Seymour Cray and the Supercomputer

Many of us are familiar with computers. You’re likely using one now to read this blog post as devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets are essentially the same underlying computing technology. Supercomputers, on the other hand, are somewhat esoteric as they’re often thought of as hulking, costly, energy-sucking machines developed, by and large, for government institutions, research centers, and large firms. Take for instance China’s Sunway TaihuLight, currently the world’s fastest supercomputer, according to Top500’s supercomputer rankings. It’s comprised of 41,000 chips (the processors alone weigh over 150 tons), cost about $270 million and has a power rating of 15,371 kW. On the plus side, however, it’s capable of performing quadrillions of calculations per second and can store up to 100 million books. And like other supercomputers, it’ll be used to tackle some of the most complex tasks in the fields of science such as weather forecasting and drug research. When Supercomputers Were Invented The notion of a supercomputer first arose in the 1960s when an electrical engineer named Seymour Cray, embarked on creating the world’s fastest computer. Cray, considered the â€Å"father of supercomputing,† had left his post at business computing giant Sperry-Rand to join the newly formed Control Data Corporation so that he can focus on developing scientific computers. The title of world’s fastest computer was held at the time by the IBM 7030 â€Å"Stretch,† one of the first to use transistors instead of vacuum tubes.   In 1964, Cray introduced the CDC 6600, which featured innovations such as switching out germanium transistors in favor of silicon and a Freon-based cooling system. More importantly, it ran at a speed of 40 MHz, executing roughly three million floating-point operations per second, which made it the fastest computer in the world. Often considered to be the world’s first supercomputer, the CDC 6600 was 10 times faster than most computers and three times faster than the IBM 7030 Stretch. The title was eventually relinquished in 1969 to its successor the CDC 7600.  Ã‚   Seymour Cray Goes Solo In 1972, Cray left Control Data Corporation to form his own company, Cray Research. After some time raising seed capital and financing from investors, Cray debuted the Cray 1, which again raised the bar for computer performance by a wide margin. The new system ran at a clock speed of 80 MHz and performed 136 million floating-point operations per second (136 megaflops). Other unique features include a newer type of processor (vector processing) and a speed-optimized horseshoe-shaped design that minimized the length of the circuits. The Cray 1 was installed at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1976. By the 1980s Cray had established himself as the preeminent name in supercomputing and any new release was widely expected to topple his previous efforts. So while Cray was busy working on a successor to the Cray 1, a separate team at the company put out the Cray X-MP, a model that was billed as a more â€Å"cleaned up† version of the Cray 1. It shared the same horseshoe-shape design, but boasted multiple processors, shared memory and is sometimes described as two Cray 1s linked together as one. The Cray X-MP (800 megaflops) was one of the first â€Å"multiprocessor† designs and helped open the door to parallel processing, wherein computing tasks are split into parts and executed simultaneously by different processors.   The Cray X-MP, which was continually updated, served as the standard bearer until the long-anticipated launch of the Cray 2 in 1985. Like its predecessors, Cray’s latest and greatest took on the same horseshoe-shaped design and basic layout with integrated circuits stacked together on logic boards. This time, however, the components were crammed so tightly that the computer had to be immersed in a liquid cooling system to dissipate the heat. The Cray 2 came equipped with eight processors, with a â€Å"foreground processor† in charge of handling storage, memory and giving instructions to the â€Å"background processors,† which were tasked with the actual computation. Altogether, it packed a processing speed of 1.9 billion floating point operations per second (1.9 Gigaflops), two times faster than the Cray X-MP. More Computer Designers Emerge Needless to say, Cray and his designs ruled the early era of the supercomputer. But he wasn’t the only one advancing the field. The early ’80s also saw the emergence of massively parallel computers, powered by thousands of processors all working in tandem to smash though performance barriers. Some of the first multiprocessor systems were created by W. Daniel Hillis, who came up with the idea as a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The goal at the time was to overcome to the speed limitations of having a CPU direct computations among the other processors by developing a decentralized network of processors that functioned similarly to the brain’s neural network. His implemented solution, introduced in 1985 as the Connection Machine or CM-1, featured 65,536 interconnected single-bit processors. The early ’90s marked the beginning of the end for Cray’s stranglehold on supercomputing. By then, the supercomputing pioneer had split off from Cray Research to form Cray Computer Corporation. Things started to go south for the company when the Cray 3 project, the intended successor to the Cray 2, ran into a whole host of problems. One of Cray’s major mistakes was opting for gallium arsenide semiconductors – a newer technology -- as a way to achieve his stated goal of a twelvefold improvement in processing speed. Ultimately, the difficulty in producing them, along with other technical complications, ended up delaying the project for years and resulted in many of the company’s potential customers eventually losing interest. Before long, the company ran out of money and filed for bankruptcy in 1995. Cray’s struggles would give way to a changing of the guard of sorts as competing Japanese computing systems would come to dominate the field for much of the decade. Tokyo-based NEC Corporation first came onto the scene in 1989 with the SX-3 and a year later unveiled a four-processor version that took over as the world’s fastest computer, only to be eclipsed in 1993. That year, Fujitsu’s Numerical Wind Tunnel, with the brute force of 166 vector processors became the first supercomputer to surpass 100 gigaflops (Side note: To give you an idea of how rapidly the technology advances, the fastest consumer processors in 2016 can easily do more than 100 gigaflops, but at the time, it was particularly impressive). In 1996, the Hitachi SR2201 upped the ante with 2048 processors to reach a peak performance of 600 gigaflops. Intel Joins the Race Now, where was Intel? The company that had established itself as the consumer market’s leading chipmaker didn’t really make a splash in the realm of supercomputing until towards the end of the century. This was because the technologies were altogether very different animals. Supercomputers, for instance, were designed to jam in as much processing power as possible while personal computers were all about squeezing efficiency from minimal cooling capabilities and limited energy supply. So in 1993 Intel engineers finally took the plunge by taking the bold approach of going massively parallel with the 3,680 processor Intel XP/S 140 Paragon, which by June of 1994 had climbed to the summit of the supercomputer rankings. It was the first massively parallel processor supercomputer to be indisputably the fastest system in the world.   Up to this point, supercomputing has been mainly the domain of those with the kind of deep pockets to fund such ambitious projects. That all changed in 1994 when contractors at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, who didn’t have that kind of luxury, came up with a clever way to harness the power of parallel computing by linking and configuring a series of personal computers using an ethernet network. The â€Å"Beowulf cluster† system they developed was comprised of 16 486DX processors, capable of operating in the gigaflops range and cost less than $50,000 to build. It also had the distinction of running Linux rather than Unix before the Linux became the operating systems of choice for supercomputers. Pretty soon, do-it-yourselfers everywhere were followed similar blueprints to set up their own Beowulf clusters.  Ã‚   After relinquishing the title in 1996 to the Hitachi SR2201, Intel came back that year with a design based on the Paragon called ASCI Red, which was comprised of more than 6,000 200MHz Pentium Pro processors. Despite moving away from vector processors in favor of off-the-shelf components, the ASCI Red gained the distinction of being the first computer to break the one trillion flops barrier (1 teraflops). By 1999, upgrades enabled it to surpass three trillion flops (3 teraflops). The ASCI Red was installed at Sandia National Laboratories and was used primarily to simulate nuclear explosions and assist in the maintenance of the country’s nuclear arsenal. After Japan retook the supercomputing lead for a period with the 35.9 teraflops NEC Earth Simulator, IBM brought supercomputing to unprecedented heights starting in 2004 with the Blue Gene/L. That year, IBM debuted a prototype that just barely edged the Earth Simulator (36 teraflops). And by 2007, engineers would ramp up the hardware to push its processing capability to a peak of nearly 600 teraflops. Interestingly, the team was able to reach such speeds by going with the approach of using more chips that were relatively low power, but more energy efficient. In 2008, IBM broke ground again when it switched on the Roadrunner, the first supercomputer to exceed one quadrillion floating point operations per second (1 petaflops).

Essay On Dna Methylation - 1075 Words

In this study, we describe DNA methylation and gene expression of SLC22A1, SLC22A3, and SLC47A1, which respectively encode the three metformin transporters OCT1, OCT3, and MATE1, in the human liver. In agreement with a previous study where OCT1 was found to be the most expressed drug transporter in the liver [15], we found higher mRNA expression of SLC22A1 than SLC22A3 (Additional file 1: Figure S2A). SLC47A1 was also highly expressed in the liver, as previously reported [16]. Metformin transporter genes have been studied in vivo in rodents to explain metformin pharmacodynamics. The distribution of metformin to the liver in Oct1 −/− mice was reduced 30-fold compared with wild-type mice [6], and the glucose-lowering effects of metformin†¦show more content†¦The fact that methylation of some studied CpG sites was not affected by the exposure in vitro does not exclude that longer metformin or insulin treatments could have effects. T2D patients are given a long-term therapy, whereas the cells were treated for 8 h mimicking an acute therapy. Overall, our in vivo and in vitro data support that metformin therapy is associated with lower DNA methylation of metformin transporter genes in the liver suggesting that epigenetics could be a potential mechanism for metformin action in the human liver. Accordingly, a recent study has shown that metformin alters DNA methylation in endometrial cancer cells [22]. The demethylation process in metformin tr ansporters induced by metformin could have occurred passively or actively by ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzymes [23], since these enzymes play an important role in the development and function of the human liver [24]. Moreover, AMPK pathway, activated by metformin, elevates ÃŽ ±-ketoglutarate metabolite which is required by TET catalytic reaction for the DNA demethylation process [25]. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to dissect this mechanism. In addition, diabetics who were only on metformin therapy had a similar or lower degree of methylation in these metformin transporter genes compared to non-diabetic people, suggesting a possibleShow MoreRelatedA Study Of Changes Throughout Gene Expression1567 Words   |  7 Pagesbe inherited with no changes to the DNA sequence itself- it may account for non-Mendelian population inheritance patterns. Transgenerational inheritance requires a chromosomal or epigenetic change in the germline allowing the information to be passed on fro m one generation to another (Anway et al 2005a). In order for epigenetic marks to be passed down, the gametes need to conserve their epigenomes by avoiding two reprogramming events; in the gamete and zygote. 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In his 1825 work, â€Å"An Essay Concerning Human Understanding,† John Locke posits the tabula rasa theory: â€Å"Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any ideas: How comes it to be furnished?...To this I answer, in one word, from experience†Read MoreThe Central Nervous System ( Cns ) Development1575 Words   |  7 Pagesit is known that folate is crucial for the biosynthesis of nucleotides, amino acids, vitamins, and neurotransmitters; it provides the one carbon unit to S-adenosylmethonine (SAM) biosynthesis, which is the primary methyl donor for DNA, RNA, protein, and lipid methylation (Wallis, et al., 2010; Copp, Stanier, and Greene, 2013; Kao, et al., 2014; Reynolds, 2014). Folate Deficiency FD in pregnant mothers increases the risk for NTD in a child. NTD are congenital malformations along the neuraxis, whichRead MoreAp Biology2177 Words   |  9 PagesAP ESSAY ANSWERS: 16-20 1. 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I will also talk about how our knowledge of cells has changed

