Effects of Performance Evaluation Systems on Employee Morale Research Paper

Effects of Performance Evaluation Systems on Employee Morale - Research Paper Example In human resources management, morale is defined as â€Å"the extent to which an employee’s needs are met ant the extent to which the person perceives that satisfaction as stemming from his or her total job situation; (it is) synonymous with satisfaction†. Job satisfaction and employee motivation are two of the more important concerns of the human resource function in any organization as most of these recognize, that its people are its most important resources. Therefore it is to their ultimate advantage to take care and provide for the needs of their employees. People’s needs are of course determined by different sources and these needs variously control their motivations or the driving forces behind their behaviors. In the study of employee morale therefore, the theories on motivation could be useful to explain this psychological construct. One of the most influential theories upon which many managers base their performance management approach is Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. As people engage in activities that increase their satisfaction, the study of Maslow’s theory becomes important as it explains what particular needs people are trying to gratify through their pursuits. The theory proposes that there are five levels of needs, namely, physiological or the need for food, shelter, water, clothing and other biological needs; security or the need to for protection and safety; belongingness or the need for affection and love; esteem or the need for recognition either from himself or from others; and the highest need of self-actualization which is the desire for self-fulfillment. Maslow emphasizes that the needs in the lower rungs of the hierarchy should be met first before an individual can satisfy the higher level needs. This theory has important implications to management as it points out cl early which needs are to be met and provided at which stage at work and which could be used to motivate them (Jones, 2007). The need for esteem in particular relates to the need of employees to be recognized for their accomplishments, expertise, or skills. If an employee is motivated by this particular need, then providing timely and constructive feedback on how he does at work may encourage him to give a better performance. Another prominent theory on employee motivation is Victor Vroom’s Expectancy Theory which argues that employees will be more motivated to work if they believe that their efforts will lead to higher performance and that this better performance will result to more rewards (Jones (2007). It means then that if an employee will be provided knowledge about his past performance, he can gauge the likeliness of his success or failure in a future or similar task. Performance evaluation systems should be sensitive then to detect low performance so that managers can provide encouragement and the necessary support like coaching or training to underperforming employees. In the same vein, if the evaluation results show that an employee is performing very well at work, then managers’ congratulatory notes can boost the employee’s morale and self-confidence in his abilities and success at work. Psychologists Henry Murray and David McClelland introduced the Acquired Needs Theory which posits that individuals obtain

Ageing Is A Biological Process Sociology Essay

Ageing Is A Biological Process Sociology Essay Ageing is a biological process, which is universal phenomenon and inevitable for all. As Heidegger states, â€Å"We are born, we live, we die.† (Featherstone Wernick, 1995: 1) Pilcher (1995) argues, ‘like class, ethnicity and gender, age is a social category through which people define and identify individuals and groups within society. Age is both an important part of how we see ourselves and how others see us. Age has various connotations, varying according to historical periods and culture. â€Å"Older adults [in industrialized countries] tend to be marginalized, institutionalized, and stripped of responsibility, power and, ultimately, their dignity. It wasnt always thus. In most prehistoric and agrarian societies, older people were often held in high regard. They were the teachers.† (Nelson, 2005) Unfortunately in contemporary society, especially the Western world, ageing has become perceived as an illness.   Biggs (1989) states that we are living in an age ist society where it is believed that a ‘predominant attitude towards older people is coloured by negative mixture of pity, fear, disgust, condescension and neglect. The elderly have become victims of their own survival. The number 65 has been regarded as the beginning of old age. Old age is referred to a time of life which is ‘bleak and hopeless (page 16) Many deny the notion of being ‘old in spite of this but a majority of the elderly are still affected by the very fact of being over 65. Society is also against people with mental illnesses. Just as the elderly are discriminated due to their, people with dementia are discriminated due to their illness. Dementia is said to be a second childhood, but it is not. It is said to rob the mind, but it does not. It is said to affect the elderly over 65, but it can affect a person from early as their forties. Ageism is part of the stigma that people with dementia suffer from. Ageism is deeply embedded within our society, and is very widespread. It is difficult to tackle as it is an unconscious process and often unnoticed. In 1969 Butler coined the term ageism to describe the process of systematic stereotyping and discrimination against older people. Cuddy Fiske (2002) argue that ageism is pervasive, affecting social interactions, housing, health care, employment, and social policy. Quadango (2008) refers to ageism as ‘the stereotyping of and discrimination against individuals or groups because of their age. It s a set of beliefs, attitudes, norms and values used to justify age based prejudice and discrimination. Kite and Johnson (1988) define ageism as ‘beliefs about elderly as unable to contribute to society, and hence as dispensable members of a community. These stereotypes arise from negative cultural attitudes. From these definitions, ageism can be defined to consist of three elements: prejudicial attitudes, discriminatory practices and i nstitutional practices. Traxler (1980) outlines four factors which contribute to ageism. Firstly, there is a fear of death. Secondly, there is an emphasis on youth culture. Thirdly, there is an emphasis on productivity. Fourthly, the research carried out on ageing. These elements can be reflected when analysing dementia. Many fear the symptoms of dementia, as there has been an association that dementia is ‘as if your dead. However, the fear has been exaggerated as ‘dementia is not normal dying (Murphy, __ : 13) There is an assumption that people with dementia cant participate in research or are unable to share their views and experiences. This becomes evident with the fact that dementia has been underfunded. Few resources have been allocated, as dementia in the elderly is not seen as a priority and they are not seen as worthy. Clearly, ageism is part of the social system. Perceptions of aging are formed as early as childhood.   We are surrounded with images of the elderly as a homogenous group that is dependent, lonely, frail and incompetent. These perceptions do not apply at a young age, and do not impact identity formation and therefore negative schema are more likely to be accepted without testing or questioning (Levy et al., 2002) Children hold their own expectations and perceptions about their aging process due to internalized ageing stereotypes. In a study, children were asked how they would feel about becoming an elderly person, of which 60% of these children gave responses rated as negative, including ‘‘I would feel awful (Seedfeldt et al., 1977: 509). Another study found that among children aged four to seven, 66% mentioned that they prefer not to become an elderly person (Burke, 1981). It is evident that children hold discriminatory attitudes towards the elderly, but these attitudes are internalised through socialisation, of where socialisation institutions such as families, media, and education play an important role. Adults hold negative attitudes towards the elderly, which impact the elderly in a destructive way. Palmore (1990) identified nine negative stereotypes associated with â€Å"the elderly.† These included illness, impotency, ugliness, mental decline, mental illness, uselessness, isolation, poverty and depression. One theory argues that perceptions and evaluations regarding ageing have been socially constructed. Social constructions reject ageing as natural and argue that individuals are moulded by socio-cultural factors. According to Berger and Luckman (2002), the social construction of reality relies upon a three-stage process. The first process is where people create culture. The second process involves these cultural creations becoming a reality, and is granted as natural and inevitable, where the third process involves reality being absorbed as valid by following generations. All of these negative attitudes create a new set of exclusions for the elderly person. As a result, the elderly are treated differently as a person and are often treated as ‘the others.   They are viewed and associated with labels such as ill health, poverty, passive and dependent. Heise (1984:__) argues that one stereotype of the elderly is that of a ‘weak and frail elderly. Butler (1987) argues that due to ageism, the elderly are seen as senile, rigid in thought and manner, and old-fashioned in morality and skill. There is a notion that the elderly go into a second childhood. This notion removes their adult status, and their personhood, undermining their worth and value. The elderly are reduced by their physical attributes, where there is a failure to see beneath the surface. They are seen in a state of remediable decline.   ‘Mask of ageing is a term of where the body betrays the person, as the body is unable to adequately signify the individuals inner self, l eaving a misrepresentation and imprisonment. One area that comprises of age-discrimination is seen in the workplace. Some positive stereotypes are associated, including the elderly being more loyal, reliable, experienced and responsible. However, there are also negative stereotypes found within the workplace, including being less adaptive with new innovations and changes. These stereotypes are continually perpetuated despite the fact that there is evidence for a correlation regarding their absenteeism, productivity, or competence. Mandatory retirement may be the most pervasive form of age-discrimination. Media can be seen to be the most pervasive for promoting ageism. It is clear to see how society values characteristics such as youth, autonomy and independence. Popular culture and the consumer culture such as magazines and politics consist of images of youth and beauty which encourage stereotypes of the elderly, of which these images are dominant. Furthermore, the elderly are significantly under-represented across all media.   Levy (2002) found that older people with positive perceptions of aging lived seven and a half years longer than those exposed to negative images of aging. Levy acknowledged that media is not solely to blame for promoting ageism, but it is the most identifiable source. Another area where ageism is pervasive is within the healthcare system, where they often receive inferior health care or are denied access. Within the healthcare system, the elderly are less likely to be referred for screening and treatment, likely to receive more medication prescriptions than younger people for equivalent symptoms, and misdiagnosed with symptoms accounting for ‘normal ageing.Alliance for Aging Research (2003) concludes that the elderly are less likely than younger people to receive preventive care, less likely to be tested or screened for diseases and other health problems, often ignored from proven medical interventions which in turn leads to them being given inappropriate or incomplete treatment, and also consistently excluded from clinical trials, despite being the largest users of approved drugs. They conclude that ageism within the health-care system â€Å"hurts everyone, because it leads to premature loss of independence, increased mortality and disabil ity, and depression in adults who might otherwise continue to lead productive, satisfying and healthier lives† (Alliance for Aging Research, 2003) â€Å"Our health care systems are unhealthy and unsustainable; we focus on the wrong conditions,† with dementia not being a focus. (Whitehouse, 2007: 63) Ageism within the health care system adds further impacts with those who have dementia. the report(irish study) indicates there is structural and organisational discrimination which highlighted a failure to prioritise dementia in terms of policy and resource allocation. As Neil Hunt, the chief executive of the Alzheimers Society states, There is no place for ageism in todays NHS. One in three over 65 will die with dementia yet we know only a third of people will ever receive formal diagnosis. People deserve to be treated with respect and equality regardless of age especially where assessment of symptoms and ongoing care are concerned. Not all people with dementia receive fa ir treatment. Dementia patients often need support of many kinds, frequently without knowing who to ask or what support to ask for. Despite this awareness, a majority of peoples needs are not met. Early symptoms are dismissed as ‘ageing, which delays diagnosis. It has also been found that health professionals lack the knowledge and training for dementia. Illife (1994) argues that GPs attitudes tend to nihilistic and many believe that nothing can be done. He found that 60% of GPs lacked confidence in making a diagnosis of early dementia and many found it difficult to advise about support services or to coordinate such services. The Audit Commission (2000) found fewer than half of general practitioners said they had received sufficient training. It also found that less than two thirds felt they had ready access to specialist advice, of which it required on readily access upon diagnosis. There is further conclusive evidence that there is an under-diagnosis and inadequate manageme nt towards dementia. A recent survey found that nearly two-thirds of general practitioners did not give a memory test and around 40% did not offer a diagnosis when consulted by patients with memory problems. Out of a sample of approximately 700 GPs, 71% felt that they did not have adequate training in and more than half were dissatisfied with community services for dementia. Another study found that most GPs felt they had little to offer dementia patients, early referral was unhelpful, and that the problem was mainly a social problem. Although these studies lean towards the negative aspect of treatments towards those with dementia, the same study found that 52.3% of GPs felt that early diagnosis was beneficial and 54.4% felt diagnosis of early signs of dementia was important. Furthermore, the study is questionable as the data is based on questionnaires. (Renshaw, 2001: 37) It is not only the elderly with dementia that are discriminated again. Ageism works both ways, affecting not only the elderly but also young people. Reverse ageism is where the young people are marginalised. There is little awareness or understanding of people who develop dementia at an early age, and this makes it difficult for younger people with dementia to access ample support. Many dementia care services have a minimum age requirement of 65, and therefore are not available to younger people. When services are available and accessible to younger users, they tend to be inappropriate to their needs. As a consequence, the younger people feel that they are made to fit in to a service, rather than the service fitting their needs. Iliffe (2003) found that 60% of GPs lacked confidence in making a diagnosis of early dementia. Ageism is a major issue that needs to be addressed in order to ensure the elderly are in receipt of fair treatment. Since the 1960s attempts have been made to eliminate age discriminations, with groups such as the Grey Panthers and Help the Aged.   In 2006 a ban on discrimination within the workplace was introduced with the UK Age Discrimination Act. This law makes it unlawful for employers and other staff to discriminate against a person on the basis of his/her age. The Act adopts four definitions, including direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation. As for the health care system, recent allegations claim the NHS to be institutionally ageist, and in response The Equality Bill has been debated about and proposes to eliminate the discrimination rooted within staff and the funding surrounding their care. The Green Paper talks about elderly care and dementia care, arguing that the current system needs amending as there is not insufficient money to pr ovide enough quality care and meet the needs. It acknowledges that an increase in funding is necessary, and to introduce a minimum care entitlement so that receives some Governmental support. An extract from the Green Paper states ‘the Governments vision is for a system that is fair, simple and affordable for everyone, underpinned by national rights and entitlements but personalised to individual needs. In the new National Care Service, everyone should be able to get really good care wherever they live and whatever they or their family need Due to ageism, the elderly and in particular people with dementia are faced with barriers and inequalities within society, which has been acknowledged and attempts have been introduced to eliminate and reduce them. On the one hand there are theories that there is a great lack of understanding about the realities of ageing, and on the other hand, there are theories that the fears of ageing are exaggerated. Ageism does exist, and there have been responses to eliminate these negative attitudes toward age. As mentioned, ageism exists within the health care system, and those who have been diagnosed with dementia not only suffer from the illness, but also suffer from ageism.

