Transformational Learning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Transformational Learning - Research Paper Example In this paper, transformational learning is explored from these perspectives. Transformational Learning The concept of transformational learning has played a significant role in adult education. One of its major contributions is establishment of a basis for distinguishing between childhood and adult education. Unlike other learning perspectives such as SDL, transformational learning focuses on the cognitive process, which results in learning. Core to its constructs are the learner’s experience that is diverse as compared to the experience among young learners and an advanced level of maturity that adult learners have relative to their potentials at younger ages. These distinctions, as Rubenson explains, identify the learning approach as an adult learning theory and, therefore, supports previously developed theoretical concepts by Mezirow. Rubenson further explains that the basis of transformational learning is the change in people that arises from abrupt changes in their envir onment, their experience, and the visibility of such changes among the subjects or among people around them (Reubenson, 2011). Transformational Learning Theory Westby offers a theoretical approach to transformational learning through the Mezirow’s transformational learning theory. ... The change aspects identify experiences such as â€Å"poverty, illiteracy, and oppression† that play a significant role in adults’ cognitive constructs for transformational learning (Westby, 2007, p. 15). Another foundation for transformational learning theory is the rational nature of human beings that drives them to reflect on their experiences and develop assumptions and opinions from the experiences. Westby offers four constructs of transformational learning. These are â€Å"constructivists’ foundation, critical reflection, a shift in the world view, and a change to meaning schemes† (Westby, 2007, p. 15). Constructivism recognizes adults’ perspectives that learning is developed from life experiences and is, therefore, an intrinsic phenomenon as opposed to a development from external sources such as books and educators. Constructivism further undermines the role of educators in transferring knowledge to learners because adult learners develop kno wledge from their experiences. Reflection is another fundamental construct in transformational learning and defines knowledge development through a series of reflection into actions and reflective evaluation of actions for solutions to problems that learners may encounter. This means that transformational learning is not entirely dependent on experience, but also on the learner’s rationale, which evaluates experiences for intellectual developments. A significant change in the worldview is another definitive characteristic of transformational learning and goes beyond knowledge and skills. The change in general perception involves transformation of personal values and approaches to developing meaning from a person’s

Intracellular Bacteria Survival Strategies

Intracellular Bacteria Survival Strategies Survival strategies of intracellular bacteria to amoeba grazing Free living amoebae are unicellular protozoan that are ubiquitous in various environments. They mainly feed on bacteria through phagocytosis, and kill them in phagosome, which is a harsh acidic environment that contains different antimicrobial weapons. Amoebae grazing has been suggested to be one of the major forces that shaping bacterial abundance and diversity. However, some bacteria have developed strategies to survive phagocytosis by free-living amoebae and are able to exploit host cell resources. Below we try to summarize our current knowledge on the diverse mechanisms that are used by intracellular pathogens to overcome amoebae defenses. The most obvious strategy is to escape from the phagosome so that intracellular pathogens can avoid amoebae killing. Because phagosome is generally viewed as a harsh environment where ingested bacteria are confronted with acidification, oxidative burst, nutrient deprivation, and various antimicrobial small molecules. For instance, some members of the genus Mycobacterium, such as Mycobacterium marinum and M. tuberculosis, have evolved the ability to escape from phagosome into the host cytosol. This process requires the mycobaterial type VII secretion system ESX-1. In addition, both M. marinum and M. tuberculosis can be ejected from the cell through an F-actin structure ejectosome to spread cell to cell [1,2]. In general, cytosol is considered as permissive for bacterial growth, as it provides nutrients and is protected from host immune killing [3]. Therefore it is an ideal place for bacteria to thrive after escaping from phagosome. However, some intracellular pathogens can invade more unusual intracellular niches such as the eukaryotic nucleus. This includes in the free living amoebae Naegleria clarki [4] and more recently in another amoeba strain Hartmannella sp. [5]. These so called intranuclear bacteria are relatively rare and current studies suggest an independent evolutionary origin of an intranuclear life style. Taken together, after escaping intracellular bacteria can live in either cytosol or nucleus. The second strategy is to stay within the phagosomal vacuole, but subvert its antimicrobial mechanisms. These include preventing phagosome-lysosome fusion, modulating phagosomal pH, damaging phagosomal membranes, and/or quenching oxidative bursts [6]. Intracellular pathogens can utilize a combination of these approaches. For instance, Legionella pneumophila has evolved a complex system which allows the bacteria to hijack the phagocytic vacuole [7]. It can evade the endocytic pathway and the subsequent phagosome-lysosome fusion, delays its acidification and establishes a safe intracellular niche called Legionella containing vacuole (LCV), which allows intracellular replication [7,8]. Further studies suggest that L. pneumophila uses the Icm/Dot type IV secretion system (T4SS) and the Lsp type II secretion system (T2SS) to avoid killing and exploit host resources [7,9]. There are plenty of other bacteria using similar strategies [10]. However, a very special case is that some intracellu lar pathogens can exploit the complex cycle of the social amoeba. In the amoeba farming symbiosis, our lab group has found that some wild Dictyostelium discoideum clones stably associate with different bacterial partners and use them as food and weapons [11-14]. These clones are called farmers because they can seed and harvest their crops in new environments [14]. In addition, two clades of inedible Burkholderia bacteria have been found to induce farming, causing the amoeba host to carry them, along with edible crop bacteria [11]. Another recent case shows that Bordetella bronchiseptica can also exploit the complex life cycle of D. discoideum. Interestingly, B. bronchiseptica resides outside the D. discoideum spores, while the carried Burkholderia localize both inside and outside of spores, indicating these two bacteria have different exit strategies. Overall, the majority of intracellular pathogens occupy phagosomal vacuole, while only some are able to escape the phagosome [6]. This is possibly due to the fact that specialized mechanisms are needed to escape from phagosome [3,6]. There is no clear relationship between the type of survival strategies and whether the microbe is an obligate or facultative intracellular pathogen [6]. References 1. Hagedorn M, Rohde KH, Russell DG, Soldati T (2009) Infection by Tubercular Mycobacteria Is Spread by Nonlytic Ejection from Their Amoeba Hosts. Science 323: 1729-1733. 2. Gerstenmaier L, Pilla R, Herrmann L, Herrmann H, Prado M, et al. (2015) The autophagic machinery ensures nonlytic transmission of mycobacteria. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 112: E687-E692. 3. Ray K, Marteyn B, Sansonetti PJ, Tang CM (2009) Life on the inside: the intracellular lifestyle of cytosolic bacteria. Nature Reviews Microbiology 7: 333-340. 4. Schulz F, Horn M (2015) Intranuclear bacteria: inside the cellular control center of eukaryotes. Trends in Cell Biology 25: 339-346. 5. Schulz F, Lagkouvardos I, Wascher F, Aistleitner K, Kostanjsek R, et al. (2014) Life in an unusual intracellular niche: a bacterial symbiont infecting the nucleus of amoebae. ISME Journal 8: 1634-1644. 6. Casadevall A (2008) Evolution of Intracellular Pathogens. Annual Review of Microbiology 62: 19-33. 7. Hoffmann C, Harrison CF, Hilbi H (2014) The natural alternative: protozoa as cellular models for Legionella infection. Cellular Microbiology 16: 15-26. 8. Escoll P, Rolando M, Gomez-Valero L, Buchrieser C (2013) From amoeba to macrophages: exploring the molecular mechanisms of Legionella pneumophila infection in both hosts. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 376: 1-34. 9. Hubber A, Kubori T, Nagai H (2014) Modulation of the Ubiquitination Machinery by Legionella. Molecular Mechanisms in Legionella Pathogenesis 376: 227-247. 10. Steinert M (2011) Pathogen-host interactions in Dictyostelium, Legionella, Mycobacterium and other pathogens. Seminars in Cell Developmental Biology 22: 70-76. 11. DiSalvo S, Haselkorn TS, Bashir U, Jimenez D, Brock DA, et al. (2015) Burkholderia bacteria infectiously induce the proto-farming symbiosis of Dictyostelium amoebae and food bacteria. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 112: E5029-E5037. 12. Stallforth P, Brock DA, Cantley AM, Tian XJ, Queller DC, et al. (2013) A bacterial symbiont is converted from an inedible producer of beneficial molecules into food by a single mutation in the gacA gene. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 110: 14528-14533. 13. Brock DA, Read S, Bozhchenko A, Queller DC, Strassmann JE (2013) Social amoeba farmers carry defensive symbionts to protect and privatize their crops. Nature Communications 4. 14. Brock DA, Douglas TE, Queller DC, Strassmann JE (2011) Primitive agriculture in a social amoeba. Nature 469: 393-396.

computers :: essays research papers

Computers In Our Lives   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the 21st century rolling right along the technology world is becoming highly advanced every year. School in America must teach the basics of computers before computers become too advanced for students to even learn the basics. Once the basics of computers are taught in school, then students will be able to complete a large percentage of assignments over the computer. There are three basic functions that computers will do to help education. Computers will help students to receive learning material in an efficient way. Computers will allow students to accomplish more work using quick research and will allow for increased learning during the students’ education. Computers will allow students to prepare for the new way of life in which computers will be used in every profession.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The computer has an endless supply of possible education aids. Students will be able to research any topic over the computer and the Internet. With all assignments given, all work can be done over the computers. Students can take tests over the computer, they can complete math problems and, of course, students can complete writing assignments. The more students use computers, the quicker work will be completed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Students will be able to do all the research they need without leaving their seat. Students can learn about anything they want using the computer, which will lead to for an advanced education. The more a student researches, the more the student will learn about computers. With education switching to computers, students will learn at an efficient rate and will learn more material. Computers are used for research, writing out ideas, and then typing the paper, which makes writing papers easier for the students and more assignments can be given.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the new way of life quickly changing, computers are going to be needed for everything. In America computers will be the basis of every profession. Computer will be used to write up information, to check background information for police officers, and will be used to even issue fishing licenses at fishing stores. If computers are not used daily in school, then the process for the future of the student will not be completed.

