Thursday, November 28, 2019

Pre-Darwinism Views Essays (834 words) - Biology,

Pre-Darwinism Views November 24, 1859, many people simply believed that species were created by God in their present forms, or that it was possible for organic matter to be spawned from inorganic matter. However, Charles Darwin used these ideas to create his thesis, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. The first true theories on evolution arise during the classical Greek period. On a handful of Greek philosophers believed in the theory of evolution and natural selection. Unfortunately, the two philosophers who influenced western civilization the most, Plato and Aristotle, opposed any theory of evolution. Plato believed that there were two worlds, one real world, and one imperfect world that we perceive with our senses. Any variations in life were imperfect images of their ideal forms. However, Aristotle didn't believe in two worlds; instead, he believed in a "scale of nature." Each life form was arranged on a type of"ladder". It started at the bottom with the least complex organism and continued up to the most complex organism. Each organism had a pre-determined"rung", which allowed no ability to move up, and no open spaces for a new organism to fill. According to Neil Campbell in his book, Biology: Fourth Edition, "Juedo-Christian culture fortified anti-evolution theories." (p. 400-401) The creationist-essentialist dogma that species were permanent and created for a specific purpose became deeply embedded in Western thought. Any person who dared to theorize or believe in theories about evolution were instantly labeled heretics. The medieval church saw evolution as saying that God did not exist, that we are not the "supreme creation", and that humans could just be evolutionary mistakes. However, in the later 1700's and early 1800's there was a "scientific revolution" taking place. People began to use scientific experiments to explain what they had always put faith in. According to Campbell, the first big step in the development of the theory of evolution was made by Carolus Linnaeus. (p. 400-401) Linnaeus was the founder of taxonomy and developed the naming system for organisms that we still use today. He grouped organisms based on similar characteristics. This, for Darwin, would become a focal point of his theory of evolution. When Darwin began his research aboard the H.M.S. Beagle in 1831, he had some pre-constructed ideas. The first was that he rejected Plato's, Aristotle's, and the Church's ideas that organism were made the way they are, and will never change. The second was about Linnaeus' filing system; Darwin believed that similar species must of evolved from similar ancestors. During his trip on the Beagle, Darwin collected 13 different types of finches that he believed were different species. When he returned to Great Britain in 1836, he learned from ornithologists that the 13 different types of finches he collected, were indeed separate species. This discovery led Darwin to theorize that if a species was isolated, then it would adapt to fit it's surroundings; just like how the finches adapted new beaks depending on their native types of food. Finally in 1844, Darwin wrote an essay on his theory of natural selection and the origin of species. When Darwin finished his book on evolution, The Origin of Species, he had two major ideas: the first was that evolution was the explanation for life's unity and diversity; the second was that natural selection is the cause for adaptations. Darwin provided numerous example of his theories, but he was still doubted. However, on of his modern day supporters named Ernst Mayr has provided his own theories and proof of Darwin's ideas. With respect to Darwin's ideas on natural selection and adaptation, Mayr used an closely related group of insect species to prove this point. In Malaya round, pink flowers are common; so the mantid native to Malya is round and pink. However, in Central America, most plants have green, oval-like leaves; so the mantid to Central America is green and oval-like in shape. This example shows how species of common ancestry have adapted to fit their individual surroundings. With respect to Darwin's ideas on evolution, we will look at the mustard plant. The mustard plant is the evolutional ancestor of six different vegetables: cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi. Breeder have been able to prove this by focusing on one particular part of the plant to accentuate. The process of accentuating the plant parts by breeders is evidence of evolution, except that humans are manipulating the results to meet their own needs. There really is not much more information on Darwin's theory of evolution, due to the fact that the majority

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Mind and Strong Ai Essay

Mind and Strong Ai Essay Mind and Strong Ai Essay Thought is a Tool a Mind is a Being In John Searle’s article, Minds, Brains, and Computers, he argues against the notion of strong AI; which states that an appropriately programmed computer is equivalent to a human mind, and has similar cognitive states (Searle, 349). Based on Searle’s definition of Strong AI, I will argue that a computer is not equivalent to a human mind because it does not apply meaning to the information it processes. Many critics of Searle state that computers have the capacity to simulate the human ability to understand stories. CITATION RCS77 \l 1033 (Schank) One critic in particular named R.P. Schank, writes an argument in favor of this notion presented as two premises. â€Å"(1) [†¦] The machine can literally be said to understand the story and provide answers to the questions. (2) What the machine and its program do explains the human ability to understand the story and answer questions about it (Searle, 350).† In order to disprove this argument Searle demonstrates an analogy that simulates a computer program. The analogy involves a monolingual English speaker locked in a room with instructions on how to manipulate Chinese symbols. The English speaker is ultimately able to answer questions that a native Chinese speaker would be able to answer. However, the English speaker does not apply the same meaning to the Chinese symbols the way that a native speaker would when answering t he questions. This analogy is meant to display the difference between a computer and a human mind in reference to intentionality; which entails the ability to apply meaning. Machines do not truly grasp the meaning of their actions when instantiating programs. In contrast, a human mind applies meaning to every action that it performs. Those in favor of strong AI claim that there is no difference between the instantiation of a program and the application of meaning when answering questions, either from a human or a machine. â€Å"One of the claims made by the supporters of strong AI is that when I understand a story in English, what I am doing is exactly the same –or perhaps more of the same- as what I was doing in manipulating the Chinese symbols (Searle, 351).† In the quote Searle is demonstrating the views of his critiques. However, it is incorrect to assume that instantiation and the application of meaning are one in the same when answering questions. Searle argues against this idea in favor of strong AI. â€Å" (1) [†¦] It seems quite obvious to me in the example that I do not understand a word of Chinese stories†¦ the computer has nothing more than I have in the case where I understand nothing. (2) [†¦] We can see that the computer and its program do not provide sufficient condit ions of understanding since the computer and program are functioning, and there is no understanding (Searle, 351).† Searle demonstrates in this counterargument that it is erroneous to assume that the English speaker in his analogy ties meaning to the answers he/she outputs. He then delves into the conditions of sufficiency; the computer (English speaker) has a working system to output answers, but lacks the sufficient requirements for the application of intentionality (meaning). Computer systems have the ability to process information (think) just like Biological systems (human mind), just not the ability to have intentionality to their programs (thoughts). Searle’s argument against Strong AI might hold. However, his premise concerning human intentionality verses machine intentionality provides a debate for the meaning and source of Searle’s definition of intentionality. Searle is vague on his definition of intentionality. Searle alludes to the idea that the de finition of intentionality is to add meaning. However, I could argue that he’s too vague with this concept and state that computers do have intentionality (meaning) for their programs and can add meaning to their outputs. What distinctly separates the human ability to add meaning and the

