Saturday, August 31, 2019

Models for Learning and Development

our site – BUSINESS MANAGEMENT DISSERTATION TOPICS – CUSTOM ESSAY WRITING Abstract This essay critically appraises the validity of the 70, 20, 10 formula used for giving due recognition to different types of management learning. Using a wide variety of resources, the discussion assesses the current method, future potential and possible shortcomings. The research shows that the process of aiding employees to develop, any form of additional education on the job adds to the natural way people develop, aiding both the person and the company. Yet, in many cases the method is found to be outdated in the face of developing technology. This study will be of interest to those researching developing trends in relation to long standing practices 1 Introduction This essay critically appraises the validity of the 70: 20: 10 formula used for giving due recognition to different types of management learning. Burgess (2017) describes the 70:20:10 Model for Learning and Development as a learning model that seeks to improve overall performance through targeted efforts. Jennings et al., (2010) illustrates the formula in the following manner: Seventy per cent assignments Twenty per cent from relationships Ten per cent from training Watkins et al., (1992) argues that learning begins with motivation, leading to action.. Whilst this seems to be a simple form of beginning, this start could come in various forms that leave many things in question. For example, a mistake which is a very common beginning point, builds experience, leading to a learning experience. Yet, Pollock et al., (2015) describes the system as outdated . With many others critical of this approach including Blackman et al., (2016), the following discussion illustrates the pros and cons of the method. 2 The 70: 20:10 Models Rentroia-Bonito et al., (2015) argue that the 70:20:10 model helps people to extend their focus beyond the norm in order to build more resilient workforces thereby serving to create cultures that feature continuous learning. Critical of this Blackman et al., (2016) says that the 70:20:10 isn’t a simple rule as it only outlines the process of learning as it naturally occurs, only then offering a process to support that learning process. Furthermore, as part of the daily workflow the method helps in the effort to improve working as well as the art of and sharing with colleagues, empowering the entire company or effort to move forward. This seems to generate considerable questions regarding the meaning of the numbers and how this has been defined throughout its term of operation. The 70:20:10 models, although considered a change agent by most, is described by Watkins et al., (1992) as a consistently useful reminder that learning can also be found in the workplace and not just in the a educational format. Yet, Pollock et al., (2015) are critical of assigning any single meaning to the model, showing that learning is continually dependent on the person, the environment and the motivation. This seems to indicate that learning is a very personal based experience that can be successful for nearly anyone once the correct combination of method and motivation is found. Furthermore, this is a real indication that the influx of numbers cannot be considered a mantra, more of a guideline leading to a potential change. Blackman et al., (2016) supports the contention that many of the past years have continued to illustrate the condition that workplace learning is on the increase with more and more people are using the possibility of learning in organisations. Yet, Jennings et al., (2010) continue to be critical of such an assumption, arguing that alongside each new learning development is an advance in the science of education, which in turn is associated with increasing the ability for organisations to effectively reach their target employees. This seems to be a strong argument for the condition of consistent learning in every situation aiding the person in the entirely. Furthermore, this framework aids the understanding of learning within organisations that is widely considered a step towards more effective know-how learning (Rentroia-Bonito et al., 2015). Yet, every writer continues to agree that the elements of the method of completely interdependent, with each one impacting the other. This is best scene in examples that illustrate that mentoring and courses seem to be better when they support on-the-job development, leading to a consistent motivation. Blackman et al., (2016) describe the 70:20:10 formulas as an argument that is made when an organisation tries to innovate and prosper based on the abilities held by the employees. Yet, choosing to add to that description, Jennings et al., (2010) illustrates the method as a model designed to support individual, as well as any form of organisational learning. This seems to be indicative of a desire by this process to integrate each of the three types of learning: experiential, social and formal. Critical of accepting the method on initial value Marsick et al., (2006) argues that organisations assume more responsibility for any organisation’s learning, as a means of improving the entire company whether that education come from formal or informal conditions. Pollock et al., (2015) chooses to believe that the process is of value as a general guideline only, leading to many areas of for improving the effectiveness of learning. Yet, Rentroia-Bonito et al., (2015) is critical of this assessment, being quick to point out that the model is used heavily by organisations around the world.2.1 Meaning of the NumbersEach of the percentages associated with the 70:20:10 methods are associated with specific elements of the learning process (Jennings et al., 2010). This is an indication that there are areas that deserve more attention to and broader funding, leading to the development of priorities. Watkins et al., (1992) argues that the 70 per cent becomes the most beneficial for employees due to the possibility of for these persons to discover and further develop their skills, which in turn leads to better decision making and better performance in the face of ongoing day to day challenges. Although Blackman et al., (2016) argues that the key element of this portion of the program is the fact that the individuals receive immediate feedback on their performance and are able to quickly use this information on the job. According to this method, persons learn 20 per cent fro m areas of social learning, collaborative learning and of interaction with co-workers. Pollock et al., (2015:124) uses the following illustration to demonstrate the range of interpretations: A multinational company 70% comes from constant on-the job Encouragement and stimulation such as delegation and job rotation. 20%from daily contact with colleagues and management. A professional services firm 70% on the job such as stretch, projects, problems solving, client interaction, and rotation assignments. 20% undertaken through others such as social networking, performance conversations; work shadowing, communities of practice and social activities. 10% formal or prescribed. 10% from formal methods such as e-learning, the classroom, external courses. A distribution organisation 70% from work experiences such as stretch assignments, projects and overseas exposure. 20% others such as mentoring and learning from seniors and peers. 10% formal and informal channels. An Australian government body 70% is experiential. 20% is relationship based. 10% is formal. A not-for-profit organisation 70% on the job. 20% coaching and mentoring. 10% formal courses. A large multinational organisation 70% from on-the-job training, projects. 20% from exposure to teachers and other educators. 10% from learning material including online resources, books and external resources. The Pollock et al., (2015) approach outlined here only seems content that ten per cent of any class of trainees working to be a professional will complete the course and development optimally. This condition will result from the combination of the formal instruction alongside the contribution of outside offerings.2.2 Is the 70:20:10 still relevant?Jennings et al., (2010) argues that the internet, alongside developing communications technology has altered the training industry’s views of the 70:20:10 models, making some elements more meaningful, whilst reducing others. Perhaps the fastest and loudest growing criticism of the model is the fact that the old model does not reflect the current market’s fast-growing emphasis any type of learning. This seems to indicate that as technology continues to develop, so too do the opportunities for people to learn anywhere, seemingly lending support for the argument that the model needs to be updated for the modern world. Another observation that is commonly touted to the negative in relation to this model is the fact that the ratios do not reflect the many opportunities emerging, instead seemingly limiting the effectiveness of the tool (Pollock et al., 2015). Yet, Watkins et al., (1992) argues that no matter what may come in the markets the model will continue to be as a valuable guideline. Blackman et al., (2015) argues that the relevance of the method remains in the ability for the model to assist the transition from the formal learning to on the job application. This is best achieved using specific methods such as step by step instructions or allowing a person to instruct themselves leading to potential opportunities during training. However, Watkins et al., (1992) insists that any attempt to use the model in today’s markets rests on the ability for the course content to remain short in order to tackle a wider variety of concepts. Furthermore, this seems to indicate that any attempt at using the model will increasingly use methods such as micro learning, leading to innovation and development. Yet, Blackman et al., (2015) shows that if a model is not carried out correctly, the learnings will begin to occupy more time than the 10%, leading to a skewed attempt. This element seems to support the contention that the model is highly dependent on management style an d ease of any programs use. Jennings et al., (2010) asserts that job aids aid to provide possible learners with much of the supplementary materials that is needed in to succeed, leading to better skills for the person in the long run. Yet, Blackman et al., (2015) again asserts that the most valuable element of the program is the introduction of the peer learning component that allow employees to find methods of success outside of the norm, again, leading to innovation and possible development in the work place. The relevance of the model has further increased with Jennings et al., (2010) that the addition of mobile content adds a tremendous extension of any learning efforts. This seems to indicate that there is a real potential in this model to extend formal learnings and help in the persons personal efforts to establish a proper educational path. Yet, in every case Blackman et al., (2015) asserts that the most important element, and remaining relevance of this model is the self-as sessment that helps each person to learn and apply their knowledge.2.3 PotentialPascale (2017) asserts that learning programs provide potential as they are addressing employees as well as providing experience and the benefit of increased confidence. This seems to indicate that Pascale (2017) sees the method as learning that can be attributed to any single person’s capacities which in turn assist the person’s entire workforce. Yet, Jennings et al., (2010) cautions against this form of over optimism, stating that these skills are the employees, and the person may choose to use these emerging skills elsewhere or in a different manner than the company may have anticipated. Jennings et al., (2010:20) says that the system has the potential to â€Å"forces us into a mind-set of extending learning solutions beyond classes and courses and out into the workflow. It creates great opportunities to leverage work for learning and to bring learning closer to work. As the workflow is where the majority of learning happens, re-focusing there is not only a sensible approach, but it’s an effective one as well.