George Washington Crossing the Delaware Essay

The painting, George Washington Crossing the Delaware is an interesting and well done portrait of one of the most important events in American history. The painting depicts the American revolutionary forces as they cross the Delaware River on their way to fight an important battle against the British army. There are several important and interesting details of the painting that indicate important historical details and also serve to enhance the look of the painting. The most interesting thing is the attention to detail itself. The artist obviously took a great deal of time to research the history itself and get the event correct down to every single thing he could find. This is evidenced by the ice in the river and also the decorations on the uniforms. In addition to that, light plays a very important role in the painting. Sunlight is breaking into the picture in the background of the painting and it shines directly on George Washington. This is important because it puts the focus of the painting on George Washington and also because it adds some depth to the painting. The painting takes great care to show the absolute struggle that the Patriots had to go through just to get to the battle. Paddling those full boats would not have been easy under normal conditions, but it was especially difficult under the cold, icy conditions that were present. The painter shows that almost every person on the boat had to work as hard as they possibly could in order to make the boat go. This is important in both a historical sense and in the context of creating an interesting painting.

Philosophy of Counseling Essay

The purpose of the school counseling program is to guarantee academic, social, and professional success among all students. School counseling is s collaborative relationship between students, school counselors, teachers, parents, administrators, and the community. Through these partnerships, the counseling program will develop a support system to enhance student achievement and promote growth of future productive citizens. The role of the school counselor is very active. School counselors must be an assertive advocate by creating opportunities for all students to foster their dreams and achieve their goals. A dedicated counselor plays a major role in the school through research, data, collaboration, individual counseling, group counseling, career planning, and caring for the students overall well being. The school counselor serves as a leader and team member; working with parents and school personnel to make sure that each student succeeds. Human nature can be viewed as all individuals are considered equally good. People are creatures of habit and learn from their cultural upbringings and the ones around them. Now days, students deal with poverty, single-parent households, thoughts of suicide, neglect, abuse and so much more. In this complex society, it is necessary to provide learning experiences which will empower the child to overcome life challenges and set achievable goals. Goals can be reached by change. I feel an individual can change through awareness and influence. Students have to want to change and be aware that there is a need for change. The role of the professional school counselor is to support and influence the student. Change is achievable by tracking data and giving constructive feedback. The counselor will assist student in their academic, social, emotional and personal change and help to decide the best ways to successfully achieve their goals. Disaggregating data is the foundation for the school counseling program. The use of these resources will track student progress and provide evidence for growth. Data also helps the school counselor understand what is and is not working in the counseling program. If a student is not successful then we are not providing the correct interventions for that particular student. The changing needs of students, families and schools require professional school counselors who are current with new counseling programs. These programs must focus of students academic, career, and personal/ social needs. I feel as society changes that the students are setting the new goals for the counseling program. It is essential for the school counselor to foster and set realistic achievable goals for the student.