Thursday, November 21, 2019

U.S. Employment Regulations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 18

U.S. Employment Regulations - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) implements the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The Act provides policies for minimum wages, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor. It gives exemptions for minimum wage and overtime pay. The Act obliges employers of covered employees to pay them a minimum wage of not less than $7.25 per hour. Youth employees, who are below 20 years of age, may receive a minimum wage of not lower than $4.25 an hour, during the first 90 successive calendar days of employment. Employers are not allowed to terminate existing employees to hire youth or people whom they can pay the youth minimum wage. Furthermore, employers can adopt a piece-rate basis in paying employees, as long as the latter get at least the required minimum hourly wage rate and overtime for hours worked that are more than 40 hours in a workweek. In addition, the Act allows the employment of particular individuals at wage rates below the statutory minimum wage, as long as they get certificates from the Department of Labor. They are the following: â€Å"Student learners; full‑time students in service establishments, agriculture, or higher education; and individuals whose productive capacities for the work to be performed are impaired by physical or mental disabilities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The Act does not provide limitations for hours or days per week of work, as long as the employee is not less than sixteen years old. Nevertheless, the Act obliges employers to compensate covered employees for overtime pay, which is not less than one and one-half times their standard rate of pay, for all hours that exceed 40 in a workweek, unless employees are considered as exempted.  

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Trouble with Celebrity Endorsers Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Trouble with Celebrity Endorsers - Article Example Another point raised is brand equity. Brand equity is something that the company builds over time in order to differentiate itself from the other competitors in the market. The article suggests that instead of leveraging on celebrity’s image, the brand should be able to develop its own equity through leaving out costly promotion into adding more product features, etc. Having learned in marketing that promotion is a key to creating customer awareness, I believe that companies should invest in promotion especially in the first months or years of a brand in order to introduce it to consumers. However, in the latter life, the real value should be delivered to customers. This article opens my eyes to the challenges faced by marketing strategist. Promotion is far more complicated than having celebrity wears the product or recommends the brand. There should be an alignment in the image of the celebrity as well as the celebrity being used for promotion. The article highlights how Nokia is faring through the economic downturn in industrialized economies especially the United States. The past months have witnessed how the world economic leader in the past is undergoing the recession. As a consumer, I have read and seen how investment firms collapse, laborers laid-off, and even the more profitable retailers’ close down. Looking at in a marketing viewpoint, this change in the business environment challenges businesses to reinvent themselves and their various strategies in order to survive. Nokia’s response to the situation is to cut cost in order to maintain profitability. However, the low demand brought about by the bleak economic outlook and lower purchasing power of customers remains the key consideration. Thus, companies should focus on strategies other than minimizing operations and marketing costs.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Book Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Book Review - Essay Example The writer grasps the attention of the writer through its fascinating revelations. Carr celebrates and admits in the book that the internet has given has many leisure facilities and conveniences, providing us quick and easy to access services. He has reflected on the notion, that with the advent of Internet and its overpowering nature in our lives, human mind has also become a technical mind. Internet has changed the way human mind thinks, it only encourages it to click and flick, losing its interest in the literature and reading good books. One of the reasons, for loss of interest is that internet has lessened our power to focus, Carr admits himself that he cannot read a book without losing concentration and his mind wandering after every few minutes. Carr reflects that â€Å"the Net and multimedia strains our cognitive abilities, diminishing our learning and weakening our understanding† (129). Carr has exhibited through different relations that because of the distractive nat ure of the internet and the various digital technologies, fewer and fewer people feel interested in introspective, deep reading activities. Carr is one of those technology writers who does not indulge in geeky tech writing, rather he grips his reader by beautifully crafted narrative and turns the technical details into sheer poetry. Carr starts the book mainly my admitting his own weaknesses in focusing and his distractive mind. He admits that he has been unable to focus lately and his mind is wandering to different other unrelated things and activities. He admits that it is not just about reading the books but he also has trouble focusing on other tasks as well and he keeps forgetting things and his memory is not as good as it used to be. He thinks that although the new media is changing the way we think and affecting our brain in several ways, it has several side-effects and one of the most observable and noticeable ones are that our brain is losing the power to