Essay --

More tragic play The tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark is the most popular works of William Shakespeare. Probably the popularity of this play lies in the use of character of Hamlet in exemplifying the human mind through its complex workings. Hamlet’s internal dilemma of making the decision whether he should revenge the death of his father or not was a crucial turn in his life as the state of mind was the main reason which effected the decision power one makes in his life. His uncle Claudius was the one who murdered his father and the moment when the ghost of Hamlet’s father appears and asks Hamlet as to when the revenge of his foul and most unnatural murder is to take place. From this point onward Hamlet is under a constant dilemma. He does not find himself ready to take the revenge. If Hamlet had killed Claudius at the first opportunity than the revenge would have been taken but his internal dilemma would have never been solved. This play became very popular and the reason for the popularity was Shakespeare’s use of the character Hamlet and through this character he has tried to exemplify the complex workings of human’s mind. Shakespeare used emotion, reason and attitude of Hamlet to allow the readers to form an opinion or make a judgment about the basic aspects of the life of human beings. The reason the prince could not take the revenge of his father’s death was that he was a man of great moral integrity and to take revenge was an act which was against his deepest principals. Some of the other behaviors of the prince was that after the death of his father Hamlet became so disenchanted with his life that he lost all his desire and will to take any kind of revenge. Due to the delay in revenge Shakespeare was able to develop th... ...a proper burial for her brother and in ‘Oedipus the King’ son has killed his father and married his mother while Glass Menagerie is the only play which is giving us the picture of real life and this the reason that I have chosen this play as my favorite. This play is more tragic of the above plays as it is a tragedy emerging from real life. The condition of the apartment shown in the play is very much common in the country. In poor countries even worse apartments are found. In the play all the characters are going through a frustration and no one is happy from his present state of mind. The wife is lonely as her husband has left the home. The son and daughter are not satisfied as the son is planning to escape and the daughter is playing the records over and over again to show her frustration. This play is a true tragedy found in the richest country of the world.

Preferential Hiring in the North Essay

Inuit in the north, specifically in Nunavut, have an agreement with the government that they receive special benefits to help with day-to-day problems because of what happened to their people in the past. It is common knowledge that when explorers and traders first went to the north, they mistreated the aboriginals up there. They introduce alcohol and tobacco, they forced them to become sedentary by killing off their sled dogs and setting up trading booths for fur trades and such, and they quickly made them become â€Å"Europeanized†. This is not a proud part of Canadian history, and there have been measures taken to try and make up for the wrongs that were done. One of these measures is preferential hiring for Inuit. Although preferential hiring may seem like a fair arrangement given all that has happened, it is incredibly unjust and creates unnecessary problems. It is a fact that in the north the government has to hire a certain percent of Inuit when they are filling job pos itions. I do not agree with this because what ends up happening is that to be able to meet the agreed amount of beneficiaries hired, the government then has to employ people who may not have the qualifications necessary for the job, or who aren’t as trained and competent as other candidates. What also happens in many cases is that the requirements necessary to apply for a position get watered down until they are simple enough to target a larger crowd. This results in a slow-moving government with poor decision-making skills and no proficiency nor productivity. For example, a couple of years ago, in Iqaluit, there was a position as a secretary of a school that needed to be filled. However, there were no Inuit who applied that had enough qualifications for the job, so the school board then had to change the contract, saying that the minimum education requirement was a grade 10 education. A secretary of a school has many responsibilities, and I feel that it is needless to say that a pers on working in a learning facility should have a minimum of a high school diploma. That example was not an uncommon occurrence, it happens far too regularly in the north. It is a huge part of the reason why there is no motivation for a higher education in the youth of the north. These individuals know that if they can at least graduate high school, then they are almost guaranteed a job, and often a six digit salary (or very close to  it). They become lazy, and do not want to waste their time going to get a post-secondary education when they can easily get a job without one. This leads to my next point. There are many people who apply for the government jobs who have all the necessary qualifications and have the proper training and experience for the job, who don’t even get considered simply because of their nationality; if they aren’t Inuit, they aren’t wanted. This is borderline racism. The most qualified person should receive the job; all other factors (within reason) should be irrelevant. It is unfair towards all those who take the time and spend their money going through university, to be overlooked because there was a beneficiary with a high school diploma who also applied for the job. My final point is that there is no reason whatsoever for an Inuit not to have the proper credentials for a job apart from pure laziness. They are given all the opportunities imaginable, and it is their own fault if they do not take them. There is no excuse anymore for them not to have an education, because the government pays for their entire schooling. In fact, Inuit students get paid to go to university and other educational facilities. They are actually making money instead of going in to debt like most students. Therefore, one might wonder, why would someone not want to go to university and get a higher education if they are being paid for it? And the answer is because they do not need an education to get well-respected and well-paid jobs. There are plenty of examples why preferential hiring for Inuit is in fact handicapping them instead of helping them. The efficiency of the government in the north is nowhere near the same as the rest of Canada, and it is due to a lack of qualifications of those who are preferentially hired. By eliminating preferential hiring, you would be increasing motivation for a higher education and a better working society.

