Essay about Absurdity and Satire in The Importance of...

Absurdity and Satire in The Importance of Being Earnest In Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest, much is made of societal expectations, protocols, as well as the inversions of these expectations. A character, Jack Worthing, adopts an alter ego when going into town to avoid keeping up with the serious and morally upright behaviour that is expected of him as guardian to his eighteen-year-old ward, Cecily. Another character, Algernon Moncrieff, makes up an invalid friend Bunbury whose grave health conditions provide him with the excuse to escape to the country as and when he pleases. Both Jack and Algernon are admired by two young ladies who erroneously believe the mens names to be Ernest, and who adore the men for this very†¦show more content†¦JACK. You really love me, Gwendolen? GWENDOLEN. Passionately! JACK. Darling! You dont know how happy youve made me. GWENDOLEN. My own Ernest! JACK. But you dont really mean to say that you couldnt love me if my name wasnt Ernest? GWENDOLEN. But your name is Ernest. JACK. Yes, I know it is. But supposing it was something else? Do you mean to say you couldnt love me then? GWENDOLEN. [Glibly.] Ah! that is clearly a metaphysical speculation, and like most metaphysical speculations has very little reference at all to the actual facts of real life, as we know them. JACK. Personally, darling, to speak quite candidly, I dont much care about the name of Ernest . . . I dont think the name suits me at all. GWENDOLEN. It suits you perfectly. It is a divine name. It has music of its own. It produces vibrations. JACK. Well, really, Gwendolen, I must say that I think there are lots of other much nicer names. I think Jack, for instance, a charming name. GWENDOLEN. Jack? . . . No, there is very little music in the name Jack, if any at all, indeed. It does not thrill. It produces absolutely no vibrations . . . I have known several Jacks, and they all, without exception, were more than usually plain. Besides, Jack is a notorious domesticity for John! And I pity any woman who is married to a man called John. She would probably never be allowed to know theShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Being Earnest By Oscar Wilde980 Words   |  4 PagesEarnest Hypocrisy In Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, two gentlemen exemplify the result of dishonesty and hypocrisy. Set in Victorian England, the two bachelors, Algernon and Jack, fight over which one of them will take the name Ernest in order to win their own girl. Wilde circumvents conventionalism and employs superior satirical strategy to not only teach the importance of being earnest, a characteristic held dear by Victorian society, but he also chastises his world for the hypocrisyRead MoreThe Significance Of Being Earnest, By Oscar Wilde1305 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Barbara Tuchman, â€Å"satire is a wrapping of exaggeration around a core of society.† Satire exposes the absurdity embedded in society through exaggerated extremes of social norms. Satire is the hyperbolic expressions of absurdity, which provides clarity through sarcasm and offensive exaggerations to project a society’s ethics. In Oscar Wilde’s play, The Importance of Being Earnes t, Wilde exposes the absurdity of Victorian aristocratic social propriety. Wilde utilizes numerous ironic punsRead MoreThe Absurdity Of The Victorian Upper Class Society1653 Words   |  7 PagesNovember 25, 2016 The Absurdity of the Victorian Upper-Class Society Sans irony, the title of the play, The Importance of Being Earnest - A Trivial Comedy for Serious People, by Oscar Wilde probably would have been called â€Å"The Insignificance of Being Earnest.† This is because throughout the play all the major characters lied and were not the least bit earnest. This comedy is a satire on the mannerisms of the Victorian upper-class society in the late 1800s. As it is a satire, Wilde’s intent was toRead MoreThe Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde1107 Words   |  4 PagesThe Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde’s comedy, The importance of Being Earnest, is a farcical critique of contemporary societal attitudes towards social institutions. The play is centered on the importance of the protagonists being called Earnest without actually being earnest. The Paradoxical structure of the play combines trivial situations with formal language to complicity ridicule traditional standards on issues like marriage and social class. These expectations are deemed meaningfulRead MoreA Modest Proposal By Johnathon Swift801 Words   |  4 Pagesis to procreate and profit from their offspring. He goes on to reference, â€Å"child dropped from its dam,† as if making a comparison between women and animals. Swift furthers that with talk of allowing a number of women for breeding reserves, and it being more than the allotted number to that of livestock. Swift continues his dehumanization by making the people and children themselves seem inconsequential. He reduces them to mere numbersâ €”statistics. By dividing and lessening their numbers (poor peopleRead MoreGender in the importance of being earnest Essay examples1312 Words   |  6 Pagesgender the main comic creator in the play of ‘The Importance of being Earnest’? Comedy originated in the 6th century BC in ancient Greece at the Dionysian festival. Comedy was first designed to provoke laughter and to entertain the audience. The ancient Greeks used the word comedy to describe a play with a happy ending much the same as the play the ‘Importance of being Earnest’. The play uses elements of old comedy for example; it is a satire of the Victorian era that is most importantly appliedRead MoreThe Importance of Being Earnest Essay1237 Words   |  5 PagesAThe Importance of Being Earnest a play written by Oscar Wilde is set in England in the late Victorian era. Wilde uses obvious situational and dramatic irony within the play to satirize his time period. According to Roger Sale in Being Ernest the title has a double meaning to it and is certainly another example of satire used by Wilde. With a comedic approach, Wilde ridicules the absurdities of the character’s courtship rituals, their false faces, and their secrets. (Sale, 478) In theRead MoreThe Importance of Being Earnest: Wildes Wit in Use2173 Words   |  9 PagesIn researching the ideas and themes behind Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest, I stumbled upon numerous questions and underlying themes which I plan to dissect thoroughly in the following body of this paper treating each question individually and in an abstract manner. The questions I encountered ranged from the incestual tendencies of Lady Bracknell in relation to the gothic genre to Wildes use of food as a weapon and a means of demonstrating ones power. Before diving into theRead MoreOscar Wildes Use Of Criticism In English Literature1107 Words   |  5 Pagesform of satire, mostly targeted the upper classes. His famous play The Importance of Being Earnest provides a prime example of the use of satire as a form of critique. Through the use of characterization and absurd language, Wilde mocks the value given to social institutions in the Victorian upper-class society. Specifically, he satirizes the socially constructed role of the family, religion and marriage. Lady Bracknell’s characterization and Jack’s family story satirize the importance of the familyRead MoreHoratian and Juvenalian Satire1884 Words   |  8 PagesHoratian and Juvenalian Satire Satire has many definitions, but according to Merriam Webster satire can be defined as â€Å"A literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn† (Webster). This definition is likely used by many authors who exercise the application of satire. Satire has been in literature since ancient times; it is derived from the Latin satura, meaning dish of mixed fruits, (Weisgerber). Many satirists have shared a common aim: to expose foolishness in all its guises

Organizational Change and Development Free Essays

In the past, people have been treated the organization as a closed system, that is to say, organizational behavior and performance are the results from unilateral decision by managers, ignoring the existence of the environment. However, as an open system, the organization and its external environment are interaction and mutual penetration. Environment should be seen as the organizational material, energy, the ultimate resource of information and the key to organization renewal. We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Change and Development or any similar topic only for you Order Now This paper will discuss the contribution of environmental determinist theories by interpreting Institutional Theory, Population Ecology, Resource Dependence Theory and Business Ecosystem Theory. 2. Institutional theory Starting from the sociological system theory, institutional theory focuses on the isomorphism and similar between organizations, and put it down to the requirements of the institutional environment outside the organization. (Tidd, 2001) In institutional theory, the organization faces with two different environments: technical environment and institutional environment. Technological environment requires the organization must be efficient and organized by the principle of maximum production, while the institutional environment requires organizations must be legitimacy. Meyer and Rowen pointed out that many organizations even had to have the internal operations separated from organizational structure in order to reduce the negative impact from the institutional environment requests on the efficient operation. DiMaggio and Powell further put forward three mechanisms lead to convergence of the organizational type and organizational behavior. Camarinha-Matos, Afsarmanesh, 2007)The first one is forcing mechanisms, such as government regulations and cultural expectations. The second one is imitation mechanism. When faces with uncertainty problem, organizations tend to adopt the solution used by other organizations in the same organizational field. The last one is regulatory mechanisms, which comes from development and complication of professional network s in professional training, and organizational field. Sequential studies take a large number of empirical analyses on the mechanism above. Take Galaskiewicz and Wasserman for example, they confirmed the importance of networking to the mechanism of imitation. They noted that, although the successful organization may be easy to become the object of imitation, the organization managers tend to imitate the organization they trust, such as those that have the interpersonal association with their own organization. How to cite Organizational Change and Development, Papers