Investigate differing learning styles of an AVCE second year student group Essay

1. Abstract This report investigates differing learning styles of an AVCE second year student group. Firstly the report provides a critical account of the context of the course; it’s provision and relevant information about the learners and how some aspects of learning theory can be applied within the delivery of the Project Management module. Taking into account the theoretical issues a scheme of work, lesson plans and teaching material was prepared for the project management module, which I am unit leader for next semester. The second part of the report provides a critical review of the scheme of work and lesson plans and justifies the learning strategies used. It explains how individual needs and support issues have been addressed and considered when planning and delivering a lesson. The report concludes with an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the sessions. 2. Table of Contents 1. Abstract 1 2. Table of Contents 2 3. Terms of Reference 3 4. Understanding and Managing the Learning Process 4 4.1 Introduction 4 4.2 Factors influencing the ability and desire to learn 4 4.2.1 The Course Provision and Group Members 4 4.3 Theories of Learning 5 4.4 Relevance of Bloom’s Classification of the cognitive domain within the learning process of AVCE students 7 4.5 Aims, objectives and outcomes of the scheme of work, lesson plans and learning materials in relation to the cognitive learning taxonomy 10 4.6 Teaching and learning strategies deployed in the development of the project management unit 12 4.7 The importance of language, literacy and numeracy 13 4.8 Evaluation of teaching and learning strategies 13 4.9 Evaluation of learning materials used 14 4.10 Evaluation of Student Learning 14 4.11 Strengths and weaknesses of the sessions 15 5. References 16 6. Bibliography 17 Appendix A Scheme Of Work†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..18 Appendix B Lesson Plans†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.19 Appendix C Teaching materials†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..21 Appendix D Presentation Slides †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..22 3. Terms of Reference This report is intended to satisfy the requirements of an assignment that has been set as part of an In-Service PGCE in Education. A group of learners will be selected that I am currently teaching and relevant information about these learners will be provided along with some of the factors influencing (positively or negatively) their learning. An account will be given of the main features of one or more theories of learning, which seem to you to be relevant to these learners. As a result a scheme of work and lesson plans will be prepared and delivered. The report will conclude with an evaluation of the scheme of work and lesson plans and how the experience will affect future practice. 4. Understanding and Managing the Learning Process 4.1 Introduction Understanding and managing the learning process is key to enhancing the teaching and learning experience. In order to achieve this goal research was undertaken into relevant learning theories and factors that influenced the ability and desire to learn. The knowledge gained was then applied to the planning and delivery of curriculum to students enrolled on the Advanced Vocational Certificate in Education (AVCE) at Wakefield College studying. The report includes a critical review of the scheme of work, lesson plans and learning materials designed to meet the learning objectives and outcomes of the course. 4.2 Factors influencing the ability and desire to learn Some of the factors that influence the ability and the desire to learn of a group of students on the second year of an AVCE in ICT at Wakefield College have been examined in order that the learning process can be understood and therefore more effectively managed. 4.2.1 The Course Provision and Group Members The Project Management module is one of 12 units that are studied as part of the AVCE for students at Wakefield College. Students on the course are aged between 17 to 19 and most have achieved GCSE results at mainly Grade D and Grade E. The group of consists of 14 students and of these a cross section were selected to discuss their aspirations and motivations. To keep the identities of the following students confidential, students have been addressed A to E respectively: Student A came into the college with poor GCSE results and had to complete the foundation course before undertaking the GNVQ Intermediate in IT. During this time she was diagnosed dyslexic and since has received support for exams and her dyslexia tendencies are taken into account during delivery on the units. She contributes well verbally in group discussions, however she is always reluctant to type or write down information whilst being observed by other students or class tutor. Her motivation to succeed is exceptional which has led to outstanding achievements on her first year of AVCE. She has applied for IT courses at several universities and now awaiting offers. She is employed part time at a local solicitor’s and has been offered sponsorship to continue to study for a degree in computing. Student B is a close friend of Student A and also completed a GNVQ Intermediate in IT with above average grades, he now wishes to eventually obtain a degree in a computer related subject by studying for his HND in Computing at Wakefield and then topping up to the Sunderland University BSC in Computing. His preference is to complete a good proportion of work at home, which he does to a high standard, however this often leads to him distracting other members of the group during class time. This impacts on other students who do not have the commitment to work at home for example student C. Student C again started at Intermediate level and achieved adequate grades, however his levels of concentration are poor, he is easily distracted and he often fails to complete his work. This is a concern as he is planning to progress onto the HND Computing course and will need to prove that he has the motivation and the ability to cope with the workload. He has worked part time in the computing section of Staples and shows a good understanding of hardware issues but struggles with the application side of computing and completing course work. He appears to be more ‘hands on’ student rather than academic. Student D has chosen to do a computer related course to increase his prospects of employment in the computing field. He intends to continue his studies at Wakefield College in order to achieve a BSC in computing. Although not academically brilliant he is a very conscientious and independent worker who tries exceptionally hard to succeed and consequently achieves good grades. He work part time as a window cleaner. Student E is the girlfriend of Student D and initially chose to do a computer related course to increase her prospects of employment and has no intention of progressing to University. The fact that she receives Education Maintenance Award (EMA) is the key motivation for attending the course and she gives the impression that doing this course is better than doing nothing. She lacks enthusiasm for the subject matter and at times the only thing that keeps her on track is the help and support she receives from her boyfriend. 4.3 Theories of Learning Evidence suggests there are many theories of learning often one theory contradicting another, this is substantiated by Reece (2000, p.69) who claims â€Å"that for every piece of research that tells us to do something a particular way, there is another piece that suggests, not necessarily the opposite, but a different way†. This report concentrates on some theories on learning styles and learning taxonomies and how these can be applied to understanding and managing the learning process of a group of AVCE students. 4.3.1 Learning Styles There is strong evidence to suggest that students learn in several different ways and planning to deliver curriculum to the AVCE group must consider the four main learning styles identified by Honey and Mumford (1986): Activists – enjoy the present, like the immediate experience and respond to short-term issues. Reflectors – prefer to think about things and explore all aspects before coming to a conclusion. Theorists – like principles, theories, models and systems. Logic rules! Pragmatists – look for new ideas and are keen to experiment. The choice of learning strategies will therefore determine how much a student is motivated and a key aim must be to offer all learning styles some element within the lesson that enhances there learning experience. 4.3.2 Learning Taxonomies In addition to the recognised learning styles, learning can be separated into three main domains, psychomotor, cognitive and affective domains. Within each of these domains there are specific levels identified by Honey and Mumford, Bloom and Kolb amongst others. Taxonomies usually refer to the classification of life into similar groups, but for the purposes of Bloom, a taxonomy was described by McLeod (p. 1029) as: â€Å"†¦the science or practice of classification.† Cognitive Domain The Cognitive domain looks at the intellectual skills and abilities, considering knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation with knowledge being the easiest level. The cognitive domain suggests that knowledge allows someone to state something. Moving sequentially through each stage to higher levels, allows a student to learn the full range of cognitive skills i.e. to explain, apply, differentiate between, summarise and evaluate. Petty (1998, p.347) states that it is important to â€Å"†¦include the higher-order objectives in your teaching or these skills will not be developed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Simply gaining knowledge is the first stage of learning and is the building block for the higher cognitive levels, which without such could not be reached. Encouraging the student to comprehend, apply and evaluate, enhances their learning process. For example, a student may know what a mathematical formulae is, understand that it can be used to solve some mathematical problem, but may be unable to apply it and derive an answer. Affective Domain The Affective domain is concerned with attitudes and deal with feelings and emotions. Petty (1998) suggested that this means a student has the social skills, is able to listen to, be aware of, or is able to appreciate something. Psychomotor Domain The Psychomotor domain focuses on a student’s dexterity, and is predominately physical tasks that need practice. It is similar to the cognitive domain in that it progresses from the simple to the complex where physical skills are concerned. Although all three domains could be considered appropriate to the teaching and learning experience of the AVCE group, Bloom’s taxonomy of the cognitive domain has been identified as the most relevant to the AVCE group and the theory has been studied in much greater detail and then applied to the case study. 4.4 Relevance of Bloom’s Classification of the cognitive domain within the learning process of AVCE students Bloom defined the following areas in his classification of the cognitive domain, as knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Knowledge is the ability of a student or person to be able to recall and recognise information. Child (1993) proposed that someone couldn’t operate cognitively without a basic amount of knowledge. The AVCE students have demonstrated that they have a certain level of knowledge by being accepted on to the second year of the course. Some students have more knowledge than others, which is likely due to a greater degree of application on the first year and the motivation to work at home. Some of the students appear to have a slightly wider experience of relevant computing knowledge and are able to recall and recognise information more readily. Student C who is easily distracted and often fails to complete his work does show he has quite extensive knowledge in specific IT areas that are related to his work at Staples where he deals with the computing hardware side. Comprehension is the ability to illustrate, explain or describe the reasons for something. This area of understanding can be fairly basic. All the students have a generally equal level of comprehension in the subject areas, although Student A has more difficulty explaining reasons in written report format or under exam conditions. Application is the ability to take the knowledge and comprehension of something and to utilise this in new situations. Using the mathematical formula example, knowledge is where a student is aware of or knows the formula, comprehension is the understanding that the formula can be used to solve a particular problem and application is having the ability to use the formula to actually solve it. There was evidence of prior learning being applied to a new situation whereby the knowledge gained when produced a user manual for a spreadsheet unit was applied to producing a user manual for the database unit. Also Students explained that the group work undertaken in the multi media unit was a good way of pooling knowledge and comprehension. Consequently, the project management unit I am leading will include a group project to develop a web site. The intention is to team those students who demonstrate good organisational skills with those who show an aptitude for graphical design. Group work has shown that the knowledge, comprehension and application of a group can be higher than the individuals themselves would achieve, as not everyone is a specialist in every field. Analysis is the breaking down of something into its component parts, differentiating between similar items and the ability to compare and contrast. All the students interviewed for this report were able to use the knowledge and comprehension of information they have been given and apply this to new situations. Synthesis is the ability to take the component parts and either rearrange or combine them to form a new or different whole. A particularly relevant example of analysis and synthesis is demonstrated when considering the rescheduling of tasks when a crisis situation arises during the project