Cultural nursing Essay

Australia is home to one of the most culturally diverse populations in the world, and the population continues to grow (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2006). This expanding diversity creates a potpourri of cultural attitudes, beliefs and values unlike the dominant Westernised view. The cultural differences impact on how people understand and experience end-of-life in the country. Customary practices of caring for the terminally ill that permeates in most African communities differ vastly from that of Australian’s individualistic culture (Hiruy & Mwanri, 2013). African culture is of a collectivistic nature whereby autonomy is devalued and the communities or families are expected to care for the sick. As with most ethnic minority groups, this culture can become altered or suppressed when subjected to the influences of another overriding culture (Kirmayer, 2012). For these reasons, the aim of the paper is to facilitate an understanding of the process to achieve culturally competent care. This paper begins with a description of an interaction between a student nurse who held a western set of values and a patient of African origin. The paper then discusses the cultural biasness against the minority group as well as the power relationships involved resulting in the suppression of the African end of life practices. A reflective discussion regarding the best approach to deliver culturally competent care during the interaction will also be presented. Case study Talib (pseudonym) was an African man in his 80s who was transferred to the palliative care ward following an episode of cardiac arrest. When the student nurse first encountered Talib and his family, they appeared to be reserved and kept to themselves most of the time. Talib’s family took on the task of nursing Talib and refused to leave him alone even during the night shift. Talib’s family members also regularly communicated on behalf of Talib even though the patient was fluent in English. Accordingly, the student nurse’s provision of nursing care was limited. The first day of Talib’s stay on the ward also saw the arrival of over 80 visitors. In African culture, members of the community are expected to visit and pay their respects to someone nearing the end of life (Hiruy & Mwanri, 2013). This practice is especially significant in Talib’s case as he was a well-respected leader of  his community. Though the intentions of these visitors were directed by their culture, the norms of the ward did not permit such practices. Initially, the ward tried to accommodate the sudden influx of visitors. Other nurses were involved with the additional task of crowd-controlling and reminding the visitors to be considerate of other patients. As the visitors became more disruptive and unmanageable, hospital security was called in to escort them out. Moreover, the sheer number of visitors arriving to pay their respects was exhausting Talib who appeared to be fatiguing and sleeping throughout these visits. The student nurse and her preceptor discussed with the family regarding the regulation of visitors. This created conflicts within the family as Talib’s daughter felt her father needed some respite from the visitors. However, Talib’s sister wanted him to receive a send-off that was worthy of his status. The situation was contained when the student nurse and her preceptor raised the issue with the medical practitioners who imposed a restriction on the number of visitors allowed. Cultural biasness and its impact Each person is a bearer of his or her own culture, values and attitudes and hence is subjected to ethnocentric tendencies and cultural imposition (Wells, 2000). In an interview of over 90 English nurses, ethnocentric practices and cultural biasness against ethnic minority group were still reported in current nursing practices (Vydelingum, 2006). Self-assessment can pave the way to caring effectively for a patient or family from another culture as healthcare providers develop culturally sensitivity to differences (Calvillo et al., 2009). Nurses who cultivate a habit of reflecting on their own cultural values, attitudes, beliefs and practices will be more aware of the influence of their own culture on work practices (Culley, 2006). When nursing the culturally different, nurses need to perceive and understand the significance of those differences and how that can be responded to within the nursing practice. Within the Australian context, there is a focus on the empowerment of patients (Williamson & Harrison, 2010). While involving patients with healthcare discussions is a step towards attaining empowerment, this may not be the case in a collectivistic culture. Many cultures do not share the  principal value of individualism (Davis, 1999). In collectivist cultures, individuals do not concern themselves with healthcare decisions, instead family members or community are often the designated arbiters (Kanitsaki, 2003). As Talib’s cultural practice dictates that the responsibility of his care belongs to his family, the student found it difficult to engage with the patient and his family and establish a therapeutic relationship with them. The student was also frustrated at the lack of opportunities to communicate directly with Talib. She felt that she was not able to identify his healthcare needs and thus, not able to deliver any nursing care. In addition, the student nurse also received a culture shock with regards to the response of the community. The number of people who poured in to visit Talib was beyond her comprehension. Due to the lack of exposure to such encounters, the student was uncertain with regards to handling the situation. She was more familiar with her Western ways of grieving and took that as a benchmark for normalcy. This belief is fortified by other patients and their family on the ward who were mainly of Australian descent. When a person’s customs are threatened by other unfamiliar cultural practices, he or she can become defensive and dwell on their own ethnocentric values (Ruddock & Turner, 2007). Undeniably, the student nurse was affected by the incongruence in culture. She was initially puzzled but reported feeling annoyance as she saw visitors’ actions as disturbances rather than cultural practices. Power relationships Given the hierarchical nature of the health care setting, asymmetrical power is present throughout any level of relationships including organisational and individual (Ramsden, 2002). The professional culture as set out by the hospital privileges ritualised routine care, leaving little room for nurses to work in a culturally safe manner (Richardson & MacGibbon, 2010). The power imbalance further pervades at the individual level as nurses have an inherent role power over patients (Kuokkanen & Leino-Kilpi, 2000). This power often underpinned the nurses’ professional practices and interactions. In order for patients to receive effective healthcare, nurses have the responsibility to analyse and understand these power relationships. Power  imbalances should be managed to avoid isolating patients and promote equitable nursing care. Even so, nurses will still make the conscious decision to exercise their power as a form of domination which occurred in Talib’s situation (Galla nt, Beaulieu, & Carnevale, 2002). Power relationships in the above case study involved both the institution and the nurses which interplayed with each other. The most obvious agent of control was the institution. In the name of patient safety and enforcement of order in the ward, hospitals will put in force policies and guidelines which are carried out by the employees. This inadvertently or advertently dictates the actions of nurses and impacts on their decision-making and nursing care (Kuokkanen & Leino-Kilpi, 2000). The cultural need of Talib and his community, however, presented a major challenge to upholding order and control within the ward. Consequently, the cultural practice was overruled in favour of preserving the ward environment. The nurses in the case study were authorised to regulate the behaviours of patients and their visitors. Talib and his community were subjected to the nurses’ power to enforce hospital guidelines and polices when the visitors were forced out of the ward by hospital security . The decision to call in security was solely that of the nurses without any prior notice to Talib and his community. The author and her preceptor also brought up the idea of imposing restrictions on the influx of visitors to the medical practitioners. While the doctor’s order to restrict the number of visitors was made in consultation with Talib’s daughter, it was hardly the consensus of other family members. The agreement to the visitor restriction may be an attempt to avoid another confrontation with security by assimilating into the hospital culture while compromising on their cultural practice. In this manner, the African community was disempowered by both healthcare providers and institutions. Lessons learnt Culturally safe care has its basis in cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity (Phiri, Dietsch, & Bonner, 2010). The ability to be culturally sensitive is developed from openness towards cultural diversity and respect for these differences (Campinha-Bacote, 2003). Appreciating the underlying forces that drive certain cultural practices can also contribute to  developing cultural sensitivity (Ramsden, 2002). Thus, for nurses to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are pertinent to the delivery of culturally safe care that is congruent with the patient’s needs, they have to recognise the patient’s cultural system and norms. Nurses will need to be aware of their own prejudices to circumvent stereotyping and categorising which can affect their approach towards the acceptance of culturally different end-of-life practices (Chenowethm, Jeon, Goff, & Burke, 2006). The understanding of a culture should not be confined to rituals, customs and practices of a group alone. Learning about a single aspect of one culture does not provide insight into the complexity of people’s behaviours their cultural realities (Duffy, 2001). In reality, culture is complicated and difficult to define. In order to maintain cultural safety and accommodate for cultural differences without disregarding diversity and individual considerations, nurses have to move away from a checklist approach to provision of care (Peiris, Brown, & Cass, 2008). Individual variations exist within each ethnic group. Talib’s daughter decided to put the health of her father above that of her cultural practices and against the wishes of other family members. Therefore, nurses have to tailor their care accordingly while respecting the overall cultural-defined norms and allowing for those individual differences. Provision of culturally competent care Culturally competent care is supported by both communication and recognition of diversity within and between groups of culture (Nursing Council of New Zealand, 2011). In line with this concept, Andrews and Boyle proposed that nurses need to possess certain skills in order to deliver culturally competent care (Andrews & Boyle, 2008). Cultural self-assessment and addressing communication needs are two of the skills that are applicable to this case study. When caring for culturally diverse patients, nurses have a higher tendency to display inadequacy in their communication (Donnelly, 2000). Misconceptions regarding these patients can arise, leading to a lack of respect for those with cultural values different from one’s own. This was manifested by the student nurse who was in effect demonstrating ethnocentrism. She made a fallible judgment of viewing Talib’s cultural  practices from the dominant cultural lens. By believing that the only way to identify Talib’s healthcare needs was through the patient without considering his family and community was characteristic of an individualistic view. In addition, the student nurse’s ethnocentric view of Western bereavement culture as proper and rational, while the African culture was disruptive was indicative of a racist undertone. It was important to acknowledge the patient’s ownership and control over their cultural knowledge, customs and beliefs and recognise these as the reality (Karnilowicz, 2011). The student nurse should have communicated with Talib’s family members with regards to their needs as they are the main decision makers in Talib’s health care. In addition, the nurses took matters into their own hands by deciding to impose visitor restrictions and kicking the visitors out. A more culturally sensitive method is to discuss with Talib’s family as they may be able to negotiate and control their v isitors in a way that is less degrading than expelling them from the ward. Conclusion Culture has a pronounced influence on how patients, their families and healthcare providers view end-of-life experiences. Understanding the cultural differences could enhance the cultural competence and culturally safe practices of nurses. This article has attempted to illuminate some of the cultural differences displayed by Africans living in Australia and how these may lead to diverged end of life needs in these communities. These differences have implications for how appropriate palliative care can be provided to them. Before attempting to accommodate to those differences, it is imperative that nurses possess cultural awareness through recognising their own cultural realities and prejudices. Understanding the power relations played out in the hospital setting is a step towards enhancing the implementation of culturally safe care. Apart from the inherent dominance nurses have over patients, institutions also have bearing over how nurses exert these powers leading to suppression of certain cultural practices. It is necessary for systems and individuals to learn about the customary beliefs of the patient and avoid generalising patients who belong to the same culture as individual differences exist. By acknowledging the various cultures and their norms, it is anticipated that the provision of culturally competent end-of-life care to these ethnic minority groups can be attained. Reference Andrews, M. M., & Boyle, J. S. (2008). Transcultural Concepts in Nursing Care: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Calvillo, E., Clark, L., Ballantyne, J. E., Pacquiao, D., Purnell, L. D., & Villarruel, A. M. (2009). Cultural competency in baccalaureate nursing education. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 20(2), 137-145. Campinha-Bacote, J. (2003). Many faces: Addressing diversity in health care. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 8(1), 3. Chenowethm, L., Jeon, Y. H., Goff, M., & Burke, C. (2006). Cultural competency and nursing care: an Australian perspective. International Nursing Review, 53(1), 34-40. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-7657.2006.00441.x Culley, L. (2006). Transcending transculturalism? Race, ethnicity and health-care. Nursing inquiry, 13(2), 144-153. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1800.2006.00311.x Davis, A. J. (1999). Global influence of American nursing: Some ethical issues. Nursing Ethics, 6(2), 118-125. Donnelly, P. L. (2000). Ethics and cross-cultural nursing. Journ al of Transcultural Nursing, 11(2), 119-126. Duffy, M. E. (2001). A critique of cultural education in nursing. Journal of advanced nursing, 36(4), 487-495. Gallant, M. H., Beaulieu, M. C., & Carnevale, F. A. (2002). Partnership: An analysis of the concept within the nurse–client relationship. Journal of advanced nursing, 40(2), 149-157. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2002.02357.x Hiruy, K., & Mwanri, L. (2013). End-of-life experiences and expectations of Africans in Australia: Cultural implications for palliative and hospice care. Nursing Ethics. doi: 10.1177/0969733012475252 Kanitsaki, O. (2003). Foreword – Transcultural nursing and challenging the status quo. Contemporary Nurse, 15(3), v-x. doi: 10.5172/conu.15.3.v Karnilowicz, W. (2011). Identity and psychological ownership in chronic illness and disease state. European journal of cancer care, 20(2), 276-282. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2354.2010.01220.x Kirmayer, L. J. (2012). Cultural competence and evidence-based practice in m ental health: epistemic communities and the politics of pluralism. Social Science & Medicine, 75(2), 249-256. Kuokkanen, L., & Leino-Kilpi, H. (2000). Power and empowerment in nursing: Three theoretical approaches. Journal of  advanced nursing, 31(1), 235-241. National Health and Medical Research Council. (2006). Cultural competency in health: A guide for policy, partnerships and participation. Canberra, Australia: Retrieved from http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/hp19.pdf. Nursing Council of New Zealand. (2011). Guidelines for cultural safety, the Treaty of Waitangi, and Maori health in nursing and midwifery education and practice. Wellington: Nursing Council of New Zealand. Peiris, D., Brown, A., & Cass, A. (2008). Addressing inequities in access to quality health care for indigenous people. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 179(10), 985-986. Phiri, J., Dietsch, E., & Bonner, A. (2010). Cultural safety and its importance for Australian midwifery practice. Collegian, 17(3), 105-111. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2009.11.001 Ramsden, I. (2002). Cultural safety and nursing education in Aote aroa and Te Waipounamu. Doctor of Philosophy, Victoria University of Wellington. Richardson, F., & MacGibbon, L. (2010). Cultural safety: Nurses’ account of negotiating the order of things. New Zealand Women’s Studies Journal, 24(2), 54-65. Ruddock, H. C., & Turner, D. S. (2007). Developing cultural sensitivity: Nursing students’ experiences of a study abroad programme. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 59(4), 361-369. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04312.x Vydelingum, V. (2006). Nurses’ experiences of caring for South Asian minority ethnic patients in a general hospital in England. Nursing Inquiry, 13(1), 23-32. Wells, M. I. (2000). Beyond cultural competence: A model for individual and institutional cultural development. Journal of community health nursing, 17(4), 189-199. Williamson, M., & Harrison, L. (2010). Providing culturally appropriate care: A literature review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 47(6), 761-769. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j .ijnurstu.2009.12.012