Savings and Time Value for Money

Question: Discuss about the Savings and Time Value for Money. Answer: Introduction The expression of the time value of money has a lot of attention since according to Louises article and what have been learnt in class. Louises primary concern was on the importance of saving. He argued that money saved increases in value. For example, if $100 is invested today it will increase in value. This is because interest will get earned. By the year end, the amount that will get accredited to the $ 100 will be more than the currently the value of the cash. If it happens that the inflation rate is higher than the rate of interest that will be experienced, then the $100 invested would have a little purchasing power at the year end. It is crucial to get a note of the inflation rate in making decisions on invest savings. In places where the inflation rate is high, or is expected to go up; this mostly happens when there is a currency devaluation, it would be more advisable to invest the cash in buying valuables whose value would remain high even when inflation is high. Some of the valuables include upscale chains and expensive objects for decorations which are not for resale. This is because their relative value would still be high. Although times brings out the opportunity to increase the amount of cash held, inflation reduces the value of this money. For example, money invested in a small business, shares purchased from a company or even bonds and securities purchase, could result in losses in investment with the presence of a significant financial setback (Louise, 2016). The other way in which time value of money can be can get recognized is by noticing that each and every service or work consumes time. The more the time spent on the job, the higher the amount that will get rewarded to the worker. Taking into consideration time and cash, there will be a tremendous increase in the value of cash as time passes by. Lets say that someone was to save around $ 100 on a monthly basis and invest the $ 1200 at every year end for 25 years while earning 5% interest rate per annum, instead of one having the $30,000 invested, one would have a total of up to $ 46,206 by the end of the 25 years. If one were to let the money accumulate for 40 years, the money would yield $ 325,292. The longer the time, the more the value of the money increases. The earlier one starts making his saving, the greater the grand sum received after a period of time (Louise, 2016). The Link Time value of money is a very crucial concept when it comes to financial management. This is because it can be used in comparing the alternatives of various investments and help to solve problems. Some of the issues that the study of time value of money can assist in resolving are loans, mortgages, leases, savings, and annuities among others. Time value of money is based on the concept that the dollar one has on a particular time has more value towards its future. The value of the dollar today is not the same value it will have tomorrow, the value of the dollar tomorrow will be much higher. This is because, the money held today could be invested to generate some profit. This profit will have increased the value of the money. A primary concept in time value of money is that a single sum of money or a series of similar and equally-placed payments or receipts that have been promised in the future can get converted to an equivalent absolute value today. One can also calculate the value t hat the amount one has today will be worth in the future. To calculate the value, the following are important; Interest rate The number of the periods Payments Present value Future value Any of the five elements can get calculated provided the values of the other four are provided. (Schmidt, 2016) Interest Interest is the amount one is charged for borrowing money when paying back. It is the additional amount that one will payback when repaying the loan borrowed. Interest is also the extra payment on saving deposits made into a bank. There are two types of interests; the simple interest and the compound interests. When calculating the value of simple interest, it is only calculated from the principal amount that was borrowed. Compound interest is calculated after each period on the original amount that was borrowed in addition to all the unpaid benefits accumulated to date. Number of Periods Periods are the equal intervals of time. They are not necessarily in term of years, but they have to be equal. This is because each interval should rhyme with a compounding period of the annuity. Payments Payment is the series of equally determined cash flows. Payments can be made as a single sum or can be paid in time periods. Single sums are known as lump sums, whereas periodic payments are referred to as annuities. Present Value The current value is that amount that is today equivalent to the future payments that will get made that has been discounted at an agreed rate. Future Value Future value can get described as the value the money today is expected to yield after it has been subjected to a fixed compounded interest. (Peterson Drake and Fabozzi, 2009, 23) Financial Issue Analysis When dealing with time value of money, it is important to take note of the opportunity cost. A dollar received today can get invested at the moment for it to earn an interest which will increase its value in the future. Contrary, a dollar received in the future cannot start earning its interest until the time its received. This lost opportunity to earn interest is known as the opportunity cost. Due to opportunity cost, time value of money is founded on two principles. More is better that Little Sooner is better than Later These principles are rise to the two-time value of money techniques that are compounding and discounting (Gregory and Wang, n.d.). Compounding Compounding is all about moving money forward to the future. It is the general method of determining the amount of interest that will be earned when an investment is made today. Discounting Discounting is all about moving money backward in time. It can be described as the process by which there is the determination of the present value of money that will get received at a future date. The current value is determined by applying a discount rate to the sums of money to be received in the future. Similarities and Differences The variables used by Louise in the consideration of the time value of money have the same variables as those learnt in class. These variables are those that have been named earlier. However, there have been some differences in the results arrived at. Investing $1200 at the end of every year for 25 years at an interest rate of 5 %. Louise noted that the future value would be $ 46,206. However using the formula below learnt in class, the result is different. Future value ordinary annuity = = = 1200 * 47.7271 = $ 52,273 Also, Louise noted that when the same amount is saved for 40 years, the future value will be $ 325,292. The formula gives a different result. = = = 1200 * 120.80 = $ 144,960 Conclusion Despite having the same variables, the results given by Louise after calculating the future value of the saved money, are different from what is obtained by using the formula learnt in class. Time value is an important factor for making savings investment decisions. References Gregory, A. and Wang, Y. (n.d.). Cash Acquirers: Free Cash Flow, Shareholder Monitoring, and Shareholder Returns.SSRN Electronic Journal. Peterson, P. and Fabozzi, F. (2009). Foundations and applications of the time value of money. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons Schmidt, R. (2016).What You Should Know About The Time Value of Money. [Online] Propertymetrics.com. Available at: https://www.propertymetrics.com/blog/2014/06/17/time-value-of-money/. Louise, F. (2016). LOUISE FAIRSAVE: Time value of money. [Online] www.nationnews.com. Available at: https://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/76797/louise-fairsave-value-of-money [Accessed 24 May 2016].

My Culture free essay sample

Yes, I’m a female, but being a female has not shaped my view of the world. Yes, I don’t look like a model, but my plainness has not altered my perception of life. Yes, I’m the youngest of three, but being the baby has not built my vision. Yes, I’m an African-American, but being black has not skewed my point of view of the world. KRS-One once said that rap is an action, but hip-hop is a culture. I like to believe that hip-hop is my culture and my world. It was made for youth by youth to address issues we feel. Hip-hop blurs racial lines. True hip-hop doesn’t care what you look like. Hip-hop has affected my view of the world. It has also influenced my decision on what contribution I want to make to society. My dream is to be an AR coordinator. We will write a custom essay sample on My Culture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I want to find, develop, and watch deserving artists succeed. I want to put out music that any fan of the genre will love, while their parents approve and respect it. Many great hip-hop artists were told they would never amount to anything, but one person came along and had faith in them (i.e. Puffy and Notorious BIG). I want to be that one person for discouraged artists. I also dream of being a novelist and journalist. Icons and important events in hip-hop have played a major role in many of my writings. I always attempt to diversify my writings and try something new, but hip-hop somehow always weaves itself into my stories. Hip-hop has many faces, therefore many of my characters display a different aspect of hip-hop. Hip-hop has shown me that anyone can go from nothing to something just by being determined and hard working. I will always love hip-hop for teaching me that important life lesson.

History of Breast Implants and Why Women Buy Them

History of Breast Implants and Why Women Buy Them Free Online Research Papers In our generation today people are attracted to products that could make them beautiful or handsome; products that would make them very attractive. Some may even go under cosmetic surgery to make themselves appear more attractive. Some may refer a person who is obsessed to look good as a â€Å"vain† person. One of the things that ladies want to improve in themselves is their breasts because it’s believed that having big breasts will make one more attractive thus making them feel confident and sexy. That is why some women undergo surgery – the breast implants. Others call it as breast augmentation or breast enlargement. This paper will discuss everything about breast implants. The history of breast implants, the indications for breast implants, the procedure, kinds or types of breast implants. This paper will also answer the question about how a person is influenced to undergo breast implants as well as discuss the evolution of breast implants. History of Breast Implant Breast Implant is done as a prosthesis that is used to enlarge the breast size of a woman for cosmetic reasons; to reconstruct the breast, (for example, after a mastectomy; or to correct genetic deformities), or as an aspect of male-to-female sex reassignment surgery. This is also known as breasts augmentation, breast enlargement, mammoplasty enlargement, augmentation mammoplasty or the slang term â€Å"boob job†. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, breast augmentation is the most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedure in the United States. (National Clearinghouse of Plastic Surgery Statistics, 2007) This procedure is very popular in the United States than any other country. In the year 1890 the first surgical breast augmentation procedure was performed with paraffin injection. This surgery led to infections and lump formations in the breast. In the year 1920, paraffin injections were no longer used because it became out of favor for the procedure. Implants have been used since 1895 to enhance the size or shape of womens breasts. The earliest known implant was attempted by Vincenz Czerny (Trutnov, 19 November 1842 Heidelberg, 3 October 1916, an Austrian-German surgeon). He used a womans own adipose tissue (from a lipoma, a benign growth, on her back). In the year 1920, fat transplants were tried. Fatty tissues were removed from the belly and buttock areas and transferred it into the breast. Unfortunately, this was not successful because the body would rapidly reabsorb most of the fat leaving the breast lumpy and lopsided. This type of procedure was given up in the year 1940. Polyvinyl sponges were then used. These were to be implanted into the brea st for augmentation, and different types of synthetic sponges were tried in 1950’s. This type of surgery or implantation did not succeed as well, because they were all found to shrink and harden within a year and infections occurred. It was in the year 1960 when silicone injections started. This procedure was not effective; complications such as chronic inflammation, infections, and lumps were seen. Because of this silicone injections were no longer an option. In 1961, silicone breast implants were developed. Due to safety concerns, silicone breast implants were withdrawn in 1982. After 10 years, 1992, the American general market for cosmetic breast augmentation only allowed saline filled implants. Silicone breast implants are only available to special patients through FDA approved trials. (Wu, 2006) In 1995, they introduced soybean oil implants, they say this is a natural approach for the breast enhancement, but not after 4 years, they were withdrawn from the market because it was found out that it could become toxic in the body as it breaks down. As the years passes by, new technologies continue to arise. New discoveries have been found on breast implants and breast enhancements which give women some choices in order to achieve their desires. One of the new discoveries is the bra-like device that is surrounded with silicone; this was introduced sometime in the year 2001. This device should be worn 10 hours a day for a few months to see the effect, but there no satisfied patients who used the device. In November of 2006, the FDA in the United States approves silicone implants once again. This time a new implant, called the gummy bear style silicone breast implant was developed and will be available again to all the women in the United States who would like to have a breast augmentation. Breast implants have much to offer those who would like to have their breasts improved. There will be more evolution on ways to enhance breasts of women who want this procedure all over the world. Types of Breast Implants Breast implants are done in one to two hours surgically. Types of breast implants include: (1) Saline Implants. Arion HG (1965) who introduced Saline-filled breast implants and was first manufactured in France. The Saline implant is made of an elastomer silicone envelope; this will be surgically implanted under the tissues, and then filled with sterile saline, a salt-water solution, through a valve. (breastimplant.com, 1996) (2) Silicone gel implants. These implants are also made of an elastomer envelope that is pre-filled (prior to surgery). This implant is filled with a clear, sticky, thick jellylike form of silicone that approximates the consistency of breast tissue. Thomas Cronin and Frank Gerow, they are the two plastic surgeons from Houston, Texas, who developed the first silicone breast prosthesis with the Dow Corning Corporation in 1961. (Arion, 1965) Ways on how Breast Implants are Preformed According to Robert Valdes (How stuff works), breast augmentation can be very simple or complex procedure, it will depend on the patient and the desired outcome the patient wants. After the surgeons prepared their patient, the surgeon starts by cutting one incision into the patient for each implant. To avoid scarring, the incisions should be made small. After the incision is made, the surgeon must slit a way through the tissue to the final destination of the implant. Once there is path that has been created, the tissue and/or muscle (depending on placement) must be disjoined to establish a pocket for the implant. Then the surgeon will have now to place the implants that the surgeon will use. The surgeon will now reposition the nipple, adjust the cleavage, and create a new crease under the breast. This procedure needs the expertise of the surgeon. (Valdez, 1998) Motivational Factors in Undergoing Breast Implants According to the Journal of Women’s Health (Volume 12, Number 3, 2003, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.), there are at least five factors that influence the decision to seek breast reconstruction. (1) Intrapsychic Intrapsychic factors describe internal motivations for breast augmentation and the resulting effect of surgery on body image and quality of life (Feelings about physical appearance and breast size and shape in particular). (2) Interpersonal – this concerns the importance of breast in social and romantic relationships, according to the journal; it may play an important role in the decision to seek surgery. (3) Informational – these factors address knowledge about the surgery. It is thought that women who undergo breast implants obtain information from mass media (Television, women’s magazine, radio advertisements, and physicians). Because of Television and women’s magazines, this may have a big impact on those women who seek to have breast implants , this is because of what they see in famous stars that had breast implants (especially in Hollywood), women thought that if they have it too, they would look more attractive, and will improve their relationship. (4) Medical – includes the patient’s current health and health practices. Breast implants are also suggested to women who have undergone mastectomy, for this reason, patients may feel more confident and improve their self-esteem. (5) Economic – women who decided to have breast augmentation also have to consider their savings before the procedure. Breast augmentation costs approximately $3000 to $5000. Because this procedure is not covered by health insurance, they have to use their personal savings, or they may make loans for the procedure. Conclusion: Breast Implant is a procedure where one must really think about, aside from the expensive cost of this procedure, one might have a side effect of having breast implants. If we will look back at the history of it, it is evident that they have not yet perfected the procedure with minimal side effects.(that is why some of the earlier breast implants have been banned) This procedure will also hinder young mothers to give breast feeding to their child, which is very important for the baby. Breast implants are being availed by young women because of the impact of having a good appeal to the public especially to their boyfriends or husbands. And some studies say that it has significance in positive sexual functioning with a greater sexual drive and arousal. This kind of procedure is a personal decision that should be respected by anyone. Research Papers on History of Breast Implants and Why Women Buy ThemPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductResearch Process Part OneGenetic EngineeringHip-Hop is ArtThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationEffects of Television Violence on Children

