The Incredible Details Regarding Essay Topics for Ielts Exam That Most People Do Not Know About

The Incredible Details Regarding Essay Topics for Ielts Exam That Most People Do Not Know About Essay Topics for Ielts Exam - What Is It? It's possible to locate a considerable great deal of sites which can help you with opening paragraphs. You're able to add paragraphs only and just if needed. Ordinarily, 1 paragraph isn't sufficient. Break down your ideas into various paragraphs. Use the assistance of true academic pros and have the assistance you've gained! You might also have to examine several aspects of an issue and then outline your ideas for solving it. Hence, it's highly recommended that the candidate ought to be conscious of the selection procedure and minimum IELTS result requirement for the respective organisations where they would like to apply. You should have your reasons, and our primary concern is that you wind up getting an excellent grade. Essay topic 6 Some folks feel that it is advisable to study abroad. Part 2 Candidates will be provided a card whi ch asks the examinee to speak about a specific topic. Students are occasionally made to complete assignments which don't actually help them enhance themselves. If you're not acquainted with a topic, utilize the world wide web to learn more. You will obviously not have the capability to predict the specific topic that will come up. Each topic is broken into subtopics that you should prepare. Quite frequently, the very best topic is one which you truly care about, but you also will need to get ready to research it. In many nations, schools have severe difficulties with student behaviour. Addressing the ideal audience is indispensable. Students lead busy lives and frequently forget about an approaching deadline. All the students must do a few projects or homeworks that are related with their field during the university education. Top Essay Topics for Ielts Exam Secrets For that precise first part, you're likely to consistently be requested to compose a post, since it's the sole alternative offered. Do that just once you exactly picture what's going to be the consequences of a person's own story. If you really need to get advanced, you can also try out making up your own questions dependent on the news of the day and after that provide these questions to a study partner. The majority of the questions are on current topics, therefore staying updated with what's going on in the world will truly help you think of ideas. The IELTS examination was created to test your capacity to communicate in English, so finally you cannot score nicely with no massive quantity of English. Learning these words before the exam for the most frequent essay topics ought to help you get a greater vocabulary score. In summary, university students will need to know English to access info. If you're going to succeed in the IELTS test you must be using and exposing yourself to English everyday. In all regions of the IELTS exam, you should make an effort to demonstrate that you've got a wide understanding of English vocabulary, make certain you write with correct spelling and prevent silly little grammar mistakes. For several years, English has become the common wold-wide language, and it'll be later on. English is the most frequently used language around the world. It was made to show how you are going to utilize English at study, on the job, and at play in your new life abroad. The Meaning of Essay Topics for Ielts Exam For that reason, it's more efficient for folks to use metro than busses or cars that are subjected to traffic jam. Many nations spend lots of money on art. The money given to aid poor countries does not fix the issue of poverty, so rich countries should provide different kinds of help instead. In the majority of developed countries shopping is not simply about purchasing the goods you require, it's also perceived as entertainment. For instance, y ou may have to think about an opinion or weigh the advantages and disadvantages of an argument before presenting your own view on the situation. For instance, the web, which, in my opinion, is the greatest source on the planet, dependent on English knowledge and data. Explore the benefits of both methods and provide your own opinion. Discuss either side of the argument and provide your own opinion. All About Essay Topics for Ielts Exam These IELTS sample essays are categorised in a manner that makes it simple for you to observe how certain essay question types require that you offer certain responses to be sure the question is totally answered. The examiners do not expect you to be a specialist on the essay topic, they simply would like you to show that you could write clearly and persuasively in English. Other folks claim that it's much better to start work after school and earn experience in the realm of work. Some people think that money is easily the most important elem ent for achieving happiness. A lot of people say that the only method to guarantee an excellent job is to finish a plan of university education. Usually you should take the IELTS test if you're applying for employment or to study in a college or university in an English-speaking country or if you're migrating to such nation.

Guide to Writing Research Proposal and Thesis - 5636 Words

GUIDE TO WRITING RESEARCH PROPOSAL AND THESIS STRUCTURE I Doctor of Philosophy (BA) Master of Science (BA) CENTRE FOR GRADUATE STUDIES SEPTEMBER 2009 INTRODUCTION All students pursuing a postgraduate programme under Structure I shall submit a thesis for examination as a requirement for the award of the degree. This would entail the preparation of a research proposal which is later developed into a thesis. This document provides guidelines for writing the research proposal and the thesis. WRITING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL Research proposal is a document written to inform others including your supervisor or graduate committee and your examiners of a proposed piece of research you intent to do. You should be aware that a research†¦show more content†¦* Discuss the issue that you intend to study in terms of problem statement and show that there is an issue that needs to be addressed or a â€Å"gap† in the body of knowledge that you want to fill. When you are able to identify the issue or gap, than the research questions will fall in place naturally. Think of the Introduction as follows: Imagine a group of academics discussing in general the area of study you are interested in. You join in the conversation (assuming they allow you to!) and draw their attention to your specific problem of interest. You tell them that there is something that has not been resolved or there is a gap or problem. You argue that this gap or problem has to be addressed and go on to describe it in detail. Then you tell your listeners the objectives of your study and how it will attempt to answer the research questions. Title Abstract Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background to the Study 1.2 Problem Statement 1.3 Objectives of the Study 1.4 Research Questions and Hypotheses (if any) 1.5 Significance of the Study 1.6 Scope of the Study 1.7 Definitions of Terms Chapter 2 Review of Literature 2.1 Previous Studies 2.2 Methodological Issues 2.3 Conceptual Framework Chapter 3 Methodology 3.1 Theoretical Framework 3.2 Research Design 3.3 Framework for DataShow MoreRelatedUnit 4 exercise 1 guided reading1574 Words   |  7 Pagesaction. 2. When someone wants to solve a problem or present new ideas they will be asked to write a proposal. A solicited proposal responds to the requests for proposals. Then there’s a grant proposal that are used by non-profit organizations and researchers to obtain funding for their projects. A person writing for a company or organization for new ideas use internal proposals. An external proposals are written for clients that are selling a company’s services. 3. Defining the problem. AnalyzingRead MoreGraduate Writing Center: Writing Thesis and Dissertation Proposals7304 Words   |  30 PagesWriting a Thesis or Dissertation Proposal 1 Writing Thesis and Dissertation Proposals The Graduate Writing Center of the Center for Excellence in Writing Overview: This workshop will introduce basic principles of writing proposals across a range of disciplines. It will present practical strategies, and it will include examples of successful proposals. Goals 1. To introduce strategies for bridging the gap between coursework/beginning research and thesis writing. 2. To help you understand theRead MoreNetw 240 Course Project: Operating System Proposal Essay643 Words   |  3 PagesProject: Operating System Proposal Follow Below Link to Download Tutorial https://homeworklance.com/downloads/netw-240-course-project-operating-system-proposal/ For More Information Visit Our Website ( https://homeworklance.com/ ) Email us At: Support@homeworklance.com or lancehomework@gmail.com Course Project: Operating System Proposal Objectives Back to Top Your company is currently investigating the use of Linux. Your manager has asked you to research the feasibility of usingRead MoreNetw 240 Course Project: Operating System Proposal652 Words   |  3 PagesProject: Operating System Proposal Follow Below Link to Download Tutorial https://homeworklance.com/downloads/netw-240-course-project-operating-system-proposal/ For More Information Visit Our Website ( https://homeworklance.com/ ) Email us At: Support@homeworklance.com or lancehomework@gmail.com Course Project: Operating System Proposal Objectives Back to Top Your company is currently investigating the use of Linux. Your manager has asked you to research the feasibility of usingRead MoreGetting On The Conference Program And Writing A Practical Article1090 Words   |  5 PagesXiaowei Qi Summaries This paper is to summarize the article â€Å"Getting on the Conference Program and Writing a Practical Article: Templates for Success† (Jalongo, 2013) and â€Å"Recommendations for Writing Successful Grant Proposals: An Information Synthesis† (Wisdom, Riley, and Myer, 2015). In the article â€Å"Recommendations for Writing Successful Grant Proposals: An Information Synthesis,† Wisdom, Riley, and Myer (2015) â€Å"applied standard information synthesis procedures for sifting abstracts, scrutinizingRead MoreGraduate Degree At The University Of Waterloo927 Words   |  4 PagesIndustrial/Organizational psychology is to gain experience from specific areas of research in the I/O psychology field. I have had the opportunity to take part in the research of this field throughout my undergraduate degree but have not been able to explore it as in depth as I could through a graduate degree. Completing a Master s of Applied Science in I/O psychology at the University of Waterloo will allow me to reach this goal as I know that research is an integral part of the program. As such, my current interestRead MoreMy Goals Upon Entering Graduate School884 Words   |  4 Pagesconducting research and develop an in depth understanding of the field of I/O psychology. Completing a Master s of Applied Science in Industrial/Organizational psychology at the University of Waterloo will allow me to reach this goal as I know that research is an important aspect of the program. Additionally, the Master’s of Applied Science will prepare me to either pursue a PhD or enter the workforce. Therefore, my goals upon entering graduate school is to gain experience in research, teaching,Read MoreI Am On The Right Track1331 Words   |  6 Pages Yes, I think my research question is very clear and well composed. It was important to my tutor that I made sure it was narrowed down specifically for my audience to understand the argument I was trying to make. The first thing he made sure that my research question was fact orientated. Next, he made sure that my argument is capable of being confirmed, which it was. Next, were-read my argument making sure that it was complex and arguable. He explained that if your research question doesn t sparkRead MoreA Master s Degree At Saint Mary s University955 Words   |  4 Pagesat Saint Mary’s University. I have been interested in I/O psychology since I began my undergraduate degree. Due to this, I have prepared myself through research, courses, and relevant experience to pursue a Master s degree in I/O psychology. I am interested in working with Debra Gillin Oore and Camilla Holmvall and am interested in doing research on conflict and organizational justice. In regard to academic rewards, I have been awarded Dean’s Honours List for the semesters of Winter 2013, WinterRead MoreThesis Statement2070 Words   |  9 PagesHOW TO WRITE A STRONG THESIS STATEMENT A WRITING CENTRE HANDOUT 1. UNDERSTAND THE ACADEMIC WRITING TASK You can begin to formulate a good thesis statement only after you have got a solid grasp of the purpose of the assignment. If you’re asked to write a paper in response to a specific assignment question, then your first task is make sure that you clearly understand the academic writing task. Determine which of the following critical thinking skills you are primarily being asked to apply to your

