The Use of Song to Improve Students Pronunciation at the Seventh Grade.

A. Background : There are many factors that cause unsatisfied result of learning English, but there are also many things to overcome the problem. As result students are able to developed communication skill and make them a costumed to interpreting as well as expressing. To learn English means to learn about the language it self and to learn how to use it in oral communication spoken language begin with sounds. The most important in learning process, the teacher has been called the facilitator or mediator should has some certain skills in teaching learning English. To express the language, it should has stimulus which was given.For giving the interesting learning process, the teacher can use media or method which is suitable, for example film, movie, picture, or music. In English language teaching attention should be paid to the teaching pronunciation, its’ seems to have an important of language teaching because we will know the quality of the speaking using pronunciation skill . We can teach pronunciation by song. Its’ give the students entertain to interest the teaching learning process. Many students have also proven that song are very helpful for learners in learning a new language. B. Research Question : 1.What extent are the songs able to improve the students pronunciation? 2. What are the problems faced by students? C. The purpose of the research 1. To find out what extent the song to able to improve the students pronunciation ? 2. To find out what the problems faced by the students. D. Underlying The Theories Kelly Affir in that â€Å"misic contains large section pronunciation and it has detail matter like vowel quality, syllabic length, and intonation pattern† (1996:99) One the study entitled â€Å" the use of children songs to improve students pronunciation a case of the fourth grade kabupaten pemalang† by febri Wira atmojo ( 2010:39) E.Research method The method of this research will use experimental quantitative research th ere are two activities they are pre test and post test. The techniques the researcher used to collect the data before and after test. The observation was used to gather information dealing with the students’ progress during the teaching and learning process. Besides, the oral test was done to know the students’ improvement in pronunciation before and after the technique was implemented.F. Reference †¢Harmer, Jeremy. 1991. The Practice of English Language Teaching. London: Longman. †¢Bums, Anne. 1999. Collaborative Action Research for English Language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. †¢Halliwell, Susan. 1992. Teaching English in the Primary Classroom. London: Longman. †¢Wira, febri . 2010 . the use of children song to improve students pronunciation. †¢http// linguistic. byu. edu/faculty herrichsen / research method / RM 2. 06 htm.