Assignment Coursera Essay Example for Free

Assignment Coursera Essay Score Explanation 6. 34 Correct 5. 00 Correct. This is where a spreadsheet comes in handy. Total 5. 00 / 5. 00 Question Explanation This is a simple IRR calculation. Drawing a time line helps. Question 3 (5 points) Austin needs to purchase a new heating/cooling system for his home. He is thinking about having a geothermal system installed, but he wants to know how long it will take to recoup the additional cost of the system. The geothermal system will cost $20,000. A conventional system will cost $7,000. Austin is eligible for a 30% tax credit to be applied immediately to the purchase. He estimates that he will save 1 ,500 per year in utility bills with the geothermal system. These cash outflows can be assumed to occur at the end of the year. The cost of capital (or interest rate) for Austin is 7%. How long will Austin have to use the system to Justify the additional expense over the conventional model? ( i. e, What is the DISCOUNTED payback period in years? Discount future cash flows before calculating payback and round to a whole year. ) Answer for Question 3 Your Answer Score 6 Correct. You discounted before calculating payback, but it still is a very myopic measure. Total Simple payback calculation, but with discounting. Question 4 (10 points) In high school Jeff often made money in the summer by mowing lawns in the neighborhood. He Just finished his freshman year of college and, after taking a Business 101 class, he has some ideas about how to scale up his lawn mowing operation. Previously, he had used his father’s push mower, but he is thinking about getting a r101ng mower tnat wlll save tlme ana allow nvm to 00 more lawns. He Touna a used, zero turn, riding mower on Craigslist for $1,200. He will also need a trailer to pull the mower behind his pickup; that will cost him an additional $600. With the new ower he can take on an additional 20 lawns per week at an average cash inflow of $20 per lawn he will receive at the end of each week. He has 14 weeks of summer in which to mow lawns. (For convenience, assume that the mower and trailer will have no value after Jeff is done with his work this summer. ) The discount rate for Jeff is 10% (Keep in mind this is an annual rate). What is the Net Present Value of the mower/trailer project? Your Answer -1147 3117 4320 3720 10. 00 Correct. You know how to set up and calculate wv’, at a weekly interval. Total 10. 00 / 10. 00 A fairly common NPV problem, with weekly compounding. Question 5 (10 points) Yassein is looking to refinance his home because rates have gone down from when he bought his house 10 years ago. He started with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage of $288,000 at an annual rate of 6. 5%. He can now get a 20-year fixed-rate mortgage at an annual rate of 5. 5% on the remaining balance of his initial mortgage. (All loans require monthly payments. ) In order to re-flnance, Yassein will need to pay closing costs of $3,500. These costs are out of pocket and cannot be rolled into the new mortgage. How much will refinancing save Yassein? (i. e. What is the NPV of the refinancing decision? Your Answer 16467 17517 16975 Correct. This is a very common situation we all face all the time. 15463 A problem we saw last week, but I expect you to do this routinely now. It is a value generating opportunity through financing only because interest rates changed. Question 6 (10 points) Chandra has the opportunity to buy a vacant lot next to several commercial properties for $50,000. She plans to buy the property and spend another $60,000 immediately to put in a parking lot. She has talked to the local businesses and has some contracts lined up to fill the parking spaces. The profits from the ontracts will provide $25,000 per year and the contracts will last 10 years. What is the NPV of Chandra’s plan if the appropriate discount/interest rate is 10%? (Enter Just the number without the $ sign or a comma; round off decimals. ) Answer for Question 43614 Correct. You know how to calculate NPV. Questlon Explanatlon A standard NPV problem. Question 7 (10 points) This question introduces you to the concept of an annuity with growth. The formula is given on p. 3, equation (7), of the Note on Formulae, but I would encourage you to try doing it in Excel as well. (If the first cash flow is C, the next one ill be C(l+g), and so on, where g is the growth rate in cash flow). As an example, the present value of an annuity that starts one year from now at $100, and grows at 5%, with the last cash flow in year 10, when the discount rate is 7%, is $860. Confirm this before attempting the problem using both the formula and excel. What is the NPV of of a new manufacturing project that costs $100,000 today, but has a cash flow of $15,000 in year 1 that grows at 4% per year till year 12? Similar investments earn 7. 5% per year. (Enter Just the number without the $ sign or a comma; round off decimals. ) Answer for Question 7 0486 Correct. Hope you used both methods. This is a set up and calculation problem, nothing new conceptually. Question 8 (1 5 points) Diane has Just 18 and also completed high school and is wondering about the value of a college education. She is pretty good with numbers, and driven by financial considerations only, so she sits down to calculate whether it is worth the large sum of money. She knows that her first year tuition will be $12,000, due at the beginning of the year (that is, right away). Based on historical trends she estimates that tuition will rise at 6% per year for the 4 years she is in school. She also estimates that her living expense above and beyond tuition will be $8,000 per year (assume this occurs at the end of the year) for the first year and will increase $500 each year thereafter to keep up with inflation. Assignment Coursera. (2018, Oct 29).

Coucelling for Divorce in Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Coucelling for Divorce in Marriage - Essay Example e affords scripture, (b) the authority he or she affords religious leaders, and (c) the identification of the counsellor with the religious group of reference. All clients can tolerate only limited differences from their own important values. If value differences are too great, clients may terminate counselling intervention. Probably, the clients evaluation of the counsellor on these three religious value dimensions has more effect on choice of counsellor or continuation after an initial interview than it has on the long-term satisfaction of the client after the client has made a considerable investment of time and money in counselling intervention. The Christian approach to marriage counselling intervention that advocated by the counsellors is not merely hearing confession --nor is it preaching or studying the Bible. It is not spiritual direction, which involves guided reflection about Christian living--nor is it spiritual guidance, which involves advice and direct suggestion. It is marriage counselling intervention, as is secular marriage counselling intervention. As such, like any marriage counselling intervention, it involves the assumption that basic counselling skills will be employed consonant with the personality style of the counsellor and the needs of the client. Approach to marriage counselling assumes that counsellors may employ techniques that originated in the Christian traditions when they are consonant with the personality and beliefs of the counsellor and the needs of the client and when they are deemed to contribute to the goals of marital therapy. Generally, the counsellor will not initiate a challenge to the clients Christian beliefs unless such a challenge is otherwise clinically advisable (e.g., obsessive or intrusive thoughts, compulsive religious behaviour, psychotic thinking of religious content, and the like). In all cases, good clinical judgment is presumed--as in any theory. It is to be believed that people are created in the image of

Allied Health Scholarship Fund Contest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Allied Health Scholarship Fund Contest - Essay Example I have performed volunteer at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital in the Child Development Center and King Drew Medical Center in the psychiatric ward. I am currently an Emergency Medical Technician, certificate #B1980906. As well I have been a children’s camp counselor for both disabled as well as healthy children, and have been a mentor and basketball coach at the Y.M.C.A. and the U.C. Recreational Center. As you can see, I am committed to achievement and excellence, yet understanding and helping others is where my heart beats. I have faithfully served my calling here at UCLA since 2006. I have been accepted to the Firefighting Academy for the Fall of 2011. This will mean a hardship for my family and I because my wife is still in nursing school; paying for her tuition and the academy just isn’t possible on the part time wages I would receive after entering the academy. I want to be able to continue my dream of helping others as a professional member of this communit y; for this I need your help. This scholarship will provide me with the tools and information to serve my community with excellence and dedication; as well as provide me with an outlet to continue mentoring others along the way. I respectfully ask you to give me this opportunity to make a difference in our local community.

English Personal Recount Essay Example for Free

English Personal Recount Essay One of my most recent memories is the authentic experience at the mall with three of my friends, Eunice, Wing Kit and Cheng Ye. We went there to buy a gift for Cheng Yes cousin, Claire, from abroad, whom he has not met in a long time. She is aged 14 years old, her favourite foods are ice- cream and sushi, and her hobbies are sleeping, swimming, cycling, running, and listening to music. She is also more of a sporty and hardworking person. She likes playing on her phone, the colour PINK, using social media such as whatsapp, facebook to socialize. She dislikes computer games and the colour blue. Cheng Ye has not seen Claire in quite a while, and Claire has not visited Singapore in ages, we have decided to get Claire a gift to welcome her. Thus we decided to go to Tampines Mall as there is a wide variety of shops there. Our budget is $50. When we reached Tampines mall, it was very packed with shoppers, were lugging huge shopping bags. The mall was filled with the noisy sound of people chattering and laughing. It was so noisy that I had to shout and strain my voice to talk to Eunice, who was just right beside me. Salespersons were announcing the various offers they were having. The smell of curry chicken entered my nostrils as I while gazed at the patrons savouring the mouth-watering curry chicken, causing my mouth to drool as we walked past the restaurant. Finally, after browsing through many electronic stores, we decided upon an pink shiny earpiece from Courts that costs $20. We chose the product based on her preferences as she liked pink and shiny objects and also because it had a reasonable price and was within our budget. After buying the earpiece, we were left with $30. Thus we decided to get her another gift based on her hobby of sports. We wanted it to be within our  budget of $30, the colour pink and it to be useful and long-lasting. Eventually, we headed down to the Royal Sporting House and chose a pair of pink as it would be useful to her as swimming was her favourite hobby which she did pretty often. Thus, she would be able to use it often as well. In conclusion, this experience of going to Tampines Mall on 29 March 2014, was a wonderful experience.We had a lot of considerations at first, such as her personality,likes dislikes, the budget for the gift and what gift would she really wanted. However, all of us worked together, communicated effectively and overcame the challenges. So, eventually we decided on the gift. I also think that this experience was an educational and enriching one, as we learnt how to decide on things in a group without having any conflicts and how to take things into considerations before making a final decision. In conclusion to this, this experience was a fun, educational and enriching experience.