lifecycle. The project manager can study the critical path of the project and determine where resources can be reallocated or extra resources brought in order to ensure that the project is still delivered on time and to specification. The project plan can then be updated to produce a new schedule, which does not necessarily look like, or work in the same way as, the original. In the Project Management unit they are able to look at the scheduling of other Project plans prior to producing their coursework assignment. Synthesis will then allow them to take individual processes from this analysis and combine them as they investigate a business problem and produce a Project Management solution. For the second semester unit students will be shown how to create a project plan for the websites development, and will gain an understanding of the importance of scheduling and resource allocation. Evaluation requires judgements to be made as to what elements of the project went to plan and what lessons can be learned from the overall project experience. For example, the project manager will evaluate the finished product after implementation. This allows them to see if future projects can be managed more effectively and efficiently. Using the Project Management unit as an example, once the project plan is implemented, an evaluation of the project will allow the students to check if the product they have designed was produced as planned, to specification, within budget and timescale. Word Count 2083 4.5 Aims, objectives and outcomes of the scheme of work, lesson plans and learning materials in relation to the cognitive learning taxonomy The evidence gained during the research and interviews carried out facilitated the production of scheme of work, (Appendix A) lesson plans, (Appendix B) and learning materials (Appendix C) for the Project Management unit. The scheme of work identifies how each session builds on the previous session and each lesson plan shows evidence of how Bloom’s taxonomies has been incorporated into the learning process. The aim and objectives of the unit were to outline how to produce a project plan prior to the student producing their own project plan for the web development. Knowledge – All lecture topics have been developed on the basis that students have no prior knowledge of each stage of project management. The only assumption was the students had completed the tasks in the preceding practical session, however, not having completed the tasks should not interfere with their learning of the lecture topic. The scheme of work has been written in a way that does not penalise a student for not having grasped any particular fragment of the course, being as it is, modular in design. Each lecture consists of a PowerPoint presentation followed by a brief demonstration on the interactive whiteboard. Each week previous learning is checked prior to and often during the lecture to check the learning. building upon the week before with the subject matter progressively gaining in complexity. Comprehension – All the students will be encouraged to ask questions at any point during the presentation/demonstration if they require additional clarification. The intention is to check their comprehension by asking if they can provide examples to justify a point made and then opening up discussion to the whole group. Application – Knowledge and Comprehension will be combined when attempting the task sheets written to accompany each week’s lecture topic. These sheets are not handouts in the usual sense, each one consisting not of information for a student to refer to at a later date, but tasks that will facilitate their learning. The tasks cater for individual interpretation of the problem statements, allowing each student to develop the subject matter with their knowledge and understanding. Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation – Students will be actively encouraged to explore alternative project management software, breaking each one down into specific functions and comparing and contrasting how well they facilitate the task of managing a project and the application limitations. There will be a requirement to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the application. 4.6 Teaching and learning strategies deployed in the development of the project management unit The project management unit was designed in line with the cognitive taxonomy described earlier. Lectures/Group discussions Students are given lectures whereby information is presented from which knowledge and comprehensive can be gained by interaction in group discussion. For Student A and Student B asking questions and providing answers to questions comes naturally as they are both confident members of the group. However Student D is a very quiet member and through a basic lack of confidence always appears reluctant to come forward therefore subtle probing is required to check his learning and ensure that he has fully understood the subject matter. One to one tuition Although Student C is usually willing to interact if directly questioned often, one to one tuition is needed as due to his lack of concentration he often lags behind the rest of the group and needs more thorough recapping of prior sessions. Whilst Student E often shows little interest in group discussions she will ask later in the practical session if she has not understood a certain element. Tasks In order to encourage students to apply knowledge and comprehension to a new situation the scheme of work includes a simple task to plan a birthday celebration and consider all the tasks involved, and the sequence with which they undertook the tasks and who would be responsible for each task. Students were then given the opportunity to apply this knowledge by completing the task sheets. Demonstration In the later weeks once the basic project management principles have been taught then students progress to using the project management software at this point demonstrations are included in the lesson plan to illustrate the use of the features of the project management tool. Students are at this point encouraged to part take in these demonstrations. One of the main problems is that students progress at varying rates throughout the unit and to ensure that this issue is addressed I have built in further complexity to stretch the more able student by for example introducing more complex scheduling and updating techniques within the project plans. This provides an opportunity for the tutor to concentrate on an individual group member without restricting the progress of others, meaning that all students will be able to feel that they have accomplished something of value in each session. However, the scheme of work does progress through a logical pattern. For example, the principles of project management precede the creation of a project plan. The students will then learn topics of progressive complexity before creating a project plan for a commercially acceptable web site. 4.7 The importance of language, literacy and numeracy In today’s environment where employers are increasingly looking graduates that possess good communication and numeracy skills it is important that these elements of teaching and learning are incorporated into lesson plans and schemes of work. Presentation skills are developed within the project management unit as students are required to present their website to their client in a professional manner by the use of a PowerPoint presentation. Report writing skills are developed, as the assignment brief requires students to produce their evidence in report format. Students are encouraged to communicate both verbally in group discussions and by written communication in the form of agendas and minutes of meeting they have held within their group and with their client. Student A who is dyslexic is supported by proof reading her assignment work prior to submission and understanding her anxieties about being watched whilst keying in information. The application of numbers within the project management unit is limited to calculating the estimated duration of a task using the Program Evaluation Review Technique, a formulae that explores the probability, i.e. optimistic duration + pessimistic duration + (3 x most likely duration) divided by 6 Other mathematical skills are using when determining the critical path of a project. 4.8 Evaluation of teaching and learning strategies Detailed study has shown that Bloom’s taxonomy is relevant to all the students I teach. In particular, recent experience teaching the AVCE group has highlighted the need for students to have both knowledge and comprehension, and in order to achieve the higher grades students must also possess the ability to apply, analyse, synthesise and evaluate. As is evident in the study, if the lower levels of learning are not achieved i.e. the knowledge and the comprehension then students will be unable to achieve the higher levels such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Although these higher levels are not often required to pass the AVCE unit there is an expectation that they will need be achieved if they progress to Higher Education (HE). Student A, Student B and Student D are already showing signs of reaching the higher cognitive levels however in the case of Student C and Student E there will be a strong need to build on their knowledge and subject understanding in order to become proficient in analysing, synthesising and, most importantly, evaluating their work to ensure that they succeed at any higher education qualifications they undertake. In conclusion the cognitive domain theory can easily applied to the development of the project management unit in order that students can learn to produce good project plans. 4.9 Evaluation of learning materials used As a result of doing this research, I now ensure that basic knowledge and understanding of subject matter is achieved by recapping both in group discussion and on a one to one basis with individual students. I also plan individual lessons in greater depth and look for new ways to break up the learning process into more manageable chunks, by using tasks sheets and group work and the requesting agendas and minutes are taken. I have explored the use of electronic tools such as Course Genie in order to provide a much interactive way of presenting information. I am now proficient at using the whiteboard and actively encourage students to use it during group discussions. In conclusion I feel that by gaining a good understanding of the individual needs of my student I can adapt lessons to suit. This is substantiated by Stephens and Roderick (1971) who state, â€Å"that a failure to select methods that are appropriate to the real needs and interests of the students will weaken their educational achievement† 4.10 Evaluation of Student Learning Assessment of student’s learning is two fold. Firstly work produced during each practical session, is checked and commented upon. Secondly more formal assessment takes place by marking the three assignments and feeding back on the PowerPoint presentation. As this is the first course for which I have been responsible for the complete management of the learning process, I am as yet unable to critically discuss the effectiveness of the strategies and materials. However, I am confident that the students will learn more effectively from this style of content delivery than they have from the previous project management material that was I asked to deliver last year delivered with the very limited material provided for me by previous unit leader. 4.11 Strengths and weaknesses of the sessions As the scheme of work and lessons are not planned to be delivered until 24 January 2005 the strengths and weaknesses cannot at this moment in time be reflected upion. 1556 5. References Child. D., (1993), Psychology and the Teacher, Casell Education Ltd, London. Curzon. LB., (2000), Teaching in Further Education: An Outline of Principles and Practice, Continum, London. Huddleston. P. & Unwin. L., (1997), Teaching and Learning in Further Education: Diversity and Change, Routledge, London. Petty. G., (1998), Teaching Today, Stanley Thornes, Cheltenham. Reece, Ian & Walker, Stephen (2000) Teaching, Training and Learning a practical guide 4th Edition, BEPL, Sunderland. Stephens. MD. & Roderick. GQ., (1971), Teaching Techniques in Adult Education, David & Charles, Newton Abbot. 6. Bibliography Bennett. N. & Carre. C., (ED’s), (1993), Learning to Teach, Routledge, London. Borg. WR. & Gall. MD., (1983), Educational Research: An Introduction, Longman, New York. Broadfoot. PM., (1996), Education Assessment and Society, Open University Press, Buckinghamshire. Castling. A., (1996), Competence based Teaching and Training, Macmillan, Basingstoke. Chitty. C., (ED), (1991), Post 16 Education Studies in Access and Achievement, Kogan Page, London. Cohen. L. & Manion. L., (1983), A Guide to Teaching Practice, Routledge, London. Cohen. L. & Manion. L., (1989), Research Methods in Education, Routledge, London. Cohen. L. & Manion. L., (1996), A Guide to Teaching Practice – 4th Edition, Routledge, London. Cosin. B. & Hales. M., (1983), Education Policy and Society: Theoretical Perspectives, Routledge, London. Entwistle. N., (ED), 1985, New Directions in Educational Psychology: 1 Learning and Teaching, Falmer Press, London. Freeman. R., (1993), Quality Assurance in Training and Education, Kogan Page, London. Jarvis. P., (1995), Adult and Continuing Education: Theory and Practice, Routledge, London. Minton. D., (1991), Teaching Skills in Further and Adult Education, Macmillan, Basingstoke. Murphy. R. & Torrance. H., (ED’s), (1987), Evaluating Education: Issues and Methods, Open University Press, Buckinghamshire. Reeves. F., (1995), The Modernity of Further Education, Bilston College Publications, Derbyshire. Rogers. J., (1989), Adults Learning, Open University press, Milton Keynes. Stores. E., (1994), Supervision in Teacher Education: A Counselling and Pedagogical Approach, Routledge, London. Tansley. P., (1989), Course Teams: The Way Forward in Further Education, NFER-Nelson, Windsor. Waddington. DJ., (Ed), (1985), Education Industry and Techniques, Pergamon Press, Oxford. Walklin. L., (1982), Instructional techniques and Practice, Stanley Thornes, Cheltenham