Development of Scince and Technology in India

Since Independence, India has endeavoured to bring economic and social change through science and technology. The effort has been both on upgrading the traditional skills to make them relevant and competitive and developing advanced capabilities in frontier areas of science and technology. The visionaries who led the growth of science and technology (S&T) in India were convinced that S&T could play an important role in transforming India in to a modern, industrialized society. Experience and results show that this confidence was well placed.Science, technology, and innovation are even more relevant today. Scientific knowledge and expertise, innovation, high technology, industrial infrastructure and skilled workforce are the currencies of this new era. Science and Technology are important drivers of economic growth and development in the contemporary world. The present juncture is critical for Indian science and major positive steps in this area will help the country to achieve sustai ned and rapid growth in the future.The Science and Technology Division of the Planning Commission is the nodal division for all matters relating to Science and Technology Plan formulation ( both Five Year Plans and Annual Plans) and appraisal of the S&T programmes of six major S&T agencies/Departments, viz. †¢Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)- R&D Sector †¢Department of Space (DOS) †¢Department of Science and Technology (DST) †¢Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) including the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) †¢Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) The Division has been maintaining a close liaison with these S&T agencies/departments for smooth information flow and provides them important suggestions/inputs in the formulation of various S&T plans and programmes at various stages of plan formulation, implementation and half yearly reviews. The Division has also been providing important input s in the formulation of S&T Policy.In order to promote Science and Technology in the States/UTs, create scientific awareness among the masses through popularization of S&T and technology dissemination for improving the quality of life of the people, the Division undertakes detailed discussions with the representatives of the States/UTs and provides important inputs/suggestions for the formulation of their Five Year Plans and Annual Plans in respect of the Science and Technology Sector. The vital role of science in modern life is not overstated in view of today's world. Science and technology have profoundly influenced the course of human civilization.Science has provided us remarkable insights into the world we live in. The scientific revolutions of the 20th century have led to many technologies, which promise to herald wholly new eras in many fields, As we stand today at the beginning of a new century, we have to ensure fullest use of these developments for the well being of our pe ople. Science and technology have been an integral part of Indian civilisation and culture over the past several millennia. Few are aware that India was the fountainhead of important foundational scientific developments and approaches.These cover many great scientific discoveries and technological achievements in Mathematics, Astronomy, Architecture, Chemistry, Metallurgy, Medicine, Natural Philosophy and other areas. A great deal of this travelled outwards from India. Equally, India also assimilated scientific ideas and techniques from elsewhere, with open-mindedness and a rational attitude, characteristic of a scientific ethos. India's traditions have been founded on the principles of universal harmony, respect for all creations and an integrated holistic approach.This background is likely to provide valuable insights for future scientific advances. During the century prior to independence, there was an awakening of modem science in India through the efforts of a number of outstan ding scientists. They were responsible for great scientific advances of the highest international caliber. Apart from the vast changes it has brought about, the development of a scientific temper in the people is considered important. In the planned economy of a country, science must necessarily play an especially important role.Improvements in techniques evolved as a result of scientific research brings about great increases in production in the different sectors of the economy. National resources are augmented by the substitution of cheap and abundant materials for those in scarce supplies and by finding uses for materials, which have remained un-utilized, prior to independence, very little attention was given to the problem of scientific and industrial research in India. A number of universities and institutes carried out research, mostly on fundamental aspects of science.Certain industries also had their own research organizations. However, industry depended, by and large, on fo reign techniques and did not develop research programmes of its own. A large number of products that had been imported into the country had to be manufactured to meet both civilian and military needs. Indian substitutes had to be found for imported materials and processes had to be developed which would use these materials in place of imported ones. In these circumstances, the Government of India constituted die Board of Scientific and Industrial Research in 1940.The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research was formed in 1942. Since independence there has been a greater emphasis on the provision of additional facilities for the promotion of scientific and industrial research. The most significant development in this sphere has been the establishment of a chain of national laboratories and research institutes in different parts of the country. The establishment of national laboratories and research institutes has a special importance in a country like India where medium and smal l-scale producers contribute a considerable proportion of industrial production.These industries cannot afford to have research facilities of their own, as the larger producers can. Besides these laboratories and research institutes, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has made contributions towards the promotion of fundamental and applied research at a number of institutions and universities. In the half century since independence, India has been committed to the task of promoting the spread of science. The key role of technology as an important element of national development is also well recognized.The Scientific Policy Resolution of 1958 and the Technology Policy Statement of 1983 enunciated the principles on which die growth of science and technology in India has been based over the past several decades. These policies have emphasized self-reliance, as also sustainable and equitable development. Successes in agriculture, health care, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, nuclear energy, astronomy and astrophysics, space technology and applications, defence research, biotechnology, electronics, information technology and oceanography are widely acknowledged.Major national achievements include very significant increase in food production, eradication or control of several diseases and increased life expectancy of our citizens. While these developments have been highly satisfying, one is also aware of die dramatic changes that have taken place, and continue to do so, in die practice of science, in technology development, and their relationships with, and impact on die society. Particularly striking is die rapidity with which science and technology is moving ahead.Science is becoming increasingly inter-and multi-disciplinary, and calls for multi-institutional and, in several cases, multi-country participation. Major experimental facilities, even in several areas of basic research, require very large amount of materials, human and intellectual resources . Science and technology have become so closely intertwined, and so reinforce each other that, to be effective, any policy needs to view them together.The continuing revolutions in die field of information and communication technology have had profound impact on the manner and speed with which scientific information becomes available, and scientific interactions take place. Science and technology have had unprecedented impact on economic growth and social development. Knowledge has become a source of economic might and power. This has led to increased restrictions on sharing of knowledge, to new norms of intellectual property rights, and to global trade and technology control regimes.Scientific and technological developments today also have deep ethical, legal and social implications. There are deep concerns in society about these. The ongoing globalization and the intensely competitive environment have a significant impact on the production and service sectors. Because of all this, our science and technology system has to be infused with new vitality if it is to play a decisive and beneficial role hi advancing the well being of all sections of our society. The nation continues to be firm in its resolve to support science and technology in all its facets.It recognizes its central role in raising the quality of life of the people of the country, particularly of the disadvantaged sections of society, in creating wealth for all, in making India globally competitive, in utilizing natural resources in a sustainable manner, in protecting die environment, and ensuring national security. India has the third largest scientific and technical manpower in the world; 162 universities award 4,000 doctorates and 35,000 post-graduate degrees and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research runs 40 research laboratories that have made some significant achievements.In the field of missile launch technology, India is among the five top nations of the world. Science and Tech nology, however, is used as an effective instrument of growth and change. It is being brought into the mainstream of economic planning in the sectors of agriculture, industry and services. The country's resources are used to derive the maximum output for the benefit of society and improvement in the quality of life. About 85 per cent of the funds for science and technology come directly or indirectly from the Government.The science and technology infrastructure in the country accounts for more than one per cent of the GNP. Science and technology in India is entering a new frontier. The prime objective of India's nuclear energy programme is the development and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes such as power generation, applications in agriculture, medicine, industry, research and other areas. India is today recognized as one of the countries most advanced in nuclear technology including production of source materials.The country is self-reliant and has mastered the expertis e covering the complete nuclear cycle-from exploration and mining to power generation and waste management. Accelerators and research and power reactors are now designed and built indigenously. The sophisticated variable energy cyclotron at Kolkata and a medium energy heavy ion accelerator ‘pelletron' set up recently at Mumbai are national research facilities in the frontier areas of the science. As part of its programme for peaceful uses of atomic energy, India has also embarked on a program of nuclear power generation.Currently eight nuclear stations are producing 8 billion kilowatts of electricity. Four more nuclear power stations have been planned. The new nuclear reactors have been completely designed in India. The peaceful nuclear programme also includes producing radio-isotopes for use in agriculture, medicine, industry and research. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), under the Department of Space (DOS), is responsible for research, development and operation in space systems in the areas of satellite communications, remote sensing for resource survey, environmental monitoring, meteorological services etc.DOS is also the nodal agency for the Physical Research Laboratorywhich conducts research in the areas of space science, and the National Remote Sensing Agency which deploys modern remote sensing techniques for natural resource surveys and provides operational services to user agencies. India is the only third world country to develop its own remote sensing satellite. India joined a select group of six nations on October 15, 1994, when the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) successfully . accomplished its mission of placing the 800-kg remote sensing satellite, IRS-P2, in the intended orbit.The INSAT series of satellites launched earlier are performing well and provide vital services for telecommunications, television, meteorology, disaster warning and distress detection. The latest INSAT series will include new features like Kit-band transponders and mobile satellite service, transponders. The remote-sensing satellites, launched in 1988 and 1991, have already become the mainstays of the natural resource management system of the country. The projected launch of advanced remote sensing satellite will not only enhance the scope of their application, but will also offer commercial service to other countries.The most significant milestone of the Indian Space Programme during the year 2005-06 was the successful launch of PSLV-C6. On May 5, 2006, the ninth flight of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C6) from Satish Dhawan Space centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota successfully placed two satellites-1560 kg CARTOSTAR-1 and 42 kg HAMSAT-into a predetermined polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO). The successful launch of INSAT-4A, the heaviest and most powerful Satellite built by India so far, on 22 December 2005 was the other major event of the year 2005-06. INSAT-4A is capable of providing Direct-To-Home (DTH) television bro adcasting services.The Indian space programme entered a new era when ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch vehicle (PSLV)-C7 successfully launched on January 10,2007 four satellites into high polar orbit from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota. The four satellites put into orbit were India's CARTUSAT-2 and space Capsule Recovery Experiment. (SRE-1), Indonesia's LAPAN-TUBSAT and Argentina's PEHUENSAT-1. The Indian achievement in the application of space-based remote sensing technology has led a US company to enter into an agreement for marketing the data from Indian satellites globally.India's progress in space technology has attracted worldwide attention and demand, with leasing agreements for marketing of IRS data and supply of space hardware and services. India also believes in co-operation in space with agencies all over the world. A high-level UN team selected India for setting up a UN Centre for Space Science and Technology Education. India is on the threshold of achieving self-reliance in the launch capability. It will be a befitting tribute to the father of the Indian space program, Dr. Vikararn Sarabhai, whose 90th birth anniversary was observed in August 2006.India has been the forerunner among the developing countries in promoting multi-disciplinary activities in the field of biotechnology, recognizing the practically unlimited possibility of their applications in increasing agricultural and industrial production, and in improving human and animal life. The nucleus of research in this area is the National Biotechnology Board, constituted in 1982. A Department of Biotechnology was created in 1986. Recently, the Biotechnology Consortium India Limited was set up. It will play the role of catalyst in bridging the gap between Research and Development, Industrial and Financial Institutions.Some of the new initiatives taken include developing techniques for gene mapping, conservation of biodiversity and bio indicators' research, special biotechnology pr ograms for the benefit of die scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and activities in the area of plantation oops. The areas, which have been receiving attention, are cattle herd improvement through embryo transfer technology, in vitro propagation of disease resistant plant varieties for obtaining higher yields, and development of vaccines for various diseases.Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was established in 1942, and is today the premier institution for scientific and industrial research. It has a network of 40 laboratories, two co-operative industrial research institutions and more than 100 extension and field centres. The Council's research programs are directed towards effective utilization of the country's natural resources and development of new processes and products for economic progress. It is now playing a leading role in the fulfillment of the technology missions evolved by the Government.Thus, we see that India has made unprecedented development in the field of scientific research and technology during the post-independence period and this just seems to be the beginning of a road with endless possibilities. All we need is to plan and organize in a way so as to be able to harness our intelligentsia in the right direction and provide it with the right opportunities. Science has been a major force in the development of the modern world. It has had a great impact on industry, commerce and the social life of nations. India is rightly proud of the high international standing of its scientific community.The rapid growth in its heavy industrial sector is one testament to this achievement. Yet at a time when new advances are being made in almost all fields of investigation and practical application, the fact remains that ninety percent of the country lies outside the influence of science, untouched or barely touched by the rapid growth in knowledge and the new technologies that have evolved. This is a country where highly advanced ind ustry lives along side primitive agriculture, but separated by an immense generation gap — a gap in education, prosperity and motivation.The reason for this is that science as it exists here today is not a natural development of nor integrated with the life of the nation. Rather it has been imposed as a superstructure on the social and economic life of the country and has failed to become a dynamic force for widespread social upliftment. Government planners have recognized this gap which divides the nation by a few centuries of progress and we are now seeing the first real attempts to bridge the distance. The problem of development is twofold.It is a task of awakening the sleeping potential of the country and educating it for effective action. It is also a task of adapting and molding the latest discoveries, technologies and life styles imported from the western world into a form and spirit in harmony with India's social and cultural heritage. In the field of science this dua l necessity can easily be seen. It is not enough that we create in the people an interest in modern technology or a willingness to adopt it.It is first essential that the scientific community in India adapt itself to the needs of the country and the people. The pivotal questions are how to involve scientists in evolving technologies relevant to the present needs of the people — which means the rural communities — and how to ensure the application of existing knowledge in the field of agriculture, industry and social life. In the developed countries which passed through the Industrial Revolution, science has come to occupy its present position through successive stages of natural social evolution.Among the conditions responsible for this development were the birth of democracy and political freedom, the spread of education, the rise of critical mental enquiry as a reaction to the dogmatism of Christianity and the vibrant expansion of human society through the opening of world wide commerce. Mind began to revolt against stagnation and religious fanaticism and to actively look for relationships between natural phenomena. Intuition was given scope for expression. This mental awakening took place in the context of an industrial revolution.That is, mental enquiry at once expressed itself through the observation of natural law and the application of this knowledge for devising instruments of social utility. Mind arrogantly proclaimed itself the ruler of man and nature. Pure science and applied technology grew side by side integrated with the society in which they rose through progressive stages of development. The industrial revolution absorbed the great mental energies unleashed by scientific enquiry. IMPORTED SCIENCE During the period of western industrialisation India was, historically speaking, in decline.Her population had learned to live on a subsistence level. The support of religion, culture and spirituality preserved social contentment and trad itional ways. Society lacked the impetus to grow and expand. Science as a social institution and organised way of life came to India only after independence. Here it did not arise naturally out of the existing social conditions but rather came as a decision by the national and government leaders to imitate the developmental achievements of the West.It was not born of a ripened mental climate for creative thought nor from a condition of great commercial activity and expression. In other words, it was imposed as a superstructure on top of the nation without reference to the felt need of the people or the stage of its historical and sociological evolution. AGRICULTURE, CUM INDUSTRIAL CUM SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT Today the scientific community transcends national borders and social customs. It is truly international in outlook, exchange of knowledge, participation of members.A scientist draws inspiration in being recognised by the higher echelons of the international community. To this ex tent the scientist has become insulated from the social atmosphere of the country in which he lives. This is especially true in India where science was never integrated with its social base. The problem facing us is to propose ways and means to accomplish this social integration of scientific knowledge and the community of scientists in India.The development of science in a society occurs under certain social conditions and progresses through certain stages of development. Neither these conditions nor stages can be completely eliminated though they may vary in their make-up and duration. But it is possible to foster the conditions which will accelerate a natural progressive development. For science to be integrated with life, it means that scientific knowledge and technology must be applied in the context of daily life which in India centers around agriculture and to a lesser extent industry and commerce.In fact the tasks of promoting the agricultural and industrial development of t he nation and the application of science to social life are essentially one. The proper atmosphere must be created for a natural development of science in conjunction with agriculture and industry. The linking of these three is the key to national development. VILLAGE BASED SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION When the scientific community turns its attention to advancing rural life, the conditions will be right for a socio-scientific revolution at the village level. Rural life in India means agriculture and agro-based industries.Already agriculture is being modernised through introduction of new hybrid crops, and the growing utilization of fertilizers and chemicals. Rural youth are becoming accustomed to the operation of machinery. More agricultural products are being converted into consumer goods through agro-based industries. But for the rural people to rise above the level of the soil and develop mentally and scientifically, it is necessary to release the dynamism of the village population. Th e real lever of development is the releasing and channeling of the social energies of the people.This can be accomplished when a few individuals in every community are made to see and benefit materially from the application of scientific techniques in their daily life. Once a few have prospered in this manner, whole villages will follow suit. Space science Space activities in the country started during early 1960s with the scientific investigation of upper atmosphere and ionosphere over the magnetic equator that passes over Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram using small sounding rockets Realising the immense potential of space technology for national development, Dr.Vikram Sarabhai, the visionary leader envisioned that this powerful technology could play a meaningful role in national development and solving the problems of common man. Thus, Indian Space programme born in the church beginning, space activities in the country, concentrated on achieving self reliance and developing capabil ity to build and launch communication satellites for television broadcast, telecommunications and meteorological applications; remote sensing satellites for management of natural resources.The objective of ISRO is to develop space technology and its application to various national tasks. Accordingly, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully operationalised two major satellite systems namely Indian National Satellites (INSAT) for communication services and Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites for management of natural resources; also, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) for launching IRS type of satellites and Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) for launching INSAT type of satellites.The Space Commission formulates the policies and oversees the implementation of the Indian space programme to promote the development and application of space science and technology for the socio-economic benefit of the country. DOS implements these programmes through, mai nly Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), North Eastern-Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC) and Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL).The Antrix Corporation, established in 1992 as a government owned company, markets the space products and services Department of Atomic Energy The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was set-up on August 3, 1954 under the direct charge of the Prime Minister through a Presidential Order. The vision of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is to empower India through technology, creation of more wealth and providing better quality of life to its citizen.This is to be achieved by making India energy independent, contributing to provision of sufficient, safe and nutritious food and better health care to our people through development and deployment of nuclear and radiation technologies and their applications. DAE is engaged in the design, construction and operation of nuclear power/research reactors and the supporting nuclear fuel cycle technologies covering exploration, mining and processing of nuclear minerals, production of heavy water, nuclear fuel fabrication, fuel reprocessing and nuclear waste management. It is also eveloping advanced technologies that contribute to the national prosperity. The spin-off technologies, human resource developed and technical services being rendered by the Department have been greatly helping the Indian industry. The Department is also developing better crop varieties, techniques for control/eradication of insects thus protecting the crops, radiation based post harvest technologies, radiation based techniques for diagnosis and therapy of disease particularly cancer, technologies for safe drinking water, better environment and robust industry.Main Focus areas of work in DAE are: Increasing share of nuclear power through deployment of indigenous and other proven technologies, along with development of fast breeder reac tors and thorium reactors with associated fuel cycle facilities. 1. Building and operation of research reactors for production of radioisotopes and carrying out radiation technology applications in the field of medicine, agriculture and industry. 2.Developing advanced technologies such as accelerators, lasers, supercomputers, advanced materials and instrumentation, and encouraging transfer of technology to industry. 3. Support to basic research in nuclear energy and related frontier areas of science, interaction with universities and academic institutions, support to research and development projects having a bearing in DAE’s programmes and international co-operation in related advanced areas of research and 4. Contribution to national security.DAE has made the following significant contributions of DAE to the national initiatives: 1. AGRICULTURE: Enhanced production of oilseeds and pulses 2. EDUCATION, HEALTH: i. Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI) ii. National Initiative on Undergraduate Science (NIUS) iii. Countrywide Services in Cancer through Telemedicine 3. FOOD & NUTRITION SECURITY:Radiation Processing of Food & Agro Products 4. WATER RESOURCES:Desalination in water scarcity areas along the sea coast 5.ENERGY SECURITY: Electricity supply in near and long term ensuring long term sustainable development. Solar Energy Research Initiative Department of Science and Technology (DST) is primarily mandated with promotion of R activities. Accordingly, DST’s initiative on Solar Energy is positioned upstream with thrust on enabling knowledge based R activities for entire gamut of solar technologies including balance of systems. This is expected to be achieved through nurturing of R groups, formation of consortia and setting up of State-of-art facilities.Solar Energy utilization for applications both for power as well as other than power generation with a view to provide convergent technology solutions under real-life conditions are being explored a nd assessed. DST in recent times has made foray in the area of solar energy through various parallel independent initiatives with distinct objectives. S Inputs for Policy Formulation Precompetitive Research & Technology Upgradation Basic Research and Disruptive Technologies International Cooperation Enabling R for Solar Technologies

