Earth Formation

Kevin Navarrete Benham, Timothy ENC1101 Mon-Wed 9:30-10:45am 4-1-13 Formation of Earth and life on earth. About 4. 57 Billion years ago our planet earth was formed. Earth contains many things that allows us to live. How was the Earth formed and why do we live in it is a question many of us would like to find out, but there are many answers to these questions and we cannot come up with a conclusion. The theory that is said to explain the formation of our earth is called the Big Bang Theory.This theory explains that all matter in the Universe was, at one time, concentrated in a giant mass (a black hole) that blew apart about 10 to 20 billion years ago and is still expanding. Now a days, it is thought that our solar system had its first steps when, about 5 billion years ago, by some unknown process, a cloud of dust and gases collapsed and condensed. Some of the matter in the central mass compressed under its own gravity, condensed, and heated until forces were so strong that thermonucle ar reactions began. These reactions were the origin of our star, the Sun.The size of a star is related to the amount of fuel it has available to burn for energy and how fast it burns up that fuel. A star smaller than our sun would not contain enough fuel to last long enough for evolution to have occurred here on earth. A larger star would have burned its fuel too fast, and would have burned itself out long ago. It would also not last long enough for life to evolve on Earth. The center of the disk became the sun, and the particles in the outer rings turned into large burning balls of gas and molten-liquid that cooled and condensed to take on solid form.Four or five billion years ago, they turned into the planets that we know today as Earth, Mars, Venus, and the outer planets. A cloud with dust gases and many more particles grew together and condensed to form the planets, comets, asteroids, and many other things about 4. 6 billion years ago. It is thought that Earth began as a very co ld world. It is also thought that the very first atmosphere could have been of hydrogen gas. Since this gas is so light weight and very chemically reactive, most of it would have floated off into space or reacted with other substances.The first atmosphere is thought to be due to volcanic eruption and other chemical reactions taking place. It is thought that the inner four solid planets may have began with similar atmospheres of H2O, CO2, CO, and N2. It is thought that these chemicals made up the atmosphere of our planet for the first 1 billion years. It then provided similar atmospheres for the other planets Over the past few centuries scientists have been trying to answer the question: what was the origin of life? There have been a number of scientists who have produces a number of plausible theories.The currently most excepted theory is Oparin's theory, which states that the â€Å"origin of life on Earth was in nonliving chemical substances which spontaneously formed in Earth's e arly atmosphere and combined to make more complex chemicals until living cells were formed. † This maybe a possibility because Stanley Miller a student at University of Chicago, began experimenting to prove Oparin's theory. He created a device that dispersed gas's that were likely to be present in the early atmosphere, and then he pased an electrical discharge, stimulating the UV rays present in the early atmosphere.After allowing the experiment to continue for a week, the results were amazing. However, there have been other theories that do not support this experiment. The Cosmozoa theory which states that life was brought to earth from somewhere else, and the theory states that life can suddenly and spontaneously appear. All in all there are many perspectives and theories of the origin of life and the formation of the Earth. Each of these theories sound very good, but there is no proof that it really happened this way. Word Count 1207

Human resource management- Starbucks case study Essay

†¢Creates environment where each employee is encouraged to make the best possible contribution to the effective working of the organization. Starbucks staff are trained and motivated to create the ‘Starbucks experience’ for their customers by providing exceptional customer service †¢Promotes efficiency and increased productivity among workers through training, guidance and counseling. Starbucks offers a variety of rich training and development of their staff †¢Development of mutual respect, dignity and trust between management and workers through employee relation. †¢Enhance employee morale. †¢concerned with utilizing human resources optimally ORGANIZATIONAL †¢identify and recognize the role of HRM for overall organizational effectiveness †¢HRM should not be treated just as an end whereas; it is only a means to assist the company with its primary objectives. In short, HRM dept exists to serve the rest of the organization. The role of HRM should be more strategic in nature COMMUNITY †¢Needs of the community should be addressed in an ethical and socially responsible manner and care should be taken to minimize the negative impacts of any such demands upon the organization. Starbucks also has proclaimed their commitment to communities & environment through their mission statement, â€Å"Contribute positively to our communities and environment†. They achieve this by organizing community programs and events at least twice a year; these events facilitate donations of funds, contributions for noble causes, and also provide job opportunities. †¢As for their commitment to environment, they play an active role in instilling environmental responsibility among their employees. They also strive to use, buy and sell environmentally friendly products. Significance: Why has the disciple of HRM gained importance in recent times? This is because Organizations has realized the importance of contribution that people can make to an organization. It has in recent years been identified and recognized that human resource is the most valuable and powerful assets any organization can possess as its people are the most fundamental element in determining the scale of success of any organization to a great extent and also firms can gain competitive advantage. HRM helps to channel the needs and competencies to harness a lot of talent and capabilities and to make the best out of them. HRM should be aligned and integrated with the Business strategy to be successful. Impact of Human Resources on Organizational Performance Source: (Steven H. Bates, 2003) Starbucks has realized in their initial stage itself that People can contribute tremendously to the organization if HRM is administered wisely and strategically and also if they are well motivated and paid. The reasons why people management should be considered a vital element: †¢Service is delivered by people, HRM strategies ensures customer service is excellent, which in turn would lead to customer satisfaction †¢Less competent HRM leads to unsatisfactory customer service which will lead to poor performance and organizational efficiency †¢knowledge comes from the firm’s people and they should therefore be skilled and trained †¢well motivated staff is always more productive, enhancing the sales at Starbucks †¢Provides competitive advantage to firms. Services at Starbucks are known to stand out compared to other firms in the same field due to staff commitment to the brand. HRM can make a significant contribution to the competitive advantage of a firm if the firm is capable of tapping thier people’s exceptional skills and core Competencies. It is hence understood that by developing and maintaining competitive advantage, a company can be successful and remain profitable. HRM stakeholders: These are the groups affected by business practices †¢customers- expect exceptional service or/and better product †¢Employees- expect attractive job and sound compensation †¢shareholders- expect a return on money invested †¢Community- expects activities and projects that minimizes harmful effects to environment STARBUCKS – Company Profile Starbucks is the world’s largest coffeehouse company; Starbuck’s first store was opened in Seattle on March 30th 1971 by three partners. The firm believes in supplying and serving the best possible coffee. The name, ‘Starbucks’ was taken from the novel ‘Moby Dick’ (Starbucks, 2012). Major Achievements: †¢International Corporate Achievement Gold Medalist , 2005 †¢Great places to work’ Institute named Starbucks Top 10 Best Workplaces in the UK, 2007 †¢Awarded Most Ethical Company in Europe’ , 2009 †¢ Named twice as Mobile Marketer of the Year, 2010 & 2012 Leadership Style at Starbucks Adopted By Howard Schultz: â€Å"We are not in the coffee business, serving people; we are in the people business serving coffee.† –Howard Schultz, (former) CEO of Starbucks. * Transformational Leadership: This style is often considered to be one of the effective styles to adopt in business situations. This approach inspires, encourages and motivates people to perform their best and by leading as example. These leaders take initiatives to add value to the organization. * Schultz is also known to adopt ‘engaging employees’ approach. An engaged employee is completely involved, committed and enthusiastic about their work. Roles and Responsibilities 1. Strategic Partner: To align HRM strategies with business strategies. (Noe R. et al,2003) 2. Administrative Expert: To design and deliver efficient HRM practices and processes. 3. Employee Advocate: Involves commitment & contributions of the employees to be managed. Irrespective how skilled the workers may be, if they are detached or angry, they will not contribute their efforts to the firm’s success, nor will they stay long with the firm. 4. Change Agent: This requires HRM to help transform firms to meet the new competitive conditions. In today’s rapidly changing competitive world, constant change and capacity for change should be developed. (Noe R. et al, 2003) Shift of focus in HRM function: 1. Self-Service : Online access to information and transactions relating to HR for employees. 2. Outsourcing: The practice of outsourcing HR activities to specialist service providers. Reasons of the above two are: †¢to save money and efforts †¢to increase HR operations efficiency †¢spend more time on strategic functions and important business issues However, Outsourcing should be carefully considered as lack of understanding may arise regarding the capabilities of the outsourcing provider, Sometimes even failure in achieving goals and substandard delivery of services may occur. (T. Starner , 2005 .) Factors Affecting Starbucks HR practices HR practices are strongly affected by the Internal & External environment of Starbucks. Various Models of HRM: †¢Harvard Model †¢Michigan Model †¢Guest Model †¢Warwick Model There are various f HR models developed by scholars which fall either under the soft or hard perspective to HR. Below are two models that represent one hard and soft approach each 1. MICHIGAN/ MATCHING MODEL This model is the ‘hard’ approach to HRM where Human resources are matched with the jobs in the organization. This model suggests the HR should be treated just like any other resources by utilizing it to the maximum along with other resources to attain organizational goals. 2. HARVARD MODEL Harvard model emphasizes on the human element of HRM and employees are given importance just like any other resources and treated as assets rather than costs. This model is based on human relations and their outcomes are committed & motivated employee providing competitive advantage.

