What Does it Mean to Be Human in a Technological Age Essay

What Does it Mean to Be Human in a Technological Age - Essay Example They have become vital to understand the mysteries of nature also but they have also introduced new factors and issues which are detrimental to the survival of future generations. It would not be wrong to suggest that the impact of technology on human society has to a great extent, tried to subvert the values and contextual reality of being an empowered human being. As McKibben says, with science and new technology, we have traded in old contexts that informed human lives, bargaining them in return for freedom, for liberation (15). One of the greatest philosopher and economist of the ninetieth century, Karl Marx stated that, â€Å"The production of too many useful things results in too many useless people.† This famous quote was based on one of his economic discussions where he argued that the pursuit of convenience through technology would only result in a high volume of useless people. In other words, the advancement of technology would result in higher rates of unemployment . According to Bill McKibben, an American environmentalist, technology and science have negatively affected other areas of human civilization such as the loss of traditional jobs such as farmers to more technologically oriented jobs which have led to the growth of capitalism, and the proper treatment of every part of the environment to devastation of the environment for the sake of natural resources, and advancement of modern human societies (15). McKibben’s concern is primarily intended as warning for scientists and rationalists as not to become God. The far reaching repercussions of genetic engineering when applied to human beings can be dangerous in its content and detrimental for the safe existence of our future generation. The importance of science and technology in our lives cannot be denied. But the time has come to reflect seriously as to what has been gained at what cost? It is easy to contribute the develop of society on the advancements made in the area of science and technology. But one forgets that it has also impacted adversely on the environment and has also been responsible for increasing unemployment across the globe. People have lost jobs to the machines which are invented to work longer hours and with more precision, thus making workers redundant. In short, technology has also brewed more discontent in the society where previously order reigned and legacy of work was carried forward by the next generations! Genetic engineering has been seen as panacea for creating perfect human being by the scientist fraternity. By altering human genes, babies can be created as per the requirements of the parents. Beautiful babies with perfect features and high IQ that can be eternal source of pride for the parents has now become a gross reality. The experiments on animals have made scientists confident of replicating desired genes in the embryo to create designer babies. McKibben fears that this could threaten the very rules of existence of human race t hat thrives on learning through experience and by using its intelligence to make empowered decisions. The new creed of human beings could well be programmed creatures who could also start questioning their intelligence because of the programmed intelligence! The unlimited possibilities of

Tma Essay Example for Free

Tma Essay People, being naturally inquisitive, have often been referred to as scientists. Even as young children, people are constantly testing and evaluating the boundaries to decipher their own social environment and quickly recognise what is acceptable and what is not. This soon evolves into intuition and whether it is constructed in a logical and rational way depends on a number factors. However, when considering cognitive psychology and the information processing that underpins judgements and risks, peoples cognitive processes are often likened to computers in the way that these processes interact. This essay begins by looking at Fritz Heider (1944, as cited in Buchanan et al. , p. 60) an influential psychologist in this area who coined the phrase naive psychology. It then progresses onto the advantages and disadvantages of the attribution theories using Kelleys covariation method and MacArthurs vignettes to test the theory. This is followed by looking into optimistic bias and whether this bias can prevent people from constructing rational and logical theories when making sense of their social environment. Finally, the essay evaluates the HIV/AIDs and smoking progression and how people can conceptualise risk, resulting in laying blame elsewhere other than in their social group. Heider was one of the first psychologists to study in detail social cognition. He believed that delving into how people made sense of their social environments was fundamental in understanding social behaviours, he believed people actively built models of cause and effect to find predictability and regularity which would help control their lives, operating like naive psychologists. Heider also believed people used this method when people perceive others and their actions. He constructed a study using animated cartoons of moving shapes consisting of a circle, a box and a rectangle. When asked to describe what they saw, all but one of the participants described the shapes movement in terms of human action. The fact that these people were perceiving these shapes automatically to be people goes some way to provide support for Heiders theory and prove that people are certainly trying to make sense of their social environment. However this, albeit simple use of experimental social psychology, has a few limitations. As this was a simplified experiment and disimilar to what would happen in a real social environment, Heider was not able to prove that the results would be the same outside in real life. In fact, often results obtained outside of the laboratory conclude opposite results to that of the laboratory. There is also a possibility that the participants, upon hearing that they would be attending a psychological experiment, subconciously associated psychology with people or themselves and their answers reflected this. In an experimental condition there will always be confounding variables no matter what measures are taken to eliminate them, it is certainly difficult to take research on perception and attention out of everyday life and into a controlled experiment. In a social environment because people are not manufacturing social situations, people see them as they are, this could put them in good stead to construct rational and logical theories on their environment. What Heiders theory lacks is specific procedures and data. Harold Kelley (1967, as cited in Buchanan et al. , p. 2) who developed the covariation model, used testable predictions and data in his attribution theory. The attribution theories suggest people distinguish between external/disposition factors and internal/disposition factors to recognise the causes of social behaviour. Kelley proposed that when people use information in causal reasoning, three variables are decided upon, distinctiveness, consensus and consistency, this was known as the covariation model. He supported the belief that people behave like intuitive scientists. MacArthur (1972, as cited in Buchanan et al. , p. 4) tested this theory in her studies, she wanted to test the effect of different types and level of information on the nature of causal attributions. She used 16 vignettes, a short description of a behaviour event that contained different types of the three variables, CCD. They then assigned an internal or external cause to the event. The results were supportive of MacArthurs theory and imply that we tend to favour internal rather than external attributions, the FAE (fundamental attribution error). However, it has been proven that people do not use always use all the information available to them. This shows that the way people view risk is not particularly logical, people overlook risk and when comparing people to experts, people do not usually conceptualise risks as well as experts Vignettes are easy to use and provide much needed data and from a large number of participants which is likely to produce more accurate results. The kind of control applied in this study would not have been able to take place if it took place in real life. However they do have low ecological validity because of this very reason, it is still constructed. Attribution theories have also been criticised for overstating the rationality of peoples causal reasoning. When considering the idea of people as intuitive scientists it is important to understand that people can tend to be more optimistic about risk than statistics warrant. This results in optimistic bias. For example, irrespective of empirical evidence, some people think smoking wont harm them. Some people know that they are likely to become ill from it and still continue because the immediate gain overcomes any alternative, albeit potentially deadly. This may be as a result of a motivational source which can result in judgemental biases. There are several explanations for this optimistic bias. The availability heuristic, which involves making decisions based on generating examples in peoples cognitive system, perhaps someone they know who has smoked constantly for 60 years has other any side effects. These are good examples to use when deciphering whether people are intuitive scientists and can make rational and logical judgements because the risk of smoking can be estimated using mathematics. The amount of people that still smoke however is a strong argument that people may be intuitive scientists but the concept of making rational, logical decisions can still be lost if alternative factors get in the way, like smoking or HIV. When people have to make decisions quickly, they often unconsciously rely on incomplete information as a result of the environment in which the social cognition takes place, rather than just the basic cognitive processes, this could account for people rejecting the possibility of HIV leading to death, perhaps because the information they have in incomplete. The fact that people have survived despite this however goes some way to suggest that although peoples cognitive processes do not always lead them to the mathematically correct answer, perhaps that element of risk, optimistic bias and inquisitiveness has prolonged peoples evolution so far. The studies involving optimistic bias and indeed many studies involving how people conceptualise risk however, have been conducted in largely Western cultures and having found previous contradictions between studies in Western cultures, (which tend to focus largely on the individual rather than the social group, as is more popular in many Asian cultures), these theories may not apply to the majority of people and therefore more research entailing diverse cultures would build a more successful conclusion as to why optimistic bias occurs. One reason could be evolution, natural selection could have resulted in humans having evolved with optimistic bias meaning that the people who took the risks were more sexually successful. Another reason for this could that in the urgency of everyday life, people do not use all the information available. One could argue that as we do not process everything we see, we connect the dots based on our rational judgement. The people in many of these experiments drew from their own conclusions and upon their own schema which could be wrong. This kind of error highlights one of the disadvantages of people drawing from their own logical and rational theories. Although it is important to note that the above examples are experiments and the situations are unlikely to occur in everyday life, however research has also shown our schema is highly tuned and usually correct. Both cognitive psychology and experimental social psychology initiate ideas of people thinking in machine ways, operating like scientists but the studies have shown otherwise. Perhaps logical and rational ideas are ideologies and are not appropriate in the context of our own social environments. People, in general tend to perceive events as being more under their own control than they perhaps are, it is clear from these studies that people can sometimes become more optimistic when is comes to risks when comparing the true scientific statistics. From the research into varying theories it appears that the majority of people are intuitive scientists, that to a certain extent people do use logical and rational theories to make sense of their social environment, however these are not always successful. As the evidence of several theories suggests, intuition in people is not always correct. Mistakes are bound to be made, especially when motivation factors overcomes logic and experience and imagination interferes with the process. If people have survived thus far using their own rational and logical judgements than anything further may be seen as striving for improvement, where one could argue, it is unnecessary. Word count 1,503 References K. Buchanan, P. Anand, H. Joffe ; K. Thomas (2007) Perceiving and understanding the social world. In D. Miell, A. Phoenix, ; K. Thomas (Eds. ), Mapping Psychology (2nd ed. , pp. 5-49). Milton Keynes: The Open University

