Imaging In Diagnosis Pancreatic Cancer Health And Social Care Essay

Pancreatic malignant neoplastic disease and its patterned advance, Drake et Al ( 2005 ) suggest pancreatic malignant neoplastic diseases are aggressive and occur most frequently in the caput, cervix and uncinate procedure of the pancreas. Malignant tumor of the pancreas affect more work forces than adult females and are associated with intoxicant maltreatment, diabetes, familial pancreatitis and smoke. Neoptolemos ( 2009 ) goes onto explain that age is an overpowering factor sing pancreatic malignant neoplastic disease which accounts for approximately 5 % of all malignant neoplastic disease instances. Harmonizing to Hanno et Al ( 2008 ) pancreatic malignant neoplastic disease is thought to impact 10 people in 100,000 every twelvemonth. Marieb and Hohhn ( 2010 ) suggest that malignant neoplastic disease of the pancreas is serious as it seldom causes symptoms until it is really advanced and hence is difficult to observe and handle. As pancreatic malignant neoplastic disease is frequently advanced by the clip it is diagnosed, often metastases are present. Due to this the forecast of pancreatic malignant neoplastic disease is frequently really hapless and is associated with a high mortality rate ( Jackson & A ; Thomas, 2005 ) . Imaging Pancreatic Cancer Johnson ( 2005 ) suggests that one time a patient has presented with a suspected pancreatic carcinoma, they should instantly have an Ultrasound Scan ( US ) of the liver, bile canal and pancreas. Harmonizing to Jackson and Thomas ( 2005 ) ultrasound scans use high-frequency sound moving ridges, that when returned from variety meats create a signal. After transporting out an ultrasound scan, if the findings suggest a malignance may be present farther imagination would be recommended. A Assortment of surveies are available, including: Endoscopic Ultrasound ( EUS ) Computed Tomography ( CT ) Magnetic Resonance Imaging ( MRI ) Endoscopic Ultrasound ( EUS ) Europiums can be used in the diagnosing, presenting and resectability of pancreatic carcinomas ( DeWitt et al, 2004 ) . EUS is considered to hold a higher sensitiveness when observing tumors located in the caput of the pancreas compared to observing tumors located in the organic structure or tail of the pancreas ( Shami & A ; Kaheleh, 2010 ) . Legmann et Al ( 1998 ) suggest that EUS has high sensitiveness when observing little pancreatic tumors. Many writers support this and DeWitt et Al ( 2004 ) travel on to explicate that EUS is superior to other modes as it can pick up tumors even smaller than 25mm. By observing little tumors early on, EUS can find whether farther trials are needed and hence set uping the patient ‘s direction. EUS contributes to the direction of the patient by assisting to be after and steer drainage processs ( Dietrich, 2006 ) . EUS is considered to hold a high sensitiveness when turn uping lymph node metastasis and vascular infiltration ( Shami & A ; Kahaleh, 2010 ) . Each relevant construction that can be affected by pancreatic malignant neoplastic disease can be assessed utilizing EUS. Gress and Savides ( 2009 ) further explain that EUS can be used to separate the relationship between the mass and next vascular constructions to measure the resectability. Harmonizing to Faigel et Al ( 1997 ) EUS guided all right needle aspiration is used for both local theatrical production and accurate tissue diagnosing in one process. Williams et Al ( 1998 ) support this and explicate that the process is a superior mode for the sensing of metastases and provides an accurate diagnosing of pancreatic malignances. An ultrasound transducer is attached to the caput of an endoscope and passed through the patient ‘s oral cavity to obtain images of the internal variety meats. EUS provides the chance to look at the GI wall beds and the surrounding variety meats ( Shami & A ; Kahaleh, 2010 ) . Rosch et Al ( 1991 ) explain that because of the close propinquity of the transducer to the internal organ of involvement, accurate and elaborate images are produced. Harmonizing to Lowry et Al ( 2008 ) pancreatic malignant neoplastic diseases often appear hypoechoic and arise from the bright, hyperechoic parenchyma of the pancreas. The lodgers of a malignance are frequently irregular ; nevertheless, there is normally a differentiation between a normal and malignant pancreas ( Figure 1.0 & A ; 1.1 ) . Despite showing a malignance, Lowry et Al ( 2008 ) further explains that its visual aspect can on occasion mime an inflammatory procedure of the pancreas. Figure 1.0 Figure 1.1 Figure 1.0 EUS showing a mass in the organic structure of the pancreas with engagement of the superior mesenteric vena. ( Taken from: Kwon & A ; Scheiman, 2006 ) . Figure 1.1. EUS showing a mass of the caput of the pancreas blockading the common gall canal. ( Taken from: Erickson, 2010 ) . Guidelines mentioning to pancreatic lesions issued in 2005 suggest that any lesion found in the pancreas, irrespective of its size requires further diagnostic rating. The guidelines go on to state that EUS findings entirely are non sufficient when naming lesions within the pancreas as it is unable to find whether they are malignant ( Barclay, 2005 ) . Guidelines set out by the British Medical Ultrasound Society ( 2009 ) say that Ultrasound equipment sound should merely by used by people who are to the full trained and have an apprehension of the thermal and mechanical bio-effects of ultrasound. Prior to EUS scrutinies, patients will be required to be nil by oral cavity for 6 hours. Patients will be given instructions sing the process and asked relevant inquiries associating to their wellness and allergic reactions. EUS processs are carried out under witting sedation, a cannula will be inserted into the patient ‘s arm so this and any other medicine can be inserted intravenously ( Soper et Al, 2008 ) . During the process, patients will be required to lie on their side. Harmonizing to Soper et Al ( 2008 ) scrutinies of the pancreas require high frequence echography ( 7.5- 12 MHz ) and get down by turn uping the aorta at the degree of the gorge to measure the pancreatic canal. Soper et Al ( 2008 ) further explain that the organic structure and the tail of the pancreas can so be visualised. Harmonizing to Soper et Al ( 2008 ) one time patients have recovered, they are discharged and able to restart their usual diet. Current research suggests that developments in EUS will travel beyond all right needle aspiration. Enerson ( 2005 ) believes that less invasive endoscopy equipment, which is capable of imaging variety meats next to the GI piece of land, will be developed and offer a new way sing the intercession procedure. Europiums can raise some issues with respects to the patients. First, the process requires patient engagement ; nevertheless it can be really uncomfortable and do the patient to experience ill doing the scan to be abandoned ( Shami & A ; Kahaleh, 2010 ) . It is besides necessary to calm the patients when set abouting a EUS process, doing patients to go really dying. Talley ( 2007 ) besides suggests that patient medicines are an issue as they may non be able to take it at the regular clip due to the readying for the test ; these include diabetes and anti-coagulant medicines. Computed Imaging Kwon and Scheiman ( 2006 ) suggest that Computed Tomography ( CT ) is the mode of pick when diagnosis and presenting pancreatic malignant neoplastic disease. CT provides outstanding word picture of the abdominal variety meats and is widely used to place abdominal multitudes. Jackson and Thomas ( 2005 ) correlative this by composing how CT provides first-class anatomical item when imaging primary tumors and environing local invasions. In relation to the direction of patients, it is necessary to find the resectability which can be established by the presence of vascular engagement ( Kwon & A ; Scheiman, 2006 ) . CT is considered the preferred mode for presenting due to the usage of contrast sweetening. Kwon and Scheiman ( 2006 ) explicate how a big endovenous dye bolus which enhances venous and arterial constructions is injected into the patient to accurately foretell surgical resectability. CT presenting can find how advanced the malignant neoplastic disease is and hence alter or dete rmined patient direction. The information acquired from a CT scan is interpreted and displayed on a computing machine as an image. Harmonizing to Jackson and Thomas ( 2005 ) every pel is assigned a CT figure that is compared to that of H2O and displayed on a graduated table of units know as Hounsfield units. Each figure represents a shadiness of Grey which demonstrates the composing, nature and denseness of tissues. The graduated table below ( Figure. 