Minds Are Opened When Our Hearts Opened Essay

Dr. ARAVIND MALAGATTIDr. Aravind Malagatti is a well-known name in Kannada literature. He has earned this name by his contribution to the field of critical writing, research and creative writing. He has given more than forty competent works to Kannada literature in varied forms like poetry, prose, essays, criticism and folklore study. Karnataka government has bestowed the prestigious Ambedkar Fellowship Award to him considering his corpus of writing. His Government Brahamana being the first Dalit autobiography in Kannada has got the Karnataka Sahitya academy Award. Apart from these, the Honorary Award of Karnataka Sahitya Academy was conferred on him for his total contribution to Kannada literature. It is highly creditable in spite of all these credentials, Dr. Malagatti maintains simple city. The social aspects of Dalits are his area of concern. In profounder of Kannada Dalit literature. Dr. Malagatti catches the attention of people as an orator and makes them think over issues. His writing are equally sharp. He has founded a number of Dalit organizations and has taken active role in Dalit movement. At present Dr. Malagatti is serving as professor of Kannada in the Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies, Mysore University. He has also served as the Director of the Institute and as the Director of Prasaranga, the publication wing of Mysore University, prior to this. He is also serving as the Hon. Director of Jayalakshmi Vilas Palace Museum, Mysore University.| | CURRICULUM VITATName : Aravind MalagattiMother’s Name: BasavvaFather’s Name: YallappaProfession : Professor, Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies Mysore University, MysoreDate of Birth : 01.05.1956Place of Birth : Muddebihal, Bijapur District, KarnatakaMarriage : With Dharani Devi. Deputy Superintendent of Police Karnataka State Police Service-in 1992Childern : Two sons –1. Daksha 2. YakshaEducation : Pre University and Graduation-From 1973 to 1978 M G V C Colleage, MuddebhihalPost Graduation-M.A. form Karnataka University Dharwad From 1978 to 1980 with a first class. Ph.D in 1985-gold medal for the Thesis from Karnataka University Dharwad.Experience: . Editorial Committee member of Vidyarthi Bharathi-Jounal 1981-KarnatakaUniversity Dharwad. Editor of Sahitya Sagathi-a literary magazine –  from 1988 – 1995. Member of the Editorial Committee of Folklore News letter formMangalore University Campus.Teaching Experience Research Experience from 30.09 .1980 to 30.10.1983, Under U G C Fellowship As a lecture-From 30.10.1983 to 31.08.1987, Government College, Mangalore. Experience as a Rader-From 07.07.1987 to 03.04.1994 Mangalore University. Professor-from 04.04.1994, Kuvempu Institute of Kannada studies, Mysore University, Manasagongotri, Mysore. Administration / Membership of Academic BodiesArts Faculty Dean – 2000 to 2001, 2004 to 2006 Univesity of MysoreAcademic council Member Univesity of Mysore BOS, BOE, BOA Member for various UniversityChairman of Kannada Department – Mangalore University Form 02.11.1992 to 03.04.1994.Director, Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies, from- 03.01.2000 to 01.01.2001 and from 15.04.2004 to 01.06.2006.Hon. Director Mysore University, Jayalakshmi Vilas palace Museum from 27.10.2007Dirctor, Prasaranga, Manasagangotri, Mysore 1995 to 2000 University of MysoreMembership of Government Committee`s and InstitutionMember of Wholesales Book Purchase Committee, Government of Karnataka, Kannada and Culture Department 1991 to 1993Member of the Publication Committee of Popular Book Series of the Government of Karnataka, Kannada Culture Department 1991 to 1993.Member of Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara of the Government of Karnataka-from 1991 to 1995.Text book Committee member for the Pre University Board, Bangalore, 1995-1996.Film Pre-Review and Selection Committee member for Bangalore Doordarshan Kendra from 1997 to 2000.Member of Karnataka Sahitya Academy, of the Government o f Karnataka from 1998 to 2000.Member of Executive committee Kannada Sahity Parishat Bangalore From 1998 to 2000 and from 2000 to 2003.Member of Chayan Parishat, Saraswati Samman, Bhirla foundation-Delhi from 2003 to 2006. Published Works of Dr. Aravinda MalagattiI. Poetry 1. When the dumb opens his mouth (Mookanige Baayi Bandaaga. 1982)2. Balck Poetry (Kappu Kavya. 1985)3. The Third Eye (Mooraneya Kannu, 1996) 4. Rhythm Re-Rhythm (Naada Nianaada, 1999)5. Aneel Aradhana (Composite Poetry-2002)6. Silicon City and the Cuckoo (Silicon City Mattu Kogile, 2003)7. The Untouchable Ascends to Heaven (Chandaal Swargaarohanam, 2003)8. Selected Poems of Aravind Malagatti (Aravinda Malagattiyavara Ayda Kavithegalu, 2004)9. Kavyakumkume (Selected Poems of Aravinda Malagatti – 2009)10. The Dark Cosmos (Selected Poems of Aravinda Malagatti – 2009 Translated in English by – Dr. C. Naganna11. Towards the universe (Vishwatomukha, 2010)12. Flower is too heavy (Huvu Balubhara 2010)II. Short Stories 1. Unending Stories (Mugiyada Kategalu, 2000)III. Novel 1. The Death Ceremony (Karya – 1988)IV. Drama 1. The Ablution (Masthakaabhisheka, 1983)2. The Inner Salt of the Ocean ! (Samudradolagana Uppu, 1999)V. Criticism, Literary and Social Thought 1. Dalit Millennium and Kannada Literature (Dalitha Yuga Mattu Kannada Sahithya, 1999) 2. Dalit Consciousness: Literature, society and Culture (Dalita Prange: Sahithya, Samaaja Mattu Samskuthi, 2003) 3. Cultural mutiny (Samskuthika Dange, 2004) 4. Fire and Moonlight (Benki Beldingalu 2006) 5. Sahitya Saakshi (A Collection of Critical Essays – 2009) 6. Selected writing`s of Aravind Malagatti (Translated works – 2011) Ed. Prof: D.A.ShankarVI. Autobiography Government Brahmana. 1994 (Translated to English-Pub. Oriental  Longman)VII. Reasearch in Folklore and other works 1. Anipeeni (Anipeeni-Janapada Samshodhane, 1983)2. Study of Floklore (Jaanapada Vyasanga, 1985)3. Search for Floklore (Jaanapada Shobha, 1990)4. Thuluvara Aati Kalenja (Thuluvara Aati Kalenja-Janapada Samshodane, 1993)5. Folk Games (Janapada Aatagalu, 1993)6. Thalikote Dyamavva (Thalikote Dyamavva-Vayaskara Shikshanada Kruthi 1995)VIII. Research 1. Devil Worship (Bhootaradhane, 1991)2. Theoretical Study of Dalit Literary Movement (Dalita Sahithya Chalvaliy thatvika Chinthane, 1991) 3. Myth, Folklore and Nativism (Purana Jaanapada mattu Deshivaada, 1998) 4. Folk Games (Janapada Aatagalu, Ph.D. Thesis-1985)5. Folk Journey (Janapada Abhiyana-2005)IX. Studies and Reflections 1. An Introduction to Dalit Literature (Dalitha Sahithya Praveshike, 1996)2. How Progressive is Intercaste-Marriage ? (Antharjaathiy Vivaaha yeshtu pragathipar ? 1996)3. Puna Pact and whither Should Dalits go (Poonapyakt Mattu Dalitarettha Sagabeku ? 1998)X. Editing 1. Conference (Co-Editor) (Samaavesh-Saha Sampaadane, 1983)2. Four Dalitist Novels (Nalku Daliteeya Kadambariglu-Ed. 1990)3. Ideology of Ambedkar (Ambedkar Vichaara DHare-Ed. 1991)4. Koraga Community: A Study (Co-Author) (Koraga Janaanga Ondu Adhyayana, 1991) 5. Ambedkar-Ism and Counter-Ism (Ambedkar Vaada Samvaada-Ed. 1992)6. From Grazing Ground to Gangotri (Goomaaladinda Gangotrige, 1993)7. Foundation and background of Dalit Literature (Dalitha Sahighya nele-hinnele-Ed.1997)8. Book industry in  Kannada (Kannada Granthodyama, 1997)9. Folk Theoretical Consciousness and nativism (Jaanapada saiddhanthika Prangne Mattu Desivaada, 1998)10. Principles of Folklore (Jaanapada Thathvaglu, 1999)11. Criticism on Dalit Novels (Kadambarigala Vimarshe-Ed. 2000)12. Male Mahadeshwara (Male Mahadeshwara, 2001)13. Sweetness and Bitterness (Co-editing) (Bevu Bella, 2001)14. Dalit Approach (Criticism) (Dalitha Maarga, 2002)15. Aneela Aradhana (Composite Poetry, 2002)16. What Gandhi says about Ambedkar (Pub. Prasranga Myore University 2000)XI. Editor of Encyclopedias and Works of Similar nature 1. Kannada Encyclopedia-Volume 14. Chief Editor, Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies- Mysore University-year 2005 1. C.D. S of Kannada Encyclopedia-14 volumes, Chief Editor Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies- Mysore University-year 2006 1. Kannada Vishaya Vishwa Kosh – Karnataka –(R evised)-Chief Editor- Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies- Mysore University-year 2005 1. Kannada Vishaya Vishwa Kosh – Folklore–Chief Editor- Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies- Mysore University-year 2006 1. Kannada Vishaya Vishwa Kosha-Zoology. Chief Editor, Institute of Kannada Studies-Mysore University –year 2006 1. Epigraphia Karnatica-(Volume 12) Chief Editor, Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies- Mysore University-year 2006 1. Kuvempu Kriti Vimarshe, Chief Editor, Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies- Mysore University-year 2006XII. Journalistic Work Sahitya Sangagti, (Perodical) 1988-1995: (Editor) Vidyarthi Bharati- Quarterly, Karnataka University Journal, member of the Editorial Board -1981-1983.Karnataka Folklore News letter – member of the Editorial Board, Mangalore- 1988-1991.Vishwa Sampada-Monthly, Mysore University Journal, member of the Editorial Board-1999-2000Prabuddha Karnataka, Quarterly – Mysore University Journal -Chairman of the Editorial Board 1995, 2000. Manavika Karnataka, Quarterly – Mysore University Journal Chairman of the Editorial Board – 2008 OnwardsXIII. Awards & Prizes Gold medal for the Ph.D thesis – 1985 Karnataka University DharwadDevaraj Bhaddur Award – 1982 Recipient : Karnataka Government BangaloreNarashimhaia Award – 1996 Kannada Sahithya Parishat- Dr. Ambedkar Fellowship Award – 1996 Bharatiya Dalit Sahithya Academy –Delhi Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award – 1996 for the Autobiography titled Government Brahmana Bangalore Karnataka Sahitya Academy Fellowship Award – 2002 (for Total Contribution to Kannada Literature) Bangalore Ambedkar Award – 2005 Govt. Karnataka, Bangalore XIV. Awared`s Conferred but not Accepted: Shiksha Rattan Puraskar-2007 India International Friendship Society. New Delhi-110001 Rashtriya Gaurav Award – 2009 India International Friendship Society. New Delhi-110001 Best Citizens of India – 2009 International publishing House New Delhi-110001 Twenty Ten National Academy Award for Literature Academy of Bengali Poetry Kolkata – 700054XV. Works on Aravind Malagatti’s Wittings1. Critical Responses to â€Å"Karya† (Ed.) Sabiha Bhumigowad-1989 2. â€Å"Dalitagna† (Dalit Scholar Par Excellance) A seminar was conducted on the literature of Dr.Aravinda Malagatti in – 1998 (Ed) Dr. Arjuna Golasangi – 20003. Aravind Malagatti Avara Kavyanusandhana (Critical Essay on Aravinda Malagatti poetry ) Dr. Dushala Bargur 2005 4. Prof. Aravind Malagattiyavara Marga-Sahitya Dr. K. Deshava Sharma 2006 5. Prof. Aravind Malagattiyavara Sahithya Mattu Chinthanne- (Ph.D. Thesis work) Dr. N.S. Shankare Gowda 20056. â€Å"Novu Hetta Preethi† A critical essay on ‘Government Brahmana’ (Ed) Dr. Appagere D. Somashekara and Dr. Malligahalli Narendrakumar 20037. Sharadey Kunisidha Kavi Prof. Arvind Malagatti Dr. H.S.K. Chethana Book House, Mysore 20078. Pagadiya Kowdiyali Deepagalu Belagi A Collection of Research articles – 2009 By : Dr. S.D. Shashikala9. Kavya Manthana – A Criticism Articles on Aranind Malagatti Poems – 200910. Vada Vagvada Samvada – 2009 A Collection of Interviews Ed- by Dr.Bislehalli Prabhu 11. Malagatti Mathu Mathana – 2010 A Collection of Interviews By – G.S. Bhat12. Depiction of poor in the Wores of Aravind Malagatti – 2008 By : Vijayakumar, C.E. M.Phil Thesis, Madurai Kamaraj University – Madurai13. Two versions of dalit growing up : A Comparative study of Vasanth Moon`s Growing up untouchable in India and Aravind Malagatti Government Bhahmana by – Banshelkar Yashpal Murhari M.Phil Thesis, Pandicherry University – 2008XVI. OTHER INFORMATION 1. Presided jIlla Kannada Sahitya Sammelan-Bijapur in the year 2006-(The literary meet was held for two days on 25th and 26th November 2006) 2. Prsided Dasara Kavigoshti-on 08.10.2005 at Jaganmohan Palace Mysore. 1. Participated in national seminar on history of folklore studies in India-held on 23-25 October 1998 in Manasagangotri, Mysore 1. Participated in other national seminars and presided many seminars and workshops in kannada. 1. Brought forth more than 200 seminar papers and research articles 1. NAVIKA Frist Kannada Summit-2010 (Pasadena Convention Center) Los Angleles, CaliforniaResidence AddressDr. Aravind Malagatti MIG 29, Gangotri Layour 1st Main, Saraswathipurm Mysore-9Ph. No. Res. 0821-2516927 Mobile : 9448342469 Office : 0821- 2419787|