Assessment Tools

Running head: 1 Assessment Tools Analysis Paper Tricia E Topping University of Phoenix NUR/440 Karen Harriman April 16, 2012 Assessment Tools Analysis Paper 11/13/12 8:13 PM http://www. scribd. com/doc/104725000/Assessment-Tools-Analysis-Paper Page 2 of 12 April 16, 2012 2 Assessment Tools Analysis Paper Assessment tools are used in nursing to enhance the overall assessment phase of the nursing process. The assessment tools that I have selected to analyze are: The Spiritual Well- Being Scale (SWBS), The Hassles and Uplifts Inventory, and The Well Being Picture Scale (WBPS).After describing each tool and it’s benefits within the nursing process, I will apply them to the vulnerable population of person’s with Down syndrome. Spiritual Well-Being Scale â€Å"The Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) is a general indicator of perceived well- being† (lifeadvance. com). During its creation by doctors Ellison and Paloutzian, they found a need for Assessment Tools Analysis Pa per 11/13/12 8:13 PM http://www. scribd. com/doc/104725000/Assessment-Tools-Analysis-Paper Page 3 of 12 people to be able to describe their thoughts on spirituality in their own terms.This concept gives spiritual followers a greater sense of self worth and a reason to continue their spiritual beliefs. It also gives purpose to the congregation and individual members for continuing to spread the message of their beliefs to others. Having the ability to believe in a higher being, to talk and pray to this entity, empowers a person beyond normal daily activities. It allows for the creation of self peace and guidance in times of trouble. â€Å"Being religious or having spiritual beliefs has been linked to improved health and well-being in several empirical studies† (Grow et. ll). The SWBS is inexpensive tool and can be utilized by any person or population. It is very simple to use, is self-administered and takes between 10-15 minutes. â€Å"It is a paper and pencil survey currentl y available in both English and Spanish†¦ and was designed to assess people’s perception of their own spiritual well-being† (lifeadvance. com). The SWBS can be used by nurses within the assessment process to help guide and show a patient’s level of spiritual well- 3 being.A higher level of spiritual well-being can be associated with improved health and better recognition of self limitations and spiritual peace if faced with a life threatening diagnosis. As the SWBS is a simple tool, it would be effective for a health care worker to use with a high functioning adult with Down syndrome. With slight modification to questions for ease of understanding, and possible verbal presentation, a health care provider could present the tools and interpret the results as with any other adult.The community in which one worships acts as a support system for it’s members. Many families with children affected by Downs or similar disorders turn to a spiritual community f or support and acceptance. These communities assist to foster the growth of the child into a spiritual adult, giving them a better sense of self worth, a Assessment positive belief in a higher power, and a functional place within a small population. Because of this, the SWBS can be an effective tool to enhance the assessment of an adult Downs patient.Hassles and Uplifts Scales The Hassles and Uplifts Scales (HSUP) were created as a more positive approach to recognizing daily stressors in our lives. A modification of the Hassles scale, the HSUP is a combination of the Hassles scale with 117 items identifying life’s stressors, and the Uplifts scales including 135 items identifying daily positive encounters. The HSUP contains â€Å"fifty-three items worked so that the respondent can indicate whether a given transaction is a hassle, uplift, or both† (Lazarus & Folkman, 2011).By combining the two scales, a positive emphasis was placed on daily activities, rather than focusi ng on the negative stressors of the Hassles scale. â€Å"The Uplifts scale suggests how positive aspects of daily life counteract the damaging effects of stress† (Lazarus & Folkman, 2011). Brought together in the HSUP scale, the positive influences 4 and negative effects of stressors in a person’s daily life can be identified. If the negative stressors are prevalent, it is then within the power of the individual to increase the number of uplifting events while decreasing or overcoming the stressors.This information is very useful to identify while performing a health assessment. If a patient is found to have an overwhelming number of stressors or hassles and few to little uplifts, their emotional and physical well-being could be compromised. Too many negative stressors can lead to an inability to cope and cause damaging effect. Assisting a patient to identify both stressors and uplifts can allow them to develop their own coping mechanisms as well as introduce more posi tive interactions throughout Assessment Tools Analysis Paper 11/13/12 8:13 PM ttp://www. scribd. com/doc/104725000/Assessment-Tools-Analysis-Paper Page 5 of 12 their day. The HSUP is also an inexpensive and simple tool that can be performed during a health care assessment and take approximately 10 minutes for an adult to complete. By identifying the 53 phrases as either a hassle or uplift and giving each a numerical value from 0-3, the test can be scored quickly providing immediate results for the patient. This is important because is allows the nurse to quickly recognize positive and negative influences.The patient can then be made aware of the outcome. This allows the patient and nurse or health care provider to collaborate together to balance out the hassles and increase the uplifting experiences. The HSUP, like the SWBS, can be easily used in assessments of higher functioning adults with Downs. If needed, slight modification to the 0-3 numerical rating can be done. Instead of as signing a number to an uplift or hassle, the patient could more easily identify a positive or negative experience in their daily activities.By then focusing on the uplifting/positive experiences, a patient with Downs could recognize the experiences that create happiness, learning to try and experience these more often. This assessment tool can also be used easily by members of the patient’s family to assist them in identifying situations that cause increased stress. 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The History and Process of Textile Production

The History and Process of Textile Production The creation of textiles, or cloth and fabric materials, is one of humanity’s oldest activities. Despite the great advances in production and manufacturing of clothing, the creation of natural textiles still to this day relies on the effective conversion of fiber into yarn and then yarn to fabric. As such, there are four primary steps in the manufacturing of textiles which have remained the same. The first is the harvest and cleaning of the fiber or wool. The second is carding and spinning into threads. The third is to weave the threads into cloth. Lastly, the fourth is to fashion and sew the cloth into clothes. Early Production Like food and shelter, clothing is a basic human requirement for survival. When settled Neolithic cultures discovered the advantages of woven fibers over animal hides, the making of cloth emerged as one of humankinds fundamental technologies drawing on existing basketry techniques. From the earliest hand-held spindle and distaff and basic hand loom to the highly automated spinning machines and power looms of today, the principles of turning vegetable fiber into cloth have remained constant: Plants are cultivated and the fiber harvested. The fibers are cleaned and aligned, then spun into yarn or thread. Finally, the yarns are interwoven to produce cloth. Today we also spin complex synthetic fibers, but they are still woven together using the same process as cotton and flax were millennia ago. The Process, Step-by-Step Picking: After the fiber of choice was harvested, picking was the process that followed. Picking removed foreign matter (dirt, insects, leaves, seeds) from the fiber. Early pickers beat the fibers to loosen them and removed debris by hand. Eventually, machines used rotating teeth to do the job, producing a thin lap ready for carding.Carding: Carding was the process by which the fibers were combed to align and join them into a loose rope called a sliver. Hand carders pulled the fibers between wire teeth set in boards. Machines would be developed to do the same thing with rotating cylinders. Slivers (rhymes with divers) were then combined, twisted, and drawn out into roving.Spinning. After carding created slivers and roving, spinning was that process that twisted and drew out the roving and wound the resulting yarn on a bobbin. A spinning wheel operator drew out the cotton by hand. A series of rollers accomplished this on machines called throstles and spinning mules.Warping: Warping ga thered yarns from a number of bobbins and wound them close together on a reel or spool. From there they were transferred to a warp beam, which was then mounted on a loom. Warp threads were those that ran lengthwise on the loom. Weaving: Weaving was the final stage in making textiles and cloth. Crosswise woof threads were interwoven with warp threads on a loom. A 19th-century power loom worked essentially like a hand loom, except that its actions were mechanized and therefore much faster.