2.0 ) shows the Hounsfield units assigned to each tissue type. Figure 2.0 The Hounsfield graduated table of CT Numberss. Taken from: Jackson & A ; Thomas ( 2005 ) . Harmonizing to the Hirshberg Foundation ( 2010 ) utilizing a scope of Greies and associating them to the Hounsfield graduated table, creates a elaborate image of the pancreas. Von Hoff et Al ( 2005 ) further explains that on a CT scan compared to the normal pancreas, pancreatic carcinomas typically appear hypodense ab initio and so isodense in the ulterior phases. Secondary marks of a pancreatic carcinoma are clear on a CT scan, such as dilation of the pancreatic canal and the common gall canal, wasting of the pancreas and narrowing of next vascular constructions. Figure 2.1 A CT scan showing a ill enhanced mass in the caput of the pancreas. Taken from: Jackson & A ; Thomas ( 2005 ) . Due to the usage of ionizing radiation, guidelines province that CT scans are merely to be carried out if requested by an appropriate accredited wellness supplier and supply sufficient medical information to warrant the scan ( Berland, 2006 ) . Guidelines suggest that when transporting out a CT scan steps should be put in topographic point to cut down the patient dosage and when possible, an alternate scan should be carried out ( Radiation protection, 2000 ) . The guidelines go on to province that CT scans of the venters should non be carried out on pregnant patients unless sound clinical grounds are given. Pancreas protocols for CT scans say patients should imbibe a liter of H2O 20 proceedingss prior to a scan. Pretorius et Al ( 2006 ) says patients should be changed into a gown and take all jewelry. Patients will so be asked to reply relevant inquiries associated with their wellness. Bruening et Al ( 2006 ) add that patients are positioned supine on the bed with their weaponries raised above their caput. Patients have a cannula inserted in their arm in order to shoot contrast intravenously. Lowry et Al ( 2008 ) suggests that scans should get down at the xiphoid and coating at the iliac crests. Scans are carried out pre-contrast and so at a 40 and 70 2nd hold one time the contrast has been added. Bruening et Al ( 2006 ) further explain that 120 Kv and between 165 and 240 ma should be used to transport out the scans. Developments in CT scanning allow for it to be combined with Positron Emissions Tomography ( PET ) to supply extra information. Although they are non used routinely for pancreatic malignant neoplastic diseases they can assist to polish a intervention program ( O'Reilly, 2010 ) . PET scanning combined with CT scanning can be used in the diagnosing and theatrical production of pancreatic malignant neoplastic disease by showing sites of malignant neoplastic disease or redness in the organic structure ( figure 2.2 ) ( O'Reilly, 2010 ) . Figure 2.2. A combines PET/CT image showing an increased consumption in the pancreas CT can do issues sing the patient as it provides the patient with high doses of ionizing radiation and involves the disposal of endovenous contrast stuff. Lisle ( 2007 ) further explains that the iodized contrast media used in CT scanning can do jobs from the patient if their nephritic map is deficient or if they have an allergic reaction. Magnetic Resonance Imaging ( MRI ) Magnetic Resonance Imaging involves the debut of a radiofrequency pulsation to excite the H protons. Harmonizing to Jackson & A ; Thomas ( 2005 ) once the radiofrequency pulsation is turned off, the protons relax and return a signal to the sensor spiral which when paired with a computed creates an image. Harmonizing to Miura ( 2006 ) MRI offers first-class soft tissue contrast and besides the ability to analyze the pancreatobiliary system non-invasively. Miller et Al ( 2006 ) correlative this and suggest that MRI scans are utile in the rating of elusive, non-contour deforming pancreatic multitudes. Miura ( 2006 ) suggests that Gd enhanced scans are superior to CT when observing little tumors in the pancreas. Greenberger et Al ( 2009 ) further suggests that ; MRI has high sensitiveness when picturing the degree and features of a mass. MRI scanning is utile when measuring local tumor extension and vascular engagement and Miura ( 2009 ) suggests MRI has equal or better truth when presenting pancreatic carcinomas. Harmonizing to Neoptolemos ( 2009 ) MRI scanning can lend towards the direction of the patient by supplying information about the best attack for drainage and stenting. MRI is used in the appraisal of intervention response and the sensing of complications and return. This farther contributes to patient direction by finding the extent of the intervention needed ( Von Hoff et Al, 2005 ) . MRI scans can farther assist to find the appropriate intervention as it is better able to place surgical campaigners by qualifying little liver metastases every bit good as peritoneal and omental metastases ( Miller et al, 2006 ) . A normal Pancreas shows every bit high signal strength on a T1 fat suppressed scan due to the presence of acinous proteins ( Miller et al, 2006 ) . Typically on pre-contrast and post-contrast T1 weighted images, pancreatic carcinomas show lower signal ( hypointense ) compared to normal pancreatic parenchyma ( Figure 3.0 ) . Characteristics of a pancreatic carcinoma on a MRI scan consists of the expansion of the pancreatic caput with distension of the pancreatic and common gall canal and wasting of the organic structure and tail of the pancreas ( Semelka, 2010 ) . Harmonizing to Van Hoff et Al ( 2005 ) tumors are best visualised straight after the disposal of Gd as they stand out against the normal pancreas as hypointense ( Figure 3.1 ) . Fatty abnormalcies within the pancreas can frequently look as a malignant neoplastic disease on CT and EUS scans, MRI nevertheless can distinguish the features and separate a fatty abnormalcy from a malignant neoplastic disease ( Miller et al, 2006 ) . Figure 3.0 A Magnetic resonance image showing a carcinoma affecting the pancreatic caput and falsifying the superior mesenteric vena. ( Taken from: Van Hoff et Al, 2005 ) . Figure 3.1 A Gd enhanced, T1 weighted fat suppressed scan shows several pealing enhanced liver lesions ( short white pointers ) proposing liver metastases. Dilated pancreatic canals are besides demonstrated ( white pointer ) every bit good as a ill defined mass in the pancreatic caput ( black pointer ) . The white pointer caput shows a bilious stent. ( Taken from: Miller et al, 2006 ) . Figure 3.0 Figure 3.1 Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography scans ( MRCP ) can be performed as an option to Endoscopic retrograde Cholangiopancreatography ( ERCP ) . MRCP scans examine the ductual constructions of the liver and the pancreas and are a critical procedure when looking at dilation of the canals in peculiar ( Jackson & A ; Thomas, 2005 ) . MRCP scanning is a utile tool when exposing the ‘double canal ‘ mark in patients with clogging icterus which can bespeak a mass in the caput of the pancreas, nevertheless MRCP provides no information in the theatrical production of a pancreatic carcinoma. Siegelman ( 2010 ) suggests that vascular engagement and liver metastases are better detected on non-MRCP pulse sequences. Roth and Seeram ( 2002 ) state how guidelines province that anyone being scanned should be carefully screened in order to guarantee their safety within the MRI scanner. This should affect questionnaires to find whether patients have any metallic implants or gait shapers that could be affected by the magnetic environment. FDA guidelines besides province that as the safety of MRI when imaging a fetus has non been identified, patients should be advise in order to do an informed determination about go oning with the scan ( Roth & A ; Seeram, 2002 ) . Prior to a MRI scan, patients will be changed into a infirmary gown and take lose jewelry. Roth and Seeram ( 2001 ) explain that patients will make full out questionnaires in order to declare themselves fit for the scan. Patients will be fitted with a working venflon in order to administrate contrast. The patient will be supine on the tabular array with the respiratory bellows underneath them and connected at the top. The cardiac spiral will be placed onto the patient at the degree of the liver. The patient will come in the scanner pess first and be centred at the xiphoid. A assortment of sequences are so carried out including: Axial and coronal T2 weighted scans Axial T1 gradient reverberation scan Axial and coronal unenhanced fat suppressed T1 weighted scan Axial and coronal fat suppressed Gd enhanced T1 weighted scans MRCP ( Miller et al, 2006 ) . Semelka ( 2001 ) suggests that the hereafter will see the correlativity of CT and MRI images in the diagnosing of pancreatic malignant neoplastic disease. Semelka ( 2001 ) further explains that by uniting CT and MRI images, a better and more comprehensive nature of look intoing the pancreas will be available. Lisle ( 2007 ) suggest that issues rise as patients are unable to be scanned if they are fitted with a cardiac gait shaper as the magnetic current can do it to halt. Patients that have metallic implants, such as joint replacings are besides unable to be scanned as the magnetic Fieldss are so strong. In add-on to this, claustrophobia proves to be a great patient issue as the scanner is narrow and scan times are long. Overall, Miller et Al ( 2006 ) suggest that even though CT is the constituted imagination techniques for the rating of pancreatic carcinomas, the superior contrast declaration of MRI may break detect lesions of the pancreas. They go on to propose that MRI is superior to CT as it can be used without the demand of iodized contrast. Besides, MRI is able to set up the nature of the mass unlike EUS and CT. CT nevertheless, is quicker and more tolerable than MRI scanning and uses the Hounsfield graduated table to supply accurate images of the pancreas and the environment vascular engagement. Due to the intimacy of the transducer to the internal variety meats, EUS provides elaborate images that can find whether a mass is present. However, it is invasive and uncomfortable for the patient and can non distinguish between a malignance and a fatty mass. Word count: 2,898 ( Not including images amounting to merely over half a page ) .

