Cultural knowledge

Cultural knowledge is of great importance for contemporary society, because in the global world it is necessary to set friendly relations and working contacts with all the cultures and countries. A potential classmate for me is Chinese student, because Chinese culture is significantly different from others and I would be able to learn new things, ideas, core beliefs from Chinese student.I know that Chinese culture is one of the oldest in the world and, therefore, it is really worth examining and studying. It would be interesting to know more about Chinese family values and belief, communication peculiarities, about economic and political objectives of the country as well as about their leisure time.Thus, Chinese student would certainly help me in expanding my cultural knowledge. Chinese people are outwardly restrained, because they are influenced by Confucius' philosophical thinking and thus they are more reserved in verbal and nonverbal communication.Emotional gestures and body lang uage is less expressive as compared with Cuba or Brasilia, for example. As for me, I am very communicative person and it is interesting for me get acquainted with completely different behavior.I know that there are peculiar values in Chinese culture and I think we should pay special attention and, maybe, even to adopt them. For example, family is considered the basis of Chinese culture, especially extended families, when several generations are living together in one house.The elder generation is respected for their wisdom and usually they are provided with good pensions compared with that in other countries. It is important to know that Chinese family members tend to work as a team living under one roof as it is mentioned above.The family welfare is contributed by every family member, either young or elder. I understand that we should follow Chinese in certain traditions, customs. Â  So, I would be provided with an opportunity to adopt some Chinese values as well as to share my cu lture and my knowledge with Chinese student. Furthermore, they are considered non-conflict people.ReferencesCountry’s Profile: China. Retrieved January 17, 2007, from http://www.cp-pc.ca/english/china/index.html

Pay for Performance Essay

Prior to the 2000s, fee-for-service systems dominated how health care providers received payment for providing care to patients. Under the fee-for-service system, physicians received payments, according to the volume of patients and the complexity of services. Two reports written by the Institute of Medicine clearly substantiated serious deficiencies in the quality of health care in the United States. The findings prompted the need to develop initiatives to pay health care workers based on quality. The following discussion defines pay-for-performance, explains the effects of reimbursement under this approach, details the impact of system cost reductions on the quality and efficiency of health care, the effects of this model on health care providers and customers, and the effect pay-for-performance will have on the future of health care. The Definition of Pay for Performance Pay for performance models reward providers, such as physicians, other health care providers, hospitals, and medical groups under contract for meeting pre-established performance measures to improve quality and efficiency in health care delivery. It is popular among policy makers and private and public payers, such as Medicare and Medicaid. The first initiative adopted by one of the nation’s largest health care plans, PacifiCare Health Systems, began paying medical groups in California bonuses for meeting or exceeding 10 clinical and service quality targets in 2003 (Meredith, Richard, Zhonghe, & Arnold, 2005). Service quality targets included five patient-reported measures of service quality, five ambulatory care quality indicators, and a set of hospital quality measures for referring patients to high-quality hospitals. The criteria in the first year required medical groups to acquire a minimum of 1000 PacifiCare Commercial and 100 Secure Horizons enrollees. Research showed the network of California medical groups, under contract to improve performance goals, outweighed the performance measure of another medical group not under contract, Pacific Northwest, for cervical cancer screening by a significance of 3.6%. Of 163 eligible physician groups, 97 (60%) received a distribution of funds from the program related to at least 1 physician group quality performance target in the first quarter of the QIP. In the last payout based on the original set of targets (April 2004), 129 of 172 (75%) groups reached at least 1 physician group quality target. (Meredith, Richard, Zhonghe, & Arnold, 2005, para. 26) Only 14 medical groups exceeded more than half of the performance targets. The pay-for-performance approach showed an inverse relationship where physician groups with lower performance improved the most whereas physician groups that previously achieved target goals improved the least. The Effects of Reimbursement under Pay for Performance The article Early Experience With Pay-For-Performance: From Concept to Practice (Meredith, Richards, Zhonghe, & Arnold, 2005) argues this approach to improving the quality of care fulfills multiple objectives. One positive impact of pay-for-performance suggests paying health care providers for meeting certain quality indicators increases performance. The authors claim low-performing health care providers improved because they viewed the landscape of health care delivery changing by the mounting pressure of payees to improve their health care systems and decided to remain in good standing. Low-performing health care providers contend they cannot achieve benchmark levels of performance because of barriers beyond their control, such as limited resources or low-socioeconomic, patient populations. A negative impact of pay-for-performance indicates high-performing health care providers meeting target levels have no incentive to improve their performance and thus offer status quo health care services to their patients. Another reason health care providers have no incentive to produce services beyond the norm indicates low rewards paid by insurance networks. â€Å"Paying for improvement fails to reward and even penalizes providers that have already achieved high levels of health care quality at the time a pay-for-performance program is initiated† (Meredith, Richards, Zhonghe, & Arnold, 2005, para. 32). For the reasons stated above, the distribution of rewards primarily goes to the group of providers with low-performing standards and increases the impact of pay-for-performance. Impact of System Cost Reductions on Quality and Efficiency of Health Care Evidence of pay-for-performance shows mixed results. One study, Premier Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration, performed by Rachel M. Werner of the University of Pennsylvania, compared the improvements in quality for hospitals paid incentives to a control group of hospitals who did not receive incentives from 2004 – 2008. The results reflected minor significance in improvement in the quality and efficiency of health care. In fact, diminishing returns occurred after the fifth year (Health Policy Brief, 2012)(See Figure 1). Other pay-for-performance initiatives, such as the Medicare Premier Hospital Quality Incentive, rolled out at the same time as Werner’s study, which analysts profess as the reason behind the improvement in quality and efficiency of health care among hospitals. Like health care providers, hospitals did not want to endure the embarrassment of presenting an image lacking in quality care. They sought to clean up their acts in anticipation of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implementing pay-for-performance measures in health care. A project conducted between 2005 and 2010, the Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration, focused on quality and cost. Researchers of Dartmouth College and the National Bureau for Economic Research analyzed doctors, who would receive bonuses for achieving lower cost growth and meeting quality targets, in 10 large physician group practices. They found improvement in the quality of care but little reduction in the growth of spending for most Medicare patients (Health Policy Brief, 2012). Effects on Health Care Providers and Customers Health care providers agree with the need to improve quality of care but have concerns with pay-for performance. It takes money to implement, maintain, and document quality measures. They reason if payees give modest payments as incentives, they cannot recoup additional administrative costs and provide quality care simultaneously. Others fear the implementation of health information technology for data collection and reporting will close the doors of their practices. The American Medical Association (AMA) believes providers should have the choice to volunteer in incentive programs, review, comment, and appeal performance data, and receive payment for participating (Health Policy Brief, 2012). Another issue health care providers have with this cost containment model lies on the premise that hospitals that care for patients from low-income backgrounds bear the burden of lower improvement scores compared to hospitals that care for patients from mid-level to high-level incomes. Lower improvement scores result from low-income patients’ lack of transportation, language barriers, and childcare among other barriers to access health care services. Limited access to care halts the prevention and treatment of chronic illnesses and increases readmission rates of patients to hospitals. As a result, hospitals incur penalties. Health care providers concerned with the impact these arrangements have on patients, oppose these programs because they think patient care will weaken at the expense of cost containment. Physicians have the power to control their pay by hand-picking the best patients to maintain or increase their performance measures. By selecting healthier patients, physicians widen the gap for racial and ethnic disparities in health care delivery. A study by Jha and colleagues of costs and quality in US hospitals found a group that consistently performed worse on both quality and cost metrics and that cares for proportionally greater numbers of elderly black and Medicaid patients than other institutions. (Health Policy Brief, 2012, para. 42) In comparison, a Yale study showed safety-net hospitals outperformed hospitals that treated less proportionate numbers of low-income patients. Effects on the Future of Health Care The implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will increase the need for pay-for-performance programs and incentives. The Affordable Care Act promises to increase the enrollment of Medicaid and Medicare patients. Health care workers will find challenges with a large generation of Baby Boomers who will need long-term care. Under the ACA health care providers’ scores will include indicators, which measure patient-centered care, family engagement, and the ability to address disparities in health care delivery. As well, under the ‘Value-Based Purchasing Incentive’ mandates of the ACA, the Centers for Medicare [and] Medicaid Services have not only proposed additional process-of-care quality and mortality outcome measures on which to base future payments but also an integration of patient experience scores, representing up to 30% of hospital incentive payments, financially penalizing those with low scores. (Liang & Mackey, 2011, p. 1427) Not only that but also hospitals will have to report efficiency measures to include Medicare spending per beneficiary. Mandates will not only require quality but also focus on reducing costs. New programs will measure the reduction of costly hospital readmissions, restrict Medicaid payments for hospital-acquired conditions, and reduce Medicare payments to hospitals with the highest rates of medical harm. Conclusion Reports and studies support evidence, which shows pay-for-performance does not improve the quality of care nor reduce the costs of health care. Researchers must find ways to improve quality of care over a substantial period, close racial and economic disparity gaps, and increase health care worker acceptance of pay-for-performance programs, and incentives, which motivate providers to produce more positive health outcomes. Developers of program incentives should use tools, which help monitor and evaluate health care outcomes aside from other factors with variations in health care markets. By collecting data, researchers can design programs that improve quality of care and reduce costs. References Health Policy Brief: Pay-for-Performance. (2012, October 11). Health Affairs. Retrieved from http://www.healthaffairs.org/healthpolicybriefs/brief.php?brief_id=78 Liang, B. A., & Mackey, T. (2011). Quality and Safety in Medical Care: What Does the Future Hold?. Archives Of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 135(11), 1425-1431. doi:10.5858/arpa.2011-0154-OA Meredith, B. R., PhD, Richard, G. F., PhD, Zhonghe, L., MA, & Arnold, M. E., MD, MA. (2005). Early experience with pay-for-performance: From concept to practice. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 294(14), 1788–1793. Retrieved from http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=201673 Shaman, H. (2008). What you need to know about pay for performance. Hfm (Healthcare Financial Management), 62(10), 92-96.