Insights on Guidance Counseling Essay

It is said that school is second to home, and teachers act as a child’s parent. The role of a teacher therefore is equated to the role of a parent. One of these roles, and perhaps the most complicated one is the role of giving guidance. First, one cannot guide if he is lost. Meaning, inorder for a person to be able to give out guidance to another person, he must first examine himself very well. Because guidance is all about leading someone to the right path. Therefore, if a student is problematic with his studies and is at risk of failing or dropping out, it is the teacher’s primary role to examine the cause – it could possibly be because the teacher is so strict, or could be because the teacher’s main concern is only imparting the subject matter without giving importance to his/her student’s interest. Because sometimes, it could also be that a teacher is the one who is lost. Guidance takes two to tango. It is not one sided. There must be a giver and a taker. The teacher acts as the giver of help, and the problematic person as the taker of the teacher’s advice. This relationship must be seriously attended to by each side until both parties reach the point of stabilization. If ever one of them breaks from this act while in the middle of the process, then guidance is not given at all, there is only waste of time, and the child remain helpless. Teach a man how to fish, and he will live forever. Guidance must not be spoon-feeding. It should not be about being dependent and giving solutions to a man’s problem. Instead, it is about teaching a person how to be independent and strong enough to find solutions to his own problems. Guidance is given so that a person must learn to make his own decisions, his own insights and realizations. And lastly, united we stand, divided we fall -guidance is collaborative. Inorder for guidance to succeed, it needs everyone’s support-both from the school’s community and the child’s community. It needs constant cooperation between the child’s family and the school’s guidance committee which could be composed of the guidance counselor, principal and the teacher. The center of focus is the problematic child. It is like bayanihan, it demands everyones effort to help for it to be successful.

The Trajectory of ISIS: Political Discourse and Youth Agenda

Introduction The influence of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) is spreading fast not only in the Middle East but also across the globe. The sophistication and intensity of the ISIS’s onslaughts to expand their territory has raised questions of how they manage to accomplish their missions in the recent past. Most studies on the problems facing Middle East have focused on the immediate issues and concerns related to radical Islamic groups; however, this research seeks to investigate the future of ISIS in the dimension of youth agenda. Studies have shown that majority of the youth in Islamic states believe that Islam should play a role in the political discourse (Motadel, 2014; Sarikil, 2010). Their demand, based on theory, is that states based on Islamic principles are more desirable than one with liberal approach to governance (Motadel, 2014). Although the youth desire to have states under strong Islamic principles, history indicates that youth put more importance to their ethnic and sectarian identities than to their national identity (Jung and Raudvere, 2008). The emerging problem, among other issues, in this scenario is that the imagined ideal Islamic state is in question because there is no single Islamic identity that everyone would agree upon. Therefore, one fundamental question arises, â€Å"what is this Islamic State being advanced by the ISIS and what is it practicality in the perspective of future political discourse?† We advance this question further and ask: What do the Muslim youth believe in the purely â€Å"Islamic State† and systemIs there any single Islamic ideology among the Muslim youthsIf yes, what are these ideologiesIf no, what are the conflicting differences and what do they mean for the future of ISIS? Reference Jung, D. and Raudvere, C. (2008). Religion, Politics, and Turkey’s EU Accession. NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Motadel ,D. (2014). â€Å"The Ancestors of ISIS,† The New York Times. 23 September 2014. Internet: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/opinion/the-ancestors-of-isis.html. Date accessed: 25 October 2014. Sarikil, Z. (2010). Curbing Kurdish ethno-nationalism in Turkey: an empirical assessment of pro-Islamic and socio-economic approaches. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 33(3): 533-553.

Lab Report on Effect of Enzymes Essay

ntroduction The enzyme catalase is present in cells in order to speed the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is a toxic chemical to the human body. When hydrogen peroxide is broken down, the end products are Water (H2O) and Oxygen (O2). In this report, the reaction of catalase to hydrogen peroxide is being tested. Furthermore, the effects of temperature, concentration, and pH level on this reaction are being considered. We hypothesize that he experiments will show that Catalase speeds the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen, and the oxygen will produce a larger bubbling effect in the solutions where the optimum conditions for enzymatic activity are present. These optimum conditions should be in warm temperature, high concentration, and high pH levels. First, the reaction of catalase to hydrogen peroxide is tested with no additional factors. Then, to study the effect of temperature, three ranges of temperature are introduced in the second experiment. Next, to study the ef fect of concentration, three different levels of catalase are studied in the third experiment. And finally, to study the effect of pH, solutions with three levels of hydrogen concentration are tested in the fourth experiment, again with hydrogen peroxide and catalase. Methods Experiment 1: To test the catalase-hydrogen peroxide reaction with no additional factors, we marked three test tubes to the 1 cm and 5 cm marks. Catalase was added to the 1 cm mark of test tube 1 and test tube 3, while test tube 2 was filled to the 1 cm mark with water. Hydrogen peroxide was added to the 5 cm mark in test tube 1 and test tube 2, while a sucrose solution was used to fill test tube 3. All test tubes were mixed and we waited 20 seconds for bubbling. Test tube 1 represented the experiment, while test tube 2 was the negative control for hydrogen peroxide, and test tube 3 was the negative control for the catalase. Experiment 2: To test the  effect of temperature on enzyme activity, the solution created in test tube 1 of the previous experiment was recreated in three separate test tubes. Test tube 1 was placed in an ice bath. Test 2 was placed in warm water. Test tube 3 was placed in boiling water. Experiment 3: To test the effect of concentration, three separate test tub es were set of to have three different concentrations of the reactant (catalase), while the substrate was consistent across all three test tubes. Test tube 1 was filled in the same fashion as test tube 1 in the first experiment. Test tube 2 was then filled to 2 cm with catalase and then to 7 cm with hydrogen peroxide. Test tube 3 was filled to 3 cm with catalase, and then to 8 cm with hydrogen peroxide. Experiment 4: Finally, to test the effect of pH Level on enzyme activity, three test tubes were again created. The concentration of catalase and hydrogen peroxide are again the same as in test tube one in the first experiment. However, 2 cm of water adjusted to different pH levels were added. In test tube 1, 2 cm of water with pH of 3 is added to the 1 cm of catalase and 4 cm of hydrogen peroxide. In test tube 2, 2 cm of water adjusted to the pH adjusted to 7 was added to 1 cm of catalase and 4 cm of hydrogen peroxide. In test tube 3, 2 cm of water adjusted to the pH adjusted to 11 was added to 1 cm of catalase and 4 cm of hydrogen peroxide. Discussion The discussion section includes your interpretation of the results and provides the answer to the research question described in the introduction. Specifically, discuss whether or not your hypotheses were supported. Also, include a comparison to previous studies, discuss the limitations of your study (briefly), and detail unexpected findings. Finally, summarize your conclusions and discuss the significance of your results in a broader context. Use the appropriate tense as described above. References The references section is a list of all references cited in the text. Arrange references alphabetically according to author name, not chronologically. The name of the journals containing the cited papers should be written out in full. Town/city and country names should be provided for non-journal references. Each article reference should be given as in the following example: Alfano J.R., Collmer A. (2004) Type III secretion system effector proteins: double agents in bacterial disease and plant defence. Annual Review Phytopathology, 42, 385–414. Books or other non-serial publications which are quoted in the references must be cited as follows: Gage J.D., Tyler P.A. (1991) Deep-sea Biology: A Natural History of Organisms at the Deep-sea Floor. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK: 504 pp. Lester R.N., Hasan S.M.Z. (1991) Origin and domestication of the brinjal eggplant, Solanum melongena, from S. incanum, in Africa and Asia. In: Hawkes J.G., Lester R.N., Nee M., Estrada N. (Eds), Solanaceae III: Taxonomy, Chemistry, Evolution. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; London, UK: 369–387.

Is There Nowhere Else Where We Can Meet ?

The story begins with a clever prophetic metaphor, ‘reversal of elements' where the white sky is blackened by smoke. This speaks of the role reversal that is about to take place between the races of the boy and the girl. It warns us that there is going to be meeting and it won't be a particularly pleasant one. The title itself incurs thoughts of a romantic meeting, similar to the title of a Hollywood film. This gives the reader a clue that there is a sexual theme in this story.II)an initiation story1) Little red riding hood : journey/ hostile nature / sexual threat / big bad wolf Particular attention should be drawn to smells, they play vital role inthis story. e.g. the strong smell of old sweat burned at her nostrils, a filthy rag,a dusty green scent, he was clean, unhuman, the smell of him choked her.2) A regression process : turning into an idiot (absence of speech)3) Balance and imbalanceViolence is contained by fear.III) (south-african white) girl meets (black) boy : a tale of racial, spacial, sexual, social segregation :1) Irrational instinctive reaction on the girl's part2) Sense of place/displacement3) Fear of the UnknownThe story gets complicated with every minute, the heroine sees some red eyes, she does not knowwhether they belong to a dog or to a person. These red eyes evoke fear andsome interest, her hurt starts beating faster and faster. The author on purpose did not give any names because she wanted to generalize thatsituation and foreground some oppositions: white and black ( racial  context ), educated – uneducated, civilization – veld.