Life events

What are the 3 moments in my life that made me into the person I am today. Well when I was first asked that question by my teacher I kinda laughed to myself. This is going to be easy Just take three things that have happened to me that kinda of go with each other throw in some deep heart moving things that teachers eat up and call it done. When I started I chose my adoption ,my brothers adoption and my puppy adoption all events that follow a close thread easy to write about and all happy tear Jerker events. As I started writing them up I immediately felt that these werent the events I should be writing about.The adoption of my brother wasnt really all that important to me. What some government papers say and a Judge decides means little to me. My brother is my brother thats it , the kid fought for my love thats the story I want to tell how a little boy taught me to love and care for somebody else. A love I sealed off by naming him. Then my adoption it sounds contradictory to my previ ous statement but this event is not really so much about me being accepted into my family by some old dood with hammer but about the happiness one feels when a fight has been won the happiness and Joy a young child an see on his parents face. astly the adoption of my puppy Just really wasn't all that life changing. Sure she is cute and amazing and I could probably type it up to make it a cute boy-meets-dog story that makes the reader feel all warm and fuzzy. Once again, that's not an event that changed me. Instead I want to tell you about a small talk that changed my view on life. let me tell you about the first event. My brothers name is Joshua kevin Shupe- Shellooe but when he first came to us he was simply Mario a name I personally hated. When my brother and I met I didn't like him.With his constant whining and rying but what really got me was he would never talk. He would do everything but talk to get what he needed. He would follow me around non stop and copy all my actions. I hated him. I was mean to him and tried everything I could do to to get him to leave me alone and leave the family. There was one point when my parents considered not going through with the adoption. Josh was a never-ending ball of love to me and I didn't get it. I was doing everything I could think of to make him hate me. It seemed as if the more I tried to hate him, the more I fell into his neverending spell f love.After awhile I couldn't help but to start to love him. The little kid with the toothless smile and the eyes that held the vast wisdom that only can be found in the eyes of a young child. He was teaching me love and compassion and he had no clue. He name was still Mario but he was Mario my friend. As time went by he started to open up. He started to talk a little and always asked for me, his big brother, to tuck him in. Always full of questions that a six year old, know it all either answered correctly or made up something that sounded right. He always cared for everybody .He was the kid who was always willing to give you the last Juice box or let you watch your favorite tv show Just to make you happy. He was still Mario though my friend not my brother but that soon changed. It changed one early morning while my Dad and Pop were throwing around names that we could call Mario. Out of nowhere I said his name is â€Å"Joshua†. my parents were a little shocked but they liked the name and brother. Now that I think about it, what better name for a boy that tore down the barriers and showed me blind love and taught me care and faith in the unknown. The name Joshua comes from the Bible.He was the leader of the Israelites after Moses. One of the most important and most well known stories of Joshua is when he marched around the gates of Jericho and his army and him blew rams horns and marched seven days around the city of because God had told Joshua that on the seventh day the walls would fall. This reminds me of my brother Josh. He followed blind love and faith and he tore down the walls I had around my heart, much like Joshua in the Bible and his blind faith. For me this was an event that changed me. I learned love and I learned care from a boy of only two years old.The second event was my adoption though it went before Joshuas im choosing to explain the events by the most impactfull for me. lt started as all adoption days start . I got up and my Pop and Dad gave me a bath. They obsessed over my hair and my brand new suit. As a kid I loved getting all dressed up it gave me a reason to forget who I was and pretend I was someone else. I remember walking out the door and feeling like I was the boss and the baddest thing to hit this earth since sliced bread. I got in the car and my parents prept me on what I was going to be asked and how I should answer.Behind all the prep talk I could see the pure excitement and Joy in their eyes and tears. Even though I was young I knew this was a big deal I knew that this was the day that my fath ers and I were going to be together forever if all went well. I knew we were a family whether or not it went well but somehow even at a young age I felt that the adoption was more for them than me it was a sign to them that all there hard work had paid off and they could feel the pure Joy and excitement ofa child . I couldn't help but feel excited too. When we got to the courthouse in san jose my godmothers were there my uncle dale and cousins and my godfathers.Everybody was asking me if I was excited and there was a never ending stream of kisses and hugs. they told me to weight in a side room well they finished up the rest of the paper work after what seemed like a lifetime of waiting they finally brought me in and lead me two the courtroom. When I walked in we sat down in chairs in front of the Judge. At the time I was a little more excited with the fact that there was a microphone on the desk. I kept singing songs and yelling into it. Finally the Judge told me to stop and asked m e a serious of long questions that I can't begin to remember. Which I answered yes too to them all.There was one question I do remember it was the last question he asked me † Do you Alexander Ignacio Shupe-Shellooe take these two loving parents to be your parents for the rest of your life i said mies†. At that point my Pop started to cry I didn't get why he was crying I felt bad I thought I said something wrong. â€Å"Pop why are you Crying† â€Å"Because I'm so happy son† I didn't get it then but I do now. After the long search for their child the struggle to get me in there home the fght against hatred and stereotypes to finally have the government let me n my parents home it was finally over they had won.As I grew older I became more aware of the underlying significance of this event. I promised myself that one day i would find a dream and pursue it to the end so I can feel the Joy my Dads felt and the overwhelming happiness . The last event is a small c onversation i had that made me think and wonder about the other kids think , you're a warrior Alex I know you can make it so dont bring yourself down you have made it through two years of treatment you have tought me alot. lll miss you I have seen you grow and have witnessed your pain and your hurt.You have gone from a kid who punched walls till his knuckles bled and would fght any kid who looked at him wrong cause he was scared of everything . Tto who you are now a kid who looks after the younger boys whos a leader in this school and has helped the school through some of the roughest times. You still have anger and pain don't forget it. Use it to fuel you to pursue your dreams smile big love your life but don't forget the hurt † That was the last time I ever talked to Sean, Sean was my mentor the wise man who lead me and guided me through my work through treatment. The words he Just spoke to me would change me. as leaving treatment for the first time in two years getting read y to embark on a new Journey. I couldn't help but wonder if it was all worth it if the experience was really a life changing event. I thought about Sean and the kids I have met the tears I've shed and the Joy I had felt. I started to realized that no matter how bad it was I would never take it back . The days I woke up early and had to work in the yard tending plants and gardening and picking fruits to the kids I had swear to me they kill me to the adults that pounded in manners and respect into my mind. Those were things that made e into who I am now.I knew that when I left treatment I was leaving as a new kid. I no longer hated the world for the hurt I felt when I was younger or for putting me in treatment. I love the world I have learned to cherish everything I have and be thankful for all the gifts I have been givin . 1 realized that behind all the pain and hurt and anger is sadness. I was going to use the sadness to fuel my determination to do better in my life. Even though I w as leaving and didnt know what was going to happen I had new insight on how to handle hard things in my life. How do all these experiences connect with eachother.They all contain a overall blanket lesson percervierence. Weather or not it was my brother pushing for my love and exceptince or my parents struggle and fght to have me legally called there son or even a simple chat to one friend to another about never giving up these all talked about the struggle to move forward. These are the stories that made me into who I am now. Who I am I im Alexander Ignacio Shupe Shellooe a loving caring percerverent boy who is striving and looking for a goal that gives him happiness and joy and does not fear hardship because thats what will fuels him for success in his life.

Competition Bikes, Inc. is engaged in the business of manufacturing Coursework

Competition Bikes, Inc. is engaged in the business of manufacturing bicycles. Summary Report - Coursework Example There are various techniques which can be utilized to evaluate the information present in the financial statements of a company. Some of the commonly used techniques are horizontal analysis, vertical analysis, trend analysis and ratio analysis. All these analyses have been performed for the Competition Bikes, Inc. taking into account the income statements and the balance sheets of the company for the past three years. Horizontal analysis of the financial statements is generally done to compare the performance levels within the company for a given period of time (Weygandt, Kimmel, & Kieso, 2009, p. 647). Horizontal analysis of Competition Bikes, Inc. that has been presented in the case would facilitate comparative analysis of the amounts as well as percentage increase or decrease of each of the related items in its income statements and balance sheets (Warren, 2008, p. 306). It would thus help to identify and understand the operational weaknesses and strengths of the company. As evide nt from the horizontal analysis of the income statements of Competition Bikes, Inc., there has been an 81.6% decline in its net income in the year 2008 as compared to 2007 which is quite significant. This decline in net earnings of the company is mostly attributed towards the 15% decline in its net sales in 2008 as compared to 2007 because of the current economic scenario which is going through a downturn. A 15% decline in sales value implies that the cost of goods sold and the variable expenses directly related to the sales output would also decline correspondingly. This fact is evident from the 15% decline in the selling expense items like sales commissions, distribution network and transportation out. However, in spite of the reduction in sales, the utilities expenses of the company increased by $15,000 in 2008 which is around 11.1% rise when compared with the year 2007. In the year 2007, when the net sales of the company increased by 33.3%, the corresponding increase in its util ities expense was only 3.8% as compared to 2006. Hence, this is a major area of concern and a potential weakness of the company of not being able to cut down on its utility expenses even with the reduction in sales volume. However, the company managed to reduce its research and development costs by 16.3% in the year 2008. This can be regarded as one of the potential strength of the company of being able to reduce its operational costs related to its research and development activities significantly in the year 2008. As regards the general and administration costs incurred by the company, it did not manage to reduce it in spite of the decline in sales value in 2009. These facts suggest that the company management was inefficient in managing its resources effectively and efficiently to help in bringing down its operational costs significantly to compensate for the decline in sales because of the recent downturn in the economy. Next if we look at the horizontal analysis of the balance sheets of the company for the past three years, it is observable that the current assets of the company in the form of cash and cash equivalents increased by around 275.4% in 2008 as compared to the year 2007 which is quite significant. The work in process remained same for the year 2008 when compared to 2007. It is noteworthy mentioning the fact that previously the work in process inventory increased