Beowulf and The Modern Day Hero Essay

A hero does something for the greater good of world. A hero is brave and weather in any state of affairs. Beowulf and Irena Sendler a societal worker who smuggled over 2. 500 Judaic out of injuries manner put their lives on the line to protect their world. While each warriors have their differences both believe in bravery and triumphing over evil. In his concluding conflict Beowulf goes up against a firedrake that take a whole ground forces to get the better of. Caught up in his brave high Beowulf does non recognize the effort that lies in front of him. Beowulf describes. â€Å"scant respect for the firedrake as a menace. no apprehension at all of its bravery or strength. for he kept traveling frequently in the past† ( 2348-2351 ) . Beowulf is caught up in his past glorifications blinding him from the realization of how unsafe the firedrake is. Bing brave agencies one knows their bounds. Irena Sendler knew that she could non move entirely in delivering over 2. 500 guiltless ki ds. Ambulance drivers would transport kids under the floor boards while constabulary officers would be bribed to let traffic through an belowground corridor. Unlike Beowulf Irena knew that she needed aid to mouse past the elephantine Nazi government to deliver 1000s of Judaic kids. is non caught up in being labeled as a hero for put on the lining her life to salvage over 2. 500 guiltless kids. Beowulf provinces. â€Å"I have wrestled the hilt from the enemies’ manus. avenged the evil done to the Danes ; it is what was due† ( 1668-1670 ) Beowulf battles for justness and to revenge those who have done incorrect. By contending for your beliefs Beowulf shows that you can non terrorise without reverberations. In 1943 the Nazi party commenced a settlement of the Warsaw ghetto. Irena believes. â€Å"Every kid saved with my aid and the aid of all the fantastic secret couriers. who today are no longer populating. is the justification of my being on this Earth. and non a rubric to glorification. † Irena did non desire the rubric of glorification she merely fought for her beliefs in a non-violent mode. Unlike Beowulf she did non necessitate to travel out and revenge the Nazis for their despicable Acts of the Apostless towards humanity. A hero is brave and will set their lives on the line to protect world. Beowulf and a Irena are brave no affair how dashing each of their undertakings were. A hero stands up for the greater good of people when he witnesses mankind being threatened. While a hero comes in all different ways both possess the same qualities. MLA Format HEVESI. DENNIS. â€Å"Irena Sendler. Lifeline to Young Jews. Is Dead at 98. † Nytimes. com. Nytimes. com. 13 May 2008. Web.

The Title of this essay is Pubic Lice. It explains the causes of it, its effects, and different studies about this STD.

The Title of this essay is Pubic Lice. It explains the causes of it, its effects, and different studies about this STD. Every year, millions of people treat themselves for pubic lice. Pubic Lice is an STD caused by a small, light brown, flat, wingless insect called Phthirus pubis. It looks like a crab and so the STD is also called "crabs" or "cooties". This is because the insect has claws like a crab, which it uses to hold on to the pubic hair. The insect likes to feed on blood. Pubic lice occur when adult lice lay eggs, called nits, on the hair shaft close to the skin. The egg, which is white and shiny, requires 7 to 10 days to hatch. A typical infestation is by less than a dozen lice.The main symptom of pubic lice is slight to severe itching. The itching is thought to be caused by an allergy to the bite of the louse. You may not always have itching. There may also be tiny dark brown spots on the skin or undergarments where they come in contact with the affected area.English: Pubic lice in abdomenSmall red bumps in the pubic area may also appear.There is an estimated 3 million new cases a year in the United States. Anyone can get it because it can be picked up from material things such as towels, washcloths, clothes, pillows, bed sheets, etc that the infected person comes in contact with. But, sexual contact is the most common way to get it so all those who are sexually active are at a much higher risk.Lice may be treated easily with special creams, lotions or shampoos, which are available at a drugstore. Ask the pharmacist for help, and then follow the directions carefully. If you don't treat lice, you may get a skin infection that will require a visit to a doctor and you might transmit pubic lice to sexual...

Advanced Database Management System Project Essays

Advanced Database Management System Project Essays Advanced Database Management System Project Essay Advanced Database Management System Project Essay Introduction Background of the Study This survey is about the scaling system in English of class thee to rate six pupils of Tambo Munti Kulit Elemantary School. under the counsel of Mrs. Gina G. Espineli. instructor of English. The school is located at barangay Tambo Munti Kulit. Indang. Cavite. The public school is besides under the Department of Education ( well-known as DepEd ) . Vision Tambo Munti Kulit Elementary School is committed to educate the young person of Cavite for the new millenary. to exert dynamic. proactive and advanced leading It shall be a school wherein leaders are developed to go competent and responsible members of the Filipino society ; equipped with maximal potencies so that they shall be valued and respected in the planetary community ; antiphonal to the demands of a technologically forward society ; and who are above all. humane and morally unsloped. It shall continuously function by its doctrine of Quality Education for All and shall ever be guided by its end of living up to a national civilization of excellence . Mission Tambo Munti Kulit Elementary school is committed to supply cognition and values necessary for the attainment of higher academic public presentation. It will supply young person and grownups with wonts and accomplishments needed for life-long acquisition and present effectual services for the common good. Problems addressed by the DBMS Pre-DBMS Typographic Mistake: Misspelled words caused by rapid input of informations as they have to go through it to the higher section every bit shortly as pressing. Time-wasting: It can take a piece to manually add or seek informations. Improper categorization of informations: It is hard to screen tonss of informations into groups. Misplace of Data: There are some instances that the records can be lost or misplaced doing it difficult to recover. Limited: They can non make back-ups. as they have to take it a long clip. Not Secured: There’s merely one authorised room to put all of informations. Current DBMS Crashing plan and can non be retrieved: One of the jobs that is caused by bugs. Slow procedure of informations: This is due to low memory ( largely hardware jobs ) Typographical Mistake: Misspelled words caused by rapid input of informations as they have to go through it to the higher section every bit shortly as pressing. Godhead of the System The Grading system is provided by the Department of Education The Department of Education was established through the Education Decree of 1863 as the Superior Commission of Primary Instruction under a Chairman. The Education bureau underwent many reorganisation attempts in the twentieth century in order to better specify its intent vis a vis the altering disposals and charters. The present twenty-four hours Department of Education was finally mandated through Republic Act 9155. otherwise known as the Governance of Basic Education act of 2001 which establishes the authorization of this bureau. The Department of Education ( DepEd ) formulates. implements. and coordinates policies. programs. plans and undertakings in the countries of formal and non-formal basic instruction. It supervises all simple and secondary instruction establishments. including alternate learning systems. both public and private ; and provides for the constitution and care of a complete. adequate. and incorporate s ystem of basic instruction relevant to the ends of national development. The Rating System in English consists the followers: Quizs: 15 % Recitation: 20 % Performance: 15 % Subject: 10 % Homework: 5 % Undertaking: 10 % - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Periodic Exam: 25 % Entire: 100 % Improvements with the usage of the DBMS lt ; State the betterments in the topics company in the execution of the system with the DBMS gt ; DESIGN AND CODING Entity Relationship Diagram ( ERD ) Relational Schema Questions used Query| Description| select* from tblstudent ; | expose all informations from tbl student| select* from tblquizzes ; | displays all informations from tblquizzes| select* from tblhomework ; | expose all informations from tblhomework| select* from tbltheme ; | expose all informations from tbltheme| select* from tblothers ; | displays all informations from tblothers| choice tblstudent. lname as Last Name . tblquizzes. quiz_no as Quiz Number . tblquizzes. class as Grade from tblstudent inner articulation tblquizzes on tblstudent. sid=tblquizzes. sid order by sid ; | displays the last name of the pupil. together with its quizzes ( quiz figure and the class ) | choice tblstudent. lname as Last Name . tblhomework. homework_no as Homework Number . tblhomework. class as Grade from tblstudent inner articulation tblhomework on tblstudent. sid=tblhomework. sid order by sid ; | displays the last name of the pupil. together with its preps ( prep figure figure and the class ) | choice tblstudent. lname as Last Name . tbltheme. theme_no as Theme Number . tbltheme. class as Grade from tblstudent inner articulation tbltheme on tblstudent. sid=tbltheme. sid order by sid ; | displays the last name of the pupil. together with its subjects ( theme figure and the class ) | choice tblstudent. lname as Last Name . tblothers. reci_grade as Recitation from tblstudent inner articulation tblothers on tblstudent. sid=tblothers. sid order by sid ; | displays the last name of pupil. and its recitation grade| choice tblstudent. lname as Last Name . tblothers. perf_grade as Performance from tblstudent inner articulation tblothers on tblstudent. sid=tblothers. sid order by sid ; | displays the last name of the pupil. and its public presentation grade| choice tblstudent. lname as Last Name . tblothers. proj_grade as Project from tblstudent inner articulation tblothers on tblstudent. sid=tblothers. sid order by sid ; | displays the last name of the pupil. and its undertaking grade| choice tblstudent. lname as Last Name . tblothers. peri_grade as Periodical from tblstudent inner articulation tblothers on tblstudent. sid=tblothers. sid order by sid ; | displays the class of the pupil. and its periodical test class. | mysql gt ; choice tblstudent. sid. tblstudent. lname as Last Name . tblstu dent. fname as FirstName . tblstudent. mname as Middle Name . tblstudent. degree as Grade . avg ( tblquizzes. grad vitamin E ) as Quizzes . tblothers. reci_grade as Recitation . tblothers. perf_grade as Performance . avg ( tbltheme. class ) as Themes . avg ( tblhomework. class ) as Homework . tblothers. proj_ class as Project . tblothers. peri_grade as Periodical . ( ( avg ( tblquizzes. class ) *0. 15 ) + ( tblothers. reci_grade*0. 20 ) + ( tblothers. perf_grade*0. 15 ) + ( avg ( tbltheme. class ) *0. 10 ) + ( avg ( tblh omework. class ) *0. 05 ) + ( tblothers. proj_grade*0. 10 ) + ( tblothers. peri_grade*0. 25 ) ) as Final gt ; from tblstudent gt ; interior articulation tblquizzes on tblstudent. sid=tblquizzes. sid gt ; interior articulation tblothers on tblstudent. sid=tblothers. sid gt ; interior articulation tblhomework on tblstudent. sid=tblhomework. sid gt ; interior articulations tbltheme on tblstudent. sid=tbltheme. sid gt ; group by sid gt ; order by lname ; | displays the pupil umber. last name. first name. in-between name. class. quizzes. recitation. public presentation. subjects. prep. undertaking. periodical test. and laso the concluding class based on the expression given by the section of educaton. | Recommendation lt ; Recommendations that you can give if you will heighten the system and/or the database use gt ; Appendixs Screenshots lt ; You will put of import screenshots of the system. Along with the screenshot. there should be a brief treatment on what they are about. 2- 4 sentences would be plenty. gt ; Data Dictionary lt ; This will incorporate the tabular arraies and field names of your topic. gt ; Ex. STUDENT lt ; table name gt ; | Field Name| Data type| Description| S_fname | Text| First name of the student| S_age| Number| Age of the student| Interview Images lt ; This will incorporate the images that shows the interview conducted with the topic. gt ; Interview questionaire lt ; Questionnaire/s used for obtaining the information for this research gt ;

