E learning Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

E learning - Thesis Example s the administrative barriers and financial barriers, which are introducing several challenges for the primary public schools in Saudi Arabia and preventing in the implementation of e-learning in the primary public schools in Saudi Arabia. The aims of this particular research study are highlighted below: The prime aim of this particular research study is to determine how the primary public schools of Saudi Arabia are facing the problems in adopting e-learning. Based on these particular research aims, the different research questions have been framed, which are depicted below: The prime aim of the research study is to determine the technical, personal, administrative, and financial barriers, which are affecting the success of the e-learning process in the primary public schools of Saudi Arabia. Based on this particular research aim, a research framework has been formulated with the aim of having a better understanding about process based on which the research methodology will be conducted. The research framework is provided hereunder. A quantitative approach is a specific educational research method through which a researcher can decide about what to study and what to be analysed. Moreover, it suggests how to do the research more specifically by considering the research questions. In addition, it is highly essential to collect quantifiable data from the participants in order to have a better understanding of the research objective. This research approach also assists to identify the outcome of the research more accurately. Thus, during data analysis, it is highly essential to use SPSS program to conducts the inquiry in an unbiased manner. Rationally, it can be claimed that this particular research approach has been chosen for the study, as the research method seems to be quite reliable in nature. Apart from this, through the incorporation of this research method, several complexities of the research method can be reduced while conducting the research study. At

Evidence-Based Practice & Applied Nursing Research Essay Example for Free

Evidence-Based Practice Applied Nursing Research Essay Type of Sources / Appropriateness of Sources / Classification of Sources American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians article regarding acute otitis media is a filtered resource. It is an appropriate source for nursing practice because; it establishes clinical guidelines to diagnose and manage AOM. It also establishes guidelines when to treat the signs and symptoms of AOM, watchful waiting, or to treat with an antibiotic. This article is classified as an evidence based guideline because, it reviews multiple research literatures in a systemic manner and provides recommendations of practice. Block’s Causative Pathogens article is an unfiltered resource. It is an appropriate source for nursing practice because it provides the clinician with the most recent and up to date research on the topic. The article is primary research evidence because; its researchers acquired the data first hand. Kelly’s article regarding Current pediatric diagnosis and treatment is a general information resource. This article is not appropriate for clinician use because it only provides basic general background. It does not guide the clinician in diagnosing and treatment. McCracken’s article in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal is an unfiltered resource. It is an appropriate for nursing practice because it supports established guidelines and shows what will happen with continued antibiotic use. This is an evidence summary article because it lists all of the important information and the evidence supporting it. The last source of evidence is interviews with parents. This type of source is considered a general information resource. It is appropriate because, the interviews give firsthand experience of onset and signs and symptoms of AOM. This source of classifications is none of the listed. â€Å"Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common infection for which antibacterial agents are prescribed for children in the United States. As such, the diagnosis and management of AOM has a significant impact on the health of children, cost of providing care, and overall use of antibacterial agents (AAFP, 2004).  Watchful waiting can have many benefits for the children and the provider if used properly. Diagnosing AOM can be tricky. The signs and symptoms can also be related to other illnesses such as an upper respiratory virus. Throwing antibiotics at any illness use to be the course of action. However, now that there is evidence that bacteria have become resistant to some antibiotics, clinicians are testing out other means of treating illnesses. If the child presenting with symptoms of AOM has no underlying conditions and has means to follow up with the doctor if the symptoms progress, watchful waiting is an appropriate app roach for treating the child. According to the research, placebo controlled trials have shown that children have responded well without antibacterial intervention. Giving the opportunity for the illness to resolve without antibacterial intervention not only benefits the child but, the caregivers and the clinician. It benefits the child by not being exposed to antibiotics that are not needed, therefore creating a potential resistance to that antibiotic. It benefits the caregiver by not spending money on a medication their child does not need. Last, it benefits the clinician by preventing resistance to an antibiotic that may be useful in the near future. Watchful waiting is only appropriate if the patient meets the guidelines of uncomplicated AOM, assurance of a follow up if necessary, and access to antibiotics if symptoms progress or worsen. The findings in the AAFP article can be applied in many ways to improve nursing practice in a healthcare setting. The article provides evidence based guidelines on how to properly diagnose AOM and the typical signs and symptoms. It establishes the three criteria the patient must exhibit for a certain diagnosis of AOM. If the patient does not meet the certain criteria, it guides the clinician to continue to assess the patient for another illness, such as an upper respiratory virus. Proper diagnosis will improve clinician treatment and care of the patient. The article also includes a descriptive chart on how to assess and manage pain associated with AOM. It lists for the clinician the recommended medications, remedies, and agents for the clinician to utilize to manage pain. It also lists the effectiveness and the side effects. This will help improve nursing care by implementing the proper medication and or remedies to the patient with the highest effectiveness and the least amount of side effects. The article also very clearly identifies when watchful waiting is  not appropriate and what antibiotics should be prescribed and the usual dosage. This information is helpful to nursing practice by helping the clinician distinguish what patient is suitable for watchful waiting or antibiotic therapy. Another way the article improves nursing practice is, that the article provides information on how to prevent AOM and reoccurrence. This information can be used to help educate patient’s caregivers on ways to prevent AOM and reoccurrence. Ethical issues always arise when it comes to healthcare, especially when it comes to children. When conducting an evidence based research, there is a high likelihood of exposing the child to potential danger, illness, and adverse reactions. The first ethical issue is; is it even right to subject a child to research if there is a high likelihood of helping other children. That is something for the children’s parents to decide. However, it is the responsibility of the researchers to fully explain the process, potential side effects, potential danger, and any other concerns to the parents. It also the responsibility of researchers to determine if the parents have the capability to comprehend the information and the risk of the research. Not doing so would be unethical and could tarnish the results of the research. Another major ethical dilemma that comes with involving children in research is that the children do not have the capability of making that decision themselves. Research should be a voluntary thing and not left up to someone else to decide. However, when it comes to children that is not an option. The ethical problem is should the child be subjected to potential harm because of the parents’ willingness to allow it. The needs to be guidelines established prior to the start of the research that regulate the risks that the child might be subjected to. The risk should be very minimal with a very high benefit. Involving children in any type of evidence based research can be very tricky and has the potential of bringing up multiple ethical issues. It is the researcher’s responsibility to ensure the child is protected, not exposed to unneeded harm, and the caregivers are knowledgeable of the risk factors and are competent enough to make an informed decision. Besides ethical issues, there are other issues that need to be taken into consideration when research involves children. Vulnerable populations, such as low income families, families with different cultural backgrounds, and families with insufficient education can be at risk when it  comes to research involving children. For an example, low income families may not have the opportunity to participate in evidence based research because they might not fit certain criteria. In the AAFP research, in order for the child to be a candidate of the watchful waiting, they had to have means of a follow up appointment. For low income families, coming to the doctor multiple time may not be option. Financially they may not be able to afford, parents may not be able to get time off from work, or have means of transportation for a follow up appointment. These circumstances may subject the child to unneeded antibiotic treatment simply because the patient is unable to follow up with the doctor. Also, families with a cultural difference may not fully understand the benefits or risks of allowing their child to participate in this research. Without informed consent, the results of the research are tarnished and run the risk of jeopardizing the study. Informed consent when it comes to research involving children is extremely important for validity of a project and prevents any ethical problems. Any research involving children can be extremely tricky and should be held to the highest ethical standards and involve minimal risk to children. References American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians. (2004.) Clinical practice guideline: Diagnosis and management of acute otitis media. Retrieved from http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;113/5/1451 Block, S. L. (1997). Causative pathogens, antibiotic resistance and therapeutic considerations in acute otitis media. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 16, 449–456. Kelley, P. E., Friedman, N., Johnson, C. (2007). Ear, nose, and throat. In W. W. Hay, M. J. Levin, J. M. Sondheimer, R. R. Deterding (Eds.), Current pediatric diagnosis and treatment (18th ed., pp. 459–492). New York: Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill. McCracken, G. H. (1998). Treatment of acute otitis media in an era of increasing microbial resistance. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 17, 576–579.