Causes of WW1 :: World War I History

Causes of WW1 I think that the First World War was the product of long-standing rivalries rather than a badly mismanaged Balkan Crisis because it was these rivalries that led to the Balkan Crisis. The Balkan Crisis may appear mismanaged because previous crises such as those in Morocco in 1905 and 1911 did not result in war. In the July Crisis Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (the heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire) despite not having conclusive proof. Austria-Hungary asked for German support to "eliminate Serbia as a power factor in the Balkans". Germany agreed, offering her full support for Austria- Hungary to start a war with Serbia, and this became known as the "blank cheque". Austria-Hungary and Germany could not have failed to realise the possibility of Russian intervention and a European war, suggesting to me that war was their objective. Austria-Hungary issued an impossible ultimatum to Serbia, which was likely to provoke a war. Serbia was given only 48 hours to reply, so was forced to think quickly, or other countries would be mobilized and ready to attack. Serbia accepted all but one point of the ultimatum. Consequently war was announced. If given more time Serbia could have discussed the issue further in a conference. The British fo reign minister, Grey suggested a conference, but this was rejected by Germany and Austria-Hungary, suggesting that they had deliberate aims for war during the Balkan Crisis, rather than the Balkan Crisis being mismanaged. There was a long-standing rivalry between Austria-Hungary and Russia due to their interests in the Balkans. Russia saw her role as leading and supporting her fellow Slav peoples in the Balkans. This Pan-Slav concept provided an ideal excuse to interfere in the Balkans and to extend Russia's influence towards the Eastern Mediterranean. Ideally Russia wished to open the Dardenelles straits to its warships. Austria-Hungary was concerned that this Russian encouragement of nationalism may threaten her borders and inspire nationalism within her own empire. In turn, Germany recognised that as Austria's closest ally her fate was linked with that of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austria-Hungary was anxious to prevent Russian encroachment in the Balkans. This aim would be best served by the elimination of Serbia, Russia's Balkan ally. In 1878, Russia was humiliated at the Congress of Berlin when her proposal for a Greater Bulgarian state was rejected and Austria-Hungary occupied Bosnia to maint ain order amongst the nationalist revolts.

Dutch Republic Essay -- Dutch Economy, History

The Dutch Republic in 1650, being a formidable commercial, financial, and naval power at the time, faced many imperialistic challenges which led to the end of its golden age by the year 1713. The security of the Dutch Republic was consistently being challenged with wars because of weak military capabilities among the merchants, and this was viewed by the Dutch as a sign of an impending set of military conflicts and to foreign nations as a way to win over the republic. The wealthiest of the provinces, being Holland at the time, led to rivalries and jealous unequal provinces that all viewed Holland as a threat and also fought to get ahead of each other. The prosperity of the Dutch Republic was starting to crumble as trade was being damaged which led to the destruction of the empire, and the Dutch viewed this as a reason for why there was great competition between the Republic and the English. Because of all the wars that the Dutch Republic was involved in, they were not capable to deal with the wars because Holland was the only province with some money and could not win against larger nations such as England who could became a threat. In battle and in naval warfare, the Dutch were significantly outgunned. The estimated losses of Dutch ships seized by the English to merchant shipping in the three Anglo-Dutch wars were about 2000-2700. The Dutch on the other hand, only seized about 500 ships (Document 3). This particularly shows that the Dutch were in no position to be defending themselves against foreign nations, especially the English. It also shows that the English were a huge threat to the Dutch Republic because they could easily overwhelm the Dutch in battle. In the same manner, the Dutch were in no position to be engaging anyb... ...pport their East India Company. This point of view of the administrator is accurate because he is a member of the office which presides over the trade. Because of the drastic challenges the Dutch Republic went through, their golden age soon came to an end. Their profits soon turned into losses as the prosperity of the provinces soon became competed against by larger nations who had won over and dominated trade in Europe. As many nations wished to take over the Republic, the Dutch soon weakened by the wars which were seen as harmful by the people within the nation as well as surrounding countries. The jealousy of the provinces also caused conflict which weakened the unification of the whole Dutch Republic. Overwhelmed by the challenges that they were experiencing at the time, the Dutch soon spiraled down which led to the end of their golden age by the year 1713.

Evolutionary Psychology Essay

Just as in the past a brilliant scientist and researcher William Harvey was able to find the fact that it is the heart that is responsible for pumping blood through the human body, psychologists of today have been able to find out and to prove the fact that ‘cognition’ has a particular and specific structure. These psychologists are known as ‘evolutionary psychologists’, and it is this team of experts that have floated the theory that cognitive structure, like physiological structure, has followed, through the centuries, the all important process of natural selection. This was how it has been able to survive and engage in reproduction through the years. What exactly is evolutionary psychology? It is a science that focuses on discovering the evolved process of the nervous systems of human beings, bringing into focus the fact that the human brain is a completely organized structure, just like tissues in any living organism are fully organized. In other words, it is the opinion of evolutionary psychologists that the human brain is composed of several functional parts, made to facilitate the survival and the reproduction of that particular organism. Therefore, this can be taken to mean that the human brain is not an organ with one single function, but rather as an organism made up of a large number of fully functioning parts. In general, evolutionary psychologists refer to the functional components of organisms as ‘adaptations’, and this is the term applied to the functions of the human brain as well. (Hagen, Edward 2004) It is evident therefore that evolutionary psychology refers to a particular approach to psychology, which uses the accepted principles of evolutionary biology to research the design and the workings of the human mind. It can be described as an approach, or a way of thinking, which can be applied to any subject within it. (Cosmides, Leda, Tooby, John 1997) What are the primary activities of evolutionary psychologists? Charles Darwin had this to say, in the year 1859, â€Å"In the distant future, I see open fields for far more important researches. Psychology will be based on a new foundation, that of the necessary acquirement of each mental power and capacity by gradation. † Darwin had foreseen the advances that would be made in the field of psychology in the future, and the science of evolutionary psychology was one of his predictions that came true. As mentioned earlier, evolutionary perspectives on human psychology are a part of the larger theory of general selection, and this field has led to greater scientific advancements in areas like sociobiology and ethnobotany, among others. Evolutionary psychologists have to find answers to questions such as how, why and when did human consciousness evolve, are there any differences between the psychology of men and women, and if so, what are they? Are there any differences between the psychologies of various races and ethnicities? Are there are adaptive explanations for human behaviors such as aggressiveness, self destructiveness and so on? Is it true that human consciousness is evolving today, as it has been steadily over the past hundreds and thousands of years? Is it true that human intelligence is inherited, and is it at all in any way influenced by one’s environment? Can the theories of evolutionary psychology accurately describe and explain the reasons behind the common phobias among human beings? One must remember however that several sociologists, anthropologists and psychologists are completely wary of using and understanding the new evolutionary perspective on human brains and behaviors, perhaps because in their opinion, evolutionary psychologists tended to adapt theories from the animal world and apply them to humans, and also, tended to generalize the principles of evolution in a much too dramatic fashion. (Evolutionary Psychology 2003) these are the basic of evolutionary psychology theory: Darwin’s ‘descent with modification’ theory, Hamilton’s ‘inclusive fitness’ theory, Maynard Smith’s ‘game theory’, and Trivers’ ‘optimization’ theory. Take for example the theory of ‘inclusive fitness’. This is also referred to as ‘kin selection’, and therefore forms an important element of evolutionary psychology. Kin selection explains away the fact of altruism and philanthropy, by stating that all genes are invariably ‘selfish’, and that an individual is in reality nothing but a gene’s ‘survival machine’. Nevertheless, since a gene would automatically be passed on to the next generation, if the person who is carrying that gene survives in order to reproduce, or even if any of the several other relatives of the surviving individual survive and reproduce, thereby passing on the gene to the next generation. According to Maynard Smith, this may be the reason why a lapwing will fake being injured in order to lure a predatory hawk away from its offspring, thereby acting in an altruistic manner towards its young. This type of altruism may also benefit non-relatives, because it is an acknowledged fact that the members of the same species will help take care of the youngsters of the species, even if they are not related in any way. The reason why this happens may be because of the fact that the evolved mechanism may not be sufficiently complex to make fine discriminations of this kind. This may be why some people like to take care of pets, while some do not. The people who do have pets are in fact allowing their caretaking mechanism to be exploited. Evolutionary psychology has also been applied into another important are: aggression of the human being. It is an accepted fact that sexual rivalry often leads to blatant aggression, and most violent deaths are caused by man killing another man, or man killing a woman in the name of sexual tension and rivalry. In such a case, violence may be taken to refer to be just one strategy in the plethora of male coercive tools, coercion being the direct result of sexual proprietorship and possessiveness. Men who allow themselves to be cuckolded would then be considered losers of the zero-sum evolutionary game that human beings play in their desire to make sure that their genes get into the next generation. Men use violence as a tool to stop and prevent their mates from sexually engaging with other men, because although maternity is always a given, paternity may not be proven. It is this same principle that works in the case of step-children and their adoptive fathers. These fathers have no interest in their step children, because they are not carrying their genes onto the next generation, and supporting another man’s child may mean that this man is working in opposition to his evolutionary interests. History can prove to man that in general, step fathers indulge in greater violence and aggression towards their step children than towards their biological children, the primary reason being that of ensuring that his genes are carried forward, and not another man’s. (Evolutionary Psychology 1998) According to evolutionary psychologists, there is a lack of fit between the current environment and the adaptation of the brain. In their opinion, if the brain is an adaptation, then there could be no doubt that at some time back in time, there existed some sort of selection for brain mechanisms, which in effect transformed information about environment and its conditions, into human behaviors that could adapt and change in accordance with the requirements of the situation and environment. Selection, however took place because of the manner in which they responded to the environment at the time in which they were selected. Therefore, this theory can be taken to imply that because environmental conditions are different today, the information that is input to the brain is different as well, and as a direct consequence, the brain may respond by generating behavior that may not be adaptive to the new conditions in which it finds itself. Failure to adapt may occur in two ways: either the brain could continue to produce the same older behavior under the newer conditions given, or the brain could produce new behavior that responded to the new information coming in, and the behavior could fail to be of the adaptive sort. This is in fact a rather common behavioral pattern, and when conditions change, the response becomes different from what the designers intended, like for example, as demonstrated by sophisticated computer programs, designed to perform a variety of complicated tasks, are also programmed to produce adaptive outputs as a direct response to certain key commands. At the same time, a new input could confuse the computer and prompt it into giving a completely nonsensical and non-adaptive output in response. In human beings, as evolutionary psychologists theorize, there is in place an evolved behavioral predisposition to make sure that reproductive success is always at its highest level, but this conflates the theory that the human brain was designed through a process of selection, as mentioned earlier. (Buller J David n. d)