† This seems plausible with a real opportunity for persons to learn through practice and establishing as well as learning through the day to day employee conversations. Yet, Watkins (1992) assert that the best possible element of the program rests in the element of reflective practice that both enhances the organisational learning as well as adding to any form of personal educational experience. This seems to indicate that there is support for a system that helps a person becomes the best form of themselves that they can be, which in turn seems to require a little more flexibility than a rigid model. Burgess (2017) describes this art of reflection as a link across any activities that assist to assess a person’s success or failure, which in turn adds to the likelihood of success in a new challenge. Furthermore, extending this principle sho ws that reflecting on improvement, alongside practice and is a natural and practical way for a person to improve their potential for growth. With intuitive elements already a large part of every person’s life in the form of teachers, coaches and mentors with endless sessions of practice in any number of educational efforts, the method provides a framework that adds to the potential for anyone to succeed (Watkins et al., 1992). However, this is not the same attitude evinced by the later studies such as Burgess (2017) citing the need for more flexibility in order to provide the proper potential for growth and innovation.2.4 ChallengesJennings et al., (2017) argue that the biggest challenge of using the 70:20:10 frameworks is how to do it correctly in any environment. Yet, Pascale (2017) cites the largest challenge as matching the various levels of understanding among the persons being educated. Whilst Pollock et al., (2015) argues that the largest challenge going forward is going to be the nature of the process and the inability of method to effectively integrate technology. Although, this contention is debated among many professionals with Jennings et al., (2017) making arguments clearly in favour of using innovative technology to aid in both reaching employees and the manner in which they would understand their material. This all seems to sustain the contention that although there seems to be a solid structure to the system overall, the lack of a solid step by step system that can be applied in nearly any circumstance is a drawback. Furthermore, it would seem as if the area of technology remains a key weakness that needs to be developed. Pascale (2017) cites the fact that leaders are actively seeking out new ways to train employees, that there is a need for more innovation and development. With nearly seventy per cent of hands on training, considered to take too long, the mistakes made by employees only serve to reduce effectiveness and potential revenue. Furthermore, Watkins et al., (1992) notes this same condition, with the companies that using temporary workers hit hardest. This seems to support the arguments that technology has brought on training that provides a focused way for people to speed up learning whilst keeping overall cost low. 3 Conclusion This essay critically appraised the validity of the 70: 20: 10 formula used for giving due recognition to different types of management learning, with the understanding that the learning model seeks to improve overall performance through targeted efforts. With considerable debate on the subject, the central area of challenges to the system was the assertion that it was becoming outdated and that the seventy per cent assignments, twenty per cent from relationships and ten per cent from training were not effective in the modern market, making the entire method questionable. Yet, support for the method centred largely on the ability for the educational material to provide a source of growth and reflection for the employee that would in turn aid them in learning in a natural manner that would easily integrate into their professional lives. This seems to support the Watkins et al., (1992) argument that learning begins with motivation, leading to action. This motivation is built upon the desire to better them through education, and the method does seem to provide a valid and practical process for attaining that goal. However, the critics of this process are a quick to point out that any mistake will build a faulty knowledge base that should be better controlled to ensure quality. However, with time being a key element of any business community, it does not seem practical for employees to expect to receive any long term education that many received in the past in formal educational settings. The material in this study seems to support the contention that when seeking to determine how long someone needs to train, it remains vital to look at the method and manner of training. There are many choices for each unique person, making some critics of the system point out that the need for flexibility is a real and lasting component of any system.. This works to build confidence in the assessment that a person’s learning program will help to build better overall working practices that will in turn benefit the company or organisation that the persons is associated with. Furthermore, the material clearly shows that there is more to learn than how to make the connection in the classroom, that there must be deeper elements that serve to encourage and develop the innovative nature of the person, whilst not relying on a single model for universal education. The research shows that the process of aiding employees to develop, any form of additional education on the job adds to the natural way people develop, aiding both the person and the company. Yet, in many cases the method is found to be outdated in the face of developing technology. This study will be of interest to those researching developing trends in relation to long standing practices. This study shows that formal training and development serve only a portion of a person, or employees learning and educational development, with valuable sources of education and knowledge coming from practice, reflection and the proximity and mentorship of experienced professionals in the field. The research illustrates that by aiding people, employees and leaders to work and develop educational process whilst on the job, the ability to naturally integrate this knowledge into their professional lives grows. This growth not only seems to aid the person on many levels, but aids the efforts of the companies associated with the person, supporting the contention that the 70:20:10 model is not only relevant but needed in the modern community. This continues to show that people develop on the job and in order to companies to remain or become successful education must be a cornerstone of that process. References Blackman, D. and Johnson, S. (2016). The 70:20:10 model for learning and development: an effective model for capability development?. International Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2(1), pp.112-116. Burgess, J. (2017). Is a Blended Learning Approach Suitable for Mature, Part-Time Finance Students?.. [online] Eric.ed.gov. Available at: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1098715 [Accessed 24 Mar. 2017]. Cotton, J. and Rechtschaffen, A. (1958). Replication report: Two- and three-choice verbal-conditioning phenomena. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 56(1), pp.96-96. Gardner, R. (1957). Probability-Learning with Two and Three Choices. The American Journal of Psychology, 70(2), p.174. Jennings, C. and Wargnier, J. (2010). Experiential learning – a way to develop agile minds in the knowledge economy?. Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, 24(3), pp.14-16. Jennings, C., Jennings, C. and profile, V. (2017). 70:20:10 Primer. [online] Charles-jennings.blogspot.com. Available at: http://charles-jennings.blogspot.com/2015/08/702010-primer.html [Accessed 24 Mar. 2017]. KMI Learning. (2017). 70-20-10 Training – A New Approach | KMI Learning. [online] Available at: https://www.kmilearning.com/70-20-10-training/ [Accessed 24 Mar. 2017]. Pascale, C. (2017). 70:20:10 Guide: Provide Structure to the 70%. [online] Docebo. Available at: https://www.docebo.com/2015/04/16/informal-training-70-20-10/ [Accessed 24 Mar. 2017]. Pollock, R., Jefferson, A., Wick, C. and Wick, C. (2015). The six disciplines of breakthrough learning. 1st ed. Rentroia-Bonito, M., Goncalves, D. and Jorge, J. (2015). Clustering Students Based on Motivation to Learn:. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning, 7(3), pp.18-39. Td.org. (2017). 70:20:10: Where Is the Evidence?. [online] Available at: https://www.td.org/Publications/Blogs/Science-of-Learning-Blog/2014/07/70-20-10-Where-Is-the-Evidence [Accessed 17 Mar. 2017]. Td.org. (2017). 70:20:10: Where Is the Evidence?. [online] Available at: https://www.td.org/Publications/Blogs/Science-of-Learning-Blog/2014/07/70-20-10-Where-Is-the-Evidence [Accessed 24 Mar. 2017]. Training Magazine. (2017). Fear Not the 70-20-10. [online] Available at: https://trainingmag.com/content/fear-not-70-20-10 [Accessed 24 Mar. 2017]. Trainingindustry.com. (2017). The 70:20:10 Model for Learning and Development | Training Industry. [online] Available at: https://www.trainingindustry.com/wiki/entries/the-702010-model-for-learning-and-development.aspx [Accessed 24 Mar. 2017]. Watkins, K. and Marsick, V. (1992). Towards a theory of informal and incidental learning in organizations?. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 11(4), pp.287-300.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Non-medical incidents and emergencies that may occur in the work setting Essay