The Concept of Self-Efficacy Essay -- Self Efficacy Essays

The Concept of Self-Efficacy Self-efficacy, for the purpose of this study, may be defined as a person’s optimistic self-belief. This is the belief that a person can develop the skills to perform new or difficult tasks to cope with changes in health and functioning. When a person perceives self-efficacy, it will facilitate goal-setting, effort, investment, persistence, overcoming obstacles and recovery from disappointments and failures. It can be regarded as a positive outlook or proactive way to handle stress factors. It is the ability to successfully cope with health changes, and implies an internal and stable acceptance of changes and ability to successfully adapt to those changes. Perceived self-efficacy is functional in relationship to behavioral change, and health care maintenance or improvement. In health care, the concept of self-efficacy is important in developing effective strategies for health education and interventions. Self-efficacy emerged from theories related to motivation, competence and a feeling of control. Rodgers’ (1993) stated that the â€Å"evolutionary† method of concept analysis is used in clarifying the concept of interest. By following this approach, abstract characteristics of a concept can be identified and grouped for the purpose of developing a clear and useful definition of the concept. Once the concept is defined, a model case can be described to demonstrate the concepts attributes, antecedents, and consequence. A literary search and a grouping of characteristics will be used to process a constant comparative analysis and to refine the data into a clear and concise definition appropriate for our use. The term effectance is used to describe the motivational aspect of competence. The theory of motivation is not solely based on the basic animal instinct of drive. People are motivated to behave in certain ways because they perceive themselves as being able to effect a desired change. As a persons behavior is repeated and actually effects the desired change a person is providing reinforcement of their confidence in their competence at effect the desired change. The person is energized by the concept of self-efficacy and it’s feeling of empowerment. (White, 1959). Empowerment and control are essential to elements to self-efficacy. According to Bandura, early social learning theory of behavioral change... ...s all treatment and continues on the road of self-destruction. These examples show how self-efficacy in the health care field can be a valuable an necessary tool for improving health care, but like most concepts, self-efficacy is only as good as the person willing to practice it. It is not experienced by everyone and is impacted by self-esteem, self-confidence and many other variables. References Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change. Psychological Review, 84, pp191-215. Gecas, V. (1989). The Social Psychology of Self-Efficacy. Annual Review of Sociology. 15, pp. 291-316. Maibach, E. & Murphy, D.A. (1995). Self-efficacy in Health Promotion Research and Practice: Conceptualization and Measurement. Health Education Research, 10 (1), pp. 37-50. O’Leary, A. (1985). Self-efficacy and Health. Behavioral Research & Therapy, 23, 437-451. Rodgers, L. & Knafl, K.A. (1993). Concept Development in Nursing: Foundations, Techniques, and Applications. (pp.73-92). Philadelphia, PA: W. B. Saunders. White, R.W. (1959). Motivation Reconsidered: The Concept of Competence. Psychological Review, 66 (5), pp. 297-331

“Lines Written in Early Spring,” by William Wordsworth Essay

â€Å"Lines Written in Early Spring,† by William Wordsworth, sets the tone within the title. The thought of early spring brings new life and harmony to the mind of the reader. A vision of Wordsworth sitting in a open field, observing the flowers budding and bunnies hopping around comes to the reader’s mind. He â€Å"heard a thousand blended notes† of birds singing and the world blooming around him, thoughts of Bambi are brought to mind. Spring, for me, creates a feeling of joy, and I think it is the best of the four seasons. A new start for all life to live as one and get along. The next two lines could be quite confusing after the first reading. A â€Å"sweet mood† causes his â€Å"pleasant thoughts/ [to] bring sad thoughts to mind.† At first, I wondered how a sweet mood and pleasant thoughts could possibly bring sad thoughts, but when I thought about it, I realized that sometimes when you’re at your happiest moment, sad memories and ponderings come to mind. Wordsworth continues explaining that his soul was linked to Nature and her works through the wonder of spring. The image of the human soul running through him brings an apparent depth to the poem, turning the theme from spring to a more intimate perspective of man. â€Å"And much it grieved my heart to think/ what man has made of man.† The lines question a topic that most people will never fathom in their lifetimes. He describes his grieving over the topic of man’s world. To grieve, as defined by Dictionary.com, means â€Å"to be in pain of mind on account of an evil.† This definition describes exactly how Wordsworth feels about the evil that mankind has made of his world. Lines 9 and 10 continue to depict the setting that the poet is contemplating. As the spring setting returns to mind, Wordsworth reflects on how the flower appreciates the air it breaths and the birds hop and play with pleasure. The pictures show the simplicity of Nature and her animals, but also the joy they display. He spoke of a â€Å"thrill of pleasure,† which not only uses the flow of the word â€Å"pleasure† to illustrate the purity and joy of nature, but the â€Å"thrill of† affects the reader to think not of simple joy, but of the rush and the unadulterated enjoyment of this pleasure. His longing for this type of passion and thrill connects himself to nature by paradoxically  displaying the difference between man and nature. The detail with which Wordsworth writes about â€Å"budding twigs† spreading out to â€Å"catch the air† creates an aura of lust for the appreciation of the simple things in life. Leonard Skynard wrote a song called â€Å"Simple Man† which asks for a man to keep his life simple and realize that he is merely an object of God and he must remember to appreciate everything. The song and the poem are close in connection, with the same major theme of appreciation of the simple things. Wordsworth believes that this pleasure is sent from heaven and is part of Nature’s holy plan. He realizes that God is behind all things, large and small and man so often forgets to recognize the value of the air he breathes in and then flowers he picks. Speaking of â€Å"Nature’s holy plan,† I think he trust that Nature and God are one and their plans for man are the same, but they will only work if man realizes the right path to follow. The last two lines leave us with the question â€Å"Have I not reason to lament/ what man has made of man?† Wordsworth wants his reader to realize that we should all grieve for the sorrow that we cause ourselves. Man has made himself what he is today, a busy, selfish, evil person, an outcome for which we should grieve. The question leaves the reader to ponder the meaning of life and all the deep questions that are buried deep within the human soul, the questions unanswerable by words, yet only through actions.

Information Technology in Healthcare Essay

Information technology has undoubtedly played important role of transforming the operation, management and the overall performance of many organizations. Similarly, it’s expected that information technology would show more or less same impact of results in the healthcare organizations. That is, the employment of IT system in the provision of health care services will mitigate the quality of service provision in the industry. Generally, the term â€Å"quality† is used not in its simplest form but has been used in its complex form, which is primarily meant to incorporate improvement of the functioning of the different healthcare departments together with the affiliated organizations which form part or participate in one way or another in the process of delivering health care service (Berg, 2001). Despite the fact that there has been increased investment in the healthcare industry, recent research has shown that the consumption of IT services/products is far much less in the healthcare industry as compared with the consumption rate of organizations in other sectors. Moreover, the large world population in developed countries or states like in the UK, USA among others access to high-quality healthcare services. While it’s known that not all individuals in the developed nations are well up, the poor and the middle class group experience a lot of obstacles as they endeavor to access healthcare services and their related products such as acquisition of healthcare insurance cover and payment of hospital bills. With the low consumption rate of the IT services by the healthcare organizations in most developed nations, this has led to provisions of meager services to the poor, but it’s postulated changing to intensive IT consumption would mitigate the situation (Fournier, 2003). Significance of Using EMR system There are several reasons for the embracing of IT systems in the healthcare industry. Depending on different perspective of the focus, the use IT system has been used to bring an evolution in the healthcare provision. Like in other industries dealing with provisions of services and products different from those of healthcare industry, the implementation of IT services in the healthcare sector is aimed at bringing an evolution both in the performance and quality of the services delivered to the consumers. For the last two or three decades back, many organizations have put more efforts in the funding of healthcare service provision, in order to have a change from the traditional record keeping practices. The adoption of the E-recording has thus been viewed as major step towards achieving a greater improvement in the healthcare overall performance. The consumption of IT services though is at low rates, the benefit accrued from the few ways in which it has been absorbed is enormous. In the area of medical records and record keeping, healthcare industry is adopting to the IT system to solve the problem of complexity in their system. First and foremost, the utilization of IT systems in medical record and recording reduces the time of production, spaces and transfer duration, thus leading to overall decrease in the expenditure cost of the record management (Berg, 2001). Facility evaluation The EMR facility is a sophisticated instrument which comprises of different parts for the accomplishment of the recording and storage of healthcare data and information. The equipment’s components include both computer hardware as well as software that support its data processing, storage operations and management. The major physical parts of the facility are the CPU together with its accessory components, while the non-physical component included the operating software and the special EMR software, which permit the performance of multiples tasks of healthcare. The special software is an advanced one which enables data entry through use of clicks, reducing the amount of keyboard typing. This means that the EMR facility supports the input of enormous data into the healthcare records with ease. The advanced software not only wires information in the word formats but it also supports the use of the imagery or photographic works, meaning that it’s a complete storage system of healthcare information. Cost of EMR system The EMR system is a model that occupies the least space in data storage systems. Though it has a multi-task purpose, the costs perhaps is at moderate rate. EMR costs are computed from the various variables or components which are needed in the implementation of the system within an organization. The costs of implementing EMR are identified in two classes, viz the purchasing and installation system cost and the maintenance cost. Usually, prior to the installation of the EMR system, the CPU and computer accessories must be purchased. Additionally, the clinicians and physician are without the knowledge of developing the superior software which allows the carrying out of the various functions of data storage and processing. Currently, the prices of a computer range from $ 7000 to &7500, while the software prices are estimated in the range of $`1000 to $1500 which are inclusive of the license charges. The grant installation expenses of the hardware and the software within the healthcare premise is approximated at $ 3500, but this quote is not inclusive of the implementation expenses which incorporates the costs incurred during the adoption of the new systems. A part from the equipment and software costs, other indirect expenses are incurred in the courses of running the systems: the maintenance costs which are at about $ 2000 per annum (Fournier, 2003). Regulation implications The utilization of the EMR systems in hospitals will have great impacts on the regulation and management of information within the healthcare provider organizations. Among the anticipated outcomes is that the use of this system would save time taken in retrieving patient’s information as well as hasten transferring of the information to any other organization or party where it’s needed. By doing so, both insurance organizations and organizations acting as referral healthcare services providers will have broader based of the assessment the patient’s health progress. While this system employed Electronic signatures that are unique, it’s a practice that reduces the risks associated with the heavy use of personalized signatures that can change with time or maybe forgotten. Barriers to EMR systems As revealed in a number of healthcare organization that have endeavored to install the new EMR system in their organization, there are several challenges are generally faced by firms implementing the system. According to the disclosed information, the initial outlay or capital is extremely high to be met within the current budget on healthcare development. The lean budgetary range bars the purchase of crucial and basic equipments such as power backups to ensure data inputs and output operations are not halted due blackouts or brown out that adversely affect the quality of service delivery. Considering that most have workers have been used to the old system of paper work, it’s undoubtedly overt that most of them will be disturbed of the implementation of the system (Miller, 2004). The employment of EMR system mean that much work would be accomplished by a few clinicians and physician workers, a case that actually acts as a threat to job security for some of the employees. To take the full benefits of the systems, it’s very important for the training of the staffs, particularly to empower them in the use of installed system. This calls for the payment of the training service from external organization/firms as the organization has got no training personnel with the required knowledge, experience and proficient of the installed system. The hiring of the new trainers is not ease as their cost falls out of the current budget. The handling of the new system of EMR also demands the use of shared devices such as serves, which implies that the company would have to hire additional staff to maintain the networks and the servers. Fraud and waste issues The implementation of the EMR systems within the organization has the ability of curbing certain problems experienced in the course of management and activity accomplishment. Usually, most of the organization depending on the traditional paper work recording depicted a lot of movements from one place to another. This indicates poor integration or communication between individuals at different departments. Sometimes, this increases the duration of the patient’s stay within the healthcare facility. Thus, the employment of the EMR system reduces the waste of healthcare facilities by eliminating or reducing many personnel movements, meanwhile leading to improvement on patient’s safety and general service delivery. Though EMR systems is appealing way of improving the clinicians and physicians work effectiveness, high risks on privacy and confidence are associated with this kind of system. System hacking together with ease of reproducing the data in this system acts as the greatest threat to the use of the methodology (Miller, 2004) EMR Implementation The following are steps of implementing an EMR system: †¢ Selection of the most suitable EMR to be adopted by the organization †¢ Compose a lead team to campaign for the EMR system †¢ Generate an implementation plan †¢ List/choosing the required equipments and software †¢ Training the organization’s staffs †¢ Select security provider to the data/ information sites †¢ Input the selected data of interest Timeline The first day will be the discussion on the redundancy experienced within the organizations so as to determine the appropriate EMR system. The second day will be formation of a steering team that would work together towards ensuring success of the project. Third will be generation of a list of items: equipments and software that would be used. Then, this will be followed by the installation of the system that would take a bout a week. This will run concurrently with the training of the staff members on the new system though the training will be extended by another week for practical skill acquisition.

