority groups in many societies; always taking the second place after men and always being denies opportunities which they deserve just by the mere fact that they are women. However over the years, the situation has changes and most minority groups and especially women have come out strongly to defend their position in the society. They have formed unions under whose umbrella they fight for their rights ensuring that they are not discriminated against just by the mere fact that they are women. Women have also managed to fight for a level paying ground and an equal pla tform just their male counterparts so that positions of leadership and other influential positions are given by merit and not based on gender or any other consideration. This discussion looks at the range of actions that minority groups are taking to advance their interests within the union movement and what other actions they could take to further their cause. Special attention will be paid to the different strategies and methods that minority groups are currently using or might use to further their goals. Who is a Minority Group? A minority group is segregated group in a society which always small and hence the name minority which is hardly incorporated or recognizes as part of the society. More often, this people are ignored or sort of disregarded and they are not sufficiently involved in social matters especially those that regard development.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is the continued sidelining of minority groups over the years that has resulted to the minority groups coming up with various strategies so as to advance their interests and ensure that they also participate actively in various developmental issues and other issues that are of societal concern. Minority groups are based on a number of factors mainly gender, age, sexual affiliation or general perceptions held by an individual (Simpson Yinger, 2005, p. 43). In the modern society, the most common minority groups include women based on their gender, children based on their age, lesbians and gays based on their sexual affiliation and other people who hold views that are not very popular with the rest of the society. As experience may have proven, it is not always easy to live under the umbrella of stereotype that most minority groups have to contend with. It is as if you do not belong in your very own society. It is a stereotype that has seen most of those belonging to minority gr oups attempt to break away if only to be treated in more â€Å"normal† way. However, with the strategies discussed below, it has become easier for these groups to find a place in the society where they could lead a productive life in the society and prove to the rest of the society that they are no different and can do equally good if not better just like everybody else. Strategies Used One strategy that has proven successful in helping minority groups advance their interests is joining union movements. Usually, a union movement is a group of people who come together with the main goals of ensuring that their interests are taken care of.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Minority Groups Issue in Modern World specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Union movements are common especially among workers in different sectors who come together to ensure that all their rights are respected and that they are able to advance ot her common interests they may have. It has also been noted that unlike in the past where most minority groups considered themselves lesser in their manner and behavior, this has since changed as most minority groups now consider themselves equal with other people (Whitley Kite, 2009, p. 65). In the past, most minority groups seemed to agree with the rest of the community that indeed they were lesser and did not have as equal rights as the rest of the people to access opportunities in different aspects of life. Minority groups have now come out strongly to show the rest of the world that being small in number of holding a view or perception that is not as popular does not make them any less. They have therefore become more assertive than they were previously and this has by and large helped them advance their interests. Unity is another aspect that has helped minority groups thrive and advance e their interest in the increasingly hostile society. Minority groups have been teaming up to form groups of their own with vested interests. For instance, women who have for a long time been considered as minority in many societies have found ways of empowering themselves by coming together to form groups which they use to come up with projects that are highly beneficial to them and to the society in general. Women for instance perhaps due to the fact that it is one of the minority groups that has been with the society for years has become more vocal than any other minority groups.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Women have come out strongly to assert their positions and there are now more women in positions of leadership and power more than there were a couple of years back. Women have also formed various help groups and have come up with very successful projects most of which are income generating. Thus, besides providing a steady income to these women, they are also beneficial to the society and they have helped the general society change their general perception about women. Another strategy that most minority groups are using to advance their interest and further their goals is by teaming with non-governmental organizations who provide funding that is required to help kick start their projects. The non governmental organizations have been very instrumental especially in supporting women groups implement their projects thus making the society a better place. Another strategy that has helped minority groups come out from what is seen as cacoon is by actively participating in forums of nat ional issues and general societal concern. Women for instance have been participating in religious issues and some are already holding positions of importance in the religious domain. About a decade ago, women could not be allowed to hold such positions. Women and other minority groups have therefore come out to show the rest of the society that indeed they have equal potential and can equally perform well when given an opportunity. Minority groups have also been holding demonstration in an attempt to have the voice heard. These peaceful demonstrations have helped a great deal because even the government listens to these groups when they demonstrate. The essence of these demonstrations is to make an assertive voice to the government, policy makers and the society in general that the minority groups also have a right to be involved and adequately so in the participation of making decisions. Of all the minority groups that there are, the women and the young people can be said to be th e most