Earthquake Risk and Early Warning Research Paper

Earthquake Risk and Early Warning - Research Paper Example The information systems can give necessary warnings so that power grids, energy systems and nuclear reactors can be switched off to avoid further destruction. Critical equipments, vehicles and systems can be shut down to prevent explosion and destruction. Fast moving vehicles and trains can be brought to a low speed to avoid accidents. Earthquake risk in a particular location or a typical region is presented by various ground motion parameters. The values of different parameters are measured and analyzed. Ground motion parameters like particle velocity, particle acceleration, motion intensity and values of acceleration are assessed for calculating earth quake risk. The values of these parameters are taken using probabilistic analysis. Local geological conditions, location of earthquake sources and various other parameters are taken into account. Considering the ground motion amplitude with respect to the distance from the earthquake source or the centre of earthquake, different proba bility analysis is performed. Distribution of earthquake source or location of the origin is crucial while calculating earthquake risk. Using these valuable parameters earthquake risk for a particular region is assessed. Operational earthquake forecasting also helps assess risks and forecast possible quakes using different methods. With the help of different seismicity-based methods, several methods are developed to update seismic hazard maps. Different models and seismic based methods are found to be helping in predicting future earthquakes. Probable locations and the expected time are predicted using different parameters. Hazard level warnings are provided for different locations. Region, position and time are analyzed to predict a probable earth quake. Earthquake, the most feared natural calamity was once considered unpredictable as the origin and cause of earthquakes were unknown. Modern earthquake warning systems successfully predict earthquake to a certain extent through thoro ugh study of ground motion parameters and other information related to different locations. It has also been discovered why certain areas are more vulnerable to earth quakes. Earth quake is no longer ignored and considered as a calamity that arrives without any warning. The densely populated urban areas and the expected population explosion in the coming decades make it clear that the world can no longer afford a heavy earth quake. If an earth quake happens in any major city of the world, more than 10 million people would perish within moments. Nations are therefore increasingly concerned about any probable earth quake that would cause a risk to the population. Earth quake warning systems are developed so that people would be intimated of an impending hazard. An Earthquake Early Warning System has been prepared by the United States Geological Survey in order to calculate earth quake risk for the west coast of United States. This warning system provides timely warnings, alerts for a possible earth quake. These warnings are meant to ensure public safety and perform necessary precautionary measures to avoid heavy losses. Effective forecasts and warnings would warn the population about possible attacks and educate them about the do’s and don’ts while encountering an earth quake. Earth warning systems send automatic earth quake

Gender Socialization Essay Example for Free

Gender Socialization Essay Every child is born to a particular society which has its set of values, norms and belief system. The first stage of socialization of the child is the family to which he/she is born. As the child grows, he/she is introduced to the way life is lived and the role he or she is to play in the family and the society. When a child is born, the first question that anybody asks is ‘is it a boy or a girl? †. This is the beginning of gender socialization. From that point, the clothes the child wears, the kind of treatment that is given to the child and the things that are expected of the child becomes distinguished. UNICEF defined gender socialization as â€Å"a process of learning cultural roles according to ones sex, and provides examples of ways in which these are incorporated through parental and societal expectations from boys and girls† ( VAWnet, 2004). Taking a queue from my life experience and from my knowledge of socialization, I will say that the traits I see myself exhibiting are rubbed off on me as a result of my family socialization. At a very tender age, I grew to recognize my role in the family and how to relate with the elderly. My father taught me how to be a man and how to live the life of integrity and boldness, which he considered a necessity of any man. Furthermore, I grew up with an idea that some jobs were for ladies while some were for men. I was taught that men are strong and do not cave in to their emotions. I was taught how to be a fearless, courageous and decent young man and how it is my responsibility to look out for my family. Although I do not stay with my father and mother again, I still see some attributes of my father in me and sometimes when I do something, I smile and attribute that thing to what I learnt when I was growing up. Summarily, I believe no matter how hard we try not to draw a line between both sexes, the fact is we all have our roles in the society. Reference: http://new. vawnet. org/category/index_pages. php? category_id=813 â€Å"Gender Socialization† (2004). Retrieved on November 21, 2008.

Personal Narrative- Moose Hunt Essay -- Personal Narrative

Personal Narrative- Moose Hunt It was the middle of October, and it was finally time for my long awaited moose hunt. I have waited ever since I was a little girl for this opportunity, and it was finally here. So, my father and I packed up our stuff and left the warmth of Phoenix. We were leaving the "Valley of the Sun" and headed for a place called Wyoming. After two days and fourteen long hours of driving, we made it to our hunting unit. The mountains were tall (11,000 feet +) and covered with bright powdery snow. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. I was eager to set-up camp and prepare for our nine day hunt. But, Dad said that we had to drive around and check out all the good places, just to make sure that we were in the best area. This was partially understandable, but since I am a teenager I'm not supposed to understand anything! So, we spent another several hours driving. We went up and down through the mountains and then we saw it. The spot was beautiful; it was right on the edge of a vertical drop-off, over looking everything. It was like paradise, but colder! We set up our camper and got everything ready to go for morning. Sooner than I knew it, morning came and that annoying alarm clock was ringing in my ear. I slowly dragged myself out of bed and got ready to go on yet another driving/scouting trip. This would be our first opportunity to really look around and see what these mountains had to offer. We spent several days really scouting the entire unit, and we had seen several decent bulls. Finally, the evening before opening day we spotted the best bull yet, and he was right by the jeep trail! I decided that he was the one I wanted. He was with a cow and a calf, so we thought he would probably be i... ...e high in front of the lungs and behind the brisket. All of his bleeding had been internal. An inch either way would have made our tracking job a lot easier. But then I would not have had such a great story to tell! We also found that my third shot with the 300 grain hollow point went through the moose and took out both lungs. My final shot broke his spine and dropped him in his tracks. They say that the easy part of moose hunting is up until you pull the trigger. Well, if this had been the easy part, I did not want to know what the hard part was. Then, six hours later, I understood! Actually, we finally had a lucky break; a half-mile before we caught up to the moose they had crossed a jeep trail. So, after we de-boned the Moose, it only took us four hours of packing fully loaded pack frames to get him to the road†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦and we are still eating that tasty meat.

If Martin Luther King Were Ali :: essays research papers

Martin Luther King was such an inspirational leader because he appealed to not only the black population, but he appealed to all people who believed in equality and freedom. He was viewed as a clean cut, all round good man, and unlike other leaders in the movement for racial equality, did not have un-orthodox, radical views. Since people did not see him as a threat, but as a peaceful man, leading a movement, he was easy to support. For example: People are more likely to agree with a man who explains something in a non-violent, nice way, than someone who uses mud slinging, name calling, and violence to express a view.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that if Martin Luther King were alive today, that he would still continue to inspire, and lead the civil rights movement the way he did when he was alive. Martin Luther King was not just a leader of blacks, looking for equality, but as a leader of a revolution that affected all races and genders. No one like him has made such a difference in America since him, so nobody would honestly know what kind of difference Dr King would make today in the 90’s. However, in such a racial tension filled decade, a leader like Dr King, would most likely defend the rights of the rightless, and be the voice of the voiceless, as he was more than 30 years ago.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that Martin Luther King would make a tremendous amount of change in cases of mistreated Americans. Incidents such as the Rodney King beating, and Reginald Denny. Along with the cases of Abner Louima and Amadou Diallo. They were all classified as racial crimes, and all created a large amount of racial tension. Dr King was very good at defusing tension like that. He never preached radical opinions about violence or the such, just about all races getting along. Especially during the Rodney King riots in California, Martin Luther King could have made a huge difference. Instead of speaches of black pride that maybe fueled tension, I believe Dr. King would have preached Equality, and unification instead.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I somewhat believe that the death of Dr. King was a conspiracy. So many questions about the assassination have not been answered, and the ones that have, are filled with loopholes. I think that the government knows more than they tell us they do, but maybe not knowing certain things is better.