Scientific Literacy Health and Social Care

Question: Discuss about theScientific Literacyfor Health and Social Care. Answer: Introduction The rise and prevalence of obesity has become a major burden for public health and social care. The prevalence of obesity has increased in Australia from 56.3% in 1995 to a staggering 63% in 2014-2015 (Huffington Post Australia 2017). This depicts the alarming rate in which the Australian population is getting obese. The rise in obesity has escalated major health issues. This is because obesity is the risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers and certain muscoskeletal conditions. Hence, obesity indirectly puts a strain on the health system of Australia. The report discusses in detail the adverse impact of obesity on people and the need to appropriate legislation required to overcome the problem. Impact of Obesity on Health Obese people has been found to be at increased risk of serious chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart, stroke and other diseases compared to people with normal weight. High blood pressure is associated with increased workload of the heart and increase in heart rate. On the other hand, obesity is the major cause of diabetes as it cause resistance to insulin, the hormone involved in regulating blood sugar. Heart diseases like artherosclerosis is also found more in obese people compared to non-obese people (Hinnouho et al., 2015). Therefore, chest pain, stroke and heart attack is common in obese people. Overweight also causes joint problems due to extra pressure on the knee and hip joints (Musumeci 2015). Hence, obesity is the reason for high mortality rate worldwide as well as in Australia. Apart from health related impact, obesity significantly affects the quality of life and psychosocial well being of people. In some culture, being slim and physically fit has been regarded as a sign of physical attractiveness and this creates disadvantage for obese people. Therefore, people with obesity are often found to experience and discrimination in society. These experiences demoralizes them and lowers their self-esteem. Emotional distress is common among them and many obese patients requites psychiatric pharmacotherapy to manage their mental and emotional stress (Taylor et al. 2013). Another study also suggests that obese youth are at increased risk of peer victimization which exposed them to psychosocial problems and physical activity avoidance (DeSmet et al. 2014). Hence, experiences of victimization act as a barrier to healthy lifestyles among obese young adults. Legislation Required to Overcome the Issue Behavioral, environmental, genetic and social factors are the cause for obesity. Behaviors such as overeating and lack of physical activity have been highly regarded as a factor contributing to obesity. Health care providers are mostly involved in modifying behavior of patients through education, diet planning and motivational interview strategies (Resnicow et al. 2015). However, there is a need for policy level action to reduce obesity particularly in the youth population. This may involve legislation related to complex issues surrounding diet and health of population. As youth population mostly consume high fat and sugar rich foods, key legislation will be required to curb unhealthy eating habits. Legal development to prevent obesity includes working in the area of reducing the consumption of calorie rich and low nutritional value foods. To reverse the obesity epidemic in Australia and its adverse health related consequences, legislations and government regulations at both local and national level is needed to improve nutritional choices of the population enhance access to healthy foods and increase public awareness about healthy lifestyles. Educational programmers' can also be arranges in schools to evaluate BMI of youths and provide children health counseling (Dietz et al. 2009). Physical inactivity is another area where policy development is immediately needed. Health promotion activities can be done to enhance physical activity in people. The main goal in developing legal policies related to physical activity promotion might include bringing changes in the area of public health, transport, environment and education. For example, transport related policies may focus on promoting cycling and walking opportunities for citizens. People often restrict physical activity due to their physical environment and environment related policies like development of urban planning strategies may encourage physical activity. Another important policy area is that youth and children are highly engaged in video games and mobile games as part of their leisure activities. Hence, sports policy can encourage youths to take sports as a form leisure activity to maximize physical activity (Lachat et al., 2013). The figure provided in appendix reflects the main action as summarized in this section. Conclusion The report on impact of obesity and legal requirement to address the issue summarized the health related consequence of obesity and its impact on quality of life. Apart from adverse health implications, it also revealed poor psychosocial well-being in obese groups due to experience of victimization and bullying. This also created risk for mental illness among them due to continued period of emotional distress. Considering rise in physical activity, overeating and unhealthy lifestyle as a cause of obesity, the report proposes that the main legal development is required in these areas to prevent obesity and reduce the mortality associated with it. Reference DeSmet, A., Deforche, B., Hublet, A., Tanghe, A., Stremersch, E. and De Bourdeaudhuij, I., 2014. Traditional and cyberbullying victimization as correlates of psychosocial distress and barriers to a healthy lifestyle among severely obese adolescentsa matched casecontrol study on prevalence and results from a cross-sectional study.BMC public health,14(1), p.224. Dietz, W.H., Benken, D.E. and Hunter, A.S., 2009. Public health law and the prevention and control of obesity.Milbank Quarterly,87(1), pp.215-227. Hinnouho, G.M., Czernichow, S., Dugravot, A., Nabi, H., Brunner, E.J., Kivimaki, M. and Singh-Manoux, A., 2015. Metabolically healthy obesity and the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes: the Whitehall II cohort study.European heart journal,36(9), pp.551-559 Huffington Post Australia. 2017.Shocking Statistics That Illustrate Australia's Obesity Problem. [online] Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/02/24/australia-obesity-statistics_n_9154422.html [Accessed 28 Apr. 2017]. Lachat, C., Otchere, S., Roberfroid, D., Abdulai, A., Seret, F.M.A., Milesevic, J., Xuereb, G., Candeias, V. and Kolsteren, P., 2013. Diet and physical activity for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases in low-and middle-income countries: a systematic policy review.PLoS Med,10(6), p.e1001465. Musumeci, G., Aiello, F.C., Szychlinska, M.A., Di Rosa, M., Castrogiovanni, P. and Mobasheri, A., 2015. Osteoarthritis in the XXIst century: risk factors and behaviours that influence disease onset and progression.International journal of molecular sciences,16(3), pp.6093-6112. Resnicow, K., McMaster, F., Bocian, A., Harris, D., Zhou, Y., Snetselaar, L., Schwartz, R., Myers, E., Gotlieb, J., Foster, J. and Hollinger, D., 2015. Motivational interviewing and dietary counseling for obesity in primary care: an RCT.Pediatrics,135(4), pp.649-657. Taylor, V.H., Forhan, M., Vigod, S.N., McIntyre, R.S. and Morrison, K.M., 2013. The impact of obesity on quality of life.Best Practice Research Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism,27(2), pp.139-146 The New Daily. 2017.Australia's fattest suburbs I The New Daily. [online] Available at: https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2015/05/04/australias-fattest-fittest-suburbs/ [Accessed 28 Apr. 2017].

The Crucible was set in the 1500`s in a town called Salem Essay Example For Students

The Crucible was set in the 1500`s in a town called Salem Essay The crucible was set in the 1500`s in a town called Salem where all the towns people go to church and live by the 10 commandments, also they are not aloud too have much fun. An audience today would probably be shocked by some of the dramatic moments that happened in the Salem witch trials. There are many dramatic moments in the crucible, such as when Elizabeth Proctor is called a witch by Abigail because she had an affair with her and breaks one of the 10 commandments. The opening moment is dramatic because the audience dont know what is going on or if Betty is alive or dead. We will write a custom essay on The Crucible was set in the 1500`s in a town called Salem specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Also I think that the audience Thinks that Abigail is sweet and is sorry for what she has done and now understands what she has done and is really worried about Betty. For example: I would never hurt betty I love her dearly. Parris also makes this moment dramatic because he dos not want too lose his job as vicar in Salem. Proof of this is when he says too Abigail: surely my enemies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ will ruin me with it. Parris is feeling angry because he might lose his job so he shouts at Tituba. At this stage in the play the audience might think that he is really worried about Betty. He says: dear child. Will you wake, will you open up your eyes. The second dramatic moment is where Abigail and proctor met up. Proctor and Abigail had an affair and Abi wants him to tell her that he loves her: give me your word john. But proctor says no he dose not want to play around with her any more. He says: Ill cut off my hand before Ill ever reach for you again. This shows that Proctor seriously wants to stop their relationship because he wants to be loyal to his wife Elizabeth. However, Abi is desperate for John to come back to her and leave his wife: she is a cold snivelling woman, and you bend to her! this means that john will do anything for his wife. The audience dont know who to be most sorry for à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" they might feel sorry for Proctor because Abi is insulting his wife. On the other hand the audience might sympathise with Abi because she is crying when she is begging proctor to love her, and also as proctor is shaking her violently. The result of Proctors decision is that Abi accuses him and his wife of being witches. The third dramatic moment is where Proctor accuses Abi of being a whore. He does this to make the judges doubt Abis word: how do u call heaven! Whore! Whore! this shows that proctor is really angry with Abi, and he also grabs her by the hair. The audience feels most sympathetic to Proctor here because he is losing his reputation by admitting to adultery: A man will not cast away his good name. He would not throw away his name for no reason. If Abi is found guilty then they will all go free, because Abi was the one making the claims that they are witches. Danforth tries to test Elizabeth by asking her in private if she knew that her husband was sleeping with Abi. When Elizabeth questioned says: in agony my husband is a goodly man sir. She doesnt really know what to say, but she wants to defend her husband. She tries to avoid the question by saying that he is a good man. The audience might realise that whatever she says it will end up dreadfully, if she says yes then proctor might go to prison and the family will get a bad name and get bullied. If she says no then Proctors friends will be hung for being witches. Proctor is put under a lot of pressure in the crucible when he is called up to court and accuses Abi of being a whore, he does this to try to stop the judge from taking her word about Proctors friends from being hung. .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 , .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 .postImageUrl , .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 , .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4:hover , .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4:visited , .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4:active { border:0!important; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4:active , .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4 .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud5cee4edd603b4053d8f42a1ee068ed4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Animal Farm Compare And Contrast EssayAlso Elizabeth is put under pressure when the judge asks her privately if her husband Proctor has had an affair, and she does not know what proctor wants her to say. I think this is related to the title of the play the crucible. I think this because the word crucible has two main meanings the first is a vessel for melting a substance at very high temperatures. I think the story relates to this because Proctor is put under extreme pressure. The second meaning for the word is a severe test; I think it is a test for Proctor and Elizabeths relationship because of all the trials but they seem to come out of it better than they started. It is tragic that Proctor gets hung at the end of the play; this happens because he refuses to give up his name by signing a document which will be hung on the church and everyone will know that he confessed that he is a witch. Proctor says: because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! In conclusion proctor is a good man and he regretted having an affair with Abi.