Stegosaurs - The Spiked, Plated Dinosaurs

Stegosaurs - The Spiked, Plated Dinosaurs As dinosaurs go, stegosaurs are relatively easy to describe: these quadrupedal, small-to-medium-sized, small-brained herbivores were characterized by the double rows of plates and spikes along their backs and the sharp spikes on the ends of their tails. By far the most famous stegosaur (and the one that has lent its name to this entire family) is, of course, Stegosaurus, but there are at least a dozen other closely related genera, most of which are no less important from a historical perspective. (See a gallery of stegosaur pictures and profiles and Why Did Stegosaurus Have Plates on its Back?) Evolutionarily speaking, stegosaurs are classified as ornithischian (bird-hipped) dinosaurs. Their closest relatives were the armored dinosaurs known as ankylosaurs, and they were more distantly related to other four-footed plant-eaters like hadrosaurs (aka duck-billed dinosaurs) and ornithopods. In a crucial way, though, stegosaurs were less successful than these other dinosaurs: they only flourished toward the end of the Jurassic period (about 160 to 150 million years ago), with only a handful of species managing to survive into the ensuing Cretaceous. Types of Stegosaurs Because they constituted such a small family of dinosaurs, its relatively easy to distinguish among the various types of stegosaurs. The earlier, smaller stegosaurs of the middle to late Jurassic period are known as huayangosaurids, typified by, you guessed it, Huayangosaurus and less well-known genera like the European Regnosaurus. The better-known stegosaurids were larger, with more elaborate spikes and plates, and are best represented by the classic body plan of Stegosaurus. As far as paleontologists can tell, the stegosaur family tree took root with the huayangosaurids of Asia, and grew larger and more ornate by the time Stegosaurus planted itself in North America. There are still some mysteries, though: for example, the tantalizingly named Gigantspinosaurus had two huge spikes protruding from its shoulders, making its exact classification within the stegosaur line (if it even belongs there) a matter of controversy. The last stegosaur to appear in the fossil record is the mid-Cretaceous Wuerhosaurus, though its possible that some as-yet-undiscovered genus may have survived to the brink of the K/T Extinction 65 million years ago. Why Did Stegosaurs Have Plates? The most enduring mystery about stegosaurs is why they possessed those characteristic double rows of plates and spikes along their backs, and how these plates and spikes were arranged. To date, no stegosaur fossil has been unearthed with the plates still attached to its skeleton, leading some paleontologists to conclude that these scutes (as theyre technically called) lay flat along the dinosaurs back, like the thick armor of ankylosaurs. However, most researchers still believe that these plates were arranged semi-vertically, as in popular reconstructions of Stegosaurus. This leads naturally to the question: did these plates have a biological function, or were they strictly ornamental? Because scutes pack a large surface area into a small volume, its possible that they helped to dissipate heat during the night and absorb it by day, and thus regulated their owners presumably cold-blooded metabolism. But its also possible that these plates evolved to deter predators, or to help differentiate males from females. The trouble with these latter two explanations is that a) its hard to see how an upright array of blunt plates could possibly have intimidated a hungry Allosaurus, and b) there has been very little evidence to date of sexual dimorphism among stegosaurs. The prevailing theory is a bit less exciting: the bulk of opinion today is that the plates and spikes of stegosaurs evolved as a way of differentiating individuals within the herd, along the same lines as the slightly varying black-and-white stripes of zebras (because they were well supplied with blood, these scutes may also have changed color with the seasons). No such controversy attaches to the sharp spikes at the end of most stegosaurs tails, which were doubtless used for defensive purposes (and are often called thagomizers in tribute to a famous Far Side cartoon by Gary Larson).

The Romanovs essays

The Romanovs essays Before 1917 Russia was the largest country under one empire. In economic terms it was extremely backward, as it was very late to become industrial. It was also quite backward in political terms; too, as there were no legal political parties or democracy of any kind. Nicholas II was not educated about affairs of state, so didnt have a great deal of understanding about how politics worked, which is most probably the main reason why he was not that good a leader for Russia. Neither Nicholas nor his father, Alexander, was well trained for the job of ruling the vast country. It is a common theory that Nicholas had inherited many of his own flaws in intelligence and cunning from his father, so it is possible any other Tsar from the Romanov Empire may still not have been able to prevent the revolutions that were to come. Revolutionary activities really started on 9th January 1905, which became known as Bloody Sunday, because a large crowd protesting for the Tsar to change the working conditions for the poorer classes was shot at by troops. This made Russians lose faith in the Tsarist regime. Unrest erupted in towns and villages up and down the country. Workers carried out demonstrations and strikes, and trade unions were formed. Amidst this chaos, Alexandra gave birth to Alexei, their longed-for heir. Whilst Nicholas was away at the warfront, rumours of scandals within the royal family were running through the public. Despite Rasputins murder in 1916 the image of the Tsar and Tsarist rule as incompetent was firmly implanted in the community. Ultimately the main cause of the revolution was the fast industrialization of Russia at the time. This put great stress and pressure on Russian society, peasants and factory workers who had to pay for industrial growth. After Nicholas II resigned as Tsar, he and his family were arrested on 21st March, apparently for their own safety. They were kept for five m...