Aquatic environmetal toxicology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Aquatic environmetal toxicology - Assignment Example It can be said that the method is effective as control of the environmental condition is made possible. Laboratory methods provide more sense of flexibility in terms of timing and it reduces workload and cost as well as seasonal and spatial variability (U.S. EPA 2000a). The use of laboratory test can enable one to formulate research question such as kinetics of acceptance and eradication, growth of the species or reproduction. This technique is also efficient as it is not subjected to assumptions like use of models. The approximate cost of this method is about $600; this is because of the tools that are required to perform this task. It is less expensive as it only requires a one day activity to gather the sediments and organisms. After collection of the samples for analysis the other part of activity is a one person activity. It is also possible to acquire some of the equipment below locally or improvising some such as dredgers or using your cell phone for GPS purposes, making the method cheaper. The clean water act has helped US navigable water to be protected from pollution by regulating the rate, amount and type of discharge of pollutants in the water bodies including the stream, rivers, coasts, wetlands and rivers. The act has significantly reduce the level of pollution from industrial and municipal For waters meant for swimming and fishing, the act was set to eliminate the disposal of untreated waste products with contaminated effluents from industrial and municipal plants. It required operators of such industries and businesses to apply for a permit to authorize their discharge into water bodies with a promise to reduce the discharge significantly over time. In 1998, the act was able to achieve 60 percentage of American clean waters thus they redirected their focus into eradicating nonpoint source water contaminants including agricultural runoff within chemicals or erosion of contaminated surfaces such as

Orignial topic - adopting a positive or negative viewpoint Essay - 1

Orignial topic - adopting a positive or negative viewpoint - Essay Example Environmental Damage Genetically modifies foods could pose a great threat to environment. According to Revill, â€Å"The genetically-modified crops could cross-pollinate with the other plants and create super hybrids and super-weeds. They could contaminate nearby organic farms, which could then lose their organic status (2004, p.4).† It takes millions of years for an eco system to grow and stabilize. In that context, the genetically modified plants may interfere with the stability of the eco system in which they are introduced by inadvertently introducing new and unwanted traits in the natural existing strains of plants, thereby leading to hazardous and dangerous results. Risks Posed to Food Chain Many a genetically modified foods do have the ability to produce chemicals that acts as natural pesticides. Now the thing is that the natural pesticides that the genetically modified plants contain, though intended to protect them against pests, may be consumed by other beneficial in sects and animals residing in their vicinity. Not to mention these natural chemicals inherent in the genetically modified foods could threaten the existence of species that are beneficial to humanity.

African Caribbean Community Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

African Caribbean Community - Assignment Example The colonial era of the United Kingdom essentially made the country a focal point for immigration by people from all over the world seeking entry into the western world. While the earliest black settlers in the UK were entertainers to the Royal families. Later the slave trade swelled their numbers that reached 14000 by the 1700s.In 1945 the minority population numbered in the low thousands and rose to 1.4 million in the 70's.The census report published in 2003, claims that minority ethnic groups account for 6.7% of the British population. Of the 4 million ethnic minority people living in Britain, African Caribbeans number 500,00 and are the second largest population among the minorities.(http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk/2002/race/short_history_of_immigration.stm; Peach C)While on the one hand Britain needed the labour for industry and people were lured in by employment in the land, "they were been brought up to revere," social, political and economic discrimination was an unexpected tragedy for the immigrants.African Caribbeans in Britain have found to be underachievers in the field of education in Britain. While statistics to prove these facts are methodically taken, scientific and sociological studies prove that this disturbing trend is not due to any innate faulty biological mechanism rather the inability of the British system to offer this ethnic group the optimal conditions for cognitive growth. Statistical facts African Caribbean children are found to exhibit a skewed learning behaviour. "Baseline'" testing of five year olds show their performance to be at par with other groups. However, by secondary school stage, "African-Caribbean pupils are between three and six times more likely to be expelled from school." The success rate in the GCSE examinations (2000) for black students was 37% compared to 50% for white students and 49% for Asians. "Out of over 22,000 British students who achieved AAA at A-Level in 2002 and entered higher education, only 37 were black." "For every young black Caribbean male at university in Britain, there are two in prison." While the black community in Britain did show upward trends in qualification levels (38.8 in 2001 compared to the national average of 19.8%), Caribbeans by contrast continue to be the least qualified ethnic group.(Anjool. 2005) The OFSTED report 1991 warns that the gaps between academic performance between African Caribbeans and the white population would widen in the next 20 years. While describing the group's potential the guardian asserts that "Black Caribbean children have an equal, if not higher, ability than white children, yet Black Caribbean boys make the least progress through school." This is attributed to the fact that Caribbeans live in the most deprived 10% wards in England. Discrimination: General prejudice Indirect evidence from the British Social Attitude survey suggests that Britons show equal discriminate against all ethnic minorities. However, Personal surveys indicate that Caribbeans perceive a higher level of discrimination especially in the job market. This may be because there is a general prejudice in the manual labour market and African Caribbeans being normally less qualified are usually a part of the manual labour force. African Caribbeans were also found by British Crime surveys to be having a greater risk of becoming victims to crime.(Heath F A, Mcmohan D.2000-01) The

Week7 assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week7 - Assignment Example In the process, those who should encourage an alcoholic to get help become part of the hindrance to seeking help. Enabling is the other practice that delays recovery from alcoholism. It refers to a protective behavior in which persons close to alcoholics protect them from experiencing the full consequences of their actions; instead, allowing them to continue drinking in the knowledge that someone is looking out for them. Overcoming enabling is the first step to treating alcoholism. An alcoholic should be prepared to meet the problem personally. Consider a situation where an alcoholic spends money intended for food and paying bills on alcohol. Instead of taking money meant for other purposes to do buy food, the spouse may decide to take the children to a relative’s place for a week and let the alcoholic come to a home without food, lights and water for that period. Only then can such an alcoholic understand and appreciate the depth of the problem. From the delays caused by enabling and denial, it is clear that social factors affect the tendency of a person to abuse substances. Use of high potency marijuana has social impact on society amongst which is the link between marijuana use and violent crime. Studies indicate that crime and drug use occur simultaneously. Friends that encourage others to use marijuana are among the main social factors of high-potency marijuana usage (Stevenson, 2013). Hence, peer pressure and the urge to fit in are rather critical social issues in high potency marijuana use. Second, use of high potency marijuana has adverse social effects on the users; including negative effects on their mind, low esteem, possible addiction and progression to other drugs and obesity (Stevenson, 2013). All these effects negatively affect the social functioning of an individual such as making and maintaining

Avoiding sexual harassment problems Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Avoiding sexual harassment problems - Term Paper Example The responsibilities and caution requisite for the achievement of an environment favorable for work and studies is one of the high expectations that the society has laid upon all members (Tatiana 2). The golden rules involved in the process of maintaining a sex harassment free zone is a core duty of all the members of the society (Tatiana 2). For instance at the workplaces, every employee holds a legal obligation to keep their working surrounding free from sexual harassment. In situations where such obligations are less taken into consideration or even ignored, Francis (23) offers a stern warning that low output from work, loss of dignity as well as low quality work may result. Coupled with the golden rule of life stating that individuals should always strictly aspire to do unto others what they would also wish to be done to, Kent State University developed an elaborative policy as regards unlawful harassment and the discrimination based on gender, race and tribe, political or even r eligious differences. Keeping in mind that sexual harassment is an act that may not spare an individual for some special reason, employees at all work places should ensure that they fully acquire a proper comprehension of the various forms of sexual harassment (Francis 20). ... As Francis (45) reports, many office managers have also been reported to instill extreme discomfort to the other office users such as cleaners by making sexually explicit statements in their presence. In times of ideological differences that may naturally arise among employees, others may belittle their coworkers by insulting them through using sexist or demeaning arguments in order to silence them. More frustrating is when employees harass the rest of the university workers by posting sexually oriented jokes such as pornographic pictures or videos on the university’s intranet bulletin sites as others also sends electronic mails to their coworkers that contain sexually oriented language (Linda & Hajdin 7). Similarly, in the higher learning institutions such as the universities, more or less similar cases of sexual harassment forms have been reported either from the male or female students against senior staff members such as the university professors and lectures. Workers with in the university are encouraged to beware of all forms of sexual harassment in the entire university community in order to help curb such vises completely. Tatiana (12) reports in his book that even though the act is gender and superiority neutral, most reported cases have been those against female students by fellow male students and the university professors and lectures. As opposed to the fellow student’s forms of harassment, the professors and the lectures resort their power and academic authority to intimidate the female students in favor of sexual pleasure with them (Linda & Hajdin 3). A professor may blackmail a female student by asking them to choose between either to getting an â€Å"A† in their examinations or fail the