Essay on Possible Development on Contemporary Arts Organization

Organizations all over the world are not without problems and difficulties as they face change on a daily basis while trying to keep their traditions and ideals intact. This is most true with organizations that focus on the traditional market/services while having to unite those services with modern innovations. When we say innovations these does not only pertain to certain technological tangible equipments but it can also mean new processes, means and even situations that can only be created by today’s advancing times.Because of this, it is imperative for organizations to have some plan or strategy that would help them stay afloat without sacrificing what they regard as their purpose. An example would be how the traditional art scene have rapidly decreased in activity because of the more â€Å"cool† contemporary arts or worse, because there are other places people can go to like malls and bars instead of being patrons of artistic ventures or exhibits.Going back, these so called problems that organizations face would be the tremendous growth in diversified clients, members and patrons that tends to create a cultural gap between the members and even the leaders who are handling the organizations. This is most true in many forms and types of organizations but for specificities’ sake, this discussion will focus on the contemporary art organizations that cater to very diverse tastes, attitudes and philosophies.Art, after all, can be regarded as a means of freedom of expression and this is most especially true in today’s art scene wherein freedom of expression is not only an option, it is a necessity. Because of the varied and eclectic people that compose the different art organizations around the world, problems arise on the context that too much diversity can cause confusion among the members which is evidently caused by the wide cultural gap not just between one or two persons but even among everyone who are part of said organization.T his diversity and wide cultural gap is of course caused by how tremendous globalization has been that in one art scene or organization, people from different parts of the state, country and even the world would collate to form that single group. Thus, it is essential that organizations keep in mind certain things if they want to survive such a fast-paced world and if they want to even expand in population and improve in terms of their products, projects and provisions.Of the many discussions and articles that other people have written on different important aspects of organizations, there are some which are enlightening and which are sensible and yet people, mostly leaders and management teams, forget or altogether ignore such aspects. These aspects are mostly centred on the following: lack of purpose of the organization, failure to properly pinpoint the cause of the problem and finally, need for effective strategies that would solve the problem.Lack of Purpose of the Organization I n the article of Wheatley (2008), she describes why terrorists groups are one of the finest examples of organizations in the world as they have a single unifying purpose in their agenda. This metaphor for the best organization is rather unusual and even uncomfortable as terrorists groups create horror around the world with their vendettas but Wheatley (2008) does have a point when she says that they are â€Å"among the most effective and powerful organizations in the world today†.What she presents is an analysis on why terrorist networks have no means to â€Å"formal power, advanced technology, large budgets, or great numbers of followers† and yet, they manage to cause such a strong impact that they are â€Å"changing the course of history† (Wheatley, 2008). This is where one of the most fundamental aspects of any organization should have is presented and it lies in the presence of an â€Å"ideal or purpose that gives them a group identity which compels them to act† (Wheatley, 2008).What Wheatley insists on is true, most especially if it is applied in contemporary arts organizations wherein much passion and ideals are present but sometimes misplaced or even divided. The problem with arts organizations all over is that they have too diversified output for their passions that there is no commonality or unity among what they want, what they want done and what they would like to do in the future.Because terrorist groups have such commonality in their purpose, whatever action or â€Å"project† they undertake, it is almost always successful that the world is compelled to watch or prod on their â€Å"projects†. In the arts scene, passion for the art itself can be their common cause and identifying what do they want to achieve with their organization can make their group more efficient and active; as what Wheatley (2008) wrote, â€Å"As networks mature, they are fuelled more by passion than by information.† Failure to P roperly Pinpoint the REAL Cause of the Problem The advice that Wheatley gave on how to have such a successful organization is to have a unified purpose from such diversified members of the group. This is tremendously connected to another possible means in which to have an efficient and effective organization and that is to acknowledge that a problem exists in the group and that the problem is most likely the persistence of misunderstanding caused by cultural gap.According to Hofstede (2005), problems in art organizations usually arise from the fact that there is too much diversity among cultures and that management groups of the organization are remiss in admitting that that is indeed the problem: â€Å"Many leaders do not wish to acknowledge the possibility of a cross-cultural communication problem in international dealings. If negotiations go wrong they blame others or†¦themselves, never the culture gap. † (Hofstede, 2005) The picture than Hofstede painted is common bu t not unsolvable.What leaders of such organizations should do is admit that that is the problem and that they should think up of strategies that would effectively solve those problems—but that will be discussed later on the essay. With all these difficulties that diversity of culture presents, would it not be better to just have a common art organizations among people who have the same culture? This is not entirely the case for culture does not just mean belonging to the same ethnic background of certain group of people, the culture here encompasses a commonality among a certain group of people.Thus, the people who are into the arts have their own culture but then again, there is also a different culture that separates the visual from the performance arts and even that of the traditional from the contemporary forms of art. This means that there is a diversity of culture within a culture within a culture. This scene is inevitable as how Halbreich (2001) puts it, â€Å"We†™ve just crossed into a new century in which the rate and dimension of change promises to test all our powers of invention†.This new century is the modern times; these powers of invention are the possible ventures that we may undertake to support such cultural diversity. However, it is important to note that cultural diversity is not bad; it is the cultural gap that it creates which is the unpleasant and unfortunate factor. Thus, how do we solve this cultural gap among members of organizations? This is discussed in how management groups should have effective strategies that address the problem and this strategy usually starts in something very simple: admit that there is a problem. The Need for Effective Strategies That Would Solve the ProblemWhen Hofstede (2005) claimed that leaders do not acknowledge the presence of cultural gap, Halbriech (2001) provided the answer to how to solve this: â€Å"We must adapt to become a filter, through which some of these competing worldvi ews can be debated and new communities established. † Organizations becoming a â€Å"filter† mean that it is through them that people would be able to identify where they would want to go and belong to (in terms of patronizing an arts organization) and then zeroing on those identified aspects that leaders would be able to establish a permanent community or organization for them.Thus, what leaders should do is recognize the needs (and sometimes, even wants) of the members, build around those needs and cater to them. For example, Ritzer et al. (2008), isolates a particular problem with the diverse culture in arts organizations wherein the problem is that local colour or culture fails to be reflected in the organization. This just means that they focus too much on a global standard without thinking that the organization should also reflect the â€Å"character of the geographic locales† (Ritzer et al. , 2008).If what Ritzer et al. say is true, then it means that the needs and wants of the immediate members of the organizations are ignored which creates a gap or misunderstanding among the group. A great example in trying to come up with strategies in solving gaps in arts organizations can be seen in the illustration of Halbreich (2001): â€Å"We aim to magnify the ways in which visitors†¦can become more active participants in a series of memorable experiences based on discovering links between art and life, as well as among artistic disciplines.† This illustration demonstrates how the art organization presented by Halbreich is very ideal in the sense that they manage to have a standard or purpose in mind (which is for the visitors to become participants in viewing the art) while thinking about the condition of the other end as well (by considering the real life situation of the audience) and linking the two together. ConclusionIn conclusion, difficulties in arts organizations are inevitable since the members and patrons are varied an d diverse in culture and attitude. Difficulties of such organizations are usually caused by cultural gaps in the group but they can be solved and remedied by admitting that there is a problem caused by the gap, and proving necessary strategies that addresses the issue while maintain true to the ideals of the group.However, one cannot help but think that Wheatley is most correct in her suggestion of addressing the overall issue in arts organizations—development and growth of the group, maintain diversity in the organization, and staying on track with the ideals of the organization—which is having a firm passion in the purpose of the organization since everything else would naturally follow suit. References Cummings, S. (2008). Strategy: past, present and future. The Sage Handbook of New Approaches in Management and Organization. SAGE: Singapore. pp. 184-216 Halbreich, K. (2001). Inventing new models for the museum and its audiences. Curating Now: Imaginative Practice/Public Responsibility. Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative: Philadelphia. pp. 67-79. Hofstede, G.J. (2005).   A bridge requires a gap. Introduction to Business Communication. Peter Lang Publishing Group: Frankfurt. pp. 163-170. Lustig, M.W. et al. (2005). Introduction to cultural patterns and intercultural communication. Introduction to Business Communication. Peter Lang Publishing Group: Frankfurt.   pp. 171-182. Ritzer, G. et al. (2008). Empty organizations. The Sage Handbook of New Approaches in Management and Organization. SAGE: Singapore. pp. 215-216. Wheatley, M. (2008). Learning about networks from terrorists. The Sage Handbook of New Approaches in Management and Organization. SAGE: Singapore. pp. 178-179.

