The Rules

* We should follow the rules so that we can maintain peace and organization within our society, economy, and even our country. Without rules no one would be able to work together. * Two different kinds of people can be heard to utter that question, â€Å"Why have rules? † One of them does not believe in rules; the other believes in rules and adds a few more words to the question, â€Å"Why have rules, if you are not going to enforce them? † I would like to examine both sides of this argument.Many people say that if we had no rules, there would be total anarchy and chaos. Some say that if there were no law against murder or theft, normal good people would murder and steal. I agree that there would be more murder and theft. But, I cannot imagine that normal people would murder and steal. Wouldn't you be repelled by murder and theft? Wouldn't there be implied constraints (implied laws, if you will) against murder and theft? Wouldn't the Golden Rule apply, even if it weren' t given to us in the Bible? Aren't there always implied rules? Sixty-nine percent of students who obey the rules say that the rules are there for guidance and protection, with 20 percent feeling that the rules are there to scare them into obedience. * We follow rules because they are necessary to coordinate individual actions in a social setting. Some rules are self-enforcing, i. e. , it is in each individual's interest to obey them. For example, once more than 50% of car operators drive on the right side of the road in a particular area, more and more drivers will notice that adapting to this rule reduces their risks of accident, and the rule will become more and more accepted.A driver who decides to break the rule will risk incurring a high cost. * A related reason why we follow rules is that we don't know the consequences of particular decisions: rules are, as Hayek says, â€Å"a device for coping with our constitutional ignorance. † * In certain instances, we follow rules because we want to guard against particular decisions that may, on the spur of the moment, bring satisfaction, but have long term consequences we wish to avoid. You may use a loud, or repeating, alarm-clock, or put it out of reach, because you know hat you may be tempted to stay in bed when the time comes. * Rules are indispensable, but there must be ways to challenge them by trying new ones. Much of the art of social, and personal, life is about knowing which rules to follow and which rules to disobey. * Most of the time we put people into one category or the other. You either accept the rules and play by them or you’re a rebel who likes to break the rules. * A third variety that we often forget about is the rule questioner.And the rule questioner is in a better position to learn and succeed than the pure rule followers and rule breakers. * Why you shouldn’t follow all the rules * The rule followers believe that rules are in place for a reason and that we should foll ow them all. Groups of smart people created laws and company procedures and social norms and school policies so we should accept them and follow them. * Blindly following the rules doesn’t require you to think much. You accept rules the way they are even if they don’t seem to make sense. The problem is that circumstances and environments and people and societies change. We learn better methods. Technology changes our procedures. Rules become outdated. * If you blindly follow all the rules, you don’t account for these changes. * Why you shouldn’t break all the rules * While some of us like to believe we’re rule breakers, most of us realize that we need rules to have a functioning society. (That is, unless you’re an anarchist. ) * Rule breakers really aren’t that different from rule followers.Instead of blindly following the rules, they blindly break the rules. * Why? * Maybe you think you know better. * Maybe you like the feeling of re bellion. * Maybe you want to be different. * Maybe you think the rules are absurd. * The underlying problem with both rule breakers and rule followers is that they don’t use their brains to think about whether they should follow or break the rules. * Question the rules * Instead of following all the rules or breaking all the rules, we should become rule questioners. * Do the rules make sense?If so, then follow them†¦if not, think about about how you might be able to change them. * Most people believe that if you don’t question the rules, you’ll get farther in life, but success awaits those who are willing to break the right rules. * Painting inside the lines * I’m definitely a rule follower. * I was reminded of my tendency to follow the rules last weekend when I attending a Paint By Wine Class with some friends. A local art shop provides paint, a blank canvas and an artist to teach you to create a painting while you sip wine and chat with friends. Ev eryone is supposed to follow the instructor’s guidance to create the same painting. I didn’t really like the colors in the painting, but I followed each of the artist’s instructions and recreated something that looked exactly like her painting. She complimented me on how straight my lines were. * It wasn’t until I looked around, that I noticed that other people weren’t following the rules (gasp! ). Some of my friends used different colors. Others put their flowers in different locations. Others were going even more rogue and painting roses instead of daisies. I blindly followed the rules without even thinking about how I could put my own touch on the painting. I didn’t even like what I was creating, but I found myself proud that I had followed the directions so closely (although certainly not perfectly). * What was I left with at the end of the night? Besides a fun time hanging out with my friends, I had an exact replica of a painting I didn ’t really like. (Yes, the featured image in this post is my â€Å"work of art†. ) * Use your brain to question the rules Whether you’re more of a rule breaker or a rule follower, we can all improve by questioning the rules before following or breaking them. * I’m not suggesting that you pick only the rules you feel like following. Please don’t drink and drive because you think the rule doesn’t make sense. Don’t steal from the grocery store to feel like a rebel. * But do use your brain to ask reasonable questions. *   Rules are important because without rules there would be chaos. Everyone would be doing whatever they want and no one would agree and bad things would happen.   Rules are important because it lets society know what is expected of them. If you break the rules there are consequences and you are aware of that as well. Rules keep us in order. * We should follow the rules so that we can maintain peace and organization with in our society, economy, and even our country. Without rules no one would be able to work together. * Rules are needed to stop anarchy and to provide order. People need to be accountable for their actions so rules are needed. Without rules, no one would own up to any responsibility and things would never get accomplished. *

Pascal’s Wager Essay

There are many things in this world that we have no means to confirm. This is especially true when we are talking about things that are spiritual in nature, such as the existence of God. While no living person has claimed that he has seen God using the limits of his sight, there is no way to prove otherwise. Since I don’t believe in God, I would surely be in trouble if Pascal’s wager turns out to be correct. He states that it is better to believe in God because there is nothing to lose if God exists. In fact, if it turns out that God does exist, the one who believes will have a reserved slot in heaven. While Pascal has a point, his argument is not in the least bit persuasive. I am an atheist not just because I chose not to believe in God. It’s just that I can’t see the proof of His existence anywhere. I can’t imagine that there is an omnipotent God who watches over all of us. But Pascal’s wager suggests that atheists like me should leave their â€Å"sinful† ways and start believing in God because it is the most logical and beneficial choice. Why should I choose to believe just for that reason? Pascal should have provided tangible evidence of God’s existence and cited other convincing reasons to make me believe in God. Thus, I have to disagree with Pascal’s wager because his argument does not provide sufficient reasons to believe in God. In fact, his reason to believe is childish and shallow. Another reason why I disagree with Pascal is that his wager is flawed in many ways. First, it assumes that God is a rewarding or punishing god when he has no basis to state this. Since nobody has seen God, then nobody can claim that he has seen God award or punish anyone. And if God does turn out to be a rewarding or punishing god, it suggests that reward or punishment would be based on belief alone. It disregards how one spent his life on earth, regardless of whether he believes in God or not. Second, it overlooks the fact that many religions claim that their god is the only god. Therefore, we cannot determine through Pascal’s argument what would happen if there is one true God and we chose the wrong God to believe in.

Bad Influence Cartoon

Life is a learning experience; we live, we learn, and we grow. Sometimes I like to look at life on the monkey see, monkey do saying. Kids especially are known to do this. They tend to mimic everything that they see, and this is how they learn new things. On today’s television there are so many different shows and cartoons that kids learn things from some of the things they learn are great and other things are not so good for children viewing such as the cartoon Family Guy.People may look at Family Guy as a very funny cartoon but in all it’s actually a very rude show. When the creator came up with it I do not think that he/she thought that children would be into this show and I do not think that this cartoon was even made for children viewing because of its contents; but the fact still remains that they are looking at this show. Family Guy is not your ordinary cartoon. It has a lot of violence, sex, bad language, drinking, drugs, and smoking.Majority of the time either s omething has a bad influence or it has a good influence whether it be the friends we surround ourselves around, or the music we listen to but mainly what we visually encounter is what has the greater effect on who what we do and who we become. There is nothing good about Family Guy that would influence a child to head into the right direction. It does not teach children to be respectful in any way. The children that are watching this cartoon begin to mimic the baby whose name is Stewie and the dog named Brian.It does not help the show in anyway with making the dog and the baby the smartest family members of the show. Sometimes parents may be driving or cleaning for example and their child may say something that they never thought their child would say such as â€Å"damn†, and then, they may wonder where they get that from. Parents need to monitor the shows that their children watch because it’s a proven fact that kids imitate what they see.A lot of parents do overlook Family Guy because they may glance at what the kids are watching and just because they see cartoon characters they assume that it is ok. But it is a very rude, nasty, and degrading carton for kids to be viewing. In my opinion cartoons that are rated in the manner that Family Guy is, should not be allowed to be introduced on television as a cartoon. I know that’s what makes the show funny as it is for the adult viewers, but the oint is children are watching this. It’s very misleading to the adults and children that may have never saw the show before. Also since it is a cartoon and on national air, it should come on at very early morning hours such as 3am when kids are sleeping. So parents, take time out to sit down and watch what your children are watching to ensure that its child friendly, and that they are learning positive things, otherwise you will be amazed daily at what your children do and begin to say.

Business & Society Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business & Society - Research Paper Example ss organizations to act ethically to promote an enabling environment, which is conducive for business thus, ensuring no single company gets an unfair advantage over the others. Business ethics is not only limited to the manner in which organizations conduct themselves in the business environment but also to the manner in which they respond to legal obligations like adherence to laws & regulations governing the business environment in which they operate. Corporate social responsibility is also another front in which companies demonstrate business ethics. It is not in order for a firm to conduct business in a certain locality and make large turnovers without giving back to the society that is responsible for its success. A business firm will be deemed unethical if it fails to give back to the society in terms of corporate social responsibility activities since the society provides the enabling environment for it to exist and flourish economically (Shaw, 2008). Bayou Hedge fund is an American Company operating in the financial industry. It was established in 1996 by Samuel Israel. This fund group comprised a number of pyramid scheme companies that came together under the umbrella Bayou Hedge fund group. In its inception, the founder Mr. Samuel Israel duped investors to commit their money into the company in the hope that it will triple in a period of less than 5 years. Many investors bought the scrupulous idea and committed a substantial amount of money into Bayou hedge group. Records show that the initial amount of money that was raised by investors was approximately $450 million. The group’s founder convinced the investors who had come on board that in a period of five years that is 1996-2001, the investment would have regenerated to $4 billion. I think the investors failed to conduct due diligence feasibility on their investment as they would have come up with formidable reasons to forego the option of investing in the company, h owever, the deal was too sweet

Employee Health Insurance Plans Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Employee Health Insurance Plans - Assignment Example The first factor that was considered is the issue of price and the financial implications that each of the four plans would have on both the company and the employees. Of all the four plans, Empire health plan was the cheapest in the individual category at $ 4,217. The family package for Empire health plan was relatively expensive compared to Metroplus although the difference was insignificant (Morrisey, 2008). Regardless, the main emphasis was put on the individual plan cost because employees had the right to opt out of the family plan. For maximum benefits and to attract the backing of the employees, Empire health plan was considered the ideal plan in this front. Another factor that was important in coming up with the decision was the performance measure of each of the four health plans. In particular, aspects to do with adult health and children care were considered and analyzed against state averages. In this aspect, Empire still stood out beating the other three health plans by a big margin. Empire had better scores in all the measures of adult health except in managing medications where it came in second. For instance, in managing cardiovascular conditions empire was the only plan that had all the measures at par with the statewide averages. Aetna on the other hand, had lesser averages in controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol management. The same was true for Oxford and Metroplus health plans. Empire excelled in the other performance measures as well. For example, in managing preventive care, it had the best averages in all the measures. Despite having lesser than statewide average score in adult BMI assessment, its score was relatively better than all the others. The same trend was reflected in the other variables such as managing acute illnesses, respiratory conditions and diabetes. All these variables are important considerations in both female and male adult employees and

The Policy Making Process Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Policy Making Process - Assignment Example Constitutional Founders had in mind the attempt to curtail war by limiting funding. Lee Hamilton reminds about the need for tension between the Congress and President. The president is not under obligation to make any decisions based points brought forward by the congress and should feel compelled to hear them . The congress does not exist to criticize and serve at the pleasure of the president. The invitation is a quite deliberate and a well thought mechanism created by the constitution framers to mandate wider consultations between the executive and legislature before entering into war. Division in power is an invitation to struggle since it ensures proper measurers before entering into war and that the congress cannot divest power to venture into war .Policy making on Issues concerning terrorism and security is often labeled as the president’s task, though the major decision is made in conjunction with the key advisors in various departments. Policies of sanction mostly rel y on the moral weakness of the targeted nation on the hope that it will be toppled by the difficulties because of the sanctions. The American system continues to demonstrate resilience, mitigate change and the capacity to temper. It has touted the war on terrors as war of ideas in information warfare and public diplomacy . Regarding the Washington battle, many anticipate the present regime crumbles in the presence of the Arabs, and it does not guarantee that the replacement will stop enriching levels of Uranium.