The origins of religious conflict in the Middle East Term Paper

The origins of religious conflict in the Middle East - Term Paper Example Furthermore, there are other minor religions that are also acknowledged in the Middle East including Druze, Mandean, Shabakism, Gnosticism, Zoroastrianism and Yazidi among others. This paper will discuss the origin of religious conflict in the Middle East. Religious conflicts and wars began even before oil and other resources were discovered in the Middle East. During the reign of Emperor Theodosius, Christianity was adopted as the official religion in the Roman Empire (Fitzgerald, 2000). In fact, most of the Jews deserted the location and Christian pilgrims started migrating from Europe to the Middle East. Various doctrines were accepted while others were declined by the Eastern Orthodox Church. Most of the churches in the Middle East declined renouncing of these doctrines, hence, separating them from the Eastern Orthodox Church. Therefore, the renouncing of these doctrines triggered religious conflicts in the region. Further analysis proves that the conflicts resulted in significant destruction and other massacres (Walker, 2008). In the Middle East, reports concerning politics, honor, land and terrorism are some of the crucial factors which mainly contribute to religious conflicts. This proves that most of the individuals did not consider the thoughts and perceptions involved with religion. For instance, Christianity is a religion based on the principles of love and tranquility, while Islam is a religious conviction that teaches about peace. In addition, the religion of Judaism usually advocates for equality, tolerance and peace (Walker, 2008). One of the major origins of conflict was triggered by the Muslim conquest. The Islamic region was founded in Arabia by Mohammed in the early 17th century. Mohammed told the people that he was the last prophet who was sent by Allah. He led the Arabians into the war against the Persian community among other tribes, which were easily defeated. By 700, Arabic had become the

Finding Reasons - The Story of an Hour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Finding Reasons - The Story of an Hour - Essay Example As Berkove mentioned, the story was first published in Vogue Magazine in 1894 (158), a time when women were still perceived as â€Å"housekeepers†, associated to the home rather than the modern liberal women who have the freedom to compete for a job with men. This was a time when women who expressed themselves freely, do a man’s job, hold offices or work along with men, were considered taboo. With such information, one would understand that the story reflects the very culture described above and would comprehend more clearly the symbolisms and statements used in the story. In the case of Berkove’s article entitled Fatal Self-assertion in Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The story of an Hour†, the tone of the writer in his analysis seems to be seen through the eyes of one looking at modern times. This could be fatal as there are norms and mores that could really affect the mentality, actions and perceptions of people from different ages, cultures, beliefs and edu cation. For instance, he concludes that the story is not about society or marriage but about Louise Mallard (berkove, 153). Sure, the story is about the protagonist nevertheless, she represents some, if not most of the women during that time. Since men were considered to be the breadwinners, they were expected to go out and work while women stayed in the home to do the household chores and attend to the needs of the men. This was the general concept of men and women’s roles and Brently and Louise Mallard conformed to such norms as a couple. Louise however was a woman who did not agree with such patriarchal practices as expressed in her strongly made up mind that â€Å"There would be no powerful will bending hers in

Problem solving Essay Example for Free

Problem solving Essay Presenting a case to a teacher is same as presenting it in front of a jury. You need to have structured and solid arguments to convince the jury (teacher, in your case) and prove your point. If you are an excellent lawyer, you can even convince the jury that your defendant is not guilty even if he is (not ethical, of course). The bottom line is: you need to structure your case analysis. Although every case analysis more or less follows the same pattern; there is a slight variation depending on the nature of the case study. Basically there are two types of case studies: Open-ended and close-ended. Close-ended may have one or more questions at the end of the case for the reader to solve. Open-ended, on the contrast, may not contain any questions but require the reader to derive the problem statement and suggest a solution (thus, open). We will first look at the pattern for the Open-ended case type: Introduction / Overview. Although an optional part, it will give a professional look to your analysis. Overview would contain just 3-4 lines on what the case is about. Example: The case describes the situation of a sales manager Jim Howard whose company’s value statement claims to treat customers with dignity and respect; however, he finds that the exact opposite is being done. He wants to rectify the situation but is prevented by his boss. It basically illustrates how an employee is made helpless by his top management even when he has the power. Summary. Ideally, the summary should be 1/4th of the case. In general terms, it should be limited to one and a half page. The summary should contain very basic details of the case and shouldn’t include quotes and figures. Also, I’ve seen many students copying the exact same sentences from the case. Don’t do it. Trust me, it gives a very bad impression. Rephrase the sentences. SWOT Analysis. In case it’s a case about a company, list down the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the company in bullet points. Write complete sentences and not fragment statements. Example: Strengths: 1. SDI produces superior products with a differentiated strategy. 2. SDI is the only company to introduce solar technology in bird feeder. Problem Statement. Every case revolves around a particular problem that a company may be facing. Sometimes, the problem is very explicit but at other times, you need to locate the problem from several causes, symptoms and reasons. There may even be more than one problem; they may come under the Sub-Problems category. However, the main problem would only be one. Example: The biggest problem of ABC Airways is its lack of market research because of which ABC Airways remains aloof of customers’ changing demands; hence, leaving space for its competitors to fill in the gap. In some cases, there is not a problem statement but an Opportunity Statement. Example: ABC Airways needs to decide whether it has to continue its competitive strategy or change its course of action. At the same time, it has an opportunity of expansion into European market. Considering the pros and cons, should it enter this market? Alternatives. Alternatives are mainly the list of possible solutions. You need to suggest at least three alternatives and discuss pros and cons of each; the assessment of which would lead you to choose the best one. Best Alternative. As the name suggests, this would describe the best possible alternative. Here, you would support your solution by reasoning why you’ve chosen this alternative. You can go a step further by explaining how this particular company can achieve its goal or resolve its problem with the help of this alternative. Scared? Don’t be. You already go through all these steps while doing the analysis. The only difference is that we have broken them down into headings so that they look more organized and neat. Plus, this would not only help you organize the information but also give you further ideas that you might miss out if everything was mixed up. Now, we take a look at the format for Close-ended case studies. Don’t worry, this one doesn’t have all those steps. Introduction / Overview. Again optional. Summary: Same as above Questions and Answers. This is the most important step in close-ended case studies. Here is where you need to convince your audience that what you say is right (even if it’s not). Extract evidence for your answers from within the case. But don’t write long paragraphs and DON’T repeat the same thing over and over again. It gives an impression you’re just trying to fill up pages in hope that your teacher doesn’t read it all and assumes what you’ve written must be correct. Wrong! Believe me, they’re far smarter than you! Conclusion. Instead of best alternatives, in the close-type case studies, you need to write the conclusion. It is better to write just a few paragraphs (1-2) in which you can summarize your answer as a total, give your opinion and recommendations. Example: â€Å"The conclusion I have drawn from this case is that one becomes powerless when is under the influence of someone else and is forced to alter his own personal ethical values and beliefs according to the beliefs of the ones having power. Thus, ethics becomes secondary when one is under the power like the CPA in this case. However, there are some exceptions i. e. until and unless one is determined to stay firm on his ethical values, no one can force him to be his puppet. Hence, it depends on the willpower of one’s own self; how strongly he believes in his values and how earnest he is to stay put on them. He may face obstacles in the short-term; however, in long-term, he is bound to get the reward. † 0. 0/60votes Tags: Asma Chang, Case Study, SEO, Solving Case Study, Ultraspectra Case Study. There was nothing more dreadful for me than solving a case study. Honestly, whenever I was handed a case study to solve in a class, my throat would get dry and the words appeared to blur and dance in front of me. I would stare at the first page for a few seconds and quickly count the rest of the pages before reading the first paragraph, gulping as I’d begin. But thanks to my merciless teachers who seemed to love case studies as much as I hated them, I gradually began to overcome this fear. And soon enough, I realized solving a case study is nothing but a simple procedure of steps. If you do them right, viola! Your case is solved. Before I go on to the steps, let me first give you some quick tips on how to begin a case study: 1. Read the case three times. This is at minimum. 2. Every case study has a task for you to do at the end; perhaps some questions to answer or a summary to write. In any case, just read through the whole case without reading the questions for the first time. Don’t stop if you are not getting what the case is about and don’t even expect you’ll get it the first time. Your objective to read the case the 1st time is to only get the gist. 3. Now that you’ve finished reading for the first time, have a look at the questions and read the whole case again – starting from the beginning. Take a pencil and begin underlining what you feel is relevant to your questions. Mark the underlined text with a symbol that you can understand later. For example, say you’ve been asked to do the SWOT Analysis of the case; what you do is put a small S for any line you feel describes the company’s strength. But again, don’t become obsessed with finding the answers to your questions just now. Your objective for reading the case 2nd time is only to understand the problem statement. 4. You see what the problem is and you are ready to solve the answers. Read the third time, this time concentrating on finding solutions to your questions. By now, you will already know to quite an extent where the answer to particular question lies in the case. Hence, your objective for reading the case the 3rd time is to find solutions to your problems given at the end of the case. 5. In case you’re working in groups, make sure you read the case ALONE the first time. In fact, it would be nice to read it alone the second time too and sit with your team to read for the third time. Why am I saying this? Picture this: You’ve begun reading the case with your group fellows for the first time and you’re only at second paragraph. One of your team members, who by the way, is a fast reader, reads the whole case and declares she knows what the problem is in the case: the company didn’t have enough funds! What has she done? She has caused you and everyone else in the team to form an opinion about the case before even finishing it. There are lesser chances now that you’ll think in any other direction; for example, maybe it was the lack of resources which was the major issue in the company. So, always read the case alone the first time when working in a team and save the discussion to be done in group. Up till now, you’ve learned the dos and don’ts of a solving case study. Remember, you still haven’t penned down the case. What you’ve done is that you’ve understood what the case is about and looked for the answers to the questions, if given. Here comes another very important tip: There is never a right or wrong answer in a case study. It all matters on the way you present your case and the supporting arguments you give to defend it. This is the stage where enters your writing skills.