Identify the historical and cultural factors Essay

Identify the historical and cultural factors that contribute to the development of the learning perspective. To what extent is the learning perspective relevant today?  The study of how humans learn is a dominant component of the learning perspective. The study of behaviour in this perspective and is also commonly known as the Behaviouristic Approach, as they believe that behaviour is the only valid data in psychology. Behaviourism developed simultaneously in the United States and Russia in relation to many factors. Traditional Behaviourists believed that all organisms learn in the same way, and could be explained by the processes of classical and operant conditioning. Learning can be defined as a relatively permanent change in behaviour and/or knowledge that occurs as a result of practice and/or experience in the environment. Psychologists working within this perspective have investigated he ways in which behaviour changes, usually using laboratory experiments, and often-using non-human animals. The Learning perspective developed simultaneously in the United States and Russia with American Theorists John Watson, Albert Bandura and Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov.  The way in which behaviour can be observed is seen as being objectively or unbiased, and this is the opposite to the theory of introspection. The unreliability of the way in which subjective data is obtained in introspection is one of the main criticisms that lead to the rise of behaviourism. In introspection the data collected in said to be subjective and therefore biased in the sense that it comes from ones own mind. â€Å"Give me a dozen healthy infants†¦and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select – doctor, lawyer†¦and yes, even beggarman and thief.†1  John Watson 1913  Watson wrote an article titled ‘Psychology as the behaviourist views it.’ This article, which set out all main assumptions and principles, sparked the rise of the behaviourist movement in 1913. Albert Bandura was the major motivator behind the social learning theory, which included cognitive factors that were not incorporated by behaviourists, as they thought behaviour was almost entirely determined by the environment. Bandura suggests that much behaviour, including aggression, is learnt from the environment through reinforcement and the process of modelling. Bandura integrated cognitive influences and called his modified theory the social learning theory. Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, whilst conducting experiments on the digestive systems on dogs stumbled across the developed principles of classical conditioning. All these factors contributed to the advancement of the learning perspective, as we know it today. Key concepts of the perspective are classical and operant conditioning, social, latent and insight learning. All concepts are built from the historical and cultural factors that gave rise to the learning perspective. Findings after conduction of experiments show a remarkable relevance to today’s society and knowledge. Whether it is classical conditioning and relating findings to aversion therapy or operant conditioning’s relation to animal training or modifying behaviour through reinforcement and punishment. Therefore it is important to research experimenters who performed relevant experiments to relate their results to today. Classical condition is learning through association, which was accidentally found by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov. Pavlov was conducting experiments in relation to dogs digestive systems when he stumbled on, what is known as, classical conditioning. Pavlov noticed that dogs did not only salivate when food was placed in front of them, but they also salivated before the food was given to them, and was triggered by other factors such as upon hearing or seeing Pavlov, or the sound of footsteps. Pavlov then discovered that the anticipation of receiving the food made the dogs salivate. Pavlov then modified his experiment to test whether using a stimulus such as meat powder, which caused salivation, could be varied and a conditioned stimulus such as the ringing of a bell could also bring about the unconditioned response of salivation originally caused by being presented with the sight of the meat powder. Pavlov used a soundproof room, to minimise and limit extraneous variables so he could be sure that it was i.e. only the ringing of a bell that was affecting the salivation after the conditioned stimulus. John Watson performed another example of classical conditioning when he experimented on Little Albert in 1920. Behaviourists learning theorists such as Watson suggested that phobias were conditioned emotional responses. Certain stimuli, such as sudden loud noises, naturally cause fear reactions, and stimuli that become associated with them will acquire the same emotional responses. Little Albert was presented with a white laboratory rat to which he showed no fear response. Watson then associated the loud noise simultaneously with the presentation of the rat, Little Albert then associated fear with the rat, and was then able to generalise these response to other fluffy white objects. The study with Little Albert has serious ethical problems. Firstly that he participated in the experiment involuntary and without the consent of his mother. Also Watson reported that they hesitated about proceeding with the experiment but comforted themselves that Albert would encounter such traumatic associations when he left the sheltered environment of the nursery anyway. This is not a very good ethical defence, especially since they believed such associations might persist indefinitely and did not leave sufficient time to remove the fear afterwards, despite knowing that Albert was due to leave. Classical conditioning can be related to today with the development of therapies using classical conditioning techniques to extinguishing fear. The first technique of therapy is the systematic desensitation, which aims to extinguish the fear response of a phobia, and substitute a relaxation response to the conditional stimulus gradually, step by step. This therapy was developed mainly by Wolpe, who stated that in order for the fear to be removed gradually, a hierarchy of fear must be formed and ranked by the subject from least fearful to most fearful. The subject is then given training in deep muscle relaxation techniques so it can then be used at each stage of the hierarchy starting from the least fearful to the most and only progressing when the subject feels sufficiently relaxed. This method of treatment has a very high success rate with specific phobias, i.e. of particular animals. It is considered to work particularly well because the response of fear and relaxation is said to be impossible for them to exist at the same time. The second techniques of therapy are implosion and the flooding techniques, when both methods produce extinction of a phobia’s fear by the continual and dramatic presentation of the phobic or situation. Wolpe in 1960 forced a girl with a fear of cars into the back seat of a car and drove her around for 4 hours straight until her hysterical fear completely disappeared. Marks et al (1981) say that this kind of therapy works because eventually some stimulus exhaustion takes place, as you cannot scream forever and then the conditioned fear response extinguishes. The technique most similar to classical conditioning is called Aversion Therapy, and is most relevant to today’s treatment of alcoholism, smoking or overeating. The technique aims to remove undesirable responses to certain stimuli by associating them with aversive stimuli, in the hope that the undesirable responses will be avoided in the future. Aversion therapy has been used to treat alcoholism, for example the person is given alcohol with a nausea-inducing drug unsuspectingly, and should then feel sick. The person associates drinking with their intestinal distress and results found that two out of three people did not have any alcohol a year later. Although it has a high success rate, ethical considerations of deliberating causing discomfort to another person through deception must be taken into account. The limitation of this type of therapy is its difficulty to generalise to other situations from where the learning took place.