Indentured servants in Colonial America Coursework

Indentured servants in Colonial America - Coursework Example They led a life of hardship with stringent punishment. Their daily routine was centered to the work and they had to work from the dawn till late at night and provided small portion of food. Most of the indentured servants had hard taskmasters with long working hours. They had little spare time for their own work. The plantation workers, after coming back from the plantation had to feed the cattle, cut the wood, prepare the supper and dinner for the next day etc. (Morgan, 2001). After their time was up, they would either go back to their own country or stay back and toil the land that was given to them. As the indentured servants were not paid any wages except for the food and the lodging, they had no saving and the land was the only means of livelihood for them. Some indentured servants like Anthony Johnson became successful farmers and traders after their contract expired. Johnson was granted land and he became a wealthy as tobacco farmer as well as one f the first black slave-traders (Foner,

Song of the Hummingbird Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Song of the Hummingbird - Essay Example In terms of temples, Smith illustrates that Aztec temples generally had standard types and forms. Many of their temples had high platforms or pyramids with a stairway running on one side toward one or more cult rooms. Many powerful Aztec capitals had twin-temple pyramids with two cult rooms and two stairways that are parallel to each other. Every Aztec city had one of more gods and had cults dedicated to them in the city’s temple. In the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan, two shrines were dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, for instance. Public ceremonies are one of the most familiar dimensions of Aztec religion to the public because of a number of movies highlighting these rituals and written records from Spanish friars and documents. Smith underscores that the Spanish sources of the Aztec human sacrifices that said that thousands were sacrificed for individual ceremonies may be biased because they wanted to make the Aztecs look inhumane as part of their colonization agenda. Smith confirms that human sacrifices were indeed part of Aztec rituals but archeological evidence is not enough to determine the exact intensity and frequency of these sacrifices. Rites of human sacrifice were connected to beliefs that human blood is sacred and that people owe debts to gods that must be repaid with human blood or life itself. The Aztecs also practiced other rituals and festivities, such as the monthly (‘Veintena’) ceremonies, new fire ceremony, and domestic rituals. Smith describes these rituals and the objects use d during these practices too. Thus, Smith’s chapter on â€Å"Aztecs† gives a useful overview on Aztec

Operations Management processes Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Operations Management processes - Assignment Example The effective utilization of TQM can yield positive results which would not only improve the operations but would set higher operating standards. The proposed alternative approach for Pizza Store would be the implementation of Six Sigma Principle in relation to External Benchmarking. This strategy will initiate with DMAIC methodology where customer priorities and Defined which in Mario’s case would be length of the queue, the customers in peak hours, waiting time, order processing time, and the overall service. These are the parameters which are regarded significant by the customers and should be targeted. The second step is to Measure the current processes to pinpoint the defects in the system and highlight the bottlenecks. These concerned areas are critical to the quality of service and needs to be improved (Jacobs, Chase and Aquilano, 2005). Once the gray areas are identified, we need to proceed with Analyzing the reasons behind these defects. We need to find answers to the questions such as, Are we able to cater the customers during peak hours? Where the order processing consumes maximum time? Is the behavior of ou r waiters friendly? The next step is to Improve the concerned areas by identifying the acceptable standards for working to achieve them. Alignment with the highest operating standard to yield desirable result is a tedious process (Jacobs and Chase, 2010). It is needed to be carried out with diligence so that no lacking in standards is observed in any critical area. The existing processes needs to be modified, changed or even re-engineered to reach the desirable level. The last but not the least, Control the array of events otherwise the complete activity would be a useless ordeal. Proper monitoring of the key personnel as well the variables is required to ensure that all is under control. Failing to abide by any of these would simply result in a failure

Sandra Backlund's life and fashin design Coursework

Sandra Backlund's life and fashin design - Coursework Example The Swedish designer, Sandra Backlund, was born in 1975 in Stockholm where she lives even today. While she wanted to be a hairstylist when she was about 10, her grandmother regular taught her how to knit. As she grew up, she always considered it a conscious decision to start what her mother often praised her of being excellently talented; handicrafts. She attributes the absence of fascinating fashion to buy as an adolescent as a key factor that motivated her to create her own clothes from the ideas taught by her grandmother. Her desire to express herself artistically further motivated her to join the Beckmans College. In 2004, Backlund graduated from Beckmans College in Stockholm and later that year, sought financial assistance from friends and family to set up her individual eponymous label from where she has been working round-the-clock since then. After setting up the eponymous label in 2004, Backlund fully became exposed to the world of art winning many accolades thereafter. For instance, she was crowned the winner of the Grand Prix in the De Monde & Photographie in Hyeres international festival in France, and the British Fashion Council awarded her the NewGen sponsorship in 2009 as asserted by Battista. In 2010, Backlund extended her success by winning the Swedish Elle Award.Backlund’s success left decriers and supporters flabbergasted. Despite the challenges she faced being in an industry that was previously perceived to be chauvinistic, Backlund sojourned on attracting the awe of the international fashion community.

The Student Protest Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Student Protest Movement - Essay Example In the USA, the Civil Liberties Movement had moved from the south toward the northern towns with the concerns of open accommodation, as well as the Black Awareness Movement. The German scholar movements were mainly a reaction in opposition to the perceived totalitarianism and two-facedness of the German administration and supplementary Western regimes, particularly in regard to the poor livelihood conditions of scholars (Keach, 2009, pp. 5). Students within 108 German campuses protested for the East Germany identification, the exclusion of regime administrators with Nazi accounts and for the students’ civil liberties. Madrid University learners protested the police participation in scholar demonstrations, objected the autocrat Francisco Franco's administration, and demonstrated concerning trade unions, as well as worker rights. Violent Protest in France and Italy In 1968, students utilized a wide variety of protest strategies, for instance, sit-in, professions, demonstrations, etc. However, particularly in France and Italy they often took part in violent protest. Students in Italy protested violently because they wanted to convert the political consciousness and assurance of a whole generation of youthful Italians. Scholars were facing limitations, as well as hardships and comprehended very evidently that totalitarianism and corruption within the university structure reflected an essentially exploitative societal order (Lichfiel, 2010, pp. 11). Therefore, a violent protest was their only option. They also demanded refusal of the purported campus reform bill being talked about in congress, which reintroduced restrictions on campus admission and forced mindless limits on diploma, as well as degree programs. Scholars were also confronting an administration ban on remonstrations. 16th March 1968, the police forcefully forced scholars to leave structures on the main university grounds, and the heads of the group chose to recapture the Architecture structure. In France, the bona fide logic of the 1968 violent objections was done to gain the incredible sense of emancipation, of self-determination for the scholars. The students desired the entire order, power, as well as tradition system to be brushed aside. The scholars wanted the Sorbonne campus reopened so that they could take it up and later announced it as an independent â€Å"people's institution of higher education† because they felt the campus was for everyone (O'Hagan, 2008, pp. 6). Additionally, socialists perceived a chance to act as a concession amid de Gaulle, as well as the Communists utilizing violent protests for results. On May 28th, Federation of the independent and communist Left, Francois Mitterrand declared that through violent protests they no longer have a state and was set to form a new-fangled regime. Violent protests brought about the beginning of a novel age to be dominated largely by the supposed new societal movements. Media’s framing devices to à ¢â‚¬Ëœunmake’ student protest in the 1960s Lumley says that by the initial 1968months the scholar movement within Italy had

Reseach approach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Reseach approach - Essay Example Numerous researches and studies are directed on definition of the problem deeply rooted in the minds of Americans who consume junk food and the number of obese people is growing from year to year. This research paper provides a look of the Interactionist Perspective on the problem of obesity among children. It implies that under pressure of surrounding obese people, a healthy individual would become obese also. Therefore, a parental influence within the family may turn a healthy child in an obese one. Moreover, in accordance with the recent studies, low incomes of families, a low level of education and other negatively influencing socio-economic factors prevent children from exercising and obtrude often eating upon them. Thus, within a peer group an obese individual feels himself comfortable, but in the society he is perceived as a deviant one. Children obesity is greatly triggered within their families if their parents are obese and it is natural of them to eat huge amounts of food. The often eating custom of a certain family turns into a bad habit of their child. The Interactionist perspective is incorporated in the discussion about obesity among children further on. ... Healthcare costs are greatly influenced by obesity. â€Å"World Bank has claimed that the cost of obesity at 12 percent of the nation’s healthcare budget† (Department of Health and Human service, 2000). The costs of obesity cause negative influences on individual and governmental levels. Therefore a struggle against obesity must be held on governmental level because it is an intimidating factor for all nations’ health. There is a need to propagate healthy way of life and increase living standards of ethnical minorities and Americans with lower socioeconomic status. Literature Review: Economic factors Lower incomes lead to high levels of junk food consumption. Affordability and availability of this kind of food increases obesity levels. In accordance with National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, â€Å"there are more obese among non-Hispanic white adolescents from families with low income than from families with higher income families. Obese people among non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican-American children have no low income in their families, on the other hand† (Troiano & Flegal, 1998). Healthy Foods Access Low income of people leads them to wrong food choices: thus people decide to buy food with higher calorie levels due to its lower price (Morland a), 2002).Healthy food costs more than junk food (Drewnowski & Specter, 2004). Data obtained from the study conducted in 2002 signifies that â€Å"†¦there are three times as many supermarkets in wealthy neighborhoods as in poor neighborhoods, and four times as many supermarkets in predominantly white neighborhoods as in predominantly African-American ones (Morland b), 2002). Physical Activity Factors Another

Marginalization in Haiti, Peru, Russian Term Paper

Marginalization in Haiti, Peru, Russian - Term Paper Example The Russian Federation, Haiti, and Peru are classified as developing countries, which is mainly due to the unevenness of their respective people’s access to national resources. There are small numbers of extremely rich and powerful individuals enjoying the national wealth while a large group of the populations remain marginalized and kept aloof from the resources and political power.   Regardless, the former kind of marginalization is manifested in the three countries, especially among members of the middle-class segment of the populations. The population segment face marginalization in terms of access to higher education, comprehensive medical care, proper nutrition, and adequate housing due to poor paying jobs and lack of adequate training. However, some members of the group enjoy food stamps, fair-priced housing, universal elementary education, and access to emergency health care. However, these safety nets are inadequate and are usually overstretched by other pressures such as overpopulation. For instance, constant natural disasters such as floods have usually exposed substantial numbers of Haitian middle-class, for instance, to the problem of overstretched rescue teams and medical resources (Kidder Chapter 3). Certainly, these populations live in extremely trying situations and feel marginalized by the fewer more, affluent members of the society.  On the oth er hand, abject poverty which is the focus of the protagonist and his community is attributed to a lack of any safety net for vast populations. The group is represented by the lower-class populations of Russia, Haiti, and Peru who cannot access footwear, safe water for drinking, basic education and health care (Kidder Chapters 4 and 5). In addition, those who are in abject poverty are completely marginalized in terms of access to housing as evidenced in inadequate floor area, leaking roofs, improper furniture, and walls or other finishing.  Ã‚     

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 11

Case Study Example This paper explores this question with reference to the Wal-Mart’s adoption of a computerized scheduling system from the Kronos. Wal-Mart is faced with the ethical dilemma of adopting a computerized scheduling system for its employees, which will speed up the scheduling of its employees’ work shifts. The advocates of the rights of workers were strongly against the move arguing on the impacts the adoption of the computerized system would have on the lives of the workers. It is imperative to point that the store managers, who manually carried out the schedule arrangement, traditionally carried out the intended work of scheduling workers at the Wal-Mart’s big box stores. The store manager’s decisions were based on previous year’s weekly sales data and the store promotions. The process of scheduling the employees was traditionally a time consuming process that took the store managers a full day. It is significant to note that the manual scheduling of the employees by the store managers was an expensive endeavor given the fact that Wal-Mart operates a number of stores. The labor intensi ty that was required to schedule the Wal-Mart employees manually produced marginally beneficial results to the company, thus expensive. The use of the computerized system of scheduling employees in Wal-Mart the overall productivity of the scheduling process was achieved within a short time for all the stores. The adoption of the Kronos scheduling system is of great benefit to the company due to its flexibility, cost efficiency, cost effectiveness, as well as improved productivity. It is also significant to note that the store managers, with the adoption of the computerized scheduling system, can now concentrate on the effective management of their respective stores. The computerized employee scheduling system by the Kronos has an efficient system of tracking transactions, sales by individual stress, customer traffic, and