The Advancement of Robot Technology

The advancement f robot technology is pointless in our world, other than to please the curiosity of the curios; Those who wish for a world full of robots intertwining with humans have not pondered the difficulty and the consequences that may come about with these advancements. An AIR is an advanced interactive robot that, in some cases, is a pet robot that can interact with humans and the environment around them. The Japanese have developed an AIR that is a pet seal named Paro. Paro is a white seal that can interact with humans and the environment by making baby seal noises as its response.Paro can be turned on and off at any time throughout the day, offering control over when it does and does not wish to be used by its users. In experiments, Paro has been found to reduce patient stress, stimulate socialization between patients and their caregivers, and even have the psychological effects of improving relaxation and motivation of its users. Some patients have experienced both positiv e and negative effects of using Paro. In the documentary, â€Å"Mechanical Love†, an elder woman used Paro while in a senior home and she loved it! The other elder women when living in hat same home, however, did not.They became annoyed with Paro as it continued to make noises during the evening game night. The next day, the patient using Paro was sitting alone with another elder woman while eating dinner, the patient said to the woman, â€Å"l really love my pet seal. † The other elder woman responded with a simple, â€Å"Hmpf†, displaying that she wasn't quite fond of Paro. Although some may not enjoy the company of Paro, I encourage the use of the pet seal for those who see a benefit in themselves with the use of it. Humans are born to interact with other humans.When a robot of any kind is introduced, there is always a level of caution and many questions arise during interaction with such robots. Along with the advancement of Paro, the Japanese have also deve loped a robot called a geminoid. A geminoid is a robot â€Å"twin† or clone of a human. One Japanese engineering scientist has developed a geminoid clone that looks almost identical to himself. As also displayed in â€Å"Mechanical love†, the scientists working with this geminoid put him to the test to see how his wife and his daughter would respond to interaction with the robot.The man that they cloned had sensors ttached to his body to portray the movements of his mouth and arms through the robot as ne talked into a microphone that projected his voice out ot the geminoid to mimic himself. The wife was first and she responded quite well to the geminoid. She stated that it was weird, she could deal with the robot but she would much rather prefer her real husband rather than the twin robot. On the other hand, however, the young daughter did not respond well to the robot twin. She found it to be scary and creepy while interacting with him.The father asked the daughter to touch the robot nd she refused because she was too scared. She explained that she wouldn't want the robot in her home in place of her real father in any case. As you can see, there is a high level of caution and awkwardness that is displayed by humans as they interact with the robots. Humans are not born to interact with mechanical beings. Humans are made to form relationships with those who are like them, not with specifically programmed beings. If there is such a day where robots are introduced into our everyday society, a numerous amount of difficulties and communication and relation roblems would arise.With the development of the AIR's and geminoids arises many difficulties of production and advancement of them. The elder women not using Paro thought that it was annoying. Engineering scientists are now attempting to make Paro more responsive to humans and its environment by programming it to know when to make its noises, when not to, and the loudness of its noise responses to e liminate turning it on and off multiple times throughout the day. The wife and daughter that were used in tests with the geminoid responded also saying that the its face and body ovements were awkward compared to a real human.The scientists are now working on making the geminoid's body and facial movements seem more natural, as well as programming the robot able to move and talk by itself, with out the sensors and microphone being used by the human twin. In the future they hope to engineer the robot function in everyday life along with humans. They plan for the robot to express emotion through its voice and body movements and even to perform specific jobs or become a universal robot that can respond to interaction with all humans, environments, and situations.As the scientists advance with such technologies, the robots become more prone to error and wrongdoing. There is always the possibility of a malfunction with the system of the robots, increasing the odds of the geminoid doing s omething that it normally wouldn't do. With the programming of emotion into the geminoid, they may express anger or frustration and become capable of crime or express violence towards its users in certain situations. As so many questions and complications emerge with the development of robot technology, is there really a point to their advancement?Because a large part of the development of robots is to allow them to take over some Job positions to make the production more efficient and more safe, there would be a lack of Jobs for humans. If geminoid technology advances to the point where they cant think, act, and work like humans(like in the documentary Mechanical Love), should our government pay them like we pay humans? There would be no point in paying robots because they cannot eat, they cannot drink, and they have no use in owning a house or any land, and they would have no family to care for. They merely would need a place to stay when they are not being used.Since the goal is to create a geminiod that can think and act like a human, we would have to treat them like a normal human being. Humans would nave to allow them to compete in sports and possibly even run tor president. Allowing them to compete in sports would create an unfair disadvantage to humans. They would be much more durable and be capable of much more athleticism and strength. If we were to allow them to run for president and other governmental positions, geminiods would have some rule over humans and for the majority of umans, that is a very hard subject to imagine.The development of robot technology would have little use a may negatively affect our society as a whole. The goal of the advancement of Paro is to aid certain people with their reduce patient stress, stimulate socialization between patients and their motivation of its users. The goal of the advancement of geminiod technology is allow them to think, act, and respond to their environment, like their human counter parts do. To repl icate the body movements, the responses, the emotions, the learning and emory functions, and Job specifications that humans have would be largely impossible.If this technology were to ever reach that point, there would be more room for error and malfunctions that may lead to crime or violence between humans and robots. Since the robots are clones of humans, we would be required to treat them like humans. This would allow for the next robot superstar sports competitor and possibly the next robot president. If future technology allows this to happen, how would you feel knowing that robots could potentially have rule over humans?

Clinical Care Extender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Clinical Care Extender - Essay Example First and foremost, a person who wishes to help care for the sick or the elderly must have a sense of empathy for these people. The ill already feel bad enough because of their ailments. They do not need people bossing them around and treating them like superfluous beings that they can do without. These people need a loving hug, a caring smile, and a healing touch. In other words, a person working in direct contact with patients needs to have a strong sense of empathy in order to help their patient heal. A care giver or medical professional must also know how to be patient to the point of sainthood because those who are ill tend to be irritable and angry. Any successful medical care professional should know that the patient's actions are not directed at him and therefore, should not be taken against the patient but rather, the situation that the patient is in. A helping hand a listening ear are sometimes enough to help a patient recover from any of the pain that he feels. More import antly a successful medical professional must know how to read the signs that the patient is indirectly giving as part of the medical treatment as this will help diagnose the patient properly. Anybody who can master those three aforementioned attributes will definitely become highly successful in their medical careers. As a clinical care extender, you will be expected to work independently at times. Do you consider yourself to be assertive and self sufficient? If so, explain why and give examples. Please write a well developed essay in one page. I am currently working a nurse covering the night shift. As such, I often find myself working with limited doctor supervision because most of the patients in my shift are oftentimes fast asleep until my shift ends in the morning. However, that does not mean that I do not watch my patients sans eagle eyes. On the contrary, being minimally supervised has prompted me to become more diligent during my work hours in order to insure that the patien ts under my watch do not fall prey to complications, or life threatening situations. Whenever it becomes necessary, I do not hesitate to become assertive in my quest to protect my patient from harm. Once I notice even the slightest negative change in my patient, I am on the horn, paging the doctor in charge and referring my observations to him regarding the patient status. I am assertive when it comes to my patient's right to be properly examined by the doctor assigned because I know that the slightest mistake can cost my patient dearly. Due to these characteristics of mine, I can safely say that I am indeed assertive and self sufficient whenever a situation arises that requires me to do exactly that. I do these things not because I want to paint the doctors in a bad light, but because there is always a possibility that a doctor can miss certain warning signals due to the number of patients that they have to diagnose. As the patient's nurse, I become more familiar with their status and what can be considered to be normal or abnormal for them. Most of the doctors I have worked with have commended these independent actions of mine because it helps saves live. They actually appreciate what I am doing for them, the hospital, and the patient over all. What would you most like to accomplish as a clinical care extender and how does the pipeline file your overall goals? By volunteering my services at your hospital as a

Mathematics Learning Disability Speech or Presentation

Mathematics Learning Disability - Speech or Presentation Example The facts comprise of basic computation such as (4+5=9 or 6x4=24), which students require putting out in memory in their earliest levels of elementary school. It is critical to remember these ideas since it permits a student to approach the most advanced thinking of mathematics without bogging down easy calculations. Secondly, many students have computation weaknesses. Various students, despite a good understanding of concepts of mathematics, are not consistence at computing. They always make errors since they misread the signs and symbols or carry most numbers incorrectly, or might not write numerals in the correct column or clearly enough. The same learners always struggle, specifically in primary school, in which basic computation and correct answers are stressed. This makes them end up in the remedial lessons, even if they may be having top levels of ability of the greater level of mathematical thinking. Furthermore, many learners have incomplete of getting the language of mathematics. These students might also face reading, speaking and writing difficulties. In mathematics, however, their problem of language is as a result of hard terminology, many of which they have never heard anywhere outside the mathematics classroom. These learners have difficulty in understanding verbal or written directions or explanations. They also find word problems particularly difficulty to translate. Lastly, a far commonly seen the problem and the most severe may be the inability of the individual be able to visualize the ideas of math effectively. Learners who have the problem cannot judge the size in dissimilar items. This disorder disadvantages students since it needs the learners to rely on rote memorization of both written and spoken description of mathematical concepts, which are taken by people for granted. Many math problems require learners to use high order mental cognition using skills of perception, for example, to find the shape that will result after rotating a complex.

Analyze a short story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyze a short story - Essay Example Lovers of a time, the two enthusiasts are coincidently united on a stormy day and in the absence of either’s family. The isolation gives way to long hidden desires and paves the way of exploration for the two. Through this paper we will explore the depth of characters, reflecting on the subject of sexuality and the way sexuality affects one’s life, and will relate sexuality to the theme of the story. Kate Chopin reveals the main character – that of Calixta – as nervous, weak and family-oriented. She is represented as a devoted wife staying home and doing the usual chores a woman is supposed to do. Unaware of the impeding storm she is sewing by the window - ‘She sat at a side window sewing furiously on a sewing machine’ – which we can conclude with the idea that she makes her effort to keep her home in a good state. We can also deduce that the woman was sexually constrained, since she was doing all the house chores an oppressed woman is stereotyped with; ‘She hastened out to gather them (the clothes) before the rain fell’. Chopin further affixes the idea of sexuality which had not been explored to a considerable extent in contemporary times. Women were taken to be as beings with no sexual desires and mere fulfillers of their partner’s yearnings. ... Despite all odds, Calixta made love out of the isolation she was pushed into and out of the love she possessed for a man, in the backdrop of the furious storm; ‘He looked down into her eyes and there was nothing for him to do but gather her lips in a kiss’. Chopin highlights the not-to-talk-of issue of female sexuality and very cleverly unties its knots from that of erotica. What may seem as an illicit lovemaking between two sensual creatures, actually veils the underlying meaning and feelings behind the act. At a time when her family was out in the furious storm, Calixta had taken refuge from the worry in the arms of an old-time lover. The concern had been such great that she went down with the flow of the presiding situation, disheveling her heart through her hidden desires. This clearly moves the reader to believe that women have desires too – and that was what actually Chopin had tried to convey. The sentence that ‘Calixta nervously began to gather up fr om the floor the lengths of a cotton sheet’ asserts that the air was tense and that Calixta’s nervousness had something to do with Alcee’s presence. Earlier everything was just ‘fine’ but after Alcee’s presence it became nervous. This, we may assume as Calixta’s effort to suppress feelings for Alcee, making her nervous. The character of Alcee is a representation of a decent man with natural desires. He had been forced to move inside the house of Calixta which he had not really desired, while the rain fell in sheets. ‘May I come over and wait on your gallery till the storm is over, Calixta?’ he had asked. The circumstances led the way for his desires resurfacing and what followed eventually was an array of mixed feelings. He had not only loved

Criminal Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Criminal Law - Case Study Example In order to be able to advise Peeta, it is necessary to discuss the possible charges that might be brought against him and then examine any possible defenses. The starting point is to consider the necessary men's rea and actus reus of the offense of murder to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to charge Peeta with murder. From this, it will be necessary to consider the available defenses such as provocation, diminished responsibility, and automatism. It should then be possible to advise Peeta on the likelihood of the murder charge being reduced to manslaughter. When establishing a charge for murder the prosecution has to show that the defendant intended to kill the victim or to cause them serious bodily harm. The courts have accepted that the defendant has the necessary intention Where a person of sound mind and discretion, unlawfully kills any reasonable creature in being under the Queens Peace with intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm. (Archbold: 19-1, 2008). R v Moloney [1985] and R v Woollin [1998] have removed the need to prove the malice aforethought element of the offense. There is no longer a need to prove premeditation and charges for murder have been accepted where the prosecution can prove that the defendant intended to cause serious harm to the victim. In determining the guilt of the accused, juries are generally instructed to consider the foresight of the accused on the basis of what the accused ought to have foreseen not what they actual foresaw as a result of their actions.

