Juvenile Justice Essay

Morals usually are the guiding principles in just about everybody’s life. Humans generally tend to do what is considered to be â€Å"right† and astray from what is â€Å"wrong†, but in some cases, people choose to do what is considered â€Å"wrong†. However, people believe that children should be dealt with much more lightly because they’re not adults yet. On the other hand, I disagree that children should be exempt from punishment, and I fully agree with the four justices that believe a child who commits a heinous crime should be punished with a prison sentence of life without parole. The eighth amendment bans cruel and unusual punishment to protect its citizens. If a child commits a murder and goes unpunished, is that not a cruel punishment for the victim’s family? In Jennifer Jenkins’ â€Å"On Punishment and Teen Killers†, she states that there is: â€Å"no regard to the impact on victims’ families†(10). The jus tice system is not doing its job if it is not getting justice for the victim’s family. Therefore it would be unconstitutional for the law to not punish the criminal for their heinous crime. Additionally, there have been researches and studies conducted in order to answer why teenagers act the way they do. Research shows that the brain is the very reason for these children’s actions. In Paul Thompson’s article â€Å"Startling Finds on Teenage Brains†, he claims, â€Å"massive loss of brain tissue loss occurs in the teen years† and that it is, â€Å"only being lost in the areas controlling impulses, risk-taking, and self-control†(7). This may explain why children act in this horrific manner, but it does not give them an excuse to commit crime. A rebuttal to Thompson’s claim of defense would be Marjie Lundstrom’s article â€Å"Kids are Kids-Until They Commit Crimes†, when it points out: â€Å"they’re only kids. That is, until they foul up. Until they commit crimes†(4-5). Kids are kids until they choose to make an â€Å"adult decision† and commit a serious crime. Whether the criminal is eleven or seventeen, they are making a conscious decision to engage in a crime. Based on the premise that morals do not substantially change from young adulthood to adulthood, the offender should know that their crime is wrong. Thus, the punishment should be mandatory as a result of the offender’s actions. Children should pay their dues, even if that means life in prison without parole. If crime is dealt with lightly now, it will only get worse as time progresses. A wise and responsible decision needs to be made so that society can have a more safe and secure future.

Benefits of Swimming

Swimming Rejuvenating, the body mind and spirit†¦. Fitness development The fitness development of swimming can be classified into1 group and 2 sub-sections: Performing swimming regularly can help one in building cardio which is important for both weight loss and good cardiovascular health. When the workout is increased gradually by swimming strokes in the water, the heart rate and muscle activity is improved. This increases blood flow to your muscles, which results in more nutrients being delivered to them. It decreases risks of cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure ands prevents obesity when calories are being burnt during your workout sessions. Always remember to warm up before a proper swimming workout session. After a workout session you can do a few basic laps to cool down and help your muscles recover and relax your body after a workout session. When you are doing high-volume workouts, with a good amount of breathing, this is an aerobic swimming workout. Anaerobic swimming workouts have to do with sprinting. However, simply sprinting, even if it is on a pace clock, does not make the workout anaerobic. By extending the rest period, and demanding the maximal speed of the athlete during springs, is an anaerobic swimming workout. By just performing simple water exercises known as water Aerobics, one can get a great workout session. Your aerobic endurance is your ability to exercise your whole body for a long period of time, at a moderate intensity like swimming. When you are first starting to train and you are not very active start off slowly. To increase your aerobic level you need to overload your body. It is a low impact workout session and so any injuries to your joints and muscles are prevented. Equipment needed? When in competition – Swimsuit: Usually very tight and sometimes longer down the legs and arms. This provides the least amount of drag so you take off is al lot faster. Goggles: Protect your eyes and see everything more clearly avoid any damage to the eyes and contract water-borne infections. Cap: Cuts out drag that hair has (weight wise). Swimming block: The raised platform from which a swimmer starts their race. It has a non-slip surface. Ear plugs: are made of rubber, they protect ears from water and noise and easy to install and remove Stopwatch: is used to keep count of time for laps racing ect. Towel: absorbent cloth used to dry the body. Racing Lane: These lines are made of polypropylene rope and pliable plastic floats, these separate the pool and are used for swimmers to have individual lanes. When in training – Fins: Work your legs and add propulsion to your swimming with fins. Long fins are great for beginners = develop ankle flexibility. Short fins are great = speed to your swimming. Kickboard. To work your legs exclusively, it allows your upper body to float while you kick with your legs. Paddles: Increase pull against the water. Where can I swim? The ideal location in which to perform water aerobics is in an indoor swimming pool where the water temperature is controlled. Health clubs offer swimming facilities along with the regular gym membership, they provide a race – style pool with classes and programs were you would be watched over by a professional trainer so that you can obtain maximum results during practice/training and maintain no injury /health risks these however are the latest trends to do in group training. Outside ponds, pools or lakes can be used, but an indoor pool is preferred. Benefits of swimming Physical Benefits: It reduces blood pressure, and risk of having a stroke. It reduces your resting heart rate and increases your cardiac input. It makes your heart pump blood effectively and efficiently therefore your heart muscle strength increases Swimming as an exercise requires all the movement muscles to co-ordinate at the same time. Water creates more resistance. As a result of this you develop stronger muscles, maintain muscular balance and ehabilitates you muscles. Good stretching habits, can greatly improve flexibility. The smoothness of the movements helps lengthen and stretch muscles giving the appearance of being more toned, and having a healthy physique. Swimming is a very low impact exercise taking away any excess pressure on the bones, joints and muscles. It is one of the safest and cushioned forms of physical exercise. It improves the ability to control and maintain health y weight During 30 minutes of swimming it is possible to burn 260 calories. Low water temperatures also stimulate blood circulation, builds up endurance and metabolism Social Benefits: Whether at the beach or a pool the best form of recreation is swimming; it is a lot of fun and can be great way to socialize, friendships are made and you meet/interact with people from all different walks of life. You can join a water aerobics class or a master’s swim practice and socialize while you workout because it’s a safe work out program. Spiritual/Emotional benefits: Helps develop a positive attitude but mainly swimming forces you to regulate your breathing and allows more oxygen to flow into muscles. It also helps in massaging your muscles and relieves stress and tension. Being surrounded by the warm water facilitates a calming and meditative feeling. Contributes to a feeling of well-being as well as renewing energy and teaching patience. For a first time swimmer it removes the fear of water, preferably swimming should be introduced at an early age. Environmental responsibilities you should consider Chlorine in swimming pools- The chemicals found in chlorinated water are effective in purifying your pool but are discovered to have negative effects on the environment. Chlorine dissolves when mixed with water. It can also escape from water and enter air under certain conditions. Once in air or in water, chlorine reacts with other chemicals. It combines with inorganic material in water to form chloride salts, and with organic material in water to form chlorinated organic chemicals. Chlorine causes environmental harm at low levels. Plants and animals are not likely to store chlorine. However, laboratory studies show that exposure to chlorine in air can affect the immune system, the blood, the heart and the respiratory system of animals. Therefore Chlorine is especially harmful to organisms living in water and in oil. Chlorine affects towards humans – It is also known that pure chlorine is very toxic, even small amounts can be deadly to your health. When small amounts of chlorine are breathed in during short time periods, it can affect the reputational system. Effects vary from coughing and chest pains, skin and eyes. Alternatives include -Bromine has less of an odor therefore it can b e used as a sanitiser for an indoor pools. Salt is another alternative. Basically you need a unit called a Salt Cell, which passes an electric current through the water and converts salt into chlorine. Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine. † *Don't eat too much and then swim, allow at least an hour after a meal before swimming. Don't swim after taking alcohol or on an empty stomach. Make sure your pool is clean; dirty pools can give you an earache or perhaps even an upset stomach. Over chlorinated pools will be more subtle and are more dangerous. Always shower before and after swimming you never know what you might bring into the water, in terms of bacteria. When inside- Don't swim below diving boards, someone may land on your head always check areas where the depth of the pool changes suddenly. Don't use a mask or fins in the pool rather save them for the beach. Don't run near the edge of the pool, you may slip and hurt someone or yourself. Always check the temperature of the pools before diving in- make sure you do not dive in a shallow area. Always make sure you were your swimming caps, earplug and goggles, this prevents infection in the eyes, ears and chlorine damages your hair. Make sure you do not overly exercise (when you are tired stop and rest) and make sure you are in good shape to swim. When outside or at the beach -Choose a safe area many beaches have safe swimming areas clearly marked with buoy lines and with life guards on duty Beware of waves they can flip you over and possibly injure you. Headlands and rocky areas can quickly be surrounded by tides and at some beaches the water depth can increase suddenly – so go with caution to avoid this. Avoid strong currents; they can drag you away from shore or onto rocks. Protect against heat stroke and dehydration in hot summer weather. Aim or purpose of swimming Swimming is not only fun but is one of the best ways to stay fit and healthy. By swimming regularly you will be leading a healthy lifestyle. It is an excellent form of exercise where all the muscles of the body are used when one swims. It is a sport that will bring kids fitness and enjoyment for life. It enhances children and adults natural flexibility by exercising all of their major joints. Since swimming requires constant supply of oxygen to the muscles, it is considered as an aerobic exercise, and it is believed that this helps to reduce stress so that you can just tune out and relax. Swimming caters for all skill levels. You can perform many different exercises when in the water. It also helps develop coordination because it requires combinations of complex movements of all parts of the body, enhancing muscle function, grace, and mobility. Not only does it feel great it is also effective in weight loss. As swimming is an easy and ———————– Safety when swimming simple exercise one feels refreshed. As you enjoy working out in the water your mind is at peace and away from all the worries.