Evaluation of E-Learning Program

Evaluation of E-Learning Program Chapter one Introduction Nowadays, higher education is experiencing big challenges driven by many emerging trends, among which is the introduction of the means of online learning. Accordingly, many universities all over the world are taking different moves to cope with the new requirements; some universities were established as purely online learning providers, other conventional universities launched new online programs, and some introduced online learning programmes to enhance some of their already existing programs. E-Learning redefines the teaching/learning processes and the overall learning environment. It changed the old university system to a new set of practices by introducing significant changes in the roles of its main key players; learners, faculty members, and the institution as an entity (Mendenhall, 2001). The change which e-learning brings to higher education, accompanied by its vast spreading as an accepted learning delivery mode, has been always questioned by its components who tie this type of learning to poor quality. Therefore, studying the different aspects of evaluating the quality of e-learning has been rising as an issue that is worth researching and enhancing (Kistan, 2005; Wirth, 2005). A big range of perspectives on what factors to address when evaluating the quality of e-learning has been developed. Nevertheless; most of those studies either addressed a few factors pertaining to a single aspect or dimension (Ally, 2004) or addressed multiple aspects but without looking at the e-learning institution comprehensively (Cohen and Ellis, 2004). In view of the lack of a holistic framework of factors to evaluate the quality of e-learning programs, the aim of this study is to hopefully contribute to the body of knowledge in this area, by developing a framework for the evaluation of quality in e-learning programs. Research objective: The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of e-learning programs through investigating the related critical factors that have been identified by researchers and practitioners of this field. It also intends to examine the relevancy and importance of such frameworks within e-learning practise in Saudi Arabia. The study aims also at understanding how the key learners and faculty members differ in perceiving the importance of such factors on impacting on the quality of an e-learning program? Research Question: The research intends to answer in broad perspective the following questions as well: What are the factors which affect the quality of e-learning? In this question the researchers are trying to address the quality factors which affect the success of E-learning in Saudi Arabia based on 12 factors that have been addressed from the literature. How can we increase e-learning practice in Saudi Arabia? The second question to know is whats the best way to increase the number of E-learning practise in Saudi Arabia and what do learners think based on their experience. Dissertation structure: This dissertation includes six chapters in addition to its introduction. Below is a brief description of each: Chapter two; outlining the background information of the research to put the reader into the perspective of this study. The chapter includes a discussion of the emerging trends in higher education that have pushed for the introduction of e-learning and discusses broadly the quality issue in this type of learning. Chapter three; covers the literature review of e-learning, i.e. critical factors for evaluating the quality of e-learning programs. The chapter starts with identifying the distinctions between e-learning and traditional education, discusses in detail the definition of the Quality concept in higher education generally, and in specific e-learning. Chapter four; Cover the research methodology such as the process of data collection and analysis which will be used. Chapter Five; we will be describing and analysing the data and present the data gathered. Results of the analysis are then discussed. Chapter six; this chapter summarizes the study, lay out the conclusion and ends up with recommendations for future research. Bibliography Research Methodology: In this study the researcher will to collect his data by the quantitative method where a questionnaire will be designed based on the factors which have been discovered from the literature review and then will be sent to random group in Saudi Arabia. The Data later on will be analysed to show the result and the findings. Saudi Arabia Background: Saudi Arabia which is the birth place of Islam and home to Islams two holiest places, Mecca, and Medina, is located in the Middle East bordering the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea. The kings official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi State was founded in 1932. It is a large Middle Eastern nation that ranks as one of the worlds leading producers of petroleum, and exports more oil than any other nation. The government is of a monarchy type and the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government, and administratively it is divided into 13 provinces, with the constitution governed according to Islamic Law. The countrys legal system is based on Sharia law and several secular codes have been introduced. Commercial disputes are handled by special committee. Saudi Arabia has an oil based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses more than 20% of the worlds proven petroleum reserves. It not only ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, but also plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. It is believed that about 40% of GDP comes from the private sector and roughly 5.5 million foreign employees play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors. The researcher carried out this research in Saudi for the following reasons which are described in detail. The access: as the researcher is a Saudi national and has good access to the people in Saudi Arabia where he can collect more information and find a better response rate than carrying out research in any other place. The Language: The researcher is multi lingual as he can speak Arabic and English fluently, therefore he will not face any problem in collecting the data The Information: The researcher understands the situation in Saudi Arabia which enables good research as he will not spend too much time understanding the situation and its cultural factors. The Organisation of the Education System in KSA The education system in Saudi Arabia has five divisions. They are: kindergarten for children from three to six years old, elementary (6-11), intermediate (12-14), secondary level (15-18), and university level (typically 19-24, depending on the subjects studied, and the form of higher education). The secondary stage is the final phase of general education in the Kingdom. It is a three-year period, following on from the intermediate stage. Students are admitted to this stage if they have obtained the intermediate stage certificate. Normally students follow secondary stage education between the ages of 16 and 18 years. This stage is considered the most important period in the general education ladder because students who successfully complete this stage are eligible to join any higher education institution. The administration of the education system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is highly centralised. All educational policies are subject to government control and supervision by the Supreme Council of Education. Textbooks and teaching tools are uniform throughout the Kingdom. The four principal authorities responsible for education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are: the Ministry of Education; the General Presidency for Girls Education; the Ministry of Higher Education; and the General Organisation of Technical Education and Vocational Training. Conclusion In this chapter we gave a sample overview about the research and the reasons for carrying out this research such as the lack of understanding in the practice of the E-learning program in Saudi Arabia. The research is trying to develop a good understanding of this and the information of other studies carried out in similar fields of the success factors of the quality of E-learning in Saudi Arabia. Also in this chapter we have described the dissertation structure and the research questions which are going to measure the main factors for the success of learning Quality. Finally the Saudi Background has been analysed to give the reader the information to understand where the study has been carried out and why. Chapter Two Introduction: The main objective of this chapter is to put forward the point of view of this study by laying out its background information. The chapter starts with presenting the emerging trends in higher education that have lead to the introduction of e-learning. It then continues by explaining the quality issue that is associated with this type of learning. The chapter also includes an overview of the background information about e-learning in Saudi Arabia. Education An overview: According to a recent publication by UNESCO, the education sector in general comprised of all of its components including higher education is experiencing new trends that exert on it new pressures and challenges (Hernes, 2003). Those trends are either classified under demography, such as the continuing growth and increase of population, particularly young populations, migration between countries, and increase of life expectancy, or are due to globalization where nations in general and learners in particular flow across borders without limits, allowing learners to have easy access to the best universities in the developed countries. Finally, perhaps the most important trend is knowledge growth accompanied by advanced information and communication technologies which have changed forever the way information is obtained, stored, used and displayed. Despite the divide between one country and another, or within the same country, more knowledge development opportunities have been created. Information technologies offer the possibility of modularization and customization of education through the use and re-use of learning objects focusing on learners, the possibility of engaging learners more than ever and therefore changing the role of the faculty from a teacher to a facilitator. In response to the challenges described above, the growth of the e-learning programme with its different modes in higher education is apparent and best reflected by the increasing number of e-colleges and e-universities, or the increasing number of higher education institutions that introduced e-learning programs and definitely by the growth of enrolment rate among learners. A study of e-learning in the United States in 2005, suggested that e-learning is penetrating the higher education institutions both in size and breadth and that e-learning is part of the mainstream of higher education. Figures of the study showed that sixty-five percent of schools offering graduate face-to-face courses also offer graduate courses online. Sixty-three percent of schools offering undergraduate face-to-face courses also offer undergraduate courses online. Among all schools offering face-to-face Masters degree programs, 44% also offer Masters programs online. Among all schools offering face-to-face Business degree programs, 43% also offer online Business programs. The same study showed an increase of around 20% of learners enrolment rate compared to the previous year (Allen and Seaman 2005). For different reasons, those statistics do not seem to be applicable to other countries. The USA is certainly the worlds largest provider of e-learning; however the market for e-learning and lifelong learning is also growing in Europe. Moreover, the Arab world, which represents 5 per cent of the worlds overall population, has entered the 21st century with a striking statistic, which shows that it has only 0.5 per cent of the worlds Internet users. This obviously impacts on the number of its e-learning initiatives and enrolled learners in such type of learning systems (UNDP, 2002). Using Computers in Learning: These days, computers have become an important educational tool kit. Many educational organizations and training centres rely on them to deliver information and learning knowledge. However, using computers in education has a long history and is deep-rooted in the field. The idea of using computers in training first appeared during World War 2, when the US military trained farmers to use weapons and other equipment via this systematic approach (Horton, 2000). The first real use of the computer in educational organizations was seen in the 1960s, when the University of Illinois together with the Data Corporation developed the PLATO system. PLATO is a system which enabled the learning and understanding of complex subjects. Apples Macintosh and Microsoft Windows operating system have since provided a standard platform on which programmers can develop training programs (Horton, 2000) Definition of E-learning: E-Learning refers to the employment of information and communication technologies to support the development and delivery of learning in academic and professional development institutions. E-Learning is used widely with other terms such as online learning, technology-mediated learning, web-based learning, computer-based learning, etc. Several definitions of e-learning have been developed reflecting the diversity in its application, used tools, and associated technologies. Whatever definition was used, the meaning of e-learning always contains two fundamental terms; Learning and Technology. In one way or another, all definitions of e-learning indicate the learning that takes place with the support of multimedia objects, the internet and technological applications as a delivery mode. One of the highly used definitions of e-learning is: â€Å"Education via the Internet, network or standalone computer; it refers to using electronic applications and processes to learn, where communication and content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or videotape, TV and CD-ROM etc as appropriate (LTSN Generic Centre, 2004). A recent definition that uses the terminology of higher education institutions was laid out by Ally (2004) who defines e-learning as: The use of the Internet to access learning material; to interact with the content, instructor, and other learners; and to obtain support during the learning process, in order to acquire knowledge, to construct personal meaning, and to grow from the learning experience. According to Horton (2000) E-learning is a general phrase that has several definitions. However, the comprehensive definition that covers all aspects of e-learning is what Ruth and Richard offer: â€Å"E-learning is defined as instruction delivered on a computer by way of CD-ROM, Internet, or intranet with the following features: Includes content relevant to the learning objective. Uses instructional methods such as examples and practice to help learning. Uses media elements such as words and pictures to deliver the content and methods. Builds new knowledge and skills linked to