Birth control essay Essay

Birth control has come a long way since the introduction of the birth control pill. There are now more than a dozen methods to choose from.The most common ones could be condoms and birth control pills.Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, but none of those methods can be 100% safe,except for abstinence.None having sex with another person is the only way to be 100%effective of birth control. A condom is a barrier method commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy. As a method of birth control, condoms have the advantage of being inexpensive, easy to use, having few side effects, and offering protection against sexually transmitted diseases. When used consistently and correctly with every act of sexual intercourse, male condoms can prevent pregnancy and STDs, including HIV/ AIDS. They are safe, and have no hormonal side-effects. They are very easy to find and use without seeing a healthcare provider first. Condoms do have some disadvantages too. Latex condoms may cause itching for a few people who are allergic to latex and/or lubricants. There is still a small possibility that a condom will slip off during sex. Some people are too embarrassed to buy, ask a partner to use, put on, take off, or throw away condoms.And condoms don’t make u feel good. Birth control pills provide highly reliable contraceptive protection, exceeding 99%. Even when imperfect use is considered, the BCPs are still very effective in preventing pregnancy. Birth control pills cause menstrual cycles to occur regularly and predictably. This is especially helpful for women with periods that come too often or too infrequently. Birth control pills can improve acne as well. For moderate to severe acne, which other medications can’t cure, birth control pills may be prescribed.But birth control pills have disadvantages. Women taking birth control pills usually have a small increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Headaches may start in women who have not previously had headaches, or can get worse in those who do. Some women should not take pills if they have specific health conditions, including some types of diabetes, liver disease.Plus, The pill costs more than condoms. People are abstinent for many reasons, including to prevent pregnancy.And it is definitely the easiest,safest and the most convenient way to prevent pregnancy. People can choose abstinence to prevent STDs, wait until they’re ready for a sexual relationship, focus  on school, career, or extracurricular activities. Sexual relationships present risks. Abstinence is a very good way to postpone taking those risks until you are better able to handle them. There are few disadvantages to abstinence as well.People may find it difficult to abstain for long periods of time and may end their period of abstinence without being prepared to protect themselves against pregnancy or infection.And there is often pressure from your partner or friends to have sex.lt is hard to control yourself particularly in the moment. If you really want to prevent pregnancy,the best way is obviously abstinence. lt is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy. Therefore, It’s the best protection and the only guarantee. Abstinence is a good way to really get to know your boyfriend or girlfriend without the complications of sex.After knowing each other really well,if you really want to have sex with your boyfriend.l suggest you to use birth control pills,because they are safer even though they are much more expensive.But l don’t think that you want to risk on preventing pregnancy.If you can’t even afford the birth control pills,you are absolutely not ready to have a kid.But although birth control pills are 98.7% effective,there is still risk to get pregnant.So no method is completely safe except for abstinence.You have to consider carefully before you become sexually active.Don’t do anything that would make yourself regret.We are all responsible for ourselves! Shirly Zhou Per.3

Multi-Level Organizational Research

Organization is central to human achievement. The most accomplished individuals tend to have supporting groups and structures, which have major roles in celebrated successes, though they may remain hidden from superficial views. Organizations date back to the dawn of civilization, with religious institutions and military forces being enduring examples. Organizations are inherently multi-level (Klein, & Kozlowski, 2003). Each level is connected with and dependent on the others. The individual, teams, and the organization as a whole, are the 3 significant parts of a typical structure. Organizations, though they exist in kaleidoscopic varieties of purposes, sizes, and natures, share common issues when they become subjects of systematic inquiry. Performance and effectiveness are the two most important motivations for organizational research, though the interactions between individuals and groups are matters of primary interests in fields of sociology and psychology. This document reflects on the inevitable implications of multiple levels in organizations, and suggests best practices with respect to studying such structures and the people who function within them. The focus is on how to incorporate multi-level realities in to organizational research, Stating the Obvious It is common knowledge that organizations are made of individuals, and that groups of people have to function as teams. However, the implications of the obvious on how organizations should be studied and measured are complex and certainly not as obvious. It may be tempting to resort to over-simplification and ignore multi-level aspects of organizations when designing research projects to study them. Interplay between individual perceptions and organizations are common to all types of organizations. Multi level variations have been found even in the prison structure (Camp, et al. 1997), where institutional operations and satisfaction with immediate supervision have equal influences on the social climate. The implication is that any research in to the functioning and performance of a large structure with branches at multiple levels has to incorporate distinct phases of research for individuals at the periphery, for teams that operate within the body of structures, and for the entire organization as an entity. Each of these levels will be in dynamic inter-play with the other two. A phenomenon at a lower level, for example,   may not connect with theory validation at a higher level (Crowston, 2002). There are many examples of technologies being integrated in to organizations at lower levels, without incontrovertible evidence of the benefits at higher levels. That is why conclusions from research at a single level may not yield entirely relevant conclusions. The best individual technical skills may come to naught if a person cannot deal with others; similarly, the best teams cannot function without adequate resources and support from above (Loo, 2003). No level of organization can be independent, take all the credit, or be assigned all of the blame. Investigative research, which aims to diagnose why an organization functions below par, or which seeks to make recommendations for improvement, has to validate its suggestions for feasibility and appropriateness at each of the multiple levels. Past organizational research has focused more on the individual level, and not enough on teams and the organization as a unit, or on the interactions between these levels (Schnake, and Dumler, 2003). However, this trend has begun to change and researchers of today can no longer the multiple level structures of organizations they may wish to study. Organization science needs to match the integration which marks literature on the existence of multiple levels (Klein, & Kozlowski, 2003). Mixed level research needs methods and measurements of their own (Schnake, and Dumler, 2003); the levels of data collection and analysis are often not the same.   Pluralistic ignorance, in which each individual has a special perception of the self versus that of others and of the organization, commonly plagues organizational research. That is why projects should not be based solely on the surveyed and perceived opinions of individual members about their peers, superior, subordinates, and groups. Bottom up models which draw inferences from lower levels for the higher will yield different conclusions if a top down approach is used (Klein, & Kozlowski, 2003). Research methods must account for how perspectives change with levels. It may be best to adopt an iterative approach, thinking not micro or macro, but both micro and macro (Klein, & Kozlowski, 2003). Research Objectives as Determinants Given that multiple levels are ubiquitous in organizations of all types and sizes, all research in this area should take the phenomenon in to account. Organizational research may vary by objectives, and this factor of difference can help in dealing with multiple levels. The People and Process elements of the Marketing Mix for Services (Payne, 2002) play important roles in determining strategies followed by organizations which do not have concrete or tangible product features in their offers. Research in to the internal workings of such organizations may focus on the lower levels of individual capabilities, and small team functioning, rather than concern itself with organization-level matters. Conversely, stock market analysts who are concerned with specific financial outcomes may prefer to dwell on effectiveness of organizations as a whole (Huber and Glick, 1993), rather than bother with details of issues at micro levels. Downsizing and new designs are some major concerns of contemporary organizational research. These phenomena create most strains on the individual (Huber, and Glick, 1993) and hence projects which seek to study the effects of integration and different hierarchies should focus on the lowest level of individual members of staff. The simplistic approach of focusing on just one level of organization will not work in all cases. Communication issues, matters related to diversity in the work force and matters concerning global organizations, all require work to be done at all levels (Huber, and Glick, 1993). Social climate studies also have to take all levels in to account, since institutional initiatives can have variations at its spatially separated sites, and individual variations as well with regard to job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Camp, et al. 1997). Some of the research problems of multiple levels in organizations arose in the past because of the paucity of prior work in similar areas. However, there has been a cascade of organizational research in recent times, with multiple level enquiries (Huber and Glick, 1993). This new body of work can be used as templates when fresh research projects in organizational behavior are undertaken. The Effects of Organizational Labeling Organizations tend to fit in to stereotypes which have been created in public minds over time. Professionally managed corporations, political parties, religious institutions, and bureaucracies, are a few examples of such set patterns of our collective minds. Simultaneously, organizations are more than just people who control or work in them. Suppliers, financiers, regulators, franchisees, and customers are some of the other categories of stake holders. All organizations do not have to be equally responsive to the environment (Huber and Glick, 1993). Monolithic, powerful, and strongly entrenched organizations may demand research of how to further their aims, but worry less about the proclivities of employees and suppliers of goods and services at the bottoms and fringes of their hierarchies. A highly evolved organization will be dynamic and open minded: it deserves and needs organizational research at multiple levels, with plenty of iteration, and the objective validation of hypotheses. Others will be directive and in a hurry for results: they may appreciate the values of enquiries at multiple levels less or not at all. Organizational research driven by purely scholastic intent is a rare privilege. The professional researcher will more often have a restrictive brief set by a paying client with a specific and selfish perspective. Organizational studies may mention all the levels in passing or for the sake of completeness, rather than address each of them in detail and in concert. The multiple levels within organizations should always be kept in mind when studying structures and group working. Even though studies may be sponsored by the most apical level of organization, valid findings and scientific rigor require that the study extends to teams and to individuals as well. Towards Best Practices Multiple levels are inevitable in organizational studies. How can the complexities of this reality be incorporated for better research project design, and to ensure findings on which sponsors can rely? It is best to start with the environment in which the organization operates (Huber, and Glick, 1993). Such a prior effort will put research fully in context. It is necessary to spend time to collect primary data on how the organization functions; and to focus on processes which link the various levels (Crowston, 2002). It is risky to plunge headlong in to researching an organization: every investment in understanding its needs and to profile it accurately, will pay off in terms of relevant findings on which action can be taken. Levels in organizations can be conceived in terms of internal customers. This is a standard concept in Services Marketing (Payne, 2002). A higher level in an organization, or a branch of the same level, is a customer of a team which supports it through its function. Thus, a Sales Manager is a customer of his or her sales people, and the entire sales function is a customer of the production or manufacturing department. Since dealing with all levels can make organizational research very complicated, a workable option is to use the internal customer concept to delineate levels of research. Another approach is to set up microcosms of the organization in external settings, to act as laboratories for experimentation. Groups of employees may be placed on extended sabbaticals, and asked to play roles equivalent to the levels of their parent organizations. This approach has the advantage of eliciting more objective input data from people inside the organization, but can be expensive and time consuming. Research projects which adopt this ‘laboratory’ approach require patience and sustained support, but yield better and more applicable findings at the same time. A relatively quick and simple compromise could be to adopt a problem-solving approach (Loo, 2003). The median level is a good optimum in such cases, with a focus on actual teams from the structure, with additional participation by representatives from other levels and branches. This team approach can use direct and indirect benchmarking to support its recommendations. Wherever a choice is available, the organizational researcher should try to go as micro as possible as uncontrollable factors and complexities keep increasing as the analysis goes to higher levels (Camp, et al. 1997). Aggregate measures tend to mislead, and reduce the chances of useful and valid findings. Regardless of how organizational research is approached, a common requirement is to specify qualitative organizational performance measures as closely as possible. What for example is motivation or how will supervision be assessed? This will also address the issue of phenomena at lower levels not being confirmed by theories at higher levels-perhaps the higher level has not specified the benefits it seeks (Crowston, 2002). Such specification will also reduce the pitfalls of data from a lower level from pluralistic ignorance, affecting analysis of a higher level (Schnake, and Dumler, 2003). Finally, the organizational researcher must always think of multi-level implications of proposed work and suggestive conclusions whether or not all levels are included in the work (Klein, & Kozlowski, 2003). Such an approach should persist throughout the research, including the critical stage of sampling. Conclusions While multiple levels in organizations and their influences cannot be denied, including all of them comprehensively in actual projects may present.   It may often be best to make research manageable with clear statements of assumptions and limitations. Organizations are in flux in any case and will evolve towards the median level. This is the historic trend (Huber, and Glick, 1993). Excellence and thoroughness in studying the team level may be a good compromise. The perspective of each category of stake holders is distinct, yet valid. The researcher would do well to keep the expectations and profile of his or her customer in mind! Multiple levels, in the end, are integral to all significant organizations, and all research in to such groupings must take these multiple levels in to account. References Camp, R. et al. (1997) Aggregating Individual-Level Evaluations of the Organizational Social Climate: A Multilevel Investigation of the Work Environment at the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Justice Quarterly 14: 4: 739-762. Crowston, K, (2002) Process as theory in information systems research, Proceedings of The IFIP WG 8.2 International Conference: The Social and Organizational Perspective on Research and Practice in Information Technology, 10–12 June 2000, Aalborg, Denmark. Huber, G, and Glick, W, (1993) Organizational Change and Redesign: Ideas and Insights for Improving Performance, Oxford University Press Klein, K & Kozlowski, S, (2003) A Multilevel Approach to Theory and Research in Organizations: Contextual, Temporal, and Emergent Processes, Chapter 1 in Multilevel Theory, Research, and Methods in Organizations: Foundations, Extensions, and New Directions, JOSSEY BASS Loo, Robert (2003) A multi-level causal model for best practices in project management, Benchmarking, Vol10, Issue 1; pg. 29, 8 pgs Payne, A, (2002), The Essentials of Services Marketing, Prentice-Hall Schnake, M. and Dumler, M. (2003) Levels of measurement and analysis issues in organizational citizenship behavior research, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology. 76(3):283         

Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Trade - Essay Example It is a person's habit to give more emphasis on his/her success than failure and therefore he/she becomes overconfident. Barber and Odean (2001) present a belief that difference in gender has a relationship with the overconfidence level in particular field. They suggests that the men working in finance domain outnumber the women working by far, which marks that men are more confident than women in this field. Also that the attribute of self bias is seen more in men than women and therefore men are more likely to be overconfident. In order to justify the claim of overconfidence, been seen more in men than women, they quote the data from various surveys between 1998 and 2000 taken on a total of approximately 15000 respondents in which men expected their portfolio to outperform the index by a greater margin than women. Men trade approximately 45 percent more than the fairer sex, as per the data obtained from various brokerage firms. They also suggest that the average turnover rate for the common stocks for single man is sixty seven percent more than a single woman. Moreover Barber and Odean (2001) find out that women, at the end of the year, earn a return 0.143 percent lower than those earned by the portfolio at the beginning of the year whereas for men this number is 0.221 percent because of my churning activities seen in men than women. This justifies the fact that the stocks sold by both men and women outperform the ones they purchase. The stocks that men buy underperform those they sell by 20 basis points whereas the figure is 17 percent for women. At the end, Barber and Odean (2008) find out that the men on an average earn a monthly gross and net return of 1.501 and 1.325 respectively whereas for women this 1.482 and 1.361 respectively and concludes that the assumptions taken first that men trade more as compared to women and second that the men depletes the utility more due to excessive trading both holds good. An analysis on authors' finding:- There is a thin line of difference between confidence and overconfidence.While the authors appropriately suggest and prove that the number of trades executed by men is higher as compared to women, this may be because of better risk handling capacities in men than women. Authors aptly relate that trading is related to risk facing capacity and is also related to the income earned by an individual which well may be the only case and the data derived by the authors for the model may be necessary but does not seem sufficient to justify that the higher trades are a result of overconfidence. However the report generated by the authors definitely guides an investor in the following manner in his future

Portrayals within the media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Portrayals within the media - Essay Example Under the above mentioned, the presentation of issues or images related with drugs should be more limited both to its content and to its time and it should be focused to the methods of the problem's resolution and to the risk related with them trying to avoid to become a kind of advertisement on their usage (Kay, 2002). Mostly the last years, the behavior of media towards the issue of drugs can be characterized as having 'two-aspects'. The first aspect is characterized from the existence of emissions and advertisements that have as a target to show that drugs are the 'killers' of the body and the mind as well as of discussions transmitted through the radio in which the experiences of people that have passed from this condition are analyzed in order to prove the danger related with the specific problem as well as the possible methods to face it when occurs in terms of reality. In this context, the portrayals of the drugs and the drug users are characterized mainly by the detailed analysis of the negative aspects of the situation as well as of its direct and indirect results on peoples' lives. On the other hand, the so-called 'lifestyle' of modern society, which is presented continuously through the media, refers mostly to the 'easy life', the 'easy money' through the 'easy dreams' and - on purpose or no - creates the need for the acquisition of a series of products and of a certain style of life which is not achievable to the majority of people. Under these terms the people are influenced that this way of life (the easy one) is the perfect situation and the ideal acquaintance. Very often people that live in such a style of life are presented as ideally happy even if it is known that they have drug addiction. In the worst situations, this use is just mentioned as an aspect of a person's life as not a really bad or negative condition and the drug usage is indirectly presented as the normal consequence (even a requirement') of this way of life. Greene and Krcmar (2005, 71, 72) made a research on the influence of media to the human behavior. They found that 'argumentativeness is positively related to violent movie exposure, real crime television exposure and violent television exposure'. Moreover, they stated that 'argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness' have been found to be 'better predictors of violent media exposure than they are of violent media linking'. Furthermore, 'violent movie exposure was found to be positively related to risk taking, whereas horror movie viewing was negatively related to risk taking'. Their research did not refer specifically to the drugs and the drug users. However, their influence to the human behavior could be analogous if considering that in real terms the drug use is a 'violation of health' especially when considering the results and to that point the effects of images of such a content could have the same effect to the human behavior as the movies that contain violence. To the above direction Gutwill and Hollander (2002, 263) examined the issue of the interaction between the human behavio

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - Essay Example Caring for patients with mental and behavioral disorders requires integration of clinical skills, professional knowledge, interpersonal skills and experiences. The central activity in practice is therefore, that of using ‘self’ as the means of establishing and attaining effective nurse-client relationships. Consequently, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the change interventions that rely on collaborative and therapeutic relationship and empowering with the treatment outcomes dependent on active participation of the client. The central idea in CBT is that all behavior (normal and abnormal) is attained and sustained ways that are identical (Whitfield, 2010). This is consistency with the principles of learning theory, which emphasizes on the role of operant and classical conditioning. The extensive evidence base of CBT is well documented and recommended as a treatment modality with clear guidelines for best practices (Whitfield, 2010). Although reflection plays a critical role in CBT, it has been conspicuously absent in CBT literature leading to misconceptions that CBT therapists don not reflect (Wright, 2006). With this background, this paper demonstrates that nurse students and CBT therapists use various methods such as self-reflection, self-supervision, and reflective journals as well as a variety of data from multiple sources such as CBT literature, client presentations and self-reflections to reflect on their learning and practice. According to the International Institute for Cognitive Therapy, CBT is a psychological approach that relies on scientific principles of which research has shown effectiveness towards diverse range of problems (International Institute for Cognitive Therapy, 2014). CBT intervention encompasses approaches such as cognitive therapy (CT), and rational emotive therapy (REBT). CBT