Level 6 Diploma in Careers Guidance and Development Essay - 1

Level 6 Diploma in Careers Guidance and Development - Essay Example Reflective practice involves the ability to reflect on an action in order to take part in a continuous learning process that defines the traits of a professional practice. Reflective practice can also represent a criterion of paying attention to the practical theories and values that inform the everyday action through looking through the reflexively and reflectively practice. This leads to insight development. Reflective practice is a vital tool in professional practice-based learning settings where people learn out of their own experiences, instead of learning from a knowledge transfer, and a formal teaching. This means that reflective practice is the most crucial individual source of professional improvement and development. In this respect, the idea of reflective practice has obtained a huge take-up especially in the development of a practitioner’s profession in areas of health care and education. This means that reflective practice surrounds the issue of lifelong learning where one practitioner analyses different experiences so as to learn out of them. In this case, reflective practice promotes the professionals that are independent and continuously take part in situations of reflection that they come across in their world of profession. However, critics hold that reflection is time consuming and an annoying interruption to learners. It is noted that learners can end up becoming somewhat more anxious and introspective concerning their actions. Moreover, the lack of experience by learners can adversely affect the quality of reflective practice they adopt. This explains why there is need for continued evaluation of assumptions, beliefs, as well as hypothesis against the existing data on reflective practice. Needless to say, there is need to ensure that there is justification of the reflective learning design, and measurement of process, which need to focus upon the reflective

Decision Making - Euro Crisis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Decision Making - Euro Crisis - Case Study Example The most affected commodity is the price of oil. The price of oil and petroleum products in Africa is mostly controlled by rab nations. This leaves them with no choice than to acquire the commodity in the stated price. The Euro zone has become more sensitive in trying to solve this issue. This because the forecasted effects of the crisis look fatal for the euro zone. The most substantial factors considered are how to clear debts in the financial crisis and how to appropriately manage the financial aid given to the nations in euro zone. So far the resolution strategy has not born fruits yet which makes the third world countries lose hope in finding solutions from the two financial heads. The European Union is also affected by the crisis and stares in the brink of losing its economic superiority. This paper will focus on the effects of the crisis to the European Union and also the leadership strategy that EU will use to curb the crisis. Additionally it will focus on the crisis effect on the leadership of the European Union. In the modern century, superiority of nations is measured by their ability to successfully be part of a function economic zone. The economic zone not only shields nations from financial uncertainties but also in provide member nations with development funds. According to Guscina & Broeck this strategy is proven to have the most significant results in the sustaining the economy of nations in the current economic conditions (311). The author argues that all financially stable nations have a well organized zone at their disposal. Taking for instance the Arabic countries, nations in this region had the poor financial capabilities. In the modern century, these nations have become bearers of the most financial stable economies around the world. This is after the realization of a joint zone financial operation. Comparing the Arab world to the euro zone, the difference lies in the fact that the euro

Ulcerative colitis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ulcerative colitis - Essay Example Fever, pain in the joints, weight loss, and GI bleeding may also accompany nausea and vomiting (Board, ADAM & National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2012) Though the exact cause is unknown there are many research studies that have been able to suggest with scientific validation the possibility of many factors, causes and contributions to the disease. One research study conducted in 2006 suggested that there was a significant genetic contribution that factored in those more susceptible to those with an inflammatory bowel disease (Satsangi,2006) Studies at the molecular level have identified and determined genetic susceptibility to ulcerative colitis. Of course this discovery is able to provide new insight into the pathogenicity of the disease and disease process. Risk factors usually include those in poor health and it is a higher risk between the ages of 15-30 and then resurfaces between the ages of 50-70. Family history and Jewish ancestry are also implicated though family history may be linked to genetics and studies in these areas are able to provide stronger links between this family history and the prevalence of the disease. Breastfeeding, appendectomy, and smoking are also associated risks (Head, and Jurenka, 2003). Normal system functions appear to be prohibited by ‘increases in certain inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress signs, deranged colonic milieu, decreased oxidation of short chain fatty acids, increased intestinal permeability, an increase in the production of sulfides, and decreased methylation,’ (Head, and Jurenka, 2003). Certain cytokines along with anti-oxidant levels as well as the presence of bacteria interfere with normal system functions. These systematic functional abnormalities each contribute to symptoms of ulcerative colitis. For example increased oxidative stress is manifested in the intestinal mucosa of patients. Bowel lesions are much more evident when the bacteria

Revisions on Strategic Planning Modules Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Revisions on Strategic Planning Modules - Essay Example The strategic planning and budgeting projects provided timely insights which provided the opportunity to examine and evaluate an organization in terms of how its strategic planning and budgeting process enables it to cope with diverse factors that affect its attainment of organizational goals. ((1) external environment analysis, (2) strategic issues and opportunities, (3) core values, (4) mission, (5) goals and objectives, (6) strategic and other indicators, (7) evaluation, (8) action steps, (9) revenue and costs; and (10) assessment) and SWOT analysis in providing relevant information to guide decision makers in creating the most appropriate action plan given the challenges in the environment and other factors that influence the organization’s operations. Only with a comprehensive and timely strategic plan in place can top management participate in the preparation, evaluation, and assessment of its operating budget to guide its operations in the near future. Given the aforementioned insights, the operating budget that was previously presented should be revised to incorporate the following factors: (1) tuition fee rate per school year amounts to $36, 300 for a full load undergraduate program, (2) the lessons learned on SWOT analysis of current and future conditions should focus on the impact of the global financial crisis in cost reduction thereby reducing the projected expenses more, (3) the further reduction in costs would enable the university in generating additional income from $25 million as previously projected, to $29 million – which can be utilized to address needed repairs and maintenance and salaries of personnel.

Unconstitutional Book Banning Essay Example for Free

Unconstitutional Book Banning Essay Imagine you’re in graduate school and you’re doing your doctorate on a controversial issue. You’ve done most of the research however there’s one book that has specific information that you need, and you can only find it in that particular book. You’ve looked on the online database and find out that the book is in your universities library. You go to the library and ask for some help finding the book you need, however the librarian informs you that the book was recently banned. How is it that in a country that prides itself in freedom of speech and self expression, a book on a controversial issue has been banned? Does it not contradict what the founding fathers fought so hard for in the Revolutionary war? In today’s society the biggest reason for book banning is based on protecting moral values set in place in the home. Well meaning teacher, parents, and other would be censors worry that by exposing the nation’s youth to concepts such as sex, drugs, and alcohol they will start experimenting with these things. Ultimately they fear the breakdown of the moral values emphasized in the home. This is especially true for conservative Christians, in the past ten years books such as J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials have caused a great deal of controversy among conservative Christians. The idea of magic, alternate and parallel universes is not a popular one among Conservative Christians. But does this really warrant all out banning books such as these? Most would say no, the ideals of a certain group should not determine what the rest of the population reads. The ideals of a minority should not determine what books are left on the shelves of libraries. It’s one thing if the private institutions chose not to stock certain books in their libraries, but it is a different matter entirely when they want to take books out of the public libraries where they are put for the enjoyment of the public. Banning books violates one of the fundamental rites the US was built on, freedom of speech and freedom of press. The freedom to read and write freely is fundamentally American. It allows citizens to express themselves without fearing repercussions from the government, or fellow citizens. It allows readers to read freely and make their own decisions. Book banning would create a narrow minded population, who don’t know how to reason for themselves. Thinking again of the argument of preserving family values, it must be taken into consideration the kind of television that is currently airing. In many ways TV is more graphic, and explicit. Yet it is tolerated, whereas even just crude language is apparently cause enough to ban a book. Parents are also worried about when their children who are reading above grade level are assigned books intended for students three to four grades above them. This can expose younger readers to seemingly inappropriate material. However there are other options, parents can talk to teachers and ask for more age appropriate books for their younger readers. Banning books violates the rites that our founding fathers fought so hard for in the Revolutionary War. Works Cited  Beatserfield, Suzanne M. â€Å"Parental Concerns About Book Content Should Not Be Dismissed. † English Journal 97. 3 (2008). Opposing Viewpoints. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Connelly, Deborah S. To Read Or Not To Read: Understanding Book Censorship. Community Junior College Libraries 15. 2 (2009): 83-90. ERIC. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Gallo, Don. â€Å"Teens Need Bold Books. † English Journal 97. 3 (2008). Opposing Viewpoints. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Manning, Erin. â€Å"Parents Must Protect Children from Offensive Material in Books. † MercatorNet. (2009). Opposing Viewpoints. Web. 10 Nov. 2011.

Computer Rentals Essay Example for Free

Computer Rentals Essay [1.a] Using the dimensions we discussed in class, how would you describe Mitchell Gold Co.’s strategic position? Mitchell Gold competes by offering high quality products at a lower price than most makers of similar quality furniture. They offer limited variety in comparison to other makers, which allows them to be more responsive and deliver orders in a timely manner (97% on time shipment). [1.b] Consider the following description of another furniture maker’s (Invincible IPF) business: The standard product line has about 500 different items, with many of the pieces starting as stock, unfinished wooden frames imported from Europe. But the finished furniture can be as different as the imaginations of the designers, with 60 different standard finishes for the wood and an almost unlimited selection of upholstery provided by designers. †¦ Because each piece is hand finished by rag and brush and made to order, the process can take 12 weeks or longer, with one custom-made entertainment cabinet nearing completion after almost six months. (The Record, Bergen County, NJ, 12/09/2001) How would you anticipate that Mitchell Gold’s production processes differ from those of Invincible IPF? Be sure to discuss the nature of the production equipment and the placement of inventory. MG offers less variety and has greater volume than Invincible. Consequently, MG likely uses more specialized equipment while Invincible has primarily general-purpose equipment. Since designers provide upholstery provided for custom orders, Invincible should have little raw material and no finished goods. MG likely has higher raw material and finished goods inventory. Given the long flow times, Invincible likely has much higher WIP levels. Question 2 [2.a] In The Goal, Jonah asks Alex 3 questions: Did your throughput increase? Did your inventories decline? Did your process cost decline? Define each of the three italicized terms for a process and explain why a positive answer to each of the three questions may be classified as an improvement. Throughput corresponds to the rate at which flow units flow through the process. Throughput in general should correspond to sales not production. If the product has a positive margin, an increase in throughput increases positive cash flows. Inventories correspond to the number of flow units within process boundaries. Decreasing inventories decreases the amount of working capital required. It also decreases any reduction in inventory value due to obsolescence. Process cost refers to the cost incurred in transforming inputs to outputs. A reduction in process cost increases margin and thus profitability. [2.b] Many enlightened firms have made flow time reduction a key objective. Discuss under which conditions a reduction in flow time improves performance of a process in terms of the modules we have discussed: 1. strategic competitive impact: Reducing flow time allows a firm to target customer segments that may want a faster response. It also allows a firm to be more responsive to volume and taste changes of the customer. 2. impact on financial flows: Cash is tied up as working capital for a shorter amount of time. 3. impact on critical path: The critical path gets shorter. 4. impact on bottlenecks: Bottleneck capacity may go up only if the flow time at the bottleneck is reduced. 5. impact on lean operations: Generally allows a firm to operate with lower levels of inventory. Also shortens the time lag between introduction and detection of defects. [2.c] List three ways to increase the capacity of a process. Consider the likely relative cost of implementing these changes and present them in order from cheapest to most expensive to implement. Explain the rationale for your ordering. Option 1:Decrease work at the bottleneck resource (e.g. by moving QC before bottleneck) Option 2: Move work from a bottleneck to a non-bottleneck resource. Option 3:Add to the bottleneck resource Rationale: Moving QC before the bottleneck is a very simple change that eliminates work even if quality does not improve. Moving work from a bottleneck to a non-bottleneck resource requires training and changed capability at the non-bottleneck resource. Adding to the bottleneck clearly requires additional investment. Question 3 The three hair stylists, Francois, Bernard and Mimi (FBM) run a Fast Service Hair Styling Saloon for busy professionals in the Gold Coast area of downtown Chicago. They stay open between 6:45 AM 9:00PM in order to fit to a large variety of people’s work schedules. In their fast service location, they perform only shampooing and hair styling activities. On average, it takes 10 min to shampoo, 15 min to style the hair and 5 minutes to bill the customer. The store layout is shown below. It consists of a shampooing area, which can accommodate 3 customers at a time and a styling area with 4 desks, which have fully integrated hair-modeling equipment.