Raymond Chandlers Writing Techniques in The Big Sleep Essay -- Chandl

Raymond Chandler's Writing Techniques in The Big Sleep      Ã‚  Ã‚   I sat at my desk, wondering what I could possibly write about The Big Sleep. I mean, there are so many possibilities. This guy, Raymond Chandler's writing style is so different from anything I have ever read before, that there are many things that I could talk about. I heard that Chandler once said, "I live for syntax!" It does not surprise me that he would say something along those lines. I mean, this writer is all over the page with different writing techniques. Whether it is his use of similes or the lack of punctuation, Chandler's novel is easy to read, process and enjoy.    I wouldn't say that this book requires an in-depth reading to understand the plot. The style that Chandler writes in is easily understood. His narrative voice is almost what I would consider conversational. Conversational, in the sense that everyday speech is very similar to the written language of this novel; it is uncommon to write the same way that one talks. It was easy for me to hear the voices of Marlowe and Vivian in my head; I could hear the sarcastic tones of the protagonist as I read. The flow of this novel does not have the normal novelistic style that most books consist of; that is, layered, detailed and a bit wordy sometimes. It is written very much how people talk to one another. Chandler uses a lot of slang, not in conversations, but in his narrative.    In order to easily describe the way Chandler writes it is best to break down a few bits and pieces of the text. For instance, the lack of punctuation throughout Chandler's text is an example of his style. It takes a while to find a semi-colon or a colon anywhere in the novel. I have already ... ...the spice of life, is it not? Chandler is probably one of the easiest writers to remember; once you have read Chandler, it is not easy to forget the style he writes in. The story itself may be forgotten, but his language, his rhythm, his style, never is. Chandler was lucky in the sense that he was in the right place at the right time, his books became well-known and well read almost immediately after publication.    These days, it is much harder to have such an instant success as Chandler did. Chandler was lucky indeed, but it was not entirely luck that put him at the top of the lists for one of the best hard-boiled detective writers ever. His witty, charismatic style did that for him.    Works Cited    Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. New York: Vintage Books, 1996. Kemp, William. The Writing Process: Chandler 202. January 14, 1999

Interest in Public Health

The pursuit of a satisfying and meaningful career is my ultimate goal and a master of public health degree is a stepping stone along the path to a future career. For me, it is also a responsibility I owe to myself. My university education exposed me to a number of public health issues. While at university, I was affiliated to an anti AIDS club whose increased emphasis was placed on behavioural change to prevent the risk of STDs, HIV/AIDS and unplanned pregnancies.I particularly joined this club so I could make an impact on fellow students and prevent the spread of the virus as I had lost a lot of my close relations to HIV/AIDS. It was from this point that my interest in public health arose. During my fifth year of university education, I proposed to conduct a research on the role of physiotherapy in patients HIV/AIDS patients but could not conduct the named research due to funding difficulties and ethics issues.Nevertheless, I still picked on another public health topic ‘the pr evalence of complaints of arm, neck and shoulder among office workers who use computers' and I earned myself an award as the best graduating student in Research. The findings of the study further prompted me to make a difference and prevent preventable illnesses, thus considered public health research as a career. My work experience as a physiotherapist is within the field of public health and has developed my disease identification, treatment and to a lesser extent preventive skills.I am currently engaged in community (outreach)programmes for HIV/AIDS patients. My role in this activity, is to identify and mobilise patients who are on Anti retro virus drugs who have residual effects (weak limbs) of ARVs and other people in the community who might actually need physiotherapy services. Though this integration of physiotherapy services with HIV/AIDS activities at the hospital is still in its infancy stage, as a department we have achieved an increase of 30% in the number of patients ca ptured in the community and are actually accessing our services.What about the rest of the 70% ? we could still do better. Personally, being the overseer of the physiotherapy aspect of the HIV/AIDS programme I have earned a great deal of insight on issues pertaining to . However, each time we embark on the usual community visits and find cases that could have been prevented, I feel challenged and to some extent motivated to do more than I am already doing because currently our main emphasis is on the curative aspect of disease rather than prevention and primary care . in addition, I as diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism in 2009 and I realise that I am not able to meet the physical demands of my current job and would want to contribute to population health at an administrative level. My participation in the programme confirmed my budding interest in preventive medicine and improved quality of care. I am drawn to public health because of its unbounded solutions to health problems. I am in search of public health skills develop and be able to contribute positively towards the health of the community and society at large.In addition, I feel that my current degree alone, is not offering me adequate career opportunities, in which case gaining a further qualification particularly master of public health, will provide me with new career options and advance my prospects immensely. After I complete the master of public health programme, I will have acquired problem solving skills, locating and using information effectively and analytical thinking skills.In view of this, I intend to join an Non Governmental Organisation dealing in public health issues and possibly work in a rural area as that is where the bulk of the work is to be done. Currently I am studying for a certificate in HIV/AIDS management, I believe the certificate and the master of public health coupled together will help me perform better in my future job role as I would like to be involved in the devising of p rogrammes focused to prevent and provide quality health care especially in HIV/AIDS related projects.

On Dumpster Diving Essay

In the essay on Dumpster Diving we read about Lars Eighner Who is a scavenger in the sense that he searches dumpsters for leftover items that can be of aid to him to enable him to eat or to have clothing to wear. In this essay we see numerous rhetorical approaches to grab the reader’s attention in as he conveys a story and a lifestyle that sheds light to an unknown profession. We immediately read about how knowledgeable and passionate the author is about this subject as he comes out almost challenging the Marriam-Webster dictionary on if the word Dumpster should be capitalized or not.When I read Mr.  Eighner, someone who scavenged for food on a daily basis, and yet at the same time was able to challenge the most reputable dictionary I was confident in my choice for my paper His expertise was un-paralleled in that he could dictate exactly how to correctly and safely dumpster dive, and yet at the same time make you feel as if you were not reading an essay from someone who woul d have these types of personal experiences. In his writing he writes long enough on how to correctly evaluate the food found in dumpsters I felt as though if I were to be put on the streets tomorrow I would know what to do.He says that there are three principles to eating out of a Dumpster. He dictates that the first one is to use the senses and common sense to assess the condition of the found materials the second is to know the Dumpsters of a given area and lastly to answer the question of â€Å"why was it discarded? † (par. 7). Here I see his intelligence quite vast as he is able to make up three tentative rules on Dumpster diving from personal experience. Later on we see him discuss how to tell if canned food was good to eat. Most people assume that if it is still in a can it is good to eat, but this is not the case.We writes that canned foods should have some sort of a vacuum and that they should not be bulging, punctured, dented or rusty (par. 10). This display of knowl edge and intelligence is unrivaled and further proves his expertise. Later on he continues to talk about food safety in which he says that dried food is usually the safest, if there is no visible contamination on it (par. 12). His intelligence is once again shown when in the next paragraph he discusses what can be pared away in a vegetable and at what point it becomes too rotten to eat. He articulates that leafy vegetables are usually contaminated by liquids and hard to wash.In these sentences about food safety we are shown a clear and well-articulated rudimentary â€Å"textbook† on how to evaluate foods that may be available to eat and whether or not it is safe to eat. But Lars Eighner does not stop here. After moving on from food safety we see his expertise in his cunning ability to locate good and credible dumpsters, such as one behind a pizza parlor. We then read into why so many pizzas go to waste and are given enough factual evidence that we nearly forget we are reading this essay from someone who hasn’t even worked in the particular restaurant, yet knew very much about it (par.  18).In the next paragraph I read something that would not register to the average reader, or one who might have not studied the text. He said that he had never placed a bogus order to the pizza parlor to receive a free pizza (par. 13). After reading over this a couple of times it leaned me two different thoughts, one was that he was an honest person and the other that he trusted in his expertise and intelligence so much that he did not have to do something like that to get his next meal.This put a lot of confidence in me that if I was thrown out on the streets with only this piece of writing I would be able to make him like Mr. Eighner. This essay or homemade textbook did not stop at food safety though. We are then informed about the different times of the year when people are more wasteful and likely to throw perfectly good food out. Lars Eighner shares that rig ht after college breaks students are more likely to just throw everything out of the fridge in an attempt to become more clean and organized, which lends him some very good resources. (par.  20)He continues on saying that when the parents or dads come to visit their kids they tend to throw everything out, including spirits, porn and drugs. Students are many times more likely to be wasteful as they have a parent or adult pays for nearly every expense, so why would they care? With every paragraph in this essay we are further convinced of Mr. Eighners intellectual superiority when it comes to eating out of a dumpster. He knows where to find the best dumpsters, what times are most successful to scavenge and finally what safety precautions should be taken before eating.

Anorexia nervosa essays

Anorexia nervosa essays Anorexia Nervosa is one of the most commonly known and yet least recognized eating disorders. Anorexia is a mental illness, which affects both boys and girls within normal weight ranges who think they are overweight. The early stages of Anorexia are often difficult to detect. A person should know what to look for as far as early symptoms and know what steps to take to help, but the most important thing would be to try to figure out what underlying problems could be responsible for the condition. Anorexia begins with feelings of self-confidence and higher self esteem as the result of a more "attractive" appearance making the person feel as if they are more capable of handling social interaction (Anorexia, Dying to Be Thin p.1-13). As the anorexia progresses, his/her preoccupation with staying thin, which he or she believes gave his/her feelings of success, caused his/her to concentrate even more on his/her weight (Anorexia, Dying to Be Thin p.1-13). Eventually, the anorexic's body will start to deteriorate, his/her self-esteem will diminish, and he or she will begin to remove themselves from social interaction (Anorexia, Dying to Be Thin p.1-13). Communication with his/her family or friends will also be reduced or strained (Anorexia, Dying to Be Thin p.1-13). In the beginning stages a person could notice that the anorexic is exercising excessively or prone to hyperactivity. (Anorexia, Dying to Be Thin p.1-13). The anorexic will display unusual eating behaviors, and constantly express the fear of gaining weight, even though they do not. Anorexics are often high achievers. He or she will be one of the teacher's favorites, because they never cause any trouble and think their best is never good enough (Anorexia, Dying to Be Thin p.1-13). Additionally, they never talk back to their parents, and never fuss (Anorexia, Dying to Be Thin p.1-13). If the anorexic fails, she fears that people won't have anything to do with her. Anorexics se...