Special education and collaboration Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Special education and collaboration - Coursework Example Another component is the interaction process, which takes an interaction from the beginning to the end. Here there are such processes as problem solving and responding to conflict and resistance, which requires effective communication skills (Friend & Cook, 2009). Another component is a set of programs and services. These provide the baseline for the collaborative activities to take place. In these services, there are interactive processes that are meant to design and deliver student services takes place. The last component in the collaborative process is context. This is the surrounding where the collaborative processes take place. According to me, the most difficult component to implement is communication skills. This is mainly because of the diversities in cultural backgrounds that you come across when you meet different colleagues and parents. In this case, disagreements can easily come along since some people tend to be ethnocentric. For example, the student to be assisted may be living with grandparents, who may be illiterate, and can only communicate in their mother tongue. As a teacher, or any other team member, it will really need you to have the knowledge of that particular language, or else there will be no communication progress. The problem-solving process entails sequential procedures that have to be followed in order to come out with good results. The first step is to analyze the problem-solving context. Here, you examine the conditions related to the possibility of the problem-solving process to succeed. You also come up with ideas on what might happen if the problem is not solved. The next step is to identify the problem. In this case, you explore all data that can give information concerning the problem, having your main goal in mind (Friend & Cook, 2009). The next step is to find out if the amount of resources needed in addressing the problem in question. Here you can conduct some form of estimations and approximations. You will have

Individual Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Individual Assignment - Essay Example The geographical concentration of production units which was once part of the developed world such as US, UK and other parts of the Europe is now clearly finding its way towards cheaper and sustainable production locations across the globe. What is critical to note and understand however, is the fact that automobile industry has remained also one of the symbols of national pride for the developed economies. US and other economies have virtually developed with the development of their automobile industry and it was also because of this reason that after the financial crisis of 2008, US government injected large amount of money into the automobile industry in order to help it survive the recession. Though the traditional concept of nation-state is linked with the geographical area from where political legitimacy as a sovereign state can be driven however, the overall concept has changed over the period of time. (Ersoy, 2010).   Since the advent of globalization, it has been advocated that world has become border less and the role of State has either been vanished or is minimized to the best. This however, has not been the case as State and the concept of nation-state has survived over the period of time. (Dicken, 2007) In traditional sense, a State is usually a political and geographical entity whereas the nation is more of a cultural concept. The nation-state therefore is a concept which combines both the concepts and suggests that nation-state can be formulated at different times and different places in the world. A nation-state therefore has an official language, its own legal system, issues a currency, and makes use of bureaucracy to order the overall society. A nation-state also extracts the legitimacies and loyalties for abstract entity called State. (McNeely, 1995) The advent of globalization has resulted into a gradual decline in the power of State to work

Writing for Different Cultures and Audiences Essay - 2

Writing for Different Cultures and Audiences - Essay Example A more comprehensive evaluation of the exhibition on Afghanistan’s hidden treasures were critiqued through emphasizing the value of preserving ancient art. It was therefore an opportunity for readers to appreciate realizing that contemporary art could still present and highlight ancient art as a means of sharing the legacy to current generation. The image taken and incorporated in the critique rationalized the theme which stipulates that â€Å"A nation stays alive when its culture stays alive†. The statement affirms the influence of ancient art as inspirational pieces in today’s culture. The comments that were noted through viewing the exhibit were clearly structured to describe Julien’s art work as totally innovative and captivating. Through a new medium (single channel projection on a panoramic screen), the ability of the artist to put into screen an interplay of fragmented videos and sounds was deemed to be effective in capturing the audience’s appeal. As such, one was intrigued by the information noted through the personal insights and interpretation of Julien’s art

Public policy on public houses; a look in to influencing factors on Essay

Public policy on public houses; a look in to influencing factors on attitudes of binge drinking 18-24 yr olds - Essay Example involve consuming about half the weekly dose of alcohol in a single drinking session and those who indulge in binge drinking perceive consuming large amounts of alcohol as being beneficial for them. The reasons for binge drinking are complex, but are associated with stress, uncertainty, peer pressures and low self - esteem experienced by young adults as they gradually assume adult responsibilities. Those young adults who indulge in binge drinking episodes may be new to drinking in groups, but they do have an ability to say no and hence are not addicted to alcohol. However, these young adults want to form bonds and get rid of stress, thinking that alcohol can help them with a quick fix, thanks to the unethical marketing campaigns of the 1980s in which United Kingdom and European brewers tried to retain their sagging markets by focusing on the younger generation. This dissertation attempts to identify the influencing factors associated with attitudes of binge drinking which can have an impact on marketing for educating the public and designing interventions for positively influencing young adults. Binge drinking has attracted much attention in recent years, not only in the United Kingdom, but also in many other countries that have a predominantly Anglo – Saxon culture (MCM Research, 2004, Pp. 2 – 5). Although several definitions of binge drinking have been presented in literature (Oei, 2004, Pp. 160), (MCM Research, 2004, Pp. 2 – 5) and (Alcohol Concern, 2003, Pp. 1), the phenomenon usually refers to the consuming of half the recommended weekly dose of alcohol in a single drinking session and this translates to consuming about five servings of alcoholic beverages in rapid succession (Norman, 1998, Pp. 168). The phenomenon of binge drinking usually translates into scenes involving young people of both sexes struggling along on public streets, young men and women being noisily sick on the streets at late hours, fights and brawls of the most barbarous character

Marketing Employability Portofolio Personal Statement

Marketing Employability Portofolio - Personal Statement Example As emphasized on one of the business courses I am currently taking, I need to think strategically in order to ensure the achievement my specific goals and objectives. Thus, I have already set my vision which is to pursue a rewarding career and maximize my full potential. In light with this, my specific objective is to gain a position in the insurance industry which is equally challenging and fulfilling. The employability assessment enabled me to craft the specific strategy required in the attainment of my objectives. I need to accept my ignorance and misconceptions about the UK and international job market. Undertaking the first and third tasks of the assessment revealed these to me. I have also learned that the situation of the UK economy which is slowly integrated with the international market through globalization has a direct impact on the attractiveness and prospects of the labor market. Thus, I need to be imbued with a thorough understanding of the current issues, trends, and development in order to equip myself with the challenges posted by the larger environment. Noting the changes in the business arena, I also enhanc... For example, my position in Laiki Insurance Office has instilled in me customer orientation skills, teamwork, and better communication. The employability tasks enable me to better know myself by revealing my current skills and the ones which I need to improve on. Currently, I am commercially aware, flexible, adept in numerical analysis, has established a professional image, able to listen, attuned to customer needs, and has basic IT skills. Though these skills are primary in gaining a good position in the job market, I also recognize that I also need to be imbued with more especially that the current labor market and employers require their employees not only to specialize in a field but build my strengths and to become multi-tasking. Thus, I am highly motivated to develop various skills including leadership, analysis, research, written communication, planning and organizing, and oral communication. I have committed myself in taking action as soon as possible and be able to acquire the aforementioned skills before the year ends. I also recognize that the best way for me to develop these capabilities is by exposing m yself to situations where these skills are needed. I also plan to write a daily journal where I keep track of my development each day. This way, I will not lose my passion in striving for excellence. One of the most exciting tasks in the employability assessment is the hands-on experience on finding job vacancies, making the appropriate resume, preparing an accompanying covering letter, and getting ready for the interview. I have learned that this is not as easy as it seems and needs a thorough planning ahead of time. These tasks teach me the importance of