Individualism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Individualism - Essay Example The major schools of thought can be broken down into biocentrism, sentientism, ratiocentrism and anthropomorphism (weak and strong). In attempting to discover which of these views is most justified, it is necessary to understand the basic ideas each school of thought represents. Biocentrism is, roughly speaking, a system in which the criterion for inherent worth is based upon the simple-seeming criterion of whether one lives or not. Because all living things have the right to exist, we, as thinking beings, hold moral responsibility to ensure that we do not interfere with this right. â€Å"[Taylor] contends that in addition to our moral obligations toward our fellow humans, we also owe duties to wild living things in their own right †¦ He agrees with Goodpaster’s argument that one can deny that non-humans have rights and yet hold that they are moral patients toward whom moral agents have duties and responsibilities† (Kocer, 2001). Being the center of a life force is grounds enough to fulfill to the biocentrist viewpoint, but this introduces problems as one must consider that all life forms must hold inherent worth equally – the human as well as the cockroach – despite obvious differences in understanding and awareness. As even Taylor hints, there must be something more to the question than simply the idea that one respirates and reproduces. This is where the ideas of sentientism arise. While philosophers such as Singer suggest that this term is applied to any creature that demonstrates capacity to feel pleasure or pain, â€Å"the term ‘sentient’ refers more broadly to consciousness of something or other, rather than to consciousness of pleasure and pain specifically† (Jamieson, 2003: 192). However, when it is applied in this sense, it is usually limited to the view of something being able to express it is feeling pleasure or pain. Under this view, things gain inherent

Adherence Reaction Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Adherence Reaction Paper - Essay Example On Mondays and Fridays, I also include my vitamin B-6 tablet, which I am required to take twice per week. This concludes my morning routine, but not the medication regimen for the day. At night, I take another calcium carbonate and a capsule and a half of Zoloft, which, as it warns, does make me drowsy and helps me get to sleep at night. There are several things that help me adhere to this regimen. I have a pill caddy that I refill every week and carry with me everywhere I go. The rattle of it reminds me to check if I have taken my medication yet while the proper dosage of each pill for each day is already there for me. This is especially helpful for the odd B-6 pill that I am only supposed to take twice per week and is thus easy to forget. During the week, when I have a more regular schedule thanks to my volunteer job at the library, it is relatively easy to keep myself on this regimen. I have to get up at a specific time in the morning anyway in order to get ready for my ‘job’ and the evenings remain relatively quiet so that I can get enough sleep for tomorrow’s work. On the weekends, though, it becomes more difficult because I want to sleep in later, but still get hungry at the same time and I want to stay up later, but the Zoloft continues to make me sleepy. I am motivated to continue taking the medicine, though, out of fear of having a heart attack or simply not be capable of eating comfortably if that horrible heartburn feeling returns. At the same time, there are many things that make me wish I could just scrap the regimen altogether. When I am not volunteering, it is nice to lose all track of scheduling constraints. I like to sleep in late and take my time on various things. On these days, I am usually ravenously hungry when I wake up but have to put this on hold if I want my medications to be effective. This is

Laundering Control Law Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Laundering Control Law - Article Example For this reasons, officials in charge of seeing over the major operations completed by businessmen and other traders around the world have found definite ways to control the procedures to which financial assets are exchanged between parties involved. The money laundering control laws are basically established to create better chances for the financial resources to be distributed at least as evenly as possible towards the people really needed and are working hard for the gaining of such resources. It is through the establishment of this law that money is distributed to people in a rather considerable manner that everyone needing it actually is given proper consideration. In UK, financial solicitors are subjected to different investigative procedures before they could actually declare the money they hand out to be clean and free of any particular issue. However, because of the intelligent approach of those who have particular ill propositions on the part of earning money, the development of money laundering procedures have come into realization on the part of commercial progress. Through this, money taken from ill procedures is made clean and is thus utilized freely in the market as it is distributed from one handler to another. Under the UK common law, the establishment of money laundering as a pa... In the paragraphs that follow, an examination of the truths behind money laundering's actual cases shall be presented as to how they directly affect the modern UK society and how the said country's community faces the challenge of imbalanced distribution of wealth not only within their own nation abut around the globe. About Money Laundering As mentioned earlier, money laundering is a basic process of making money resourced out from illegal and immoral resources are made clean through hidden case declarations making it easier for the owner of the said amount of finance have a practical possibility of spending the money in the society in a free manner. Declaring where money came from is an important part of modern commerce. Why is this so' Money of course is known for being used as a universal trading asset. Hence, if the money came from an illegal source and has not been declared as one that appears to be the reality that it is, then the possibility of controlling crime is lost thus resulting to a more imbalanced process of distributing the wealth and finances that people around the community directly deserve to receive. Financial crimes such as tax evasion and false accounting declaration are only among the most rampant financial crimes existent in the society today. These crimes have been viewed as particular sources of business as well as community tensions as the wealth kept by those who are already having a great control of the economy are viewed as stolen money from the society who had been working hard for the said amount of finances. For this reason, there is a good push that makes money laundering control law the basic adjudications that financing

Essay questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Questions - Essay Example One important principle of the modern model of organization is that the sensory system is parallel. This means that information moves between different structures along multiple pathways simultaneously. Another important principle of the modern model is that the system is functionally segregated. This means that structures in the system are comprised of different parts that specialize in different kinds of analysis. A third important principle of the modern model is that the system is organized hierarchically, which means that information flows through brain structures in a specific order based on how functionally and nueroanatomically complex they are. One way the olfactory system is different from other systems is that there is no thalamic relay when sensory activity is transferred to the olfactory bulb. This means that the olfactory system bypasses the thalamus; which controls the flow of information to the cortex. Another way the olfactory system is different is that the receptor neurons of the system are continuously replaced through mitotic division. This continual replacement occurs because olfactory neurons are exposed directly to the environment; therefore the neurons have a very high vulnerability and need to be replaced continuously. One effect of damage to the posterior parietal cortex is known as Apraxia, which usually occurs as a result of damage to the left side of the cortex. Apraxia inhibits voluntary action. One example would be not being able to lift your arm on command. Another effect of this type of damage is called Contralateral Neglect. This damage usually occurs on the right side of the cortex and makes the person unable to respond to stimuli on the opposite side where the damage occurs. People with this type of damage often ignore putting make-up on or shaving one side of their face; usually the left side. Another feature is called motor equivalence. This means that programs are stored at

Punk Rock Essay Example for Free

Punk Rock Essay American exceptionalism is a pivotal concept within the American culture. Stemming from a revolution, this theory shaped a new way of thinking within the United States that seemed far different from many other cultures. Seymour Martin Lipset used this concept to explain, â€Å"why the United States is the only industrialized country which does not have a significant socialist movement or Labor party. † This essentially explains why America is extraordinary. Punk personifies American exceptionalism with its distinct lifestyle to be different from the norm, and is surrounded by independent self-governing thinkers. The United States didn’t become what it is today because of law abiding and passive citizens. This is also a main reason why Punk Rock became so popular in America, and has stayed relevant to teens and young adults all over the world. People began to thrive on understanding the history of this nation, and take pride in the originality of our constitution, and way of life. Punk Rock adds another chapter in the long list of independent concepts and ideas within the American Culture. â€Å"America marches to a different drummer. Its uniqueness is explained by any or all of a variety of reasons: history, size, geography, political institutions, and culture. † This type of â€Å"American† thinking continues to inspire all kinds of musicians, but more so with the Punk Rock genre than any other. It was defines the core competencies of the bands, as well as that of their followers. This defining concept of individualism is also why Punk Rock has stayed relevant for all of these years. This country was built off this impression, as well as Punk Rock. It is hard to break down the barrier of individualism, because everyone is so unique, and Punk Rock simply unites and celebrates all different types of unique thinking. Through lyrics from bands such as the Romones, Blink 182, and The Clash, a colossal following came to Punk Rock. The lyrics almost became anthems to band groupies lives. In â€Å"The Shape of Things to Come† by the Romones, they sing â€Å"Theres a new sun Risin up angry in the sky? And theres a new voice Sayin were not afraid to die. One could argue that that way of thinking was backbone for what soldiers in the American Revolution stood for, and how the United States became to be what it is today. Of course American exceptionalism has its negative aspects to it that can be looked down upon. The United States has at times been exceptionally bad, racist, and violent. This cannot be ignored in the conversation of American exceptionalism. Although some of this demonstrates unfair and harsh governing, it shows that the American spirit still have that Punk Rock â€Å"drive† in them that fuels and strengthens them. This is also another reason why Punk Rock has, and will always continue to stay relevant in todays American Culture