Amendments Free Essays

There are Ten Amendments ratified to the United States Constitution. These amendments are called and known as the â€Å"Bill of Rights†. The first amendment in the Bill of Rights talks about how the freedom of establish of religion, freedom of press, freedom of assembly right to petition, freedom of speech. We will write a custom essay sample on Amendments or any similar topic only for you Order Now They all have to do with people talking free in the United States and doing what they can with this amendment. The first part talks about the freedom of religion. In these case the freedom of religion lets you be in any kind of religion you want to be in the United States. In the contrary some other countries you could not be any different from others because you can be considered an outsider or an enemy to the people of that country. In addition, freedom of religion is known to be a human right. The first amendment rights to freedom of the press guarantees me the right to read any news paper, read any magazine, or right about any story, or watch any movie without having any fear that my government would censor my right to do these things. For example, if I want to release a video on the internet containing any nudity or foul language, I have the right to do so without any censorship. The government can only regulate by putting some sort of warning label on it but can not prohibit me from doing so. Also, the freedom to assemble allows us the people to gather up for harmonious and legal purposes. Implicit within this right is the right to association and belief. In other words this amendment protects us from what we believe. For example, people can organize a parade for immigration rights, and the government would be ok with it because it falls down in legal purposes to assemble. Furthermore, people can also gather up to celebrate a â€Å"Quinsenera† without any problems because this would fall down under the peacefully assemble. Now the government may also prohibit people from associating in groups that engage and promote illegal activities. The right to petition the government for justice of grievances guarantees people the right to ask the government to provide a second chance of relief to change something wrong to a right. This petition is made my court or by any other governmental action. For example, a person gets a ticket for speeding , but he or she is more than sure that he wasn’t. That person is going to try to appeal that ticket by going to court and standing in front of a judge to try to dismiss that ticket. The right to freedom of speech allows an individual to express themselves without interference or constraint by the government. This amendment gives us the right to express what we feel. We have the symbolic and the uttered way on expressing ourselves. We don’t necessarily have to speak in order to show our emotions; we could use the symbolic method to do so. We can express it by wearing clothing that symbolizes what we feel. In the other hand we also have the most common way, which is uttered. Most people express themselves by making a speech. However, our right is also limited because the government prohibits some speech that may cause a breach of peace or may cause violence. For example, someone might make a judgment that they hate someone. But just because they hate them doesn’t mean they have to kill them. How to cite Amendments, Essay examples

Marketing Growth Analysis of Holmes O Malley Sexton Solicitors

Question: Discuss about the Marketing Growth Analysis of Holmes O'Malley Sexton Solicitors. Answer: HOMS has always been dedicated towards providing high quality legal services to its clients. The firm has been awarded by the Legal Research and Standards Institute for achieving Q9000 Legal Quality Standards. The company is making good use of technologies in the areas of payments and taking it to the top priority. The firm is expanding its branches and is attracting business offers by conducting seminars. The firm understands the importance of EU data protection related to safe habour by using AI (Alice, 2015) The success of HOMS lies in its interest of getting recovery of benefits, adopting assistance schemes and dealing with latest cases. The firm has recently won a case of surrogacy which has created a lot of effect on the new European Regulations. Holmes O'Malley Sexton Solicitors has a huge scope for adopting Artificial Intelligence. As per the IBM companys Ireland based natural programming research program Artificial Intelligence will in future help the law industry a lot. There are lot if Artificial Intelligence systems provided by huge suppliers like IBM, Neota Logic, Kira Systems and Ravn Systems, one of them is the Watson technology provided by IBM has a huge scope of handling the structured and non structured data which will definitely aid the advocacy and legal issues related to advocacy (O.Andrew, 2013). Till date most of the Lawyers are reluctant towards the use of Artificial Intelligence as they think it is based for solving lower level of research work. But there are few big firms like IBM, Neota Systems who are trying hard to push their capabilities and use through Artificial Intelligence wants to give a competitive advantage to clients to make their work done faster. One of the technologies is Waston Computers introduced by IBM and is based on artificial intelligence which can help the client in completing theirs deals of three months to three weeks. In Britain there is a Riverview Law, who is pioneering in use of Artificial Systems in the legal Sector and is now focussing on creating virtual assistants for the lawyers. With such technology lawyers will get a chance of improving their quality of work with a good speed and giving support in paralegal work (O. Andrew, 2013). Watson Computers although is not used in Law industry, but it has a huge scope for the lawyers. With such technology the practice of waiting for hours for meeting clients will disappear. Lawyers can create their bills on the basis of expertise instead of time dependent. Most of the lawyers who are not in favour of using this technology believe that this technology will eat their jobs and brings to unemployment for the lawyers. But they have to realise that the legal profession will evolve with this change, similar to IT industry (O. Andrew, 2013). Thus looking at the marketing plan and an urge for use of Artificial Intelligence the HOMS have been declared as the most thriving, excellently managed a corporate firm which works with a commitment of excellence in the field of law (Alice, 2015) References Alice. (2015). HOMS News Issue 2 2015. Retrieved from https://www.ilntoday.com/files/2015/12/HOMS-News-Issue-2-2015.pdf Law Society gazette. (Jan, 2016). The Risen People. Retrieved from https://www.lawsociety.ie/Documents/Gazette/Gazette%202016/jan-feb16-gazette.pdf Andrew. (May, 2013). Legalwise. Retrieved from https://www.lawsociety.ie/Documents/Gazette/Gazette%202013/May2013.pdf

Some Facts About Body free essay sample

What structure separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities and what is it made of? The diaphragm. Made of skeletal muscle 2. What is the collective name for the contents of the ventral cavity? The viscera 3. What are the main functions of these membranes and the potential space they form? To secrete serous fluid which allows the parietal membrane to slide over the visceral membrane without friction. 4. What is the clinical condition that develops when air is able to enter the potential space of the pleural membrane? Pneumothorax 5. What is the clinical condition called when the membrane of the abdominal cavity is inflamed? (hint: periton****) Peritonitis 6. How does an organ differ from a tissue? Tissues are collections of specialised cells and cell products that perform a relatively limited number of functions (or a specific function) [or one or more specific functions]. Organs are combinations of tissue that perform complex functions. (or two or more tissues working in combination to perform several functions). We will write a custom essay sample on Some Facts About Body or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 6. Using the gastro-intestinal tract as an example, list the cavity/cavities in which organs of this system are found. buccal cavity), thoracic cavity (oesophagus), abdomino-pelvic cavity (rest of organs) – may separate organs into abdominal cavity and into pelvic cavity. .Using the gastro-intestinal tract as an example, list the cavity/cavities in which organs of this system are found. (buccal cavity), thoracic cavity (oesophagus), abdomino-pelvic cavity (rest of organs) – may separate organs into abdominal cavity and into pelvic cavity. 8. Do all organs of the body lie within a body cavity? If not, give examples. No. muscles bones lie outside cavities, kidneys (part of the pancreas) re â€Å"retroperitoneal† so lie â€Å"outside† the abdominal cavity. 9. Using directional terms, describe the appearance of the body when it is standing in the ‘Anatomical Position’ . Body vertical, feet inferior to waist knees, feet not everted, legs neither flexed nor extended, arms lateral to trunk, hands inferior to elbows, face directed anteriorly, neck neither flexed nor extended. 10. Describe the position of each of the following using anatomical, directional terms: ear (compared to the nose and to chin), elbow (compared to the wrist shoulder), vertebrae (compared to sternum and kidneys). Ear is lateral to parietal bone(or nose), superior to mandible. Elbow is proximal to hand, but distal to shoulder Backbone is posterior to lungs viscera and medial to shoulder blades. Task Describe how the body is sectioned by the Frontal, Sagittal and Transverse planes. Frontal You would see the body as if you were standing in front of a mirror looking at your self . A plane that divided the body into anterior and posterior sections Sagittal Sagittal: you would see an arm sliced lengthways into a front half (anterior) and a back half (posterior) so see same tissues as in transverse section, but not as â€Å"rings†. Transverse Transverse: you see â€Å"rings† of (going from superficial to deep) skin, subcut fat, muscle, bone (=radius/ulna, or humerous) 12. What organs would you find in the Right Hypochondriac Region? (ascending) large intestine, liver amp; Week 5 Table 1: Comparison of metric units of length METRIC UNITEQUIVALENT SIZE 1 metre (m)1 m100 centimetres 1 centimetre (cm)10-2 m10 millimetres 1 millimetre (mm)10-3 m1000 micrometres 1 micrometre (*m) 10-6 m1000 nanometres 1. Red Blood Cell RBC †¢no nucleus †¢biconcave disc †¢red in colour White blood cells WBC †¢Have a nucleus varied shapes †¢some have granulaes †¢irregular shaped cells wall unlike RBC What do you think these formed elements in the blood could be? ( Hint: they assist in coagulation) Platelets What views do the T and the L represent? Smooth muscle cells in longitudinal and transverse sections. CharacteristicSkeletal muscleSmooth muscle Microscopic appearance Long cylindrical striated and multinucleate ( more than one nucleus)Short, spindle shaped, non-striated, single central nucleus Main functions Moves, stabilises the position of the skeleton, guards entrances and exits to the digestive, respiratory and urinary tracts. Generates heat, protects internal organs. Moves food. Urine and reproductive tract secretions. Controls diameter of respiratory passageways. Regulates the diameter of the blood vessels. Locations in the body Combines with connective tissue and neural tissue in skeletal muscle. Found in the walls of blood vessels and in the digestive, respiratory, urinary and reproductive organs. Type of nerve supply (autonomic or somatic)Somatic ( conscious attempt to think about moving the area of the body)Autonomic ( automatic movement of a body part example heart) Bone cells make up only 2% of bone mass. Bone contains four types of cells 1. Osteocytes 2. Osteoblasts 3. Osteoprogenitor cells 4. Osteoclasts Osteocytes Mature bone cells that maintain the bone matrix that live in lacunae are between layers (lamellae) of matrix. They are connected by cytoplasmic extensions through canaliculi in lamellae. They do not divide. Two major functions of osteocytes 1. To maintain protein and mineral content of matrix 2. To help repair damaged bone Osteoblasts are immature bone cells that secrete matrix compounds (osteogenesis). Osteoid is the matrix produced by osteoblasts, but not yet calcified to form bone. Osteoblasts surrounded by bone become osteocytes. Osteoprogenitor cells These are Mesenchymal stem cells that divide to produce osteoblasts. Located in endosteum, the inner cellular layer of periosteum there involved in fracture repair. Osteoclasts secrete acids and protein-digesting enzymes; they appear as giant, multinucleate cells. Their role is to dissolve bone matrix and release stored minerals (osteolysis). Derived from stem cells that produce macrophages. Week 6 2. Locate the Foramen magnum. Why is there an opening here in the skull? Connects the skull/cranial cavity with the vertebral canal. The Foramen surrounds the connection between the brain and the spinal cord. Growth of the face. Locate the newborn skull model and compare it to the adult skull. Notice the great increase in the facial skeleton in the adult. 3. Gaps between skull bones allows skull to be moulded an fit through the birthcanal No teeth in the newborn Brain cavity nearly the same size. Facial bones much smaller in new bone 4 What is the significance of the C1 and C2? Atlas and axis allows rotation of the head on the neckThe odontoid peg from C2 allows CI Atlas to rotate around the peg. 5What feature distinguishes thoracic vertebrae from other vertebrae? The ribs joining onto to the thoracic vert 6. At what stage during human development do the cervical and lumbar (concave) curves develop and for what purposes? When the child begins to walk to keep the centre of gravity aligned 7. What distinguishes a ‘true’ rib from a ‘false’ rib? True ribs (numbers 1 through 7) each have their own costal cartilage connecting them directly to the sternum. False ribs (8 through 12) either have their costal cartilage connecting to the cartilage of the rib above (ribs 8-10) or are floating ribs, not connected to the sternum. 8Make a list of the differences in structure between the male and female pelvis. What is the purpose of these structures? Use the criteria listed in Martini figs 8. 8 to 8. 10 to identify and record in your Log book the sex of skeletons A, B, C, D, E and F. AF B M CMD M EFF F Female pelvis has round pelvic opening (not heart shaped); has pubic arch gt;100o (rather than