Australian development in accordance to Indigenous Rights Essay

In most practical ways, Australia is an egalitarian society. This does not mean that everyone is the same or that everybody has equal wealth or property, just that we accept all. As a country, Australia aims for the equality of all citizens; Indigenous, European and other, however these were not always the intentions of White Settlement, on the land we call home. European settlement had a severe and devastating impact on Indigenous people. Indigenous people called Australia home many hundreds of thousands of years before White Settlement came. Sadly, including the fact that the Europeans were intruding and taking over land that was not their own, the Indigenous Australians still fell victims of the invasion and sadly became slaves on their own soil. Not only did the European Australian’s discriminate against the Indigenous Australians; they murdered them too. In the 1800’s two years after the British flag was raised in Van Dieman’s Land, settlers were authorised to shoot Indigenous Australians. The displacement of Aboriginal peoples from their land resulted in a drastic decline in their population. While many Aboriginal people were killed in violent clashes over the rights to settle on the land, a vast number also died from malnourishment. But the European settlers did not stop there. From about 1910 until at least 1970, the intention of governments and Aboriginal welfare officials was to assimilate them into white society and, by controlling who they associated with and married, to eventually ‘breed out the colour’ and thus rid Australia of its Indigenous people. One of the ways they tried to achieve this was through The Stolen Generation. Children were removed to separate them permanently from the rest of their race and around 100,00 children were taken from their families. Ronald Wilson and Mick Dodson, the commission’s chairman and social justice commissioner, declared: â€Å"Nationally we can conclude with confidence that between one in three and one in ten Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and communities in the period from approximately 1910 until 1970. † Up until a certain point in history, Australians didn’t even believe that the Stolen Generation occurred and continued to ignore the rights of Indigenous Australians. However, Australia has in fact realized that these events against the Indigenous people of our land were wrong, and should never be repeated, and since then action has taken place. In 1997, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission made the most notorious accusation ever directed by a government body against Australia. It accused this country of committing genocide against the Aborigines by stealing their children. Australia has tried to make progress since acknowledging these wrongs. The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1962 entitled all Indigenous Australians to enrol and vote in Commonwealth elections. The 1967 Referendum allowed the Aboriginals to become part of the Commonwealth and removed part of the Parliament statement that discriminated against the Indigenous, allowing them to not make ‘special rules’. As a result the Indigenous Australians now have more equality in terms of the laws within Australia and the Constitution. The Redfern Address in December 1992 by Prime Minister Paul Keating was another step forward for Australia and Indigenous Rights. Keating truly connected with Indigenous Australians, making a speech to the Indigenous community of Redfern, NSW, openly and boldly admitting that Australia was to blame for the suffering of Indigenous Australians. He acknowledged on behalf of the country, the responsibility for the injustices done to Australia’s indigenous peoples. Additionally, February the 14th 2008 saw an incredible event in history for the development of Australia as a country, in accordance to Aboriginal rights, as well as being a huge importance to the Indigenous people. In Parliament, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd officially offered a broad apology to all Aborigines and the Stolen Generations for their â€Å"profound grief, suffering and loss†. He said there came a time in history when people had to reconcile the past with their future, and that as a country â€Å"we apologize. † Since recognizing the wrongs of our country, Australia has developed in accordance to Indigenous Rights. Indigenous Australians hold the status of original peoples of this land. By the Australian Government, laws now state that Indigenous Australians have the rights to: – A distinct status and culture, which helps maintain and strengthen the identity and spiritual and cultural practices of Indigenous communities, – The right to self-determination, which is a process where Indigenous communities take control of their future and decide how they will address the issues facing them, and – The right to land, which provides the spiritual and cultural basis of Indigenous communities. Although it is evident that Australia has moved forward as a country in terms of accepting and recognizing the rights of Indigenous Australians, we do have room to move even more forward. Australia still has room for improvement and further development- we are not fully satisfied and have not yet fully achieved development when it comes to Indigenous Australians. From the time they first arrived in Australia, the white settlers had attempted to ‘civilise’ the Aboriginal people. The impact of the white settlers changed their lives, and the lives of future generations, forever. The drastic effects we had on Indigenous Australians are still there. And even though Australia now accepts Indigenous people as equal citizens, they still appear to be underdeveloped. The intervention was wrong in the first place, because there was no negotiation and understanding towards the Indigenous culture. However it is too late now to walk away, attempting to create peace when harm has been done. Australia should assist in areas of Indigenous welfare, education and health, and should also continue educate white Australians to maintain a deep respect towards the Aboriginal culture, the original owners of our land.

Is Montag Truly a Fearless Fir essays

Is Montag Truly a Fearless Fir essays Farenheit 451 is a futuristic novel that concentrates on the forbidden act of reading, for this may encourage thinking. Guy Montag, the main character, is a fireman. Today, we translate the word "fireman" as someone who extinguishes fire, but in the setting and time of this novel, "fireman" has a whole different meaning than what we are accustomed to. Instead of putting out fires, Montag has the job of burning any books that can be found. His character significantly changes throughout the novel, going from ruthless and As the novel begins, Guy Montag is a fireman who enjoys his work, which, unfortunately, is to find and burn books. He is extremely apathetic to the people whom the books belong, but does not realize the impact that his job may have on some people and the damage he is actually doing. Montag seems to love destruction, for no given or noticeable reason. He even takes on the appearance of a serpent in the line, "with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world..." (p3). Even though Montag seems to be tough, he is very kind to Clarisse, the girl who had recently become his neighbor. Clarisse tells Montag that she is seventeen and crazy, but after listening to her thoughts on nature, among other things, he comes to appreciate her insight. This appreciation shows the softening of Montag's As Clarisse begins to walk with Montag daily, he grows fond of her and starts to enjoy her company. He constantly remembers the question she asked him in the beginning of the novel, "Are you happy?" (p10). After several conversations with Clarisse, he realizes that he is not truly happy with his marriage, his job, or his life in general. He admits to the readers that he has married a selfish, lazy woman. Through this view into Montag's ...

Black organisations in the USA essays

Black organisations in the USA essays The civil rights movement in the United States of America from 1954 to 1968 is an important element of the nations contemporary history. The event was a turning point in the history of Black Americans as their courage and persistence displayed led to the legislative reform of American society into a more democratic and less prejudiced country. The efforts of these protestors and was co-ordinated by large civil rights organisations, chiefly the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), the Southern Christian Leadership Committee (SCLC) and the Student Non-Violent Co-ordinating Committee (SNCC). These three organisations and their achievements are the focus of this presentation. It has always been acknowledged that Black Americans, through the civil rights movement successfully achieved equality amongst whites. This assumption has found to be relatively unsubstantial, and while success in terms of government legislation was achieved, whether African Amer icans found social justice and equality in everyday life after the movement is another story. This assignment has now reached the final stages of completion and only requires confirmation of the findings and thus the conclusions that will be made through further thorough research in the future. Few problems have been encountered between the last submission and the current presentation. The focus question has been re-worded only for the needs of using a clearer, more concise question and the need to focus research in a more beneficial direction. This slight adjustment has by no means hindered the progress of research. The events of the civil rights movement in the United States were co-ordinated by various organisations, each using different strategies in an attempt to achieve their aims of social justice for African Americans. The three most predominantly recognised organisations of the time were the NAACP, SCLC and SNCC. These three organ...

Definition and Discussion of Comparative Grammar

Definition and Discussion of Comparative Grammar Comparative grammar  is the branch of linguistics primarily concerned with the analysis and comparison of the grammatical structures of related languages or dialects.   The term comparative grammar was commonly used by 19th-century philologists. However,  Ferdinand de Saussure regarded comparative grammar as a misnomer for several reasons, the most troublesome of which is that it implies the existence of a scientific grammar other than that which draws on the comparison of languages (Course in General Linguistics, 1916). In the modern era, notes  Sanjay Jain et al., the branch of linguistics  known as comparative grammar is  the attempt to characterize the class of (biologically possible) natural languages through formal specification of their grammars; and a theory of  comparative grammar is  such a specification of  some definite collection. Contemporary theories of comparative grammar begin with Chomsky . . . , but there are several different proposals currently under investigation (Systems That Learn: An Introduction to Learning Theory, 1999). Also Known As:  comparative philology Observations If we would understand the origin and real nature of grammatical forms, and of the relations which they represent, we must compare them with similar forms in kindred dialects and languages . . ..[The task of the comparative grammarian] is to compare the grammatical forms and usages of an allied group of tongues and thereby reduce them to their earliest forms and senses.(Grammar, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1911)Comparative GrammarPast and PresentContemporary work in comparative grammar, like the comparative work carried out by nineteenth-century grammarians, is concerned with establishing [an] explanatory basis for the relationships between languages. The work of the nineteenth century focused on relationships between languages and groups of languages primarily in terms of a common ancestry. It assumed a view of linguistic change as by and large systematic and lawful (rule governed) and, on the basis of this assumption, attempted to explain the relationship between languages in terms o f a common ancestor (often a hypothetical one for which there was no actual evidence in the historical record). Contemporary comparative grammar, in contrast, is significantly broader in scope. It is concerned with a theory of grammar that is postulated to be an innate component of the human mind/brain, a faculty of language that provides an explanatory basis for how a human being can acquire a first language (in fact, any human language he or she is exposed to). In this way, the theory of grammar is a theory of human language and hence establishes the relationship among all languagesnot just those that happen to be related by historical accident (for instance, via common ancestry).(Robert Freidin, Principles and Parameters in Comparative Grammar. MIT, 1991)