Employment law 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Employment law 3 - Assignment Example In this case, Woolsey signed an employment agreement which contained Employee Confidentiality, Non-Disclosure and Non-Circumvention Agreement. In this regard, Woolsey committed himself to not disclose third parties information about MediLink such as trade secrets. Woolsey also committed himself not to work for a competitor of MediLink for a period of three years after termination of Woolsey's employment. Woolsey can be argued to have breached Non-Disclosure and Non-Circumvention Agreement by coping hundreds of MediLink documents on his laptop, which he carried to-and-from his office. These agreements protect the ideas of the business deal. In addition, the employer spends effort and money training employees, and this should remain privacy especially on the way the company does business. Question B As the HR VP of MediLink, I would advice MediLink to treat the nurses as its employees. This is important because as company employees, the nurses will enjoy all benefits accrued to company employees. This translates to better provision of services to MediLink customers. Some of the benefits of having the nurses as MediLink employees are directly or indirectly connected to incentives employees get from the company. Some programs such healthcare programs, reward systems, and employment law that protect employees from unfair treatment by the employer would motivate the nurses to continue working for the MediLink and offer quality services to MediLink customers. Conversely, an employer has the right of control. The employer can dictate the means and the manner in which the employee performs the job. In addition, since MediLink customers’ supplies with uniform and equipments and some fees, it means that the customers entrusts all this to MediLink. Therefore, it would be vital for MediLink to treat nurses as its employees. Shaw v. Zedco Employment law prohibits sexual harassment in a workplace and is considered â€Å"to be a form of sexual discrimination, and it is stipulated under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act† (M, Paludi, and C, Paludi 6). Carpenter, Newman, and Whatley were alleged to have sexually harassed plaintiff and subjected to a hostile work environment. However, in order to determine the case, it is vital to point out some deliberations and facts concerning the law and the case at hand. Under Title VII, apart from the employers being required to prevent sexual harassment, they are also supposed to take reasonable care to promptly correct sexual harassment that has occurred (M, Paludi, and C, Paludi 6). In this case, the plaintiff reported the matter to Persons about alleged case of sexual harassment committed by her colleagues. Persons fired Carpenter and held disciplinary conferences with Newman and Whatley. In this regard, it is correct to argue that took the appropriate measures against the accused persons. In addition, Persons wrote to Plaintiff, urging her to reconsider leaving her job and informing her that ZED CO had hired a new manager for the Stockton facility and assured her of fair treatment. This means that the employer took reasonable care. In fact, for the employer to be legally responsible for sexual harassment, he must be aware that the harassment occurred and that he failed to take reasonable care. On a different dimension, it is crucial for employees experiencing sexual harassment in workplace, categorically and clearly say no to it. For example, if the behavior of his or her workmate offends

Research Paper Questionaire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Paper Questionaire - Essay Example For example, Jacob, the man chosen by God to be the patriarch of the twelve tribes of Israel, is also a weak, flawed human being who stole his brother Esau’s birthright and his blessing from Isaac. David was a great king who was a recipient of God’s blessings, yet he lusted after Bathsheba, the wife of one of his noble soldiers, sending the man to his death to possess Bathsheba. Chagall’s paintings are essentially reflections on such human themes inherent in the Old Testament, the moments of human triumph and sorrow as reflected in this book. His paintings are significant in their focus upon human interaction with God, and man’s constant struggle to attain to the greatness that God tries to provide him. The significance of this study is its presentation of an age old conflict between man’s weakness and his quest to attain God. 3. This theme of the constant struggle of man to overcome his own weaknesses and strive to attain the greatness that God can provide, is a recurrent theme in man’s life even in the present day. God constantly reaches out to man and his chosen agents of greatness are not without flaws themselves. 4. One of Chagall’s Bible etchings is titled â€Å"David and Absalom†, is drawn from the Book of Samuel (2 Samuel 14:33). This etching represents David receiving his son Absalom back from his exile in Gerar for the murder of his half brother Amnon. This etching demonstrates David’s deep love for his son: â€Å"and the king kissed Absalom† - yet this son later tries to turn Israel against his father. David’s weakness and sin in killing Uriah and taking his wife Bathsheba as his own produces ramifications in David’s life, which reflect how the greatness that God tries to instill in David is hindered by the man’s weakness in lusting after Bathsheba. Yet, despite this son, God blesses David and Bathsheba’s son Solomon and makes him the wisest king of all. 5. This complex ongoing

Longitudinal study vs survey methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Longitudinal study vs survey methods - Essay Example This kind of a study is special in its nature in that the researcher is not required to interfere with the subjects of the study but, is required to use the same subjects in the conduct of the several phases of the study. Thus, a longitudinal study can establish a sequence of research events during its conduct. This form of study is very beneficial to a researcher in the sense that one is able to detect the changes or developments in the characteristics of the test subjects (sample population) either at the individual levels or at the group level. 1. Hutto, C.J., Yardi, S., & Gilbert. E., (2013). A Longitudinal Study of Follow Predictors on Twitter. CHI , 1-10. 2. Rajulton, F. (2001). The Fundamentals of Longitudinal Research: An Overview. Special Issue on Longitudinal Methodology, Canadian Studies in Population , Vol. 28 (2), 169-185. 3. Diamond, L. M. (2008). Female Bisexuality From Adolescence to Adulthood: Results From a 10-Year Longitudinal Study. Developmental Psychology , Vol. 44 (1), 5-14. 4. Huesmann, L. R., Moise-Titus, J., Podolski, C-L., Eron, L. D., (2003). Longitudinal Relations Between Children’s Exposure to TV Violence and Their Aggressive and Violent Behavior in Young Adulthood: 1977–1992. Developmental Psychology , Vol. 39 (2), 201-221. 5. Farrall, S. (2007). ... The chart below shows a summary of the benefits and challenges faced by this research method as shall be discussed later in the essay. PART 3 Survey method is a research method that studies individual units that have been sampled from the main population as well as the techniques of the data collection used in the survey such as the construction of the questionnaires. Consequently, a survey research method would look into the accuracy of the survey responses as well as the methods that can be used to improve their number. In most cases, the researcher undertakes the surveys so as to be able to make statistical inferences regarding the population under study (Zikmund, 2013). The chart below shows a summary of the benefits and challenges faced by this research method as shall be discussed later in the essay. PART 4 Longitudinal Research Method Survey Research Method Refers to an observational study that is conducted upon the same subjects or sample through the gathering of data repeate dly over a period of time. This period of time may extend to even one year or beyond like a decade Refers to a research method that studies individual units that have been sampled from the main population as well as the techniques of the data collection used in the survey such as the construction of the questionnaires. Benefits Challenges Benefits Challenges 1. It does allow the researchers to easily identify any changes or developments that may occur in the characteristics of the target or sample population both at the individual and group levels. 1. The observations by definition are not independent. As such the study must always account for the data dependency. 1. It is relatively easy to develop and to administer especially when using advanced survey

Scholary discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scholary discussion - Essay Example Thus, quality assurance is ensured through peer reviewing of the information, which is published in the online environment. The environment also ensures that there is fair use of the published information for the purposes of research and education. Hence, preservation of the scholarly information so that it becomes available after a long-time occurs. Social networks and online environments are different. For social networks, scholar focus more on sharing ideals and issues, which are directed on their social life while in the online environments the focus is on contribution towards scholarly field. Scholarly discussions in online environment have rules and regulations, but in social networks there are no rules and regulations (Morgenthaler 335). Further, social networks lack the principles of guiding how the discussions have to occur. As such, there are no structures on how social network discussions occur. This makes social networks not to be effective means of conducting scholarly discussions on different