Motif of Eyes in the Great Gatsby

Taylor Hultquist Mr. Sudak English 11 18 March 2013 The motif of eyes in The Great Gatsby Eyes are the gateway to the soul, or so the old saying goes. People’s eyes can convey their feelings – their anger, excitement, or worry. Eyes can also convey subconscious emotions, revealing hidden depths that might not otherwise be apparent. In The Great Gatsby we are introduced to many characters whose eyes effectively reveal their personalities. The author explores the symbolism of eyes as Nick, the narrator, observes the lives and interactions of his friends on Long Island.One of his acquaintances, Daisy, is a flighty girl, married to a retired football player. Her husband, Tom Buchanan, embodies the classic tough-white-male aura. These two and the majority of other east coast characters are eventually seen as immoral, and the author’s portrayal of their eyes foreshadowed this development. Through a complex analysis of The Great Gatsby, one can argue that eyes are used as a motif that symbolizes the â€Å"loss of virtue in America. † Through the eyes of our narrator, James Gatsby and Tom Buchanan represent the east coast American ideal.Nick considers their wealth, social status, and confidence to be the level that he strives to attain. What he does not first understand is that these qualities ultimately lead to each man’s demise. Although Tom and Gatsby had many differences, they shared the common flaw of lost virtue. When Nick reconnects with his old friends, his first impression of Tom Buchanan is that â€Å"two shining, arrogant eyes had established dominance over [Tom’s] face† (9). In this passage we witness Fitzgerald’s reference to eyes and his characterization of them with the adjective of â€Å"arrogant. These overwhelming eyes are the first feature Nick notes, and he claims even they communicate Tom’s stuck-up attitude. Tom’s eyes make him appear to be â€Å"always leaning aggressively fo rward† (9) – clearly a negative personality trait. Virtue is defined as a quality considered morally good or desirable in a person. Referencing the quote above, one can make the inference that Tom’s character falls outside of this definition. This is a trend, which carries throughout this novel continuously with all of Nick’s ‘east coast friends. During the same evening Nick notes that Daisy’s eyes â€Å"flashed around her in a defiant way, rather like Tom’s, and she laughed with thrilling scorn† (20). This quote is juxtaposed to an unflattering insight into Daisy’s character, as Nick observes in the insincerity of her comments about sophistication and the falsity of his evening spent with her and Tom. Yet despite all this, he still acknowledges that Daisy’s character always seems to be promising â€Å"gay and exciting things† have already happened and are still yet to come.Daisy represents the wild side of h igh end New York, but we see that this lifestyle is not quite as superior as everyone believes it to be. In fact, Daisy seems to view it in quite a bittersweet manner and cries that it is not entirely satisfying. What Fitzgerald is displaying through the two figures of Tom and Daisy is that while they want for nothing, they long for everything. In order to satisfy their desires they turn to money and society, and still find these lacking. Nick moved from Midwestern America to the East Coast.Cities have historically been viewed as centers of depravity, while rural areas represent simplicity and thus a kind of innocence. Every time the characters travel between the Eggs and the city, they pass beneath a billboard containing the infamous eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg. His eyes are â€Å"blue and gigantic† with â€Å"retinas one yard high,† all rising â€Å"above the grey land and spasms of bleak dust† below (26). These eyes are witness as the characters venture to the c ity – Tom for his affair, Daisy looking for ‘fun,’ even Gatsby to meet the man who fixed the World Series.These fraudulent actions reveal the corrupted natures of characters, and in effect the corruption of people at large. The billboard’s eyes are equated to the eyes of God, eyes witnessing everything everywhere. Just as one would feel shame knowing God was watching their deceitful actions, one should feel shame being scrutinized by TJ Eckleburg. The commercialism of the billboard is additionally reflective of the increasing commercialism of America, and of its citizens growing obsession with material wealth. Tom and Daisy’s lifestyle is the epitome of this, as they solely pursue money and fun and have no interest in their moral states of being.Yet just as this couple’s lives lack true joy – as displayed through Fitzgerald’s apt descriptions of their eyes – so will anyone’s who obsessively pursues the ‘Ameri can Dream’ of endless wealth. Works Cited Dictionary. com. â€Å"Virtue. † Dictionary. com. Dictionary. com, n. d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Australia: Scribner, 1925. E-book. â€Å"The Great Gatsby; Symbols and Motifs. † Eyes of T. J. Eckleburg. Blog Spot, May 2011. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Benjamin Franklin Quotes. † LibertyQuotes. Liberty-Tree. ca, 2005. Web. 20 Mar. 2013.

Organizational Change in Policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organizational Change in Policing - Essay Example "Generally, with the expansion of complexities in the societal life, the public has gradually abdicated its role in peacekeeping and law enforcement and increasingly expected police to take on these responsibilities, which were once a citizen's civic duty (JOHN HOWARD SOCIETY)ii". Again, "Law enforcement agencies are in an era of change. The needs of communities and constituencies, rapid technological growth and enhancements, and the changing capabilities and structures of law enforcement organizations demand that agencies regularly examine and improve their ways of operation (Sewell, 2002)iii". that there is no needs of organizational changes while others advocate the sheer necessity of it. It is commendable that a particular system working once well may not be the same at the subsequent period. Thus, the organizational structure fit for a particular time may not suit the changed circumstances. Again, the overall situation is becoming more complex with the changing circumstances as including the rigid organizational structure. Complexities in the police organizations impede the well functioning in it. "A 1983 study that a surprise number of police officers have begun to voice strong objections to the rigid organizational structure and autocratic style management styles that typifies so much of law enforcement (Tafoya)iv". Manifold crimes, such as cyber crimes, cross-border crimes etc. are taking place. Commendably, the traditional method of policing cannot properly address the challenges of the present context. The existing mechanism of policing does not serve the purpose of making the police responsive to the public demand. The system also not contributes to create innovation among the officers, which is necessary for earning perfection in the profession. Again, the philosophical difference among the officers is another impediment in implementing better policing. Earlier, the law administrators and the officers were accustomed to the concept of coercion in the law enforcement activities while the law enforcement officers entering in the recent days do not comply with the rigorous principle of order or command. So, a conflict arises between the law enforcement personnel as well as the law administrators causing maladjustment in preserving the discipline among the officers. However, for the better sake of people, in curbing these crimes traditional mechanism of crime prevention in most countries has not been changed. Thus, organizational change has mostly been expected in the modern policing. Of course, there are certain consequences of organizational changes. The consequences may be that the current societal expectation does not suit with the changes. Thus, the society would be pressed with anarchy and injustices. Organizational changes are sure to affect both the organization and the members of it. However, the policies and strategies in the policing of the coming days warrant changes for radically experiencing

IT Project Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

IT Project Management - Assignment Example More often than not, Variation in any of the constraints results into a corresponding variation of other constraints. In the case illustrated here, a number of aspects which help in project decision-making are illustrated based on factual information (Clifford, 2003; Vinter, 2006). The information provided for this project is as follows. From the chart, the scheduled variance and the cost variance are recorded. Taking into consideration the example outlined in fig. 3 below, a deeper understanding of the derived chart (fig. 1) is developed with respect to scheduled variance and the cost variance. The graph indicates that the project is not only behind schedule but it is also under-budgeted. The presentations are based on the earlier calculations and are a representation of the project’s technical performance i.e. the project in progress, begun faster than anticipated, but was later slowed down and fell behind its schedule. This chart illustrates the schedule performance aspect of EVM. Additionally, it is also found that the project was actually under-budgeted for in relation to the amount of work completed, since initiation of the project. Based on the calculations obtained, the project is behind schedule and also under-budgeted for. Although, the project is behind schedule, its performance is still relatively good (93.3%) and as indicated, the delay is bound to be very slight. The calculation anticipates that the project will take 12.86 months against the projected12 months, which is a relatively small delay. This is variance of only 0.86 months, which is less of a month. Despite the project schedule delay, it will be accomplished within the projected budget project ($446,429). Based on this information, there is absolutely no reason for changes to be made or additional assistance sought. The project manager may however wish to communicate

Conflict Scenario PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Conflict Scenario - PowerPoint Presentation Example The template given to the receptionist by the doctor could be a standard template but the template given by the scheduler may not be the standard one and so the scheduler gave a patient an appointment that does not exist. This led to confusion even to the doctor. The scheduler could have reduced the whole chaos if her personal attitude would have notcome her way when discussing with the receptionist. Due her attitude she disliked to talk to the receptionist and about the issue to resolve and instead she left a blind eye on the issue, which led to all the problems. Due to this unacceptable attitude towards work by the scheduler the issue could not have escalated and could have been subsided. Typically, entry-level nursing education programs provide some basic exposure to general and basic breast cancer nursing, but little direct experience in patient care and scheduling process should be offered. Academic programs in patient care nursing are generally restricted to graduate advanced practice programs for clinical nurse specialists or nurse practitioners. The perception of understanding has a great deal to do with communication and managerial effectiveness. Since outstanding management presumes that one can influence people to be communicative, an objective analysis of your influencing capacities and the way other people see it is crucial. One way to get this kind of necessary feedback is to take an interactive and intense program to help accomplish a critical self-assessment. Examine interpersonal intangibles in that setting. Experiment with and examine the present interactive style and refine and improve it - in response to the straightforward and frank feedback that you receive. Arrange, somehow, if possible, to get out of the daily work situation into a relaxed, informal setting with a small group of other staff and executives. Talk to each other. Discover ways in which ones behavior and attitudes affect others. Put oneself in the capable hands of a qualified professional trainer. Cover this in training seminar such things as listening, communicating, leading, handling frustration and anger, asserting yourself, facing pressures, relating to colleagues, personal openness, handling stress, perceiving, respecting other people's feelings, selling your ideas to other people, and giving and receiving constructive critici sm. After getting to know each other quite well, formally and informally, near the end of the program have a major feedback session. Then the group discusses: whether or not, based on what they have got to know about you at that point, they would want you as a colleague and why or why not. Flexibility The increasing complexity of pediatric critical care has required a corresponding evolution in the sophistication of pediatric critical care nursing (PCCN). The role of the nurse in this setting is multifaceted. First, the nurse serves as a form of total systems monitor-continually examining all the physiologic monitors and treatment devices, along with the child's body. This requires the acquisition of peripheral vision. A skilful doctor learns to adjust settings on critical care equipment so it can serve as an extension of his or her own sensory system. The nurse has to perform routine maintenance activities (e.g., medication preparation, blood procurement) while