Vortigern - Early British Leader

Vortigern - Early British Leader This profile of Vortigern is part ofWhos Who in Medieval History   Vortigern was also known as: Guorthignirnus, Gurthrigern, Wyrtgeorn Vortigern was noted for: Inviting the Saxons to help him fight northern invaders, essentially opening the door to a significant Saxon presence in England. Occupations Roles in Society: KingMilitary Leader Places of Residence and Influence: England Important Dates: Declares himself High King of Britain: c. 425Dies: c. 450 About Vortigern: Although many legends have sprung up concerning Vortigern, he was probably an actual historical figure. He is mentioned in On The Ruin of Britain, History of the Britons and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. In the uncertain decades following the withdrawal of Roman troops from Britain, Vortigern emerged as a strong leader of the Britons, and dared to declare himself High King. When he faced attacks by Picts and Scots in the north, he followed a common Roman imperial practice: he invited Saxons to come to England to fight the northern invaders in return for a grant of land. This reportedly did not go over very well with most of the British, who disliked sharing their lands with Saxon interlopers, and things got worse when the Saxons rebelled and fought against Vortigern. According to the Historia Brittonum, the rebellion ended when the Saxons killed Vortigerns son Vortimer and massacred many British nobles. Vortigern subsequently granted the Saxons lands in Essex and Sussex, where they would build kingdoms in the coming decades. Vortigerns role in facilitating Saxon access to England was remembered with bitterness by British chroniclers. Scholars using British sources to understand Vortigern must take great care in evaluating them, especially when those sources were created several centuries after the events in question. More Vortigern Resources: Post-Roman Britain: An Introduction   Vortigern on the Web A Clerical Portrait of Vortigern?An examination of the recorded view of Vortigern by Michael Veprauskas at the Early British Kingdoms website.The Vortigern Studies HomepageAn initiative based in the Netherlands, dedicated to the study of the period between the Roman occupation of Britain and the Early Middle Ages Dark-Age Britain Whos Who Directories: Chronological Index Geographical Index Index by Profession, Achievement, or Role in Society The text of this document is copyright  ©2007-2016 Melissa Snell. You may download or print this document for personal or school use, as long as the URL below is included. Permission is  not  granted to reproduce this document on another website. For publication permission,  please  contact  Melissa Snell. The URL for this document is:http://historymedren.about.com/od/vwho/p/who_vortigern.htm

Easy Guide to Making Lesson Plans for Adult Students

Easy Guide to Making Lesson Plans for Adult Students Lesson plans for adult education arent difficult to design. Follow these easy steps and see how effective you can be. Every good course design begins with a needs assessment. For our purposes here, we’re going to assume you’ve completed this assessment and you understand what your students need and what your objectives are for the course you’re designing. If you don’t know your objectives, you’re not ready to design your course. Like any gathering of people for any reason, it’s good to begin at the beginning and address who is there, why they’ve gathered, what they hope to accomplish, and how they’ll accomplish it. Welcome and Introduction Build in 30 to 60 minutes at the opening of your class to conduct introductions and review your objectives and agenda. Your beginning will look something like this: Greet participants as they arrive.Introduce yourself and ask participants to do the same, giving their name and sharing what they expect to learn from the class. This is a good time to include an icebreaker that loosens people up and makes them feel comfortable sharing.Try a fun classroom introduction for the first day of school.Write their expectations on a flip chart or whiteboard.State the objectives of the course, explaining why certain expectations on the list either will or won’t be met.Review the agenda.Review housekeeping items: where the restrooms are, when the scheduled breaks are, that people are responsible for themselves and should take a restroom break early if they need one. Remember, you’re teaching adults. Module Design Divide your material into 50-minute modules. Each module will contain a warm up, a short lecture or presentation, an activity, and a debriefing, followed by a break. At the top of each page in your teacher’s guide, note the time needed for each section and the corresponding page in the student’s workbook. Warm Up Warm-ups are short exercises (5 minutes or shorter) that get people thinking about the topic you are about to cover. It can be a game or simply a question. Self-assessments make good warm-ups. So do icebreakers. For example, if you’re teaching learning-styles, a learning-style assessment would be a perfect warm up. Lecture Keep your lecture to 20 minutes or less if possible. Present your information in full, but remember that adults generally stop retaining information after about 20 minutes. They will listen with understanding for 90 minutes, but with retention for only 20. If you’re preparing a participant/student workbook, include a copy of the primary learning points of your lecture, and any slides you’re planning to use. It’s good for students to take notes, but if they have to furiously write everything, down, you’re going to lose them. Activity Design an activity that gives your students an opportunity to practice what they just learned. Activities that involve breaking into small groups to complete a task or to discuss an issue are good ways to keep adults engaged and moving. It is also a perfect opportunity for them to share the life experience and wisdom they bring to the classroom. Be sure to build in opportunities to take advantage of this wealth of relevant information. Activities can be personal assessments or reflections that are worked on quietly and independently. Alternatively, they can be games, role play, or small group discussions. Choose your activity based on what you know about your students and on the content of your class. If you are teaching a hands-on skill, hands-on practice is a great option. If you are teaching a writing skill, a quiet writing activity may be the best choice.   Debriefing After an activity, it’s important to bring the group back together and have a general discussion about what was learned during the activity. Ask for volunteers to share reactions. Ask for questions. This is your chance to make sure the material was understood. Allow for 5 minutes. It doesn’t take long unless you discover that learning hasn’t happened. Take a 10-minute Break It’s important to get adult students up and moving every hour. This takes a bite out of your available time, but it’ll be well worth it because your students will be far more attentive when the class is in session, and you’ll have fewer interruptions from people who have to excuse themselves. Tip While breaks are important, it’s crucial that you manage them well and begin again precisely on time, regardless of stragglers, or chatter will get carried away. Students will learn quickly that class begins when you said it would, and you’ll gain the respect of the entire group. Evaluation End your courses with a short evaluation to determine whether or not your students found the learning valuable. Emphasis on the short. If your evaluation is too long, students wont take the time to complete it. Ask a few important questions: Were your expectations of this course met?What would you have liked to learn that you didnt?What was the most helpful thing you learned?Would you recommend this class to a friend?Please share comments about any aspect of the day. This is just an example. Choose questions that are relevant to your topic. Youre looking for answers that will help you improve your course in the future.

Final Class Project Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Final Class Project - Case Study Example To add on this, it is through documentation that patient response is reflected. On the contrary, the current case lacks documentation from the patient nurse. Here, the nurse testifies that she only had handwritten notes. Furthermore, in her testimony, the nurse says that she did not document any vital signs during the 2 hours of being informed by the patient’s wife and the time the patient is pronounced dead (Guido, 2009). Evidently, the case lacks documentation and this is likely to affect the final outcome. 2. Was negligence there on the part of the nursing staff in the care of this patient? In the case under study, it is evident that the nursing staff showed negligence in the course of duty. The patient nurse is negligent due to failure to document information on the patient. In her evidence, she testifies that she did not have any documented records on vital signs between the time of being informed and the time the patient is pronounced dead (Guido, 2009). As such, it is c lear that no information was available on what went on during the 2 hour period. Additionally, the nurse failed to assess and monitor the patient’s situation after she informed the physician that the patient was bleeding. Given that the patient’s health status could change gradually or suddenly, it was vital for the patient nurse to keep monitoring the situation. On the other hand, the office nurse failed to act as a patient advocate. Here, it is evident that this nurse did not follow up the case to see if the surgeon responded after she informed him. More so, the nurse does not call to check the patient’s progress (Guido, 2009). She only passes the information to the surgeon and that’s it as far as she is concerned. Consequently, it is evident that the nursing department displays negligence while on duty. 3. How does the obvious contradiction in the testimony between the patient’s hospital nurse and the office nurse and the physician’s acco unt of what happened affect your decision in this case? From the case, there is obvious contradiction between the two nurses’ testimony and the physician’s account. This shows a failure to communicate accurately while on duty. There seems to have been lack of communication between the three and hence all are liable to being sentenced for negligence while on duty. Normally, different nursing departments ought to be in constant communication to find the best way possible of helping the patient. This is not the case here. The patient nurse does not keep in touch with the physician to update him on the patient’s situation. Whereas the patient nurse testifies of having informed the physician of the patient’s condition on time, it takes two hours before the physician responds (Guido, 2009). Essentially, the contradiction indicates failure to communicate by all parties involved. 4. What standards for documentation did the patient’s nurse breach? Standards for documentation in nursing entail provision of patient information for communication purposes. Nursing documentation, as a valuable tool, supports effective communication on the patient’s progress for providers. In this particular case, the patient nurse breached these standards. The nurse fails to document the patient’s progress (Guido, 2009). Furthermore, nurses are responsible for their own actions while on duty. As such, documentation forms part of the responsibility. On the contrary, lack of documentation in the case means that the patient’

Managing change - case study analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managing change - case study analysis - Essay Example This essay stresses that according to Lewin's model, the restraining force is the management hierarchy which delays the decision-making process. The management thought that the situation will change as there will be â€Å"ups and down† in every industry.But the price decline continued for a long period. Sensing the deterioration of the company profitability and assets the management has opened for the thought of revamping the administrative structure to suit the current requirements and decrease the decision making process time. The driving force was the change in the management thought that the decision making authority should vest with few to enhance the decision-making rate. As the change was forced the CEO with a team of seven others formed an apex committee to speed up the decision-making process. The management team has focused on the identified need to deal with a possible long-term decline in commodity prices, set the achievable goal of simplifying the management struc ture to foster accountability and communication. In conclusion, communication is the key to implement the ideologies of the management. There should be a smooth and distinctive flow of information right from the managers to the ground staff down the line who form the core of the employee group. The discrepancy in the information will elevate the decisions in the other way and could change the trajectory of the desired results. The right form of information will guide the person to the desired output.