Free Essays on Timeline History Of Russia 1533-1991

1533-1584 The Russian Empire, covering over one-sixth of the world, is governed by the sovereignty of Czar Ivan the Terrible. The feudal system oppresses every man, woman and child as the Czar releases "Tax Collectors" to maintain support for the nobles in the land. Brigands and financial extortionists persecute any lower class citizen who refuses to help contribute to the Czar's regime. 1682-1725 Under Czar Peter I (Peter the Great), the Russian Empire begins to flourish with traces of traditional social structure modifications in the country. Observing the radical advances of western civilizations, Peter orders the modernization of the army, creation of a navy, encourages mercantilism and foreign trade, and gives women more rights. Nevertheless, the Empire remains stricken in poverty over slow reforms and the overbearing presence of feudalism. 1825-1861 The feudal system begins to fail when the goals and desires of the common peasant cannot be achieved through such an archaic doctrine. Various successive Czars attempt social reforms which do not leave an impact on the country's well-being. In December of 1825, an uprising from the populace occures when they demand changes to the economic system. With the development of the American, French and Spanish constitutions, the serfs now demanded the abolishment of the monarchy dictatorship, communal ownership of land and many other civil and social reforms. Unfortunately, their rebellion was quickly dismantled by the Czar's military faction and the system remained in tact. 1861-1905 Czar Nicholas II finally realized that his current economic monarchy was holding back the development of the empire. He therefore created a parliamentary system in 1905 which would decrease the number of strikes and violent outbursts generating from the peasants. This representative assembly (called a Duma) was convened a t... Free Essays on Timeline History Of Russia 1533-1991 Free Essays on Timeline History Of Russia 1533-1991 1533-1584 The Russian Empire, covering over one-sixth of the world, is governed by the sovereignty of Czar Ivan the Terrible. The feudal system oppresses every man, woman and child as the Czar releases "Tax Collectors" to maintain support for the nobles in the land. Brigands and financial extortionists persecute any lower class citizen who refuses to help contribute to the Czar's regime. 1682-1725 Under Czar Peter I (Peter the Great), the Russian Empire begins to flourish with traces of traditional social structure modifications in the country. Observing the radical advances of western civilizations, Peter orders the modernization of the army, creation of a navy, encourages mercantilism and foreign trade, and gives women more rights. Nevertheless, the Empire remains stricken in poverty over slow reforms and the overbearing presence of feudalism. 1825-1861 The feudal system begins to fail when the goals and desires of the common peasant cannot be achieved through such an archaic doctrine. Various successive Czars attempt social reforms which do not leave an impact on the country's well-being. In December of 1825, an uprising from the populace occures when they demand changes to the economic system. With the development of the American, French and Spanish constitutions, the serfs now demanded the abolishment of the monarchy dictatorship, communal ownership of land and many other civil and social reforms. Unfortunately, their rebellion was quickly dismantled by the Czar's military faction and the system remained in tact. 1861-1905 Czar Nicholas II finally realized that his current economic monarchy was holding back the development of the empire. He therefore created a parliamentary system in 1905 which would decrease the number of strikes and violent outbursts generating from the peasants. This representative assembly (called a Duma) was convened a t...

Answer those question about dance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answer those question about dance - Essay Example Creative movements would work for children under twelve years of age who are learning and discovering their strengths while improvision can be used in teens and adults who are aware of their interests. The specialist should expect the dancers to be more fit, better concentration and sensory awareness. Question 2: The dancer, choreographer and the audience member are all equal parties in the event since they all complement each other. This is because the choreographer demonstrates certain traits that the dancer learns through continuous training, in order to improve his performance. In a live performance, the dancer performs to the audience, which will interpret, understand the dancer’s message and comment on the performance through acclamation. Therefore, they are all important to each other. Question 3: Court ballet originated form the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century. Romantic ballet was a ballet dance that featured female dancers that sensually moved their bodies. Classical ballet was the traditional form of ballet that featured Enrico Cocchetti as a great dancer. Neo-classical ballet was a modernised form of classical ballet in which George Balanchine thrived. He was the initiator of contemporary ballet that permitted a greater range of movements than the neo-classical ballet. Question 4: Modern dance started in the early 1900s in response to ballet, which was majorly used in concerts. It involved a wide range of styles as compared to ballet. There were many styles such as those initiated by Graham and Horton. The mid-century was characterised by combining modern dance and ballet elements. There was a lot of improvisation and performance art incorporation. It is different today form the jazz, ballet and tap dance in that it allows a lot of individualistic ideas and incorporated style and fashion. Question 5: The social dances in the 1980s featured dances

Analysis of the Reptile Garden Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis of the Reptile Garden - Essay Example When viewed in retrospect, it becomes evident that the incident of Anais getting locked in the garden room was of central importance to the development of her character, and to the different events that befell her later in her life. Although she denies this towards the end of the story, her ingestion of the drug and getting locked in the garden room was a transition point in he life. The most intriguing feature of this episode is the appearances of reptiles, followed by amphibians, that led to Anais getting scared and crying. Since the title of the story is also related to this garden room full of reptiles, this episode is of central importance to the story, so it would be discussed first. There could be several interpretations of this incident. The focus on the appearance of reptiles, with a subsequent transition to amphibians could denote the process of evolution from one species to the next, higher level of species. The writer could have used this approach to make an analogy for t he development and evolution of the Anais’ personality and character. This could be a way of depicting her growth as a person, and her development into the individual that she was meant to be. So she came out of that room a changed and evolved person, who was now had different aims and a different approach to life. Another explanation could simply be that Anais got terrified and disturbed due to her experience in the garden room; her loneliness, her exposure to animals, insects and other reptiles, her unhealthy condition due to the ingestion of the acid that was given to her by her cousin, and her sheer sadness that led her to weep alone in the room. Being subjected to such adverse experiences, she came out of that room a terrified and weak person, who was paranoid and always scared for her safety, since she â€Å"couldn’t stop shaking at the slightest unexpected movement† (Erdrich). This deterioration of her personality could have been the reason for her extrem e attachment to Nonette later, and even made her wonder why she got so weak when her parent’s love for her was so strong (Erdrich). A third interpretation of the episode could be that the incident broke her free from her habits, her compulsive attitude_ the evidence of which comes from her uncontrolled habit of cleaning the bathroom, even at midnight_ and the self-absorbing shell that she had encased herself into to keep the world at bay; and led her to experience new activities and desires that she had perhaps not allowed herself to experience before. It made her more reckless and carefree, and more spirited to live life in a manner different from what she was accustomed to and had been trained for. Perhaps the best explanation is the combination of the former two. It is evident that she was frightened by her experience in the garden room. Considering the emphasis placed on the appearances of the different animals, and the writer’s special mention of the appearance of first reptiles and then amphibians, it can be deduced that the Anais, after emerging from the room, had evolved into a scared, weak, and overall different person from a focused, stable individual who went into the room. The next intriguing event is Anais’ statement about Nonette, when she muses â€Å"

The strong value of the Australian dollar and its impact on Assignment - 1

The strong value of the Australian dollar and its impact on Australia's exports about tourism - Assignment Example 102). The variations in the dollar usually come alongside different impacts on the general economy of the country. Depending on the prevailing level of elasticity, some firms are usually affected by the value of the dollar, while others benefit immensely from it (Carson, Richards & Tremblay 2005, p. 100; Gary 2006, p. 1). The export markets for various goods and services in Australia seem to be exceptional, but this is not always the case in the face of the changing value of the Australian dollar. According to the a recent survey that was done on the impact of the dollar, the value of the export markets fell down to ten places because of the appreciating value of the Australian dollar. This is according to the world ranking of export markets from Australia. It has been noted that the value of the Australian dollar has been on a steady upward since 2008 (Australian Capital Tourism Corporation 2004, p. 87). This is attributed to the prevailing economic boom as a result of the mining activities going in the country. In this respect, investigations conducted about the mining boom in other countries like China and countries in the East cannot be ignored (Nicole 2013, p.1; Robert 2013, p. 2). The increase in value of the Australian dollar has had a direct multiplier effect, meaning that other industries have equally felt it. These industries include the agricultural sector, service industry among many others. The impact of this rising value of the dollar has critically affected the tourism sector, which largely depends on people expenditure while visiting various places in the country (Tourism Research Australia. 2005, p.1 ). In general, it is a common observation that the elasticity of people’s expenditure in the process of touring various places in the country is large. For instance, foreigners income elasticity is directly related to the elasticity of