Psychological influences on health and wellbeing Case Study

Psychological influences on health and wellbeing - Case Study Example Anna’s late biological development, in her puberty, is another biological factor to her condition. Delayed development in her body induced a sense of inferiority complex and developed a social barrier between her peer and her. Poor interpersonal potentials, low self-steem, and inferiority complex are however social factors to her condition. She was not able to relate with her peer at school, had a poor self-opinion about her, and these caused a social gap that induced the condition. One of the effects of Anna’s cognitions of her state during high school was acceptance and ownership of the problem. In identifying anxiety with her uncle, other relatives, and her sister, Anna perceived it as a normal thing, at least within her family, and this could have reduced her efforts in dealing with the problem. When she identified anxiety and alcoholism in her uncle that led to his mobility across jobs, Anna perceived fault in her uncle’s drug problem and not the anxiety problem, an indicator that she overlooked associated problems with anxiety because of the condition’s existence in her family. Recognizing that she was cognitively and physically fine is another factor that contributed to her problem at early adulthood by limiting her from external help. This is because she believed that based on her cognitive potentials into outstanding academic performance and active engagement in physical activities; she could solve the anxiety problem on her own. Anna’s decision to be excluded from physical education identifies one of the interactions between her emotions and her lifestyle. Feelings of inferiority complex from which she identified herself as awkward and unskilled influenced her decision to seek her parents’ intervention so that she could not participate in physical education, and hence physical activities. Anna also led a quite lifestyle in school, especially in class, and her emotions caused this. Based on her delayed physiological

Quastions ch 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quastions ch 1 - Essay Example Companies engage in international business as a measure of accessing new markets for its unique products, access  economies of scale, spread R&D costs, and access to higher profits owing to some benefits of operating in the international market including low production cost, low competition, and fiscal & export incentives. The growth of international business has accelerated due to economic liberalization in tariff structure and regulation owing to the actions of WTO allowing firms to set base internationally and still make profits without being affected tariffs and regulations. The other reason acceleration of international business is breakthroughs in technology in terms of manufacturing, communication, and information, transportation technologies making the world a global village. The result has been ability for mass production, reduction in transport costs, and a reduction in significance of distance as a factor in determining the country of operations. International economic integration, WTO & GATT, and movement to free market systems are other reasons that have facilitated the acceleration of international business growth (Herrmann, May 2012). The future of globalization is that of the continued increase especially in education sector through global outreach of universities, and student flows, migration of people and systems for global food production. With increased interconnectedness, globalization will continue at a fast rate leading to the exchange of ideas, goods, jobs, and money. Augmented globalization in the future will result in easier access of information, increased volatility, and economic uncertainty. The criticisms of globalization include that it has led to the devastation of the environment, unequal development of countries with the developed countries having a better advantage over developing

Similarities and Differences in Mitosis and Meiosis Essay

Similarities and Differences in Mitosis and Meiosis - Essay Example Mitosis comprises of standard steps of Interphase, Prophase, Prometaphase, Anaphase and Telophase. Interphase is the process where cell prepares material for cell division. In this phase chromosomes are unseen, but chromatin granules are seen clearly.(Lehninger, 2008) In the Prophase in mitosis, four chromatids combine to form a pair of chromosomes which are joined by a centromere. Comparatively in Meiosis Prophase I, four chromosomes instead of chromatids combine to form two tetrads. The chromosomes in the tetrad cross over each other, allowing them to exchange genetic material. In the Metaphase in Mitosis, the two chromosomes line up in the center and split up into four chromatids which move to both of the poles. In Parallel, in meiosis, the two tetrads line up in the center and split up into four chromosomes which go to both poles. In the Telophase, all the material that has migrated to the poles gets enclosed by the nuclear envelope in Mitosis as well as meiosis. Mitosis is compl eted at this stage. Meiosis then proceeds to Meiosis II which is identical to mitosis. DNA replication is skipped in interphase and the cells proceed to divide exactly by the mechanism of mitosis. Thus mitosis involves a single nuclear division which gives rise to two identical daughter nuclei. Meiosis on the other hand involves two successive nuclear divisions and hence one diploid cell gives rise to four haploid cells. Consequently for mitosis to occur, the mother cell can be either haploid or diploid. However for meiosis to occur the mother cell has to be necessary diploid so that the chromosome number can be halved. Mitosis generally occurs in all somatic cells of the body whereas meiosis occurs only in the sex cells in the body. The number of chromosomes per nucleus remains the same after division i.e n remains n and same applies for 2n. The meiotic products contain a haploid (n) number of chromosomes, in contrast to the 2n mother cell. Mitosis is preceded by an S-phase in which the amount of DNA is duplicated. Only meiosis I is preceded by an S-phase. (Radboud University, 2003) Meiosis II proceeds without a pre S phase. Homologous chromosomes remain independent in mitosi s. On the other hand complete

The Era of Renaissance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Era of Renaissance - Essay Example The spiritual content of painting changed where subjects from Roman history and mythology were borrowed. Devotional art of Christian orientation became classically humanized. The classical artistic principles, sensible expressions including harmonious parts as well as logical postures of Greek and Roman Artistry were adopted by Italian artist during this period. The rebirth of art in Italy was associated with the rediscovery of ancient philosophy, literature, and science and the growth of practical methods of study in these fields, consequentially the subject matter relative to Greek and Roman history and mythology is usually injected as the core theme of almost all artistic masterpieces at this time. Art became respected as a means for religious and social teaching, and a form of personal, visual expression. Both Italian renaissance and classic antiquity utilized human form as their subject but the prevalence of vibrant color and boldness was more depicted in the Italian renaissance art. Although much of the influence at this time was borrowed from the classic antiquities, what sets this era apart is the uniqueness brought about from blending the old and the new concepts. While it is true that the artistic talents of the Italian painters were made possible through the influences of many Greek artist who fled to Florence to seek refuge after the downfall of Constantinople, the improvements and modern touch of art depicted in most masterpieces during this time was mostly because of the imaginative perspectives of the artist honed and further developed through the newly acquired contemporary ideas and skills from Greek and Romans (Hunt. pg. 507). Where as the classical antiquity was confined to walls of catacombs, the Italian renaissance art were revered by many in many great cathedral ceilings, and although depicting heavenly subjects, realistic stories were conveyed even including the characteristic improvement of human form which the Greeks did not have in the ir style. The distinction and improvement of the depiction of the human form in the classic antiquity and Italian renaissance art is also quiet evident in the manner with which the Italian sculptures utilizes the S shape curve which is a characteristic feature where figures are described as emotionally restrained, graceful, elongated with delicate features. Sculpture further developed with the increasing accuracy of the human body. Idealized figures with the classic tradition of heroic nudity are commonly depicted (Hunt. pg.513). In the aspect of educational system, books and paintings contained many of the same stylistic qualities where manuscripts grew in demand as a form of social standard for those few literate where illustration figures are shown also in the S-shaped curve and are usually elongated with the modeling of garments to show volume (Hunt. pg.509). Where as printing is the new form of keeping annals of history as suppose to the old norms of classic antiquities which requires several scribed to hand write the pertinent information, both Greece and Italy were similar in the sense that there is an immense need to improve intellect during this time. They differ in the sense that while it takes time to handwrite the information this requiring more time to transmit information, this is greatly improve with the introduction of paper and

