Information About Strategic Teaching, Strategic Learning and Thinking Skills Essay

Teachers, whether brand new to the classroom, or veterans of many years of service, are always looking for ways to make what they do more effective and more efficient. That even goes for students in teacher preparation programs, as well it should. Efficiency is a measure of what is obtained (results) in relation to what was expended (resources). Effectiveness is a bit more elusive. To be sure, effectiveness in anything, including teaching, can be difficult to describe and to measure. The following is a discussion about some fundamental principles that may lead to actual improvement of instruction. Please read on. In order to use any instructional technique effectively, anyone who teaches must, of necessity, understand the fundamental principles and assumptions upon which the specific technique is based. There is certainly no shortage of descriptions or labels for activities that may be classified as pertaining to instruction. From the ever-popular lecture method to complex student-teacher, student-student interactions, instruction encompasses a broad range of teacher behaviors. At one end (the lecture method) the teacher is an imparter of information, and the students are the intended recipients of the information the teacher imparts. At the other end of the range of teacher behaviors are methods in which teachers interact with students in vastly more complex ways. Most researchers and experts in the field are in agreement that the most permanent and meaningful learning takes place at this end of the range. Strategic teaching, and, concomitantly, strategic learning are techniques in which significant student-teacher interaction and resultant learning and thinking are at the high end of the scale. To learn strategic teaching techniques, and to foster the ability of students to engage in strategic learning, it is important to define some terms. In fact, one of the principles of strategic teaching is to define terms. Below are terms that are relevant to this process. Strategic teaching describes instructional processes that focus directly on fostering student thinking, but goes well beyond that. Strategic teaching and strategic learning are inexorably linked. A strategic teacher has an understanding of the variables of instruction and is aware of the cognitive requirements of learning. In such an awareness, comes a sense of timing and a style of management. The strategic teacher is one who: 1. s a thinker and decision maker; 2. possesses a rich knowledge base; 3. is a modeler and a mediator of instruction. Variables of instruction refer to those factors that strategic teachers consider in order to develop instruction. These variables, as the name implies, change, and therefore the teacher must be aware of the nature of change as well as the actual variables themselves. These variables are: 1. characteristics of the learner; 2. material to be learned (curriculum content); 3. the criterial task (the goals and outcomes the teacher and learner designate); 4. earning strategies (goal directed activities in which learners engage). In teaching content at the elementary, middle, or secondary level, the strategic teacher helps guide instruction by focusing on learning strategies that foster thinking skills in relation to the content. In connecting new information to what a student already knows, learning becomes more meaningful, and not simply retained for test-taking purposes. There are numerous strategies that teachers can develop that accomplish this purpose. To give one information is not difficult, but to help one be able to develop the tools to both know what information is relevant and the means to acquire it, is perhaps the most important function of any social studies teacher. There are numerous techniques for engaging students in thinking about content. Besides thinking skills, there are such practical matters as how best to present a lesson on weather, teaching map and globe skills, helping students work together in groups, how to question effectively, and how to answer student questions. The first and foremost criterion is that the teacher thoroughly know the content, the second criterion is that the teacher have a set of rules for classroom management that are understood and implemented, and the third criterion is that the teacher have the resourcefulness and knowledge to rehearse unfamiliar techniques, and more importantly, have the capacity to adjust any lesson plan to maintain academic focus. Many of these tasks are learned on-the-job. Nothing you can learn in any course is more valuable than learning what to do when you don’t know what to do. When you can do that, you are well on your way to becoming a great teacher. Strategic Learning Strategic learning is, in effect, a highly probable outcome of effective strategic teaching. Reduced to its essentials, strategic learning is learning in which students construct their own meanings, and in the process, become aware of their own thinking. The link between teaching, thinking, and learning is critical. As a teacher, if you are not causing your students to think about what you are presenting, discussing, demonstrating, mediating, guiding, or directing, then you are not doing an effective job. You must be more than a dispenser of information. You must create conditions and an environment that encourages thinking, deepens and broadens it, and which causes students to become aware of how they think. The process of thinking about how we think is referred to as metacognition. In helping students create knowledge, it is useful to think of knowledge as occupying space that can be thought of as a pyramid. At the bottom of the pyramid is declarative knowledge, or knowledge of â€Å"what is. † Declarative knowledge is akin to awareness. One step up on the pyramid is procedural knowledge, or knowledge of â€Å"how something works, or functions. † At the top of the pyramid is conditional knowledge, or knowledge of â€Å"when or why† a particular procedure will work. Conditional knowledge is closely related to the predictive function of knowledge. When students develop a broad and deep system of conditional knowledge, they are able to predict more accurately, solve problems more efficiently, and in a sense, are more free because they can identify and articulate more options from which to choose. Strategic learning is a valuable system to help your students develop conditional knowledge. Content Connections The creation of knowledge is, in the most practical and profound sense, a primary and direct result of learning. As teachers, we must strive to assist our students to develop intellectual tools by which they can create knowledge. Any knowledge, once created, becomes a part of a larger system that enhances learning and is capable of integrating and accommodating new information with greater efficiency and reliability. Each person creates knowledge in similar, yet uniquely distinct ways. Connecting information provided or described by others in novel and personal ways is a key to learning and developing knowledge. The more one â€Å"knows,† the more one can know. The idea of content links or connections is not exactly new, but offers some unique opportunities to chart your own course, learn, and add to your knowledge system. Enter the idea of Constructivism. Constructivism is a philosophy as well as a psychology of education. Constructivism is about how knowledge is created.

A Culture of Professionalism Essay

One of the challenges of making Kamak a professional organization is to get Pete, the Managing Director, to change his leadership style that is suitable to the organizational culture. First and foremost, Pete has to accept that he is merely a driver of that culture rather than its measure, and that he should get in touch with the realities of that culture. His personal actions as the main representative of management impact the assessment of organizational culture being that management practices are a significant dimension of it. It is measured through â€Å"the fairness and consistency with which policies are administered, the accessibility of management to employees, the degree to which management provides a safe working environment and how well management encourages diversity.† (Jolly & Recarda, 1997). Given that, he must be prepared to act in a way that promotes and implements the policies and good management practices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The members of the staff, on the other hand, seem keen on getting their opinions heard but they are having difficulty given the current situation. Moreover, confidentiality or a semblance of it is apparently an important condition before anyone will step forward and communicate an opinion. Since a face-to-face and one-on-one meeting opportunity is hard to come by, the best option at this time would be to express their opinion in writing and leave it anonymously and hope actions will be considered and forthcoming or sign it and explicitly request for a private meeting to discuss it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a professional organization, continuity and consistency are important in order to instill a set of values, beliefs and practices that are understood and shared by its members. Unilateral and regular changes in policies merely tend to confuse especially since the organization has only recently evolved from a local organization to one that deals with international companies and has yet to homogenize. However, dealing with international companies would also mean having enough flexibility to adapt to the constantly changing environments and demands and thus, it is prudent to aim for continuous improvement as opposed to drastic changes. Consistency with policies and practices and service commitments can still be maintained and merely the strategy will be amended. It is essential, though, that to make a change successful, that change must be properly communicated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To achieve professional standards in organizational communication, the elements must be present and developed. This would include the communicators or those engaged in the exchange and sharing of ideas with their assessment and accessibility, the message, the language of interaction, the channel of communication which may be formal such as memoranda and meetings or informal such as casual conversations and the climate of the communication situation which would be the dynamics of interaction that there are no hidden agenda, no repercussions, and the like (Chan & Palo, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The organizational culture in Kamak is a networked culture that is â€Å"high in sociability but low in solidarity† and is still at the low context stage which is â€Å"characterized by considerable dependence on explicitly articulated messages†¦ that is usually observed in small firms or start-up firms where the entire operations is in the making and information must be widely distributed and clearly disseminated.† (Chan & Palo, 2002). Hence, the following are essential in its organizational communication: Promote a communication climate that is supportive, i.e., information is widely shared with the aim of progressing towards a climate that is high on empowerment and support; Open alternative modes of communication and utilize and maximize technology such as e-mails especially for information dissemination, fax, voicemail, phone if face-to-face communication is not immediately possible; Conduct regular meeting so that policies are formally introduced, implemented and reinforced; Make use of the grapevine to be in touch with the staff level and would encourage face-to-face interaction between parties making it personal and social; Open a feedback mechanism through suggestion boxes and at the same time, continue to encourage and promote the open-door policy but ensure accessibility in a climate and setting that nurtures confidentiality. References Chan, G.S. & Palo, T. M. (2002). Organizational communication. In G. Chan (Ed.), Managing people in Asian organizations (pp. 229-285). Singapore: Prentice Hall. Jolly, J. and Recardo, R. (1997). Organizational culture and teams. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 62 (2), 4-9.