Strategic Management-A report based on a strategic review of eBay Essay

Strategic Management-A report based on a strategic review of eBay - Essay Example On the other hand, favourable economic conditions initiate the growth of online shoppers within the industry. This factor has enabled the company to strengthen its financial base and cater needs of consumer market. Technological changes also influence the company to upgrade its technical capabilities. Competitive analysis reveals the fact that there is intense competition within the industry. The bargaining power of suppliers is less in comparison to bargaining power of customers. This is because availability of more players offering similar products and less switching costs involved. Internal analysis has been performed in order to evaluate internal strengths and weakness, and market opportunities and threats. On basis of value chain, swot analysis, external environmental analysis and resources and competencies certain appropriate strategies has been outlined. These strategies are then evaluated with the support of SFA framework so as to recommend most suitable strategies for future development and growth. eBay Inc., is an ecommerce company that provides business to consumer and consumer to consumer sales service through Internet. The mission of the company is to provide an online platform where individuals can trade anything thereby facilitating economic opportunity. It is an online auction company and strategies are inclined towards creating global leadership. The forces present in external environment tend to affect business operations in nearby future. Business of eBay Inc. is linked with politics as it is closely knitted with economic conditions. Political uncertainty is highly prevalent across the globe and this affects eBay’s operations since it operates worldwide. In the coming general elections, tax rate is to be increased by labour planning council (Verdin and Subramanian, 2003). On the other hand, income tax threshold is also expected to rise to 41,865 pounds from 41,450 pounds (Allen, 2006). Legal factors also

Law, Language, Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Law, Language, Power - Essay Example Thus the question that should clients trusts their lawyers to take care of their welfare and their interests? This book is based on the dynamics of professionalism between the client and the lawyer. This book shows how the relationship between the lawyer and the client can be used to draw on the resources of power to set the program of their interaction without either of them being over involved. There is the shift of power between both sides: where it is achieved, power is found through one’s ability to understand how the legal and social worlds are accepted. Both parties examine the efforts needed to create shared meanings on the nature of marriage and the reasons behind marriage failure, legal operation process and the best option for divorce closure (Sarat& Felstiner 43). Rodney king was a black motorist who happened to have been beaten and put under arrest by four white police officers. This scenario was captured by an onlooker and released to the press. Most of the public believed that the four police officers were guilty excessive use of force against Rodney as a new version of the video footage omitted Rodney charging at the police. On the day of acquitting the police officers, riots broke out leaving deaths, injuries and destruction of property ( Sarat& O’Barr 54). This case brought tensions between the police and the African Americans. Rodney’s trial shows how the ability to view a meaningful event lacks transparency and is an activity that is achieved through the use of historical practices. In many settings of work, the environment where the interplay between the situated, embodied relations and use different types of visual images can be investigated systematically. The main focus of their professional analysis of the different types of environmental representations of the visual structure. In King’s case the main evidence was provided in a videotape. Instead of directly proving the

Observation of Participational Cinema in Action Essay

Observation of Participational Cinema in Action - Essay Example Dramatic films are generally shot from a third person 'voyeur' perspective, which allows the audience to observe the unfolding events from a distance. In order to accomplish this state of awareness and acceptance from scientific films, researchers spend a great deal of time with their subject population prior to shooting any footage at all. This is meant to encourage the indigenous community to ignore the filmmaker completely and to return to their normal everyday activities. However, this idealized approach - the 'invisibility' of the camera and it's director - raises new ethical, technical, and artistic issues. The foremost argument against this style of filming lies in defining between 'research' film and 'ethnographic' film: the parameter's of the first ideally contain an undisturbed recording of environmental behavior (which can be used to deduce or extrapolate information); the latter classification is designated by it's editing, which is chosen be the filmmaker to create a narrative. Thus, as MacDougall notes, the fallacy of the all observing camera eye is itself misleading, for the camera is ultimately directed by the filmmaker's choice and/or opportunity. The camera essentially decided what small section of reality is recorded. Along similar lines, the goal of a director's self-effacement from the project is a further removal from reality: many of the filmed communities are remote and isolated to pretend that the director's physical presence has absolutely no effect on the subjects (and a feedback effect on the project itself) is ludicrous. Along this principle, subjects reactions t o cameras depends on their level of familiarity with the media itself. Filming Live with the Herds (1972), MacDougall's silent film camera became accepted by the natives on the premise that he was shooting all of the time (and would therefore present an accurate overall account); when he brings out a still camera near the end of his sojourn, his subjects automatically stuck photogenic poses (MacDougall, 1973) A Ghana director named Braun, discovered a similar effect while shooting footage in his childhood village during carnival time: when a girl noticed him shooting from a rooftop, she began to perform. She grew angry when the camera's attention no longer focused on her, leading Braun's narrative to hypothesize about the power relationship between the camera and its subjects (Pink). Cerezo, Martinez and Ranera, three anthropologists recording African workers in Spain, showed some of their footage to their subjects. Because they had access to television, the workers objected to their own images as being ugly and impoverished, which has resulted in the anthropological argument that visual footage cannot be taken without the express consent of the subjects (Pink). Yet MacDougall takes this argument one step further. In requesting permission to film a community while simultaneously denying them any information to the direction of the film of footage that has been shot, the director "withholds the openness" he requires from his subjects. While this may be rooted in the director's fear of influencing the community's behavior, it also denies him the input of the community information which may prove inaccessible any other way (MacDougall, 1973

Point of Dispensing During Disasters Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Point of Dispensing During Disasters - Assignment Example The smooth running of the POD requires planning and coordination with all the various people involved. This response is carried out in collaboration as well as in accordance to the emergency and disaster management plan set up by the state and local administration in case there is one. POD is important as it prevents any infectious diseases that may occur during the disaster from spreading to other people. It also assists in continuing the medication and treatment of the prior medical conditions of victims of the disaster such as asthma and even mental health problems. It also prevents medical stocks in the local public health department and hospitals from running out during the entire duration of the disaster. The PODs also make referrals to other hospitals outside the area or within the area for the more severe medical conditions that cannot be handled on the ground. With the chaos that follows the occurrence of a disaster, it is important to have medical assistance which is free and will cater for the temporary health care needs of the people which are what POD does. The operation of POD is not an easy task as it involves the coordination of many people and organizations. After the disaster is reported, the ICS takes control of the situation. It starts with the planning of the Incidence Control Center where the POD will be set up. This is followed by getting in touch with the local and state public health department to provide the medical staff and first responders. The community is called upon by their leaders to provide volunteers who will be needed for the various activities taking place in the POD. Depending on the magnitude of the disaster, multiple POD centers are set up which offer similar activities (Public Health, 2009). These locations are determined by their accessibility, security and appropriate layout. Drive through POD is also possible to ease congestion in the POD locations. This happens in high-class neighbourhoods and where suitable locations are difficult to manage and operate in.

Analysis of the movie October Sky in terms of socialization Essay

Analysis of the movie October Sky in terms of socialization - Essay Example He is unable to 'think big' in the context of intellectual freedom and the procedure is just the extension of the local neighborhood, or in other words, the coal mines. As we have seen in the novel "Germinal" by Emil Zola, the local characters other than Homer tends to be engrossed by the day to day living and livelihood of the mines and are just unable to think beyond the parameters of their circumstances. "That is simply what happens to kids in Coalwood, at least those who can't escape by means of a football scholarship. They become coal miners, fighting to make a living, threatening to strike, and choking on coal dust." (Chastain, Norman Transcript) In this scenario, Homer finds himself in a situation where he finds no alternative other than rockets to opt for a better living. He tries to influence other kids to help him build rockets. The two other teens who agreed to help him out in this matter appears to be no as foresighted as Homer and are generally reluctant with a tint of amusement included to it. But all is not that muted after all. As in our social life, Homer finds a supportive hand in his mother and his school teacher.

Point of Dispensing During Disasters Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Point of Dispensing During Disasters - Assignment Example The smooth running of the POD requires planning and coordination with all the various people involved. This response is carried out in collaboration as well as in accordance to the emergency and disaster management plan set up by the state and local administration in case there is one. POD is important as it prevents any infectious diseases that may occur during the disaster from spreading to other people. It also assists in continuing the medication and treatment of the prior medical conditions of victims of the disaster such as asthma and even mental health problems. It also prevents medical stocks in the local public health department and hospitals from running out during the entire duration of the disaster. The PODs also make referrals to other hospitals outside the area or within the area for the more severe medical conditions that cannot be handled on the ground. With the chaos that follows the occurrence of a disaster, it is important to have medical assistance which is free and will cater for the temporary health care needs of the people which are what POD does. The operation of POD is not an easy task as it involves the coordination of many people and organizations. After the disaster is reported, the ICS takes control of the situation. It starts with the planning of the Incidence Control Center where the POD will be set up. This is followed by getting in touch with the local and state public health department to provide the medical staff and first responders. The community is called upon by their leaders to provide volunteers who will be needed for the various activities taking place in the POD. Depending on the magnitude of the disaster, multiple POD centers are set up which offer similar activities (Public Health, 2009). These locations are determined by their accessibility, security and appropriate layout. Drive through POD is also possible to ease congestion in the POD locations. This happens in high-class neighbourhoods and where suitable locations are difficult to manage and operate in.