Ethnic Identity and African Americans Essay

Ethnic identity is the sum total of group member feelings about those values, symbols, and common histories that identify them as a distinct group (Smith 1991). Development of ethnic identity is important because it helps one to come to terms with their ethnic membership as a prominent reference group and significant part of an individuals overall identity. Ethnic reference group refers to an individuals psychological relatedness to groups (Smith 1991). These reference groups help adolescents sense, reflect and see things from the point of their ethnic groups in which they actively participate or seek to participate. What is ethnic identity? The establishment of identity is an important, complex task for all adolescents, and is considered a major developmental task for all adolescents. It is particularly complicated for adolescents belonging to ethnic and minority groups. Ethnic identity of the majority group of individuals is constantly validated and reinforced in a positive manner where as the minority group is constantly ridiculed and punished in a negative manner. What does this say for those adolescents who are the minority and not the majority? It is important to study or research ethnic identity because it provides better knowledge to help one understand striving for a sense of unity and connectivenesss in which the self provides meaning for direction and meaning of ethnic identity (Spencer, 1990). It is also important to study or research the differences between these groups due to beliefs and values. Adolescents that are the minority are confronted with their ethnicity at an earlier age then Caucasian adolescents majority and they are constantly aware of ethnic differences, which means it is of greater importance to understand the development of the minority individual. It should lead to different assessments when it comes to ethnic identity. For example, African American adolescents are psychologically compared to Caucasian American adolescence diagnoses, which are sometimes inaccurately assessed. Bronfenberner explains the theoretical perspective such as the ecological perspective by saying, The implications for clinical treatment of African American adolescents, mental health workers must be sensitive to the ecological context of their clients. Mental Health workers must realize that there is no single entity called the black family . The black families compared to the other families established their American family. He suggests that these families vary dramatically in backgrounds, social economic status, values, and degree of acculturation to the norms and values of mainstream America (1990). There are also, significant differences that may exist in preparation of African American adolescent, at the level of rearing family practices and in schools (1990). That is, schools continue to reflect historical values that deal with racial-stereotypes and prejudice and beliefs. At the same time there are families trying to avoid and make light out of such situations. These families and communities continue to show constancy by instilling their own beliefs and values through child rearing which maybe different from Caucasian Americas. Identity and ethnicity as adolescent issues Identity has been defined in many ways. It is the concept used to describe an individual’s sense of who he or she is (Dashefsky and Shapiro, 1976). Changes in identity occur throughout the life cycle, however, the changes in identity are usually most notable during adolescence. Integrating a positive sense of ethnic identity into one’s overall personal identity is an important task of late adolescence (Steinberg, 1996). Ethnic identity has been defined as the aspect of one’s sense of identity concerning ancestry or racial group membership (Steinberg, 1996). Ethnic identity development is an essential human need because it provides a sense of belonging and historical continuity. Ethnic socialization Minority children are confronted with their ethnicity at an earlier age than their majority counterparts (Smith, 1991). Parents can help to speed up the early stages of ethnic identity development by taking an active approach to ethnic socialization. Ethnic socialization, according to Steinberg(1996), refers to the process through which parents teach their children about their ethnicity and about the certain experiences they may have with the broader society. Ethnic socialization consists of three themes: 1) understanding one’s own culture, 2) getting along in mainstream society, and 3) dealing with racism (Steinberg, 1996). Possible outcomes of ethnic identity development. There are four ways to deal with ethnicity (Steinberg, 1996): Â ·Assimilation–adopting the cultural norms of the majority while rejecting the norms of one’s own culture. Â ·Separation–rejecting the majority culture and associating only with members of one’s own culture. Â ·Marginality–living within majority culture but feeling estranged. Â ·Biculturalism–maintaining ties to both cultures. According to Steinberg (1996) many believe that biculturalism is more successful than the other four. With biculturalism minority youth have access to the norms of the majority and minority culture depending on the situation. References. Â ·Smith, Elise J. Ethnic Identity Development: Toward the Development of A Theory within the Context of Majority/Minority Status. Journal of Counseling and Development: JCD. v70. n1. Sept. 1991. p. 181-188. Â ·Spencer, Margaret Beale. Child Development. v61 n2. Apr. 1990. P. 290-310. Â ·Dashefsky, A. (Eds. ). (1976). Ethnic identity in society. Chicago: Rand McNally College Publishing Co. Smith, E. J. (1991). Ethnic identity development: Toward the development of a theory within the context of majority/minority status. Journal of Counseling and Development, 70, 181-187. Â ·Steinberg, L. (1996). Adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.

The relationship between the foreign direct investment and the growth Dissertation

The relationship between the foreign direct investment and the growth and development of the underdeveloped and developing countries - Dissertation Example According to the study the economy of China has been showing continuous growth and development in previous few years. The economists and analysts acknowledge the dramatic improve in the economy of China with the passage of time as the country has evolved from underdeveloped country to an emerging and developed world economy. Most of the countries and analysts have been looking towards China in order to provide financial support to different underdeveloped and developing countries. In this regard huge emphasis is on the Chinese investment in the African countries. Foreign direct investment has an important role to play in improving the economic condition of the country. Particularly if the country is developing then it could assist in improving and igniting investment in the country and therefore creating more employment and more opportunities for people to earn. In addition to this, foreign direct investment could help in growing the economy and improving the productivity of labour. However there are some disadvantages as well. African countries have been one of the most profitable and lucrative and this is the reason why several countries like United States, European Countries, Japan, China and several others have been making investment in African countries. Therefore this indicates that there are several opportunities in this part of the world. The foreign direct investment inflows of several African countries have been improving and the situation looks positive for this part of the world. With more investment, African developing countries would be able to improve their economies. ... 1.2. Background of the Research Study: China has been making investment in different parts of the world including African countries. Ethiopia and Nigeria are also among the two countries that China has eyed already for investment purpose. In both these countries, China has invested in different projects and some of the projects are regarding the infrastructure of the country and therefore China has already completed and has under process different projects with Nigeria and Ethiopia. In Nigeria, China has invested in different sectors including mining, banking sector, service industries, financial sector, manufacturing sector, real estate sector and several others. In addition to this, with Nigeria Chinese firms have formed joint ventures and together they are identifying, analysing and capitalising on the opportunities in the market. Some of the major projects that China has undergone with Nigerian firms are related to oil and gas exploration, service industry, financial services etc (Oyeranti, Babatunde, and Ogunkola, 2011). In comparison to this, in Ethiopia the Chinese government has helped the African nation in several ways as it has invested and helped them in improving the infrastructure of the country. China has already helped by giving financial support in the form of interest free loan to Ethiopia so that the government is able to develop the infrastructure and provide facilities to the people in the country. Also Chinese firms that have started their venture in Ethiopia have also helped the locals to improve their skills and competencies. China also has invested in different projects related to the infrastructure of Ethiopia in order to improve the situation of the

Compare and contrast Two Books( SMART POWER by Ted Gelan Carpenter and Essay

Compare and contrast Two Books( SMART POWER by Ted Gelan Carpenter and World Politics By Steven L. Spiegel, Jennifer Morrison..) - Essay Example Understandably though, Spiegel’s approach in the process of discussing the international relationship status of the US is focused upon the major issues that primarily involve the foreign policy of the country in terms of making a great impact on the field of worldwide systems accepted by the human society today. With the different collection of essays about the importance and influence of the country’s political status in the entirety of the human society, Spiegel was actually able to clearly depict the different issues that make the said situation much implicative in the kind of political culture that the other countries around the world are naturally dealing with at present. In the paragraphs that follow, an understanding on how these readings actually make a great implication on the different situations that afflict the American politics which in turn also affects the entire political system of the human society as well. The said issues are further subdivided to naturally give the readers a fine understanding as to how the authors of the book naturally considers POWER as an essential element that characterizes the capability of political systems to work for the best values of the human society at present. American politics is known to prime during the election period where the most common activities of the politicians become significantly visible to the public. To gain the support and votes of the American citizens, politicians resort to any form of media approach to effectively communicate their political agenda and prospected projects when they are in position. In aspect, it is historically and prevalently true that money and other financial mediums play an important part. Every campaign process that is known to the contemporary society needs funding in monetary basis thus the wealth of the politician commensurate that of his electoral campaign. This prevalent political principle can be viewed as a

IAS2 Inventories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

IAS2 Inventories - Essay Example The main objective of IASB for IAS2 was to reduce the alternatives in the measurement of inventories. The revised IAS2 does not allow the consideration of the exchange differences, arising from the purchase of inventories that are invoiced in the overseas currency, to be treated as a part of inventories purchase cost (Malaysian Accounting Standards Board, n.d.). As per IAS2 the inventories are measured at cost or realizable value whichever is lower, based on every item. The inventory costs is the sum total of the purchase cost like cost price, import duties, handling as well as transportation costs; after the adjustments of rebates and trade discounts, conversion costs and other costs that are incurred for transporting the inventories to the current location and form. But this excludes the storage costs, costs relating to abnormal wastage; and selling and administration. Inventories costs can be approximated using the standard cost method or retail inventory method. The cost of inventories relating to items that are usually interchangeable and also goods or services that are produced and set aside for other projects can be assigned costs on the basis of specific identification. The inventories are valued using the first-in-first-out (FIFO) method or the weighted average method. In FIFO the items in the inventory are measured on the basis of recent purchase. Net realizable value is the amount that the business expects to receive from the inventory sale in the due course of the business. In the Balance Sheet an entity reports the lower of the net realizable value and cost as an asset. This is shown below- After the sale of inventories, the carrying amount of the related inventories is recognized as expenditure in the statement of income in the time period when the revenue from it is recognized. In the event of a fall in the net realizable