Article Rebuttal Essay Example for Free

Article Rebuttal Essay For the past 17 months, shown on every television news channel across the United States. The case of George Zimmerman, and the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Like every year, the media will take a case and publicly turn the story into a circus. The rebuttal article for this paper is a story written by Oliver Knox of Yahoo.com titled, Obama: Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago. Further discussion will analyze the reliability, credibility, and validity of the data used by Oliver Knox, and identify any logical fallacies in the argument. The article is about President Barack Obama making his first public comments on the George Zimmerman acquittal. The president stated that many African Americans believe the outcome and aftermath of the trial would have been different if Trayvon Martin had been white. The president later stated that when he first heard about this story, his thoughts said this could have been his son (Obama, 2013). Then getting more personal by saying this could have been me 35 years ago (Obama, 2013). By using personal experiences, the president discussed his life as a young African American dealing with racism in the United States. I find that the reliability, credibility, and validity of this article and author Oliver Knox highly trusted, convincing, and believable. News articles written and posted by Yahoo.com reports a straightforward message to their audience. Reporting stories down the middle, never too left or right with the occasional bias author either for or against a particular topic. Keeping political views down to a minimal. This particular article matches other similar articles written on the same news story. Second, Oliver Knox wrote the story on the statements and words of the president as he addresses the American public. Third, the genuine author of this story is President Barack Obama himself, Oliver Knox just wrote his statement. The audience that the president focused on in his address is the African American people. Using his own personal experiences, the president can relate to the ongoing outrage of the African American  public. President Obama feels the pain and disappointments of the outcome of the case. Because of this story first came out 17 months ago, many logical fallacies surfaced about this case. First, the media leaned toward a killing of an innocent young 17-year-old boy, minding his own business. Then showing a photo of this boy at the age of 12. Then here comes George Zimmerman, looking for trouble and looking for a fight by picking on a young African American boy. Would the story stay the same if George Zimmerman was African American with the same outcome, the public will never know what happened that night. Meanwhile, the story set the tone for future stories about this case. Raising the question about race possess anything to do with the incident between George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. The logical fallacies of this article happened when President Obama expressed his concerns and personal experiences with the American people. This incident could easily be him 35 years ago as a young person dealing with racism in America. Concern that African Americans think that this case developed on race. A belief in the legal system would have a different outcome if Trayvon were white. Even after juror number B37 came out stating that race had no issue to the outcome of the case. Both the jury and legal experts stated that Zimmerman and Trayvon made poor judgment the night, which led to the death of Trayvon. Statements by the jury referring the only reason for Zimmermans acquittal because the way the stand your ground law is written. This article also provided some good highlighted points. The president encouraged his audience to support and encourage the young people of this country by helping them achieve and succeed in life. To be more influential and guide them on the right track. If the young people do not have the support from family, friends, neighbors, and the community, who will help them stay on the righteous path (Obama, 2013). This news article written by Oliver Knox and other journalists in this country, reporting the feelings and concerns addressed by this nations leader. Stating the issue of racism still lives in the lives of some American people. Relating to his own personal feelings on racism and demanding change to overcome these barriers. So the people, as a nation will never see another George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin case again. References Knox, O. (2013). Obama: Trayvon Martin ‘could have been me 35 years ago’. Yahoo New.com. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/-obamatrayvon-martin-%E2%80%98could-have-been-me-35-years-ago%E2%80%99180734663.html Millstone, K. (2013). Obama: Trayvon Martin could have been me. MSN News. Retrieved from http://news.msn.com/us/obama-trayvon-martin-could-have-been-me

Dave Brubeck Essay Example for Free

Dave Brubeck Essay The late Dave Brubeck left behind a legacy as a jazz pianist, composer, bandleader, husband, and father. He wrote everything that ranged from opera and ballet, to a contemporary mass. Brubeck was well known for experimenting with time signatures unusual to the traditional jazz sound. The uneven meters, along with the incorporation of all kinds of different rhythms in his music, is how he captivated the attention of younger listeners. The significance of Brubeck in the history of jazz is unambiguous. The Dave Brubeck Quartet helped spark an obscure interest in Jazz after World War II, and was a fundamental part of the â€Å"West Coast Cool Jazz† style of music that jazz in the fifties and sixties would be known for. David Warren Brubeck, born on December 6, 1920 in Concord, California, â€Å"was one of Jazz’s first pop stars. †(Brown) In his younger years, his mother Elizabeth played an immense role in the conditioning of his music career. His two older brothers were musicians and Brubeck himself would eventually be playing at weekend dances by the age of fourteen. His schedule was from nine at night to as late as four in the morning. The strenuousness of it caused him to find playing unappealing, and he pursued his dream of being a rancher. His family had moved to a ranch in Ione, California when he was eleven, so he knew how things on the ranch worked. By the time he was eighteen, though reluctant to leave, he attended The College of Pacific in Stockton, California with the intent to study to become a veterinarian and return to the ranch. After only a year, he decided to change his major to music. While in still enrolled in college he, along with a man by the name of Darius Milhaud, whom Brubeck’s first son would eventually be named after, led a twelve piece band. By 1942, he met his wife Iola Whitlock and graduated that year with a degree in music. Immediately following, he enlisted in the Army. In 1944, Brubeck was sent to Europe, however, he never actually fought, but played for troops because of his musical aptness. â€Å"He traveled to the front lines, but armed with a piano instead of a weapon. †(Taylor) By the time he was twenty five years old Dave Brubeck was finished serving in the Army and went back to school, this time attending Mills College on a G. I Bill Scholarship where he reconnected with Milhaud. The two founded the experimental Jazz Workshop Ensemble, and in 1949 it would record as the Dave Brubeck Octet. This was a crucial start to his music career. Later on in the year of 1949 The Dave Brubeck Trio was organized with band members Ron Crotty and Cal Tjader. The trio came to an end before it began due to a neck injury that ended the career of Brubeck for at least six months. Brubeck returned to playing in 1951 with the creation of The Dave Brubeck Quartet. The quartet was comprised of Joe Morello, Paul Desmond (whom Brubeck met while in the Army), and Gene Wright. By 1952 it was categorized as one of Jazz’s greatest combinations. They signed with Fantasy Records in 1953 and released their first album, Jazz at Oberlin. The following year, David Brubeck was featured on the cover of Time magazine. He was only the second jazz artist to be on the cover. The quartet later signed with Columbia Records and began the experimentation with time signatures. The result was the album Time Out. The Dave Brubeck Quartet disbanded in 1967 and only regrouped once in 1976 for the twenty fifth anniversary. Though the quartet came to an end, Brubeck’s career did not. After the breakup of the quartet, Brubeck spent much of his time with his wife, and five children. He did however stick with music. He went on to write at least an oratorio, four cantatas, a contemporary mass, and two ballets. That only lasted a year because in 1968 he created another quartet with Gerry Mulligan and his sons. The late seventies arrived and he was still composing, touring, and performing. In the year 1999, he was named a â€Å"Jazz Master† by the National Endowment for the Arts. Ten years later, he received a Kennedy Center Honor for his contributions to the American Culture. Also in 2009, his son Michael passed away and many health problems began to arise. Brubeck underwent heart surgery in 2010 at the age of ninety but was up and performing again a month later. On Wednesday, December 5th 2012, David Warren Brubeck died. He passed on, one day before his ninety second birthday. The Jazz Legend may be gone, but he left behind four sons, a daughter, his wife, ten grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and music that will outlive everyone.