Attitude towards environment and green products

Attitude towards environment and green products There has been a rising concern on environmental issues worldwide nowadays. Ministry of foreign affairs statistic shows that over the years, the temperature has been rise because of carbon dioxide trapped and green house gases have affected the global climate. This change will affect the people live all over the world. This also includes access to water, health, food and the well being of the environment. Todays consumers have started to realize that their purchasing behavior actually cause a huge impact to the environment. Therefore, companies should practice offering environmentally friendly products and service to people to prevent this world become worse. Although, Malaysia has undergone an excellent development followed governmental efforts to attract foreign investor to come and invest for a green product development in Malaysia, the practices of environmental responsible behavior are still low among Malaysian consumers. An example of the lack of environmental responsible behavior is shown in an article in Bernama whereby garbage thrown by one of the state in Malaysia residents is the main cause of river pollution in the state. According to a survey which was conducted on line by global market insight and information group, on the aspect of eco-friendliness of habits and behaviors only 8% of Malaysian respondents responded that they have changed their behavior in a greatest deal to benefit the environment. In addition 83% respondents reported that their views on a companys and their Colleges friendliness to the environment would influence their purchases of products and services. Studying the determinants of generation-Y consumers green purchase behavior will be definitely benefit green marketers. Generation-Y (also known as a millennial) is defined as A label attributed to people born during the 1980s and early 1990s. Members of Generation Y are often referred to as echo boomers because they are the children of parents born during the baby boom (baby boomers). Because children born during this time period have had constant access to technology (computers, cell phones) in their youth, they have required many employers to update their hiring strategy in order to incorporate updated forms of technology. In a simple word, generation-Y grew up with a technology and relies on those things to perform their job and their task. In addition, when going through a literature review in Malaysian context, there are still a gap existed between environmental knowledge, intention and behavior towards green product. [Said et al. (2005)]. Even though people that have vast knowledge about green products are not necessarily would buy a green product. Therefore, factors those determine and affect Generation-Y to purchase a green product would be worth to find out. 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH Environment is defined as what surrounds a thing or an item or in other words it means the surrounding. It could be a physical element which is physical environment, that includes the built environment, natural environment such as air, water, land, atmosphere and etc or it could be human environment where people surrounding the item or thing which also known as the social environment. Today environment is getting worst and worst. Many environmental issues arise. Environmental concerns have been growing in recent years. One of the examples of environmental issue is global warming. Global warming and climate change refer to an increase in average global temperatures. Natural events and human activities such as burning garbage and waste are believed to be contributing to an increase in average global temperatures. This is caused primarily by increases in greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide. The greenhouse effect keeps the earth warm when functioning normally. For the first time in h istory, human activities are altering the climate of our entire planet. According to (Jack, 2010), in less than 2 centuries, humans have increased the total amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 25% from the burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of forests. In addition to the natural fluxes of carbon through the Earth system, human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning and deforestation, are also releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (The Carbon Cycle; the Human Role, Earth Observatory, NASA). Green product is define as a product that produce limited carbon footprints; they may require fewer resources to produce, consume less energy or emit fewer hazardous emissions. Green product is also a product that is non toxic, water-efficient, and also recyclable and biodegradable. There are many green products that have been produce for people in the market. For example, a household cleaner. Nowadays its nearly impossible to go shopping without finding a plethora of products that claim to be environmentally and consumer friendly. Oddly enough, many cheap and eco-friendly substances, such as vinegar, have been used for years as home cleaners. Whether you buy a green cleaning product at a store or use something on hand in your pantry, you can reap the benefits of choosing products that are gentler on you and the environment. Phosphate-free dishwasher and laundry detergents are also consider a green product because they do not discharge environment-damaging phosphates into waterways. Other examples of green cleaning products are those labeled certified biodegradable; these have passed several stringent tests relating to biodegradability and environmental impact conducted by an independent certifying agency. According to Consumer Reports, the certified biodegradable label is more meaningful than a general biodegradable label. Glass and metal cleaners, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, and laundry detergents are products that might carry this label. The rationale for going green is twofold. Clearly, the positive effects on the environment are a key driver for purchasing green product. Green product provides myriad environmental benefits. They can replace toxic materials that may be harmful to people or animals. Also, some products save energy and water, while others limit solid waste and manufacturing releases. Green products create a healthier environment for people through reduced exposure to cleaners, solvents, paints and other hazardous substances. Green product also can reduce allergies. Many families find that their children are suffering from allergies, even though their family history does not necessary say that there are no allergies. In some situations, chemicals found within cleaning products contain allergens. Bleaches, toxic cleaning sprays and other chemicals used to clean the home commonly contain a variety of ingredients specifically able to cause or trigger allergies in people. Generation Y are the cool generation, they embrace brand and live in the new world of digitize communication. Thus that might be interesting to find their perception and their level of awareness towards environmental issues that the world is facing nowadays. Gen Y has grown up in a very structure, busy and over planned world. Also, Gen Y is made up of confident, optimistic young people who feel valued and wanted. In a article of science daily, Gen-Y is a people that will go all the way when it comes to saving the environment as long as it benefit to world economic and environment. They are maturing into a pragmatic generation that wants to do the right thing for the environment but also has real economic concerns 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT Consumers or practically customers are the sellers and buyers that boost the countrys economy. Therefore, many firms are actually putting many efforts in order to attract more customers because these customers create businesses opportunities and generate profits to them. As the world nowadays facing so many problems regarding to an environmental issue, the consumers and their attitudes or behaviors to purchase a green product are the important factors to be considered. Consumers nowadays have more choices due to the effects of globalization. They will prefer the function of the product rather than the brand or whatsoever to ensure a healthier future. To determine the current level of Gen-y consumers preference towards the green products. To determine what are the determinants or factors of Gen-y consumer preferences towards the green product. To determine the consequences or effects of Gen-y consumer preferences towards the green product. To determine consumer level of awareness of Gen-y consumer towards green product. 1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE Awareness towards environmental issue that the world nowadays facing play a major role encourage people to purchase a green product. Thus, this study is attempts to relate on the various variables that influence consumer especially generation-Y to purchase a green product. The objectives are as the following: * To study the factors affecting the consumer especially Gen-Y to purchase green product. Gen-y is a new generation and It is crucial to understand as they are more advance and modernize. Thus, several researches have been conducted in order to understand consumers in a way that how they behave, and what are the factors that cause them to behave or react to the responses of the products. Leading factors such as price and quality are always the top concerns to the consumers. Product attributes will moderate the effects of price on quality judgments. Partial of the consumers may focus on buying low prices goods and neglect the quality of the products. This group of consumers takes the price as a measure of sacrifice. For instance, consumers take the price served as the benchmark for comparing utility gains from the quality of the product. One the other hand, some portion of the consumers will be willing to pay a premium price for the quality and function of the products, as they are very sensitive to the signals of the quality of one product. Thus, it is hope that this stud y will contribute further to the understanding of factors of price and quality that may lead to the consumers prefer for a green product * To understand the awareness level of people about Go Green campaign. Nowadays, there are many environmental campaign have been organized by a government and private sector. This campaign is aim to encourage people to more concern about the environment. Thus, it is hope that this study will explore how people react to a environmental campaign and what is their level of awareness about the awareness campaign. * To examine the benefit for people involvement in Go Green program. We might be asking, how we will benefit from getting involved in this environmental campaign. Well, recently there has been an increase in events directly related to the availability of natural resources. For example energy shortages that resulted to load shedding, change in weather patterns and water shortages. As a result, civil society is recognizing the need to manage our natural resources more effectively and responsibly. In doing so, we can ensure positive effects on our health, quality of life and even the cost of living. Thus, this study will help people to getting known more about what they will gain if they participate in the environmental campaign. *To discover what consumer perception towards green product. In curiosity to identify what are the main components or criteria that consumer especially gen-Y are looking forward in order to purchase a green product. It is true that each and every one of us are special and unique in the way we are, thus, every consumer has their very own perception in purchasing a green product. Different people from different backgrounds may have different perceptions on these products. In addition to that, different demographic groups may have different perceptions to this kind of product as well. Thus, this study will help to identify whether the consumer especially gen-y prefer to buy a green product or not to safe a mother of earth. 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY This study is crucial as there are a lot of green products have been selling nowadays. Obviously, when we talk about green product, the price for that particular item might be so expensive. The study on factors affecting consumer especially Gen-Y buying a green product may allow us to know in depth why are previous efforts taken does not produce as it is thought it would be. Based on the study conducted, motivations towards the environment, knowledge on green product, social norm, awareness and self-image have an impact on the consumer especially Gen-Y buying a green product. Government may need to enhance its program in educating people green product. New and more interesting Go Green program and method is a definite necessity in motivating people to increase their interest/awareness on a green product and indirectly motivates them to purchase it. 1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY The research focus on students in Multimedia University (MMU) Melaka campus and teenagers from outside the campus which comes from various demographic backgrounds such as the faculty, ethnicity and nationality. The focused respondents are a great resemblance on the exact population in Malaysia. 1.6 ORGANIZATIONAL OF RESEARCH 1.6.1 Chapter 1: Introduction Regarding this chapter, it introduce the background of this research such as why do people as a consumer buy a green product. Thus, this will create a strong preference among the gen-y consumers locally and abroad to consume and purchase green products. These sections will explain in details in the of consumers preferences from the Malaysian perspective and as well from the global view for green products. This chapter also recognized the problem statement and the research objectives for this research. Finally, the justification of the research will help to justify the benefits and those who will gain in this research. Chapter 2 : Literature Review A thorough study will be conducted on the dependent variable and independent variables. The main purpose for this chapter is to weigh the pros and cons of the topic and to discuss in details on the ideas and knowledge concerned. In this chapter, every definition of the dependent variable and independent variables will be cited from the journals in order to strengthen every point mentioned. Several of arguments and various points of views from different authors in order to provide a stronger formation of each point can be founded in this chapter. In addition to that, this chapter explains the relationships on several independent variables relate to the dependent variables. 1.6.2 Chapter 3 : Research Methodology Research methodology is usually conducted after the thorough study of literature review. In this chapter, theoretical framework will be form to illustrate the relationships between the dependent variable and the independent variables. Hypotheses or a proposed explanation which were made on the basis of limited evidences will explain the relationships between two or more variables. All the hypotheses stated will be tested together with empirical data. This chapter also includes the description of the sampling data, data collections and as well as the development of the questionnaire for this research. Chapter 4 : Data Analysis After questionnaires are collected from all the respondents, then few tests will be conducted to test on the validity and reliability of the results. The responds of the questionnaires from the respondents are represented by a set of numbers that symbolize their own significant meanings. Whereas the tests that will be carry out are to analyze the responses from the respondents so that it will derive to a stronger conclusion at the end of this research. Chapter 5 : Conclusion This chapter will provide the final outcome of this research. Thus, the final results will be explained and we will be able to identify how the exact hypotheses that formed earlier are hold. Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Environmental quality in Malaysia According to report from Department of Environment Malaysia, 2006, Malaysia experienced a short period of slight to moderate haze due to trans-boundary pollution from neighboring countries. Different states have the differed air quality status according to the geographical locations, the industrial and commercial activities, populated areas and the traffic conditions. During that period, especially in Klang Valley area in Malaysia was more prone to air pollution than any other areas. Statistic shows that, the air quality there was only good 23% of the time, moderate 70% of the time and the remaining 7% at an unhealthy level. As a developing country, Malaysia faced in a numerous challenge in ensuring a balance between development and environmental sustainability. Urban air and river quality, deforestation, household waste and hazardous waste are some of the major serious and worrying environmental problems faced by the country According to The Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010) report, Malaysian government allocated RM510 million for cleaning, preserving and beautifying rivers; RM530 million for coastal management; RM200 million for reforestation; and another RM70 million for the management of wildfire and protected areas to ensure environmental sustainability and resource management. In a global environment article stated that, Solid waste is one of the three major environmental problems in Malaysia. It plays a significant role in the ability of Nature to sustain life within its capacity. Currently, over 23,000 tonnes of waste is produced each day in Malaysia. However, this amount is expected to rise to 30, 000 tonnes by the year 2020. The amount of waste generated will continues to increase. It is because due to the increasing population and development, and it will be only less than 5% of the waste is being recycled. Rivers represent the lease of life which pulses through the earth. It is a finite and only source of water. In Malaysia, there are almost 1800 rivers. Sadly, more than half of these rivers have been polluted and destroyed. Improper solid waste management contributes greatly to river pollution. Improper solid waste management also contributes to climate change decomposing waste produces methane and production of new products to meet demand emits greenhouse gases and utilizes natural resources. Therefore, a shift towards more sustainable consumption patterns is required. 2.1.1 Concern of environment There are many reasons and factors that affect consumer especially Gen-Y to buy a green product. According to Mostafa (2007), green purchase behavior or environmental friendly buying behavior is the consumption of products that are beneficial to the environment, recyclable or conservable, Sensitive and responsive to ecological concerns. Concern for the environment is perceived to be important in encouraging consumer to participate in green program and also buying a green product. Research finding suggest that, moral concerns determine several curtailment behaviors (Goldstein et al., 2008; Hage et al., 2009). However, studies on the influence of moral concerns on consumer high involvement buying decisions with environmental implications are rare (Thà ¸gersen, 2005). This is a problem since overlooking an influential determinant might hinder or delay successful diffusion of environmentally friendlier products and innovations. Consumer identify environmental protection as a priority fo r governmental policies and this interest has led to an increase in ethical production-for both consumer and non-consumer products ( Finisterra do Paà §o et al., 2009). Sensitivity to environmental issues shifts consumer behavior towards supporting the growth and diffusion of green marketing and ecologically-conscious consumer behavior including: consumer preference for greener firms, increase in demand for greener products. (Alsmadi, 2008; Finisterra do Pacao et al.,2009) found that greater awareness of environmental problems, increased media coverage, impact of major industrial disasters on public opinion, and the rise of pressure group activities are among the factors driving environmental concerns. 2.2 Green marketing Grant, John.(2008)define the green as a brand that that offers a significant eco-advantage over the incumbents and which hence appeals to those who are willing to making green a high priority. Soonthonsmai (2008) defined a green marketing as the activities that have been action by firms that are really concern about the environment by delivering the environmentally sound goods or services to build and create consumers and also societys satisfaction. Other definitions of green marketing as proposed by marketing scholars include social marketing, ecological marketing or environmental marketing. Harrison (2008) proposed green marketing strategy by firms through positioning the environmental benefits of green products to consumers mindset to influence their purchasing decision. Peatitie (2007) and Welford (2000) defined green marketing as the management process responsible for identifying and satisfying the requirements of customers and society in a profitable and sustainable way. In rea lity, companies that are going to pursue green marketing encounter various challenges mainly from the variability of demand, un-favorable consumer perception and high cost (Gurau and Ranchhod, 2008). The most key concern lies in an understanding of green consumers and their characteristics amd will help firm to enable and to develop a new target and segmentation strategies (DSouza et al., 2008). Dwyer (2009) defined green as the products to be designed, commercialized, and used which are capable of reducing sources of pollution and minimizing risks to human health and the environment. On the other hand, there are product sector speci ¬Ã‚ c examples of research on green buying process, such as food and household products (Vantomme et al., 2005) and clothes (Shaw et al., 2006) 2.2.1 Consumer preference on green product The dependent variable in this study is the factor that affecting consumer preferences for green products. Everyone in this Earth, play a major role as a consumer. Consumers are the main factors that boost a countrys economy. Each and every consumer has their very own perspective and preferences towards what they consume. Consumer from different demographic factors such as background and society may influence their behavior in making decisions while to purchase products. Thus, it is undeniable that consumers preferences and their perspective towards goods and services are hard to predict. DSouza et al. (2006a) found out in their research that consumers perception of green products did not influence by criteria such as packaging, label and ingredient of a product. The important finding from DSouza et al. (2006b) was that green consumers would rely more on their personal experience in using the product rather than evaluate a green product base on marketers provided information. Interestingly, this finding however contradicts to DSouza, Taghian and Lambs finding they found that consumers are getting environmental information from labels before deciding to purchase a green product. It is mean that, label are important to capture consumer impression to buy a green product. The importance of consumers has lead to many researches to be conducted in order to study on their behavior and attitudes towards what they perceived on the products. Barr and Gilg (2006) was found that green purchasing behavior was the least popular activity alongside activities such as recycling and habitual household activities. However, not surprisingly, green consumers do consider environmental factors when purchasing products, but engaged more frequently in activities such as switching off lights and recycling paper (daily activities). Wheale and Hinton (2007) suggested that amongst the population of green consumers there is a hierarchy of importance of ethical drivers in the purchase decision-making process. The environment was rated as the most important ethical driver during purchasing decisions. The finding from DSouza et al. (2006a) was if product is lower in quality, consumers would not have intention to buy green products even though they were always reading labels. Furt hermore, if product is more expensive, consumers might have intention to buy green products. Therefore, DSouza et al. (2006b) concluded from their study that consumers were not compromised to lower product quality. However, Rashid (2009) in his study stated that eco label is an important factor that would enable consumers to make the right purchase choice if faced with a situation that required their consideration of the environmental impact on a product that they wish to purchase. 2.3 Knowledge and attitude towards environment and green product Knowledge and attitude towards environment are very important to influcence consumer especially Gen-Y To purchase green products. There is a general belief among the researchers and also the environmental activists that through purchasing environmentally friendly products or green products, products with recyclable packaging or properly disposing of non-biodegradable garbage, consumers indirectly can contribute significantly in order to improve the quality of the environment (Abdul-Muhmim, 2007). The quality of the environment depends critically on the level of knowledge, attitudes, values and practices of consumers (Mansaray and Abijoye, 2005). Attitudes are the most consistent explanatory factor in predicting consumers willingness to pay for green products (Chyong et al., 2006). This means that price is not the main factor in preventing consumers from purchasing green products if they are pro-environment. Researcher also found that Influencing consumer behaviour is a complex and di fficult task requiring knowledge of its determinants. The most convincing support of the growing influence of the ecologically-friendly consumer is the increase in the number of individuals that are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products (Bang et al., 2005). 2.4 Social norm and value perception influence consumer to buy green product. Studies have also investigated the effect social influence has affect consumer especially Gen-Y purchase green product.The interest in green initiatives is not expected to emanate only from external impositions and inducements but also from the internal sense of responsibility of a firm towards the society in which it exists. For green issues, such sensitivity is intensified by increasing environmental problems such as global warming and pollution. Such problems may also raise awareness and interest of a firm to behave in a more socially responsible manner and reflect an image of due diligence and commitment to sustainability. Green purchasing is primarily motivated by a certain degree of consumer ecological consciousness. Frey and Stutzer (2006) identify a number reasons behind environmental motivation: intrinsic motivations, altruism, internalized norms and social norms. Social norms lead individuals to take into consideration the opinions of the other members of society when choosing a green product over another: if they think that their acquaintances approve of green product purchase and disapprove of standard product purchase, there are encouraged to buy green products. (Ewing, 2005) stated that social norms are an important motivator of ecologically responsible behaviour. The strength of the normative influence of the consumers family and social groups on purchasing decisions depends on the characteristics of the product (e.g. luxury rather than a necessity). Value perception is the conception one has of oneself. Study in marketing influence on consumer purchase decision on green product, value perception was influencing green behaviours. This agrees to Lee(2008) finding value perception as the third predictor of her study. Apart from behavioral aspects, numerous studies have also looked at the relationship between demographic and socioeconomic variables and purchase green product involvement. Kinnear, T. and Taylor, J. (1973) stated that there has been no signi ¬Ã‚ cant link found between demographic segmentation and green purchase. This could be due to the notion that different groups of people relate to different parts of the environmental agenda Peattie, K. (1995). There have been contradictory results of younger and older age groups concerns about environmental issues Peattie, K. (1995). There is, however, a belief that environmental concern is directly related to a consumers level of education Balderjahn, I. (1988). Based on four surveys, Hines et al. found no relationship with gender. Chapter 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Overview Methodology is a system of methods used in a particular research. Research methodology normally comes after defining the problems and completing the thorough of the literature review. Research methodology which has been implemented to collect, investigate and as well as interpreting data obtained for the testing of the hypothesis will be discussed. Theoretical framework will be formed in this chapter in order to illustrate the relationships in between the dependent variable and independent variables. Besides that, hypotheses were developed and will be discussed together with the explanations in conjunction with the dependent variable and the independent variables. On top of that, plans of the sampling method, data collection methods and as well as the development of the questionnaires are included in this chapter. Finally, the data analysis and the hypotheses testing will carry out to analyze the responses from the respondents so that it will derive to a stronger conclusion at the en d of this research. 3.2 Theoretical Framework Figure 3.1 below illustrates a theoretical framework that shows the relationships in between the dependent variable and the independent variables. Knowledge Country Factors affecting Gen-y consumer in Malaysia buying a green product Attitude Social Norm Value Perception 3.3 Explanation of Framework The preferences of consumers for green products are subjective. Consumer from different demographic factors such as background and society may influence their behavior in making decisions while to purchase products. Whether they have a greater of favor to green products or to ordinary products are just hard to predict. Thus, it is undeniable that consumers preferences and their perspective towards goods and services are hard to predict. The importances of consumers have lead to many researches to be conducted in order to study on their behavior and attitudes towards what they perceived on the products. The knowledge, which is one of the factors that might cause preferences for consumers to make purchases for green products. The first thing that came across consumers mind is the brands and firms that produce a green product. Thus, the brand image of the company has help by providing hints to the consumers in summarizing the information from that certain product. According to Grunert (1993), knowledge of the benefits of a green products use on the environment may have an impact on whether or not that product is purchased and used. Besides that, consumers also prefer to purchase a green product with a lower cost. The attitude is another most influential factor in consumer preferences for green products. Consumers normally are not really aware about our environment issue nowadays. It is because they get less information regarding to our environment situation. Awareness towar