adolescence depression essays

adolescence depression essays Adolescent Depression: The Under Acknowledged Disease Depression is a disease that afflicts the human psyche in such a way that the afflicted tends to act and react abnormally toward others and themselves. Therefore it comes to no surprise to discover that adolescent depression is strongly linked to teen suicide. Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Despite this increased suicide rate, depression in this age group is greatly under diagnosed and leads to serious difficulties in school, work and personal adjustment which may often continue into adulthood. How prevalent are mood disorders in children and when should an adolescent with changes in mood be considered clinically depressed? Brown (1996) has said the reason why depression is often over looked in children and adolescents is because "children are not always able to express how they feel." Sometimes the symptoms of mood disorders take on different forms in children than in adults. Adolescence is a time of emotional turmoil, mood swings, gloomy thoughts, and heightened sensitivity. It is a time of rebellion and experimentation. Blackman (1996) observed that the "challenge is to identify depressive symptomatology which may be superimposed on the backdrop of a more transient, but expected, developmental storm." Therefore, diagnosis should not lay only in the physician's hands but be associated with parents, teachers and anyone who interacts with the patient on a daily basis. Unlike adult depression, symptoms of youth depression are often masked. Instead of expressing sadness, teenagers may express boredom and irritability, or may choose to engage in risky behaviors (Oster & Montgomery, 1996). Mood dis orders are often accompanied by other psychological problems such as anxiety (Oster & Montgomery, 1996), eating disorders (Lasko et al., 1996), hyperactivity (Blackman, 1995...

Deductive Method Versus Inductive Method Essays

Deductive Method Versus Inductive Method Essays Deductive Method Versus Inductive Method Essay Deductive Method Versus Inductive Method Essay Written Report in Principles of Teaching DEDUCTIVE METHOD VERSUS INDUCTIVE METHOD All teaching methods can be classified into two, namely deductive method and inductive method. The deductive method, the teacher tells or shows directly what he/she wants to teach. The inductive method begins with questions, problems and details and end up with answers, generalizations and conclusions. Deductive method, in this method the teacher presents first the main topic she will discuss. Explain the subject matter before students make activities. The advantage of deductive method the students will not have a lot of questions because they already understand the topic, and it will be easy for them to answer the different activities. And the disadvantage of this method, the students can’t participate because only the teacher is the one who is discussing the topic. Inductive method, in this method the students are more involved in teaching learning process the students can give a lot of ideas about the topic and the teacher will be the facilitator and the guide , they will correct the wrong ideas of the learners. And the learners will be more creative and knowledgeable because the class will start in the different activities and exercises. But it also have disadvantages , because in this method it requires more time, because the class started at the activities and exercises , a lot of time are uses in answering the different activities and exercises and there is only a little time to discuss the topic. It also has different approaches the blended learning, reflective teaching, metacognitive approach and constructivist approach. The blended learning is learning that is facilitated by the effective combination of different modes of delivery, the reflective teaching students/teachers learn through an analysis and evaluation of past experiences. Metacognitive approach is an approach that makes our students thinks about their thinking. The constructivist approach is anchored on the belief that every individual constructs and reconstructs meanings depending on past experiences. As a future teacher we should be familiar to this different methods and approaches so we will know what kind of method and approaches that we should use on how the students will learn most. Donalyn S. Alicpala BEED II-A

Present Simple Exceptions in English Grammar

Present Simple Exceptions in English Grammar Here is the most important English language rule to remember: Almost every rule is about 90% valid. As confusing as that concept may be, it is certainly one of the most frustrating and truthful things about learning English. All that hard work to learn the correct grammar and then you read or hear something like this: Peter does want to come this summer. Its just that he cant get off work. As an excellent student, the first thought that comes to your mind is; wait a minute, that first sentence is a positive sentence.  Does want  cant be correct. It should be; Peter  wants to come this summer. Of course, according to what you have learned you are correct. However, in certain instances, you can use both the auxiliary and principal verb together to form a positive sentence. We allow this exception to add extra emphasis. In other words: Peter really wants to come this summer. Exceptions to the (English) Rules This feature will concern the various uses of and exceptions to the simple present. You all know that we usually use the simple present to express: Habitual actionsOpinions and preferencesTruths and facts You also know that the standard construction is the following: Positive: Tom goes to the beach on SaturdaysNegative: Mary doesnt like to eat fish on Fridays.Interrogative: Do they work in New York? Here are some simple present exceptions/extra possibilities. Exception 1 In order to add stress to a positive sentence, we can use the auxiliary verb to do. We often use this exception when we are contradicting what someone else has said. Example: A: I dont think Peter wants to come with us this summer. He told me that he wouldnt be able to come, but I think he just doesnt want to come with us. B: No, thats not true. Peter  does  want to come. Its just that he has too much work and cant get away from the office. Exception 2 The simple present can also be used for the future. We use the simple present to express future, scheduled, events with verbs that express beginning and end, or departure and arrival. Example: A: When does the train for Paris leave?B: It leaves at 7 tomorrow morning. Exception 3 We use the simple present in time clauses when talking about future events. The  when  is expressed with the simple present. The  result  is expressed with a future form, usually the future with will. Time clauses are introduced by time signifiers such as when, as soon as, before, after, etc. The construction is the same as the first conditional except that we use a time signifier such as as soon as instead of if. Example: A: When are you going to come and see the new house?B: We will come as soon as we finish the Smith project. Exception 4 We often use the simple present when we write timelines or biographical outlines even if all the events take place in the past. Example: 1911 - Pete Wilson is born in Seattle, Washington.1918 - Pete begins to play the saxophone.1927 - Pete is discovered by Fat Man Wallace.1928 - Fat Man Wallace arranges Petes first concert with Big Fanny and the Boys in New York.1936 - Pete goes to Paris. Exception 5 In the question form, we usually use the auxiliary verb to do. However, if the question word/words (usually who, which or what) express the subject and not the object of the sentence, the question is asked using positive sentence structure with a question mark. By the way, this is true of other tenses as well. Example: Regular: Who do you work with? (some people prefer Whom do you work with?)Exception: Who works with you? Regular: Which toothpaste do you use?Exception: Which brands of toothpaste use fluoride? Exception 6 Time words cause a great deal of confusion to English learners. Here are some exceptions concerning time words. Adverbs of frequency such as regularly, usually, normally, always, often, sometimes, never, etc. are generally put before the main verb. However, they can also be put at the beginning or end of a sentence. Example: Regular: John usually arrives home at 5 oclock.Also possible: Usually John arrives home at 5 oclock OR John arrives home at 5 oclock usually. Note: Some teachers do not consider the other possibilities correct. However, if you listen carefully to native speakers, you will also hear these forms used. Exception 7 The verb to be also causes special problems. If the adverb of frequency is placed in the middle of the sentence (as is usually the case) it must  follow  the verb to be. Example: Regular: Fred often eats in a bar and grill.To be: Fred is often late to work. Exception 8 This is one of the strangest uses of adverbs of frequency. Negative adverbs of frequency used in the initial position of a sentence must be followed by question word order. These adverbs include  rarely, never,  and  seldom. Example: Regular: Patricia rarely finishes work before 7 p.m.Initial placement: Seldom does John play volleyball. The above exceptions are certainly not the  only  exceptions, however, they are some of the most common ones that you will encounter in your English language-learning journey.