Analysis Managing Dynamic New Melbourne Team

One of the essential activities of manager is forming a team to execute the task and managing the team effectively to achieve the goal and objective of the company. Effective team management is directly related with cohesive leadership, effective communication, common goal and defining roles and responsibilities of team members (Meredith, 2011). The major barrier in team management is the lack of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, lack of accountability and not paying attention to results. In the context of Dynamic, the team management of the new team at Melbourne is examined by task interdependence, importance of team cohesion and recommendation to manage the issue by Jeff at company. Task interdependence can be defined as a functional approach that explains the sharing of information, material and expertise between team members working to achieve the common goal of the team (Cannella, Park, and Lee, 2008). In the process of defining the task interdependence in some cases there is accelerated chance of conflicts between team members and it impacts the team cohesion. Team cohesion is the common bond between members of team and their joint effort to contribute to success of the team.   Thus team cohesion results in better cooperation and effective performance by achieving set goal. Lack of cohesion is harmful for the health of the team and impact the performance negatively by enhancing stress and non cooperation on the part of team members (Cannella, Park, and Lee, 2008). Thus in the long run cohesion in the workplace signifies success of team while lack of cohesion signifies failure of the team thereby impacting the performance and goal of the company. In the context of Dynamic the digital strategy director Jeff formed a team of eight members to execute the Burnfit account. The team is mix of members from Dynamic and MediaHype, the new acquisition of the former in Melbourne to expand the business in Australia (Dyer, 2007). As the project was crucial, team members were assigned roles and responsibility and three deliverables identified to be achieved by month end. The reporting structure of the team members was also clarified as they were directly reporting to the director to avoid waste of time by creating additional line of reporting (Dyer, 2007). Thus every step taken to make the team perform such as effective communication, common goal and defining roles and responsibilities of team members. But the problem was team cohesion among the members of the team. The problem associated with the lack of team cohesion within the Dynamic is outlined below As the team was formed by combining the staff from two different company namely Dynamic and MediaHype, there is difference in the culture and work approach resulting in lack of trust on each other and fear of conflict. Thus in first weak every member expressed positive feedback as part of formality (Mackin, 2007). Even Jeff found flow of mails between team members indicating the team is working towards goal as is evident from the case study. The first team meeting also exhibited the same with no team members raising any issue and problem. From the cash study analysis it was evident that the team from MediaHype and Dynamic did not coordinate and support each other effectively. In the second week meeting Anjana Singh –the web editor and content strategist complained that she did not get the feedback regarding the progress of new website from the Yuchou and Wen – the senior digital strategy consultant (Mackin, 2007). Similarly Mike –the social media manager also complained about Yuchou and Wen and stated that they were not serious about the project and informed to proceed as he feels without contributing their opinion. Similarly from the case study analysis it was evident that the Dynamic team Sydney and Dynamic team Singapore also exhibited lack of cohesion In the third week Yuchou and Wen complained that team of Sydney Franz and Amanda – Junior digital strategy consultant were not fit for the job and need to be replaced (Simsek et al., 2005). They also stated both of them lacked the confidence for executing the task and disturb them by asking questions all the time. Thus it is evident from the case study analysis that there is no bonding between the team members and it resulted in lack of communication and cooperation and it is root cause of the problems associated with the lack of team cohesion within the company (Simsek et al., 2005). Organizational behaviour (OB) is part of human resource management and it deal with the behaviour of people at workplace with regard to their act, feeling and thought process. It explains the leadership style and motivation to address problem and solve team conflict to improve cooperation thereby promoting team effectiveness (Wright, and Nishii, 2007). OB has many theories to handle the problem of team in the workplace and they can be classified into five major theories. They are explained below This theory of OB identifies the personality of individuals such as dispositional trait and behavioural dynamics to improve the team work in the workplace (Wright, and Nishii, 2007). This theory of OB identifies the inner urge of indiviaul and uses them to improve team work in the workplace. The theory of motivation has number of sub theory such as common sense theory, expectancy theory, goal setting theory, fundamental attribution theory, Herzberg’s two factor theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory (Burke et al., 2006). Based on the team requirement, the manager can select the appropriate theory to motivate members of team. This theory of OB identifies the Gestalt principles that shape the perceived though of an individual. It helps to address such as lack of trust, and fear of conflict in team members (Burke et al., 2006). This theory of OB identifies aims to adjust the attitude and behaviour of individual to develop common bond (Edwards, 2009). It uses organisational behaviour modification, single and double loop learning, reinforcement theory and social cognitive theory. In the context of Dynamic where the eight members team belong to three different category namely Dynamic Singapore, Dynamic Sydney and MediaHype leading to diverse attitude and behaviour owing to the earlier workplace practice (Bowditch, Buono, and Stewart, 2007). Thus using OB theory to analyse Dynamic’s problems it was identified that the attitude and behaviour of team members of three different work culture was the main issue responsible for lack of team cohesion (Rollinson,   2008). It is is resulting from the lack of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, lack of accountability and not paying attention to results (Bowditch, Buono, and Stewart, 2007). It resulted in no cooperation and coordination between team members impacting task and performance as evident from the case analysis of problem outlined above. To formulate solution to Dynamic’s problems, the Theories of attitudes and behaviour is helpful. In specific organisational behaviour modification theory can be used to change the attitude and behaviour of eight individuals and cultivate a common bond and shared goal towards the Burnfit account so that they coordinate and cooperate with each other by communicating effectively and providing feedback on time to make progress in the work and achieve the target set for the job (Mullins, 2007). The manager can also use the Theories of motivation to be more specific common sense theory that not supporting each other is failure of the team and it affects every individual in the team Thus it can be concluded form the above discussion problem associated with lack of team cohesion within the new team of Dynamic is outlined. It is mainly related with different work culture practiced by eight team members from three different group and lack of trust and fear of conflict that resulted in poor team cohesion (De   and Den ,2008). Based on the OB theory, the problem identified is attitude and behavioural aspect of team members and the solution suggested is using the organisational behaviour modification theory, their attitude and behaviour changed to develop common bond and shared goals related with Burnfit account. Bowditch, J.L., Buono, A.F. and Stewart, M.M., 2007. A primer on organizational behavior. Wiley. Burke, C.S., Stagl, K.C., Salas, E., Pierce, L. and Kendall, D., 2006. Understanding team adaptation: A conceptual analysis and model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(6), p.1189. Cannella, A.A., Park, J.H. and Lee, H.U., 2008. Top management team functional background diversity and firm performance: Examining the roles of team member colocation and environmental uncertainty. Academy of Management Journal, 51(4), pp.768-784. De Hoogh, A.H. and Den Hartog, D.N., 2008. Ethical and despotic leadership, relationships with leader's social responsibility, top management team effectiveness and subordinates' optimism: A multi-method study. The Leadership Quarterly, 19(3), pp.297-311. Dyer, W.G., 2007. Team building. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Edwards, M.R., 2009. An integrative review of employer branding and OB theory. Personnel review, 39(1), pp.5-23. Mackin, D., 2007. The team building tool kit: tips and tactics for effective workplace teams. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Meredith Belbin, R., 2011. Management teams: Why they succeed or fail. Human Resource Management International Digest, 19(3). Mullins, L.J., 2007. Management and organisational behaviour. Pearson education. Rollinson, D., 2008. Organisational behaviour and analysis: an integrated approach. Pearson Education. Simsek, Z., Veiga, J.F., Lubatkin, M.H. and Dino, R.N., 2005. Modeling the multilevel determinants of top management team behavioral integration. Academy of Management Journal, 48(1), pp.69-84. Wright, P.M. and Nishii, L.H., 2007. Strategic HRM and organizational behavior: Integrating multiple levels of analysis. CAHRS Working Paper Series, p.468.

Poetry study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Poetry study - Essay Example The poem reflects the message from a lover who compares the girl he admires to a rose flower. If the flower does not expose its beauty to the people when it is still young, it will be long forgotten after it has withered down. The two poems point out to the same theme of the temporariness of life of an earth. Life on Earth is temporary and is bound to end at some point. In Ozymandias, the persona recalls having encountered a traveler from â€Å"an antique land† who narrated about a statue that was destroyed in his local country (Mikics Para. 1). The statue that had only two legs and the head that bore a face that was well sculptured to expose the moods of the statue. The emotions can still be observed even long after the sculptor and the subject had long been dead. On the pedestal of the statue was the words â€Å"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings† and besides the lifeless statue was nothing but only â€Å"lone and level sands† (Poem Hunter). The poem appears to be a short, but rich story that is expressed in the words of a stranger. The poem signifies the pride of the kings as they call themselves â€Å"king of kings â€Å" and construct permanent works of art that last long after they are dead. Shelly seems to offer a criticism of the kings by ironically referring to their arrogance that is destroyed by the power of time. The main message is that life is not permanent and that even the pride of time is undermined by the ruinous power of time. Symbolism is one of the styles that Bysshe uses to add develop her message. One symbolic feature that the poet uses is the absence of the central body of the sculpture. Only the two concrete legs appear and a head placed beside the sculpture. The use of this image seems to refer to the loss of the king’s legacy after the ruinous time has taken past him. The implication of this is that time erodes all the aspects of a person and they fade away. The pride of the king as â€Å"king of kings † cannot outlast the works of art that they created (Brackett 190). The use of symbolism assists the poet to develop a perfect 14 lines sonnet while expressing her message within the short poem. On the other hand, Waller’s poem â€Å"Go, lovely Rose† features the words of flower bearer who intends to send with a message to a beautiful woman. Before sending the flower, he gives it a message concerning the beauty that she possesses. The flower should pass the information that she is a sweet and fair as the rose flower and that she is comparable to the same flower in all the aspects. She should come out and be desired rather than hide from the people. She should remain hidden like â€Å"In desert where no men abide† as at some point in her life she is going to wither like the flower. He says that â€Å"†¦ uncommented died† to signify the people who spent the short time they had in life and later died without ever being desired (Poetry Foundation). Waller’s message in this poem is that beauty is as temporary as life is and the only way to enjoy it is coming out to be admired by the people (Brackett 192). Symbolism is used here to compare the young girl and a flower that has a temporary beauty and will one day dry and be forgotten. The two poems point out to the same thing that life is never permanent and that people at some time are meant to leave the earth eventually. In the