Friday, November 15, 2019

Study on Competency Model of an effective teacher

Study on Competency Model of an effective teacher The paper builds on comprehensive review of 13 research papers and a book on teachers competencies on basis of which a Competency Model of an effective teacher has been suggested that can be used during recruitment, training, and performance appraisal and also can be used as a mean for compensation of a teacher. Competencies of an Effective teacher Model has been categorized into three categories as shown in the above diagram which are as follows: Concern for College, Concern for Self and Concern for Students. Therefore, this paper produces data on what attributes in todays academic market place and in particular in classroom produces effective teachers. INTRODUCTION: Education has become essential these days. But along with it there are several challenges of education as well which require change in the quality and structure of education. For this integration of education with corporate sector is required for which course contents needs to be upgraded. But this is not sufficient as teachers are the education providers they play a vital role in bridging the gap between what is now available in the form of curriculum and the demands of the corporate world. Hence teachers should therefore react to the changing scenario and equip themselves to meet the need of the hour. Hence this paper identifies competencies (behavioural indicators) required for an effective teaching according to the changing scenario. Therefore, this paper produces data on what attributes in todays academic market place and in particular in classroom produces effective teachers. The theory being, the more effective the teacher the better prepared the student is for tomorrows challenges, not yesterdays and the more competitive the school can make itself. The paper will first review the literature highlighting competencies [behavioral indicators] of effective teacher given by other researchers. First it is important to understand the word competency. A competency is an underlying characteristic of an individual that is causally related to criterion-referenced effective and/or superior performance in a job or situation [1] Underlying characteristic means the competency is a fairly deep and enduring part of persons personality and can predict behavior. Causally related means that a competency causes or predicts behavior and performance. Criterion-referenced means that the competency actually predicts who does something well or poor, as measured on a specific criterion or standard. The history of competency can be traced to the early 1970s when industrial psychologists and human resource managers were seeking ways to predict job performance. There was significant evidence to show that personality testing was very poor at predicting job performance (about 10 percent success rate was achievable). In 1973, David McClelland, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University wrote a seminal paper Testing for Competence Rather than for Intelligence, which appeared in American Psychologist in 1973 [2], that created a stir in the field of psychology (McClelland, 1973). According to his research, traditional academic aptitude and knowledge content tests seldom predict on-job performance. He went on to argue that the real predictors of job performance are a set of underlying personal characteristics or competencies. McClellands concept of competency has been the key driver of the competency movement and competency-based education. LITERATURE REVIEW Attempts to define teacher behaviors have blossomed into a movement known as Competency-based teacher education (or Performance based Teacher Education). The State of Florida has been a leader in identification of generic teaching competencies and in the movement of competency-based teacher education. In 1975 the Council on Teacher Education (COTE), spearheaded a project to identify those competencies which are most essential to all teachers. 48 generic competencies consistently appeared in the search was selected for a final survey instrument. A random sample of 5 percent of all certified personnel in the state were asked to rate the competencies. 23 competencies met the specified acceptance criteria. The 23 generic competencies were grouped into 5 major categories namely communication skills, basic knowledge, technical skills, administrative skills and interpersonal skills. The state of Florida has included the 23 generic competencies in state policies requiring all personnel to de monstrate them in order to be certified as a teacher in the state [3]. A few of the sub-skills under each of the five major categories are as follows: Communication Skills, Basic Knowledge, Technical Skills, Administrative Skills and Interpersonal Skills. Peter F Oliva [3] has described an effective teacher as one whom: Is fully prepared in his or her subject Has a broad general education Understands the role of a school in the society Holds an adequate concept of himself or herself Understands basic principles of learning process Demonstrate effective techniques of instruction Efficiently handles the management of the classroom Possesses personal characteristics conducive to the success in the classroom A similar list has been developed by Kenneth P Henson [3] of an effective teacher as one whom: Is interested in students as individuals Has patience and is willing to repeat Displays fairness Explains things thoroughly Is humorous Is open minded Is informal Does not feel superior Knows the subject Is interested in the subject Is neat in appearance Similarly Dwight Allen and Kevin Ryan [3] have given skills which are generic or common to teachers at all level as follows: Stimulus variation, Set induction, Closure, Silence and Non-Verbal Clues, Reinforcement of Student participation, Fluency in asking question, Probing question, High order question, Divergent question, Recognizing attending behavior, Illustrating and using examples, Lecturing, Planned Repetition, Completeness of communication Teachers Competency has been defined as any particular knowledge, skill, or attitude or any set or combination of them that we may choose to specify (Donald M Medley Patricia R Crock). The knowledge specified may involve subject-matter knowledge, general knowledge, knowledge of psychology, sociology or one of the other disciplines, knowledge of pedagogy-any knowledge that may enhance teacher performance. Skills specified may also relate to content, to writing and speaking skills, to skills in arithmetic, they may be perpetual or diagnostic in nature, they may be performance skills such as those involved in lecturing, leading a discussion or planning instruction, they may be related to deployment of knowledge and skills of other types, or to the integration and implementation of complex strategies. Attitudes specified may pertain to the self, to pupils, to colleagues and to the profession, to values, or whatever [4]. A recent Research in 2008 by Faculty of Education, Adnan Menderes University, Turkey aimed to determine the teachers competencies Turkey needs in the European Union harmonization process [5]. The research used Delphi technique to determine the teachers competencies. Delphi application was completed by participation of 37 experts. As a result of analysis of the third round data removal of items with a standard deviation above 1 and arithmetic average below 6, 142 competency items were obtained. Removal and combination of overlapping opinions was done and hence 137 competency items were obtained. The competencies were divided into four competency categories which are as follows: Competencies Regarding Professional Knowledge Competencies Regarding Field Knowledge, Competencies Regarding Improving Oneself, Competencies Regarding National and International Values. Competencies Regarding Professional Knowledge were addressed in five categories as follows: Professional Competencies Regarding Getting to Know the Students and Enabling Their Improvement Professional Competencies regarding the process of learning-teaching process Professional competencies regarding monitoring and evaluating learning and improvement Professional Competencies regarding School, Family, Colleagues and Society Relations Professional Competencies Regarding the Programme and Content (Abdul Rahim Hamdan et al, Faculty of Education, University of Malaysia) studied the teaching competency and dominant characteristics of 309 teachers from different secondary / primary schools in Johor Bahru [6]. Their competencies were determined through teaching skills, concern for school, concern for students and concern for self, forming a comprehensive and practical model of teachers competency characteristics. Factor analyses of the instrument with various samples revealed 19 stable subscales. Skills Scales were divided into seven sub-scales. There were scales on Subject Knowledge, Teaching Prowess, Classroom Management, Updating Knowledge, Instructional Planning, Teaching Effectiveness; and Teaching and Learnings Progress Evaluation. Concern for School Scales was divided into five sub-skills. There were testing on teachers concern on School Vision and Mission, Objectives and Goals, School Policy and System, Collegiality and Commitment. Scales on Concern for Student were divide d into four sub-scales. There were testing on teachers concern on Student Needs, Academic Performance, Motivation and Behavior. Concern for Self Scales was divided into three sub-scales. There were testing on teachers concern on Self-Development, Self Management and Performance Standard. The most dominant competency of the teachers was in concern for school scales followed by skills, concern for self and concern for students. The result showed that there is significant relationship between gender and teaching competency. The result for the ethnic and teaching competency showed that there is no relationship between ethnic and teaching competency in this study. The data analysis showed that there is no relationship between teaching experience and teaching competency. The result also showed that there is no significant relationship between academic qualification and teaching competency. Thus, it can be summarized that, teachers with higher academic qualification does not mean more comp etent in teaching. (Naree Aware Achwarin, R.N., Ed.D., Graduate School of Education, Assumption University of Thailand) aimed to determine the teacher competence level and investigate the relationship between teacher qualification, teaching experience, and school size and teacher competence of teachers at schools in the three southern border provinces of Thailand [7]. The method of survey research was used through questionnaire. The unit of analysis was teachers, 750 were selected by simple random sampling methods from nine educational regions, 18 secondary schools, under the Basic Education Commission of Thailand (OBEC) at Narathiwas, Pattani, and Yala province. The instrument used for collecting data was a questionnaire, constructed by the researcher, employing the professional standards of knowledge and experience from the Teacher Council of Thailand (2005) containing nine competence areas. The Cronbachs Alpha coefficient