Free Essays on The Relationship Of Schizophrenia And Dopamine

The Relationship of Schizophrenia and Dopamine Schizophrenia is a chronic and debilitating mental illness. Although the cause of schizophrenia is unknown, there are many hypotheses. The most widely accepted explanation is the dopamine hypothesis. Schizophrenia is the most common and destructive kind of psychosis, which is an impairment of thinking that causes the affected person’s interpretation of reality to be severely abnormal. Schizophrenia affects 1% of the adult population including more than 2.7 million Americans. It is typically diagnosed in young adulthood and occurs equally in men and women. The disease usually consists of hallucinations, delusions, social withdrawal, flattened emotions, and loss of social and personal care skills. Schizophrenia can be characterized by disturbances in the areas of the brain that are associated with thought, perception, attention, emotion, motor behavior, and life functioning. The symptoms are divided into negative and positive categories. Negative symptoms consist of behavioral deficits such as blunting of emotions, language deficits, and lack of energy. These negative symptoms result in reduced brain activity in the prefrontal cortex. Positive symptoms are frightening as well, but they are not as disabling in the long term as negative symptoms. These positive symptoms consist of hallucinations, delusions, and bizarre behavior. The dopamine hypothesis states that the brain of schizophrenic patients produces more dopamine than normal brains. There is a lot of clinical evidence that supports the dopamine hypothesis. The first evidence that dopamine may be involved came from amphetamine users. Amphetamines work by causing the brain to produce more dopamine and have been shown to produce psychotic-like symptoms. In addition, traditional anti-psychotic drugs work by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain. Much of the dopamine activity is found in the limbic system... Free Essays on The Relationship Of Schizophrenia And Dopamine Free Essays on The Relationship Of Schizophrenia And Dopamine The Relationship of Schizophrenia and Dopamine Schizophrenia is a chronic and debilitating mental illness. Although the cause of schizophrenia is unknown, there are many hypotheses. The most widely accepted explanation is the dopamine hypothesis. Schizophrenia is the most common and destructive kind of psychosis, which is an impairment of thinking that causes the affected person’s interpretation of reality to be severely abnormal. Schizophrenia affects 1% of the adult population including more than 2.7 million Americans. It is typically diagnosed in young adulthood and occurs equally in men and women. The disease usually consists of hallucinations, delusions, social withdrawal, flattened emotions, and loss of social and personal care skills. Schizophrenia can be characterized by disturbances in the areas of the brain that are associated with thought, perception, attention, emotion, motor behavior, and life functioning. The symptoms are divided into negative and positive categories. Negative symptoms consist of behavioral deficits such as blunting of emotions, language deficits, and lack of energy. These negative symptoms result in reduced brain activity in the prefrontal cortex. Positive symptoms are frightening as well, but they are not as disabling in the long term as negative symptoms. These positive symptoms consist of hallucinations, delusions, and bizarre behavior. The dopamine hypothesis states that the brain of schizophrenic patients produces more dopamine than normal brains. There is a lot of clinical evidence that supports the dopamine hypothesis. The first evidence that dopamine may be involved came from amphetamine users. Amphetamines work by causing the brain to produce more dopamine and have been shown to produce psychotic-like symptoms. In addition, traditional anti-psychotic drugs work by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain. Much of the dopamine activity is found in the limbic system...

Fiction Writing Tips

Fiction Writing Tips Writing fiction is an art that is learned over time. One learns to write stories by writing and reading all the fiction writing tips that they can find. A good writer tends to be very observant of their surroundings and reads everything they can get their hands on. And most of all, they carve out a designated time every single day to write. Here is some fiction writing tips that any writer needs to know in order to produce a believable fiction that readers will enjoy reading. Fiction Writing Tip #1: Plot and character development. A good story will have a series of events that connect and unfold in a chronological order. Keep it tightly controlled without allowing it to stray off course in order to keep the readers interested. They’ll keep reading to see how all the different points in the story connect at the end. Fiction Writing Tip #2: Create memorable characters. The reader has to actually feel that the character could possibly be an actual person before they can identify with your story. Using dialogue, actions and thoughts to define the character for the readers. The reader should be able to create the image and idea of who your character is through their speech, mannerisms and thoughts rather than have every single detail spelled out for them. Fiction Writing Tip #3: Without proper setting the reader is likely to get lost in the story. The writer needs to be able to weave the setting by using atmosphere, location and mood into the story line. This way the reader stays grounded by knowing where the story is taking place and what the general atmosphere is like. Fiction Writing Tip #4: Make dialogue realistic and close to real life. However, this is one of the trickier fiction writing tip. If dialogue is made to mirror true life too much, it will make for a boring and tedious read. Use dialogue to describe characters, show personality and even to project events. Fiction writing tips show that interesting dialogue will grab a reader and carry them through the story. Don’t try to get too creative with dialect or slang especially with the main characters for this can slow down the story too much. It is good fiction writing tips to show the character by using varying forms of dialogue to show the character but too much of it can slow things down dramatically. Fiction Writing Tip #5: Establish point of view. Decide how the story is going to be told; if it’s going to be in third person or first person, you need to make that decision before you ever set pen to paper. Certain stories have to stay on a certain track depending on how the point of view is determined. First person has to be told strictly from the first person point of view, which means it’s basically all about the main character. Third person allows for the actions of all the characters but limits the narrator from describing the inner thoughts or feelings about them. Fiction Writing Tip #6: Craft your own writing style. It’s basically how the writer decides to tell the story. Short concise sentences that make strong statements are desirable. Avoid getting too wordy and fanatical about the English language. The smoother the story flows, the easier it will be for the reader to read along with it. These fiction writing tips are good for any writer to know and utilize in their craft. By following these simple fiction writing tips, one can create a successful story that everyone will enjoy reading.

Uses of the private browsing feature offered by major internet Essay

Uses of the private browsing feature offered by major internet browsers - Essay Example As such, other users of the same computer will not be able to track one’s communication and the pages on social sites that they have visited. Closely related to this point is that people turn on the feature when accessing sites that they do not wish their partners or family members to view, or when performing research on a subject that they consider private. For example, people accessing pornographic sites or sites that feature adult products turn on the feature to hide their tracks (lifehacker, 2012). The feature is also useful at home when planning surprises and buying gifts online (Lienjdlien, 2010). The target of the surprise is not able to detect what is in store for them as no trace of sites visited by a person is left behind. At home, the private browsing feature is also used when visiting or opening pages that are potentially dangerous or intrusive according to Lienjdlien (2010). For example, the feature may be turned on to filter out adverts or sites that may contain viruses. At work, the private browsing feature acts as a security measure against possible threats when performing online transactions (Lienjdlien, 2010). As a security measure against online threats when performing transactions, the feature is also applicable at the home. The feature is also used when one has to log onto a private account from a computer that is publicly accessed. The feature in this case prevents other persons from gaining access to private accounts once an individual has logged off from them. The feature is also important when one needs to hide their tracks and keep the computer’s browser free of information that is not relevant (Lienjdlien, 2010). Web developers enter the private mode with an aim of testing websites’ session and cookie related aspects (lifehacker, 2012). At work, one may use the private browsing feature to manage multiple accounts simultaneously on a single website. For example, if one has several gmail accounts

Discuss some of the historical,social,economic and political reasons Research Paper

Discuss some of the historical,social,economic and political reasons many Quebecois support the notion of the separate state fro - Research Paper Example For the purpose of this research, the cultural, political, economic and social causes shall be discussed individually. There are many reasons why it is important to study the issue at hand. First, the study shall be conducted so as to enlighten the Canadian people of the Quebecois struggle for identity within their society. Notably, Quebec is the only place in Canada which uses French as its primary language. It is the sole Canadian province in which most of the residents speak French. In fact, of the seven million people living in Quebec, about eighty percent (80%) of its population speaks French based on the demolinguistic data provided by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (â€Å"Statistics,† 2007). This means that majority of its people have French ancestry (Croats, 2002). Montreal, a city in Quebec is actually the world's "second largest French-speaking city" (Croats, 2002). According to Rennay Croats (2002, p. 22), Quebec is a home to many French Canadi ans who descended from the original French occupants of the sixteen hundreds (1600s) and seventeen hundreds (1700s). In this context, it can be observed that Quebec is quite different from the other provinces in Canada. The difference is substantially cultural. In comparison with the other Canadian provinces, Quebec is primarily a French-speaking society. The other provinces use English as their official language of communication. By simply knowing these facts, one could somehow understand why to an extent an ethnic struggle is happening within the Canadian society. Language is actually part of a culture. It makes a certain group of people unique from the others. It creates an identity. In this sense, it is also relevant to study the controversy for everyone to understand the relationship between language and ethnicity. It is contended that the two are interrelated. The third and last reason for this research endeavor is to provide a possible solution to the Canadian societal confli ct. The main topic of the research paper shall have four subtopics. The subdivision shall be composed of the following ideas: Quebecois Culture vs. Canadian Culture, Political Developments, Economic Influence and Social Differences. First and foremost, the paper will compare the Quebecois culture to the culture of the rest of Canada. This is to be done so as to arrive at the most comprehensive analysis of their cultural differences. Comparison actually provides a foundation for formulating statements with regard to empirical regularities and for interpreting as well as evaluating situations relative to theoretical and substantive criteria (Ragin, 1989). The comparative method of research is concerned with cross-societal similarities and differences (Ragin, 1989). Significantly, this comparison shall also tackle some historical accounts to know the origin of their cultures. Historical data are most of the time effective in exposing ethnic differences. As cited by Kenneth Bailey (1994 ), historical research can be "an effective complement to generalized scientific research" through the documentation of particular historical event. Second, the paper will investigate the political issues which are related to the separatist movement of the Quebecois. It is actually claimed that the recent political developments in Canada have contributed to the Quebecois move for independence. These political developments are actually centered on the evolution of two Canadian laws, the Canada Act of