Causes of Poverty in Mauritius

Causes of Poverty in Mauritius Over the past two decades, Mauritius has continuously experienced considerable improvements in both social and economic levels. Mauritius is ranked as an upper middle income country since 2003, with a GDP per capita of $4000. Substantial improvement in life expectancy and literacy, Mauritius has shifted from medium to a high human development country during same period. This is evidenced by the latest UN Human Development Indices: Mauritius is ranked 81 (182 countries) in 2007, with an HDI value of 0.804. Challenge Despite these considerable improvements, poverty does exist in Mauritius. Rapid modernization and industrialization has lead to income inequality in the population, leading to an increase in number of pockets of poverty. This is a common phenomenon experienced by most developing countries. Governments or organizations have to reconsider their policies to decrease the level of income inequality in order to eradicate the problem of poverty. Meeting the challenge In Mauritius, government has implemented several social welfare programmes to bridge the gap between poor and non-poor. This include the distribution of social aid to needy people, subsidies on basic food item, ZEP programme in schools to enhance level of education, micro-financing to small and medium enterprises, female empowerment in labor market . In the 2008/09 National Budget, the Government provided Rs 395 million for the setting up of the of the Eradication of Absolute Poverty (EAP) Programme, an integrated development project which targets the households in the 229 pockets of poverty. In 2009, the Government has set up the National Empowerment Fund as an institutional framework to strengthen the role of various policy programmes such as the Empowerment Programme, EAP, Decentralised Cooperation Programme (DCP), etc. Despite the government policies, reforms and actions, poverty is still persistent in Mauritius. Poverty perceptions Poverty is a complex issue and multifaceted. This has always been of concern for everybody. Many studies and policy programmes have been put forward to assess poverty situation in the country and also to target the poor. It is worth noting that the proportion of people living below $1.25 per day, international poverty line, is almost negligible in the country. In contrast, past studies have shown that there are people living in severe poverty. The Relative Development Index for administrative regions, Municipal Wards and Village Council Areas (Central Statistics Office, 2000) identified the least developed regions in the country. The Trust Fund of Social Integration for Vulnerable Groups (set up in 2001) identified 229 pockets of poverty. The qualitative study conducted by DCP pointed out that there were people struggling for basic food. As a matter concern poverty has even been linked to a particular ethnic group that is, poverty perceived as malaise creole. These perceptions of poverty are evidence that people show their concern and this concern has accentuated the need for good measurement. Objective of study The complexity and sensitivity of poverty has accentuated the interest of people in targeting the poor and assessing poverty. Debates, focus group discussions and studies regarding poverty alleviation are still going on. Researchers are looking for new measurement and approaches to assess poverty in the country. Policy makers are looking for high quality inputs to formulate targeted strategies and programmes. In light of this, this study aims at identifying the determinants of poverty which are very crucial for policy analysis and the design of effective poverty reduction strategies. Given poverty is a multi-dimensional and cut across various factors, it is of paramount importance to know the factors increasing the likelihood of being poor. So far, there has been no poverty study on the determinants of poverty; most of the studies have mostly dwelled on the profiles of the poor and non-poor based on descriptive statistics. So, this study provides the opportunity to identify the determinants of poverty of the poorest poor using rigorous econometric models. The study also provides the opportunity to study poverty not as a dichotomy but as a spectrum. There have been several debates on poverty as a dichotomy that is, poor and non-poor (R. Kanbur). Poverty is a spectrum which comprises several grades of being poor. A multinomial logistic regression model is used to analyse the different groups of the poor. This will help policy makers to target the priority areas and formulate proper budgetary measures. The study also offers the opportunity to assess poverty using the qualitative and quantitative data. The first and last poverty assessment on such data was done in 1996. Today, poverty is assessed on quantitative data only (CSO. Poverty Report). Quantitative and qualitative data allows better understanding of poverty. Today, maximum emphasis is laid on poverty participatory that is to hear the voices of the poor. This approach is widely used. However, this study attempts to show that perception survey allows spurious responses and thus, poverty should be assessed on both quantitative and qualitative data. During the recent years, the study of the poorest poor has been a topic of growing interest for policy makers and researchers. So, an attempt is also made to study the poorest poor people. A threshold on food poverty is derived on the basis of available survey data. The determinants of poverty will be identified using this threshold. It would be desirable to study the malaise creole. However, given data on ethnicity is not available it is not possible to assess poverty in this particular population group. The study also analyses the consequences of poverty using the qualitative data of the LCS that is, how poorest poor people had to borrow money from relative/friends, living in poor dwellings etc. Last but not the least, the study also elaborates the various aspects that need to be addressed to enhance poverty assessment in the country for better formulation of policies and strategies at the conclusion. The welfare of the population and success of Government policies largely depend on the quality of statistics; good quality statistics allows government to monitor and adjust policies to ensure sustainable social and economic development. This study will, thus, be based on the data collected at the 2006/07 Household Budget Survey (HBS) data and the 2008 Living Conditions Survey (LCS). The HBS is the major source for poverty analysis. Together with income and expenditure data, it contains detailed information on the demographic, educational and economic status of the household members. The LCS is sub-sample survey from the HBS; this survey differs from the usual household survey conducted by the CSO; it is an opinion based survey based on Participatory Assessment approach; together with socio demographic details of the household members, it contains the assessment details of the households with regards to their life style. The information of the LCS survey allows a more in-depth analysis of the living condition of the people. CHAPTER 2 COUNTRY PROFILE AND ASSESSMENT 2.1 Background information The Republic of Mauritius is a group of islands located in the south-west of the Indian Ocean, consisting of two main islands, the island of Mauritius and island of Rodrigues. The island of Mauritius and Rodrigues has a total area of 1865 sq. km. and 140 Sq. Km. respectively. The Republic of Mauritius is a multi-racial country comprising the general population that is, mixed European and African origin, Indo-Mauritians and Sino-Mauritians. The official language being English, but French is widely spoken. Mauritius has been successively a Dutch, French and British colony. It became independent of Britain on 12 March 1968. Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has achieved considerable progress in both its economic growth and standard of living. In the economic sector, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agricultural based economy to an upper middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial and tourist sectors. With the continuous expanding economy, Mauritius has continuously moved ahead from the primary to tertiary sector. The share of GDP in agricultural sector has continuously decreased from 7.1% in 1999/2000 to 4.4% in 2008/09; the share of GDP in the tertiary sector has continuously increased from 67.8% to 72.6% during same period. Mauritius is ranked among upper middle-income countries (e.g. example of countries) with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of around $4,000 in 2004. Recent figures as at 2007 show that the GDP per capita worked out to above Rs 149,049 (Figure 1); the annual growth rates worked out around 5% for the past three years; the growth of inves tment (Gross Domestic Fixed Capita Formation) increased significantly from +19.2% in 2006 against -8.3% in 2000. The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as a percentage of GDP worked out to 3.5% in 2006 against 1.5% in 2005. Modernisation and expansion of the economy is apparent from the increasing use and availability of telephones (28.6 per 100 people in 2008), mobiles (81.2 per 100 people in 2008), computers (24.2 % of households in 2006) and internet subscribers (15.8 per 100 people in 2008). Together with economic development, Mauritius has achieved remarkable progress in the social development; the standard of living has changed over the years in terms of increased life-expectancy, lowered infant mortality, high literacy, high participation rate of children in schools, improved infrastructure, leisure and sports etc; Mauritius has a life expectancy at birth of 72 years in 2006 compared to 69 years in 1990; The adult literacy rate rose from 79.9% in 1990 to 84.3% in 2000; the primary school enrolment is almost 100%; the infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) dropped from 20.4 in 1990 to 14.4 in 2008; the unemployment rate, being a major concern for the country, has decreased from 9% in 2000 to 7% in 2008; the extreme poverty is almost negligible (less than 1% of the population is found below the poverty line of $1 a day). Due to sustained development in the social sector, Mauritius, second Sub-African country, now stands among high Human Development countries. In 2003, Mauritius shifted from medium development to high with a Human Development Index (HDI) value of 0.800; based on the latest UN Human Development Report 2009, Mauritius has an HDI value of 0.804 and ranked 81 among 182 countries. (Refer figure 2 HDI trend) According to the progress to tract the 8 Millennium Development Goals , Mauritius, through sustained policies and actions, have already achieved almost 6 goals in the eradication of extreme poor, achievement of primary school enrolment, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, sustainable environment, and economic development. Despite these remarkable economic performances and sustained social developments, Mauritius still has to respond to many challenges; there are a number of short and medium term challenges; these relate to productivity, erosion of trade preferences, exchange rate fluctuations, budget deficits and unemployment. Consequently, these are impacting on social development thus leading to environmental degradation, poverty issues such as problem of social exclusions etc. An overall assessment of the poverty situation in the country is highlighted in the following paragraphs. Poverty Poverty is not highly prevalent in Mauritius as compared to the Sub-Saharan African countries where millions of people are struggling to live below a $1 a day, millions people dying due to diseases and hunger, millions of children in labour instead of being a school etc. However, poverty does exist in Mauritius; there exist pockets of poverty across the country. According to the CSO publications on poverty analysis report 2001/02 and 2006/07, it is noted that extreme poverty is almost negligible in Mauritius; the proportion of population living below the $1.25 (PPP) a day, so called US $ 1 a day, is estimated to be less than 1%. As compared to other Sub-Saharan African countries like Zambia, Nigeria, etc., poverty is relatively very low in Mauritius. According to the Millennium Development Goal 1 Eradicate extreme poverty hunger and the target being to halve the proportion of poor by 2015, Mauritius has already achieved this target. However, an analysis on qualitative assessment on poverty conducted by Decentralised Cooperation Programmes relates that there are Mauritian people who are struggling for basic foods (DCP, 2009). Mauritius does not have a national poverty line. However, on the basis of relative poverty measurement and data collected at Household Budget Surveys, the poverty situation is assessed by using a poverty line defined as half median monthly household income per adult equivalent. In 2006/07, the poverty line is estimated at Rs 3,821, around 8.5% of the population is deemed to be poor. The reports relate that poverty is highly prevalent among single member households (10.3%), female headed households (11.9%), one parent households with unmarried children only (13.5%), households with large number of dependent children; heads of households with educational attainment below Standard VI (13.2%) and being inactive (11.0%) were found most vulnerable. The report also highlights that the income disparity between poor and households that is, the household income for the poor (Rs 7,055) was three times lower than that of all households (Rs 22,242); poor households were found highly reliant on go vernment social security benefits that is, basic pensions and social aid. It was noted that if government social security benefits are discontinued the poverty incidence would double; poverty rate would increase from 7.9% to 15.9%). The report also sheds light on the household tenure of poor persons. It was found that 82% of the poor households owned a dwelling against 92% for all households. In terms of household goods and durables, poor households were more likely to possess television (85%), refrigerator (63%) , fixed telephone (41%); in particular, mobile phone (48.5%); it is worth noting that the proportion of poor households with mobile phones in 2001/02 was almost negligible. As regards principal use of cooking fuels, poor households have already switched off to cooking gas. In 2006/07, nearly 90% of the poor households used cooking gas and thus, only 10% of them had recourse to cheaper fuels like wood and kerosene. The share of expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverages, also a measure of economic wellbeing, decreased from 42% in 1986/87 to 32% 2006/07. This implies that people are better off. The modernization, industrialization and increasing economic growth has lead to the growing income inequality in the population and increasing number of pockets of poverty (NMDG report, 2002). Indeed, this phenomenon is quite common in most developing countries. The Gini Coefficient,a measure of income inequality, dropped from 0.445 in 1980/81 to 0.388 in 2006/07. A Gini nearing to 1 means perfect inequality and 0 no inequality. However, according to the past three Household Budget Surveys, the 2006/07 Gini has deteriorated to some extent (0.387 in 1996/97, 0.371 in 2001/02 and 0.388 in 2006/07) Refer