ECONOMICS 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ECONOMICS 2 - Essay Example An example of an oligopoly is the airline industry. The airline industry is regulated by several agencies. There regulations that protect consumers against noise pollution. The prices of the fuel that the airlines utilized are regulated. The type of goods that a person can carry into an airplane is regulated. Aircrafts must comply with safety regulations. Oligopolies are market structure in which there are limited numbers of participants, while monopolies have only one player. The reason regulations are so important in these two market structures is because the general public must be protected from collusion and unfair practices from these firms. In monopolies regulations become more critical due to the power that the monopolist holds. Without regulation a monopolist could abuse his power and charge super high prices since competition is non-exist. Industrial regulations protect the customers, but its implementation raises costs. Companies at times have to invest money in new equipme nt to comply with regulations. Regulations that increase labor costs affect the profitability of companies. These costs are passed on the customer in the final price of the service or product. Regulations affect the cost structure of firm in an adverse way.

Erick Erikson Stage 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Erick Erikson Stage 8 - Essay Example In the art of making up a balance between these two forces, there arises a psychosocial vacuum. It is from this point of view that Erikson developed his theory. He believed that the ego exists all through a lifetime (Bee, 2009). He also challenged a fellow psychologist, Sigmund Freud, by noting that behavior was not all defensive. In his belief on the enormous influence of culture on behavior, he explained the interaction between the body (physiology), mind (psychology), and culture (ethos) in the process of development. Philosophically, he summed the stages into two important principles; One’s world gets bigger as they grow, and, Failure cumulates along the stages (Bee, 2009). The literature describes Erickson’s eight stages of psychological development. Infancy stage (birth to 18 months) According to Erickson theory of psychological development, first stage occurs from birth to one year or 18 months. This is a fundamental stage for child’s development. At infan cy stage, the basic conflict is between trust and mistrust, significant event at this stage is feeding. At this phase, a child develops senses of trust to their parents or caregiver, after they have shown care, reliability, or consistency, and affections. Lack in providing support, care, and reliability; will lead to a child developing senses of mistrust to people surrounding them; the guardians, caregivers, and parents (Crain, 2011). Infants are usually dependent, thus, their development of trust is ultimately based on quality and dependability to their parents or caregivers. In a successful development of child’s trust, she/he will be feeling secure and safe with the world. Caregivers and parents who are emotionally unavailable, inconsistent or unreliable, and rejecting their children, they will lead to the development in feelings of mistrust (Crain, 2011). Therefore, failure of a child to develop trust with their caregiver, will lead to believe that, the world is unpredict able and inconsistent, hence, leading to fear. At the later ages in life, child with trust will have personality of confidence or fearless while those who had mistrust will develop personality of fear. Stage two: Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt It begins from 18 months to 3 years. Mobility of children was focused during development of the theory. The physical development advances, and the child try to press for their independence. Some of the common behaviors noticed are making choices on clothes to wear, picking the toys to play with, and choosing what to eat. A child in this stage tends to be autonomous or independent (Wrightsman, 2010). The child is in dire need of their parent’s support, to avoid experiencing failure. In this process, protection from constant failure and ridicule should be avoided through encouragement. Parents should not criticize their children for accidents, and failures, at the same time, not to perform every task for the child. If self- control is at tained without loss of self –esteem, then the child grows will be characterized with will as a virtue. If children are encouraged at this stage, they will become more independent and therefore, autonomy will be achieved. However, if constantly criticized, they begin to feel ashamed of their abilities, thus, developing poor self- esteem and later become doubtful (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2010). Stage three, pre-school (3 to 5 years) At the third stage of psychological development, it occurs between the

Clinical Link Learning Activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Clinical Link Learning Activities - Essay Example The department of health stresses the importance of assessments that covers social, environmental, psychological, cultural, spiritual, financial and physical (Department of Health, 2008). The assessment is geared towards giving priority and preference to patient needs. Effective record sharing and maintenance minimize duplication and repetition. It is necessary that all life care practitioners and support groups to acquire the necessary expertise and experience in order to contribute in enhancing quality care. Evaluating the process of preparing cancer patients in their journey Diagnosis of cancer and Treatment plan agreed The cancer patient should undergo this assessment since cancer illness is progressive and incurable but can be managed to ensure the patient leaves a quality life. The planned active treatment and assessment occurs at a key point at around the time of diagnosis. This is after several test detected cancer in its early stages. The planned treatment scheduled periodic clinic session with the patient for active treatment and assessment. The team of consultants included a Doctor and a clinical Nurse Specialist who are charged with responsibility to treat and assess the patient. The competence and experience of the team is important in ensuring quality assessment and treatment (Department of Health, 2009). ... The plan included an initial assessment by a Clinical Nurse Specialist but also provided for engagement of a Surgical Ward Sister. The professional assessors have the requisite knowledge and competence to conduct the assessment (McMullan, 2003 pp.285). The plan had not provided for self-assessment was not provided in the plan but I thing it can play an important part in identifying patient’s preferences (Robert, 1982 pp. 81). The assessor describes the process and details of assessment to the patient and seeks consent since the process should be between patient and professional. Consent seeking is important not only for purposes of preference but also on the bases of clinical ethics (Greene, 2005 pp. 61). The plan provided for several assessment contents namely: Background information and assessment preferences It is recorded from the patient care record and captures details such as name, date of birth, gender, religion, occupation, dependants, allergies, diet, hospital consul tant and next of kin. The preferences include date of last evaluation with copies, know the needs identified and actions taken. This is laudable since it will ensure continuation and avoid duplication. Information on key points, date, assessor name and site of assessment are also planned for inclusion. Address consent for assessment and presence of carer or family member. These last two are very important since the former address the notion of patient need while the later include participation of the next important person beside the life care professional (Cassileth, 1980 pp. 834). Physical well being The session entails description of the problems that include cause, intensity, duration and rate of change. The effects of the

I ork at the cardiology ward ,so i need a tital relating to the area i Essay

I ork at the cardiology ward ,so i need a tital relating to the area i work to write a 3000 word assy - Essay Example Such includes gathering adequate information on personal responsibility on promoting, protecting and preventing their exposure to the risk factors of coronary heart diseases. Coronary heart disease is deemed to have occurred in situations where the coronary arteries are clogged with atheroma or plague (fatty material). The development of atheroma is slow and occurs on the inner artery walls, which makes such walls to be narrow (Khan et al. 2012). This often regarded as the atherosclerosis process, which can start at a young age to such a time when a person attains a middle age. Narrowing of the arteries is a dangerous situation since it implies a reduction of the volume of blood, which can reach the heart muscle of a person. Research has indicated that the number one killer of men and women all over the world is the coronary heart disease (Jamil et al. 2013). However, adhering to an effective healthy lifestyle ensures that a person is able to prevent or control the development of the coronary heart disease risk factors. This is essential since most of the lifestyle that individuals adopt begin during the childhood stage. Hence, parents and families have to embrace measures, which are focused on ensuring that their children are given the opportunity of adopting the best heart healthy choices, which will contribute in lowering the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Furthermore, individuals at higher risks of developing coronary heart disease tend to live for a shorter time in comparison to individuals that are at lower risk. This indicates a need for a person to change the adopted lifestyle in case the signs of developing coronary heart disease are identified at an early stage. Cardiovascular disease is a term that is associated with a disorder that develops in the cardiovascular system. It is linked to the atherosclerosis, which is commonly referred

Business News Event - Article Summaries Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business News Event - Summaries - Article Example In this article, the strategies that Samsung pursues to attain competitive edge together with the challenges and threats facing the company have been enumerated. The strengths and strategies of the competitors like apple, Nokia and Motorola have also been highlighted. The article will however be used in identifying some of the management concepts and elements that Samsung engaged in to make its products remain relevant in the market where consumer preference determines success. In this article, the management of Samsung recognizes the need to employ foreigners to help in the development of software for their handset. The company targeted the highly talented professionals from India and other nations who were ready and willing to offer their services to improve the quality of the handsets and products that were manufactured. Moreover, this would be a deviation from the company norms and culture whereby the company employees were entirely locals. Organization culture forms an important concept in the operations of businesses and the manner in which businesses conduct their activities (Treat 86). Organization culture is important for branding, identification, and history. It has often been used in developing strategies meant to ensure organization successfully markets its products. From the article, it is clear that managing competition requires high level of flexibility and breaking of organizations norms (KIM 25). Competition determines how management will conduct business and set their prices. Quality must be improved in a bid to ensure that customers prefer a company’s products more than those of competitors. Managing competition therefore requires the commitment of the managers and other important business stakeholders. In the case of Samsung, the company management had to act at the fastest time possible to have the company embrace competition in a the free market. Another management concept that can be learnt from the article is change management. Ch ange can be defines as the alteration of the status quo i.e. making adopting new ways and methods of doing things. In the business scenario, companies have to continuously conduct environmental scan in which they attempt to predict the possible changes in the environment and analyze the impact of such environmental factors on the business performance and operations (KIM 26). Companies that are able to accurately forecast on the possible changes in the environment and formulate policies that may assist in ensuring that the business is not adversely affected will always be in a position to survive and maintain desired growth. From the article, Samsung as a company has been in a position to realize the need to change some of the fundamentals that are necessary in ensuring it enhance efficiency and promote customer satisfaction. The company was in a position to predict the shifts in the market tastes and preferences by the development of smart phones and iPhones. Samsung realized the ne ed to have them change their employee base by employing and engaging employees who are foreigners (Treat 89). The company further went ahead to accept completely adopt new ways of conducting business without really remaining fixed on the mode of their operations. In addition, Samsung increased its investment in research and development in order to support the development of