The Characters in All My Sons by Arthur Miller

The Characters in All My Sons by Arthur Miller Arthur Millers drama All My Sons asks a tough question: How far should a man go to secure his familys well-being? The play delves into deeply moral issues regarding our obligations to our fellow man. Divided into three acts, the story unfolds in the following manner: Act One: The friendly Keller household is introduced.Act Two: The truth about Joe Keller is revealed.Act Three: After facing the truth, the characters make final choices. Like other works by Arthur Miller, All My Sons is a critique of an overzealously capitalistic society. It shows what happens when humans are ruled by greed. It demonstrates how self-denial cannot last forever. And it is Arthur Millers characters who bring these themes to life. Joe Keller Joe seems like the traditional, amiable 1940s father figure. Throughout the play, Joe presents himself as a man who deeply loves his family but also has great pride in his business. Joe Keller has been running a successful factory for decades. During World War II, his business partner and neighbor, Steve Deever noticed some faulty airplane parts about to be shipped for use by the U.S. military. Steve says that he contacted Joe who ordered that shipment, but Joe denies this, saying that he was home sick that day. By the plays end, the audience discovers the dark secret Joe has been concealing: Joe decided to send the parts through because he was afraid that admitting the companys mistake would destroy his business and his familys financial stability. He allowed the sale of faulty airplane parts to be shipped to the frontline, resulting in the death of twenty-one pilots. After the cause of the deaths was discovered, both Steve and Joe were arrested. Claiming his innocence, Joe was exon erated and released and the entire blame shifted to Steve who remains in jail. Like many other characters within the play, Joe is capable of living in denial. It is not until the plays conclusion that he ultimately faces his own guilty conscience - and then he chooses to destroy himself rather than deal with the consequences of his actions. Larry Keller Larry was Joes oldest son. The audience does not learn too many details about Larry; the character dies during the war, and the audience never meets him - no flashbacks, no dream sequences. However, we do hear his final letter to his girlfriend. In the letter, he reveals his feeling of disgust and disappointment towards his father. The content and tone of the letter suggest that perhaps Larrys death was due to combat. Perhaps life was no longer worth living because of the shame and anger he felt. Kate Keller A devoted mother, Kate still holds on to the possibility that her son Larry is alive. She believes that one day they will receive word that Larry was only wounded, perhaps in a coma, unidentified. Basically, she is waiting for a miracle to arrive. But theres something else about her character. She holds onto the belief that her son lives because if he perished during the war, then (she believes) her husband is responsible for her sons death. Chris Keller In many ways, Chris is the most admirable character in the play. He is a former World War II soldier, so he knows firsthand what it was like to face death. Unlike his brother, and the many men who died (some of them because of Joe Kellers faulty airplane parts), he managed to survive. He plans to marry his late brothers former girlfriend, Ann Deever. Yet, he is very respectful about his brothers memory, as well as the conflicting feelings of his fiancà ©. He also has come to terms with the death of his brother and hopes that his mother will soon be able to peacefully accept the sad truth. Finally, Chris, like so many other young men, idealizes his father. His strong love for his father makes the revelation of Joes guilt all the more heart-wrenching. Ann Deever As mentioned above, Ann is in an emotionally fragile situation. Her boyfriend Larry was missing in action during the war. For months she hoped that he had survived. Gradually, she came to terms with Larrys death, eventually finding renewal and love in Larrys younger brother, Chris. However, since Kate (Larrys seriously-in-denial Mom) believes that her eldest son is still alive, she is mortified when she discovers that Ann and Chris plan to marry. On top of all this tragedy/romance material, Ann also laments the disgrace of her father (Steve Deever), whom she believes is the sole criminal, guilty of selling faulty parts to the military. (Thus, theres great dramatic tension, as the audience waits to see how Ann will react when she discovers the truth: Steve isnt the only guilty one. Joe Keller is guilty too!) George Deever Like many of the other characters, George (brother of Ann, son of Steve) believed that his father was guilty. However, after finally visiting in father in prison, he now believes that Keller was in fact primarily responsible for the death of the pilots and that his father Steve Deever should not be the only one in jail. George also served during World War II, thus giving him a greater stake in the drama, for he is not only seeking justice for his family, but for his fellow soldiers.

The Relationship between Biology and Psychology Essay

The Relationship between Biology and Psychology - Essay Example For example, if a girl loses 10lbs in terms of biology, she would undoubtedly feel ecstatic, confident and extremely happy, and that will probably change her thinking in psychological terms. There are many people who distinguish between the biological and psychological phenomenon through assuming that these phenomena engross various structure, content, and causal mechanisms. For example, children are aware of bodily symptoms, such as coughing, but they are not aware of behavioral abnormalities, such as obsessively washing hands, which is contagious (Freberg 134). In today’s world, many people take the brain and nervous system for granted, which are actually the source of reason, sensation, intellect, and movement. This basic fact is not universally accepted throughout the human history. Although, there are few ancient observations that came close to the truth that the brain has a pivotal role in maintaining the life. Notaro, Gelman, and Zimmerman (2001) found that children do not believe in the psychological events, such as nervousness can result in physical health outcomes, such as pain in the stomach (Notaro, Gelman and Zimmerman 447). After the review of developmental and numerous cognitive kinds of literature, Satoshi (2004) had concluded that human beings are dualists, who have two different ways of looking at the world, in terms of souls and bodies, that means psychological and biological causes appears to be distinct in the minds of the people’s (Satoshi 382).

Questions for Information Technology in the Business Environment Coursework

Questions for Information Technology in the Business Environment - Coursework Example [1 Mark] (b) For the legislation that you selected for 1(a) briefly describe what this legislation covers? Answer: The legislation covers false or misleading advertising, false or misleading representations about price and false or misleading sales techniques, finance agreements, and unfair prices. In basic terms, consumers cannot be pressured or misled and must be respected. As such, sales techniques must be upfront with no hidden fish hooks. [4 Marks] (c) For the legislation that you selected for 1(a) briefly why and for what reasons this legislation is relevant to IT Professionals? Answer: This legislation is relevant to IT professionals. Being professionals, it means that they have an in-depth knowledge on IT-related matters including products. Therefore, at times they might be tempted to mislead the customers who might not be so aware of these products. This legislation prohibits such a practice. [3 Marks] P L E A S E T U R N O V E R F O R A D D I T I O N A L S P A C E Question 2 Ethical Theory including the New Zealand Computer Society Code of Ethics 13 Marks Fill In the Gaps in the sentences below: [1 Mark per word] The New Zealand Computer Society Code of Ethics is based upon the principles of: interests of the community Respect_____________ for the individual interests of the client and supported by the values of: _________Competence_____________________________ ________Truth______________________________ social justice and _______________Ethical______________________ behaviour Members shall act in the execution of their profession with________integrity_____________, ___dignity_______________and _____honour_______________to merit the trust of the community and the profession, and apply honesty, ______skill_________________, judgement and initiative to contribute positively to the well-being of society; Members shall not__________misrepresent__________________ the qualifications and ______competencies______________ of themselves or those in their employ or under their supervision; P L E A S E T U R N O V E R The capabilities of the computer often lend a special character to problems of computer ethics, however. For instance, the computer often allows people to perform unethical actions_____faster_____________ or to perform actions that were too ____difficult___________ or impossible using manual methods. Now that computers are so common, organisations and individuals are increasingly ____vulnerable_______________ to their unethical use. Question 3 Treaty of Waitangi 13 Marks During ITB6210, the background and the current relevance of the Treaty of Waitangi was discussed (a) Summarise the British Crown’s reasons for entering into the Treaty of Waitangi Answer: The treaty of Watangi was an agreement between the British Crown and 540 Maori chiefs. It was a political statement of principles to found a nation state and build a government. There was an exchange of promises. The Maori conceded the sovereignty of New Zealand to Bri tish. In return, they were guaranteed rights of land, forests, fisheries and other undisturbed possessions.

No topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 29

No topic - Essay Example The narrowness of this region enables it to allow the penetration of anything that lies on the surface of the rock. The more the weight of the bighorn is running down to its hooves, the more the two digits make contact with the rock and tend to slide away from each other forming a v-shape. The v-shaped element formed enables the removal of slippery materials on the rocks and leaves it rough thus preventing the sheep from falling from the rocks. Pertaining to the air resistance, a cat jumping from a high floor tends to have lesser injuries than when it is falling from a lower height of the wall. The reason behing this lies behind the notion of the rotation it makes with its body that increases the air resistance that acts against the forces of gravity pulling it to the ground. Thus, the more the air resistance, the lesser the injuries to the cat when its rolling from a high wall (Walker, 2007). But when the cat is jumping from a lower height, it does not rotate its body, thus less air resistance is created (Walker,