China & Art Essay Example for Free

China Art Essay China is probably the most influential and powerful civilization in Asia and is a good source of a very rich cultural and artistic heritage. In its early centuries, Buddhism, as the major religion of China has had a great influence in the country’s artistic imagery. Other art forms that thrived during this period were painting and calligraphy. It is also during this early time periods that China invented one of its greatest contributions to art and to the world – paper. Very early in during this period, the Chinese made what they called the mingqi. These are sculpted figures of soldiers, attendants, entertainers, and also of usual objects that people need and use such as houses, wells, stoves, and more. This is in part of their belief that even after death they would still need those things and continue living their usual routines as when they were still alive. Some of the early proofs of Buddhism in China were the carvings of Buddhist Images on the cliffs at Kungwangshan in Jiangsu Province. These images were dated back to around the 2nd century. At around 100 A. D. the Chinese had started working on developing paper. Rag paper (probably the first forms of paper) that was found was dated to as early as the 2nd century B. C. The first hemp paper however that had writings on it were dated to around 109 A. D. Cai Lun was one of those people who helped developed the method for mass-producing paper made from tree bark, hemp and linen. It was by the 3rd century that paper had been widely used in China. China also has their share of Ceramics. Ceramic products that hailed from the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu are most admired. These provinces also had reputation in the creation of burial urns shaped like animals. The period from 220 to 265 A. D. was the period of the Three Kingdoms. Known for its Chivalric and Romantic nature, it became the setting and inspiration of one of China’s favorite historical novel. Written by Luo Guanzhong entitled Sanguo zhi yanyi (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) was published during the 14th century. Towards the end of these first 5 centuries at 317 to 420 A. D. , the arts flourished even more in China particularly at Nanjing in Jiangsu Province. It was also the period of development of Chinese literature. Some important Chinese personalities that arose from that time were Wang Xizhi for calligraphy, Gu Kaizhi for figure painting, and Tao Qian (aka Tao Yuanming) for poetry. And at the 5th century Xie He wrote the Guhua pinlu (Classification of Ancient Painters). Being one of the most famous Chinese critics, he wrote this book stating six laws which he thinks are the good characteristics of a work of art and the person who created it. His ideas have been recognized and considered in Chinese painting ever since. Conclusion It is quite apparent that in the three East Asian Cultures that were discussed, it seems that the Chinese really had a lot to contribute in terms of creating art and understanding art during the ancient times. And these contributions and ideas are still apparent even to the present day. Let us not fail to consider that other Asian cultures also had their own influences and contributions to , Asia and the World but China probably just had the most influential ones because they were probably the first in doing and developing many things also considering how big and powerful the Chinese civilization is. In looking for a commonality, it seemed that all three had their share of ceramic and pottery craft. Naturally, they did not yet have plastic back then and they were still quite new to metals which was why clay would be the main material they would likely use in creating things. They also had a different use for some pottery; they used some urns as sort of coffins in which they placed their dead. In understanding today’s culture, it would be good to look back and understand the ancient forms of art that had a great role in the development of a culture and how it influences other surrounding cultures up to the present days. Works Cited China, 1–500 A. D. . In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/ht/05/eac/ht05eac. htm (October 2000)Haniwa Boar [Japan] (1975. 268. 418). In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/ho/05/eaj/ho_1975. 268. 418. htm (October 2006) Japan, 1–500 A. D. . In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/ht/05/eaj/ht05eaj. htm (October 2000) Korea, 1–500 A. D. . In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/ht/05/eak/ht05eak. htm (October 2000)

Environmental Education Essay Example for Free

Environmental Education Essay Environmental education and play in Swedish and Australian early childhood curriculum. Environmental education and play are two important facets of both Swedish and Australian early childhood curriculum. Sandberg and Arlemalm-Hagser (2011) provide us with an overview of the Swedish curriculum, the current landscape of environmental education and the place of play in environment curriculum. An Australian perspective is demonstrated by Edwards and Cutter-Mackenzie who examines domestic responses to environment curriculum in early childhood settings and the importance of play in this context. A synthesis of both accounts provides us with an overview of environmental education across the two nations and the way in which place of play in the curriculum. Sandberg and Arlemalm-Hagser (2011) argue that Swedish early childhood education is influenced by sociocultural theory with a child-centred focus. Values of Swedish society are transmitted through the curriculum with sustainable development featured. Children are stakeholders because they are citizens and future leaders. Learning for sustainable development is implemented via the Pedagogical Programme for the Preschool which was adopted in 1987 which aims to promote environmental awareness. A key difference between the Swedish and Australian stances on environmental education is that Swedish curriculum explicitly refers to the concept as â€Å"learning for sustainable development† while the Australian documents use terminology such as â€Å"environmental education. † Sweden makes it clear that the purpose of environmental education is to equip children with tools and dispositions to address sustainability as adults. The Australian perspective may appear to have more emphasis on biodiversity and appreciation of outdoor environments, however Edwards and Cutter-Mackenzie point out that sustainability is dealt with through one indicator of the EYLF’s Learning Outcome Two which states: † (children) develop an awareness of the impact of human activity on environments and the interdependence of living things† (DEEWR, 2009, p. 29). For both Sweden and Australia, play permeates early childhood curriculum and is the basis for learning and development. Play can advance problem solving skills, and provide opportunities to practice creative instincts (Sandberg Arlemalm-Hagser, 2011). With regards to environmental education, both articles point out that many opportunities for environmental education take place during play activities in the outdoor. For Sandberg and Arlemalm-Hagser (2011), the principle of pleasure creates a joyful learning environment where the children are actively engaged. Similarly, Edwards and Cutter-Mackenzie highlight the uniquely Australian environment can be used to engage children with nature. For Edwards and Cutter-Mackenzie, play and environment education in Australia are two key features of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) (Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations , 2009). The EYLF presents play as a pedagogical tool for connecting learning and environment involves children’s learning spaces. Play in the outdoors is highlighted and educators are encouraged to use the Australian learning environment to offer children groundwork for lifelong environmental education. Also, play develops social skills. Through play, friend making and social interactions take place. â€Å"Children become conscious of themselves through others† (Sandberg Arlemalm-Hagser, 20011, p45) and play promotes awareness of society as children grow to see themselves in relation to others, and as part of a group. Edwards and Cutter Mackenzie suggest that social skills can be developed through play as children begin to take moral standpoints. This dynamic relationship building and social experimentation can, as Mead (1995, in Sandberg Arlemalm-Hagser, 2011) suggests, lay the fundamental groundwork integral for a child’s development. In conclusion, both Swedish and Australian early childhood curriculum approaches environmental education in similar ways. While there are differences in terminology and focus, a key aspect of successful early childhood education is a consideration of context and making curriculum relevant. This accounts for the contrast in environmental education approaches. Play is seen as significant across both nations and creates a pleasurable learning experience that children can actively engage and learn in. In the future, it is likely that a global trend to environmentalise early childhood curriculum will develop as educators see a growing need to develop sustainable thinkers for the future. References: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. (2009). Belonging, Being Becoming. The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra, ACT: Commonwealth of Australia. Edwards, S. and Cutter-Mackenzie, A. , (2011). Environmentalising early childhood education curriculum through pedagogies of play. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood; v. 36 n. 1 p. 51-59; Retrieved from http://search. informit. com. au/fullText;dn=185912;res=AEIPT ISSN: 1836-9391. Mead, H. G. (1995). Mind, Self and Society. From the standpoint of a social behaviorist. Lund: Argos. (Cited in Sandberg Arlemalm Hagser, et. al. ) Sandberg, A. and Arlemalm-Hagser, E. , (2011). The Swedish National Curriculum : play and learning with fundamental values in focus. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood; v. 36 n. 1 p. 44-50; March 2011. Retrieved from http://search. informit. com. au/fullText;dn=185911;res=AEIPT ISSN: 1836-9391. Tysan Allen: 43053157 ECH120.