Security incidents Identify the issue and assess appropriate action. First, isolate your responsibilities away from security breech i.e. get children to safety. Call for emergency services to assist, next try to de-escalate the situation if possible but not at risk to personal safety Emergency incidents – (challenging behavior) The degree to which the behavior is affecting other around will make a difference as to how you deal with it. This is different to a security risk as it is assumed that this person is your person responsibility. Firstly, separate the danger from the other participants. Next, attempt to communicate with the individual and calm them down if possible. This may be suggesting a distraction, â€Å"how about we get an ice cream and talk it over† the walk to the shop might be enough to calm them down. If this does not work, emergency services must be called as they have greater knowledge at how to deal with these issues. The individual might not display aggressive challenging behavior. It might take a different form such as self-harm or running away from the campsite. These are extreme situations which can not be allowed to fester. Every second is putting the individual at risk of injury and stress.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Alice Walker Maya Angelou

Angelou writes â€Å"She smocked the yoke into tiny crisscrossing puckers, then shirred the rest of the bodice. Her dark fingers ducked in and out of the lemony cloth as she embroidered raised daisies around the hem. Before she considered herself finished she had added a crocheted cuff on the puff sleeves, and a pointy crocheted collar. I was going to be lovely. A walking model of all the various styles of fine hand sewing and it didn’t worry me that I was only twelve. † (33) Whereas Walker also boastfully describes the attire she wears in church on Easter Sunday that was designed with care by her mother and sister. Walker writes â€Å"It is East Sunday, 1950. I am dressed in a green, scalloped hem dress (handmade by my adoring sister, Ruth) that has its own smooth satin Urbanczyk, Page 2. petticoat and tiny hot-pink roses tucked into each scallop. My shoes, new T-strap patent leather, again highly biscuit-polished. † (1) Neither girl is rich by any means but the closeness shared with their families makes up for being underprivileged and this makes them rich with love. Thus the appreciation of the clothing is strongly felt through each of these essays as it is recited by Angelou and Walker. Continuing further, the tone of each story remains synchronized as both young lady is faced with a tough situation. The life altering circumstances are not alike in nature but ultimately set a sad and rebellious tone in each of the essays. Walker, at only eight years old, loses her right eye as a result of horseplay by her brothers playing with a BB gun. This triggers Walker’s depressed state due to her appearance and also consequently affects her schooling and social life (2). The tone changes in Angelou’s essay as she is victimized by the ignorant criticism of Mr. Edward Donleavy, a white speaker, at her graduation day ceremony. The unwelcomed scrutiny transforms Angelou’s positive thoughts toward the future drastically (36-37). However, through the dark clouds each girl finds a silver lining. Both Walker and Angelou find redemption of their physiological setbacks and breakthrough as stronger, smarter, and secure woman. Furthermore, the writing styles of Angelou and Walker’s essays are very much alike in different ways. Each essay begins on a high and jolly note then transpires into the climax and concludes with each author finding herself with a stronger sense of self awareness. Walker gains her awareness through her experiences in the desert that inspires her to write poems, but her most influential experience comes about from her the words spoken by her daughter â€Å"Mommy, there’s a world in your eye. † (5) Walker continues writing â€Å"There was a world in my eye and I saw that it was possible to live it: that in fact, for all it had taught me of shame and ager and inner vision, I did love it† and closes her essay with a reference to Stevie Wonder’s song â€Å"Always† (5). Such is similar in Angelou’s self experience of shame to Urbanczyk, Page 3 edemption. During Angelou’s graduation ceremony a young man from her student body, Henry Reed, takes the podium in an effort to rejoice his graduating classes of 1940 after the preconceived notions were served by the white speaker, Mr. Edward Donleavy. Reed unites Angelou’s class by taking on the role of orchestra conductor and begins to recite the Negro National Anthem which lifts the spirit of the room. Angelou writes â€Å"The words of Patrick Henry had made such an impression on me that I had been able to tretch myself tall and trembling and say: â€Å" I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty of give me death. † While echoes of the song shrived in the air, Henry Reed bowed his head. † Angelou then closes with; â€Å"We were on top again. As always, again, we survived. † Although Angelou and Walker’s experiences weren’t quite the same, the concluding writing styles of their essays are very meaningful and leave the reader with an enlightened sense of their character. Growing up during this time requires both Angelou and Walker to wear a tough layer of skin. Both these Negro girls become achievers despite what society has to say. It is hard to imagine what it was like growing up in their time but without it the world may have never acquired writers such as Angelou and Walker. Even though it is somewhat sad to read the struggle each woman faced it is wonderful to know the outcome and fortune that each have had all through their brilliant writing ethics. Maya Angelou and Alice walker will continue on as famous writers, but furthermore legendary women.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

VALUE PRICING IN THE CPA INDUSTRY Research Paper

VALUE PRICING IN THE CPA INDUSTRY - Research Paper Example Additionally, coming up with a price is dependent on measurable factors that enable the supplier and the client to have transaction agreement. The key measurements of price include fixed price, unit price; commission fee; subscription fee; and reimbursable/time and material fee. For this paper, the discussion focuses on the fact that cost is essential in the determination of the price of any commodity. The discussion also elaborates the need for reasonable and competitive pricing over just mere pricing. The economic times (n.p), reveals that pricing is the process of attaching monetary value to a commodity. In order to attain a reasonable price for a commodity The Economic Times (n.p) further highlights that the value of the commodity for sale has to be determined using research, complex calculation sets, and understanding and taking risk ability. Additionally, the right pricing strategy has to be considered to ensure that conditions like product market segments; consumers’ ability to pay; conditions in the market; actions from competitors; costs of inputs; and trade margins are well evaluated and included. In this regard, costs should be determined by the market and the overall condition of the pricing control by the government. When considering the market, commodity prices are determined have to involve a costs analysis of every element that effectively works towards the final total price of the seller (Englebeck 290). This individual elements considered in cost analysis are labor, overhead, profit or fee, expenses, materials directly or indirectly used in the production of the commodity, and overheads. However, these elements depend on the type of purchase which then would mean that they increase the cost or reduce the cost and as a result, the price of the commodity in question increases or reduces respectively. Conversely, price analysis involves comparing

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Report on Nutrition and Breastfeeding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Report on Nutrition and Breastfeeding - Essay Example The Australian Breastfeeding Association and many other bona fide health institutions around the world consider breastfeeding as the best feeding practice that mothers are encouraged to comply to ensure optimal health and well-being of their children (â€Å"Why Breastfeeding is,† 2005; World Health Organization (WHO), n.d.a) -- and suggested positive effects have indeed inspired many to do so. Besides providing nutrition, breast milk is also believed to help spare a baby from a range of illnesses. In the year 2004, the Federal Government received a report about the alarming trend of the decline in breastfeeding rates among mothers as their babies reach the first few months (as cited in Godfrey, 2009). As a result, the Department of Health and Aging introduced the Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy 2010-2015 in response to the perceived threat to the health of the young Australians which is â€Å"recognized as a matter of national importance† (National Public Health Partnership (NPHP), 2004). As health providers, it is the responsibility of nurses to perform their designated roles in advocating proper breastfeeding practices and nutrition among infants in the community level in support to the thrust of promoting health and preventing illness in the population. Complementary Feeding - â€Å"Complementary feeding refers to feeds that are given after 6 months of age when breast milk along does not provide adequate nutrition to the growing infant† (Bhat, 2009, p. 43). Despite the fact that Australia is indeed one of the healthiest countries in the whole world, it cannot be denied that it still suffers from major health problems like most, if not all, of the countries around the world do. What makes Australia’s health status unique, however, is the presence of a considerable socioeconomic status diversity between its mainstream and Indigenous populations (Moodie, Harper, and Oldenburg, 2008, p. 4). Because it is

Monday, August 26, 2019

Texas Exceptionalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Texas Exceptionalism - Essay Example The reason as to why they are famous for this or rather described as such is because of the following reasons. The State has the largest percentages of uninsured children, Non-Elderly insured, population with food insecurity, Teenage Birth Rate, Overall Birthrate, amount of toxic wastes released into water and air just to mention but a few (Nackman 57). The answer to the origin of this observation is not easy since more than six nations have colonized the whole State or some parts of Texas. This dates back to the 18th century when Texas was ruled by Spain. Mexico then took over Texas in 1836. Later, the Anglo settlers in Texas rebelled against the Mexican rulers and brought about their own form of civilization in Texas. This study normally aims at understanding how the ways of the early settlers in Texas have found their way into the present times without much change. The early settlers were complex, greedy, divided and racist. The people of Texas have always viewed themselves as sup erior to other people (Nackman 87). They believe that they are exceptional people who have amazing powers and were intended to establish an original country. Therefore, the early Settlers, commonly referred to as Anglo settlers are the ones who created Texas

Psychology ; BEHAVIOR EXPLANATIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Psychology ; BEHAVIOR EXPLANATIONS - Essay Example imed at the other spouse, however the interjection of myself or anyone else into the conversation (or even trying to speak with one parent immediately after the conversation) means that anger will refocus itself on whomever is speaking. The anger in the second case is non-specific and merely generalized so that nothing can be said or done without a negative comment on the part of the angry parent. There are five different basic research methods in psychology which are used to identify different behaviors and understand them better: case studies, naturalistic observation, correlational research, survey research and experimental methods. Case studies focus on specific cases, for example one person or one family; naturalistic observation relies on the direct observation of subjects in their natural surroundings and dealing with their normal stimuli; survey research is gathered through the completion of carefully crafted questionnaires that are distributed according to the research questions; and experimental methods will vary according to the research questions and possible subject candidates (Davis and Palladino -). Observing the natural way this behavior is cultivated is most helpful in understanding where it originates and how it might be changed. Naturalistic observation can help dissect parental anger over money because unlike any of the other basic research methods it offers a view directly into the repeating situation. It is, in fact, the natural situation itself that results in anger; Naturalistic observation is key to understanding this particular instance of anger because it is only with specific stimuli that this behavior is displayed. As the habit of opening the mail and sorting the bills is replayed over and over, the original anger and regret over not having the money to pay every bill resurfaces. Another factor is the behavior of overspending before it is time to pay bills; only by watching this situation can it be fully understood since no

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Operation Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 17000 words

Operation Management - Assignment Example gy, Infrastructure, Globalization: 35 Chapter 3: Existing Problems and Weaknesses of Operations Management in the Company: 36 Part 1: Reduced Earnings in the Recent Years: 36 Part 2: Independent Franchise Dealers Being Weaknesses: 38 Part 3: Weaknesses of Operations Management Leadership Program: 39 Part 4: Problems with Plant Applications Production Management: 40 Chapter 4: Need for Re-orientation: 41 Part 1: Overcoming the Problems with Operations and Reorient towards More Cost Effective Operations Management: 42 Part 2: GE Invests Over EUR 85 Million In Germany For Operations Reorientation: 43 Part 3: Improving the Entry Level Leadership Programs for Better Management: 45 Conclusion and Recommendations: 46 References 50 Introduction: Operations management of any business organization deals with the management and operations of products and processes, and supply and delivery of products and services from the company to its end consumers (What is Operations Management? 2013). Thus it involves optimized utilization of available resources towards effective production and delivery of products and services. There are different levels of operations followed in an organization depending on which strategies and tactics are planned (What is Operations Management? 2013). Areas of business concerned with management of production and distribution of products: Logistics and supply chain management are essential parts of the operations management of a business organization that is concerned with the administration of production and distribution of products. Logistics enables a planned structure for the flow of production and information throughout the business (Sekhar 2009). Thus the different processes of operations are linked with the help of logistics. Supply chain management is in charge of the entire responsibility of production of products and services and passing them to the end consumers without causing delay in the processes. The basic functions concerned by the supply chain include design of the products, procurement, production, management of demand, and distribution (Sekhar 2009). Product design is concerned with generating products that can satisfy the needs of consumers. It involves design of the product, its engineering and packaging as well. Procurement refers to gathering the necessary materials in order to produce the actual products (Sekhar 2009). Production is the process that transforms the raw materials into finished products to be offered to the customers. Demand management involves managing the flow of the demand from the market with the ability of the company to meet the demands (Sekhar 2009). Distribution is the