History of Cooperative Learning

History of Cooperative Learning 2.0 Introduction The review of the literature is organized in seven themes. The first theme aims to provide an overall overview on the history and previous studies made on Cooperative Learning. The second theme addresses the importance of Cooperative Learning. Then, the third and fourth themes focus on Group Work and its benefits. Followed by, are the fifth and sixth themes base on the positive perceptions and experiences from students using group work and use of Group work in accounting class. The seveseventh section which is the last one of the literature review enumerates some of the criticisms of using group work as a teaching and learning strategy. 2.1 History of Cooperative learning The origin of the Cooperative Learning dated back at least 100 years ago, and even thousands of years ago, but little research was made until the 1960s (Jacobs et al., 2002:2). Since then, it has awakened much attention and has constantly been a hot topic in education. From 1960s till today great importance has been attached to the term Cooperative Learning. For instance, in the mid 1960s Johnson and Johnson contributed much for cooperative learning in the training of teachers at the University of Minnesota. Then, it progressed till the early 1970s where researchers like David DeVries and Keith Edwards at Johns Hopkins University built up Teams-Games-Tournaments and other researchers like Sholmo and Yael Sharan in Israel developed the group investigation procedure for the Cooperative Learning groups. In the late 1970s Robert Slavin extended DeVries and Edwards work at Johns Hopkins into Student Teams-Achievement Divisions and modifying computer-assisted instruction into Team-assisted Instruction. At the same time, Spencer Kagan created the Co-op co-op procedure. Followed by, in the 1980s Donald Dansereau widened a number of cooperative scripts, and many other individuals worked out further cooperative procedures (Johnson, Johnson Smith, 1991).The Cooperative Learning has also been found as an effective epitome of communicative language teaching. As affirmed by Putnam (1995) that The Cooperative Learning is embraced within a communicative language teaching framework He also pointed out that the cooperative learning activities are often used in communicative language teaching Cooperative learning has become so common that it is no more considered as a new idea in education. This can be viewed in the mid of 20th century where applications of cooperative learning drew its development to sociology and social psychology specifically to Gordon Allports Social Contact Theory and Morton Deutschs studies of group dynamics. This continues on, as Cooperative Learning is believed to make educational magic in a uniquely 21st century way. 2.2 Definitions of Cooperative learning It is believed that the use of cooperative learning in the classroom as an instructional strategy had been a subject matter for many years. Jenkins and OConnor (1996) suggested that cooperative learning in the classroom is amongst the best strategies for teaching students with and without disabilities in the classroom. As a result, the success of teaching using cooperative learning was conclusive in almost all studies. To begin with, it can be noted that many scholars and researchers have attempted to investigate into the concept of Cooperative Learning. In view of that different definitions have been given to Cooperative learning. According to Slavin (1983) Cooperative learning has been defined as a teaching strategy that encourages students to work in small, heterogeneous learning groups in order to promote individual learning. The fact that learning groups should be mixed or diverse is significant to ensure that learners can learn from each other, and provide encouragement and support to each other in different aspects and at different levels of the curriculum. Likewise, cooperative learning has generally avowed to be the best option for all students since it emphasizes active interaction between students of diverse abilities and backgrounds (Nelson, Gallagher, Coleman, 1993; Tsai, 1998; Wei, 1997; Yu, 1995). The accepted idea proposed in these different definitions by different authors is that Cooperative learning should be taken as a learning approach in which student are grouped together in order to ensure that they help each other in learning an academic subject in the scope of a common goal and also where they are actively participating in the teaching-learning process 2.3 Importance of Cooperative Learning Today cooperative learning is a matter-of-fact in almost all school content areas and, progressively more, in college and university contexts all over the world (Johnson Johnson, 1989; Kessler, 1992). This could be found in the results of several studies of the cooperative learning literature where Springer, Stanne, and Donovan (1997) acknowledged that there is the need for a shift in importance from teaching to learning. At the very first glance, it might seem that cooperative learning is merely the splitting up of students with varying levels in small groups in order to attain common goals. Things; though, are not always what they appear to be. In reality, cooperative learning goes beyond organizing students. For example, as stated by Crandall (1999) Cooperative learning is more than just small group activity. In a well-structured cooperative task, there is a genuine information gap, requiring learners to both listen and contribute to the development of an oral, written or other product which represents the groups efforts, knowledge and perspectives. Many studies have been conducted vis-Ã  -vis the effectiveness of such cooperative learning approaches. Cooperative learning is group learning activity planned so that learning is reliant on the socially structured exchange of information between learners in groups and in which each learner is held accountable for his or her own learning and is motivated to increase the learning of others. (Olsen Kagan, 1992). In addition Barbara Leigh Smith and Jean T. MacGregor (1992) mentioned collaborative learning as an umbrella term for a variety of educational approaches involving joint intellectual effort by students, or students and teachers together. Drawing from this quotation, it can be said that to some extent together with cooperative learning, collaborative learning activities also cover a broad territory of approaches such as classroom discussions intersperse with short lectures, peer teaching, students put together around group work in the amount of in-class or out-of-class time and others. Nunan (1992), for instance, uses the terms cooperative learning and collaborative learning interchangeably and quotes the following definition: Collaborative learning entails students working together to achieve common learning goals.(Slavin, 1983; Sharan et al. 1984). But for this study our prime focus is on group work. 2.4 Definition of Group Work Toseland and Rivas (1984) described group work as a goal directed activity with small groups of people aimed at achieving socio-emotional needs and completing tasks. Normally, this activity is aimed at individual members of a group and to the group as a whole within a system of service delivery. The use of group work has been broadly accepted as an effective teaching and learning tool (Conway, Kember, Sivan, Wu, 1993; Freeman, 1995). More precisely, there is a substantial body of literature advocates that the use of group work as a cooperative learning approach has positively contributes to student learning (James, 2005; Mahenthiran Rouse, 2000; Roberts, 2004; Rossin Hyland, 2003). Furthermore, as stated by Lundgren (2008) cooperative learning was considered as a relationship in a group of students that requires positive interdependence, individual accountability, interpersonal skills, face-to-face positive interaction, and processing. Infrequently, random or special interest teams could be formed to maximize student talents or meet a specific student need (Kagan, 1994). 2.5 Benefits of Group work 2.5.1 Group Work enhance Learning To start with, it is recognized that engaging students in Cooperative learning make them learn best when they are actively involved in the process (Gross Davis, B 1993) and also Cooperative learning involves groups of students working to complete a common task together (Siegel, 2005). It has also been viewed by Vygotsky (1978) that students perform at higher levels when they work in diverse groups, as opposed to working individually. Furthermore, as asserted by Johnson and Johnson (1987) huge majority of the research comparing student-student interaction patterns indicated that students learn more effectively when they work cooperatively. Other investigators like Cotterill and Mills (1994), in Australia at Wollongong University, stated that all three benefits of group work in their assessment policy, Group work, under proper conditions, encourages peer learning and peer support and many studies validate the efficacy of peer learning. It is said that teachers also get satisfaction with the integration of cooperative learning groups (Linchevski Kutscher, 1998). It is so because the use of small groups requires fundamental changes not only in the organization of the classroom but also in ways of learning (Kramarski Mevarech, 2003). Likewise, cooperative learning facilitate individuals to develop their own understanding as cooperative learning approaches force learners to actively relate their own experiences and perceptions to those of others. Consequently, while interacting in cooperative learning activities individual understandings are verbalized and discussed and in the process of discussion new meanings are created as learners help each other to better understand the learning matter. (e.g. Akan, 2005; Anderson et al, 1996; Kalliath et al, 2006). It is at this point interesting to note that Anderson et al (1996) put forward that group learning has become more important, as institutions of higher learning consist of increasing numbers of mature learners who bring life and work experience into the classrooms. Therefore, these mature learners return to formal education because rapid social, economic and technological changes require them to be lifelong learners with transferable skills. 