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS - Essay Example The nature of imperfect labour markets today as well as the cutthroat competition limited jobs by desperate employees can and has in some cases, resulted in substandard industrial relations (Salamon, 2000). This in many instances leads to and escalates conflict in employee relations. However, while conceding that conflict may indeed be inevitable, it can be managed and controlled through a proactive and vibrant bargaining process that can be used to ensure a smooth transition in whatever transaction the Organization takes part in and the interests of its staff. This paper will discuss the notion of inevitability of employee conflict by examining various theories and literature demonstrating some of its causative factors and methods that have been developed in employee relations for managing it. To create a better understanding of the nature conflict in employment relations, it is important that the concept is first understood, and its constituent notions explained. Employer relations are by no means neither straightforward nor easy concept that can be tied down to a generic definition. Its meaning tends to vary widely depending on whom one is asking (Lewis, Thornhill & Saunders, 2003). In American HRM literature for instance, it is understood as the corpus of HR, in a functional sense it encapsulates the relations between employees and employers in the world place. On the other hand, a the British interpretation of the same covers a wider scope which cuts across specific workplace issues and covers even the interactions between the state, employer relations and labour unions. In these terms, employment relations involves both the micro and macro level relations which are notably absent in the American context (Gennard & Judge, 2002). In American context, employer relations are unlikely to encompass industrial relations as comprehensively as it can in a UK or

Special Stain NoteBook Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Special Stain NoteBook - Research Paper Example Again, the tissue is rinsed in the stain with cold water and finally, dipped in ethanol fixate, then in xylene for forty-five seconds (Yakovlev, 2009). Procedure (Steps): Bouin’s solution, an inorganic oxide, is used in microwave for one minute and is allowed to stand for fifteen minutes. Subsequently, for five minutes, the stain is washed in tap water, followed by the application of one drop of hematoxylin and is allowed to stand for ten minutes. Correspondingly, it is again washed in tap water for five minutes and then rinse in distilled water. In the following step, the stain is dipped in biebrich scarlet solution for five minutes and then rinsed in distilled water. Then phosphomolybdic or phosphotungstic is applied with a resting time of ten minutes required to discard it. Sixth, then transferred to aniline blue solution, and is kept for five minutes. The stain is then rinsed in distilled water. Again one percent of acetic acid is applied on the specimen and rinsed in distilled water. Finally, it is dehydrated and cleared (Media Lab Incorporated, 2015). Procedure (Steps): At the initial step, sections of the tissue is deparaffinized and hydrated and then suspended in distilled water. In the second step, 250 ml of iron stain solution is added to the specimen and dipped for thirty minutes. Then the specimen needs to be washed for three times in distilled water. Again it needs to be stained with 250 ml nuclear fast red solution for five minutes and then rinsed in distilled water. In the third step, the specimen needs to be dehydrated through 95% of alcohol for two changes, followed by the final and the last process to clear it in xylene solution for three changes and for two times, before covering the slip by using permanent mounting medium (Biogenex, 2015). Procedure (Steps): First, deparaffinize sections of the liver and hydrate it to deionized water. Second, oxidize the liver section in 1% potassium

International manegment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International manegment - Essay Example Silverlight Electronics in Korea has a different business operation approach from Cobalt. The two companies operate in different business and cultural environments. Therefore, negotiation has to address the conflict situation between the two companies. Secondly, the two companies have their potential power in business, which must be respected for a negotiation to be realized. Finally, the concept of options was addressed in the negotiation. Both companies have business options that may be utilized. Actually, I present new and better business options to Silverlight electronics by presenting my proposals to them. I have learned a lot from this negotiation. The most important learning is that all options in a negotiation have to be exhausted. By understanding the needs and expectations of the other company, I can present better business options to them and therefore, arrive at a negotiation more quickly. I will use this concept in my future negotiation with people and businesses

Internet Activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Internet Activities - Essay Example The military is divided, and the political rivals seek to undermine each other and serve their own interests. Humanitarian conditions have gotten worse, because the government has not paid any attention to this. Economic problems, such as high unemployment, poverty and shortage of basic commodities also exist. Al-Qaeda’s presence, in the form of Ansar Sharia is also a problem. 2. The ICG has a number of recommendations to particular groups in the country, to improve the conditions. This includes the fulfilling of the agreement and let President Hadi take his position. This has been recommended to the armed forces. The President is also recommended to perform all the tasks as mandated by the agreement. The present government is also implored to see the implementation of laws. The crux of the recommendations to different interest groups remains to respect the agreement, and support the present government. The global community, along with non-state actors are also recommended to support this country. 3. Yemen is a Middle-East country, which faces the same sort of problems, as other countries in her region. This is because of the long dictatorship, and the revolution that occurred. ... The U.S-Pakistan relationship has also deteriorated, because of the raiding of Pakistan to find Osama Bin Laden. The different political parties, particular the PML (N) refuses to accept assistance from U.S. Serious aid reduction has had effect on the work of NGOs, which had been working for the betterment of the country. Kidnapping of officers has also been an issue. Additionally, Pakistan needs basic necessities, such as electricity, roads and telecommunications, water, but the current state of the government and its institutions have not been able to keep up with the demand for these necessities. The U.S has recently been on bad terms with the military of Pakistan, and it has reduced civilian assistance; the effects of this are largely seen. 2. Proper democratic rebuilding, capacity building and to have proper policy implementation are the basic recommendations for this particular country. However, the U.S government is also implored to take the opinion of USAID in foreign policy development, and to provide aid effectiveness. The U.S is also recommended to help Pakistan in different ways, including strengthening the government so that it can provide the basic necessities to people. The National and the Provincial Governenmts have also been implored to let the NGOs conduct their work easily and to initiate national dialogue on issues, such as the energy crisis. Additionally, advancement of social and human rights is also recommended. 3. The public in Pakistan has recently turned against the United States, because of the recent NATO attacks, which breached the national sovereignty of Pakistan. Therefore, it is not only the military, or even a particular political party that are part of the hate campaign against U.S. The public is also involved. However,

Dependant on question picked from below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Dependant on question picked from below - Essay Example This essay examines masculinity in current society and considers whether it acts as a source of anxiety for men. There are significant differences between the genders in the way that people behave and what is expected of them. For example, it is widely recognised that males and females behave in different ways. Behavioural research has shown that males are more likely to take risks and be competitive than females . Another aspect where behaviour differs is in terms of health beliefs and behaviour that promotes good health. While females respond well to interventions that are designed to improve health, males show strong resistance. These differences are strongly associated with the perception of masculinity . Most considerations of masculinity and femininity begin with the basic assumption that men are one thing and women are something else. They are two opposites, dichotomies, distinct from one another in numerous ways. Traditional perceptions of males and females often consider tha t men are defined as themselves, while women are considered by what they do not have compared to males. Although feminism has made much progression in the area of females being considered inferior, or lacking, there is still an underlying notion that males and females are distinct from one another . How valid is this assumption? Biologically men and women are distinct from one another (with a few exceptions that are the result of chromosomal abnormalities), but does this difference in physical characteristics correspond to distinct sexual identities, one for each gender? The standard formula is for two distinct identities. On average, most men behave in a manner that is considered to be male or masculine. They wear pants, they do not wear makeup, most do not show emotions and a large number exhibit a rugged demeanour where they attempt to be strong. Likewise, women tend to be different. However, there are many people in society for whom these traditional images of males and females do not explain their behaviour patterns. For example, transsexuals are of one distinct physical gender, but behave as if they are the opposite. This is most commonly recognised in males, such as men who dress in female clothing and wear makeup . There are less extreme examples of this also. Some men are highly emotional, while others focus strongly on clothing or skin appearance, in a way that is more strongly associated with females. Therefore, within modern society, there are many different images of gender, from the typical perceptions of male and female, to those that do not conform to the recognised ‘rules’. What is masculinity in this context? Does it still exist, or are gender perceptions so fluid that there is no distinction between male and female gender identities. To understand this, it is important to first consider the concepts of masculinity and femininity and how these are perceived in modern society. Masculinity As a concept, masculinity can be difficult to define, as it means different things to different people, and it is an idea that continues to change and grow. A typical male of the 1960s is very little like the typical male of the modern era. Furthermore, the presence of people who defy gender boundaries

Political Economy (Canada and the Global Political Economy) Essay - 1

Political Economy (Canada and the Global Political Economy) - Essay Example What are the arguments supporting and against globalization? Is it possible for Canada to make free trade and globalization benefit all stakeholders in the country? In support for globalization, Lynch (2010) points out that globalization and free trade has increased the economic opportunities in developing countries. Free trade increases the ability for foreign companies to venture into new countries. For developing countries, foreign companies increase employment opportunities for both foreigner and locals. This minimizes competition in the job market. On the other hand, free trade increase the export opportunities for developing countries. Consequently, this fosters the growth of local companies. Globalization also expand the business opportunities in both developed and developing countries. Developing countries are provided with advanced technology and experience in creating products that are desired and significant in the global market. The exchange of technology improves the potential of local companies to compete fairly with international corporations (Lynch, 2010). Lynch (2010) is of the assumption globalization and free trade make developed nations take advantage of developing countries. In free trade, developed countries have more than enough products and services to export to developing countries. Consequently, developing countries have it difficult to develop their own product since their local market are dominated with imports. The increase in imports also require the import of foreign workers. This increases unemployment competition. Globalization also increases the level of labor requirements in developing countries. For this reason, the market is required to pay less for labor services. This is also influenced by the fact that globalization and free trade increase the number of foreign employees. This creates disharmony in the domestic employment market. Canada