Social Conflict and Inequality Essay -- Philosophy Economics Inequalit

Social Conflict and Inequality The social conflict paradigm is a theory based on society being a complex system characterized by inequality and conflict that generate social change. Personal life experiences dictate me to believe this theory is true. Discussion of the theory in question and how it pertains to myself will be covered in the paper. Social conflict can be seen all over the world we live in: in sports, politics and normal social engagements. The main point I have experienced with this theory would be the fact that I don’t come from a rich, powerful, and prestigious family, which in turn limits my chances of being successful. Karl Marx studied social conflict His entire life and wanted to reduce social inequality. The social conflict theory can be described as favoritism. Society tends to show favoritism to the prestigious members of that particular society. Social inequality is shown throughout the world from situations of race, ethnicity, gender, and age. These factors may dictate wealth, scho oling, power, and prestige. The social conflict paradigm views the patterns that benefit some people more than it would others, due to their social standings. Karl Marx was a sociologist who embraced the social conflict paradigm. Marx made his main goal to not just understand society but to reduce social inequality. Karl Marx devoted his life to explaining a contradiction in society. That contradiction was â€Å"How in a society so rich, so many could be poor.† Marx makes a good point here: If America is supposed to be a rich country and a free country where the streets are paved with gold and opportunity is knocking around every corner, then why is it that there are so Many poor people in America? The answer is social conflict. America does not provide the same opportunities to people from a poor family as they do with people who come from a rich and prestigious family. Two people with the same academic backgrounds and qualifications may apply for a job; however, one comes from a poor family and the other from a well-known rich family. Through the social conflict that exists in the world the person from the rich family has a much grater chance of receiving the job than does the person from the poor f amily. The same can be said of a person of color and a white person. The typical African-American family earns about 54% of the income of the average white ... ...he fact that I want to prove the Marxist or social conflict theory wrong and become prestigious myself and not just settle for a working class position. The social conflict theory is seen everywhere everyday. The struggle to achieve despite the hand you’re dealt at birth is part of everyday life. Sports teams draft second generation players because of their family backgrounds as opposed to another player with the same ability. Politicians are voted into office due largely in part to their economic stature. A poor person wouldn’t win an election would they? Not without the deception of the public leading them to believe they were a rich individual. There is no escaping social conflict it is everywhere and will continue to be a part of society forever. Maybe one day Karl Marx’s dream will come true to have society be on an equal playing field but do not look for that to happen in our lifetimes. Discrimination is a big part of society today and discrimination an d favoritism is what social conflict is all about. Discriminating against a person because of their background as opposed to a person with a wealthier background happens all the time and social conflict is the reason for it.

The Four Basic Food Molecules

A molecule is a group of atoms bonded together that represent the smallest unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction. (http://www. dictionary. com) In kitchen chemistry today, there are many types of food molecules such as minerals, vitamins, fiber, and water. But there are four molecules that people refer to as food, also known as the four basic food molecules, which can be used to produce energy which are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and alcohol which is not considered a basic nutritional component of food.Protein is a compound that’s made up of amino acids that are joined by peptide bonds. It is considered the most important molecule which can come in two forms, complete proteins and incomplete proteins. A complete protein includes all of the amino acids that we humans can’t produce ourselves. An incomplete protein only includes small proportion of one or more amino acid.Our bodies can make use all of the amino acids we obtain from foo d for synthesizing new proteins, but the inessential ones don’t need to be supplied because our cells can make them. They play a big role to the structure and function of all living cells and viruses. Many proteins are enzymes or subunits of enzymes. They are very important in our food and our body. One major reason is because they form struts and joints of our skeleton or cytoskeleton. Although many people don’t think proteins are useful and effective they are.A lack of proteins can result in having symptoms such as fatigue which is tiredness and mental exertion, insulin resistance which is a physiological condition where your cells don’t respond to the normal actions of the hormone insulin, hair loss, loss of hair pigment which your hair that should be black becomes reddish black, loss of muscle mass where your proteins repair muscle tissue, low body temperature, hormonal irregularities or even death from not having enough proteins.But be careful not to overdo it on proteins because even though you think having more proteins than usual is good it’s not. Too much protein can cause problems like causing the immune system to overreact, liver dysfunction from toxic residues, and bone loss due to increased acidity in the blood. So All in all, get the right amount of proteins in your body to keep it healthy. Second, is a lipid which is also known as fats. They are a big group of organic compounds that are related by their solubility in nonpolar organic solvents.  (http://www. chemistry. msu. edu).All fats are insoluble in water which means they can’t be dissolved and they have a density meaning most fats float on water. Most fats are mostly made up from triglycerides, and very little monoglycerides and triglycerides are mixed in. Products that have a lot of saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature and the products that have unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Saturated fats include all animal fats like milk fat, coconut oil, cocoa fat, and vegetable oil.Both vegetable and animal fats contain saturated and unsaturated fats while some oils contain fats that have a one double bonded carbon in the molecule which is also known as a monounsaturated fats while other fats have a high percentage of polyunsaturated fats which are fats that have more than one double bonded carbon in the molecule. Next we have Carbs which is the next most important molecule in your body because it is the main source of energy. Carbs are polyhydroxy aldehydes, keytones, or compounds that can be hydrolyzed to form compounds.There are two major kinds of carbohydrates; polysaccharides and monosaccharides. A Polysaccharide is a carbohydrate is molecules that consist of a number of sugar molecules bonded together whereas a monosaccharide is any sugars that cannot be hydrolyzed. Carbs that are composed of monosaccharide’s break down under hydrolysis which can also be classified under disaccharides, oligosacch arides, or polysaccharides, depending on how many monosaccharide units are present. Carbs can also be called simple or complex carbohydrates but this depends on their chemical structure.Simple carbohydrates only include sugars that are found in foods like fruits, vegetables, milk, and milk products. They also include sugars that are added during food processing and refining. Complex carbohydrates include whole grain breads and cereals, and starchy vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms, or celery which are also good sources of fiber. Last, we have vitamins. These are organic compounds that are essential in our diet. They fall into two categories and those categories are fat soluble and water soluble.The fat-soluble vitamins, Vitamins A, D, E, & K all dissolve in fat and can be stored in your body. The water soluble vitamins which are vitamin B & C need to be dissolved in water before your body can absorb them. Because of this, people’ s bodies can't store these vitamins and any B or C vitamin that your body doesn't is lost. So it is highly recommended that you have these vitamins every day. Vitamins help the immune system work; support normal growth and development, and help cells and organs do their jobs. Not enough vitamins can damage your body and cause serious problems.For example lack of Vitamin D can soften bones which can cause a person to become bow legged or maybe cause your bones to break easier, Pellagra which is a disease caused by a lack of niacin, or different types of anemia such as folate deficiency anemia, Vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia, and Vitamin C deficiency anemia. (http://www. mayoclinic. com). So Vitamins is another very important food molecule needed for your body to keep it maintained and healthy. To sum it all up, Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and vitamins are all essential to our diet and our body. They keep our body functioning, healthy, and able to live our everyday lives.

A History of Flag-Burning and Flag Desecration Laws in the U.S.