The Representation Of The Australian Landscape In Contemporary Visual Essay

The Representation Of The Australian Landscape In Contemporary Visual Culture - Essay Example Mitchell’s opinion in his work, According to WJT Mitchell, landscape as a subject in painting has caught the attention of artists in the seventeenth century and reached its zenith in the nineteenth century. His essay Imperial Landscape is very argumentative where he not only describes his understanding of landscape as a medium of communication between man and nature and between self and the other but he further problematizes the concept of self-questioning the assumptions related to ‘we’ as opposed to the ‘other’, the nature (Mitchell, 2002, p.6). It should be the historical study of the development of landscape painting tradition that Mitchell aligned with the rise and fall of imperialism. Keeping this in mind and using appropriate examples the paper moves forward to illustrate the political undertone reflected in Australian artworks. The landscape has always been interpreted as a manifestation of the spirit of the land in the Western colonization pr ocess, be it Africa or India or China or Australia. How Nature acts as an active resisting force in the perception of colonizers is probably nowhere more clearly expressed than in Conrad’s novels like, Heart of Darkness. In case of Australia as well, the nation was perceived primarily as hostile and incomprehensible. Compared to the peace of English garden, it was considered disorderly and chaotic. It posed a serious threat to the White colonial paranoia, a destabilization of the national identity of the whites. But their presentation of Australian landscape was rather a representation—defined by their own vision and habits. Beilharz questions this phenomenon and asked why ‘representation of Australia looked like England’ (Beilharz, 2002, p. 29). To answer this, Beilharz fingers at the ‘formal qualities of the landscape to which they [British] were aesthetically accustomed in England’ (Beilharz, 2002, p.29).

Global Marketplace Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global Marketplace - Dissertation Example As of the year 2012, the nations of India and China are the largest producers of graduates all around the world (Coughlan, 2012). This oversupply of qualified human talent is lowering the competition for talent in the markets of India and China and as a result leading to lowering of job costs in these specific markets. Additionally, in analysing the scenario from the financial as well as strategic perspective, the currency difference that exists between the Western and Eastern nations of the globe are further generating lucrative options for organizations of the West who can get the desired jobs done at much lower costs from the low cost talent base available in the market of the East. The influence of the macro economics and market dynamics of the various nations also has to be taken into consideration while trying to gauge the factors that are fuelling outsourcing. The stress in the economic growth of the global nations is directly creating pressures on the manpower costs that can be handled by the organizations. The organization management trends reveal that companies are opting for lean staffing and high employee productivity. Routine restructuring of the work force by organizations are leading to discharging of skilled employees who are again opting forward to cover their own lifestyle expenses by working in a freelancing mode. This is indirectly triggering the demand for freelancing in an indirect manner (Pattison, 2009). To leverage the advantage emerging out of low cost skilled talent available in the global markets, especially from the nations of the East, the organizations of the global markets are turning to outsourcing of jobs of certain levels. Also, the factors of... This paper stresses that talking in regards to role conflict, it can be said that this factor might emerge in virtual teams as the various employees who are working for an organization as a part of the virtual team are spread in different geographical location. The lack of face to face interaction among the team member automatically leads to the lack of coordination within the team. This might automatically trigger a potential conflict in regards to the roles that are supposed to be performed by the various remotely operating members of the virtual teams. As a process of resolving these issues, the HR department of the organization dealing with international HRM issues should focus on clear role definition for the employees working as a part of the virtual team of an organization This essay makes a conclusion that in discussing about the interpersonal relationships and work relationships, it is important to consider that since the members of the virtual team are operating in a remote manner, there is a tremendous lack of interaction among the team members of both formal as well as informal nature. From the point of group dynamics, it needs to be stated that for smooth operating of any team, it is important to promote mutual interaction within the team members. For the process of promoting interaction among the team members working in a virtual team, the HR department of the organization needs to encourage the team leader responsible for supervising the virtual team to promote mutual interaction among the team members of both formal and informal manner.

We dont choose a life, we live one. Discuss this statement in the Essay

We dont choose a life, we live one. Discuss this statement in the context of tourism and yourself as a tourist - Essay Example As such, it is important to reveal the reasons which contribute to one choosing certain destinations while discriminating others, which in the context of tourism are understood as the place and space factors. To elaborate on this, the following text will evaluate two popular tourist destinations, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore and using the place-space factors distinguish between which of the two would be more suitable as a tourist destination. One of the crucial determining factors for a whether a destination will attract large numbers of tourists is the environment and natural resources available. These include the landscape and climate of a place. As is the obvious, tourism is all about changing the norms of daily life and escaping from the hustles of everyday. As such, people will prefer to travel to distant away places which have a climate or appearance totally different from theirs. This is to say that if one is accustomed to living in the western chilly countries and they wanted to relax, the most suitable place for them to find their calm or change of atmosphere would be finding warm or sunny destinations. On the other hand, people accustomed to the hot climates would opt for chilly mountainous destinations such as those which have snow-capped mountains or experience snowy weather. The other determining factor which many may consider is the condition of the built environment. The built environment here refers to everything created by the hands of people. Apart from just visiting interesting destinations, tourists require amongst other things the ease of travelling, the comfort of living, security, shopping bases, and entertainment areas to mention but a few. In fact, these facilities can themselves become tourist attractions when they offer mega supplies of rare items and services. The best example is the festivals of visual and performing arts hosted by mostly the Asian

Heather Whitestone Essay Example for Free

Heather Whitestone Essay Introduction: Heather Whitestone is one of the most inspiring female figures of our time. She posses an excessive amount of dedication and devotion. She went deaf around 18 months and from then on was faced with a series of difficulties socially and educationally. She pummeled through all the angst and frustration and became very successful for she went to a regular school and passed in the high portion of her class and then further became Miss. America of 1995. She inspires people that they can accomplish so much because within her lifetime she has done so much more than and ordinary person who can hear. 1.Heather Whitestone is the first woman with a physical disability ever to win the coveted Miss America title. During her finale performance she memorized the musical beats to perform a ballet routine 2.As the naming of the new Miss America was only moments away, and the final two contestants- Heather and Miss Virginia, Culen Johnson awaited the announcement of which women will wear the crown, doubt shadowed Heather’s face, making it clear she was uncertain of whether she would be able to lip-read the announcement. Once they had shouted that Culen Johnson Miss Virginia is the first runner-up and Heather was the winner, Miss Virginia pointed her fingers at Heather and mouthed, â€Å"It’s you!† 3.Heather successfully promoted her platform, S.T.A.R.S (Success through Action and realization of your dreams) throughout her reign. 4.She was the first Miss America to be featured on a Barbara Walters’ television special 5.When her first son turned 2 and began to ask questions such as â€Å"What is this sound?† and â€Å"What does this mean?† she decided to get a cochlear implant to teach herself and her son 6.She had a cochlear implant in when she was 29 throughout the Miss America pageant, then got one when she was 32 and now relies mostly on lip-reading, which she claims is tiring. 7.Although she can’t hear herself currently speaking she still has a southern accent 8.All three of her children and hearing and are very supportive of her disability 9.Doctors told Heather’s parents that she would never read beyond the third grade level, nor learn to speak 10.She said she would like to assist children from all backgrounds to reach their fullest potential in life, to set high goals, and achieve them, as she has been doing for many years