Social Studies Curriculum Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Studies Curriculum - Research Paper Example A student at a lower level of school might not be able to understand these concepts, and on this basis, these children might be taught on the existence of various cultural groups, and where they are found. To effectively understand culture, a social science curriculum must also have the elements of continuity, change and time (Au, 2012). Culture changes over time, and it is not mandatory for a group to practice one tradition for eternity. This is because globalization and modernity plays a role in eroding some cultures, in exchange of a superior culture. For example, some people cannot speak their ethnic languages, but they can speak English in a very fluent manner. This is because English is a dominant language in the current century, thanks to globalization (Basit, 2012). Another important element in a social science curriculum is the existence of the thematic connotation of people, place and environment. It is impossible to learn about the culture of an individual, without knowing the place where these people come from, and their environments/surroundings. For instance, if we want to know about the cultural practices of the Latino Americans, we have to first identify where these people come from. The Latinos came from North America. After identifying this fact, that is when an individual can effectively learn on their cultural practices, and what shapes them. A social science curriculum must also explain the thematic connotations of governance, authority and power (Basit, 2012). In order to understand this element of governance, authority and power, students have to understand the different cultural values and its elements. This is because it is these cultural values that shape the system of governance within a state/ community. Take for example a society that believes in democracy, their system of governance will reflect democratic tendencies. It is also impossible to understand these thematic connotations of governance, authority and power, without underst anding how the various groups, individuals and institutions interact with each other within a community. On this basis therefore, a good social science curriculum must have an element of groups, individuals and institutions (Au, 2012). It is the various institutions within a country that shapes the governance structure of the same country. For example, a country with a strong judiciary will ensure that the leaders of the nation follow the law, without which there will be consequences. This concept therefore promotes the rule of the law. Implications of constructivist theory: Constructivism is a theory is a theory that denotes knowledge is a creation of people, and it is influenced by their cultural believes, and values. According to this theory, knowledge is constructed individually and bases itself on the student’s intellectual development as they experience reality that occurs during the process of social and physical activity. On this basis, constructivism theory can be us ed in the design and planning of a curriculum for the study of social sciences (DeVries and Zan, 2012). The use of constructivism theory, in the development of a social studies curriculum will center on the following four tenets. The first tenet is that the mind of an individual has the capability of representing issues through symbols. Language is an important symbol recognized by the mind, and it is an important element that contributes to the student’

Teaching and presentation skills FOR NURSING AND SOCIAL WORK SKILLS Essay

Teaching and presentation skills FOR NURSING AND SOCIAL WORK SKILLS - Essay Example The topic I chose for my teaching and presentation session was Direct Payments. The present essay will discuss the theories, process and teaching and presentation skills which I learnt to practice. I will use Gibbs reflective model to examine the preparation and delivery of the lesson I delivered using teaching and presentation skills. I have opted for Gibbs model of reflection because it integrates a number of logical steps including description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and an action plan (Gibbs 1988). I will facilitate critical thought and relate theory to practice in an effective manner using Gibbs model. I will evaluate and analyse my teaching practice using SWOT analysis in order to understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of my teaching practice and to identify areas for future improvement (Wilkinson 2007). Reflective practice in nursing and social work is guided by models of reflection. A reflective practice model serves as a framework within which nursing or other management professions can work. Reflective practice model is also a structural framework or learning model that serves the purposes of a profession and is particularly applicable to health and social care professions (Smith & Jack 2005). Any portfolio of practice includes a model of reflection as reflection helps in determining what was positive or negative in a pedagogical experience. Reflective practice highlights the importance of learning from experiences through reflection. It relates the practical experiences to the theoretical learning approaches (Johns & Graham 1996). There are many different ways of learning and teaching. Sensory stimulation theory has its foundation in learning through the senses that is seeing, hearing, touch, smell and taste. (Petty 2004). Brockbank & McGill (1998)

Internet Citizenship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Internet Citizenship - Essay Example And it is a decisive factor in any political or governmental action now. Even otherwise, because of air travel becoming cheaper, movement of people of one country to another has become easier. Internet has made people more aware of the similarities in culture of other countries and their own. So the influence of the better governed countries has led people in to demanding more of the same from their own governments. Critical to the success of any society is the access of its ruling class to accurate information. Without a valid understanding of what is happening in the world, at home and abroad, it is impossible to make good decisions. In a democracy, the ruling class is - at least by definition - "We the People," and therefore the citizens of a democracy must have open access to information to make their decisions about their governors and the direction of their destiny. (Kohanski, 2008). The internet has made people better citizens of their own countries also. However, the biggest impact of internet has been the sense of belonging that it has given to its users. People now feel more in tune with their own feelings for their own country. Suppose some person is staying in the U. S. A. he is a citizen of Israel and before his coming to the states, he was a very active citizen of Lebanon. After his going to live in the States, he feels a strong feeling that he does not belong to the states i.e. he is an outsider there. Then he goes on the internet, and accidentally finds some other people from Lebanon who are staying in the states. He shares his feelings with them. But after meeting with them for a few times, he discovers that he has some feelings with which they do not agree. He is also interested in rock music. So he searches online for bars owned by persons, and meets a few who have become citizens of the states. He becomes better aware of the fact that he is not alo ne in the states and that even though the people who have become citizens of the

Social issue paper on organ donation and how we need to fix the Essay

Social issue paper on organ donation and how we need to fix the waiting period so people aren't turning to illegal trafficking - Essay Example From research, I can conclude that the result has been organ trafficking and other illegal means of obtaining organs since people believe that they cannot follow formal procedures that take too much time and are mostly futile. Organ trafficking has been highlighted, severally, as a rising concern by the United Nations and other international organizations like the World Health Organization. The effects of this latest vice are far-reaching and destroy many lives directly and indirectly. However, what is the solution to this problem? Actually, I think that there are two dilemmas that need to be solved in order to make organ donation safer and formal. First, the trafficking of organs must be reduced and if possible eliminated to avoid the short-term and long-term negative consequences of the vice (Claybourne, 2012). Secondly, healthcare facilities, in collaboration with governments, should work out a way to reduce the waiting time and limit the desperate measures patients resort to in order to replace their organs. The organ trafficking industry is growing, supported by rising demand as well as illegal traffickers. Although waiting lists for organs are growing longer in developed nations, selling organs in poor nations is a temptation that many cannot resist. The rising demand for organs has significantly caused an intensification in organ trafficking across the world, and the challenges associated with transplantation are driving ethical concerns about organ trafficking and its victims to the top of the global agenda. According to Chan & Ross (2012), organ trafficking happens in 3 broad categories. Firstly, there are instances where traffickers compel or cheat the victims into donating organs. Secondly, there are instances where victims formally or informally consent to sell organs are deceived because they not remunerated for the organ or are paid less than the agreed price. Finally,

Hiring practices IP2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hiring practices IP2 - Assignment Example t process is fair and without discrimination, a manager should ensure that all activities included review the skills that suit a certain job and that they are consistent with each applicant and not to specific applicants only. As a human resource person, I would recommend that the manager use the guidelines while conducting an interview to hire a marketing representative for our company. The objective of every interview is to acquire relevant information and provide a conducive and friendly environment for the applicants, therefore, the interviewing panel should avoid asking unnecessary and uncomfortable questions (Tunstall, 2010). Such questions include: 8. Do you have any outstanding debt? The interviewer should have a legal permit to ask about the interviewees’ credit background. Without the permit, he cannot ask such a question since it can affect the applicant’s performance in a certain

Social issue paper on organ donation and how we need to fix the Essay

Social issue paper on organ donation and how we need to fix the waiting period so people aren't turning to illegal trafficking - Essay Example From research, I can conclude that the result has been organ trafficking and other illegal means of obtaining organs since people believe that they cannot follow formal procedures that take too much time and are mostly futile. Organ trafficking has been highlighted, severally, as a rising concern by the United Nations and other international organizations like the World Health Organization. The effects of this latest vice are far-reaching and destroy many lives directly and indirectly. However, what is the solution to this problem? Actually, I think that there are two dilemmas that need to be solved in order to make organ donation safer and formal. First, the trafficking of organs must be reduced and if possible eliminated to avoid the short-term and long-term negative consequences of the vice (Claybourne, 2012). Secondly, healthcare facilities, in collaboration with governments, should work out a way to reduce the waiting time and limit the desperate measures patients resort to in order to replace their organs. The organ trafficking industry is growing, supported by rising demand as well as illegal traffickers. Although waiting lists for organs are growing longer in developed nations, selling organs in poor nations is a temptation that many cannot resist. The rising demand for organs has significantly caused an intensification in organ trafficking across the world, and the challenges associated with transplantation are driving ethical concerns about organ trafficking and its victims to the top of the global agenda. According to Chan & Ross (2012), organ trafficking happens in 3 broad categories. Firstly, there are instances where traffickers compel or cheat the victims into donating organs. Secondly, there are instances where victims formally or informally consent to sell organs are deceived because they not remunerated for the organ or are paid less than the agreed price. Finally,

Positive Impacts of Digital File Sharing Article

Positive Impacts of Digital File Sharing - Article Example With the rapid advancement and popularization of the internet, digital file sharing technology is now permeating into people’s daily life. Having noticed this trend, musicians and music retailers are now focusing on the online market leading to large changes in music culture. The virtual market has great potential: Both the accessibility and diversity of music have been greatly improved. Although online file sharing community has seemingly led to a decline in the sales of albums and the quick emergence of piracy, relative studies indicate that it does have a positive influence on the economy of the music industry as a whole, generating more revenue for music producers. While technology gives the go-ahead to distribute music all over the world with a touch of a button and makes it possible for artists to advertise on an unmatched scale it also permits music piracy anywhere, anytime. This is the unauthorized replication of goods protected under intellectual property law. This was the case when music technological advancement started back in the 1920s. Artists only got paid for sales of music purchased by radio stations but not the number of times their music got airplay. Then followed the invention of the cassette tape, which and very poor sound quality. This was followed by CDs that were largely pirated and artists got no revenue from it. The invention of file sharing and internet in the music industry increased the piracy rates, but the positive impacts that these digital platforms have brought are more than any piracy losses. Boorstin S. Eric, a lawyer graduated from Princeton University, once conducted a study about the impact of the emerging online music retail industry on total disc sales. He combined data on population characteristics with Nielson SoundScan data on CD sales for 99 metropolitan areas in the years 1998, 2000, and 2001: The total sales in music during the year 2002 were the US $32.2 billion; 41% in North America, 18.6% in Asia, 34.5% in Europe. Japan had more than 80% of the total sales in Asia, leaving Latin America and the rest of Asia and Africa to have 3.1% and 2.7% respectively.

Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet Essay Example for Free

Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet Essay Known as a minimalist and experimental composer, Richard Gavin Bryars unleashed an emotionally intimate constructed piece out from a lone old vagrant singing, Jesus’ blood never failed me yet, this one thing I know, for he loves me so†¦ Originally recorded from footage of a documentary by his friend Alan Power in 1971 (Grimshaw), this aged voice served as the focal point and backdrop for Bryars’ poignant yet challenging work unfolding and reiterating itself over the course of 74 minutes in length. Whereas music that falls under Minimalist movement, sometimes associated the emotional neutralization of repeated materials, Bryars’ has the reverse effect in which rather than numbing the listener’s sensibilities, he heightens them and instead of imposing postmodern indifference toward the subject matter, it forces confrontation with it (Grimshaw). The entire lengthy music might deflate the interest of its listeners as the lines simply repeated over the recording, but Bryars managed to extract the spirit of the tramp’s captive song as he slowly introduced an accompaniment. The first part was merely the sole voice of the old man then eventually enhanced by string quartet, followed by plucked bass and guitar. Moreover, as the instruments subsequently fade out, the tramp’s song continues and eventually underscored by a much richer sounding ensemble of low strings, then woodwinds, brass, and delicate percussion and finally full orchestra and choir (Grimshaw). The soul of the music originated from the compassionate nature of the old vagrant who sang the religious tune during the recording of Power’s documentary that was about the life of street-people around Elephant and Castle and Waterloo in London. Bryars’ recounted; while they are filming the documentary, some people broke into drunken ballad or opera songs, but there was a particular homeless old man sang â€Å"Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet†. When he played it at home, he noticed the exact tune of the singing to his piano, and, he discerned that the first section of the song that is 13 bars in length formed an effective loop that repeated in a slightly unpredictable way. Therefore, he took the tape to Leicester and copied the loop onto a continuous reel of tape having the idea of adding orchestrated accompaniment to it. During the act of copying, he left the door that lead to the large painting studios, and when he came back, he found people weeping and silently listening over the old man’s singing, at that point, he realized a great emotional influence from the noble faith and tranquil music (Howse), a merely accidental root behind this epic. This particular Bryars’ piece was a breakthrough as there were other versions made during the latter years. Tom Waits singing along with it in 1990 and Jars of Clay released their own version on their album Who We Are Instead in 2003, aside from the fact that it was also used for several theatrical presentations. Covering credits for its very straightforward message to the people, the unyielding constancy of the lyrics—repeated over 150 times—essentially keeps the music from achieving greater feats. It is said that no matter how many times you paint a house, it remains to be the same house. Still, that verse holds together the entirety of the minimalist piece, a factor that you cannot simply neglect. Focusing on keeping his music very simple yet haunting, this composer and double bassist is a native from Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire, England and born on January 16, 1943. His first musical reputation was as a jazz bassist working in the early sixties with improvisers Derek Bailey and Tony Oxley. He abandoned improvisation in 1966 and worked for a time in the United States with John Cage, until he collaborated closely with composers such as Cornelius Cardew and John White. He taught in the department if Fine Art in Portsmouth, Leicester from 1969 to 1978, and there he founded the legendary Portsmouth Sinfonia, an orchestra whose membership consisted of performers who â€Å"embrace the full range of musical competence† — and who played or just attempted to play popular classical works. He also founded the Music Department at Leicester Polytechnic (later De Montfort University) and served as professor in Music from 1986 to 1994. Meanwhile, his first major work as a composer owe much to the so-called New York School of John Cage—with whom he briefly studied, Morton Feldman, Earle Brown and minimalism. His earliest piece was The Sinking of Titanic (1969) and was originally released under Brian Eno’s Obscure Label in 1975 and the Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet (1971) both famously released in new versions in the 1990s on Point Music Label, selling over a quarter of a million copies. The original 1970s recordings have been re-released on CD by Virgin Records. A major turning point in his development was his first written opera Medea, premiered at the Opera de Lyon and Opera de Paris in 1984. He has written another two operas, both with libretti by his long time collaborator Blake Morrison: Doctor Oxs Experiment, and G, commissioned by the Staatstheater Mainz for the Gutenberg 600th Anniversary. Aside from that, Bryars has also produced a large body of chamber music including three string quartets and a saxophone quartet both for his own ensemble and for other performers. He has also written extensively for strings as well as producing concertos for violin, viola, cello, double bass, saxophone and bass oboe. He has also written choral music, chiefly for the Latvian Radio Choir, with whom he has recently recorded a second CD, and for the Estonian Male Choir. From being a jazz bassist, composer, professor and opera writer, he also made a name as he collaborated with visual artists, worked with choreographers who have used his pieces, and written numerous Laude for the soprano Ana Maria Friman, to name a few. And to date, he recently completed a theatre piece, To Define Happiness, with Peeter Jalakas for Von Krahl theatre in Tallinn, and a project around Shakespeares sonnets, Nothing Like the Sun, with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Opera North. Gavin Bryars is an Associate Research Fellow at Dartington College of Arts and Regent of the College de Pataphysique. And married to Russian-born film director Anna Tchernakova with three daughters and a son. He is currently living in England and British Columbia, Canada. WORKS CITED Howse, Christopher. The Assurance of Hope. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2006. xix. ISBN 0-8264-8271-6 Mckeating, Scott. http://www. stylusmagazine. com/articles/seconds/gavin-bryars-jesus-blood-never-failed-me-yet. htm Grimshaw, Jeremy. â€Å"All Music Guide†. http://www. answers. com/topic/jesus-blood-never-failed-me-yet-orchestral-classical-work http://www. gavinbryars. com/ http://www. myspace. com/gavinbryarsmusic http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Jesus%27_Blood_Never_Failed_Me_Yet