Hemophilia Genetic Blood

Hemophilia Genetic Blood Hemophilia is a sex-linked genetic disorder that prevents your blood from clotting normally. The blood may clot very little but can easily dislodge. Patients with the disease can bleed for days. It is located on your X sex chromosome and is found in males of all races and ethnic groups. A female can have Hemophilia, but it is extremely rare and uncommon. Most people who had Hemophilia in the 1980s were also diagnosed with HIV. There are two types of Hemophilia; type A and type B. Type A Hemophilia is caused by a lack or shortage of clotting factor eight. 1 out of every 5,000 male babies are born with type A. Type B is caused by a shortage of clotting factor 9. It is less common than type A and is found in 1 out of 30,000 male babies. Although males are inherited with the disease, females carry it. Females may get a genetic test to see if they carry the disease. Hemophilia can be mild, moderate, or severe. If you have a mild case, clotting factor 8 or 9 is 5% normal or greater. In a moderate case, clotting factor 8 or 9 is 1% to 5% normal. In a severe case, clotting factor 8 or 9 is less than 1% of normal. Also in a severe case, bleeding may happen more than once a week for no reason. A patient with severe Hemophilia is usually diagnosed during their first year of life. The percentage of a clotting factor will most likely stay the same throughout a persons life. There is no actual cure for Hemophilia just yet, but people with the disease can inject themselves with the clotting factors 8 and 9 to stop their bleeding. A treatment for the disease can depend on the type of Hemophilia the person has. A persons immune system can attack the clotting factors that were injected. If this happens, then extra treatment may be needed. There is no way to prevent a child from getting Hemophilia. A genetic counselor can tell how severe the Hemophilia may be and the risk for it. Some symptoms of Hemophilia can be bleeding into the joints, bleeding in soft tissues and muscles, or bleeding in the mouth. Symptoms may become less severe as a child gets older. It doesnt mean that their case is any less severe, but they learn to avoid things that can lead them to bleeding. Most bleeding is caused by an injury or a twist of a joint. Most people with Hemophilia live a normal life span if they can control their bleeding with injecting themselves. Hemophilia is caused when a person has a mutation in of their clotting genes. Almost 90% of patients have a mutation in their Factor 8 gene, and only 9% have a mutation in their Factor 9 gene. 1% of patients have a mutation in a different clotting factor gene. A doctor will make several blood tests and rule out other diseases before diagnosing Hemophilia. The diseases the doctor must rule out with similar symptoms are Von Willebrand, Dysfibrinogenemia, Hypofibrinogenemia, Thrombocytopenia, and Bernaid-Soulier Syndrome. A final blood test will determine if the person has Hemophilia, the missing factor, and the type of Hemophilia the person has. When a person is diagnosed, the mutation should be found to see if anyone else in the family carries the disorder. It is very simple to find out this information if the male has a mutation called an inversion. Almost 50% of type A patients have inversions. To test for an inversion, an DNA fingerprint must be created. There is no inversion when the fingerprint shows two very dark marks of DNA at 16.5 and 21.0 areas. But, there is an inversion when there are two dark marks at 20.0 and 17.5. If a boy has Hemophilia, the test can be used on his female blood relatives. Hemophilia was recognized in ancient times, though it wasnt named. An Arab physician by the name of Albucasis, wrote about a family whose male sons died from bleeding after minor injuries. In 1803, a physician named Dr. John Conrad Otto wrote about Hemophilia. He noticed that Hemophilia was only found in males and was a hereditary disease. The word â€Å"hemophilia† was written in a description at the University of Zurich in 1828 by Hopff. Another name for Hemophilia is â€Å"The Royal Disease†. This is because Queen Victoria carried the disease. She was the Queen of England from 1837-1901. Her son Leopold developed the disease. Leopold died from a brain hemorrhage at the age of 31, but his daughter was a carrier also. His daughter, Alice, had a male baby who also died from the disease. Two of Queen Victorias daughters carried the disease just like her. They gave the disease to the Russian, German, and Spanish royal families. Alexandra was Queen Victorias granddaughter. She married Nicholas, the Tsar of Russia in the early 1900s. Alexandra also carried the disease and passed it on to her son, the Tsarevich Alexei. You are probably thinking what its like to have this horrible disease. Males with the disease say that it is extremely painful. They talk about how they were injected as infants. A lot of their parents are very nervous and scared when they find out that their child has Hemophilia. A boy named Greg Price says that he went to summer camp with other people who have blood related diseases. He found friendship with a lot of the people who have to deal with diseases like that. He is very open with the fact that he has Hemophilia. Overall, Hemophilia is an extremely terrifying disease that no one would like to have. It may cause someone to lose their life due to a simple cut or scratch. It is extremely painful and causes people two live with a horrifying life. Hopefully, someday there will be a cure for this dreadful disease so people with the disease can live their lives with happiness, joy, and freedom.

Strategic Analysis of Korean Airline

Strategic Analysis of Korean Airline Excellence in Flight, which is their mission to serve operational excellence, service excellence, and innovative excellence. So far, this is the slogan of Korean Air and their main business is air transportation that deals with passenger, cargo, and aircraft maintenance service with cabin crews training service (1969). Firstly, have confidence and affection of customer and offer best service. Secondly, Create wealthy life value and desirable social value as doing moral management. Last, motto is Support creativity of employees and help growth of abilities (2013). As Global Airline, which got the Three Best which are Best Service, Best Reliability, Best Management, Korean Air concentrates its capabilities on internationalization, Knowledge, and E-business by devoting all energies to safety and innovative operation as well as improving its image to strengthen the phase (2013). Although by looking in an internal business aspect from Korean Airline, is currently focusing on the performance of human resource management or system and which had been settled down deeply through Korean Airline organizations culture. The company is focusing on the trust between capital and labor, which brings them to help and rely on each other as family members. The familiar community idea does not only help them to overcome the difficulties but it also gives them the motive of power. Another Human Resource systems based on philosophy is to bring up or level up human resources to lead the era of change. To do so, Korea Air concentrates on educating employees by improving employees capabilities and implanting attachment and devotion to the organization (2010). It is Korean Airs main purpose to make Korean Air become one of the worlds best airlines by these educated employees providing better services. However, this management demands employees sacrifice too much that squeezes the employees without an exception. This may work for a short period of time, but when it works for a long term, the employees would feel tired and have complaints. Adding more information, most Asian countries business structure or the business systems are still maintaining with owners strong belief on the performance, as squeeze management and its the key for the success (2010). It is because the organization only thinks about itself without considering the employees, and there is no time to recharge the employees energies and has no system that lets them express their opinions or thoughts. This proves how the communication is not working well. Since there is no sharing between capital and labor, there have been some problems occurring. Concernment with internal aspect from the current Korean Air s Business Structure, Vertical Structure, has the lack of inadequate Human Resource Management (HRM) system (2013). This kind of businesses structure might occur the misconnection between the each department and misunderstanding one from the others. Specifically this also can be connected to the main fact, which is the lack of communication with Korean Air employees union. Like other companies, Korean Air has their labor union, too. Almost every company in the world has a labor union, which claims employees rights as well as protecting employees opinions. But now this problem has come with a very serious issue in Korean Air. The employees call for their labor union goes against democracy is the procedure how they select a representative. In order to be elected as a union president, the candidate should make a good relationship with not individual employees but other representatives on the board. From the research the representative gains a lot of money during the 3years of representatives time (2013). Therefore, this can be seen as a very appealing job for many people whom having a black heart. Consequently, this can cause a direct affect by having a disconnection between the company and employees because of not equal elections. With by fortune, there has been changing breeze through this matter of undemocratic elections referred to the Korean Airline Workers Union news. What I would like to say at this point is that the number of unions and the form of a certain labor union is nothing more important than their relationship as they can come up with beneficial agreements without any dispute from mutual understandings. To suggest the solutions in details; Firstly, making solid relationships between labor and capital is the main role in order for Korean Air to take a NO.1 market share forward airline companies in their industry field. What Im suggesting for this issue is that new perspective in handling Labor Unions is required to solve this problem. What they need is the middle manager who treats the conflicts between workers and the company to help staff feel being respected. For instance, Southwest Airline, the most successful business case in the airline industry has a certain middle manager that manages less than10 underlings. Their role in the perspective of HRM is a bridge which means the middle managers deliver the complaints to the top manager and provide the inferior workers with counseling. To offer these kinds of services to their internal customers, middle managers are required to take the leadership training once in a year (2010). On other hand, In the case of IBM, they have a firm company culture that the complaints are directly sent to executives and then the executives give back the message including what the reaction will be to the original person of the complaints. Furthermore, making the formal and informal organizations practical is useful. For example, holding a round-table conference between labor and management and a joint labor-management is necessary to understand what another party wants. When these functions are working very well, both parties can derive the responsibility and ownership (2013). Therefore, the performance of management will cause a growing the reputation and popularity of Korean Air. Furthermore, this strategy management made me has an enormous expectation from Korean Air and I also expect in the near future their slogan might include Excellence in Management. Korean Airline SWOT Analysis (S)trengths The Strength of Korean Airline has built up global relationship which calls Sky team. It has alliance with international airlines such as Russian Airlines, Aero Mexico, Air France, KLM, Alitalia, Continental airlines, Czech Airlines, and Delta. Having different types of aircraft can be benefits to provide variety of services for passengers in flight. Korean Airlines has 180 Aircrafts in 2013. In addition, Korean Airlines represent First Place in Cargo part from 2004 until now. As increasing of reputation, more and more people became to use service in Korean Airlines (2008). (W)eaknesses Due to disaster from Guam accident in 1997, Korean Air has negative image as an accident airline. Some people still are afraid the flight with Korean Air. Asiana Airline, which is competitor airline in Korea, has similar flight routes with Korean Air. As a result, it can bring low revenue and income for Korean Air to operate their business. For any big airline, it always has shortage of time and complexity system (2008). (O)pportunities As increasing of globalization, Korean Air has possibilities to expand their business from local to global. The one of outstanding Incheon International Airport, which is ranking number one in the world, in Korea, Korean Air can use as a marketing system to improve its business through this airport (2013). From this, it also has opportunity to grow its more reputation through brand power. They can also still provide more variety of services by using different types of aircraft with Sky team. (T)hreats Korean does not have fuel resource. As changing of economic situation, Korean Air may need to pay more fuel price that can affect business operating. In addition, Labor union can be obstacle when it has different idea with employees (2013). Especially, Pilot union can be representative example. If they decide not to work, Korean will not able to keep their business.