A History of Flag-Burning and Flag Desecration Laws in the U.S. Flag-burning or desecration isnt unique to the 21st century. It first became an issue in the U.S. after the Civil War. Many felt that the trademark value of the American flag was threatened on at least two fronts in the years immediately following the Civil War: once by the preference of white Southerners for the Confederate flag, and again by the tendency of businesses to use the American flag as a standard advertising logo. Forty-eight states passed laws banning flag desecration to respond to this perceived threat.  Heres a timeline of events. The First U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Flag Desecration (1907) Most early flag desecration statutes prohibited marking or otherwise defacing a flag design, as well as by using the flag in commercial advertising or showing contempt for the flag in any way. Contempt was taken to mean publicly burning it, trampling on it, spitting on it or otherwise showing a lack of respect for it. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld these statutes as constitutional in  Halter v. Nebraska  in 1907.   The Federal Flag Desecration Law (1968) Congress passed the Federal Flag Desecration Law in  1968 in response to a Central Park event in which peace activists burned American flags in protest against the Vietnam War. The law banned any display of contempt  directed against the flag, but it didnt address the other issues dealt with by the state flag desecration laws. Verbal Disparagement of Flag Is Protected Speech (1969) Civil rights activist Sydney Street burned a flag at a New York intersection in protest against the shooting of civil rights activist James Meredith  in 1968. Street was prosecuted under New Yorks desecration law for defy(ing) the flag. The Court overturned Streets conviction by ruling that verbal disparagement of the flag - one of the reasons for Streets arrest - is protected by the First Amendment, but it didnt directly address the issue of flag-burning. The Supreme Court Rules Against Laws Banning Contempt of the Flag (1972) After a Massachusetts teenager was arrested for wearing a flag patch on the seat of his pants, the Supreme Court ruled that laws that ban contempt of the flag are unconstitutionally vague and that they violate the First Amendments free speech protections. The Peace Sticker Case (1974) The Supreme Court ruled in  Spence v. Washington  that affixing peace sign stickers to a flag is a form of constitutionally-protected speech. Most states revised their flag desecration laws in the late 1970s and early 1980s to meet the standards set in Street, Smith, and Spence. The Supreme Court Strikes Down All Laws Banning Flag Desecration (1984) Gregory Lee Johnson burned a flag in protest against President Ronald Reagans policies outside the Republican National Convention in Dallas in 1984. He was arrested under Texas flag desecration statute. The Supreme Court struck down flag desecration laws in 48 states in its 5-4 Texas v. Johnson  ruling, stating that flag desecration is a constitutionally protected form of free speech. The Flag Protection Act (1989-1990) The U.S. Congress protested the Johnson decision by passing the Flag Protection Act in 1989, a federal version of the already-struck state flag desecration statutes. Thousands of citizens burned flags in protest of the new law, and the Supreme Court affirmed its previous ruling and struck down the federal statute when two protesters were arrested.   The Flag Desecration Amendment (1990 through 2005) Congress made seven attempts to overrule the U.S. Supreme Court from 1990 through 2005 by passing a constitutional amendment  that would make an exception to the First Amendment. This would have allowed the government to ban flag desecration.  When the amendment was first brought up in 1990, it failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority in the House. It has consistently passed the House but failed in the Senate since the Republican congressional takeover of 1994.   Quotes Flag Desecration and Laws Justice Robert Jackson  from his  majority opinion  in  West Virginia v. Barnette  (1943), which struck down a law requiring schoolchildren to salute the flag:   The case is made difficult not because the principles of its decision are obscure but because the flag involved is our own ... But freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order.If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. Justice William J. Brennans  from his 1989  majority opinion in  Texas v. Johnson:   We can imagine no more appropriate response to burning a flag than waving ones own, no better way to counter a flag burners message than by saluting the flag that burns, no surer means of preserving the dignity even of the flag that burned than by - as one witness here did - according its remains a respectful burial. We do not consecrate the flag by punishing its desecration, for in doing so we dilute the freedom that this cherished emblem represents. Justice John Paul Stevens from his dissent in  Texas v. Johnson  (1989):   The ideas of liberty and equality have been an irresistible force in motivating leaders like Patrick Henry,   Susan B. Anthony, and   Abraham Lincoln, schoolteachers like Nathan Hale and Booker T. Washington, the Philippine Scouts who fought at Bataan, and the soldiers who scaled the bluff at Omaha Beach. If those ideas are worth fighting for - and our history demonstrates that they are - it cannot be true that the flag that uniquely symbolizes their power is not itself worthy of protection from unnecessary desecration.

Atlantic Puffin essays

Atlantic Puffin essays The Atlantic Puffin is member of the Alcidae Family. These birds can be found abundantly, estimated 14 million, in the North Atlantic ocean. They can be found on both sides of the Atlantic ocean, but a much larger population is found in Greenland, Iceland, and Norway. They only come ashore to breed and raise a chick. Puffins range in size from 11.5-13.5 inches in length, and their wingspan 21-24 inches. Their weight is usually no more than 490.5 grams. They have been given nicknames like sea parrot and clowns of the sea because of their multi-colored bills. Atlantic puffins were once used by humans for their feathers, which were used in ladies hats. Today they are a common food item in Iceland.( ) Something else that makes these birds so unique is their eyes. They are set deeply in the skull with round full cheeks. Around the eye there is crimson ring and above it a small triangular blue, horny plate and below it a bar similar in color. However it is only during breeding season that the Atlantic Puffin sports its colorful red, yellow, and blue beak. Once nesting season is over the color disappears. During the winter months both adult and juvenile have a dirty gray face, usually the juveniles is even darker. From September through February these birds can be located from the North Atlantic into the Mediterranean Sea. While at sea they can swim easily, riding the waves even in the roughest weather. Puffins feed on small fish mollusks, and crustaceans. They are able to catch these animals from wither the air or water. They dive down and swallow the animals underwater. Towards the end of February and early March the start to arrive at their nesting grounds . They usually gather just offshore in rafts. As the season advances , and more time is spent on land, the birds bond with eat other, cooing and nibbling. Both male and ...

Traumatic Brain Injury Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Traumatic Brain Injury - Essay Example The patient may also suffer from cognitive problems where the memory and emotional response are affected. The patient may experience an outburst of emotions that range from lack of interest to overreacting. Diminished impulse control leads enhanced interpersonal problems where coping skills fail to function and may result in depression (Gainer, 2004, p. 43). Traumatic brain injuries require a substantial amount of time in order to recover from it. During this period, the family and society in general are tasked with coping, managing and enduring the stress involved with caring of the affected patient. The society has to bear the behavioral changes associated with the brain injury. Axonal shearing injury occurs due to sudden movement of the brain, which results in tearing of brain tissue. This may cause bruising and swelling, which may add more pressure to the brain itself. It is therefore, necessary to ensure great care when handling the patient so as not to cause any more harm or damage (The patient Education Institute, 2009, p. 3). This is achieved by ensuring that the patient is in a safe environment with minimal agitation. Individuals handling the patient should also ensure that the patient is kept at zero rated stress levels with the assurance that all will be well. In conclusion, traumatic brain injuries are potentially fatal if not diagnosed, managed, and treated in time. It is also critical to ensure that injuries to the torso are not incurred by observing all safety measures. Gainer, R., (2004). Psychritric Issues in Traumatic Brain Injury. Retrieved 15 August 2012 from

Design for disassembly and transformation Research Paper

Design for disassembly and transformation - Research Paper Example Setting aside farsightedness the thinking paradigm of man has narrowed down to his present only. The in fashion trends appeal the consumer oriented society of today where much emphasis is placed on the usage of disposable goods. Once used these things are simply thrown out. Seldom is it thought about the fate of these goods. Mostly unrecyclable in nature they end up in massive junkyards, bound to stay there for ever. The volume and number of these dumping grounds is growing at an alarming pace. On the other the careless usage of nature’s resources has begun to result in dangerous outcomes. These include the existence of green house effect and a rapid increase in global warming just for an instance. It is imperative that a means of reducing this unethical and careless formulation and usage of things be devised so as to minimize the adverse effects of using unsustainable products for the years that are to come. The trio of Reuse, Recycle and Repair has proved to be not enough to control the gravity of the problem. Another intelligent ways must be looked and pondered upon in order to fulfill the need of time. This report focuses on the detailed study of the problem, the impacts and significance of the problem, and how design level changes and consideration can play a vital role in handling the severity of the problem. ... With the passage of time man’s intellect made him learn to modify the natural resources at hand into products that would facilitate his necessities. This modification did not however restrict to the mere survival requirements of humans but went quite well beyond that. Years went by and every inch of advancements that humans went forth with opened new horizons for even more that were to follow. Excited by the ease this new stream of convenience and prosperity man went ahead with them forgetting to turn and look back at the losses that he was incurring en route. These losses were indispensible but it took man years to realize their severity. With every step forward man took and invented new things the unfavorable impact that these inventions had on the nature around him increased manifolds. Some more indestructible waste increased and some more things hazardous to the environment steeped up in their graph. As every new model of an object sprang up its older model would be thrown out of people’s lives. This trend, upon reaching higher limits, rang bells in the human mind. It was then that man thought what may have led to such a situation. The answer was just one. Lack of initial foresight in the design and construction of products had resulted in goods that suited their respective purposes very well indeed but were not transformable into any other useful product. Thus, when a product would live up to its years it would merely be thrown out. The junk thrown out by each and every individual at an unprecedented rate has resulted in a massive junk collection world over. Hazardous emissions from many of these are depleting the

Responsibilities and Relationships in Education and Training Essay Example for Free

