Nursing home for aging Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing home for aging - Essay Example Research indicates that more than 1.000 million people at the age of 60 or more will comprise of the total world population whereas approximately 700 million old individuals will be living in the developing countries by 2020 (Ayranci, 2005). This shows that there would be a significant change in lifestyle of people in the near future which will subsequently increase health care issues, family responsibilities of young individuals and the overall social set up. Furthermore, meeting the health care needs of the older generation will become a greater challenge (Ayranci, 2005). These problems can be met through facilitating nursing homes for aging at the government level. Based on ethical standards and traditional family systems it can be argued that nursing homes aren’t the right choice for aging persons fundamentally because they create distance between elderly and young while also transforming an individual in to an irresponsible and egotistic being. However, on the other hand old individuals who are particularly diagnosed with fatal or transferable diseases can be treated and cared more conveniently in nursing homes. This actually relates to careful assessment of an old person, safety factors, health care practices and interventions required to counter with the disease. Since nurses are trained to deal with aging people therefore these patients are usually shifted to nursing homes to get benefitted by the professional health care practitioners. Mobility and Portability: Nursing homes’ quality standards are mostly judged on the basis of technotherapeutic interventions that they have. In addition to this, they also need to develop freestanding clinics, significant nonhospital settings and the ambulatory care centers. Evidence-based Practice: It is one of the most common and widely acknowledged concepts of nursing care primarily because it is helpful in

The Google Book Settlement Essay Example for Free

The Google Book Settlement Essay In this economic slump, the book industry is actually holding up, when compared to other business that have suffered deeply. In the face of adversity there is a business that has emerged and is taking over the digital book market. This company is not Microsoft, or Amazon. In fact the giants are actually against the entity that created a monopoly in this area. In 2002 Google began a project to scan all books in libraries by making parts of them digitally available online through their servers, all the while benefiting from ads displayed through the book searches. The project plan had two parts: ?Under Partner Program: Google was given permission by publishers to scan their books and make parts available. ?Under the Library Project: Google planned to scan millions of books from universities and public libraries (Laudon, Traver, 2009). However, Google did not contact the publisher or pay a royalty fee, which is when the controversy began! In 2005, players in the publishing industry filed lawsuits at the program claiming copyright infringement. Google however, claimed they were operating fairly under the â€Å"fair use† doctrine codified in the Copyright Act in 1976. (Copying/lending of books has been fair since 1930’s) (Laudon, Traver, 2009). In 2008, Google came to a settlement over the lawsuit with authors and publishers. They would pay cash and give other accommodations to the parties accusing them of copyright infringement. In return, they would retain non-exclusive right to sell books, place ads, and make other uses of their scanned book database. Google then gave the publishing industry a chance to OPT-OUT, and basically were acting untouchable. Some prestigious universities backed Google’s projects but they soon found heavy opposition from  high- tech companies, authors, publishers, congress, department of justice, and some librarians. WORKSHOP 4; GOOGLE LIBRARY PROGRAM 3 In 2009, Google’s book settlement continues to be a controversial topic. Many companies returned to dispute the settlement, including privacy protection groups. Then the Justice Department began to investigate the antitrust issues of the settlement. Google’s library project has come about and is saying â€Å"Stop us if you can†! In the following paper I will discuss the issues at hand and attempt to give some concrete solution and alternatives. In looking at the situation, there tends to be quite a few unanswered questions. So let us look at it together and form or own solutions. Harm and solution The two main groups who are harmed by Googles Library program are book publishing companies and the authors of the books. The reason Googles program is harmful to both these entities is due to the fact that their copyrighted material is being made available to the public for access free of charge (Laudon, Traver, 2009).. The clear solution would be for Google to give monetary compensation to the book publishing companies; they could then pass on the earnings  to their authors. A reasonable payment structure would have to be worked out between Google and the publishers of the copyrighted books being indexed. Google pursuit and advantage Google will claim to provide public service to millions by giving access to â€Å"all Worlds’ information†. Simultaneously, can help publishers sell books. Obviously they have financial incentives to receive money from ads and the sale of digital books. Establishing a global digital reliance on the Google search engine, in this way Google will be able to divert money and gain attention for the information it provides to the public. Librarian support WORKSHOP 4; GOOGLE LIBRARY PROGRAM 4 A librarian who believes in the availability and free exchange of information should be in full support of Googles Print Library program, as the model is similar to that of a public library. Googles Library allows users to access a complete list of books. However on the other side of the coin Googles Library may pose a threat to the existence of conservative libraries as it would have an inexpensive edge over a physical library due to its limitlessness and convenience? Googles book database could potentially make many libraries obsolete (Laudon, Traver, 2009). Opposition and Support The reason Amazon, Yahoo, Microsoft and others oppose Google‘s library program is because Google will be able to invade the readers privacy, this means they would be able to track every e-book accessed and read. This program would have exclusive rights to sell books that are no longer in print, that are still under copyright, this would be millions of books (Laudon, Traver, 2009), and at the end of the day Google would have too much power. However, Sony is standing behind Google because their potential gain due the fact that they produce a series of electronic book downloader’s named the â€Å"Reader†. One of the products the company markets and sells is the â€Å"Reader,† a family of electronic book or â€Å"e-book† readers that allow users to download and read electronic copies of books on a hand-held device. In Sony Electronics’ view, the cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship the Settlement forges between Google and the copyright holders in the proposed class may have a profoundly positive impact on the market for e-book readers and related devices. For this reason, Sony Electronics believes the Settlement should be approved (Singel, 2009 pp. 7). Will Google be a de facto Monopoly? WORKSHOP 4; GOOGLE LIBRARY PROGRAM 5 The settlement allows Google to sell copies of works that no other organization in the U. S. can sell: so-called orphaned works where the original copyright holder cannot be located because, for instance, they went out of business, of poor record-keeping or mergers. This could eventually constitute the bulk of Google Books. As Fraser puts it, No other firm has ever been able to legally copy orphan works (Mims, 2010 pp. 4). So, in this way Google can and will become a monopoly of the money and power, that  Google has and will build upon. Google has deep, deep pockets (Laudon, Traver, 2009). Conclusion In summary, with Google leading the charge and has the resources to create such a useful program. And yet, Google is stepping on so many toes and big ones at that, but still not has big as their own. Google will gain a dominant control over the digital book world, creating a program that no one can compete with. This will be because no one can match the excessive costs that Google is undertaking. So, again you can see where Google says â€Å"Stop us if you can! † (Laudon, Traver, 2009). No one has been able to as of yet. References WORKSHOP 4; GOOGLE LIBRARY PROGRAM 6 Laudon, K. C. , Traver, C. G. (2009). E-commerce business, technology, society 2012. (8 ed. ). Upper Saddle River, N. J. : Pearson Mims, C. (2010, October 18). Why there can never be a competitor to google books. Retrieved June 20, 2012 from http://technoloyreview. com/view/421247/why-there-can-never-be-a- competitor-to-google Singel, R. (2009, August 09). Sony sides with google in library of future settlement. Retrieved June 18, 2012 from http://www. wired. com/business/2009/08/sony-google-book/.

Brave New World and Frankenstein - Conflicts Between Scientific Knowledge and Social Responsibilit :: Frankenstein Essays

Brave New World and Frankenstein - Conflicts Between Scientific Knowledge and Social Responsibility Letter From the Savage ( Brave New World) to Victor Frankenstein ( Frankenstein) Dear Dr. Victor Frankenstein, Your response to my last letter was very prompt. As you know, ever since I set foot into this brave new world, my life has been a disaster. The society of this new world saddens me. The people who occupy this land feel no passion towards anything wonderful or beautiful. There is nothing natural about them. All they feel passionate about is their filthy soma in which I have attempted to free them of its chains (Huxley 210). It was the same dreadful drug that poisoned the body and soul of my beloved mother (Huxley 211). This new world is the resultant the pursuit of scientific knowledge. The Ford conducted this experiment with the intentions of gaining a better understanding of science. Just as you made your dreadful creature, the Ford created something more hideous. I believe your intentions and the Ford’s intentions are pure and true, both of you never thought of the consequences. It is hard to believe that this world was created out of passion when none exists in this society. Frankenstein, your passion for your creation caused you to stay up day and night, but you never thought of the outcome. Your drive for grasping scientific knowledge made you create another human being without even thinking of the consequences. You released your creature out into a world it was not familiar with and it caused havoc in your life. If you were more responsible in your actions, your creature would not have caused such destruction in your life. The creature does not understand the society in wh ich you live. The creation of your creature was science itself, but the passion behind it was found in your drive for mastering life. The intention of understanding life was lost in the uncontrollable obsession you had with creating another human being. This hideous new world was the outcome of an experiment of science. The creation of this dispassionate world was the result of the Ford’s pursuit in scientific knowledge. At this point the world has become unreal and has been corrupted. The values of these inhabitants and their morals are completely foreign to me.

Gram Staining and Distilled Water Essay

The purpose of this experiment was to learn how to properly perform a gram stain and to also understand how gram staining can help identify either gram-positive or gram-negative organisms in the laboratory. The materials needed for this experiment included: two microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas fluorescens) in a slant agar, an inoculating loop, a microscope slide, distilled water, a Bunsen burner, four dyes (crystal violet, Gram’s iodine, ethyl alcohol, and safranin), bibulous paper, and a dye tray. The method for this experiment was as follows: 1) Cleaned the microscope slide with both soap and water and then dried 2) Flamed the inoculating loop with the Bunsen burner and then applied two small drops of water to each side (horizontally) of the slide 3) Flamed the inoculating loop again, allowed it to cool, and obtained a small sample of the first organism 4) Mixed the organisms on the inoculating loop with one of the drops of the water on the slide and spread to a nickel-sized drop 5) Repeated steps 3 and 4 for the other organism using the second water drop on the slide 6) Allowed the samples to dry and then heat fixed both samples. Applied the crystal violet dye, let it soak for 20 seconds, and then washed the dye away with distilled water off into the dye tray 8) Applied the Gram’s iodine and let it soak for a minute 9) Washed it off with alcohol for 20 seconds (or until the dye stopped running), and then immediately washed with the distilled water 10) Applied the counter-stain, safranin, and let it soak for a minute. 11) Washed with distilled water after and gently blotted it dry with bibulous paper 12) Observed both microorganisms on slide under the microscope Two different results were observed under the microscope. The first one was purple colored cocci, and the picture of the slide is on the following page. The second one revealed pink-colored rods, and the image is on the page following the first microorganisms. The results of the experiment came out as expected. There didn’t seem to be any flaws in the experiment, since the colors were distinctly different. The purple cocci were identified as the Staphylococcus aureus. Because the violet dye penetrated the membrane and stained it, it was recognized as a gram-positive organism. The pink rods were Pseudomonas florescens. It was discovered to be a gram-negative organism because the organism didn’t stain from the crystal violet. Since everything was easily identifiable, the experiment seemed to have gone as planned.

Key Stakeholders of Sara Lee Company

Stakeholders are often considered the lifeline of a company. They share a common interest in the health and well being of a company and often support a company financially and morally. Within any organization key stakeholders include individuals and groups within the organization that have a ‘stake' in the well-being or overall success of the organization. Stakeholder's aim is to make sure a company deliver positive results and remain viable through its product and service offerings. Stakeholders often have much say in an organizations daily functioning. They may influence the products or services that a company offers and may influence programs or organizational systems. Key stakeholders at Sara Lee come primarily from within the company. They key players at Sara Lee include members of management and employees but also some external clients including suppliers. Other stakeholders that may share a vested interest in the company include community members, investors, internal and external customers and even board members. Each of these groups has a different ‘stake' in the company. For example a supplier group interested in the well being of the company include a group of roughly 5,000 farmers that provide coffee, banana, beans and vanilla to the company from Uganda (Sara Lee, 2005). These stakeholders will continue to profit as long as Sara Lee continues to do well and continues to utilize their services. Since Sara Lee's product market is so diverse and includes food, apparel and household brands (Singh, 2003) the company's stakeholder base is quite large. The multinational corporation has key stakeholders in many other countries across the globe including employees and managers in Europe possibly India in the near future. Joint ventures and acquisitions over time have also increased Sara Lee's stakeholder base to include representatives from companies partnering with Sara Lee such as Consolidated Grocers Corporation, Oxford Chemical Corporation, Adams-Mills Corporation, Nutri-Metics, and Hills Bros. and more (Singh, 2003). As Sara Lee continues to grow and acquire other companies its key stakeholder base will continue to grow. Other important members include board members and investors in the company, as well as the corporation's top managers including the CEO and COO of the company (Singh, 2003). As long as net sales continue to reach new heights, which they do, the company can rest assured that the majority of their stakeholder's interests will be met time and time again. Shareholders are also important stakeholders at Sara Lee (Singh, 2003). The company's shareholder base continues to grow as the company continues to expand into global markets. While internal stakeholders may help provide balance and insight into ongoing operations, external stakeholders including suppliers are equally important because they can information management of emerging challenges or trends within the industry that may have to be overcome. Organizations partnering with Sara Lee may also be considered stakeholders in the organization. The founder of the company Nathan Cummings is also a key stakeholder in the company that continually invests toward the companies continuing success and future (Singh, 2003). Even HP Corporation may be considered a key stakeholder in Sara Lee's success. HP Corporation currently supplies Sara Lee with services and support for more than 300 computer based systems and telecom networks (HP, 2005).