Why Hospitals should hire Patient Navigator Research Paper

Why Hospitals should hire Patient Navigator - Research Paper Example The populations with limited access on the healthcare system encounter difficulty in using the system leading to delay in cancer diagnosis, added costs, less efficient, and effective use of recommended therapies. The patient navigation programs provide support and guidance to people with the goal of improving access to the cancer care system and overcome barriers to quality care. This paper will present a conceptual model to evaluate cost-effectiveness of cancer patient navigation-programs, discuss challenges, and the best approach to address the challenges. Evaluating the economic impact of patient navigation has a wide array of activities that involves different settings while it suffers from inadequate of information. Different cost elements differ in the study perspective. Different researchers present interventions to determine the relevant cost measures that assess the economic value of patient navigation. The history of the patient navigation programs attributes to Harold Freeman the chair of American Cancer Society that commissioned the study of barrier to cancer among the poor in America. The success of the pioneer program and recognition of significant barriers to cancer diagnosis continue to exist among the minority and the underserved populations. Currently, many patient navigation programs work to reduce barriers to care at all levels. The growing popularity and publication of promising observational studies fail to evaluate the efficacy of navigator programs. Researchers are yet to establish the cost-effectiveness and the impact of navigation programs on cancer-related morbidity and survival. The patient navigator programs can be time and resource intensive. Similar to other interventions may improve the health of poor and underserved populations. One should view the navigation programs in the context of allocating resources to maximize health outcomes on limited budgets. It is important to

Metaphor Of The Dream State Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Metaphor Of The Dream State - Essay Example This way, art would become beautiful and wide enough to accommodate every thought provided it is well conceived and has an absence of reality by borrowing certain concepts from the real life. Introduced for the first time in film making by Director Luis Banuel and artist Salvador Dali in their debut Un Chien Andalou , the concept in the film misses reality in the plot in relation to the conventional world. This therefore gives the developers the authority to stretch the truth but still obtain some relevance among their target audience. Discrete charm of the Bourgeoisie is yet another film that borrows the concept and develops a plot that has a minimal semblance with reality. The sequence of ideas in the film is unrealistic and can only occur in either a dream or a film in which the developer directs the ideas and the series of events, as he deems necessary. Otherwise, the plot of the film is unrealistic and cannot claim relevance in the real society. The director develops a systematic yet illusionary plot that addresses a number of themes most of which are real. Just as any other work of art, films must always represent the societies in which they exist. The directors and scriptwriters exist in the society. Furthermore, they target the society to provide an audience to their creations. To earn effectiveness of representation, they must therefore ensure that the write scripts and develop films that address familiar social issues. Such therefore earn their creations a degree of relevance with their audience thereby a ppreciation. Following this understanding, the directors and developers of the film address familiar themes but they attempt to create a society in which the events flow oblivious of the normal social provisions. The film has several linked thematic areas that it addresses in an exciting twist of events. The first part of the film is more realistic and immediately earns relevance among any audience group. This early part of the film addresses the five gatherings of friends who try to find a meal but face a number of challenges all of which succeed in obstructing their meals. The latter parts of the film on the other hand take the audience from reality by introducing the dreams of the characters into play. It is unrealistic that the dreams and illusions of the characters influence their actions in real life as the director tries to portray it. The film uses the middle class thereby obliterating the lower classes in the society. This is the first illusion that the developer deliberately ignores. B y ignoring other social classes, the developers of the film create an illusionary society only achievable in a dream state. The societies consist of different social classes, each of such class face different issues and solve their problems differently. The social status is an important determinant of the social structure. An ideal society must therefore have the poor, the middle class and the rich. The development of this film deliberately ignores the other classes thereby creating a conflict. By doing this, they address issues that affect the specific class thereby ignoring other social and economic issues affecting other classes a feature that results in bias. Throughout the film, the groups of friends share ideas that are only familiar to their social class obviously ignoring other issues affecting the other economic classes. When the director later introduces the bishop, they treat him with conspicuous contempt owing to their lack of understanding of other social classes. The f irst theme that comes out naturally is friendship and relationships. There are different forms of relationship that the director develops in the film. The

Criteria for Selection of Physical Education Teachers Essay

Criteria for Selection of Physical Education Teachers - Essay Example As the report declares three different kinds of questionnaires were prepared. The first was a Likert-type questionnaire. Responses were assigned numerical values that assessed how important the respondent considered a particular attribute. The second questionnaire required the respondents to arrange the attributes they considered favorable in potential teacher candidates in order of rank and importance. The third was an open ended questionnaire that allowed the respondents to answer questions in more detail, which provided some insight into the reasons for their choices. This paper stresses that the ability to teach physical education was considered most important, followed closely by the ability to teach inter personal skills. Teaching of swimming, dancing and outdoor education ranked lowest on the scale. The most important criterion was a major in physical education, followed by graduation from a reputable institution and a grade point average of at least 3. The least important criterion was the possession of a Master’s degree. The ability to motivate and inspire students ranked as the most important quality in terms of teaching skills. Adopting a wide range of teaching styles and maintaining a good classroom plan were also considered very important. The least important factor was collaboration with parents and the Community. Enthusiasm and passion ranked highest on the list of favorable attributes, followed by the ability to speak well. The least important factor was whether or not the candidate led an active lifestyle.

Shell Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Shell Canada - Essay Example The company specializes in the production and sale of a number of products including natural gas, crude oil, solvents, diesel fuels, gas, ethane, butane, asphalts, propane, lubricating oils, greases, sulphur, gasoline and natural gas liquids, just to name but a few. Shell also provides a number of services which include refining, marketing, and transporting petroleum products (Shell Canada Limited, 2007). Value chain Shell’s value chain refers to all the activities that take place in the company with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction while managing cost of production effectively. In this regard, Shell has three key value chain components, including fuel supply, customer support, and maintenance. As such, once the petroleum products have been produced, Shell ensures that they are transported to the customers efficiently and timely. In addition, the company has an efficient customer support team whose mandate is to ensure that customer’s demands are met. The maintenance component of Shell’s value chain is concerned with ensuring that the plant and transport facilities are in good condition to enhance the production and supply of products to the customers (Shell Canada Limited, 2007). Competitors Shell Canada operates in a very competitive business environment. In fact, most of its strategies are aimed at ensuring that it competes favorably with other players in the industry. Currently, Shell Canada has three major competitors, which include Imperial Oil Limited, Suncor Energy Inc., and Canadian Natural Resources Limited. This company poses the greatest threat to Shell Canada in the oil industry (Shell Canada Limited, 2007). ... ive strategy The management of Shell Canada understands that, for the company to gain competitive advantage of its main rivals, it must improve the quality of product and service delivery to its customers. In this regard, the company focuses on the production of quality petroleum products that suit the needs of its customers. The company has also focused on the delivery of best customer service by establishing a customer support department that handles all customer queries and problems. In addition, the company intends to have a wide outreach by exploring and producing petroleum products in other countries. This will help increase its customer base, thereby according it a competitive advantage over its rivals. Further, the company is in the process of designing the most modern technology that will enable it conduct deep-sea exploration as a means of moving ahead of its competitors. At the same time, Shell intends to adopt a technology that will enable the company produces petroleum i n an environmental friendly manner. The company believes that reducing environmental pollution will enable it explore several markets without resistance from the governments and the locals (Shell Canada Limited, 2007). Q#2. The world has experienced rapid technological advancements over the past few decades. The new technological have had a huge impact in most business operations. In fact, no single company can compete favorably in the present business environment without the integration of technology. The same applies to Shell Canada, whose competitiveness depends on how well it introduces and uses technology. Currently, Shell can benefit significantly by introducing a number of technologies in its business operations. ERP Firstly, the implementation of ERP technology can be of huge

Land Right Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Land Right Issues - Essay Example The most interesting interpretation of this right of return is that the Israeli Jews are to be blamed for the present predicament of all Palestinian diaspora as a result of the establishment of Israeli State and Zionism (Beinin and Rebbecca 68). Under such an interpretation, liability for the Palestinian quandary can only be correctly carried out by allowing all the Palestinians in the diaspora to return to their original homeland and evicting all the Jews who live in such areas, more so those who gained these lands as a result of Zionism. An antithesis to such an interpretation of Jewish accountability for the predicament of the Palestinians is the total denial of any such forms of responsibility as well as the complete rejection of the return of the Palestinians. These are the two key positions of the dilemma, between which several intermediate possibilities lie. A central intermediate position tends to agree with the reasoning that all or part of the Palestinian diaspora should go to Israel within the scope of the Palestine pre-1967 borders. The Israelis are against this position, though they see it is a worthy step toward reconciling them with Palestinians. In this case, the issue of distributive justice is evidently in play. This concerns what some people believe to be socially correct with regard to resources allocation in a given society. In the book A Theory of Justice, John Rawls makes efforts of solving the dilemma of distributive justice by using an alternative of the much familiar social contract device.