2.5.2 Group Work and its 21st Century Skills Using Group work as a teaching and learning strategy does not only promote cognitive development but also plays an important role in the development of personal and social skills which will help students in future. As per Bermejo (2005) Group work is becoming more and more imperative with the demand for higher order thinking skills in the 21st century job market. The field of collaborative learning broadens beyond the classroom walls and then cooperative learning may be observed as a component of collaborative learning. This has been clearly discussed by Wiersma (2002) who believed that collaborative learning has a wider application outside the classroom and is rather a philosophy of life that involves working together, building together, learning together, changing together, improving together. Its a philosophy that fits todays globalized world. Moreover, it has been seen that in a literature there is a strong support that a successful cooperative work environment will lead to greater effort to achieve, more positive interpersonal relationships, and greater psychological health when compared to a competitive work environment (Johnson Johnson, 1989). As argued by Gibbs (2001) the requirements for students to enter todays work force with the ability to identify and organize information and resources, communicate well with others, and understand social and organizational systems. Therefore, it will be true to say that Collaborative learning does enhance leadership skills by developing and strengthening team members abilities to reflect, respect, converse, and resolve conflict. 2.6 Positive perceptions and experiences from students using Group Work According to Walker (2001) little research has been published to date reporting on student perceptions of group work. Despite the fact that focus of her study is on student perceptions of group work associated to peer assessment, her findings suggest that students in general had a positive attitude towards group work. The facts that most students are usually positive about group work have been echoed by additional researchers. To start with, Chapman et al (2006) in a study found that the overall attitude generally positive [and] degree of conflict was moderate. As a result, it can be said that most group experiences can be categorized as a positive one. The question which needs to be answered is: What are these positive experiences? At first, it will be true to say that students appear to enjoy working cooperatively and are willing to cooperate with others in the group (Krol, Janssen, Veenman, van der Linden, 2004). The reason behind which is the fact that it encourages various styles in which learning takes place. Normally, learning in groups is experienced as fun and more active. This can be found in a study by Yazici (2004) entitled as Student Perceptions of Collaborative Learning in Operations Management Classes provided evidence that the students agreed that they had a better understanding of Operations Management in a collaborative instruction environment. As said by Colbeck et al (2000) students who experienced to group learning approaches in education learn to value the skills which they are acquired for their future careers, like for instance, the ability to listen to other perspectives with an open mind, to suspend judgments, and to search for solutions in a democratic and inclusive manner. Moreover, in a study made by De Vita (2001) students found group work to be demanding, but on the other hand they felt that they learned a lot about themselves and felt better prepared to work in diverse teams in the future. As a result, it can be said that group work has lead to positive impact on students. 2.7 Use of group work in Accounting Class Many studies have focused on cooperative learning as teaching strategy in accounting field. For instance, Norman, Rose Lehmann (2004) in their broad review of literature between 1990 and 2003 agreed on the terms collaboration and cooperative learning were used interchangeably in many international accounting journals and elsewhere. In a study by B.J Farrell and H.M Farrell (2009) called Student satisfaction with cooperative learning in an Accounting curriculum showed that team work has been as an instructional strategy. As a result, it can be viewed that the used of cooperative learning is common in tertiary sector. Thus, teachers in secondary schools must ensure that cooperative strategies are being used. In Mauritius, either it is in Primary or Secondary schools; more focus is paid on teacher-centered classroom rather than student-centered. Therefore, for accounting students who will opt for further studies in Universities or will join the world market, they should possess the knowledge, quality and skill to work in groups. It is because team work is required in almost every universities and work place. Hence, in every classroom, especially in accounting teachers must structure lessons so that students work co operatively in small groups, ensuring that all members master the assigned material. Restructuring the classroom using one of the many cooperative learning models represents a major departure from the traditional classroom setting. In Mauritius it can be clearly noted that there are a competitive situations in classroom. Students only aim is to compete with each other for grades, they work against each other to attain a goal that is getting the highest mark. Therefore this lead to a competitive or individualistic classroom environment, but studies have shown that working in groups lead to significant positive effects on the learning of the students ( Johnson Johnson, 1989; Johnson, Johnson and Smith, 1981, 1991; Johnson et. al. 1981; Qin, Johnson, Johnson, 1995). 2.8 Criticism of Group Work It is believed that to avoid drawbacks of this particular teaching strategy, it is of the essence to recognize what has been said against it. Many researchers have proved that cooperative elements alone do not ensure maximal productivity from a learning group; there has to be both cooperation and conflict (Iganaki Hatano, 1986, Tjosvold Johnson, 1978, Worchel McCormick, 1963). To be more precise, group work practices have been criticized as being ineffective (Alexander, Rose Woodhead, 1992). It is because many problems like conflicts of ideas, disagreements, misunderstanding and free riders can be found during the processes of the strategy. On the word of D.Johnson, R.Johnson and A.Smith (1990), it has been viewed that when students interact conflicts among their ideas, conclusions, theories, information, views, opinions and preferences are obvious. Furthermore, Cohen (1996) stressed upon the fact that, Disagreements about ideas is a healthy sign during group work as long as intellectual disagreement does not degenerate into sharp interpersonal conflict. As said by Ames (1984) when cooperative groups fail, there is the tendency to fix blame on others and the weaker group members become the scapegoat. Therefore, misunderstanding might rise up. There are still some cases where pupils, even in small groups, tend to be silent participants and depend on the thinking of other students. Previous studies by Galton et al. (1980) and Bennet (1987) have shown that, whilst children in classrooms may be seen sitting in groups; closer observation proves that their mode of working is rarely collaborative. Free-rider is a familiar problem in group work. In a study by Per Ola BÃ ¶rjesson et al. named Free-riding in Group Work Mechanisms and Countermeasures, free-riding in group work has been described when one or several members of a group contribute so little to a group project that if the same grade is given to all members of the group, the grade would be misleading and unfair. Hence, this is ascertained that such problem is inevitable. Although many studies have shown that both low and high ability students tend to benefit from cooperative learning, the question of whether the experience of working in group will be of value in terms of creating a pleasant environment which will lead students in achieving academically is remained to be answered. Occasionally, random or special interest teams could be formed to maximize student talents or meet a specific student need (Kagan, 1994). It was certainly understandable Jerome Bruner wrote The single most characteristic thing about human beings is that they learn (1967: 113). The review of the cooperative learning literature is structured around six themes. The first theme aims to provide a theoretical frame of learning underpinning the use of group work as learning and teaching strategy in education in general. The second theme focuses on the rationale for the use of group work in Accounting. Vital in a discussion about group work in accounting education are the group work experiences and views of learners and educators as discussed in studies about group work these make up the third and fourth theme respectively. The review then examines suggestions put forward in the literature regarding ways to overcome some of the challenges associated with group work. The last theme focuses on the influence of task design on group work and suggests that good design can contribute to addressing a number of group work challenges. Use of collaborative learning in general collaborative learning Use of group work in accounting Group work experiences and views of learners as discussed in previous studies Overcome some challenges Task to design group work There have also been criticisms of this pedagogic approach, Holt et al (1997) council against its indiscriminate use. They note the complex relationship between individual, competitive and collaborative behaviours. Holt also stresses that all costs and benefits, particularly to the students, must be weighed. Further noting that time, in particular, is a very scarce resource for students. Evaluation has been carried out on the effectiveness of group work in accounting education for meeting the desired learning outcomes (Caldwell et al 1996; Ravenscroft et al 1997, Berry, 1993). Berry expresses concerns similar to those above about theconflict between individual and collaborative behaviours in this context. The effect of cooperative learning has been measured using student examination performance Ciccotello et al (1997). observed that students exposed to cooperative learning outperformed students taught by individual problem solving sessions on a managerial accounting course. Several papers report on the implementation and operational issues arising from the use of group work in accounting (Cottell et al, 1992; Cottell et al 1993; Peek et al, 1995). Referring back to the Group work in accouting that cooperative learning as a student-focussed pedagogical approach provides educational satisfaction (Norman et al., 2004) in creating a positive learning engagement for most students studying International Accounting and in developing their interpersonal, professional and written communication skills. Norman, Rose Lehmann (2004) in their extensive review of literature between 1990 and 2003 found the terms collaboration and cooperative learning were used interchangeably in many international accounting journals and elsewhere.