Geothermal Energy - Tapping the Earths Heat Supply

Geothermal Energy - Tapping the Earths Heat Supply As the costs of fuel and electricity rise, geothermal energy has a promising future. Underground heat can be found anywhere on Earth, not just where oil is pumped, coal is mined, where the sun shines or where the wind blows. And it produces around the clock, all the time, with relatively little management needed. Heres how geothermal energy works. Geothermal Gradients No matter where you are, if you drill down through the Earths crust you will eventually hit red-hot rock. Miners first noticed in the Middle Ages that deep mines are warm at the bottom, and careful measurements since that time have found that once you get past surface fluctuations, solid rock grows steadily warmer with depth. On average, this geothermal gradient is about one degree Celsius for every 40 meters in depth or 25 C per kilometer. But averages are just averages. In detail, the geothermal gradient is much higher and lower in different places. High gradients require one of two things: hot magma rising close to the surface, or abundant cracks allowing groundwater to carry heat efficiently to the surface. Either one is sufficient for energy production, but having both is best. Spreading Zones Magma rises where the crust is being stretched apart to let it rise- in divergent zones. This happens in the volcanic arcs above most subduction zones, for instance, and in other areas of crustal extension. The worlds largest zone of extension is the mid-ocean ridge system, where the famous, sizzling-hot black smokers are found. It would be great if we could tap heat from the spreading ridges, but that is possible in only two places, Iceland and the Salton Trough of California (and Jan Mayen Land in the Arctic Ocean, where no one lives). Areas of continental spreading are the next-best possibility. Good examples are the Basin and Range region in the American West and East Africas Great Rift Valley. Here there are many areas of hot rocks that overlie young magma intrusions. The heat is available if we can get to it by drilling, then start extracting the heat by pumping water through the hot rock. Fracture Zones Hot springs and geysers throughout the Basin and Range point to the importance of fractures. Without the fractures, there is no hot spring, only hidden potential. Fractures support hot springs in many other places where the crust is not stretching. The famous Warm Springs in Georgia is an example, a place where no lava has flowed in 200 million years. Steam Fields The very best places to tap geothermal heat have high temperatures and abundant fractures. Deep in the ground, the fracture spaces are filled with pure superheated steam, while groundwater and minerals in the cooler zone above seal in the pressure. Tapping into one of these dry-steam zones is like having a giant steam boiler handy that you can plug into a turbine to generate electricity. The best place in the world for this is off limits- Yellowstone National Park. There are only three dry-steam fields producing power today: Lardarello in Italy, Wairakei in New Zealand and The Geysers in California. Other steam fields are wet- they produce boiling water as well as steam. Their efficiency is less than the dry-steam fields, but hundreds of them are still making a profit. A major example is the Coso geothermal field in eastern California. Geothermal energy plants can be started in hot dry rock simply by drilling down to it and fracturing it. Then water is pumped down to it and the heat is harvested in steam or hot water. Electricity is produced either by flashing the pressurized hot water into steam at surface pressures or by using a second working fluid (such as water or ammonia) in a separate plumbing system to extract and convert the heat. Novel compounds are under development as working fluids that could boost efficiency enough to change the game. Lesser Sources Ordinary hot water is useful for energy even if it isnt suitable for generating electricity. The heat itself is useful in factory processes or just for heating buildings. The entire nation of Iceland is almost completely self-sufficient in energy thanks to geothermal sources, both hot and warm, that do everything from driving turbines to heating greenhouses. Geothermal possibilities of all these kinds are shown in a national map of geothermal potential issued on Google Earth in 2011. The study that created this map estimated that America has ten times as much geothermal potential as the energy in all of its coal beds. Useful energy can be obtained even in shallow holes, where the ground isnt hot. Heat pumps can cool a building during summer and warm it during winter, just by moving heat from whichever place is warmer. Similar schemes work in lakes, where dense, cold water lies on the lake bottom. Cornell Universitys lake source cooling system is a notable example. Earths Heat Source To a first approximation, Earths heat comes from radioactive decay of three elements: uranium, thorium, and potassium. We think that the iron core has almost none of these, while the overlying mantle has only small amounts. The crust, just 1 percent of the Earths bulk, holds about half as much of these radiogenic elements as the whole mantle beneath it (which is 67% of the Earth). In effect, the crust acts like an electric blanket upon the rest of the planet. Lesser amounts of heat are produced by various physicochemical means: freezing of liquid iron in the inner core, mineral phase changes, impacts from outer space, friction from Earth tides and more. And a significant amount of heat flows out of the Earth simply because the planet is cooling, as it has since its birth 4.6 billion years ago. The exact numbers for all these factors are highly uncertain because the Earths heat budget relies on details of the planets structure, which is still being discovered. Also, Earth has evolved, and we cannot assume what its structure was during the deep past. Finally, plate-tectonic motions of the crust have been rearranging that electric blanket for eons. The Earths heat budget is a contentious topic among specialists. Thankfully, we can exploit geothermal energy without that knowledge.

Watch movie . Identify and explain one ethically ambiguous activity Essay

Watch movie . Identify and explain one ethically ambiguous activity - Essay Example ate inside rented offices, apartments and con people off, their hard-earned money, including retired folks who are depending on their savings, to survive. The purpose is obtaining all the money through persuasion by sale on none existing stocks (Berardinelli and James, 23). The movie focuses on how con artists persuaded selling fiction stocks. The movie looks to provide viewers with an in-depth portray of stock selling making it end up like a lousy business. Seth one of the actors, who is a former casino operator in his own apartment at the basement, tries to amend the relationship with his father. His dad was disconcerted with the life that his son led. Seth lied to his family that he was attending college, yet he had been running an illegal casino (Ebert, par 3). He catches J.T Marlin who promises to make him a billionaire as long as he had the drive to work. Seth sees this as a good opportunity to please his dad that he never seems to please. J.T. Marlin has a brokerage shop, recruits other employees and assures them that he will make them rich (Berardinelli and James, 27). Seth is intrigued by the firm prospect of becoming rich and thus, gets to the extent of becoming a full-fledged professional stockbroker. He becomes so good that he does not need help from his resentful boss Greg. After the success and wealth in the business, things start to get bad. Seth realizes that he is involved in a fake firm of brokerage chop shop that sells stock options on nonexistent companies. He is worried of what his dad will think about him if he realizes the truth. Utilitarian approach has been used in the movie. This approach is objective, efficient and suited for business decision. However, it tries to ignore rights, justice and negative consequences and impacts the results. This approach of ethical decision-making suggests that ethical actions are those that provide the best balance of evil and good. This is evidenced from the conversation like ‘Greed is good’ ‘Lunch

Environmental audit Tesco Plc Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Environmental audit Tesco Plc - Coursework Example The company chosen for study is Tesco Plc which is the biggest multinational general merchandise and grocery retailer in United Kingdom. The company operates in over 2,315 stores globally with over 1,875 stores in UK. It also has significant presence in North America, Asia and Europe. The total revenue of the company for the year ending 2013 was over  £ 64.8 billion while net income after taxes was over  £ 120 million. Tesco PLC was founded by Jack Cohen in 1919 as a group of market stalls. The company is listed on London Stock Exchange and has over 6350 stores globally. It is also a constituent of FTSE 100 Index. The company is headquartered in Chestnut, Hertfordshire of England. The company has huge geographical diversification into areas like clothing, furniture, electronics, financial services, retailing of books, internet services, software, music downloads, DVD rental, and so on. Tesco Stores Ltd is a subsidiary of Tesco PLC in United Kingdom. ... 64.8 billion while net income after taxes was over ? 120 million. Tesco PLC was founded by Jack Cohen in 1919 as a group of market stalls. The company is listed on London Stock Exchange and has over 6350 stores globally. It is also a constituent of FTSE 100 Index. The company is headquartered in Chestnut, Hertfordshire of England (TESCO, 2013, pp.3-16). The company has huge geographical diversification into areas like clothing, furniture, electronics, financial services, retailing of books, internet services, software, music downloads, DVD rental, and so on. Tesco Stores Ltd is a subsidiary of Tesco PLC in United Kingdom. The company offers a wide range of personal finance services both offline and online. The relative position of Tesco’s market share with respect to other foremost players in the market is depicted as follows: (Source: t1ps.com, 2012) External Business Environment Analysis Global recession during 2007 to 2009 has substantial impact on the overall retail indust ry across the world. During the year 2012, retail growth was only 1.2% and it was the third lowest in the history retail industry of UK in last 40 years. Thus, the macro-economy significantly influences organizations’ strategy by influencing the surroundings of the industry. The external environment determines the outlook of industry and hence it is very important to analyze the external environment in order to formulate appropriate strategy for the organization (TESCO, 2013, pp.8-9). PESTEL Analysis The macro-economic environment is evaluated using the PESTEL analysis that identifies key drivers that influence the company’s strategic decisions. The objective of this analysis is to reveal the impact of various external factors upon a business as well as the industry

UEL Undergraduates Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

UEL Undergraduates Planning - Essay Example The society also benefits both directly and indirectly from these higher learning institutions. The direct benefits of the society come as a result of the existence of these institutions within the locality of the area surrounding the community. These benefits include community projects that can or may be fully funded by the institutions such as the construction of boreholes or water points, health faculties can also be accessed by the community members, the society also gains access to electricity by virtue of the existence of the higher learning institutions. Similarly, the community also benefits from access to good roads and telecommunication networks that are essential for transport and communication. The benefits to the society are very many hence outweigh the disadvantages. The indirect benefits that the society enjoys from the existence of these higher learning institutions are seen through many ways. Firstly, the institutions produce very productive and industrious individua ls with skills and knowledge that they will apply to stimulate economic growth in the society. This will also later provide employment opportunity to the society members and as a result, an improved standard of living is realized. Secondly, the literacy levels of the society are increased since the institution educates trains and equips the students with skills that are very important life. ... Â  The study was done on 40 students picked randomly within the school. The methods used to collect the data were mainly through the use of questionnaires and interviews. The methods were made to be interactive so as to get the information directly from the students. This was done so as to obtain accurate and efficient data from the study. The study would later help both the students and the university itself to improve their learning and the learning techniques respectively. This would be realized by analyzing the findings collected from the study and coming up with concrete solutions that would enable the students to learn effectively. Findings After taking a sample of forty students from various faculties in the institution by random sampling method, it was established that 40% of the students take 5 – 6 hours in their personal studies while 60% take under 5 hours on their personal studies. The majority of the students was found to allocate a few hours to their personal st udies due to the fact that during the daytime, they have to attend lectures that are in most cases spread across the day with break intervals to prepare for coming lectures or go for lunch. In the wee hours of the day, most students were established to concentrate more on their social welfare than creating more time for their personal studies. 40% of the sampled students who were found to spend more time in their personal studies were serious in pursuing successfully their faculties.