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Risk Study Report (occupational health and safety) Research Paper

Risk Study Report (occupational health and safety) - Research Paper Example Individual and commercial insurance is a good way to reduce the personal as well as commercial financial risks. I have selected the J. Paul Getty Museum as the visiting location. The location is situated in Los-Angeles. Los Angeles itself is blessed with beautiful landscapes and the building of the museum is made uniquely so that it would attract as many visitors as the museum can hold. On the other hand the entry to the museum is absolutely free, while visitors are charged $15 for the parking. However, after 5p.m the parking is free too. Museums are good places to find cultural, religious and ancient aspects of the location. Around 1.3 million people visit the museum each year (The J. Paul Getty Museum, 2012). The most significant feature of the tourism business is the capability of the operators to deal with the risks and associated factors regarding the tourism business. It is equally viable for the operators to maintain a smooth, receptive and cost efficient insurance that will ensure to meet the legal necessities and requirements. Risk management ensures to make clear reduction in the unnecessary and unintentional events. However, it is important for the risk managers to develop such strategies to reduce the impacts of the unplanned events. The third important perspective of the risk management is to improve the capability to have full control on all the events and associated risks and maintain cost-efficient insurance within the business environment. Risk management strategies will ensure to enhance the recognition of the risks, analyze the risks and the make strategies to reduce the risk. It not only benefits the organization but also the individuals. On the other hand, the risk management techniques will help to face the accident and help us to be prepared for any accidents. The techniques will also reduce the severity and the after effects of the accidents. Financial damages are heavily influenced by the

Friday, August 23, 2019

Judaism & Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Judaism & Christianity - Essay Example Sacrifices were in terms of livestock or agrarian products which are now simply replaced by money. There is no need to slaughter farm animals and burn them as offerings. The rituals has ceased when the New Testament was written. The Old Testament was about the law while the New Testament is about grace that supersedes the Law through Christ. From a Christian viewpoint, Christ was offered in repatriation for the sins of this world so there is no need to perform ritual sacrifices. Even the food that were considered unclean ( fish without scales, pork, etc) during the Old Testament is not an issue anymore in the New Testament as Mark 7:19 (NIV) states â€Å"For it doesnt go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body†, thereby Jesus declared that any type of food is clean. The second reason why the Torah is not significant anymore is because there was a change of covenant between man and God. In the Old Testament, the covenant was directly between God and Moses. However, the coming of Jesus Christ changed that covenant since He became the offering. The rules were changed since faith is needed not obedience to laws for one to be saved. Nevertheless, the Torah remains a basis for moral laws by Christians today. The website spiritus.temporis.com clarifies the importance of Torah among modern day Christians through the following statement: One common approach is found in the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) which divides the Mosaic laws into three categories: moral, civil, and ceremonial. In the view of the Westminster divines, only the moral law such as most of the Ten Commandments directly applies to Christians today. ( â€Å" Torah†, 2005) I agree with this because modern day Christians need not practice rituals anymore. The Ten Commandments gives Christians clear guidelines on what should be the basis of their moral actions. It would be unthinkable to hold a certain

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Healthcare Management Essay Example for Free

Healthcare Management Essay Executive Summary There are over 850,000 physicians practicing in the United States today, covering every imaginable specialty and sub-specialty (Young, Chaudhry, Rhyne, Dugan, 2011). According to the World Health Organization (2000), even though our country spends more money per capita than any other country in the world, the USA ranks 37 out of the top 191 countries in the world in terms of overall health system performance. Although there are many reasons for this poor performance, several experts cite the lack of emphasis on primary care and true preventative medicine in the US (The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System, 2011). This is a proposal to create a community ambulatory health center in a suburban community that would provide the setting for training family medicine residents. The establishment of such a center would allow a hospital to provide better primary care services to the uninsured and underinsured patients in its community. It may also help reduce unnecessary emergency room visits as well as hospital readmissions by providing quality care to these patients. A training program would also improve the hospital’s ability to recruit and retain actively admitting primary care physicians. The proposal discusses the process for choosing the center’s location, funding models, administrative structures, as well as staffing and architectural requirements. Strategy of Service Lines and Location As mentioned in the executive summary, it is well known that many communities in the US could benefit from increased access to primary care services (Commonwealth Fund Commission, 2011). Even within suburban communities that may appear seemingly affluent, there are often significant socioeconomically challenged populations. The parent hospital would have to conduct a SWOT analysis, to identify its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (Longest Darr, 2008). In this case, the presence of a family medicine residency program is a great strength, both in clinical and economic ways. Family medicine residents (and their faculty) are well versed in current, best standards of care. Graduate medical education often provides significant revenue streams, as described below. Up to four residents can work under the supervision of a single faculty  physician; often the number of patients seen in a residency clinic far exceeds that of a private office. Weaknesses include the presence of other residency clinics in the region, as well as difficulties recruiting quality residents to a new training program that has no established reputation. It can also be difficult to recruit and retain skilled and motivated faculty physicians for progams, as the compensation for such academic positions is often less than that of purely clinical posts. Threats to this proposal include changes in GME funding (external environment) and the possibility of the residency program losing its accreditation (internal and external environment). In scanning the external environment of the organization, it is possible to identify specific geographic locations that have significant numbers of uninsured/underinsured patients (but still within the hospitals catchment area). It would also have to be convenient to public transportation, such as bus stops, subway stations, or railroad stations. Analysis of the various economic, political, demographic, and regulatory sectors would also identify the best time and location to create such a clinic. Significant forecasting would also have to confirm that the current external environment would not change in a way that would significantly worsen the chances for the clinics success. The creation of this new community health center would fall under the hospitals directional strategy, as most hospitals mission and vision statements include caring for the needy in their communities (Longest Darr, 2008). Management and Personnel Structure Being a hospital-owned facility, a hospital administrator would be the senior manager / liaison; this would most likely be the Vice President for Ambulatory Affairs or Chief Medical Officer. The organization itself would have two chief administrators reporting to the hospital liaison; an Administrative Director (who would be the middle manager responsible for the overall management and vision of the center) and a Medical Director (who would be responsible for clinical activities, supervision, and initiatives). The Medical Director might well be the hospitals department Chair of Family Medicine. The family medicine residency program would require a full-time physician serving as both Director of Medical Education and residency Program Director. The residency itself would have 24 residents.  In order to maintain an appropriate ratio of preceptors to trainees, there would need to be at least 4 full-time faculty attending physicians (American Osteopathic Association, 2011) An office supervisor (first-level manager) would be responsible for the day-to-day operations in the front (reception) and back (finance) portions of the office. In the front office, the practice would need 3 receptionists who would register patients upon their arrival and answer telephone calls. They would also verify patients insurance status. The back office would require 2 coders who would be responsible for verifying correct coding for practice visits, submit claims, and process payments from both patients and third-party payors. Another clerical staff member would be needed to process pre-authorizations and referrals (both incoming and outgoing). Finally, a charting person would be needed (even in an electronic medical record-equipped practice) to accommodate incoming paper / faxed documents. The middle (clinical) part of the office, would require 2 medical assistants who would be responsible for bringing patients from the waiting room into the appropriate area (exam room, laboratory, or procedure room) and triage them (taking and recording vital signs, documenting the chief complaint, and verifying medications and allergies). A registered nurse and licensed practical nurse would be needed to administer vaccinations and medications. Finally, a phlebotomist / lab assistant would be needed to perform venipuncture’s, prepare specimens, and perform CLIA-waived tests. The registered nurse would also serve as the Clinical Supervisor (first-level manager) for the clinical support staff. Funding Model Medicare is the primary formal financier of graduate medical education programs, contributing 72 percent of all tax-financed support. Other federal payors include Medicaid (11 percent), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (10 percent), the U.S. Department of Defense (3 percent), and the Bureau of Health Professions (3 percent) (Young Coffman, 1998). A teaching hospital will receive direct medical education (DME) payments cover the cost of resident and faculty stipends and benefits, and overhead costs that are directly related to the teaching programs, such as ambulatory  office space. Hospitals also receive funding for indirect medical education (IME) costs because teaching hospitals have more complex case mixes, more uninsured patients, and provided services that were costly but not necessarily well reimbursed, such as trauma centers and transplants units (Cymet Chow, 2011). These payments are, on average, total $100,000 per resident per year. However, over the last 20 years, the federal government has either frozen GME funding or in some cases, reduced it significantly (especially under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997) (Phillips, et al., 2004). Currently, the family medicine residents in this proposal do result in a net gain for the hospital. With an average salary of $45,000 plus $20,000 in benefits, the hospital stands to net $35,000 per resident. For a program of 24 residents (8 in each year), the hospital would have a net income of $840,000 from Medicare GME funding. Each of the faculty physicians would have their own clinical practice (about 0.25 FTE), so they would bill Medicare and third-party payors for their services. They would have a productivity plan whereby each month they would receive 25% of their revenue after fulfilling their monthly salary/benefit costs. Physical Characteristics / Layout of the Facility Because of the educational nature of the practice (i.e. a residency teaching clinic), the physical layout of the facility has specific needs. In the front portion of the office, the waiting room needs to have ample seating to allow for extended wait times associated with teaching clinics. The waiting room would also have to be child-friendly, with easily disinfected toys (i.e. no stuffed animals). Because many potential patients will have to apply for Medicaid or hospital-based charity programs, it would be ideal to have an office (or at least a kiosk) where a financial coordinator could meet with patients in a private area. Since this would be a multi-specialty practice with dozens of residents and attending physicians, there would need to be a large number of exam rooms, perhaps 18, all with exam tables equipped with stirrups to accommodate pelvic exams, Pap smears, and STD testing. There would also need to be a large procedure room to accommodate the need for various gynecological (colposcopy, endometrial biopsy, IUD placement/removal, etc.) and other types of procedures (suturing, biopsies. etc.). The center would also have a spacious area dedicated to residents for  charting and research, as well as two precepting rooms where clinical cases can be discussed with faculty physicians. There would be a conference room equipped with a computer and LCD projector for presentations and discussions. Numerous computer workstations throughout the clinic would allow access to an electronic medical records system. One exam room could be equipped for videotaping that is used (with the patient’s permission) to observe residents as they demonstrate the core competencies while providing patient care. The center would need a laboratory for the collection and processing of blood and other specimens. In order to avoid the same stringent regulations and testing associate with a hospital or reference laboratory, the center would only perform CLIA-waived tests such as finger-stick blood glucose testing, throat cultures, and urine dipstick analysis (CDC and CMS, 2006). The building would al so ideally have offices for each of the faculty attending physicians, as well as for administrative and support staff. Clinical Practice As mentioned previously, this community health center would offer multiple specialties. The main service would be primary care. Family medicine residents, under the supervision of faculty preceptors, would provide general internal medical, pediatric, obstetric (pre- and post-natal), and gynecologic care to patients of all ages. Additionally, other specialty physicians would be available for special clinics: obstetrics (perinatal) and advanced gynecology twice a week, dermatology once a week, and general surgery, gastroenterology, pulmonology, cardiology, and urology once a month. These specialty services are essential in serving the needs of the target population: uninsured and underinsured (i.e. Medicaid) patients who are unable to see these specialists in private practice. Credentialing The Chair of Family Medicine is responsible for maintaining records of each attending physicians credentials. These would include a New York State Medical License (with updated registration), DEA registration (to prescribe controlled substances), copies of medical school and residency diplomas, proof of board certification (and maintenance), records of continuing  medical education, and CPR/Advanced Cardiac Life Support training cards. The Director of Medical Education / Residency Program Director is responsible for maintaining records for each resident physician such as their medical school diplomas/transcripts, licensing examination transcripts, ACLS training, and signed residency contracts. Local zoning and legal concerns Consideration must be given as to the choice of commercial property for this ambulatory health center. The ideal location would be a pre-existing medical office building that has already been zoned for a medical practice, and has the required number of parking spaces (especially handicapped) and adequate access in and out of the building. A multi-level building must have elevators that are compliant with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regulations. In County, a Certificate of Need must be granted before a new healthcare facility can be built. There are also village and town zoning ordinances that must be considered when modifying or creating a medical office building . The center would fall under the jurisdiction of the same regulatory bodies as that of its parent hospital, and would be setup as a not-for-profit organization, since a significant portion of its care would be uncompensated.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Respectable pharmacist Essay Example for Free