Career Of Pedro Almodovar Film Studies Essay

Career Of Pedro Almodovar Film Studies Essay Pedro Almodovar is undeniably one of the great film auteurs of our age, having defined decades worth of Spanish national cinema. As stated by Isabel Cadalso By the time Francos death released Spains seething subculture, Almodovar was at the centre of it. (Cadalso)His combination of witty, flamboyant and daring scripts, brilliant performative actors and the vibrant setting of Spanish culture in Madrid always manage provide an in depth insight into the turbulent lives of his characters. Madrid has figured prominently in Pedro Almodovars cinema, gradually coming into focus as the implicit protagonist of nearly every work. In these films, the city is regularly images as a cultural force, producing forms of expression and action that challenge traditional values by tearing down and rebuilding the moral institutions of Spanish life: the family, the church and the law. (DLugo)There are always many layers to Almodovars films, particularly in the setting and social context, usually being Madr id. Throughout his career we can see how they have developed with the changing political climate of Spain as well as his maturing age, with his films being particularly different from the 80s to the 90s and onwards. Madrid is a metaphorical subtext in his films in many different ways, be it relating to characters, situations they are in or the political climate. As stated in A Punk called Pedro Madrid functions as a character, breaking down boundaries between the public and the private arenas. Madrid provides a framework for the new interactions between social behaviours and becomes the site of a radical series of social desires. (Toribio) Madrid is a place for Almodovars characters where They are able to seek kindred spirits in an atmosphere that is socially liberating and the impetus for new artistic creativity. (Toribio) As the city it changes, adapts and explains much of the action that is not in Almodovars films. Early in Almodovars career, he directed two fantastic, yet very different films; Labyrinth of Passion and Matador. These films were both critically acclaimed and duly noted for their vibrant display of Madrid as setting and as a representation of the new Spanish culture. As written in Pedro Almodovar: A Spanish Perspective during the 1980sSpain was experiencing a fascinating period of giddy and radical changes. It was a country thousands of miles away from the distorted portrait Franco had shown to the rest of the world, a portrait that fit only within the hypocritical moral values of a dictatorship. (Cadalso)It was during this period that Almodovar thrived and these two films were made. Madrid is the realistic, almost unaltered decor in which Pepi, Luci, Bom and Labyrinth of Passion were filmed and in which the characters could move more freely, reflecting the experience of a generation of Spaniards, like Almodovar himself, who could only quench their thirst for creativity in the la rge urban areas: cityscapes in these early films tend to emphasize the concept of physical movement and social mobility underscored the very word, Movida, movement.' (Toribio) We can see in Labyrinth of Passion the colourful new wave of Spanish culture, so vibrant and different to anything previously known to Spain. A prime example of this is in El Rastro a Sunday street market of Madrid, which was an important showcase for all subcultures, but significantly for the movida, because of its unsanctioned and vaguely transgressive status. It was used as a meeting place and some stalls displayed their fanzines, records of emergent punk groups etc. For this reason it is an apt setting for Labyrinth of Passion (1982), especially the opening scene where it becomes Sexilias shopping area for sex partners. (Toribio)We see the completely different society to that of what we would have seen under the Francoist regime, there is liberty and freedom, life and passion, which had not been experience d before, culminating in a paradise of difference. As kinder states The tortuously complex plot follows the tangled passions of an ensemble of young Madrilà ¨nes trying to escape the crippling influences of repressive fathers in order to pursue their own pleasure. (Kinder) The subtext of Madrid is telling us how The Castilian director unfolded his passions amid a society that had just started to enjoy its own freedom. His uncontrolled and colourful films found a receptive audience in a population that was eager for spontaneity and light, for new stimuli that could again bring joy to the living. The Mediterranean spirit of freedom had been squeezed for four decades, and suddenly there was Almodovar, who dared to show on screen all the passion that previously had been politically impossible for Spanish society or its arts to express. (Cadalso)We see as Sexilia moves through the city how there are many kindred spirits reciprocating the feeling and the buzz, yet there are also occasion ally non-movida city people, dressed in drab colours and expressionless, provide a background against which Sexilia, in her colourful attire, is distanced from the Spain they conjure up. (Toribio)This heightens her difference from traditional Spain and the old regime. In hiding the citys shortcomings Almodovar was able to reveal the mood of the country once more as it progressed through the initial euphoria of democracy into disenchantment. (Toribio) This shows how Maria fits into the Madrid setting and population easily with the new mentality and expressionism present in the place and her peers. In Matador we also see the new Spanish mentality evidenced through Madrid and its citizens. As stated in Pleasure and the New Spanish Mentality, it is a fast paced revolt that relentlessly pursues pleasure rather than power and a post modern erasure of all repressive boundaries and taboos associated with Spains medieval, fascist and modernist heritage. (Kinder) We see Diego furiously masturbating to dead bodies and mutilation, Maria stalking her prey in the dusty court yards of Madrid and Angel training to be a Matador in the bull fighting school. The setting of Madrid allows these events to be believable as it is part of Spanish culture to fight bulls as well as being renowned rampant lovers. Almodovar says I believe that our culture is more visceral. Intuition and imagination influence us more than reason. There is more adventure and spontaneity. We dont fear disorder or chaos. (Kinder)Appreciating this we see characters not traditional of Madrid or even Spain. To many, out of thi s context the events and people would seem perverted or unbelievable, yet Almodovars style and use of Madrid and its social context allow us the insight to look past the moral conflict we may experience. As Almodovar himself stated I always try to choose prototypes and characters on modern day Madrid, who are somehow representative of a certain mentality existing today, I think that since Franco died new generations have been coming to the fore, generations that are unrelated to former ones, that are unrelated to the progressive generations that appeared during the last years of dictatorship. How do people 20 years old live in Madrid? Its quite complex The characters in my films utterly break with the past, which is to say that most of them, for example, are apolitical. (Kinder)We can see how Spain has changed more in Almodovars films simply by viewing them, as this kind of film would never had been made under Franco. This is evidenced by another quote from Almodovar where he explai ns his films; They represent more than others, I suppose, the new Spain, this kind of new mentality that appears in Spain after Franco dies. Above all, after 1977 till now. Stories about the New Spain have appeared in the mass media of every country. Everybody has heard that now everything is different in Spain, that it has changed a lot, but it is not so easy to find this change in the Spanish cinema. I think in my films they see how Spain has changed, above all, because now it is possible to do this kind of film here. (Kinder)This is clearly shown and epitomised through his use of Madrid as the setting. The subtext of the city allows us an insight into the change of Spain as a whole. If we analyse Matador in a much more literal sense we can gather an even greater insight into the new Spanish mentality. It shows many famous and recognisable locations such as the scene where Maria is on the bridge and Diego is looking up at her after following her through Madrid. The bridges location is the Segovia Viaduct in southern Madrid, a notorious suicide spot since the nineteenth century. (Smith, Desire Unlimited: The Cinema of Pedro Almodovar)This provides an understanding of the character of Maria and her internal conflicts for natives of Spain who know the significance of this bridge, yet for the international audience it is still enough of a clue to foreshadow the film. Almodovar also makes a cameo appearance as the designer in the fashion show, that Eva is part of, where he tells scatty reporter Veronica Forque that the show is called Spain Divided, because Spaniards are either envious or intolerant. Almodovar thus invokes, parodically, the topos of the two Spains, of the painful divisions notorious in Spanish history, but in a playful register which deprives such clichà ©s of their continuing resonance. (Smith, Desire Unlimited: The Cinema of Pedro Almodovar)His use of Madrid as a forum for these insights allows the viewer an in depth comprehension of the social subtext prevalent in post modern Spanish culture. Almodovar states We have consciously left behind many prejudices, and we have humanised our problems. We have lost the fear of earthly power (the police) and of celestial power (the church), and we have also lost our provincial certainty that we are superior to the rest of the world that typical Latin prepotency. And we have become more sceptical, without losing the joy of living. We dont have confidence in the future, but we are constructing a past ourselves because we dont like the one we had. (Kinder) It is this kind of New Spanish Mentality that he shows in Madrid, representing Spain as a whole. Moving into the 1990s we see a slightly different take In Almodovars films, particularly in Live Flesh, where he directly confronts Franco and his regime at the beginning and culmination of his film. It was highly popular as it showed a maturing of Almodovar and its appeal to social and historical issues was untouched by the directors previous films. (Smith, Live Flesh) He states Yes, my relationship with Madrid is less intense now. Being known makes it harder for me to have a relationship with the reality of the city. And if I dont know it, I dont deal with it; I move to the reality of interiors. Its something like a married couple who are together out of habit, but Im longing to leave for other places. (Delgado)This could be why he shows Madrid in a past time of turmoil where its citizens were scared and helpless, rather than the times he thrived in and is most known for portraying in his films. Madrid, however, is not a static setting. Almodovar increasingly manipulates our view o f the city scape and adapts the mis en scene to the social advancement of his characters. (Toribio)Madrid changes as a setting as Victor matures throughout the film, it is a symbiotic relationship where both Spain and Victor are decidedly different and better at the end of the film. (Smith, Live Flesh) Through the subtext in Live Flesh we see what it was like in the past to be Spanish and how society rapidly changed when freedom was given. If we analyse the opening and closing in particular of Live Flesh it begins in Madrid with the ominous tones of the Francoist minister Manuel Fraga (still today a leading politician)announcing the suspension of what few civil liberties Spaniards enjoyed under Franco; it closes, boldly, at Christmas a quarter of a century later with a voice over from Victor stating that, A long time ago we stopped being afraid of Spain. The political framing of the personal melodrama makes Almodovars collective protagonist (the five central figures) the embodiment of a national narrative whose grand theme is the shift from dictatorship to democracy. (Smith, Live Flesh) From the beginning of the film we are thrust into a lonely and isolated Madrid, where no one is free and they are only out to survive, evidenced by the bus driver who is unwilling to help a pregnant woman in need. Citizens liberties are nearly non-existent, shown by the empty plazas. Madrid is used in particular for this scene as it is Removed from the provinces and the rural setting that were so familiar in Francoist cinema, the city is the only milieu in which Almodovars characters function. As DLugo points out, this may be partly because the rural and provincial settings were used to epitomize the purity of moral values which his characters reject. (Toribio)This again is evidenced by Paul Julian Smith claiming Victors birth is a new Nativity (with a bus taking the place of Christs stable) played out at a portentous time and place: a state of exception in the dying days of the Francoist regime and a spectral, deserted Madrid, lit only by tawdry neon decorations. (Smith, Live Flesh)The Madrid setting and subtext signifies the political situation the country has been immersed in. As we progress through the film and the characters develop more and more, we see how important Madrid is as a setting: by placing the characters in perfect settings where all their social and professional needs have been met, Almodovar ha s fulfilled his theory of contentment within the diegesis: the characters have no external worries and can concentrate on affairs of the heart. (Toribio)This is possibly why Almodovars films storylines and content are more accepted and believable. Madrid is the perfect setting because it encapsulates the buzz and hype of the social context but changes and adapts with the characters, allowing a deeper perception of the film. Madrid is an effective subtext in most of Almodovars films. As Toribio claims We may conclude that what comes out in the treatment of Madrid as part of the mis-en-scene is the directors own anxieties and fears inspired by a country in which the 1980s cosmetic changes have not been reflected in factual change. (Toribio)We are able to see how Madrid is very personal to Almodovar himself and his characters. The subtext of the city allows us to see the change the country has undergone to get to where it is today, mirroring the characters at the conclusion of the film. Madrid is embraced and an essential axis of meaning in much of his filmic work, while the icons of Francoist cinema those related to religion, the family, and sexual repression are set up as foils to stimulate the audience to embrace a new post-Francoist cultural aesthetic that ever present in Madrid. (DLugo) To summarise, as DLugo states, Madrid and This foregrounding of the city as an assertion of a vibrant Spanish cult ural identity is built around a rejection of the traditions that ordered Spanish social life for four decades. (DLugo)

Paul Ehrlich :: essays research papers fc

I. A World To Change Everyone on this earth has to be grateful to Paul Ehrlich because he made so many advances in medical research. Our life expectancy rate would still be around forty years if Ehrlich hadn’t been interested in chemistry and biology as a young boy. If Ehrlich hadn’t combined so many different chemicals, he would have never combined the chemical known as number 606. Ehrlich helped Emil von Behring find an antitoxin for diphtheria. Diphtheria is a disease that particularly affects children and sometimes leads to death. In 1894, mothers no longer had to worry about their child dying of diphtheria because of Ehrlich’s help in the discovery of the antitoxin for the deadly disease. Another discovery Ehrlich made was of a dye called trypan red. Trypan red helped destroy cells that caused sleeping sickness. His research of antibodies and understanding how the antibodies attack harmful substances that enter the body has made him the "founder" of modern chemotherapy. Ehrlich is best known for his work on curing syphilis. Syphilis is an infectious disease transmitted by sexual contact or kissing. Ehrlich named the compound that cured syphilis "salvarsan". This was a very effective way to cure syphilis. II. Background A. Family Paul Ehrlich was born on March 14, 1854 in Strehlen, Silesia. Ehrlich was born in to a middle-class, Jewish family. He was the only son and fourth child of Ismar and Rosa Ehrlich. His father owned a small distillery. Ehrlich had an Orthodox Jewish upbringing in a time when being a Jew was controversial. B. Childhood When Ehrlich was six years old he started his schooling at the local primary school. At age ten, he boarded with a professor’s family in Breslau and went to St. Maria Magdalena Humanistic Gymnasium. Ehrlich was often at the top of his class and his best subjects were math and Latin. C. Advanced Education and Training Ehrlich took an introductory course in natural sciences at Breslau University in 1872. He then went to Strasbourg for three semesters. In 1874, Ehrlich returned to Breslau where he completed his medical degree studies. In 1877, he passed the state medical examination. In 1878 he received his medical degree. III. Research and Development A. Discussion of the Area of Biology Most of Ehrlich’s discoveries had something to do with the immune system. The immune system is a body system that is responsible for destroying disease-causing cells. When Ehrlich was still in school, he was staining white blood cells to see their different characteristics with his work on antibodies, he is knows as the "founder" of modern chemotherapy.