Dance as a Strategy for Social Inclusion

Dance as a Strategy for Social Inclusion All societies have some sort of division amongst themselves, whether based on race, religion, socioeconomic status, or some other criteria. Typically, those in the dominant group control the opportunities of those in other groups, more so in some communities than others (Levitas 1998). In overly simplistic terms, the degree to which individuals or non-dominant groups may and choose to join in the opportunities of the dominant society is called inclusion. The degree to which they are prevented or decline from joining in these opportunities is called exclusion. The terms social inclusion and its opposite, social exclusion, came into use in the 1970s in France, and have since been adopted by many countries in the EU (Reeves 2002). This study seeks to first define social inclusion and identify effective evaluation of social inclusion policy and programming. Alook at the historic role of dance as a means of social inclusion and exclusion is examined, with discussion of the roles of professional dance, dance instruction and performance, and social dance ininclusion. The study defines the requirements of dance projects intended as social inclusion tools to offer access, provision, accommodation, and empowerment. The results from such a program should include enhanced personal development, increased self-determination,and improved social unity. It is important to also consider the costto individuals participating in social inclusion activities, particularly how their changing thoughts, attitudes and goals affecttheir relationships with family and friends. The study concludes with six examples of well-run social inclusiondance programmes, and a plan for implementing a dance programme with a goal of increased social inclusion. In the examination of social inclusion or the effectiveness of aspecific tool in social inclusion, it is necessary to further definethe term. There is variation in the academic and political communitiesas to the focus and scope, not to mention purpose, of socialinclusion. Many disagree on the exact definition of inclusion andexclusion and appropriate models to describe their effect onindividuals and the community. For example, the United Nations holds that social inclusion â€Å"must bebased on respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, cultural and religious diversity, social justice and the special needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, democratic participation andthe rule of law† (Britton and Casebourne, 2005). The European Social Fund defines social inclusion as â€Å"the development of capacity andopportunity to play a full role, not only in economic terms, but also in social, psychological and political terms† (Britton and Casebourne,2005). â€Å"Social inclusion is achieved when individuals or areas do not sufferfrom the negative effects of unemployment, poor skills, low income,poor housing, crime, bad health, family problems, limited to access toservices and rurality, e.g. remoteness, sparsity, isolation and highcosts,† according to the UK government (CESI 2005). The Laidlaw Foundation of Canada states, â€Å"social inclusion is about making surethat all children and adults are able to participate as valued, respected and contributing members of society,† while T.H. Marshall, inCitizenship and Social Class, bases the idea of social inclusion onâ€Å"the right to share to the full in the social heritage and to live thelife of a civilized being according to the standards prevailing insociety (Donnelly and Coakley, 2002; Marshall, 1950). There are even more definitions of social inclusion not listed here.However, some common elements included in most definitions aresubjective elements, such as feeling part of the community, respectedand valued, and physical elements, such as services within a reasonableproximity, or a certain level of material resources (CESI 2005). This study contends that social inclusion requires: †¢ Access allowing all members of a society entrance to and full participation in its opportunities †¢ Provision providing a mechanism for removing barriers betweenpeople groups in a society, including economic, language, and proximitybarriers †¢ Accommodation respecting and valuing the differences of itsmembers, whether physical, racial, economic, cultural, or otherwise †¢ Empowerment encouraging individuals and people groups within asociety to reach their full potential, as they define it, and fosteringtheir participation at all power levels Peter Donnelley and Jay Coakley support the above, in their report tothe Laidlaw Foundation, identifying five â€Å"cornerstones† of socialinclusion. First, all members of society must be recognized as having value. Individual differences must be respected, and necessary services provided for the entire community. Second, everyone has aright to development opportunities. This is most clearly seen inchildren; for example, recreation programs must be handicappedaccessible to allow for full participation. Third, non-dominantindividuals and groups should be involved in decisions effectingsociety in general and themselves in particular. An application of this would be senior citizens who suggest or plan their own activities,rather than simply participate in those created by paid communitystaff. Fourth, proximity is necessary for successful inclusion overtime. If the dominant group lives, works and plays in a differentlocation or one removed from m arginalised groups, social inclus ionactivities will be short-lived at best. Finally, inclusion requires the material resources necessary to truly participate (Donnelly andCoakley, 2002). A teen football player that is unable to afford theproper shoes will never be completely part of the team. Accordingly, successful social inclusion activity results in: †¢Personal development including self-esteem issues, skill attainment,creativity, and increased likelihood to participate in otheropportunities. †¢ Self-Determination in both decision-making and self-expression,for individuals and the community as a whole, with participants takinggreater responsibility over time for both the inclusion project andtheir own personal needs. †¢ Social unity improving relationships between members of the community and uniting people groups around common goals. The effectiveness of social inclusion activities and the achievement ofthe above results are often controlled by the political or leadershipmindset prevalent in the programme. It is important to note,therefore, that the above differ from the definitions set forth by theUK government. The government’s aims include â€Å"improved educationalachievement, increased employment prospects, improved health, reduced crime, and improved physical environment† (CESI 2005). Note that theserelate directly to economic concerns, with little consideration forpersonal development beyond the development as a worker, no mention ofself-determination at all, and no mention of social unity or cohesionbeyond a reduction in crime. Some local governments also take a strong economic focus. The Lancashire County Council defined social inclusion as something thatâ€Å"is to be achieved by involving the poorest of citizens so that theyexperience a rise in living standards, from which they are excluded atpresent due to a host of interrelated problems† (CESI 2005). This research supports the argument that social inclusion, while having a significant economic component, also involves the personal actionsand attitudes of individuals and people groups in a society. It is the opinion of this study, supported by numerous others, that the outlookand ownership in society of marginalised groups must first change forany true inclusion to take place. Ruth Levitas, in her book The Inclusive Society? Social Exclusion and New Labour, encapsulates the three primary models for addressing social inclusion. The first and most politically left model is there distributionist discourse, or RED. This model holds lack of materialresources to be the primary cause of exclusion. This leads to a callfor forced redistribution of material resources to achieve social inclusion. The amount of redistribution required for inclusion,however, particularly within a democratic or socialist society, isusually too much for the dominant group to bear. This channels deprived individuals and groups to reliance on â€Å"government handouts† and, ultimately, poverty in comparison to the dominant group. Thesociety practicing redistribution attempts to balance the needs of itsmarginalised citizens with the desires of those in power. This is adangerous game, as the resulting incomplete redistribution can lead tosoc ial unrest and economic difficulties for so ciety as a whole(Levitas 1998). The second model, the social integrationist discourse (SID), is the most centrist given today’s political climate. This model of inclusion focuses on equal access, opportunity, andparticipation in the labour market. The idea is that if marginalised people are given equal access to and participate equally in jobs and job training, they will become part of the greater society. Paid employment raises the standard of living or material resources, which allows them to participate in a wider range of society’s activities.Over time they integrate into the established society. The model presents the concept of community participation, or unpaid work, forthose unable to hold a paying position. This might apply to personswith severe handicaps, substance abuse issues, mental illness, or whoare the primary caregivers of young children or elderly parents. These persons should be encouraged to undertake volunteer opportunities inthe community, and thereby partici pate in society (Lev itas 1998). There are also obvious difficulties with this model. First, it ignoresthe many barriers that marginalised people face when seeking paidemployment, including language and cultural issues, and childcare forsingle parents. These can take many years to overcome, if they areovercome at all (Cook, K. 2004). The model also assumes the availability of jobs and job training, not a reality in our presentlabour market. With the concept of community participation, it isunclear how or where such unpaid work would take place, given thatthese are people who are â€Å"unwanted† by the paid employment sector. The third model, the moral underclass discourse (MUD), is the most politically right model. This assumes that marginalised people are not included in society because they choose not to participate (Levitas1998). According to this model, a young person from a deprived neighbourhood chooses to be poor and to pass by the job training or educational opportunities afforded to him by society. For social inclusion to be successful, these individuals and people groups mustchoose to participate in society. Proponents of this model oftenencourage punishment of some type to individuals who do not comply with programmes aimed at helping them, and rewards to those who comply. The moral underclass discourse overlooks the complexity of manymarginalised people’s situations. It fails to consider the pressureindividuals face from their culture groups, lack of role models andself-esteem issues, and personal resources to overcome initial barriersto societal participation. The model further fails to identify causesof non-participation. Any social inclusion activity should identify and target deprivedcommunities or people groups. In addition, an effective long-termprogramme will seek to address the causes of this deprivation, not justthe results of it. Effective solutions will value the input of thosefrom the deprived community and look at the situation from a holisticperspective (Britton and Casebourne 2005). This addressing of causesand empowering of marginalised peoples is not provided for in the moralunderclass discourse. The government currently pursues policy based on the socialintegrationist model, focusing on providing educational opportunitiesto children to prepare them for later job training, and vocationalopportunities to adults (Reeves 2002). Despite its flaws, it seems themost feasible means of delivery of social inclusion. SID supports theidea that effective inclusion goes beyond simple access issues.Non-dominant groups must be allowed to strive for their full potentialwithin society, raising their standards of participation and acceptanceuntil holistic involvement is achieved. Inclusion, as seen throughthis model, is â€Å"about closing physical, social, and economic distancesseparating people, rather than only eliminating boundaries or barriersbetween us and them† (Donnelly and Coakley 2002). While it is possiblefor individuals or groups to be included in some arenas and excluded inothers, this research assumes that inclusion in any for m contributesto inclusion holistically. True inclusion, however, goes beyond allowing those in non-dominantgroups to simply participate in the activities of the dominantsociety. They must choose to fully engage with the dominant group, andhave opportunity grow and develop to their full potential, andultimately have equal input into the decisions and actions of thesociety as a whole. Both the dominant group and the marginalisedgroups or individuals must work together for social inclusion tooccur. There are three levels of participation in inclusive situations betweenthe dominant group in a society and marginalised individuals andgroups: assimilation, accommodation, and separation. The type ofinteraction occurring is determined by the amount of change anindividual will undergo to fit into the dominant group or groups in asociety, and the willingness of the society to accept individuals orgroups with characteristics, means, or culture different from their own. Assimilation occurs when the dominant society chooses to allownon-dominant individuals and groups to adopt its activities, values,and culture, and non-dominant participants choose to adopt suchthings. Groups immigrating to North America historically valuedassimilation, and often neglected teaching their children the culture,traditions, and language of their native land. There was a great valueplaced on these second-generation immigrant children consideringthemselves â€Å"Canadian† or â€Å"American.