Benefits of ICT in Early Childhood Education

Benefits of ICT in Early Childhood Education ANGELINE T. TAGARIRA CHILDCARE AT HOME Question 1 Explain the seven types of skills that children may develop as a result of using ICT. One of the most important ways we can help children whilst playing with them in a child care setting is through h setting up simple activities to help them develop multiple skills and abilities. ICT is part of the children’s world today and it is relevant in developing different types of skills children need in their lives. In this essay seven types of skills which children develop as a result of ICT will be cited and explained. Fine motor skills Fine motor skills are movements and actions of the muscles and they are categorised in two groups. Fine motor skills are the small movements that occur in the hands, wrists, fingers, toes, lips and the tongue. These are the smaller movements that occur like: picking up and object between the thumb and finger, using the mouse to click, or select an object or shape, holding a pencil to write, holding a fork and using it to eat and other small tasks that occur every day. According to the study materials ICT requires many precision movements. Therefore children will develop fine motor skills to accurately control the mouse, clicking and dragging a cursor to select or highlight items of texts. Fine motor skills is about small muscle movement in coordination with the eyes however fine motor skills do not develop in isolations from other skills. Gross motor skills Gross motor skills involve the movement of the arms, legs, feet or the entire body. This includes actions like running, crawling, walking, swimming and other activities which involve larger muscles. According to the study materials, Gross motor skills can be enhanced when children use the white board to record things, as they stretch and touch various parts of the white board and also using larger pens to write on the screen. Creative development As a child minder with a purpose for children’s learning when providing ICT lessons my priority has to be to provide software they will use to learn through expiration. Employing elements of play, exploring alternative approaches will help children to employ imaginative thinking thereby developing their creativity. Children will play around with colours and graphics, dragging and dropping items onto the screen. Mathematical development Computers offer dynamic visual images that open up some areas of mathematical development in children. The use of ICT has a great impact on how mathematics can be taught to children. The use of easy mathematical teaching software will encourage children. The programmes will aid children and offer them opportunities to match shapes and carry out simple mathematical bonds as they play and learn at the same time. Computer graphics allow children to share mental images and patterns of structures. Counting images or icons on the home screen will assist develop early mathematical skills like numbers, shapes, size, quantity and patterns. Language development ICT should not only be computer based. It is important to develop an integrated, holistic and valid approach which will encourage children to develop their language. Such skills as listening, memory, expressing thoughts, ideas and feelings are gained. Children develop awareness that printed words have meaning. Children are able to use the key board to write simple words and their names. Increase in confidence ICT can be helpful and interesting if used in the right place and right way. Children under five have an uncanny knack of learning to master new technology. Children prefer to be left alone with things like smart phones, tablet computers, games consoles and use their intuition to confidently swipe screens and press buttons. Screens can be beneficial to learning and the more children are left to interact independently the more they develop in confidence. Heather Kirkorian carried out a research study and she says touch screens could hold educational potential for toddlers. She quotes; â€Å"Kids who are interacting with the screen get better, much faster, make few mistakes and learn faster.† Online environments can provide children with a virtual space to develop confidence. Good. Increase in world knowledge Children have to appreciate that modern technology is around to stay so be able to use the sense of investigation and exploration to develop their skills of observing. They should also appreciate that ICT resources speed different jobs and they are needed in home environment. Social skills In a child care setting where these resources are limited children develop social skills like sharing and team work as they do projects in groups. A lot of communication goes on as children work on their projects. They develop a sense of tolerating one another in all aspects of life. A good explanation of the skills that can be developed through using ICT materials and equipment. 756 words Question 2 Construct a booklet which can be issued to parents which identifies safety concerns for children using ICT and how these concerns are being addressed in a child care setting. Little Busy Bees Child Care Welcome to the little busy bees child care We meet Mondays to Saturdays from 08:00 to 18:00. We focus on different activities to entertain children from nine months of age to school going age. We offer companionship for children whose parents have busy lives and other commitments during the day time. We offer ICT skills from 14:00-16:00 every day. If you are interested in ICT skills only please do come and register your child. ICT is run by committed and knowledgeable members of staff. What Happens? The group is very informal but does have a basic structure. Children choose from a range of different activities provided on the software. Children are free to browse through and get to what interests them for we believe by so doing children develop confidence and various skills of using information technology. Children are then introduced to different educational structures with time while maintaining the feeling of play so as to capture their interest. Safety First It is the utter most responsibility of this child minding setting to provide and to make sure that the children using ICT are protected online as well as from a health and safety point of view in the physical setting. Children are grouped according to their age range and exposure to internet offered at home. Provisions for safe internet practice are offered to safe guard the children from accessing inappropriate materials and images and also against cyber bullying. Round the clock support is offered at all times by staff that closely monitor children, making that the children are not accessing inappropriate materials. During this period children will be exposed to computers, laptops, Nintendos, iPods, mobile phones, play stations and X box. However some of these items are toys, real items are limited so there will be days when children cannot access certain items and have to try different ones or play with toy ones. These items are monitored for inappropriate use to ensure that the children are protected from any danger. If you have any suggestions of how children can learn in a safe ICT environment any ideas are most welcome. The safety of the children is a priority. Our Aims To help children build upon the experiences they bring from home To assist children to acquire and develop practical skills required in ICT To support children to use ICT with confidence To develop an understanding of care and respect while using ICT 404 words Question 3 Identify and describe the various ways in which ICT can be used to support Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. Reference should be made of the various types of ICT available, not just computers Today children need a level of competency more than just functional skills to use ICT as life needs them to understand and use ICT naturally without fear of failing. Even young children in a child minding setting think digitally and they always take creative risks with technology. They need to learn how to approach these powerful forms of technology. ICT has to be included in their curriculum in various forms. Children attending my Child Care setting should be able to use ICT and programmable toys to support their learning. It is not only learning about technology, children need to be using it to support their development. Technology used well can excite and motivate children. It offers teachers the opportunity to promote skills and observe progress across all six areas of learning and development. The use of electronic forms of communication can provide children with a variety of opportunities to read and write. Children can be exposed to role playing whereby customers send orders through emails and others respond to these emails. Children can be exposed to different toys that say words, letters and stories. They can listen to these and retell the stories or say the words thereby improving their language as well as literacy. Children also improve their communication as they play in groups for example doing jigsaws and role playing. They can compare shapes or objects and describe them using words like big, small, long, short as well as colours. Good. Numeracy or mathematical concepts are part of everyday life and these include counting , matching, sorting, sequencing, making connections, understanding number values, recognising shapes and understanding number values. It is important for a child minder to provide a positive and enjoyable mathematical experience as the children’s mathematical development will depend on them becoming confident and competent with a wide range of experiences. Children can be exposed to remote control toys to gain more confidence. They love toys that they can control and remote-controlled or programmable toys will be fascinating to them. Once the children have explored the remote toys and can use them confidently, they will need an environment for the toys to move about. Working together to create the environment will be a challenge in itself. Once children have had a good experience of using remote-controlled toys they can explore programmable toys. Children don’t need to work out how to program sequences of instructions; they just need to work out how to make the toy move. The programmable toy can usually move distances which are multiples of its own length, and can only turn right angles or multiples thereof. The creation of an environment and making the programmable toy move will demand the use of mathematical ideas and methods to solve practical problems. Using or interacting on the computer or white board, sorting different coloured shapes sequencing them from small to big numbers will also help. Children should be given opportunities to transfer their learning from one toy to another. Investing in digital cameras can be a good thing as they’re arguably one of the most powerful resources available to an early years setting. Photographs can be used to send clear messages to both children and their parents/carers. When child minders consistently take photographs of the children’s activities sending them to parents/carers, it confirms that they valu e and want to celebrate learning and if recorded over time it also confirms that they value and want to celebrate children’s progress. Children should know where they are kept, how to use them safely, and that they should always return them after use. Video cameras can be used to film children whilst they are learning and if this film is reviewed with the children it gives them the opportunity to reflect on their learning and explain their thinking, enabling child minders to have a clearer understanding of the child. A simple hand-held digital microscope offers children the opportunity to explore objects and living things in microscopic detail. This can be used to talk about and compare different things. Children will develop a curiosity and interest in features of living things and will be encouraged to describe and talk about what they see and to look closely at similarities and differences. Using a computer mouse to navigate requires children to engage in activities requiring hand-eye coordination and use a one-handed tool whilst having fun. Children will need the mouse to be an appropriate size, about half the size of a standard mouse. Using smaller mice designed for use with laptops will fit perfectly under a child’s hand. Children need to be encouraged to use community playthings, hollow blocks to build a tracks for remote-controlled or programmable toys, thereby lifting and moving the equipment safely. In this way they will develop and show awareness of space, of themselves and of o ther as well as physical development. (Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage, DCFS (2008)) 813 Words Question 4 Identify the ways in which families can become involved in ICT, including in particular the ways in which Child care settings can promote its use. Communication with children and their families is essential in early childhood learning. ICT has opened up new opportunities for child minders to share children’s progress with families. The use of the Internet for communication is continually expanding in homes. Increasingly, families using my childcare services might be familiar with technologies such as email, Skype, and social networking sites such as Facebook. These are the cultural tools (Rogoff 2003) used to keep in touch with extended family and friends. Therefore it is important to add ICT to my communication toolkit as this is another way of valuing the experiences children bring from home to the child care setting and vice-versa. I believe children’s learning is fostered when communication with parents/carers is actively maintained. ICT increases the options available for communicating with parents. Digital technologies incorporate a range of graphic and multimedia functions that appeal to both children and adults alike. Things like images and photographs can reduce language barriers. They can also communicate information to parents about their child which the child may not be able to relate. Parents might get excited after leaving their child for the first time and while at work they check their email and find a photo of their child relaxed and engaged with other children. It is unlikely that pictures of other children will be sent to a parent, for confidentiality reasons. It’s quick and easy as pictures can be sent by email or posted on blog minutes after they are taken. Also attaching electronic record sheets and electronic news letters will be exciting for parents to read about what their ch ildren spend time doing. However not all parents are computer literate it will be a great gesture to discuss with such parents and advise them on the different courses offered free in their community. Offering to communicate with parents though emails will be a big step to encouraging every parent to have an email. 303 words BIBLIOGRAPHY Bradshaw,J.( 2005). The Wellbeing of Children in the UK (2nd Edition) London: Sage. Rugoff, B. (2003). The Cultural Nurture of Human Development New York: Oxford University Press. Klein, S.P.1996). Early Intervention: Cross cultural Experiences with Mediational Approach. New York: Garland. Kress, G. (2003) Literacy in the New Media Age. London: Routledge. Scottish Government (2008) Getting it Right for Every child. Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage, DCFS (2008) Open study college Resource materials www.surestart.org www.rachelager.co.uk http://www.becta.org.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/framework-for-school-inspection 1

The Ideal State of Today Essay -- Philosophy, Lao-Tzu

The search for the ideal state has been an on going mission for leaders since the creation of the first government. For a state to be truly ideal, its administration and chief must have the right characteristics. A government is a system that governs a state. A leader is someone who operates the administration. Although this seems simple, historical and current chiefs and regimes have proven it is not. The teachings of men such as Lao-Tzu and Niccolo Machiavelli include specific details on the traits a leader must posses in order to run and maintain a government where he or she is happy as well as the citizens. However, several of the traits classified as necessary for both a leader and government, by Lao and Machiavelli are undesirable in the path to the ideal state. In his work, â€Å"Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching,† Lao-Tzu discusses the Tao. Lao believes the Tao or â€Å"the way† to be the most effective method into developing a leader fit to manage a government in which everyone is content and is at peace. According to Lao, â€Å"the Master doesn’t talk, he acts. When his work is done, the people say, Amazing: we did it, all by ourselves!† (25). Therefore, the chief, in order to run the administration, he must govern the people in ways that they are barely aware of his presence and ruling. The people, when they forget their superior, â€Å"goodness and piety appear† (25). Subjects living under such a government, turn to a higher supreme power, which they believe is responsible for their accomplishments, which creates religious devotion. Niccolo Machiavelli, in â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince,† discusses whether a prince should keep his word to his people. Machiavelli said, â€Å"the princes who have accomplished great deeds are those who have cared ... ...ch speculators prosper while farmers lose their land, government officials spend money on weapons instead of cures, when the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible while the poor have nowhere to turn-all this is robbery and chaos† (Lao-Tzu 29). In addition, this is complete capitalism and, therefore, the government will not succeed. One country that has united the two types of administrations is China, which is the world’s second-largest economy and has become known as the â€Å"world’s factory† (Bin 2). According to Prof Alok Bhargava in â€Å"Persuade Beijing of need for democracy,† â€Å"China is now more capitalist than communist. The Chinese economic policies have lowered production costs and brought prosperity† (16). China’s use of dual administrations demonstrates the positive outcomes of doing so, even though; China considers itself completely a communist country.