The Reformation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Reformation - Essay Example Martin Luther with the help of his colleagues introduced a new order of prayers at their Electoral Saxony of 1527. He completed many religious literary pieces including his German Mass which was his simpler form of his earlier Latin Mass. The idea was to make religious teachings and scriptures easier for common people. He believed that Catholic Church was not letting people understand the religion, instead they were coming up with their interpretations of the teachings of Christ as they found fitting. What started as a question or a challenge to Catholic teachings turned into a massively popular protestant movement in Christianity. The Scientific Revolution Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was one of the greatest scientists of the era of Scientific Revolution. He was an Italian physicist, mathematician, philosopher and astronomer. Galileo constructed his famous theory of heliocentrism which apparently was contradictory to Biblical Scriptures. According to this theory, Galileo correctly demonstrated the orbit of the solar system by stating that the sun is the center around which the earth and other planets revolve. This didn’t sit well with the Catholic Church who blamed Galileo of committing heresy as his theory was against the reading of the scriptures; â€Å"The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved† (1 Chronicles 16:30). Galileo faced a trial on suspicion of heresy. Today he is recognized as the iconic challenger in the face of Church’s Authority. In 1633, Galileo faced his trial which found him guilty of heresy. He was imprisoned and his famous work on solar system orbits, Dialogue was banned.

International Political Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

International Political Economy - Essay Example This report stresses that growth with inequity is a disadvantage to globalization. There are many opportunities found across borders which always tend to have a great amount of danger of a high economic growth that is surrounded with a lot of inequalities. The inequality is the fact that the wealthy people in the society are normally placed to have access to these opportunities. The economy appears tighter for most of the countries that experience exploitation of labor. This paper makes a conclusion that it is rare for operational definitions to communicate their scope when it comes to the dealing of a topic such as political economy. The definition of globalization is seen as the growth economy of interdependent countries through the increase of volume and variety of the cross-border transactions in goods. There is also the growth of international capital flows and the widespread of technology. The political economy, however, does not sufficiently convey to globalization. However, in future, the global economy will resemble the golden straitjacket. As a result, there are two things that will be a cause of the country putting on the Golden Straitjacket. One of them is that the country’s economy will grow, and its politics will shrink. The Golden Straitjacket tightens the economic and political policy choices of the ones in power to comparatively strong and tight parameters.

Police brutality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Police brutality - Essay Example Police have a clearly defined mandate, to prevent crime. In the execution of their duties, the police are obliged to remain within the confines of the law. Failure to abide by the requirements of the law, which stipulates their role, should attract independent investigations and prosecution in a court of law. It is unwarranted for a police officer to use force even for instances where it is not necessary. However, in some instances where there is rebellion from the offenders, the police are required to use reasonable force. In busting and preventing criminal activities, the police have to respect the bill of rights (Johnson 12). In essence, police brutality should be discouraged and taken seriously by the relevant authorities. In the course of their trainings, the police should also be sensitized on this issue such that they are able to understand the scope of execution of their mandate. Despite having to be fair, there is need for the police to ensure they use all the means possible to prevent criminal activities. Brutal police officers should be made to be responsible for their actions. It is important that a police officer act within the scope of the law. Otherwise, non-adherence to the law should attract the relevant punishment as provided. It is unlawful to use excessive force especially when dealing with non-violent and harmless individuals. In such a scenario, it seems that motivation of the police is to stamp their authority and not to discharge their duties as required. Those that are implicated having demonstrated brutal acts should first be investigated and prosecuted in a court of law. Reports have shown that police brutality is mainly directed towards the minorities in the United States (Abbott 60). It is inappropriate for a police officer to think that they are above the law; they forget that the same law is the one that gives them the mandate to discharge their duty. Police brutality

Personal experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Personal experience - Essay Example Disagreements may be inevitable at times, but being a good listener will avoid unnecessary clash of ideas and lead the group to think together, look at one another’s views logically and proceed from a crude set of ideas to the natural progression of significant and pragmatic solutions that carries the weight of experience and good will from the part of all. Maintaining eye contact and connecting with people, no matter whether you are in the work place or in other public spaces, will make others feel comfortable in your company. One can make clear with facial expressions that others are welcome to occupy their spaces next to oneself. A smiling countenance will lift up the spirits of others in most cases whereas an indifferent mouthing of greetings may just create space for the same from others. Words are very much important in a community but the facial expressions that convince others of one’s genuineness are more important. People usually like to be acknowledged for their contributions in public life. Recognizing even the smallest forms of contributions, even through their little acts or thoughts of kindness may thus be significant. Being a good listener and observer makes you a kind, perceptive person in the group. Neglecting those who do not follow your thought processes or acts may have a negative impact. It is necessary to draw others’ attention to one’s opinions and views with the help of proper presentation. Persuasive and convincing arguments that do not discount the possibilities of others ways of looking at it usually brings people closer to one and the willingness to listen to the ideas of everyone else will drive people together to valuable, proactive resolutions. When one witnesses a heated argument between people, it may be helpful and relaxing to make use of some sense humor. But one has to remember that no reference should be made that hurts the feelings of anyone who is involved in the argument. It

Police brutality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Police brutality - Essay Example Police have a clearly defined mandate, to prevent crime. In the execution of their duties, the police are obliged to remain within the confines of the law. Failure to abide by the requirements of the law, which stipulates their role, should attract independent investigations and prosecution in a court of law. It is unwarranted for a police officer to use force even for instances where it is not necessary. However, in some instances where there is rebellion from the offenders, the police are required to use reasonable force. In busting and preventing criminal activities, the police have to respect the bill of rights (Johnson 12). In essence, police brutality should be discouraged and taken seriously by the relevant authorities. In the course of their trainings, the police should also be sensitized on this issue such that they are able to understand the scope of execution of their mandate. Despite having to be fair, there is need for the police to ensure they use all the means possible to prevent criminal activities. Brutal police officers should be made to be responsible for their actions. It is important that a police officer act within the scope of the law. Otherwise, non-adherence to the law should attract the relevant punishment as provided. It is unlawful to use excessive force especially when dealing with non-violent and harmless individuals. In such a scenario, it seems that motivation of the police is to stamp their authority and not to discharge their duties as required. Those that are implicated having demonstrated brutal acts should first be investigated and prosecuted in a court of law. Reports have shown that police brutality is mainly directed towards the minorities in the United States (Abbott 60). It is inappropriate for a police officer to think that they are above the law; they forget that the same law is the one that gives them the mandate to discharge their duty. Police brutality

Speach on ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Speach on ethics - Essay Example This disease is caused by a SARS corona virus, and diagnosis of this disease involves detecting the body temperature, hence people with temperatures beyond 380c may be suspected. This process involves the use of modern laboratory methods such as ELISA and X-rays. SARS, as you may be aware, does not have specific treatment, but medics and other scientists are coming up with drugs such as antipyretics, which help improve respiration. According to Paquin (52), there are various prevention measures that our health professionals should implement when dealing with SARS. These include isolation of the infected people from the healthy ones to prevent spreading of this virus. Quarantine should be done to the suspected individuals who may be carrying the infection. All the victims should respect and adhere to all the instructions given by their heath attendants. Having summarized the information about the disease, I would like to support my fellow colleagues who are against the idea of disclos ing SARS information to the public. My ministry and other stakeholders are working hard to fight this disease – to make it just a history and not an epidemic in our city. I wish this disease to be fully eradicated in this country just like small pox; I believe our struggle will bear fruit in due time. If one is diagnosed with the disease, do not cause havoc among other people by telling them he is affected – this should be a personal matter. At the same time, infected people should be granted confidentiality when they seek medical attention and the necessary measures to be taken by health professionals. Paquin (57) states that one should take care and not panic if the infection is suspected; instead, one he should seek medical attention as soon as possible. If you instill fear in people, this will affect our market stocks, since the citizens will not be free to trade, as they will not want to risk being infected. This, in turn, may