Managerial economics-Ethics assignment Movie Review

Managerial economics-Ethics assignment - Movie Review Example Advertising another bailout package to the people and Congress proves to be a long stretch as suspicion and unwillingness is reasonably a hard sell when it involves companies that eaned billions. While Paulson figures out how to fix the problem, trying hard as he can to resolve it within the private sector, corporations are out for their own interests leading to the inevitable fall of Lehman Brothers. Eventually, the corporation files for bankruptcy and the bigger problems are just starting for big names that include AIG. This movie is ideal in understanding how the financial system in America works, not only that, it emphasizes on the interconnectivity of companies and even of governments that it is essential to appreciate that there must be mutual support instead of everyone only thinking for themselves. The role of managers can be seen to be the bridge that determines whether the company applies social responsibility or not. The relationship of businesses is important in building rapport and goodwill. In my own line of business importing and exporting goods, I find it true that the banks play a major role in the sustainability of trade. I do business internationally where I have to deal with people of different nationalities including the laws that apply to each transaction. The ethical conduct of business is just as important as the business itself. There are a number of ethical dilemmas in the film. Paulson, as a former banker who made his millions in Goldman Sachs, knows how they think and how they will react. At times he had been suspected of advocating for his own interests though the same is not true. He sat down the CEOs to push them to buy and support Lehman Brothers, but Merrill Lynch’s John Thain secretly called to push for the purchase of shares in his own company instead of Lehman Brothers. On the last part of the movie, Paulson managed to convince large banks to accept a nationalization

Production Eng Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Production Eng - Assignment Example In the first six years, Oil fields experienced a continued increase in their production cycle, and then they experienced a stand still production for a total number of four years. This could have been because due to a recovery plan. In the next years, the company’s oil production increases reaching at its peak probably a success in the recovery plan caused this increase. However, continued rise is experienced for only two years and the production begins falling, first, a reasonable decline, which becomes more significant for two years. There are many reasons that can be associated with the decline. For instance, the oil fields management and/or drying up of wells. Question 2: what happens to the hydrocarbon quantity that is not recovered as oil? Except for Benzene and a few other hydrocarbons that are aromatic, hydrocarbons are slightly soluble. However, these mentioned are removable with the help of combining separators or even any other physically initiated methods. This is advantageous as long as they are removed as fast as possible to ensure dissolution occurence does not occur. In addition, it happens in the case where they appear to be more than the solubility concentrations. These hydrocarbons have not been covered in the clean water act causing them to be just under speaking. This is attributed to their ability of not causing sheen in water. Many jurisdictions have lately been concerned about dissolved hydrocarbons and the different effects they cause when dissolved or not dissolved. For this reasons, it is essential for oil production firms always to treat for them to avoid bleaching of the laws governing hydrocarbon dissolution. In the case of absorbed hydrocarbons, the use of the above stated physical methods is discouraged. Instead, methods like absorbent treatments or biological treatments can be used There are four stages associated with recovering