Free Essays on There Are No Children Here

There are no Children Here Alex Kotlowitz's book, There are no Children Here, deals with the subject of race, values, and community responsibility of the urban underclass. The American inner city deals with the issues such as violent crime and drug wars. With these two explosive issues, the neighborhood experiences the downward spiral of social separation, unemployment and welfare dependence. The lives of two black boys, Lafayette, 10 and Pharaoh, 7 are followed as they struggle to grow up in one of Chicago's worst housing projects. Lafayette and Pharaoh are not any different than many of their neighbors. Their mother is welfare dependent. Their father is an alcoholic and drug abuser. In the home, there are other siblings, an older brother and sister along with younger triplets, just like so many other families in the area. Kotlowitz takes you into an offensively maintained housing project infested with gangs, where murders and shootings are an everyday thing. The image of the devastation and the despair of no hope of the people living inside the project are vivid. One can truly sense the hopefulness, grasping the loss of family and ardently desire a new life for the boys. You hold out hope that things will work out for the boys. In America's minefield of urban life, Lafayette and Pharaoh are surrounded by violence and poverty through their lives. The neighborhood had no banks, no public libraries, no movie theatres, no skating rinks, or bowling allies. The lack of respectable businesses only contributes to the demise of the neighborhood and unemployment in the area. With the drug lords keeping shop in an abandoned building, drug abuse is rampant and shooting is common. There were no drug rehabilitation programs or centers to help combat the problem. Police feared going into the ghetto for their own safety. There are no Children Here embraces Lafayette and Pharaoh over a two-year period in which they struggle with school, attemp... Free Essays on There Are No Children Here Free Essays on There Are No Children Here The subject matter of the book shows the conditions of poor people in the subsidized housing projects of Chicago, Illinois. The Riverses are members of a poor family. The family lives in Henry Horner Homes, a subsidized housing project in Chicago. The family relies on welfare and federal assistance for support. They cannot afford most luxuries and many necessities; therefore, life is an ongoing struggle to survive. Many adults and children reside in the family's household. These extra family members further strain the family's resources and cramp their living room in the family's apartment. LaJoe has eight children, all living in the apartment: LaShawn, Weasel, Terence, Lafayette, Pharoah, Tammie, Tiffany, and Timothy. LaShawn has three children: one of which is named DeShawn. Terence has three children also: one of which is nicknamed "Snuggles." Paul, LaJoe's ex-husband, stays with the family on occasion. Leila Mae, LaJoe's mother, sometimes stays with the family. Gangs control the buildings in the projects. Gang members hire residents of the buildings to store weapons and drugs in their apartments. Gang members sell drugs in the neighborhoods and attempt to obtain help selling drugs from small children. Some gangs break into apartments to steal from them and use them as safe havens against the police and other law enforcement agencies. Gangs have "turf wars" which result in gun battles which injure and kill many people, most of which are innocent bystanders. The buildings of the Chicago Housing Authority are in disrepair and mismanaged. The employees at the Chicago Housing Authority embezzle money from the budget. A review finds several employees guilty and they are fired. The buildings of the Chicago Housing Authority are in disrepair. Rusted appliances litter the basements. The heating coils in the buildings' furnaces are missing. The buildings have not been painted in many years. Some buildings have numerous bloodstains in them fro... Free Essays on There Are No Children Here There are no Children Here Alex Kotlowitz's book, There are no Children Here, deals with the subject of race, values, and community responsibility of the urban underclass. The American inner city deals with the issues such as violent crime and drug wars. With these two explosive issues, the neighborhood experiences the downward spiral of social separation, unemployment and welfare dependence. The lives of two black boys, Lafayette, 10 and Pharaoh, 7 are followed as they struggle to grow up in one of Chicago's worst housing projects. Lafayette and Pharaoh are not any different than many of their neighbors. Their mother is welfare dependent. Their father is an alcoholic and drug abuser. In the home, there are other siblings, an older brother and sister along with younger triplets, just like so many other families in the area. Kotlowitz takes you into an offensively maintained housing project infested with gangs, where murders and shootings are an everyday thing. The image of the devastation and the despair of no hope of the people living inside the project are vivid. One can truly sense the hopefulness, grasping the loss of family and ardently desire a new life for the boys. You hold out hope that things will work out for the boys. In America's minefield of urban life, Lafayette and Pharaoh are surrounded by violence and poverty through their lives. The neighborhood had no banks, no public libraries, no movie theatres, no skating rinks, or bowling allies. The lack of respectable businesses only contributes to the demise of the neighborhood and unemployment in the area. With the drug lords keeping shop in an abandoned building, drug abuse is rampant and shooting is common. There were no drug rehabilitation programs or centers to help combat the problem. Police feared going into the ghetto for their own safety. There are no Children Here embraces Lafayette and Pharaoh over a two-year period in which they struggle with school, attemp... Free Essays on There Are No Children Here As we are often clouded by our optimistic views of society and equality, we tend to assume that every child has an equal chance at growing up and achieving their own â€Å"American Dream.† We would all like to believe that children are growing up in equal environments that allow them to develop and succeed in life. However, these optimistic views are not at all realistic. Though we want to see equal opportunities for every child, the stark truth about poverty stricken housing projects is a matter that certainly exists. The idea of fairness we have made up in our minds is not often the case, and through Alex Kotlowitz’s There Are No Children Here, our eyes are opened to many of the harsh situations such as poverty, gangs, racism, and violence that children are forced to grow up in. Alex Kotlowitz attempts to expose the truths of poverty, race, and children throughout his literary works. He is widely known for his concerns for urban affairs and social issues in his writings in The Wall Street Journal. Kotlowitz grew up in New York City and worked as a community organizer in Atlanta in the mid-70’s. He graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut where he received two degrees. Before the start of his career with The Wall Street Journal he worked as a freelance journalist, contributing to â€Å"The MacNeil-Lebrer Newshour,† National Public Radio, and numerous magazines. In 1985 he was approached to write an essay for a Chicago magazine on the subject of children living in poverty. His first book, There Are No Children Here, came about from a series of articles he wrote for The Wall Street Journal. This book has received a number of awards including the Helen B. Bernstein Award for Excellence in Journalism, the Carl Sandburg A ward and a Christopher Award. His ability to accurately portray the children of the Chicago projects while still informing the reader’s heart has been recognized by many and earned the...

The Racial Wealth GapHistory and Current Trends

The Racial Wealth GapHistory and Current Trends The racial wealth gap refers to the substantial difference in the wealth held by white and Asian households in the U.S. compared with the vastly lower levels of wealth held by Black and Latino households. This gap is visible when looking at both average and median household wealth. Today, white households hold on average $656,000 in wealth- nearly seven times that of Latino households ($98,000) and about eight times as much as Black households ($85,000). The racial wealth gap has significant negative impacts on the quality of life and life chances of Black and Latino people. It is wealth- assets held independent of ones monthly income- that allow people to survive unexpected losses of income. Without wealth, a sudden loss of job or inability to work could lead to loss of housing and hunger. Not only that, wealth is necessary for investment in the future prospects of members of the household. It provides the ability to save for higher education and retirement and opens up access to educational resources that are wealth-dependent. For these reasons, many see the racial wealth gap as not just a financial issue, but an issue of social justice. Understanding the Growing Racial Wealth Gap In 2016, the Center for Equality and Diversity, together with the Institute for Policy Studies, released a landmark report that shows that the racial wealth gap grew considerably larger in the three decades between 1983 and 2013. The report, titled The Ever-Growing Gap, reveals that the average wealth of white households nearly doubled over that span of time, while the growth rate for Black and Latino households was far lower. Black households saw their average wealth increase from $67,000 in 1983 to $85,000 in 2013, which, at less than $20,000, is an increase of just 26 percent. Latino households did quite a bit better, with average wealth growing from just $58,000 to $98,000- a 69 percent increase- which means they came from behind to pass Black households. But during the same period, white households experienced a growth rate in average wealth of about 84 percent, climbing from $355,000 in 1983 to $656,000 in 2013. That means that white wealth grew at 1.2 times the rate of growth for that of Latino households, and  three times  as much as it did for Black households. According to the report, if these current racialized rates of growth continue, the wealth gap between white families and Black and Latino families- currently about $500,000- will double by 2043 to reach a staggering $1 million. In these conditions, white households would enjoy, on average, an increase in wealth of $18,000 per year, while that figure would be just $2,250 and $750 for Latino and Black households, respectively. At this rate, it would take Black families 228 years to reach the level of average wealth held by white families in 2013. How the Great Recession Impacted the Racial Wealth Gap Research shows that the racial wealth gap was exacerbated by the Great Recession. The report by CFED and IPS points out that, between 2007 and 2010, Black and Latino households lost three and four times more wealth than did white households. Data shows that this is largely due to the racially disproportionate impacts of the home mortgage foreclosure crisis, which saw Blacks and Latinos lose their home at far greater rates than did whites. Now, in the aftermath of the Great Recession, 71 percent of whites own their homes, but just 41 and 45 percent of Blacks and Latinos do, respectively. The Pew Research Center reported in 2014 that the disproportionate home loss experienced by Black and Latino families during the Great Recession led to unequal wealth recovery in the recessions aftermath. Analyzing the Federal Reserves Survey of Consumer Finances, Pew found that though the housing and financial market crises that fueled the Great Recession negatively impacted all people in the U.S., during the three years that followed the end of the recession, white households managed to recover  wealth, while Black and Latino households saw a significant  drop  in wealth during that time (measured as median net worth for each racial group). Between 2010 to 2013, during what is described as a period of economic recovery, white wealth grew by 2.4 percent, but Latino wealth fell by 14.3 percent and Black wealth fell by over a third. The Pew Report also points to another racialized disparity: that between the recovery of financial and housing markets. Because whites are much more likely to be invested in the stock market, they benefited from the recovery of that market. Meanwhile, it was Black and Latino homeowners who were disproportionately hurt by the home mortgage foreclosure crisis. Between 2007 and 2009, according to  a 2010 report from the Center for Responsible Lending, Black mortgage suffered the highest rate of foreclosure- nearly twice the rate of white borrowers. Latino borrowers were not far behind. Because property constitutes the majority of Black and Latino wealth, losing a home to foreclosure for those households resulted in a near-complete loss of wealth for most. Black and Latino homeownership continued to  decline, as did their household wealth, during the 2010-2013  period of  recovery. Per the Pew Report,  Federal Reserve  data shows that Black and Latino households also experienced a greater loss of income during the recovery period. The median income of racial minority households dropped by 9 percent during the recovery period, while that of white households fell by just one percent. So, in the aftermath of the Great Recession, white households have been able to replenish savings and assets, but those in minority households have not been able to do so. Systemic Racism Caused and Fuels the Growth of the Racial Wealth Gap Sociologically speaking, its important to recognize the socio-historical forces that placed Black and Latino homeowners in situations in which they were more likely than white borrowers to receive the kinds of predatory loans that caused the foreclosure crisis. Todays racial wealth gap can be traced all the way back to the enslavement of Africans and their descendants; the genocide of Native Americans and theft of their land and resources; and the enslavement of Indigenous Central and South Americans, and theft of their land and resources throughout the colonial and post-colonial periods. It was and is fueled by workplace discrimination and racial pay gaps and unequal access to education, among many other factors. So, throughout history, white people in the U.S. have been unjustly enriched by systemic racism while people of color have been unjustly impoverished by it. This unequal and unjust pattern continues today, and per the data, seems only destined to worsen unless race-consciou sness policies intervene to make change.