for the reliability was 0.96. The content validity was evaluated by five exper ts in the field of Educational Administration. The findings revealed Teachership was the highest teacher competence. In order from the highest to the lowest of nine competence areas, the ranking was teachership; psychology for teachers; educational measurement and evaluation; classroom management; learning management; educational innovation and information technology, language and technology for teachers; curriculum development; and educational research. (Earl Simendinger Bella Galperin, The University of Tampa Daniel R. LeClair, AACSB International A.G. (Tassos) Malliaris, Loyola University) described the design, development and delivery of this curriculum [8]. The objective and what the reader can expect to learn from this work is what are the most important attributes of effective business teachers. Incorporating these attributes into course design and delivery should lead to improvements in teaching effectiveness and students evaluation scores, which results in students better prepared for the business field. In addition to it, reviewing the past literature in particular, student evaluations have received the most attention- this statement shows the gap that competencies derived about the teachers were basically based on student perception not on the basis of management, professor and industry professions. (Kirk Tennant Charles Lawrence, 1975) focused upon teaching strategies and scheduled class hours and their effects upon instructor and course evaluations, student performance, and student absenteeism [9]. The study indicated that discipline teaching strategy produced much better student academic performance. This study indicates that in those situations in which student performance was considered a primary goal, a discipline teaching strategy should be adopted. In all cases the finding suggest that a discipline teaching strategy will improve both attendance and performance. In this multisection course, classes scheduled at good hours had higher student attendance, better student performance, and more favorable teacher evaluation by students. (William J. Read, Dasaratha V. Rama K. Raghunandan, 2001) surveyed administrators of accounting programs from a cross-section of schools and programs to determine whether there is an association between the weight given to teaching and the weight assigned to SEs [10]. The respondents were asked to allocate 100 points among research, service and teaching representing the weights that were attached to each in decision on tenure and promotion to full professor in their institution. The Result showed a statistically significant inverse relationship between the weight given to SEs and the weight assigned to teaching in faculty evaluations for tenure and promotion to full professor. This suggests that as institutions increase the relative emphasis on teaching in their tenure decision and promotion to full professor decision, they place significantly less weight on Student Evaluation. (Stephen A. Stumpf et al, New York University) investigated the relationships among several variables outside of the instructors classroom control and student ratings of teaching effectiveness are investigated in a causal network [11]. The student ratings are relatively independent of external variables. Variables external to the construct of student perceived learning include: (a) variables that students do not agree relate to their learning, (b) variables that the instructor cannot control with his or her instructional efforts within a class (e.g., instructor sex, class size), and (c) variables that students cannot observe and thus cannot accurately evaluate. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed; the six independent variables account for a statistically insignificant 9% of rating variance. The set of six external variables were then entered into a regression equation already containing the three intrinsic variables (instructor in class, instructor in general an d graded assignments). The additional variance accounted for is .6%, indicating that no unique contribution is made by any or all of the external variables. The variables were instructor sex, the year the instructor received her/his last degree, instructor rank, proportion of required courses that an instructor taught over the two semester period and class size. (Dr Paul Isely Dr Harinder Singh) analyzed different factors that influence student evaluations, based on large set of data, reveals that class size, the difficulty of the class, the percentage of students responding, and the length of class are important determinants of students perception [12]. Moreover, although higher expected grades results in more favorable student evaluations, this relationship is significantly different depending upon faculty rank. Based on these findings, the author makes two policy recommendations. First, student evaluations of teaching should be adjusted for specific major determinants to obtain less biased estimates. Second, evaluating teaching effectiveness by a broad teaching portfolio that includes actual grades given to students and other teaching supplements may discourage faculty from exploiting the relationship between higher expected grades and favorable student evaluations. (James E. Whitworth, et al, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia) analyzed 12,153 student faculty evaluations to investigate the effects of: (a) Faculty member gender (b) Course type (required business core courses, classes within designated majors, or graduate classes) (c) Course level (graduate versus undergraduate classes) on student faculty evaluations [13]. The authors explored the effect of these three factors on students perceptions of how much they learned in particular classes. They found that female instructors rated better than male ones and that rating differed significantly by course type and by students perceived amount of learning. Graduate students tended to give higher scores than undergraduates. These findings could indicate that comparing evaluation data across different courses might not produce valid overall effectiveness rankings. (Richard L. Peterson et al, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ)conducted a study within a large department of a business school and recommends that the process used be adapted by other business school departments and other academic units across the university and at other universities to ensure a more universally appropriate usage of students ratings [14]. The central objective of the research was to identify variables that provide a valid rationale for assigning faculty into norming groups for the purpose of comparing one member of that group to all other members of that group. Given the objective and the data set they had available, they selected the following six variables to explore: Semester Effect, Course Session Effect, Faculty Type Effect, Course Level Effect, Course Focus Effect Course Type. Overall, this study makes two primary contributions to the literature. First, it provides an empirical examination of the factors that might be influencing students ratings. Seco nd, it offers suggestions on how these ratings might be used by administrators. These two contributions offer more evidence that supports Brightmans (2005) recommendations that any evaluation instrument focused on faculty teaching must be reliable and valid and have a meaningful norming report. COMPETENCY MODEL OF AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER A Competency Model of an Effective Teacher has been obtained after reviewing the literature and also by using Competency Dictionary obtained by colleagues of Richard Boyatzis in 1981 which was obtained by analyzing the data [i.e transcripts of behavioral event interviews] from a number of competency studies which produced set of competencies that consistently distinguished superior performance across organizations and functions [1] COMPETENCY MODEL OF EFFECTIVE TEACHER Concern for Self Concern for College Competencies of an Effective Teacher Concern for Students Figure 1: Competency Model of an Effective Teacher Competencies of an Effective teacher can be categorized into three categories as shown in the above diagram which are as follows: Concern for College, Concern for Self and Concern for Students. As teacher has duty towards for College it is defined as the first category where teachers competencies are adoption of College Vision and Mission, teacher should be committed towards his/her work, a teacher should be high on competencies like credibility, integrity and sincerity. Next comes the category Concern for Self which is very important as teacher always carry these competencies such as teacher should be high on analytical thinking, conceptual thinking, also have good meta qualities such as creativity, teacher should have excellent communication skills, should always be information seeking, should have self-control, self-confidence, be flexible, achievement oriented, open and receptive and most important is that teacher should be able to balance work and his/her life perfectly. Coming to Concern for Students teacher should have competencies like interpersonal understanding, should be able to influence others, should be good in developing others and should be assertive when required. The three categories have been diagrammatically represented below: The broad areas of Competencies under this category are: Organizational Awareness, Adaption Commitment Concern For Order, Quality And Accuracy The competencies can be as follows: Mission Orientation, Commitment to work contract, Ethical conduct and Credibility, integrity and sincerity Concern for College Figure2: Concern for College Competencies The broad areas of Competencies under this category are: Analytical Thinking Conceptual Thinking Meta Qualities Communication Knowledge and Information Orientation Self-Control Persistence Flexibility Achievement and Action Being open and receptive Being organized Work Life Balance The competencies can be as follows: Reasoning, Ability to Generate Theories, Creativity, Presentation skills, Resistance to Stress, Persistence, Strong Self-Concept, Adaptability, Result Orientation, Composure, Humor, Time Management, Work/Life Balance Concern for Self Figure 3: Concern for Self Competencies The broad areas of Competencies under this category are: Interpersonal Understanding Impact and Influence Developing Others Being Directive The competencies can be as follows: Empathy, Approachability, Sensitivity to Others, Interpersonal Savvy, Showmanship, Teaching and Training, Realistic Positive Regard, Motivating others, Classroom Control and Discipline, Assertive Concern for Students Figure 4: Concern for Students Competencies USE OF COMPETENCY MODEL: This Competency Model can be used for identifying policies for teacher training, Pre-service teacher training programs of institutions of higher education for teacher training, In-service training of teachers, Professional Development of Teachers, Selection of teachers, Evaluation of teacher performances, Self-knowledge and self-development of teachers.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Macbeth - GUILTY :: essays research papers