What Is Enterprise Application Integration Information Technology Essay

What Is Enterprise Application Integration Information Technology Essay We are living in a world of rapid technological change. Organizations are demanding more functionality from integrated applications; new computing techniques to reuse and repurpose legacy data, and quicker deployment of technology to suit rapidly changing structures and business focus. And some of these drivers actually contain contradictions which must be simpler, but it has to be compliant with a raft of complex requirements; organizations want it quickly. They want it designed to meet the future to be competitive in the market, but with taking into consideration valuable data that have been accumulated in the past. Some fundamentally new ways of thinking about technology are emerging to manage this complex set of requirements using existing technologies but putting them together quite differently. There is a high competition between organizations worldwide, technology and business process together must be integrated so as to compete in such a market. (Thomas Gulledge, 2006) This paper will discuss the difference between Enterprise Application Integration and Service Oriented Architecture. And will clarify many misconceptions between them. This paper is compromised of three main sections. The first section gives an overview of enterprise application integration. The second section gives an overview on service oriented architecture and web-services. Finally the last section discussing the relationship between enterprise application integration and service oriented architecture. Enterprise Application Integration (EAI): What is EAI? Supply chain management applications (for managing inventory and shipping), customer relationship management applications (for managing current and potential customers), business intelligence applications (for finding patterns from existing data from operations), and other types of applications (for managing data such as human resources data, health care, internal communications, etc) typically cannot communicate with one another in order to share data or business rules throughout a company. Enterprise application integration (EAI) is the process of linking such applications within a single organization together in order to simplify and automate business processes to the greatest extent possible, while at the same time avoiding having to make sweeping changes to the existing applications or data structures (Wilfried Limahieu, et al., 2003). Enterprise application integration (EAI) is defined by Linthicum (1999) EAI is the unrestricted sharing of data and business processes among any connected applications and data source in the enterprise, However researchers have different perspective on defining it as some suggested inter-organizational Application Integration as the highest level of EAI and others suggested it as a part of external and internal Application Integration, so It can be considered as two types intra and inter-organizational AI. It is considered as a framework that is formed of a collection of technologies and services forming a middleware allowing the integration of different systems across the enterprise such as legacy systems, enterprise resource planning systems, and best-of-breed business. It is considered as a business computing term for the plans, methods, and tools aimed at modernizing, consolidating, and coordinating the computer applications in an enterprise (Bouchaib Bahli and Fei Ji, 2007). It usually comes in the form of middleware connecting such kind of applications that are usually running on different systems and databases making a difficulty of communicating and sharing information within the enterprise. One large challenge of EAI is that the various systems that need to be linked together often reside on different operating systems, use different database solutions and different computer languages, and in some cases are legacy systems that are no longer supported by the vendor who originally created them (Mrinos Themistocleous, et al., 2001) EAI uses and purposes: EAI serves different purposes throughout an enterprise that allows organizations to be more flexible and responsive to market demands improving their efficiency, some of these uses are data integration, vendor independence and common facade. (Mrinos Themistocleous, et al., 2001) 2.2.1. Data integration: Data Integration is also well known as Enterprise Information Integration (EII) which is considered as the integration of information used for viewing all the data within the organization and representing them. Its goal is to get data from various data sources to appear to a system user as a single unified data source. It ensures that information in multiple systems is kept consistent. It works by providing homogenous data representations to a range of wide data sources, By providing a front end tool by which users can access data from many different databases, the software can greatly increase the efficiency of business processes that rely on these disparate databases. 2.2.2. Process Integration: Full benefit will be extracted from computer systems, only by making resources available to every single process and user within an enterprise. Unfortunately, the development of department specific systems has encouraged applications becoming more isolated and available only to a small portion of the enterprise; this kind of isolation is called islands of automation. EAI software offers the opportunity to make a connection and removing the gap between these applications. Whereas data integration standardizes data across an enterprise, process integration standardizes access to the technology and resources. It is finally considered as the linking of business processes across applications. 2.2.3 Vendor independence: As mentioned EAI software is designed for allowing integration of new applications. By extracting rules and business policies from current data and applications and implementing them in the EAI system, it becomes possible to apply these rules to new applications added in the future with little disruption, that even if one of the business applications is replaced with a different vendors application, the business rules do not have to be re-implemented. 2.2.4 Common facade: An EAI system offers a complete front-end solution, a front-end for a cluster of applications, providing a single consistent access interface to these applications. Single interface helps in reducing the complexity of many business processes throughout and enterprise, Moreover will remove the necessity of training users to operate a range of different applications, so a small basic training can be sufficient for allowing users to operate the EAI interface in a professional manner. Barriers to effective EAI and implementation pitfalls: EAI projects suffers from a nearly 70% of failure. These failures was not due to a software problem nor a technical one, however almost were due to management issues. According to EAI Industry Consortium workshop there are seven main pitfalls that were taken by companies using EAI systems explaining solutions to each problem.( Gian Trotta, ebizQ, 2003; Marinos Themistocleous, 2004) Change is constant: EAI require changes frequently in different components, spreading across value chains into companies as an integrated business process. Budgeting in the end of a particular project gets companies into trouble when service level and many requirements increase after deployment, thats the reason companies should create a post project investment that allows more than for basic maintenance. EAI skills are rare: The market suffers from a lack in persons that have skills considering EAI complex parallel processing and data combinations which can distract programmers and other staff who are used to a straight line approach. Moreover organizations that prefer the third party vendor route must be aware of its drawbacks. In addition, local language, Knowledge transfer and issue contingencies should be considered. Standards are never universal: Sometimes vendors deviate from inconsistent specifications and from different standards bodies such as those for Web services. On top of that, these standards bodies often have quite a heavy involvement from vendors, and vendors might be deciding to pursue their own agendas. Since standards cant guarantee interoperability, companies should budget for testing and validation, though relying on standards. Thinking of EAI as a tool as opposed to a system: Other critical organizational issue which was not realized till companies experienced it was a failure to realize that EAI can sometimes be difficult to control and sometimes affects other projects and service levels throughout and beyond the enterprise. It requires a set of tools and some procedures to deal with things such as security, capacity, change management and monitoring. Here comes roles and responsibilities, in which business analysts are responsible for defining the flows, IT people are the ones responsible for the actual execution and EAI administrators who interface with both business and IT staff, and finally Competence Centers are highly recommended. Treating interfaces as a science as opposed to an art: IT staff prefers solving problems using analytic solutions and inaccurate definitions to solve business unit requirements; however EAI is about linking those business components together while maintaining the value of business data. Thats the reason why building some kind of negotiation process that everybody agrees with would be a plus. That will help in resolving issues with the business departments. Without taking that into account time will be lost, deadlines will be exceeded and finally the service delivered will lack in quality considering business needs. Discarding details along the way: Within an organization as its EAI system expands, information that may seem unimportant today may become important. As an example operational requirements often differ beyond the project development stage. Keeping a record of definitions, structures, interfaces and flows, and gathering statistics would decrease lots of effort later on when it is needed. Companies must look at such kind of information at a much higher level, that one day they might need it. EAI implementation should be extensible and modular to be flexible for future changes. Unclear accountability and protectionism: Lots of companies suffers from unclear accountability as business driven integration has a need to cross corporate boundaries, engage partners, and even touch customers. As an example when there is a run time issue, it has to be addressed in some kind of coordinated fashion combining both business and IT skills. Moreover applications whose data is being integrated sometimes belong to different departments that have cultural, technical and political reasons for preventing their data to be shared with other departments. It makes it so difficult considering internal corporate politics which could take months trying to resolve simple questions like Where does the help desk report? Benefits and advantages of EAI: Imagine a company having many systems each serving a certain department and not connected nor integrated together, such a company will fall apart and will not be able to compete in the business any more as lack of communication leads to inefficiencies, EAI is the soluble glue needed for modular relationships that allow organizations to be flexible and responsive to market demands, thats the reason an integration is required (Thomas Pushmann and Rainer Alt, 2004). EAI benefits can be categorized into four groups operational, managerial, strategic, and technical. The operational benefit is that it increases productivity, improves planning in supply chain management and quick response to change. Shifting to the managerial benefit it results into more organized business process, increases the performance, improves data quality, and supports decision making. EAI strategic benefit would be that it increases collaboration between partners, achieves return on investment (ROI) and customer satisfaction. And finally the forth and last category which is the technical benefits in which it reduces the redundancy of tasks and data, having an integrated process, increases flexibility, and reduces development risks. It also allows organizations to do business more effectively. (Marinos Themistocleous, 2004) It allows diverse systems to connect with one another quickly to share data, communicate, and processes the information silos that plague many businesses. EAI solutions provide a way to connect the systems of collaborators, partners, and others for as long as necessary, decoupling when the relationship ends. EAI is the soluble glue for the modular corporation. It not only integrate various enterprise applications it also provides better customers and supplier services applications, and aid in promoting organizational goals. There are many cited advantages of implementing EAI, including an increased operational performance, a higher customer satisfaction. Moreover, EAI is not only about an ad hoc response to business needs, but also about gaining competitive advantage and strategic use of information technology (Themistocleous and Irani, 2002). Finally EAI is the unrestricted sharing of data and business processes throughout the networked applications or data sources in an organization. It provides real time information access among systems, helps raise organizational efficiency, and maintains information integrity across multiple systems. It is facilitates the integration problems that ERP systems failed to solve and facilitates market and economical growth.(Bouchaib Bahli and Fei Ji, 2007) Drawbacks and disadvantages of EAI: However, given all the benefits of EAI, many companies hesitate to adopt EAI technology. High initial development costs, especially for small and mid-sized businesses, require a fair amount of up front business design, which many managers are not able to envision or not willing to invest in. One drawback of EAI is that the various systems that need to be linked together often reside on different operating systems, use different database solutions and different computer languages, and sometimes there are legacy systems that are outdated and no longer supported by the vendor. In some cases, such systems are dubbed because they consist of components that have been jammed together in a way that makes it very hard to modify them in any way. In addition that EAI costs a lot, it introduces changes to organizations and the way of doing their business. Moreover it is more likely to be implemented in large organizations than in companies. Finally most EAI projects usually start off as point to point efforts, quickly becoming unmanageable as the number of applications increase. .