Responsibilities and Relationships in Education and Training Essay The Teaching Role and Responsibilities In Education And Training The role of ‘teacher’ is an infinitely varied one, but there certain principles which underpin all aspects of the teaching role. Whether we are attempting to teach from personally acquired experience or knowledge, or from third party information, the process of teaching can be formalized into a structured process with the aim of maximizing the potential for learning. Numerous models exist with the aim of outlining the key stages of this process. For example, Gravells (2010) identifies them as such: Identification of Need →Planning and Design→Delivery/Facilitation→Assessment→Evaluation In order to undertake each of these stages successfully, the role of the teacher becomes multi-faceted. For example, conducting initial interviews with students helps to establish individual aims and identify particular learning styles such as those recognised by Honey Mumford (1992). This should enable to the teacher to tailor their teaching style and utilize a variety of methods, while also providing an opportunity to set clear goals which can be used as a benchmark when reviewing students’ progress. Accurate documentation of this is essential and forms part of the teachers’ responsibility. Furthermore, whilst undertaking these roles as a teacher, it is vitally important to consider the parameters in which we must operate. These are most likely to be defined by legal requirement – for example the Equality Act (2010) or the policies or the organization for which we may be working. Ultimately, it is down to the individual teacher to ensure their own professional conduct at all times. References: Equality Act (2010). London: HMSO. Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents Accessed 25/11/2014. Gravells, A (2010) ‘Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector’. 3rd Ed. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd. Honey P., Mumford A. (1992) ‘The Manual of Learning Styles’ 3rd Ed. Maidenhead, Peter Honey. Summarise Key Aspects Of Legislation, Regulatory Requirements And Codes Of Practice Relating To Own Role And Responsibilities There are many aspects to consider when discussing the conduct of a teacher and the requirements therein. Some of these are legal frameworks, others are more informal but equally important in terms of setting out guidelines for good practice. All of these requirements, when adhered to, help to ensure that as teachers, we are providing a safe, secure and successful learning environment. As students, they provide reassurance that care will be taken to promote inclusivity, maintain trust and ensure wellbeing. Some Codes of Practice will be designed to suit individual environments and will vary accordingly. Therefore care should be taken to ensure we are familiar with the particular requirements of the company or institution in which we are operating. Other codes are overarching and apply in all circumstances. One of the more recent of these is the ‘Statutory Special Educational Needs and Disability System for Children And Young People’ (SEND) which came into force on 1 September 2014 and explains the duties of schools and colleges to provide adjustments and aids for disabled children and young people up to 25. Legal acts which are underpinned by law are further reaching but equally apply. These include things such as the long standing 1974 Health and Safety  and Work Act, which ensures the â€Å"health, safety and welfare of persons at work† as well as â€Å"protecting others against risks to health or safety in connection with the activities of persons at work†. However, in the constantly shifting legal landscape, we should be mindful of new legislation coming into force. Finally, there are, of course, directives issued by professional bodies such the Institute for Learning which has a Code of Professional Practice (2008) covering 7 key areas: Integrity Respect Care Practice Disclosure Responsibility References: Department for Education (2014). ‘SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years’. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25 Accessed 29/11/2014 Institute for Learning (2008). ‘Code of Practice’ Available at: https://www.ifl.ac.uk/membership/ifl-code-of-professional-practice/view-the-code-of-professional-practice/ Accessed 1/12/2014 Explain Why It Is Important To Identify And Meet Individual Learner Needs As we have established previously, the first step in the (Gravells, 2010). Teaching and Learning Cycle is ‘Identifying need’. Without properly ascertaining this, the further steps in the cycle become more difficult to achieve and the chance for success is significantly diminished. Furthermore, informing learners of objectives creates a level of expectation for learning (Gagne, 1965). In order to avoid this outcome and the negative implications of failing to succeed, we must have a clear approach. Prior to the start of any learning activity, there will, by necessity be a  process which ostensibly is an administrative exercise. However, these interactions provide an excellent opportunity to engage with students in a way which could provide useful information. For example, noting that a student may have difficulty with grammar or spelling when completing a written questionnaire may indicate a greater need for support with literacy. Or, a student struggling to get to grips with viewing digital information such as a Powerpoint or PDF file could highlight a lack of I.T skill. It is important that we use all of these tools at our disposal, as acknowledging a perceived ‘flaw’ in ourselves is not always an easy thing to do. Students may be unwilling because of stigma or embarrassment or simply through an inability to recognize that a problem exists, which is an issue in roughly 30% of adults (Skills for Life Survey, 2011). However, individual needs may not be only be based on academic ability or skillset, there are a multitude of different needs which may exist and it is important to consider a holistic approach. Some students may have no difficulty with course content but may be distracted by other personal problems which affect their ability to learn. These could include financial difficulty, bereavement or an underlying health issue. Ultimately, the importance of identifying and meeting learners’ needs is about providing the best possibility for successful learning through providing support where it is most needed. References: Gagnà ©, R. M. (1965). ‘The conditions of learning and theory of instruction’ (1st ed.) Holt, Rinehart Winston: New York. Gravells, A (2010) ‘Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector’. 3rd Ed. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd. Skills for Life Survey (2011). Department for Business, Innovation Skills. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2011-skills-for-life-survey Accessed 1/12/14. Explain Ways To Maintain a Safe And Supportive Learning Environment As part of providing students with the best opportunity for success, it is crucial that the learning environment is both safe and supportive. These aspects are intertwined in that their aim is to create an environment where consideration for all matters other than the subject itself can be put aside to concentrate on learning. When operating in any environment, safety is the first issue. A risk assessment should be carried out prior to beginning any teaching session to establish whether hazards exist, and if so what extent they pose a risk (Trades Union Congress, 2008). These factors should also be assessed dynamically and any new or developing threat should be treated as a priority. When working in an environment such as a client office or business premises, safety considerations should include awareness of the existing plan of evacuation in case of fire. Any issues which are identified (such as blocked exits etc) should be bought up with the client in a professional manner. Support for learners may be provided in several ways. On a personal level, it is ensuring inclusivity for all students, treating each individual with respect and tolerance, as well as providing individually tailored help to match the needs identified in the first stage of the Teaching and Learning Cycle (Gravells, 2008). However, support is also provided through recognizing the need to give adequate breaks and availability of resources required to undertake the learning process properly. It is vital that consideration is given to these factors in the planning stage so that support may be implemented pro-actively rather than reactively. References: Trades Union Congress (2008) ‘Risk Assessment’. Precision Printing: London. Available online at: http://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/extras/riskassessment.pdf Accessed 1/12/14 Gravells, A (2010) ‘Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector’. 3rd Ed. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd. Explain Why It Is Important To Promote Appropriate Behaviour and Respect For Others The importance of appropriate behavior is paramount as it will set the correct tone for a learning environment. Fundamentally, it is about the rights of learners to have access to, attend, and participate in their chosen learning experience regardless of their circumstances. (Equality Act, 2010) The best way to promote this is to set the example as the teacher (School of Educators, 2011). This can be achieved in a variety of ways. Ensuring that the planning of any session has been properly executed will help to demonstrate basic values such as organization, efficiency and punctuality and when delivering a session, using appropriate tone and language will exhibit the kinds of behaviour which we want to see reflected in students. It is also important that we are focused on the task at hand and are not distracted by outside influences. Something as simple as switching off a mobile phone could make all the difference. In that regard, requesting students to put their phones into ‘silent’ mode is something which could help to avoid them becoming distracted but also establishes a basic ground rule while not necessarily conveying the same message as ‘please all turn your phones off’. Where undesirable behaviour occurs, it is important to consider whether addressing it may in fact be more of a disruption than the behaviour itself, however, where it needs to be addressed, this should be done so quickly and professionally. However, it is important to note that students, like teachers should incorporate humour into learning. Using humour in the classroom shows that you are human and consequently encourages students to like and respect you. Being able to laugh at yourself when you make a mistake offers a good counterbalance to the moment when you must be strict and so helps lighten the classroom atmosphere (Cowley, 2007) Treating students as individuals but with equal respect will help to promote the same response from them. Therefore, care should be taken to listen to, appreciate and encourage individual contributions, this is especially true in the case of adult learners who bring their own experiences to the learning setting. References: Cowley, S. (2007) ‘Guerilla Guide to Teaching: The Definitive Resource for New Teachers’ (2nd Ed.) Continuum: London. Equality Act (2010). London: HMSO. Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents Accessed 04/12/2014. School of Educators (2011). ‘The Characteristics of a Good Teacher’. Available online at: http://schoolofeducators.com/2011/05/the-characteristics-of-a-good-teacher/ Accessed 4/12/14. Explain How the Teaching Role Involves Working with Other Professionals As a teacher, there will always be a requirement to liaise and work with other professionals, and this is likely to occur in a number of ways. When employed in a teaching role, we act as a representative of the organization which employs us, and we have a responsibility to represent that organization in a professional manner. Equally, when dealing with internal colleagues, whether a manager or a colleague at the same level of seniority, we are dutybound to treat others with respect, politeness and courtesy. Values which all form part of the Institute for Learning ‘Code of Practice’ (2008). Remembering that we have a responsibility to act according to these guidelines can be especially important when faced with other professionals who may be challenging or difficult in their approach. For example, in a  client situation, a Manager who is under pressure is annoyed because some of his staff are being abstracted from their usual duties to undertake training. In this situation, it is feasible that a degree of hostility may be directed toward the trainer. In acknowledging the managers concerns and highlighting the benefit of the training both to the staff and the manager, we may be able to defuse the situation rather than escalate it. Of course, students themselves can be professionals and care must be taken to acknowledge the professional standing of adult learners so that we do not condescend or patronize. However, we also have a responsibility to care for our students and where it is highlighted that a student may have a need or issue which requires third party support, we may need to act as an advocate or intervene to flag potential issues. Legislation such as The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) make it potentially necessary to liaise with other professional agencies and, depending on the nature of the matter, it may be appropriate to use care or discretion. In all cases, it is appropriate that we remain professional and impartial. References: Institute for Learning (2008). ‘Code of Practice’ Available at: https://www.ifl.ac.uk/membership/ifl-code-of-professional-practice/view-the-code-of-professional-practice/ Accessed 1/12/2014 Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006). London: HMSO. Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/47/section/6 Accessed 4/12/14 Explain the Boundaries Between the Teaching Role and Other Professional Roles In dealing with other professional roles, there must come a point at which the boundaries of our own role are recognized to avoid us ‘overstepping the line’. This can apply on either a professional or personal level and works in two ways: our behaviour toward others and their behaviour towards us. The key basis upon which these boundaries must be drawn are ethics. Ethics can be described as ‘The codes of conduct or moral principles recognized in a particular profession, sphere of activity, relationship, or other context or aspect of human life’ (Oxford English Dictionary, 2014) In particular, the teaching profession is deeply implicated in ethical concerns and considerations. (Carr, D. 2000.) Therefore, it is an issue which should be constantly at the forefront of our thinking as teachers and an awareness of ethics helps to define the boundaries between us and other professional roles. Some boundaries are not so much an issue of ethics, however, but more of practicality and there must be limits placed on what we can reasonably be expected to achieve. This could, for example, include something such as a client wishing us to condense a lesson into a shorter time to reduce the impact on their business. Whilst the motivation for this may be understandable, it could also be perceived to undermine the value of the lesson itself, or at the very least will have an effect on the quality of the teaching. Recognising this kind of boundary enables us to ensure the integrity of our aims as teachers. Oxford English Dictionary (2014) Available online at: http://www.oed.com/ Accessed 4/12/14. Carr, D. (2000). ‘Professionalism and ethics in teaching’.London: Routledge Describe Points of Referral To Meet The Individual Needs Of Learners The teacher/student relationship is a unique one and often provides opportunities to unearth or identify needs which have previously been unnoticed. These needs may be specific to helping someone become a more effective learner, (such as possible dyslexia) or could be a wider issue in terms of being affecting the individual students’ life beyond the classroom. These wider-reaching needs could be in any area of a persons’ life and broadly speaking, fall into one of 5 categories as identified by Maslow (1943): Our role in providing support to help a student meet the identified need will depend on the particular need itself. For example, a student who is  apparently lacking in one of the ‘upper needs’ such as self-esteem may benefit from more support, praise and encouragement. Some needs, however, will require external or third party input and this is where we may seek to access a point of referral. It may become clear to us in the process of teaching that a student is suffering a crisis affecting their overall wellbeing: Domestic abuse, homelessness, drug or alcohol misuse etc. In this instance, we can play an important role in referring someone to a service or organization who can provide assistance. So as to be sure that we are not misguided, the student themselves should be engaged initially and when help is offered, it can be simply through providing information, or if consent is given, we may choose to act as an advocate. Maslow, A.H (1943). ‘A Theory of Human Motivation’. Psychological Review (50)p.370-396.