This was an oral presentation, in which I prosecuted Macbeth. I received a grade of A-, however was told that it was my actual presentation rather than my essay that stopped me getting a higher grade :) Ladies and Gentlemen, I will be brief. You have heard the testimonies and seen the evidence; it is now time for the fate of Macbeth to be decided. Today you have met scores of witnesses testify, under oath, the defendant’s entirely good and honest character, and have pondered as to how the King of Scotland could commit such atrocities. However, unmistakable evidence opposes such testimonies and proves beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant Macbeth killed his King, Duncan the II of Scotland, his life-long friend Banquo and Lady Macduff and her children. Over the last six months we have seen Macbeth degrade from a fearless and heroic warrior to a murderer, a conscious villain who felt extreme guilt after killing his King out of pure greed and ambition. His servant, as testified, overheard Macbeth express his guilt to his wife on the night of the murder: â€Å"I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on ‘t again I dare not.† Following his crowning at Scone, King Macbeth hired three assassins to murder his long-time friend Banquo, in order to protect his crown. It was after the murder of Banquo that Macbeth then turned into an unmerciful, non-repentant tyrant. This man, once heralded a hero, became the bane of Scotland and his people. The defense has tried to manipulate facts to persuade you that Macbeth is not to blame for these murders and has placed responsibility for these deaths on everyone from Lady Macbeth to the witches, who occasionally conversed with the accused. You have heard testimonies of the three witches, who told us of their encounters with Macbeth. What sort of man would associate with such evil beings, and most of all, believe the nonsense they foresee? The witches did not directly influence Macbeth to assassinate his King, they only speculated as to what the future may hold and these predictions ignited his overwhelming ambition to become King. These associations with the witches bring serious doubts to the goodness of the defendant’s character. Speculations that Lady Macbeth is responsible for Duncan’s murder have been made by the defense. But blood found on this cloak hidden in Macbeth’s quarters proves without doubt that it was Macbeth who actually committed the murder.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Child Labor and Sweatshops