Role performance in an interpreted discourse process Essay Example for Free

Role performance in an interpreted discourse process Essay From the previous chapter it is clear that an interpreters role is more than that of passing messages back and forth; it is also Ð ° role that manages the communication process of exchanging those messages. In this chapter, І begin with Ð ° discussion of how the role has been and, in many ways, still is conceived. To investigate further the performance of that role and its implications for norms in interpreting, І analyze four examples of interpreter performance. Practicing interpreters are aware of the public and professional expectations of and demands on their practice, most of which are concerned with confidentiality, neutrality, accuracy, and faithfulness to the message. Interpreters often describe their role as the person in the middle by using Ð ° metaphor which conveys the image or impression that they serve as Ð ° bridge or channel through which communication happens. This channel is supposed to relay Ð ° message from one speaker to another faithfully, accurately, and without personal or emotional bias. The performance of this role has been compared to Ð ° machine, Ð ° window, Ð ° bridge, and Ð ° telephone lineamong otherswhen trying to compress the complexity of the role into Ð ° simple, singular analogy or metaphor. This perspective developed, in part, from practitioners, educators, and researchers who have devoted the bulk of their attention to interpreters working within public and monologic contexts. In these public forums interpreters usually are interpreting for speakers who speak one at Ð ° time to typically non-responsive audiences. In these events, an interpreters role appears conduit like, passive, and noninvolved. Another reason for the persistence of this perspective lies in past research on interpreting which has been done largely by cognitive psychologists and psycholinguists who have focused on the phenomena of language processing and transference of information. This research on the complexity of listening, understanding, and speaking simultaneously has produced detailed models of the psycholinguistic stages of transfer based on errors revealed in the target language production (Cokely 1984; Moser-Mercer 1978). Although these models provide better understanding and appreciation of the mental complexity of interpreting, their very nature reinforces the metaphorical image through which interpreting is perceived. Unfortunately, the force of this perspective is such that most training and professional testing still (in 1998) devote their efforts to the details of the interpreted message and its form. Although the conduit metaphors developed partially in response to Ð ° particular situational performance and to the direction of research studies, they are also used because of ordinary perceptions about the nature of language and communication. Lakoff and Johnson (198o) found that although most people think of metaphors as devices of poets and rhetorical style, they are prevalent in our everyday lives because they allow us to present our conceptual systems through language. Metaphors structure how we think about and perceive our everyday lives. Reddy ( 1979) explains how ordinary language use portrays language as Ð ° conduit which passes on Ð ° speakers thoughts and ideas to Ð ° listener whose only task is to unwrap the thoughts and ideas that have been transmitted through Ð ° conduit and thus hides aspects of the communication experience. The words we use to talk about how ideas are shared are indicative of Ð ° conduit notion. For example, І gave you that idea. It seems hard to see Ð ° metaphor here at all. The word give seems ordinary enough until we ask ourselves if ideas have Ð ° concrete substance that can be given to someone else. These ordinary metaphors convey the sense that meaning actually resides in words, phrases, and sentences as Ð ° tangible object to be inserted or taken out. These metaphors also lead us to particular ways of thinking about the originator of the message, the message itself, and the receiver of the message. For example, Try to pack more thoughts into fewer words. This type of expression blames the speaker for failing to put enough meaning in or failing to put the meaning in the right place. Equally, in the logic of Ð ° conduit metaphor, the receiver must unpack the meaning from the words. Let me know if you find any good ideas in the talk. Its as though ideas can be inserted into words and sentences. The conduit metaphor implies Ð ° whole framework of basic assumptions about language, such as language functions like Ð ° conduit transferring thoughts from one person to another, words accomplish Ð ° transfer of ideas by containing the thoughts or feelings in the words and conveying them to others, and people can extract exactly the same idea, thought or feeling by simply receiving the words. These everyday metaphors mold our perceptions about language and communication Conduit metaphors that abound in the fields of communication, psychology, language, and information processing have been naturally brought into the field of interpreting. It is easy to see how Ð ° communication process involving Ð ° supposedly neutral or passive third party accepts Ð ° conduit-type metaphor as Ð ° way of defining itself. Although these metaphors clearly respond to Ð ° need, they also carry double messages. Certainly they convey the idea of transferring messages, but, at the same time, they call to mind images of disengagement and noninvolvement on any other level. Frequently, interpreters are called on by those who use their services to be flexible and in fact are called upon by their own colleagues to be so. Standards of ethical practice extensively, sometimes exhaustively, list what interpreters should not do, but they seldom explain what interpreters can, or should do, or where or how flexibility should be exercised. Consequently, discussions of practice fall back on what interpreters should not do, or what interpreters may do within the guidelines and wind up being discussions of ethics. In addition to creating metaphors to describe role performance, interpreters (and others) tend to idealize conversational behavior even though their experience with interaction violates both their notions of relaying messages and of the way conversations should occur. In private conversations, interpreters confess to breaking the rules while also admitting that their rule-breaking behavior was successful. What interpreters actually know (intuitively or objectively) and do is complex from both the perspective of psycholinguistic processes and also from the perspective of interactive communication systems as Ð ° whole. Interpreters are not simply processing information and passively passing it back and forth. Their task requires knowledge of Ð ° discourse system that includes grammar, language use, organization, participant relationships, contextual knowledge, and socio-cultural knowledge. Interpreters must also have the ability to adapt this knowledge quickly to size up Ð ° situation, anticipate problems, and decide on solutions within seconds which means they operate within an emergent system of adaptability. Because standards of practice have developed before we have described and analyzed what interpreters do as they work, interpreters use the language of ethical behavior to talk about their job performance. one way in which interpreting as Ð ° discourse process can work for interpreters is in providing new ways to describe, name, and discuss the interpreting process. As this study and the work of Wadensjo (1992), Metzger (1995), and others have shown, interpreters interact in multiple ways within the communicative event of interpreting.

Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults Essay Example for Free

Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults Essay Explain how you use effective communication in developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults. Why is this important? 1. 1 In developing positive relationships we use effective communication in several ways. We use it to: †¢help us better understand a situation or person which can help to determine our approach when engaging with them. †¢build trust and respect. If individuals feel comfortable speaking with us and feel they can approach us at any time on any subject, they are more likely to co-operate and look favourably on any suggestions made. †¢show that we care about the welfare and future of an individual and will do our best to aid in their success †¢ensure that all parties are agreed upon the same goal, making sure that everyone is clear about the final aim and how it will be achieved. †¢build and maintain a positive working environment where creativity and learning can flourish. It is important to do this because poor communication can lead to misunderstandings, lack of trust and conflict. Without a positive relationship you are unlikely to gain support and co-operation and find it challenging to achieve a good outcome from any situation. Explain the principles of relationship building with children, young people and adults 1. 2 When trying to develop positive relationships there are several principles to follow. Firstly effective communication is essential. You must be clear in what you say and ensure you have been understood correctly. At the end of a communication you can reiterate your key points and if necessary outline responsibilities and actions. Also be sure to use language appropriate to the person with whom you are communicating. When speaking with young children keep key points to a minimum and ask them to repeat what you have said. Secondly, take time to listen to others and try to understand their point of view. Use active listening techniques to show that you are interested in what they are saying and respond appropriately. Also make sure that, if you tell someone you will get back to them, you do get back to them. This will help engender a sense of trust and respect. It is also essential that you show respect for the person with whom you are communicating. Remember their name and details of how they like to be addressed and issues which are personal to them. Recalling details of their lives adds to the feeling that you are genuinely interested in them and their welfare. When communicating be sure to acknowledge the individual. Accommodate any religious and cultural beliefs and show that you value these differences. Be considerate of the person’s situation trying to understand and accommodate any issues which may influence their feelings, actions and responses. Finally, remain positive and retain a sense of humour. Laughter is a good way to break the ice and relieve tension in a stressful situation. Explain how different social, professional and cultural contexts may affect relationships and the way people communicate 1. 3 There are several ways in which social, professional and cultural contexts may affect our relationships and the way we communicate. We must remember that communication is not just verbal and context will influence the way we act, what we wear, how we communicate and what we say. In a social setting our actions, language and dress may be less formal. If we have colleagues and parents from school as friends outside of school, then we might perhaps greet them with a hug and a wave. Our language might incorporate slang and jokes and conversation might be more generic and less serious. We might be more casual in our attire and the situation would suggest whether this is acceptable. For example, you would not be expected to attend a party wearing your best suit. The manner in which we communicate socially is also likely to be different from a professional setting. As well as telephone and face to face conversations we might also engage via text message, email and social media sites and we would be unlikely to write a letter to someone we might see daily. Communications might, for example, utilise text speak and jargon and not necessarily demand an immediate response if any at all. In a professional context you would be expected to act, speak and dress more formally. Your actions language and clothing should match the severity of the issue which you will address and show appropriate respect for the location and people with whom you are meeting. If participating in a parent/ teacher meeting at school for example the same people you greeted with a hug the night before would be better greeted with perhaps a handshake to highlight the position you hold in this scenario. Our language would be more formal and depending who was present we might try to eliminate jargon to ensure clarity and minimise misunderstandings. Similarly again our clothing would be more formal to identify the position we hold and show respect for those involved in any meeting. When contacting people professionally the use of social media sites would not be appropriate to discuss any matters relating to school, pupils or staff. Text messages might be appropriate to inform parents/carers of a school social event for example but to arrange a meeting or discuss an important matter it would be more appropriate to speak with a parent/carer or write a letter if the contact needs to be documented. When working with outside agencies email, for ease of use and speed, has become the standard form of communication but again when broaching a sensitive or important issue, a phone call or face to face meeting might be preferred. Emails can easily be misread which can lead to misunderstanding and conflict. When speaking we can use tone of voice to help ensure a point is understood correctly and face to face we can use body language in the same way. The timeframe in which we contact someone or reply to a communication can also affect relationships. When someone has taken the time to contact you they will expect a response to show that you value their contact and it should be made in the same manner or more personally. Responding to a phone call with an email, for example, could be seen as rude and deter future contact. Similarly, delaying a response could suggest that you do not value the input of the individual or consider them or their issue to be important and bring about the same result. Finally, we need to consider the cultural differences of those with whom we interact. Different cultures may also have different standards in terms of behaviour, dress, communication and contact. Actions could be misinterpreted and cause offence leading to the breakdown of a relationship. If you are meeting with someone from a different culture it may be worth doing some research and asking their preferred form of contact etc. to show that you value their beliefs. However, whilst it may be detrimental not to account for cultural differences you could see the same consequences if you assume differences because of background or race when actually there are none. What skills do you need to communicate with children and young people 2. 1 Communication is still a relatively new thing for children and young people and they may not be used to asking questions and holding conversations. One skill required to communicate effectively is giving children and young people opportunities to speak. As adults we are inclined to think that we know what children are thinking and feeling and try to tell them this or fill the gaps in their speech. Whilst we should continue to try and communicate with children as often as possible we should ensure it is a two-way conversation and not a one-way stream of instructions. We should remain patient and allow children time to organise their thoughts and formulate their sentences. When a child is relaxed and at ease they will be more forthcoming. Children may be shy and reluctant to say more than a few words if they feel you are not interested in what they have to say. Using positive body language we can encourage children to speak out. We should come down to the child’s level, face them and maintain eye contact. Remaining focussed on the child rather than continuing with another task will confirm your interest and appropriate facial expressions will show that you are listening and have understood what they are saying. Active listening is another key skill. Be interested and make appropriate responses whilst the child is speaking to confirm that you are really listening. Add to this by repeating back what the child has said to ensure your understanding is correct and by giving positive comments when they have finished. Asking open questions will extend the conversation giving the child more practice, boost the child’s confidence so they are encouraged to communicate more and model a real conversation for them to learn from. Finally, we must also ensure that communication is appropriate for the child or young person and be able to adapt the style we use. Depending on the age and ability of the child we may be able to simply converse or might need to incorporate visual support or play into the communication. We should not assume children and young people will not understand but instead make our communication clear, use vocabulary which is appropriate to their age and encourage questioning. Give a detailed explanation of how you adapt communication with children and young people for: 2. 2 aThe age of the child or young person When communicating with younger children you should try choose a setting which is familiar to the child and where they are more confident – their favourite area of the classroom for example. Get down to the level of the child perhaps sitting on the carpet and use body language to make them feel more comfortable – ensure you are facing the child, smile, nod, turn toward them, keep your arms open and remove any barriers between you. Younger children will require more reassurance and perhaps more physical contact. They may feel more confident holding your hand or sitting close together. Vocabulary should be kept simple and sentences short, broken down into easy steps. The same point may need to be repeated several times in different ways and it is helpful to provide examples based around their own experiences. If a child is very reluctant to communicate you may want to use puppets to speak through, include pictures or props to help them engage or perhaps incorporate your communication into a favourite game. The attention span of younger children is very short and you must also account for this. Monitor the length of time you spend together and include attention switches to maintain their interest: change your method of communication, switch speakers, move location, ask questions etc. Older children and young people will still need to feel comfortable in your company but are more independent and will require less reassurance and physical contact. They are more familiar with the school environment so will find it easier communicate in different settings but will more comfortable in a setting they have used before. Older children often view themselves as grown up and will appreciate being treated accordingly. Positive body language will still be beneficial in encouraging a child to speak but it will no longer be necessary to sit on the floor. Language and vocabulary should be more mature and sentences can be more complex. It may also not be necessary to repeat a point so often unless it is something new and above that person’s ability level. Examples can be drawn from a variety of sources as their experiences are wider and additional materials should be more sophisticated such as written texts or †you tube† clips. Older children are more aware of themselves and can be easily embarrassed. They will benefit from confidence boosting reminders of how well they are progressing and positive re-enforcement. They will, however, withdraw and react negatively if patronised, preferring to be treated with respect and spoken to honestly. With age attention span also increases so it is still necessary to include attention switches to maintain focus but not as frequently. bthe context of the communication We will encounter children in a variety of situations at school and it will be necessary to adapt our communication accordingly. Primarily our contact will be made inside school during a learning activity. In this case we need to remain quite formal, be directive and model the behaviour we require through our own actions. Ground rules should be laid down in clear, concise Instructions and the learning objectives highlighted to ensure all children fully understand what we expect and are trying to achieve from the lesson. There will be other children in the same area working on separate activities so we need to make our lesson interesting to retain the attention of our group but not distract the others. We can do this through tone of voice, choice of vocabulary and supplementary resources but must be wary not to overexcite the group because of the other learners present. If your activity is away from other learners then it may be possible to incorporate physical activity and allow greater expression. Distractions will be plentiful and we will need to encourage and focus our learners through positive re-enforcement and challenges. If appropriate to the task we should encourage discussion through questioning but keep discussion restricted to the subject at hand. In a more social setting, for example the playground, we can be less formal and more relaxed in our approach. This would be reflected in our body language, tone of voice and vocabulary. These times can be used as opportunities to build relationships and get to know the children better. Children can be encouraged to discuss outside interests and we might share our own experiences to help form a bond. Whilst it may be necessary to give little reminders of school rules to avoid bad behaviour it should not be necessary to outline them in full and they can be made in a more playful and conspiratorial manner – a helpful friend rather than a figure of authority. Although conversation might be more light hearted we must still remember to maintain the relationship of teacher and pupil. A school trip, however, is a more social event, but still a learning activity and the degree of formality should remain on a similar level to the classroom. The formality of the pupil teacher relationship should remain so the children understand that you â€Å"are in charge†. Children will need to be reminded often of their objectives but communication might be more light hearted and children allowed to speak more freely, discussing outside interests highlighted by the current situation. Outside the school environment they will be excited and more forgetful of their code of conduct. It will not always be possible to speak with the whole group when on a trip so we should communicate through our own behaviour, modelling what we expect from the children: remaining focussed, respectful, and responsible.