figure 3. The ratio of share of income going to richest decile and share of income going to poorest decile worked at 7.4 in 2006/07 against 7.9% in 1986/87. The unequal distribution of income in the population gives rise to growing number of pockets of poverty. The CSO publication on Relative Development Index based on 2000 Housing and Population Census data shows the administrative reg ions with least developments. These least developed areas are more concentrated in the island of Rodrigues and the east, west and south part of the island of Mauritius. In 2006, the Trust Fund of Integration of Vulnerable Group has come up with a list of 229 pockets of poverty across the island of Mauritius. In 2009, the Decentralised Cooperation Programme has come up with a report on qualitative study on poverty assessment. In the overall assessment, the author has highlighted the profiles of the poor and some assessment of policies in the country. The report also presents that poverty is highly correlated with gender, employment, level of income, level of education, geographical areas etc. It is also noted that poverty is also related to ethnicity. The author raised the issue where poverty was characterized as Malaise Creole. And also that poverty is prevalent among fisherman living in coastal areas. The main assessments of the pilot study are as follows:- people are finding it difficult to enjoy even a basic diet; high degree of indebtedness in poor households; and difficulty in paying utility bills and purchase of basic food items In 1997, the Appavoo Associate, together with Data Research Africa has come up with a report on poverty analysis in Mauritius. The report highlighted the poverty incidence in terms of monetary approach in the country, together with an assessment of people perceptions on policies in education, transport, health etc. The report also highlighted the prevalence of poverty in connection with regions, households with large number of dependents, female headed households etc. 2.3 Poverty policies and actions The eradication of poverty is on the agenda of the government. Government, together with private organisations and assistance of international agencies like the UNDP, IMF, World Bank etc. is making concerted effort to eradicate poverty in the country. Various social welfare programmes and polices have been implemented. Some examples of the social welfare programmes are as follows:- Distribution of social security benefits old age pension to ensure proper standard living for elderly people aged 60 years and over, widows pension, invalid pensions, social aid for poor households etc. Subsidy on flour, ration rice and cooking gas; Free education at primary and secondary education; distribution of books in primary education; distribution of daily bread pain maison in primary schools; distribution of food in selected schools under Zone Education Prioritaire programmes; Industrial and vocational training for children having not passed the final stage of primary education; distribution of computers in schools. Free health services in government hospital and area health centres; health services through Caravane de Sante in different regions of the country; school and domiciliary visit of health personel; Sensitization campaign on HIV in schools and workplaces; Free transport facility to elderly, invalids and school going children Low interest housing loan for building of houses; Empowerment Programme set up in 2006 in view of empowering unemployed people and also women having lost their jobs; Financial services such as Micro-credit scheme to empower women entrepreneurs According to figures published by the CSO, the government expenditure on Community and Social Welfare worked out around Rs 30 Billion every financial year over a total government expenditure of Rs 50 Billion, thus indicating that Government disburse more than 50% of the government expenditure to social and welfare development. Together with these social welfare programmes, several poverty alleviation programmes were set up which are as follows:- Trust Fund for the Social Integration of Vulnerable Group (2001) set up in view of addressing the need of the poor people who are excluded from the main stream of socio-economic development A Nou Dboute Ensam (1999) aims at promoting subsidies and micro credit schemes to the vulnerable groups. IFAD, Community Development Programme (2000) aims at bringing disadvantaged people within an organizational framework Levà © Deboute (1999) focuses at income generating activities and community developments in Rodrigues Decentralised Cooperation Programmes (2006) funded by European Union to fight against poverty Alleviation of poverty in Mauritius and Rodrigues by improving the delivery of social services and complementing the resources of vulnerable groups National Empowerment Fund (2008) aims to fights against poverty. Eradication of Absolute Poverty 2.4 Poverty measurement The measurement of poverty depends on how poverty is perceived. According to the description of poverty assessment in Mauritius, it is clear that there is no single measurement of poverty. Poverty is assessed in terms of Absolute, Relative and Subjective. The approaches are succinctly described below:- Mauritius does not have a national poverty for example the minimum vital which is frequently updated with price inflation as in the context of absolute poverty. The World Bank $1 purchasing power parity a day international absolute poverty line is found not relevant to the context of Mauritius. The advantage of using an absolute poverty line is that it allows comparison over time thus enhancing continuous poverty assessment and monitoring. In the absence of the absolute poverty, the CSO uses the relative poverty measurement based on half median household income where adjustment for household size and composition and economies of scale are considered. The relative poverty measurement reveals the prevailing poverty situation for a given time period. This approach is the most commonly used measure particularly in developing countries. The relative poverty measurement still varies because some of the assessments are based on income/expenditure, mean/median income, 40%, 50% or 60% median income etc. Subjective poverty is the assessment of the poverty situation based on the participatory of the poor persons for example the poverty assessment in 1996 (Appavoo Associates). Poverty has also been done on the basis of non-monetary approach that is, other than using income/expenditure data. The Relative Development Index which attempts to identify the least developed administrative regions is based on housing and socio-economic variables at the Housing and Population Census. CHAPTER 5 METHODOLOGY 5.1 Introduction This chapter presents the methodological part of the study. It gives a broad description of the statistical models used and also the determination of the different thresholds used. Given that this study aims to present the determinants of poverty for extreme poverty and also an in-depth analysis of the various sub groups of poor population, two econometric models are being used namely the logistic regression model and the multinomial logistic regression model. 5.2 Regression model Regression analysis plays an importance role in statistics; it is a very powerful and commonly used technique. This technique provides more meaningful results and conclusions as compared to descriptive statistics. In the context of analysing the determinants of poverty among various explanatory variables, the relevance of using regression model is elaborated on the World Bank website. 5.2.1 Selection of model Starting with the simplest linear of the General Linear Model (GLM). The simplest linear regression model that can be used for the analysis is the multiple regression (MR) model where the outcome variable, Y is regressed on a set of predictors X. The MR is in the form of, Y: outcome continuous variable X : set of p predictors/ explanatory variables E : Error term, normally distributed with Mean 0 and variance à Ã†â€™ 2 ÃŽÂ ±: intercept term ÃŽÂ ²: coefficients of explanatory variables However, given that our dependent/response variable in the analysis is a dichotomous/ categorical variable, the MR is not appropriate. The MR requires the response variable to be continuous and to be normally distributed. In fact, the MR has also been used to identify determinants of poverty, where the response variable was log expenditure of households and Ordinary Least Square was used to estimate parameters. The regression analysis of categorical response can be made possible by using the models of the Generalised Linear Models (GzLM) family where it relaxes the assumptions of normality. This property of the GzLM has widened the scope of data analysis. The GzLM is, indeed, an extension of the class of linear model. It provides the opportunity to analyse response variables which follow distributions other than normal distribution; and also the distribution should belong to an exponential family. Both logistic and Multinomial regression model forms part of GzLM. The application of such regression model is well known in statistics. They are implemented in various fields (educational, health, poverty etc.) to analyse complex data with categorical response variable. It is worth noting that logistic regression model has largely been used in social sciences since early 1980s. Its application in social sciences has known no bounds. This technique has been used in education research (success or failure), health(death /survival, with/without of disease) etc. Similarly, in the analysis of poverty, researchers have largely made use of this model and came with useful and effective solutions for decisions makers. The Multinomial model has also been used to show the poverty as a spectrum. 5.2.2 Description of model LOGISTIC REGRESSION MODEL Logistic Regression (LR) is a member of the GzLM family where the response variable is dichotomous (1, 0) representing success/failure and presence /absence (Princetone, Chapter 3). It is also called Binary Logistic regression. So, in this study of the determinants of poverty based on an extreme poverty line, the application of a logistic regression model is relevant where response variable (Y) is binary (poor/non-poor). The explanatory variable /predictor (X) can be either categorical or continuous. Starting with the simplest logistic model is as follows: The logistic model predicts the logit of Y from X. The logit is the natural logarithm of odds of Y and odds are the ratio. The log of the odd ratio, log (à Ã¢â€š ¬/ 1-à Ã¢â€š ¬), is the link function called the logit which map the probabilities (0, 1) to (-à Ã¢â‚¬ °, +à Ã¢â‚¬ °) that is linearising the distribution and making it unbounded. The logit, thus, links the response variable (poor/non-poor) to the set of predictors (socio-economic, demographic and housing variables) Using the logit (à Ã¢â€š ¬), the intercept (ÃŽÂ ±) and (ÃŽÂ ²) is calculated. And, using antilog, the probability (à Ã¢â€š ¬) is expressed in the form of Multiple Logistic Regression In the case of several predictors, the Multiple Logistics Regression is used. The model is expressed as follows:- the probability is derived by taking antilog and expressed as follows:- In this case, for each predictor we have a ÃŽÂ ²; the coefficients in (LR) are estimated using maximum likelihood. The interpretation of results can be done using the odds ratio or even the probabilities. à Ã¢â€š ¬ = conditional probability of being poor, P(Y=1 / X1, X2, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.,Xp); it is assumed that the probability of being poor depends on the set of combinations of predictors X. Y= 1, being poor and Y= 0 being non-poor the odd ratio is the ratio of the probability to its complement that is, ratio of being poor to non-poor. An odd ratio greater than 1 implies the increase in the likelihood of being poor; if it is less than 1, it decreases the likelihood of being poor. Evaluation of predictors in model The contribution of a predictor is assessed by examining the reduction in deviance G statistics, brought by the inclusion of the predictor in the model relative to the null model. The null model, logit (à Ã¢â€š ¬) = ÃŽÂ ±, is the simplest model with maximum deviance; it indicates that the probability of being poor is constant for all categories. The reduction is deviance is then tested to a chi-sq distribution. Goodness of Fit Statistics Goodness of fit of the model is assessed using the Hosmer Lemeshow test. This test is considered more robust than the traditional chi-square test particularly if covariate is in the model or sample size is small. A finding of non significance corresponds to the researcher concluding the model adequately fits the data. MULTINOMIAL LOGISTIC REGRESSION MODEL The Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) model is an extension of the Logistic Regression (LR) model, where the response variable has more than 2 categories. For example, in this study four thresholds of poor are defined which are as follows:- Poorest Households with total income below 40% median income Poorer Households with total income > 40% median income but less 50% median Poor Households with total income > 50% median income but less 60% median Non-poor- Households with total income >= 60% median If the Non-poor is chosen as the reference category, the logits for other categories are defined as Logit (à Ã¢â€š ¬j) = log (à Ã¢â€š ¬j/ à Ã¢â€š ¬4) = XjTÃŽÂ ²j j= 1, 2, 3 categories (poorest, poorer and poor) XT= transpose of set of predictors Î’ = set of coefficients of explanatory variables The estimated probabilities are presented as Estimated à Ã¢â€š ¬j = Estimated à Ã¢â€š ¬1exp (XjTÃŽÂ ²j) 5.2.3 Model analysis In this study, the forward regression is used where the analysis begins with null model and the explanatory variable is added one by one, till the preferred model is generated. After the inclusion of each explanatory variable, the contribution of the variable is measured based on the G statistics (reduction of deviance). The significance, contribution and interpretation of variables is analysed by considering positive and negative signs of coefficients of explanatory variables the z statistics [ÃŽÂ ²/SE(ÃŽÂ ²)] P values G statistics Reduction in deviance Odd ratios The Maximum Likelihood is used to estimate the parameters ÃŽÂ ± and ÃŽÂ ² in both regression models. 5.3 Choice of poverty line Mauritius has no official poverty line. In order to assess poverty in the country, the CSO uses the relative poverty line defined as half median monthly household income per adult equivalent. Thresholds for the poorest poor The poorest poor are those households in the poorest quintile group of household income per adult equivalent which satisfy the following three conditions. (i) household is having difficulty to obtain daily basic food (ii) household consume government rice (iii) household buy food on credit Food is, in fact, the basic requirement for a person to survive; Government rice is the cheapest rice in the country; if a person is borrowing money to spend on food, it means the person is in severe poverty. at international, food poverty line is used to measure extreme poverty for example UN Millennium Development Goals calls to eradicate hunger worldwide. Multiple groups of poverty The 40%, 50% and 60% median of household income per adult equivalent is used. In 2006/0