Child Labor and Sweatshops â€Å"We must ensure that while eliminating child labor in the export industry, we are also eliminating their labor from the informal sector, which is more invisible to public scrutiny- and thus leaves the children more open to abuse and exploitation. † (â€Å"Carol Bellamy†). The topic of child labor is a global phenomenon that has millions of people heartbroken, held captive, and pleased with the work it has fulfilled. It has been around for countless years and is still occurring today. Usually, no awareness is brought to child labor. Some people just see it as a way of living.Although there are many laws against child labor, all that is physically done are three or four sentence articles in the newspaper about how it’s banned. Owners of sweatshops and billion dollar companies do not see the suffering they are putting infant workers through. Child labor negatively impacts individuals, society, and the economy due to the large producti vity and cheap labor. Although child labor does not have a select year when it began, some might say it began at the dawn of men. Children have been worked since the beginning of time and may never end in some countries due to rulers, money issues, and beliefs.In the early 1800's, machines were starting to replace hand labor for making most manufactured items. Everywhere from Asia to North America, factories began to increase. Children began operating the power-driven machines. Mostly because children were easier and cheaper to hire than adults. Growing into the mid-1800's, child labor became a major social issue. Children have always worked. But factories needed them more than before. Working in a factory is no walk in the park, especially for a child. A child with a factory job could easily work 12 to 18 hours a day. They could work seven days a week just to earn a dollar (â€Å"Herumin 38†).Children as early as seven years old would be forced to tend machines in spinning m ills or carry heavy loads all day. The working children had no time to play or receive and education (â€Å"Herumin 41†). Under all the harsh conditions in the factories, children often became ill. Illnesses that occurred during these time periods because of child labor included: HIV/AIDS, starvation, small pox, anemia, the flu, a cold that escalated, and thousands of other reasons. Hence, significant populations of children were dying. Most of the children who were involved in child labor came from poor families.By 1810, about 200,000,000 school age children were working 50-70 hours a week. Sometimes, parents could not afford to keep up will all the expenses children came with, so, they turned them over to a factory owner or different family. These families had no mercy; they could have 11 year old boys working for 60 hours for dollars a day. Under these circumstances, children were ordered under strict rules and had to obey all the orders given to them. Finally, people saw the cruelty that was occurring. Petitions began, companies shut down, and people started adopting the children that were going through that pain. The English writer Charles Dickens helped publicize the evils of child labor with his novel Oliver Twist. Britain was first to pass laws regulating child labor† (â€Å"History of Child Labor†). Therefore, Britain recognized the cruelty. Overtime a series of laws shortened working hours, improved the conditions, and raised the age children could work (â€Å"History of Child Labor†). People started to get a sense of mind and child labor began to dim down in Europe. In the United States it took many years to outlaw child labor. By 1899, a total of 28 states started ruling against child labor. American children worked in large numbers in mines, glass factories, textiles, agriculture, canneries, home industries, and as newsboys, messengers, bootblacks, and peddlers† (â€Å"Child Labor in U. S History†). Organiza tions such as the National Consumers League and the National Child Labor Committee worked to end child labor. They started to provide free education options around the country. â€Å"The New England Association of Farmers, Mechanics and other workingmen resolve that ‘Children should not be allowed to labor in the factories from morning till night, without any time for healthy recreation and mental culture,’ for it ‘endangers their . . well-being and health’ (â€Å"Child Labor in U. S History). Most people know about child labor, although no one will ever know the pain and suffering better than the victims of child labor. The interviews child laborers talk in can crush hearts. Children in our very own country go through that every day. â€Å"A nine year old girl toils under the hot sun making bricks from morning until night, seven days a week. Trafficked with her family from Bihar†¦ India. She lives in terrible conditions† (â€Å"Sweatshops an d Child Labor†). These heartbreak and heinous acts happen to children every day.Nevertheless, today these children are more likely than not brought to awareness. Nike has been accused of child labor and this has been an ongoing deal for many years. One accusation about Nike is their soccer balls, which are made in Pakistan by child laborers. While Pakistan has laws against child labor and slavery, the Pakistani government has done nothing about this (â€Å"Child labor and sweatshops 17†). Another accusation about Nike is, â€Å"Nike founder Philip H. Knight pays child workers in Indonesia about $2. 20 a day while his own stock in Nike is worth 4. 5 billion dollars† (â€Å"Child Labor and Sweatshops 17†).Under these circumstances, Nike has been questioned by the public and judged. Walt Disney's company has also been accused of supporting child labor overseas. Their workers are in vile conditions, diminishing their basic rights, and exploiting their innocenc e. As one of the most least responsive companies, Disney takes the lead. â€Å"Disney, which makes children clothes. The billion dollar companies depend on workers in Haiti who make 28 cents an hour† (â€Å"Child Labor and Sweatshops 18†). While providing cheap labor, the children are defenseless against the torture they endure.Disney workers in Haiti stitch Aladdin t-shirts. In Vietnam, girls work for 17 cents, seven days a week making toys. In china, young boys and girls make Disney story books. Meanwhile, the CEO of Disney, Michael Eisner, makes $102,000 per hour. Since this is true Walt Disney’s company has been looked at in a different sort of light by millions. Many organizations today take a stand against child labor. â€Å"The International Initiative on Exploitative Child Labor (IIECL), also commonly known as the International Initiative to End Child Labor, is a US-based, not-for-profit [US IRS approved 501 (c) (3)] organization, founded n 1998 and inc orporated in 1999, that conducts and/or provides education, training, technical assistance, capacity building, research, social accountability auditing, resources, program planning and design, and monitoring and evaluation services to public and private sector, non-governmental organizations, and international research and development institutions that seek to eliminate the worst forms of child labor in the United States and around the world† (â€Å"About IIECL†). Their initiative is to eliminate the vilest forms of child labor all around the world and they are working on that today.An impact to stop child labor would be â€Å"Rugmark†. Society is recommending â€Å"Rugmark† which is a company that makes hand woven carpets. Rugmark guarantees the use of child labor free rugs. Its fight against child labor has already created a worldwide point; we can have a carpet company, or any company, and not slave at children all day to create these magnificent carpet s. Another current organization working to abolish child labor is the International Labor Organization (ILO). The ILO estimates that about 215 million children around the world toil in child labor today.Of these, more than half work in hazardous conditions. (â€Å"Shining a Light†¦ †). More than 60 percent of this child labor is forced. People across the globe understand that forcing child labor is against human rights. Most agree children should not be in positions where their stability is at risk. To stop this, the ILO goes to countries and helps the children in need. â€Å"Reporting is only one of the vital tools we use to protect workers worldwide. Since 1995, the Department of Labor has funded more than 250 projects in over 90 countries, which have benefited almost 1. million children worldwide. These efforts remove children from exploitative labor and provide them with education and other services† (â€Å"Shining a Light†¦ †) Today, every state i n America and the federal government has laws against child labor. These laws have cured millions of hopeless children lives. We are one of the many few countries who have this law and take action for it. Nearly sixty percent of Ethiopian children are put to work, earning about a dollar a month. In Pakistan, children continue to be used as slaves. Most of the labor offences occur in the nation's Punjab province, which is a global supplier of stitched rugs, musical instruments and sports equipment† (â€Å"Child Labor is Making†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) Thus, this proves many countries today do not recognize child labor as severely as they do in the United States. Lastly, the worst country in the world where child labor is one hundred percent present is Myanmar (Burma). Forty percent of the country’s children never enroll in school. The Burmese army recruits start at age twelve.Children who don’t join the army are forced into child labor. All these heinous acts are what orga nizations like the ILO are trying to abolish, but the countries government, is letting this happen. Since this is true and it has been going about for hundreds of years, the chances are slim to none that the government in Myanmar will change. Child labor until recently has not been recognized as a global issue. Developing countries continued, as they had for centuries, not giving a care who or how imported goods were made.The practice of child labor left children neglected, abused, and starved. The children’s bosses would not care if they did not eat for hours for days. When children as young as five years old are abducted and thrown into this slavery, they usually do not escape the poverty among them. This is why socially, the ILO and other organizations realized this truth and are working to help children every day. Economically, companies such as Rugmark guarantee a hand woven rug that is one hundred percent not made from children.The victims themselves can only be brought out of the darkness of child labor and share their stories so one day this nation will be child labor free. Works Cited Child Labor Facts. N. p. , n. d. Web. 16 Jan. 2013. . Child Labor in US History. N. p. , n. d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. . Child Labor Is Making a Disturbing Resurgence around the World. Luke McKenna, 6 Jan. 2012. Web. 17 Jan. 2013.