Reflective Activity Week 8.2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflective Activity Week 8.2 - Essay Example As a result the entire organization began to deteriorate. The workers stopped producing quality work; there was an increase in absenteeism, an increase in unpunctuality, customers began to make more official complaints, the financial aspect of business began to decline and the output began to decrease. In short there was a total decline in the overall performance of the organization. The change initiative was therefore unsuccessful on all counts. The first stage of Lewin’s change process unfreezing involves preparing the organization for a necessary change. In our case there was no preparation – one morning we had a male manager and by the afternoon the organization was headless. There was no time to prepare. The new head came within a week. This individual had no idea of the organization’s culture but began to change everything that was formally in place within the first week of duty. Again there was little preparation – there was little communicated to t he members. Instead we were assigned additional duties without thorough explanation. In hindsight one can see that the manager attacked the organization from its core, that is, from the beliefs, values and behaviors of the employees. As such, the subordinates and the managers were in constant opposition to each other.

Validity, Credibility, & Reliability Essay Example for Free

Validity, Credibility, Reliability Essay When seeking out the validity, credibility, and reliability of a source there can be a vast array of sources to compare when seeking this answer. For example, when validating a source we can research the author and his or her background pertaining to the data in question. Data within a claim can be meant to sway the reader one way or the other, with this in mind, I look at who and what there is to gain from this claim. I can use the gun ban debate stewing in Washington for a great example. President Obama has been pushing for tougher regulations and bans on specific fire arms and related accessories based upon the elementary school shooting in Connecticut implying that this will contest the amount of damage and casualties occurred in mass shootings when statistically more people are killed by drunk drivers in society compared to mass shootings, but yet anyone over the age of 21 can purchase any amount of alcohol. However, even statistics can be swayed depending on the pool of interested parties involved. Some methods I use to determine the reliability of data is to first seek the source from which the data is from. Typically I then seek out other sources in which I can compare that specific data against to validate the data is solid and not transparent. I then will analyze the different sources to be sure there is somewhat of a streamline when these sources are compared.

Evaluation Of Hrm Policies In Nestle Management Essay

Evaluation Of Hrm Policies In Nestle Management Essay Bob Kane, John Crawford and David Grant (1999) research discussed the effectiveness of HRM policies in Australian and New Zealand organizations. The authors had highlighted that HRM effectiveness could be achieved through soft and hard approaches. They had also identified the barriers to effective implementation of HRM policies. The first barriers as identified in the research paper were the low priority of top management towards HRM issues as they focused towards power and control. Second barrier as explained was the competencies of HR personnel to implement a credible HRM programs within the organization. Third barrier concerned the lack of knowledge about the long term impact of effective HRM programs. This study specifically focused on problems or barriers which had a negative impact on HRM effectiveness. For that purpose, researchers gathered responses from managers, employees and HR staff. They measured respondents perception of both hard and soft approaches which had been practiced in various organization. Researchers floated questioners that targeted managers, employees and HR personnel of organization of Australia , New Zealand, USA, UK and Canada. The questionnaire consisted of 42 questions. A total 702 respondents completed the questionnaires. The result indicated that employees and managers were not satisfied with HR personnel as their policies were not effective in order to improve the employee motivation, satisfaction and commitment. The research concludes that HRM polices can be achieved through soft and hard HRM approaches however companies have failed to successfully implement HRM policies due to lack of the support of companys top level management and inadequate and incompetent HRM staff. The researchers defined soft HRM approach as employee motivation, commitment and development. This approach plays a significant role in a business to create a work environment where employees work efficiently for the company. Employees can enhance their skills through trainings and commitment which creates a competent workforce. This workforce allows the companies to enjoy competitive advantage over its rivals. Another approach as identified in the paper is HARD HRM approach also known as strategic HRM. This approach of the view that HRM effectiveness can be achieved through implementation of cost reducing measures in human resources. Tanuja Agarwala (2002) in his research paper the author had studied the factors which had changed the trends in Human Resource Practices. Rapid change in technology had brought innovation in the human resource activities (r recruitment, selection, training, appraisals etc). The study also highlighted organizational effects and employees outcomes which were directly inclined to creative HR practices. This study focused on the growing trends of Human Resource Management. It also focused on outcomes by appling innovative HR policies within the organization. Tanuja Agarwala (2002) conducted in-depth interviews to understand the emerging trends of innovation in human resource management. A total of 21 in-depth interviews were conducted with private sector organization and public sector organizations. The entire experts believed that innovation in HRM had brought positive changes in organizations as it increased the skills and commitment of the employees. He also stated that people were organizations precious assets and innovative human resource policies would increase the skills of the employees. The variables and their relationships deduced were most significant for my research. Innovative HR practices (recruitment, selection, testing, training, appraisals) directly influences the overall organizational climate. It also has an impact on employees performance, attitude and his knowledge and skills. These practices also had an impact on the organizational productivity, employee turnover and financial performance. R.S. Dwivedi (2001) study highlighted the key competencies required for selection and training and development of key managers. The three competencies as indentified by the author were interpersonal communication skills, leadership skills and motivational skills. The research was conducted on 106 successful managers of Indian organization. This study focused to identify the interpersonal communication styles of successful managers, transformational or transactional leadership among managers and the factors which motivate people at work. It also intended to identify the key competencies required to make HRM decision in Indian organizations. The author deduced that consultative communication style was considered more feasible then despotic style. Moreover mostly managers in the sample were equipped with transformational leadership which enables the strengthening of the organization. The author also identifies that employees could be motivated by satisfying their needs and wants. Thus these competencies as identified in the paper were significant for my research and they can be sued as a key to make critical HR decisions. Marcel Van Marrewijk and Jonna Timmers(2003) in addition to human resource management introduced a new approach called Human capital management. Human capital management stressed on alignment between individual and organization as it is the key to successful management. The authors highlight that human resource management only deals with recruitment, retention and rousing the workforce. However it doesnt play an important role in order to bring motivation and commitment among the employees. On the other hand, the new approach ( HCM) embodied the features of human resource management and provides undiminished values. Human capital management aligned with employees in three domains: Human operations, corporate identity and values and human development with the goals of dedication, commitment and motivation respectively. Therefore human capital management outshines human resource management in every possible way. Mark A. Youndt, Scott A. Snell, James W. Dean, Jr. and David P. Lepak (Aug.1996) research examined two alternative views-universal and contingency- of the human resources (HR) in manufacturing industry. This study was conducted to study determine the degree to which Human resource management policies have an impact on firms overall performance. It also focused to analyze the relationship between human resource management and operational performance of the firm. It also studied the linkages between manufacturing strategies and HR policies and its impact on the overall performance of the firm. It was revealed from the research that contingency approach (human resource management on the basis of cost, quality and flexibility) was better than universal approach. Shaping HR practices according to the organizational strategies was the key for competitive advantage. The results suggested that HR practices intended to foster employees and create an egalitarian work environment positively influence operational performance when matched with quality manufacturing strategies. Thus the notion of HR practices on the basis of cost, quality and flexibility holds significant value for my research. Marianne J. Koch and Rita Gunther McGrath. (1996) deduced that positive and significant effects of labor productivity are found for organizations that utilize more sophisticated human resource planning, recruitment, and selection strategies. The hypothesis of this study were overall human resource sophistication and investment in hiring, human resource planning and employee development will have a positive effect on labor productivity. In this study, labor productivity being the dependent variable was being influenced by independent variables such as investments in human resource planning, hiring and training. Results had shown that investment in human resource management do pay off as workforce becomes more productive and works efficiently to attain the goals of the organization. Research indicated that firms that systematically train and develop their workers are more likely to enjoy the rewards of a more productive workforce than those that do not. Robert Roepke, Ritu Agarwal, Thomas W. Ferratt (2000) case study illustrated how 3M had been able to foster the competencies of IT professionals which in turn turned out to be a competitive advantage for the firm. 3M capitalized its sources and introduced innovative human resource management policies within the organization. The finding of this case study also indicated that investment in improving the leadership capabilities of the employees was essential for success of the firm. Those capabilities can be fostered through trainings and development of the employees, assistance, flexibility and interpersonal understandings. W. Hatch and Jeffrey H. Dyer (2004) also emphasized on investment in human capital in order to have a competitive advantage. It would increase the overall productivity and performance of the firms. The authors also stressed the importance of learning as it was necessary to foster the skills of employees. The hypothesis of this research were: screening tests improve learning through performance, higher human resource education increase learning, and greater investment in human resource field also increases performance. The data was collected through questionnaires and follow-up interviews in different semi-conductors industries of USA, Asia and Europe. Regression analysis was conducted on the data for findings. Results suggested that firms which had practiced proper selection, development and deployment of the employees enjoyed greater productivity and higher returns. Tests like screening tests in the selection process would enable the organization to have a skilled pool of employees as compared to the competitors. Development of the individual skills is essential in manufacturing industry as it enables the firms to achieve the excellence in operations of the firm. Michael Haid (2008) stated that proper implementation of HR practices would increase the commitment and retention of key individuals of organization. Certain HR practices such as manager support, social responsibility and performance appraisal practices would have a positive impact on employees morale as his satisfaction and overall motivation level increased. Michael Haid laid heavy emphasis on managers skills as it was necessary to increase the motivation and commitment level of the employees working under them. Trainings from mentors and coaches would enable employees to foster their competencies and allow the organization to enjoy competitive advantage. The author also stated that organization should be socially responsible as it was necessary for employees determination and commitment towards organization goals. By practicing these policies, employees would be satisfied, committed and found pride in their organization. The employers on the other hand would be able to retain their key employees. Geetanjali Pandit Gupta (2009) in his article discussed his point of view on the importance of HR practices as they played an important role in any industry particularly services. In his article, writer gave suggestion and advisees to Cineplex in order to improve its services in India. He believed that effective HR policies are critical in service sector as there was a direct interaction between customers and employees on multiple touch points. Satisfying the customers were necessary for the company. Choosing the right personnel for the job was a main duty of HR personnel in any organization. Careful recruitment and selection process were required to recruit a skilled workforce. Geetanjali Pandit Gupta (2009) also believed that training of the employees was necessary to improve the skills of the employees working in any service organization. Objectives The basic purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate the HR programs of Nestle. To identify the strengths and weaknesses of HR programs in Nestle. To study the effectivenss of motivational techniques being used by managers. To recommend innovative HR practices in order to increase the competencies, skills and motivational level of employees. To study the impact of employees competencies on firms performance. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Hypothesis Testing Employee motivation H0: there is no significant impact of employee motivation on HRM programs H1: there is significant impact of employee motivation on HRM programs Employees commitment H0: there is no significant impact of employees commitment on HRM programs H1: there is significant impact of employees commitment on HRM programs Employee development H0: there is no significant impact of employee development on HRM programs H1: there is significant impact of employee development on HRM programs Technology H0: there is no significant impact of technology on HRM programs H1: there is significant impact of technology on HRM programs organizational productivity H0: there is no significant impact of organizational productivity on HRM programs H1: there is significant impact of organizational productivity on HRM programs employee turnover H0: there is no significant impact of employee turnover on HRM programs H1: there is significant impact of employee turnover on HRM programs financial performance H0: there is no significant impact of financial performance on HRM programs H1: there is significant impact of financial performance on HRM programs leadership skills H0: there is no significant impact of leadership skills on HRM programs H1: there is significant impact of leadership skills on HRM programs