The negative impacts of internet on teenagers in the United States Essay

The negative impacts of internet on teenagers in the United States - Essay Example Risks associated with internet for teenagers are far more profound than with any other kind of media due to the ease of accessibility to the harmful content that the internet provides the children with. Based on the view of about 85 per cent of the parents, the National Altitudinal Poll identified the internet as the number one concern for the parents (Common Sense Media cited in Louge 2). Internet has provided the children with the opportunity to view and past whatever they feel like without having the parents realize it. Internet is frequently used by the American children to distribute sexually explicit material both their own and that of the others that they get to lay their hands on. Sex trafficking and various kinds of sex crimes have increased in number manifolds as the use of internet among the children has increased. â€Å"The Internet is transforming the experience of growing up in America. It is also transforming the job of being a parent in America. The Internet brings t he world — the good, the bad, and the ugly — to the American family’s doorstep. It brings the ruins of ancient Athens to that doorstep, but it also brings the red light district of Bangkok† (Third Way Culture Project). This paper identifies the various the negative impacts of internet on teenagers in United States. ... Thus, when they are away from the internet, they are depressed and their senses are revived only when they are using the internet. In this sense, they become addicted to the internet. They know that they ought to limit the time they spend on the internet and yet cannot help using the internet all day long because they experience unpleasant emotions when they are not using it. Internet remains in their conscious sense full time in one way or another. Either they are thinking what movie they would download next, which friend they would reply next or what statement they would place on their Facebook profiles. Excessive use of internet has become a very common thing among the young generation in the US. This behavior of unusually high association with the internet is commonly referred to in such terms as compulsive use of internet, pathological use of internet, problematic use of internet, computer addiction, internet dependence and net addiction. Declining academic performance Internet addiction has many unfavorable outcomes one of which happens to be the negative impact of it on an individual’s academic performance. Because of the excessive use of internet, the child is not able to concentrate upon the studies. Studies demand time and attention and yet are very boring. On the other hand, internet activities are very interesting and encourage one to indulge in them because they are also energizing and intellectual in many ways. Thus, the individual’s craving for knowledge and enhancing the skills is sufficiently satisfied by using internet. Thus, the time that the children should spend on their studies is wasted in playing online games, socializing on the social media websites and downloading and watching movies

The Position of Japanese Women Employees In Post-bubble Era Essay

The Position of Japanese Women Employees In Post-bubble Era - Essay Example The author of the essay "The position of Japanese women employees in the post bubble era" assumes that globalization and bubble phase led to more integration of Japanese economy with the world economy facilitating higher growth rate in education, health and infrastructure industries. Women also have higher prospects to utilize this conducive environment for better representation in employment. However, their traditional factors slowed down the growth rate as Japanese society gives higher emphasis to marriage system and women have to devote much time for their family which led to higher proportion of resignations to jobs during marriage and child birth time. The basic challenges to prospects of women employment in Japan include child care issue, lack of encouragement to enter top management, higher proportion if unorganized sector and lack of strict implementation of equal employment laws. The representation of women at top management level is quite unsatisfactory and some strong meas ures have to be taken to enhance this. Moreover, the child care leave has to be provided to women employees for a long duration and it should be delinked to the employment and promotional prospects. Similarly, the education level of women in Japan have to be improved for making them well represented at senior management level. Lastly, some of the employment laws for women have to be strictly implemented for their better representation in employment and they should look in to the problems of women in part time jobs and unorganized sector.

Strategic Rationale, Masters Objectivity and Self Analysis Essay

Strategic Rationale, Masters Objectivity and Self Analysis - Essay Example The influence came from the observation that without furthering my education, there wouldn’t be the ability to advance in any career field or set the pace for the desires which I had and the goals which were set into place for my future. The rationale and objectivity for studying the Masters Degree and positioning this into longer term strategies began with overall goals which I had toward a career field and the skills required for movement further forward in my desired area of knowledge. The main approach was to gain business knowledge that was associated with the degree and the associations which related to this. My long term goals were based on business development and moving forward within a career and workspace. There was an understanding that this couldn’t be done without the proper business knowledge. After beginning to study, the personal and career ambitions began to change with personal needs that required altering for my desired field. The personal and career ambitions that were developed were based on gaining business knowledge for a future career. The new expectations which I have are now based on advancing into managerial and high – end executive positions based on my own skills and desires. I believe that the success factors and career ambitions which I now hold are based on beginning to move into the practical applications of the knowledge which I have gained and to continue to practice each of the skills to advance within the career field. The more in which I can gain insight and practical applications to the knowledge from the Masters Degree, the easier it will be to move into the higher positions that are a part of the business field of my choice. Strategic Analysis of your Masters Abilities   The ability to perform with a future international business is one which is dependent on both personal and interpersonal skills. There are a variety of expectations that are a part of functioning with a multinational business, inc luding time management, organization, research, critical thinking, writing and communicating with others. Each of these skills alters the ability to work within different fields and allow an individual to propel forward with their career (Davies, 2011: 51). I found that, while I had the ability to have a strong personality and desire for a future with an international business, most of the basic skills were not allowing me to move forward with specific needs. The need to move into stronger communication and management skills is the main focus which I have found that I need to focus on. The academic and intellectual business knowledge that is combined with the personal Mastership objectives is based on furthering the skills which I did not have when beginning the Masters program. This concept moves into in – depth practices that I have learned, specifically with communication. The basis begins with writing skills that are associated with the academic knowledge needed. This com bines with skills that pertain to listening, responding appropriately and communicating in the proper manner. The interviewing and questioning that is associated with this combines with the ability to work in teams and to have better academic and intellectual understanding of organization and concepts such as IT skills. Developing these and continuing to practice with different needs

The Position of Japanese Women Employees In Post-bubble Era Essay

The Position of Japanese Women Employees In Post-bubble Era - Essay Example The author of the essay "The position of Japanese women employees in the post bubble era" assumes that globalization and bubble phase led to more integration of Japanese economy with the world economy facilitating higher growth rate in education, health and infrastructure industries. Women also have higher prospects to utilize this conducive environment for better representation in employment. However, their traditional factors slowed down the growth rate as Japanese society gives higher emphasis to marriage system and women have to devote much time for their family which led to higher proportion of resignations to jobs during marriage and child birth time. The basic challenges to prospects of women employment in Japan include child care issue, lack of encouragement to enter top management, higher proportion if unorganized sector and lack of strict implementation of equal employment laws. The representation of women at top management level is quite unsatisfactory and some strong meas ures have to be taken to enhance this. Moreover, the child care leave has to be provided to women employees for a long duration and it should be delinked to the employment and promotional prospects. Similarly, the education level of women in Japan have to be improved for making them well represented at senior management level. Lastly, some of the employment laws for women have to be strictly implemented for their better representation in employment and they should look in to the problems of women in part time jobs and unorganized sector.

Nurse as a team member communication, change process, group process Research Paper

Nurse as a team member communication, change process, group process - Research Paper Example Prepare for disasters and general health care in the community. Developing internal understanding among group members as they contribute positively to save lives in areas that have just been hit by disasters. This involves the commitment to selflessness and to save and rescue as many victims of the disaster as possible. Bodies that have not survived disasters to be handled with decency and to make sure they are identified (Ott, 2007). 8:00 am Commencement of the rescue operation.(The injured are transferred to the health camp within for first aid, ambulances on standby to rush the most serious cases to the hospital for further medical assessment. N/B: The entire operation does not stop when this group winds up. Another group comes in to work in the night session if at all the rescue process is very demanding.However,night sessions only apply in very serious disasters. Normally reinforcement is usually very necessary. The director took the general leadership role. He however delegated supervisory role to the coordinators who fore saw the operations carried out by each group division. Leadership in this instance is characterized by a lot of team consultation. The director makes his decisions based on the feedback from the assisting staff and coordinators. Decisions made also depend on emerging situations that may arise in the camp in the sense that some cases require much emergency response than the others (Northouse,