Effective leadership characteristics

Effective leadership characteristics Intro (just a rough outline) Transformational vs transactional (here Im thinking to say something along the lines of â€Å"when evaluating leadership characteristics, the team identified more with transformational leadership† Our group used ranking to decide order in which we would prioritize (Exhibit 1 does the team want to include this?) Effective leadership has many characteristics that make it what it is, but weve narrowed down the list after tough debates and inspirational personal experiences. Effective Leadership Characteristics Visionary Ranked First To be an effective leader, our team believes that being a visionary is the most important characteristic. The team went through various different words with a similar tone, such as â€Å"strategist†, â€Å"innovative†, and â€Å"a thinker with depth and breadth†, but none of them encompassed such a broad meaning as visionary did. Being a visionary encompasses all of the above key descriptors and includes the ability to think ahead in a manner that is neither rash nor unrealistic. Having vision gives clarity to the integral processes that follow the vision during implementation. Our team examined previous class discussions on transformational leadership and having a vision was a key aspect that was critical in order to successfully fulfill other leadership requirements. For example, being a good communicator is definitely an advantage; however, without a vision, the information communicated is questionable. This is why we ranked it first. Competency Ranked Second The team initially had varied opinions about competency because of our diverse perceptions of what being competent really means. Some perceived it as unnecessary as leaders who have vision can align their followers and make them accountable for achieving the vision. Others perceived competency as more than that they viewed it as a characteristic that is not only technical but also involves knowing what steps to take in order to achieve the vision and how to effectively communicate those steps. Nevertheless, technical competency is of instrumental value as it increases efficiency due to the breadth and depth of knowledge. Other rational that served vital in convincing the rest of the team was that having competence increases ones self-confidence, helping them to better motivate and articulate their position. Communicator Ranked Third Being an outstanding communicator is essential to being an effective leader. The entire team was aligned with making this a core characteristic of effective leaders. The discussion highlighted the need to firstly communicate the vision and subsequently, to maintain a flow of information around the organization. The team discussed how when this was done in our personal experiences, we felt more involved and important in the company. One key point of reference for us was the class discussion on transformational leadership. Within all four aspects (idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration), communication was either directly or indirectly a factor in being able to successfully be a transformational leader. Motivational Ranked Fourth A term that we feel is related to being a good communicator is being motivational. We believe they go hand-in-hand. Our reasoning for selecting â€Å"motivational† was because in order to achieve the vision, a leader must align his or her followers one person is often not enough. The group spoke about several different characteristics related to motivational that we also wanted to include on the list; however, while short-listing, we came to the conclusion that several of those were related to being a motivational leader. For example, the team brainstormed â€Å"inspiring† as a characteristic. Although this is a distinctive quality to have in a leader, we felt that being motivational was the appropriate term because, in a business context, it relates to stimulating ones interest in the vision while we saw inspirational as invoking a more general sense of desire to accomplish something. The team also saw a motivational leader as one who will create more leaders and this is essential in todays business environment as it has been said that many organizations are over-managed, but under-led. High Integrity Ranked Fifth The team was divided on whether or not to include integrity in the characteristics of effective leaders. Some of the team was concerned with the fact that leaders who have committed unethical deeds (i.e. the executives of the Enron scandal) did not have integrity yet were still effective in being successful prior to the scandal. We spoke in great detail about the article â€Å"Leadership Warts and All†, and although we found many of the points to be intriguing; some of the team members were inundated with questions like â€Å"are we setting our standards too low? Should we not expect honesty and integrity?† We had thoughts surrounding the idea that â€Å"it is okay to fail, and you should not compromise your values in the name of success†. The others brought up the class discussion on the first day when we spoke about leadership not having the classification of good or bad but the members for integrity highlighted that it depends on perception. Those who followe d Adolf Hitler believed he had integrity. More of the team was convinced, but there was still hesitation because according to them, â€Å"leadership is not a moral concept† (Kellerman, 2004, p. 5) being an effective leader has nothing to do with your values. The turning point was our discussion about the topic of leaders that lack integrity but are high on charisma; the â€Å"Danger Zone†.Questions that were raised within the group circled around â€Å"although the leader could be effective, how long could he or she sustain leadership before their low integrity was publicized?† Examples of this include the leaders of Enron or Nortel after the scandals, their leadership was completely overthrown and their credibility was no more. If one does not have credibility, how will he or she attract followers? Empathy Ranked Sixth The team spoke about empathy in great detail. We were heavily inclined to say â€Å"no† to empathy being a top characteristic, however there were two that felt strongly about it. The discussion revolved around what the true definition of empathy is is it related to the way you communicate to people, knowing their situation or is it a feeling that you have when you understand anothers circumstances? We answered it by giving real-life examples of how empathy is a characteristic that is more than communication. A personal experience within the team was one that many individuals face as part of an organization. Our teammate had fallen ill one day and telephoned his manager to let him know that he was unwell. The manager, showing a lack of empathy, instructed him to come into work anyway. The manager failed to put himself into our teammates shoes and this negatively affected his perceived leadership style. The teammate felt more and more disengaged, almost resentful towards his ma nager. An example from a team member who had a great experience was about how his manager was empathetic towards the specific direction in which he wanted to go. He would take the time to understand our teammates future aspirations and would make it his duty to seek out the most relevant projects. In another real life experience, the manager would take the time to understand the diverse culture of his team so that he would be more empathetic to the differences surrounding them. These experiences were a catalyst to emphasize the fact that empathy was a definite characteristic of effective leaders amongst our team. Passionate Ranked Seventh In all great leaders there is a purpose and intensity. To our team, passion is an internal and self-generated tool.   Effective leaders should have the ability to concentrate on their purpose, motivate not only themselves but also their followers to the common purpose. Their attitude sets the mood for everyone around them and their followers get excited if the leader is excited. There was a general consensus within the team for passionate to be one of the main characteristics. The feeling was solidified even more with a personal example of an effective team lead who was extremely passionate about his work in software coding. The team lead would spend his own time learning more about coding. He would share his findings with the team in a manner that was both exciting and intriguing. Both his work and the teams work were positively influenced because of the authentic passion this leader shared. Becoming a More Effective Leader Building a Transformational Leader During our analysis, we discovered that these characteristics are dependent on each other in order to be effective. Leaders with a vision need to be able to communicate that vision passionately in order to align their followers. In â€Å"Leadership for Extraordinary Performance†, Joseph DiStefano highlights the need for the visionary to express â€Å"personal confidence and enthusiasm† (DiStefano, 2000, p. 1). Leading your organization with passion is extremely important when communicating the vision. It seems as though a leader without vision, passion and communication is an ineffective leader, while a leader that has a high degree of all three is a motivational leader (refer to Exhibit 2a). He or she has a consistent vision in mind, and is able to communicate that vision effectively with enthusiasm which is a critical step in aligning your followers and motivating them to achieve the vision. The story discussed above about the leader who was so passionate about coding was not the only attribute that made him the best leadership experience for our teammate. He was able to see ahead and know what the team needed to do before anyone else did this is what differentiated him from the rest of the team. Team 423 argues that if you have passion and are able to communicate that to your colleagues, you are an engaged team member. It is your ability to be a visionary in addition to those that makes you a leader. In combination with the above characteristics, we feel that leadership is also dependent on ones competencies. If a leader has vision, communication skills and passion but no competency, he or she is ill-equipped to be effective (refer to Exhibit 2b). One of our team members worked under a CEO of a small company. The CEO was a former salesman and his interests were only focused on increasing sales and not building customer loyalty or providing adequate support. He had a vision of using the products uniqueness in the industry to market it to customers; he had the communication skills and passion to both inform and align his employees; however the company suffered as time went on because he did not factor in the customer relations aspect of the business. His lack of knowing what to do to be successful led the company to many reports with the Better Business Bureau and constant customer complaints to the head office. Building on our illustration of how these characteristics are dependent upon each other, we proceed to analyze motivational and empathetic. Although motivational was touched upon with communication, the team feels that it is also separate because of the need for individualized consideration. We are speaking about these characteristics not in terms of broadly aligning employees, rather in terms of providing them to employees based on their own set of unique strengths and weaknesses. A leader without empathy and motivation becomes a â€Å"power wielder† (Kellerman, 2004, p. 3) given that he or she has the other characteristics we have discussed (refer to Exhibit 2c). Being a more effective leader means, as Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones put it, â€Å"giving people what they need, not what they want† (Goffee Jones, 2000, p. 7). Effective leaders are genuinely concerned with what their employees aspirations are and will point them in the right direction even if it means co mmunicating areas of weakness. While pointing out the weakness, the leader should also motivate the employee to improve and achieve his (her) goal. When a leader has all these characteristics, we believe that he (she) is very close to becoming what we believe, is an effective transformational leader. Nevertheless, how good are all of these characteristics if the leader cannot uphold them? Once the leaders integrity is broken, his (her) characteristics are no longer legitimate. The fundamental vision which was so necessary becomes a fraud. The leader that has all the above characteristics cannot be exhibiting a true display of being a visionary (refer to exhibit 2d). Staying true to your vision, or in other words, leading by example, is undermined when a leader does something that is inconsistent with their values or vision. The team also feels that there is a lack of genuine motivation and empathy for the employees and this leads us to believe that an effective leader with low integrity is really a pseudo-transformational leader.One of our teammates had an experience where his manager would display all of the positive characteristics we have spoken about to his own managers, however, the reality was he was taking credit for successful projects and blaming others for failed initia tives. The display of leadership, in this case, was false and it served to undermine his leadership ability to our team member. On the contrary, a leader with all characteristics is a full and effective transformational leader. Leveraging Natural Strengths Some leaders are naturally stronger in one characteristic, and they leverage that to be more effective. (Can someone think of an example to put in here Made up or real is fine) Leaders who lack technical knowledge can benefit from leveraging their other strengths. Relying and trusting your employees to use their expertise you may not have empowers them and is a vital aspect in creating more leaders. We are in accord with Goffee and Jones when it comes to revealing select weaknesses to establish trust, collaboration, and solidarity. While leveraging natural strengths is something the team believes should be done, a leader should be looking to continuously improve. In class we discussed effective leaders who may not be comfortable speaking in public, and saw how one leader drastically improved his skills by joining a Toastmasters Club. We are also increasingly seeing more managers in training programs to increase their competencies in new technologies and methodologies. Using These Characteristics to Differentiate Leaders from Managers The teams analysis also revealed distinguishing factors between leaders and managers. We found that managers and workers relate more to the day-to-day work and tend not to think about the long-term strategy or vision of the organization and therefore, some processes that should be maximized to achieve long-term gains are completed to attain short term success. Through our personal experiences, we also found that they are more focused on performance rather than development and improvement. A visionary leader attaches the skills of his (her) team in to a vision, incorporating performance into team development and advancement while placing importance on both long-term and short-term strategies. â€Å"Leaders motivate people; managers manipulate assets† (Cuneo, 2005). How can managers be better leaders by motivating their employees? In all of our positive personal experiences, motivation was a key aspect. Being motivational does not need to mean inspiring a crowd of five hundred. Instead, the team appreciated open-door communication and individualized inspiration through words of encouragement when we failed, and recognition when we succeeded. We specified leaders who guided us in the right direction instead of telling us the exact move. Beginning with a simple â€Å"good job, youre almost there!† or â€Å"I know you can do it, lets try that again† proved to be effective and meaningful. According to Level 5 Leadership, a manager is described as competent, but not a leader.Our team interpreted this as a technically competent manager who lacks the softer characteristics such as empathy, vision, motivation, and etcetera. Competency is a necessary requirement for an effective manager; however it is not the foremost characteristic a manager can possess. In class, we discussed how Level 5 Leadership can be seen in any level on the pyramid. Many people possess humility and professional will at all levels it is something that transcends your leadership capabilities. Improving Leadership in Business Today In todays business world, several new issues have come into play and the leadership characteristics we discussed are relevant to the times we face at the present. In class, we spoke about multi-generational workforces, ethics, and diversity. The team will briefly discuss how each one of these issues can be positively affected by leadership. The multi-generational workforce we face today goes both ways. Older employees are taking advantage of continuing to work after the age of sixty-five and the younger generation is storming the workforce with new expectations to suit their lifestyles. Being able to manage each end of the spectrum will prove to be an asset to any leader. Through communicating effectively, a leader can avoid the problems that arise when dealing with a multi-generational work force. Speaking to your employees about their expectations and goals are paramount to being able to successfully manage both older and younger workers. We cannot assume that a younger worker wants to be the CEO of the company, just as we cannot assume that an older worker does not want to spend time outside of the office with his (her) colleagues. Using communication to directly ask the employees what they want out of the job will help to avoid misunderstandings as well as misconstrued expectations of the other. Empathy is also a characteristic that is essential in managing a multi-generational workforce. Being able to understand where someone is coming from means taking the time to comprehend their reasoning for certain matters, but it also means providing them with what they need based upon their experiences. A person with empathy can connect to and build trust with several different types of people based on the fact that they are able to understand where the other is coming from. A leader must make the â€Å"effort to understand why people do what they do† (Cook Ross Inc., 2004). After understanding your workers, it becomes easier to motivate them. We developed insight into motivation after discussing our different experiences. What motivates us as people varies; even the style of motivation varies. Some members responded well to a realistic motivator while others enjoyed a more casual, humorous style of motivation. Learning about your employees helps determine the style of motivation you should adapt. â€Å"It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it† (Warren Buffet). This quote describes how easy it is to falter in the area of integrity. Ethics has become a key aspect of leadership today. With the number and magnitude of corporate scandals, it is easy to say you stand for something than it is to actually prove it. Effective leaders must stand by the values they purport, therefore, they should not keep values that they may have the possibility of violating. The team is not saying this is easy, but it is a standard that should be upheld especially when thinking about future leaders. A manager must lead by example and focus on the behavioural outcomes more than the performance outcomes.Set the expectations at where you believe you can legitimately operate at leaders are not perfect after all. In todays globalized market, diversity is an ever-increasing factor in organizations. We feel that the struggles of managing diversity can be mediated with a competent, empathetic, and communicative leader. Competency comes into play when a leader is aware of differences and able to manage diversity. The manager should be able to align the thought processes of diverse interest groups to the common vision. How do they accomplish this? Through empathy and communication. We discussed a personal experience earlier of how a manager took the time to understand his diverse team by openly communicating about differences in cultures and work ethics. Politicians often learn to attract a very diverse array of voters. Barrack Obamas slogan, â€Å"yes we can†, was centralized enough that it applied to various groups in the United States but his meetings with senior citizens versus Mexican immigrants were extremely different. The two groups had different priorities and expectations. A manag er who takes the time to understand where his (her) employees are coming from, will find it easier to motivate them successfully. In conclusion, based on our analysis and course material study, we believe that there is no perfect recipe or readymade solution to be an effective leader. However, having the characteristics discussed above and using them appropriately places one on the right track to be an effective leader.