German Economy Essay Example for Free

German Economy Essay One of the major sectors of German economy is the exports of this country that has accounted for a great percentage of financial output. In this regard, more than twenty-five percent of the national German output has been due to the heavy exports that have increased significantly during the last decade. In the year 2004, GDP of Germany was contributed by forestry, mining, and agriculture sector at a very lesser extent, as compared to the other sectors in the country. Despite Germany is going through a high level of industrial revolution, forest has covered more than twenty-five percent of German’s territory. In the year 2003, more than seventy percent of Germany’s gross domestic product was accounted by services sector of the country. In this regard, more than seventy percent of the workforce was employed by this sector. On the other hand, metals, textiles, chemicals, vehicles, foodstuffs, and machinery are major imports of the country, which plays a vital and crucial role in the economy of Germany. In the year 2003, a positive of US$55 billion was the account balance of payments and currency of Germany. The paper will now discuss the abovementioned areas of German economy with detailed analysis, and hope will be beneficial for experts and economists in the better understanding of German Economy. In this competitive era, a number of economies are enjoying a vital position, and Germany is one of the countries that have been able to construct a very important place in terms of its economy. In terms of exchange rate of the United States, the German economy is considered the third largest out of the other major economies of the world. Moreover, the economy of Germany has a very strong power of purchasing, which has resulted in its place as the fifth largest around the globe. In the European continent, the economy of Germany is the largest of all the other economies, which has provided it with a number of opportunities and significance in this economic world. Geographically, Germany enjoys a central place in the continent, which is one of the other reasons behind the significance and exposure of opportunities to the German individuals and businesses. A number of difficulties and confrontations can be observed in the economic history of Germany, such as structural problems related to the East Germany, as well as, different structural problems that have continued since a last decade in the country. (Smyser, 1993) The German government has imposed and implemented a number of policies that have provided significant opportunities for its economy to strengthen in the world. In this regard, one of the major steps taken by the German government is the promotion of establishment of free enterprises, as well as, competition that has provided a competitive and friendly environment to the businesses and individuals in the country. However, various sectors are selected for the distribution of financial support by the state organizations. In the response of such steps taken by the government and related organizations, the economy of Germany has achieved a momentous space in the midst of other economic powers of the globe. In addition, different sectors have achieved strategic importance with the help of different policies by the German government. Thus, a number of factors and reasons are responsible and should be credited for the strengthening and powerful role that has been played by economy of the Germany. One of the major sectors of German economy is the exports of this country that has accounted for a great percentage of financial output. In this regard, more than twenty-five percent of the national German output has been due to the heavy exports that have increased significantly during the last decade. In the result, German economy has expanded traditionally in a macroeconomic manner with the support of heavy exports from different business sectors and industries of the country. Moreover, economic and political incorporation is another basic policy of the German economy, and such policy has been promoted on the continental level in the Europe. In the result, the European Union and its member countries have appreciated and encouraged the introduction and implementation of German economies policies at a higher extent. (Siebert, 2005) Similarly, a number of legislations related to the single markets in the European Union have been established and formulated based on German economic policies. The Euro is the common European currency used by most of the countries in the European continent. In this regard, Germany has implemented the usage of same currency in the country, which has resulted in the exposure of more opportunities related to the strengthened economy of Germany in the region. Frankfurt city in the Germany has the European Central Bank, which is responsible for the formulation of monetary policy of the country, which decides the future prospects for the coming years related to the economy of Germany. (Smith, 1994) Addressing domestic structural problems is another major concern of the German government, which has been agreed and encouraged by most of the German and the foreign experts in the region. In the year 2003, the labor market was deregulated by the gradual steps of German government. In this way, high unemployment rate was tackled in an effective manner. In the West Germany, more than seven percent of fall was observed in the unemployment rate in the country, which was the visible fact of deregulation of the labor market. However, there is still a huge room for improvement in the eastern part of Germany, which has an employment rate of more than fourteen percent in the region. (Scott, 2002) However, the German government is playing a vital role in the addressing of different issues related to the economy of Germany. For instance, high non-wage labor costs have also been addressed by the government with the help of implementation of different policies related to it. Many businesses were burdened due to the imposition of bureaucratic parameters in the past, which was addressed by the present and previous governments during the last decade. Nowadays, it has become quite easy and trouble-free to establish a business in the Germany. New entrepreneurs have been encouraged, especially, in the export sectors of the country. In the result, a major and significant improvement can be observed in the economy of Germany, which is very much export-oriented in nature. (Siebert, 2005) In terms of facts, nine percent of growth was observed in the export year of 2007. In the result, some of the business experts deemed the Germany as the biggest exporter in the world. In the year 2006, more than two percent of growth was observed in the gross domestic product of the country. Moreover, it is estimated that the following years will achieve higher percentage of GDP due to excellent growth in the exports of the country. However, the domestic market of the country is confronting structural problems that can result in some economic issues in the country. Over more than a decade, the labor sector is confronting stagnant wages, which is one of the crucial causes behind the weakness of the domestic market in Germany. In Germany, reunification is financed with the contributions of social insurance companies. Since the 1990s, high wage demands are not observed in unions in the Germany, which has resulted in the conservation of competitiveness among the German workers. Between the years 1990 to 2005, two percent of decline was observed in the net income on an average in Germany, according to the Federal-Statistical Office of the country. However, wage demands from the unions have been raised significantly, as compared with the abovementioned union demands. In the year 2004, GDP of Germany was contributed by forestry, mining, and agriculture sector at a very lesser extent, as compared to the other sectors in the country. Approximately two percent of German population was given employment in the abovementioned sectors. The eastern states of the country have reported to observe a great reduction in the employment rate. After the reunification process, more than seventy percent of workers in the agricultural sector were declined. However, domestic production in the agricultural sector resulted in the fulfillment of more than ninety percent of dietary and food requirements of the country’s population. In the European Union, the agricultural production is being lead by Germany, which has been followed by Italy and France in the European continent. In this regard, wheat, barley, cabbages, and potatoes are some of the major agricultural products in Germany.