successful. Perhaps this is because the basis on which they are considered to be a minority group is not controversial. Lesbians and gays have not been having to easy in trying to find their position in the society. Perhaps due to the fact many people in the society based on their upbringing do not consider these practices correct, the minority groups may be said to be finding it even more challenging than women and young people have. They have however continued to hold peaceful demonstrations asking the society to view them as normal whose sexual affiliation should not be used to alienate them. Unlike when these practices first merged, the society seems to be slowly accepting this group of people although there is still a tendency to look at this group of people as though they are not normal. People suffering from disabilities are also part of minority groups and they have also had a fair share of challenges in having the society accept them and consider them as equally pote ntial people who can deliver when given an opportunity to (Sproule, 1989, p. 123). The media has played a major role in highlighting the plight of minority groups and influencing the society to start viewing these people from a different angle. Currently, there are several people with disabilities who are holding managerial positions and this goes to show that the society is changing positively and learning to accept that disability is not inability. Other tactics that minority groups may use to further their goals and ensure that they have an impact in the society is by ensuring that they are more united than ever before ( Pentassuglia, 2009, p. 54). It has been noted that while segregated groups form unions to represent their rights and interests, the majority of people are left out and this means that there are many people belonging to the minority groups especially at the grass root level who do not have any support. It is important therefore for the lobby groups to ensure that all persons falling under the category of minority groups are well represented. Collaboration with civil rights movements is yet another strategy that will work well in helping the minority groups further their goals. Conclusion Women are perhaps the best example of a minority group that has managed to liberate themselves using most of the above discussed tactics. In the modern world, the woman is holding just as good a position just her male counterpart. In this century, minority groups have risen to show the rest of the society that they are equally part of the society and that they also have a big part to play in making the world a better place. If the trend that most minorities groups are taking is anything to go by, then it would be correct to say that in a couple of years to come, there may in fact not be any minority groups in the society. Instead, there will be many different groups with different agendas but bring considered as rightfully belonging to the larger society. Re ferences Pentassuglia, G. (2009). Minority groups and judicial discourse in international law: a comparative perspective. LA: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. Simpson, G. Yinger, J. (1985). Racial and cultural minorities: an analysis of prejudice and discrimination. London: Springer. Sproule, W. (1989). Minority Groups. New York: Gage. Whitley, B. Kite, M. (2009). The psychology of prejudice and discrimination. New  York: Francis and Taylor.

Use Manuscript Markers for Your First Draft

Use Manuscript Markers for Your First Draft Use Manuscript Markers for Your First Draft Use Manuscript Markers for Your First Draft By Mark Nichol In response to my recent post about parentheses, a commenter mentioned that he uses parentheses as markers for passages to return to later for reworking copy or for inserting missing text. Then he does a pass using Microsoft Word’s Find function to locate the parentheses and fill in the blanks. That’s a good writing strategy: Many writing coaches and professional writers recommend, as much as possible, writing first drafts nonstop, especially when you’re in the groove get your thoughts down, even if they’re incomplete, and jump over the gaps and keep on going. Marking the blanks for attention later is a good strategy, but unless you’re unlikely to use parentheses in your prose, I recommend you employ another marker. For example, it’s common in journalism to use TK, a phonetic abbreviation for â€Å"to come† that’s easily searched because those letters don’t naturally occur sequentially in words, which allows you to avoid false hits as you search for your markers for incomplete content. (Keep in mind, though, that both TK and TC are valid abbreviations.) Book publishers, by contrast, often employ multiple asterisks or zeroes in some cases, including page numbers for a table of contents that has not yet been finalized; a proofreader fills in the correct page numbers later. Graphic designers also use what’s called Greek text, though it’s actually adulterated Latin (also known as lorem ipsum because of that commonly appearing phrase). However, this placeholder text is used for design mockups, not as part of the writing process. (The same is true of the letter sequence ETAOIN SHRDLU, consisting of the twelve most frequently used letters in English.) When I’m editing an academic text with references, I need to check in-text citations against the reference list to make sure every reference is cited and every citation is referenced. Instead of printing out a copy of the references as a checklist, or making a duplicate file, I simply mark each reference item as I find its in-text citation, using the â€Å"at† sign or another character that doesn’t otherwise appear in the manuscript. When I’m done, I do a Find and Replace search to delete the signs in one fell swoop. That reminds me: Do you know the shortcuts for reducing or omitting letter and line spaces? Some educators still teach otherwise, but sentences should be separated by only one letter space. To reduce double spaces to single ones throughout a manuscript with just a few keystrokes and clicks, just type two spaces in the Find field and one space in the Replace field, then click on Replace All. Repeat as necessary until no instances are indicated. (Be careful not to click on Replace All before you type a letter in the Replace field, or you’ll end up with paragraph-long strings of type.) To delete letter spaces at the end of multiple paragraphs, type a letter space followed by the symbol ^ (shift+6) and the letter p with no letter space between them into the Find field and ^p into the Replace field, then hit Replace All. Repeat as necessary. To reduce two line spaces to one, enter ^p^p into the Find Field and ^p into the Replace Field and select Replace All. Repeat as necessary. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Because Of" and "Due To" 50 Diminutive Suffixes (and a Cute Little Prefix)10 Writing Exercises to Tighten Your Writing