Air Lift Fermenter

Air Lift Fermenter Summary : Fermentation is a process involve microbial cells to breakdown or catabolise the organic compounds into smaller molecules. Fermentation is performed under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The end products of fermentation are our daily products such as alcohol, vitamins, enzymes rennets, antibiotics such as penicillin and lactic acid. In the fermentation process, it is very crucial to maintain optimum mixing and aeration in the reaction. Optimum mixing is to ensure best amount of products conversion as well as to avoid wastage of biomass and substrate. Whereas, aeration is the oxygen transfer rate, also the rate-limiting step in the aerobic bioprocess which is very crucial in design, operation and scale-up of bioreactors. Mixing and aeration in the fermenter is carried out by air-lift or mechanical agitators. Air-lift fermenter uses air injected from the bottom of its draft-tube, while mechanical type uses motor driven shaft agitator. Both of the air-lift and mechanical agitator are d iffer in mixing, aeration, biological efficiency, energy consumption, operation and construction, application and cost. Different types of fermentation biomass and substrates characteristic is the factor to determine types of air-lift or mechanical agitators to be used. Introduction : Advances of biotechnology today has been making use of microbiology in different perceptions of the natural processes to produce our daily products such as cheese, antibiotics, alcohols, biofuel, hormones, microbial enzymes such as rennets and vitamins. The process employed to produce these products is known as fermentation, in which catabolism of organic compound take place. The breakdown of the organic compounds is performed by microorganisms under aerobic and anaerobic conditions to yield end-products that are our daily products as mentioned (Fermentation, Chapter 1 2009). In the process of fermentation, the microbial cells obtain energy through glycolysis to break down the complex organic compounds to simpler molecules. Usually, the by product of the process is excreted by the cell in the form of acetone, lactic acid and alcohol. In the history of fermentation, in year 1680 Antony van Leeuwenhoek was the first biologist discover the process through fermenting beer under observation with microscope (Fermentation, Chapter 1 2009). Later, in the 19th century, Louise Pasteur discovered and understood the process of fermenting alcohol by using yeast to convert sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxides(Fermentation, Chapter 1 2009). Besides, in 1929 Alexander Fleming discovered the production of antibiotics Penicillin to fight against bacteria infection (Fermentation, Chapter 1 2009). Since then, various antibiotics are produced by fermentation using various bacteria and fungi. There are several factors to be taken into accounts as designing the fermenters such as scale-up issues, fermenter types, impeller types, immobilised systems, peripheral equipment and fermenter measurements. Impeller plays a vital role in mixing during fermentation because it maintains optimum substrate and biomass concentration in the fermenter throughout the whole process. It also keeps the solids suspended, disperse oxygen to keep maximum total bubble surface area and entrap air bubbles to avoid the air escape before all the oxygen is dissolved (Freitas C. et al. 2000). Fundamentally, there are 2 apparatus used for mixing which are the mechanical agitators and the air-lift fermenters. Air-lift fermenters are sometimes known as the bubble column, can be divided into free rise, draft tube, propeller-assisted and pumped liquid jet-assisted. Air-lift fermenter Air-lift fermenter is an efficient contactor for the reactions involved gases, liquids and solids. There are two types of air-lift fermenters which are the internal loop and the external loop. The internal loop has a draft tube in its inner tube, in which the up-flowing gasses liquid and the down-flowing liquid is separated by the draft tube. Draft tubes are used in some processes to promote better mass transfer, mixing and inducing circulatory motion to reduce bubble coalescence. The external loop has two streams flow in two separate pipes connected at top and bottom. In this way, the air-lift fermenters improve the circulation and oxygen transfer and equalize shear forces in the reactor. Both of the internal and external loop air-lift fermenters have been investigated to the hydrodynamic behaviour and other design factors (Fermentation, Chapter 1 2009). The figure below shows the structure of an air-lift bioreactor with an internal loop. Unlike the mechanical agitation system, air-lift fermenters do not have motor, shaft and impeller blades. As such, the mixture inside the fermenters is agitated by injecting air from the bottom of the tube. Sterile atmospheric air is injected into the fermenters if the microorganism is aerobic, while for the anaerobic microorganism is fed with inert gas (Fermentation, Chapter 1 2009). Mixing in air-lift fermenters is very gentle hence it is suitable for batch culture of shear sensitive cells and tissues such as the mammalian and plant cells (European patent application 2009). Likewise, high shearing stress causes damage to cells could be avoided. Batch culture of plant and animal cells can be cost intensive. However, in cases where the demand for the plant or animals culture products is low and batch cycles are long, the high capital cost can exclude the economical production (European patent application 2009). One of the application of air-lift fermenters is the large scale producti on of monoclonal antibodies (Fermentation, Chapter 1 2009). Mechanical Agitators Stirred tank fermenters are most commonly used in fermentation. It is a cylindrical vessel with an agitator driven by motor to stir the mixture contents in the tank. There two types of agitator used which are the top-entry stirrer and the bottom entry stirrer. The top entry stirrer is more commonly used because the operation is easier to manage, more reliable and robust, whereas the bottom entry model is rarely to be used. The bench scale fermenters are usually made of borosilicate glass with a stainless steel lid. In the laboratory, top-entry stirrer is used, which consist of a motor attached to the shaft and together with impellers (Bloch H.P. and Soares C. 2007). The criterias of manufacturing the fermenters are the high grade of stainless steel, a well-polished internal surface to prevent adhesion of contents to the fermenters walls, and contain smooth joints and free of pin holes to avoid de-mixing. The typical volume of the fermenter used in the laboratory is range from 1 to 10 0 litres (Bloch H.P. and Soares C. 2007). The figure below is the basic structure of a stirred tank fermenter. There are several categories of mechanical mixing equipment, the types of mechanical drivers require to accommodate speed, shaft and power; the kinds of impellers used for specific process, the needs to seal the tanks to against high pressure caused by the processes and stabilization of the impellers devices and the steady bearings in the tank (Bloch H.P. and Soares C. 2007). The main purpose of the mechanical agitator is to provide homogenous mixing, provide aeration and removal of waste gaseous such as carbon dioxide produced during the fermentation process. Usually, the agitator is consisted of motor driven shaft with impellers of 4 to 6 blades. Several types of impellers are more commonly used which are Rushton blade or disc turbine, open turbine impellers and marine impellers. Among the three, Rushton turbine is most commonly used because its design is more simple, easy operation methods and its robustness (Fermentation, Chapter 1 2009). Figure 3 and 4 illustrate the structure of Ruston turbine and marine impeller. However, mixing in the fermenter is poor and energy intensive as scaling up the process. The problem caused will affect the concentration, reaction rate and heat removal. Therefore, baffles will be used in the fermentation process to prevent energy waste in bulk circulation and to introduce liquid slurry turbulence in order to ensure better mixing, better suspension of solids and better retention of air bubbles. The baffles are fixed on the wall of the fermenters. Both of the action of agitators and baffle produce axial and radial flow patterns in the mixing contents and prevent formation of vortex (Fermentation, Chapter 1 2009). This article is not included in your organizations subscription. However, you may be able to access this article under your organizations agreement with Elsevier. Compare and contrast the relative merits of air-lift and mechanical agitator Air-lift and mechanical agitator are widely employed in chemical and bioprocessing reaction as the efficient machine for mass and heat transfer. Both of the fermenters are applied in different types of mixture nature. For instance, air-lift fermenter has gentle agitation and low cost oxygen transfer, hence it is only suitable for less viscous liquid. Whereas, mechanical agitator fermenter perform poorly in highly viscous non-Newtonian media, not aerated at high rate and has relatively poor mixing pattern as compare to the air-lift fermenter. However, the mechanical fermenter has broader range of application as compared to the air-lift fermenter (Abashar M. E. E. 2002). Biological efficiency In terms of biological efficiency, the mechanical type of fermenter is more efficient as compare to the air-lift fermenter. However, due to the simplicity operation of air-lift fermenter, it is useful in the laboratory teaching and research. In a laboratory experiment, air-lift fermenter has successfully produce antibiotics, enzymes, microbial cells and vitamins for microbial analysis (AIR-LIFT LABORATORY FERMENTOR 2009). Operation and construction The operation of the air-lift fermenter is much simple and easier than the mechanical agitator fermenter. This is illustrated by the control of temperature in the air-lift fermenter, in which the temperature is readily controlled in an incubator or by attaching a heating tape externally to adjust to higher temperature. The construction of air-lift fermenter also more simpler as compared to the mechanical agitator fermenter, as such air-lift fermenter is applicable to continuous and semicontinuous fermentation. The effect of various gas mixture on microbial growth can be readily studied by the air-lift fermenter because the propagation of obligate thermophilic bacteria at 55 C has been successful (AIR-LIFT LABORATORY FERMENTOR 2009). Mixing and aeration In comparison of mixing in highly viscous non-Newtonian media, the conventional mechanical agitator performs relatively poorer than the air-lift fermenter. Also, conventional agitator has lower aeration rate due to its impeller flooding. Chisti Y. Jauregui-Haza U.J. (2002) had find out a better solution to overcome the limitation by creating mechanically stirred hybrid airlift bioreactor. This hybrid airlift bioreactor had one or more downward pumping axial flow impeller located at the bottom of the reactor. It able to overcome the limitation of both the mechanical and airlift reactor by providing confined annular zone with better aeration system. It also manages to improve the directional and fluid circulation for the suspending solids and minimize concentration gradients between nutrients and oxygen to the substrate (Chisti Y. Jauregui-Haza U.J. 2002). In the other case, mechanical agitator, the marine propeller is installed at the bottom of the draft-tube, to carry out a fermentation of highly viscous non-Newtonian media with Saccharopolyspora erythraea broth. The results show that the yield of antibiotic erythromycin was increased by 45% compared to the air-lift configuration or conventional mechanical agitator fermenter alone. In another study, highly viscous broth of mircrofungus N. sitophila was fermented in the airlift fermenter with low-shear axial flow impeller. The end result obtained from hybrid reactor shown that it is more effective as compared to the conventional Rushton turbine-stirred fermenter (Chisti Y. Jauregui-Haza U.J. 2002). In short, installation of mechanical agitator such as marine propeller or impeller in the draft-tube of air-lift fermenter can significantly improve the fluid circulation and hence increase viscous aerobic fermentation. Energy consumption Energy consumption of an operation system is the major constitute of the capital cost in one production. Generally, the energy consumption of air-lift fermenter is relatively lower than the mechanical agitator fermenter. In a production of a single cell protein, a low pressure air-lift fermenter was designed to reduce the energy usage. The fermenter broth was kept below 120cm in depth and air is injected to supply the oxygen, also to cool and agitate the broth. In this way, the low pressure air-lift fermenter reduces the energy consumption by producing 1 kWh/kg of protein, which could save 70% of energy as compared to mechanical agitator. Hence, it eliminates the investment of mechanical agitators, air compressors and heat exchangers (Chen N. Y., Kondis E. F., Srinivasan S. 1986). In contrast to mechanical agitator fermenter, air-lift fermenter has higher efficiency in mass transfer at the same power input. This is because air-lift fermenter is not using mechanical agitation, which in turn makes mass transfer perform faster (Chen N. Y., Kondis E. F., Srinivasan S. 1986). The application prove mechanical agitator has lower mass transfer is the performance of Rushton turbine impeller which involve high cells densities to support oxygen transfer rate and also the highly viscous broth cause turbulence and result in the poor mass transfer. However, air-lift fermenter with the draft tube manages to give better mixing and fluid circulation result in better mass transfer efficiency (Boodhoo K. 2006). An example of mechanical agitator, submerged agitating system is used in gas-liquid mixture. The mechanically rotational agitator is used to intensify the turbulent mixture between gas and liquid. In this system, pressurized gas is injected through the spargers to the agitating area, in the form of bigger bubbles which then broken into smaller bubbles by the mechanical agitators mixing power. However, the efficiency of the power consumption is generally greater in the mechanical agitator. Nonetheless, mechanical agitator also increase the residence time of the bubble and caused efficient gas-liquid mass transfer. However, the relative complication of the mechanical agitator has counterbalance the energy efficiency. Mechanical system complications includes driving motors, gear reducers, submerged agitators, long shaft and the expensive gas compression system (Chen N. Y., Kondis E. F., Srinivasan S. 1986). Cost Capital cost is the main factor to be considered in the industrial fermentation process. Fermenter cooling, mass transport between nutrients and microorganism and oxygen transfer are the main factors in affecting the design of the fermenter. The high demand of substrate to the oxygen amount increase the energy cost and caused significant increase in the production cost. Due to the simplicity operation in air-lift fermenter, it is generally lower in cost than the mechanical agitator fermenter (AIR-LIFT LABORATORY FERMENTOR 2009). This is because mechanical system involves extensive pipe lines, diffusers, distribution manifolds, expensive compressor and filtration system. As a result, it caused high power cost and capital costs. Moreover, the frequent plugging of the diffusers make the maintenance for the mechanical system is very troublesome particularly in the reaction involve solids such as aerobic wastewater treatment and industrial fermentation (AIR-LIFT LABORATORY FERMENTOR 2009) . Conclusion Both of the air-lift fermenter and mechanical agitator is used in the fermenter tube to aid in mixing and aeration. Mixing is very important to ensure optimum homogenous mixture of substrate and biomass throughout the entire process. Air-lift fermenter is suitable to plant and mammalian cells fermentation due to its low shear rate, protect cells from damage. The application of air-lift fermentation is the production of monoclonal antibodies. Whereas, mechanical agitator is more vigorous compare to air-lift fermenter, hence it is not suitable for fermentation involve plant and animal cells. The examples of the mechanical agitators are Rushton blade or disc turbine, open turbine impellers and marine impellers. In the above, comparisons was made between both of the air-lift and mechanical agitator in terms of biological efficiency, operation and construction, mixing and aeration, energy consumption and cost. Mechanical agitator has better biological efficiency than the air-lift fermente r, but air-lift fermenter has better mass transfer rate at the same power input. The operation and construction of air-lift fermenter is less complex than mechanical agitator. Likewise, energy consumption is relatively lower in air-lift fermenter. Nonetheless, both of the fermenters agitator types have its pros and cons. Choice of fermenter types is depend on the fermenter substrates and biomass biological nature. References : Abashar M. E. E. (2002) Influence of Hydrodynamic Flow Regimes on the Prediction of Gas Hold-up and Liquid Circulationin Airlift Reactors. Journal of King Saud University 16 (2) : 97-111. AIR-LIFT LABORATORY FERMENTOR (2009) [Online] Available from : http://aem.asm.org/cgi/reprint/4/1/31.pdf [Acccessed 21st Dec 2009] Bloch H.P. and Soares C. (2007) Mixers and Agitators. Process Plant Machinery 2nd edition. Page 617-631. Boodhoo K. (2006) Intensification of gas-liquid mass transfer using porous impellers for application to an E.coli batch fermentation process. Chen N. Y., Kondis E. F., Srinivasan S. (1986) Low-Pressure Airlift Fermenter for Single Cell Protein Production: I. Design and Oxygen Transfer Studies. [Online] Available from : http://people.clarkson.edu/class/ch465/Airlift%20fermenter%201986.pdf [Acccessed 21st Dec 2009] Chisti Y. Jauregui-Haza U.J. (2002) Oxygen transfer and mixing in mechanically agitated airlift bioreactors. Journal of biochemical engineering 10 (2): 143-153. European patent application (2009) [Online] Available from : http://www.freepatentsonline.com/EP0343885.pdf [Acccessed 21st Dec 2009] Fermentation, Chapter 1 (2009) [Online] Available from : http://www.coe.uga.edu/ttie/documents/biotech.pdf [Acccessed 21st Dec 2009] Freitas C., Fialov M., Zahradnik J. Teixeira J. A. (2000) Hydrodynamics of a three-phase external-loop airlift bioreactor. Journal of Chemical Engineering Science 55 (21) 4961-4972.