(Marinos Themistocleous, 2004). Service Oriented Architecture (SOA): .What is SOA?: Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) can be decomposed as follows; an architecture style as a combination of distinctive features in which architecture is performed, supporting service orientation which is a way of thinking in terms of services and its outcomes. In which a service in SOA is a reusable component for using in a business process, it is a logical representation of a repeatable business activity that has a specified outcome and may be composed of other services. (Mark Colan, 2004; Barbara Reed, 2008) SOA is defined differently, however the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) an IT industry standards body defined as follows: A paradigm for organizing and utilizing distributed capabilities that may be under the control of different ownership domains. It provides a uniform means to offer, discover, interact with and use capabilities to produce desired effects consistent with measurable preconditions and expectations. Others defined SOA as An architectural design principle that describes a set of guidelines, principles and techniques by which business processes, information and technology assets can be effectively (re) organized and (re) deployed to support and enable strategic plans and productivity levels that are required by competitive business environments. (Rense M. Balk, 2006,2008). It is a set of design principles used during the phases of systems development and integration in computing. A system that is a SOA based will be integrated and can be used within multiple systems across many business domains. It is considered as a type of architecture that integrates different disparate applications for a web based environment using multiple implementation platforms. Service-orientation requires loose coupling of services with operating systems, and other technologies that underlie applications. SOA separates functions into distinct units, or services, which developers make accessible over a network in order to allow users to combine and reuse them in the production of applications. It is an architectural concept in which all functions, or services, are defined using a description language usually Extensible Markup Language (XML) and where their interfaces are discoverable over a network. The interface is defined in a neutral manner that is independent of the hardwa re platform, the operating system, and the programming language in which the service is implemented. These services communicate together using loose coupling without effecting other ones. (Jean-Louis Marà ©chaux,2006) Properties and principles of a Service Oriented Architecture: A Service Oriented Architecture is a style of architecture that embodies the following principles and elements: Services loose coupling: Services should be able to interact without the need for tight dependencies, in which a service requester should be loosely coupled to a service provider. This means that the service requester has no knowledge of the technical details of the providers implementation, such as the programming language and deployment platform. The service requester operates by sending a request message and a response one. The loose coupling allows the internal structure of requester or provider components to change, without impacting the other, provided that the message schema stays the same. (Sefan Linders, 2008; Mark Colan 2004; Rense M. Balk, 2006-2008) Services are autonomous: Services have control over the logic they encapsulate and do not depend on other services. Allowing the service to take care of its processing making it independent from other ones. Service autonomy is a primary consideration when deciding how application logic should be divided up into services (Rense M. Balk, 2006-2008; Sefan Linders, 2008) . Standardized and well-defined Service Contract: Services adhere to a communications agreement, as defined collectively by one or more service-description documents it provides information on the service end point, the operations of the service, and the messages supported by each operation. This information is needed for a service requester to connect to a service provider and invoke the service. A service should have a well-defined interface that is mentioned and described in a service contract or its service definition. (Sefan Linders, 2008; Rense M. Balk, 2006-2008) Services internal structure is hidden: The only part of a service that is visible to the users is what is only needed. The underlying logic of the service is invisible and irrelevant to service requesters. Components using the service should not know or care about the implementation logic of a service, but just want the expected result to be returned. (Sefan Linders, 2008) SOA Requirements: In order to efficiently use a Service Oriented Architecture and to overcome problems, the architecture must meet the following requirements: (Edward Tuggle, Jr.,et al ,2003) Analyzing and considering the existing assets. Some times the existing systems are totally neglected; however it still has a great value. Existing system must be integrated and taken into consideration, in which overtime they will be replaced Support all required types of integration including User Interaction providing a single and interactive user experience, Application Connectivity facilitating communications, Information Integration for sharing enterprise data, being able to add new applications and services, and Process Integration. Interoperability among different systems and programming languages that provides the basis for integration between applications on different platforms through a communication protocol. Allowing the implementation of new computing models such as Grid computing and on-demand computing. Allowing the migration of assets and incremental implementations for the production of incremental ROI. Lots of integration projects have failed due to cost and unmanageable implementation schedules. Include a development environment that will be built around a standard component framework, promote better reuse of modules and systems, allow legacy assets to be migrated to the framework, and allow for the timely implementation of new technologies. Understanding web services: A misconception is that web services is a synonym of SOA; however web services are based on open standards that are independent from any implementation platform, it is a set of technologies including The Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), The Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) and Extensible Markup Language (XML) (Mark Colan, 2004). A suitable technology is needed for the implementation of a SOA that can support the principles of service-orientation and there is no technology has been more suitable and successful in implementing SOA than web services. Other technologies can be employed as well for implementing an SOA, All major vendor platforms currently support the creation of service-oriented solutions with the understanding that the SOA support provided is based on the use of web services. The web services framework consists of a collection of technologies that apply to the use of services. (A.D. Phippen, et al.,2004; Sefan Linders, 2008). SOA presents the big picture of what can be made with Web services. Web services specifications define the details needed to implement services and interact with them (Mark Colan, 2004) . In a web service approach, each SOA block can play one or both of two rules a service provider which creates a web service and possibly publishes its interface and access information to the service registry. Secondly a service consumer or web service client which locates entries in the broker registry using various find operations and then binds to the service provider in order to invoke one of its web services (Edward Tuggle, Jr. et al., 2003) SOA Benefits: A question may arise for the reason of using SOA? Some of the key benefits are as follows: 3.5.1. Reusability: The principles that were discussed drive the opportunities for reuse of services. As an example autonomy and loose coupling of services results in independency of services, this broadens the applicability of its reusable functionality; hiding underlying logic adapts reusability, because service requesters are presented a generic public interface; A well-defined service promotes reuse also, because it allows service requestors to search and discover reusable services .Service orientation promotes the design of reusable services; Creating a library of services that support reuse, provides increased opportunities for leveraging existing application logic. When new application logic is built, the time for designing, developing, testing, and deploying the application can be reduced when the required logic is available in existing services, enabling composition of services, rather than developing all application logic from scratch (Sefan Linders, 2008). Efficient integration: Using communication standards such as web services on the design of services it can result in the creation of solutions that consist of inherently interoperable services in which the functionality of services becomes independent of the implementation platform. Meaning that services can communicate using the same protocol even though it resides on different platforms. Theoretically, when all services are designed according to the same standards, an access to any service is applicable from a service requester from any device, using any operating system, in any programming language. When application logic is represented by standardized services, creating interaction between them requires less effort since the communication proceeds using the same protocol. SOA can therefore significantly reduce the efforts of application integration over other methods. The benefit of interoperability does not only apply to services that are built from scratch, but also applies to legacy systems (Apostol os Malatras, et al. 2008; Sefan Linders, 2008). Agility and adaptability: Agility of an organization is the speed to which an organization copes to changes in an environment. Through the opportunities for both reusability and integration, SOA can increase the ability of the organization to cope with changes. Agility of an organization depends in part on the agility of the application logic that supports the business processes of the organization. An IT environment that is standardized, interoperable and reusable services establishes a more adaptive organization, in which automation solutions can be delivered faster, with less effort involved (Sefan Linders, 2008). EAI and SOA Relationship: 4.1. Evolution or revolution: Some misbelieves is that EAI is a thing of past and SOA is the new thing that is replacing it, this is just like if a person says transportation is a thing of past now road is here. SOA is more like EAI than a lot of software vendors would have believe. In fact, in many vendors offerings, especially the ones labeled ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) have changed very little from their EAI roots. Simply adding web services support to a product that already supports multiple protocols is not a radical improvement. SOA most likely includes messaging particularly for legacy integration. EAI also implements loose coupling though message queues and or publish subscribe messaging (Greg Deller, 2008). Many of the best practices of EAI apply directly to SOA. EAI concept of interfaces is a message publisher and subscriber. There are four types of EAI where integration projects fall; information portals, data replication, shared business function and service-oriented architecture; in which when there are enough useful services available in a company, new applications can be built by reusing already existing services only (Robert Thullner, 2008; P. Joshi, H.Singh and A.D. Phippen 2004). Companies that were doing a good job with EAI will have an easier time with SOA. They have untangled the spaghetti bowl of interfaces and now service enabling them will be much simpler. Those who struggled or failed with EAI now have another chance with our newly relabeled technology. But simply slapping a web service in front of a tangle of interfaces and decades worth of dirty data will not realize the promise of SOA. There is still a lot of heavy lifting to do and a need for a well defined approach and a set of best practices. (Robert Thullner, 2008) A SOA web services and EAI: An assumption that web services are the tools for building EAI could be made.. Integration can be done with web services, but it is a very heavyweight approach. There are many standards that is developed which should build the fundament for a widespread acceptance and usage of web services. The standards are UDDI for the registry component, WSDL for describing interfaces of services, and SOAP protocol communication between services. Many other standards have been developed around these principles supporting web services growth, they are usually referred as WS- standards. A WS- standard could be messaging (SOAP, WS-Addressing), description and discovery (UDDI, WSDL), reliability (WSReliable Messaging), transactions (WS Coordination), security (WS-Security), business processes (BPEL) and management (WSManageability) . Those WS-* standards would cover all topics which are needed for an EAI solution, BPEL can be used to build business processes and for management of the EAI solution mana gement standards can be used. SOAP can be used for messaging and can be extended by WS-Reliably Messaging to ensure that a message gets delivered. Web services standards are all based on XML and when implementing an EAI solution a lot of XML configuration files have to be written to get a working solution. The three main standards SOAP, WSDL and UDDI have been accepted by all vendors. All other standards have been developed to solve a specific problem in the web services domain. As soon as standards are broadly accepted by all major vendors of EAI solutions the web service technology can be a reasonable and effective approach for EAI solutions (Greg Deller, 2008; Robert Thullner, 2008). Research Gap: While going through the literature there are to many limitations and gaps. This is mainly because researches do not focus on EAI and SOA, in which there are lots of misconceptions present due to the lack of research on them. Some of the limitations are that SOA is a confusing term to managers, because technologists do not share a common understanding of service-oriented concepts. If technologists present the concepts from different perspectives, then confusion persists. In fact, SOA is not well understood by managers, and the business benefits are even less understood. For that reason, companies are slowly investing in SOA mitigating risk through pilot projects and being very cautious. Moreover experience in SOA and EAI is rare and as a result the academic research on them. Moreover according to Sefan Linders (2008), none of the identified benefits of SOA were based on empirical findings. Conclusion: In this paper, we examined the difference between enterprise application integration and service oriented architecture. In the first section of the paper, Enterprise application integration is generally discussed with its benefits, drawbacks to an organization, and its barriers including the rare skills and thinking of EAI as a tool opposed to a system. In the second section service oriented architecture was examined discussing its principles and requirements for preventing future problems. Afterwards the concept of web services was explained followed by SOA benefits. Finally the relationship between both EAI and SOA was discussed explaining how can both work together.