Activist Reflector Theorist And Pragmatist

Activist Reflector Theorist And Pragmatist Activists engage oneself totally without unfairness in fresh ideals. It makes them passionate concerning everything new. Whiles Theorists adjust and incorporate observe into difficult however reasonably theories. They choose to be perfectionists who will not take it easy until stuff are organised moreover Pragmatists are eager on experimenting ideas, skills and theories to see if that work in practice. They completely look out for new ideas and acquire the first chance toward testing applications. Lastly Reflectors are fond of reserved to deliberate on experiences and examine them from numerous perspectives. They gather information first hand and like to reflect about it carefully prior to conclusion Honey and Mumford (1982). Furthermore, (Smith, 2003) indicates that, majority of people have a preference in relating to participating in, taking in and processing report to permit individuals to learn. People take on diverse learning styles where best allows people to learn more excellent way. So far, there has been a huge test with the aim to change a persons learning style (Sprenger, 2003). Conversely, students and a lot of professionals note down that, learning achieved from practical experience is more meaningful and relevant than that acquired in the lecture room (Quinn 2000). Making certain that, any student that has a good learning outcome, it is imperative that the learning setting is sensibly, competently, and sensitively helpful to everyone learning within it. Clarke et al. (2003) remarks that, nursing training adds high price on knowledge in the clinical environment; the quality of these clinical setting has a considerable influence on learning process for student nursing. Honey and Mumford (1992) talks about four different learning styles; they portray learners as activists, pragmatists, theorists and reflectors. They added that, though lots of individual had two or more learning styles they may also had a one style preference. To guarantee myself a good learning experience on placement, it was essential for me as student nurse to be conscious about all preferred learning style as practice training is crucial element of nursing program. During placement, in discussion with my mentor, it was established that she preferred a more practical experience therefore she favoured a pragmatist approach to learning. I therefore incorporated her preferred learning style into my planned as a student nurse. Morton-Cooper and Palmer (2000) support that though, in placement the mentor acts as a teacher, it is required for a student nurse to mature into the progress of their learning needs. However to the results of the Honey and Mumford learning style questionnaire, I agree to a high reflector mindset. I consent with the greater part of the report of a reflector, which totally describes me. A Reflector is a careful person who prefers to take a back seat in group discussions (Honey and Mumford, 1992). Being less assertive and tending to hold back from participation, I believe that I will work well and learn more efficiently if play around an activist, as one would be able to encourage me to tackle situations via a more straight out approach. This would enhance my participation in group activities and discussions. According to the result of my learning style questionnaire, Honey and Mumford (1992) test says, I am a very attentive person, as this is one of the potentials of a reflector. I totally consent along this because I constantly akin to pay attention to each person in the group attentively. The opportunity of gaining from diverse viewpoint and different angles has help with my findings. Nonetheless, a likely weakness that I have found within me as a reflector is that, I take too long in doing certain duties. For instance, all through my previous assignment, I spent lengthy time to finish it, because my preparation stage took me a long to get ready. I used up a long time in searching for ideas prior to starting my assignment, this may be due to me, being extra careful on how am going to write this assignment. Even though, this brings out my careful mindset, I do not have the same opinion with the report that someone who is reflector does not take risks. I sometimes like to tread out of my ease to experience new things I have never done before to expand my knowledge. For instance, I chose to leave my home and common environment in London to study in Hertfordshire. Kenworthy and Nicklin (2000) comments, the more relaxed and secure a student feels inside the surroundings, there is expectation that successful learning will take place and the student will be encourage towards learning. Moreover, prior to starting this programme for a student nurse, it is essential to know that, at present we have diverse learning theories and styles to think about. Reece and Walker 2003) utter that there has been write down concerning the means in which people learn and many theories on the ways of effectively learning. The talk was that, the key theories are Behaviorism, Cognitive and Humanism. Regarding, the Behaviorism theory, the learning surroundings is essential to knowledge, and if this surroundings is accurate, learning comes as links are done among incentive, reaction and support (Quinn, 2000a). The Cognitive theory indicate learning like an internal procedure that include high order rational actions like remembrance, thoughts, analytic, insight and way of thinking. (Hand 2006). With Humanistic learning theory (Maslow 1968) is based on the faith that human own two basic desires, a call for growth and a call for positive view through others. It also shows as the most holist ic approach because it is interested in the way in which it compel and inspire of a person to learn. (Reece and Walker 2003) support that these theories too relay on largely on the pressure of the surroundings that might hold back or assist the learning path. In addition, it is vital for me to enhance my learning skill as a reflector. I have planned a number of ways to use prior to, through, and following lectures to help me succeed in this programme. As my weaker style is activist, the initial part of my plan is to create opportunities to initiate and to participate and have have fun in group discussion in class. These give me a head up as to situation that will possibly require action without planning in the lectures. (Heath 2001) support that, discovery of learning strategies in union with person learner preferences is key action in keeping and developing the value of learning programme. The improved potential learning opportunity and result gain from such discovery might have a supportive impact on student nurse. Moreover, when I realise my preferred learning style and the teaching style of my mentor in practice is different. I work out an action plan to support myself and to go on to succeed on this programme, I have to support my weaker style to get used to classroom environment by accepting my preferred learning style, though I am Reflector learner. Nevertheless, research establishes that, growing variety of tuition means used have not been connected with an enhancement knowledge result. However, the truth is that, throughout developing studentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ understanding of their individual learning style, student are enhanced to take charge for their own learning, which improved their learning results (Fritz 2002) Upon reflection, I think learning styles assist me to recognise myself and allow me to identify how to develop myself. With the assessment outcome, I discern and know myself better and have learned from different learning styles. This has thought me why understanding of learning styles is useful to me as a student nurse. Nursing practice Reflects has been positive as the 1980à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s (Jasper 2003). (Johns 1995) indicate the practice of reflection can be use to evaluate, realisation and study through our live experience. (Jasper 2003) too support that reflective practice is another means you can gain knowledge from experience. In terms of training for healthcare professions, it is identified as a fundamental instrument intended for students to build the relations connecting theory and practice. As a student nurse, it is important for me to realise the worth of reflecting upon my experiences in learning to enhance my prospect learning. In a nut shell, all the way through this module, I boast of higher comprehension and important consciousness of different learning styles. I have been confident towards my own prefer learning style; hence enable me toward completely support myself in my weaker style. Understanding learning styles has undoubtedly revealed the force that it can have on me as student nurse. I currently believe that, I am more prepared to incorporate my preferred learning styles into practice. Since this will be real a huge profit to my prospect profession.

Essay --

In the last 40 years, media influence has grown fast with the today`s advance technology. First there was a radio, then a newspapers, magazines, television and now there is a radical type of connection which has revolutionized the whole world that is the internet. Media is a way for the members of the society to keep themselves informed about what is happening and/or what will happen all around the world while they are staying at home, work or even on a vacation. It is also can be considered as one of the major source of entertainment. Media technology and communication is necessary in our day to day activities, playing major role in our lives such as education, migrant, personal relationship, job expansion, marketing of new products and services etc. internet has given us a lot of confidence on those media tools which have kept us close to and up to date to what is happenings around the world such as entertainment, educational activities, world wide political issue, global news, foreign market activities. It has proven studies and research that the media significant negative impact on our daily lives, especially young people under the age of 18 by watching movies and games violence. Until the mid of the last century most adolescents spend their free time together with adults so most of their behaviour and activities of this social group are to be monitored by the adult surrounding them. so teenager get the abilities they need in society to get well-integrated. Until that time parents, brothers, sisters and relatives were the most important examples for adolescents and children. After the developing of technology mostly everything has been changed this had effects on the social behavior and relationships of young people. The ... ...hough media is linked with spreading fake news. Also strengthen public relations with the young generation and continuous communication and exchange of ideas and opinions, including, for example, communicate via messages, pictures, or Videos through the Internet using some programs such as facebook or Twitter. Media nowadays is influencing all people almost every hour of everyday. It is an unbelievably strong force that has very few limitations. The force of media is changing the way we live our life, it seems that no one can go a whole day without knowing what exactly is going on around the world. Like it or not, media is more influential than the President and will continue to be until the world is changed. Indeed there is a negative effect of media as much as its positive one but its all depends on you and how you want it to affect you and the people around you. Essay -- In the last 40 years, media influence has grown fast with the today`s advance technology. First there was a radio, then a newspapers, magazines, television and now there is a radical type of connection which has revolutionized the whole world that is the internet. Media is a way for the members of the society to keep themselves informed about what is happening and/or what will happen all around the world while they are staying at home, work or even on a vacation. It is also can be considered as one of the major source of entertainment. Media technology and communication is necessary in our day to day activities, playing major role in our lives such as education, migrant, personal relationship, job expansion, marketing of new products and services etc. internet has given us a lot of confidence on those media tools which have kept us close to and up to date to what is happenings around the world such as entertainment, educational activities, world wide political issue, global news, foreign market activities. It has proven studies and research that the media significant negative impact on our daily lives, especially young people under the age of 18 by watching movies and games violence. Until the mid of the last century most adolescents spend their free time together with adults so most of their behaviour and activities of this social group are to be monitored by the adult surrounding them. so teenager get the abilities they need in society to get well-integrated. Until that time parents, brothers, sisters and relatives were the most important examples for adolescents and children. After the developing of technology mostly everything has been changed this had effects on the social behavior and relationships of young people. The ... ...hough media is linked with spreading fake news. Also strengthen public relations with the young generation and continuous communication and exchange of ideas and opinions, including, for example, communicate via messages, pictures, or Videos through the Internet using some programs such as facebook or Twitter. Media nowadays is influencing all people almost every hour of everyday. It is an unbelievably strong force that has very few limitations. The force of media is changing the way we live our life, it seems that no one can go a whole day without knowing what exactly is going on around the world. Like it or not, media is more influential than the President and will continue to be until the world is changed. Indeed there is a negative effect of media as much as its positive one but its all depends on you and how you want it to affect you and the people around you.