Behavoural changes ie smoking censation

Behavoural changes ie smoking censation Behavoural Changes ie smoking censation This essay will discuss the Behaviour Change Model of Health education or The Trans-theoretical Model, (TTM) in relation to smoking cessation. As G. K. Chesterton once said, â€Å"It isnt that they cant see the solution. It is that they cant see the problem.† Families, friends, neighbours, or employees, however, are often well aware that the pre-contemplators have problems. Stages of Change Prochaska DiClement`s transtheoretical model (1984,1986; Prochaska et al 1992) is important in describing the process of change. The model derived from their work on encouraging change in addiction behaviours, although it can be used to show that most people go through stages when trying to change or acquire behaviours. American psychologists, Jim Prochaska and Carlo Di Clement, Termination. Process of change. Downloaded By: [Glasgow Caledonian University] At: 14:49 12 July 2009 4 ADDICTIONS NURSING NETWORKNOLUME 5, NUMBER 1,1993 In our studies using the discrete categorization measurement of stages of change, we ask whether the individual is seriously intending to change the problem behavior in the near future, typically within the next six months. If not, he or she is classified as a precontemplator. Even precontemplators can wish to change, but this seems to be quite different from intending or seriously considering change in the next six months. Items that are used to identify precontemplation on the continuous stage of change measure include â€Å"As far as Im concerned, I dont have any problems that need changing† and â€Å"I guess I have faults, but theres nothing that I really need to change.† Resistance to recognizing or modifying a problem is the hallmark of precontemplation . Splral Pattern of Change. Many New Years resolvers report five or more years of consecutive pledges before maintaining the behavioral goal for at least six months (Norcross Vangarelli, 1989). Relapse and recycling through the stages occur quite frequently as individuals attempt to modify or cease addictive behaviors. Variations of the stage model are being used increasingly by behavior change specialists to investigate the dynamics of relapse (e.g., Brownell et al., 1986; Donovan Marlatt, 1988). Because relapse is the rule rather than the exception with addictions, we found that we needed to modify our original stage model. Initially we conceptualized change as a linear progression through the stages; people were supposed to progress simply and discretely through each step. Linear progression is a possible but relatively rare phenomenon with addictive behaviors. Figure 1 presents a spiral pattern that illustrates how most people actually move through the stages of change. In this spiral pattern, people can progress from contemplation to preparation to action to maintenance, but most individuals will relapse. During relapse, individuals regress to an earlier stage. Some TERYINATION a YAHTENANCE PRECONTEYPLATIOW CONTEYPLATKJN PREPARATKJ relapsers feel like failures-embanassed, ashamed, and guilty. These individuals become demoralized and resist thinking about behavior change. As a result, they return to the precontemplation stage and can remain there for various periods of time. Approximately 15% of smokers who relapsed in our self-change research regressed back to the precontemplation stage (Prochaska DiClemente, 1986). Fortunately, this research indicates that the vast majority of relapsers85% of smokers, for example- recycle back to the contemplation or preparation stages (Prochaska DiClemente, 1984). They begin to consider plans for their next action attempt while trying to learn from their recent efforts. To take another example, fully 60% of unsuccessful New Years resolvers make the same pledge the next year (Norcross, Ratzin, Payne, 1989; Norcross Vangarelli, 1989). The spiral model suggests that most relapsers do not resolve endlessly in circles and that they do not regress all the way back to where they began. Instead, each time relapsers recycle through the stages, they potentially learn from their mistakes and can try something different the next time around (DiClemente et al., 1991). On any one trial, successful behavior change is limited in the absolute numbers of individuals who are able to achieve maintenance (Cohen et al., 1989; Schachter, 1982). Nevertheless, in a cohort of individuals, the number of successes continues to increase gradually over time. However, a large number of individuals remain in contemplation and precontemplation stages. Ordinarily, the more action taken, the better the prognosis. Much more research is needed to better distinguish those who benefit from recycling from those who end up spinning their wheels. Arguments for and against Conclusion Influencing the people to change behaviours such as how they eat,excersice ,drink, smoke requires a long term commoitment but it is a process that they can sucseed. Nurses have a key role to play in influencing behaviour of their patients, and health promotion should be embed MAINTENANCE: practice required for the new behaviour to be consistently maintained, incorporated into the repertoire of behaviours available to a person at any one time. ACTION: people make changes, acting on previous decisions, experience, information, new skills, and motivations for making the change. PREPARATION: person prepares to undertake the desired change requires gathering information, finding out how to achieve the change, ascertaining skills necessary, deciding when change should take place may include talking with others to see how they feel about the likely change, considering impact change will have and who will be affected. CONTEMPLATION: something happens to prompt the person to start thinking about change perhaps hearing that someone has made changes or something else has changed resulting in the need for further change. PRECONTEMPLATION: changing a behaviour has not been considered; person might not realise that change is possible or that it might be of interest to them. Source: The Behavior Change spiral from What do they want us to do now? AFAO 1996 ded in daily practice. E following review explores and considers some of the major theories of behaviour and behaviour change that may be pertinent to the development of effective interventions in travel behaviour, including theories and concepts from mainstream psychology, and the associated sub-disciplines of health, leisure, recreation, physical activity and exercise psychology. For many years conceptual models of behaviour change, such as Banduras Social Cognitive Learning Theory (1986), Beckers Health Belief Model (1974), Azjen and Fishbeins Theory of Reasoned Action (1975); have been applied across a wide variety of disciplines, including travel and road user behaviour. Considerable attention has been given in the literature to models of individual behaviour change per se but much less attention has been given to models or theories that attempt to understand behaviour change within groups, organisations and whole communities. The design of programs to reach populations requires an understanding of how those communities work, their barriers and enablers to change, and what influences their behaviours in general. Stage Theories of Behaviour Change Mounting evidence suggests that behaviour change occurs in stages or steps and that movement through these stages is neither unitary or linear, but rather, cyclical, involving a pattern of adoption, maintenance, relapse, and readoption over time. The work of Prochaska and DiClemente (1986) and their colleagues have formally identified the dynamics and structure of staged behaviour change. In attempting to explain these patterns of behaviour, Prochaska and DiClemente developed a transtheoretical model of behavioural change, which proposes that behaviour change occurs in five distinct stages through which people move in a cyclical or spiral pattern. The first of these stages is termed precontemplation. In this stage, there is no intent on the part of the individual to change his or her behaviour in the foreseeable future. The second stage is called contemplation, where people are aware that a problem exists and are seriously considering taking some action to address the problem. However, at this stage, they have not made a commitment to undertake action. The third stage is described as preparation, and involves both intention to change and some behaviour, usually minor, and often meeting with limited success. Action is the fourth stage where individuals actually modify their behaviour, experiences, or environment in order to overcome their problems or to meet their goals. The fifth and final stage, maintenance, is where people work to prevent relapse and consolidate the gains attained in the action stage. The stabilization of behaviour change and the avoidance of relapse are characteristic of the maintenance stage. Prochaska and DiClemente further suggest that behavioural change occurs in a cyclical process that involves both progress and periodic relapse. That is, even with successful behaviour change, people likely will move back and forth between the five stages for some time, experiencing one or more periods of relapse to earlier stages, before moving once again through the stages of contemplation, preparation, action and eventually, maintenance. In successful behavioural change, while relapses to earlier stages inevitably occur, individuals never remain within the earlier stage to MAINTENANCE: practice required for the new behaviour to be consistently maintained, incorporated into the repertoire of behaviours available to a person at any one time. ACTION: people make changes, acting on previous decisions, experience, information, new skills, and motivations for making the change. PREPARATION: person prepares to undertake the desired change requires gathering information, finding out how to achieve the change, ascertaining skills necessary, deciding when change should take place may include talking with others to see how they feel about the likely change, considering impact change will have and who will be affected. CONTEMPLATION: something happens to prompt the person to start thinking about change perhaps hearing that someone has made changes or something else has changed resulting in the need for further change. PRECONTEMPLATION: changing a behaviour has not been considered; person might not realise that change is possible or that it might be of interest to them. Source: The Behavior Change spiral from What do they want us to do now? AFAO 1996 which they have regressed, but rather, spiral upwards, until eventually they reach a state where most of their time is spent in the maintenance stage. Further work undertaken and reported by Prochaska et el (1992) suggests that behaviour change can only take place in the context of an enabling or supportive environment. Prochaskas and DiClementes model has received considerable support in the research literature. Their model has also been shown to have relevance for understanding, among other things, patterns of physical activity participation and adherence and would have relevance in bringing about change in travel behaviours. Consistent with the above perspective, Sallis and Nader (1988) also have suggested a stage approach to explaining movement behaviour, particularly in family groups, with research aimed at understanding better the cyclical patterns of movement activity SOCIAL FEATURES nature of personal elationships; expectations of class, position, age, gender;access to knowledge, information. CULTURAL FEATURES the behaviours and attitudes considered acceptable in given contexts eg. relating to sex, gender, drugs, leisure, participation. ETHICAL SPIRITUAL FEATURES influence of personal and shared values and discussion about moral systems from which those are derived can include rituals, religion nd rights of passage. LEGAL FEATURES laws determining what people can do and activities to encourage observance of those laws . POLITICAL FEATURES systems of governance in which change will have to take place can, for example, limit access to information and involvement in social action. RESOURCE FEATURES affect what is required to make things happen covers human, financial and material resources; community knowledge and skills; and items for exchange Source: The Behavior Change spiral from What do they want us to do now? AFAO 1996 involvement, including adoption, maintenance, and relapse, and interventions aimed at minimizing the amount of time individuals spend in the relapse stage as well as maximizing time spent in action or maintenance. This stage approach is contrasted to the all or none approach to physical activity participation that often characterized early research on exercise adherence. Such a staged approach sits well with any school based program that is focussed on travel behaviour change given that the context in which the program is to be applied would see fluctuations in the positive and negative influences according to such things as work and time demands of family members, weather, events or incidents in the local neighbourhood that may influence perceptions of safety. Parallel with the work of Prochaska and DiClemente, Rogers, (1983) also developed a stage-based theory to explain how new ideas or innovations are disseminated and adopted at the community and population levels. Rogers identified five distinct stages in the process of diffusion of any new initiative or innovation. These are knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. Rogers argued that the diffusion of an innovation is enhanced when the perceived superiority of an innovation is high compared to existing practice (i.e. the relative advantage), and when the compatibility of the innovation with the existing social system is perceived to be high (i.e. compatibility). Other important influences on the diffusion process are said to be complexity, triability, and observability, with innovations which are of low complexity, easily observed, and that are able to be adopted on a trial basis, being associated with greater adoption and swifter diffusion. Building success and comfort during the early stages of the implementation of the TravelSMART Schools program will be paramount to its success. Rogers classifies individuals as innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, late adopters, and laggards, dependent upon when during the overall diffusion process they adopt a new idea or behaviour. While this model has not been tested empirically to date, it has been adapted and applied in health promotion settings usually in conjunction with social learning theory and/or self-efficacy theory, with some success. It certainly warrants attention in the development