Easter 1999: The Day I Almost Lost Everything Essay -- Personal Narrat

Easter 1999: The Day I Almost Lost Everything The vibrant sun was shining its warmth upon the green, wet grass. There were puddles of water everywhere due to the past night’s rainfall. I was thirteen years old, short, and chubby at the time, with strawberry-blond hair and blue eyes. I was wearing a denim skirt and a blue t-shirt, which had a cute little bow at the top. My mom, with her curly red hair, blue eyes, and a constant smile that always lit up a room, came into my bedroom, which was purple with butterfly lights. She asked, â€Å"Are you ready to go honey?† I said, â€Å"Yes,† excitedly, as I loved Easter at my grandparent’s house. As my mom and I locked the black doors of our white house, we were greeted by my father, a big and bulky man standing 5’8’ tall with jet black hair and blue eyes. He was situating the back of the truck with fluffy pillows for Mom and me to lie down on. We had a glossy red medium sized four-by-four truck that we just bought a month before. It had an enclosed bed so one could lie down in the back. We hopped in and Dad got in the driver’s seat. He turned the key in the ignition and we were off. The road trip was going fine, but when we were about ten miles away from our destination, our lives changed. There was a tiny window measuring approximately 2’ by 2’in the middle of the truck bed and the driver’s area. I pushed the tiny black latch down with my right hand in order to open it, and asked my dad to turn the radio up because my favorite song had just come on. Then I shut the window back up. My favorite song at the time was Britney Spears’ â€Å"Hit Me Baby, One More Time.† To this day, every time I hear that song I feel as if something horrible is about to happen. This song came o... ...ut the world. Within that amount, 40,000-45,000 of the people killed are Americans. I found it hard to believe more Americans from 5-32 years old die as a result of an automobile accident than any other cause, but it is true (World Book Encyclopedia). Scary, huh? The thought that any person could one day become a statistic? I will always remember that Easter morning when I almost became one myself. I now realize that car accidents really do happen. I never thought that it would happen to my family. I heard about car accidents on the news all of the time, and I read about them in the papers. That Easter morning showed me that it could happen to anyone when they least expect it. I am thankful that my family and I lived through such a tragic experience. Works Cited â€Å"Automobile Accident.† World Book Encyclopedia. 22nd ed. 2004.

Cloudstreet by Tim Winton :: essays research papers

Cloudstreet by Tim Winton "A texts setting and structure will normally be used by writers to develop and convey its themes." The novel Cloudstreet, by Western Australian born novelist Tim Winton is essentially a story revolving around how two rural families have come to live together at number one Cloudstreet. This novel’s themes are about finding one’s place in the world and the search for the meaning of life. As in this instance, Winton has successfully used setting and structure, crucial factors in any prosperous novel to help create a feeling of a real-life type atmosphere and perspective. This essay will demonstrate how Winton has used setting and structure to help develop and convey his themes. The story follows the lives of the Pickle family and the Lamb family and how they have come to grow, develop, love and change over a period of twenty years, while living with each other. Unfortunately, both moves coincided with different family disaster’s. For the Lamb’s, the unfortunate event takes place in the form of the near drowning of Samson, or as he is better known as Fish. While for the Pickles, it occurs with the loss of Sam’s (the father’s) fingers in a fishing accident. The reader can relate these events it to the biblical story of ‘Samson,’ and how he gained his strength through his hair. Meaning that by losing some of their strengths, (like Samson’s hair cut,) both Sam’s where able to gain new insights and opportunities. For Sam Pickles, this meant the move into the city from the outback, brought him his own home and a steady job at the mint. A rather large irony, as Sam is a compulsive gambler, more often than not short of cash. Although for Fish, losing his mental faculties and the ability to communicate to others, in his near drowning experience, gave way for his unimaginable bond with water and his abilities as a visionary. As Oriel Lamb said after Fish was rescued, "To the child who had hovered on the brink of drowning and who returned to life, though not all of Fish Lamb had come back," (found on Page 32) that other part of Fish Lamb it seems is the omniscient narrator of the novel. Spirituality is also important in Cloudstreet as it relates to the meaning of life and the exploration of community. We can see this in the opening lines of the novel "Shall we gather at the river Where bright angels feet have trod†¦.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

The Class of 2012. How long have we heard these words applied to us? Long years starting with broken crayons in kindergarten to inside-out sweatshirts in middle school to late English essays — 13 years of learning from the simplest counting to complicated algebra and calculus, from reciting our ABCs to reading Shakespeare. Imagine, us coming out of our respective middle schools into this monster of a campus. With three times as many people — people who drive. People who have cars and are legal adults. We’ve been here for four years. Count the quarters: there are 16 of them. Remember freshmen year: that infatuation with older students, and how being friends with a senior gave you immeasurable social status? There were some sophomores who didn’t tease us for being freshmen, and we clung to them. Remember walking in late to every class on the first day of school, and maybe the second... maybe the third... Every morning we rode the yellow school bus. Our first pep assembly was amazingly loud and we walked out half-deaf. The cheerleaders were trying to get us to shout something, alter we figured out it was "double-oh." Remember when our "commitment to graduation" banner was stolen out of the library? And that first last, day of school: promising to meet everyone again come September. Four down, 12 to go. Sophomore year. Well, maybe by the time we were sophomores we may not have been completely settled into our own high-school persona but at least we knew where we were. And maybe, that first day of school, we still were late to every single class. We learned the meaning of the word â€Å"sophomoric† that year, and teased the freshmen, getting some symbolic retribution for what the sophomores did to use the year before. Eventually... ...ers ago, so were we. Yesterday has passed. Now we stand on the brink of adulthood. We have counted the cost, we’ve counted the quarters and paid the price, we’ve paid four years. Sixteen quarters. Right now we all have a legacy that we’ve left on Ayer High School, a legacy developed from four years of walking down the halls, eight semesters of sitting in the classrooms and sixteen quarters of developing our personalities. We were the anxious freshmen, the obnoxious sophomores, the lazy juniors and the graduating seniors. But, in 10 years, who are we going to be? Will we still drink Sobes, Jones or Yogochinos? Have the same wallpaper on our computer monitors? Will we still fly out at any hour of the night to go to Dick’s or Taco Bell? Whatever the answers, what we’ve each learned here will remain at the core of the people we become. We are the Class of 2006.