Respectable pharmacist Essay In some point in time, an individual encounters a crossroad in his life. I have been in a few and those influenced my current decision to pursue the degree of pharmacy. I hopped from one job to another in the last few years. I have experienced working in retail, became a massage therapist, a medical assistant, a medical coder and lastly, being employed at a pharmacy. Among the jobs that I have mentioned, my undertaking in the pharmacy was most fulfilling. From observing a respectable pharmacist, I was inspired by the way he works. I believe that the task of a pharmacist does not end by merely helping the patients understand the prescriptions. A pharmacist is also dedicated in making sure that the medications are effective in curing the patients. It is also very challenging to know that being a pharmacist entails big responsibility in dispensing medications. I came to realize that my mind and my heart belong to the cradle of pharmacy through all these. I am aware that in order to be qualified in a prestigious school like the Touro College, a good set of grades is needed but when I was still studying my undergraduate degree, I failed to handle my priorities. I was working to be able to get through my expenses. Thus, I was not able to set my focus on my studies alone. Still, I decided to continue my schooling despite the result of having a low GPA. The said experience taught me well that I should know how to strike a balance in the aspects of my life. I managed to accomplish my Bachelor’s degree and from then on, I realized that I should not dwindle with the time to learn. A low GPA does not necessarily mean that a person is of weak character. I will not be easily swayed off by incoming events that will cause me difficulty when I am already in the College of Pharmacy. If and when I will be given a chance to pursue the degree of Pharmacy, I will not put to waste the opportunity. I know that the education that I will gain will help improve my personality and outlook in life. I am the kind of person who will definitely go for the goal, fight for it so that I will be able to win.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Anthropomorphism in Disney Movies