Tracing Sexual Difference: Beyond the Aporia of the Other :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Tracing Sexual Difference: Beyond the Aporia of the Other ABSTRACT: A reading of Luce Irigaray suggests the possibility of tracing sexual difference in philosophical accounts of personal identity. In particular, I argue that Irigaray raises the possibility of moving beyond the aporia of the other which lies at the heart of Paul Ricoeur's account of self-identity. My contention is that the self conceived in Ricoeur's Oneself as Another is male insofar as it is dependent upon the patriarchal monotheism which has shaped Western culture both socially and economically. Nevertheless there remains the possibility of developing Ricoeur's reference to 'the trace of the Other' in order to give a non-essential meaning to sexual difference. Such meaning will emerge when (i) both men and women have identities as subjects, and (ii) the difference between them can be expressed. I aim to elucidate both conditions by appropriating Irigaray's 'Questions to Emmanuel Levinas: On the Divinity of Love.' I. Introduction Here I appropriate two questions from Luce Irigaray's 'Questions to Emmanuel Levinas: On the Divinity of Love' in order to disruptively refigure Paul Ricoeur's account of self-identity, without assessing Irigaray's reading of Levinas. Irigaray suggests the possibility of tracing sexual difference in philosophical accounts of personal identity. By 'tracing' I mean to follow the marks left by that which is no longer present to that which is never entirely spoken, i.e. sexual difference. I argue that Irigaray makes possible moving beyond the aporia of the Other which lies at the heart of Ricoeur's account of self-identity in Oneself as Another. This aporia is a self-engendered paradox which, as I have demonstrated elsewhere, Ricoeur is not able to go beyond: he cannot name the Other/other (whether l'Autre as a general category for the Other or l'autrui as a term for another person). My contention is that in appropriating Irigaray's questions, we can begin to refigure Ricoeur's account of self-identity, extend his use of 'the trace of the Other' and conceive the non-essential meaning of sexual difference. As it is Ricoeur's account of self-identity seems to eclipse sexual difference in being dependent upon the patriarchal monotheism which has shaped western cultures both socially and economically. Yet according to Irigaray sexual difference will be conceiveable once (i) both men and women can gain identities as subjects, and (ii) the difference between them can be expressed. Arguably Ricoeur's notion of narrative identity, to which I will return, could express this difference and these distinct identities.

Arrhythmia :: essays research papers

Arrhythmia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I am doing my report on Arrhythmia. It affects the cardiac muscle, the heart. Arrhythmia causes three types of problems. It causes the heart to pump too slowly (bradycardia), it causes the heart to pump too fast (tachycardis), and it causes the heart to skip beats (palipations).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bradycardia can be very serious. Some of the symptoms are loss of consciousness, heart failure, or death. Slow heart rates are caused by heart block. The hearts natural pace-maker fails to be conducted to the ventricles, the hearts main pumping chambers. Some treatments can be used. An electronic pace-maker can be inserted and it will send electronic impulse to the heart stimulating it to beat at a normal rhythm. Pace-makers are only inserted when the heart beats too slow.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tachycardis can also be very serious. It can lead to disabling symptoms and even death. When you have Tachycardis your heart rate is above 100 beats per minute. Tachycardis is caused by heart injuries from past times. Tachycardis usually occurs months or years after a heart attack. A treatment for Tachycardis can be inserting a device called a defibrillator. A defibrillator will detect and treat abnormally fast heart rhythms. The defibrillator monitors the heart and automatically gives electric shocks before Arrhythmia causes permanent damage. If the person does not have a defibrillator a strong electric shock will be given. The cause of Tachycardis is by something not functioning properly in the atria. They are sometimes stimulated by anxiety. Too much caffeine or alcohol and certain drugs can also be the cause. Attacks might last a few minutes or several days. They can be serious and sometimes not serious.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Palpitations happen when your heart skips beats. Palpitations have many different symptoms. Some of these symptoms are dizziness, fatigue or fainting as a result of the brain not getting enough oxygen rich blood, chest pain, shortness of breath, and death (which occurs rarely). Palpitations are caused by high blood pressure, mistral valve prolapse, Hyperthyroidism, Anemia, coronary artery disease, or stress, Anxiety, panic attacks, stimulants such as caffine, nicotine, and alcohol, heavy excursus, high consumption of nutmeg. There some treatments which you can do. You could try to hold your breath briefly, take a slow drink of cold water, wash your face in cold water, cough several times, and hold your nose and blow (it will pop

Celebrity Culture Essay

Celebrity culture is recognized today as the popularization of certain individuals that have characteristics which may or may not be authentic, but society views as exceptional. Today’s stars do not really need to have an admirable talent or virtue to be known throughout the world. These idols are now able to gain worldwide coverage through common celebrity magazines and accepted television shows due to self-promotion or unethical behaviour. The celebrity culture always has and always will have an impact and influence on society. Celebrities are constantly in the media and have become role models for adolescents and teenagers. The adolescent minds in the current generation is becoming more deviated from picturing the world as a whole and is more focused on their own â€Å"bubbles† where anything in that bubble must directly relate and affect them. The most noticeable impact is on their views towards beauty, sexualisation or sexual development, and health. Beauty, in a typical teenager vocabulary, has been narrowly transformed into a young, symmetrical, skin-and-bone, tanned woman or man swishing back and forth their gorgeous hair and smiling their perfect teeth. Commercials featuring these celebrities give an impression of â€Å"if you want life and happiness† be like me and buy these products. Teens are misunderstanding that they are more than the sum of their possessions and salaries, more than the sum of their appearance and image, and more than the sum of their achievements and failures because of what they are seeing and everyone else is seeing through the media. More and more of teenagers are being affected by the sexualisation of girls according to mental health experts. A research on analyzing the effects of virtually every form of media from music lyrics to video games showed an effect that young girls are succumbing to the pressure of sexualisation by posting naked pictures of themselves on the internet or allowing boyfriends to take nude photos of them. Furthermore, casual celebrity sex appears to be the norm amongst the youth. As a result of an over-sexed society, young girls can be found with self-image and emotional problems like anxiety and shame, and lack of confidence in and comfort with her own body. Sexualisation of girls has negative consequences on girls’ ability to develop a healthy sexual self-image, research suggests. Celebrities do not only have a negative impact on the personalities and looks of fans, but also in their health. There have been cases where fame has been used positively and to send out a good message but there have been other instances in which celebrities have put out a bad image. For example, the appeal of drug and alcohol abuse has increased and so have images of intoxicated celebrities in magazines and television. Celebrities have glamorized smoking in the media and are setting an example for people everywhere that it is acceptable to smoke. Stars should make it an ambition to refrain from using drugs and drinking excessive amounts of liquor because it sends a message to supporters that a life of drugs and alcohol is a satisfactory way to live. Celebrities need to change the way they act and how they are viewed. Their actions have more of an effect on us then many people believe they have. Thin, compulsive celebrities are changing the way many young teenagers think and act. Celebrities need to change these unpleasant habits now and realize that they need to be more concerned with themselves and with their portrayal in the media. Unfortunately, the power of who becomes famous and what images are presented is completely in the hands of the media.