How to Get Into an Ivy League School

How to Get Into an Ivy League School If you are hoping to attend one of the Ivy League schools, youre going to need more than good grades. Seven of the eight Ivies made my list of the most selective colleges in the country, and acceptance rates range from 6% for Harvard University to 15% for Cornell University. Applicants who are admitted have earned excellent grades in challenging classes, demonstrated meaningful involvement in extracurricular activities, revealed leadership skills, and crafted winning essays. A successful Ivy League application is not the result of a little effort at application time. It is the culmination of years of hard work. The tips and strategies below can help make sure your Ivy League application is as strong as possible. Develop the Foundation for Ivy League Success Early The Ivy League universities (and all universities for that matter) will consider your accomplishments in 9th through 12th grades only. The admissions folks will not be interested in that literary award you got in 7th grade or the fact that you were on the varsity track team in 8th grade. That said, successful Ivy League applicants build the foundation for an impressive high school record long before high school. On the academic front, if you can get into an accelerated math track while in middle school, this will set you up to complete calculus before you graduate from high school. Also, start a foreign language as early as possible in your school district, and stick with it. This will put you on track to take an Advanced Placement language class in high school, or to take a dual enrollment language class through a local college. Strength in a foreign language  and completing math through calculus  are both important features of the majority of winning Ivy League applications. You can get admitted without these accomplishments, but your chances will be diminished. When it comes to extracurricular activities in middle school, use them to find your passion so that you begin ninth grade with focus and determination. If you discover in middle school that drama, not soccer, is what you truly want to be doing in your after school hours, great. Youre now in a position to develop depth and demonstrate leadership on the drama front when youre in high school. This is hard to do if you discover your love of theater in your junior year.   This article on college preparation in middle school can help you understand the numerous ways in which a strong middle school strategy can help set you up for Ivy League success. Craft Your High School Curriculum Thoughtfully The most important piece of your Ivy League application is your high school transcript. In general,  youll need to take the most challenging classes available to you if you are going to convince the admissions folks that you are prepared to succeed in your college coursework. If you have a choice between AP Calculus or business statistics, take AP Calculus. If Calculus BC is an option for you, it will be more impressive than Calculus AB. If you are debating whether or not you should take a foreign language in your senior year, do so (this advice assumes that you feel you are capable of succeeding in these courses). You should also be realistic on the academic front. The Ivies dont, in fact, expect you to take seven AP courses in your junior year, and trying to do too much is likely to backfire by causing burn out and/or low grades. Focus on core academic areas- English, math, science, language- and make sure you excel in these areas. Courses such as AP Psychology, AP Statistics, or AP Music Theory are fine if your school offers them, but they dont carry the same weight as AP Literature and AB Biology.   Also keep in mind that the Ivies recognize that some students have more academic opportunities than others. Only a small fraction of high schools offer a challenging International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. Only larger, well-funded high schools can offer a wide breadth of Advanced Placement courses. Not all high schools make it easy to take dual enrollment courses at a local college. If youre from a small rural school without many academic opportunities, the admissions officers at the Ivy League schools take your situation into consideration, and measures such as your SAT/ACT scores and letters of recommendation will be even more important for evaluating your college readiness. Earn High Grades Im frequently asked which is more important: high grades or challenging courses?  The reality for Ivy League admissions is that you need both. The Ivies will be looking for lots of A grades in the most challenging courses available to you. Also keep in mind that the applicant pool for all of the Ivy League schools is so strong that the admissions offices are often not interested in weighted GPAs. Weighted GPAs play an important and legitimate role in determining your class rank, but the reality is that when  admissions committees are comparing students from around the world, they will consider whether or not that A in AP World History is a true A or if it is B that was weighted up to an A. Realize that you dont need straight A grades to get into the Ivy League, but every B on your transcript is lessening your chance  of admission. Most successful Ivy League applicants have unweighted GPAs that are up in the 3.7 range or higher (3.9 or 4.0 is more common).   The pressure to earn straight A grades can sometimes cause applicants to make bad decisions when applying to highly competitive colleges. You should not  write a supplemental essay explaining why you got a B in one course in your sophomore year. There are, however, a few situations in which you should explain a bad grade. Also keep in mind that some students with less-than-stellar grades get admitted. This can be because they have an exceptional talent, come from a school or country with different grading standards, or have legitimate circumstances that made earning A grades extremely challenging. Focus on Depth and Achievement in Your Extracurricular Activities There are hundreds of endeavors that count as extracurricular activities, and the reality is that any of them can make your application shine if you have demonstrated true depth and passion in your chosen activity. This article on the best extracurricular activities shows how any given activity, when approached with enough commitment and energy, can become something truly impressive. In general, think of extracurriculars in terms of depth, not breadth. A student who acts a minor role in a play one year, plays JV tennis one spring, joins yearbook another year, and then joins Academic All-Stars senior year is going to look like a dabbler with no clear passion or area of expertise (these activities are all good things, but they dont make for a winning combination on an Ivy League application). On the flip side, consider a student who plays euphonium in County Band in 9th grade, Area All-State in 10th grade, All-State in 11th grade, and who also played in the school symphonic band, concert band, marching band, and pep band for all four years of high school. This is a student who clearly loves playing her instrument and will bring that interest and passion to the campus community.   Show That You Are a Good Community Member The admissions folks are looking for students to join their community, so they clearly want to enroll students who care about community. One way to demonstrate this is through community service. Realize, however, that there is no magic number here- an applicant with 1,000 hours of community service may not have an advantage over a student with 300 hours. Instead, make sure you are doing community service that is meaningful to you and that truly makes a difference in your community. You may even want to write one of your supplemental essays about one of your service projects. Earn High SAT or ACT Scores None of the Ivy League schools are test-optional, and SAT and ACT scores still carry a bit of weight in the admissions process. Because the Ivies draw from such a diverse pool of students from around the world, standardized tests truly are one of the few tools the schools can use to compare students. That said, the admissions folks do recognize that financially advantaged students have an advantage with the SAT and ACT, and that one thing these tests tend to predict is a familys income. To get a sense of what SAT and/or ACT scores youre going to need to get into an Ivy league school, check out these graphs of GPA, SAT and ACT data for students who were accepted, waitlisted, and rejected: Brown  | Columbia  | Cornell | Dartmouth | Harvard | Penn | Princeton | Yale The numbers are rather sobering: the great majority of admitted students are scoring in the top one or two percentiles on the SAT or ACT. At the same time, youll see that there are some outlying data points, and a few students do get in with less-than-ideal scores. Write a Winning Personal Statement Chances are youre applying to the Ivy League using the Common Application, so youll have five options for your personal statement. Check out these tips and samples for the Common Application essay options, and realize that your essay is important. An essay that is riddled with errors or focuses on a trivial or clichà © topic could land your application in the rejection pile. At the same time, realize that your essay doesnt need to focus on something extraordinary. You dont need to have solved global warming or saved a bus full of 1st-graders to have an effective focus for your essay. More important than what you write about is that you focus on something important to you, and that your essay is thoughtful and self-reflective.   Put Significant Effort Into Your Supplemental Essays All of the Ivy League schools require school-specific supplemental essays in addition to the main Common Application essay. Dont underestimate the importance of these essays. For one, these supplemental essays, much more than the common essay, demonstrate why you are interested in a specific Ivy League school. The admissions officers at Yale, for example, arent just looking for strong students. They are looking for strong students who are truly passionate about Yale and have specific reasons for wanting to attend Yale. If your supplemental essay responses are generic and could be used for multiple schools, you havent approached the challenge effectively. Do your research and be specific. The supplemental essays are one of the best tools for demonstrating your interest in a specific university.   Be sure to avoid these five supplemental essay mistakes. Ace Your Ivy League Interview Youre likely to interview with an alum of the Ivy League school to which you are applying. In truth, the interview isnt the most important part of your application, but it can make a difference. If you stumble to answer questions about your interests and your reasons for applying, this can certainly damage your application. Youll also want to make sure that you are polite and personable during your interview. In general, Ivy League interviews are friendly exchanges, and your interviewer wants to see you do well. A little preparation, however, can help. Be sure to think about these 12 common interview questions, and work to avoid these interview mistakes. Apply Early Action or Early Decision Harvard, Princeton, and Yale all have a single-choice early action program. Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, and Penn have early decision programs. All of these programs allow you to apply to just a single school through the early program. Early decision has additional restrictions in that if you are admitted, you are obligated to attend. You should not  apply early decision if you are not 100% sure that a specific Ivy League school is your top choice. With early action, its fine to apply early if theres a chance you will later change your mind. If youre on target for Ivy League admission (grades, SAT/ACT, interview, essays, extracurriculars), applying early is the best tool you have for improving your chances significantly. Take a look at this table of early and regular admit rates for the Ivy League schools.  You are four times more likely to get into Harvard by applying early than applying with the regular applicant pool. Yes- four times more likely.   Factors That You Cant Control Everything Ive written about above focuses on factors that you can control, especially if you start early. There are, however, a couple factors in the Ivy League admissions process that are outside of your control. If these factors work in your favor, great. If they dont, dont fret. The majority of accepted students do  not  have these advantages. First is legacy status. If you have a parent or sibling who attended the Ivy League school to which you are applying, this can work to your advantage. Colleges tend to like legacies for a couple reasons: they will be familiar with the school and are likely to accept an offer of admission (this helps with the universitys yield); also, family loyalty can be an important factor when it comes to alumni donations. You also cant control how you fit into the universitys efforts to enroll a diverse class of students. Other factors being equal, an applicant from Montana or Nepal is going to have an advantage over an applicant from New Jersey. Similarly, a strong student from an under-represented group will have an advantage over a student from a majority group. This may seem unfair, and its certainly an issue that has been debated in the courts, but most selective private universities operate under the idea that the undergraduate experience is enriched significantly when the students come from a wide range of geographical, ethnic, religious, and philosophical backgrounds. A Final Word Perhaps this point should have come first in this essay, but I always ask Ivy League applicants to ask themselves, Why the Ivy League? The answer is often far from satisfactory: family pressure, peer pressure, or just the prestige factor. Keep in mind that there is nothing magical about the eight Ivy League schools. Of the thousands of colleges in the world, the one that best matches your personality, academic interests, and professional aspirations is very likely  not  one of the eight Ivies.   Every year youll see the news headlines heralding that one student who got into all eight Ivies. The news channels love to celebrate these students, and the accomplishment is certainly impressive. At the same time, a student who would thrive in the bustling urban environment of Columbia would probably not enjoy the rural location of Cornell. The Ivies are remarkably different, and all eight are not going to be a great match for a single applicant. Also keep in mind that there are hundreds of colleges that deliver exceptional educations (in many cases better undergraduate educations) than the Ivies, and many of these schools will be much more accessible. They may also be more affordable since the Ivies do not offer any merit-based financial aid (although they do have excellent need-based aid).   In short, make sure you truly do have good reasons for wanting to attend an Ivy League school, and recognize that failure to get into one is not failure: you are likely to thrive at the college you do choose to attend.