Friday, November 8, 2019

stockley carmichael

stockley carmichael Stokely Carmichael was one of the many civil rights activist of the 1960's. He was a Freedom Rider and a powerful leader. Carmichael was involved with many organizations that helped free blacks. He became the leader of the Black Nationalism. Carmichael also led the way to "Black Power" and became the leader of the Black Power Movement.It all began June 24, 1941, in the Port of Spain in Trinidad, where Carmichael was born. In 1952 he moved to Harlem where he went to school. It was when he was in high school where he was surrounded by segregation became inspired to help fix it. By the end of Carmichael's freshman year at Howard University, where he majored in philosophy, he joined the Freedom Riders. The Freedom Riders frequently met with violence and would be arrested and placed in jail at their destinations.After Carmichael graduated from Howard he joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.Martin Luther King, Jr.SNCC sent hundreds of black and white volunteers to the south to teach, set up clinics and register black voters. As a SNCC field organizer he helped raise the number of registered black voters to 2600 from 70. Carmichael was unhappy with the other parties' results who were involved in trying to increase black voter registration. He then organized the all black Lowndes County Freedom Organization and choose a black panther as it symbol which adopted later by the Black Panther Party.Mr. Carmichael was detained and arrest as a nonviolent volunteer that after 32 times he lost count. He once recalled watching from his hotel room in a Alabama town awhile nonviolent black demonstrators were beaten and shocked with cattle prods by the police. After a while he became frustrated with all the beatings and killings of the nonviolent protesters. His growing exasperation...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