The Merchant of Venice Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Merchant of Venice - Movie Review Example It is a mixture of comedy and drama, a story about love and hate, written between 1596 and 1598. This 2004 color DVD-Video can be easily found at any DVD store or library, with English language (Dolby digital 5.1) and French subtitles, it is a delightful 131 minutes entertainment. The English screenwriter, documentary film maker and director Michael Radford born in India, in 1946, to a British father and Austrian mother. He has directed the remarkable film Il Postino (Academy award nominated director), and numerous other ones as White Mischief and Dancing at the Blue Iguana. His reputation as a director is very well recognized and the critics of his adaptation of The Merchant of Venice are superb (Michael Radford, from Wikipedia). Simultaneously, the French cinematographer Benot Delhomme makes honor to his brilliant career by enriching the film with his talent. Delhomme graduated in 1982 from Ecole Nationale Suprieure Louis Lumire, and he has an extensive list of films, such as "Trois garcons sur la route" (1983), "Artemisia" (1996), "The talented Mr Ripley" (1998) and "Miss Julie" (1999). His awards include Camerimage Golden frog nom in 1993 for "Mui du du xanh", Csar award nom 1998 for "Artemisia", and Chicago IFF Special Jury Prize 2001 for "Ni neibian jid ian" (Internet encyclopedia, 2007). The cast is remarkable. ... ude Zuleikha Robinson (as Jessica), Kris Marshall (Gratiano), Charlie Cox (Lorenzo), Heather Goldenhersh (Nerissa), Mackenzir Crook (Lancelot Gobbo), Gregor Fisher (Solanio), John Sessions (Salerio), Ron Cook (Old Gobbo), Allan Corduner (Tubal), Anton Rodgers (The Duke), and David Harewood (Prince of Morocco). The play is dated in 1594-97 and the costumes and the set are very well done. The set includes public areas of Venice, the Belmont home of Portia, the house of Shylock, a court of justice in Venice. The plot emphasizes the resentment and mistrust that divide the Jewish and Christian communities of Venice in that period. Shylock, a moneylender and usurer rich Jew, carries and old feeling of resentment against the Christian Antonio, a merchant of Venice, who has insulted him numerous times in public. But he agrees to lend 3000 ducats for three months to Antonio as a way to make friends with Christians. However, the promise involved in the money transaction is that if the money is not repaid in time, he will fine a pound of Antonio's flesh. Meanwhile, in Belmont is Portia, a rich heiress that attracts numerous suitors by her wealth, beauty and virtue. Her father had predetermined that she must marry the man that chooses the casket (1 out of 3) that contains her picture. The Duke of Moro cco and the Prince of Aragon have tried and failed by choosing the gold and silver casket respectively. Bassanio's friend Lorenzo elopes with Shylock's daughter, Jessica. She converts to Christianity and escapes from his father's house with part of his possessions. Bassanio gets in love with Portia, and after choosing the correct casket they married. Portia's maid Nerissa marries Bassanio's friend, Gratiano. In the meantime, Bassanio's ships failed to return on time for him to give

Stereotypes Versus Women Of All Ages Throughout Boob Tube Ads Essay

Stereotypes Versus Women Of All Ages Throughout Boob Tube Ads - Essay Example The truth is media is really a hand mirror where guild understands and automatically build up awareness in addition to routines. By far the most groundbreaking induction never to simply modifying awareness and also altering demeanor along with lifestyle with respect to press can be an advertisement (Alice as well as Johnson, age 14). The top, accurate, pernicious in addition to excessively influential these include the tv commercials. That is almost certainly given that tv set interests both the optical and ability to hear feelings to be able to effect into a mix of particularly influential emails which could probably create stereotypes associated with grammatical gender (Blain and McElroy 16). As a matter of fact, promoters are very well aware of this particular reality to a level they're able to adjust adverts in a fashion that powerfully stay in addition to pressure societal behavior dynamics. It really is nevertheless significant which television advertisement tends to sneakily d evelop a kinda mortifying, lowered and weak importance to fair sex (Maring 56). To help conclusively study this spread generalization against girls in media, enable’s explore forecasts of girls with regards to spouse and children, profession, political relation, enterprise, aroused counterbalance, sporting activities and also manual labor. The reason is, many of us assess these representations determined by a variety of issues with advertisement including the track record, item kind, and end feedback, argumentation of the advertisement, method involving presentment, prize kind, reliability time frame, area, but enthusiasm and also boiler suit political theory (Blain and McElroy 16). Resolution of the actual relativity theory involving these elements of idiot box advertising show wide-spread misrepresentations versus females.

Choose the topic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Choose the topic - Assignment Example The video could work for beginners as well as those well versed with the optics of the practice (Yoga for Complete Beginners a 20 Minute Home Yoga Workout!). The guide is clear on the steps that one needs to take into the yoga practice. One needs to find some sense of peace as well as appreciate what the exercise has to offer in the line of health benefits as well as mental serenity. Some of the health benefits associated with the practice include flexibility and muscle strength and tone. The exercise performed during the process go a long way in ensuring that the individual can strengthen their body tissue. That is by learning what it takes and what the body needs (Yoga For Complete Beginners a 20 Minute Home Yoga Workout!). The exercise also helps in respiratory functions since it can improve on one’s respiration. One can increase their body energy, as well as vitality. That makes sure that those partaking in the process can maintain healthy lifestyles, as well as some sense of cognitive stability. Yoga helps people relax and unload their minds as well as engage their bodies in some gainful exercise. The exercise also helps in weight reduction. The video helps people practice yoga in their comfort zones such as at the comfort of their