Descriptive Essay Essay

There are few moments in a person’s life in which they can take a step back from their conscious minds and realize a change in â€Å"direction† or change of â€Å"purpose† within their paths. Most of life seems like a continuous flow of a journey, an ever speeding ride that starts and finishes as the sun’s journey through our day light. We are, when you get down to the core of it, simply a combination of our past experiences and memories. But some of us, few and far between, have experienced a brief moment in history in which we felt the tides of our own oceans turning. The moment is brief. The moment is sometimes small. Yet the moment is forever fleeting. Like a cool breeze that suddenly crosses over the hot sands of our minds, we suddenly are swept up from something that finally brings a new sense of understanding into our lives – ultimately changing us forever. This moment came for me when I was rather quite young. In fact, I was in the middle of my third year of elementary school. Before we go any further down this recollection trip of ours, I will have you know a little about my past. In my younger days, I had been branded as what you may refer to as a â€Å"liar†, but the reality wasn’t found in the sense of that word. Instead of â€Å"lying† in modems of deceit, I simply and honestly believed with all my being that if something was conceived within my thoughts and plopped out of my mouth that it was systematically true. It probably sounds absurd, simply believing in something and taking it as true when there was no evidence behind its conception other than my frivolous thoughts. But that’s how it was, or so I thought, in my world of being. In fact, I vividly remember telling my brother one day that I was actually not his sister, rather a lost princess in need of finding her way home. Where from the cosmos did that idea originate from? Well, since I can’t even tell you, God would be the only one to know. With the daisy chain I labored at making for hours around resting atop my curly locks and birds singing every which way I turned, I was a princess. Nothing that â€Å"reality† presented to me was truer than that. And so time went on. I was a royal princess. I did not eat the last cookie. I had magical powers. Just no one else knew about it yet. Imagination was the all-powerful and ruling force of my world – the seams of reality and dream forever muddled and intertwined. It was like I had not really been born yet, like I was not actually alive, rather just stuck in purgatory of pre-life and had not yet taken the steps into the real universe yet. And then came  third grade. It was Mrs. Alley’s class – she was a rather â€Å"persnickety† as she liked to call it lady who absolutely wouldn’t let anyone get away with anything. She was nice though, I could tell she had a warm heart and I liked her better than my last teacher. All the other kids had done and finished their detailed map of the California state, all colorful and bright from crayons wax. But then there was me – perfectionist who would draw four pencil etchings and then erase five. Mrs. Alley announced that everyone that was done could go outside and begin a game of â€Å"kick ball†, which was the absolutely best part of any school day. I was put in between a rock and a hard place. As everyone else started fileling out of the room, a silence began to pervade the place. Eventually I was alone, sitting in a desk with a half lightly drawn potion of California on my paper. Eventually I just put my pencil down and started to look around the class room. It’s truly amazing how the absence of sound and souls can change a place. As the clock ticked onwards, my mind came to recollect the perfectly printed version of the California map that was resting in the pages of my history section of my binder. One envisioned, there was no turning back. I ran to the other side of the class room and tore my binder from the top shelf, turned the history tab and found my booty. It didn’t take long, the copying of the whole thing and the end product was rather magnificent if I have the right to admit so myself. By the time I was finished though I could hear little third grader feet beginning to scuff on the outside stairs. With the zip of a zipper and a scurry across the room, all proof of the occurrence had been erased†¦ or so it appeared. When everyone had come back in, Mrs. Alley announced that there would be a contest for whoevers map looked the nicest. As she walked around she gave nods and smiles to the other children, but when she came to peer over my shoulder she stopped. With perfect lines and strait edges my map probably seemed like a masterpiece of Van Gogh’s proportions compared to everyone else’s. It all happened rather quickly. The asking, the removing of the binder from the book shelf, the  hol ding of the map up to the window against the original, but all throughout this process a thought formed from within my head and there was no point of return: I had not traced it. I had done it all by myself with my own hands. For all I could have known in that moment I could have been outside the whole time with the rest of my class, but the history of the past hour was completely erased from my mind. It seems odd really, even for me to talk about the thought that I gave myself subject to and belief in, as if almost I am only recalling memories from another world or a half remembered dream. All I can remember from that moment is that from the whole moment is my whole body and being screaming â€Å"No† from every angle, every corner of the depths of my being. But she did not give in, she did not even falter. Eventually we sat alone in her room, fists clenched, face red, and eyes wet and still neither giving in. And then she turned to me and said â€Å"Ok Courtney† with the most unsatisfactory unbelieving persona that I have ever have witnessed in my life. As the car wised by the pine and cedar trees I could still feel the heat of anger come off my face. Why didn’t she believe me? My mom crying from the driver’s seat tried to lecture and yell sense into me. She was a good mom, is and always will be. Neither she nor my father had ever taught me to â€Å"lie† or let me get away with it. The sting of getting spanked had often been upon my bum in my younger years. But I honestly didn’t know what I was doing wrong. The â€Å"lies† I was accused of making were simply given truths in my mind. And then it hit me. Like a hail storm sent from the Greek gods that fell and tore away the bond between me and my fuzzy pink fog of fantasy, the memory. The remembrance of what had really occurred in the class room a couple hours ago. My world wasn’t real, or at least the one I had been creating wasn’t in the least. The bands of the horizon in my life slowly started to unravel and integrate in front of my very eyes. All of a sudden, from the very depths of somewhere in my being, a very distant kind of concrete place that resides behind my head, I heard a voice. Sweet and low, comforting yet powerful I heard a voice that was not of my own in my head. And it seemed to bend down and pull me close as a parent does to their kids after a thunder storm has just passed as it whispered somewhere within me, â€Å"BE ALIVE†. I started to cry, in fact rather mentally break down. And through my tear I finally gained sight of the light of day that penetrated and wished all the fuzzy thick fog of my fantasy  world away.

The Controversies in the Education System of US

Think about how much of your life is spent trying to learn all you can and make yourself better prepared for the â€Å"real world. † We start schooling at age five or six. Kindergarten is about finger paints and learning the alphabet. Before we know it, we are standing in front of our class and parents accepting a high school diploma. That is thirteen years right there. Then, if we really want to â€Å"succeed† we have to get through another 4 to 6 years of college. That is almost 20 years total in school. Are those 20 years well spent? Are we all satisfied with the education we received? The answer is â€Å"no. † It is apparent that today†s education system in the United States is not satisfying the needs of all people. One of the main controversies in the education system of the United States is the content of what is taught. Everything that is taught in school is uniform for the entire grade. However, not every individual student is uniform in what they already know and how capable they are of learning new things. Not only that, but also is each student interested in learning what everyone else is learning? Today there are many schools that have put more emphasis in teaching learning skills rather than the knowledge that is needed to move on to the next level (Hirsch 129). Some schools have gone to what is known as â€Å"core knowledge† to make sure that each and every student has the same foundation upon which to build the rest of their education. They believe that through the method of â€Å"core knowledge†, everyone can benefit together (Hirsch 129). Opposite that idea is the idea that we shouldn†t be filling a child†s mind with â€Å"miscellaneous facts†, but rather be trying to extract the knowledge that is within each person†s mind (Harris). The main argument with that opinion is that without some filling, there won†t be anything to extract from a person. One positive thing that our children are learning is the ability to think creatively and be innovative. Many Americans overlook the fact that in this country, children are able to experiment with ideas and learn to believe in themselves and in their own creativity (Ho 126). But is mere creativity enough to make up for the other shortfalls in education? Another big controversy in education is the way the children are taught. Many of the same arguments that are made regarding what is taught, can be made regarding how it is taught. Those who are naturally talented and intellectual say that filling a child†s head with various types of knowledge is not very productive, but what about those children that need that knowledge just to be at an equal level with the other students. Children who have not learned very much at home or outside of school won†t have very much to give intellectually, so the idea of teaching to draw out personal knowledge will not work. How do you fairly teach a class that will mean whether or not you will keep your job? Many teachers face this dilemma today because of the process of anonymous evaluation. Teachers who get a bad evaluation could lose their jobs because of it, thus there is an ever-growing problem of teachers giving better grades to possibly save their job. What about the grades that are given? As long as there has been a school, there have been grades given to students to show how well they are doing in school. But are grades the most effective way to show a student†s progress and more importantly, what they actually learned? Some call grading â€Å"tyrannical and indefensible† and even go as far as saying the grading system is â€Å"criminal† (Lean 131-32). Grading is probably the most scrutinized of all practices in education. It is easy to see the difference between an â€Å"A† and an â€Å"F† in a subject like math where the answer is either right or wrong. But, how do you give a grade in a subject like art where each piece is something from an individual†s own creative mind? There is no right or wrong, or good or bad. So how could anyone say that his painting is an â€Å"A†, while her sculpture is an â€Å"F†? In a case like that, grading can be seen as nothing more than personal preference. So how does grading affect students and teachers? The grades given to students not only affect the students† lives, but the teachers† lives also. For students, bad grades mean not getting into the college of their choice, and for the teachers, bad grades mean possible bad evaluations. Many people have blamed bad grades for giving a child low self-esteem, but what about those children who have excellent grades and no social lives. Don†t they have low self-esteem? Building self-esteem in students shouldn†t be a substitution for basic schooling (Moore 136). It has been argued that teachers lower their grading standards in order to raise the self-esteem of their students. Those teachers believe that a high self-esteem is necessary for a student to learn well and have a high self-esteem (Moore 136). True self-esteem does not come from a high GPA, a piece of paper called a diploma, or even a high status socially; it comes from hard work and meaningful accomplishments. Do you want children to be filled with trivial information or encouraged to think on their own and explore their own intelligence? Do you want to receive letter grades just like you or do would you rather receive evaluations on their progress? Do you think that their self-esteem should be based on their grades or something more important? These are questions we will have to answer in new millennium and as we become new parents. The education of our children is something too important to overlook.