An analysis of the key factors that influence the levels of motivation

An analysis of the key factors that influence the levels of motivation The purpose of this study are the motivational factors that Shell Pakistan use to motivates its employees to work in different departments. I have taken five departments: Sales, Marketing, Finance, HR and Production department. As around 300 people work in Shell and to motivate them shell uses different motivational theories which may include Alderfers ERG Theory, McClellands Theory of Needs, Equity Theory, Expectancy Theory. These are the following motivational factors that these departments practice continuously to motivate employees. Employee Appraisal Intrinsic Awards Employee Involvement Skill-based Pay Plans Flexible Benefits Benefits programme Training provision Time off and time out Our diverse global community Sports and social activities Listening to our employees After the analysis of complete survey we can conclude that employees of SHELL PAKISTAN enjoys different attributes of Motivation like they have Job Satisfaction as they believe they have personal and professional growth opportunities, they feel they have empowerment. They have very skillful, high-quality and superior working environment. They believe that their performance is appreciated will result in reward as SHELL PAKISTAN is having EDR system. The one thing that may be a cause of de-motivation is SHELL PAKISTAN does not offer tailored benefits. CORPORATE PROFILE Second Largest oil marketing company in Pakistan with an average turnover of over US$3.4 billion and market share of over 24% in black oil and 35% in white oil. Blue chip organization with market capitalization of around Rs. 44 billion {US$ 755 million} contributing US$ 873 million to the national exchequer. Regained market leadership in Mogas during FY 04 by elevating market share to 44% Set financial landmarks over the last 4 years with earnings almost doubled from Rs.2.3 billion to Rs. 7.06 billion maximizing shareholders value. Only Pakistani corporation to become member of the World Economic Forum based on stringent and forward looking criteria. Only company in Pakistan whose turnaround and remarkable performance is cited in various case studies both locally and internationally. Around 3,800 retail outlets across the country including 1,000 New Vision outlets commissioned within five years. Vast infrastructure of 9 installations and 23 depots from Karachi to Chitral and a supply chain supported by 2000 strong tank-lorry fleet and 950 railway wagons. Extensive storage capacity, almost 15% of total national storage, i.e. around 160,000 metric tons. A company fully aware of HSE standards and using these as part of continuous improvement process. ISO 9001:2000 certification of major retail outlets, Mobile Quality Testing Units and key installations/ depots and ISO 14001:1996 distinction for Kemari Terminal C. Leading National Company committed to support ongoing or innovative social and charitable projects in the field of education, health, welfare, women empowerment, etc. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 COMPANY INTRODUCTION 7 1.1 Introduction 7 1.2 Vision Evaluation 8 1.3 Values 8 1.4 Responsibilities: 8 1.5 Future Engagements 9 2 MOTIVATION IN ORGANIZATION 11 2.1 Definition 11 2.2 Motivation Process 11 2.3 Employee Motivation at Workplace 11 3 MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES ADOPTED AT SHELL PAKISTAN 13 3.1 Alderfers ERG Theory 13 3.1.1 Difference between Maslows Hierarchy of Need Alderfers 13 3.1.2 Alderfers ERG Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN 14 3.1.3 Relatedness 15 3.1.4 Growth 15 3.2 Equity Theory 16 3.2.1 Theory Overview 16 3.2.2 Equity Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN 18 3.3 Expectancy Theory 18 3.3.1 Theory Overview: 18 3.3.2 Expectancy Flowchart: 19 3.3.3 Expectancy Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN 20 4 OTHER MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS AT SHELL PAKISTAN 21 4.1 Employee Appraisal 21 4.2 Intrinsic Awards at SHELL PAKISTAN 23 4.3 Employee Involvement 24 4.3.1 Employee Involvement AT SHELL PAKISTAN 24 4.4 Flexible Benefits 25 4.4.1 Retirement Plans 25 4.4.2 Health Insurance 26 4.4.3 Unexpected Conditions 26 4.4.4 Rightsizing 27 4.5 De-motivated Employees 27 4.5.1 Counseling 27 4.5.2 Career Development 27 5 SURVEY DETAILS 28 5.1 Job Satisfaction 28 5.2 Work Environment 30 5.3 Employee Empowerment 32 5.4 Performance Appraisal Satisfaction 33 5.5 Flexible Benefits 35 6 CONCLUSION 36 7 RECOMMENDATION 38 8 APPENDIX A: Survey Questionnaire 39 COMPANY INTRODUCTION Introduction The history of Shell as a brand name in South Asia is more than 100 years old. Shell brand name dating back to 1899 when Asiatic Petroleum, the marketing arm of two companies: Shell Transport Company and Royal Dutch Petroleum Company began their imports of kerosene oil from Azerbaijan in South Asia. Till today, the heritage of the past is noticeable in a market of South Asia since 1898 In 1928, to make their distribution capability efficient effective, the market concentration of  Royal Dutch Shell plc and the Burma Oil Company Limited in sub-continent had merged and Burma Shell Oil Storage Distribution Company of sub-continent was born. After the independence of Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1947, the name changed to the Burma Shell Oil Distribution Company of Pakistan. During 1970, when 51% of the shareholding was transferred to Pakistani investors, the name changed to Pakistan Burma Shell (PBS) Limited. The Shell and the Burma Groups retained the remaining 49% in equal propositions. In February 1993, as economic liberalization began to take root and the Burma provided opportunity to Pakistani Investors by divesting from PBS, Shell Petroleum (Pakistan) stepped into raise its shareholding to 51%. The years 2001-2 have seen the Shell Petroleum Company successively increasing its stake, with the Group now having a 76% stake in Shell Pakistan Ltd (SPL) an expr ession of confidence Shell has an over 100 years presence in the Subcontinent http://www.shell.com.pk/home/content/pak/aboutshell/who_we_are/history/history_logo/ (Date:26-11-2010, Time:18:00) Vision Evaluation The Vision of Shell as a company related to energy industry have been very strict focused to competition. The futuristic approach has let to the group in investing innovating different sources of energy apart from oil petroleum. Values We set high standards of performance and ethical behaviour that we apply internationally. The Shell General Business Principles, Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics help everyone at Shell act according to our core values of honesty, integrity and respect for people and to comply with relevant legislation and regulations. http://www.shell.com.pk/home/content/pak/aboutshell/who_we_are/our_values_and_principles/ (Date: 26-11-2010, Time: 21:00) Responsibilities: Shell Pakistan put its total efforts to implement its core values and ethical conduct by fulfilling its responsibilities expectations to its employees, customers, investors, shareholders to society. Employees: Shell Pakistan always puts the safety security of its employees first. This depicts that the organization has a deep concern for its employees value the work efforts by which it wants to achieve success. Customers: The organization has a high motive to attract retain customers by providing them the products that are competitive in price of high standards in quality. The competition in energy sector has been highly focused by Shell investments in innovative products have always been there. Investors: It is important for Shell Pakistan that its investors base remains supportive to the organization so that when it needs to expand or restructure any of its function or component, the business always have financial support to effectively pursue that. Shareholders: Shareholders are the real owners of the organization. Shell Pakistan makes most of its efforts to protect shareholders investments provide them with competitive benefits of long term (capital growth) short term returns (dividends). To Society: There are many aspects of responsibility to society. Some of them are Corporate, Environmental sustainability concern for general people that the business directly or indirectly effects to. Shell Pakistan has clear policies for it sustainability has participated in flood relief in Pakistan by providing aids to the most effected. http://www.shell.com.pk/home/content/pak/aboutshell/media_centre/news_and_media_releases/2010/flood_2010.html (Date: 26-11-2010, Time: 13:49) Future Engagements To engage in backward integration by acquiring a major National Refinery. This has a capacity of 2.8 million tons of which sales to SHELL PAKISTAN are 25%. To develop a white oil pipeline in collaboration with major POL companies so as to eliminate transportation inefficiencies. Invest in the business of coal mining to capture a lucrative fuel source to which most consumers are switching. MOTIVATION IN ORGANIZATION Definition No other topic in the field of Organizational Behavior (OB) has received as much attention as the subject of motivation. . (FTC, 2009) Motivation can be defined in a variety of ways, depending on whom you ask. If you ask someone on the street, you may get a response like, Its what drives us or Motivation is what makes us do the things we do. As far as a formal definition, motivation can be defined as forces within an individual that account for the level, direction, and persistence of effort expended at work, according. (Parsons and Maclaran, 2009) This is an excellent working definition for use in business. Now that we understand what motivation is, we can look at the factors that help managers to be able to motivate and then a look at some of the theories on motivation. (Latham, 2007) Motivation Process Unsatisfied need => Tension => Drives => Search Behavior => Satisfied needs => Reduction of tension => New unsatisfied needs (Adair, 2009) Employee Motivation at Workplace Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. Jim Ryun The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees. But thats easier said than done! Motivation practice theories are difficult subjects, touching on several disciplines. . (FTC, 2009) In spite of enormous research, basic as well as applied, the subject of motivation is not clearly understood and more often than not poorly practiced. To understand motivation one must understand human nature itself. And there lies the problem! Human nature can be very simple, yet very complex too. An understanding and appreciation of this is prerequisite to effective employee motivation in the workplace and therefore effective management and leadership (Latham, 2007) . There is an old saying You can take a horse to the water but you cannot force it to drink; he will drink if he is thirsty That is also the case with people; they will do what they want to do or otherwise motivated to do, whether it is to excel on the workshop floor or in the ivory tower. The people or employees must be motivated or driven to it, either by themselves or through external stimulus. (Adair 2009 Leadership and Motivation) Are they born with the self-motivation or drive? Yes and no. if no, they can be motivated, for motivation is a skill, which can and must be learnt. This is essential for any business to survive and succeed. Performance is considered to be a function of ability and motivation, thus Job Performance = f (ability) (motivation) Ability in turn depends on education, experience and training and its improvements is a slow and long process. On the other hand motivation can be improved quickly. There are many options and an uninitiated manager may not even know where to start. As a guideline, there are broadly seven strategies for motivation. Positive reinforcement / high expectations Effective discipline and punishment Treating people fairly Satisfying employees needs Setting work related goals Restructuring jobs Base rewards on job performance These are the basic strategies, though the mix in the final recipe will vary from workplace situation to situation. Essentially, there is a gap between an individuals actual state and some desired state and the manager tries to reduce this gap (Latham, 2007) Motivation is, in effect, a means to reduce and manipulate this gap. It is inducing others in a specific way towards goals specifically stated by the motivator. Naturally, these goals as also the motivation system must conform to the corporate policy of the organization. The motivational system must be tailored to the situation and to the organization. (Adair, 2009) SHELL PAKISTAN is a huge setup and has about 2000 employees. To keep all of its employees motivated is a very complex task, because of the large number of employees and as each employee has his/her own personality. It becomes virtually impossible to devise techniques that match the personality of all the employees. So for this purpose they have certain procedures and policies jointly for all the employees of the organization. MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES ADOPTED AT SHELL PAKISTAN Alderfers ERG Theory Alderfers theory is called the ERG theory Existence, Relatedness, and Growth. Alderfers ERG Theory can well be compared with Maslows Hierarchy of Need Theory cause Alderfers has tried to cover all the points as discussed by Maslows with a little change, which is discussed below. . (FTC, 2009) Existence: Existence refers to our concern with basic material existence requirements; what Maslows called physiological and safety needs. Relatedness: Refers to the desire we have for maintaining interpersonal relationships; similar to Maslows social/love need, and the external component of his esteem need. Growth: Refers to an intrinsic desire for personal development; the intrinsic component of Maslows esteem need, and self-actualization. (Latham, 2007) Difference between Maslows Hierarchy of Need Alderfers Alderfers ERG theory differs from Maslows Need Hierarchy insofar as ERG theory demonstrates that more than one need may be operative at the same time. ERG theory does not assume a rigid hierarchy where a lower need must be substantially satisfied before one can move on. (FTC, 2009) ERG Theory argues, like Maslows that satisfied lower-order needs lead to desire to satisfy higher-order needs; but multiple needs can be operating as motivators at the same time, and frustration in attempting to satisfy a higher-level need can result in regression to a lower-level need. (Adair, 2009) Alderfers ERG Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN Existence SHELL