Research Paper for The Passionate Shepherd to His Love Essay

Research Paper for The Passionate Shepherd to His Love - Essay Example Such poems have been the trend with the poet fraternity for seventeen centuries prior to Marlowe’s penning this poem. On a careful scrutiny of the submissions relating to love by the shepherd, it can be safely concluded that he is interested in a bout of physical pleasure with the nymph than to stand up for the cause of true love. In the first stanza, the shepherd extends a cordial and hearty invitation to his lady- love to accompany him by assuring, â€Å"and we will all the pleasures prove† (Marlowe, line 2.) The forthright mention of pleasure has an undercurrent of sexual tone. The question whether the call of love is gentle and direct without any hidden agenda will be examined in the latter part of this paper. He desires to introduce to his lady-love the magnificent topography of the rural area of England, dotted by â€Å"And valleys, groves, hills and fields, Woods or steepy mountains† (Marlowe, lines 3-4), which are capable of imparting pleasures of abundan t varieties to the lovers. He desires to bring to the notice of his lover that nature is generous and her capacity for benevolence is measureless. To eulogize nature for the bounties she offers throughout the year in one form or the other is the common theme of the pastoral poetry. It has the dignity of its own and is distinctly different from the ordinary rustic verse. â€Å"When Raleigh responded to the "soft" pastoralism of Marlowe's "Passionate Shepherd to His Love," he presented the data of "hard" pastoral-the mutability and discomfort that the real cycle of seasons offers in place of ver adsiduum: "The flowers doe fade, and wanton fieldes / To wayward winter reckoning yeeldes" (40). Each critic sees the new horizons in the pastoral poetry and thus the interpretations vary. Subsequently, the poet discusses about the location of the love-play and draws clear-cut distinction between the rural and urban ambience. The love-birds will not visit an auditorium or take part in a feast , but would love to be together on rocks, under the greenwood trees, or along the bank of rivers to exchange their merry notes. The shepherd is aware of the freedom that he enjoys in his profession, though it may appear insignificant from the point of view of a city-bred critic. The perquisites of the rural surroundings offered by nature are indeed great. Some of them according to the shepherd are, watching other shepherds feed their flocks, listening to the melody of waterfalls and the birds singing, expressing their joy and mirth. These are the enticements offered to his lady-love by the shepherd and such auditory and visual pleasures are the hallmark of rural life. One sees the shepherd in a distinctly different mode of love and he is quite vocal in his expressions to win over his lady-love, as revealed in the 3rd, 4th and 5th stanzas. The reference is mostly to the stylish apparel, and other embellishments the shepherd is going to provide to her. The tone and attitude of the she pherd is like that of a dress designer and the fashion consultant of the metropolis. His offerings are rich and the language is aristocratic. The nomenclature given by the shepherd to them is â€Å"delights†. The reader is in genuine doubt now, whether he is the shepherd at all, or the feudal landowner, controlling authority of several such shepherds. The listing of the intended offerings to his lady-love is stunning and demands

Freud The early Twentith Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Freud The early Twentith Century - Essay Example Dora's father had been a patient of Freud's and recommended that she seek treatment from him after discovering a suicidal note on or in her writing-desk (Freud's account is equivocal on this particular). Though her father did not suspect that she would harm herself, he was "none the less very much shaken" (Freud 17) and sought help for his obviously ailing daughter. Dora's symptoms included a host of somatic and mental affects such as dyspnoea (difficulty breathing or hysterical choking), aphonia (loss of voice), hysterical unsociability, and depression. All of these symptoms Freud would trace back to the repression of Dora's sexuality. The willful repression of the sexual urges Dora felt for the adults around her (including her father, her father's mistress Frau K., and her husband Herr K.), Freud concludes, is responsible for all of her hysterical symptoms and, using the interpretative techniques developed in The Interpretation of Dreams, Freud attempts to show that Dora's denial o f these conclusions is a resistance to her own natural inclinations. In other words, Dora represses her true desires and this repression is the source of her hysterical symptoms. "Whereas the practical aim of the treatment is to remove all possible symptoms and to replace them by conscious thoughts," Freud writes, "we may regard it as a second and theoretical aim to repair all the damages to the patient's memory. These two aims are coincident. When one is reached, so is the other; and the same path leads to them both" (Freud 11). In other words, Freud must convince Dora of the correctness of his psychoanalytical interpretation in order for her symptoms to abate. The impairments to her memory, Freud claims, are just those repressed desires that have caused her hysterical symptoms. She must accept Freud's analysis in order to be cured of her ailment. It is this diagnosis of the origin of Dora's symptoms and the path to a cure that I wish to challenge. In order to effectively demonstrate the flaws in Freud's account, I shall turn to the circumstances leading up to Dora's treatment. Dora's father was in a loveless marriage with a woman whose interests in life, we are told, were confined to the upkeep of the family home. Dora's family had moved to a health-resort outside Vienna to provide a better climate for her father's tubercular ailments and made friends with a couple that had lived at the resort for several years, Herr K. and his wife Frau K. Frau K. became her father's nurse and, in time, his mistress. Dora cared for the K.'s two children and was "almost a mother to them" (Freud 19). Two incidents of a sexual nature occurred between Herr K. and Dora, both of which Freud would misinterpret to his patient's detriment. Herr K. would accompany Dora on walks and one day made sexual advances toward her after a trip to the lake. When she told her father about the incident, he called on Herr K. to explain himself. Herr K. denied any such overtures and conjectured that Dora had imagined the whole thing. She had, after all, "read Mantegazza's Physiology of Love and books of that sort in their house on the lake" (Freud 19). It was, Herr K. claimed, most likely that she had been over-excited by such reading and fantasized that Herr K. might be amorously intwined with her. Much to Dora's

European business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

European business - Essay Example The term is used for defining the concept of a single federation of states. Fiscal federalism means a more centralized economic order within the new European Economic Community. The European Community progress towards an economic and monetary union based on a common currency will create new demands for the design of fiscal policy. With a common currency and thus, a common monetary policy, member states will no longer be able to influence their local economies through exchange rate or monetary policies when state specific economic shocks occur. (Inman & Rubinfeld 1992, p.1-2) The economic situation in one province does not imply a sectarian policy to take any action or decision regarding exchange rate, interest rates and tax basis. The classical concept of federalism refers not only to an indestructible union of indestructible states but is also the method of dividing powers so that the general and regional governments are each, within a sphere, coordinate and independent. A major rea son for the existence of relatively centralized fiscal systems in developing and transitional countries is the adoption of planned development strategy. (Ahmad & Brosio 2008, p.225) A respected journalist argues that the expanding European Union is becoming a second, and potentially superior, superpower to the United States, and outlines what the new Union will mean to world trade, politics, and power (Reid, 2005). Fiscal federalism involves the handling of fiscal and monetary policy tools by a centralized body. It prevents regional financial inequalities by providing a balanced level of support to all the sectors. It is also criticized in terms of sharing prosperity and crisis. If one of the sectors is making huge revenues and they are effortlessly shared by others because of being members of a union is unjustified. Therefore detailed policy orientations are to be prepared for managing such systems is highly essential. Members of the European Community signed a treaty in 1992 and i t is called Treaty of Maastricht. It is more commonly known as treaty of Europe. This same treaty was the origin of a common currency in Europe called euro. Once the treaty was signed many amendments were made as the need for more detailed orientations rises. The 1992, French Referendum on the Maastricht Treaty, The Treaty on European Union was signed at the Dutch town of Maastricht by the foreign ministers of the twelve European Community members on February 7, 1992 (LeDuch 2003, p.83). The Maastricht Treaty established three so-called pillars of EU: the first being the pillar of Community; the second pillar relating to foreign and security policy; and the third pillar on justice and home affairs (Obokata 2006, p.87). Exploring the politics of European integration, Michael Baun argues that the end of the Cold War and German unification have created a new set of geopolitical realities in Europe (Baun 1996, p.2). European Union is an example of free trade unions like Mercosur, NAFTA, SAFTA and others. It is different to the extent that it has reduced national boundaries to a large extent as compared to other free trade zones. Member countries have wide range of agreements in terms of business, transportation, import and export, tourism, agriculture and so on. The strongest part is the common currency i.e. euro being operational in all member countries. The Treaty of Lisbon or

Dance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Dance - Essay Example From an analysis of the many different types of dances that were performed and practiced by the students in the class, it is clear and apparent that there is much more to â€Å"African dance† than just a simplistic set of movements of emotions expressed through movement. As the teacher of this class noted, the African cultures from whence these dances originally came tended to use dance as an outlet to express human emotions that otherwise would not be reflected within the tribe or group themselves. Within such an understanding, the highly physical and emotionally charged dances allow the participant, as well as the viewer, to note how dance was and is used as a means of greater personal expression within the African culture as compared to the manner through which it is employed in so many other cultures around the globe. Although true that African dance fulfills the traditional requirement of providing a forum/platform for courtship and sexual energy to be represented, the wa y in which the culture represented history, told stories, staged miniature exhibitions, and celebrated religious festivals or even funerals are all uniquely tied to the many types of cultural dances that are represented under the umbrella term â€Å"African dance†. Another element beyond the scope of these dances and the sheer physicality involved that should be noted is with respect to the fact that the focus of the dance is not on the individual; instead, the invariably focus on the community. Evidence of this can of course be seen due to the fact that there is no clear differential between the â€Å"audience† and the â€Å"dancer(s)†; as either one can become the other at almost any point during the dance. This is of course a culturally distinct element of African dancing that is not represented in many other forms of dance represented throughout the globe. With all

Business and Government Relations Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business and Government Relations - Coursework Example Discouraged valuations regularly represent the developing apprehensions in line with unilateral as well as putative decision by the White House. However, there is not real change in the U.S in line with based oil greatnesss capacity to review oil spill cases. Moreover, the fears regarding the BP bankruptcy should be well considered by the U.S government. Indeed, the regulation of the derivatives is necessary to save the BP oil industry from falling. The Company has boosted the U.S economy for so many years. Thus, it is not fair for the current administration of Obama to push more demands to this industry. The environmental pollution factor could be a major obstacle in line with the regulation of the trading of derivatives between U.S and BP industry. The U.S government may as well despite the action of regulating the business relationship with BP oil industry because of environmental pollution. The shores have been pretty much affected by the oil spill chemicals. In the respect of ecology, this is not acceptable since it affects the lives of many species, such as fish. Thus, on the other hand, the government should not regulate any trading of derivatives with BP oil industry (Alex 57). Another reason that could also hinder the regulation of trading of derivatives is prevention of diseases. Several people faced the sever nature of the chemical resulting from the oil spill by BP and Gulf. They have experienced unknown diseases which have been troublesome to treat and thusly caused deaths. In order to avoid further disasters, the government should not regulate the trading of derivatives to serve the lives of

Business and Government Relations Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business and Government Relations - Coursework Example Discouraged valuations regularly represent the developing apprehensions in line with unilateral as well as putative decision by the White House. However, there is not real change in the U.S in line with based oil greatnesss capacity to review oil spill cases. Moreover, the fears regarding the BP bankruptcy should be well considered by the U.S government. Indeed, the regulation of the derivatives is necessary to save the BP oil industry from falling. The Company has boosted the U.S economy for so many years. Thus, it is not fair for the current administration of Obama to push more demands to this industry. The environmental pollution factor could be a major obstacle in line with the regulation of the trading of derivatives between U.S and BP industry. The U.S government may as well despite the action of regulating the business relationship with BP oil industry because of environmental pollution. The shores have been pretty much affected by the oil spill chemicals. In the respect of ecology, this is not acceptable since it affects the lives of many species, such as fish. Thus, on the other hand, the government should not regulate any trading of derivatives with BP oil industry (Alex 57). Another reason that could also hinder the regulation of trading of derivatives is prevention of diseases. Several people faced the sever nature of the chemical resulting from the oil spill by BP and Gulf. They have experienced unknown diseases which have been troublesome to treat and thusly caused deaths. In order to avoid further disasters, the government should not regulate the trading of derivatives to serve the lives of