The impact of advertisements on customers Research Paper

The impact of advertisements on customers - Research Paper Example Therefore, the advertising done by any company should be planned and executed in an excellent way so as to affect the customers. Successful advertising can impact on customers psychologically, emotionally and rationally. Advertisers have to pay a lot of attention to the way customers think and behave. They have to carefully study the impacts their advertising can have on customer`s minds. Their main focus is on the design of their advertising as that is the component affecting the decision making behavior of the customers. The main goal of advertising should be to attract as many customers as possible and also to analyze the affects that advertising can have on the minds of the customers (The positive effects of advertising, Web). The psychological effects of advertising are such that it arouses the customer`s wish to purchase the products. In the process of advertising, firstly, the customer`s attention is focused on the design of the advertising and the information being told through it. After that, the process of reasoning takes place during which the customer`s emotions are transferred into desires of actually acquiring the product. This desire of customers is then turned into an action when they actually purchase the product. An example of this psychological impact on customers is when a particular customer watches an advertisement of a product like a burger on television. This is the first stage during which the customer`s attention is focused on this burger and the different features or ingredients of this particular burger. In the second stage, the customer starts desiring the burger and wants to actually go out and buy this burger. During the last stage, the customer will go out and purchase this burger in order to fulfill his desire and wish. After consuming it, if it satisfies the customer then he will become a regular buyer and will keep buying it and if not then he will regret his decision, will not buy it again and will even tell others not to buy this burger in the future. Therefore, a company should make sure that its advertising successfully promotes the true features of its products and should not misguide the customers (The psychological impact of advertising , Web). Apart from the psychological impacts of advertising, there are a number of emotional impacts of advertising as well. Advertising can emotionally affect the attitudes and purchase decisions of customers. Researchers have proved that the emotional impacts of advertising can indirectly affect the memory of customers. Many advertisers today are trying to create emotional impacts on customers through their advertising strategies and lure them into buying the products in order to increase their sales. According to a theory, advertising can have three kinds of impacts on customers. Out of these three impacts, two are positive while one relates to a negative emotion. One of these emotional responses relates to the arousal stage of the psychological impact process and involves emotions such as joy, surprise, excitement etc. the other set of positive emotions include feelings of warmth, hope as well as care and gentleness. These emotions can together have an impact on the customer att itudes and intentions of purchase of all the customers. The impact that advertisers plan to have on customers is actually different from what customers feel and this is portrayed in their attitudes.

Philosophy, Enlightenment and Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Philosophy, Enlightenment and Education - Essay Example This discussion declares that studying educational history is essential in the enhancement of contexts of institutions and ideas by underscoring the traditions that provided the foundations of early education. In speaking of the existence and development of formal education, Plato has a specific consideration given that his main ideas of education have over history formed the basis of educational influences that children are aesthetically imparted with. Plato helped in musing the educational ideas by focusing on the role of play to children and the aesthetic influence of early education. Basically, the view according to Plato with regard to education was that it was a rightly disciplined feeling of pain and pleasure in a child that enabled them to acquire core societal values. In this essay, the core concept shall be on the highlighting the reasons why Plato put much emphasis on the controlling of the children’s exposure to aesthetic influences in early education.  From the report it is clear that  Plato is a great and renowned Greek philosopher and mathematician of the medieval times whose philosophy is considered to have had a great impact on the level of education in practice by most educational systems right from the early childhood stages. In the traditional Greek settings, the idea of education for the young children was founded on the need to educate them to be able to know how to use swords, ride on horses, be equipped for warfare and use hunting tools accordingly.

Monetary Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Monetary Economics - Essay Example When the Fed lowers rates then we expect an increase in borrowing, when rates are reduced there is an expectation that inflation will rise, therefore inflation will increase when the rates are reduced. When the Fed lowers rates then we expect an increase in borrowing, an increase in borrowing means that there will be an increase in spending which will lead to an increase in output. An increase in output means that the economy will grow. When the Fed lowers interest rates this may result into an increase in money supply, n increase in money supply in the economy means that there will be a rise in expected inflation rate and therefore inflation rates are expected to increase. Calculation of future spot rate is complicated in that we assume that the 3rd year rate is equal to the five year rate, in the last calculation we consider two years which is the second and third year rate and also assume that the third year rate is equal to 2.04, the values provided are an estimate of what is expected by investors and this is because of uncertainties in future. The yield curve is a curve that depicts the yield or the cost of borrowing over time, the yield curve is an upward sloping curve and this means that if an investor invests his funds for a duration of t years then the yield will be a function of time, this means that the more the investor invests in terms of years then the higher is the yield. Prevailing interest rates which is the cost of borrowing will determine the position of the yield curve, in our case the chart shows that the yield curve has shifted downwards compared to the

Challenges and Solutions for Long-Term Care in Aging Populations Assignment

Challenges and Solutions for Long-Term Care in Aging Populations - Assignment Example According to the latest statistics carried out around 40 million people in the United States are aged more than 65 years of age and the country is projected to have 89 million citizens above 65 years by the year 2050. This raises a concern for the help the elderly will be given and by whom. Will the facilities like Medicare and Medicaid provide the service or will they have to depend on their families for support? The above issues show the urgency and the need for the health sector and the government to look into this problem and tackle it as a matter of urgency (the United States, 1986). The long-term care services both in-house and in the healthcare facilities are associated with medical care but they have an emphasis on helping the elderly with their daily chores which include bathing and preparing meals on the condition that they need this assistance. The Medicare is headed by a health professional through a health aid (normal person) will also help the elderly. The issuing of the special equipment that they require which include wheelchairs and grab bars is also a responsibility of the long-term care service providers. The long-term care services are however not only needed by the elderly, but research shows that only a small percentage of the people who require the service are of the younger age (Wilson Company,2014). The challenges they face come from the day to day duties that they are supposed to perform and may face a lot of challenges which may range from the lack of finances. The government and other healthcare providers in the United States have not put a lot of emphasis on the long-term care services and as a result, the nurses and the administrators find themselves overstretched by the resources they have at their disposal. The other challenge is the lack of expertise in dealing with the elderly in the community, and they are not aware of what to do or how to treat people who are elder than them. There should be some training that should be provided to help the nurses and the administrators have the right knowledge of dealing with the elderly cases (Nyce, 2005).

Plastic surgery growth in teenagers Research Paper

Plastic surgery growth in teenagers - Research Paper Example Moreover, cosmetic surgery has become so popular among teenagers that their parents are now bestowing them to their children as gifts for their birthdays or even graduations. Many surgeons state that they are seeing more teenagers than ever coming to their practices for the various cosmetic surgery procedures available to them. Despite the fact that many parents and their teenage children have been advised against turning to major surgical procedures as a fix for the teenagers’ self-confidence, the number of teenagers who have undergone these procedures has continued to rise. For example, the number of teenage girls under the age of 18 years who undergo breast augmentation procedures has nearly tripled from one year to the next (Austin, 2000). Teenagers undergoing cosmetic surgery have become a common phenomenon and it is no longer a procedure reserved for the rich as it has previously been. In the initial stages before a surgeon can put a teenage patient in the cosmetic surge ry procedure, he must assess whether this patient is suited for the procedure, otherwise, the entire procedure would be unethical because the surgeon will only be interested in the patient’s money and not their well-being. ... e teenager of the benefits of the procedure, but also its limitations and he should make sure that the patient is ready to live with the consequences of the procedure whether it meets their expectations or not. Lastly, teenagers and their parents should be made to understand the risks of undergoing the cosmetic surgery as well as the time it takes to recover from the procedure (Wansbrough, 2012). In addition, there has been a growing trend among teenagers towards undergoing cosmetic surgery to improve their appearance. From a handful of these procedures that were done some two decades ago on teenagers, today, a large number of teenagers in their hundreds of thousands, undergo cosmetic surgery. This number has kept on growing over the last ten years and it is actually becoming quite common. For example, the number of lipoplasty procedures for teenagers under the age of 18 years has continued to increase over the years and this has continued to be so despite the very careful selection by surgeons of the patients in this group. Furthermore, of the women who underwent breast augmentation procedures in the year 2010, about two percent of them were under the age of eighteen and this is quite a significant number (Egan, 2010). The reasons why teenagers go for cosmetic surgery to reduce or increase the size of their breasts, correct the balance between a pair of body parts and in this case mostly breasts and ears, correct the severe underdevelopment of some body parts and finally the need to increase their self-confidence in an environment where they feel insecure (Boodman, 2004). Many teenagers who wish to undergo plastic surgery are motivated by factors, which are very different from those that influence adults to do the same. Most of them want to improve the physical