individual learning goals or to improve organizational performance† Feature of E-learning: Eaton (2001) outlines that e-learning is characterized with the following features: Computer-mediated classrooms: faculty members and learners communicate through the computer, making face to face interaction less frequent. Separation in time between communications: communication between faculty members and learners can also be in asynchronous modes. Availability of services online: learners are not only provided with online learning experience but also with online services such as advising, registration, and library services. Distinction between e-Learning and Conventional Education: To understand the quality of e-learning requires a full understanding of how this type of learning differs from the conventional style of education and the changes it brings to higher education institutions. This section presents in a broad perspective the distinctions between e-learning and traditional education which shape higher education nowadays. Such distinctions will be taken into consideration when materializing a definition for quality in e-learning, and deciding what to be taken into consideration for evaluating the quality of this type of learning. The following areas were highly repeated in the literature as key distinctions between e-learning and traditional education: Educational Changes: McLaughlin and Oliver (2000) believe however that new technologies have a positive impact on the learning environment where more choices for forms of learning are provided to the faculty and learners. This includes the delivery and presentation of content in more flexible way and a variety of modes, the provision of interactivity, engagement, communication, feedback, and communication and collaboration tools. Weller (2000) sees that those types of new choices will facilitate the quick use of courses for easier customization and individualization resulting in more satisfied learners. Change in Faculty Roles: With the growing amount of knowledge and information every day, and the availability of a huge amount of content over the internet, faculty members will not continue to be seen as the source of knowledge, instead, according to Cashion and Palmieri (2002), faculty members are expected to direct learners where to find the most relevant knowledge and provide them with tools that teach them how to learn. Different Types of Learners: Oblinger and Oblinger (2005) have referred to young learners of today as the â€Å"Net Generation† who grew up being familiar with technological products and facilities. Internet access, computer and electronic games have been a daily activity of learners lives. Learners today have different expectations with respect to their learning styles; they prefer to experience things instead of reading or hearing about them, they expect immediate response to questions or actions, they appreciate interactivity and dialogue (Pashuk, 2005). Learners of today consider themselves as customers who demand to be served high quality services. They have consumers attitudes towards their academic program and any of its services (Wager, 2005). E-Learning institutions should be arranged to different types of learners, not only in their preferences and expectations but also in their level of variety. Change in Administrators Role: Administrators of an academic institution are usually referred to as staffs who are not participating in direct teaching or research work, their role is usually to assure that the institutions systems are running properly. Administrators are responsible to create, maintain and improve an environment that helps learners and faculty achieve their academic goals. Administrators of an e-learning institution can be involved in selecting, orienting, and preparing qualified faculty for courses, administer and manage the technological facilities at the institution, provide different types of faculty and learners support from the technical helpdesk; library services, financial aid, etc. Administrators can also be involved in the planning, quality assurance, and performance management of an activity to help the institution serve its learners better (Williams, 2003). Reliance on Infrastructure: Although e-Learning is basically about learning rather than about technology, the technological infrastructure of e-learning programs is still the critical and primary component of the education systems. E-Learning is characterized by its high independence on the validity, and reliability of its infrastructure, which has the role of facilitating and providing accessibility of the learning/teaching process and its support services between faculty members and learners (Pashuk, 2005). Institutional Demands: E-Learning institutions must set up their systems, policies and procedures to deal with issues like data security from both internal and external threats as well as copyrights from the learners, faculty and the institutional perspectives. Developing a high quality online course will not only require the intellectual contribution of faculty members, it rather involves other key team members from the same institution or from partnered institutions. Copyright issues are usually linked to revenue sharing models, especially when the course developers are contracted or granted any incentives (Mendenhall, 2001). Advantages of using E-learning Methods: As we know, traditional education requires effort, time and money that can lead to some difficulties in achieving the goals of learning. On the other hand, e-learning contributes to the spread of knowledge among people around the globe by easy, fast, and comfortable means, that helps people to attain their personal learning objectives. As a result, several educational organisations have proceeded along the e-learning approach to facilitate and improve the process of learning. In this section, several advantages of using an e-learning approach will be discussed. The author has divided the advantages into two main categories, advantages for learners, and advantages for instructors. Advantages for learners: According to Mayer (2003) he has concluded the common advantages that learners can gain from e-learning. The following list illustrates the main advantages for learners: â€Å"Learners can get the best instruction available â€Å" The wide popularity of the e-learning programme makes learning more flexible and gives freedom to learners to choose the best course available which fits their needs. â€Å"Training occurs just in time†. Web-based training is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week which allows learners to study when they need it without any conditions or constraints. They do not need to wait for training sessions or a specified time to attend. â€Å"Learners set the pace and the schedule†. Learners can study at their own time; learners can take as many lessons as they need depending on their time and their plans. For example, some of them may wish to study full-time while others prefer to study a few hours a week. â€Å"Learners get better access to the instructor†. Communication with the instructor(s) through web based e-learning systems can be more effective than the traditional classroom approach. â€Å"Training adapts to the learners style† Many different learning styles can be incorporated within an e-learning environment, and the learner is able to adapt to a style or series of styles which they prefer and in the way they feel is most efficient. â€Å"Learners get immediate feedback† There is no need to wait while for the results of the exams, or games. The results can be obtained immediately. â€Å"Learners are treated more equally† A degree of anonymity is ensured, therefore personal characteristics are not considered. â€Å"Saves money and time for learners† Hidden costs are eliminated in that here are no travelling expenses, parking fees, etc. It is also efficient for time in that almost all the time is spent on learning and no time is wasted on travelling. â€Å" Produces positive side effects† Learners are constantly improving their other skills, such as general computer skills, various internet technologies and how they apply them in their jobs. Advantages for Instructors According to Mayer (2003) the most common advantages for instructors can gain from e-learning are: â€Å"Instructor can teach from anywhere† Instructors are able to teach the course from any location in the world. All they need is connection to the internet. â€Å"Instructors travel less† Almost all the time is spent on planning, producing and publishing courses with no time wasted on travelling to attend. â€Å"Course content can be dynamic† Instructors have the opportunity to deal with course matter at any time and in any place such as home, office etc. â€Å"Instructors save time† Time consumed in preparing the course document such as handouts, having course paper printed etc., are eliminated. Conclusion In this chapter we have covered a wide range on academic study in order to understand this subject, starting with the definition of E-learning and what do we mean by E-learning, followed by another important part which is what is the difference between E-learning and Conventional education. Also the researcher has included a brief explanation concerning the history of E-Learning and the feature of E-stand and its practise. Moreover, we can see that based on the literature there are many advantage of E-learning for the learner. For example, he can study from anywhere and at any time which is the flexibility of E-learning and also there is an advantage for the instructor as he can also teach from any place and with a flexible time schedule. Chapter three Introduction: In order to understand what constitutes quality of e-learning and the critical factors that should be addressed when evaluating this type of learning, an understanding of the distinctions between e-learning and traditional education needs to be attained. Therefore the first section of this chapter is dedicated to exploring what changes have been brought to higher education by e-learning. This chapter includes a literature review for to explore what has been recognized by the researchers and practitioners of this field as key factors that affect the quality of e-learning programs and institutions, and therefore should be used to evaluate this type of learning. A list of highly rated and most repeated factors was then generated and categorized to form the basis for a comprehensive framework intended for evaluating quality of e-learning programs which will be used later in the empirical research. Quality in E-learning: A range of perspectives on what defines quality in e-learning, and what should be considered when evaluating the quality of e-learning has been developed. Some studies have addressed few factors pertaining to a single aspect or dimension, and some have developed frameworks for evaluating the quality of e-learning addressing many aspects. During those studies many different approaches were adopted ranging from surveying learners, faculty members, designers and policy makers for their views, building models for effective e-learning, and constructing camps that contextualize and debate the e-learning environment (Brennan, 2001). Despite the important contribution of each of those studies, a complete framework for evaluating the quality of e-learning couldnt be found. Developed frameworks either addressed the quality of the e-learning program with an emphasis on the classroom environment only, or overlooked some important aspects, such as the impact of the institution on the quality of e-learning programs (Cashion and Palmieri, 2002). E-Learning has been addressed by governing or accrediting bodies which developed quality standards, principles or frameworks. Such standards however, were developed to help institutions plan for their e-learning programs (Cashion and Palmieri, 2002) or as a self assessment tool, therefore they usually address in general perspective quality standards, academic standards, standards of competence, service standards and organizational standards (Harvey, 1999). According to Vlasceanu et al (2004), the definition of quality in a higher education institution differs with the changes in: The interests and needs of various types of stakeholders The institutions own inputs, processes, outputs, purpose, mission and set of objectives The characteristics and attributes of the academic world The historical evolvement and development of higher education Revisiting the changes that e-learning brought to higher education especially to the role of its fundamental stakeholders, learners, educators and administrators, it perhaps becomes logical when we look for a definition of quality as a concept, to consider these stakeholders first. For this reason, a growing literature in the field of e-learning tends to define quality of e-learning programs as the degree to which principal stakeholdersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ needs and expectations are consistently satisfied, referring to the learners and educators (Kistan, 2005). Success factors: Critical success factors (CSFs) are key areas of performance that are essential for the organisation to accomplish its mission (Rockart, 1979). Managers implicitly know and consider these key areas when they set goals and as they direct operational activities and tasks that are important to achieving goals. However, when these key areas of performance are made explicit, they provide a common point of reference for the entire organisation. Thus, any activity or initiative that the organisation undertakes must ensure consistently high performance in these key areas, otherwise the organisation may not be able to achieve its goals and consequently may fail to accomplish its mission. The term â€Å"critical success factor† has been adapted for many different uses. Familiarity with the term is often presented in the context of a project or an initiative. In this context, CSFs describe the underlying or guiding principles of an effort that must be regarded to ensure that it is succes sful. Clarity of course goals: Not surprisingly, there has been consensus in the literature that in order to assure the quality of the teaching/learning process, designing a course should start with explicit outcomes that identify the expectations from learners and the faculty from the very beginning. Learning outcomes which usually drive the effectiveness assessment process of courses should be also challenging and linked directly to the institutions overall goals and objectives. (Mayer et al 2000) faculty members have to adjust course content by selecting appropriate learning styles to achieve course goals and learners needs. Learner Interaction: Interaction is one of the most widely mentioned factors in the literature in relation to its impact on the quality of e-learning programs. (Moore, 2002) Interaction in the e-learning environment compensates for the loss of direct and face to face contact between learners and their faculty member or colleagues. Moore (1989) has identified three types of interaction: Interaction between faculty and learners, which is considered to be the most vital component that creates an effective learning environment upo