Consider Some Key Theories and Concepts of Learning and Assessment Essay

In this assignment I will explore the concept of learning and application of some learning theories within the in the vocational further education sector. I will explore the application of theories to health and social vocational topics and how this assists in developing key attributes for learners on these programmes. I will identify assessment methods and provide a critique of the validity of these in different educational programmes. Definitions of learning vary drastically. This is primarily due to the differing conceptions of what learning actually is. Saljo (1979) identified five categories of learning. It is suggested that the five categories: â€Å"†¦increase in knowledge; memorising information; Acquiring facts, skills, and methods; making sense or abstracting meaning; interpreting and understanding reality in a different way† (Saljo, 1979), conceptualise learning as process. There has been extensive debate regarding the learner’s awareness of events whilst undergoing this process. Rogers (Weilbel, 2011) identified two categories of learning: Acquisition and formalised. Acquisition learning is activity or task based learning linked to a continuous, unconscious learning process that takes place throughout life, in education and personal experiences. As it is thought of as an unconscious process, Rogers approach emphasises the lack of learner awareness during learning. Formalised learning is generally facilitated by an education professional where the learner is actively conscious of learning taking place (Colley et al, 2003). Whilst many professionals agree there are differing types of learning, the more commonly referred to dimensions of learning are often categorised into five dimensions rather than the two categories identified by Rogers. The behaviourist approach argues that behaviour is a result of environmental stimulus and the experience following the behaviour of positive or negative consequence will determine responses to the same environmental stimulus in the future. Reinforcement of positive consequences by positive praise or feedback can accelerate learning by conditioning the learners in the pattern of behaviour response to environmental stimulus (Minton, 2005). Behaviourist view learning as a step by step process and this combined with sequential praise will enable learners to associate a positive experience with learning. These behaviourist concepts have a heavy influence over the whole education system and are embedded into regulatory guidelines however lend themselves well to vocational, competency based qualifications such as the BTEC given the modular nature of the programme. The modular layout enables regular opportunity for the stimuli: behaviour response relationship to be enforced through positive achievement. Although this passive learning approach is utilised within most educational establishments, where learners acquire knowledge, constructivists argue that learners take a more participatory role in their learning and there is scope that each learner will have a differing perception of a learning experience and draw upon their own interpretation of the knowledge presented to them. Unlike the behaviourist approach where the teacher is the knowledge base, the constructivist theory places the learner at the focus of a more meaningful learning experience (Driscoll, 1994). The constructivist approach lends itself to the teaching methods applied in vocational topics. It links learners’ experience of the wider world including their vocational experience with the topics being taught. It creates opportunity for the application of learner knowledge in real life situations which allows them to build their own constructs (Petty, 2004). This approach links heavily with the humanistic approach to teaching and learning in that experiential or applied knowledge concepts foster a positive learning environment. Rodgers identified cognitive and experiential as the two types of learning. According to Rodgers, cognitive learning is meaningless and often consists of learners reciting information given; it does not rely on understanding or the application of the knowledge. Experiential learning however is closely related to vocational education in that it relies on learner’s ability to apply knowledge to situations that they have a personal interest in. In doing this, it creates opportunity for valuable learner involvement and significant learning (Beard and Wilson, 2006) In 1984, Kolb highlighted the benefits of a learning cycle developed as a result of an experience and emphasised how this not only enables knowledge transfer but it also develops skill competencies. This is particularly important in the health and social care sector as application of knowledge and vocational competency are key to the future employability of learners. The social learning theory combines elements of cognitive and behavioural learning theories. Bandura developed an approach where these two theories integrated and formed four categories of learning: observation, retention, reproduction and motivation. This learning theory relies heavily on modelling behaviours and is utilised heavily in the health and social care sector through vocational placements and induction periods where appropriate behaviour is displayed for new employees to imitate. Vocational Health and Social Care course outcomes and preparation for employment in the sector require a particular set of learner attributes and as such, teachers in this sector need to be aware of the skills set to develop appropriate to the needs of the sector and leaner. Not all learning can rely on the conditioning of learners and the cognitive approach based on constructivism argues that learning is the acquisition of not only knowledge but also skill by mental and cognitive processes. Thus learning is an active process and as teachers we need to appreciate the restraints of the assumptions of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning to assist in creating an experience which maximises the potential for learning to take place. This would include considering the auditory and visual channels, the capacity of each channel and the stages of the learning process (Mayer, 2001) Mayer (2001) highlights the importance of transferable learning and the integration of new information with prior knowledge. This is vital in the BTEC courses as the module outcomes are usually sequential and rely on the extension and application of existing knowledge Atherton (2011) however suggested that the way in which students learn is hugely defined by their motivation. The model used identifies two types of learning: deep and surface. This model associates well with the Access to HE Diploma in that most leaners are mature and have re-engaged with education purely as a stepping stone to succeed in a given career pathway. The motivation of Access learners is usually high and as Atherton (2011) suggests, intrinsic motivation of the learners will likely trigger a deep learning strategy. Although plausible, some research suggests that learning is habitual and regardless of the motivation, past experiences and approaches to learning are more likely to inform current engagement with the learning process. Discuss the key principles and concepts of assessment According to Gravell’s (2011), assessment is used to â€Å"†¦ find out if learning has taken place†. Assessment methods should be used at regular intervals throughout a lesson and informs practice, it should be used to advise future lesson planning of the same topic and subsequent lessons within the scheme of work. This is vital as if learners fail to meet the assessment; alterations need to be made to the lesson plan and scheme of work to address this before further topics can be taught. The two main forms of assessment are summative and formative. The methods used for each type of assessment and their respective aims vary. Formative assessment is usually carried out on a regular basis. It allows constructive feedback based on assessment of learner knowledge or work and acknowledges that learner’s abilities can be challenged with motivational feedback which assists in development. Summative feedback is usually a final assessment of a learner which is rigid in structure and final. Within the Health and Social Care sector, vocational education is heavily targeted towards formative assessment and tutors are encouraged by the accreditation body to provide opportunity for leaners to develop their work using formative assessment given verbally and documented on pieces of work. The assessment, accreditation and regulatory procedures placed on educational establishments impose tight restrictions on the content of teaching, expected learning outcomes, and their perception of what learning is. There are quality and validity issues surrounding assessment in every educational establishment which has a direct effect on the achievement of learners. Linked with quality assurance, standardisation and verification procedures, the consistency of tutor assessment of learning and its reliability is placed under intense scrutiny. This ensures that all learners have the same expectations placed upon them and the work produced meets the required standards to achieve the award. The concept of effective feedback in education is one which is controversial and with the best efforts, can still be misinterpreted. It is vital for teachers to be aware and have existing knowledge of appropriate feedback models which suit both learner and the programme which is being delivered (Wiggins, 2012). Feedback can be given in many forms and an awareness of the impact of these on the learner, achievement, the teacher and the college is fundamental. Feedback given to an individual may be given formally, informally, verbally, written, and be formative or summative. Learning and Assessment in Practice According to Petty (2004), there are four stages of teaching: setting aims, planning to meet the aims, delivering the session and then evaluating it. Lesson aims are usually taken from a scheme of work which is formed using the accreditation body specification. The Scheme of Work I devised was for the Research Skills Unit of the Access to HE Diploma using OCN accreditation. The OCN specification gives teachers guidelines on which aspects of the topic are required to meet the learning outcomes and the assessment methods for them. The scheme of work in place for this unit was very informal in placement and so I prepared a new version which was approved for use by my mentor. I will discuss the scheme of work including evaluation of inclusion, differentiation, embedding of key skills and actual content. I will discuss and evaluate two lesson plans from the unit and reflect on whether they produced an inclusive learning environment where there were positive outcomes of assessment of learning. The scheme of work for the research project originally lacked any activity based learning and relied upon traditional didactic approaches of tutor led presentation style lectures. Whilst this is an Access to HE course which strives to prepare leaners for experiences they may encounter in FE, being more creative with the content may provide a more valuable learning experience for learners. James and Pollard, 2006) Throughout the scheme of work there are documented sessions on 1:1 support which are used to differentiate between students The original scheme of work demonstrated poor opportunity for inclusive learning and differentiation. During the first session, I felt that the group were struggling a little with the concept of a research project and the enormity of the task ahead of them. In an attempt to make the content more accessible and less daunting, I revised the scheme of work by planning tutor led approaches, group activities, peer feedback, nominated questions and a variety of resources with links to each subsection of the scheme of work: an example of this was the use of blurb on a book to identify the concept of a summary in research. This type of planning promotes an inclusive learning environment where each learner is involved (Ashmore et al, 2010). I had planned to separate social groups to promote inclusion by encouraging integration across peer groups. This assists in learners gaining the opportunity for peer learning and developing skills around recognising and respecting diversity which is a key attribute in all health and social care sectors. To assess learning and ensure I had planned for differentiation within the group I used nominated and open questions. This allowed me to identify learners who required scaffolding whilst stretching and challenging all learners appropriate to their ability. The first lesson included in this assignment is the first session based on the introduction and overview of the unit. In this session I introduced the Word Wall ( see appendix). This was a useful tool in introducing new academic jargon which was a requirement of the learning outcomes and therefore leaners were required to utilise throughout their project. This utilised the cognitive approach as it assisted learners to guide them to relevant words, and limit individual sensory overload. As the unit has strong links to more formal academia and will almost certainly appear in most learners’ further education, it was imperative that they had a good understanding of the basic knowledge required from the start. The second lesson included in this assignment is the workshop I delivered on conducting a literature review. The original scheme of work planned for the use of a SMART board and class discussion for this lesson however this did not allow me to assess the ability of learners to conduct a literature review relating to their research topic and therefore failed to fully ddress differentiation and inclusion. My lesson plan involved tutor led starter activity where a recap of the literature review would occur and nominated questions to assess learners understanding of the variety of techniques used to narrow down their results and identify research which was of use to them. I had prepared a print out of the power point which I was unable to present due to the room restrictions: the learning resource centre is a quiet zone and so no formal presentation of the information was appropriate. To accompany this, the learners were given a step by step guide of performing a literature review with an example to follow for those who required assistance (appendix). Throughout this lesson I embedded the use of ICT and literacy skills in the form of communication, writing and reading to ensure I was supporting the development of functional skills which are extremely important. Formative assessment, verbally and documented, was used throughout both lessons to support learning and create opportunity for learners to develop their work prior to summative assessment. Methods of assessment relevant to your specialist subject area For this section I will be using examples from practice that I have been involved in: the OCN Access to HE Diploma and Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Diploma. The original scheme of work for this OCN unit was heavily based around the accreditation requirements and in doing so, was primarily focused on summative assessment. Learners were not often given the opportunity of formative assessment however this has been identified by both the learners and I as a potential learning opportunity which is being missed. Formative assessment would allow learners to reflect on and action their feedback which would enable targeted performance improvement. This would assist in the learning process for the learner and possibly also be reflected in improved achievement in summative assessment. When compiling the new scheme of work, this was considered throughout and opportunities for formative assessment and informal feedback were embedded to improve learner’s ability to build on their strengths and learn from continuous feedback rather than rely purely on summative feedback. The Access course design lends itself to summative assessment however learners on this course are often placed under increasing pressure to gain Distinction mark criteria by Higher Education establishments. Given most learners on the course are returning to education after work/life experience, it is unusual that a learner would achieve a Distinction grade especially on the first few modules. Increasing formative assessment in the first term of the course would potentially enable greater differentiation of learning and opportunity for this to be a realistic possibility. The course design of the BTEC differs greatly from the Access to HE in terms of assessment. It is widely accepted that the BTEC learners have multiple opportunity to gain formative assessment and that summative assessment of learning almost merges into formative when required: a final submission of work can be referred back to the learner with feedback which will highlight areas the learner needs to address to meet the criteria. There are possible issues with the reliability and transferability of the award. BTEC in nature is modular with each unit have a set of outcomes achievable by gaining the pass criteria and for those able, the merit and distinction criteria also. Most of the work is coursework related with few incidences of presentations, this combined with multiple attempts at achieving the outcome criteria and some FE institutions teaching purely to assessment criteria rather than teaching to enable application of knowledge/skills in the sector could possibly lead to learners achieving the award without having developed the necessary knowledge and skills as relied upon in the sector. Conclusion I feel this module has provided me with an overview of delivery and learner expectations within the education sector. Not only have I been able to gain valuable experience in delivery of programmes, I have also been introduced into the complexities of the role of an FE teacher within a large organisation. My own attributes as a trainee teacher and desire to improve the learning experiences of those I deliver to have been met with some conflict within an institution environment where values, attitudes toward the learning process and increasing learner involvement are not shared. This has provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my own values and consider my future employment options. The scheme of work, lessons planned and lesson delivery within the placement has extended my knowledge and skills of effective learning within the classroom environment and how implementing theory affects the learning opportunities and achievements of the learners. I hope to continue developing these links throughout the course to inform a more effective delivery of learning and a higher standard of teaching.