Teacher Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Teacher Evaluation Essay Teacher evaluation is a complex process. It is a series of activities and actions that are interconnected and ultimately related to a specific purpose. Day to day, teachers deal with complex problems and from this, they should be evaluated as professionals which means that their standards should be developed by their peers and their evaluation in turn focus on the degree in which they solve professional problems. While not always true, the emphasis of these evaluations should be on their ability to teach and not them as sole individuals, while taking into consideration the involvement of the overall educational process. The general rule of thumb is that the evaluation process typically involves preparation, observation, data collecting, reporting and most importantly, follow-up. Though each of these serves a specific purpose throughout the overall evaluation process, when missing just one, an ineffective evaluation systems being to resonate. Over time, ineffective teacher evaluation systems have become more costly than effective overall strategies. In most cases, teacher evaluation programs contain inferior material because they neither improve a teacher’s instructional skill, nor do they permit the dismissal of incompetent teachers. These points bring into clear perspective the need for effective teacher evaluation policies, and the need for boards and administrators to examine these practices with a view to improve learning opportunities across different situations. Back in 2001, Patricia Hopkins became superintendent of the Five Town CSD and Maine School Administrative District #28 in Camden Rockport with one of her first tasks being to review summative evaluations of all the teachers in the two districts. What she discovered troubled her, but yet this did not surprise her at the same time. As she read through the evaluations, she found that many were full of valentines her word for vague, meaningless praise and largely deprived of constructive criticism or concrete feedback. Hopkins believed that teacher evaluation held great potential to improve instruction, so she set out to eliminate the valentines by strengthening the culture and structures supporting teacher evaluation in district schools (Kane, Taylor, Tyler, Wooten, 2010). In recent years, the spotlight on teacher evaluation has intensified. For myself, this was something of a topic that I initially gave little to no accountability towards until viewing â€Å"Waiting For Superman† this semester. With this inside look into an exhaustive review of public education with it’s methodically dissecting the system and its seemingly intractable problems, now more than ever is the overall review of teacher’s performance a must in our academic communities. With dissecting that the teacher’s effect on student learning and achievement, practitioners, policymakers, and researchers are beginning to call for boosting the judgment and quality of a teacher’s evaluation. From this, we are starting to see the track record for evaluation and how the increasing consensus that teacher evaluation could play an important part in improving teaching and learning. During the last wave of efforts to strengthen teacher evaluation back in the 1980s, most initiatives died on the spot. This time around, however, there may be cause for more optimism. Key changes in the education world may make it easier for broad-scale improvement efforts to take hold. Moreover, some schools and districts, like those Hopkins leads, have already taken steps to more tightly link teacher evaluation with instructional improvement and increased student learning, along with implementing real consequences for those who perform superbly and for other teachers who perform poorly. Time and again, analyses of summative evaluation ratings of teacher’s show that the vast majority of teachers in any school, district, or state are rated above sometimes well above average (Donaldson, 2009). Although it is possible that all teachers are above average in some schools, there is generally more variation in teacher effectiveness within schools than between them. Thus, any school low performing or high performing, wealthy suburban or under resourced urban is likely to employ more underperforming teachers than its evaluation ratings suggest (Hanushek, Kain, OBrien, Rivkin, 2005). In fact, both principals and teachers believe that teachers are less effective than ratings indicate which ultimately leads to inflated ratings of teachers and this reflects the following problems that seriously limit the extent to which evaluation could improve instruction and achievement. Poor Evaluation Instruments: Systems have tend to emphasize what can be measured, not necessarily what matters. In turn, evaluation instruments have traditionally required evaluators to look for things that they can easily be checked off (such as the neatness of bulletin boards), but that may not indicate high-quality instruction. Limited District Guidance: Districts typically give little direction regarding what evaluators should look for. Instead of providing guidelines or rubrics that detail the substance of evaluations, districts are more likely to set out time lines and explain processes (Koppich Showalter, 2008). Lack of Evaluator Time: Evaluators, usually school administrators, report having insufficient time to conduct thorough and accurate evaluations. As the reporting requirements for schools have increased, evaluator’s time has become even scarcer. Lack of Evaluator Skill: Evaluators often lack specific knowledge about the content areas in which they evaluate teachers, especially at the secondary level. Moreover, professional development for evaluators is not frequent or comprehensive. Lack of Evaluator Moral Fiber: Principals are not always held accountable for conducting rigorous evaluations. A culture of nice pervades schools, suppressing critical feedback and encouraging principals to rate all teachers above average. Absence of High-Quality Feedback for Teachers: Even though teachers express a strong desire for more concrete, detailed feedback, evaluators generally do not provide it after their observations (New Teacher Project, 2009). Few Consequences Attached to Evaluation: Because there is little variation in the teachers summative evaluation ratings, teachers who teach exceptionally well cannot be identified or rewarded. At the same time its difficult to identify, if needed, those who struggle (New Teacher Project, 2009). Despite the deep, longstanding roots of these problems, the challenges might be easier to overcome than they appear. Currently, we know more about the links between teaching and learning than at any time in the past (Donovan Pellegrino, 2003). We know, for example, that explicit instruction in the alphabetic principle is a key component of effective reading instruction (National Reading Panel, 2000; Snow, Burns, Griffin, 1998). This knowledge enables evaluators to determine whether such instruction is occurring. In addition, the teacher workforce is undergoing a massive transition as baby boomers retire and individuals in their 20’s 30’s enter teaching. There is some indication that new teachers today differ from the retiring generation (Johnson Project on the Next Generation of Teachers, 2004). Surveys suggest that they are more open to differential recognition and rewards than are their retiring counterparts. Finally, teachers unions, long perceived as a major bar rier to the improvement of teacher evaluation, have shown an increasing openness to collaborating with districts to improve the appraisal of teachers (Johnson, Donaldson, Munger, Papay, Qazilbash, 2009; Weingarten, 2010). Another sign of hope is in the districts that are already making strides and progressing towards tightening the link between teacher evaluation and improved instruction and – potentially achievement. While dissecting the above situation, along with two other districts, I was able to obtain different a better understanding on different steps taken toward mitigating some of the current problems in teacher evaluation. These approaches represent a new direction in evaluation that, if it spreads, can transform teaching and learning. In Ohio, Cincinnatis Teacher Evaluation System exerts an influence on instruction and potential stronghold on student achievement (Kane, Taylor, Tyler, Wooten, 2010). This evaluation system grew out of a 1997 collective bargaining agreement between the Cincinnati Board of Education and the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers. Through careful study and advice from experts in research and practice, they were able to develop a program for its 58 schools and approximately 2,200 teachers that provides a clear evaluation system and structure that mitigates some of the common problems with teacher evaluation. Using Charlotte Danielsons (2007) framework as a guide, Cincinnati has built its evaluation criteria on 16 standards that are prominent within four specific domains: (1) Planning and Preparing for Student Learning, (2) Creating an Environment for Student Learning, (3) Teaching for Student Learning, and (4) Professionalism. Overall, this system devotes considerable time and resources to providing professional development on these standards. From this, teachers in the district can apply for a three-year term as an evaluator or a consulting teacher. Through this process, teacher evaluators are obligated to conduct three observations, while administrators conduct one of the tenured teachers four formal observations during the comprehensive evaluation cycle, which tenured teachers undergo every five years. Two of the observations are announced, and at least two are followed by post-observation conferences with evaluators. New teachers and struggling veterans are evaluated under a different, but related system. The districts Peer Assistance and Evaluation Program assigns consulting teachers to these teachers; these consulting teachers usually also serve as evaluators for other teachers, but they evaluate new or struggling teachers more frequently. This system reduces the time problem many evaluators face by dividing evaluation responsibilities between teachers and administrators. Each full-time evaluator typically has a caseload of 18–25 teachers. With them focused on evaluating and assisting their peers, these individuals have the time to conduct high-quality evaluations and provide useful feedback to teachers. New consulting teachers and teacher evaluators receive 10–11 days of training before starting their work, where as continuing evaluators receive five days of training each summer. Before their first term, all evaluators and consulting teachers must pass an evaluator certification test that requires them to assess instruction using the systems rubrics and demonstrate their reliability as raters. Over the course of the school year, consulting teachers and evaluators receive two hours of training every other week to review evaluation standards and calibrate scoring. After three years in their role, consultin g teachers and teacher evaluators return to full-time teaching positions, which keep their knowledge of teaching and learning current. Looking at a different approach, some charter schools have also attempted to make teacher evaluation a more powerful tool for instructional improvement. One charter management organization in the northern United States, a successful network of 15 urban schools serving high percentages of low-income and minority children, has done so by deemphasizing formal summative evaluations and focusing instead on ongoing informal evaluation and feedback (Donaldson Peske, 2010). In this organization, teachers receive one-on-one and small-group coaching from administrators on a weekly or biweekly basis, as well as a midyear summative evaluation. The coaching is differentiated according to the teachers needs and aimed at developing teacher’s skills over time. For the summative appraisal, evaluators and teachers complete a same six-page appraisal form that focuses on the organizations â€Å"Aspects of Instruction†, which covers such approaches as differentiation and checking for under standing. Comments on the appraisal do not simply reflect a short period of formal observation, as those of some evaluation systems do. Instead, the document prompts both the teacher and evaluator to reflect on all the work the teacher has done so far for that academic year. Thus, evaluators may draw on all their observations of the teacher—inside or outside the classroom, brief or sustained. This includes not only classroom instruction but also non-instructional contributions to teams and committees they hold responsibility towards, along with the school as a whole. With all of this taken into accountability, teachers reported spending three to five hours preparing these documents and another 90–180 minutes debriefing with their evaluator (Donaldson Peske, 2010). With having generally more flexibility than traditional public school, the charter organization enables administrators to spend considerable time observing, evaluating, and coaching teachers by keeping the teacher to evaluator ratio quite low approximately six teachers to one administrator. The organization has also strategically aligned personnel to handle certain administrative tasks so that principals can focus on instruction. Furthermore, an operations team handles facilities management, budgeting, certification, and ordering. In turn, a dean of students manages student behavior challenges, an intervention coordinator organizes school wide data and testing, and in some cases, an executive assistant coordinates activities with teachers and students and fills in where extra help is needed. The organization lives by the principle that, as one teacher noted, Feedback is a gift. A key part of professional development focuses on training teachers and leaders to have difficult conversations, which sometimes occurs during the evaluation of debriefs. One principal explained that her school has adopted specific norms such as staying on your side of the net and not stepping over and making claims on the other person that helps to depersonalize potential disagreements. Another principal said that in the process of hiring teachers, he deliberately gives them critical feedback on their demonstration lesson to see how they handle constructive criticism (Donaldson Peske, 2010). Evaluators receive training in how to deliver feedback in such a way that their suggestions will be implemented. They learn to give concrete and specific feedback that teachers can immediately respond to. Evaluation and coaching sessions deliberately focus on one or two major issues a teacher needs to work o n and are anchored in student data, often the organizations benchmark assessments. This ultimately narrows the focus on changes that teachers need to make to be effective. Finally, the Five Town CSD and Maine School Administrative District #28, under Patricia Hopkinss guidance, have also strengthened their evaluation systems (Kane, Taylor, Tyler, Wooten, 2010). Hopkins notes, I have seen a shift. People arent just saying you’re doing great. Theyre posing questions and making recommendations to help inform teacher’s efforts to improve instruction. This shift has come about in large part as a result of the districts efforts to solve one typical problem of evaluation systems lack of evaluator will. Early on, Hopkins decided to increase evaluator’s accountability for completing high-quality assessments. First, she posted a calendar in her office showing the names and due dates of all teacher evaluations throughout the district. This calendar enabled her to keep track of and follow up with evaluators during the school year. Administrators must conduct at least two observations each year for first and second-year teachers and one every third year for teachers on a continuing contract. The evaluations themselves are based on both these observations and such factors as promptness and accuracy of reports and evidence of professional growth. With this in place, administrators in turn meet with teachers before and after the observations and evaluations to help clarify the outcomes. Second, Hopkins and the assistant superintenden t began to informally observe all first and second-year teachers in the district. This practice of providing another set of eyes helps school-based administrators to be more critical. In some cases, Hopkins said, the informal observation led to additional observations of teachers and more in-depth conversations with administrators. Lastly, Hopkins has required principals to share their draft evaluation reports with assistant principals and vice versa before the post observation conference with the teacher. This sharing has enabled administrators to clarify their expectations, maintain consistency with one another, and ensure that their commendations and recommendations for improvement are appropriate.