Strategies To Improve Parental Involvement Education Essay

Strategies To Improve Parental Involvement Education Essay Introduction Parental involvement in students education has become a greater challenge in recent years and has posed a problem for educators in Jamaica. Parents have competing priorities which oftentimes reduce the quantity and quality of time available for their involvement with childrens education. Now more than ever, mothers constitute a large part of the workforce which does not allow for quality time to be spent with children. Many children are living in low-income single female headed households without the basic necessities such as proper food, clothing and shelter. In spite of the Ministry of Education implementations of parenting seminars and workshops to help parents with the job of parenting, not much has change. This paper seeks to discuss and find strategies to improve parental involvement. In an article published in the Daily Gleaner dated May 26, 2008, Sylvester Anderson the president of the National Parents Teachers Association of Jamaica stressed that there is a great need for better parental involvement in students educational development. He stated that things had been improving but, there was still a long way to go as attendance at PTA meetings was pretty low with attendance rate of about 20 to 30 per cent, which is not good enough for a partnership. In addition, most parents show up for the first meeting of the school year, but the rate dwindled to a severe low for the remainder of the school term, while others do not even bother to visit the schools or collect their childrens academic report. Consequently, parents are reminded that their job does not end with just sending their children to school, but they need to be involved in every part of the childs growth. However, as childrens first educator, parents have the responsibility to ensure that they participate in their childrens school life in order for children to reach according to Vygotsky, their zone of proximal development (cited in Berk, 2006, p. 260). In Jamaica, especially in the inner-city community, the high fertility rate resulting from teenage pregnancies has shown a marked difference between adolescent parenting versus adult parenting, as teenaged parents lack the resources and maturity to care for their children adequately. However the problem of poor parental involvement is not only seen in adolescent parents but adult parents too. This is oftentimes manifested in the interest shown in the activities at school. Many parents have lost interest or have little or no time to be involved in school activities which has affected their childrens performance. Some however, are illiterate, lack training or skill and have not completed secondary education hence their inability to secure jobs to care for their children or assist them in their school activities. Despite being unemployed, some parents still do not go to meetings unless refreshment is provided or they can gain tangible rewards. This shows that parents places very little value on their childrens educational experience. In addition, some mothers are oftentimes busy caring for younger children which resulted in their absence from all activities that takes place at their childrens school. In many of the homes fathers are absent leaving the responsibility of parenting on the mothers. Some are involved in gangs and show little inclination to participate in school activities although they are unemployed. Many parents do not seem to have their childrens education as priority but instead are more interested in partying, fun and fashion than in the education of their children. This is evident in the small number of children registered at birth or fully immunize in spite of the service for the latter being free (taken from the school admission record for 2008-2011). As a result, these children are at a risk of not developing to their fullest potential. For example, there are some children who can perform well academically but display disruptive behaviours, while there are others who are socially competent but are academically challenged. Through the many parenting seminars which are poorly attended, parents are informed that researchers of parental involvement in schools have stated definitively that parental involvement has direct and lasting impact on childrens learning and academic achievement (Wishon, Crabtree Jones, 1997). However this has not changed the action of many parents to become involved in school activities. From all appearances it seems that many parents of lower socio- economic status are unaware of the impact they have on their childrens performance when they are involved. Nevertheless, parents are their childrens first and most important teachers. As they guide their childrens behaviour, they teach and prepare them for school. Parents must realize that they need to have a connection with the school environment in order for their children to succeed and for the school to be a success. The school must also realize that this is a two way process and they need to work with parents and parents with the school in order for children to succeed. Lyons, Robbins, Smith (cited in Wishon, Crabtree Jones, 1998) stated that when parents provide supervision and support for their children they are more likely to succeed as teachers have high expectations of their children. Parental involvement in school activities also guarantee that teachers treat parents with respect and show interest in their children. Parental Involvement In an article written by The National Centre for Parents, Parental involvement is defined as the participation of parents in every facet of childrens education and development from birth to adulthood, recognizing that parents are the primary influence in childrens lives (retrieved July 3, 2009, http:www.ctpta.org/parenting/parent involvement.htm). Parents in this context can be referred to as childrens closest caregivers or members of their extended families. In their definition of parental involvement Hoover-Dempsey Sandler (2005) refer to two types of parental involvement activities oftentimes used by parents. One type is home-based involvement which includes activities that takes place between the child and parent outside the school setting. This entails helping child with homework, revising for test, monitoring of childs progress, providing enrichment activities pertinent to school success and corresponding with childs teacher on a regular basis. The other type is school-base in volvement which includes activities wherein parents focus on their individual child in the school setting. These activities include parent-teacher conference, in-class observation of child, informal discussions with teacher, attending school events and volunteering to assist on class field trips. Barriers to parental involvement Although there are many benefits to parental involvement there are also some barriers. Some are attributed to parenting styles which have both positive and negative impact in the school and wider society. In assessing the different parenting styles and their impact on children Berk (2006) posits that authoritative parents are warm but firm, attentive and sensitive to their childrens needs, while the authoritarian parents appear cold and rejecting and frequently degrade their children by mocking and putting them down. On the other hand the permissive parents are overindulgent, inattentive and have little control over their childrens lives which is similar to the uninvolved parents who have little involvement in their childrens lives, are emotionally detached and oftentimes depress. As a result of the above parenting styles it is indicative that the permissive and uninvolved parent would not be involved in their childrens school activities. The former Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, in an article entitled Government to set up support group for parents, states that poor parenting is manifesting itself in children who are not socially well adjusted and who leave the private domain of the home and misbehave at school and in public. He further stated that the first strategy to solve this problem is education, so that parents can be introspective about their behaviour and reform achieved. Parents on the other hand have many problems that have prevented them from being involved in school. Some of the barriers to parental involvement are; parents being too busy, frustrated, too tired, having other siblings to care for, economically deprived, disinterested or too burdened by their own problems. Parents also fear being involved, not fully understanding what they can do and how valuable their contribution is to their childrens academic achievement. Parents also fear that they do not have the ability to help their children. Eldridge (2001) confirms this in a statement by parents that they believe that their assistance is not needed by the schools or teacher (p. 66). Some teachers do not help the situation either as they think parents have nothing to contribute. Becher (1984) opines that teachers fear that parents will take over their teaching responsibilities and be too critical of them. In addition, some teachers are also uncomfortable talking about issues in front of parents as they do not trust them. In order to alleviate parents fear, teachers must create an environment in which parents are perceived as partners in the educational process and not as adversaries. Epstein (1995) opines that single parents have been identified as another barrier to parental involvement. This is as a result of single parents being poorer, less educated, and younger than is the case of two parents in two-parent homes. Despite their status parents play an important role in the life of their children even if they are single, uneducated or economically deprived. Benefits of Parental Involvement ? need fi find out who seh dis Parental involvement benefits children, parents, teachers and the school. Research has shown the positive impact that even the smallest efforts on the part of parents can have on childrens learning. Education should be viewed as a shared responsibility and as a method of improving its outcome the school should reach out to the family. Furthermore, when children view their parents as a part of their educational journey, they feel motivated to achieve and feel justified in sharing achievement. As a result, when parents are closely involved with their childrens pre-school programme, there is no doubt that children tend to bloom. According to Pena (2000) increase communication, increase volunteerism, better school support and better attitudes are just a few ways that parental involvement benefit parents, children and school. Additionally, when parents take an active interest in their childrens education, cognitive and physical development is enhanced; the child develops greater problem-solving skills and a significant increase occurs in the childs receptive and expressive language skills (Wishon et al, 1998, p.124). Several studies ( Berk, 2006; Wishon et al, 1998) concur that parental involvement in school benefits children as they demonstrate greater responsiveness to both school and home environments and achieve academic success and wellbeing. Additionally, students benefit by getting higher grades, better attendance, and getting more homework done which builds their self-esteem. Parents also benefit when they participate in their childrens education in many ways. They learn a great deal about child care from their early child care and education programmes as they learn their homes benefit tremendously as they become more intellectually stimulating. This is as a result of parents adopting activities and ways of interacting that they encountered at the schools their children attends. Parents can also develop more positive attitudes towards themselves including greater feelings of self-confidence, self-worth and competence if the programme embraces and works with them. As parents become involved with schools in parents related activities they develop a better understanding of child development which expands their understanding of the home as a place for learning. As a result of this parents are better able and more willing to help their children at home. One of the most significant benefits to parents partnering with schools is that teachers develop a greater understanding of parents, their challenges and their cultural heritage. However, parents sometimes can be difficult to deal with and as a result they put a strain on the parent-teacher relationship. This often become a barrier and hinders the parent-teacher relationship. Evidence of this is seen when they ignore all attempts at communication by not reading letters sent home or answering calls from school. Despite this Pena (2000) recommends that teachers do not give up as it is the challenging parents who most need the teachers attention and resources. Therefore, with a better understanding of a familys situation, teachers are more likely to be more supportive of the parents and less likely to be judgmental of them. According to Epstein (1995) children whose parents are involved in their education are more motivated to learn. Motivated students tend to be more involved in class, more concerned about homework and more successful academically. In addition, childrens success in school will be dependent on the level of involvement of parents in the process. Schools need to keep parents involved so they will better understand the importance of their role in the educational process. For parents who are illiterate, invite them in and explain work child is presently doing, so they can ensure that child is assisted at home. She further asserts that parents are valuable resources in the classroom, if schools assist with the continuing education of parents, they will increase and enhance their resources. The school can also provide on the job training for parents who work as volunteers in the classroom. The school should established proper communication with parents frequently and not only when child is giving trouble. A high level of parent involvement is critical to a childs educational success so, schools must involve parents as early as possible. When schools facilitate better parenting, parents will develop better awareness as to the importance of school. This will help them to pass on and enhance positive values and attitudes in their children. Another beneficiary of parental involvement is the school, as there is improve morale among teachers, higher ratings of teachers by parents and more support from families. Wishon et al (1998) agreed that when parents become involved with the school they develop a better understanding of the goals set for both the school and students and the plans for achieving those goals. Strategies for improving parental involvement Epstein (1995) posits that schools should promote and support parenting skills and make communication more meaningful and regular between the home and school. Parents should be welcomed as volunteers, and their advice sought, since they know their children better than anyone else. The school can also help parents to understand the educational process and their role in supporting students achievement. Parents should help with decision making as they are full partners in their childrens education, and have many ideas that can be shared with the school. She further states that schools should provide grade level opportunities for parents to learn about parenting and child-rearing. This can be done through workshops, use of video tapes and phone voice messages. Parents can also be provided with suggestions on how to improve home conditions that support their childrens learning. The school can also help by; providing training or educational courses for parents that will help them to get jobs, direct parents to support programmes for health, nutrition and other services, assist parents in establishing home environments to support children as students, teach parents activities that build self-esteem and competence in their children, encourage parents to give children responsibility, so children can take responsibility for their learning, host grade-level parenting workshops to discuss childrens progress, conduct home visits as this is an effective strategy for involving parents especially in the inner-city where parents hide from the sch ool. In addition, the school can initiate community meetings to help families understand schools and to help schools understand families, teach parents about child development and what to expect from children at different ages, teach parents behavior modification strategies so they can discipline their children without force, help parents to develop ways they can stimulate their childrens intellectual and emotional growth, while parents are waiting to collect their children show videos about how children learn and how to work with children with special needs, help parents educate their children by ensuring that parents understand concepts being taught, offer parents opportunities to familiarize themselves with classroom materials and discuss grade-level curriculum. Parents can also be provided with upcoming topics to be taught, so they can prepare their children for that learning or activity. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that, parental involvement is important to the school, parents and the child. There can also be definite improvement in childrens academic performance if parents are involved in the process. Despite the obstacles, the parents and school should ensure that they each do their part in promoting parental involvement. It is also important that the school take the initiative in developing a positive relationship with parents. The key to removing the barriers to effective parent involvement is the teacher who can achieve this before school begins and foster it throughout the school year. Parental involvement can benefit the school to a great extent which will in effect benefit the students academic performance.

Dennis Potters Blue Remembered Hills :: Dennis Potters Blue Remembered Hills Essays

Dennis Potters' Blue Remembered Hills A.E. Houseman’s poem looks back at childhood as a â€Å"land of lost content† meaning that when you are a child you are innocent and you don’t have a care in the world. Also he says that childhood is a â€Å"happy highway where I went / and cannot come again† meaning that they are the best years of your life but you can never go back there. Dennis Potter took the poem and turned it in to a play about a group of children who were on there school holidays in the forest of dean in Gloucester. Potter is asking if childhood is such a land of lost content and is children so innocent. The poem was set in the summer of 1943 and there were 5 boys and 2 girls who were played by adults. The first person we meet is Willie who is playing at being a spitfire. Next we meet peter who is a bit of a bully. There is Audrey who is a bit of an ugly tag-along and then there is Angela who is a pretty girl who orders Audrey about. There is also Raymond who has a stutter and John he is a bit of a hero and is number 2 last there is Donald he is a bit of a pyromaniac. In the play the behaviour is realistic because that is what they would really do if they were in the forest of dean. They do things that only children do for example in scene 5 Donald, Angela and Audrey are fanaticising about being adults and are playing houses. Also they laugh about knickers being made out of silk. John and peter have a fight in scene 11. It all started in scene 10 Raymond was standing on his head and Audrey shouted that there was blood in his ear and John was standing up for Raymond and Peter was trying to make Raymond loose and then they get in to a fight and John won and peter was running away â€Å"Run, babby, run!† and peter ends up in the old barn talking to Donald. In this part of the play Dennis Potter is trying to make them look as if they are not so innocent. They are being deliberately cruel when they are trying to knock a squirrel out of a tree and they eventually knock it out and kill it. An incident of when they are unintentionally being cruel is when they trap Donald in the barn when Donald is starting a fire in amongst the hay.

Computers in Teacher Education :: Technology Learning Teaching Essays

Computers in Teacher Education The computer has changed many aspects of American society, and the Teacher Education field is no exception.A future teacher now has to consider the computer along with all of the traditional subjects when preparing to get a teaching degree.Literacy in American schools no longer means that a student can read, write, and do simple math problems.Literacy has a new branch that is required of all students to learn-the computer. The computer is a vital part of the education process of today’s youth.The process of getting a teaching degree now requires that the University student be literate and competent when it comes to using and teaching computers.Future teachers are trained how to utilize the computer to enhance lesson plans and supplement learning.Computers are not only used to drill students on previously learned material, but also to explore new ideas and find new resources.Kevin Ryan explores these new concepts of teaching in Those Who Can, Teach, â€Å"The technology-assisted teacher, however, was facilitating instruction as needed, to bring about a deeper understanding and relevance.†[1]The teacher is no longer alone when thinking up lesson plans and related activities.The computer provides teaching software as well as endless material on the internet that teachers can utilize in their classrooms.The internet provides websites to bring resources together for all teachers to share.The w ebsites include classroom management tips, grade book software, lesson plans, and connections to fellow teachers.Teachers are no longer alone in their classrooms, all they have to do is visit a website, such as http://webpages.marshall.edu/~jmullens/edlinks.html, and everything they could need is accessible from their computer. Some teachers may feel apprehensive to include the computer in their classroom activities, but according to the National Center for Education Statistics[2], more and more teachers are turning to the computer to enhance the learning process. Computers are changing every aspect of the education field.Not only are teachers using the computer to help their students learn, but also the students themselves are going on their own to find resources and information via the computer.According to Ryan[3] a project in Florida, called CHILD (Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development) students who are grouped together and allowed to work on projects involving the computer and traditional classroom methods ultimately did better on year-end standardized tests than peers in conventional classrooms. The number of students using the computer is continually rising, usage averaging about 1-2 times per month.The Nation’s Report Card researches the usage of computers by twelfth-grade students.

How Do Artists Use Symbols in the Meaning of Their Work Essay

Artists use symbols in different ways in their works to define their true feelings and to illustrate ideas and experiences. The three artists I will use to demonstrate how symbols can be used to gain different meanings are, Joseph Cornell, Salvador Dali and Rosalie Gascoigne. Cornell uses symbols to represent his fantasies and dreams, Dali also uses surrealist symbols to represent his desires and dreams and Gascoigne uses symbols to represent the landscape where she lived and decay. Joseph Cornell is an American sculptor and filmmaker. He was born on the 24th of December 1903 and died on the 29th of December 1972. Bebe Marie was created in the early 1940’s. It is made from a papered and painted wooden box that contains a doll in a dress made of cloth and a flower made also of cloth. If you look closely you will notice the intricate detail on the doll that has been placed behind the cluster of twigs. Because there is a doll in this sculpture, it perhaps has something to do with childhood and the numerous dark twigs suggests that the childhood portrayed was not a very delightful or happy one. Cornell likes to depict fantasy inspired and illusory images in his works, like in his work The Hotel Eden. Because Cornell lived in New York, he found many interesting and strange objects. He was also interested in second-hand bookstores, so he found a way to incorporate that in his work. Salvador Dali is a Spanish painter, sculptor and filmmaker. He was born on May 11th 1904 and he died on January the 23rd 1989. The Persistence of Memory was made in 1931. It was created by using oil on canvas. The work mainly features melted clocks and sky above the horizon. The clocks in this particular work are what give it a meaning. These symbols represent the facts that dreams can change and become strange and distorted. This work revolves around dreams and personal psychological fantasies. In fact, all of Dali’s work is based around dreams and psychological fantasies and generally things that simply do not occur in reality. For example, Dali’s work Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bumblebee around a Pomegranate a Moment Before Awakening. This work also goes back to the idea of reality and fantasy because of the tigers attacking the nude woman and the elephant hovering above the ocean. Rosalie Gascoigne is an Australian artist and sculptor. She was born on the 25th January 1917 and had died on the 23rd of October 1999. Regimental Colours was started in 1990 and finished in 1991. It was made using sawn soft drink crates on plywood. The work features various brands of soft drinks such as Schweppes. The main symbol in this work is the worn down surface. Many of her works are created around her interest in her surroundings. She likes to use older, worn down materials and signs that show age and have a history. Just like show has shown in Regimental Colours and also her work Sweet Lovers, she does this to show the memories and experiences through the aging material. In conclusion, symbols used in artworks are a very great way to express your inner feelings and emotions. Artists use this to their advantage so they can make their works more interesting and in depth.