PAKISTAN gratifies the need for existence and the employees at SHELL PAKISTAN think that their basic needs are being satisfied but they dont seem to be completely satisfied with it especially with the material rewards that they get. For e.g. Average Salary The employees at SHELL PAKISTAN are not satisfied with their salaries and they consider it to be average. This view is strongly found in the lower grade employees and the contractual employees. Though the upper level employees that include the Departmental Heads, General Managers and above seem to be much satisfied with what they are paid. Excellent Working Environment Though the average salary seems to be de-motivating factor for the low level employees and the contractual employees but due to the excellent working environment that SHELL PAKISTAN provides, these employees seem to be seldom de-motivated. It was surprising for us to find that there had been various employees who just wanted to work in SHELL PAKISTAN because of the working environment they provide regardless of what they are paid and what job responsibilities are they given. This turned out to be one of SHELL PAKISTANS strongest points. Job Security Working at SHELL PAKISTAN seems to be a secure job as far as the permanent and high-level employees are concerned but the contractual employees never find it to be as secure. But due to job security being a major issue in Pakistan today, these contractual employees were hesitant to voice their complaint. (Latham, 2007) Insurance Medical Benefits All permanent employees at SHELL PAKISTAN enjoy the Life Insurance and Medical Benefits that are entitled to them. In contrast the contractual employees; realizing the downward trend in the economy, just want a stable job regardless of the insurance and medical benefits provided by SHELL PAKISTAN. (Latham, 2007) Employee Safety The employee safely is given top most importance and they also have an emergency evacuation system with which the entire organization can be evacuated within minutes. The employees also given various training and sometimes perform various drills for employee safety. The employee seems to be satisfied with the safety that SHELL PAKISTAN provides to them. Relatedness These needs are social in nature and they are about the interpersonal relationships of the staff. Good Working Relationship At SHELL PAKISTAN, these needs are quite well satisfied since the employees have a good working relationship even though there is an air of competency surrounding them. Self Differences between High Level Employee It has also been noticed that few of the high level employees at organization have some self differences that are developed due to status problems and ownership problems which effect the process of maintaining a good interpersonal relationship but then again the high level employees are professionals and they tend to forget these difference when they meet each other a global level. (Latham, 2007) Company Events and Privileges All employees are given the special privilege to join and use the SHELL PAKISTAN club, gym, attend in Company events, dinner etc thus allowing them to intermingle with each more. Growth The permanent and high-level employees are satisfied with the growth opportunities that SHELL PAKISTAN provides them every now and then. Training Employee training workshops are conducted on a need basis. Trainings are carried out in areas such as: Improvement of Business Communication skills Usage of new Computer software Encourages Ideas Employees are encouraged to put forward any creative, beneficial ideas. If the idea seems to be attractive, SHELL PAKISTAN gives the employees the opportunity to implement the idea. This turns out to be a very encouraging and motivating approach for the employees and later on the employees are rewarded if the idea is implemented well. (Latham, 2007) Employee Job Rotation For the purpose of employee growth and increase in motivation, employees are often rotated within or between departments. Equity Theory Theory Overview Equity (or inequity) is a psychological state residing within an individual. It creates a feeling of dissonance that the individual attempts to resolve in some manner (Latham, 2007) Equity is a social comparison process, resulting when individuals compare their pay to the pay of others. There is no rational or single equitable pay rate for any given job or individual. Equity is a subjective evaluation, not an objective one. Based on the comparisons that an individual uses, each individual is likely to develop different perceptions of equity. (Latham, 2007) The comparisons that individuals use tend to fall into four classes of comparison: Self Inside: An employees experiences in a different position inside his current organization. (Adair, 2009) Self outside: An employees experiences in a different position outside his current organization. Other Inside: Another Individual or group of individuals inside the employees organization. Other Outside: Another Individual or group of individuals outside the employees organization. (Latham, 2007) Individuals determine equity by comparing their contributions (job inputs) and their rewards (job outcomes) to those of their comparisons. This comparison takes the form of a ratio and if this ratio is in balance, the individual perceives equity. Inequity is experienced when ratio is out of balance. Thus when an individual perceives that his/her contribution is equal to the comparison and his/her reward is lower or his/ her contribution is greater and reward is equal, inequity is felt. (Latham, 2007) The individual responses to inequity include: Leaving the organization Reduction in performance, generally extra role behavior Attempting to increase ones pay Attempting to reduce the performance of others Rationalization- perceptually altering reward and/or contribution What do individuals view as relevant contributions? Given the perceptual nature of equity, the answer varies with each individual; however, contributions fall into a number of categories: Job contributions Include the factors that differentiate one job from another. They typically include responsibility, skills, education, and working conditions required by the job itself. (e.g., individuals working in jobs requiring greater levels of responsibility generally expect higher levels of pay). (Parson and Maclaran, 2009) Personal contributions Include attributes the individuals bring to the organization that they believe differentiate them from others such as experience, longevity and extra education (e.g., individuals with greater seniority often expect higher levels of pay). Performance contributions Include the extra effort/results that differentiate one employee from another (e.g., individuals who perceive that their performance is better than others with whom they work, often believe they are entitled to higher levels of pay. (Latham, 2007) Typical Management interests Managers generally define pay-related problems in terms of their behavioral consequences (turnover or performance). Therefore, inequity itself is not generally viewed as a management problem unless it appears to be related to turnover of reduced performance. Since the links between turnover and pay are often much clearer than those between pay and extra role behavior, turnover often becomes the only managerial focus. Therefore, typical management interests relate to keeping the employees who it deems valuable.(Latham, 2007) Typical Employee Interests From the employee perspective, the perception of inequity is a problem in itself. A unions interests lies in achieving equity for the greatest number of its members, regardless of their ability to leave the organization. In fact, it is a unions responsibility to bargain for the interests of those with limited individual power or marketability. Low morale is often a consequence of inequity. Even when low morale is not manifested in turnover, reduced performance, to reluctance to take on extra duties, from the employee perspective, it is still viewed as a problem. (Adair, 2009) Equity Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN Employee Performance Appraisal Employee performance appraisal procedure is highly accountable thus leaving no chance of inequity among employees. Employee Salary Evaluation An employees educational qualification is given highest importance when evaluating salary. It may be possible that a lower grade employee, within the same or different department, has a higher salary than someone in an immediately higher grade. Thus inequity sometimes arises among employees working in a higher group within the same or different departments. (Parsons and Maclaran, 2009) Expectancy Theory Theory Overview: The expectancy theory argues that the strength of a tendency to act in a certain way depends on the strength of an expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual. In more practical terms this theory says That an employee will be motivated to exert a high level of effort when he or she believes that the effort will lead to a good performance appraisal; that a good performance appraisal will lead to organizational rewards like a bonus, a salary increase, or a promotion; and that the rewards will satisfy the employees personal goals (Latham, 2007) Expectancy The expectancy is the belief that ones effort will result in attainment of desired performance goals. This belief, or perception, is generally based on an individuals past experience, self-confidence (often termed self-efficiency) and the perceived difficulty of the performance standard or goals. (Adair, 2009) Instrumentality The extent of individuals belief of performing at a particular level will lead to the attainment of a desired outcome. Valance The extent of attractiveness of rewards offered by an organization that must satisfy an individuals requirements retain them by prospect potential development within career organization. Example Include: Do I want a bigger raise? Is it worth the extra effort? Do I want a promotion? Expectancy Flowchart: (Vroom  V H.  (1964) Work And Motivation) Valence Instrumentality Expectancy OUTCOME PERFORMANCE EFFORT REWARD Expectancy Theory states that the strength of a tendency to act in a certain way depends on the strength of expectation that an act will be followed by a given outcomes and on the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual. (Parsons and Maclaran, 2009) Expectancy Theory AT SHELL PAKISTAN At SHELL PAKISTAN the employees believe in maximum effort which leads to good performance which further results in the outcome in the form of rewards like a raise in income, promotion, performance appraisal letter etc that contribute towards their personal goals. Contractual Employee Views The contractual employees are also aware of this theory but they dont follow it because it has been found that their basic aim is to become a permanent employee. But becoming permanent employee doesnt entirely depend on the performance. It also depends if there is any permanent slot available. So the contractual employees are aware of the facts that even if they perform well, they cannot become permanent unless there is a slot available. So this serves as a very de-motivating factor for the contractual employees and this is the reason they dont hesitate to switch the job whenever they get even a slight better opportunity or a permanent place in some other organization. (Adair, 2009) Effort At SHELL PAKISTAN, the employees are aware of the fact that if they work competently and put their efforts, they will be able to attain the task performance, as the effort expanded by them will have a positive result. Performance When the employees of SHELL PAKISTAN put their efforts, they attain the desired performance level and consequently are evaluated on that ground. (Latham, 2007) Instrumentality: Instrumentality is also quite high in the company as the management assigns a certain % of work that the employees have to achieve, through which, they are evaluated at the time of dispensing rewards. The % of work is in terms of yearly goals, monthly goals and weekly goals. Rewards When the employees attain certain level of work performance gauged against the goals set at the start of the year, they are positively evaluated and get rewards in shape of annual increment; and organizational performance rewards etc. Valance: The employees attach a great deal of value to the rewards they get. The rewards are often in the form of a praise or recognition, to which the employees attach a great deal of significance. Monetary rewards are costly and require loads of time and energy. Therefore the management is not too keen on imparting such gifts. (Latham, 2007) OTHER MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS AT SHELL PAKISTAN Employee Appraisal At SHELL PAKISTAN, employee appraisals are conducted annually to evaluate their work related and personal performance. The process of appraisal works in various steps and the HRM department is proud to have such a system instilled in the company where no one objects to the appraisal process as its considered to be the fairest attempt of grading an employee in the company. The appraisal process is held in between the months of July and June every year. Increments and promotions are devised after this period that becomes effective from the month of October, the same year. Performance Appraisal at SHELL PAKISTAN is a six step approach. Step 1: SHELL PAKISTAN HR department have designed two forms named as Form 1A and form 1B to measure the milestone, target achievements that were made last year. This is done by comparing the goals set last year for each individual employee under their department. Once measured, it is sought out to what extent the company was successful in achieving its target. Also, targets are set for the next year on the basis of this measurement. Step 2: In the next step, HRM department does performance analysis by distributing to departmental heads and supervisors Form 2A and 2B (Collectively known as Employee Development Report) to measure the employees capabilities on 24 different attributes and of the attribute is rated on the scale of 1 to 5; summary of these points is reflected in the table below Rating Point Summary 1 Inadequate, Not satisfactory 2 Marginal, Below Average 3 Average 4 Above Average 5 Outstanding The 24 different attributes are divided in to key 4 sections; a summary of those is listed below: Employee Development Report (EDR) A What did the employee accomplish? Quality of work Cost objective Profit objective Develop people Commitment to company vision, value and corporate objective B Gets the job done Planning Organizational communication Analysis