Emile Durkheim's Theories on Education and Morality Essay

Emile Durkheim's Theories on Education and Morality - Essay Example But as America became more populated and as problems became more social, the focus on education had shifted to the human being in relation to society. The people realized that the human being was affected by its environment and the role of education is to transmit present societal traditions and customs to the students by using teachers as social agents. Because of Durkheim's influence, the American society began to value individual freedom and self-determination that depicted the product of Protestant ethic and the impact of psychology on educational theory. The present society now corresponds to Durkheim's theory of education. Focusing on his educational beliefs and view points, this essay aims to acquire the significance of his theoires on the past and present day society. According to Filloux, Durkheim emphasized the general needs of the individual in order to recognize the function of a social phenomenon (304). He asserted that every society has a system of education that is inflicted on individuals and has a concept of a "human ideal"-physically, intellectually and morally. He viewed it as a "methodical socialization" that ensures the "conditions of existence" of every individual in a society. For Durkheim, discipline is a factor of education and a means of averting culpable conduct (43). He viewed morality as a discipline that promotes regularity in people's actions and offers them "determinate goals" that also hinders their horizons (47). There are three elements of morality that determine the form and content of the purposes that educational sociology assigns to education at school: 1) teaching a sense of discipline, 2) group attachment, and 3) autonomy of will (308). In order to be called a moral person, Durkheim stated that the individual has to abide by a norm (23) and "act in terms of the collective interest" (xi). Thus, the function of morality is "to determine conduct, to fix it, and to eliminate the element of individual arbitrariness" (27). In the school institution, moral standards are imposed by the teacher to the pupils though they are given the freedom to learn in their own will. (Filloux 309). For Durkheim, the spirit of independence exists if there is intelligence or understanding and moral orders in certain incidents in life. Durkheim also discussed the school environment in his theory (310). He believed that the school environment promotes the habit of life in a school classroom form. He also stated that in ideal schools, it is not important to produce scientists among his pupils but fully rational beings. (311). Research Discussion Durkheim's structure-function analysis focuses on social facts (Filloux 303). He noted that in order to understand a fact, the causes and purposes must primarily be recognized. His analysis was original for he approached this from two similar viewpoints. One was that the society, made up of its organic components has a systematic entity responding to the societal needs. The other view was that "the social system lends itself to analysis in terms of

High School and School Teachers Essay Example for Free

High School and School Teachers Essay Abstract The report underscores the importance of the skills that are most essential and associated with career and college readiness, [Paul Weeks] says. Since many secondary school teachers arent familiar with the skills that have been identified as the most essential to succeed in college, high school educators cover a breadth of skills. Postsecondary instructors would rather see more depth, not a broad range that are only an inch deep, asserts Weeks. For example, two students can pass algebra but have vastly different experiences and their knowledge can vary greatly. Colleges review class titles but rarely evaluate the essential skills mastered in the class. Now we know what skills lead to college and career readiness, suggests Weeks. And the more high school teachers are aware of those skills and can teach them, the better their graduates will perform in postsecondary education. Boone County schools also are collaborating with Northern Kentucky University to develop basic math programs. We want to make sure that every student is at that level of mastery. It drives everything we do, [Karen Cheser] says. To prepare students to be college ready, it requires conversations, transparency, and a willingness to put out data. It takes community-will and providing resources, she remarks. Publication Title The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Publisher The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Date 08/2013 Study Explores Why many High School Graduates Are not Ready for College by Gary M Stern Content Type Journal Article Abstract The report underscores the importance of the skills that are most essential and associated with career and college readiness, [Paul Weeks] says. Since many secondary school teachers arent familiar with the skills that have been identified as the most essential to succeed in college, high school educators cover a breadth of skills. Postsecondary instructors would rather see more depth, not a broad range that are only an inch deep, asserts Weeks. For example, two students can pass algebra but have vastly different experiences and their knowledge can vary greatly. Colleges review class titles but rarely evaluate the essential skills mastered in the class. Now we know what skills lead to college and career readiness, suggests Weeks. And the more high school teachers are aware of those skills and can teach them, the better their graduates will perform in postsecondary education. Boone County schools also are collaborating with Northern Kentucky University to develop basic math programs. We want to make sure that every student is at that level of mastery. It drives everything we do, [Karen Cheser] says. To prepare students to be college ready, it requires conversations, transparency, and a willingness to put out data. It takes community-will and providing resources, she remarks. Publication Title. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Publisher The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Date 08/2013 Study Explores Why many High School Graduates Are not Ready for College by Gary M Stern Content Type Journal Article Abstract The report underscores the importance of the skills that are most essential and associated with career and college readiness, [Paul Weeks] says. Since many secondary school teachers arent familiar with the skills that have been identified as the most essential to succeed in college, high school educators cover a breadth of skills. Postsecondary instructors would rather see more depth, not a broad range that are only an inch deep, asserts Weeks. For example, two students can pass algebra but have vastly different experiences and their knowledge can vary greatly. Colleges review class titles but rarely evaluate the essential skills mastered in the class. Now we know what skills lead to college and career readiness, suggests Weeks. And the more high school teachers are aware of those skills and can teach them, the better their graduates will perform in postsecondary education. Boone County schools also are collaborating with Northern Kentucky University to develop basic math programs. We want to make sure that every student is at that level of mastery. It drives everything we do, [Karen Cheser] says. To prepare students to be college ready, it requires conversations, transparency, and a willingness to put out data. It takes community-will and providing resources, she remarks. Publication Title The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Publisher The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Date 08/2013.

The Brain and Violence: An Unhealthy Combination :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Brain and Violence: An Unhealthy Combination "Jack was walking down the street enjoying a snack he had just bought at a convenience store. Feeling good, he smiled at the stranger coming toward him while continuing to eat. The stranger suddenly pulled out a knife and began stabbing Jack. Bystanders pulled the knife away, but too late." "After the killing, the attacker said that he was deeply sorry. He had sensed a strange aura, then experienced a flashback of having been bitten and of having a hernia operation under local anesthesia. That was followed by hallucinations about Jack cutting off his flesh, testicles, and heart to eat them" (6). Everyday on the news one hears stories of crimes and murders such as the one above. Murders are committed every day; stores are robbed every hour; crimes are committed constantly. The truth is that violence has sadly become a common and prevalent occurrence in society today. In essence, one must ask himself whether or not these violent tendencies have any biological relation whatsoever. Is violence caused by disruptions or damage to the brain? Is there a genetic correlation? Or is violence brought about by something else, such as economic difficulties or social or cultural differences? And one must ask himself an even broader question-whether a cause for violence even exists. In 1848, a railroad worker, Phineas Gage, was working when an explosion caused an iron rod to impale his skull, damaging the front part of his brain. Although Gage miraculously survived, his behavior severely changed in that the intelligent and respectful man everyone knew suddenly because fitful, impulsive, and rude (2). This case is one of the first indications that violence may be related to some kind of damage or abnormality in the brain. Researchers have found correlations between violent and aggressive tendencies to damage or abnormalities to a specific part of the brain. Gage's accident probably resulted in damage to the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is the brain's foremost outer position, located behind the eyes. This area of the brain is especially important because of it's importance in the orchestration of emotion, arousal, and attention. The prefrontal cortex seems to be the part of the brain that enables people to restrain themselves from acting on all of their impulses and is extremely vital for a child's ability to learn to feel remorse, conscience, and social sensitivity (5). However, although the function of the prefrontal cortex is known, why, or how, would prefrontal deficits cause violent tendencies or a more aggressive character?

Media: Source of Todays Violence? Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive E

Media: Source of Today's Violence? In recent years, intense scrutiny has come upon the entertainment industry with critics claiming that it has great influence on the minds of today’s youth. But, what exactly are the effects of such an influence? Certain people have exaggerated the effects that it plays on children. Many people, including government officials, have singled out television, video games, and movies as itthe cause of some types of violence simply because it is an easy target for laying the blame. The truth is that these three media sources are nowhere near the actual causes for acts of violence and other crimes. Studies on the issue are, at best, inconclusive on the issue. Many people believe that television, movies, and video games are the cause of crime because they don’t know the facts on the issue. They single them out because they have violent images and suggestive themes and therefore believe that these will create violence in real life. When a violent crime is committed by a youth, the crime is often blamed on the television or the movies that the youth watched or the video game they just played. Many people will start thinking this is true, based on the fact it seems like a plausible explanation. People will start trying to censor violent images and possibly even ban them. But, by censoring the images it will just make people want to see them more. Humans are inherently attracted to violence and if they can’t see it on television or in movies, they will go elsewhere to get it. Violent television, movies and especially video games offer a way to relieve stress without actually committing any crimes or hurting anyone. Before humans could see or engage in virtual violence, we... ...rnment continues legislation on Capitol Hill on the V-Chip. This the government’s answer to controlling what kids can watch. It’s a device that’s implemented into the television set prohibiting certain shows from being viewed. The parents of the household decide what shows to block. This is not the answer. If a kid wants to watch a certain show or movie on television, then they will simply go to a friends house that doesn’t have the V-Chip. My solution to the problem rests on the shoulders of the parents. They parents must be knowledgeable about their child’s maturity level and whether or not they can handle such programming. By educating the parents on the content of certain shows, movies, and video games, I believe the amount of blame toward the entertainment industry for violence will be alleviated. After all, children are a reflection of their parents.