Research Proposal- Are Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse Essay

Childhood sexual abuse is a subject that is not researched very deeply. One issue is traumatizing the victims even more by studying them on a long-term base. There are questions that researchers want to answer but designing the right study to achieve the answers is sensitive work. One such question is â€Å"Are victims of childhood sexual abuse more likely to engage in sexual activity at earlier ages than non-abused†? Research is lacking in the area of childhood sexuality and without this research psychologists are unable to adequately study the negative effects of sexual abuse of children. I will conduct a developmental study using the sequential design in order to answer the question: Are victims of childhood sexual abuse more likely to engage in sexual activity at earlier ages than non-abused? I am conducting this study to gain a greater understanding of how violation of trust and body may or may not cause a child to engage in sexual activity at an earlier age than non-abused children. The available literature on childhood sexual abuse is insufficient on many levels and lack adequate methodologies for approaching treatment or study of victims of childhood sexual abuse. Research Proposal: Are Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse More Likely to Engage in Sexual Activity at Earlier Ages than Non-Abused Introduction Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a subject that is not researched very deeply. One issue is traumatizing the victims even more by studying them on a long-term base. There are questions that researchers want to answer but designing the right study to achieve the answers is sensitive work. One such question is â€Å"Are victims of childhood sexual abuse more likely to engage in sexual activity at earlier ages than non-abused†? Research is lacking in the area of childhood sexuality and without this research psychologists are unable to adequately study the negative effects of sexual abuse of children. When someone you trust or even someone you do not know takes something from you is devastating to say the least. When that something is an experience you do not understand and have not experienced under normal circumstances the devastation is unimaginable. When an adult or older person violates a child in a sexual manner it introduces feelings that the child is not ready to have, and it causes confusion in the child; this is known as traumatic sexualization. Traumatic sexualization refers to an evolvement in which a child’s sexuality is formed in a developmentally improper and interpersonally dysfunctional ways. Human sexuality develops in stages and if forced to experience a stage before the body is ready it will hinder the body’s ability to cope. Sex and sexually explicit behaviors are not intended in childhood. Humans do not enter puberty until adolescence and still are not sure how to cope with the feeling, but if molested or raped before ever experiencing any of the feelings naturally the children may never be able to know what they truly feel in regard to sex. Every survivor copes with sexual abuse in different ways. Some may become promiscuous, exhibit sexualized behaviors, and some become abuser themselves. This study’s focus is promiscuity. CSA has a variety of definitions including but not limited to: attempted intercourse, oral genital contact, fondling of genitals directly or through clothing, and exhibitionism or exposing children to adult sexual activity or pornography. For the purpose of this research the following is the definition; CSA is the involvement of a child in sexual activity above the child’s cognitive developmental understanding and above the child’s developmental maturity. As a coping mechanism some sexual abuse survivors may become sexually active with multiple partners. Promiscuity is not a coping mechanism that any therapist would recommend to a survivor, but it is one path some survivors take. Research has shown a correlation between the severity of the abuse and the number of partners a survivor will have. A number of factors determine the severity of the abuse encompassing the relationship between victim and perpetrator, whether or not there is physical force or threats, whether penetration takes place, and the number of occurrences. My step-grandfather raped me at the age of nine. He told me that if I struggled or refused he would just go to my three-year-old sister because she would not be able to refuse. I would cringe when his bath water started to run because I knew what was coming. He would force me to perform oral sex on him until he climaxed and I had to swallow it he would then penetrate me. I spit it at him once, but by the time that night was over I knew to never do that again. He was extremely violent when penetrating me that night. I could not wear shorts for a week because the bruises would show. Anytime we were alone he would touch me and make me touch him. As the summer continued his boldness progress to the point that he would fondle me under a blanket on the couch while, watching movies with my grandmother and little sister. As I grew he would try to be alone with me but I knew what he wanted, and would not be alone with him. Over the years he did molest me a handful of times but that summer was the only time there was penetration. I tried blocking the summer out but that only made it worse for me so I decided to make sex meaningless because up to the time he ripped it from me I thought it was special and only for marriage. I cannot say that had this not happened I would not have become sexually active but I truly believed in waiting. A year after having the option ripped from me and trying to hide the pain I broke down and started having sex with friends interested in sex. By the time I was 16 the number of partners I had been with was 6. I always wondered if I used another coping mechanism would I still have such a high number. I have been with my husband for 20 years and have just begun to truly feel the intimate connection I should have felt from the beginning. I am conducting this study to gain a greater understanding of how violation of trust and body may or may not cause a child to engage in sexual activity at an earlier age than non-abused children. The available literature on childhood sexual abuse is insufficient on many levels and lack adequate methodologies for approaching treatment or study of victims of childhood sexual abuse. Review of the Literature Over the past years CSA has received much public attention however, majority of research has focused on the victims as children; comparatively little work has been published on the long term consequences. CSA researchers are faced with a number of challenges. The definition of CSA is a reason to why there is lack of research. As there is no universal definition researcher’s definitions can differ, and as a result depending on the definition used in the study findings can vary. The lack of research in the effects of CSA is also due to the difficulties in establishing casual connections between the abuse and the later affects years after the abuse. Effects found in survivors are not always exclusive to the childhood sexual abuse and may reflect other underlying issues. Conducting studies in sensitive areas such as CSA has proven to be difficult; therefore research in such fields may be limited. A study conducted on the ethical issues in research on sensitive topics noted that, participants who had experienced child abuse were more likely to report distress after participating in research, due to remembering the past. However, researchers also found that these participants were more likely to report that participation was helpful. Another difficulty in assessing the effects of childhood sexual abuse is that through the repression of the trauma, or dissociation, survivors of such abuse may possibly not consciously remember the abuse experience. Therefore findings gathered from research could be effected, interfering with the validly and reliability of the study. Research has documented that CSA survivors are more prone to suffer from social, emotional and behavioral problems than non survivors; difficulties include, however are not limited to, anxiety, depression, guilt, difficulty with interpersonal relationships, self-destructive behaviors, lowered self-esteem, and promiscuity. According to research evidence, early sexual experiences often have an influence on later sexual behavior. When initial sexual experience is abusive, it could elicit explicit effects on ensuing sexual behaviors. Research has found that survivors of CSA engage in risky sexual behavior at higher rates than individuals who have not experienced such abuse. A number of studies furthered Costas and Landreth’s findings and reported that risky sexual behavior in adults previously abused was exhibited in many forms; having many sexual partners, failing to use condoms during intercourse increasing the risk of sexually transmitted infections and having anal sex. Meston and Lorenz provided an explanation as to why some adults with a history of CSA may participate in risky sexual behavior. Sexual abuse could result in the abused to disregard their own humanity therefore, perform sexual acts in a more promiscuous way. A survivor’s childhood experience could cause him or her to be incapable of separating sex from affection, which then leads to promiscuity or impaired arousal. Sexual promiscuity was a way for me to take control of my feelings and be able to keep the abuse from totally consuming me. Method Population, Procedure, Instruments, and Data Analysis I will conduct a developmental study using the sequential design in order to answer the question: Are victims of childhood sexual abuse more likely to engage in sexual activity at earlier ages than non-abused? The study would need to have 50 participants (25 male, 25 female) in the 10-15 age group during the first phase. The same 50 would come back in 10 years, and one last time in another 10 years. During each phase the participants will fill out the same questionnaire and the collected data will be analyzed. After the final phase each participant’s results will be reviewed for changes. The collected data will be compared among the varying age groups as well as for individual changes each decade. Discussion I am conducting this study to gain a greater understanding of how violation of trust and body may or may not cause a child to engage in sexual activity at an earlier age than non-abused children. The available literature on childhood sexual abuse is insufficient on many levels and lack adequate methodologies for approaching treatment or study of victims of childhood sexual abuse. The data collected will hopefully answer this question and proved helpful information on how to cope with this specific effect of CSA. As a survivor of CSA, I know promiscuity was my coping strategy, but wish that I had chosen a safer strategy. With more knowledge and a better understanding of how to help CSA survivors; therapists may save future survivors from engaging in promiscuous behavior. References: Allan, J. A., & Lawton-Speert, S. (1993). Play Psychotherapy of a Profoundly Incet Abused Boy: A Jungian Approach. International Journal of Play Therapy, 2(1), 33-48. Retrieved September 2013 Alpert, J. L., Brown, L. S., & Courtois, C. A. (1998). Symptomatic Clients and Memories of Childhood Abuse: What the Trauma and Child Sexual Abuse Literature Tells Us. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 4(4), 941-995. Retrieved September 2013 Cohen, J. N. (2008). Using Feminist, Emotion-Focused, and Developmental Approaches to Enhance Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Related to Childhood Sexual Abuse. Psycholotherapy Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 45(2), 227-246. doi:10.1037/0033-3204.45.2.227 Costas, M., & Landreth, G. (1999). Filial Therapy with Non-Offending Parents of Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused. International Journal pf Play Therapy, 8(1), 43-66. Retrieved September 2013 Finkelhor, D. (1990). Early and Long-Term Effects of Child Sexual Abuse: An Update. Proessional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21(5), 325-330. Hopton, J. L., & Huta, V. (2013). Evaluation of an Intervention Designed for Men Who Were Abussed in Childhood and are Experiencing Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 14(3), 300-313. doi:10.1037/aoo29705 Kendall-Tackett, K. A., Williams, L. M., & Finkelhor, D. (1993). Impact of sexual abuse on children: A review and synthesis of recent empirical studies. Psychological Bulletin, 113(1), pp. 164-180. Merrill, L. L., Guimond, J. M., Thomsen, C. J., & Milner, J. S. (2003). Child Sexual Abuse and Number of Sexual Patrners in Young Women: The Role of Abuse Severity, Coping Style, and Sexual Functioning. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71(6), 987-996. Meston, C. M., & Lorenz, T. A. (2013). Physiological Stress Responses Predict Sexual Functioning and Satisfaction Differently in Women Who Have and Have Not Been Sexually Abused in Childhood. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 5(4), 350-358. doi:10.1037/a0027706 Shapiro, J. P. (1991). Interviewing Children About Psychological Issues Associated with Sexual Abuse. Psychotherapy, 28(1), 55-66. Retrieved September 2013 Talbot, N. L. (1997). Women Sexually Abused as Children: The Centrality of Shame Issues and Treatment Implications. Psychotherapy, 23(1), 11-18. Retrieved September 2013 Tharinger, D. (1990). Impact of child sexual abuse on developing sexuality. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21(5), pp. 331-337. Van de Putte, S. J. (1995). A paradigm for working with child survivors of sexual abuse who exhibit sexualized behaviors during play therapy. International Journal of Play Therapy, 4(1), 27-49. Wolf, E. K., & Alpert, J. L. (1991). Psychoanalysis and Child Sexual Abuse: A review of the Post-Freudian Literature. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 8(3), 305-327. Retrieved September 2013