† This à ¢â‚¬Å"melting pot† culturalmelding allowed immigrant children to quickly assimilate into thebroader culture, although often at the cost of many of their own uniqueattributes and traditions (Gamble and Gamble 2005). A more current example would be an immigrant Muslim woman whoenrolled in university. If this woman chose to adopt the dominantuniversity culture, she might abandon traditional head covering for ahat or hooded jumper. While continuing to dress modestly, she wouldwear clothing that did not distinguish her from her peers. Herinteractions would be in English. She might join clubs and participatein activities, study groups, and the like in a manner similar tonon-Muslim students, perhaps even dating in a manner typical ofuniversity women. If the other students, in general, accepted heractions, she would assimilate to their culture. If the same woman sought accommodation, rather than assimilation, shewould participate in the academic portions of university, but not tryto be like the other students. She would continue to wear whateverclothing she had worn prior to entering school. While required to speak English in the classroom, she would use hernative language often. She would abide by her religious guidelines asfar as interactions and activities were concerned. In short, she wouldbe a Muslim woman in a non-Muslim, British institution of highereducation. The university community would choose to accept her,cultural differences and all, or separate from her. Sometimes, however, inclusion is not achieved because the marginalisedgroups choose not to participate in society. This is calledseparation, and in this case the Muslim woman would not attenduniversity at all, choosing instead to stay within a community ofothers from her native country who share her religious beliefs. Shewould not make any effort to learn English or interact with thedominant society around her. The dominant society rarely makes aneffort to include individuals or groups choosing to self-separate, andsometimes encourages separation (Gamble and Gamble 2005). Successful inclusion, therefore, r equires a desire or willingness onthe parts of both the dominant society and the marginalised individualor group to join together in community. Society must accept theactions of the assimilating or accommodating person, and the personmust accept the boundaries and norms of society. Further defining social inclusion assumes a desire on the part ofmarginalised groups to join with the dominant society in theircommunity through either assimilation or accommodation. It is important to consider that some persons or groups self-excludebecause of past exclusion, or because of pressure to conform to theculture of their non-dominant group. Not all individuals from deprivedcircumstances are able to take opportunities when presented. Cultural,self-esteem, economic and other issues come into play. Dance should be considered in its use as a tool for social inclusion byfirst studying existing programmes and their effectiveness. Evaluatingthe successfulness of social inclusion programmes, particularly danceprogrammes, is difficult. Although great strides have been made inrecent years, most documentation of social inclusion success has beenwith activities focusing on other areas of the arts. Dance, as aphysical medium, is more difficult to empirically examine over time.While studies of dance tend toward feel-good stories and individualnarratives, several works of credible research have been conducted inrecent years. Evaluators also need to consider the type of dance activity they arestudying. For example, a ballroom dance class aimed atcross-generational integration and appreciation has a far differentpurpose than a performance dance programme aimed at increasing theself-confidence and empowerment of disadvantaged youth. Three types ofdance activities are used in reaching social i nclusion aims,performance dance, instructional dance (classes designed for skillattainment, recreation, or health more than public performance), andsocial dance. Research has been done primarily on the effectiveness ofthe first two types of dance, as they occur in controlled environmentslending themselves to analysis. Performance dance gives groups in the local community theopportunity to work and present their art collectively. This not onlybrings together groups from varied ages, cultures, and socioeconomicbackgrounds for a common purpose, it allows the community to view theirefforts, further reinforcing the inclusive nature of their endeavours(Donnelly and Coakley 2002). Often, professional dancers or communitymembers employed in some form of dance perform with the programme group. Performance dance programmes are typically evaluated by reactions ofparticipants and audience, fiscal results (including support documentedfrom the local community, and quality of performance (Reeves 2002).Participants and audience members are given surveys, indicating theirreaction to the programme and results of their participation. Thosesurveyed are asked about their outlook, goals, and perceptions prior tothe performance dance activity, and after. The number of peopleindicating positive life outcomes and the degr ee to which they reportpositive life outcomes can then be calculated and compared with similarprogrammes (Matarasso 1997). An arts programme for youth in Portsmouth brought togetherprofessional artists and local children, from infant to sixth form.They would work together in a workshop setting, then perform locally.One group of children, for example, worked with the Kokum dancecompany. In this programme, data was collected from the children’steachers, rather than the children themselves. Teachers were asked toevaluate specific items regarding each child’s behaviour, attitude, andperformance in the classroom, providing reliable data regarding benefitthe children derived from participation (Matarasso 1997). As many of these performance projects are funded wholly or in part bypublic funds, fiscal considerations come into play. Were members ofthe community willing to support the project by purchasing tickets?Was the project able to recoup some of its costs, and if so, how much?Francois Matarasso’s 1999 groundbreaking research, Use or Ornament?The social impact of participation in the art s, deals with the growingemphasis on economic contributions of the arts community to the overallfinancial health of communities and the country, and the importance ofthe arts as an export for the British economy. This is sometimes atconflict with the purposes of those initiating and operating danceprojects. However, as funding is required for most inclusionactivities, it remains an evaluative consideration (Matarasso 1997). Quality evaluations of performance dance activities aimed at socialinclusion are as controversial as reviews of dance performances ingeneral (Reed 1998). Consensus between those familiar with danceperformance, however, can be a useful tool in evaluation (Reeves2002). Instructional dance is even more focused on the life impact on itsparticipants. These programmes are typically held in dance schoolenvironments, often in connection with the local schools or a communitycentre, and often focus on children. The dance projects undertaken bythe Merseyside Dance Initiative’s Out of Reach programme areinstructional activities leading to performance. Research conducted byMDI on their dance programmes included survey, interviews, videos,photos, and letters, providing both empirical and subjective resultsfor these activities (Peerbhoy, Smith, and Birchall 2002). It is important to take into consideration the native languages andages of those surveyed in this type of research. Young childr en andthose for whom English is an additional language can have difficultywith written surveys. For example, Out of Reach, a report of danceinclusion programmes by the Merseyside Dance Initiative, describes howparticipants were surveyed using a Face Scale, showing seven facesgoing from broadly smiling to frowning. They were then asked toidentify the face that expressed how they felt about their life ingeneral. MDI also used a Cantrils Ladder, where participants ratedtheir life satisfaction by choosing a rung on the ladder to representit (Peerbhoy, Smith, and Birchall 2002). By using this surveytechnique before and after participation, MDI was able to quantifyparticipants’ views on their experience in their programmes. Thisallowed them to use the same survey for children and adults, regardlessof language backgrou nd. The Merseyside Dance Initiative researchers followed the above surveyswith oral interviews, including a series of questions for allparticipants, an additional que stion set for senior members of thedance programme, and a third set of questions inclusive of the firsttwo for dance leaders. These were open-ended, subjective questions,such as â€Å"What impact do you think Out of Reach has had on your group?†and â€Å"Out of Reach is a community project what does that mean to you?†(Peerbhoy, Smith, and Birchall 2002). Skill attainment is an important item of evaluation, in addition toself-esteem and similar benefits from an instructional dance activity.Skills can be measured by observation on the part of the instructor orclass leader, with data collected at the beginning and end of the classor activity. Again, results can be compared with similar programmes todetermine effectiveness, or used to project the effects of a project tobe implemented. Instructional Dance is not immune from financial considerations or thepolitical emphasis on jobs and job training in social inclusionprogrammes. The Enterprise and Cultural Committee’s submission fromthe Aberdeen City Council in 2004 included a number of such goals orachievements, including â€Å"the training and development of artists,contributing to the cultural and economic vibrancy of an area,†improved economics, â€Å"enhancing the image of Scotland both at home andabroad,† and â€Å"training for play workers, youth workers, and c areworkers to broaden their understanding and experience in utilisingdance as part of their programmes and everyday work.† Instructionaldance programmes, without performance revenues, tend to face even morevolatile financial situations, and are often offered in directcorrelation to funding availability (Aberdeen 2004). The third type of dance, social dance, is difficult to quantitativelyresearch. Social dance activities are usually offered by localorganisations and governments as recreational opportunities, withsocial inclusion aims a secondary consideration. The Aberdeen CityCouncil’s report, mentioned above, cited 1402 community dance eventsheld in 2003 / 2004 by their citymoves initiative. These eventsincluded festivals and dance events (Aberdeen 2004). While participants in a formal dance programme can be surveyed beforeand after their activity or class, this is impractical and, for thatmatter, almost impossible at a festival or public social dance type ofevent. Data can be collected on the number of attendees, any acts ofviolence or physical altercations between people groups, and similarstatistics. General observations made also be made about people’sparticipation and recorded, although subjective. Comparisons betweencommunity situations before and after a series of such progra mmes arealso often used. For example, did the juvenile crime rate andincidences of vandalism drop after the inception of a weekly youthsocial dance? Children in the community are also affected by participants in socialdance activities. They are quick to notice who attends and observe whoparticipates in what activities at a festival. The participation orlack thereof by certain groups within the community reinforces thechild’s perceptions of appropriate community interaction, laying thegroundwork for either tolerance and acceptance or bigotry and mistrust(Hanna 1983). This is an important component almost impossible tomeasure through research. Overall, the need for empirical and fact-based research remains strongfor dance activities, particularly those focused on broader goals suchas improving community social cohesion. Additional studies should beencouraged. Dance has historically reinforced distinctions between people groupsand social classes, particularly social dance. After all, social danceis usually between friends or romantic interests. There is stronginclination at all levels of society to fraternize in such settingswith members of one’s own social group. In much of Europe, for example, those of the upper levels of societyparticipated in court dances, while those at lower levels of societyparticipated in country-dances. The types of dances one learned andthe way one carried oneself at the festival, dance hall, or ballroom,quickly communicated the social level or class of that individual. Itis hard to imagine, even a hundred years ago, a duke or duchess lopingaround a typical country-dance, or the typical commoner being acceptedat a royal ball. To some extent dance remains so today, where a dress worn at formalballs of the wealthy can cost in excess of a working persons wages forsix months. The galas and events reported in the newspapers andmagazines are intended for and attended by the wealthy and theirfriends. By the same token, the patrons at a typical hip-hop club in adisadvantaged neighbourhood would exclude a clean-cut, obviouslywealthy man in business attire. There remains hesitancy between groupsto attend social functions on another group’s turf, or in a communitysignificantly different from one’s own. Many ethnic communities retain dances from their native cultures,accommodating rather than assimilating to the society around them. Ifthese dances are performed or taught to others in the community, thiscultural sharing can have a strong inclusive effect. However, ifnative dances are reserved by their cultural group to only those withinthe group, the practice of such dances becomes exclusive. Another type of exclusionary dance programme remains popular today.A number of communities offer dance activities for disadvantaged youth,or those recently released from incarceration, or a similarmarginalised group. By offering services only to one specific group,geographical area, or income level, these programmes may actually detersocial inclusion (Reeves 2002). Deprived neighbourhoods often lack thephysical facilities or funding necessary for dance activities, andindividuals from outside the community may be reluctant to venture in,fearing crime or similar deterrents. Therefore, while these activitiesare obviously designed to serve a specific population and often are ofpositive benefit, they neither allow access to all members of societynor remove barriers between people groups, and therefore cannot beconsidered truly inclusive. Dance also experiences a higher rate of self-exclusion than some otherart activities. Men are often wary about participating in a danceactivity, as dance is still considered unmanly in some cultural sets.Also, the physical expression necessary in dance is considered immodestor inappropriate by some cultural groups (Reed 1998). Matarassodescribes an art panel activity, the Mughal Tent Project, where womencreate embroidered art panels for public display (Matarasso 1997). Theprogramme serves primarily Muslim women residing in the Leicesterarea. Although there was initial resistance from some husbands,eventually most became supportive of their wives efforts, even watchingthe children so their wives could complete their art. It is unlikelythese husbands would be equally supporting if their wives wereparticipating in a public dance performance (Matarasso 1997)). New Life and Hope, a community centre serving a deprived area with ahigh number of recent immigrants in the Bronx, NY, USA, noted a similardifficulty with performance dance. Many of the people moving into thecommunity were from Middle Eastern areas, predominantly Muslim withsome Hindu. The centre initially offered several art programmes forchildren and adults, including painting, sculpture, music, theatre, anddance. Very few men participated in these activities. Women andchildren were quick to sign up for spots in painting, sculpture, andmusic, somewhat slower to engage in theatre opportunities, and onlyyounger female children enrolled in any dance offerings (Ortiz 2005). Significant promotion of the adult dance programme and changes to makeit more culturally sensitive, including dropping dress requirements,were not able to increase enrolments. Women attending other coursesoffered, when questioned why they did not participate in danceactivities, often cited disapproval from their families. It is unclearwhether discontinuing the public performance portion of the danceprogramme (all participants put on a programme for the public at theend of the course) would have made it more palatable to thispopulation, as it was apparently not implemented. Dance wasdiscontinued from the centre’s offerings after two years due to lack ofinterest (Ortiz 2005). Dance also has historical significance as a means of inclusion within acommunity. From the earliest tribal communities, dance has been a waythe group comes together and reaffirms its unity. Primitive culturesoften use dance as a means to build social cohesion, including adoptingnon-native individuals into their group and marking rites of passage,such as children coming of age or entering into marriage-typerelationships (Kaeppler 1978). Certain dances themselves have aided in social inclusion at severaltimes in the past. For example, in the early 1900s in the UnitedStates, African Americans introduced a dance called the Shimmy to thelocal Chicago nightclub scene. The dance began to be p