Analysis of online auction site ebid

Analysis of online auction site ebid EBid is an online auction website, which was cofounded by Mark Wilkinson and Gary Sewell in December 1998 in UK. They did not take the normal approach of putting huge amount of capital initially to establish the business, they built their site backwards by building a self sufficient auction site which would attract and retain customers. The initial version of EBid went on air in January 1999. EBid now operates in more than 20 countries including UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium, India Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Netherland, Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, Singapore and South Africa. It lists to buyers in other 100 countries as well. EBid has its own online payment service PPPay, which deals in paying Euros and Pounds Shillings. But this is not restrictive as EBid also accepts payment through PayPal and Google Checkout. PPPay.com is simple and comparatively secure which makes EBid a safe marketplaces on the virtual world for everyone including individuals, small and big companies equally. The closest competitor of EBid is Ebay, OnlineAuctions, Oztion etc. In a recent online auction review EBid stood second, closing behind EBay. EBid is often termed as the best Ebay alternative. EBid has numerous auction goods in more than 3,500 product categories, which includes music, collectibles, clothing, jewellery, electronics, games and antiques etc. EBids search capability lets its customers find items in their own region or check globally the choice of items they are interested in. There is a Wanted feature which allows buyers to post a free advertisement and list the acceptable price. Sellers can then bid for the same with the given requirements. Membership level EBid offers three membership levels to their customers. Buyers: There is no membership fee. It is free of cost to join EBid and buy there. Seller: It is free to join and list on the auction. And if the product put on the auction is sold off, a minimal of 3% of the final value is charged. Sellers are required to give their credit or debit card verification for safety purposes. Seller Plus: It is the membership based on subscription which charges the seller with a recurring fee every 73090 days or 365 days. EBid also offers a lifetime membership which is a onetime charge of  £49.99. Seller Plus members can open five shops for no charge. They can also list a free auction of which the final fee is none. And for gallery type auction 2% fee is charged. Seller Plus+ members can use a type of software called the Bulk lister spread sheet which list many items at the same time, also there is software called as Ninja Lister in which you can use EBids cross-platform. Registration and upgrading A registration form is to be filled up by the users to register as buyers at EBid. For upgrading to SELLER or SELLER+ a security subscription is to be purchased. Upgrade Fees SELLER  : Rs. 0.00 SELLER+ : 7 Day Rs. 59.00 30 Day Rs. 210.00 90 Day Rs. 510.00 365 Day Rs. 1800.00 Lifetime Rs. 2000.00 (Refer to appendix Figure 1) Buddy programs and affiliations An affiliate program is a system in which a customer advertise EBid at their emails or their websites etc, and then if someone joins EBid then it pays the introducer a amount of $2.00 /  £1.00. The EBid Buddy Points program is a Loyalty Card system. The customer can earn and accumulate points during his bidding or selling, they can be used everywhere at the site. Once the invited people join 1 point per person is awarded to the customer. If they then upgrade to SELLER another point will be earned, and if they upgrade to Seller+ 2 points will be earned. The buddy points then can be later used in different buddy auctions. Points are also available via the following trigger points  [1]  . Referring a Buddy = 1 points Buddy SELLER Upgrade = 2 points Buddy SELLER+ Upgrade = 5 points Making a Bid Meeting Reserve = 0.5% of reserve price (max 5 points) Purchasing via Winning Bid = 1.0% of final bid (max 5 points) Purchasing Using BuyNow = 1.0% of BuyNow price (max 5 points) Receiving Positive Feedback = 0.5% of final bid OR BuyNow price (max 5 points) Online Auction Business Model There are several business models associated with online auction model namely business to consumer (B2C), consumer to consumer (C2C), business to business (B2B), business to government (B2G), and government to public (G2P). EBid adopts a customer-to-customer business model, as it allows direct interaction of customers. A customer to customer interaction is defined as the interaction of n customers that affects the value, demand and credibility of a desired good. It avoids medalling of a business firm/company etc in between the two customers. In Customer-to-customer markets the website facilitates a platform where customers can sell goods to each other. EBid has globalised and centralized customer-to-customer trade. The most primal such customer interaction were seen in flea markets, garage sales etc. Online auction sites have given it a new global edge to it. On one single platform buyers and sellers can find the items and transact for the best deal. Listing an item on EBid is free of cost but they charge a nominal of 3% fee on the final sale price. At the end of an auction, EBid notifies the winning buyer through given e-mail that he has won the auction. It also contact the seller via email to report the winner and the final price of the auction. Then it is upto the buyer and seller how to complete the transaction independently. EBid doesnt charge buyers any fee to shop and place bids, so it makes money by charging fees from sellers. Advantages The middleman concept is removed. The customers are benefited more by the elimination. Large number of bidders and sellers As the online auctions are open to all, many people who have saleable product go online to sell, which increases the number of bidders too. Time barrier there is no time constraints as anyone can sell or purchase at any hour of the day. Due to globalisation people from different countries interact with each other to transact. It offers wider range of products and services. Price factor prices at such sites are negotiable and the goods sold are cheaper. In such business model there is a lot of cost cutting, inevitable cost such as inventory cost, distribution, sales etc are deleted. Customer Value Proposition EBid has not kept any buyers fee, this encourages more buyers to participate. Whereas in other auction site there is a minimum buyers fee too. There is no listing fee too, sellers can put the goods up on auction without any charges, and this strategy gets many sellers to get involved. There is a nominal 3% fee charge on final sale value, which is not comparatively much. The buddy point system makes EBid more interactive and fun to use. EBid provides a lot of incentive such as special bidding by buddy points etc, this lets customer become more enthusiastic. Revenue Model As mentioned earlier EBid earns through final sale value that is 3 %. There is another way of EBid earning, it is through their subscription based membership called as SELLER Plus. Not all the auctions are opened for regular seller; there are some which are held only for seller plus members exclusively. EBid charges a fee based on membership validity. There are some fee charged by EBid from customer who wants to highlight their or customise their bidding. A table of the list of charges have been given below. Estimated market price of EBid.net is 1,366,632 USD. And its annual revenue for the last year was calculated as 683,316 USD. (Refer to appendix Figure 2) (Refer to appendix Figure 3) (Refer to appendix Figure 4) Competitors EBids main competitor is online auction giant EBay. Then comes onlineauctions, OZtions, overstock etc. Ebid is often termed as best ebay alternative. It has better price options, free bidding, free joining and free shop to boot. It offers English as well as dutch auctions. EBid has got buddy point system which let users invite more people. Finding a item in EBid is also not a problem, they have excellent navigation system. The photo gallery is also of good size and quality. EBid has an excellent customer support. Their FAQs cover all the major problem faced by the user. EBid has got easy payment options such as PPPay, PayPal, and google checkout. EBid has been made googles official product partner which gives it an edge. Summary Ebid is a well established online auction company which is growing at a fast rate. It offers some commendable features like; numerous auctions in over thousands of categories, very powerful search functioning, simple payment options, user friendliness, different range of auction types and no hidden cost. There are some improvisations needed in the field of their promotional activities. EBid can generate better revenues if they start selling their web space for advertisements and it will help them grow their network. Their wanted section is still not well defined and should be made more visible to the customers by more promotions. Figure : Account types Figure : Traffic Rank and number of visitors. Figure : Revenue system Figure : Unique visitor count