Curriculum Development and Design Essay

These programs arose from the thinking of a group of pioneers who believed that the educational approach that had been developed by medical education innovators at McMaster University was also most relevant for the preparation of occupational therapists and physiotherapists. Consequently, a group of educators from both institutions, Mohawk College and McMaster University, combined their skills and created a vision that became the diploma programs in occupational therapy and physiotherapy. This approach was problem-based learning, and was used as the foundation for both programs from their inception to the present day, across three different iterations of curriculum. One of the key innovations to the way in which the college programs were taught was the combination of using faculty from both the university and college to teach all courses. In the 1980s, a degree completion program was launched that provided graduates of the diploma program a chance to upgrade their qualification to a bachelors degree from McMaster University. This was particularly important since the minimum credential for entry to practice had been raised to the baccalaureate level by the professional associations. In 1989, the program moved completely into the university setting and the graduates were granted a BHSc(PT) or BHSc(OT), a bachelor degree in health sciences. Ten years later, in 2000, candidates were admitted to the entrylevel masters programs in occupational therapy and physiotherapy. The Pedagogical Framework: Problem-based Learning As briefly referred to above, the occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs at McMaster University have a strong history with and legacy of problem-based learning. While the initial curriculum models were strongly influenced by the inaugural undergraduate medical curriculum, time and confidence presented opportunities to create our own models. These models reflect the special nuances of each discipline. Problem-based learning is recognized as having begun at McMaster University, in the medical curriculum, and was in response to critical concerns about the nature of more traditional learning models in medical curricula. The intention was to create an approach to teaching and learning that was learner-centered, yet based upon clear objectives and evaluation criteria. The key difference was the expectation that learners would be facilitated and guided rather than taught (Barrows and Tamblyn 1980; Neufeld 1983; Saarinen and Salvatori 1994). Both the occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs at McMaster University have embraced these ideas, although with differing degrees of connection and commitment to the original model. In fact, true problem-based learning models should naturally emerge from each individual context and culture. There is no â€Å"right† way although there is a growing recognition of a common set of principles and elements that can be applied to determine the â€Å"problembased-ness† of a learning environment (Maudesley 1994; Walton and Matthews 1989). Problem-based learning principles tend to become grouped in two distinct categories: first, the values upon which problem-based learning is based and second, some characteristics that are held in common understanding as being critical to the core of problem-based learning. Underlying values include: partnership, honesty and openness, mutual respect, and trust. Core characteristics incorporate: Chapter 2 Curriculum Development and Design 13 i Learning which is student/learner-centered i Faculty roles that are those of facilitator and guide i Learning scenarios which form the basis, focus, and stimulus for learning i New information and understanding that is acquired through self-directed learning (Baptiste 2003 p. 17) Consequently, there is a continuum of problem-based curricula from pure through hybrid models. The masters entry-level physiotherapy and occupational therapy programs at the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University continue to be based upon problem-based principles. Although both programs are very different one from the other, there are also many common elements and approaches that are celebrated. Examples of these similarities are cited throughout this book, particularly in the chapters focusing on evidence-based practice and ethics education. Approaching the Task of Curriculum Renewal Perhaps one of the most overwhelming, yet exciting, tasks with which to be confronted is the opportunity and challenge of developing a new curriculum. This task is made even more daunting when circumstances provide a chance to do something different based on external forces and not a need to change because â€Å"something is broken†. Over the past few years, and in several years to come, many educational programs in rehabilitation science are facing this situation. The changing nature of the entry-level credential for occupational therapists and physiotherapists demands that faculty undertake a detailed review of curricula, to determine the optimal approach to moving toward graduate-level preparation, or, at the very least, complete a review of existing curricula models to identify their responsiveness and congruence with emerging practice expectations and demands. Approaches to such a massive task can vary from ensuring the preservation of what is good from the existing curriculum to making a total shift and adopting a radically Table 2. 1. Principles for curricular change and innovation Rationale should be articulated explicitly Overall goals should be reiterated constantly throughout the process Continuing communication is essential, coupled with a clear rationale Ensure that the intended change is in response to a defined and recognized need or purpose Ensure that the innovation is seen as a high institutional priority Focus on pedagogy and not on resources for implementation Foster strong leadership support Identify incentives for faculty participation Gain faculty buy-in for the curricular blueprint Involve the active teaching faculty throughout the process Anticipate potential barriers to change and develop strategies to address them Recognize the potential need for and value of negotiation Adapted from Guze (1995) 14 Sue Baptiste, Patricia Solomon 2 new approach and design. To have an optimal effect, options to be considered should bear relevance to the pervading culture of the institution and environment within which the curriculum is to thrive. Also, decisions must be made concerning the pedagogical choices of how learner-centered the curriculum should be, and what particular educational modalities are the best for the circumstances. This chapter will address the entire picture of curriculum development and design, from the first conversations about how to engage in the renewal process through making decisions about methods of teaching, approaches to learner assessment, and preparation of entry-level practitioners for the emerging practice contexts. Guze (1995) provided a clear and succinct discussion of several core principles that can guide curricular change and innovation (Table 2. 1). The following is an overview of these principles. Where to Begin? Motivation for curriculum renewal can come from both internal and external forces. External expectations from regulatory and professional bodies are tending to impose standards for new practitioners that require: i Preparation at an advanced level of clinical reasoning and judgment i The ability to assume roles that require autonomy and a strong sense of professional ethics i Engaging in their professional role from the first day of practice, in a conscious nd moral manner that requires reflection and self-awareness Regardless of whether the motivation for curricular change stems from a desire to do something differently or better, or from outside influences, the task is one that requires careful planning. However, it is imperative that any planning process recognizes the need to dream and envision what could be, to create a model that will exemplify those visions, and to produce a graduate who is well prepared to face the complexities and challenges of emerging practice. When developing a curriculum, four general questions must be asked: i What is the purpose of the curriculum? i What educational experiences can be created to fulfill this purpose? What is the most effective manner in which to organize these educational experiences? i How can we determine that the purpose has been fulfilled and the goals attained (Wiers et al. 2002)? Another very critical element of any change is the recognition that the cultural context is a key in managing change successfully. Hafferty (1998), when reflecting upon the realities of a medical school curriculum, discusses the existence of informal and hidden curricula as well as the formal curriculum. He posits that, in order to induce a lasting change, the entire organizational culture needs to be engaged to facilitate stud ents and faculty alike in embracing and working with change. When facing the task of curricular reform, redesign has to occur not only in terms of content, but also in relation to the Chapter 2 Curriculum Development and Design 15 educational processes that enable the learning to take place. This is the difference between reforming the syllabus and reforming the curriculum; the overall learning environment of the educational program and institution is changed (Burton and McDonald 2001). Once the decision has been made to reform the curriculum, a first step is to complete an environmental scan and situational analysis that explore the educational and organizational environment within the institution, to determine what will facilitate the proposed changes. By defining a clear and newly articulated set of riorities and guidelines, changes that are being made within the curriculum will be given the vehicle through which impact can be made upon the surrounding environment (Genn 2001). This strategy is part of the first overall phase, the planning p hase. This is when the need for change is established and the vision for change is designed. It is during this phase of development that the non-negotiable elements of structure and process are determined. For example, within the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University, both the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Programs were already designed as two-year, twenty-four-month, curricula. Also, the province of Ontario mandates that all masters programs are two years in duration. Therefore, the decision was readily made, based on these graduate program regulations and history, that the new masters entry-level curricula would be twenty-four months long. One key commitment was clear and that was to the foundational philosophy of problem-based, selfdirected learning utilizing the application of these principles to small group, large group, and skills-based learning experiences. Wiers et al. (2002) provide a clear and helpful outline of ten general steps of curriculum design within a problem-based learning context (see Table 2. 2). While this rubric is structured around the specific processes inherent within problem-based learning development, most of the guidelines can apply broadly across any curricular development process within any pedagogical framework. From the onset, all faculty members at McMaster University were on board regarding the need to undertake the development of entry-level masters curricula in both occupational therapy and physiotherapy. Both disciplines had undergone dramatic changes in the preceding two decades, largely focused upon the growth of foundational science and evidence for practice. Professional practice models had emerged for both professions and provided a strong backdrop against which to create fresh ap- Table 2. 2. Ten general steps in curriculum design for a problem-based learning (PBL) environment 1. . 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Give rationale for the curriculum and form a planning group Generate general educational objectives for the curriculum Assess the educational needs o f future students Apply general principles of PBL to the curriculum Structure the curriculum and generate a curriculum blueprint Elaborate the unit blueprints Construct the study units Decide on student assessment methods Consider the educational organization and curriculum management model Evaluate the curriculum and revise as appropriate Adapted from Wiers et al. (2002) 16 Sue Baptiste, Patricia Solomon 2 proaches to the preparation of graduates for entering practice. While both the occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs undertook curriculum renewal at the same time, the physiotherapy program had engaged in an ongoing process of change across the preceding five years. Many of the issues, concerns, and changes addressed and implemented by the occupational therapy program had already been addressed by physiotherapy. Therefore, this chapter will focus predominantly upon the initiatives inherent within the curricular shift within occupational therapy, although reference will be made to processes within physiotherapy as appropriate. Designing Our New Programs Deciding upon the overarching constructs that would determine the final curriculum model was a complex and dramatic process in many ways, and one in which everyone was eager to participate and have a chance to have input. At the onset of the development of the occupational therapy program, three faculty retreats were held that progressed from a totally unstructured brainstorm of what would be perfect, to a detailed accounting of core curricular elements in the context of a delivery structure. In the initial retreat, all full-time faculty members together with some part-time members participated in a â€Å"blue-skying† day-long session during which everyone spoke of their dreams for the perfect curriculum. What if we could do what we wanted? What if we did not have to be concerned with logistics like room bookings? – and so on. This exercise provided us with a high-level ppreciation of the values and elements that were important to us as a collective. It was from this beginning â€Å"fantasy† that the next level of planning emerged. The second retreat was more structured and focused upon the creation of a continuum for learning that resulted in the overarching framework for the cur riculum, together with the delivery methods. A process was followed whereby we decided upon a central construct around which the whole curriculum would evolve, namely, â€Å"occupation†. To support this core notion, there were several longitudinal conceptual threads that represented continua of thought such as: wellness to illness, simplicity to complexity, local to global, and unifaceted to multifaceted. Through this process, we were able to identify the starting place for the first study term, and to create a high-level framework for the progression of the total curriculum (see Table 2. 3) In physiotherapy, the process began similarly with a faculty retreat; however, the focus varied slightly. Initial discussions identified elements of the curriculum that we Table 2. 