Ghost Multicasting :: essays research papers

Ghost Multicasting allows one computer, the Ghost Server, to download a Ghost image from the Server and then redirects the image to other workstations, the Ghost Clients, through the use of TCP/IP settings over the network. The main advantage of Ghost Multicasting is that the downloading time is extremely shortened as only one PC is downloading the image off the Server which dramatically reduces the risk of heavy network traffic. The only disadvantage is that the PC chosen to be the Ghost Server has to have enough free hard drive space to store the image which will then be redistributed. The Two Methods Of Ghost Multicasting. Manually Specified Ghost Multicast – Using this method you have to manually assign unique IP addresses for the Client PCs by using and configuring the wattcp.cfg file located on each Clients’ boot disk. Automatically Specified Ghost Multicast – This second method is by using Windows NT to automatically assign IP addresses to the Client PCs by the use of the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, or DHCP, included in Windows NT ver. 4.00. Manually Specified Ghost Multicasting: Setting Up Ghost Server Disk 1. Prepare a boot disk that includes and loads the necessary network drivers and maps the disk images directory from the network. 2. Copy over the DOS Ghost Server program (dosghsrv.exe) to the same disk and add it to the autoexec.bat file. 3. Copy over the wattcp.cfg file to the disk and change the IP Address, Subnet Mask and Gateway according to network. (A special IP Address should be allocated for the Server PC) Setting Up Client Disks 1. Prepare boot disks in the same order for the server boot disk but copy over ghost.exe instead of dosghsrv.exe. 2. Edit the wattcp.cfg and add in a unique IP Address for each boot disk. (Usually IP Addresses would have been set up earlier for the specific use of identifying ghost client PCs) Ghosting Client PCs 1. Load up the PC which will act as the Ghost Server with the Server Boot Disk and load dosghsrv.exe from the DOS command prompt. 2. Type in a Session Name and select the Image File from the disk images directory on the network. 3. Start up Client PCs with the unique Boot Disks and load ghost.exe. From the Ghost Server, you should see the IP Addresses of the Clients appear in the window as each Client PC loads the Ghost program. 4. Once every Client PCs’ IP Address can be seen in the Ghost Server window, you are able to select them all by clicking on Accept Clients.

Buddhism :: essays research papers

Buddhism is a strict religion with restrictions that determines how a follower of the religion must live life. Buddhism is a large part of culture and society in south- eastern Asian countries. In the western hemisphere, there are simply not enough Buddhists to have a large impact on western society. A Buddhists ultimate goal is to reach their state of nirvana. To reach this state, their life is guided by firm presets. Buddhists believe that their lives they are living now were shaped in a previous life. Therefore Buddhists have to reach their own Karma. In order to reach their own karma, a Buddhist must follow the noble eightfold path. These are right views, right aims, right speech, right conduct, right living, self-control, right- mindedness and right meditation. This backbone to the religion is one of the reasons many people can’t follow it. One of the hardest principles for most Americans to follow would be self- control. The Buddhists meaning of self- control is meditation, yoga, deprive the body of sleep, have no contact with corrupted minds and control your diet. Considering that nearly 2/3 of all Americans are overweight, this would be a hard principle to follow. Another principle Americans would have following is, right conduct. Most people can’t be pure in behavior. This means no drinking or doing drugs, no looking at pornographic magazines etc. a lot of people in the united states will also have trouble telling the truth all the time. It’s hard to find a completely honest person now- a- days. The hardest principle for Americans to follow would be right meditation. Meditation requires willingness to suspend all thought, desires and attachments, and remain quiet. In meditation the material world that we live in is seen as a distraction that robs people of their

Earthquake San Francisco- 1906 :: essays research papers

Earthquake San Francisco- 1906   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the morning 12 past 5:00 San Francisco suffered a major earthquake that killed 3000 people, the earthquake lasted for about 40 seconds and was recorded at 8.3 on the Richter Scale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People ran from there houses and some stayed inside the buildings and were crushed. The people who ran in the streets were killed by toppled buildings falling from above. There fire department was efficient but the water pipes that go down the San Andreas Fault were severed. The fire could not be stopped because there were now water until the next couple of days. Gas mains blew and caused massive fires all around the city. The city was in the middle of a great economic boom and almost all was lost on that day. The old buildings were never made to withstand earthquakes and easily crumbled and fell crushed people. Some sailers on the coast tried to leave but the waves flew the boats around like toys. The buildings were made out of unreined forced brick or wood which couldn't withstand a earthquake of that magnitude.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the earthquake, they noticed that the San Andreas Fault shifted a 250-mile long section witch tore roads and fences. Rivers, roads and power lines were severed and not aligned with its surroundings. A road across the fault ended up 21 feet north of the road to the east same with the rivers and creeks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The earthquake's most damage were in Los Bonas 30km east of the fault yet there was little damage along towns to the east side of San Francisco Bay such as Berkely, 25km east of the fault. And the capital of California Sacramento that was 120km east of the rupture showed no damage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Scientists found out that the earthquake originated north of Oregon and south to Los Angeles a total of 1170 Km.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowing now that buildings could not withstand a earthquake with unreiforced brick, the new San Francisco would have buildings that can handle