Dttls Unit 5

Part 2 A critical Analysis of my own approach to reflective practice and exploration of potential continuing personal and professional development. Introduction This report provides a critical self analysis of my approach to reflective practice and exploration of continuing personal and professional practice. To research this report I have had to undertake a profound and honest dissection and evaluation of my own working practice.For research I partook in discussions with my peers, attended a master class in learning on reflection, and explored the internet and relevant books. This includes examining theories of reflective practice and how they relate to my own reflective practice and development. To clarify what I needed to examine I started by finding definitions of the key phrases. More in-depth analysis of the definitions and the meanings attached by others are developed throughout the report.Reflective Practice- ‘a set of abilities and skills, to indicate the taking of a c ritical stance, an orientation to problem solving or state of mind. ’ (Moon 1999 cited on www. ukle. ac. uk 2009) Continual Personal and Professional Development- ‘maintaining, improving and broadening relevant knowledge and skills in your subject specialism and your teaching and training, so that it has a positive impact on practice and the learner development. (www. ifl. ac. uk 2009) MethodologyWhilst preparing this assignment my Primary research was collated by using both personal observation and informal personal interviews with fellow peer groups, I conducted my Secondary research by colleting existing data gathered from both my Primary research as well as using the internet in order to access reviews, government statements and information as well as theories and principles used and developed by educational experts, I have also used the Doncaster College library to access reference material in the form of books and the e-library and as an additional reference metho d.I also adopted various ideas gained by conducting semi structured interviews and focus groups using other teachers as my target group. Once evaluating the collected data I then developed an Action Plan in order to achieve my desired goals. Theories of reflective practice. The Common Sense Theory Philosopher and educationalist John Dewey pioneered the concept of reflective practice in 1933 as the literal notion of ‘thinking about thinking’ (cited in www. educ. uats. org 2010) He was primarily interested in problem solving.When a bad incident occurs you feel upset or disconcerted and set out to identify and rectify the issue. This basic approach to reflective practice was further developed as the ‘common sense view’ by Moon (1999). She took the stance ’reflection is akin to thinking but with more added to this. ’ (cited in Roffey-Barentsen and Malthouse 2009, p8) This is reflection in its purest form. After a lesson that that went badly it is natural that you will think about what went wrong and why. The sheer basic nature of the theory leads to problems of lack of organization and documentation.The solitary nature of simply thinking cause limitations when there is no one to provide feedback. There is more consideration given to the past than the future and provides limited outlets for developing practice. Reflective Practice Donald Schon (1983) developed two concepts in relation to reflective practice: Reflection in action – A person reflects on behavior as it occurs. For example if you are using a classroom activity with learners that is clearly not working you would quickly reflect on this can find a suitable alternative immediately rather than waiting for the next session.Reflection on action -this type of reflection occurs after the event allowing time for scrutiny and analysis of the situation and time to plan further development. Kolb (1984) created his four stage model of leaning. This encompasses the cont inued cycle of learning. It outlines the basic concept of doing something. Reflecting on it. Researching ways of improving upon it and planning how to implement this. This brings you right back to the doing stage and so the cycle continues. This can be joined at any stage but needs to be followed in sequence to be effective.Graham Gibbs further developed this cycle in 1988. Like Kolb, his cycle of self reflection is simple to use and follows a continuous cycle. Gibbs Model for Reflection (www,qmu. ac. uk 2009) Stephen Brookfield (1995) believes critically reflective teaching happens when we identify and scrutinize assumptions that under grid how we work. For this the occur we must see our teaching from the view of the â€Å"four critical lenses†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(cited in Roffey-Barentsen and Malthouse 2009,p10 ). The four lenses being: 1. The teacher 2. The learners 3. Our Colleagues . The view of literature and theories. Although time consuming this theory provides a thorough reflect ion on our practice through feedback and research rather than just our own thoughts. Professional Reflective Practice This theory combines the personal achievements generated via reflective practice with the benefits of CPD where teachers improve skills and knowledge enhances their professional performance. Tummons (2007, p89) describes this as ‘A constant critical appraisal of teaching and learning, and of the work of the tutor generally. Ideals from Schon, Kolb, Gibbs and other theorists can be encompassed in professional reflective practice this ideal would include seminars, workshops, conferences, meetings, training days, 1. 1 reviews, observations and general conversations. Having identified what you could do to benefit your practice you would create an action plan clearly defining SMART targets My approach to reflective practice I have in the past relied too heavily on Moon's ‘common sense’ theory. Thinking is a natural process we have little or no control o ver.I have often delivered a session with my head buzzing with thoughts and ideas; these would take on the form of what went well? What did’t goes well? Why? What can I do instead? This thought process of ideas has its benefits. I was analyzing my teaching practice rather than simply carrying on with no consideration to its merits. The main problems being that I rarely wrote my reflections down. There was no organization or structure to the reflective practice. This form of reflection is too insular and self reliant.When I first started teaching I think I probably lacked the confidence to actively seek the views of others and accept constructive criticism. Since undertaking the DTLLS course I have as a prerequisite of learning kept a reflective journal. This method of reflection links in with Schon’s ‘Reflection on Action. ’ Actually taking time to stop and write down reflection has been very beneficial This allows time for greater and more structured eval uation identifying what went well and want didn’t’ go so well. From here I am able to plan what I need to improve upon. Schon (1983) also outlines ‘action in practice. I found this concept of ‘thinking on your feet’ a necessity of teaching. A session plan may sometimes no longer be valid. I have in the past had to a change activities that require certain numbers due to poor attendance. Similarly if I unexpectedly have a small group I may not use planned resources such as flipchart which seem impersonal for only four learners. As my teaching experience has developed so has my capacity for reflection. Drawing on Brookfield’s critical lenses. I am now more confident and aware of the benefit of feedback to seek the views of learners, peers, mentors etc.This creates a greater spectrum of reflection rather than simply my own to learn from. Gibbs reflective cycle (1988) has become a natural part of my teaching and reflective practice. This is especia lly beneficial with one day courses I teach again and again. In this situation it is easy to become complacent and lazy and stick with same session plan. Actively reflecting with feedback from others enables me find methods of improving the session. I then can try out the new plan. Once tried I then reflect on the new plan and so the cycle continues.Of course I wouldn’t make change for change sake. The out come of the reflection could be that it all went well in that session. Continual Personal and Professional Development As a teacher when considering CPPD I have two consider what The IFL defines as the ‘Model of Dual Professionalism’ (www. ilf. co. uk) Your subject specialsim Your teaching In both instances I need to undertake an analysis to identify training and development needs. I am still a teacher in training so my professionalism is continually developing through my college studies which includes much research.In my work place I have attended training day s on relevant teaching areas such as coaching your team and Giving and Receiving Feedback and conferences such as E-Leaning and Final Lap Mentoring. Once my training is complete I will need to actively seek development opportunities in this area. I could do this through the ILF, College network, educational websites, publications and productions. The opportunities for personal and professional development in the Health and Social Care Profession are considerable. Keeping up to date with relevant legislation is paramount.Generally literature is provided on this by the Care Quality Commission or MHA Head office. For instance I recently went on a training day on delivering e-learning. However as an educationalist it is vital I don't just assume there are no changes if no one has informed me other wise. The QCC website is the best reference point on legislation. Specific area of my role such as manual handling, Fire Safety and First aid require me to update my trainer’s skills wi th a refresher course every two or three years.As I teach in a company that specializes in Dementia care it is vital I actively seek new knowledge in this area. Ideas and Theories on Dementia and Dementia care are constantly progressing and it is vital I progress inline with them. To aid this read the Dementia Care magazine, Alzheimer’s Society website, Bradford and Stirling University both research in dementia care. A positive example of this is an article I read on the benefits of Doll Therapy. Some of the residents in the home carry dolls around which some cares found inappropriate.Having a professional theory to discuss with staff/Learners was highly beneficial. All development I do for my work has an effect on my personal development. The increase in skills and knowledge gives me more confidence and expands my creativity. In my free time I enjoy reading and creative writing and have taken relevant courses for pleasure. I have in the past been to work obsessed and taking on to many courses at once. This resulted stress and affected all areas of my life. I now can prioritise my CPPD to allow me time to relax and spend time on other things that are important.When I started DTLLS I was also doing an Open University course. I found it too hard to juggle both and working. I made a decision to complete the OU module I was studying and put my university studies on hold until I have completed DTLLS. Conclusion I can link my reflective practice to most of the theorists. The common sense view' of quite literally thinking is something I do constantly but I have learnt the benefits of taking a more structured and creative approach to reflection. Working through a cycle of doing, reflecting, researching, planning and doing means my teaching practice can only improve.This has given me more confidence and benefits the learners. Linking in reflective practice with CPPD ensures my development as a teacher and a subject specialist. Through my work place I am able to identify training and development needs with my manager. As an autonomous learner is vital I constantly Seek new avenues to ensure my Health and Social Care knowledge is up-to-date and relevant. 1. Report Introduction For this report I have provided a critical analysis which summarises the following aspects of my ongoing personal and professional development in the following areas: Teaching roles and contexts within the lifelong learning sector * Impact of own beliefs, assumptions and behaviours on learners and others * Impact of own professional, personal and interpersonal skills, including Literacy, Numeracy and ICT skills on learners and others. To carry out this report I have used my personal reflective journal. I have also drawn on past assignments, observations, peer group discussions. I researched books, journals and the internet to gain a wider perspective. Analysing my own role as Trainer and comparing it with others such lecturers nd tutors highlights the similarities as w ell as exploring the unique aspects that define each role. As an individual and a teacher it is difficult to recognise and at times accept that your personal beliefs, assumptions and behaviours may impinge on learners. In this report I recognise my ‘teaching schemata’ and explore both positive and negative effects this may have on learners and others. This links in with the analysis I have made on how my personal, professional and interpersonal skills will have an impact on learners and others. Part 3 A Teaching roles and contexts within the lifelong learning sectorThe table below explores the different roles and contexts within the lifelong learning sector, analysing their similarities and differences. All definitions of roles are taken form: The Chambers Dictionary 10th Edition (2006) Job Role| Contexts| Duties| Same as| Difference| Trainer‘A person who teaches skills to people or animals and prepares them for a job, activity or sport’ | The workplaceComm unity Learning CentresTraining companies| * Identifying company training needs. * Designing, delivering and evaluating training. * Developing induction and appraisal schemes. Coaching and assessing individuals or small groups * * | Similarities to teacher, tutor, lecturer in terms of planning and delivering learning. Also assessments. | A trainer is generally work based as apposed to teachers or lecturers who are college or school based. | Teacher‘A person whose profession is to impart knowledge practical skill or understanding’| SchoolsSixth form colleges| * Panning sessions * Delivering learning * Evaluation of teaching and learning * Setting and marking working * Monitoring and dealing with behavioural issues. Tutor, trainer and lecturer in terms of planning and delivering learning. Dealing with behaviour is most akin to lecturers. | Different to most in that a teacher is generally associated with schools and children. Some sixth form colleges may have teachers. | Tu tor‘A person who teaches a single person or very small group’| Colleges Community Learning CentresDistance and online learning. | * Planning and delivering learning to individual or small groups. * Providing feedback on assessments * Tutor may be a mentor for learning development such as a form tutor or individual tutor. Similarities to teacher, trainer, lecturer in terms of planning and delivering learning. | More 1-1 work than lecturersDifferent from all if online or distance learning. | LecturerA person who teaches at college or university| CollegeUniversities| * Teaching, lectures, seminars and fieldwork. Preparing teaching sessions and developing teaching materials. Setting and marking work. | Similarities to teacher, trainer, lecturer in terms of planning and delivering learning. | Different to NVQ and Trainer in context.Lecturers would not be found in workplace| Assessor‘Person who assesses’| CollegeWorkplace| * Plan and deliver NVQ workshops * Obser ve and assess candidates * Examine candidates’ evidence| Similar to trainer