Business :: essays research papers

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This study will examine the overall affect on society, as well as the historical aspect of the integration of African-Americans, into sports in the United States of America. This study is also designed to discuss and or break down any racial stereotypes involving African-American athletes. Most importantly, this study will also examine the progression that African-Americans have made on the field as athletes and in corporate America as well. The overall affect that integration had on society will be discussed first. The acceptance and the scrutiny of the African-American athlete will be examined. Secondly, the researcher will discuss some of the many racial stereotypes that African-American athletes have to live up to or even hold their heads in shame because of. The third and final area of research is to discuss the progression that African-Americans have made in the world of sports during the years after integration.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The majority of the literature for this study was obtained from various websites and written material discussing the aforementioned topics. This study will not be the first of kind, however the information that was discovered is different than previous studies that have been done on this topic. Since the birth of the United States, this society has been capitalistic in nature. The basis of capitalism is competition. The business that is the best will win or make the most money. This is also the true nature of sports as well. Even though sports took on this mentality, it is still leaps and bounds ahead of society when it comes to equality. After- all Jackie Robison was a Brooklyn Dodger five years prior to the Brown vs. Board of Education case in 1954. In many ways sports in America have become a microcosm of what society should be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Jackie Robinson’s barrier breaking entrance into the Major Leagues was probably the most important event to take place in sport history, it is not the first time African-Americans were involved in sports. Early records have shown that African Americans were involved in these sports whenever given the opportunity to participate. On the other hand, American sports are filled with records of African American athletes capable of participating in the broad sports arena but not given the chance due to their race. Therefore, as sports grew into an American popular pastime, it also grew along on separate fields with race as a dividing line.

Russian Jews :: essays research papers

Russian Jews To Russian Jews, the synagogue was the center of religion and religion was the most important thing in their lives. The rabbi was their leader, they came to him with every problem they had. Jews were poor, but they all gave tzedakah. It was said that even the poorest Jews could find someone poorer to help and give money to. According to the Jewish religion, tzedakah is one of the most important mitzvahs you can do. The same could be said about the Jewish holidays. They were observed very strictly, but Shabbat was the most welcomed. In order to teach the importance of Jewish law, they started their own schools, their own courts of law, and their own burial societies. even though there were pogroms, religious persecution forced the Jews to create stronger communities and made them more united. In the beginning of the 1800s, Alexander I ruled Russia. He promised the Jews that they could become farmers, could live in two districts, and could buy unoccupied land. Although Alexander was kind and helped the Jews, the tax they were forced to pay, stayed. before he died in 1825, the Jewish situation became hard for them to bare. They lived in poverty in small and crowded places and were oppressed. For hundreds of years, Jews lived these ways in two communities - the ghetto and the shtetl. To keep out thieves and rioters from coming in, they built walls around their section of town. When they did this, the government and churches got an idea, they would use the walls that the Jews built, to lock them in. These walls were located near a foundry that made cannons, so they named it â€Å"ghetto† which means "foundry". They would close the gates every night and the Jews would be locked in until daybreak. The word of the ghettos quickly spread, soon there were ghettos all over Europe. The Jews were all treated the same in every ghetto that was in Europe, according the government and churches, the Jews had no rights. They were no allowed to own land, join crafts guilds, or do any kind of work that Christians got to do. In some ghettos, they were even forced to wear badges so anyone who saw them would know they were Jewish. The badge was usually a Star of David. For many years, the government took copies of the Talmud, and burnt them. Also the government forced the Jews to listen to long Christian sermons. Even though all these terrible things took place and the government was not good to the Jews, the ghettos seemed to be a