Write a summary of No Place to Hide (only pg 170-209) by Glenn Essay

Write a summary of No Place to Hide (only pg 170-209) by Glenn Greenwald OR paraphrasing my friends summary (I will give the attachment) - Essay Example reenwald’s view that the government has violated the fourth amendment about â€Å"the right of people to be secure in their person, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (3). Greenwald tries to enlighten the people that power is currently being misused so as to fully control them. Through the use of the Internet, the government is relentlessly putting effort aimed at convincing its citizens to devalue their privacy. As stated in the book, the government has taken our â€Å"Internet freedom-the ability to use the network without institutional constraints, social or state control†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (6). Furthermore, privacy has been lost through spying our emails, hacking password, looking through online chat, and using the video cameras. According to the author, each and every individual is entitled to his or her own privacy. Unfortunately, the mass surveillance is oblivious of this fact and is ignorant. The government is really cautious to hide their action from the citizen (Greenwald 171). He also explains how people are self-cautious of their every move and are afraid of taking initiatives or acting in a way that deviates from their normal routine. Their quality of life is minimized due to the lack of privacy. In the end, the government is limiting the individuals and preventing them from utilizing their freedoms actively. In fact, the individuals also show the signs to â€Å"avoid shame and condemnation† (173). When people are being monitored, they usually â€Å"avoid action that might be seen as deviant or abnormal† (173). As a result, the citizens forget what it is like to live fully due to restricted actions. This also leads to lack of creativeness and innovations in a country because individuals are afraid of exploration â€Å"[they] can act, think, speak, write, experience, and choose how to be, away from judgmental eyes of others† (172). Greenwald explains that the use of mass technology surveillance by the NSA is not really aimed at

Employee Participation Essay Example for Free

Employee Participation Essay Of all the subjects controlled by the societal, public, and employment strategy set by the European Union (EU), the intrinsic worth of implementing worker participation in the administration of businesses on a wide extent has turned out to be highly contentious over the years. The stipulations put forward by the EU, for example, equivalent opportunities for employees as that of employers, operational or working timing, and unusual contracts, all of them, time and again, have triggered disagreements amid employers. Despite the fact that an increasing number of organizations are turning out to be of interest in employee participation as a possible measure for expanding labor efficiency and trimming down nonattendance, staff resignation rate, and rate of recurrence of industrial disagreements. Considered as the most hostile and invasive, is that kind of employee participation, which outwardly inflicts constrictions on the management’s perquisites or their privilege for that matter. Traditional executives dread, though, that due to the pressures on an employee participation system, grounding on their temporary, peculiar interests would, among other things, steer to too much wage upsurge. These could possibly lead to a decline of internal principal on hand for investing or capital spending in the short run and for moving the available capital out of the country in the long run. It is much unexpected that there has been very slight economic evaluation of the present familiarity with employee participation. The majority of researches have dealt with the topic entirely from a philosophical, historical, or sociological perspective. (Svejnar, pp. 1, n. d. ) Recently, employee participation has grown into a central point in labor-management discourse and a significant matter on the European political arena. (Raskin, n. p. , 1976) In certain countries systemized work force has been revealing an urge for involvement in management, as a way of democratizing the whole business systems and policies. Lately, though, this gravity has intensified, nonetheless, creating numerous problems, which are in fact, compounded by a number of reasons, one, and a very major, of which is the utter assortment of standing official and legal frameworks within the associate states of the EU. Various Systems followed by the EU Member States Considering the member states of the EU, the employee participation and representation at executive level, for instance, is obligatory in private corporations situated in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and most Scandinavian countries. On the other hand, countries like France and the Netherlands practice the ‘hybrid form’, while there are still others like Greece and Spain, which allow for this kind of system only in the communal or public sector. In contrast, countries such as, Italy, Belgium and the UK constitute no stipulation at all. (EIRO, pp. I-IV, 1998) The principles and conventions regulating works councils and coalition representation at workplace or sub-executive levels evenly complicated. In the Scandinavian countries, Italy, Ireland and the UK, there happens to be ‘single channels’ of representation via the joint associations. In case of ‘dual channel’ system of representation, the employees are spoken for by work councils, which function beside the unions. In countries like France and Belgium, the manager presides over the work council; however in the majority of other countries, for example Portugal, the Netherlands, and Germany, the work councils simply contain employee representatives. On the other hand, in Ireland and the UK, employee representation has conventionally been identified merely on a voluntary base, even though elsewhere it is regulated by established rules or communal agreements. Rationales The concepts of a ‘democratic organization’, ‘employee involvement and ‘employee participation’ have sustained arguments and disagreements. The degree to which the management is ready to let their employees to take part in matters concerning decisions about their lives at work is in fact one of the most complicated, vibrant debated features of employment relations as they have developed in technologically advanced countries. All concerned parties differ in their interests and viewpoints. In general, the managers suppose that the employees should be assimilated into organization’s frameworks to make certain that they realize the organization’s intentions, targets and objectives and can add into its success. Unions, on the other hand, may possibly be keen to hold out their impact over the management’s decision making to making sure that their own priorities, for example power over work patterns, or in cases when employment patterns are stable, are suitably met. System Followed by Germany The system of employee participation is developed and regulated by the German co-determination law. This law making has its origin in the Weimar Constitution of 1919, which, grounded on a social-democratic philosophy, created constraints on personal rights over possessions and took care for the social privileges and entitlement to life of its people. Under the Article No. 65 of the very Constitution, it was publicly stated that the waged working staff was to be granted correspondence with managers in settling with salaries and working circumstances and to be allowed a full opportunity to express opinions when deciding the overall economic advancement. The 1920 Works Councils Act specified that organizations with no less than twenty workers ought to set up a works council made up of representatives opted for at workplaces, which consult with the board on the carrying out of business objectives. Two years later, the directive was revised to allow works council representation of a couple of their members in directorial management of corresponding organizations and restricted involvement in the board’s decision making process. These were the fundamental developments that molded the base for co-determination law. Both the Weimar Constitution and the Works Council were done away with as the Nazi’s rule made its entrance. The directive, on the other hand, was revitalized in the shape of the Coal, Iron and Steel Industry Co-determination Act of 1951. The Act was originally designed for the coal and steel firms employing greater than a thousand employees but then later, in 1976, the Co-determination Act enfolding all large organizations was legislated and is presently in effect. In case of major and significant organizations, the present structure grants for an equal number of twenty representatives to in the same way be represented by stockholders and employees, with the stockholders decided on at the general stockholders’ meeting. The worker representatives include delegates from workers’ associations and those chosen from all the different levels of workers. The twofold technique of industrial relations in Germany has maintained collective bargaining and the ascertaining of salary and specifications, not together with the subject of participation for example information release, discussions, meetings and co-determination. Here the industrial relations system has been portrayed as ‘sanctioned, integrated, and cooperative’. Focusing on the effects of employee participatory system in Germany, regarding the wages, both in short and long-run, the representation is said to be quite a fruitful one, because it gives evident examples of several participatory systems from the post World War II events to the Co determination law of 1951, which provided employees with 50% representation on the executive boards. The very Act is also said to have created the rank of a labor director on the management panels of all corporations. Despite of the fact that the employee participatory and representative groups in Germany were considered as distinct from the trade unions and the process of wage determination, an uncertainty comes up that whether their effect on wages was in fact missing. In real, there happens to be a considerable connection between unions and the employee representative groups in relation to their workforce, their objectives and activities. But without any reason, it is said that the union and board representatives diverge substantially in their opinions as to the influence of employee participation and representation on wages. Having a unique system of employee participation in corporate management, the German corporate system is said to have some gain. The very advantage appears when it is about effectively testing out and verifying mistreatments by the management. The German corporate system is a twofold one, where the administrative management performs the role of corporate surveillance, whereas the executive board accountable for execution. Originally, the Co determination Act was envisioned to arbitrate the possible disagreements or conflicting interests between the employees and employers and was highly in the favor of workforce. Currently it has been moving on, assuming to an increased level, the function of managing the corporate administration. Although there is some disapproval regarding the fact that the legislation has mislaid its essence with reported circumstances where the board treated employee representatives, in a way to high officials accommodated for and by them, it stays to be a considerable extent to elevate the understanding of societal responsibilities and obligations amid corporate managers and their movements for public causes. (Otsuka, pp. 3, 2006) System followed in the UK In the UK, the whole world is observed through a prism of collective bargaining by unions, which has provided industrial relations with an argumentative placement. Contrasting with the ‘sanctioned, integrated, and cooperative’ industrial relations followed in Germany, the UK’s system is ‘voluntary, dispersed, and opposition-based’. (William, pp. V, 1988) However, such divergences haven’t been taken much into consideration by the Commission of the European Communities, when it is time for them to propose systems of employee participation. In the year 1970, the European company statute and the Fifth directive were founded widely on the basis of the German model but did not have much appeal for the UK. Moreover, amid the important factors, particularly governments, point of views regarding employee participation have gone through periods of interest and aggression. Taking successive UK governments as instances, the governments in the 1970s, both the Conservative and Labour, were normally in favour of the propositions included in the European company statute and the Fifth directive for employee participation and representation at management’s level. But on the other hand, in the 1980s and 1990s, the Conservative governments were unbendingly against all systems of employee participation, even though these situations were, as a minimum, partly looked over when the succeeding Labour government, in 1997, endorsed the social chapter, and in so doing established European Works Councils into the UK. (Gold, pp. 2 , n. d. ) If looked upon in the past, the Commission has been prosperous in achieving approval for the system of employee participation when it is connected with certain areas of industrial relations. According to the 1975 directive on collective redundancies, the employers are required to notify employee representatives concerning the particulars and to refer to them with a view to pursuing an agreement. Then there was an ‘acquired rights directive’ of 1977, after that, the ‘health and safety framework directive’ of 1989, which provided the employees the privilege to acquire information on threat considerations and safety measures. More recently, the statute adopted in 2004, provides employee representatives in the organizations included several rights to information and consultation without any bias. However, the implementation of all these employee rights has time and again, proved challenging in the UK, because the commandments put away the characterization of ‘employee representatives’ up to the state’s legislation. Under the critical environment of sinking union membership, and prior to the arrival of legislative stipulations for union recognition, leave alone worker representation, this has implied that managers frequently do not possess representatives to advise or consult. In 1994, the European Court of Justice, brought forward two litigations against the UK for failing to suitably implement the directives passed in 1975, and the transfer of responsibilities, instructed that it was mandatory for all the EU states to establish appropriate systems for assigning suitable employee representatives. In the UK, the Bullock Committee was established by the government to assess the matter of executive-level employee representation, but managers and several other officials of the labour movement proved intimidating, and the Conservative governments voted for during the course of 1980s and 1990s ruled out any possibility of lawmaking on the issue, as it has a need of an undisputed, common vote on the Council. Nonetheless, a Green Paper was published in 1975, by the Commission, to inspect the major disagreements provoked. The Social and Economic Committee along with the European Parliament both argued upon the topic in detail. To close, the Commission assumed an amended text, in 1953, on the draft Fifth which has not been withdrawn officially up till now. Conclusion In my opinion, keeping in mind all the aforementioned prospects of employee participation and representation, the UK should certainly respect all the directives passed by the EU and all other Unions formed in coalition with all the European states and should give up its present times general framework, under which representation only occurs through unions, and which leaves large gaps in stipulation in those organizations where union membership is vulnerable and sometimes even non-existent. It is necessary for the UK to revive itself from being isolated in the Council, and should bring about measures in order to mobilise its blocking minority. Following the German twofold system, which is better in every way, and also being successful in introducing European Works Councils, it has been foreseen and seen respectively, by the UK employers themselves that this has enhanced their effectiveness in granting a medium for information exchange