Anthropomorphism in Disney Movies In the Disney world, not only can inanimate objects become alive, but life is expected of them. (Field, 1945:57). The depiction of animals and objects has played an important role in the world of Disney and is central to its oeuvre. The relationship with nature has become the source of inspiration, taking one back to the fantasies in which imagination and reality merge together to create a divine cosmos where animals speak, plants and trees act consciously and inanimate objects feel emotion. Disney transports us to a universe free from time and space, where one can retain their lost youth and enter a place of adventure harping back to an imaginary world only a child can behold. Disney successfully endows animate and inanimate objects with energy of their own, associating them with human nature, suggested by their profile or purpose: Here everything becomes so splendidly relative- a beetle lumbering along with heavy self-importance becomes a great big fellow and immediately assumes the role of some diminutive little creature darting about with playful determination to outwit the others stupidity What, for instance, is to an enlightened soul more obvious than an insect orchestra? And for instruments? Well, why were flowers shaped like trumpets? (Field, 1945:56) To relate to the animal world is an impulse that has occurred throughout history, first recorded in hieroglyphics and ancient Palaeolithic cave paintings most notably the Lascaux caves which depicts the everyday occurrences and encounters between the species of human and beast in their natural surroundings and environment, preserving history. From a historical perspective, the use of anthropomorphism has been apparent within entertainment for centuries in particular vaudeville, but mostly through illustration. Illustrative literary sources have proved widely influential to animated film acting as a vehicle to enhance form and style. Artists such as Ernest Griset, John Tenniel, Honorà © Daumier and Arthur Rackman previously interpreted animals in their work and the Disney animators praised their ability to caricature society and human behaviour. Titles such as Aesops Fables and the Fables of Jean de La Fontaine were illustrated by J.J Grandville and later by Gustav Dorà © with many well known fables and follies being re-used in Disney. The story-telling aspect of animals that possess the power to talk, comment and become intertwined with human characteristics compliment a fable creating a timeless contribution to literary tradition. It is important to protect and renew these stories as they continue to be popular and act as a bridge between young and old. Robin Allan notes that as humanity has become less dependent on animals for its day-to-day life, this century has seen an increase in the anthropomorphic impulse, from Beatrix Potter in the nineteen hundreds to Kermit the Frog in the nineteen eighties (Allan, 1999:20). Over time, animals have progressed from being regarded as work animals to being ones of domestication, bestowed with quasi-human qualities. Disney was intrigued by the miniature worlds of insects and animals and aspired to seek out the understandings of character and personality in order to perfect movement believably, exaggerating the traits and features of humans and creating a likeness to a persons appearance. Disneys concern with the caricature urged him to study personality because for him, it was the action that held great importance. Disney summarised in 1935: The first duty of the cartoon is not picture or duplicate real action or things as they actually happen, but to give a caricature of life and action. The point must be made clear to the men that our study of the actual is not so that we may be able to accomplish the actual, but so that we may have a basis upon which to go into the fantastic, the unreal, the imaginative and yet to let it have a found of fact, in order that it may more richly possess sincerity and contact with the public I definitely feel that we cannot do the fantastic things based on the real unless we first know the real. (Disney, cited in Watts, 2002: 108) There is a huge amount of emphasis on the elements of a picture being not a mere representation but an individual that can step out of the page, talk to you and be alive. What became known as hyperrealism meant that each character became more aware of their bodies, encompassing its own personality in which the illustrators must learn and understand; Mickey is not a mouse, but a person. The story crew will psychoanalyse each character, and from each mans suggestion will evolve on paper a character with defined proportions and mannerisms (Hollister, 1994: 26). Walt Disney encouraged the study of movement through the establishment of an art school. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (David Hand et al, 1937) focused more on fantasy, with endearing little animals, however in Bambi the artists had to get closer to nature, and were trained in animal locomotion and anatomy with live animals being brought into the studio and artists being sent out on field trips to zoos and the natural environme nt (De Roos, 1994: 56). By observing traits and mannerisms of the living and combining it with animal characteristics, artists could also look deeper into the action; unearthing mood, personality and attitude, to create a character that would be adored by the spectator in which Steven Watts describes as personality animation (Watts, 2002: 108). This style of animation became a trademark for Disney and allowed figures to enjoy freedom from restraint. Sergei Eisenstein, Soviet filmmaker and theorist likens Disneys work with totemism, in which humans have an embedded spiritual affinity with animals or plants: In Disneys works animals substitute for people. The tendency is the same: a displacement, an upheaval, a unique protest against the metaphysical immobility of the one-an-forever given. Its interesting that the same kind of flight into animal skin and the humanization of animals is apparently characteristic for many ages, and is especially sharply expressed as a lack of humaneness in systems of social government and philosophy. (Leyda, 1988:33) Animals are represented as spiritual beings, linking them closely to the world of humans, but their natural detachment and own sense of personal worldliness creates a barrier. Referring back to the plasmaticness of the animated form, Eisenstein focuses on the metaphorical role of the animal story in which the animals renounce authority. During the era of the American depression, the theme song, Whos Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? from the short Three Little Pigs became an iconic anthem. David E. James discussed Eisensteins views on Disneys early work: Disneys films were then a lyrical, limitlessly imaginative revolt against the disciplinary regimes of the capital, against the big grey wolf who in America is behind every corner, behind every counter, on the heels of every person especially those of the working class. (James, 2005: 271) There is an emphasis on the importance of cartoons and animated animals being able to liberate humanity from the woes of life, representing a certain freedom and acting as a vehicle to make statements be it political or cultural. The concept of the real gave animation the possibilities to explore and expand the peripheries of fictional space. Eisenstein explored the appeal of the plasmatic and the flexibility of animals and objects with the ability to change and reanimate at will. The very ideaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦of the animated cartoon is like a direct embodiment of the method of animismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦And thus, what Disney does is connected with one of the deepest traits of mans early psyche (Leyda, 1988: 129). Eisenstein focuses on Merbabies (1938) in which animals substitute for other animals, in this case fish are substitutes for mammals; An octopus with four legs, a fifth as a tail, a sixth as a trunk. This is a reconstruction of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦according to fantasy. You tell an octopus: be an elephant, and the octopus becomes an elephant. You tell the sun: Stop! and it stops (Leyda, 1988: 3). Sergei Eisenstein was overwhelmed by Disneys appeal and his mastery, with his ability to perfect technologically but also to understand the inner psyche of human thoughts, feelings and ideas. Eisenstein believed that these hand drawn cartoons were a metaphor for human liberation, reviving the passion and everlasting power of youth when people still aspired to become whatever they wish (Leyda, 1988: 21). As the world had to endure the oppressions of daily life, cartoon shorts acted as a popular art form, filled with gags and comedic performances by animals acting as a comic relief and morale-raiser-in-chiefà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The cartoon animal could always bounce back (Wells, 2009: 13). The Disney narratives establish a moral paradigm that offer a fairy tale happy ending with the victory of good over evil, whilst still having to struggle with trials and tribulations along the way. This classic formula presented by the Disney Studio allows an anthropomorphic animal to engage and communicate with the viewer with narratives symbolic of the unavoidable vicissitudes humans have to endure in life. Wells demonstrates this: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦characterised by initial establishing of spring or time of new birth or community ritual, normally followed by a rupture in this apparent calm and continuity, prompting a new journey. The character finds new friends, and through adventures, trial and suffering, overcoming major challenges, resolves any schisms and overcomes. Community is restored, main character completes journey and is advanced spiritually and practically. (Wells, 2009: 124) Through anthropomorphism, animation uses the act of performance by animals to challenge how we perceive ourselves. Through Disneyfication, the Disney films address a family audience, combining visual pleasure with mature themes whilst still entertaining and educating. Paul Wells suggests there is a moral ecology within the Disney narratives. For example in Bambi, its assumedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦that wild animals inhabit a moral universe and that people would do well to emulate the innate morality- the natural law- of the wild (Wells, 2009: 76). Humans seek out a mutual understanding by use of adapting a moral ecology with the animal. Disney instructed his workers to uncover the subconscious of the viewer in order to bring to life the feelings, fantasies and dreams that each of us has had at some point during life. Steven Watts notes that a preoccupation with the dream state in Disneys early films triggered a fusion of intellect and emotion, superego and id (Watts, 2002: 108) to the extent that audiences forget their extraordinary beginnings. The animated film draws human and animal into the same unconscious, primal remit in which both adult and child are reconciled with the specifities of the animated filrm, and this is through spectacle. Steven Wells explains: it is important, then, to once again consider what is distinctive about animated depictions of such animals, and in amore specific sense this seems to lie in the relationship between inherent primal connections between humankind and animal and the ways in which animation can formally and self consciously predicate its design and motion to recall such connections. These essentially operate in two ways- as a model of empathy through juvenilisation and interrogative awe, played out through spectacle. (Wells, 2009: 81) There is arguably an association between childhood and animalism, and the fantasy that is offered to us through culture, whether it is through toys, circuses or childrens literature. Animals often had a very special place during childhood with anthropomorphism being the result of this alliance. Richard deCordova observes that animalisation in the world of children holds a powerful purpose as it associates the child with nature and thus establishing their innocence and their detachment from the overpowering elements that corrupt the fabric of social life: The childs relationship with nature and association with innocence on the one hand and primitivist vitality of the other could be effectively concretized through symbolic procedures that linked the child to animals. (deCordova, 1994: 211). Not only are children being bound with nature, they are intertwined with a basic, primal kinship with animals. The innocence of youth is illustrated through animation by awarding each character with juvenile characteristics bringing together both child and animal. With animals and children, hierarchy is flattened and the two can act as equals, to the point where children are more compatible, emotionally and spiritually alike to animals than to their adult peers. Animation creates a model for which through the factors of change, the affiliation between the two species can be explored. Animated characters can chose who they want to be: animal or human, innocent or rebellious of neither of these. They can act as a representational aid to address issues that could not easily be addressed directly and because of the form in which they are presented, it is generally accepted. Anthropomorphic films unify both man and animal, enabling a relationship unachievable in reality, in the same way literature has done before it. Word count: 2117

Monday, August 19, 2019

Technology and Communication in Business Essay -- Progress Technology

Technology and Communication in Business The technological advances achieved in the past few decades have brought about a revolution in the business world, affecting all aspects of a working life. People can reach each other throughout the world in a matter of seconds, without cost being increasingly negligible. Employees no longer need to be physically with their clients and co-workers; instead they can communicate effectively at home, at a distant office, across the world, and even in their car or on an airplane. Although these new technologies offer a wide variety of services and opportunities, they seem united by a single factor: increased efficiency and productivity. Indeed, companies have been quick to adopt many of these technologies, and show significant improvements in business performance. However, as the physical office loses importance and employees are encouraged to telecommute from their location of choice, these physically isolated workers will inevitably suffer a loss of face-to face interpersonal skills and a deterioration of relationships in the workplace. Although the subject of immense media hype and scrutiny in the past few years, this technological revolution in the business world has occurred slowly but surely over the past few decades, even as far back as the invention of the telegraphy in the 1850s. The invention of the telephone, fax machine, and more recent developments in wireless communications and video conferencing have offered businesses more flexibility and efficiency, and those willing to embrace these new technologies found they were more likely to survive and prosper. The result is today’s heavily technical workplace, where proficiency with complex phone systems, fax machines, and ofte... ...nges and grow with them. The demand for computer skills is greater in the workplace now, more than ever before. The workplace has already grasped the idea that computers are here to stay. BIBLIOGRAPHY Berry, Frances. "Living at the Office". San Francisco Chronicle, November 16, 1999, 25 Carson, John. " A Laptop for every student".Time Magazine, Vol.155, No.8, May 2000,45-50 Hodges, Mary. "Telework-Changing the Face of the Workplace".Advancing Women Network, Spring 1998, 47-48 Nobel, Laureate. "Technology and the Workplace". Technology Review, May/June, 34 Paul, Michon. "Is your Business Ready for the Future?". http://www.News.com Scott, Lewis. "Computers Changing our Lives". http://www.Cnet.com Terry, Tony. "High Performance Home Offices". http://www.techweb.com "Explaining Managerial Acceptance of Expert Systems" http://www.brint.com

Students :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Students that struggle with reading in school is not a new problem. This has been a challenge for teachers for years and continues to be an issue in school systems nationwide. As stated in video program five, â€Å"While a child’s development may be delayed, the developmental pattern will remain the same.† (Bear, 2004 ). This really lets school officials know that these students are reachable, but the teachers need to provide appropriate instruction for the student’s developmental level. There are several things to be considered such as: grouping, type of instruction, spelling words, and vocabulary.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Teaching special education, it seems that my students are usually grouped in the teacher/child ratio. Within those small groups there are a variety of reading levels and adjustments that have to be made. We have reading groups everyday in my classroom. My students along with my teammates students are grouped according to ability. Even with that type of grouping remediation for some students is needed because of their rate of progress. It was stated in video program five that struggling readers need repetition, practice, and explicit instruction (Bear,2004). I try to provide this through different modalities. One strategy is a computer program called Intelli-talk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is a program similar to Cowriter or Write Out Loud. It allows information to be inputted into the system by the teacher and it will orally read the directions, any reading or activities that go with the lesson. This program also allows pictures to be associated with vital vocabulary in the reading in the form of a word bank. By clicking on a picture the students can review a brief definition of the word and hopeful this will aid them in completing the vocabulary/comprehension activities. This program will also allow the teacher to make a word web and using the pictures mentioned early, the students can match the correct word with the picture. This is a great way to have students review independently what was read or discussed previously in a small group setting. This also allows the teacher to engaged in another activity with other students without having to be directly one on one with another student.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My students are tested annually on 400 basic sight words using the Brigance test. Any words that the students do not know how to read are given to them as spelling words. The students are expected to know what the word means, how to read and spell the words by the end of the week. Supplemental activities for classwork and homework are given as a reinforcement.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Finding Peace in Death Comes For The Archbishop Essay -- Archbishop