Sociological Perspectives On Education Education Essay

Sociological Perspectives On Education Education Essay Education is the key to achieving sustainability. Sustainable education or Education for Sustainable Development encompasses three main areas: the environment, society and the economy (Pace, 2010). ESD is meant to inculcate ideals and values about key sustainable issues such as poverty reduction, environmental protection, human rights, health, gender equality, sustainable livelihoods and so on. The basic concept of ESD entails helping people to develop the right attitude and knowledge to facilitate decision-making and create a better future for themselves and others (UNESCO, 2011). For the last decade, there has been increasing pressure on educators to incorporate concepts and values of Sustainable Development in the curriculum. Consequently, it has become crucial for educators to be knowledgeable and fully committed to making SD an integral part of all curricular activities (Lozano-Garcia al., 2008). Formal educational systems, at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, have considerable social and economic roles vis-Ã  -vis the society. However, the issue of private tutoring has not been subject to much attention until recently. Private tutoring has been found to carry major social and economic implications. Recent years have brought about changes in the forms and impacts of tutoring. Moreover, private tutoring has been given ample consideration and is not merely viewed as an informal activity (Bray, 2009). Private tutoring helps the student to acquire knowledge and later use his know-how to contribute to economic development. On a social front, it allows for interactions between peers. It is also a means of generating incomes for tutors. More basically, private tutoring enables students to better grasp lessons which they did not understand previously. Nevertheless, private tutoring also has some negative implications. For instance, it emphasizes social and economic inequalities and can also limit childrens leisure time which can have undesirable effects on the latters social and psychological well-being, and thus affect the overall academic performance (Bray, 2009). Tutoring can be difficult to measure because it varies across cultures. Tuitions can be given individually, to a whole class or even via the internet. Moreover, some students may receive tutoring in all subjects, while others receive it in only specific ones. According to Silova, private tutoring has become a major enterprise since the 1990s (Bray, 2009). In this regard, private tutoring can become a tool to inculcating a sustainable lifestyle to present and future students. Sustainable Development entails changing peoples behavior to ensure that they adopt a sustainable path for the future. Sustainability is about securing resources and retaining future benefits. Education thus plays an important role in providing lifelong opportunities and in enhancing the quality of the learning process. Education can bring about changes in norms, values and interests which can significantly influence peoples behavior (Wong, 2003). Private tutoring can thus create an improved learning environment for both students and tutors. It can remove the traditional boundaries to create a sustainable way of doing things (Lipscombe et al., 2008). However, this would require genuine effort and commitment from the part of policy planners and educators, in creating a new paradigm which values the need to attain and maintain social, economic and ecological well-being (Sterling, 2008). 1.2 Problem Statement Private tutoring is in itself not a bad alternative. In fact, many students do actually benefit from it. However, out of the 40% of students who fail the CPE exams annually, the issue of private tutoring has yet again resurfaced (Le Mauricien, 2011). According to Kadress Pillay, former minister of education, Right now, private tuition is a jungle (Prayag, 2011). Others go to the lengths of saying that private tuition is a disease in the Mauritian culture. This statement probably stems from the fact that private tuition is a must, irrespective of the level of education. To start with, parents ensure that children have the best private tuition teacher at the beginning of the school year (Varma, 2005). This issue may or may not have been previously discussed with the child. While there are teachers who can manage to have a class of 40 in their garages for private tuitions, some teachers have a limit of 4 to 15 at a time. Some teachers are very committed to their profession and wont charge a cent, however nowadays private tutoring is mostly business (Chady, 2011). But more importantly, we should concern ourselves with students actually acquiring some sort of lifelong knowledge through these private tuition sessions instead of learning restricted to passing exams only. In addition, students have been found to be excellent throughout their academic career, but unable to cope with other spheres of real life, for instance work, socializing, etc. The concept Maurice Ile Durable was introduced in 2008 by Dr. Navin Ramgoolam as a means to ensure Sustainable Development of the country. This new concept will be the key driver to transforming the country into an intelligent nation state (Maurice Ile Durable, 2011). Education for sustainability can sensitize Mauritians mainly through schools. This would however require a review of the current education system in terms of the curriculum and opportunities for the development of the child. The successful integration of this concept would also largely depend on the collaboration of the government and educational institutions in promoting extra-curricular activities like music, sports and arts. Moreover, learning should be geared towards creating awareness of economic, social, political and ecological issues, rather than the focus being solely on academic subjects. 1.3 Aims and Objectives Aims The aim of this study is to evaluate whether private tutoring contributes to Education for Sustainable Development in Mauritius. Objectives The objectives of the study are listed below: To produce a comprehensive Literature Review To assess how private tutoring is carried out in Mauritius To determine the impacts of private tutoring on students To evaluate students views and expectations of private tutoring To determine whether private tutoring actually contributes to sustainable education To evaluate how private tutoring can be improved in this regard 1.4 Research questions: Does private tutoring actually benefit the student? What is being done to inculcate a sustainable lifestyle at school? What are students views on ESD? Are students prepared for a sustainable future? Does the current education system promote ESD? 1.5 Dissertation Flow Chapter 2: Literature Review Chapter 2 basically gives an overview of the practice of private tutoring across countries and its particular contribution to Education for Sustainable Development. Moreover, a thorough explanation will be provided on the concept of Sustainable Development and the importance attributed to education in achieving sustainability. Finally emphasis will be laid on the Mauritian context, more specifically on the introduction of the concept Maurice Ile Durable. Chapter 3: Research Methodology This chapter outlines the methods used to conduct the research and the variables that have been taken into account while designing the questionnaire. It also elaborates on the sampling method, data collection technique and the obstacles encountered while conducting the research. Chapter 4 : Data Analysis The data gathered from the survey has been analyzed and presented in a more practical form in this chapter. This will help to get a clear picture of whether private tutoring actually contributes to Education for Sustainable Development. Chapter 5: Results Discussion This chapter is an extensive discussion of the results obtained through the questionnaire survey in terms of the theory and observations made throughout the research. Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations This chapter summarizes the findings and results of the study. It also recommends some measures that can be undertaken to improve the current situation. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Sociological perspectives on Education In a more general sense, education is one aspect of the socialization process. It involves learning and acquiring a set of skills. Education also, directly or indirectly, helps to shape a persons belief and moral values (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). Education was hard to define in non-literate societies. However, the young would learn and imitate adult behavior by joining social groups. Such behaviors for instance, entailed boys accompanying their fathers to hunt and girls assisting their mothers for the cooking. Educational institutions slowly developed in pre-industrialized countries with the specialization of the role of the teacher. It was only after industrialization that formal education was provided to the large mass (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). Sociologists and educators have different views on the functions of education. Two main theories debate on these functions : The functionalist theory and the conflict theory. Functionalist perspectives According to Durkheim (1961), the main function of education is to transmit societal norms and values. He argues that the school serves a function that the family or peers cannot provide. The school is a medium where skills and knowledge can be contextually provided. Moreover, the child interacts with others while abiding by some fixed set of rules. This eventually prepares the latter for interactions in society based on societal rules (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). According to Talcott Parsons (1961), the school acts as a bridge between the family and society, thus preparing the child for his future role. The school treats the child in terms of universalistic standards, which are applied to all. It also prepares the child for the transition to adulthood and each pupil should achieve his own status. Status is achieved based on merit, whereby achievement is usually measured by performance in examinations. Parsons saw the educational system as a means to select individuals for their future roles. Thus schools enable pupils to match their talents and skills to the jobs for which they are best suited (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). Conflict perspectives From a conflict perspective, education serves the interests of the powerful at the expense of the less powerful. According to Bowles and Gintis (1976), education benefits the capitalists by providing them with a more productive workforce. They believe that education shapes the future workforce by creating more docile and passive workers. Moreover, school is used as a mechanism of control whereby teachers can monitor students by giving orders (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). More importantly, teachers impose their knowledge, thus students get little satisfaction from studying. This is not surprising that many children do not enjoy schooling, but instead seek satisfaction from external rewards, that is results at the end of their studies. Like in the world of work, according to Bowles and Gintis, the worker enjoys no fulfillment, but instead toils based on the capitalists desire for maximum profit (Haralambos and Holborn, 2007). 2.2 The private tutoring phenomenon Private tutoring is defined as tutoring in academic subjects which is provided for financial gain and which supplements the provisions by mainstream schooling. In England, private tutoring refers to face-to-face tutoring usually in the home of the student (Ireson and Rushforth, 2004). In Egypt, private tutoring refers to the classes that take place in the afternoon during the week-ends, in line with the school syllabus geared towards helping the pupil improve his performance or results (Hartmann, 2008). Private tuitions had a major role to play in learning for many young people. In England, parents started to select tutors more precisely during the 18th century. In the past, private tutoring was basically a hidden market, therefore very little information was gathered on the matter (Tanner et al., 2009). However, during the last decade, private tutoring has reached a whole new dimension and has caught the attention of many analysts. It has evolved in a vast enterprise which involves thousands of people and carries huge economic implications (Bray, 2007). Private tuition is commonly referred to as shadow education. This metaphor, according to Mark Bray (2009) is very appropriate in the sense that private tuition exists because of the already existing mainstream education system. Secondly private tuition changes as the education system changes. Third, more importance is given to the mainstream globally than to the shadow. Finally, the features of the shadow are more or less invisible. The shadow is generally criticized for its dominance over the lives of pupils and their families. But we should note that the world has become a global village and is more knowledge-based. Countries compete for the best workforce, which is determined by high levels of education. Since completing secondary education and even becoming a university graduate provides no guarantee against unemployment, the best a family can do is provide good education to their children at all cost. According to a study in England by Ireson and Rushforth (2005), around one quarter of students received private tuitions firstly in mathematics, followed by English and thirdly science. Students had received tuitions in these prevalent subjects at some point in time during both primary and secondary levels. A student receiving private tuition is heavily dependent on the level of education and working status of the parents. For instance, parents who were university graduates were more likely to employ a tutor for their kid compared to those who received a school education. A much recent survey indicated that a child receiving private tuition was also dependent on the household income. In addition, despite wanting to pay for tuitions for their kids, some parents were unable to afford the high tuition fees (Tanner et al., 2009). In Vietnam, 76% of students are tutored privately. This can be explained by a shift from a centrally-planned economy to a market-driven economy since 1986. This saw the rapid expansion of the private tuition market. Both children and parents aspired for good qualifications to open new paths for higher education, thus better jobs. The curriculum reforms in Vietnam caused the demands on students to be much greater than they were in the past (Dang, 2011). The private tuition industry is difficult to measure because it is rather complex and varies across cultures. Private tuitions also take a variety of organizational forms. These include high profile agencies and low profile teachers who dont necessarily advertise their services. This could also explain why there is no specific requirement for teachers to practice (Tanner et al., 2009). 