LOVE. Review the NHS changes proposed in the Health and Social Care Essay

LOVE. Review the NHS changes proposed in the Health and Social Care Bill now proceeding through Parliament and evaluate how these reforms are to address the problems with the Service - Essay Example The reduction of inequalities in the provision of health and social care is highlighted as one of the focus areas for the secretary of state under the new Bill (Dow 2011, p13). In addition, the Bill proposes that the provision of comprehensive health services which include various aspects of health care including mental and physical through proper diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. This aspect proposes that quality of services in the health sector is raised to meet the standards set for continuous improvement in the health sector. The Bill proposes that the level of public contribution to health and social care service provision is increased (Crisp n.d., p4). Public proposals for development of the services provided are to be highlighted and considered by the NHS Commissioning Board in decisions affecting health care services. The Board will be mandated with establishing of various platforms to involve the public in the identification of the needs of the specific needs and approaches needed for improvement. Establishment of the Public Health England will be the focus of the improvement of public health care provision. The roles of the Local Authorities and commissioners of health in the provision of health and social care services are expected to be integrated under the Bill. In view of the need to provide a coordinated service, the government will eliminate unnecessary costs of duplication and offer the benefits of synergies. It is important that scrutiny of the services offered of such diverse service providers is introduced in the improvement proposed by the Bill since accountability issues derail quality service (ACKA Consulting 2008, p1). The Bill undertakes to offer regulatory authority for the various types of health and social care practitioners as required in a functional system. It is important that the professionals involved in the health care and social sector be regulated for conformity with quality and improvement as

JAPANESE CIVILIZATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

JAPANESE CIVILIZATION - Essay Example The sense of commitment to never be defeated in anything, even at the point of death is a guarantee to obtain success and wealth. In the words of the writer, â€Å"if one is aroused, heaven and earth will move in response,† (Hagakure, 476). This is a justification enough to put everyone in total focus of their goals, without any thought of failure, which ensures that they can achieve anything. The obligation of daimyo to the land (bakufu) is to constantly fight for it, staying in the state of preparedness at all times to engage in a fight to protect the land, even to the point of death. â€Å"I have found that the way of samurai is death. This means that when you have to choose between life and death, you have to quickly choose death,† (Hagakure, 479). This obligation influences samurai’s life and that of his family to total devotion towards the protection of their role in leadership model. The expectation of the people, regardless of their categories, whether as merchant, commoner, artisans or samurai is that bravely and victory should be exuded at all times. This serves to give daimyo the confidence to handle all challenges and triumph at all

LOVE. Review the NHS changes proposed in the Health and Social Care Essay

LOVE. Review the NHS changes proposed in the Health and Social Care Bill now proceeding through Parliament and evaluate how these reforms are to address the problems with the Service - Essay Example The reduction of inequalities in the provision of health and social care is highlighted as one of the focus areas for the secretary of state under the new Bill (Dow 2011, p13). In addition, the Bill proposes that the provision of comprehensive health services which include various aspects of health care including mental and physical through proper diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. This aspect proposes that quality of services in the health sector is raised to meet the standards set for continuous improvement in the health sector. The Bill proposes that the level of public contribution to health and social care service provision is increased (Crisp n.d., p4). Public proposals for development of the services provided are to be highlighted and considered by the NHS Commissioning Board in decisions affecting health care services. The Board will be mandated with establishing of various platforms to involve the public in the identification of the needs of the specific needs and approaches needed for improvement. Establishment of the Public Health England will be the focus of the improvement of public health care provision. The roles of the Local Authorities and commissioners of health in the provision of health and social care services are expected to be integrated under the Bill. In view of the need to provide a coordinated service, the government will eliminate unnecessary costs of duplication and offer the benefits of synergies. It is important that scrutiny of the services offered of such diverse service providers is introduced in the improvement proposed by the Bill since accountability issues derail quality service (ACKA Consulting 2008, p1). The Bill undertakes to offer regulatory authority for the various types of health and social care practitioners as required in a functional system. It is important that the professionals involved in the health care and social sector be regulated for conformity with quality and improvement as

LOCKE BY MICHAEL AYERS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

LOCKE BY MICHAEL AYERS - Essay Example Locke's view on the 'idea' itself center on the fact that he makes no distinction between the intellect and the imagination. Therefore, Locke stood to believe that the idea was a sensory image which is why many researchers refer to him as an imagist. Locke explains an idea as "Whatever it is, which the mind can be employed about thinking" (p. 45). As a result, many have concluded that Locke meant to leave the definition ambiguous, perhaps to allow individuals to make their own decisions. Others believe that Locke was following the same philosophical lines as Gassendi, who used the word in a more fantastical theoretical framework. However, this conclusion is challenged, give the fact that Locke rarely used the words fantasy or fancy when discussing ideas. Yet Locke strongly encouraged people to refrain from thinking that their interpretation of objects and ideas were exactly as they appeared outside of the mind. He draws on the idea of the memory as a place to save, in a way, ideas, though, again, they are not perfect representations. Ayers uses the analogy of a bird and a song to explain this point. If the bird hears a song and then produces it the next day, people may tend to say the bird memorized the song. Locke would say that the bird saved the song in its mind to use to compare the song he is singing. Likewise, children think when they have something to think about. They produce their own mental images, but these images are not exactly like those they see. Thus, Locke's idea is a sensation that is saved through retention in the mind. Ayers claims that Locke was reluctant to apply any intellectual activity to these sensations. He did not separate the imagist mind from a higher, intellectual mind. He never saw a reason to do this, unlike other philosophers. Of course Locke recognized the existence of wit, judgment, wisdom, and madness but only in terms of what the person did with his existing ideas. Descartes and Locke debated the idea of separating conceiving an idea and imagining an idea as either the same or separate functions. Descartes argued that one can conceive of a particular shape but not image it since he does not know exactly what it looks like. Locke countered with the argument that if one can reason about the number of sides and lengths of the shape, we can imagine it from those existing ideas. Ayers concludes that this is an argument against not only Descartes but also the Cartesian views. Ayers notes that in Locke's discussion of abstract ideas, he seems to contradict himself. He says that ideas such as jealousy and lies cannot be imagined by the mind. This seems to suggest that Locke did recognize other conceptions of the mind. Locke later explained that these abstract concepts were ideas "partially considered" (Ayers, p. 49). Ayers final argument here in considering Locke an imagist lies within the idea of an intuition of universal truth or a priori knowledge. Ayers explains this idea using diagrams. He says that philosophers like Descartes say that understanding diagrams, charts, etc. occurs because of higher intellectual processes in the mind. Locke argues that these ideas on paper are representations or copies of what already exists in the mind. For example, a line or angle is something

Sample Outline for Case Study Essay Example for Free

Sample Outline for Case Study Essay I. Introduction: Overview of the type of substance abuse issue you are focusing upon, its impact (on society and this agency) and your interest in this agency. (Tip: Open with something shocking or startling which will grab your reader’s attention. Look at some of the articles you have read to get ideas.) II. Agency A. The agency/program you choose to examine and why B. History of the agency/program C. Current data on agency/program: size, number of personnel, service area, mission, etc D. Who you spoke to in the agency/program E. Conclusion you came to after conducting your initial interviews 1. What is the challenge this agency faces in regard to substance abuse? III. Issue you discovered A. Thought provoking discussion of the issue and what problems it causes 1. Challenges for society in general 2. Challenges for the agency/program 3. Challenges for those in the agency/program 4. Possible solutions or ways to address this problem that occurred to you before doing the research IV. Your research A. Articles you examined which relate to this issue B. Findings of those articles C. How you feel these findings relate to your agency/program and their challenges D. Follow-up interview 1. What did your interviewee say about your findings? 2. How might your findings relate to this agency? E. Thoughtful discussion of your conclusion(s) about how this issue should be handled, based upon your findings and your follow-up interview F. Wrap this part of your paper up in a compelling manner – perhaps refer back to the â€Å"shocking† part of your introduction Your assessment of this case study A. The procedures – what worked, what didn’t? What you learned How this assignment has impacted your career goals Reminders: †¢ Be sure you establish credibility of your interviewee and authors of scholarly articles you cite in your paper! †¢ Be sure you cite and discuss a minimum of two scholarly articles in this paper – you may use other sources, but must use at least two scholarly references!