Practice In Uk Mental Health Area Social Work Essay

Practice In Uk Mental Health Area Social Work Essay This study takes up the examination of social work practice in the area of mental health in the UK. It is based upon the experiences of the author in the course of her work as a Mental Health Professional in a multidisciplinary team in a community care setting. Mental health issues, more specifically mental illnesses, have troubled humans from the dawn of human civilisation. The history and literature of all historical societies reveal numerous instances of mental disorders among people and the inevitably associated ostracism and discrimination faced by such people. Mental illnesses in the UK, till even some decades back were associated with abnormal, deviant and dangerous behaviour and thousands of people with different types of mental issues were housed in high security asylums against their will for years on end. Such blatant violations of fundamental human rights were carried out at the behest of the medical fraternity with the active support of the government, the judiciary, the legal system, enforcement agencies and society. Social workers entered the area of mental health in the UK in the early decades of the 20th century and progressively increased their interaction and work with mentally ailing people. The involvement of social work practice in the area grew slowly until the 1960s but increased rapidly thereafter. Greater involvement of social work practice led to the development of psycho-social models for providing assistance to people with mental ailments and helped in changing societal perceptions towards such persons. The post Second World War period also witnessed a very substantial shift in governmental and medical approaches towards people with mental health disorders. The last full fledged asylum for housing the mentally ailing was closed down in . Medical disorders are now viewed to be strongly related to various social and economic conditions as also to phenomena like racism, oppression and discrimination. The overwhelming majority of people with mental health ailments are now treated in the community, in the midst of family and friends, and institutionalisation is resorted to only in extreme cases and that too for limited periods of time. Social work practice has become very relevant to the area of mental health. Qualified social workers like the author of the study, known as mental health professionals, work with medical professionals like doctors and psychiatrists and play active, even leading, roles in the assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation of people with mental health disorders. This study takes up the case of Maya, a 68 year old Asian woman, who lives in East London. Maya is a first generation immigrant and has spent much of her life in an alien society. She suffers from depression and has been referred to the local social work authorities. Mayas case is fully described in the appendix to this study and is thus not elaborated here. The essay examines various aspects of Mayas life and experiences in order to crystallise the various factors are contributing to her current mental difficulties. Special emphasis is given to the challenges faced by people suffering from depression and to the high incidence of depression among South Asian women. The study takes up the application of social work theory to practice, the role of oppression and discrimination in the development of mental ailments, the role of social workers in helping mentally ailing persons and the importance of adoption of anti-oppressive approaches in dealing with them. It also details the social services that are available to such service users and how such services can help Jaya. Causes and Consequences of Depression Maya has been intermittently suffering from depression for the last 27 years and has undergone medication and counselling on five occasions. She was specifically referred by her GP to the local social services department following an episode of some severity. Crippling depression is one of the biggest reasons for misery in modern day Britain. It is a submerged problem of immense dimensions that is kept out of sight by family shame. The Psychiatric Morbidity Survey reveals that one in six of UK residents are liable to be diagnosed with depression. It would surprise many people to know that 40% of all physical and mental disabilities are caused by mental illness, even as 17% of such ailments are caused by depression alone. The incidence of depression among people is more than 3 times that of cardiac disease. Psychologists agree that mental illness constitutes the most important predictor of human distress in the UK and is far more powerful than poverty or various other types of disability. With few forms of deprivation being worse than chronic depression, it is evident that social workers should give the highest priority to care for persons with depression and other mental health ailments. Much of research on the causes of depression has necessarily being medical in nature. A number of medical studies reveal that depression can arise out of a range of factors like medical and physical disabilities, the death of loved people, social isolation, exclusion and loneliness, and abusive relationships, separation and divorce. Depression can also be initiated by economic and other types of stress, estrangement from family members, the compulsion to care for ailing family members and relocation. Social work research on the other hand reveals that social phenomena like racism, discrimination and oppression can play significantly causal roles in the emergence of depression. Individuals from different religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds have often been subjected to discrimination in the UK. The decades after the closure of the Second World War witnessed a large influx of people from erstwhile British colonies in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean into the UK. Such immigrants, many of whom came to the UK to escape from lives of poverty, hardship and violence in their home countries, were often subjected to various degrees of oppressive and discriminatory treatment, both in the workplace and in the community. Such discriminatory treatment manifested itself in areas of employment, education and access to public facilities. Immigrants were treated differently and subjected to discrimination because of their lack of familiarity with the English language, their different physical appearances, religious traditions, cultural and social habits and their clothes. Such discrimination sometimes assumed distinctly undesirable dimensions like in the case of Christopher Clunis. A mentally disturbed person of African origin, Clunis murdered Jonathan Zito, a young white man, at a tube station in 1992.Whilst subsequent enquiries revealed that Clunis was mentally disturbed and he was subsequently institutionalised, the British media built up a picture of Clunis, (as a large, clumsy, unkempt and violent man), with strong overtones of racism. The numerous incidents of discrimination and ill treatment of persons of Asian origin in the USA after the September 11 attacks reveal racism and social discrimination to be a latent phenomenon that continues to work under the surface in societies and surfaces in response to different types of provocation and perceptions. Immigrants and their families even today have much poorer levels of education, income, health and public participation than members of the mainstream white majority in the UK. Maya is a first generation immigrant who was uprooted from her familiar North Indian environment when she was still in her teens and thrust into alien surroundings; she was unfamiliar with the local language and found it extremely difficult to communicate with others. Her social life was perforce restricted to the local Indian community in east London, which itself was very small when she came to England. Her husband and children, who had to adjust to the local community and its demands and expectations in order to survive and enhance their life chances, would have in all likelihood faced numerous incidences of discrimination and oppression over the course of their lives. Mayas domestic problems were also intensified because of her compulsion to stay with her husbands parents, a tradition that is still widely followed by the Asian community in the UK. Depression among Women from South Asian Communities in the UK A number of social work surveys and studies indicate that the incidence of depression is significantly high in South Asian women. Whilst such women originate from a large and ethnically diverse area that comprises of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Ceylon, many South Asian women suffer from similar causes for mental depression. Fenton and Carlsen, (2002) state that the main causes for depression amongst such populations are experiences of racism, family difficulties, financial problems, poor physical health and lack of employment. Women from these communities experience excessive mental pressure on account of community influence and reputation. Some of them have to cope with unsuitable marriages and unhappy relationships with their in-laws. Such circumstances create enormous difficulties and life challenges and moreover do not provide any avenues for escape. Some women have described how their families and the larger Indian community made them feel inadequate and repeatedly impressed upon them that they were failing in meeting their familial obligations. Such women also feel pressurised because of social isolation, lack of friends and acquaintances, inadequate education and stressful living conditions. The case study reveals that Maya has often been subjected to stress because of her difficult and strained relationship with her mother in law. It is also evident that the option of setting up home independently was never explored by her husband. It needs to be noted that whilst joint family living is common in South Asian communities, it is also often economically necessary because of straitened financial conditions and the additional costs that are likely to be incurred if children opt to live separately from their parents. Depression evidences itself in symptoms like change in eating and sleeping habits, lack of interest in normal daily activity, withdrawal from children, family and friends, overlooking of necessary activities at the home and outside and finally self destructive tendencies. Depressed people are prone to self harm and develop suicidal tendencies. Maya suffers from irregular sleeping habits, often sleeps late at night, gets up late in the mornings and is sometimes unable to cook for her family. She has reduced her interaction with outsiders and is becoming distant from her immediate family. She often suffers from headaches and cries for no reason. Such manifestations and symptoms constitute strong reasons for addressing depression in an elderly person like Maya. Not treating depression can place her and other older people at increased risk for additional physical and mental health problems. The disinclination to get out of the house and exercise can increase her hypertension, lead to diabetes and faster deterioration of the heart, lungs, bones and muscles. It can also lead to deeper, debilitating depression. Implications for Social Work Theory and Practice Social work theory and practice is fundamentally concerned with the improvement of the social and economic circumstances of disadvantaged individuals and groups and the challenging of oppression and discrimination in all its forms. Systems theory in particular, whilst abstract in nature and not applied systematically, has helped social workers to move from linear and causative medical models to significantly greater multi-causal contexts for the understanding of human behaviour. General systems theory provides a conceptual scheme for realising the interactions among different variables, rather than by reducing behavioural explanations to one reason. This is clearly evident in the area of mental health, where depression in people and their resultant behaviour is associated with a number of interacting social, biological and psychological factors. Systems theory requires social workers to examine the multiple systems in which people interact. Assessment of mentally ailing persons will for example require social workers to obtain information from different sources and place them in appropriate family and community contexts. Knowledge of social constructionism theory on the other hand enables social workers to realise how language has been used by medical experts and other dominant groups to build up images of the mentally disturbed as people who cannot look after themselves and their families and who need to be treated by medical experts. Modern societys perceptions about mental illnesses are significantly shaped by medical models, which state that medical ailments represent serious conditions that can make it hard for persons to sustain relationships and engage in employment. They can lead to self-destructive and even suicidal action (Walker, 2006, p 71-87). Social constructionism theory states that such perceptions are built by purposely developed vocabularies of medical models, which are bursting with complex nomenclatures for mental ailments and fixed on deficits. Walker, (2006, P 72), argues that vocabularies of medical models, including that of mental illness, are social constructs, comprising of terms that detail deficits and view humans as objects for examination, diagnosis and treatment, much like machines. Such perceptions result in treatments that is focused on removal of symptoms and do not take account of actual client needs (Walker, 2006, p 71-87). Social constructionism can assist social workers in realising the disparaging chimeras that have been built by existing medical models about the mentally ill. Social workers must also be informed by the theories of oppression and discrimination that condition and shape the behaviours of people, both the oppressors and the oppressed, towards poor, isolated and disadvantaged segments of society. Neil Thompsons PCS theory of oppression (2001), states that oppressive and discriminatory attitudes in people are socialised over the course of their life by three strong influences, namely personal perceptions and cultural and structural influences. Personal perceptions about the mentally ill can arise through reading about such people, viewing them on cinema, thinking about them and other such associated activities. Cultural influences comprise of numerous cognitive inputs from school, friends, family and the larger community about the mentally ill and unstable. Structural influences arise from the various embedded factors in the larger environment like their lack of fitness for employment and their need to be bodily restricted. These PCS factors s hape the minds of individuals and build up strong discriminatory attitudes that rest below the surface and are manifested in various ways. The media outrage over the Clunis incident and the construction of the person into a larger than life image of a socially dangerous person represents the way in which such discriminatory attitudes can often shape the behaviours and actions of people. Chew-Graham et al (2002), state that whilst the incidence of depression among South Asian women is significantly higher than the national average, such women faced numerous barriers in accessing social services because of internal and external barriers. Whilst internal barriers occurred because of family structures and community pressures, external barriers happen because of their unfamiliarity with English, difficulty in communicating with local social services departments and the disinclination of social workers to come to their aid. Services thus tended to be accessed only at points of desperation if at all and increase the tendency of such women to engage in self destructive activities. Dominelli (2002), states that discriminatory attitudes are deeply embedded in the existing social work infrastructure and can be eliminated only if there is a genuine and widespread feeling among social workers to do so. The labelling theory states that the self identity of individuals is often de termined by the terms that are used to describe them.