Ethical Judgements

1. Ethical judgements limit the methods available in the production of knowledge in both the arts and the natural sciences. Discuss.a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? The arts, the natural sciences, ethicsb. What’s the question getting at? The question is asking about the way in which ethical judgements can impinge on the way we both create (rather than interpret) the arts and the natural sciences. Basically, it’s leading students on to an exploration of controversies within the arts and the natural sciences in terms of the subject matter they deal with.c. What are the potential knowledge issues? To what extent do ethical considerations constrain the way the arts are created? To what extent do ethical considerations limit natural science experimentation and research? For more ideas, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide.d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? We’re interested in examples of where artists and scien tists have been hampered (or encouraged) by ethical judgements. There are many ready-made examples for the natural sciences. For the arts, it is perhaps not so straightforward, but there are still lots of examples of ethically questionable works of art. In terms of counterclaims, it is the arts that are better served by real life situations, with plenty of pieces produced in order to tackle (and produce) ethical judgements.But here, too, you should be able to find scientific knowledge that has been discovered in order to solve ethical problems. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the difficulties and challenges of this question? The question is perhaps a little confusingly worded, but it is clear in terms of the areas of knowledge to be tackled. Including personal examples will be trickier in this question than finding outside examples.2. â€Å"When the only tool you have is a hammer, all problems begin to resemble nails† (A braham Maslow). How might this apply to ways of knowing, as tools, in the pursuit of knowledge?a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? The question is a broad one, and allows students to focus on their own choice of WOKs. It also potentially allows students to bring in the AOKs as well – particularly natural/human sciences (the scientific method), history (the historical method), and the arts (creation of art).b. What’s the question getting at? The question asks students to consider the way in which WOKs are used to provide us with knowledge.The quote suggests that if we view WOKs in too narrow and homogenous a way, it could limit the amount and type of knowledge we are able to acquire. The question requires students to consider the nature of each way of knowing, and try to think a little more creatively about each one; in addition, students could also consider how the areas of knowledge can themselves act as ways of knowing – ie, in terms of the scientific or historical method, and in terms of art as a way of knowing rather than an area of knowledge. Given that this is a question for the 2008 curriculum, its focus are the four ways of knowing (emotion, language, reason, sense perception).A quick look at the new curriculum will provide new possibilities for this, and perhaps provide a key to approaching the question (considering the validity of faith, imagination, intuition, memory).c. What are the potential knowledge issues? Are the four ways of knowing the only means of acquiring knowledge? Do we acquire knowledge only through the ways of knowing, or can it be acquired via the areas of knowledge? For more ideas, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide..d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? Given how broad the question potentially is, there is a large range of real life situations that can be drawn on. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the d ifficulties and challenges of this question? The quote is a lovely one, and it could lead on to some interesting knowledge issue discussion. However, the non-specific nature of the question (not only does it not stipulate which WOKs/AOKs, it also does not mention how many should be considered) means that it will be very easy to go astray with this question. Responses have to narrow down specific examples of how the ways of knowing can sometimes impeded our pursuit of knowledge if we do not apply them in an imaginative way.3. â€Å"Knowledge is nothing more than the systematic organisation of facts.† Discuss this statement in relation to two areas of knowledge.a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? This is another broad question, although unlike title no.2, it does state how many WOKs/AOKs should be tackled (two AOKs). Given this, it would make sense to focus on two distinct AOKs, such as ethics and natural sciences, or the arts and history.b. Wha t’s the question getting at? The question asks students to consider the nature of knowledge within their two chosen AOKs. ‘Systematic organization of facts’ suggests quantitative knowledge; students must consider to what extent this is true, and then offer a counter-claim in which they discuss how much qualitative knowledge, and other forms of knowledge the particular AOKs consist of. Students should bear in mind that the title implies a process – ie, ‘organizing facts’, rather than a static type of knowledge – ie, ‘organized facts’; the two possible meanings could lead to different types of essays. A clear definition of ‘facts’ needs to be provided in the introduction, to give responses a firm footing.c. What are the potential knowledge issues? To what extent can we build up a thorough understanding of the human/natural sciences by processing purely quantitative knowledge? To what extent does ethical knowledge involve the consideration of factual information? For more ideas, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide.d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? Real life situations can be taken easily from personal experiences related to the AOKs chosen, so students can think about the level of the understanding they have built up by dealing with systemized facts. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the difficulties and challenges of this question? Given that the essay is clear about its scope, this question is probably easier to approach than question 2. Having said that, it depends on how students tackle this notion of ‘systemized facts’. If they do so in terms of ‘natural science consists of systemized facts’, they may have problems; if they do so in terms of ‘natural science consists of building up systemized facts’, they will be able to tackle the question more easily.4. â€Å"That whic h is accepted as knowledge today is sometimes discarded tomorrow.† Consider knowledge issues raised by this statement in two areas of knowledge.a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? Similar to question 3, this title asks students to consider two AOKs. The question lends itself to AOKs that offer more objective, yet regularly updated, knowledge, such as history, the human sciences, and the natural sciences. Ethics also ties in very well, and could link up very nicely with history.b. What’s the question getting at? The question is referring to the extent to which knowledge is subject to review and revisionism over time. Thus, although we may believe we possess objective facts, from a different perspective gained by progress, such facts become re-interpreted in the light of new evidence, discoveries, technology, or societal trends. In short, the question is asking students the extent to which knowledge is provisional. Note the use of the word ‘sometimes’, though, meaning that you shouldn’t make generalizations about the whole of knowledge.c. What are the potential knowledge issues? To what extent does historical knowledge need revision? Are there any theories or laws in the human sciences that have withstood the test of time? For more ideas, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide.d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? In terms of the AOKs mentioned above, appropriate real life situations may involve a way of interpreting a past event, a method of studying human behaviour, knowledge about the natural world, or an accepted way of behaving. In terms of personal examples, students can easily apply their own learning of a particular subject (related to one of the AOKs they have selected), and how their understanding of it has been subject to change over time. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the difficulties and challenges of this ques tion? This is a more straightforward question to get to grips with, as it focuses on a concept that should be familiar to most students.5. â€Å"The historian’s task is to understand the past; the human scientist, by contrast, is looking to change the future.† To what extent is this true in these areas of knowledge?a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? This question is clearly focused on history and the human sciences. It could require some consideration of the method used by both historians and human scientists, in an attempt to gauge the purpose of each one.b. What’s the question getting at? The question asks students to consider the purpose of both AOKs, and decide to what extent one merely looks back, and one looks forward. Obviously, the title is a rather arbitrary one: there can’t be only one purpose to an AOK, and AOKs overlap hugely anyway (particularly history and the human sciences). So students should use the ques tion for a launching pad into a more wide-ranging discussion of the aim of both AOKs, not, perhaps, sticking quite so rigidly to the assertion implicit in the title.c. What are the potential knowledge issues? To what extent is history only focused on past events? To what extent do the  human sciences aim to change the way societies behave? For more ideas, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide.d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? The arguments for this essay need to be based on history studies that have been done only in the context of the past, and human science cases that have not drawn on past events. Counterclaims need to contrast those RLSs – which will be much easier to do. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the difficulties and challenges of this question? The two AOKs are very similar ones – indeed, outside the world of TOK, history is a human science, so students may find it hard to contr ast the respective methods used, and knowledge that is acquired. Historians often work alongside human scientists, and vice versa, in order to understand past, present, and future societies, so using such an arbitrary and contrived statement will present problems for students. Finally, talking of an overriding ‘purpose’ for AOKs is fraught with difficulties: can we say there is one reason why historians/human scientists do their respective jobs? Having said all that, there’s plenty of scope to attack the question!6. â€Å"A skeptic is one who is willing to question any knowledge claim, asking for clarity in definition, consistency in logic and adequacy of evidence† (adapted from Paul Kurtz, 1994). Evaluate this approach in two areas of knowledge.a. What areas of knowledge & ways of knowing should be investigated? This is the third title that asks students to consider two non-specific areas of knowledge, and the fifth one that focuses on AOKs rather than WO Ks. For this title, appropriate AOKs are ones that make knowledge claims of which people can ‘question†¦asking for clarity in definition, consistency in logic and adequacy of evidence’. In other words, AOKs that require clear evidence to support the knowledge they deal with. Although this could conceivably work with any AOK, the arts are trickier to use within this title, as is mathematics.b. What’s the question getting at? The question provides a framework (ie the way a skeptic approaches knowledge) that can be applied to the two AOKs. As outlined in ‘e’, what this framework leads us onto is not immediately apparent. Presumably, the essay is supposed to assess how well this approach can be applied to the chosen AOKs, in order to provide us with certain knowledge.c. What are the potential knowledge issues? To what extent does the natural sciences/human sciences/history/ethics require logic and evidence in order to acquire knowledge? For more ide as, check out section 10 of the Essay Guide.d. What sort of real life situations can be drawn on? Appropriate RLSs depend on the AOKs chosen, but what is needed here are RLSs that illustrate how the approach can work, and RLSs indicating that such an approach is not always effective. You’ll find more specific examples, in the last section of the Guide.e. What are the difficulties and challenges of this question? The difficulties are in working out what the question wants students to do with the skeptics’ approach to knowledge. Does it want students to assess how well this approach works in the two AOKs (ie whether it leads us to certain knowledge)? Does it want students to assess whether such an approach can be used at all? Does it want us to focus on the skeptic, or on the AOK?