Commanding Lady Fortune: Machiavelli’s Theory of History Essay

Commanding Lady Fortune: Machiavelli’s Theory of History Machiavelli opens his Discourses on Livy by declaring that what will follow will be entirely revolutionary—â€Å"a path yet untrodden by anyone†Ã¢â‚¬â€but then quickly backs down from such assertions, shifting his focus away from his own efforts to the modern views of the ancients, and leaving the nature of this revolutionary undertaking ambiguous (Discourses, 5) . Indeed, the purpose of the whole work is repeatedly skirted in the preface. Machiavelli instead focuses on the distinction between the moderns and the ancients, mourning the superficial modern adoption of ancient ideas in art and law that lacks a deeper understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of ancient thought. He leaves us with only a vague description of his purpose in writing the Discourses—â€Å"so that those who read these statements of mine can more easily draw from them that utility for which one should seek knowledge of histories† (Discourses, 6). What the specific utility of history is, however, and what is so novel about his treatment of it, Machiavelli does not say. However, within the preface, and throughout his subsequent treatment of the idea of history in both the Discourses and The Prince, it becomes clear that he is indeed arguing something revolutionary through his use of history as a guide for politics. He chastises the moderns for â€Å"judging that imitation is not only difficult but impossible—as if heaven, sun, elements, men had varied in motion, order, and power from what they were in antiquity,† that is, for being deceived by Christianity into believing that its inception had fundamentally altered the nature of the world, and that a distinction between the ancients and the moderns is anything... ...lf than of the prince he has been hired to serve, meaning that, because Machiavelli also believes in a human nature that is at its foundation, deeply self-serving, a monarch can have no true advisors and is doomed to failure (Prince, 93). In a republic, however, men like Machiavelli are free to look out for their own good while charting a course for the state, as both goods are aligned (Discourses, 130). While the prince of a republic may himself only possess the second kind of mind and be unable by his nature to come to such a broad understanding of history and the causality of human events that Machiavelli has, it is enough that he has among his advisors such men as Machiavelli. Thus, ultimately, Machiavelli’s â€Å"yet untrodden path† turns out to be the creation of a method for government that is premised on the ability to master every kind of manifestation of fortune. Commanding Lady Fortune: Machiavelli’s Theory of History Essay Commanding Lady Fortune: Machiavelli’s Theory of History Machiavelli opens his Discourses on Livy by declaring that what will follow will be entirely revolutionary—â€Å"a path yet untrodden by anyone†Ã¢â‚¬â€but then quickly backs down from such assertions, shifting his focus away from his own efforts to the modern views of the ancients, and leaving the nature of this revolutionary undertaking ambiguous (Discourses, 5) . Indeed, the purpose of the whole work is repeatedly skirted in the preface. Machiavelli instead focuses on the distinction between the moderns and the ancients, mourning the superficial modern adoption of ancient ideas in art and law that lacks a deeper understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of ancient thought. He leaves us with only a vague description of his purpose in writing the Discourses—â€Å"so that those who read these statements of mine can more easily draw from them that utility for which one should seek knowledge of histories† (Discourses, 6). What the specific utility of history is, however, and what is so novel about his treatment of it, Machiavelli does not say. However, within the preface, and throughout his subsequent treatment of the idea of history in both the Discourses and The Prince, it becomes clear that he is indeed arguing something revolutionary through his use of history as a guide for politics. He chastises the moderns for â€Å"judging that imitation is not only difficult but impossible—as if heaven, sun, elements, men had varied in motion, order, and power from what they were in antiquity,† that is, for being deceived by Christianity into believing that its inception had fundamentally altered the nature of the world, and that a distinction between the ancients and the moderns is anything... ...lf than of the prince he has been hired to serve, meaning that, because Machiavelli also believes in a human nature that is at its foundation, deeply self-serving, a monarch can have no true advisors and is doomed to failure (Prince, 93). In a republic, however, men like Machiavelli are free to look out for their own good while charting a course for the state, as both goods are aligned (Discourses, 130). While the prince of a republic may himself only possess the second kind of mind and be unable by his nature to come to such a broad understanding of history and the causality of human events that Machiavelli has, it is enough that he has among his advisors such men as Machiavelli. Thus, ultimately, Machiavelli’s â€Å"yet untrodden path† turns out to be the creation of a method for government that is premised on the ability to master every kind of manifestation of fortune.

Deepak Chopra Essay -- Biographies Papers

Deepak Chopra Our Real Self Just by being ourselves we are borne toward a destiny far beyond anything we could imagine. It is enough to know that the being I nourish inside me is the same as the Being that suffuses every atom of the cosmos. When the two see each other as equals they will be equal, because then the same force that controls the galaxies will be upholding my individual existence ~Deepak Chopra Deepak Chopra was born in Poona India in 1947. He was the eldest son of Krishan Chopra, a prominent cardiologist. With his father being a doctor, Deepak Chopra was raised in the tradition of Western Medicine. His father considered the traditional ideas of Ayurveda to be pointless rituals and did not believe in raising his family in these ancient Hindu beliefs. Chopra wrote in his autobiography, â€Å"My father proudly practiced Western medicine and looked at his accomplishments as a personal triumph. He had every reason to think that modern India would be well off without the ignorant old ways. Ayurveda, being ‘unscientific’ to Western eyes, could join the other castoffs. It never occurred to me or my father that Ayurveda might be something great.† (Chopra 23) As a child Deepak’s father strongly pushed him towards pursuing a medical career. However, Deepak rejected his father’s urgings completely, wanting nothing to do with the field of medicine. He was more interested in soccer and cricket and saw himself becoming a journalist. Yet, as he reached adolescence his views began to change. At age sixteen, Deepak read Sinclair Lewis’s novel, Arrowsmith, which suddenly sparked in him a desire to follow in his father’s footsteps. He writes, â€Å"These words thrilled me. It had what... ...flin Company Gardner, H. (1993). Creating Minds. New York: Harper Collins Web Links: Barker, Jason. (2000) Deepak Chopra. http://www.watchman.org/profile/choprapro.htm Barrett, Stephen, M.D. A Few Thoughts on Ayuvedic Mumbo-Jumbo. http://www.quackwatch.com/04consumerEducation/chopra.html Carroll, Robert Todd. Ayurvedic Medicine and Deepak Chopra. http://www.skepdic.com/ayurvedic.html Hay, Veronica M. Deepak Chopra M.D. http://www.intouchmag.com/chopra.html http://www.howtoknowgod.com/about/author.asp Roderick, Daffyd, (2000) Hail Emperor. TIMEasia http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/interviews/int.chopra.html Scheinin, Richard (2001) Deepak Looks Deeper http://www.chopra.com/article.asp?program=general&id=7 Wheeler, Thomas, M.D.Deepak Chopra and Maharishi Ayurvedic Medicine. http://www.trancenet.org/chopra/news/ncahf.shtml