of the TravelSMART Schools program. In summarizing the various stage models of behaviour change that have been proposed over the past two decades, Owen and Lee (1984) highlighted a number of commonalties they share. These authors propose an integrated stage-based model in which behaviour change is viewed as a cyclical process that involves five stages of: awareness of the problem and a need to change motivation to make a change skill development to prepare for the change initial adoption of the new activity or behaviour, and maintenance of the new activity and integration into the lifestyle. In terms of a TravelSMART program this may mean: Five stages of behaviour change Examples of content and processes Awareness of the problem and a need to change Provision of, or ways to seek information on the dependence on motorised travel; evidence of the greenhouse effect; issues relation to building relationships and fitness Motivation to make a change Benefits of increased personal fitness; benefits of leaving the car at home eg. environmental and social Skill development to prepare for the change Mapping of the local area to identify alternative forms of travel, ways to negotiate with reluctant family members or peers to manage the need to carry; strategies for trip chaining and travel blending Initial adoption of the new activity or behaviour Self monitoring of newly adopted behaviours to, opportunities for reflections and comparisons Maintenance of the new activity and integration into the lifestyle Provision of feedback on how the change is going, and an injection of new ideas or strategy An important aspect of both Prochaskas and DiClementes approach and that suggested by Owen and Lee is that each of the five stages of behaviour change is said to involve different cognitive processes and require different treatments or intervention strategies for the overall change process to be successful. Prochaska and DiClemente (1992) outlined a number of cognitive change processes that have been found to be associated with each stage. Other researchers also propose that different stages in the change process require different intervention strategies, and generally recommend a multifaceted, community-based approach to intervention in which all stages are addressed so that individuals at all stages of readiness for change can potentially be influenced. This sits well with the overall TravelSMART programs TravelSMART Communities, TravelSMART Workplaces and TravelSMART Schools. A major insight offered by stage theories of behaviour change, then, is the emphasis they place on matching interventions to the stage of readiness of the individual. This kind of approach provides an excellent framework for understanding and examining individual differences in motivation for, and involvement in, change in travel behaviours over time, including patterns of initiation, maintenance, relapse, and resumption. In summary, theories that conceptualise behaviour change in terms of a cyclical process through which individuals move in stages, have received empirical support in the research, and appear to offer much promise for understanding travel behaviours and curricula to bring about changes in travel behaviour. A major strength of the Stages of Change model is that it has also been used in conjunction with a variety of other theories and models that are relevant to different levels of influence at an intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, community or public policy level. (Glanz and Rimer (1995) as reported by Oldenberg et al (1999)) Social Cognitive-Behavioural Theories and Similar Theories Social Cognitive Theory explains human behaviour in terms of a triadic, dynamic and reciprocal model in which behaviour, personal factors, and environmental influences interact. It addresses both the psychological dynamics underlying behaviour and their methods for promoting behaviour change. It is a very complex theory and includes many key constructs. Self-efficacy is one of the key concepts. Self-efficacy refers to ones confidence in the ability to take action and persist in action. It is seen by Bandura (1986) as perhaps the single most important factor in promoting changes in behaviour. Measures of self-efficacy and some of the other key concepts from Social Cognitive Theory have also been identified as key determinants of movement through the stages of change, (Oldenburg, 1999). Self-efficacy expectations have been found repeatedly to be important determinants of: the choice of activities in which people engage how much energy they will expend on such activities and the degree of persistence they demonstrate in the face of failure and/or adversity. In general, higher levels of self-efficacy for a given activity are associated with higher participation in that activity. Similarly, and closely aligned to Social Cognitive Theory, Attribution Theory proposes that individuals generally view their performance (and thus, their successes and failures) as dependent upon ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck. In addition, causal influences are seen as either internal to the individual (e.g. personal ability), or external (e.g. barriers to community safety, lack of convenient and attractive travel alternatives). The distinction between internal and external attributions is an important one, in that how we attribute our personal successes and failures has been shown to be related to not only our behaviour, but our self-esteem, our perceptions of personal control, our self-efficacy for different tasks and/or performance situations, and our ongoing involvement in different activities. For example, a person who attributes their failure to change their dependence on motorised travel to their inherent lack of ability to identify and use alternatives will be less likely to continue with the alternative modes of travel after the educational program has ceased. A persons attributions for personal success and failure in a given situation, then, determines how that person feels about the task, as well as the amount of effort he or she is likely to invest in the task the next time around. When failure is attributed to low personal ability and a difficult task, individuals are more likely to give up sooner, select easier alternatives, such as using personal motorised travel, and lower their goals. Conversely, when failure is attributed to external factors such as bad luck, individuals are likely to have higher motivations to continue and to try again for success. Attitudes and their potential relationship to behaviour also have been studied extensively. In general, attitudes have not generally been found to be consistently related to behaviour. This failure to demonstrate a consistent relationship between attitudes and behaviour may be because situational factors also exert a powerful influence on behaviour. In addition, how attitudes have been defined and measured in different studies varies considerably. Research has demonstrated consistently that an attitude is likely to predict behaviour when: the attitude includes a specific behavioural intention when both the attitude and the intention are very specific and when the attitude is based on first-hand experience . These aspects of the behaviour-attitude relationship have been addressed in the Theory of Reasoned Action, which focuses on the role of context-specific attitudes in defining behaviour. In this model, behaviour is seen as a function of a persons intention, which in turn is comprised of the individuals attitudes towards performing the behaviour and the influence of perceived social norms concerning the performance of the behaviour. Attitudes are affected by the persons beliefs about the perceived consequences of performing a given action, and his or her subjective evaluation of each of the consequences. Drawing this together, any published individually focused and community based health behaviour change and health promotion programs have generally been based on Social Cognitive theories utilising techniques that emphasise the cognitive and social mediators of behaviour. Interventions based on cognitive learning theory emphasize self-management principles and strategies. Other Theories to Consider Personality Theories Personality theories explain behaviour largely in terms of stable traits or patterns of behaviour which are viewed as resistant to change and inalterable. Rogers, (1985), classification of individuals into the five categories of innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, late adopters, and laggards is an example of this kind of approach to understanding behaviour. A major limitation of personality theories is that they do not take account of important aspects of the physical, social and economic environments, or the previous experiences of the individual, which also are known to strongly influence behaviour. For this reason, personality theories alone now are generally considered inadequate to explain behaviour change. Learning and Behaviour Theories Learning theorists have demonstrated that behaviour can be changed by providing appropriate rewards, incentives, and/or disincentives. In learning or behaviourist approaches, these rewards and incentives are typically incorporated into structured reinforcement schedules, and the process of behaviour changes is often termed behaviour modification. While effective in bringing about behaviour change, such approaches require a high level of external control over both the physical and social environment, and the incentives (or disincentives) used to reinforce certain behaviours and discourage others. This kind of control is hard to maintain in real life settings, and thus, strict behaviourist approaches are subject to a number of limitations. Social Learning Theory Social learning theory is similar to learning and behaviour theories in that it focuses on specific, measurable aspects of behaviour. Learning theories, however, view behaviour as being shaped primarily by events within the environment, whereas social learning theory views the individual as an active participant in his or her behaviour, interpreting events and selecting courses of action based on past experience. Again, one important theory deriving from social learning theory which has had a major impact on many current models of behaviour change is that of self-efficacy. As stated earlier, self-efficacy expectations have to do with a persons beliefs in his or her abilities to successfully execute the actions necessary to meet specific situational demands. Such expectations have been found to be consistently related to behaviour across a wide range of situations and populations sub-groups. Social Psychological Theories Social psychological theories are concerned with understanding how events and experiences external to a person (i.e. aspects of the social situation and physical environment) influence his or her behaviour. Emphasis is placed on aspects of the social context in which behaviour occurs, including social norms and expectations, cultural mores, social stereotypes, group dynamics, cohesion, attitudes and beliefs. A number of useful concepts have emerged from social psychological theories, including attribution, locus of control, and cognitive dissonance, to name a few. Social Cognitive Approaches Social cognitive approaches combine aspects of social psychological theories with components of both social learning theory and cognitive behavioural approaches. Social-cognitive approaches emphasize the persons subjective perceptions and interpretations of a given situation or set of events, and argue that these need to be taken into account if we are to understand adequately both behaviour and the processes of behaviour change. A number of social psychological concepts have been found to be consistently related to behaviour change across a wide range of situations. For example, the social reality of a the group (e.g. peer group, school group, family group etc.) will affect an individuals behaviour. All groups are characterized by certain group norms, beliefs and ways of behaving, and these can strongly affect the behaviour of the group members. Expectations of significant or respected others can also have a strong influence on a persons behaviour. This phenomenon has been most consistently demonstrated in the early research on self-fulfilling prophecies, which showed that teachers expectations of their students were consistently related to the students subsequent performance, even when these expectations were based on falsified information. Thus, support and encouragement, or conversely, low expectations from significant or respected others, can affect and bring about, (or not), changes in individual behaviour. Health Belief Model The Health Belief Model attempts to explain health-behaviour in terms of individual decision-making, and proposes that the likelihood of a person adopting a given healthrelated behaviour is a function of that individuals perception of a threat to their personal health, and their belief that the recommended behaviour will reduce this threat. Thus, a person would be more likely to adopt a given behaviour (e.g. walk or cycle regularly) if non-adoption of that behaviour (e.g. unclean air or confused traffic situations) is perceived as a health threat and adoption is seen as reducing that threat. To date, the Health Belief Model has not received consistent or strong support in explaining behaviour change. When the concept of self-efficacy is added to the model, however, prediction of behaviour increases. Social Marketing Another approach that has been used to bring about behaviour change is that of social marketing. The concept of social marketing is based on marketing principles and focuses on four key elements, including: development of a product the promotion of the product the place the price. As such, this approach is not so much a theory of behaviour change but a proposed framework, which situates people as consumer who will potentially buy into a certain idea or argument, given the appropriate selling techniques are applied. It is then assumed that the buying in to that idea by individuals will result in behaviour change. Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour Habit strength is another concept that has been found to be important in predicting or changing behaviour. Habit is an important element of the theory of interpersonal behaviour, which proposes that the likelihood of engaging in a given behaviour is a function of: the habit of performing the behaviour the intention to perform the behaviour conditions which act to facilitate or inhibit performance of the behaviour. In turn, intentions are said to be shaped by a cognitive component, an affective component, a social component, and a personal normative belief. The theory of i