Leadership and Management

ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management: |Centre Number: |R31609 | |Centre Name: |Leeds Metropolitan Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Centre | |Student Name: |Alexandra Hunt | |Leeds Met Student ID: |33251825 | |Student Date of Birth: |15/01/1991 | |Student Email Address: |a. [email  protected] leedsmet. ac. uk | |Gender: |Female | |Assessment Summary | | | |This task requires you to develop and demonstrate your skills or potential skills in leading and building an effective team.In order to gain the ILM 3 | |Award in Leadership and Management you will need to complete and pass a number of questions in this short question test. | | | |Note: To complete the task you will need to draw upon your personal experiences in, for example; a part-time job, voluntary work, other groups (e. g. sports| |teams), and leadership you have observed, are familiar with or have read about. |Understanding Leadership Styles | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the factors that will infl uence the choice of leadership styles or behaviours in workplace situations | |Question 1: |Describe 2 factors that will influence the choice of leadership styles or behaviours in workplace situations (approximately 100 | | |words) | |If the person is in a situation where a decision needs to be made fast for example a paramedic may use an autocratic leadership style due to being in an | |emergency and needing to work objectively and quickly. | |During my 12 months placement I was working as recruitment consultant, a paternalistic leadership style on reflection was what I used when speaking to | |potential candidates, as it involved me using a lot of enthusiasm and persuasion. I need to use perceptive skills in order to pick up how the candidate was| |reacting and if it was a warm lead or a dead cold call. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain why these leadership styles or behaviours are likely to have a positive or negative effect on individual and group behaviour | |Question 2: |Following on from the previous question, please explain why these leadership styles or behaviours are likely to have a positive or | | |negative effect on individual or group behaviour (approximately 100 words) | |A con of using autocratic leadership style would mean that you may miss good ideas, and does not encourage team work, so often taking on a heavier work | |load yourself as you put the team in a position where they are needing constant supervision and approval from the autocratic leader. |A con of paternalistic leadership is that the selling only lasts as long as you are on the phone or are around for, and some candidates/people are not easy| |selling targets, you also may waste your time persuading them without gaining any commitment – which came across me time and time again when working as a | |recruitment consultant. | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Assess own leadership behaviours and potential in the context of a particular leadership model, using feedback from others | |Question 3: |Assess your own leadership behaviours and potential in relation to a leadership model discussed on the programme.Your reflection | | |should be based on what previous team members have fed back to you (approximately 100 words) | |At university currently we are participating in a module called consultancy project, whereby as group we have to write a report, research and offer | |recommendations to a real life client. Over the 4 months we have had 2 peers assessments and my feedback fits into the empowering leadership style, I have | |gained 100% commitment from the client and my team, I have motivated all my team members giving them guidance and reassurance when writing the report and | |they do trust my decisions that I have made. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe appropriate actions to enhance own leadership behaviour in the context of the particular leadership model | |Question 4: |Describe at least 2 appropriate actions to enhance your own leadersh ip behaviour in the context of a leadership model discussed on | | |the programme (approximately 100 words) | |To enhance my leadership skills I think I firstly need to take a more asking approach instead of getting so stressed myself without even consulting the | |other group members. Sometimes I tend to take it all upon myself without building the rest of the teams effort. | |Sometimes also using an autocratic style might be worth it, due to recently working with a team member who does not seem to put as much effort in as the | |others, to improve the group and work on my leadership styles he may respond to getting things done and meet objectives if I set them for him, this is | |something I will take with me and use to improve my group work with. | | | | | | | | |Understanding the Communication Process in the Workplace | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the importance of effective communication in the workplace | |Question 1: |Explain the importance of effective communication in the workplace (approximately 100 words) | |If communication in the workplace is bad it can have several effects such as decreased productivity, low morale and mistakes made. Communication is the key| |to running a successful business or project, it dismisses the pportunity for any important project to jeopardised (Allen Webster) | |High Productivity: the goal of any business, poor communication causes a breakdown in productivity resulting in profit loss or time loss. | |Morale: Not understanding a task causes low morale, as it makes employees feel confused and question wether they can contribute to the job role or not | |which leads to low self esteem. Tasks must be received in a clear concise manner focusing on the manager or the leaders communicative skills when | |surpassing important information. | |Mistakes: Written communication is essential and when writing emails which are now such a frequent task, you must be careful in choice of wording to ensure| |the email is not mi sunderstood or it can lead to unnecessary mistakes in the workplace. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the stages in the communication cycle | |Question 2: |Describe the stages in the communication cycle (approximately 100 words) | |The basic flow of communication: | |Sender –> Message –> Transmission –> Recipient –> Receiver | | | | | |In this flow the sender sends a message to the receiver and then they can share feedback on the communication process. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify possible barriers to communication in the workplace | |Question 3: |Describe two possible barriers to communication in the workplace (approximately 100 words) | |Environmental Barriers: The things that surround us, which prevent us from receiving the speaker’s message for example, other peoples conversation, time | |pressures, the weather, physical discomfort in the room you are sat in. – External barriers. | |Environmental barriers are related to the listener such as how the listener is feeling at the time. |Attitudinal Barriers: The thoughts and feelings going on inside our heads which prevent us from listening, for example boredom, you do not like the person | |who is speaking, – internal barriers. | |Attitudinal Barriers have a lot to do with the mood and beliefs of the listener. | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how to overcome a potential barrier to communication | |Question 4: |Explain how to overcome a potential barrier to communication (approximately 100 words) | |Effective communication requires listening and strong concentration.So it is important when receiving information, to ensure that the conditions are | |conducive to listening. ILM 3 has taught me that when important conversations are taking place and you are not in the right frame of mind due to | |attitudinal barriers be prepared to take them offline. You can also use the 6 steps to hearing attention, to improve your communication when needed m ost. | |For example an improved step I should take is be aware when it is getting to deep for me, and I tend to switch off when it gets to complicated or complex. | |This is something I need to work on to improve my communication skill set and follow through on challenging tasks that I need to complete. | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the main methods of written and oral communication in the workplace and their uses | |Question 5: |Describe the main methods of written and oral communication in the workplace and their uses (approximately 100 words) | |Written Communication: This should be used when needing to provide detailed information, such as figures and facts. Written communication is useful during | |briefs, it is useful when conducting a presentation to send extra written information out, the main use is when needing to refer back to it throughout a | |project or at a later date you can do, without having to ask the same questions again or repeat yourself. | |Or al Communication: This can be used during presentations, over the phone and is main form off communication. It is verbal, vocal and visual. You can | |convey the information you want to surpass on with passion and conviction and can be sure to get your message across clearly without any errors by using | |the tones in your voice. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of written methods of communication | |Question 6: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of written methods of communication (approximately 100 words) | |Advantages: Can store and be used at a later date. | |Easy to provide detailed information such as facts and figures | |Easy to pass on information from a third party. | | | |Disadvantages: Do not know if the information as been received unless a reply is needed. | |Writing skills are often difficult develop | |Poorly written documents can cost money. | | | | | | | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of oral communication | |Question 7: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of oral communication (approximately 100 words) | |Advantages: Easy and quick | |Can communicate your point without much room for misunderstanding. |Can be given constructive feedback after a presentation from managers or vies versa | | | |Disadvantages: Need effective listening to be active and cannot always predict | | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how non-verbal communication can influence the effectiveness of oral communication | |Question 8: |Explain how non-verbal communication can influence the effectiveness of oral communication (approximately 100 words) | |A mixed message can occur when a persons body maybe ‘talking’, and when people do speak their bodies sometimes can say different things. For example eye | |contact is sign of confidence which much be used when attending interviews. | |At times a persons body maybe talking wh en they are actually sitting in silence. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the value of feedback in ensuring effective communication | |Question 9: |Explain the value of feedback in ensuring effective communication (approximately 100 words) | |Constructive feedback is a positive way to improve somebodies skill set. When feedback is communicated effectively it can keep some goal orientated. When | |feeding back you must focus on specific behaviours rather than making general statements however still aiming to keep it impersonal. Always ask questions | |to ensure the person understands the feedback and make sure they do not feel like that have been attacked in a negative way. The value of constructive | |feedback is the key to improvement. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Assess own performance in a frequently used method of communication. Outline actions to improve own performance in communicating | |Question 10: |Assess your own performance (identifying your strengths and weaknes ses) in one frequently used method of communication. Possible | | |methods include; verbal communication, e-mail, telephone etc. Then state two ways in which you could improve your performance as a | | |communicator when using this method. |Written Communication | | | |Strengths – I have managed to establish relationships over email a varied amount of time throughout my 12 month placement, and I have managed to keep a | |professional working relationships with these people, via Linked In, and I feel confident that if I needed there support I would be able to rely upon them | |for advice and support even 12 months later. This shows I have conveyed my personality through email and have managed to be personable and approachable | |through my writing skills. | | |Weaknesses | |My spelling and grammatical errors I something I need to be aware off, I tend to rush many emails, and this cannot look when speaking to a professional | |body as it undermines the content of my email. | |Due to emailing tutors and friends from all over the world, I need to make sure I distinguish the difference between a friendly more informal email to a | |formal email, for example ending an email with Kind Regards and Many thanks, can change the way you want your whole email to come across. So being specific| |with my language is key. | |I have learnt during the ILM course to use the P. O. W. E.R | |Understand How to Establish an Effective Team | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the benefits of effective working relationships in developing and maintaining the team | |Question 1: |Explain the benefits of effective working relationships in developing and maintaining the team (approximately 100 words) | |Bellman and Ryan define an extraordinary group as on which: | |‘Achieves outstanding results while members experience a profound shift in how they see their world’. | |Extraordinary groups are not only productive as employees, but also develop personally during there p articipation. |Authors suggest that effective team work can exhibit these common factors, | |Full engagement, shared leadership, embracing differences etc | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe behaviours which could develop and maintain trust at work | |Question 2: |Describe behaviours which could develop and maintain trust at work (approximately 100 words) | |During team work you spend many hours in creative and energised environment – you get to know each others strengths and weaknesses and become a small | |support network for each other. This enables the employees to form connections which go deeper than usual work relationships. Through my own experience of | |working in a team this year, it has evolved into a long term friendship on a personal level outside of the group work at university. |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the role of communication in developing effective team working | |Question 3: |Explain the role of communication in developing effective team working (ap proximately 100 words) | |Strong communication during team work can ensure that the team know and understand your visions and goals, and how you see the project going. This can make| |it easier when needing to combine an overall aim and setting various objectives. It means that you can achieve something together with no confusion and a | |mutual agreement. |Communication and personable behaviour can lead to strong support networks around, and creating a more confident and friendly environment to work in. | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the differences between a group and a team | |Question 4: |Explain the differences between a group and a team (approximately 100 words) | |A team is internally organised, with specific goals and usually specific roles for different members of the team. A group is a collection of people with | |something in common something as simple as being in the same place or having a shared interest. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the stages of an esta blished model of group formation | |Question 5: |Describe the stages of Tuckman’s model of group formation (approximately 100 words) | |Tuckman believes that all teams pass through four stages of development, gradually becoming more effective as the dynamics of the team change dramatically | |from periods of inefficiency and uneasiness through to a high period of performance. | |The four stages are as follows. |Forming: Uncertainty about roles, looking outside for guidance. | |Storming: Growing confidence in team, rejecting outside authority | |Norming: Concern about being different, wanting to be part of a team | |Performing: Concern with getting the job done | | | |He believes that a team will not be fully effective unless it reaches he stage of performing. Unless the four stage process is completed teams may | |degenerate too back into storming. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how a manager could benefit from knowing team members’ preferred roles as defined i n an established team role model | |Question 6: |Explain how a manager could benefit from knowing team members’ preferred roles as defined in an established team role model, such as | | |Belbin’s model (approximately 100 words) | |If a manager can determine what roles are preferred by each team member they are able to have a strong insight into what is going on and who to go to for | |certain questions. For example if somebody is strong and enjoy financial analysis it makes it easier for the manager to delegate this to the team rather | |them than having to form together and get to know each other before assigning each other roles. Also if something goes the wrong the manager knows who to | |go to. | | |Belbin believes that new team members should be selected so that there is a balance both in terms of skill sets and team roles – if the manager knows what | |is missing he will be able to make an outside confirmed choice of what is needed in the team. | |Also ea ch role has its weaknesses. Knowing these weaknesses is useful for planning to avoid potential difficulties and for helping individuals develop – I | |personally feel this is the managers role. | | | | | Leadership and management Leadership has been the subject for quite some time now. Management experts have shown how leadership is important for organisations and how leaders emerge. There has been a debate on whether leaders are born or are trained to take on leadership roles. It has also been argued whether leaders are charismatic individuals or those who are highly skilled. Gibbons 1992 discusses how organisational roles shape the nature of leadership. Those in entrepreneurial positions are leaders who are risk takers; where as those who are in the supervisory roles tend to be those who conform to rules. George 1992 however takes the view that personality shapes leadership more than other traits. Leaders have been known to be persuasive, committed and visionary people and examples like Napoleon, Lincoln and Gandhi are often chosen to show how personality matters in Leadership roles. Management on the other hand is the ability to reach defined objectives using resources available. Managerial roles have not been seen as charismatic roles, they are more often than not logistical roles that skilled people occupy to be able to take the organisation toward its defined goals. Alvesson and Sveningsson 2003 examine the role of managers in providing leadership. In the modern context, managers are often asked to bear the responsibility of providing leadership in organisations. Today’s corporate manager is seen as a strategist and not someone who necessarily has all the traditional traits of being a leader. Management and Leadership: Similarities Management today is responsible for all the original roles that leadership played. Ohmae 1999 explains how today’s globalized world places different demands on those in power and occupying strategic roles in organisations. Management is responsible for hiring, training and nurturing talent by way of organising and supporting human resources. The manager is also someone who defines company policy in the context of laws and regulations that exist. Also managers are responsible for a long-term business plan that ensures the organisation keeps growing. In modern firms where a large number of employees work together across the globe, the dividing line between managers and leaders gets blurred and modern technology helps all managers communicate as effectively as leaders would have. Therefore today, the gap between leaderships and management is closing because of these growing similarities. Management and Leadership: Differences However there continue to be differences. Leadership is often a position that is acquired through informal developments that give certain people power. Management gives responsibility and authority. Leadership is what defines the long-term mission of organisations while management ensures that these goals are reached most effectively. Management requires specific skills and tools while leadership requires a set of traits that enable the leader lead from the front and do so in a manner that appeals to the entire team. Management is responsible for team building while leadership ensures that the team stays motivated and passionate about its tasks. Management is responsible largely to the shareholders while leaders must take into consideration all stakeholders. In today’s world where firms face pressure from voters, civil society organisations, the media and consumers, it is critical that top management take on a role where they act as spokespersons and ensure that such pressures do not act detrimentally to the interests of the firm. Leadership is often seen as a trait that is a function of the specific time and place and leaders bring special traits that enable them to operate successfully in the given context. Management however is a science that allows managers to operate efficiently anytime and in the globalized context, at any place where they apply the principles of management to generate efficiency. Leaders necessarily need to be good communicators, writers and speakers. Managers need to be clear in what they articulate not necessarily spectacular. Leaders inspire where as managers report. However any growing organisation today requires both leaders and managers. Those firms where managers take the leadership role find the going easier than others. But there are clear roles that both occupy. For firms to grow, in different markets and ensure that growth is sustainable, there is an active involvement from both managers and leaders in defining and implementing strategy. It is firms that are able to generate leaders and nurture managers who would perform well in the marketplace. Reference: Alvesson M and Sveningsson S, 2003, Managers Doing Leadership: The Extra-Ordinarization of the Mundane, Human Relations Gibbons P T, 1992, Impacts of Organizational Evolution on Leadership Roles and Behaviors, Human Relations J. M. George J M, 1992, The Role of Personality in Organizational Life: Issues and Evidence, Journal of Management Ohmae, K. 1999. ‘The Borderless World: Power and Strategy in the Interlinked Economy’. New York: Harper Business. Leadership and Management There are several subtle differences between the concepts of leadership and management. The functions and actions of each title differ in their foundation, expectation and execution. Those positions which exist under each title also differ – in their expectations, and motivations.   