Greek Pride in the Individual :: Ancient Greece Greek History

Greek Pride in the Individual The culture of ancient Greece reflects the importance of the individual in society in many different ways. The Greeks used art, philosophy, and even their system of government to convey their beliefs in the importance of one single man in a society. Greek artists showed value for the individual. All people were portrayed in Greek art, from the sagging old woman to the ideal athlete. Although early Greek art focused on the human ideal, their later art shows that the Greeks appreciated all forms, and found the human body in general to be a beautiful thing. Even the gods in Greek art showed how highly the Greeks valued humanity. The gods were depicted as humans, and were made to human scale; no huge overpowering deity was ever portrayed in their art. The Greeks appreciated themselves in their art as much as they appreciated the gods. Even on the most famous temple of all time, the Parthenon, humans were portrayed. The frieze that adorned the upper face of the Parthenon depicted the human procession in honour of the god Athena. It was not just sculptures and architecture that showed Greek pride in the individual. Greek drama showed a huge appreciation for humans in all their glory. The Greeks valued human emotions; their plays covered a wide array of subjects, all the way from the tragedies of war to the comedic side of a society in the perils of war. These subjects made it possible to reveal the Greek appreciation for real life situations, showing the value they placed on human actions, but most of all on human nature. Like the various forms of Greek art, the government of ancient Greece appreciated the individual by creating an environment in which individuals were free to express themselves. Tyrants like Pisistratus and Cleisthenes came to power to try and make the polis a better place for the individual. These tyrants reformed the state in many ways; they helped make it possible for the rich and poor to have equal rights, and they created the conditions for the construction of the splendid monumental buildings ancient Greece is remembered for today. Although not all tyrants were good, they all had one thing in common: they were all citizens of Greece, and ruled to improve the lifestyle of the citizens of Greece. After the end of tyranny, Greece had a democracy; a government ruled by the people for the people.