Natural Science Essay Example for Free

Natural Science Essay The relevance of this test question is to determine which brand of leading paper towels is the best most absorbent. Consumers want to use the product that is most effective at meeting their needs. A more expensive product may actually be more cost effective if you can use less of it than a brand that costs less. Literature Review Many experiments have been conducted to test the strength and absorbency of paper towels. While the steps of the experiment vary from test to test, all of experiments are testing the same two factors; how much water can each paper towel brand absorb and how strong are each of the paper towels. Below I have reviewed the process and results from three experiments that are similar to the one I will be using. In the first experiment, the tester uses five brands of paper towels to test for absorbency, using paper towels of the same size to ensure the accuracy of the results. He draws a two inch circle in the center of a sheet of paper towel from each brand represented and placing the paper towel in an embroidery hoop to maintain stability. He then drops fifteen drops of water into the center of the circle draw on the paper towel, repeating the process for each brand, and measures the amount of time it takes the paper towel to wick the moisture outside of the circle. This test concludes that Bounty has the greatest absorbency. The next experiment tests for both absorbency and strength. As in the first test, several different brands of paper towels were used. In this experiment, to test the absorbency, the tester takes a sheet of each of the towels an inserts it into a glass with two ounces of water and leaves each sit for twenty seconds. After the twenty seconds expired, the tester removed the paper towel from the glass and rang out each paper towel into a measuring cup to see how much water each towel had absorbed. The second part of the experiment is conducted by stretching sheets of each paper towel through an embroidery hoop, placing 25 pennies in the center of the paper towel, and adding water to the towel drop by drop until the pennies fall through. The strongest paper towel in this test was Brawny Brand. The final experiment that I reviewed also tested for absorbency. The theory behind this experiment was the faster that water moves through the towel, the more absorbent it is. The experimenter cut strips from each paper towel, one inch wide and six inches long. A mark is drawn on each paper towel one inch from the end using a waterproof marker. The strip is then held in a glass of water with the bottom inch submerged, timing how long it takes for the water to travel the length of the strip. The process is then repeated for each brand that is being tested. The most absorbent brand in this test was Brawny. Experimental Design A. Steps in Experimental Procedure The absorbency of the towels will be tested by the speed the water moves through the paper towels, the faster the water moves, the more absorbent the towel is. I will be using the following brands of paper towels in my experiment: Brawny, Bounty, Sparkle and Scott. Other supplies necessary to complete the experiment are: a waterproof marker, and a sixteen-ounce glass of water, and a timer that registers tenths of a second. 1. Prepare three samples of paper towel from each brand by cutting strips of each that is 2 inches wide and six inches long. 2. Using a water-proof marker, draw a line across each paper towel one inch from the bottom. 3. Fill a sixteen ounce glass with water and prepare timer. 4. Take the first strip of paper towel and submerge it up to the line in the glass of water while holding it vertical to the glass while starting the timer. 5. Allow the timer to run until the water is absorbed through the paper towel and reaches the end of the towel not submerged. 6. Stop the timer and record the time in tenths of seconds. 7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for all three strips of each brand. B. Reasoning for Choosing my Experimental Design Plan The reason I chose this design for my experiment is because it seemed to be more accurate than other testing methods I found during my literature review and could be performed with items I already had in my home. The experiment where the tester rang out the paper towels and measure the water that they had absorbed is less accurate because there is no guarantee of exerting the same amount of force each time you ring out a towel. There is no way to completely drain the towel of all of the liquid it absorbed. Stretching the paper towel samples across the embroidery frame is sound way to perform the experiment but it would have required the purchase of additional materials. C. Sequence of Events to Collect Quantitative Data I will begin the collection of quantitative data by cutting the paper towel samples from each brand into strips that are one inch wide by six inches long, to ensure that all of the samples will be equal. I will use the same glass of water for each test to ensure the water composition is the same for each test. I have created a spreadsheet in excel with a column listing each of the brands being tested and three columns for the time in tenths of a second to be entered upon completion of the experiment. During the experiment, I will make notes on a tablet of the brand name and the time recorded to be entered into the spreadsheet upon completion of the entire experiment. D. Describe Tools, Technologies, and Measurement Units that are used to Collect the Data To collect the data for this experiment I will use one inch wide by six inch long strips of paper towel from each of the brands being tested, a black water-proof marker to mark the strips of paper towel, an eight ounce glass of water, my hand to hold the strip vertical to the glass once submerged as indicated in the experimental procedure, a timer that measures tenths of a second, and a pad and pencil to record the initial results. Once the experiment is complete I will transfer the results of the experiments to the spreadsheet that I have created using Microsoft Excel. I will also use excel to create the graphic representation of the experiment results. Dependent, Independent and Controlled Variables of the Experiment The independent variable in my paper towel experiment is the one inch by six inch strip of paper towel taken from a roll of each brand of paper towel used in the experiment. The dependent variable in the experiment is the amount of time it takes the water to travel the length of the strip of paper towel measured in tenths of a second. The controlled variables of the experiment are using the same glass of water, same size sample of paper towel, and same timer for each test in the experiment. Threat Reduction to Internal Validity To reduce internal threats to validity I will use the same size piece of each paper towel from each brand for each test to conduct the experiment, marking each piece with a line at exactly one inch from the bottom. I will use the same water sample to ensure the liquid being absorbed by each sample strip is identical; the same timer will be used for each test to ensure the accuracy of the time recorded for each test. I will also monitor my results for outliers in the time required to absorb the water through each test towel to ensure the results are valid for each test. Hypothesis The sample of Bounty paper towels will soak up the water through the length of paper towel faster than the other brands because it is thicker than the other brands being tested. I have arrived at this conclusion because the dual layers of towel that are present in the sample of Bounty create a greater surface to absorb water. The other brands are much thinner and have less thickness to soak up water.

Development And Demise of The Seattle Sound :: essays research papers

The â€Å"Seattle sound†, a phrase coined for music created by Alternative-style rock bands based in Seattle, is said to contain three (3) basic elements: it is loud, it is honest, and it is borne of musicians that have experienced a degree of difficulty in achieving recognition. The â€Å"Seattle sound†, often times referred to as â€Å"grunge†, is notorious for being performed at exceedingly high volume. It has been defined as honest music because it is performed in a raw and unrefined manner, without the aid of electronic polishing. Additionally, a common thread of grunge bands is said to be that they suffer from an uncommonly low rate of recognition The affects of Seattle’s geographical location appears to be an ingredient of the music created by these grunge bands, whether expressed blatantly or subliminally. Seattle exists in a corner of our nation and a great distance from more prominent cities, therefore, a sense of isolationism amongst its citizens is to be expected. Seattle is also subject to an unusually high level of precipitation, most notably rain, one (1) of the few things that the city may be regarded as famous for. An abundance of gloomy days certainly plays upon the psyche of the human attitude. Musicians of grunge bands appear to express this geographical condition in the manner in which they choose their topics for lyrics and deliver their music. Isolation may be cited as an influence in their music with the respect to the style in which they deliver their product, well practiced, yet unrefined because of their lack of hope for recognition. Unrelentingly dreary weather may be responsible for depression amo ng band members that may well be reflected in their music, possibly accounting for their extreme volume (frustration and yearning to be heard) and crude lyrics (unpolished because they expect to remain obscure). As with any trend, grunge began to lose its followers within a relatively short period of time, or perhaps it simply became excepted to the extent that its label changed from â€Å"fad† to â€Å"mainstreamâ€Å". Grunge, much like most trends or fashions, relied upon commercialization to exist as such. When newness fades, replacements are sought and new titles created that are designed to draw popularity to address the apparent human need to represent uniqueness, but at the same time fulfill a desire to be accepted by others with similar likes and dislikes. If one (1) views history with regard to fads, it may be observed that fads do not exist unless there is mass-marketing of a concept or series of events to attain the popular interest of people.

Ensure A Safe Workplace Essay

The legislation and compliance requirements that are relevant to ABC Chemicals’ for all cabling done on the premise must be conducted by a fully certified and qualified tradesman. A normal IT Technician if not qualified cannot alter or create new Ethernet cables or any cable to be used in the workplace. They cannot re-route or add additional cabling into walls and they cannot install additional wall plates. ABC Chemicals have a mound of hazards that need to be fix before an incident occurs. Being constructed in 2000 the building has been fitted with limited emergency equipment. No emergency plan is displayed in the workplace and no workers have received any training in safe handling of chemicals. These three hazards alone can be catastrophic in causing the majority of the incidents in this business. Not only do they not have an emergency plan multiple vehicle accidents occur in front of the premise, if one were to go through the building no worker would know what to do. ABC Chemicals is situated within 25 metres of a local nursing home for elderly residents and a child care centre that provides day-care for children under five years old. This is a problem as all old chemical drums are placed outside for a month at a time. They are not enclosed or covered meaning any fumes from the drums would be released into the air effecting any businesses in a 25 metre radius, possibly more. Not only are old drums put outside, any material that is used to clean up small spills during the day is thrown straight into the general waste dumpster. Out the back where all the drums and dumpster is situated all that separates an overgrown dry grass paddock is a cyclone fence. If any of the drums falls over and chemicals leak out this can seep through the holes in the fence either cause the dry grass to combust or contaminate the land. If the land was found contaminated the construction of the future community centre would not go ahead. Each hazard that has been found at ABC Chemicals will go through a risk assessment to determine the likely hood of each risk. When assessing the risk three essential steps are taken. The chance of an incident occurring is evaluated then the severity or consequence is calculated or estimated. Once these two factors are found they are used to assign priority for risk  control that uses a risk rating. The building is fitted with limited emergency equipment with no emergency plan displayed in the workplace and no workers have received any training in safe handling of chemicals. These alone could cause a fatality, with the likelihood of this occurring at some time. They are classified as an extreme risk and should have immediate action to reduce their severity. To reduce the risk ABC Chemicals should arrange for all staff to complete training in safe handling of chemicals. Additional emergency equipment should be added to the premise and be easily accessible when an incident occurs and emergency plans should be scattered around the building so wherever you are you should know what is expected of you. The busy intersection in front of the premise is a cause for major injuries. As accidents have occurred in front of the business before it is possible for it to happen. This would be classified as an extreme risk and should be attended to immediately. By applying barricades to the surrounding area can reduce the possibility of a car hitting into the premise and cause major damage. All drums accumulated over a monthly period are placed outside with no coverage. The small spills that occur daily are also cleaned up and thrown into the general waste dumpster. There is no barricades to stop any spills from seeping through the fence into the dry grassed block of land. The fact that the drums are in a 25 meter radius of a local nursing home and a child care centre the fumes of these drums could damage the health of the young children and the elderly. Daily inhalation of these fumes and continuous leakage into the land behind the premise need an immediate solution in new ways of storing their waste until pickup day. This will reduce the chance of people becoming sick and reducing the change of the land behind to become contaminated and cease the future construction of a community centre. These All rags used to clean up small spills are =this could be very dangerous for Risk prioritization goes beyond risk ranking in that it compares scenarios a combinations of specific products and equipment, hazards, and control measures using multiple criteria. Some of these additional criteria may include cost of interventions or control measures, feasibility of implementing control measures, practicality of control measures, effectiveness of control measures, level of public concern, level of  certainty in the estimates and political will. There are many tools that can be used to assess the risks and risk causes. These being Safety data sheets, national and state injury statistics, industrial chemicals notification and assessment scheme and the standards and codes. The SDS provides information about materials before they are purchased and used on-site. It also gives information on potential hazards and effects of each material. The SDS helps by reducing hazards at the assessment stage by assessing the risk and hazard and applying a suitable and less hazardous replacement. SDS are available from the vendor or the manufacturer but can also be viewed online. National and state injure statistics are based on injuries that occur Australia-wide. By gathering this information, trends can be established which can be used to assist the development of precise preventative strategies. With this information, organisations similar to your business can help predict the most likely injuries. The Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme for new and existing products and chemicals relates to compliance with industrial chemicals legislation. The Australian inventory of chemical substances and all existing chemical s must be assessed and certified according to hazardous risk. Standards and codes consist of practical advice on issues and included preventative strategies to assist with hazard control. They are used as a baseline for comparison and a check for businesses to see if they conform to current legislation and meet the duty of care requirements.