Three Big Ideas About Child Development Young People Essay

Three Big Ideas About Child Development Young People Essay Understanding child development means that we as carers and parents can understand skills and typical behaviours of children within our care, providing an environment which is nurturing and one that will foster growth. Laura Berk (2000) provides a simple definition of child development; a field of study devoted to understanding all aspects of human growth and change from conception through adolescence. (Berk: 2000, p4). This paper will look at three important theories of child development that you as a teacher or parent should know in order to understand the changes that take place from birth to adulthood. When we talk about child development we refer to three stages called development areas; Physical development involves the growth and change in a persons body and body functions. In this domain we look at the physiological and motor development as well as the influences of health, illness and nutrition. Cognitive development refers to the growth and change of a persons ability to process information, solve problems and gain knowledge. In this area we consider the study of brain development, memory, learning, thinking, language and creativity. Social-emotional development involves the growth and change of our interactions with others and our feelings. Included in this area is the study of relationships, emotions, personality and moral development. Whilst we discuss each area of development separately it is important to realise that they do overlap. One domain can influence the other. Interest in the field of child development began early in the 20th-century. (ref) Many theories have been put forward to explain why and how children develop. Theorist Jean Piaget played a major influence on the way we understand children. He explained childrens development in terms of their cognitive development in a theory known as Piagets theory of cognitive development. Piaget believed that children think differently from adults, arguing that its not that children know less than adults but their thinking skills are qualitatively different. (ref) Many of his ideas came from observing his own children. Piaget was convinced that intellect grows through processes he termed assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation refers to using existing mental patterns in new situations. (ref) In accommodation, existing ideas are modified to fit new requirements. Thus, new situations are assimilated to existing ideas, and new ideas are created to accommodate new experiences. In his theory children mature through a series of distinct stages in intellectual development. Sensorimotor (0-2years): Piaget believed that an infant is born with no way of making sense of the world. Infants use reflexes which act on the world in specific ways so that the child gradually adapts to the world. Motor movements are seen as the basis for the eventual development of intelligence. These slowly become separated from motor activity as the child learns to represent objects, actions and thoughts through play and language. According to Piaget, object permanence emerges during infancy. This relates to the understanding that objects continue to exist even though they are out of sight. Preoperational (2-7 years): Piaget describes toddlers thinking as illogical. This is due to two main characteristics of their thinking processes; egocentricism and centation. Piaget sees young childrens thinking as egocentric; meaning they can only see things from their point of view. They cannot take into account the ideas or needs of others. Due to their stage of cognitive development their thinking is not yet flexible enough to consider more than one aspect of a given situation. They are now in a stage of self-centred thinking. (ref). Centration is the term Piaget uses to describe young childrens tendency to focus their attention on a single aspect of a situation or object. This is where Piagets experiment for the conservation of volume. This stage of development also describes toddlers having improved memory skills, problem solving skills and begin to understand concepts; for example, words such as big and small, colours and the ability to recite numbers. (ref) As children progr ess into pre-school, children practise mental representations by using mental imagery and language symbols. (Ref) Concreter Operational (7-12years): The typical school aged child is entering this stage of development. Children begin to think logically however, they tend to need concrete objects to help them solve problems rather than being able to use abstract ideas. (ref). Piaget would describe the school age child as less egocentric. According to his theory a child is now able to view the world and themselves from other perspectives. (ref) Children at this stage have a longer attention span, a better concept of time and distance and their ability to remember improves. Formal Operational (12-15years): Children at this stage break away from concrete objects and thinking is based more on abstract principles, such as honour or democracy. (ref). Full adult intellectual ability is attained during this stage. For Piaget, the development of scientific reasoning is the pinnacle of development. (Vialle, Lysaght, and Verenikina: 2008, p55). At this stage older adolescents can comprehend math, physics and other abstract systems. (ref). Some critics have faulted Piagets theory on several grounds but mostly for its vagueness. Some would say that Piagets theory has limited our perception of childrens capabilities- particularly in the pre-school years. (ref). Others may say there has been too much focus on what children cant do rather than what they can. According to Siegler (2004) children continuously gain specific knowledge; they do not undergo stage like leaps in general mental ability. (more) However, Piagets work has encouraged us to see childrens cognitive skills as being different from those of adults. His theory is valuable for understanding how children think. If we understand how children think and learn we can provide a stimulating environment that will support their learning. Using Piagets theory of cognitive development, a teacher or parents role is to provide the stimulation and observe carefully to see when to step in and interact or change experiences (ref). (125 more) While Piaget stressed the role of maturation in cognitive development, Lev Vygotsky focused on the impact of socio-cultural factors. His Socio-cultural theory of cognitive development saw that social interaction and language has a major influence on the development of childrens thinking. Vygotsky places great importance on the tole of significant adults such as teachers, parents and also peers. -The zone of proximal development: Like Piaget, Vygotsky believed that children actively seek to discover new principles. However there is emphasis that many of a childs most important discoveries are guided by these significant adults. (ref). Vygotsky realises that some tasks can be beyond a childs reach. The child is close to having the mental skills needed to do the task, but it may be slightly too complex to be mastered alone. The zone of proximal development means children learn with the guidance and assistance of those within their environment. Parents, teachers or other sensitive caregivers will know that children will need assistance, guiding the child to support them in the learning process. Vygosky argued that childrens thinking is highly influenced by interactions and conversations with other peoples. If we want to understand how children think and learn, Vygotsky proposes that we need to observe them when they are relating with others. (ref). Vygotsky proposed that language plays a critical role in learning. He noted that preschoolers often talk to themselves as they complete activities and tasks. He called this Private speech. According to Vygotsky, private speech enables children to talk through problems (ref). Erik Erikson proposed a theory of development that focuses on the emotional and social aspects of development and how these impact on the overall development of the person from infancy to old age. (ref). He called it a Psychosocial theory of development focusing on the social experiences we have in life that shape our psychological make- up. Erikson was a student of Sigmund Freud and believed that the social interactions an individual experiences has a greater influence on development. (ref). Erikson identified eight stages of development over the entire human lifespan, each stage marked by a crisis. If each crisis is resolved in a positive way then the child would develop high self esteem and was more likely to respond to the next crisis in a positive way, developing a healthy personality. If the crisis was resolved in a negative way then it was likely the child would develop low self esteem and have difficulty resolving future crisis. (ref). His theory, particularly the first four stages hold vital considerations for you as a teacher or parent, ensuring that young children develop and maintain a positive sense of emotional wellbeing. -Stage one (0-1 years) Trust vs Mistrust: According to Erikson, a critical emotional struggle in infancy is between trust and mistrust. Emotionally healthy babies come to understand they have nurturing, responsive caregivers who meet their basic needs. They view the world as safe and enter into trusting relationships with caregivers and later, other individuals. However, a degree of mistrust is also important to keep infants safe from harm. But for the most part, the emotionally healthy baby is trusting of the world. (ref) A critical part of achieving trust from Eriksons view is the ability of infants to come to know and develop an emotional tie with caregivers; also known as attachment. Mary Ainsworth described attachment as the affectional tie that one person forms to another specific person, binding them together in space and enduring over time (Ainsworth: 1973). Stage two: (1-3 years) Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt: Once toddlers have developed a sense of trust with significant adults and understand their basic needs will be met, they are willing to venture away from the safety of parents and caregivers. We see this as striving for control over their environment. (ref). Children express their growing self control by climbing, touching, exploring and trying to do things for themselves (Coon Mitterer: 2007). Offering support, achievable tasks and time, children are more likely to experience success and thus feel autonomous and develop feelings of positive self-esteem. (ref). However, if we are impatient, provide tasks that are too difficult or become unsupportive with their efforts, children will develop feelings of shame and doubt about their abilities, resulting in low self esteem. Stage three: (3-5 years) Initiative vs Guilt: In this psychosocial theory of development, Erikson saw the preschool years as a time when children develop a sense of initiative. Preschoolers develop an increasing sense of their own ability and have a desire to make things happen. Through play, children learn to make plans and carry out tasks. Parents can reinforce initiative by giving children freedom to play, ask questions, use imagination and choose their own activities. (ref). When encouraged, this sense of initiative will support the development of high self esteem. However, when preschoolers receive negative feedback, prevent play or punished for trying to plan and make things happen they will develop a sense of guilt, thus developing low self esteem. (ref.) -Stage Four (6-12 years) Industry vs Inferiority: Middle childhood is the time to resolve the crisis of industry versus inferiority, according to Erikson. Primary school years are a childs entrance into life, where children begin to learn skills valued by society. His theory states that as children gain positive feedback from developing skills required for their particular culture, they will develop a sense of industry if they win praise for productive activities such as building, painting, cooking, reading and studying. This high self esteem will motivate children to challenge new tasks. However, if children receive negative feedback and have trouble developing skills and a sense of inferiority will arise, resulting in low self esteem and less motivation to try new tasks. (160 more)

Preventing Computer Vision Syndrome :: Health Vision Computer Essays

Preventing Computer Vision Syndrome Many people in today’s world experience a number of discomforts in relation to spending too much time in front of a computer. These discomforts are especially common for students at Iowa State University because computer technology is used for most of the classes taught here. Many students are unaware of the damage that they are doing to themselves by staring at computer screens for extended periods of time. This paper will describe some of the effects that these students may experience which include: dry, burning eyes; blurred vision; delayed focusing; altered color perception; headaches; tired eyes; eyestrain; sore eyes; red eyes; contact lens discomfort; glare sensitivity; excessive tearing; neck, shoulder and back pain (intersights). Collectively, these symptoms have been termed Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) by the American Optometry Association (eye2eye). The purpose of this paper is to make students aware of some of the effects of long hours spent in front of a computer, and what they can do to prevent these effects. This paper will cover the causes of common effects of Computer Vision Syndrome in detail so that students are aware of the causes as well as the effects of extended amounts of computer usage. When the students know that their computer is the source of the discomforts described below, they will be able to easily prevent these discomforts. Ultimately, this paper will help students become much more efficient in their computer work when they know what causes the effects of Computer Vision Syndrome are and how they can prevent them. What Are the Causes of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)? When a person is looking at a computer screen, that person is processing information at a very rapid rate. The human eye is designed to see clearly at distances of three to twenty feet away without any accommodations, and at this range our eyes traditionally experience no discomfort. When the average person is looking at a computer screen, that screen is usually around twenty inches away from the eyes. The eyes must continually expand and contract to continually refocus to compensate for this small distance. The eye is just not designed to be able to handle staying contracted for any amount of time, and the result is tired, dry, and very sore eyes (eye2eye). The images and text on a computer screen are composed of pixels. Pixels are tiny dots that are bright in the center and fuzzy on the edges and are usually accompanied by backgrounds that do not lend a strong contrast to the written text.