Role of Social Worker in Non-Profit Long Term Care

Several studies have highlighted the efficiency of profit-oriented organizations compared to non-profit organizations. In the nursing homes or long term care facility too, this is no exception, where the profit driven homes are seen to be technically and economically efficient than the non- profit facilities. The operation of the non-profit homes is directed to ensuring that revenues and costs are relatively equal. The non-profit nursing homes, run by government, religious bodies and even by private philanthropic affiliations are not seriously classified for their performance and quality, and are largely categorized together (Knox, Blankmeyer and Stutzman).Research done into staffing levels of profit and non-profit nursing homes however, show that nursing homes in the non-profit sector have higher staffing levels, compared to profit oriented nursing organizations. Literature on nursing homes in the US show that non-profit care facilities have higher number of direct care staff and lo wer staff turnover rates. It should be noted here that the majority of nursing homes in the US are profit oriented while in Canada, the majority are non-profit care homes (Margaret J et al., 2005).Social workers in health care have addressed the problems and situations associated with illnesses, seeing things in the bigger perspective, while also addressing the immediate concerns. The largest area of focus in social work is perhaps in the health field. Social workers have performed their expected or required roles, and have also raised awareness among other health care professionals to look beyond disease or ailment of the patient; into the psychological and social aspects of the ailment and its treatment (Dhooper, 1997).The responsibilities associated with social work in long-term nursing homes  include tasks with patients and their families, both within and outside the hospital. Most social workers in hospitals are responsible for functions like high risk screening, social and p sychological assessments, coordinated patient care, discharge planning and follow up.In long term care facilities, the social worker is required to be aware of the traditional and non traditional social work involvement and their roles, and appropriately examine the most suitable application. The social workers review the evidence base systematically and accordingly develop protocols and recommendations for practice. They encourage academic and practice partnerships and try to identify similar areas of concern, with their medical colleagues.The social workers perform several roles, even beyond that expected of a social service worker. However there is no formal profile of the tasks associated with social worker in nursing home care. The law and regulatory governing are restricted to finding out the presence and absence of the social worker. There is no certification or recognition process to evaluate the contributions of the social worker particularly in the non-profit nursing homes .An important aspect of social work in health setting is assessment, including psychosocial assessment. Client problems need to be assessed to begin treatment intervention, irrespective of the ailment or the people. Assessment helps in gathering, analyzing and evaluating relevant information based on which appropriate treatment strategies are implemented. Sometimes the social worker may be required to service at  homes of clients. Interviewing clients at home, particularly the elderly ones, offers an informal atmosphere and reinforces to the client that he or she is supported and is not left alone (Mellor and Solomon, 1996).Use of client’s first name, hugging, accepting a cup of tea are all part of a professional conduct of a social worker. The social worker is also sought to address psychosocial needs in nursing homes, to treat mental health problems. The social work provider’s perspective in diagnosing and treating anxiety, dementia and depression is considered nec essary. Through appropriate in-home interventions, social work providers even ascertain ineffective diagnosis and delivery of inappropriate care.   They address several issues with social relevance like relationship loss, adjustment to environment, terminal care etc.In the non-emergency nursing home admissions, social work personnel carry out the psychosocial assessment of the client during the initial contact. Based on this assessment, the level of required social work involvement, preparation of social work activity and discharge plans are finalized. This assessment also marks the beginning of the patient-social worker relationship. The social worker may at times be required to alert other physicians on existing psychosocial problems, which they should consider before medical interventions.Here the social worker must ensure that patient details or medical history are not breached or misused by anyone having access to it. Preadmission screenings by social workers can reduce unwan ted readmissions while also reducing the stay in nursing homes. Discharge planning may be involved with many ethical issues or even legal issues for the social worker. The social worker has a crucial role in sorting conflict between  patient expectations and nursing home obligations. When patients with very little hope of recovery or irreversible conditions are discharged, they and their families consider the nursing home to have abandoned them and experience a loss of hope. Here the social worker, attempts to change this perception by planning for the future through problem solving.The role of social worker in non-profit long term care is highly diverse from being a psychotherapist, social work consultant and a consultant on psychosocial issues. They assist client immensely in their transition to and from long-term care. They associate elders and families to community facilities and services through appropriate brokering, cause and needs advocacy.They help in planning long-term c are with the client and their family and resolve issues in finance, legal and social requirements. In care planning, the social service provider needs to develop plans taking into consideration the arrangements and psychosocial support for older persons. The plans, particularly long term care plans must be accommodative of any physical or cognitive changes, as and when it arises.Social workers need to be wise to accept and respect the fact that clients, particularly older clients in long-term care have the right to choose or decide on matters pertaining to their treatment (Vourlekis, et. al, 2005). Social workers also need to be conscious of the ethical issues arising in their work with older clients.Long term care is not just restricted to the caring of elderly people. Long term care can be associated with any age, like even with children having long term health implications.The services provided by social workers are very diverse and is associated with both, a health perspective a nd a social perspective. The quality of delivery for the health factor is judged based on technical aspects of care like treatment outcomes and evaluation of care process. The quality of social services provided is judged based on the opinion and perception of the users. In contrast to acute care which is associated to restoration of normal health, long term care is more associated in suppressing or preventing further decline in health condition or progress of disability (Gooloo, Wunderlich, Kohler, 2001). Sometime people would adapt to heir disabilities and adverse health conditions and may even begin to depend less on social or medical assistance for a considerably long period of time.The role of social worker in the non-profit long term care is immense and cannot be overlooked. They are involved in all aspects of patient care from assessment to discharge, apart from ensuring their social well being. Given the trend in modern medicine, where newer and sophisticated treatments incr ease life span, the population of elderly people has been increasing significantly, and more elderly people are likely to seek nursing care for various reasons. Also with newer diseases, associated with developing life styles, food habits, and environment; people are likely to seek more medical intervention for unconventional diseases. Therefore people across all ages and backgrounds seeking medical intervention would have more social implications and social relevance, relying more on the social worker to deliver.REFERENCESKnox K.J., Blankmeyer E.C and Stutzman J.R., (2006) Comparative Performance and Quality among Nonprofit Nursing Facilities in Texas, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. Sage Publications [Electronic Version] downloaded on 10th May 2008 from http://nvs.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/35/4/631Margaret J et al., (2005) Staffing levels in not-for-profit and for-profit long-term care facilities: Does type of ownership matter? Canadian Medical Association Journal, March 1 , 2005 [Electronic Version] downloaded on 10th May 2008 from http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/172/5/645 Vourlekis B, Zlotnik J.L, Simons K., (2005) Institute for the advancement of Social Work Research, Evaluating Social Work Services in Nursing Homes: Toward Quality Psychosocial Care [Electronic Version] downloaded on 11th May 2008 from http://www.charityadvantage.com/iaswr/IASWRNursingHome.pdf Dhooper S.S., (1997) Social Work in Health Care in the 21st Century. Sage Publications, London Mellor J and Solomon R., (1996) Geriatric Social Work Education Haworth Press. Gooloo S, Wunderlich, Kohler P.O., (Eds) (2001) Improving the Quality of Long-term Care, National Academies Press Role of Social Worker in Non-Profit Long Term Care Several studies have highlighted the efficiency of profit-oriented organizations compared to non-profit organizations. In the nursing homes or long term care facility too, this is no exception, where the profit driven homes are seen to be technically and economically efficient than the non- profit facilities. The operation of the non-profit homes is directed to ensuring that revenues and costs are relatively equal. The non-profit nursing homes, run by government, religious bodies and even by private philanthropic affiliations are not seriously classified for their performance and quality, and are largely categorized together (Knox, Blankmeyer and Stutzman).Research done into staffing levels of profit and non-profit nursing homes however, show that nursing homes in the non-profit sector have higher staffing levels, compared to profit oriented nursing organizations. Literature on nursing homes in the US show that non-profit care facilities have higher number of direct care staff and lo wer staff turnover rates. It should be noted here that the majority of nursing homes in the US are profit oriented while in Canada, the majority are non-profit care homes (Margaret J et al., 2005).Social workers in health care have addressed the problems and situations associated with illnesses, seeing things in the bigger perspective, while also addressing the immediate concerns. The largest area of focus in social work is perhaps in the health field. Social workers have performed their expected or required roles, and have also raised awareness among other health care professionals to look beyond disease or ailment of the patient; into the psychological and social aspects of the ailment and its treatment (Dhooper, 1997). The responsibilities associated with social work in long-term nursing homes  include tasks with patients and their families, both within and outside the hospital. Most social workers in hospitals are responsible for functions like high risk screening, social and psychological assessments, coordinated patient care, discharge planning and follow up.In long term care facilities, the social worker is required to be aware of the traditional and non traditional social work involvement and their roles, and appropriately examine the most suitable application. The social workers review the evidence base systematically and accordingly develop protocols and recommendations for practice. They encourage academic and practice partnerships and try to identify similar areas of concern, with their medical colleagues. The social workers perform several roles, even beyond that expected of a social service worker. However there is no formal profile of the tasks associated with social worker in nursing home care. The law and regulatory governing are restricted to finding out the presence and absence of the social worker. There is no certification or recognition process to evaluate the contributions of the social worker particularly in the non-profit nursing hom es.An important aspect of social work in health setting is assessment, including psychosocial assessment. Client problems need to be assessed to begin treatment intervention, irrespective of the ailment or the people. Assessment helps in gathering, analyzing and evaluating relevant information based on which appropriate treatment strategies are implemented. Sometimes the social worker may be required to service at  homes of clients. Interviewing clients at home, particularly the elderly ones, offers an informal atmosphere and reinforces to the client that he or she is supported and is not left alone (Mellor and Solomon, 1996).Use of client’s first name, hugging, accepting a cup of tea are all part of a professional conduct of a social worker. The social worker is also sought to address psychosocial needs in nursing homes, to treat mental health problems. The social work provider’s perspective in diagnosing and treating anxiety, dementia and depression is considered n ecessary. Through appropriate in-home interventions, social work providers even ascertain ineffective diagnosis and delivery of inappropriate care.   They address several issues with social relevance like relationship loss, adjustment to environment, terminal care etc.In the non-emergency nursing home admissions, social work personnel carry out the psychosocial assessment of the client during the initial contact. Based on this assessment, the level of required social work involvement, preparation of social work activity and discharge plans are finalized. This assessment also marks the beginning of the patient-social worker relationship.The social worker may at times be required to alert other physicians on existing psychosocial problems, which they should consider before medical interventions. Here the social worker must ensure that patient details or medical history are not breached or misused by anyone having access to it. Preadmission screenings by social workers can reduce unw anted readmissions while also reducing the stay in nursing homes. Discharge planning may be involved with many ethical issues or even legal issues for the social worker. The social worker has a crucial role in sorting conflict between  patient expectations and nursing home obligations. When patients with very little hope of recovery or irreversible conditions are discharged, they and their families consider the nursing home to have abandoned them and experience a loss of hope. Here the social worker, attempts to change this perception by planning for the future through problem solving.The role of social worker in non-profit long term care is highly diverse from being a psychotherapist, social work consultant and a consultant on psychosocial issues. They assist client immensely in their transition to and from long-term care. They associate elders and families to community facilities and services through appropriate brokering, cause and needs advocacy. They help in planning long-ter m care with the client and their family and resolve issues in finance, legal and social requirements.In care planning, the social service provider needs to develop plans taking into consideration the arrangements and psychosocial support for older persons. The plans, particularly long term care plans must be accommodative of any physical or cognitive changes, as and when it arises. Social workers need to be wise to accept and respect the fact that clients, particularly older clients in long-term care have the right to choose or decide on matters pertaining to their treatment (Vourlekis, et. al, 2005). Social workers also need to be conscious of the ethical issues arising in their work with older clients.Long term care is not just restricted to the caring of elderly people. Long term care can be associated with any age, like even with children having long term health implications.The services provided by social workers are very diverse and is associated with both, a health perspectiv e and a social perspective. The quality of delivery for the health factor is judged based on technical aspects of care like treatment outcomes and evaluation of care process. The quality of social services provided is judged based on the opinion and perception of the users. In contrast to acute care which is associated to restoration of normal health, long term care is more associated in suppressing or preventing further decline in health condition or progress of disability (Gooloo, Wunderlich, Kohler, 2001). Sometime people would adapt to heir disabilities and adverse health conditions and may even begin to depend less on social or medical assistance for a considerably long period of time.The role of social worker in the non-profit long term care is immense and cannot be overlooked. They are involved in all aspects of patient care from assessment to discharge, apart from ensuring their social well being. Given the trend in modern medicine, where newer and sophisticated treatments i ncrease life span, the population of elderly people has been increasing significantly, and more elderly people are likely to seek nursing care for various reasons. Also with newer diseases, associated with developing life styles, food habits, and environment; people are likely to seek more medical intervention for unconventional diseases. Therefore people across all ages and backgrounds seeking medical intervention would have more social implications and social relevance, relying more on the social worker to deliver.REFERENCESKnox K.J., Blankmeyer E.C and Stutzman J.R., (2006) Comparative Performance and Quality among Nonprofit Nursing Facilities in Texas, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. Sage Publications [Electronic Version] downloaded on 10th May 2008 from http://nvs.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/35/4/631Margaret J et al., (2005) Staffing levels in not-for-profit and for-profit long-term care facilities: Does type of ownership matter? Canadian Medical Association Journal, Marc h 1, 2005 [Electronic Version] downloaded on 10th May 2008 from http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/172/5/645 Vourlekis B, Zlotnik J.L, Simons K., (2005) Institute for the advancement of Social Work Research, Evaluating Social Work Services in Nursing Homes: Toward Quality Psychosocial Care [Electronic Version] downloaded on 11th May 2008 from http://www.charityadvantage.com/iaswr/IASWRNursingHome.pdf Dhooper S.S., (1997) Social Work in Health Care in the 21st Century. Sage Publications, London Mellor J and Solomon R., (1996) Geriatric Social Work Education Haworth Press. Gooloo S, Wunderlich, Kohler P.O., (Eds) (2001) Improving the Quality of Long-term Care, National Academies Press