A Critical Review of a Senco

A critical review on the role of the SENCO and dyslexia: how this role has been affected and impacted upon by recent legislation Introduction The BDA Dyslexia Friendly Schools Pack for Teachers (2009) provides an overall guide of what dyslexia is and how a dyslexia friendly school should be delivering education to the dyslexic learner. The writers begin with a definition of dyslexia stating that â€Å"dyslexia is a learning difference, a combination of strengths and weaknesses†.This is an informative definition as opposed to the recommendation of Norwich et al (2005) that exemplary schools should promote an inclusive school system whereby dyslexia is considered but not in isolation. The BDA (2009) state that importance ought to be placed on acknowledging dyslexia as â€Å" a specific learning difficulty† as a specific learning difference† so that teaching is inclusive and focuses on all learners rather than just the dyslexic learner who may already feel something is wrong with them.However, I stress that this general definition is simplistic and I agree with Reid that there should be a working/operational definition. Reid’s definition of dyslexia is more informative: There may be visual and phonological difficulties and there is usually some discrepancy in performances in different areas of learning. It is important that the individual differences and learning styles are acknowledged since these will affect outcomes of assessment and learning. (p. 4-5, Reid, 2003).The BDA (2009) conclude to achieve BDA Quality Mark status, LEAs and their associated schools must encourage and identify outstanding practice in following and improving access to education for all learners. I feel that planning a dyslexia friendly school has the effect of improving the learning of not just the dyslexic learner but other pupils as well. According to Snowling et al (2011), dyslexia is seen to be a â€Å"deficit in phonological skills which, in turn, compromi ses the ability to learn the grapheme–phoneme mappings that underpin competence in an alphabetic system†.Snowling et al’s (2011) research underpins the classic definition of dyslexia that it is a specific reading difficulty whereby literacy under achievement is apparent and falls below the accepted level given the intelligence of the learner. This study is important: it goes beyond recounting dyslexia at the behavioural level (i. e. incorrect spelling and reading) to taking into consideration weaknesses at the cognitive level that explicate the practical problems (Morton & Frith, 1995).Dyslexic learners have deficits in three linked but dissimilar areas of phonological processing: â€Å"phonological awareness (the ability to attend to and manipulate sounds in words); phonological memory (memory for speech-based information – also referred to as verbal memory); and naming (providing the spoken label for a visual referent)†. (Vellutino et al. , 2004). Consequently, recent definitions of dyslexia have discarded the need for literacy to be appreciably below general aptitude, and have taken a widely accepted view of dyslexia with â€Å"phonological processing as a core deficit† (Lyon, Shaywitz & Shaywitz, 2003). ContextThe context in which I am employed is a small mainstream one-form entry Church of England voluntary aided primary school. The school is situated in a deprived inner city area in the London borough of Lewisham where 25% of the 225 children on roll from Nursery through to Year 6 are eligible for Free School Meals. This is significantly higher than 2006 national figures of 16% of all primary school children receiving Free School Meals (FSM). The number of children currently identified as having a Special Educational Need is 47, or 20. 8% of the total school population which is slightly higher than 2005 national figures of 18%.The figure of 1. 7% is the number of SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) c hildren who have a Statement of Special Educational Need – lower than national figures of 3% – and the remainder of the SEND population comprises overwhelmingly of children on School Action Plus (78% – 67. 5% represented by boys and 32. 5% represented by girls) and approximately 8% of SEND children on School Action. The largest identified area of special need in the school falls under SLCN ( Speech, Language and Communication Need ) as set out in the SEN Code of Practice 2001 where 61% of SEND children have a medical diagnosis of receptive and/or xpressive language difficulty, followed by 21% of SEND children with a medical diagnosis of and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Other types of need are Down’s Syndrome ( 2%), Apert’s Syndrome (2%), Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties SEBD (6%), Dyslexia (2%) and more generally literacy difficulties which are under investigation for potential specific causes (6%). These needs are justifiable as t hey have been recognised and identified as such by relevantly qualified and external agencies or are in the process of being more specifically identified .A critical review of the role of the SENCO The role of the SENCo has developed through government policy and undergone significant changes in the past decade with the introduction of the statutory SEN Code of Practice 2001 which states that the role of the SENCo includes identifying and placing pupils in need of special educational provision on a graduated system, liaising with parents and other professionals in regards to children with SEND and advising and supporting other practitioners in the field amongst other responsibilities.This was largely interpreted as a co-ordinating role whereby Teaching Assistants ( in at least 36% of schools ) were employed in this capacity and contributed to disparities in provision nationally as well as a divergence of roles. In 2009 new government regulations and amendments to the SEN Code of Pra ctice 2001 required SENCos to be qualified teachers and for those teachers new to the role to undergo compulsory training in the form of the National Award of SEN Coordination.The 2006 House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee Report on SEN clearly defines the role of the SENCo as a strategic leader, and recommended that SENCos â€Å"should in all cases be qualified teachers and in a senior management position in the school as recommended in the SEN Code of Practice†. (Recommendation 84) Statutory and regulatory frameworks and relevant developments at national and local level The SEN Code of Practice 2001 remains the statutory legislation governing SEN practice and provision.The 2001 Code of Practice replaces the 1994 Code of Practice, although it retains much of the original guidance, but takes into account developments in education since 1994 and includes new obligations introduced by the SEN and Disability Act 2001. The 2001 Code of Practice promotes a more co nsistent approach to meeting the needs of children with SEN and focuses on preventative work and early identification as well as developing strong partnerships between parents, schools, local authorities, health and social services and voluntary organisations.The school Special Educational Needs and Disability policy is largely based on the SEN Code of Practice 2001 and incorporates elements of the statutory Disability Discrimination Act 2005, as well as local authority guidance of national policy, such as the Lewisham school action & school action plus guidance 2010. The school policy clearly states: â€Å"A child is deemed to have special educational needs when they are seen to have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of their age group, or have a disability which significantly hinders their use of educational facilities.When such difficulties or disabilities persistently demand the planning of educational provision different from that of the rest of th e class, the child is placed on the Special Needs and Disabilities Profile. This is a confidential list of children for whom extra support may be necessary and whose progress will be monitored by the class teacher and Inclusion Manager. † ( Rose & Lyle, 2011, p1) Some elements of the SEN Code of Practice 2001 framework are guidance, whilst others must be observed.This includes ensuring liaison with parents and other professional in respect to children with SEN, ensuring that Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are in place and that relevant information about individual children with SEN is collated, recorded and updated. The Code ensures that schools and local authorities must examine their practice and provision for children with SEN and that they are accountable by law – e. g. offering full access to a broad, balanced and relevant education.The Code of Practice emphasises the right of a child with SEN to access mainstream education through the development of provision i n such settings to meet â€Å"a wide spectrum of SEN† (COP 2001, 7:52-7:63) that may overlap in the categories of communication and interaction, cognition and learning, behaviour, emotional and social development and sensory and/or physical needs. The provision provided may involve well-differentiated Quality First teaching (Edwards 2010), intervention programmes including withdrawal from lass, specialist teaching or therapy or attendance ( full or part time ) at a specialist setting. Children are to be identified as early as possible and their needs met through a graduated approach within the school’s own resources ( School Action), additional support from external agencies ( School Action Plus ), or if progress is inadequate and further support from the Local authority is required, a Statement of Special Educational Needs may be issued.As I prepared this essay, I have identified a number of key tensions in my particular school: Whilst class teachers in my school acce pt, in accordance with the National Curriculum Inclusion Statement 1999, that they must respond to children’s diverse learning needs and overcome potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils, including those with SEND, there has been a lack of clarity over the meaning of the term â€Å"inclusion† and with whom the overall responsibility of children on the SEND register lies.This is hardly surprising as there is little consensus on the precise meaning of ‘inclusion’ at national levels – OFSTED tend to view inclusion as minimising inequalities for groups of children – eg. including those with SEND, on FSM, gender, race or attainment – whilst teachers primarily regard inclusion chiefly in terms of individuals with SEND ( NASUWT Report 2008, p. 17 ) and their â€Å"right† to be included in a mainstream classroom and how to best achieve this.Increasingly, I favour a model which allows individual children – whether SEND, English as an Additional Language (EAL) or non-SEND – to access an education which best meets their needs based as much as possible within the mainstream classroom but through withdrawing children for specialist 1:1 or small group teaching depending on their needs and the gaps in their knowledge relative to their peers and age-related expectations.The non-statutory Removing Barriers for Achievement (2004) highlights that all teachers – not just the SENCO or Inclusion Manager – are responsible for teaching children with SEND. This also includes communicating the message to class teachers that they are often best placed to initially notice difficulties a child may be having and by making certain referral forms available to them, thereby actively engaging them in jointly taking responsibility for SEND or potential SEND children in their classes.The Every Child Matters (2004) agenda is currently not statutory and is now being re-draft ed as Every Child Achieves in a new White Paper, although the five original outcomes remain. The 5 outcomes are: to stay safe, to be healthy, to enjoy and achieve, to make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being. The focus for schools not only has to be upon ensuring that all staff are aware of the 5 outcomes, but also on the impact and progress made towards the 5 outcomes by all pupils and individuals within vulnerable groups, such as children with Special Educational Needs.Such agendas which sit alongside other requirements on class teachers to also focus on group outcomes such as groups of children attaining age –related expectations hence creates pulls in opposing directions as to the levels of attainment a child is achieving and the best outcome for that child – or â€Å"competing rather than complementary agendas. There is a lack of clarity as to whether educational policy is concerned with ‘normalisation’ and conformity, or genuinel y values diversity and difference (NASUWT Report 2008, p. 18 ). This tension is a theme which continues in the form of ‘narrowing the gaps’ between groups and ‘accelerated progress’.In the case of children with Speech and Language difficulties or dyslexic tendencies, these terms appear contradictory and oxymoronic – as typically such children need reinforcement and over learning compared to their peers operating at age-related expectations. It is hard to see how such children can make the requisite amount of progress as measured by national age-related attainment standards ( and making a minimum of 2 sub levels progress a year ) as opposed to progress as measured against their individual areas of weakness and specific difficulties.Measured this latter way, their progress may well be excellent although a system of levels and sub-levels may fail to be sensitive enough to chart this progress. I am therefore examining ways such as building in pre- and po st intervention screening for relevant children and considering using Assessing Pupils’ Progress (APP) Speaking and Listening levels in addition to National Curriculum levels in Reading, Writing and Maths to more sensitively measure progress.The contribution of extended services, such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Educational Psychology, Family Services, and Early Intervention Services to improve outcomes for children as set out in ECM(2004) is welcomed, although it is hard to measure the impact and the progress that this may have for a number of reasons: in changing times, it is at times difficult to keep abreast of developments and changes to services offered and their accessibility; various services may have a varying level of impact on different children and their families; not all parents are receptive – and some positively resistant – to accepting referrals to certain services; there can be a diffusion of responsibility once vario us agencies are involved. As a SENCo, one would encounter all of these barriers and find that developing good working, collaborative and supportive relationships with all representatives of extended services that a SENCo works closely with as well as parents is the best way forward and ensuring that communication channels are maintained.This has to be carefully weighed against issues of data protection and confidentiality by ensuring for example that Common Assessment Frameworks (CAFs) are raised before information is shared between agencies and that all sensitive information is stored in a safe location to which only a SENCo and the Headteacher have access. However, to enable class teachers to better understand the needs of children that a SENCo teaches on a daily basis, the SENCo would ensure that all class teachers are provided with relevant reports from external agencies and that these are used appropriately to inform planning and provision for a child within both a classroom an d wider school setting.High incidence of SEN and dyslexia – how they can affect pupils’ participation and learning and strategies to remove barriers to learning Baroness Warnock is quoted: â€Å"SEN has come to be the name of a single category, and the government uses it as if it is the same problem to include a child in a wheelchair and a child with Asperger’s, and that is conspicuously untrue† (The Guardian, Tuesday January 31, 2006). Indeed, the 2006 House of Commons Select Committee Report on Special Educational Needs acknowledges that â€Å"children exist on a broad continuum of needs and learning styles but do not fit into neat categories of different sorts of children – those with and without SEN.The category of â€Å"SEN† is an arbitrary distinction that leads to false classifications and, it can be argued that, this is what is causing the high levels of conflict and frustration with all those involved. † (p. 36) This has ofte n been my experience when discussing the progress of various pupils on the SEND register with senior leadership who frequently use the terminology â€Å"SEND† and â€Å"non-SEND†. I am of the opinion that this is a blanket term which does little to understand the true nature of individual children’s difficulties and how best to address these. OFSTED comparison of groups engenders such an approach and is not sensitive enough to the variation between individuals.In the case of my school, it appears that the group most at risk of underachieving is higher ability girls – with no SEN! With an emphasis on the social context of special educational needs, Removing Barriers to Achievement (2004, p. 8,) states: â€Å"Difficulties in learning often arise from an unsuitable environment – inappropriate grouping of pupils, inflexible teaching styles, or inaccessible curriculum – as much from individual children’s physical, sensory or cognitive imp airments. Children’ emotional and mental health needs may also have a significant impact on their ability to make the most of the opportunities in school, as may family circumstances. †These considerations, combined with evidence that there is a link between social deprivation and SEN nationally – as well as underachievement nationally and social deprivation, can make identification of SEN problematic in my school, especially at School Action Level – for example, is a child making poor progress in reading and writing because of difficulties such as potential dyslexia, or through poor parenting and a lack of exposure to books at home? Or both? Should the child be on the SEND register and is he/she underachieving? In such cases, assessment and targeted intervention at the specific area of weakness can help differentiate between a range of possible factors, but it may not always be so clear cut. What is clear is that these difficulties need to be addressed to minimise the longer term effects on such a child’s development and to help them succeed in the future.This can involve working very closely, and in partnership with parents in order to create a sustainable and longer term solution. The OFSTED Special Educational Needs and Disability Review 2010 found that the term ‘Special Educational Needs’ was too widely used with up 50% of schools visited using low attainment and slow progress as the key indicators of a special educational need, with in some cases, very little further assessment. According to the report, 50% of all pupils identified for School Action would not be identified as such if, â€Å"schools focussed on improving teaching and learning for all, with individual goals for improvement† (p. 3). This suggested a culture of underachievement due to low pupil expectations and poor mainstream teaching provision.It also found that pupils identified as having special educational needs were disproportionate ly from disadvantaged backgrounds and achieved less well than their peers in terms of attainment and progress over time. Parents were keen to have their children formally recognised as having special educational needs in order to ensure additional support for their child. The quality of the additional support from within or outside the school was not found to be good by inspectors. Provision was often not appropriate or of good enough quality and did not lead to better outcomes for the child. The review found that no one model or setting of special needs provision worked better than another.The key findings included improving the quality of assessment, improving teaching at an early stage to avoid additional provision at a later stage, ensuring that schools do not over-identify children as having special educational needs when better Quality First Teaching was required, ensuring that additional support was effective and developing specialist provision and services. A result of such findings and the implications for my school have been: 1. A reduction in the number of children placed on School Action – either by not being placed on the SEND register, or by being removed from it. In many cases, identified labels were â€Å"behavioural†.There is evidence that good class teacher behaviour management, combined with weekly visits from a pupil referral unit outreach worker, as well as a Learning Mentor, has helped to remove some emotional barriers to some children’s learning. However, definitions of ‘behavioural difficulty’ can still remain unclear as this can be a fluid and relative term dependent on the setting of a class and the nature and frequency of behavioural challenge – and hence vary nationally as well as within a school. Children remaining on school action are largely children with ongoing literacy difficulties, whose difficulties are being examined more specifically as suspected dyslexia. 2.Improved training for Te aching Assistants who are often the staff working closely with children identified with SEND. This has included in-house training and attendance on specific courses as well as reaching a minimum standard in Maths and English. Time factors and competing demands on Teaching Assistants’ time however are considerable constraints and hinder the impact that this training may have. The school now employs a NumbersCounts maths specialist. The impact of this specialist teaching needs greater time to develop to measure its effectiveness – although I do not feel that curriculum sub-levels may necessarily be the best way to measure this impact for certain children. 3.A focus on Quality First teaching so that all staff educate, share and promote practical and achievable ways for every class teacher to adopt strategies as a matter of daily routine that are inclusive to children with Speech and Language difficulties and dyslexic tendencies – to embed this in a culture of good general practice and reduce the potential for children to be classified as ‘SEN’ when underachievement is the issue and provide a good learning environment for all children – including those with SEN. The Code of Practice (2001) outlines four main areas of need – cognition and learning, behaviour, emotional and social development needs, communication and interaction and sensory and/or physical needs. Compared to national 2006 figures ( DfES Special Educational Needs in England, January 2006. SFR23/2006), our school has a far higher incidence of Speech and Language difficulties including dyslexia ( 61% of the SEND egister ) ASD ( 21%) than the national figures ( 14. 3% and 2. 4% respectively ) but a much lower incidence of BESD ( 6% to 26. 5% nationally ). Part of the reason may be recent school investment in enhanced Speech and Language Service from the NHS, where the school together with 4 other local schools, funds weekly Speech and Language therapist ti me. This has lead to a high rate of referrals, which has led to a higher rate of detection. This picture is not evenly spread however – the investment in Speech and Language, although justifiable as such difficulties impede access to many parts of the curriculum, comes at a cost to other categories of SEND as identified by the Code of Practice.Other children’s need are not always met quickly ( sometimes more than 2 terms ) despite early identification due to lengthy waiting times for assessments with ‘low level, high incidence’ learning difficulties such as dyslexia having low priority in the hierarchy of urgency . There are only 2 Specialist Teachers qualified to formally diagnose dyslexia provided by the Lewisham Inclusion Service to support the needs of children in mainstream settings whose time is shared between 92 schools in the borough. This means that specialist provision increasingly needs to be provided within the school setting and is dependent o f current staff levels of expertise.This can create variability in the quality of provision for children with SEN across schools in the same locality. In accordance with the Equalities Act 2010 and Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (2001), schools must make reasonable adjustments for children with SEN and disabilities to access testing that does not discriminate against them on the basis of their disability or special need. A learner with a Statement of Special Educational Needs automatically qualifies for up to 25% additional time in order to complete testing in Reading, Writing and Mathematics at the end of KS2 – however changes in the criteria for awarding Statements of SEN in Lewisham have amounted to fewer statements being issued and financial savings for the authority.A diagnosis of dyslexia would not however result in additional time if the learner does not have a Statement unless considerable additional documentation is provided. The use of a scribe, transc ript, technology such as a laptop or reader however for a dyslexic learner is discretionary upon a school’s assessment of the learner’s need in order to access the tests and can be easily arranged. It is at least reasonable for Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) guidelines to permit such measures as scribes or laptops to remove potential barriers to performance for children with certain types of need under formal examination conditions to access the knowledge held by children who may not best be able to demonstrate in written form.In conclusion, whilst various governmental policies have aimed to improve the outcomes for children with SEND, there are difficulties – some unforeseen – between the principles set out and the translation of these into practice, with gaps and variations on local and national levels. We await the forthcoming new legislation around SEND and the implications that this will have on the ever-developing role of th e SENCo forging a strategic path to best meet the needs – Special Educational and otherwise – of families and children within a tighter resource framework. References Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. DfEE 581/2001 November 2001 QCA Curriculum guidelines for learners with learning difficulty and special arrangements during Key Stage 2 tests – 2012Special Educational Needs and Disabilty Act 2001 What Equality law means for you as an education provider: schools. Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2010 Removing Barriers to Achievement: The Government’s Strategy for SEN. DfES/0118/2004. 2004 National Inclusion Statement, 1999 Every Child Matters: Change for children (2004) Special Educational Needs and Inclusion: Reflection and Renewal, NASUWT Report, 2008 House of Commons Select Committee Report on Special Educational Needs, HMSO, 2006 Inclusion Development Programme:Teaching and supporting pupils with dyslexia. www. nasentraining. org. uk/resou rces/dyslexia-idp-materials/ The Special Educational Needs and Disability Review.Ofsted, 2010 The SENCO survival guide: the nuts and bolts of everything you need to know Edwards, Sylvia; National Association for Special Educational Needs (Great Britain) E-boo, Routledge, 2010, 1st edition Inclusion: Does it matter where pupils are taught? Ofsted, 2006 Lewisham Local Education Authority publications: School Action/School Action Plus guidance criteria (2010) Inclusion debate treads new ground, The Guardian, Tuesday 31, 2006 Hallett, F & Hallett, G (2010). Transforming the Role of the SENCO: Achieving the National Award for SEN Coordination; Open University Press Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy, Rose and Lyle, 2011