One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich English Literature Essay

One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich English Literature Essay One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is a gripping, insightful description of a reality that may now seem inconceivable to us, so distant from our perception of human rights and individual freedom. It reveals the awful labor and concentration camps that emerged in Europe throughout the first half of the twentieth century. The novel displays a disgraceful period in Russian history and a psychological examination of the vital survival methods in such circumstances. The novel consists of a single day in January 1951 through the eyes of the protagonist, Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, who is in the eighth year of a total of ten-year sentence. The Russian culture raises the novel through the creation of a very insipid setting on which Ivan Denisovichs daily routine is realistically outlined. In this essay I will be explaining how the novel serves as a means to comprehend the Russian culture it was built upon. The characters, themes, and plot are all linked with the Russian cultural background. The central theme is the oppression the characters are confronted with on a daily basis. Consequently, the plot also incorporates oppression such as ill treatment from the superior. The tempo of the plot is monotonous and the Russian culture sets a raw and cold tone. The camp and dreadful labor hours imposed by the soviet government slows down the characters time, causing the plot, which is exclusively Ivans style and routine, to be tedious. The prison camps integrate traits of Russian sternness, controlling military workforce, poor facilities, and deprived living conditions all of which harm Ivan. The Soviet wardens abuse the prisoners for their own advantage and their power-driven ego. Ivans controlling surroundings both harm and agonize him as an individual. Principal examples of cultural influences are the mindsets of the protagonist. Culture has an impact on the relatively enervated behavior of the protagonist by establishing boundaries that cripple their inner desires. Ivans conduct during his sentence in the Siberian work camp reveals the culture from which he was raised. He is modest, cooperative, eager and skillful at all times. He is not violent or dishonest towards others, rather he recognizes his fate hoping to be liberated, surviving day by day. The Russian culture at the time, a state in which the masses were controlled and where life felt repetitive, shapes the foundation of Ivans way of being. The culture has a great impact on the conduct of the protagonist, causing him to fall in line and obey to the oppressors requests.   Russian culture in that era was awfully harsh and it was concerned with restraining and controlling its nation.  A quote expressing the essence of a strong mentality to get through the day; The ones that dont make it are those who lick other mens leftovers, those who count on the doctors to pull  them through, and those who squeal on their buddies.  [2]  An illustration of the harsh conditions the prisoners had to endure is when they were ordered to construct a power station, although it was exceptionally cold and the mortar used for bricklaying would freeze if not applied rapidly. Regulations stated that the men would only be excused if the temperature dropped below -41 °C. The suffering faced by the zeks were things such as the severity of the weather, their inadequate clothing and their food which consisted of black bread, porridge and water-based cabbage soup. They were also persecuted by the guards, who are fixated on enforcing insignificant regulations. However, Solzh enitsyn reminds us that the guards attitude stems primarily from their own bitterness at the firm conditions and at the callous discipline imposed upon them. If any of the prisoners succeeded in escaping, the guards accountable would be enforced to take their places in the camp.   The novel is a literary work in which food in association with culture is a major part of the setting. Observation of a cultures behavior towards food and during mealtimes supplies significant insight into the cultures nature. Eating is a fairly animalistic part of humanity as well as the center for social gathering. Due to its scarcity, food is the utmost motivator for the prisoners. A quote illustrating the importance of food to the prisoners; Apart from sleep, the only time a prisoner lives for himself is ten minutes in the morning at breakfast, five minutes over dinner, and five at supper.  [3]  Ã‚   In prison life there is vast evidence of social influence and customs on the manner the prisoners dine. Social influence can be identified in the manner in which higher-ranking and harder-working prisoners obtain more food. The quantity of food consumed is a good indicator of class within the prisoners. Those of higher status obtain portions with more calories, while the majority gets soup consisting mostly of water. A representation of social customs is when the protagonist is unable to eat with his hat still on. Although he is uncomfortably cold without it on, his Russian upbringing stops him from covering his head while eating. Another example is when the old veteran takes a portion of cloth and uses it as a place-mat while he eats his meals. Their habits were made before they became prisoners, when they still lived in their Soviet state of origin. The novel  is to some extent, Solzhenitsyn relating to his own experiences when as a captain in the Soviet army, he was arrested in 1945 for making offensive remarks about Stalin and spent the next eight years in different camps. The closing time of his captivity took place in a camp for political prisoners in Kazakhstan, which is generally considered to be the setting for the novel. It was one of the first novels of the post-Stalin age to express to an international distribution the knowledge of political imprisonment and oppression under the rà ©gime. Solzhenitsyn never criticizes the Communist system in the novel; if he would have done so, the novel would have certainly been banned. He purely offers a description of what life was like in the camps, but in the long run his prose was to prove as harmful to the system as any intensification of political expression. After reading, one is left in no doubt with the horror of the life in Siberias camps, and also with the authors perso nal judgment of the condition of the land of his birth during that period. It lets you partake in the struggle of men to survive the awful rigors of nature and the cruelty of the system that describes their conditions of life. Classic Russian  literature incorporates certain essential characteristics of the soviet culture. During a period when the  Soviet Union was under the leadership of  Joseph Stalin, it was intricate to write novels that expressed the social climate. The cultural climate in the  Soviet Union  at this time was rough; conveying your opinion was often not only tricky, but risky. Forced  labor camps  came about and innocent citizens were put in jail for political and social crimes that they usually did not commit. Another regular characteristic of classic Russian literature was that authors tended to make the reader experience as if they were within the thoughts of the protagonist. Although the novel  is written in third person, the readers feels as if they are seeing and experiencing the protagonists day through his eyes. In conclusion, our cultural environment influences both our personality and our development as a human being. The novel shows us that even in our most desperate moments, when our environment forces us to strip away our identity and individuality, our social customs and cultural influences still take place. An individual who is brought up in a culture with customs that would be considered extreme by others will have unlike values from a society who was never exposed to such things. In One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, their social customs is what allows them to keep stable and sane as an individual in such harsh circumstances influenced by the Russian culture. The novel presents a horrible yet significant period in Russian history where cultural influence plays a significant role in which the characters utilize day by day.

The Standardized Testing Nightmare Essay -- High-Stakes Standardized Te

As children grow up some of their frightful memories include a visit to the dentist or to the first day in elementary school. Perhaps their greatest nightmare is standardized testing. Since starting school as first graders students are taught to test in the United States. In many cases students are placed in remedial classes or even held back because of their low grades. Many do not realize that the students with low grades are mainly students who are not good test takers, and educators start to believe that these students are low achievers. When educators do this, it leads the students to have lower self-esteem and encourages them to drop out of school later on. Students are also forced to memorize information merely as facts without sparking their creativity or enhancing their knowledge. Prior to the educational reform movement of the 1970s and 1980s, standardized tests were primarily employed as measures of student achievement that could be reported to parents, and as a means of noting state and district trends. (Moon and Brighton) Educators paid little attention to these tests, which had little impact on curriculum. In the continuing quest for better schools and high achieving students, testing has become a central focus of policy and practice. Standardized test are tests that attempt to present unbiased material under the same conditions and with consistent scoring and interpretation so that students have equal opportunities to give correct answers and receive an accurate assessment. The idea behind standardized testing is that these similarities allow the highest degree of certainty in comparing results across schools, schools districts, or even the state. As the high-stakes testing becomes more popular, stan... ...ndustrial nations in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. He reported that tests measure exposure to facts and skills not whether o (Osburn, Ritter and Suitt)r not kids can think. (Osburn, Ritter and Suitt)â€Æ' Works Cited Bachelor, Denessa. "Are These Tests Failing?" April 2006. Hearts & Minds. 2013 . Longo, Christopher. "Fostering Creativity or Teaching to the Test?" The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Stategies, Issues and Ideas (2010): 54-57. Moon, Tonya R and Catherine M Brighton. The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. Storrs: Center, 1991. Osburn, Monica Z., et al. "Parents' Perceptions of Standardized Testing: Its Relationship and Effect on Student Achievement." 2004. University of Arkansas. 2013 .