2.3 Different forms of private tutoring While school prevails as the main form of education, private tuition has reached a whole new dimension globally. However the practice of private tutoring is beyond government control. According to a study by Bray, private tutoring extends to almost every regions of the world, including Asia, America, Australia, and Europe, irrespective of their income levels (Bray, 2009). As mentioned earlier, private tuitions vary across countries and cultures. Bray (2009) identified some important variations of what he called shadow education. Those are: Government-driven tutoring v/s market-driven tutoring Online tutoring v/s face-to-face tutoring Obligatory v/s voluntary tutoring Tutoring provided by professionals v/s untrained students One-on-one v/s large lectures tutoring style On an economic front, private tutoring implies more expenses for parents and additional income for tutors. Socially, it may increase pressures on family members and exacerbate inequalities but on the other hand may bring relief and support to some families (Bray, 2009). In countries like Korea, private tutoring is driven by a competitive environment. However, too much reliance on this system might seem unhealthy. In countries like France, private tutoring is mostly government-driven. Moreover, the government uses a tax system to encourage families to invest in tuitions. These contrasting cases allows for a distinction between private tuition as deeply ingrained in society and on the other hand as a useful tool (Bray, 2009). Private tutoring can also happen via the net. More commonly referred to as online tutoring, this form of tutoring is created by a virtual environment whereby teachers and students communicate via a screen. Compared to face-to-face tutoring, online tutoring is more flexible, in the sense that tuition materials can be pre-recorded, tutors are requested on demand and there are no geographical constraints. Online tutoring however has proved to be more effective for students who were prepared beforehand (Hedrick, 2009). On the other hand, face-to-face tutoring can allow for a correlation between actual syllabus and tuition material. These forms of tutoring might be beneficial for certain groups of people, based on important dimensions like income, gender, ethnicity, etc. While in some countries private tutoring is more of an academic routine, in others it is only a helping hand. In countries like Vietnam for instance, parents and childrens aspiration for a better future, that is finding a place in the competitive job market, has led private tuition to become a must. It is also important to consider that the culture in Vietnam dictates that hard work and good education is the basis of a good life. This would explain the high rate of 76% actually receiving private tuition (Dang, 2011). By contrast, in countries like France as stated above, private tuition is more or less encouraged and is generally viewed as a useful and promising. Since private tutoring, cast as shadow education is difficult to measure, there is no proper control on the matter. In more simple terms, anyone can be a private tutor. There is therefore the risk of encountering unqualified tutors. Parents usually employ a tutor based on word-of-mouth, that is from friends or acquaintances who previously trusted a particular tutor and were satisfied with the overall performance of their children. Private tutoring classes may vary from 1 to 40. While some teachers are perfectly comfortable in squeezing 40 pupils in a class after school hours, others prefer one-on-one sessions whereby the child can receive individual attention. 2.4 The prevalence of private tutoring across the globe, and its implications Private tuition is a worldwide educational phenomenon. It has been practiced for several years now. In fact, it has become part of the educational system to such an extent that nobody really questions its existence. An extreme case in Korea, reported that parents actually spend 150 % the sum that the government invest in education (Bray, 1999). In many countries, having a diploma doesnt weigh much. Moreover, the rapid developments in the labour market fuelled the demand for private tuitions. In addition, many teachers have established these tuitions as a means to generate more income. This to and fro cycle clearly underlies an extreme reliance on private tuitions. Millions of children across the world leave their schools without a break and rush to private supplementary tutoring as the bell rings. Sometimes, the private tutors are the very school teachers the children just had a class with. Many children also receive private tuitions on week-ends and holidays (Bray, 1999). Despite knowing the social and economic implications of these tuitions, not very much is done to try to regulate or change this system. Private tuitions seem to have an upper hand on the lives of many and people do not want to leave their comfort zone, because it would imply too big of a change to handle. Below is a table which indicates the prevalence of private tuitions in selected countries. Country Scale of private tutoring Sources Brazil A study in Rio de Janeiro public schools found that over 50% of students received tutoring and saw it as a way to reduce the likelihood of having to repeat grades Paiva et al., 1997 Cambodia Respondents in 31% of 77 primary schools surveyed in 1997/98 indicated that pupils received tutoring. Bray, 1996a; 1999 Egypt In 1991/92, 54% of 9000 Grade 5 pupils (300 schools) and 74% of 9000 Grade 8 pupils were receiving private tutoring. A 1994 survey of 4729 households found that 65% of urban primary children and 53% of rural ones had received tutoring. Fergany, 1994; Hua, 1996 Guinea A 1995/96 survey of Grade 6 pupils in two urban and four rural schools found 19% receiving private tutoring. Tembon et al, 1997 Hong Kong A 1996 survey of 507 students found 45% of primary, 26% of secondary, 34% of middle secondary, and 41% of upper secondary students receiving tutoring. Lee, 1996; Liu, 1998 Japan A 1993 survey found 24% of elementary pupils and 60 % of secondary pupils attending tuitions. Another 4% receiving tuitions at home. Nearly 70% of all students had received tutoring by the time they had completed middle school. Japan, 1995; Russell, 1997 Korea A 1997 survey indicated that in Seoul, 82% of elementary, 66% of middle and 59% of academic high school students received tutoring. In rural areas, proportions were 54%, 46% and 12%. Paik, 1998; see also Yoon et al., 1997 Malaysia In 1990, 8420 students were surveyed in secondary Forms 3, 5 and 6. Respective proportions receiving tutoring were 59%, 53% and 31%. About 83% of students had received some form of tutoring by the time they reached upper secondary level. Marimuthu et al., 1991 Malta A 1987/88 survey of 2129 pupils found that 52% of primary and 83% of secondary students had received tutoring at some time during their careers. In that year, 42% of Grade 6 and 77% OF Grade 11 pupils were receiving tutoring. Busuttil, 1988 Mauritius A 1991 survey showed 56% of students receiving tutoring in secondary Form 2. Proportions rose to 98% in Forms 3 and 4 and 100% in Form 5 and 6. A 1995 survey of 2919 Grade 6 pupils reported that 78% received extra tuitions. Foondun, 1998; Kulpoo, 1998 Morocco A 1993 survey of 1953 mainstream secondary science teachers indicated that 53% provided after-school tutoring. The lowest proportion (27%) was in the first year of secondary education, but the figure rose to 78% in the most senior grade. Caillods et al., 1998 Myanmar A 1991 survey of 118 Grade 9 and 10 students in Yangon Division found 91% receiving tutoring. Among 131 students in Grades 5-8, 66% received tutoring. Gibson, 1992 Singapore A 1992 survey of 1052 households plus interviews with 1261 students found 49% of primary pupils and 30% of secondary pupils receiving tutoring. Findings matched an earlier study of tutoring in languages among 572 primary and 581 secondary students. Kwan-Terry, 1991; George, 1992; Wong; Wong, 1998 Sri Lanka In 1990, 1873 students were surveyed in Years 6, 11 and 13. Proportions receiving tutoring in Years 6 and 11 were 80% and 75%. In Year 13 the proportions were 62% for arts students, 67% for commerce students and 92% for science students. De Silva et al., 1991; De Silva, 1994a Taiwan Government statistics indicate that in 1996, Taiwan had 4266 tutoring centres with 1,505,491 students. Other centres are unregistered and are illegal. A 1998 survey found 81% of 397 senior secondary students receiving private tutoring. Taiwan, 1997; Tseng, 1998 Tanzania A 1995/96 survey of Grade 6 pupils in three urban and four rural schools in mainland Tanzania found 26% receiving tutoring. In a Dar es Salaam school, 70% of Grade 6 pupils received tutoring in 1998. A 1995 survey of 2286 Grade 6 Zanzibar pupils found 44% receiving extra tuitions, though not all pupils paid for the classes. Peasgood et al., 1997; Nassor; Mohammed, 1998 Zimbabwe A 1995 survey of 2697 Grade 6 pupils in all nine regions reported that 61% received extra lessons. The regional range of proportions was from 36% to 74%. Machingaidze et al., 1998 Source: International Institute for Educational Planning, http://www.unesco,org/iiep Along with the expansion of the private tuition industry, came huge economic implications. For instance in Japan in the mid-90s, tutoring revenues accounted to $ 14,000, in Singapore households reported spending $ 200 million on private tutoring in 1992, in Egypt private tutoring cost accounted for 20% of total household expenditures and in the Republic of Korea $ 25, 000 million have been spent on private tuitions in 1996 (Bray, 1999). In addition to fees, parents had to add books, stationery and travel to the list. Private tutoring also bears an opportunity cost, mainly from the time children had to provide in lessons, preparations and travelling. According to a study by Marimuthu et al. in 1991, 70% of students receiving tutoring had to spend 3 hours per week to and from tutors, and 17% spent more than 6 hours (Bray, 199). Since tutoring is mainly a shadow activity, the government cannot exert any control on the amount of revenue received by tutors. The intensity of private tutoring also varies. Children in high-income countries would be expected to receive more tuitions than those in lower-income countries. In general, the subjects given more attention in private tuitions are those which are the most needed for educational and socio-economic advancement. For instance, demand for english tuitions was low in countries where English is spoken at home (Bray, 1999). The higher demand for tuitions in urban regions is normally due to competitive nature of urban life. Also, parents in urban society have higher educational backgrounds than those in rural societies and are thus better off and can afford tuition fees. Private tutoring, in different forms, is practiced in almost every country. This certainly gives an overview of the importance attributed to tuitions. While the impacts of private tuitions are debatable, we should perhaps reflect on the lasting consequences of such practices on our young brains and future society. 2.5 The good side to private tuitions Private tuitions may be considered as a good thing in that it provides an income to many teachers, who are very often underpaid and also to university students who teach on a part-time basis to cover their fees. For instance, in Sri Lanka, a good private tutor earned up to 130 USD per month in 2007, which is equivalent to one months pay for only 4 days of work (Borodchuk, 2011). Parents invest huge amounts in private tuitions yearly, because its the only option they have in securing their childrens future in terms of the best possible preparation to eventually gain access to prestigious schools or universities, and get the best jobs (Bray, 1999). Through these private tuition sessions, children get the opportunity to better grasp lessons which they previously didnt understand at school due to various reasons. Each pupil has his/her own learning speed, and very often classes are filled with up to 40 students which can render things difficult for the latter in receiving personal attention. Thus private tuition is an outlet for a more interactive class. More positively, it is a mechanism through which current students can extend their knowledge and gain human capital, which eventually benefits the society as well as themselves. This can allow for opportunities to work abroad; i.e. to travel, meet people from different culture, gain experience which is in itself a challenge to ones potential. Private tutoring may also reduce the workload of teachers in a way, since the major teachings are effectuated at school (Bray, 1999). Therefore, the job of private tutors is to supplement the school syllabus. The situation can also be reversed, in the sense that mainstream teachers have less to do, since students rely more on private tuitions, thus pay less attention to school lessons. Mainstream teachers usually benefit from this situation and work for namesake and still receive a salary at the end of the month. According to Ireson and Rushforth (2004), the main reason for students to take tuitions was to pass the examinations. Private tuitions were also very important in case the child missed school. According to their study of the British education system, Ireson and Rushforth also found out that most secondary students took private tuitions to improve their GCSE grades, especially in Mathematics. Tuitions were in this case were helpful in making a successful transmission to higher levels of education. Private tuitions can also be considered as a constructive way of engaging students after school hours. Some parents even report sending their children to tuition because they are not around when the child gets back from school (Borodchuk, 2011). 2.6 The other side of the coin Private tuitions have potential negative implications. In many countries, parents and educators are seriously concerned about the extent to which private tutoring is dominating the lives of pupils and their families (Bray, 2007). Private tuitions do not only affect the social and economic structure of a country but can have considerable impact on the psychological well-being of the child. This can affect the latters academic performance and can impede his/her healthy development. Over-reliance on private tuitions has also affected overall mainstream education. Private tutoring thus affects: the mainstream system Private tutoring also affects the dynamics of teaching and learning in the mainstream curriculum. For instance, mainstream teachers are not required to work hard because every pupil receives tuitions. Moreover, this enlarges the gap in the classroom between quick (generally those taking tuitions) and slow learners. In cases where the mainstream teacher is the private tutor as well, those not receiving tuitions may find themselves lagging behind. This pressurizes parents to invest in tutoring regardless of their financial status or their beliefs (Bray, 2003). According to Yasmeens culture of dependency, most students tend to rely explicitly on private tutors. This includes dependence on homework and even exam tips. Hussein points out that tutoring has caused students to lose interest in mainstream classes. Students have even reached the point of thinking that private tutors are better, since they are paid. So they attend school only when stipulated by school regulations. Hussein also report that the rate of absentees has risen, more particularly two months before the end of the semester, during which the child stays at home in the morning and att