Deviant behavior Essay

The labeling theory and the social control theory are two explanations behind the concept of deviance. The labeling theory argues that society itself creates deviance by classifying certain behaviors or people as deviant. The social control theory, meanwhile, believes that deviance is a result of the failure of social institutions to enforce societal norms. Labeling and Social Control Theories Every culture has norms or standards that distinguish acceptable from unacceptable behavior. Actions or behaviors that go against cultural norms are referred to as deviance. To understand why some individuals resort to deviance, sociologists and criminologists first analyze how norms are created, modified and enforced. The labeling theory and the social control theory are just two of the explanations these experts have come up with regarding the nature of deviance. Labeling Theory The labeling theory argues that people assume deviant roles in society. No conduct or individual is inherently deviant – society itself creates deviance by classifying certain behaviors or people as deviant. Those who observe deviant manners acquire deviant identities by internalizing deviant labels that society imposes on them. Instead of finding the root cause of deviance, society will attribute it to particular behaviors or people (Kontos and Brotherton, 2008). Proponents of the labeling theory claim that the social group is the one responsible for deviance. It creates norms in order to differentiate conventional people from deviants. Norms, however, are detrimental in the sense that it does not recognize the difference between rule breakers or rule-breaking behavior and deviants or deviant behavior. A person is dismissed as deviant regardless of whether or not his or her actions actually violated any norm (Hamlin, n. d. ). The Stages of Labeling According to the American sociologist Howard Becker, a person undergoes three stages when he is transformed from being regarded as normal to being recognized and labeled as deviant. The first stage is the initial â€Å"public† labeling or the informal process of labeling that eventually becomes an official definition of a person as deviant. Examples of this are the shoplifter who is tried in court and is sent to prison as a â€Å"criminal† and the drunk whom the doctor or the psychiatrist diagnoses as an â€Å"alcoholic. † The process of labeling begins with just the doctor, psychiatrist and judge, and then finally spreads to the entire community (Slattery, 2003). The second stage involves the official label’s overriding of all the other statuses and symbols that a person previously had. Society will severe ties with this individual and deny him or her opportunities for advancement. The father who becomes an alcoholic, for instance, ends up being divorced by his wife and abandoned by his children. The ex-convict, meanwhile, is unable to buy a house or get a job because of his criminal record (Slattery, 2003). The third stage is characterized by the label severely damaging the self-esteem of the person involved. The â€Å"self-fulfilling prophecy† begins to take place – he or she may live up to the deviant label that society imposed on him or her by assuming a deviant lifestyle. He or she may also withdraw from â€Å"conventional† society by seeking support and status from other deviants who share similar lifestyles. An occasional drug user, for instance, may live up to his â€Å"reputation† as a junkie by going to underground bars and clubs frequented by drug addicts. The juvenile delinquent, on the other hand, may later become a professional criminal, in accordance to what society labeled him (Slattery, 2003).