Child Developement :: essays research papers

Volunteering at the YMCA was a great experience. I conducted a two-hour craft class with approximately seventeen children between five to seven years of age. Two â€Å"Y† counselors assisted me with the children. The project I selected was a magazine collage based on nutrition and fitness. The children enthusiastically participated. I brought a large scaled laminated version of the food pyramid. We began by discussing the food groups and they assisted in the assembly of the pyramid. We then discussed the importance of breakfast, good after school snacks and junk food. They energetically engaged in conversation. The children were given black construction paper and magazines to look through to find pictures, they would cut or tear the pictures into small pieces and sort the pieces and glue the pieces onto their paper. The children were sensitive to the needs and feelings of the others around them. They varied widely in a number of different ways. Some of the children could make their own decisions and work independently, while others looked for adult approval. Some worked very quietly when others were noisy. Others were wiggle worms when some were concentrating and working intensely. One beautiful little girl was acting out, vying for even negative attention, when she was no longer the center of attention. She reacted emotionally when she received a written referral from the counselor. When one asked to go to the bathroom suddenly half a dozen children had to go to the bathroom! Based on the Eight Stages of Development developed by psychiatrist, Erik Erikson in 1956 stages three and four were present. Stage (age) Psychosocial crisis Significant relations Psychosocial modalities Psychosocial virtues Maladaptations & malignancies III (3-6) -- preschooler initiative vs. guilt family to go after, to play purpose, courage ruthlessness -- inhibition IV (7-12 or so) -- school-age child industry vs. inferiority neighborhood and school to complete, to make things together competence narrow virtuosity -- inertia 3. Learning Initiative Versus Guilt (Purpose) Erikson believed that this third psychosocial crisis occurs during what he calls the "play age," or the later preschool years. During it, the healthily developing child learns: (1) to imagine, to broaden his skills through active play of all sorts, including fantasy (2) to cooperate with others (3) to lead as well as to follow. Immobilized by guilt, he is: (1) fearful (2) hangs on the fringes of groups (3) continues to depend unduly on adults and (4) is restricted both in the development of play skills and in imagination 4. Industry Versus Inferiority (Competence) Erikson believed that the fourth psychosocial crisis is handled, for better or worse, during what he calls the "school age," presumably up to and possibly including some of junior high school.

Lao-tzu: Taoism and Moral Philosophy Essay

5. Structure of the Tao Yin: female slow dark night passive intuitive earth Yang: male fast bright day aggressive logical sky Yin and Yang are immortals they have a love/ have relationship each person has yin and yang 6. The wu-wei: non-action, respect to the flow of time, the art of waiting. Opposite of confusious Buddha Buddha is a spiritualist, a prince, gifted 1. Darhma (The teaching) -what is the meaning of human life? Dukkha: suffering, fight, struggle, competition – Why do we inflict upon ourselves unnecessary suffering? Tanha: egotism, selfishness, Trrisha: greed, addiction to pleasure Hudonism: seeking pleasure over pain. Seeking pleasure is a very sophisticated trap any addiction Is loss of freedom. You become a slave of your pleasure – What to do? Anatta: abstinence, restrained. No to any excessive pleasure. The art of no. – What is the goal? Anicca: liberation from addiction 2. The eight fold Noble Path: – Panna: wisdom 1. Understanding 2. Purpose – sila : conflict 3. Speech 4. Behavior Five moral rules: do not kill, steal, adultry, drugs, gossips Have consistancy in your morality, hypocracy corrupts you, don’t live a double life, fake identity Steps 1-5 are for normal people 6-8 are for monks or nuns. – Samadhi: Contemplation 6. Effort you control your body, physical needs, tell body when to sleep and eat 7. thoughtfulness control your emotions 8. Dhayana: deep meditation: control your mind. 3. Karma 3 types of karma * Sabija Karma: my birth karma. Born with culture in sould, reincarnation 4. Nirvana: Two kingdoms of reality Samsava: kingdom of pleasure, shallow Alaya Vijhara: The Kingdom of internal ideas, deep Nirvana: the state of eternal spiritual bliss Protageras: He was king of sophists in athens. Sophist: pofessional teacher 1. Panton anttropas metron : man is the measure of all things 2. Subjectivism: there is no objective truth, every truth is somebody’s truth, or has its face 3. Relativism: as many people as many truths, they are all equal. Accepting diversity 4. Pragmatism: truth has to be helpful, practical, useful 5. Conventionalism: truth is what we have agreed upon (sometimes silently) Ex: cultural expectations, gender roles 6. Conformism: truth of the majority has to be respected by the minorities 7. Tolerance: The truth of the minority has to be tolerated by the majority He reminds me of president obama because his ideas reflect democratic beliefs. Socrates: 1. Choti Seanton: Know Yourself. We humans are animals + Animals + psyche : ( soul) Care for your soul Soul = my self reflection We are reflective animals To reflect = to have knowledge ‘I know that I know nothing’ â€Å"a life unexamined is not worth living† 2. Epistemology (4 principles) Define the basic concepts as clear as you can, avoid misunderstandings Don’t be afraid of intellectual contradictions, diversity in opinions Socratic irony, don’t lose your sense of humor, don’t take yourself so seriously Only god knows the absolute truth, our human truth is limited Protageras: absolute truth doesn’t exist Socrates: absolute truth exits but only god knows 3. Moral Philosophy The essence of morality is to teach us arete: virtue, skills Perfect your skills, perectionism Its better to not be committed than to have a loose commitment Skills =knowledge Life-long education, ignorance is the mother of all evil 4. The idea of god God is the one, god is the absolute wisdom God is my moral vocation God is the voice of my conscience He believes in one god, god speaks to us from inside Find god through self reflection Plato Rich talented, student of socrates 1. Ontology What is the structure of reality? Being: essence deep form logical traditional moral spiritual eternal Becoming: surface, shallow, content, fashionable immoral material temporary What is the structure of being? Being consists of eidoses Eidos: spiritual form, intellectual bluepring , the law, the mold, the model Anything that exists physically has an eidos, it creates each specific physical ting Invention does not exist: discovery, before discovery eidos exists but its like a cold sun without rays The eidos of eidoses is goodness 2. Epistemelogy Levels:RealityKnowledge 1. Fake images illusions, kingdom of the stupid, wild imagination 2. Physcial things, kingdom of the everyday life, practical common sense 3. Low level idoses, kingdom of the professional, professional analytic mind 4. High eidoses, (love, justice, forgiveness) kingdom of the genius, the intellectual intuition of the genius 1 and 2 is becoming 3 and 4 is being 1 is artificial life, building a bubble around yourself 2. Practical things know how to take care of yourself 3. Professional knowledge become an expert in a subject need an analytical mind 4. Very few geniuses, best of the best, shakespeare, einstein, mozart. Have a gift from god or not, only males are geniuses, women are naturally born with common sens e and to become a genius you have to kill your common sense, every genius is a madman 3. Moral Philosophy To be moral means to have a arete: virture The fear of social change, social disorder, social chaos. Arete = not so much perfection but discipline, obedience, good organization, loyalty Plato supports closed social classes doesn’t like social mobility, caste system 4. Hates democracy. Problems are: phony promises of politicians, equal political rights for unequally educated people, excessive freedoms result is anarchy and tyranny he wants aristocratic republic Reminds me of hitler Aristotle Platos student 1. Ontology The kingdom of eidoses doesn’t exist, only nature does exist. Nature is a sum total of physical things Every physical thing consists of hyle: body, matter and telos: form Telos not so much outer form but an inner form the potential of the thing its prgram Dna ex: potential of talent God is the telos of nature when you die your telos dies god and nature coexist eternally 2. Eistemology Using observation and experimentation collect all relevant facts, using analysis, find out the laws of those facts, using logic, combine these laws into a comprehensive theory Scientific theory ^^ 3. Moral Philosophy Nicomachagu Ethics : Eudaimonia: noble destiny, fulfilling duty Sophro syhe: moderation Have good taste keep the mean, be a gentleman Fulfill your telos he believes all of us have gifts a duty to fulfill your gift, work hard we each have gifts to different degrees Don’t betray yourself (lie, cheat). Every betrayal starts as self betrayal you destroy yourself and then destroy everyone around you Honesty and integrity Obstacles: don’t underestimate them but don’t overestimate them Pleasure: not the goal of your activity but a by product Build your character its better to be always bad then unpridictable either be always bad or always bood Friendship: be a good loyal friend 4. Political Philosophy Democracy is the best regime Democracy is the power of middle class The middle class is the foundation of the healthy society.