Product Life Cycle Stage of Godrej Chotukool Essay

1. Introduction: This stage is characterised by Low competition, efforts to educate consumers about the product, trials and free samples. 2. Growth: This stage is characterised by mass promotions and attempts to differentiate the product from that of competitors. 3. Maturity: In this stage, firms focus on finding new target segments and creating value additions. 4. Decline: In this stage, the product class mostly dies due to strong competitors or obsolete technology. Firms focus on sales promotion, tie ups or move on to emerging markets. Godrej Chotukool currently lies in its introduction stage. According to Godrej Appliances Vice-President (Corporate Development) G Sunderraman,the company is currently focussing on: 1. Educating the new end users, training the intermediaries and building the distribution infrastructure. 2. Communicating a distinct value proposition to the emerging consumers is also a challenge. 3. For Chotukool, the Godrej group has junked the traditional model of a proprietary channel with a sales force and a distributor-dealer chain and has joined hands with micro-finance institutions. 4. Chotukool requires demonstration and education which doesn’t happen in the trade, so Godrej was reluctant to use traditional trade channels. The company has entered into a marketing tie-up with the India Post (Maharashtra Circle) to leverage the vast reach of the latter in terms of number of offices and manpower to push sales of ‘ChotuKool’ .The India Post team will not only generate sales leads, but will also book orders and collect payment from customers. For physical delivery of ChotuKools at customer’s doorsteps, Godrej uses Express Parcel Post Service. 5. Apart from this, Godrej also involves village girls in selling the products at a commission of Rs 150 per product sold (something that the company claims will reduce the distribution and marketing costs by 40 per cent). For Chotukool, the Godrej group has junked the traditional model of a proprietary channel with a sales force and a distributor-dealer chain and has joined hands with micro-finance institutions. This new distribution ecosystem is just one of the unique experiments that Godrej is trying out to make a splash in the bottom of the pyramid refrigerator market. There are many more. But the clear winner is its cost. At Rs 3,250, it costs almost 35 per cent less than the cheapest category of refrigerators available in the market today. Apart from involving village girls in selling the products at a commission of Rs 150 per product sold (something that the company claims will reduce the distribution and marketing costs by 40 per cent), Godrej has gone in for several engineering innovations to keep the price low. The size is small and the number of parts in Chotukool has been reduced to just 20 instead of 200 that go into regular refrigerators. References: 1. http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-05-22/news/29571277_1_rural-markets-godrej-appliances-infrastructure

Downsizing in America

Downsizing in America Although my immediate family has been lucky enough not to fall victim to layoffs or downsizing, however, I have friends and relatives who have not been as lucky. My uncle is a good example. He had worked for a utility company for 25 years, rising through the ranks to become the head of the sales division. However, in 2007, the company was hit hard by the global financial crisis and one of the restructuring strategies adopted by the management was to outsource the sales department.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Downsizing in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Consequently, the entire sales team was laid off. In the months that followed, my uncle sent letters to numerous companies but very few bothered to reply. The economy was in crisis and few firms were hiring. The family’s home was repossessed by the insurance companies for defaulting to pay mortgage fees. My uncle slumped into depression because his family had no roof over its head. He was so desperate that he had to pump gas at a local gas station owned by a friend for a whole 4 months. His teenage son and daughter took part-time jobs to supplement the income of the family. The mother, hitherto a stay-at-home mom, registered with a number of online companies as a freelance online writer. Indeed the layoff has caused psychological and financial anguish to my uncle and his family. Downsizing is the result of a change in the economy, such as the reduced demand for a company’s products. This may have been occasioned by an economic recession, or even when the main products of an industry are no longer fashionable. Another reason why a firm may decide to downsize its workforce is when it fails to keep pace with the recent development in technology (Baumol, Blinder Wolff, 2005). When a firm suffers from an inefficient workforce, this means that its products shall not be competitive enough to compete with the best in the indu stry, and hence the reduced demand (Shaw Barry, 2001). There have been claims that downsizing is inevitable for a firm. However, it is perhaps best to view this as an issue of perception, more than anything else. When top managers are about to make announcements about workforce reductions and layoffs, one of the common statements issued is that downsizing is inevitable, and that it is a natural law of globalization or capitalism. In his article, ‘perceptions of organizational downsizing’, Robin Sronce identified several perceptions regarding this issue: downsizing comes about due to a natural law of capitalism; from a corporate point of view, downsizing is inevitable; organizations have to undertake a downsizing activity; downsizing is often expected as part of the business cycle and; downsizing has been occasioned by our economic system (Sronce 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 1 5% OFF Learn More Downsizing is a necessary activity to help organizations improve their profit margins. Consequently, they have to reduce their workforce as part of their restructuring exercise. Under such circumstances, downsizing is necessary especially when certain departments of a company have too many employees, thereby increasing their inefficiency (Ayling 1997). Companies with unresponsive communication systems, duplication of efforts, and unresponsive administrative functions are also likely to downsize. Under such circumstances, it makes sense for a company to downsize, at least to stay afloat. Job security is no longer guaranteed. In fact, it is a thing of the past. An increasingly higher number of employees have come to accept it but it is creating a new problem at the workplace altogether. Owing to the looming danger of unemployment occasioned by layoffs, employees have become quite suspicious because no one knows where the axe shall fall next. Consequen tly, this has also dampened employee loyalty to the company because their future is not guaranteed. Also, the innovative spirit of the employees, their tendency to take risks and level of creativity are all likely to reduce, further adding to the woes of the company (Baumol et al, 2005). With downsizing comes an increased load of work for the remaining employees. On the other hand, downsizing can be a good thing for the remaining employees because they are forced to work hard and target high profile positions so that in the event of another downsizing activity, they do not fall victim. Competition is a key feature of capitalism. Capitalism breeds a state of oligopoly in which we have a few firms in the industry characterized by concentrated economic power. Consequently, competition is eliminated and we have a few dominant firms in the market that sets the price of products in the industry. As such, the market environment is dictated by these few firms. Capitalism has also helped to usher in a free market and automation. Automation forces inefficient firms to close shop. On the other hand, intense competition in the market forces companies to either adopt novel technological advances and innovative ways of running their business activities to avoid elimination. A company may have a sound justification for downsizing its human resources but in spite of this, laying off productive and loyal employees who have been with the company for a long time can be quite an upsetting experience. This is because such employees fall victim to both psychological and financial injury. Most people view the workplace as the place to maintain and develop relationships. It is our second home. Our work defines who we are, in addition to giving meaning to our lives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Downsizing in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, once we have been laid off, all these things get compromis ed. Inasmuch as we have economic and legal ramifications for downsizing, nonetheless, downsizing can be considered more of an ethical issue. As such, a good manger should endeavor to protect not just the legal and financial interest of a company, but also the integrity and honor of its employees (Shaw Barry, 2001). Sometimes, layoffs may violate the rights of workers. Employees should be aware of an impending layoff but sometimes firms fail to inform them in advance. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act holds that employers needs to make their employees aware that a layoff is on the way, or that the plant is about to shut down depending on the size of the firm. There have been reported cases of companies that closed plants abruptly without notifying their employees of these recent developments and from this context, this is indeed a violation of the law. There is a need therefore to ensure that plant closures, layoffs and outsourcing activities are regulated to avo id a collision of unions, companies, and the local government. CEOs who lay off thousands of workers are often rewarded with a handsome pay package. This revelation is an indication of great unfairness at a time when a company is faced with a recession. This is because CEOs reduce their workforce as a strategy to boost the short-term profits of the company and at the same time, ensure that they take home a fatter paycheck. At face value, such revelations may appear somewhat shocking but looked at from another angle we need to consider that the primary obligation of a CEO is to ensure that the shareholders to the company get the maximum value for their investments in the company. Accordingly, CEOs are out to please their shareholders first, before they can satisfy the employees (Ayling, 1997). However, such a perspective puts to question the ethical concern of a company on its employees. It would mean that employees are just tools for enabling a firm to attain its economic goals. Fir ms should endeavor to balance the social, economic and ethical concerns for all the stakeholders, including their employees. For a long time, manufacturing has remained the backbone of our economy. Also capitalists have made a fortune through the manufacturing sector. In the last few decades however, manufacturing has been on the decline, thanks in large part to international competition. In the mid-1960s, manufacturing contributed more than a quarter of America’s GDP (27%). This has however reduced by nearly 50%.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Today, manufacturing sector employs not more than 10 % of Americans (Shaw, 2007). The future therefore looks bleak for the manufacturing sector in the U.S. Outsourcing holds the future for the manufacturing sector. We are likely to witness a lot more companies outsourcing their manufacturing departments to the emerging economies because labor is cheap and since they have to remain in competition. The global recession that was triggered by a slump in the housing market in the US is thought to have begun due because Americans had a lot of faith in the free market and that it regulate the economy. This is a fundamental component of the â€Å"Anglo-Saxon† capitalism. One thing that Americans need to learn from this is that we should all aspire to live within our means. This way, we avoid going into massive debts. Reference List Ayling, R. (1997). The downsizing of America. New York: Nova Pulishers. Baumol, W. J., Blinder, A. S., Wolff, E. N. (2005). Downsizing in America: realit y,  causes, and consequences. London: Sage. Shaw, W. L. (2007). Business Ethics. Stamford, Mass: Cengage Learning. Shaw, W. H., Barry, V. E. (2001). Moral issues in business. Ohio: Wadsworth, 2001. Sronce, R. (2007). Perceptions of organizational downsizing. Journal of Leadership   Organizational Studies. Web.