Incidence and Prevalence of Tuberculosis in the UK

Incidence and Prevalence of Tuberculosis in the UK ESSAY TITLE: Using two theoretical perspectives discuss with reference to the prevalence of ONE disease, E.g. Diabetes, Respiratory diseases; how Disease patterns in society vary and the role of public health agencies in reducing disease and promoting health? Chapter 1 Introduction Society is constantly changing, and these changes come with different social and environmental problems, which result to the emergence of new diseases and an increase in the incidence of existing ones, which affect human health and society as a whole. These include diseases such as cancer, respiratory diseases, diabetes, hepatitis, asthma and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) just to mention a few. In this essay, I will be analysing the incidence and prevalence of Tuberculosis and the pattern of this disease in relation to changes in society. I will also be comparing two theoretical perspectives regarding the nature and causes of Tuberculosis. To conclude, I will be analysing the role and impact of public health agencies in reducing the disease and actively promoting health. Chapter 2 1.1. Incidence and prevalence of Tuberculosis in UK. Definition; Tuberculosis popularly known as TB, is said to be an infectious disease usually caused by a bacterium known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB often affects the lungs but can also spread to any part of the body through the bloodstream. Classic symptoms of TB include; persistent cough, fever, weight loss, loss of appetite and tiredness. TB is contagious and is mostly transmitted from person to person. An infected person can infect about 10 to 15 people over a year if not treated. (NHS choices, 2014). Incidence and prevalence rates; Some decades ago the UK was said to have and increase number of reported TB cases. From 2005 the number of reported cases remained high but stable. In 2009, there was said to be about 9000 cases of TB reported. An incidence rate of 15 case per 100.000 population. This can be said to be the highest since 2005. Then in 2010, the number of cases was 8483, an incidence rate of 13.6/ 100.000 population. This show a decrease in the number of reported cases by about 4.9%. In 2011, there were 8963 cases reported, an incidence of 14.4/100.000 population which again was an increase compared to 2010. Then in 2012, there was 8751 cases, an incidence rate of 13.9 cases per 100.000 population. About 8000 cases of TB was recorded in 2013 in the UK that is a rate of 12.3 cases per 100.000 population. This shows a 10.4% reduction rates in the number of cases reported. (Public Health England, Tuberculosis in UK: Annual reports). The population of UK mostly infected with TB are those born outside the UK. That is those from countries with highest prevalence rate of the disease. For example, India sub-Saharan African, Pakistan, south Asia, Somalia. This group of people usually dwell in urban areas that seem to have the highest number of cases reported. For example London, Luton, Manchester, Coventry Leicester and Birmingham. Chapter 3 1.2. The pattern of Tuberculosis in relation to changes in society Throughout the last 20 years, the UK has been experiencing a steady rise in the number of TB cases. The most affected areas are the urban areas highly populated with immigrants. The rising number of cases in these areas has been related to the pattern of change in how the TB is spread and controlled. For instance, it does not spread through all the segments of the population as it has done previously, but rather affects the population of people in the high risk group. â€Å"†¦those most at risk remain individuals from ethnic minority groups, those with social risk factors such as a history of homelessness, imprisonment or problem with use of drugs or alcohol, and the elderly†. (Public Health England 2013). The small percentage fall in the rates of TB cases in 2012 and 2013 is said to be associated with the fall in the number of cases in the non-UK born population. This may be due to changes in immigration policies and policies to control the disease in the UK and abroad. For instance, around 2007, pre- entry TB test was a requirement for Ghanaians applying for more than six month visa to the UK. â€Å"While this decline is welcome, it is important to recognise that the vast majority of TB cases in the non-UK born population (85%) occur among settled migrants rather than new entrants. Tackling the reactivation of latent TB in such migrants will require systematic implementation of screening and treatment of latent TB infection†. (Public Health England 2014). Chapter 4 2.1. Theoretical perspectives of Tuberculosis. There are so many theoretical perspectives with their individual view about the nature and causes of diseases. There are sociological theories viewing health and diseases in the context of society, and there are psychological theories viewing health and diseases and the context of the mind and so many others. Theories are sometimes useful to public health agencies and the government for the planning of health policies and interventions. In this essay, I will be discussing two theoretical views of tuberculosis, namely the Germ Theory and Biomedical Theory. The Germ theory Around 1850 and 1920, the Germ theory was established, attested and promoted in North America and Europe. This theory stated that every disease is caused by specific invisible tiny organisms (germs). It was a theory that was well matched to the prevailing concepts of health and diseases particularly those connected with the 19th century hygiene and sanitation. Joseph Lister, Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur are some of the well-known persons in connection with the germ theory. This theorist believed that disease can be reduced by means of personal hygiene. They did not pay much attention to other factors such as climate, diet, environmental ventilation etc. Base on this, hygiene and sanitation promoters such as Florence Nightingale and Rudolf Virchow did not accept the theory. To them the germ theory could not be related to the progresses in public health. The theory was established in a social, cultural and economic settings that were highly focused on the principles of mass production, mass consumption, standardisation and efficiency which were harmonious with the discipline of the theory. The high achievement of the theory coupled with the fact that medicine was linked to laboratory resulted in a rise in the social prestige of physicians and medical research and practice. This happened at the time when the general public was uncertain about the significance of traditional medical practice. To rise a new public consciousness of the theory, the general public was made to understand that diseases are not only cause by germs, but also they are passed on from person to person. Germs were related to home hygiene, including cooking, plumbing, and heating. Therefore women were the main targets used to spread the information about germs. (Harvard University Library Open Collections Program, 2015). â€Å"In the case of tuberculosis, which formerly had been considered noncontagious, basic changes in everyday hygiene were required. Mass production, mass communication, and national advertising had developed alongside the germ theory during the same period, and the tools of public relations were put into play to inform the public about TB’s contagiousness, as well as to inform people about the germ theory in general†. (Harvard University Library Open Collections Program, 2015). The biomedical perspective The biomedical perspective on the other hand believe that a sick person is presumed to be an inert receiver of orders from medical professionals (doctors). This theory sees diseases as biomedical problems that are caused by bacteria or viruses, and treatment is targeted on the sick person’s body. A sick person is seen as a broken person who need to be fixed. This does not consider other factors that may be causing the health problems. For instance social, environmental and psychological factors. When a patients does not respond to treatment, it is assumed to be caused by the individual characteristics such as age and gender. Policies and practice of health care services can be said to be based on this theory. Doctors are the authority who give instructions and patients are the receivers of the instruction. Medication Event Monitoring Systems (WHO 2011), used to monitor adherence is embedded in this perspective. In spite of its inherent use by many health professionals, this perspective is uncommonly used openly in interventions. (BMC Public Health, 2007) Chapter 5 3.1. The role of public health agencies in reducing Tuberculosis Tuberculosis is a worldwide health problem which has put government and public health agencies on their toes. Every nation is working hard to control if not eradicate the disease. In the UK, the Local Government Association, Public Health England, the NHS and other public agencies are working together to come out with policies, procedures, practices and measures that will help control the spread of the disease. Some of these include: Pre-entry screening The government has introduced a pre-entry screening programme for TB in countries noted to have high incidence of the disease. Residents of those countries who are applying for more than six month visa to the UK has to undergo TB screening. This screening involve chest x-ray and checking for symptoms. Those found with active TB will have to undergo treatment before they are issue visas. (Local.gov.uk, 2014). Use of Anti-TB drugs A mixture of anti-TB drugs are given to patients to lessen the possibility of the TB bacteria becoming resistant to one or more of them. Patients are usually started on a six months course of anti-TB drugs which is made up of four different drugs. The six month course of anti-TB is said to be the most effective period that will guarantee that the inactive bacteria are killed and cannot reactivate to cause TB in future. (Local.gov.uk, 2014). BCG Vaccination BCG vaccination are being offered to babies, infants and young children who come from countries with high rates of TB. Those born in the UK to parents from the high risk zone are also given the vaccine to protect them from the diseases. Early discovery, diagnosing and treatment is said to be another way of controlling the diseases. Healthcare workers are also advice to take the vaccine because they stand the chance of getting infected at work. Chapter 6 3.2. The impact of public health agencies in reducing Tuberculosis Tuberculosis has been seen to have a huge health and social effect on those infected. The existing inequalities in deprived areas is seen to be rising because of this disease. The Chief Medical Officer has recognised the inequalities, and increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance, as primary concern for England. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 has made it the responsibility of local government, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England to reduce the inequalities. It is believe that the NHS, CCGs and Public Health will be making savings if TB is eradicated. Because it cost a lot to diagnose and treat drug-sensitive and resistant forms of TB. Some of the task set up to achieve this are; 1. Improve access to services and ensure early diagnosis 2. Provide universal access to high quality diagnostics 4. Ensure comprehensive contact tracing 5. Improve BCG vaccination uptake 6. Reduce drug-resistant TB 7. Tackle TB in under-served populations 8. Systematically implement new entrant latent TB screening 9. Strengthen surveillance and monitoring (gov.uk website, 2015) Chapter 7 3.3. The role and impact of public health agencies in actively promoting health It is the responsibility of every individual in a society to keep themselves healthy. The public health agencies of every society also have the responsibility of helping the members of that society to stay healthy. Some of the responsibilities of health agencies such as the NHS in promoting health as recommended in a report from the NHS Future Forum (gov.uk) are; Healthcare professionals making every contact count; to do so they will need to ensure that every contact they make with a patient should help to improve their mental and physical health and wellbeing. Improving the health and wellbeing of the NHS workforce by designing and implementing strategies to improve the mental and physical health and wellbeing of staff. Refocusing the NHS towards prevention and promotion; all providers of NHSà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ funded care should strive to prevent poor health and promote healthy living by in cooperating it into their daily business, and they should be recognised for achieving excellence. Building partnerships outside the NHS; NHS commissioners and providers of NHSà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ funded care should work together with other local services to promote health and wellbeing in areas where the NHS finds difficult to reach. Sharing learning and best practice; Healthcare professionals, NHS commissioners and providers of NHSà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ funded care should share learning about improving the public’s health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities, and seek to learn from others. Public Health England should ensure that evidence and best practice are spread across the NHS. 1