Post War Cultural Revolution in the UK

Post War Cultural Revolution in the UK The Emergence of the Teenager Consumer in the 1950’s A turning point in history the post-war cultural revolution gave rise to one of the most interesting and powerful phenomenon of that time: the youth subculture. Supported by an uprising economic and cultural change, the teenagers of the 1950’s, left their mark in history by being the ones that turned away from tradition and started their own culture. Influenced by American style, film and music, British youngsters created a world where they could do anything they wanted because they had everything: they had the money, they had the time, and everything around them was built to fit their desires and pleasures. Nothing was going to stop them having the time of their lives. The Youthquake Osgerby explains that â€Å"youthquake is a phrase charged with connotations of deep-seated generational upheaval†. It is a term coined by cultural commentators like Richard Neville, Kenneth Leech or Peter Lewis in the 1970’s. Apparently, the term â€Å"youthquake† was used to describe â€Å"the seismic transformations (†¦) occurring in young people lives during the 1950’s and 1960’s† (Osgerby, 2004: 16). Since the World War Two ended, cultural changed divided the world into â€Å"two generational armed camps† (Neville, 1970: 13, cited in Osgerby 2004: 16) and Leech (1973:1) believed that the 1950’s had been â€Å"supremely the decade of the teenager† since youth culture became such an international phenomenon through the rise in â€Å"commercial interest in both the textile and recording industries†. However, rather than being a total shock and break with the past, the youthquake had some early signs. The mass entertainment industry emerged in the Victorian Era, ready for the urban working class which had been gradually extending their income and leisure time (Osgerby, 2004: 17). A visible consumer group of this period were the working youngsters, who, with their spending power, laid the base â€Å"for an embryonic youth leisure market† (Osgerby, 2004: 17). Young people had a healthy income and no family responsibilities therefore there were â€Å"better off than at almost any other age and could afford to go out and enjoy themselves† (Springhall 1980: 89 cited in Osgerby, 2004: 17) An estimative study by David Fowler shows that between the wars youth’s money wages rose between 300% and 500%. Because of their lack of responsibilities, youngsters could retain almost 50% of their earnings which means that they enjoyed a higher standard of living than the rest of the family. â€Å"A commentator in Manchester described how a nineteen year old semi-skilled youth employed in a an iron factory could earn a pound a week and, after surrendering twelve shillings to his parents for board, was free to spend the remainder on clothes, gambling and the music halls† (Osgerby, 1998: 6) Of course, these things increasingly attracted the attention of entrepreneurs and manufacturers who were planning of creating a youth market (Osgerby, 2004: 18). During the early 1920’s and 1930s â€Å"a hard-sell youth market† arose and cinemas, magazine publishers, dance halls and commercial music halls all started to make a profit from the spending power of the young workers (Fowler, 1995: 170 in Osgerby, 2004: 18). The rise of the commercial youth market has occurred well before the 1950’s and 1960’s. Osgerby explains that â€Å"by the end of the Victorian Era, on both sides of the Atlantic, manufacturers, advertisers and media industries were already tapping into young people’s spending power, the trend picking up momentum during the 1920’s and 1930’s† (2004: 19). Mort (1997, cited in Osgerby, 2004) states that Britain’s development as a modern consumer economy was slower compared to the US. If America has an economic growth during the war, Britain’s economy was â€Å"brought to its knees† after the Second World War which meant consumer spending had a hesitant development. Consequently, compared to the US, teenage consumerism developed slower in Britain. Nevertheless, the British youth market gradually came into its own (Osgerby, 2004: 26). During the 1950’s and 1960’s standards of living were boosted by full employment and a sustained rise in money wages. That is when everything started to come into shape. Teenagers as a consumer group – â€Å"SELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT† Osgerby (1998) states that â€Å"the characteristics that seemed to set youth apart as a distinct group were not their bio-psychological attributes, but their distinctive patterns of media use and practices of commodity consumption†. But how did these young people become such an important consumer group? Firstly, the post war era saw the so called â€Å"baby boom† which ensured a growth in the young population. The number of people aged under twenty increased from around three million in 1951 to just over 4 million in 1966 (Department of Employment, 1971: 206-207, cited in Osgerby, 2004). Just like in the United States, education expansion also helped youth in becoming a distinct social group. Secondly, throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, during the economic boost, with the expansion of the consumer industries and reconfiguration of the traditional labour markets the levels of youth employment increased immensely. Consequently, with the growth of the teenagers spending power came the development of the youth market: cinemas, record companies, music halls, magazines, fashion houses and so on, all saw a huge expansion. Assisted by a new army of advertisers and marketers, the market started to sel l products geared to the teenagers’ pleasures and desires. (Osgerby, 2004: 9, 10) En entire entertainment industry emerged, interested only in catering for the urban working youth with expanding disposable income and leisure time. Everyday habits and tastes became simply consumer goods, and markets started to exploit them as much as they could. New products and services, new fashion styles, new consumer patterns emerged, â€Å"suggesting† the British new identities, desires and pleasure and how to live their metropolitan lives. By the late 1950’s, youth became known for and associated with spending per se. Mark Abrams’ market research shows that â€Å"young people, more than any other social group, has materially prospered since the war† (cited in Osgerby, 1998: 26) Youth subcultures adapted their styles from consumer objects, which was very shocking for critics of all political persuasions, since their cultural insubordination was â€Å"allied to a consumerism that touched a very un-British hedonism as it squandered its money on extravagant clothing, pop records, scooters, over-priced frothy coffee, motor bikes, drugs, clubs and attempts to create a perpetual weekend† (Chambers, 1986: 42) The American influence Post War reconstruction of Britain, was influenced by the expansive image of America and its industrial and cultural power. Since America was the most capitalist society in the world, it became the summation of all Britain’s fears of foreign, urban and commercial forces that would destroy the English â€Å"way of life† (Chambers, 1986: 36). The American way of life became an inspiration for the Brits, both culturally and in terms of material goods. The increased availability of cheap colour magazines â€Å"brought a proliferation of advertising for luxury commodities, much of it originating in America† (Jackson, online resource). Despite all the protests coming from cultural intellectuals such as Richard Hoggart (The uses of literacy, 1957) and Raymond Williams (Culture and Society, 1958) who feared that Americanization would be the end of British culture, Hollywood films, commercial television, glossy magazines and consumer goods was everything the British consumers could have ever wished for. Films portrayed the life that most British people just dreamed of. One of the most known and cited films of that time was â€Å"Rebel without a cause† (1955, directed by Nicholas Ray) starring James Dean. He played the role of a bored teenager with an affluent middle class life style. Even if he had his own car and a home filled with luxury consumer goods, â€Å"Jim Stark† the character of James Dean, was full of distress, anger and resentment. He quickly became a role model for most of the British teenagers. The unique position of post-war teenagers, physically almost adult yet excluded from adult roles and responsibilities, with considerable disposable cash, and familiar from early childhood with the products of modern mass media healthy, well-fed, and energetic, yet involved in less hard physical work than many of their ancestors this privileged, new position seemed merely to throw into sharp relief for them the limitation of their existence and to give them the opportunity to respond in new ways to these conditions. Music-use became one of the main chosen instruments of their response. (Dick, 1992) Young Brits started to turn away from their parents and the British tradition, creating their own cultural expression. Inspired by the early American rock’ n’ roll, and Hollywood films, they created a series of spectacular and distinctive British subcultures such as: The Teds –working class Londoners, around 1953 with distinguishable characteristics as – quiffs, Elvis, flick-knives, crepe soles, alcohol; The Mods –working class Londoners, around 1963 Jamaican – rudeboy / Italian style, US soul, purple hearts, The Small faces, scooters, amphetamines; Youth culture was full of contradictions: they had a strong desire to express their individuality but they were wearing the same clothes as their mates and they were rebelling against the capitalism that they were already slaves to. (Milestone, 1999) Conclusion British history and all its changes and turns was massively influenced by the two World Wars, but mostly by the Second World War which was, according to Osgerby (1998) â€Å"a decisive turning point in the nation’s social, economic and political life†. At the beginning of the 1950’s Britain was still exhausted, both financially and morally after years of war and its cities were still bombsites. However, it was in the 1950’s that Britain started to rise again, entering a period of increased wealth and freedom, and many of the old traditional structures began to be challenged, particularly by the young (online resources). The essay shows how the phenomenon of youth subculture and consumerism started quite early but peaked around the 1950’s, when economic, social and cultural developments provided the perfect environment. Influenced by American culture, the British teenagers created their own world, a world of music and motorcycles, of freedom and entertainment, where nothing was more important than being stylish and cool, and having things to show it. Bibliography Chambers, Iain (1986) Popular Culture, The Metropolitan Experience, London: Routledge Osgerby, Bill (1998) Youth in Britain since 1945, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Osgerby, Bill (2004) Youth Media, Abingdon: Routledge Online resources Katie Milestone ,The Guardian, Saturday 18 December 1999 http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/1999/dec/18/weekend7.weekend5 as accessed on 4th Jan 2015 Andrew Jackson, Designing Britain 1945-1985 http://www.vads.ac.uk/learning/designingbritain/html/crd_cultrev.html as accessed on the 20th Dec 2014 http://britishrock.weebly.com/1-birth-of-teenage-culture-1950s-britian.html as accessed on the 20th Dec 2014 All the photos were saved from https://images.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl

Ray Bradburys The Martian Chronicles :: Martian Chronicles Essays

Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles        Ã‚   Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles shows us not only a different world from Earth and Mars, but also the future of America.   Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles depicts the colonization of Mars in terms of the colonizationof America.   The story is similar to what America experienced, such as thediscovery of America, the invasion of Indian colonies, and the new civilization.Dana's response paper also discussed the colonization of Mars.Other critics also pointed out that Bradbury's theme in the story was death.Through futuristic imagination, Bradbury applies connections to American historyand the issue of death in his story while raising concerns and warnings of thefuture.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Bradbury developed the setting of the story similar to Earth as far aslandscape, atmosphere, and people in order to emphasize his intentions.   Themartians are described as if they are American Indians at the time of theAmerican Revolution.   For example, in the beginning of the story, Bradburydepicts Martians "they had the fair, brownish skin of the true Martian, the yellowcoin eyes, the soft musical voices."   The trees, the towns in Mars, and the grassare all described like Earth landscape.   Bradbury's Mars is a mirror of Earth.These plots raise moral issues and reflections of how history may repeat itself.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bradbury portrays Mars as humankind's second world, where we may goafter our Earthly existence.   In the episode of "April 2000: The third expedition,"Captain John Black's mother said "you get a second chance to live" (pp.44).Lustig's grandmother said "ever since we died" (pp.40).   Humans have a naturalfear of death.   S ome humans may even have a death wish.   Bradbury reveals histhought of death through the connection between Mars and Earth.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles, Bradbury warns us of ourfuture.   In the episode of "June 2000: And the Moon ve still as bright," CaptainWilder said, "one day Earth will be as Mars is today...It's an object lesson incivilizations.   We'll learn from Mars" (pp. 55).   Throught the story, Earth man,especially American think that they are superior than the Martian.   Earth mancan do anything and knows everyting.   However, Bradbury's message is to tellthem it is not true.   Earth man, here American people realize there are manythings that they can learn from others.