A Website Analysis on the Reformation of Marijuana Laws Essay -- Inter

A Website Analysis on the Reformation of Marijuana Laws NORML, or the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, founded in 1970, is a non profit, public interest advocacy group which fights for those Americans who oppose marijuana prohibition and want an end to arresting responsible marijuana smokers. In its website, the organization states that its mission is to â€Å"move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty† (NORML website). Cannabis, the scientific term for the plant which the marijuana leaf is grown on, is used throughout the site. NORML, the oldest and largest marijuana legalization organization in the country, supports the idea of a legal marijuana market, and removal of all criminal penalties for the private possession and responsible use of marijuana by responsible adults. Through their website, NORML hopes to inform people who are interested in helping their cause to lear n more about them, and to keep organization members connected to what is happening in other chapters and around the world. A similar website is the organization, Efficacy’s site. Efficacy is a Connecticut-based, non-profit organization advocating peaceful ways to respond to social problems. The site is very effective in attracting people’s attention through colors and quick, interesting facts. It does this by having a bar on the top of the screen that change every couple of seconds, with facts such as, â€Å"The US imprisons more of its own people than any other country in the world,† and â€Å"the drug war has been Americas longest war†(Efficacy-Online). Beyond this, the first headline on the ... ...look at from an analytical stand point because of the contrasting views that people generally have drilled into their heads since a young age. Before looking at the NORML web site, I did not know that there was a site such as NORML that was professionally run, and politically active. Although Efficacy is not presented as professionally, I feel that the site reaches a person like me much easier. The site reaches for a much broader audience, and interesting facts kept me attention. This is a good example of a large group looking for change which splits into smaller groups, and will be able to gain an even larger audience than if they were in one group. NORML will get the attention of people in power, and while they may not be taken too seriously because of their extreme views, they will pave the way for more moderate groups like Efficacy to create social change.

Prayer in school :: essays research papers

Since the Engel decision in 1962, religious advocates have been assailing the Supreme Court for "taking God out of the classroom." In an effort to reverse this trend, conservative religious groups have been fighting for the passage of a school prayer amendment to gain greater leeway for religious activities in schools. Clearly not all school prayer advocates agree as to what types of religious activities are permissible in public schools and why, but the following are some of the most frequently heard arguments. (1) Our Government is based on Religious Principles School prayer proponents maintain the United States was established as a Christian nation with religion playing a central role in guiding the nation’s destiny. Supporters of religion in school claim the founding fathers never intended a separation of church and state, evidenced by the fact that the phrase "separation of church and state" is not in the Constitution. Signs of a church/state union can be seen regularly: Congress prays at the opening of every session; federal officials take their oaths upon a Bible; "In God we trust" is stamped on our national currency; and Moses and the Ten Commandments are featured prominently in the Supreme Court building. If religion is accepted in these government institutions, they reason, it should not be stopped at the schoolhouse door. (2) The Free Exercise Clause Protects School Prayer Despite decades of Supreme Court rulings, many religious advocates claim the Constitution protects school prayer. According to their interpretation, the First Amendment does not separate God and government, but actually encourages religion. Many supporters believe the Establishment Clause was intended to bar only the establishment of a state religion. They narrowly interpret the Free Exercise Clause as requiring the government to accommodate religious observances in public life. Many advocates believe the restriction on graduation and student-led school prayers violates their First Amendment right to practice religion without government interference.

English Language Teaching in Gulf Essay

Zafar Syed’s assertions about the TESOL challenges in Gulf are subjective reflection over the issue and he is unable to provide any verified or verifiable data and findings. He places all responsibility on the structural constraints i. e. contextual framework, human resource development, system and standards, and research and knowledge and paid less heed to other relevant and important dimension f the TESOL i. e. the constraints on the art of the students. He relies too much on the secondary sources but those secondary sources are also related to education and teaching general and has taken into consideration English language teaching particularly. To some extent citation of these secondary resources is relevant e. g. citation of Mograby to provides facts and figures about the unprecedented quantitative growth in education in UAE . (338) He then generalizes that this unprecedented growth has adverse effect on the teaching of Language. He describes that this unchecked growth impacted the planning and implementation of English teaching patterns and policies. (338) In the following paragraph, he is unable to support he preposition by any solid line of arguments, research study or verifiable facts and figures. He is unable to demonstrate that how this rapid growth in education industry has affected the teaching of language. It is more important to provide a socio-cultural context as well that deter or propel the teaching and learning of a language. He describes that â€Å"local students see no concrete link between English ability and communicative requirements†. Mr. Syed is correct in saying this as communicative important of any language in general and English language in particular is related to exposure of the students to other medium of communications. If the socio-cultural context is conservative and does not allow a student to participate in activities involving other communities and people, he will be unable to use his acquired language capacity and thus will consider it meaning less and futile. This will restrict English language teaching to academic activity only. But Mr. Syed does not provide why such perception is created and this issue can be tackled. The next constraint that Mr. Syed takes into account is human resource development. This part of the study is most powerful and relevant as Mr. syed evaluates the role of English language faculty development and describes an array of issues related to it. He rightly point out the important of the local Arab English language teachers. The pool of English language teachers in the whole region are comprised of various expatriates groups that do not possess enough knowledge â€Å"about the local socio-cultural communities and languages† (339). Syed accurately concludes hat this lack of knowledge about local socio-cultural context breed problems like teacher-students gap and this gap endangers effect English Language teaching. Foreign teachers are not well-capacitated to anticipate and delve deep into the socio-problems of the learners and hence can suggest remedies to these. Grammar Translation Method also requires an understanding of the local language and context in order to effectively implement this methodology. (Chastain, 1971. p. 131) Mr. Syed concludes that this ad-hocism in the hiring of contractual foreign faculty hinders the way to implement a more effective and locally suitable system as these temporary teachers are less motivated to make an in-depth evaluation of the system. Here r. Syed has recognized the sole cause of the problem that triggers a cause and effect phenomenon leading to the deterioration of the English Language teaching system in Gulf. Only a motivated and well-informed teachers can recognize the contextual important and shortcomings of language teaching and hence can formulate policies to reduce or eradicate these contextual barriers. Mr Syed has further taken in to consideration the systems and standards but he is unable to realize that only senior and seasoned English language teachers and professors can help designing and executing a viable system and standard for English language teaching. It is not something independent in itself. He emphasizes on the importance of research but it must be noted that research only come through established systems and qualified academia. So first there is dire need to develop faculty and establish a contextually modified system of instructions. This will ultimately lead the faculty to conduct research on appropriate issues pertaining to every facets of English language teaching. Despite various defects in his theoretical framework, he provides some excellent insights into Gulf English language teaching. In addition to his content, he had certain serious flaws in the style of his expression. He only comments on a specific issue briefly and then goes on to comment on another challenges faced by the English Language Teaching without elaborating the first one. The very first sentence of the study indicates that it has nothing to do with primary research as conducting interview of the ESL teachers to locate the challenges faced by them. Further, Syed has limited his study to UAE with a little reference to Saudi Arabia here and there. So this not only limits the scope of the study but indicates that relying on a particular country in the region, generalizations have been made about the whole region. Chastain, Kenneth. The Development of Modern Language Skills: Theory to Practice. Philadelphia: Center for Curriculum Development, 1971.

College Essay Essay

Topic: In the space provided, please write a concise narrative in which you describe a meaningful event, experience or accomplishment in your life and how it will affect your college experience or your contribution to the UF campus community. You may want to reflect on your family, your school or community activities, or your involvement in areas outside of school â€Å"Hurry up! The plane leaves in two hours,† my mom reminded me as I swiftly, yet reluctantly continued to stuff more and more belongings into the tiny taxi. Waving good-bye to family members and friends, who I had spent my whole life with, was an exceptionally uncomfortable and difficult task. On the way to the airport as my mom tried to comfort me, she constantly reminded me, â€Å"Life will be no different in the Dominican Republic than in the USA.† However, this proved to be false as soon as I stepped off that plane. Not understanding a single word being said around me, I realized I would have to adapt to a new culture, but at the same time carry on my own. â€Å"Class, this is Alberto and he will be joining our class for this last month of the school year,† the teacher yelled as I stood next to her puzzled and embarrassed. For a few hours, I plainly sat in my chair without saying a word, reflecting on my already missed memories of school in Rhode Island, until another student named Luis approached me. Of course, I was expecting him to say something in Spanish, but shockingly he spoke to me in English. Without hesitation, I responded to him and we quickly became close friends. As time went on, I realized that all those Spanish classes I had taken in Hendricken were not a waste of time, and were finally beginning to pay off. After just a few weeks I accomplished my goal of speaking a different language, and was able to exchange a few words with my teacher and other classmates in Spanish. From then on, my fear turned into a desire to learn more and more about the Dominican culture and teach others about mine. As  the school year came to a close, we were told to bring food for a party we were going to have to celebrate a successful year. Hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, just to name a few different things, were set on the table. The shy whispers of my classmates showed their eagerness for what I had brought. â€Å"These are called meatball surprise; they are a meatball sandwich mixed with pasta and topped off with grated cheese† I proudly announced, as people tried and promptly fell in love with the food. It felt great to be able to teach others about my own culture and  heritage while learning about theirs. It didn’t take long to overcome my fear and turn it into a desire to adapt to a new world and teach others about mine. I went to the Dominican Republic as a boy just trying to get service hours but I left a man and understanding that everybody needs help and if you give it, you will be rewarded somehow. Now, three years after this life-changing event, I am reminded everyday by my habits and actions about my American roots and my newly acquired Dominican traditions. What happened in the D.R will always be a part of me because when I think of the Dominican Republic I can think to myself that I helped family have a house and food and water and that will always be a positive thing to me. Whether at the University of Florida, or anywhere else, I will always carry, teach, and expand on my distinct heritage.