3. Occupational therapy curricular framework Term 1 2 3 4 5 6 Content theme Wellness, health, and occupation Person, environment, and occupation Development, disability, and occupation Youth and the development of self Adulthood and disability Complexities of contemporary practice Chapter 2 Curriculum Development and Design 17 alued and wanted to maintain and those needing less emphasis. Through ongoing curricular evaluation and feedback, we identified new areas that needed to be included in the emerging curriculum and other areas that needed to be enhanced. These areas were discussed within the context of the changing practice of physiotherapy and the knowledge and skills required by the physiotherapist in the new millennium. The decision was made to use a curricular framework that incorporated a modified â€Å"body systems† design, as current physiotherapy practice and clinical specialties were aligned with this model. Inclusion of a Community Practice/Community Health unit allowed or a focus on emergent health care roles in the community and on integrating health promotion and disease prevention into practice. The faculty recognized that while many physiotherapists identified their practice in an area related to the body systems, increasingly clinicians were faced with more complex patients with multiple system involvement. Hence, the final unit of study focused on integrated practice dealing with clients with complex multisystem health care problems. Following the initial planning process, it is now time to initiate the plan. It is during this time period that the â€Å"unfreezing† of old organizational patterns and the introduction of innovations into the educational environment take place (Burton and McDonald 2001). Often, while there is a strong commitment to engaging in the conversations that lead to the design of a changed reality, it is a very different matter to start â€Å"doing† and actually making that changed reality come to life. A cooperative internal environment is essential for the realization of that initial dream and therefore it is well worthwhile for planners to engage in a transparent and collaborative experience that enables maximum participation and open debate. A process of this nature is characterized by collaborative problem solving, effective communication, abilities in conflict resolution, and a cultural expectation of working together in harmony that guides the overall enterprise (Burton and McDonald 2001). Therefore, it is of importance to determine at the onset the values and behaviors by which the development experience will be approached to set up structures and processes that will ensure that the best attempts at making it so will be expended. During the initiation period, we experienced intense interest and levels of emotion from all participants regarding the manner in which the planning and the visions for the two disciplines would be evolved and realized. As mentioned previously, we had determined that the existing problem-based learning principles would remain but that the key changes would be realized through the manner in which the content was introduced to the students and through which the continuum of learning would evolve. Similarly, we were committed to maintaining a student-centered approach. One core difference was to be the manner in which the experiential component of professional preparation would be integrated more centrally into both curricula. Previously, the curricula were designed in a more traditional fashion whereby the clinical fieldwork experiences were placed at the end of each study term and were linked directly to the area of academic focus for the preceding learning block. By definition, once the overarching concepts of the curricula were determined to be different from the previous models, then fieldwork placements would become less strictly aligned. This was reinforced more heavily in the occupational therapy program which was originally designed around developmental stages and central practice populations. Students would face a more eclectic approach in their clinical learning; therefore, both programs determined that learning around professional issues and practice expectations should be interwoven through the longitudinal axis of the curriculum. 18 Sue Baptiste, Patricia Solomon Redevelopment Within a Problem-based Learning Culture 2 As with any problem-based learning system, the small group learning unit is the nucleus of the whole curriculum. However, the success of problem-based, small group learning is supported by the strategic use of large group interactions for the imparting of theoretical and expert knowledge, while still maintaining a problem-based learning philosophy. Similarly, the application of problem-based learning principles is a critical piece of one-on-one learning and synthesis of knowledge and information throughout the academic and clinical components of the curriculum overall. Both the physiotherapy and occupational therapy programs elected to continue to utilize problem-based learning methods in a manner that celebrated the development already achieved over twenty-five years of curriculum development. This has evolved over time very differently in each program. For example, during the planning process for the occupational therapy curriculum, efforts were made to define new models for tutoring and many were identified and put into place. During the second year of the occupational therapy program, the problem-based tutorials occur only once weekly. This allows additional scheduling time for including the evidence-based practice courses and is also in response to the difficulties many practitioners are experiencing in gaining release time from employers to participate as tutors. In this new tutorial model, tutors are required to participate in only one weekly session with two or three tutors’ meetings across the term instead of weekly. Application of problem-based learning principles in large groups has been maintained and, in fact, enhanced particularly in the clinical skills sessions. Students often are placed in small groups (different groups from their core tutorial group) and provided with opportunities to explore assessment tools and intervention methods. Through these group experiences, the students apply a problem-based learning approach to the identification of learning issues, the uncovering of essential information and resources, and the synthesis of their understanding of the tool or technique. Integration of Experiential Practice Preparation Within a Problem-based Learning Framework As mentioned earlier, both the physiotherapy and occupational therapy faculty groups were committed to ensuring the integration of academic and experiential learning into the curricula from the beginning, and were focused on developing innovative models for the synthesis of practice preparation into the core academic units. It is important to note that the work related to integration commenced at the very onset of the curriculum planning process. In the case of the occupational therapy program, there had always been sessions held throughout the full curriculum that provided opportunities for the Clinical Placement Coordinator (now Professional Practice Coordinator) to inform, advise, educate, and monitor students in preparing for their practice experiences and in checking in with them following these experiences. However, a greater focus on such integration was placed within the masters entry-level curriculum model in order to ensure that students were being prepared to meet the enhanced expectations of a graduate program. Chapter 2 Curriculum Development and Design 19 Evaluation Within a Graduate Problem-based Learning Framework There should be clear and close linkages between how students learn and how that learning is assessed. Therefore, some information will be presented here relative to the evaluation methods developed at McMaster University in the occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs. Student Evaluation. In the preceding years, the two programs at McMaster University had been very involved in designing evaluation/student assessment tools that reflected the principles of problem-based learning and provided students with opportunities to integrate their academic learning with their growing professional awareness and identity. Most of these tools are built around the basic problem-based learning process of exploring a learning scenario that has been developed to address the objectives for the particular learning unit. Essentially, problem-based evaluation needs to be congruent with the underlying values and principles of problem-based learning. Traditional methods of assessing students’ knowledge tend to be contradictory to these principles and therefore should not be applied out of context. Problem-based learner assessment should: i Be congruent with the underlying problem-based learning process illustrated by the development of learning scenarios based on real life practice situations i Mirror the problem-based learning process of reflecting on a practice scenario, efining learning issues, researching, synthesizing, and synopsizing the learning with application to the defined case i Involve personal reflection and enhanced awareness of individual critical think- ing and clinical reasoning skills F aculty Evaluation. As with student assessment, the evaluation of faculty is central to the maintenance and enhancement of a problem-based learning culture. And, similarly, faculty evaluation is built into the roles played in any given learning context. In the case of the small group tutor role, faculty members are evaluated by each student and provide a self-evaluation to students during the course of the group process. Following the completion of the small group experience, students evaluate the faculty member as well as the overall course, and these ratings are provided to faculty and placed in their file for attention at times when promotion, tenure, and merit increase decisions are made. For those faculty members, practitioners, and others who facilitate large group sessions in both theory and practical skills, similar evaluations are completed. This process has been in place over many years and has not changed since the advent of the new curricula. However, the items being evaluated have altered to reflect the expected level and scope of graduate teaching. Student Self-assessment: Development of the OTPPI. Students admitted into the occupational therapy program are not expected to have any prerequisite courses completed during their undergraduate education. This has been the case from the very beginning. In the program itself, there are no formal courses that provide students with basic knowledge related to the foundational sciences that underlie occupational therapy practice such as anatomy, physics, biochemistry, sociology, psychology, and anthropology. It has been the long-held belief that in a pure problem-based learning 20 Sue Baptiste, Patricia Solomon 2 environment, the learning is accomplished through the horizontal meshing of various areas of knowledge and information; that through the integration of these sciences and bodies of knowledge, students can gain the understanding they require by using real life situations as springboards for integration and synthesis of all inputs. Consequently, recent efforts were expended to develop the Occupational Therapy Personal Progress Inventory (OTPPI), a tool that was developed from the experience of the undergraduate medical program over the past few years (Blake et al. 1996; Cunnington 2001). The OTPPI focuses on foundational knowledge that our students need in order to become practicing occupational therapists. It is not a test of the application of that knowledge in practice. The examination consists of 90 multiple-choice questions developed with the expectation that a â€Å"star† student would be able to answer by the time of graduation. There are three main domains included in each examination: biology (this includes anatomy, physiology, etc. ), social sciences (this includes psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc. ), and research (this includes statistics, research methods, ethics, etc. ). The breakdown of each examination is 40 percent biology, 40 percent social science, and 20 percent research. The examination is generated each term and students in both years have the same examination, with the expectation that the students in second year will achieve a higher result than those in the first year. Students receive a detailed report with their scores and a profile of how they have progressed over time. They are provided with information about their total score as well as a breakdown on each of the three domains. They also receive a zone score, which is an indication of how well they have performed on the test in comparison to the other members of the class. Students in the yellow or red zones may want to review their scores in more detail and make learning plans to address gaps that may have been identified through the examination. This tool is designed as a self-assessment measure, the individual results of which are known only to each student. We have made a conscious choice that results are not used in the summative evaluation of the students, and are intended to provide the learners with a sense of how they are progressing in accumulating knowledge relative to the basic sciences of their discipline. The students are expected to use that information to set plans in place to address weaknesses (e. g. , through problem-based tutorials, individual assignments, etc. ). The OTPPI has been a pencil and paper test so far, but steps are being taken to convert it to a web-based format. While the occupational therapy program has undertaken this initiative on a pilot basis, initial responses would indicate that students are finding the process helpful to them, although this is very new at the time of publication. Integration of Evidence-based Practice Skills into the Curricula. The integration of skills related to practicing in an evidence-based manner is seen to be critical to both programs. A detailed description of the models adopted by the occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs is found in Chapter 5. In both programs, there is a strong commitment to evidence-based practice as a central onstruct for the curriculum and a natural partner for client-centered and problem-based principles. Conclusion Since their inception, the masters entry-level programs in occupational therapy and physiotherapy have presented opportunities to revisit our history and legacy in health sciences education. In order to reflect on the overall process, the general steps for curriculum design offered by Wiers et al. (2002) will be revisited (see Table 2. 2). Chapter 2 Curriculum Development and Design 21 For us, the rationale for the curriculum was clear both from an internal and an external perspective, and the notion of forming a planning group was a natural approach to the task. Our profound commitment to involving our broad academic community was illustrated through the involvement of a wide range of individuals encompassing full-time, part-time, and sessional faculty members as well as members of the wider practice community. Such involvement was realized throughout the planning process and continues through such individuals’ representation on our Education, Curriculum and Admissions committees. The need to define clear general educational objectives for the curriculum was also recognized at a very early stage. We found that being able to determine the goals and directions from the outset served to facilitate the planning that followed. Assessing the educational needs of future students was assisted by our own knowledge concerning the entry-level competencies demanded by our professional regulatory colleges. Also, the connections we have with our practice communities and past graduates were invaluable in providing a background for determining the shifts necessary within the curriculum to fulfill practice expectations. Similarly, the same thoughtful reasoning was used to consider the differences of teaching and learning between undergraduate and graduate approaches to education. Applying general principles of problem-based learning to the curriculum was not a concern for us, given our long history of internalizing this philosophy. Specific difficulties arose when converting the undergraduate courses and assessment tools to the needs of a graduate program. Nevertheless, problem-based learning in many ways is a gift for this transition since it resembles closely the natural proclivities of graduate work – smaller groups, self-directedness, learner autonomy, and a degree of freedom to determine learning directions. Structuring the curriculum and creating a blueprint became different experiences for physiotherapy and occupational therapy. As mentioned previously, while the planning processes looked ostensibly similar, the manner in which the final curricular models were derived was very different (see Tables 2. 3 and 2. 4). However, after the master models were created, the processes for elaborating the blueprints and constructing study units were again very similar. Methods of student assessment tended to remain grounded in the familiar processes and tools that we had developed across our history with problem-based learning. However, as each curricular element emerged throughout the planning (e. g. , evidence-based practice, ethics, clinical skills, fieldwork) so did innovative ways to enhance the student assessment processes that were already strong. Details of these innovations will be discussed in the book chapters relating to these specific areas. Consideration of the educational organization and curriculum management model required particular attention since our lines of accountability had shifted, with the Table 2. 4. Physiotherapy curricular framework Unit 1 2 3 4 5 6 Content theme Fundamentals of physiotherapy practice Fundamentals of musculoskeletal practice Fundamentals of cardiorespiratory and neurological practice Advanced neurological practice Community practice Integrated practice and professional transition 22 Sue Baptiste, Patricia Solomon 2 move to the School of Graduate Studies. Two slightly different models of governance emerged, with the Admissions Committee being the only shared group between physiotherapy and occupational therapy. However, both governance models reflect a central group responsible and accountable for curriculum and another group that oversees general program functioning. Curricular evaluation remains an ongoing responsibility and expectation. Chapter 13 provides a particular model for curriculum evaluation that was used by the occupational therapy program, the Program Logic Model. However, there are many ways in which faculty members can retain a clear image of what makes up a curriculum and what indicators are critical to evaluate for the success of the program overall. The three years of planning and launching the new curricula at McMaster University were years of extremely hard work, high energy and output. As we see each student cohort graduate, and receive feedback concerning our students and graduates in practice settings, we feel heartened that we appear to be on the right track. We know, however, that curriculum development is an ongoing process.