Finding Peace in Death Comes For The Archbishop      Ã‚   Willa Cather's Death Comes For The Archbishop is a novel set in the nineteenth century in New Mexico.   The story follows the adventures of Father Vaillant and Father Latour, two refined French priests on a mission to promote Catholicism in Santa Fe.   The story follows each man's experiences in these unrefined surroundings causing them to go through dramatic changes as they experience the westward movement of the frontier.   Through the struggles and journeys of a host of characters, we discover the underlying tensions of worldly distractions that can create a divided character between oneself.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first example of a divided character I would like to discuss is that of the cardinals in Rome. It seems as if the heads of the Catholic Church indulge in worldly possessions to fulfill their spiritual desires.   "...I had this wine brought up from my cellar especially to warm away the chill of your twenty Canadian winters.   Surely, you do not gather vintages like this on the shores of the Great Lake Huron?"(9).   These high cardinals seem to have grown devoted to luxuries of life than to God and the Catholic Church.   This behavior contradicts the teachings of Catholicism itself, where worldly matter is not of importance.   This passage constructs a clear warning to the reader, making it clear that these characters seem to have jumped on the bandwagon of globalization, thus at times forgetting their religious ties.   It is hard to say if these cardinals have ever experienced the meaning of true devotion to God, a point of faith where material luxuries have no value.   Latour may be looked down upon to do the hard work of the missions but his experie... ... cathedral, distracting him from his mission to reach the native people.        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although Father Latour may possess few worldly desires, one may argue he wants what others can benefit from as well as pleasing himself.   Along his journeys, Latour encounters various people, most associates of the Catholic Church like himself.   It seems as each time Latour detects a sense of deceit in a person, he progresses in his own mission of morality.   When one is trying so hard to embrace and follow the rules and restrictions of religion, as well as enjoy the worldly luxuries, a divided character is created within oneself.   It is not until true and total devotion is committed to ones religion that material things become irrelevant and one can be at peace.  Ã‚  Ã‚      Work Cited:    Cather, Willa. Death Comes for the Archbishop. NY: Vintage Books, 1990.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Ministers of Irish Education Essay

1. Since the foundation of the Irish Free State (1922) to the present day there have been 37 different ministers for education. Identify at least 4 of those ministers for education which you consider most significant. Critically evaluate the contribution they played in reforming the Irish Education Landscape. (50Marks) Today I will looked at 4 Irish Ministers of Education; John O’Sulllivan, Thomas Derrig, Donagh O’Malley and Ruairi Quinn and portray how I believe they contributed (and are contributing) hugely to the reform the Irish Education Landscape: 1. John M. O’Sullivan (Jan. 1926 – Mar. 1932) O’Sullivan was appointed to the Cabinet in 1926, serving under W. T. Cosgrave as Minister for Education. In 1926 a report from the Second National Programme Conference was presented to him as the Minister for Education. He accepted all proposals stated in the report to be recommended as a national curriculum. In 1926, he made Irish obligatory for registration as a Secondary School teacher & for ‘recognised’ (funded) schools. In 1926 under O’Sullivan, the School Attendance Act came into existence. It made it obligatory for all children between the age of 6 and 14 would attend school. O’Sullivan is also responsible for: Establishing the Commission on Technical Education in 1927 Setting up the Preparatory Colleges to train primary teachers in 1927 Introducing the Primary Certificate in 1929 As it became clear that many could not access suitable second level education discussions began on creating a continuation course to provide general education in a vocational style. The Vocational Education Act, 1930 was implemented by O’Sullivan. It reformed the technical education branch of the Department of Education and local Technical Education Boards. It introduced vocational schools, a new type of school with a greater emphasis on trade and commerce in courses. These courses were broken into continuation courses and traditional technical education courses. There were those who considered the system revolutionary and there were warnings of danger to faith and morals which could arise in the new multi denominational and co-educational schools to be provided. This was the state’s first attempt to take an active hand in establishing schools outside the power of the Roman Catholic Church. The Vocational Education Act was thee major ministerial achievement of the Minister. The act provided an avenue for a new approach to post primary education and to the introduction of the concept of education as a lifelong process. Here then was a new system which set out to educate through the medium of subjects themselves directly related to the world of work. It was not easily accepted. Education was regarded as the pursuit of abstract learning and the status of the educated person was almost in direct ratio to his/her inability to work with his/her hands. Even in today’s society, there is a still some stigmatism attached to attending a VEC school. However in reality such schools contribute so much to today’s society and as such Today we have 213 VEC second level schools and many further education, youthreach, traveller and prison education centres – a testament to O’Sullivan’s rein. 2. Thomas Derrig (Mar. 1932 – Sep. 1939) At the June 1927 general election he was elected to Dail Eireann as a Fianna Fail TD for Carlow–Kilkenny. In Eamon de Valera’s first government in 1932 Derrig was appointed Minister for Education. Derrig has been influential in cultivating of our education system – but not in a positive way: Derrig initiated a review of industrial and reformatory schools and the rules under the Children Act 1908, resulting in the critical 1936 Cussen Report, which he shelved. His lack of action was noted in 2009 when the Ryan Report examined the subsequent management of these â€Å"residential institutions†; Derrig was the first minister to seek a report that could have resulted in much-needed reforms. A call for public inquiry into industrial schools was rejected by Minister of Education. Thomas Derrig because â€Å"it would serve no useful purpose†. It has been suggested that he did not want to follow British law reforms in the 1920s and 1930s because of his strong anti-British views, and that Irish children had suffered needlessly as a result. Under Derrig’s rein, he not only effect teacher salaries, but also banned married female teachers from working. According to Diarmaid Ferriter (2004) in his book The Transformation of Ireland 1900 – 2000, the marriage ban imposed on female primary teachers from 1934 to 1958 seemed to attract little public comment, despite the fact that many untrained single teachers were replacing trained married female teachers. The INTO was not vocal in objecting on the basis of gender equality, and whatever opposition existed in the union was overshadowed by its campaigns on wage levels. This was a sign of the times in my opinion, where women had very little power or voice. It is probably only in the past few decades that this move to ban female teachers has really been viewed as scandalous and backwards. While the rest of Europe moved forward with education reform after World War Two, Derrig resisted such reviews. Derrig’s narrow mindedness cost us – academically and for so many young innocent children –physically and emotionally. 3. Donogh O’Malley (July 1966 – Mar. 1968) Following Fianna Fail’s return to government following the 1965 general election O’Malley joined the cabinet as Minister for Health. He spent just over one year in this position before he was appointed Minister for Education, a position where he will be forever remembered for his dynamism as a minister. Having succeeded another dynamic young minister, Patrick Hillary, O’Malley acted swiftly to introduce the recommendations that were made in an official report regarding education. Shortly after he was appointed he announced that from 1969 all schools up to Intermediate Certificate level would be free and that free buses would bring students from rural area to the nearest school. O’Malley seems to have made this decision himself without consulting other ministers, however, he did discuss it with Lemass. Jack Lynch, who as Minister for Finance had to find the money to pay for it, was certainly not consulted and was dismayed at the announcement. In spite of this O’Malley’s proposals were hugely popular with the public and it was impossible for the government to go back on its word. As minister O’Malley also extended the school transport scheme and commissioned the building of new non-denominational comprehensive and community schools in areas where they were lacking. He also introduced Regional Technical Colleges (RTCs), now called Institutes of Technology, in areas where there was no third level college in proximity. The best example of this successful policy is Limerick, now a university, where O’Malley is credited with taking the steps to ensure the university came into existence. His plan to merge Trinity College, Dublin and University College Dublin aroused huge controversy and was not successful, despite being supported by his cabinet colleague Brian Lenihan. Access to third level education was also extended as the old scholarship system was replaced by a system of means-tested grants which gave easier access to less well-off students. Because of O’Malley, the working class and middle class of Ireland are far better. Four decades on from the 1960s and we have a 4 fold increase in retention rates, with 82% retention of students to Leaving Cert. However I argue the validity of the grants system that he hoped put in place. As Niamh Bhreathnach commented in the Irish Independent in September 2002, O’Malley would be turning in his grave if he knew how the grants system was been exploited at that time. As the students of Ireland fight to hold onto the grants system as we know it, I personally feel it’s a pity that O’Malley didn’t introduce a student loan system like England’s system. It certainly would cost the Irish Taxpayer less. 4. Ruairi Quinn (2011 – Present) Whilst still in office, I believe that R. Quinn has and will continue to significantly contribute in the reforming the Irish Education Landscape. Within one year, Ruairi Quinn has shown how an energetic Minister can drive the education agenda and push for change. In April 2012 the report on The Forum on Patronage and Pluralism was published. In the Primary Sector, The fact that 96% of primary schools in Ireland are under denominational patronage is unique among developed countries. The group has advised that the first phase in divesting schools should involve 258 schools in 18 dioceses across 47 areas. How the Minister will carry out this task remains to be seen. However he is determined to carry this out and I believe as such it will be one of the most significant changes in our educational landscape since O’Malley’s introduction of free schooling. The 8 subject Junior Certificate currently being introduced by Quinn will change the landscape of learning for our students. I hope that with this introduction, I can as a teacher continue to use active learning activities in the classroom and concentrate on lifelong learning rather than the system of rote learning that exists at the minute. The minister also announced in May 2012 that Chinese will become a subject in the Leaving Certificate and he also announced an optional short course on Chinese language and culture which will be made available as part of the new Junior Cert cycle programme from 2014. As Quinn’s ministry continues to push on with the ideology of a 2 year teaching course, I am glad I am completing this course in 2012 and not in 2014. While I understand the ideology of this move, I do not believe it will improve teaching standards in Ireland. I believe that scholar students (regardless of their vocation) will look at the time it takes to become a teacher and the monetary rewards of it (which unfortunately is on the decrease) and the fact they could have for instance a medical degree in the same amount of time with brighter economic aspirations. It is my sincere hope that such visions do not come through. Today I have looked at 4 Irish Ministers of Education; John O’Sulllivan, Thomas Derrig, Donagh O’Malley and Ruairi Quinn and I truly believe they contributed (and are contributing) hugely to the reform the Irish Education Landscape.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Discipline, Suspension & Termination