General course on philosophy Essay

The world is comprised of various types of personalities and my personal experience can attest to that. My class is composed of young male and female adults of varying shapes, sizes, heights and colors. During class, I could also imagine that our instructor would perceive us as a sea of hues, all blending together within the space of the classroom. If our instructor did not focus of each one of our faces, it would be impossible for him to differentiate each one of us because we get along well enough to proceed and complete each classroom meeting. Despite the nature of viscosity of our identities, there are also times when certain members of our class would go to opposite directions, especially when philosophical concepts are being discussed. When our instructor would present a controversial topic such as euthanasia, there would be at least three distinct responses from our class. In general, there would be the group that would approve of the concept and the other group would extend an outright disapproval of the topic. The third yet silent group would be that of the neutral ones, who are always known to be nonreactive amidst all the outbursts around them. One should understand that the variations in the responses of the members of our class are not simply comprised of three general reactions. Our instructor is aware that each broad group can be further differentiated according to the principles and beliefs of each individual. For example, if euthanasia were approved in the entire country, the members of the group that is against euthanasia would aggressively react to this. The implementation of euthanasia could be equivalent to the crumbling of their world, as they would envision deaths that are at the mercy of physicians and other healthcare personnel. Looking closer into the reasons behind the disapproval of these individuals to euthanasia may be different for each individual. It is possible that one student disapproves of euthanasia because he is a strong believer of the Catholic religion, which raises the bar in terms of the value of life. Another student may not be in support of the concept of euthanasia because he has lost a loved one through such medical-ethical approach. It is also possible that another student disapproves the topic of euthanasia because his estranged father is a physician who actively participates in such technique, and thus his disagreement is not really about the topic but against his former role model. In order to shed more detail into the finer variations behind the reactions, the instructor should thus know each one of the members of the class. The class is big, as it is mainly a general course on philosophy and thus there are around 200 students in the room. When the instructor walks over to the podium and starts his lecture for the day, our eyes may seem to be tiny lights that would flicker at the very point when he utters a serious topic that needs to be discussed for an hour. He may or may not push some buttons in some of us, resulting in our reactions of support and condemnation. As for the other explosive topics, it may not be a simple button pushing for a number of students, but more of shoving a concept to our faces and asking us to express of thoughts and ideas. The course may be considered as general subject for undergraduate students, yet little do we know that we are unconsciously learning skills on how to analyze concepts. More importantly, these classroom discussions could pave the way to a clear journey for all of us, as we start our movement through an endless tunnel. It may be dark inside this tunnel of the unknown, yet after this long walk, there would be light at the end of the tunnel, leading us to a place that would cushion our identities and provide us slumber. PART II A metaphor can affect a person’s emotions because it allows the writer to symbolize his ideas using things, as well as adjectives, in order that the reader may have a better feel of the narration. A metaphor therefore facilitates in the cognition of an idea, thing or event that the writer wants to describe. This form of language can increase the impact of a narration because it can fully describe thoughts, as well as actions, by the use of transference (Hovecses, 2010). This approach allows the writer to define a certain topic through the use of comparison of two concepts that are generally considered as fully dissimilar yet may be the same in some aspect, viewpoint or perception. A metaphor can affect a person’s emotions because it assists in describing a topic through the use of descriptors of another matter (Wormeli, 2009). It should be understood that the other matter could be something else that is totally different from the topic in mind, yet the application of the descriptors of this matter can increase the weight and impact of the topic in focus. It is probably human nature to employ certain descriptors of one thing in order to provide information on another topic. The use of metaphor allows the narrator to transfer certain features that are unique to one item onto the topic of interest, resulting in a better understanding of the idea that needs to be conveyed. A simple example of a metaphor that could stimulate the emotions of a reader is to use items that are important to the reader, such as the words life, love and world. When a small item means so much to a certain person, the writer could signify this importance by claiming that this small item is equivalent to the life of that person. Once the reader sees this description, he will then feel that the item being presented is indeed so important, thus influencing his emotions to go with the narration. Language can empower or limit the expression of our thoughts because it allows the writer to use analogy in describing a certain topic (Kennedy & Gioia, 2009). The writer is therefore given the freedom to choose which words to employ for his narration. If the writer chooses to use strong words, his ideas are then delivered with great impact, influencing the reader to perceive the same emotions that the writer feels about the topic. On the other hand, a writer may employ subtle words when he feels that there is no need to purposely impart strong emotions regarding a specific matter. Language is therefore a strong tool because it could sway the reader into any direction that the writer wants provide. Every writer has a large reservoir of words that he could employ when describing or explaining a particular topic. In narration, language can be forceful if there is a need to emphasize a certain emotion. Language is empowered through the use of metaphors and other forms of speech because it allows the writer to represent certain topics by analogy (Applebee et al. , 2005). It focuses on describing a certain topic by tapping on the perceptions of the reader through the use of symbolism and analogy. The choice of words that generate a sentence may impact a reader because the writer has the capacity of employ analogy in presenting his ideas. He is capable of identifying one topic by describing features of a separate item, using the latter’s features to emphasize certain points of the former topic. Language is thus a powerful tool that could affect the perceptions and emotions of readers and this is mainly based on the writer’s capacity to apply certain form of speech such as metaphors and similes. Language can take the reader to a place where the writer has been, without physically going to that place. This successful and complete narration of a certain place mainly depends on the capacity of the writer to select words that would fully convey how he feels and sees in the place of interest. It is possible to perceive all the information that we create if we use the correct words that would impart the same effect on the reader. If we would like an audience to feel what we are actually feeling, we can use two general approaches. One approach would be to describe that condition in a straightforward manner, expressing the actual emotion. Another approach would be to employ metaphors, which assist in describing certain topics through the use of analogy. We can therefore present features that are inherent in other matters yet when applied as a descriptor for our topic, it purposefully imparts a sensation in the reader. Metaphors employed as form of speech are thus very helpful in describing and imparting certain emotions that the reader may be directly feel, yet when presented through the use of transference and analogy, could be equivalent to what the writer actually feels. In order to deliver a complete description of a certain topic, we should initially describe the general environment of the topic. For example, if we are describing a person, then the general physical features from a farther point of view should first be presented. These features may include the adjectives such as tall or short in height, lean or heavy in body size and so on. Once this has been provided, finer details of the individual can then be presented, such as wide eyes, or puckered lips or unkempt hair. The organization of the presentation of details of a certain topic is essential in conveying a message to the reader or the audience. This organization of information could significantly influence the reader’s understanding and perception of the topic being presented. If the writer or narrator does not employ this approach, the reader may not fully comprehend the scenario or the topic that is being presented. A disorganized delivery of information to the audience may therefore result in a different understand, emotion and perception of the topic and it may be totally different from what the writer intended to convey. REFERENCES Applebee, A. N. , Bermudez, A. B. & Blau, S. (2005). The language of literature. San Francisco: Holt MacDougal, 1548 pages. Hovecses, Z. (2010). Metaphor: A practical introduction, 2nd ed. London: Oxford University Press, 400 pages. Kennedy, X. J. & Gioia, D. (2009). Literature: An introduction to fiction, poetry, drama and writing. Los Angeles: Longman Publishers, 2256 pages. Wormeli, R. (2009). Metaphors and analogies: Power tools for teaching any subject. New York: Stenhouse Publishers, 264 pages.

Divorce Essay Essay

The Beginning of the End ontogenesis up I always believed dividement was the worst mistake a duet could make. Now that I am senior(a) I now have a different visible horizon on split up. My provokes part when I was seventeen years old, and since press release by dint of this experience I view split up differently. Although most mess look at of divorce as a prejudicious thing, I think any(prenominal) quantifys it turns bring off to be the outgo stopping point for everyone involved. When I was a little girl every I would hear from people is how divorce was wrong and couples should always work out their differences.My p arents would always assure me that no case how much we fight, we will never bring out a divorce. As the years went on things started changing in my parents relationship and we saw their labor union starting to dissolve. My sister and I could probe that they were no womb-to-tomb the happily matrimonial couple they had been for the past 25 years. in conclusion my generates soulality started to change, and he no longer was interested in family activities or spending quality time with my sister and I. He was non the papa we had known our whole lives. After realizing his behavioural changes he finally went to go correspond a professional.After a delicately a(prenominal) sessions with the doctor and many counseling sessions with my mamma, my atomic number 91 was diagnosed with notion. We had already seen first hand what impression could do to a spousal relationship, as his parents had gotten part after my papas amaze was diagnosed with depression. As time went by I saw my fathers depression taking a toll on my mothers happiness and her periodic attitude. I wanted some(prenominal) of my parents to be golden, but was that too much to fill of them to stay together? I knew my father had changed and was not the same man my mom had fallen in come with 25 years earlier.My dad was no longer the fun, ambitious, adve nturous guy my mom had met corroborate in college. Instead my dad was bitter, had browse outburst, and a constant negative mindset on tone. When my parents finally reached the conclusion to divorce my family knew it was going to be a gnarly road ahead. Although my sister and I were put off we knew it was for the best, it was just going to take some adjusting. Luckily the divorce was very gracious and my parents are still able to prevent a peaceable relationship for the interest of my sister and I. We both know my parents love us and that the divorce had nothing to do with anything we had done.My dad has since gotten help and my sister and I visit him often. He is getting suffer to the fun, loving, kind man we all knew him to be. Unfortunately, my dad waited to late to make changes in his life to save his marriage. Today, my parents are both in healthy relationships with other people. My sister and I enjoy spending time with both families and feel blessed these new people are in our lives. I had a very negative view on marriage when my parents told me they were divorcing, but since that time I feel not everyone gets divorced and marriage takes a lot of work.Although the divorce was hard to swallow, it is good to see both of my parents happy again. Now that my parents divorce is final everyone seems to be more peaceful and happy with their lives. I am not formulation divorce is the right decision for everyone, but I am saying depending on the situation sometimes it is the best choice. I have learned through my experience not to judge others that are divorced because everyones situation is different. I feel my parents made the right decision for our family and I am a stronger, and happier person as a result.