Conservatism (Politics) - Definition

Conservatism (Politics) - Definition Definition: Political conservatism in the United States is both an intellectual/theoretical tradition and a popular political movement.As an intellectual tradition, political conservatism does not necessarily focus on any particular political position or issue. In fact, most conservative traditionalists disagree with one another over a number of issues including (but not limited to) abortion, stem cell research, capital punishment, the environment and war. Nevertheless, these intellectual traditionalists tend to subscribe to the same conservative principles, those being primarily the importance of family, but also a small or limited government, a strong national defense and free enterprise.As a popular political movement, conservatism is more specific regarding a host of specific political issues that include (among other things) the pro-life movement, judicial restraint, welfare reform, immigration reform and the sanctity of marriage (specifically the opposition to gay marriage).Conservatism is also an umbrella term that embodies several different types of politically conservative philosophies. These are often primarily identified as neoconservatism, paleoconservatism and social conservatism, but they also include fiscal conservatism, cultural conseratism and crunchy conservatism. Pronunciation: kunservitizim Also Known As: moderation, orthodoxy, preservation, prudence, right-wing, reactionary, temperance, traditionalism, utilitarianism Alternate Spellings: conservativeness Examples: Former President Ronald Reagan: The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom, and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is.†Author Craig Bruce: Liberalism is financed by the dividends from Conservatism.Actor Robert Redford: â€Å"Because, you know, youre in Utah. And because of its political conservatism, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.†

Disneyland in Qatar (Global Marketing Plan) Case Study

Disneyland in Qatar (Global Marketing Plan) - Case Study Example The strategic fit of the market opportunity to the company’s capabilities has been highlighted. The report ends with the identification of a market opportunity in the Qatari market that is worth pursuing, which becomes the stated objective of the global marketing strategy plan. Introduction For organizations to maintain competitiveness, they need to adapt to the diverse needs of customers as well as the communities within which they operate. Foreign investment is a costly move that requires a large capital outlay. An organization has to set strong marketing strategies to enhance its survival. It is important to evaluate the important aspects of the internal environment that may influence success such as the organizational structure, the product line which is the theme park in this case, the status of the market, as well as the distribution and supply chain. Moreover, assessment of the external environment is significant in the planning process especially when the organization plans to venture in to the global market. The PESTEL analysis helps managers to set strategies to cope with challenges in the operating environment. The SWOT analysis helps managers to capitalize on their strengths to utilize available opportunities as well as to realize the weaknesses that need to be addressed. It is also an important planning tool for establishing potential threats in advance. These analyses will be significant in determining the strategic fit of Disney to establish a theme park in the emerging Qatari market. Internal Situation Company Structure Walt Disney Company operates in a functional structure with several affiliates and subsidiaries in different countries globally. The various sections include; theme parks, resorts, media networks, amusement studios, consumer goods and interactive media services. These sections provide different products under centralized management. Disney’s theme parks control a wide resource base with regards to materials that are significant in generating value for customers (Keller, 2001). Tangible assets are supplemented by intangible assets such as a strong brand name, brand equity, patent rights and customer loyalty. Each resource is uniquely positioned to serve a particular group of consumers and hence difficult to imitate. Disneyland was able to strategically develop capabilities that can be utilized in a competitive environment, for example, copyrights have helped in the retention of profits for every character in its studios (Capodagli & Jackson, 1999). Disney’s Theme Park The theme park comprises of mainly entertainment attractions and rides suitable for family leisure. The theme park entertainment is suitable for adults and children. Generally, creativity management has been significant in the success of Disney’s theme parks (Mulcaster, 2009). The theme park strategy was developed in 1952 and took advantage of the tremendous impact of television in awareness creation among consumers. Since then, the eleven theme parks have been established globally mainly in the US, Europe and Asia. Innovation and target oriented approach have significantly contributed to the growth of the Disney theme parks (Wasko, 2004). Current Market for the Theme Parks The current market for Disney’s products is based on people’s willingness and ability to spend on entertainment and leisure. The them

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

Adolf Hitler - Research Paper Example Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler was born to Alois Hitler and Klara Polzl on April 20, 1889 in a small Austrian village of Braunau Am near the German border. Alois was an illegitimate child of Maria Anna Schicklgruber. It is suspected that the father was a Jewish boy of the house where Maria used to work although there is no certain evidence to support this. This is important because Hitler would later in his life go on to start a campaign of eliminating Jews and their lineages, however remote they be. By the time Alois married Adolf’s mother, he already had two kids from previous marriages – a boy and a girl. Adolf was the fourth of the six children from this marriage, the previous three having died before reaching age 3 - so Hitler would get special attention from his mother due to her fear of losing him. Alois, a civil servant, retired after 40 years of service in 1896, the same year as Adolf started attending school at age six. Having been used to strict working life, Alois would often take out his frustration of retirement on the oldest boy in the household - Alois Jr., who was 13.He, however, ran away from home at age 14 which meant that Adolf, at age 7, would now be the subject of harsh words and beating from their father. At this time, the family moved to Lambach, Austria and then to Leonding, near Linz in 1898. Around this time, one day while rummaging through his father’s library, Hitler came across a book on the Franco-German war of 1870-71. He found the book very interesting and soon became more and more enthusiastic about anything related to war. In his memoires, Mein Kampf, Hitler recalls â€Å"It was not long before the great heroic struggle had become my greatest inner experience. From then on I became more and more enthusiastic about everything that was in any w ay connected with war or, for that matter, with soldiering.† When Adolf Hitler completed grade school, he wanted to become an artist but his father forced him to go to the technical school with the wish that Adolf become a civil servant one day just like Alois had been. Hitler did quite poorly in the first year as he wanted to show his father that he was unsuitable for technical school as he wrote in Mein Kampf (Chapter 2) "I thought that once my father saw what little progress I was making at the [technical school] he would let me devote myself to the happiness I dreamed of." But his father refused to listen and persisted with Adolf staying in the technical school which made Adolf perform badly in the school and indulge in various pranks and disobedience of his teachers. Then in 1903, Adolf’s father died of lung hemorrhage making Adolf the head male of the house. This also meant that his struggles with his father over the choice of career would come to an end and there would be no more harsh words or arguing with his father. In 1904, Hitler left the high school at Linz and moved to another one at Steyr, a town 25 miles from Linz. Here, Hitler lived in a small house with another boy and the boys would sometimes amuse themselves by shooting rats. During summer 1905, Hitler suffered from an inherited lungs disease. In September 1905, after passing an exam, Hitler and his friends celebrated it with drinks leading to him getting drunk and being woken up next day in the streets. After this incident, Hitler swore never to drink again. Using his poor health as an excuse, Hitler finally got rid of the school at age 16 and after spending some

Eco-tourism in China and France Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Eco-tourism in China and France - Research Paper Example Tourism is a rapidly growing industry in most countries in the world, including both developing and developed countries (Eijgelaar, Peeters, & Piket, 2008; Euromonitor International, 2011). Tourism as a business has grown approximately ten percent per year since the end of World War Two. (Matias, Nijkamp, & Sarmento, 2009) Much of that business is in the form of domestic tourism, but international pleasure travel does capture a significant portion of that market (Lohmann, 2004). The needs of the international tourist differ from the needs of the domestic tourist. Monitoring and forecasting the international tourism demand independently of the domestic tourism demand is vital in proper demand management. The analysis of tourism demand is the measurement of this growth; forecasting this demand is vital in managing it and profiting from it. However, an analysis of the tourism industry across the entire world is too large and is outside the scope of this research; instead, the focus is on one example of a developing nation though with a thriving tourist industry, China, and one example of a developed nation also with a very well-established tourist industry, France. A type of tourism common to both of these nations is eco-tourism, and so eco-tourism will be used as the model to compare management strategies between the two nations. Characteristics and Modeling of Tourism Demand Tourism demand can be measured in a variety of ways. The most commonly used benchmark for tourism demand is the number of tourists arriving in the country or to the location Chan, Lim, & McAleer, 2005). Another method, which is generally used for economic models, is the income receipt from those tourists. A combination of these measurements is considered best to get a true picture of the demand for tourism infrastructure: if there is a situation where a large number of tourists are arriving, but their expenditure while traveling is low, it would be more sensible to focus on budget vacations than on five-star facilities, for example. The two issues at hand, the number of arrivals and the money being spent, are separate; good modeling will involve consideration of them both as individual problems and as a a combination. A wide variety of models exist for forecasting and analyzing the demand of tourism and new techniques are constantly being introduced. No single modeling technique has been found to be the most accurate overall; the best choice of modeling technique seems to depend significantly on the situation (Song & Li, 2008). For example, travel motivation theory suggest that the reasoning behind the trip is the most important in predicting the demand for tourism to a specific location (Goh, Law, & Mok, 2008). Dynamic destination image indexes (DDII) are collections of news stories about a destination that can affect a consumer's choice of vacation destination, by adding a line of reasoning about recent events to the consumer's decision-making process (Stepchenkova & Eales, 2011). Using the DDII can be more helpful to managing demand in a nation that is frequently shown on the international news, but less so in a case where fewer people are aware of current events at that location. Scenario planning is used to predict events, both positive and adverse, that could effect tourism demand. Ideally, scenario planning will also forecast the magnitude of this effect .