A Civil Action Review

A Civil Action Essay Jay Lee 9-8-09 In the movie â€Å"A Civil Action†, the environmental problem was that trichloroethylene and silicone was placed into the water in the town of Woburn. It happened through a tanning company pouring chemicals on the hides of animals and it seeping out. The company also placed a lot of barrels with the dangerous chemicals into the ground and it seeped out into the wells of the town. The damage it caused to the environment and to the people was a huge amount. It poisoned the town and children were killed because of it. The chemicals caused the children to get Leukemia and they died. The people blamed the companies Beatrice Foods and W. R. Grace & Co for neglecting proper cleaning habits. This movie showed that humans really need to practice good habits or humans will not be able to survive. One tanning company poisoned an entire town. If everyone was like the tanning company, everyone would be dead by now. People really need to practice good habits because we cannot live in a world that is polluted by dangerous chemicals. The earth cannot become like the town of Woburn. We cannot continue to pollute the earth or we will harm ourselves and each other. People also need to know what they are dumping into the earth. People have to continually study what they are dumping into the earth or they may end up getting sued and hurting people. Jan Schlichtmann found out a lot about what happens to people and the earth after studying the harmful effects of the chemicals that were being dumped into the town of Woburn. People need to study these things because the earth cannot take the harm from the chemicals nor can the people. The earth is all connected and it was shown in the movie. The chemicals from the plant were dumped into a ditch. The chemicals traveled through the soil into the groundwater. The chemicals then reached the wells of the community. From there the people drank the water. One action can affect everybody. The earth is all connected somehow and putting something harmful in it is just hurting everyone and everything. The earth does not take a problem and just magically make it disappear, it stays within the earth and people need to find a way to do something better or everyone suffers. People alter the planet a lot. In the movie, just a tanning company polluted the ground water and killed people because of it. â€Å"A Civil Action† showed a lot of things that dealt with people hurting the planet. People should have to pay because they are responsible for more than just hurting people. The environment is important to people along with animals. It affects everything people do. In the movie people were forced to come together to do something about it. The people were sick of facing trials and watching the deaths of children because of the chemicals in the water. It really makes people do things about them and environmental problems are serious. They have to be dealt with quickly or it may hurt current generations and future generations. People may not be able to fix the problems we make today in the future. Environmental problems are serious and need to be dealt with quickly.