Broken Stereotypes in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath :: Stereotypes Stereotyping

Broken Stereotypes in The Grapes of Wrath Masculinity and femininity are not restricted to two separate and distinct groups.   In reality, they are different within themselves, and similar to each other. It is a well-known stereotype that men are tough and strong with no emotions, while women are weak and need to be supported. The characters in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath are examples of the typical masculine and feminine groups.   However, the book also contains models of those who do not fit the stereotypes.   In general, the book contains two types of portrayals of both men and women. Pa is an example of the more common must-support-the-family man.   On the contrary, Casy, another male character, is a soft-spoken, thoughtful man.   Though they are mother and daughter, Ma and Rose of Sharon are two examples of very different femininity.   Ma is a hardworking, family focused woman while Rose of Sharon is a young naà ¯ve character who needs to be taken care of.   In The Grapes of Wrath, Pa is the main male character and plays a leadership role of the family.   After Grampa's death, it is clearly stated that Pa is the family leader.   "Pa was the head of the family now" (151).   Steinbeck purposefully puts Grampa, then Pa in the position of head of the family because the eldest male is most commonly the leader.   This is a typical example of a patriarchy.   Pa carries this role until they reach California and begin looking for work.   Pa is ashamed that he cannot work to support his family and fulfill his position as leader. Pa demanded, 'Well what the hell am I gonna do?   We're outa money.   One of my boys got a short job, but that won't feed us.   I'm a-gonna go an' take twenty cents.   I got to' (374). It frustrates Pa that he is helpless when it comes to work.   Although he is more than willing to work hard for money, Pa is unable to find a job to feed his family.   Ma takes on two roles in the course of the book.   Pa begins despairing because of his lack of work, so Ma takes over his role as leader.   This shows the masculinity in Ma's character coming out.

Brave New World - Society And Socio-economic Class :: essays research papers

Discuss how the society in Brave New World works to ensure that people do not change their socio-economic class. Through Brave New World, Huxley depicts a new, industrialized world, which is financially stable and has prevented poverty and self-destruction. Dictatorial governments are there to ensure stability and maintain perfection of the world. Therefore, just like under any other totalitarian government, social, mental and economic freedoms are abolished in order to retain social stability. The government eliminated these freedoms by censoring art and religion, by predestining peoples’ social caste prior their birth, and by controlling each individual’s life with the introduction of conditioning. At the beginning of the novel, the Director addresses his students and mentions, â€Å" We also predestine and condition. We decant our babies as socialized human beings, as Alphas or Epsilons, as future sewage workers or future Directors of Hatcheries,† (p. 29). Citizens of the World State are categorized into distinct social classes, before they come into existence. Mr. Foster explains, â€Å"The lower the caste, the shorter the oxygen,† and this shows how chemical conditioning of the embryos presets the mentality and physical features of individuals towards a certain standard specified by the government. (p. 29) In an autocratic society whose aim is to maintain perfection, people no longer have the right to choose who or what they want to be. The government engineers babies to grow into efficient adults, who will then again contribute towards a stabilized society. After birth babies’ minds are altered to accept the moral education of the government. Two processes the new world uses to control human judgement are the Neo-Pavlovian process and hypnopaedia. The children, during early childhood, are trained to like and dislike certain aspects of life, nature, and science so that they can consume the maximum resources. Beta babies receive electric shocks in the presence of flowers and books and then the Director teaches how, â€Å" They’ll grow up with what the psychologists †¦ call an ‘instinctive’ hatred of books and flowers †¦ they’ll be safe from books and botany all their lives," (p. 36). The conditioning of the children forms a barrier in their minds, so that they are never free to decide for themselves, but are always bounded by the instructions of the state. Thus, the government is achieving its goal, the maintenance of stability. The Alpha students also got a chance to hear one of the hypnopaedic repetitions addressing Beta babies which echoed, â€Å" Alpha children wear grey.

No Time to Think Essay

This week we were asked to analyse the following papers and a TED Talk presentation reflecting on how the accelerating pace of life and the distractions/noise in form of new means of communication are affecting our concentration and vanishing our â€Å"sanctuary† where we can dedicate time for thoughtful reflections. * â€Å"No time to think: Reflections on information technology and contemplative scholarship†, David M. Levy. (2007) * â€Å"Speed and the Unsettling of Knowledge in the Digital University†, Ray Land, (2011). TED Talk â€Å"5 ways to listen better†, Julian Treasure, (2011) Distractions serve anything but the knowledge It is true that today’s digitisation and networking tools speed up the pace of our communicative exchanges. In the other hand, these increasingly attractive tools are stealing our time and helping to distract us. These distractions serve anything but the knowledge because seriously limit our ability to focus and attention (and hence learning). Nowadays many people believe that reading an entire book is less attractive than commenting on their friends’ photos on Facebook or, open multiple tabs in a browser and quickly discover everything that is happening. It is precisely the possibility to access an incredible amount of information through the current digital technologies and encounter endless possibilities of knowledge that challenges our inability to build mental representations. Given the monumental supply of information obtained through the mass media, especially the Internet, the individual focuses his attention by very few moments in the data exposed on computer screens as they navigate through new links. However, the quality of these connections often contrasts with the amount of information, which are hardly assimilated because there is no time or effort to establish relations between concepts and thus, creating new meanings. As a result, individuals have habitual concentration difficulties, especially when â€Å"connect† with other people and at the same time read information in various news sites. It is not by chance the use of terms such as â€Å"connect†, â€Å"Liked† and â€Å"off† to describe relationships between people. It is as if the email’s boxes or the tweets call us all the time so that messages must be read and answered immediately. The schools adopting the digital education model have already evidenced these concentration problems. The use of new technologies in the classroom econfigures everyday identities of their teachers and students and thus, their own teaching practice in the presence of the students’ limitless access to information through the Internet. I believe that the teachers, as the digital immigrants, and students, as the digital natives, are overwhelmed with the emancipatory potential of the Internet that in somehow they are experienc ing a sense of loss as pointed out Ray Land: â€Å"Paradoxically this may be experienced as a sense of loss as an earlier, more secure stance of familiar knowing has to be abandoned as new and unfamiliar knowledge is encountered†. The temporary downside of this digital turn is a viral pact of mediocrity, through which teachers and students pretend to teach and learn, to the extent that the contents of academic papers are copied and pasted in the text with less and less reasoning being developed. New teachers adapted to this modus operandi disregard ethical issues and do not refute the information that the student presents through consultation online. Improving concentration in the digital environment Considering the above scenario, I believe that we need to re-think our strategy to overcome distraction and increase our capacity to learn in digital environments. As David M. Levy mentioned: â€Å"It might well be possible to begin to explore different modes of thinking – routine and creative modes, as well as obsessive mind chatter – not only to develop more nuanced and refined understandings of these processes but to understand how to encourage or discourage them†. The starting point could be the understanding of the mechanisms of human attention, decode how it works and even how to develop it. I personally think that concentration is not innate to the human being, but a skill that can be taught throughout life and can always be improved. Recently I read an intriguing book called â€Å"The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force† (Jeffrey M. Schwartz and Sharon Begley, 2003) about the brain plasticity, which is the neurons’ ability to redistribute according to need and training. The conclusions regarding the brain’s ability to rewire itself and the idea that meditation may be driving neuroplastic changes are quite inspiring in the book. For J. Schwartz and S. Begley, the best way to ensure attention is to choose challenging activities. If the task is so hard that we almost cannot do it, will certainly require more focus. However, it is not always clear that we like or feel challenged by everything that we need to do. Sometimes the work is simply annoying, but still needs to be done. In these cases, the trick is to turn it into a kind of game, focusing on one phase at a time. Overcome steps, one by one, can leave the whole process more attractive. Something like the â€Å"gamification† strategies, i. e. points and titles that some programs or applications give each task is accomplished. Being totally concentrated has to do with the state of â€Å"flow† discussed in the week 4 of the IDLE course. The psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi tried to understand the phenomenon by calculating the amount of information that our neural networks are capable of absorbing. He reached a number: only 110bps (bits per second). Listening to someone talking, for example, requires the processing of 40bps. That means, there are 70bps left in to use for distractions around. So we can scribble on paper or think in others to-dos while listening to the conversation. Using the 110bps in an activity would be the equivalent of what Csikszentmihalyi calls â€Å"flow† that state of absolute concentration that makes us not even notice the time passing. Finally, the schools should debate more about the negative effects of distraction, the importance of the â€Å"white space† (or the sanctuary as we call at IDLE, the creation of physical spaces or times on the calendar for uninterrupted, unwired thinking and connection) and encourage students to apply basic practices to promote personal â€Å"white space†. These practices include: create a student routine, make lists with the priorities of the day, learn to organize time and to collect relevant study materials, learn to book time to solve everything else outside of the studies (a good way to fend off distractions is to take them out of our heads) and learn to absorb and to reflect on what has been collected.