Rodney the skateboarding robot :: Robotics

Rodney the skateboarding robot My project is Rodney, the robot skateboard, targeted at kids who want a cool skateboard accessory, and parents who would most likely buy one for their kids. Similar designs are a handle-like device with wheels that pulls a skateboard or roller skates, and the Segway. I have studied these designs, and a brief history of skateboards to better my understanding of how to make my robot work. The first design has a forward/reverse options for the motors and is turned by turning the board or roller skates. It is practically just a way to use the skateboard without using much energy. Segway ® Human Transporter (HT) can self-balance because of a technology called dynamic stabilization. Dynamic Stabilization works by using solid-state gyroscopes, tilt sensors, high-speed microprocessors, and powerful electric motors performing to keep it balanced. The skateboard originally in the 50s was conceived as a way to surf on land, whenever there was bad surfing weather. It started out as roller skates nailed to a wooden base. Then a bicycle company in the early 70s built better boards with flexible mounts for the wheel axis, and thus was born the modern skateboard, with grip tape for more maneuverability and painted designs and logos on the bottom of the board. Rodney is a two-part robot, one is the controller for Rodney and the other is Rodney himself, the maneuverable part. The controller consists of flat platforms with four walls of beam pieces. It has a RCX 2.0, and three touch sensors. The Rodney also RodneyBeta the skateboarding robot has an RCX 2.0 and four motors in a car-like design. He has beams and panel pieces connecting the motors together for additional stability. Rodney was successful at pushing my skateboard forward, reverse, and even turning. He could move the skateboard by itself at around 5mph and slightly less with added weight. The maximum weight that it can hold is about 2lbs. The remote controller has a range of around 10fts, and when it is out of range Rodney continues doing the same function that it was doing previously. I found that sometimes wheels may fall of Rodney, and occasionally he slides out from under my skateboard. I see that the alpha form of Rodney can that at least three forms, one being the

I Didn?t Know My Dad Was A Writer :: essays research papers

I Didn’t Know My Dad was a Writer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It came as a complete shock to me when I read an essay that looked as if it was taken straight from my father’s mouth. My father and the author could have been neighbors if not for the four states between Ohio and Texas. The essay is about the author, Scott Russell Sanders’, attempt to understand what women feel that they are missing; when in his experiences a man life has little if any privileges. I relate in every way with the author’s ideas. There is nothing I can’t connect with because I’ve heard these stories since I was two and see it all in my head. Sanders describes the pain and hardship that husbands and fathers had to endure. He, also, describes the advantages that wives and mothers had. He feels confused when he first is told of women’s oppression. He has never seen women’s work as hard when compared to that of men. Not until later in life does he look back and see, exactly, what women had to withstand. Sanders had never seen â€Å"...what a prison a house could be,† (77), until he took the time to look back in retrospect and see for himself. I agree with Sanders; men did have it much harder, physically, than the women. However, women’s lives were, mentally, just as difficult if not more so. Growing up, hearing stories my whole life of my grandfather working until his hands bled and only coming home, during the day, to bandage them; and my grandmother raising four children and keeping the housework done, the whole time keeping a vegetable garden; I was adjusted to these images. While reading the essay, I saw my grandfather’s â€Å"...hands tattooed with scars,† (Sanders 76), and my grandmother â€Å"...cater all day to the needs of young children,† (Sanders 77). Depending on the way you saw it one had it harder, but still, men and women both had difficult lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sanders has written a compelling essay on his life but not everyone has lived his life. And not everyone has grownup hearing similar stories, so their opinions on the genders’ burdens will inevitably differ.

Importance of Moral Education Essay

Before 1976, education was the exclusive responsibility of the states. In the Constitutional Amendment of 1976, education was included in the Concurrent list. Since then, the central government continues to play a leading role in the evolution and monitoring of educational policies and programmes, the most notable of which are the National Policy of Education (NPE), 1986, and the Programme of Action, 1986 as updated in 1992. The modified policy envisages a national system of education to bring about uniformity in education, making adult education a mass movement, providing universal access, retention and quality in elementary education and expanding the structure of higher education. Moral education is not our priority. It is not included in any syllabi-whether of science or humanities. Morals or morality, broadly speaking, implies honesty of character, fairness in attitude and absence of evils like jealousy, hatred and greed from actions. Our system of education gives us formal know ledge of various types of subjects but does not teach us what is morality and how to bring the characteristics related to it in our mindset. Our schools, colleges and universities are churning out millions of young graduates every year who are experts in some field of science, art, commerce or technology. No teaching or training is given to the students on moral values. What have been the results of this system of education? We have professionals in every field, but we have few people in society who have a high moral character. The society reflects our education most of our officials whether in public sector or private sector are corrupt. The assets they have acquired are often several times higher than their known sources of income. We read about income-tax raids or Central Bureau of Investigation raids on the residences of high officials. Wealth amounting to crores of rupees is recovered during these raids. We watch on TV channels the scams that are unearthed after regular intervals. What do these incidents reveal? They reveal that our greed has reached gigantic proportions. The attitude of government employees has become so indifferent to public that they are not prepared to help. These unscrupulous workers do not work even for 50 per cent of the total hours of their duty. This is nothing but stealth of time. As students they were taught to solve various types of sums or write answers to different types of questions. They were not taught how to serve the nation. They were  not made aware of the happiness that one derives by working honestly and sincerely. The atmosphere in our schools, colleges and other institutions of education is full of competition. The students are taught to excel one another. Their competition, more often than not, becomes so intense that it leads to rivalries, jealousy and hatred among class-fellows. While it cannot be denied that competition is necessary to achieve higher goals but is totally undesirable if it breeds ill feelings. Our ancient universities of Nalanda and Patliputra created scholars of great repute like Kautilya in Economics and Susruta in Medicine, but they never used competition among the students to move ahead. Actually, these students were taught by the gurus the feelings of mutual help, of being complementary to one another. There was a spirit of sacrifice for the sake of justice and fair play. That is why our ancient societies were happy and prosperous. The teachers and other educationists who are concerned with the orientation of syllabi for schools and colleges are of the opinion that the characteristics of honesty, fair play, goodness and helpfulness which are the ingredients of morality cannot be taught as subjects in any educational institution. They are something which a child inherits from the parents and learns from his family, particularly mother and father. So far as religion is concerned it is also something which everyone acquires from one’s family and other members of the community. India being a secular country, cannot take up religious education in schools and colleges. They argue that, to the extent the moral education can be given in educational institutions, it is given through discipline and punishments for breaking the code of conduct. Any student who steals abuses or hurts others is punished. This is nothing else but imparting of moral education. What these teachers and educationists tend to ignore is that these actions teach only discipline in actions. Evils as they say have large fangs, desires are boundless. The students need to be told the ultimate consequences of acquiring wealth through illegal means when they grow up and take up some job. For this, moral education needs to be taken up as a subje ct. Our life on earth is for a limited period of time. The purpose of human life is not to indulge in luxuries and enjoy the material comforts. They give temporary happiness. The real purpose of life is to develop our spirit in a pure and chaste manner whereby we attain salvation. This is the spiritual lesson which every religion teaches. This is a part of moral  education which each faith teaches us. This should be a part of our education. The educationists have an argument to make in this regard also. They are of the opinion that while framing syllabi for language and literature, the novels, stories, poems and other write-ups of those great religious philosophers are taken which contain this spiritual education. The names of Guru Nanak and Swami Vivekanand are prominent. Among the social reformers the names of Gandhi, Raja Rammohan Roy and others are given. The works of great scholars are sufficient to develop a sense of justice and fairness among the students. It may be true to some extent but the fact remains that by including the works of great religious men and social reformers in the curriculum helps but little. In the examination, the students have to answer the questions based on the text. There is no examination which tests whether the students have adopted this philosophy-whether they have resolved to act according to the philosophy in their own lives. Moral values are extremely important for building a society which is free from the evils of violence, greed, hatred, avarice and jealousy. However, high economic growth do we achieve, whatever high amount of wealth do we accumulate, our society will be afflicted by corruption, inequality and perverity if moral education is ignored. India has been a beacon of light for the world for showing others the values of religion and morality. If we have lost our own path, what will we show to the world? We have to start from the grass-roots level to impart moral education on our children. The syllabi at schools and colleges must include this education so that surely, though slowly our society is purged of all evils and we become role models for others. A great responsibility devolves on the teachers to remove the ill feelings of jealousy and hatred from the pupils’ minds. They must teach the students to achieve their goals through hard work. The attitude of fairness and justice developed in childhood and teenage will lay the foundation of responsible citizens.