How to be a Bodybuilder

How to be a Bodybuilder The process of body building does not involve lifting heavy weights only. It also involves building the mass of the muscle by doing the right exercises. Muscle building requires bodybuilders to take in special types of food that assist in the process. In addition, it is important to receive good training on weight as well as having enough rest.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How to be a Bodybuilder specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The process starts when body muscles are exposed to intense stress as it happens when they are forced to lift substances that are heavier than usual. Exposing muscles to more work than they normally do leads to small ruptures and tears. These ruptures often bring about sores but they are cured after taking enough rest. After the healing process, the muscles become larger and able to withstand the stressful activity that caused the tears. Muscle building process is maximized by increasing t he stress exerted on the muscles. This is achieved by forcing the muscles to lift heavier weight than they are used to, exerting the stress on muscles more regularly, and varying the exercise types performed on particular muscles. These processes result in new tears which consequently increase the size of the muscles and make them stronger. The first important consideration to be made in the process of muscle building is paying attention to the type of food eaten by bodybuilders. Remarkable muscle growth requires them to use specific foods and develop nutritional plans. Bodybuilders should take in food rich in complex carbohydrates and proteins. These types of food are burned during exercises and assist in building the mass of the muscles. The nutrition plan should be followed without alterations since altering it disrupts the whole process. Carbohydrates and proteins provide the body with recommended quantities of building materials required for muscle growth. The intervals at whic h the foods are taken are also an important issue to consider. It is advisable that bodybuilders take in small quantities of meals five or six times every day. This ensures that the foods taken in are well metabolized. Taking in food stuffs frequently is essential for them because when they stay for about four hours without food, the muscles are lost and fat is accumulated. The feeling of starvation causes the body to eat away the lean muscles and accumulate fat. It is therefore crucial for a bodybuilder to eat after every three hours in order to enhance the muscle building process. The second important aspect in the process of building muscles is working out well. Muscle building process requires exercises such as chest presses, lateral pull downs, leg lifts and bench presses among others. For every muscle in the body to feel the impact of these exercises, different types of exercises are performed.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cardio training is important for assisting in endurance of the muscles and burning excess fat. The growth of the muscles should be forced by engaging heavier weights and repeating the exercises several times. It is advisable to repeat all exercises at least four times especially when performing the final exercises. The strength of muscles and their mass is increased by increasing the overload while the overload is increased by increasing the resistance. On the other hand, resistance can be increased through additional weight or increased number of repetitions on the exercises done. Carrying out few repetitions enables a bodybuilder to raise the overload of specific muscles. This assists in stimulating muscle fibers that are responsible for supporting the extra stress exerted on muscles. To determine the right weight to lift when building muscles, bodybuilders should focus on the number of repetitions done in the final sets. If the repetitions are more than six, the weight is usually too light while less than four repetitions indicate extremely heavy weight. The third important aspect in building muscle is staying motivated in the process. The process involves a lot of activities some of which are strenuous hence it requires strong will and commitment. The desired results can only be achieved through following stringent workout schedules and feeding on particular diets. It is not practical for bodybuilders to start the initial stages of muscle building by doing many repetitions and lifting heavy weights. The process usually begins with small number of repetitions and light weights after which the number of repetitions and the weight are increased. Building muscle to a desired level should be a lifelong process until bodybuilders reach the anticipated goals. It is important to check the stages since overworking may cause serious injuries. The fourth critical aspect in building muscle is rest. Rese archers have established that muscle building takes place when exercising and also when resting. Bodybuilders are advised to take a rest of at least eight hours every night. Synthesis of proteins takes place when muscles are resting as well as repair of the muscles that were involved in the day’s workout. This ensures that the muscles continue growing and recovering. Bodybuilders should also ensure that their general health is maintained. This should be done by consulting a doctor and getting proper recommendations on how the process should be conducted.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How to be a Bodybuilder specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Theory, Research, and Evidence-Based Practice Research Paper

Theory, , and Evidence-Based Practice - Research Paper Example behind the origin of this theory was to encourage motivation among patients in making healthy decisions concerning the most appropriate health services to be adopted. The success of this theory depends on some four conditions. The person must first develop a belief he or she can undergo some risks occasioned by particular ailments conditions. The patient must also believe that the risks linked to the development of the disease are not desirable at all. Additionally, the patient must also have a belief that the particular behavior change can change the magnitude of the disease. Finally, the patient must also believe that the existence of some barriers that tend to hinder behavior change can be managed (Buchanan, 2008). The HBM follows a condition of perceived threat. In this regard, a behavior related to health care must ignite a stimulus action to avert a life threatening disease. For instance, a person who practices sunbathing everyday but not aware that he is exposing himself to skin cancer, will just continue with the behavior. This brings up perceived threats of two kinds. These are perceived vulnerability and perceived sternness. In susceptibility, a person considers the level of risks that he has while in severity, a person considers the outcomes of the perceived risks. An individual needs to belief in both severity and susceptibility as a condition of changing his health behaviors effectively. The nature of severity and susceptibility presents real dangers to individuals. As a result, they will adopt behavior changes such as performing exercises, losing weight, stopping drinking, and giving up smoking in a bid to reverse their health conditions. However, many of these behavior changes are not easy to accomplish. For instance, stopping smoking may take a long time and the benefits may not be accomplished immediately (Buchanan, 2008). The knowledge of health belief model to determine the patient’s rejection and acceptance possibility for an intervention

Friday, November 1, 2019

Using Facebook at Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Using Facebook at Work - Essay Example People tend to spend hours and hours of their time stocking other profiles, uploading photos, commenting on photos, updating their statuses and catching up with their numerous friends. Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Tagged, etc. although prove beneficial in building up your social network and strengthening relations its use has many adverse effects as well particularly when you are using Facebook while you are at your workplace. Using Facebook at work place has a very few advantages and benefits in comparison to the great many drawbacks and threats it poses to its users as well as the security of the office or the company. Though the use of Facebook is permitted in some companies but many companies have banned the use of Facebook during work hours or limited the access for its users. Advancements in technologies and introduction of smartphones and other multi-purpose devices have made the access to such networking very easy and have brought about problems fo r the offices and companies who do not allow its use. These sites may be of great use if used domestically or at home because it helps you to keep you linked to all your family members, friends, colleagues, workmates and to build new acquaintances but it certainly is not of much use while used during office hours (Sutherland 2011). Executives and managers of many different offices and companies do not allow the use of Facebook to their employees during the office hours. The offices have mentioned in their policy that it is strictly prohibited to use Facebook while at work and can have serious implications if found using in the office. The major reason why the officials are against of using Facebook is that they are major attention diverters. When you get yourself logged into Facebook and start navigating through the page it seems as if the world has stopped behind you and you do not realize how much you have spent just scrolling through pages, visiting