Careers Essay

Section A- Key Terms Balanced Decision-Making: Making good choices based on a mixture of logic and intuition. This is useful in a number of situations, and when making a good decision, displays discipline and intelligence. For example, if you have work at 9 am the next morning, and you’ve been invited to go out with your friends the night before, your logic may tell you not to, but your intuition wants to. Making the balanced choice depends on which is a higher priority, work or socializing. Credentials: Experiences that make you more qualified for a job. Employers will see these as accomplishments. Credentials are useful as they show that you are able to apply yourself to a task and complete it, which is useful information for employers, as well. They look good on your resume and make for a good alternative if you don’t have any work experience. Transferable Skills: Abilities that you can apply from one situation to another. This is useful because it will make you a candidate for a wider variety of jobs, and once you have a job, you will be able to adjust to different situations, good and bad, that may happen on an average day at work. Network: Connections with other people. Networking is useful when looking and applying for a job. If you have a large network, then you can talk to them about your need for employment, and have a higher chance of getting an interview. When applying for a job it’s useful as you have a wider variety of references to choose from. Reference: A person on your application form who employers can contact if they want someone else’s opinion on you. They will vouch for your experience, credibility and record. References, when chosen well, can be extremely useful. These references may notice things about you that you wouldn’t be able to share or necessarily know while being interviewed. In other words, they have an outsider’s perspective. Section B- Short Answers 3) The best way to contribute to your community is through volunteer work. But, if you’re looking to further your career ambitions at the same time, then you should be mindful to where you volunteer. For example, if you wanted to be an English teacher, volunteer at the library. If you wanted to work in PR, volunteer at Free the Children. Volunteer work is always great on a resume no matter where it’s from, but it’s even better when employers see that you’ve gotten a little taste of what they have to offer. Another way to contribute to your community is to organize a fundraiser. This looks great on a resume as it shows that you have leadership and communication skills, as well as a good heart. If you wanted to work at a hospital, donate all the proceeds to Make a Wish. If you want to work in art, donate the proceeds to sketch. The last and most general way to contribute to your community is to organize a garbage pick-up. This also shows that you have leader ship and communication skills. But, as all jobs and businesses are looking for ways to go green, this shows that you’re in that mindset and can bring it to where ever you work. 4) There are many things you can do to find out what post-secondary option is best for you. The first way I’d acquire knowledge on this subject is talk to family members and older friends. Make sure to get a wide variety in such as university and college graduates, as well as people who only have a high school diploma. Ask them how they feel about their education and qualifications, as well as how they feel about their career or job. Ask them for advice on finding out what’s best for you, and how they found out what was best for them. Another way I’d educate myself is to do research. Look up the employment rates of university, college and high school graduates. Think of careers or jobs that you would like to have in the future and look up what you would need in order to get that profession. Lastly, I’d tour universities and colleges to get a feel of them. I’d ask myself if I enjoyed one more than the other, and if I could see myself being at one. 5) A couple steps you should take when looking for work are: One- update your resume. Two- network. Tell your family, friends and your friends’ family that you’re looking for work. Three- look around. There are many worthwhile and credible jobs that are advertised whether it is online, in the paper or at centres. Four- don’t waste time! Hand out resumes to all the options that you receive. Five- communicate. Call to the places that you handed in resumes. It shows that you’re eager and will give you attention. 6) My first piece of advice to a friend who had a job interview would be to print off extra resumes and to have a separate sheet with a list of references. Also make sure to have all certificates for your credentials in case they want proof. Second, I’d tell them to arrive on time! Or even better, be early. It’ll give you time to relax and think over what you’re going to say. It’s the first impression that they’ll have of you, and being early or on time shows them that you can keep that up if you were to work there. Lastly, I’d tell them to be confident. Smile and give them a good handshake, wear a nice outfit, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Section C- Essay Question 1 To be blunt, the Careers course is too simple. There isn’t much homework, it’s very easy to get by without studying for tests and a lot of it is really just common knowledge. If you really want to get the full experience, the course should be â€Å"beefed up.† People have mentioned adding a co-op element in the course, which is a great idea. It allows students to apply their knowledge from in-class into the workplace, without having the stress of pay cheques or getting fired. If this was added to the curriculum, it would be even better if the work you did could be added to your resume under experience. The only issue would be that a lot of students wouldn’t want to work without getting paid, and would be upset if it weren’t to count for volunteer hours. Many students are probably happy with getting by with the minimal curriculum we have now. Overall, the co-op idea would definitely be a good experience for them whether they liked it or not, and would definitely enrich this course. Although it is believed that the course should be enriched, it should not be bumped up to be taught in grade 12. This is another way people have said that Careers could be enriched, because they would be able to use more complex terms and advanced language. But, the point of the course is not to expand your vocabulary; it’s to get you educated about your future. Also, many schools offer the course in grade 11, so that’s a compromise between grade 10 and 12. Learning the course in grade 10 allows students time to process information, as well as have working experiences such as volunteer work and jobs, and also to consider what they might like to do for a career. If students were to learn the logistics in grade 12, they’ve missed out on valuable information that could have helped them apply and keep high school jobs. In conclusion, Careers is a simple but effective course. It gives you a lot of useful information that you can benefit from for the rest of your life, gets you thinking about your future and tests your common knowledge. There are definitely many adjustments that can be made, though. Co-op would be great so students could test the knowledge that they’ve learnt in class to see if they thoroughly understand. If co-op was added, Careers should become a full course so students can have half the time for learning and preparing, and the other half for experiencing.

A Reading of My Papa’s Waltz Essay

Theodore Roethke’s â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† speaks of how a daughter is able to see past the defects of her father with such adoring calm and respect. The poem is playful and innocent, the choice of words child-like, and the rhyme measured at a pace of a child’s anxious breathing. Yet a sense of caution rings true throughout, right from the very first lines down to the end of the poem. There is the unmistakable obedient but anxious anticipation in the part of the child upon seeing his father coming home drunk again. Also, perhaps because of the regularity of her â€Å"waltz† with her father the speaker has committed the details to memory. Waltz as a metaphor for action in the poetry tallies with the words romp—a boisterous frolic; dizzy, slid, step, scraped, beat, time and cling to the shirt among others (Roethke). Literally, waltz is dancing to fast music. The steps are not measured, oftentimes wild but still remains rhythmic and moves to a tune. It is danced with both partners holding to each other for dear life—so to speak, lest one should be thrown off from the repetitive twirls. As it were, at first reading, the poem may admit of several interpretations, yet by giving color to every word that sense which will result from all of the parts taken together, along with death, battered, hard, dirt, whiskey and so on, there is enough that can be gathered to support the conclusion that the â€Å"waltz† as used in the poem, means the abuse of a daughter by a drunk father (Roethke). However, although the work may be largely read as a re-telling of an incident where a father beats his daughter, the way that Roethke plays with the words and imagery makes the work open to several readings: Ones that may not necessarily lean towards violence and abuse. It is easy to read the work with a different view altogether. Nevertheless, the freedom of interpretation is granted solely to the reader due to the multiple meanings that the words and imagery, used in the poetry, convey. At any rate, the use of waltz to describe the beating was a clever touch in that it subtly shows the young girl’s abject fear to a point where harsh and hostile words, from an otherwise meek and mild tone, would only lessen the claim that the beating is regular and harsh. The message is clear that because of the frequency and extent of violence, the young girl is rendered unable to speak ill of the father in this poem but instead is beaten to absolute dread and horror to which only forced obedience is her only weapon. Thus, it would seem that they have danced the â€Å"waltz† before and nothing that eventually happens in the poem is something new or is happening for the first time. The speaker’s recollection of the details is remarkable underscoring the fact that what happened is still fresh in her memory or so etched in her mind so deeply that missing out a fact is impossible. There is the possibility of repetition felt at the end since the speaker makes it a point to show that this shall not be the last time—whilst she clung (desperately) to her dad’s shirt. She knows that it she will have to â€Å"waltz† with her papa soon enough that she prostrates herself at the end of that violent episode, hoping against all hope that there shall no longer be any in the future (Roethske). In the same vein, the poem is addressed to the father, waxing poetry with a meek letter of demand for the beating to stop. The over-all tone and style is apologetic and wishful in manner and in part. It is a technique used to show the attempt of the girl to appeal to the father’s emotions without so much as being violent in the treatment if only not to anger her father in the process. Moreover, the use of the word â€Å"waltz† as an ironic imagery reveals the mental age of the speaker. Consequently, these are hints of the young girl’s age since her tenderness and impressionability as a child coincides with the average year that a girl normally dreams of becoming a princess who waltzes with her prince. Instead, in this instance, it is the young girl and her father—who reeks with alcohol; with the crammed kitchen space as their dance floor, the cluttering of falling pans as the resounding applause; and a helpless mother, whose â€Å"countenance could not unfrown itself† (Roethke), looking on.

Saint-Boniface Museum Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Saint-Boniface Museum - Research Paper Example It has also provided a map that assists strangers to find its location (St. Boniface Museum). Products and collections There is a variety of products or collections and services offered by the museum. The collections found in the museum include medical equipment, archaeological pieces, Louis Riel’s coffin, domestic and furnishing accessories, a Red River cart replica, the first bell of the church in the West, educational and religious artifacts, and trade and agricultural tools (St. Boniface Museum). In the archives, there are photographs while, in the decorative arts, there are musical instruments, furniture or furnishings and textiles or tapestries. Under fine arts, there is the Canadian culture, painting, sculpture, folk art and religious art (St. Boniface Museum). The collections under human history include; Time-keeping devices or clocks Furniture or furnishings Communication devices Imaging (photographs) Medals Local history Domestic technology or household objects Maps, charts, blueprints or plans Spots equipment Weapons Transportation Memorabilia Toys and games Religious or liturgical objects, and Non-motorized ground Biological collections, found under natural sciences, include plants and animals. There exists zoology, mammals (Mammalia), birds (Aves) and vertebrates (St. Boniface Museum). Services and activities Self-guided or guided tours, school visits, exhibits, treasure boxes for seniors, school programs, and consulting services Educational programs- lectures, family programs and school programs Visitor services- children activities or services (playground, change table or nursing area), bilingual services, exceptional needs facilities (wheelchair access, signs and washrooms), guided tours (English and French), a public transportation accessibility, washrooms, gift shop, parking facilities (bus), and cloakroom Volunteer services- there is availability of volunteer training. The number of volunteers should be twelve. Activities: board member ship Food services- catering services Internet services- virtual exhibitions, education, local history, online gift-shop or bookstore, directions or maps, and school visits or programs Market trends and patterns The museum (Saint Boniface) is a non-profit organization. All the benefits or profits received from any purchase made become used to support the museum (St. Boniface Museum). It has advertisers and sponsors who support it in marketing and financial matters. Some of the tradeshow participants are; the Canadian Association of Professional Conservators, Cibinel Architects Limited, Dorfman Museum Figures, Color Art Supply and Framing, Maker Technical Sculpture Services, and others (St. Boniface Museum). The museum has a gift shop that offers various gifts, souvenirs and heritage themed items with a link to cultures of Metis and French and the fur trade. Some unique merchandise available in the shop includes the famous voyageur shirts and sashes in different qualities, sizes and patterns (St. Boniface Museum). There are also traditional toys, local foods, small Red River carts (hand-made), gifts made locally by hands, and Quebec Maple Syrup products. Items, which are exclusive, to the museum shop consist of polar fleece scarves, Louis Riel T-shirts, cards, Metis mugs and posters (St. Boniface