Motivation Theories for Becoming a Teacher

Motivation Theories for Becoming a Teacher ABSTRACT This paper identifies some the motivating factors of selecting teaching as a career. An emailed questionnaire was conducted to identify the key motivating factors they chose to become teachers. A total of 100 questionnaires were sent out asking Why did you choose teaching as a career choice? Sixty-Three men and women that are either current elementary education majors or current elementary school teachers participated. The survey result concludes that the motivating factors included a variety of what individuals valued in a job and what they needed in their life at that particular time. Surprisingly, factors such as financial incentives, vacation, and holidays off were not high on my survey results as being the reason they choose teaching as a career. This study proves that there are individuals that choose to go into elementary school teaching to inform, to guide, to enlighten, and to inspire students. My survey participants made comments in their responses that teaching has many re wards but the most valuable one is that they directly affect the lives of the student they teach. INTRODUCTION The aim of this paper is for me to understand why so many chosen teaching as a profession when the appeal for teaching seems to decline year after year. My study involved undergraduates, postgraduates, and current elementary school teachers in the public and catholic school sector. To choice education as a career you must have some type of striving force behind it, such as motivation. Motivation in spending their day with other peoples children shaping their young minds for tomorrow and shaping a young mind is a challenging task and has always been a challenging task throughout the years. And the truth of the matter is the challenge goes beyond just the student, but the challenge also lies with dealing with parents, the other faculty, and all the problems that go along with student problems at home; such as abuse. Exploring how motivation plays a factor when choosing teaching as a career lead to three main areas from those who decided to make teaching a career. (1) Altruistic reason: a desire to help children succeed, (2) Intrinsic reason: having a special interest or expertise in a subject matter that you want to share or cover, and (3) Extrinsic reason: a person only is interested in the holidays off and summer vacations. My questionnaire results touches on all three reasons. MOTIVATION You must have motivation when choosing teaching in elementary schools as a career. Recto (2005) stated what motivates individuals to go into teaching is very crucial. Motivation is a vital force that drives ones behavior toward initiating and carrying out the tasks that go along with being a teacher. Peoples reason for joining the teaching profession can be explained through their motives to do so. Motivation and understanding the reasons why people enter the teaching profession and what makes them stay or leave is essential, particularly, if we want success in maintaining a stable teaching force that contributes to teacher education quality and excellence. (Soh, 2008). Motivation is the process that gives ones behavior and choice purpose and direction. With such direction, the attention of the individual is focused on a particular goal, which is persistently worked on until it is fulfilled. Real teaching requires having motivation because teachers are constantly asking students to take big risks or to try a new way of thinking. UNDERGRADUATES VIEWS OF TEACHING AS A CAREER OPTION An individual decision to go into teaching or not is believed to be influenced by what they value in a job. (Kyriacou and Newson, 2008). If we are able to identify those factors which individuals consider important in their choice of career, and highlight the factors in teaching which match these, then we might hope to persuade better qualified students to consider teaching. (Johnson and Birkeland, 2003). To help student make the choice of being a teacher should start in elementary school, high school, and in college; teachers should inspire their students so that the students want more than anything else to become a teacher. Teachers need to express to the students frequently that they love teaching. Teachers should also encourage students to become teachers themselves. Overall, teachers must encourage with example, and that example is showing that they love their jobs. Teachers should also encourage directly, suggesting that everyone at least consider teaching as a profession. Thes e were some of the components missing in my own educational career as I prepared as an undergraduate student to become a teacher. In my studies I came across several classmates that appeared to be natural leaders but they opt out of becoming a teacher because they didnt see any personal satisfaction. Its unfortunate that the teacher didnt work more with those individuals to put their talent to work in the classroom, rather than let them slip off and use those talents in a boardroom. Undergrads who start their studies to become teachers made the decision to train as teachers, and the image of teaching as a career has had some influence in their decision. In other words, the view undergraduate student have of what they want from a career and how they view teaching as a career may well differ from the views of those who choose not to enter teaching. If we are to get a clearer understanding of what attracts and motives certain people into teaching, we may find an answer to making the educational program a more successful one in recruiting student to take up teaching as career. If more well-qualified graduates are to be encouraged to decide to teach, we need to identify those factors which are important to them in choosing a career and then be able to persuade them that teaching offers what they are looking for. In general, understanding undergraduates views of teaching as a career option can useful when coming up with teacher recruitment campaigns to target the now shrinking world of teaching. Arellano (2004), stated that public dissatisfaction with schools included dissatisfaction with teacher education. In fact, education schools have been criticized as ineffective in preparing for their work and not responsive to new demands. This observation agreed with McCreights (2000) pointing out that one reason why teachers leave the teaching profession is their discovery that their teacher education program had not actually prepared them for the realities of teaching. I can relate to that statement by McCreight, 2000. At the Western Illinois University graduation in Macomb, Illinois speaker Dr. Marcus Dewitt, an educator for NASA, said Teaching is a way of shaping the young minds of today for tomorrow. Its a challenging task that you the graduation class of 1994 have chosen to make a career. I believe the challenge Dr. Dewitt was referring to was teaching the unteachable. As a 20 year old female coming out of college the challenge I was experiencing within was motivation on how t o get through to the young minds of today. The truth is, teaching was demanding back in 1994 and it still is today. No doubt the choice to become a teacher is a decision to make a significant impact on the future and no career is simply easy or has no problems. But in 1994 I lacked the energy and the conviction that was needed to make a difference in the classrooms. INTERVIEW RESULTS: INTRINSIC, ALTRUISTIC, EXTRINSIC REWARDS A total of 102 questionnaires of the 200 distributed were returned completed. After reviewing the 102 questionnaires: 15 of the sample were male teachers, and 75 were female teachers. Twelve were students at both University of Illinois in Chicago and DePaul University in Chicago. Five are studying Curriculum Arts subjects (such as English and History majors), and 7 are studying Curriculum Science subjects (such as Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics majors). My results from that questionnaire will be classified into three categories, namely: (1) intrinsic, (2) extrinsic, and (3) altruistic. Intrinsic reasons dwells on the enjoyment of teaching and the school environment. Extrinsic reasons include the motivation behind ones liking teaching such as long summer breaks and holidays. Altruistic reasons include being concerned with opportunities for making a difference in the lives of young people. The result of my questionnaire overwhelming agrees that most people motivations for pursuing a career in teaching was due to the altruistic reward. On the contrary, only 7 were motivated by extrinsic rewards. Other important factors about my questionnaire was the fact that most participates commented that teaching as a career choice is something that they were told would be enjoyable. Interestingly a good starting base salary was said by all the undergraduate students I questioned. Particularly noteworthy in my study there were a number of individuals mentioned they have a desire to work with children, a job where I will contribute to society and a job which gives me responsibility. In my research, Harms, and Knobloch (2005), states that recruitment effort for future teachers should be based on intrinsic motivation. Teachers who chose formal education as a career had intrinsic motives, while those who planned to pursue non-formal education careers had extrinsic motives. Here are some of the other responses to my questionnaire that stood out and is worth noting: Altruistic answers included: 1) The ability to contribute to the development of every child that seeks my help. 2) Promote the value of education to not only kids but to the parents as well. 3) Touch the lives of a child and become part of their success. 4) To make our world knowledgeable. 5) The kids help me keep myself learning and abreast of what is happening in the world. 6) Give direction to our lost generation. 7) Be able to leave a lasting legacy in the world is my desire. 8) Be a role model to a nation of kids. Intrinsic answers included: 1) Enhance my communication skill in and outside the classroom. 2) Develop my self-confidence that I lack. 3) Develop my decision making skills for career advancement. 3) Improve problem-solving skills for my own kids. 4) Enhance my own personal thinking skills. 5) Give myself more leadership skills. 6) Practice my creativity. Extrinsic answers included: 1) Take advantage of an educational scholarship grant. 2) To become popular in the community. 3) To take long summer vacation trips. 4) Enjoy the 2 weeks vacation Christmas break for traveling. 5) Get employed immediately. 6) Being in a union. 7) Being able to enjoy the government and non-government perks of being a teacher. On final note that is worth mentioning in this study results is that none of my participates gave mention about the governments commitment towards education or the dealings with disruptive pupils or even the media images of teachers as a factor in their choice to teach. CONCLUSION Teachers overwhelmingly say they love what they do. They say it allows them to contribute to society and help others. And they would choose teaching again as a career, if they had the choice. If a person has a genuine interest in helping children realize their dreams, and want to play a part in improving our society, then those are enough motivating factors I realize in doing my study to teach. On a personal note just because I have been taught by many teachers does not mean I knew what it would take to be a teacher. The best thing for me was to learn more about the teaching profession, by asking a teacher I knew and admire about how he or she became a teacher and why.

Bureaurcracy Pathologies Essay -- essays research papers

There are many pathologies present in the American bureaucracy and bureaucratic agencies. The major pathologies are red tape, conflict, duplication, imperialism, and waste. Each of these pathologies had at least some sort of roots in the case of the 9/11/01 terrorist attack. Had these pathologies not been prominent in the pre-9/11 bureaucratic government, it is very likely that our intelligence communities would not have failed to detect the terrorists.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first and quite possibly the most prominent pathology is known as the red tape pathology. Red tape results from all of the complex rules and procedures that must be done in order to get anything done. Although these rules and procedures are often necessary to maintain order and to keep the government running smoothly, they often hinder an agencies’ ability to carry out necessary action. Such was the case with the terrorist attack on 9/11. For example, the 9/11 Commission Report stated that the combination of an overwhelming number of priorities and an outmoded structure resulted in an insufficient response to the challenge of terrorism. Also, accessing information on specific persons posed as a problem. The procedure was very difficult, so if one wanted to investigate the background of a suspicious person, they would have to go through a lot of paperwork and permission would have to come from the government. Thus, due to red tape, agencies such as the F BI had to battle limited intelligence co...