The Objectives Of Employee Resourcing

The Objectives Of Employee Resourcing In the conduct of performance of any business, it has often been regarded that the employees constitute the most important part of the organization. The employees are the backbone and foundation of the business because they make its operation possible. They are part of every success story, as well as the unfortunate failure of the organizations. Employees are the most valuable asset of the business. Overtime, the proper management of the companys workforce has been called upon by concerned groups and even by the management itself. Various programs and practices have been designed and geared towards improving them and developing their skills so that they can be better assets in the operation of the organization. Successful human management skills have been called upon in order to improve the workforce. Effective employee recruitment and staff selection, improving the performance of the workforce, and reduction of staff turn-over are some of the immediate concerns of human resource dep artments in todays modern working environment. It is of paramount concern that organizations should be able to maintain a dynamic labor force in order to achieve better performance. With this, employee resourcing has been a primary concern among organizations which are concerned about managing their people. EMPLOYEE RESOURCING Employee resourcing has been defined as ensuring that the organization obtains and retains the human capital it needs and employs them productively. It is also about those aspects of employment practice that are concerned with welcoming people to the organization and, if there is no alternative, releasing them (Armstrong, 1977).this definition holds that the concept of human resourcing entails not only managing peole when they are kept within the context of the organizational operations but also when there is a need to release them especially if their performance on their job does not at all seem to be satisfactory and productive. Employee resourcing answer questions which include the kind of people that the organization needs to compete effectively at present and in the near future and the things that the company needs to do to be able to attract and keep their most valuable asset as they influence a better performance of the business. This concept operates on the notion which puts paramount importance to the employee in the function of any business. It regards that the employees are indispensable to success and they should be therefore properly and effectively manage. They should be given continuous education and training so that they will also perpetually help in the improvement and growth of the business. Most importantly, organizations must be concerned on how to keep these employees which are considered investment in the business. Price (2000) defined employee resourcing as the ability of the management or nay concerned group to be able to identify the suitable people which should be working in the organization and to be able to allocate the tasks and jobs which they have to work on while being employed in the said business. Moreover, the author also mentioned in his book that employee resourcing entails the presence and other practice related to management including: strategy and planning in which the management attempts to determine what will the human resource require in the near future like the number of employees, the skills that they need, and other relevant matters; research which is primarily concerned with identifying the competencies which are essential in the performance of tasks; recruitment which entails getting the best people from inside and outside the organization to work and help in establishing a better business; and selection which entails choosing the best among the crop to be working in t he company. These functions associated with employee resourcing are very important among human resource practitioners and are often emphasized when choosing the work force of the business. A careful employee resourcing strategy will be a big help for the business to be bale to identify and to choose the best employees who will be working with them. THE OBJECTIVES OF EMPLOYEE RESOURCING The primary objective of an employee resourcing strategy would be to obtain the right basic material in the form of a workforce endowed with the appropriate qualities, skills, knowledge, and potential for future training. The selection and recruitment of workers best suited to meeting the needs of the organization ought to form a core activity upon which most other HRM policies geared towards development and motivation could be built (Keep, 1989). This major objective of employee resourcing necessitates that organizations are being called upon investing in their employees through proper recruitment and selection and adequate training which will provide them continuity in improvement in their various organizational functions. A sound employee resourcing strategy will result in a workplace of competent individuals who are geared towards performing at their best. Aside from the above-mentioned there are also other objectives which are associated to employee resourcing and they are identified in the succeeding statements as illustrated by Armstrong (200). The objectives of employee resourcing in todays contemporary organizations also include determining the number of people required to meet business needs. This aspect must be evaluated carefully. The business exists in order to profit, therefore it must consider the number of people it employs to be assured that their compensation is within the business reach. With employee resourcing, there is a potential to properly identify how many are exactly needed to get the job done with the best results possible. Hiring too many people or too few employees can both generate problem in the business. It is also the objective of employee resourcing is to identify and manage the skills which are essential for business performance. It is an acknowledged fact that it is not enough that there is a presence o f the right number of employees within the organization. There is a great need that these employees are the right people for the job and for the business. Prior to hiring these employees, there is a need to identify their respective skills which will be helpful in the business. These skills will be regarded as the assets of the employees and will be their edge against other during the recruitment phase of employee resourcing. Once hired, there is also a growing concern for management to manage these skills. This means that there is a need for the management to establish various programs which are geared towards improving the skills which were already present in the workforce. Workshops and training activities, for instance, are some of the avenues in which these skills can be better improved. Furthermore, another objective of human resourcing would be changing the organizational culture. The employees are the entities which show the major significance in forming a corporate culture. To be able to establish a sound organizational culture, there is a need to establish a sound labor force as well. With that, it is important for management to properly manage its people to be assured that only a sound culture will be practices within business performance. The attitudes, beliefs, and personal characteristics of the employees should be properly managed through employee resourcing in order to establish a better workplace. It is the duty of human resourcing to ensure that the above-mentioned objectives are being met by the strategies which were stipulated by the company towards managing its people. PRACTICE IN ORGANIZATIONS As mentioned, the benefits that employee resourcing entails are quite significant in the operations of a business. The objectives which were earlier mentioned were also common among organizational practice. With that, organizations of today do not discount the importance of employee resourcing in its operations. The human resource managers and the company management are always concerned about this concept and on how such concept will be brought about inside the organizations. These reflect the practices which are aimed towards ensuring that the business is able to obtain and retain the human resource that it actually needs and employ them both effectively and efficiently. The human resource planning is composed of various steps and processes among organizations. Presented below are the processes and how they are practiced among selected organizations or industries. The first process in employee resourcing is human resource planning. This process, according to Armstrong (2000), human resource planning determines the people needed to meet the strategic objectives of the organization. It assures that the organization has the right number of people, in teh right place, at the right time, with the aim of delivering the strategic plan of the organization. This concept holds and put an importance in determining the right people in the organization to carry out their functions and to be of help to the management is establishing their goals and objectives as they go on with business operation. Being viewed as a significant organizational process, this attempts to look at the future of the operation of the organization and takes a look at the future of business and environmental demands of the organization with emphasis on hiring the right and qualified employees to carry out such functions. For instance, Barclays is one of the leading banks in the Unite d Kingdom with branches in different parts of the world. The employees who are involved in the operation of the bank are quite big in number as its operation extends fro its home country to different regions in the world. With the organizations globally dispersed operation, it is paramount among management concern to put an emphasis on human resource planning to be assured that they are hiring only people which are fit in the banking and financial industry and those employees who are equipped with the necessary knowledge. The company will not employ people whom they deem are not worthy in the industry and who they thought can no longer be improved even with thorough training. In the year 2007, the company employs and estimated number of 134,900 employees (The Climate Group, 2007). These employees were carefully selected by concerned individuals and groups and are believed to be contributing factors to the future of the company and helping the business achieve its goals. Along with h iring the right people, human resource planning in Barclays Bank will also entail questions such as what new technologies will affect the working system and what is the employee turn-over rate and how much can be avoided. Being concerned with managing the right people, human resource planning is also concerned with technological advancements which might change the perspective of human resource management in the future that is why there is also a significant emphasis undertaken on such issue. Furthermore, the employee turn-over rate and how to avoid it is also critical of all the concerns in human resource planning. Employee resourcing should take people as being assets and big investments that are why there is a need for management to properly take care of them and do their best to be ensured that they are kept within the business. Employee turn-over rate should be at a minimum and such will only be possible if the business will establish a working environment and corporate culture which will address all the significant needs of its labor force. The next process in employee resourcing is talent management. This process is basically concerned with establishing an organization which is talent-powered wherein the employees have distinct set of talents which are considered to be one of the companys biggest investment and source of innovation and success in the marketplace. Among contemporary organizations, management was able to realize that there is a paramount need to be bale to invest and identify with essential and significant talents which can provide the business a landscape of success, opportunities, and growth. This leads the management to be very particular when it comes to defining talent needs, discovering diverse sources of talent, developing both individual and collective talent in the organization, and deploying such talent in a way that it can help the company achieve its organizational goals (Cheese et al, 2008). One example of organizations with particular focus on talent management would be Best Buy, a consumer electronics retailer which transformed its business strategy into being customer-centric through the organizations talent management of its workforce. The management of the company recognizes that what is most significant in the success of business nowadays is not investing in capital rather it is investing in the employees. Such is actually true especially considering the fact that these employees are the backbone of the business, they develop, create, and they deliver. It is the employees who are supposed to deliver superior value and quality more than the product itself. It is important to have excellent customer service to reap business performance success. For instance, at Best Buy they develop the talents of their employees to be able to end up with extraordinary value for the company. This is a good perspective of looking at business strategies by recognizing the need to talent management in the workforce as they become front liners to the success of the company. Another important process in employee resourcing would be recruitment and selection. There is one common and paramount objective of every organizations recruitment and selection process: to appoint the right person in the right job. It is very critical in all organizations to hire only those who are fit ad qualified in certain positions and those who are anticipated to perform well in their jobs with the objective of helping the business achieve its goals. The process of recruitment and selection is very critical because it affects the capability of the business to achieve targets, the quality of the products and services which are offered to the consuming public, and the well-being of the entire team working towards the goal of establishing a better business (Dale, 1995). The practices of recruitment and selection vary per company depending on the preferences of the management and what they deem is most effective in helping them achieve their objectives. Google, for instance, demons trates one very effective strategy. They sponsor local events where participants are given time to shine in their respective skills and then they are referred for interview in the company. They held Code Jam, a contest open for math and computer specialists where the participants tried their bests in an almost four hours coding competition. They also sponsor essay riting contests to see the competitiveness of the writers. The top contestants are invited for interview and if they passed, will be offered a job at Google. This practice of the company is a very good measure and will also prove to be effective as well. Sponsoring such contests enables the company to see the best of the crop and they were able to see actual works from the participants. For instance, during the coding contest, the management was able to see how the specialists work on different codes and solve them. Moreover, same thing is true with the essay writing contest where the management saw actual written works. T hese things provide the management with a closer look and actual perspectives on the quality of potentials works from the participants who will be recruited and selected. After a careful recruitment and selection practice within organizations, the next process would entail introduction to the organization. This next process entails employee orientation where the individual is made aware of their tasks, their supervisors, and their colleagues providing them a favorable initial experience and giving them the reasons on why they should stay within the organization for a long time. Since the employee orientation program technically provides the employees with their very first experience in the company, such should be a dynamic practice which the individual should enjoy. It should be able to deliver a thought-fully planned program which should be focused in building a harmonious relationship within the company. Such should be viewed as a process, and not an event (Lawson, 2006). Starbucks, for instance, takes introduction of employees in the organization seriously because they believed that one never gets the second chance to establish a good first impress ion and such process is helpful in order to establish culture and reduce employee turn-over rate. During the first days of employees at Starbucks they are introduced to the organization with a video fro Howard Schultz, their CEO, via video educating them about the history and culture of the company which should also form part of their perspectives as they work for the business. The CEO compared their introduction process to young children. During the early years of these children people would be very much interested in raising an impression which creates self-esteem and confidence. After they are though of this, you let them go out and make their own decisions with basis and foundation from what they have previously learned about. At the company, the employees are introduced by saying how much the management cares about what they do (Gruner, 1998). This is a good company practice because it establishes a perspective which is positive for employees as they are being given the trust o f their employers. The video of the CEO greeting the newly hires is also helpful because it will create a more confident working environment for the new members of the company. The last process in employee resourcing would be releasing of employees. It must be acknowledged that no matter how the company tries its best to retain everyone and to establish a sustainable organizational culture, it is inevitable that employees will leave the organization and companies are left with no option but to just release them and let them go. Releasing is also based on deliberate company rules especially against violation of disciplinary standards and work regulations or unsatisfactory performance in their jobs. Releasing can be based on redundancy. This mans that technological advancements have been providing the tasks carried out by the employee that is why there is no more need for human effort and it is already dependent on machines. Setting higher standards with regards to performance is another factor on why companies release employees. This is true in cases where the performance of the employee is not doing the company any good at all. Furthermore, releasing can al so be voluntary. Under this, employee voluntarily leaves the company in search for better opportunities and for other personal reasons. Microsoft released a number of its employees last year in order to reduce cost. This process of releasing is deliberate to the organization. Microsoft has no intention of leaving thousands of their employees jobless; it is just that they have to cut-down on costs to be able to survive in the corporate world. Such step must have had received criticism by unions, but then ity must be realized that Microsoft just did what it thought would be ebst for cost-reduction and to maintain a sustainable performance despite a business which is actually not doing so good in the global market. The sluggish company of the present has been forcing many companies to release employees within the organization. Such a strategy should be done carefully in order not to ruin lives of employees and should include incentives and provide alternatives once employees are releas ed from the company. CONCLUSION With the above discussion, it can be deemed that indeed employee resourcing is a very important dimension in the field of human resource management. The importance of this practice is significant to both the management and the employees for it is beneficial for both parties which are concerned. The programs, procedures, and processes for managing the employees is very important for all organizations to be assured that they are employing the right people in the right job. The employee resourcing process must be bale to address all important concerns regarding the people in organizations because such will entail a long term benefit for the business once it is properly executed. The employee resourcing process must be able to illustrate the companys undertaking towards hiring the people who would be able to compete effectively, today and in the future. More importantly, such will be concerned on how the business could be able to retain its greatest asset and investment: the employees.