Literature Review †Organisational Change Essay

Team report you are to list 6 issues facing CanGo that you gleaned from the week 1 and 2 videos. They should be prioritized in order of importance. They should be numbered. The team must then come up with an actionable recommendation for each of the issues found. These should also be numbered. 1. CanGo does not have a a concise vision or mission statement that defines who they are as a company. Solution: CanGo needs to find out what market they want to be in and also figure out what market they want to be in, and where they see themselves going as a company and what values they have. . CanGo did not approach the strategic planning correctly for the online gaming. They discussed going into a new market with no prior knowledge of how the market operates. They also do not have the proper staff to begin the new business venture. Solution: I think that CanGo should do more research for the online gaming market. I also think that if they decide to go in this new direction that they should outsource some of the work and train some of the people they have on hand to help save costs. Liz needs to sit down and complete all of he steps in the strategic management process, including: SWOT analysis, mission statement, long term goals, implementation, strategic choice, evaluation, revision, and vision statement. Conducting a firm financial analysis of the overall project can prevent and reduce higher costs. Setting short-term and long-term goals will give the team a better outlook on the launch of the online gaming system. 3. Nick’s issue with organization is indicative of a bigger issue; the company does not have a structured approach to scheduling, planning, or reporting progress. Solution: CanGo lacks organization. There should be a better system for filing information, and a clear understanding of what each individual’s responsibilities within the company are. This way they would have a better understanding of which staff members are capable to complete which jobs, and those which be able able to with more training. This way tasks will not be inappropriately assigned. Set up a training session or a number of sessions as needed to bring everyone up to speed as far as what is expected for status reporting, prioritizing, scheduling tasks, and de-conflicting schedules. . Nick and the team members are not organized and they are distracting to each other when they are supposed to be working. Solution: The members should be more considerate in talking about some other topics. They can talk about side topics after work, and not during meetings. The main focus is to help out Nick on how to be successful on their new venture. Nick needs to be organized and read y to do the job. 5. Nick did not have a proper plan in place for the launch of the gaming system. He also did not step up and ask for help when he needed it. Solution: Nick should have figured at a proper plan for the launch of the online gaming system. A strategic goal plan should have been approved and put in place before Nick and the team were able to start on the project . Nick should have prioritized and been specific about the goals in the planning of the project through the use of the Gantt Chart. This would have allowed him to give a breakdown of all the issues that needed to be addresses such as hardware, software, recommendations, price comparisons, and testing. Nick not only failed to ask for help, but he did not ask any clarifying questions when the project was assigned to him. The instructions he was proved when given the project were vague and incomplete. He should have advised someone if he was incapable of doing the job in the first place, but he also should have sought more information and assistance if he was capable of doing the job. 6. During the planning meeting the manager quickly points out issues and made statements such as, â€Å"we need†, â€Å"we should†. He never gave any specific assignments, no dates or expectations. Solution: Design a structure for meetings such as this. Have the manager come into the meeting with a determined list which everyone can add to and discuss. He should also assign people to specific tasks based on their skills along with an expected completion date to make certain nothing is dropped. Establishing the projected deadline and developing an outline of the tasks to be accomplished over the course of time will help him reach his goals.

U5 Research Project Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

U5 Research Project - Coursework Example The GPO corresponds to active directory containers. The GPO defines  registry based polices, security options, software installation and maintenance options, scripts options, and folder redirection options. It provides the facilities to maintain access barriers to different configurations of users and windows (Technet.microsoft.com, 2015). Windows policy editor is a tool that enables a user to edit group policies and is also a helpful learning tool. There are various differences between encrypting file system (EFS) and BitLocker drive encryption. Both services are used to encrypt your files. EFS is more specific than BitLocker. EFS is commonly used to encrypt particular files or folders in a drive whereas, BitLocker encrypts the whole drive; system drives, fixed drives and removable drives (windows.microsoft.com, 2015). BitLocker is independent of user accounts it is either on or off for all drives but EFS provides the individual rights to users (windows.microsoft.com, 2015). Moreover, BitLocker needs administrator rights. On other hand, EFS does not require administrator privileges in order to be used (windows.microsoft.com, 2015). BitLocker also uses a special microchip, trusted platform module (TPM) that underpins the advance security to your operating system. windows.microsoft.com,. (2015).  Whats the difference between BitLocker Drive Encryption and Encrypting File System?. Retrieved 5 January 2015, from

Managing Financial Resources and Decisions Coursework

Managing Financial Resources and Decisions - Coursework Example Additional supply of funds in the capital market lowers this cost of borrowing. The cost of using loan stock and bank lending is expressed as a rate of interest. This interest rate is relatively high because it depends on the companys credit rating. The interest has to be paid whether or not the company makes a profit. Retained earnings are funds that are believed to cost nothing because it has no issue costs as the company just needs to set aside part of their profits. Government sources are normally free because they are part of the policy to develop the national economy,; however; there are some conditions that must be met. For instance, a company must be in the relevant industry and a specific location. Venture capitalists and angel investors usually require a high expected rate of return on their investments so as to compensate them for the high risk. As a result, the cost of obtaining such funds is usually very high. The cost of sales nd lease back arrangement is often the ongo ing lease payments. Each source of finance has a set of implication, for instance, for sources like bank lending and loan stock, the borrower is required to pay some amount of interest on the principal. In addition, they can be penalized for infractions of the written contract between them, for instance, late payments. With retained earnings, the company will have to forgo dividend payments that may affect its image in the eyes of investors as they go for companies that pay regular dividends. As for government sources, the company will be under government control. Finally, with venture capital and angel investors, the company will be penalized for infracting written agreements between them and the private investors c) A highly geared organization has a high proportion of debt compared to equity. They, therefore, need to borrow from the capital market in order to balance the dent and equity proportions. A low geared

Sounds of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sounds of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel - Essay Example The genre was known by the name of folk/rock. Tom Wilson, while listening to the song â€Å"Mr. Tambourine Man† flickered with the idea of making a folk/rock with Simon and Garfunkel with whom he had already worked successfully with their debutant album. Simon and Garfunkel the duo recorded the song for their first album â€Å"Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.† in the year 1964. Latter on it was overdubbed with the inclusion of the instruments like electric bass, drums and electric guitar. As a single, the song was released in the month of September 1965 and the song was written by Paul Simon of the duo in the month of February 1964. The song â€Å"Sounds of Silence† is the most popular song released by the duo in the United States after their most well-liked hit† Bridge Over Troubled Water† (Simons 1-120). During 1960s and 70s, many genres of music like rock, alternative rock, folk rock and country rock evolved which sung the saga of the men and time during which these songs evolved, The ‘Numero Uno’ or the number one track of the chartbuster during the year 1966 by Simon and Garfunkel also reiterates the social and political turmoil of the time (Charlesworth 1-125). THESIS STATEMENT The song, â€Å"Sounds of Silence† delineates many socio-cultural and socio-political issues within its melodious presentation. This essay intends to explore the subtle thematic paradigm imbibed behind the acoustic and electrified versions of this intense song. SOUNDS OF SILENCE: A REFLECTION Without getting much into the thin line of difference that separates the two genres of music during the sixties; the folk and the pop that strikingly evolves out through this song, it is quintessential to perceive the magic and enchantment the song delivers. The tempo, the rhythm, orchestration and above all the melody of the song is just splendid to fall back upon and listen to with close eyes. However, the most powerful aspect of the song is its lyrics. Poetry is inherent within a totalitarian scheme of things operating and pervading the song. From its rhetoric to words and intonation there is poetry imbibed within every layer and every aspect of the song (Technorati, Inc, â€Å"Music Review: Simon & Garfunkel - Sounds Of Silence - Page 2†) â€Å"The Sounds of Silence†: In restless dreams I walk alone Narrow streets of cobblestone, 'Neath the halo of a street lamp, I turned my collar to the cold and damp When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light That split the night And touched the sound of silence† (SongMeanings, â€Å"Simon and Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence†). No one can undermine the powerful use of language in the song. As a matter of fact, since the release of the song with more vigor and overwhelming confidence Paul Simon started writing songs which were definitely taking him to a higher echelon of poets. A rare master of storytelling and craftsmanship of imagery that Simon was, started lurking large in the song and the conversant style of the song made it more popular and relative: â€Å"Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again, Because a vision softly creeping, Left its seeds while I was sleeping, And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains Within the sound of silence† (SongMeanings, â€Å"Simon and Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence†). As the song was so popular and close to everyone’s heart or to be precise it was deliberately made so much appealing because it tried to captivate the particular essence of socio-political catastrophe taking place at the political domain of America. The song â€Å"The Sounds of Silence† is particularly written after the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the social and political degradation of America as a nation and