Terminating is not anything to lose sleep over nor is it a rocket science if you have done your job. There are many reasons behind termination of an employee for example theft, gross insubordination, and severe economic difficulties. When an organization let’s some one go because of their poor performance, they tend to avoid the situation as long as they can. When finally they do talk to the individual after agonizing endlessly ultimately deliver the bad news. In the end even the organization’s management feels guilty and angry and so is the employee all angry and confused.In my opinion, the organization handled the situation in a very unprofessional manner. As even the vice president did not even bother to comment on the case of Peter Oiler. The right procedure was to sit and discuss with the employee first, as he was an hard working individual who did his job thoroughly, but it was due to his misconduct after work for which he was terminated. And this led to job insec urity among the other employees of the organization, because now they would think that if they can terminate san employee so easily, it might be their turn next.The organization did win in the court of law but they did lose in the court of public and employee opinion. But, then again the organization did stick to its decision of terminating the employee and they followed through it even though they had no support of the public or the employees. The organization should have had a proper disciplinary policy, clearly stating the off duty behaviour that can lead to termination, this would have definitely made their decision easier and also would have helped them in court.The employee should always be given a second chance and if they still don’t improve or don’t change their behavior then the organization has the right to terminate an employee. But all employees of the organization should be provided with a copy of the disciplinary policy which includes the on duty and off duty behaviour and if they act against it the organization definitely has all the right to terminate the employee. Not only should appropriate steps be taken during the course of termination, but before and after as well.Make sure the employee is being terminated for the right reasons. The reasons for terminating an employee must always be legally defensible one. For example if an employee’s job performance is sub-par or they have engaged in improper behavior, a termination decision would be legitimate. As long as the organization has documentation to support their decision, they are in the clear. Secondly, before discharging an employee make sure that the organization has fully documented their history of poor performance or conduct.This will help in defending legal claims easier. An organization should always consider the alternatives to termination. In some cases of course termination is necessary, but if work quality issues, work relationships, or outside personal proble ms appear to be the source of an employee’s poor performance or misconduct considers alternatives such as reassignment or counseling. It is never easy to decide what to do in matters which involve off duty conduct. There is no right or wrong answer for that.What HR can provide is fair policies that should be strictly followed. Although terminating an employee is an unpleasant task, not to mention tricky, following the few guidelines listed above will definitely help to simplify the process and defend the organization from any legal liability. Putting some extra effort and thought into the decision, as well as indoctrinating your managers with proper termination procedures, will go a long way in ensuring that the termination procedure goes efficiently.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Darwin Destroyed the Concept of Human Specialness

Darwin destroyed the concept of human specialness I would say I disagree quite strongly with the assertion that Darwin destroyed the specialness of humanity. For this relatively brief paper I am going to attempt to refute this claim and try to highlight some of the things that highlight how we have kept the same level of ‘specialness' that we have always had. There are many people who would say that we humans are the only beings with full consciousness, in the words of a great many this would translate to having a soul.Humans surely have a soul-like property, a mind, something that separates us from the multitudes of lower species from the smorgasbord of earthly life. It isn't my purpose for this paper to discuss whether or not we have a soul but I do intend to talk about what constitutes our mind, our selves. The fact that we as humans possess a high degree of consciousness to me spells a very special kind of existence.Can even our nearest intelligent creatures on the tree of life appreciate the magnificence of life? Can a chimpanzee sit back and admire the beauty of the sprawling life in the jungle? Does he marvel at his own bodies ability to repair itself after he has been in a bloody brawl with a rival? Can a dolphin be awestruck by the morning sun glistening on the surface of the water? Does he wonder what life would be like for him if he were one of those surface beings he often sees on boats in the ocean?Humans are extraordinary because, being the most advanced form of life on the planet, we possess brains larger than all other forms of life(save for some large mammals but even then ours are much bigger proportionally) With this we have evolved two magnificent features which can only set us worlds apart from and ahead of all other life forms. We have this amazing sense of self, sense of awareness- in a word -consciousness. This grants us the capability of knowing who and what we are (to a large extent anyway), and where we came from (Darwin is owed some credit in this field).It is the ability to see beauty in a sunset on a savannah, to hear the splendour in Tchaikovskys The Nutcracker, to read great works of literature and be able to travel the universe with our imaginations. The other great feature we have as a follow on from having large brains is the wonderful power of language. This splendid trait has gone hand in hand with consciousness to create the incredibly unique life form that homo sapiens has become. Our ability to understand the universe and our position in it is one of the glories of the human species.Our ability to link mind to mind by language, and especially to transmit our thoughts across the centuries is another (Dawkins 2008 p3) Our advanced cultures have truly become magnificent phenomena. We have complex, yet highly virtuous systems of ethics and values. Largely stemming from our aforementioned large brains and the use of language we have self evolved to create ways of living that set us apart from all t he rest of earthly creatures, both those alive today and all the previous inhabitants of the earth including ones from bygone eras.Humanity is replete with themes of co-operation, love, compassion, altruism, sympathy for our fellow beings as well as for all other life forms. We have been capable of many such virtues for a long time, since we became human one could say. As John Eccles (1980 p204) reminds us, there are snippets of evidence that as far back as eighty thousand years ago Neanderthal man held ceremonial burials- a truly altruistic act. Or, as he also noted- the bones of two men dated from sixty thousand years ago which show they were incapacitated for up to two years yet they had been kept alive by caring tribes folk.There is other evidence from as far back as this of the compassionate behaviour between members of humanity and we all know only too well of absolutely countless examples of it in recent history and of course in present day. For all modern mans shortcomings a nd problems in our societies, we have always been gifted with a great sense of right and wrong, of cruelty and kindness. With this majestic property that is consciousness comes the boundless faculty of thought. We are capable to reason, plan, remember to a limitless degree.Technology today has become something we could never have imagined even one hundred years ago. We have invented the most ingenious and sophisticated equipment to be able to look inside our brains. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)scans and the more recent positron-emission topography(PET) scans are machines with wonderful capabilities for seeing goings on in the brain. We can monitor which parts of the brain are being used when we experience certain thoughts. We cannot however, as Ward highlights(2008 p147), even begin to monitor in advance what people are thinking.Our thoughts are far and away more complex and profound than any other animals (or machine) can hope to have and, importantly, remain ours and ours only . If we try to look at the bigger picture, the macroscopic view of things, are we still special? When we gaze up into the night sky and contemplate our place in the universe it is very easy to become overawed by the sheer scale of the cosmos and our relative minuteness in it. How can there be anything special about us when we are almost nothing in relation to the vast universe.I believe it is not that we are in the universe but that we are the universe. â€Å"Far from exposing human beings as incidental products of blind physical forces, science suggests that the existence of conscious organisms is a fundamental feature of the universe†(Davies 1992 p21). As Davies alludes to here humanity is actually an intrinsic part of the universe and, whether or not there are other advanced conscious beings far out in space, we are or are part of the pinnacle of life, of nature, and of the cosmos.If the universe is one giant living organism, a vast clockwork mechanism, a massive computer then we are its brain, its central cog, its CPU. I try to imagine the perspective of a person who would make a statement like the title for this essay. I can understand the point whereby humanity is seen as simply the result of a very long line of life adapting and developing or, to use the term elucidated and made famous by Darwin- evolution. Life is just mechanical, they might say they have learned from Darwin, it only instinctively drives to keep living.What's so special about what is simply the as yet highest point of this unconscious , robotic like endeavour in nature. Are we more special than the animals below us on the food chain, or before us in eras like the dinosaurs. Was even the earliest amoeba not as special as us given its importance in the chain of events? This viewpoint, while largely correct in its facts and assumptions, doesn't give any credence to what homo sapiens has become since he has evolved from the ape.Hopefully this paper has made some of a case as to why the two legged big brained organisms that we are have a deep specialness to them. Bibliography Davies, Paul. 1992. THE MIND OF GOD. London: Penguin Books Dawkins, Richard. 2008. MODERN SCIENCE WRITING. Oxford: Oxford University Press Eccles, John C.. 1980. THE HUMAN PSYCHE. Berlin: Routledge Ward, Keith. 2008. The Big Questions in Science and Religion. Pennsylvania: Templeton Foundation Press