Reflecting on ‘Reflective practice’ Essay

â€Å"Maybe reflective practices offer us a way of trying to make sense of the uncertainty in our workplaces and the courage to work competently and ethically at the edge of order and chaos†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ghaye, 2000, p.7) Reflective practice has burgeoned over the last few decades throughout various fields of professional practice and education. In some professions it has become one of the defining features of competence, even if on occasion it has been adopted – mistakenly and unreflectively – to rationalise existing practice. The allure of the ‘reflection bandwagon’ lies in the fact that it ‘rings true’ (Loughran, 2000). Within different disciplines and intellectual traditions, however, what is understood by ‘reflective practice’ varies considerably (Fook et al, 2006). Multiple and contradictory understandings of reflective practice can even be found within the same discipline. Despite this, some consensus has been achieved amid the profusion of definitions. In general, reflective practice is understood as the process of learning through and from experience towards gaining new insights of self and/or practice (Boud et al 1985; Boyd and Fales, 1983; Mezirow, 1981, Jarvis, 1992). This often involves examining assumptions of everyday practice. It also tends to involve the individual practitioner in being self-aware and critically evaluating their own responses to practice situations. The point is to recapture practice experiences and mull them over critically in order to gain new understandings and so improve future practice. This is understood as part of the process of life-long learning. Beyond these broad areas of agreement, however, contention and difficulty reign. There is debate about the extent to which practitioners should focus on themselves as individuals rather than the larger social context. There are questions about how, when, where and why reflection should take place. For busy professionals short on time, reflective practice is all too easily applied in bland, mechanical, unthinking ways, Would-be practitioners may also find it testing to stand back from painful experiences and seek to be analytical about them. In this tangle of understandings, misunderstandings and difficulties, exactly how to apply and teach reflective practice effectively has become something of a conundrum. This paper explores current ideas and debates relating to reflective practice. In the first two sections, I review key definitions and models of reflection commonly used in professional practice. Then, in the reflective spirit myself, I critically examine the actual practice of the concept, highlighting ethical, professional, pedagogic and conceptual concerns. I put forward the case that reflective practice is both complex and situated and that it cannot work if applied mechanically or simplistically. On this basis, I conclude with some tentative suggestions for how educators might nurture an effective reflective practice involving critical reflection. Defining reflective practice †¦reflection can mean all things to all people†¦it is used as a kind of umbrella or canopy term to signify something that is good or desirable†¦everybody has his or her own (usually undisclosed) interpretation of what reflection means, and this interpretation is used as the basis for trumpeting the virtues of reflection in a way that makes it sound as virtuous as motherhood. Smyth (1992, p.285) The term ‘reflective practice’ carries multiple meanings that range from the idea of professionals engaging in solitary introspection to that of engaging in critical dialogue with others. Practitioners may embrace it occasionally in formal, explicit ways or use it more fluidly in ongoing, tacit ways. For some, reflective practice simply refers to adopting a thinking approach to practice. Others see it as self-indulgent navel gazing. For others still, it  involves carefully structured and crafted approaches towards being reflective about one’s experiences in practice. For example, with reference to teacher education, Larrivee argues that: â€Å"Unless teachers develop the practice of critical reflection, they stay trapped in unexamined judgments, interpretations, assumptions, and expectations. Approaching teaching as a reflective practitioner involves fusing personal beliefs and values into a professional identity† (Larrivee, 2000, p.293). In practice, reflective practice is often seen as the bedrock of professional identity. â€Å"Reflecting on performance and acting on refection†, as McKay (2008, Forthcoming) notes, â€Å"is a professional imperative.† Indeed, it has been included in official benchmark standards laid down for professional registration and practice (see table 1 in Appendix 1). One example is in the way it has been included, explicitly and implicitly, in all Project 2000 curricula for Nursing Diplomas, while reflection is highlighted as a pivotal skill to achieve required Standards of Proficiencies in nursing and other health professional education (NMC, 2004; HPC, 2004). It has also become a key strand of approaches to the broader field of continuing professional development, work-based learning and lifelong learning (Eby, 2000; HPC, 2006). Given its growing emphasis in professional practice and education, it would seem important to explore the concept of reflective practice in some detail. To this end, this section distinguishes between different types of reflective practice and looks at the sister concepts of reflection, critical reflection and reflexivity. Reflection ‘in’ and ‘on’ practice Dewey (1933) was among the first to identify reflection as a specialised form of thinking. He considered reflection to stem from doubt, hesitation or perplexity related to a directly experienced situation. For him, this prompted purposeful inquiry and problem resolution (Sinclair, 1998). Dewey also argued that reflective thinking moved people away from routine thinking/action (guided by tradition or external authority) towards  reflective action (involving careful, critical consideration of taken-for-granted knowledge). This way of conceptualising reflection crucially starts with experience and stresses how we learn from ‘doing’, i.e. practice. Specifically Dewey argued that we ‘think the problem out’ towards formulating hypotheses in trial and error reflective situations and then use these to plan action, testing out our ideas. Dewey’s ideas provided a basis for the concept of ‘reflective practice’ which gained influence with the arrival of Schon’s (1983) ‘The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action’. In this seminal work, Schon identified ways in which professionals could become aware of their implicit knowledge and learn from their experience. His main concern was to facilitate the development of reflective practitioners rather than describe the process of reflection per se. However, one of his most important and enduring contributions was to identify two types of reflection: reflection-on-action (after-the-event thinking) and reflection-in-action (thinking while doing). In the case of reflection-on-action, professionals are understood consciously to review, describe, analyse and evaluate their past practice with a view to gaining insight to improve future practice. With reflection-in-action, professionals are seen as examining their experiences and responses as they occur. In both types of reflection, professionals aim to connect with their feelings and attend to relevant theory. They seek to build new understandings to shape their action in the unfolding situation. In Schon’s words: The practitioner allows himself to experience surprise, puzzlement, or confusion in a situation which he finds uncertain or unique. He reflects on the phenomenon before him, and on the prior understandings which have been implicit in his behaviour. He carries out an experiment which serves to generate both a new understanding of the phenomenon and a change in the situation. (Schon, 1983, p. 68) For Schon, reflection-in-action was the core of ‘professional artistry’ – a concept he contrasted with the ‘technical-rationality’ demanded by the (still dominant) positivist paradigm whereby problems are solvable through the rigorous application of science. A contemporary example of this paradigm is the evidence-based practice movement, which favours quantitative studies  over qualitative ones, and established protocols over intuitive practice. In Schon’s view, technical-rationality failed to resolve the dilemma of ‘rigour versus relevance’ confronting professionals. Schon’s argument, since taken up by others (e.g. Fish and Coles,1998), was as follows: Professional practice is complex, unpredictable and messy. In order to cope, professionals have to be able to do more  than follow set procedures. They draw on both practical experience and theory as they think on their feet and improvise. They act both intuitively and cr eatively. Both reflection-in and on -action allows them to revise, modify and refine their expertise. Schon believed that as professionals become more expert in their practice, they developed the skill of being able to monitor and adapt their practice simultaneously, perhaps even intuitively. In contrast, novice practitioners, lacking knowing-in-action (tacit knowledge), tended to cling to rules and procedures, which they are inclined to apply mechanically. Schon argued that novices needed to step back and, from a distance, take time to think through situations. Whether expert or novice, all professionals should reflect on practice – both in general and with regard to specific situations. Schon’s work has been hugely influential – some would say ‘canonical’ – in the way it has been applied to practice and professional training and education. For example, in the health care field, Atkins and Murphy (1993) identify three stages of the reflective process. The first stage, triggered by the professional becoming aware of uncomfortable feelings and thoughts, is akin to Schon’s ‘experience of surprise’ (what Boyd and Fales, 1983, identify as ‘a sense of inner discomfort’ or ‘unfinished business’). The second stage involves a critical analysis of feelings and knowledge. The final stage of reflection involves the development of a new perspective. Atkins and Murphy argue that both cognitive and affective skills are prerequisites for reflection and that these combine in the processes of self-awareness, critical analysis, synthesis and evaluation (see Appendix 2). In the education field, Grushka, Hinde-McLeod and Reynolds (2005) distinguish between ‘reflection for action’, ‘reflection in action’ and ‘reflection on action’ (see Appendix 3). They offer a series of technical, practical and critical questions for teachers to engage with. For example, under reflection for action teachers are advised to consider their resources and how long the lesson will take (technical); how to make the resources relevant to different learning styles (practical); and to question why they are teaching this particular topic (critical). Zeichner and Liston (1996) differentiate between five different levels at which reflection can take place during teaching: 1. Rapid reflection – immediate, ongoing and automatic action by the teacher. 2. Repair – in which a thoughtful teacher makes decisions to alter their behaviour in response to students’ cues. 3. Review – when a teacher thinks about, discusses or writes about some element of their teaching. 4. Research – when a teacher engages in more systematic and sustained thinking over time, perhaps by collecting data or reading research. 5. Retheorizing and reformulating – the process by which a teacher critically examines their own practice and theories in the light of academic theories. While Schon’s work has inspired many such models of reflection and categories of reflective practice, it has also drawn criticism. Eraut (2004) faults the work for its lack of precision and clarity. Boud and Walker (1998) argue that Schon’s analysis ignores critical features of the context of reflection. Usher et al (1997) find Schon’s account and methodology unreflexive, while Smyth (1989) deplores the atheoretical and apolitical quality of his conceptions. Greenwood (1993), meanwhile, targets Schon for downplaying the importance of reflection-before-action. Moon (1999) regards Schon’s pivotal concept of reflection-in-action as unachievable, while Ekebergh (2006) draws on  phenomenological philosophy to argue that it is not possible to distance oneself from the lived situation to reflect in the moment. To achieve real self-reflection, she asserts, one needs to step out of the situation and reflect retrospectively (van Manen, 1990). Given this level of criticism, questions have to raised about the wide adoption of Schon’s work and the way  it has been applied in professional practice and education (Usher et al, 1997). There have been calls for a m ore critical, reflexive exploration of the nature of reflective practice. Reflection, critical reflection and reflexivity Contemporary writing on reflective practice invites professionals to engage in both personal reflection and broader social critique. For example, work within the Open University’s Health and Social Care faculty has put forward a model whereby reflective practice is seen as a synthesis of reflection, self-awareness and critical thinking (Eby, 2000) (see figure 1). In this model, the philosophical roots of reflective practice are identified in phenomenology (with its focus on lived experience and personal consciousness) and also in critical theory (which fosters the development of a critical consciousness towards emancipation and resisting oppression ). Self-awareness Roots: phenomenology – The cognitive ability to think, feel, sense and know through intuition – To evaluate the knowledge derived through self-awareness to develop understanding Reflection Roots: existential phenomenology and critical theory -interpretive and critical theory – tool for promoting self- and social awareness and social action – improving self-expression, learning and co-operation – links theory and practice Reflective Practice Critical thinking Roots: scepticism and critical theory – identifying and challenging assumptions – challenging the importance of context – to imagine and explore alternatives which leads to reflective scepticism Figure 1 Skills underpinning the concept of reflective practice. Other authors argue for the concept of critical reflection, which is seen as offering a more thorough-going form of reflection through the use of critical theory (Brookfield, 1995). For adherents of critical reflection, reflection on its own tends to â€Å"remain at the level of relatively undisruptive changes in techniques or superficial thinking† (Fook, White and Gardner, 2006, p.9). In contrast, critical reflection involves attending to discourse and social and political analysis; it seeks to enable transformative social action and change. For Fook (2006), critical reflection  Ã¢â‚¬Å"enables an understanding of the way (socially dominant) assumptions may be socially restrictive, and thus enables new, more empowering ideas and practices. Critical reflection thus enables social change beginning at individual levels. Once individuals become aware of the hidden power of ideas they have absorbed unwittingly from their social contexts, they are then freed to make choices on their own terms.† Fook and Askeland argue that the focus of critical reflection should be on connecting individual identity and social context:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Part of the power of critical reflection in opening up new perspectives and  choices about practice may only be realized if the connections between individual thinking and identity, and dominant social beliefs are articulated and realized.† (Fook and Askeland, 2006, p.53). For Reynolds (1998), four characteristics distinguish critical reflection from other versions of reflection : (1) its concern to question assumptions; (2) its social rather than individual focus; (3) the particular attention it pays to the analysis of power relations; and (4) its pursuit of emancipation (Reynolds, 1998). By way of example, Reynolds argues that when managers critically reflect (rather than just reflect) they become aware of the wider environment in which they operate. They begin to grasp the social power exercised by their organisation through its networks and relationships. : In the field of teaching, Brookfield (1995) characterises critical reflection as ‘stance and dance’. The critically reflective teacher’s stance toward teaching is one of inquiry and being open to further investigation. The dance involves experimentation and risk towards modifying practice while moving to fluctuating, and possibly contradictory, rhythms (Larrivee, 2000). A key concept giving momentum to the idea of reflective practice involving both personal reflection and social critique is reflexivity. Reflexive practitioners engage in critical self-reflection: reflecting critically on the impact of their own background, assumptions, positioning, feelings, behaviour while also attending to the impact of the wider organisational, discursive, ideological and political context. The terms reflection, critical reflection and reflexivity are often confused and wrongly assumed to be interchangeable. Finlay and Gough (2003, p. ix) find it helpful to think of these concepts forming a continuum. At one end stands reflection, defined simply as ‘thinking about’ something after the event. At the other end stands reflexivity: a more immediate and dynamic process which involves continuing self-awareness. Critical reflection lies somewhere in between. Previously, I’ve proposed five overlapping variants of reflexivity with critical selfreflection at the core: introspection; intersubjective reflection; mutual collaboration; social critique and ironic deconstruction (Finlay, 2002, 2003). These variants can similarly be applied to  distinguishing between the types of reflection practitioners could engage in when reflecting on practice. Reflective practice as introspection involves the practitioner in solitary self-dialogue in which they probe personal meanings and  emotions. Intersubjective reflection makes the practitioner focus on the relational context, on the emergent, negotiated nature of practice encounters. With mutual collaboration, a participatory, dialogical approach to reflective practice is sought – what Ghaye (2000) calls a ‘reflective conversation’. Here, for example, a mentor and student, or members of a team, seek to solve problems collaboratively. Reflective practice as social critique focuses attention on the wider discursive, social and political context. For instance, the practitioner may think about coercive institutional practices or seek to manage the power imbalances inherent in education/practice contexts. Finally, reflective practice as ironic deconstruction would cue into postmodern and poststructural imperatives to deconstruct discursive practices and represent something of the ambiguity and multiplicity of meanings in particular organisational and social contexts. At the very least, a critical and possibly satirical gaze could be turned to challenging the ubiquitously unreflexive rhetoric of reflective practice. In practice, introspection is the dominant mode of reflective practice. Sometimes presented as merely a promising personal attribute (Loughran , 2006), it is a predominantly individualistic and personal exercise (Reynolds and Vince, 2004) in which practitioners tend to focus on their own thoughts, feelings, behaviours and evaluations. This passes as legitimate ‘reflective practice’ which professionals then can use to advance their cause to fit formal requirements for continuing professional development. While such reflective practice may take place in dialogical contexts such as supervision sessions, the onus stays on the individual practitioner to reflect upon and evaluate their own practice. What is lacking is any mutual, reciprocal, shared process. Institutional structures and quality assurance  systems encourage, perhaps even require, this individual focus. It starts early on during professional education and training where learners engage professional socialisation and are taught how to reflect, using structured models of reflection. One of the consequences of the lack of consensus and clarity about the concept of reflective practice is the proliferation of different versions and models to operationalise reflective practice.