in that learning is work based. | Different to teacher and lecturer as an assessor will not deliver learning to large groups. | Part 3 b My role and responsibilities as a Trainer in Health and Social Care work-based learning Through discussions in the DTTLS course I have identified two major differences between my role as a Trainer and my peers as Lecturers.The first being that of context . My teaching is carried out in individual’s own workplace. Learning is delivered in a training room and in the care environment. Lecturers deliver learning in a college in a traditional classroom setting. The two do at times overlap, workplace learners may work towards vocational qualifications through local colleges. In this case I may arrange for learners to undertake this learning and support them through their work. The other main variation is in purpose. I facilitate learners with skills and knowledge to enable them to function in the workplace.Learners gain company certification or in some cases nationally recognised awards, however they are not working for one or two years towards an educational or vocational qualification as they would in a college. In unit 15 I explored the difference between teaching and training. Gary Pollice, Professor of Practice Worchester University noted this main difference. In his article Teaching Versus Training (2003). He stated training ‘focuses on skill’ whereas teaching ‘implies deeper knowledge and a longer time frame. ’ This effectively sums up one of the major differences I identified.As a trainer in Health and Social Care it is my responsibilities to ensure my knowledge is kept up-to-date and in line with current legislation, polices, procedures and changing views and ideas within the care sector. Not doing so would have a detrimental effect on learning and the working practice of learners. I am constantly aware that my CPPD will have a direct impact on the quality of training I provide. In unit 5 I examined the aims and philosophical issues associated with my subject specialism. These were derived mainly from CQC and MHA care group.The ultimate aim being to provide the best possible person centred care for service users. I work closely as part of a team to ensure this is provided. I liaise with senior staff to discuss any new developments within care and the impact they will have on learning and working practice. I often attend the same training, seminars and conferences as senior staff. This ensures we all have the same knowledge and skills Transference of skills has a major influence on how I and others measure the quality of the training I provide.Howarth and Morrison (2005, p295) observed how effective transfers are ‘affected by a range of factors beyond the design and delivery of a training event. ’ I work with key people to make sure skills and knowledge are effectively passe d on to staff and reflected in the care provided. If this is not the case then I may need to reassess my own skills and knowledge. Part 3 C The Impact of my own beliefs, assumptions and behaviours on learners and others. As an individual it is difficult to recognize our own ingrained beliefs, assumptions let alone comprehend the impact these may have an others.As a teacher the impact can be magnified as others look to us to learn. In an article Focus on Teacher thinking it was stated Everything a teacher says and does springs from the teacher’s inner reality – the worldview, beliefs, values and other thinking processes that are so familiar they become invisible (www. teachersinmind. com) When I enter a classroom/training room I like to think I put my professional hat on and leave my personal influences behind. Williams and Burden ((1997, p57) however would disagree ‘Teachers beliefs about learning will affect everything they do in the classroom. To identify my ow n personal influences I have examined some elements of my unique ‘Teaching Schemata’ (wwww,prodait,org 2006) . This is the amalgam of beliefs , knowledge and assumptions held by the individual teacher. Elements of my personal ‘Teaching Schemata’ | * I believe it is important to have basic ICT, Literacy and numeracy skills * Reading is fun * Learning enriches your life * ICT is an inevitable part of day to day life * I think everyone should want to reach their full potential * Adults should naturally adhere to a certain code of conduct in a learning environment. Adults want to learn * Music has positive benefits on your mental well being * I love anything outdoors. * I’m a vegetarian and animals are an important part of my life * I was brought up C of E but no longer practice or believe. * Monogamy is important * I used to be shy at school but now I’m outgoing * I tend to adopt a ‘ce la vive’ attitude to life. If it makes you happy then do it! * I’m very easy going and rarely loose my temper. * People should always see the best in others and try to understand why they behave the way they do. The list above is by no means exhaustive but includes what I consider to be my main belief system. I would generally consider my positive and friendly personality to have a constructive benefit on learners. I’m proud of the fact that learners enjoy their learning and in all my observation it was commented that I had an excellent rapport with learners. In unit 15 I drew on an element of my reflective journal where this rapport had a negative effect. Four learners failed to turn up when I was being observed. I took his a personal insult, but it was pointed out to me by a colleague that it was because I was so easy going that they probably thought I wouldn’t be annoyed. The concept of achieving an equal balance between my natural friendly personality and adopting a more professional persona when necessar y is an area I have developed but need to continue to do so. I have attended courses in assertiveness and influencing and negotiating to aid my development in this area. Discussing ideas with other teachers has helped significantly. In my very initial stages of teaching I made a basic mistake due to my somewhat supercilious assumptions.When setting up a learner, a lady of around 50yrs, on E-Learning I simply gave her the laptop, password and username and told her to log on to the Aims Perform site. I went off to sort out some paperwork while she did this. When I returned I found an embarrassed learner who hadn’t even switched the laptop on. She sheepishly told me she’d never used a computer before. The impact for the learner was that of humiliation and a failure to learn. For myself it was an early learning curve in never making assumptions about learners existing abilities.Although I’m still surprised how many people don’t have their own computer and hav e little or no ICT skills I have learnt to adjust my perception and address the situation in a manner that does not embarrass or humiliate the learner. Gaining an awareness of the extent to which adult learners may lack basic skills has had an effect on my professional development. I have actively sought ways to integrate key skills into learning. Care for Skills agency provide extensive resources and information on enabling teachers to embed key skills into the care induction programme.The impact on learners is that I, as a teacher am more in tune to learning needs and an increased opportunity to improve their key skills through work based learning. Also I taught a fully integrated course with New College which improved my skills in key skills teaching. Part 3 D The impact of my own Professional, Personal and Interpersonal skills including Literacy, Numeracy and ICT Skills on Learners and others Trainer/Teacher My teaching qualifications PTTLS and year 2 DTTLS have given me signifi cant skills and knowledge in this area. This impacts on what I am able to offer my place of work and learners.This includes planning, delivering and evaluating individual sessions and schemes of work. Also carrying out diagnostic assessments, assessing learning, being aware learning styles and learning theories, designing and using resources. The more skills I have as a teaching professional the greater opportunity I will have to maximise the learning potential of the workplace learner at MHA. Management will have greater confidence in giving me greater responsibilities such as designing courses. I have also joined the Institute For Learning (IFL) as an affiliate member whilst working towards qualified teacher status.The IFL gives members support in continuing professional development. The IFL state: CPD gives the public, learners, the teaching community and the sector confidence that teachers, trainers, tutors and assessors are continuously improving skills and knowledge and expert ise (www. ilf. ac. uk, 2009) Health and Social Care Professional As I have a dual profession there is little point in me solely focussing on my teaching skills. It is equally as important that I monitor my knowledge of my subject specialism. My learners need to have confidence that I have a higher level of knowledge of the subject than they do.The care provider I work for need to know that I am facilitating training that is current and relevant. In unit 15 I stated that one of my best assets was having what Skills for Care (2009) describe as ‘experts by experience. ’ Having years of hands on experience in the care sector not only equips me we a high level of skills and knowledge but also gives learners confidence that I know what they experience in the workplace. To keep my care skills current and relevant I attend the same training, conferences and seminars I would as if I still worked in the field. Personal DevelopmentMy personal development can also have an affect on learners. Having a good level of work and life balance make me a calmer and more rounded person. Much of my personal development such as creative writing enhances my creative abilities as a teacher. I initially started my degree with the Open University for personal development rather than professional. I started with a course I knew I would enjoy – Level 2 Creative Writing. This required me to post my work on an online tutorial for others to give feedback on. Similarly I was required to give feedback on the work of others.This enhanced my ability to accept feedback from managers, teachers, college peers and learners. This in turn assisted me to provide constructive feedback to my peers and learners which is something I have difficulty with. Interpersonal Skills My interpersonal skills have developed as my confidence has grown. Looking back on my reflective journal from last year I can see there were times when I lost deportment in sessions when learners asked questions I wa s unsure of, didn’t participate in sessions or were deliberately awkward as they didn’t want to be in the session.This had a detrimental effect on learners and myself as I felt they would loose confidence in my ability to teach them. I over come this through feedback, talking to other teachers and simply by gaining experience. My most recent observation demonstrated how much my confidence has improved. This reflects on the quality of learning learners receive. On a general level I feel I have good interpersonal skills. Working in the care sector for years has given me strong emotional intelligence. I am easily able to empathize with other. I am able to actively listen, thus making me an effective communicator.I have been able to develop appropriate communication skills. Initially I was too much of a friend to learners and didn’t want to offend anyone. I found sugar coating feedback was non productive. I have managed to improve my balance my as a teacher, giving constructive feedback and delivering enjoyable sessions. Numeracy Numeracy is not my strongest point. I have GCSE grade C which I achieved 18 years ago. When I worked at Penhill Community learning centre working 1-1 with learners to gain entry level 3 and level 1;2 numeracy awards I was concerned about my own numeracy levels and ability to help others.I went on the Move On website to test and improve my abilities. When I started the PTTLS course I was required to take an assessment on the computer to check for skills fade. Thankfully I had a clear level 2 pass. Although numeracy is not a strong element in Health and Social care it is still important to maintain my skills in this area. I embed numeracy in areas where learners will uses it in their workplace such as weights, measurements, BMIs and statistics. This will impact on their ability to perform everyday tasks at work. ICT I have fairly good ICT skills.This has enabled me to facilitate e-learning confidently. This has helped l earners to access and undertake courses they may not have had access to otherwise. e-learning enhances learners own ICT skills which will benefit them in the workplace and wider society. One area I had to develop was using ICT in presentations. My workplace did not have facilities for this so I had little opportunity to practice. I felt this limited my resources and didn’t account for exclusivity with regards to learning styles. My first attempt at PowerPoint presentation was for my presentation was to my peers at college.I was pleased to have produced and presented a presentation even if I did forget to put it on slide show! Feedback from my peers and my own reflection identified this as an area of weakness. I have since convinced my workplace to buy more equipment. I am now confident in using the projector for presentations. This enhances learners experience including participating in e learning in groups. Literacy Literacy is an area I am quite proficient in and had passed university modules in with good grades. I enjoy reading and creative writing in my free time.I do however have to be aware of the language I use and the levels I expect of others. Many of my learners will be at entry level 3 or lower so I need to keep language in resources simple. Through initial assessments I can identify what level learners are at. I embed literacy into learning. The Skills for Care Base have excellent resources I have used to enable learners with literacy. The fact that I enjoy reading means I am always keen to research my subject this will enrich the knowledge I can impart on learners. ConclusionMy dual role as a teacher and a Health and Social Care Professional effectively means I I have two areas where I need to actively monitor, evaluate and accomplish continuing personal and professional development. Clearly identifying my role and responsibilities can enable me to pursue relevant avenues. Being aware of my own beliefs, assumptions and behaviours and the im pact they may have on learners and others is difficult but essential. Through course of action I realised my assumptions about adult learners existing skills was having a detrimental effect on their learning.As a teacher my own personal, professional and interpersonal skills have a major impact on learners, as they are looking to me to facilitate knowledge and skills. The organization I work for is trusting in my skills to carry out my role efficiently. Not doing so could have a damaging effect on the care service users receive and the reputation of the establishment. This highlights the importance of CPPD. Words 3116 Bibliography Books Gray, G. Cundell, S. Hay, D. O’Neill, J. (2004) Learning Through the Workplace. Nelsonthorne: Cheltenham Horwath, J. Morrisson T. 2004) Effective Staff Training in Social Care Routledge: Abingdon Roffey-Barentsen, J and R ,Malthouse. Reflective Practice in the Lifelong Learning Sector. Learning Matters: Exeter Tummons, J. (2007) Becoming a Tut or in the Lifelong Learning Sector. Learning Matters: Exeter Wallace, S. Teaching and Tutoring in The Lifelong Learning Sector. 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