Piagets Theory of Cognitive Development

Piaget’s background Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was actually not a psychologist at first; he dedicated his time to mollusc research. In fact, by the time he was 21 he’d already published twenty scientific papers on them! He soon moved to Paris, and got a job interviewing mental patients. Before long, he was working for Alfred Binet, and refining Burt’s reasoning test. During his time working at Binet’s lab, he studied the way that children reasoned. After two years of working with children, Piaget finally realised what he wanted to investigate – children’s development!He noticed that children of a younger aged answered questions qualitatively different than those of an older age. This suggested to him that younger children were not less knowledgeable, but gave different answers because they thought differently. He spent over 10 years perfecting his theory, and it is widely acknowledged as one of the most valuable developmental theories – e specially of it’s time. It’s no lie that there are many new, possibly more valid theories now, but Piaget’s theory has had a lot of influence on schools, teaching and education all over the world.So, let’s begin exploring Piaget’s theory, the key concepts and the stages. Theories of cognitive development: Jean Piaget. September 5, 2010 at 4:00 pm 49 comments Our first years of life are an incredible, but dangerous journey. Thousands of sperm died trying to make us, and only one made it. From our journey as an embryo to a foetus – the size of a single cell to a fully sized baby – we develop more than we will our entire lives. From birth until we’re a few years old, our development is still incredibly rapid; we have so much to learn in such little time!It is advantageous to learn quickly, that way we’re more likely to survive in the cruel, unforgiving world. Piaget’s background Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was actually n ot a psychologist at first; he dedicated his time to mollusc research. In fact, by the time he was 21 he’d already published twenty scientific papers on them! He soon moved to Paris, and got a job interviewing mental patients. Before long, he was working for Alfred Binet, and refining Burt’s reasoning test. During his time working at Binet’s lab, he studied the way that children reasoned.After two years of working with children, Piaget finally realised what he wanted to investigate – children’s development! He noticed that children of a younger aged answered questions qualitatively different than those of an older age. This suggested to him that younger children were not less knowledgeable, but gave different answers because they thought differently. He spent over 10 years perfecting his theory, and it is widely acknowledged as one of the most valuable developmental theories – especially of it’s time.It’s no lie that there are many new, possibly more valid theories now, but Piaget’s theory has had a lot of influence on schools, teaching and education all over the world. So, let’s begin exploring Piaget’s theory, the key concepts and the stages. Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. Background: Piaget’s theory is based on stages, whereby each stage represents a qualitatively different type of thinking. Children in stage one cannot think the same as children in stage 2, 3 or 4 etc. Transitions from one stage to another are generally very fast, and the stages always follow an invariant sequence.Another important characteristic of his stage theory is that they are universal; the stages will work for everyone in the world regardless of their differences (except their age, of course, which is what the stages are based on! ) Piaget acknowledged that there is an interaction between a child and the environment, and this is a focal point for his theory. He believed a chil d cannot learn unless they are constantly interacting with their environment, making mistakes and then learning from them. He defined children as â€Å"lone scientists†; he did not identify any need for teachers or adults in cognitive development.Children have all the cognitive mechanisms to learn on their own, and the interaction with their environment allows them to do so. To put this in perspective, another theory by Lev Vygotsky suggested that the interaction is not important at all; the child will learn when encouraged to with an adult’s assistance. The Key Concepts of Piaget’s theory: Before explaining the main part of Piaget’s theory (the four stages), it’s very important to look at some of the underlying principles behind it. †¢Schema (pl.Schemata, although some say â€Å"Schemas† for the plural) Possibly one of the most important concepts put forward by Piaget, Schemata help individuals understand the world they inhabit. They a re cognitive structures that represent a certain aspect of the world, and can be seen as categories which have certain pre-conceived ideas in them. For example, my schema for Christmas includes: Christmas trees, presents, giving, money, green, red, gold, winter, Santa Claus etc. Someone else may have an entirely different schema, such as Jesus, birth, Church, holiday, Christianity etc.Of course, there are schemata for all kinds of things – yourself (self schemata), other people (people schemata), events/situations (event schemata) and roles/occupations (role schemata). With regards to Piaget’s theory, a child might have a pre-conceived schema for a dog. If the household has a small West Highland White Terrier as a dog, the schema might be â€Å"small, furry, four legs, white†. When the child interacts with a new dog – perhaps a Labrador, it will change to incorporate the new information, such as â€Å"big, golden, smooth etc. † This is known as: â € ¢AssimilationSimply the process of incorporating new information into a pre-existing schema. So with the â€Å"dog† example, the child assimilated the Labrador’s information into the old dog schema. Assimilation is essentially fitting new information into schemata we already have in place. Unfortunately, this can lead to stereotyping. For example, if an old lady sees a teenager mug another person, she might assimilate â€Å"violence† or â€Å"crime† into her teenage schema. Next time she sees a teenager, her schema will be applied to them – and although they may be a kind person, she will probably show prejudice.Assimilation is normally a simple process, as new information already fits the pre-exisiting categories. †¢Accommodation When coming across a new object for the first time, a child will attempt to apply an old schema to the object. For consistency, let’s use the dog example again. The child may have â€Å"four legs, furryâ €  in their dog schema. When coming across another similar animal, such as a cat, they might say â€Å"Look, a dog! † – that’s assimilation. However, when told that it’s actually a cat – not a dog – they will accommodate the new information into another schema.They will now form a â€Å"cat† schema; â€Å"not all four legged furry animals are dogs – some are cats too! †. They have accommodated the new information. The process just mentioned – of assimilation then accommodation is known as – †¢Adaptation Assimilation and accommodation are the two parts of adaptation – which is simply what it says – adapting our schemata to make an accurate (enough) model of the world we live in. It is a form of learning, but an entirely different form to the kind you’d see in behaviourist psychology for example (such as operant/classical conditioning). †¢EquilibriumPiaget suggested that huma ns naturally strive to achieve a cognitive balance; there must be a balance between applying prior knowledge (assimilation) and changing schemata to account for new information (accommodation). Piaget suggested that when a child has a schema which doesn’t fit reality, there is tension in the mind. By balancing the use of assimilation and accommodation, this tension is reduced and we can proceed to higher levels of thought and learning (equilibration). The following stages form the bulk of Piaget’s theory: STAGE ONE: The Sensorimotor stage Occurs from birth to approx. years old. During this stage, information is received through all the senses. The child tries to make sense of the world during this stage, and as the name suggests, only senses and motor abilities are used to do so. The child utilizes innate behaviours to enhance this learning process, such as sucking, looking, grasping, crying and listening. To make this even more complex, there are 6 sub-stages of this one stage. To begin, the child uses only reflexes and innate behaviour. Towards the end of this stage, the child uses a range of complex sensorimotor skills. The sub-stages are as follows: 1.Reflexes (0-1 month): The child uses only innate reflexes. For example, if a nipple or dummy is put into a baby’s mouth, they will reflexively suck on it. If an object is placed in their palm, the hand will automatically grab it. These reflexes have the sole function of keeping the child alive. 2. Primary Circular Actions (1-4 months): The child now has a fixation with it’s own body with regards to behaviour(what Piaget refers to as primary behaviour); they will perform actions repeatedly on themselves (like sucking their own hand). They also begin to refine reflexes here to form more complex versions of them. 3.Secondary Circular Reactions (4-8 months): At around 4 months, the child begins to take an interest in their environment (their behaviour is secondary). They notice that th ey can actually influence events in their world, for example they can drop a teddy which bashes a ball on the floor. Although this occurs, the infant will not make conscious connections between what they do and the consequences, they merely observe that their actions have interesting effects. 4. Co-ordination of Secondary Circular Reactions (8-12 months): At this point, the child begins to engage in goal-directed behaviour; they begin to develop cause-effect relationships.So rather than crawl over to a teddy in a cart to pick it up, they might instead pull the cart over with the teddy in to acquire it. The child effectively knows that their behaviour will have a certain consequence. At this stage, object permanence is acquired – but I will explain this after these sub-stages. 5. Tertiary Circular Reactions (12-18 months): At this stage, children like to use creativity and flexibility with their previous behaviours, and the result of their experimentation often leads to differ ent outcomes.So rather than grabbing a box, they might instead try to tilt or manipulate it. 6. Symbolic/Mental Representation (18-24 months): At this stage, the child develops symbolic thought and the ability to mentally represent objects in their head. Normally, the child would need to resort to trial-and-error to achieve a desired effect. Now, however, the child can ‘plan’ to some extent and mentally construct the consequences of an action in their head. Of course, predictions are not always accurate, but it is a step up from trial-and-error.There are two key examples of mental representation in children: object permanence and deferred imitation. Object permanence is when objects exist even when out of sight. In the first three sub-stages, children will not attempt to search for an object which is hidden from their view; in their mind, the object simply ceases to exist as they cannot see it. At sub-stage four, however, they show this characteristic of object permanen ce. If an object is hidden from them, they will attempt to find it, but will repeatedly look in the same place – even if the object is moved (the so called â€Å"A-not-B error†).However, by sub-stage 6, the child is able to mentally represent the object in their mind, leading to exploration for an object even if it is moved. They will continue to look for an object until they find it, as they understand objects exist regardless of where they are. Deferred imitation is simply the imitation of behaviour a child has seen before. As a child can mentally represent behaviour they have seen, they are able to enact it through playing and in other situations. So a child might ‘talk’ down a toy telephone or ‘steer’ a toy car around the room.STAGE TWO: The Pre-operational Stage Occurs from 2-7 years of age. The mental representation of the sensorimotor stage provides a smooth transition to semiotic functioning in the pre-operational stage. This essential ly means that a child can use one object to represent another (symbolically). For example, a child swinging their arms in a circular motion might represent the wheels on a train, or sticking their arms out and running might symbolise the movement of an aeroplane. This shows the relationships children can form between language, actions and objects at this stage.A major characteristic of this stage is egocentrism: perception of the world in relation to oneself only. Children struggle to perceive situations from another point of view or perspective, as shown by Piaget and Inhelder’s Three Mountains Task (1956). In this study, children were asked what can be perceived from certain positions on a 3D model. See the diagram below for a clearer idea. Piaget and Inhelder: Three Mountains Task (1956)†] [1 The child would have been asked, â€Å"What view does Piaget have? †. In the actual study though, they were shown around 8 cards of possible viewpoints rather than the th ree above.As you can imagine, the children struggled to decentralise and pick the correct picture. Another feature of this stage is conservation. Children struggle to understand the difference in quantity and measurements in different situations. For example, suppose a child is shown a short, fat beaker full of water. When that water is transferred entirely to a tall, thin beaker – we would know the level of water is identical – only the beaker has changed. However, a child in this stage will conclude there is more water in the tall beaker, just because the level of water looks higher.Children in this stage also lack the required cognition to apply reversibility to situations; they cannot imagine objects or numbers reversed to their previous form. This will be explored in the next stage (where reversibility IS present). When a child has the ability to decenter, they are said to progress to the next stage STAGE THREE: The Concrete Operational Stage Occurs from 7-11 year s of age. This stage sees another shift in children’s cognitive thinking. It is aptly named â€Å"concrete† because children struggle to apply concepts to anything which cannot physically be manipulated or seen.Nevertheless, the child continues to improve their conservation skills, and by the age of 11 they can conserve numbers, weight and volume (acquired in that order). The child can also understand principles of †class inclusion†; perspective tasks become much easier, and children begin to understand that other people actually have different views to themselves. Simple maths, such as addition/subtraction become much easier. However, as this stage is concrete, Piaget suggests children will struggle to apply any prior knowledge to abstract situations.For example, when asked seriation tasks such as â€Å"John is taller than Pete. John is shorter than Simon. Who is tallest? † , concrete children often fail to provide a correct answer as the situation is too abstract. However, when dolls are used to represent Pete, Simon and John, the children are able to answer – as the situation is bought back to a concrete one with physical representations. STAGE FOUR: The Formal Operational Stage. Occurs from age 11 onwards. Children at this stage acquire the ability to think hypothetically and â€Å"outside the box†.Logical conclusions can be inferred from verbal information, and â€Å"concrete†, physical objects are no longer necessary. When presented with a problem, children at this stage can consider solutions to the problem in a logical manner. The child becomes increasingly â€Å"adult-like† with regards to their cognitive abilities. Scientific reasoning is apparent in this stage, and is indicated by Piaget and Inhelder’s Pendulum Task (1958). When asked to determine the effect different weights and rope length have on the speed of a swinging pendulum, formal operational children came to consistent and logical conclusions.