It is my goal, through achieving an MBA to develop a cohesion between these two roles in my work, and career endeavors. Leadership is less like a role, than it is an occasional action. (McCrimmon) It is the intention of a leader to inspire his or her followers to achieve their common goals. The focus of a leader is on the entirety of a project or goal. The followers, under the guides of leadership, assume the responsibility of carrying out the necessary actions required to achieve whatever goal is at hand. (CM) Management, on the other hand, handles the delegation of authority differently. Managers are concerned with all levels in the chain of command. Unlike the leaders, managers have subordinates – which, differing from followers, have much less personal inspiration for the work at hand. Managers have to overcome their subordinates’ personal desires with incentives. â€Å"Management requires efficiency, profitability, and depends on minimal inputs for maximum returns†. (McCrimmon) These two roles share a base theory – achieve a goal through the delegation of authority. It is in the manner and execution of this, in which they differ. The effectiveness of each has been proven, and while certain situations lend themselves to a particular set of expectations, both roles can achieve most any goal. Team work, in the American culture, derives from a centralized leader, and his or her subordinates. In the business setting, this would be the group manager. A properly organized team will consist of members which are chosen for their ability to execute certain aspects of a goal with efficiency. While it can be possible for a single person to be good a multiple tasks, if the situation allows, each person would be serve the group with only one responsibility. Conflict within the group setting can offer incentive to work harder, or, reciprocally, create tension. There are two main types of conflicts: affective and substantive. (Jehn 532) Substantive conflict arises through the competition of a task assigned to the group – and often works out through group communication. Affective conflict is far more disruptive. Affective conflict arises through differences in the members of the group – be it ethnic, cultural or other difference – and can stall group production completely. It is the responsibility of leaders and managers to address and – if possible – end conflict within a group. Without the cooperation within a group, it cannot complete the tasks at hand. Therefore, effective leadership and management must be able to identify and remove the sources of conflict. Through my experience as a manager and team leader in various situations including job responsibilities, and other school functions, and responsibilities in a group (i.e. organizational meetings in which I was a leader) I had to prove myself to others that I was up for the task of being a leader.   In order to manage effectively a certain amount of conflict resolution must be incorporated into any situation. I found that the conflict resolution texts that I have read in the past (centering around Gandhi and other peaceful leaders) gave me a certain edge of understanding when it came to difficult situations.   One particular incident in which I had to utilize my conflict resolution, and leadership skills was when I was working at my first job. Although I did not hold the title of manager yet, I was a well liked fellow employ at the local video shop.   Our goal was complete and total customer satisfaction:   the policy being that the customer is typically always right and that the employee must cater to the customer’s needs.   one day, I was just clocking in for my shift.   I went to the back of the store to ask the manager what station she wanted me on that day. She said to go ahead and go up front and handle customers since she was doing inventory in the back.   I went to the front of the store where a customer was already waiting impatiently for me.   He gave me his movies to rent and I asked for his membership card.   When his account came on my screen I informed him that he owed late fees amounting to over twenty dollars.   He was irate.   He said that he did not owe any late fees, because he turned those movies in on time.   The computer held testament that he was in fact late.   The tirade continued with a slew of swearing and the customer was obviously very upset about this. I knew that in situations like this it is much easier to react harshly, and yell back at the customer because he was definitely out of line with what he was calling me, and the emotions he was displaying.   However, I had to keep my job, and keep my head in this situation.   I took a moment in myself and realized that to react with the same negativity would only incite danger, and that this person was probably upset about something else in their life and was only letting it out on me because I was easy and he didn’t have to pay the consequences of his actions with me. With the utmost strength I had in self-control, and leadership, I asked the man kindly if he would like to take advantage of our promotion which was if a person donated canned goods then they only had to pay half of their late fees.   The man physically took a step back:  Ã‚   he did not expect this reaction I could tell.   I further informed him that if he wanted to leave and come back for the movies he wanted to rent, while getting canned goods I could hold the movies for him until his return. He took me up on the offer and came back with several cans of green beans, and cream corn, rented his movies, and even stuttered over his thank you when he left.   I feel that in this situation I took a leadership role in taking charge of the direction of the conversation and reflecting a cool demeanor without upsetting the customer.   This type of reaction was the necessary course in a business setting.   With an MBA degree I feel that I could enhance my leadership qualities and become a creative, manager utilizing conflict resolution. WORK CITED Jehn, Karen A. â€Å"A Qualitative Analysis of Conflict Types and Dimensions in Organizational  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Groups†. Administrative Science Quarterly. Vol. 42, No. 3. September 1997. p. 530-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   557. McCrimmon, Mitch. â€Å"Leaders or Managers†. Leadersdirect.com. Self Renewal Group. 2006.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Date of Access: June 29, 2007. URL:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.leadersdirect.com/mgevslead.html â€Å"Leadership vs. Management†. Changingminds.org. 2006. Date of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Access: July 22, 2006. URL: Leadership and Management ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management: |Centre Number: |R31609 | |Centre Name: |Leeds Metropolitan Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Centre | |Student Name: |Alexandra Hunt | |Leeds Met Student ID: |33251825 | |Student Date of Birth: |15/01/1991 | |Student Email Address: |a. [email  protected] leedsmet. ac. uk | |Gender: |Female | |Assessment Summary | | | |This task requires you to develop and demonstrate your skills or potential skills in leading and building an effective team.In order to gain the ILM 3 | |Award in Leadership and Management you will need to complete and pass a number of questions in this short question test. | | | |Note: To complete the task you will need to draw upon your personal experiences in, for example; a part-time job, voluntary work, other groups (e. g. sports| |teams), and leadership you have observed, are familiar with or have read about. |Understanding Leadership Styles | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the factors that will infl uence the choice of leadership styles or behaviours in workplace situations | |Question 1: |Describe 2 factors that will influence the choice of leadership styles or behaviours in workplace situations (approximately 100 | | |words) | |If the person is in a situation where a decision needs to be made fast for example a paramedic may use an autocratic leadership style due to being in an | |emergency and needing to work objectively and quickly. | |During my 12 months placement I was working as recruitment consultant, a paternalistic leadership style on reflection was what I used when speaking to | |potential candidates, as it involved me using a lot of enthusiasm and persuasion. I need to use perceptive skills in order to pick up how the candidate was| |reacting and if it was a warm lead or a dead cold call. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain why these leadership styles or behaviours are likely to have a positive or negative effect on individual and group behaviour | |Question 2: |Following on from the previous question, please explain why these leadership styles or behaviours are likely to have a positive or | | |negative effect on individual or group behaviour (approximately 100 words) | |A con of using autocratic leadership style would mean that you may miss good ideas, and does not encourage team work, so often taking on a heavier work | |load yourself as you put the team in a position where they are needing constant supervision and approval from the autocratic leader. |A con of paternalistic leadership is that the selling only lasts as long as you are on the phone or are around for, and some candidates/people are not easy| |selling targets, you also may waste your time persuading them without gaining any commitment – which came across me time and time again when working as a | |recruitment consultant. | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Assess own leadership behaviours and potential in the context of a particular leadership model, using feedback from others | |Question 3: |Assess your own leadership behaviours and potential in relation to a leadership model discussed on the programme.Your reflection | | |should be based on what previous team members have fed back to you (approximately 100 words) | |At university currently we are participating in a module called consultancy project, whereby as group we have to write a report, research and offer | |recommendations to a real life client. Over the 4 months we have had 2 peers assessments and my feedback fits into the empowering leadership style, I have | |gained 100% commitment from the client and my team, I have motivated all my team members giving them guidance and reassurance when writing the report and | |they do trust my decisions that I have made. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe appropriate actions to enhance own leadership behaviour in the context of the particular leadership model | |Question 4: |Describe at least 2 appropriate actions to enhance your own leadersh ip behaviour in the context of a leadership model discussed on | | |the programme (approximately 100 words) | |To enhance my leadership skills I think I firstly need to take a more asking approach instead of getting so stressed myself without even consulting the | |other group members. Sometimes I tend to take it all upon myself without building the rest of the teams effort. | |Sometimes also using an autocratic style might be worth it, due to recently working with a team member who does not seem to put as much effort in as the | |others, to improve the group and work on my leadership styles he may respond to getting things done and meet objectives if I set them for him, this is | |something I will take with me and use to improve my group work with. | | | | | | | | |Understanding the Communication Process in the Workplace | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the importance of effective communication in the workplace | |Question 1: |Explain the importance of effective communication in the workplace (approximately 100 words) | |If communication in the workplace is bad it can have several effects such as decreased productivity, low morale and mistakes made. Communication is the key| |to running a successful business or project, it dismisses the pportunity for any important project to jeopardised (Allen Webster) | |High Productivity: the goal of any business, poor communication causes a breakdown in productivity resulting in profit loss or time loss. | |Morale: Not understanding a task causes low morale, as it makes employees feel confused and question wether they can contribute to the job role or not | |which leads to low self esteem. Tasks must be received in a clear concise manner focusing on the manager or the leaders communicative skills when | |surpassing important information. | |Mistakes: Written communication is essential and when writing emails which are now such a frequent task, you must be careful in choice of wording to ensure| |the email is not mi sunderstood or it can lead to unnecessary mistakes in the workplace. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the stages in the communication cycle | |Question 2: |Describe the stages in the communication cycle (approximately 100 words) | |The basic flow of communication: | |Sender –> Message –> Transmission –> Recipient –> Receiver | | | | | |In this flow the sender sends a message to the receiver and then they can share feedback on the communication process. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify possible barriers to communication in the workplace | |Question 3: |Describe two possible barriers to communication in the workplace (approximately 100 words) | |Environmental Barriers: The things that surround us, which prevent us from receiving the speaker’s message for example, other peoples conversation, time | |pressures, the weather, physical discomfort in the room you are sat in. – External barriers. | |Environmental barriers are related to the listener such as how the listener is feeling at the time. |Attitudinal Barriers: The thoughts and feelings going on inside our heads which prevent us from listening, for example boredom, you do not like the person | |who is speaking, – internal barriers. | |Attitudinal Barriers have a lot to do with the mood and beliefs of the listener. | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how to overcome a potential barrier to communication | |Question 4: |Explain how to overcome a potential barrier to communication (approximately 100 words) | |Effective communication requires listening and strong concentration.So it is important when receiving information, to ensure that the conditions are | |conducive to listening. ILM 3 has taught me that when important conversations are taking place and you are not in the right frame of mind due to | |attitudinal barriers be prepared to take them offline. You can also use the 6 steps to hearing attention, to improve your communication when needed m ost. | |For example an improved step I should take is be aware when it is getting to deep for me, and I tend to switch off when it gets to complicated or complex. | |This is something I need to work on to improve my communication skill set and follow through on challenging tasks that I need to complete. | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the main methods of written and oral communication in the workplace and their uses | |Question 5: |Describe the main methods of written and oral communication in the workplace and their uses (approximately 100 words) | |Written Communication: This should be used when needing to provide detailed information, such as figures and facts. Written communication is useful during | |briefs, it is useful when conducting a presentation to send extra written information out, the main use is when needing to refer back to it throughout a | |project or at a later date you can do, without having to ask the same questions again or repeat yourself. | |Or al Communication: This can be used during presentations, over the phone and is main form off communication. It is verbal, vocal and visual. You can | |convey the information you want to surpass on with passion and conviction and can be sure to get your message across clearly without any errors by using | |the tones in your voice. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of written methods of communication | |Question 6: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of written methods of communication (approximately 100 words) | |Advantages: Can store and be used at a later date. | |Easy to provide detailed information such as facts and figures | |Easy to pass on information from a third party. | | | |Disadvantages: Do not know if the information as been received unless a reply is needed. | |Writing skills are often difficult develop | |Poorly written documents can cost money. | | | | | | | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of oral communication | |Question 7: |Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of oral communication (approximately 100 words) | |Advantages: Easy and quick | |Can communicate your point without much room for misunderstanding. |Can be given constructive feedback after a presentation from managers or vies versa | | | |Disadvantages: Need effective listening to be active and cannot always predict | | | | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how non-verbal communication can influence the effectiveness of oral communication | |Question 8: |Explain how non-verbal communication can influence the effectiveness of oral communication (approximately 100 words) | |A mixed message can occur when a persons body maybe ‘talking’, and when people do speak their bodies sometimes can say different things. For example eye | |contact is sign of confidence which much be used when attending interviews. | |At times a persons body maybe talking wh en they are actually sitting in silence. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the value of feedback in ensuring effective communication | |Question 9: |Explain the value of feedback in ensuring effective communication (approximately 100 words) | |Constructive feedback is a positive way to improve somebodies skill set. When feedback is communicated effectively it can keep some goal orientated. When | |feeding back you must focus on specific behaviours rather than making general statements however still aiming to keep it impersonal. Always ask questions | |to ensure the person understands the feedback and make sure they do not feel like that have been attacked in a negative way. The value of constructive | |feedback is the key to improvement. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Assess own performance in a frequently used method of communication. Outline actions to improve own performance in communicating | |Question 10: |Assess your own performance (identifying your strengths and weaknes ses) in one frequently used method of communication. Possible | | |methods include; verbal communication, e-mail, telephone etc. Then state two ways in which you could improve your performance as a | | |communicator when using this method. |Written Communication | | | |Strengths – I have managed to establish relationships over email a varied amount of time throughout my 12 month placement, and I have managed to keep a | |professional working relationships with these people, via Linked In, and I feel confident that if I needed there support I would be able to rely upon them | |for advice and support even 12 months later. This shows I have conveyed my personality through email and have managed to be personable and approachable | |through my writing skills. | | |Weaknesses | |My spelling and grammatical errors I something I need to be aware off, I tend to rush many emails, and this cannot look when speaking to a professional | |body as it undermines the content of my email. | |Due to emailing tutors and friends from all over the world, I need to make sure I distinguish the difference between a friendly more informal email to a | |formal email, for example ending an email with Kind Regards and Many thanks, can change the way you want your whole email to come across. So being specific| |with my language is key. | |I have learnt during the ILM course to use the P. O. W. E.R | |Understand How to Establish an Effective Team | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the benefits of effective working relationships in developing and maintaining the team | |Question 1: |Explain the benefits of effective working relationships in developing and maintaining the team (approximately 100 words) | |Bellman and Ryan define an extraordinary group as on which: | |‘Achieves outstanding results while members experience a profound shift in how they see their world’. | |Extraordinary groups are not only productive as employees, but also develop personally during there p articipation. |Authors suggest that effective team work can exhibit these common factors, | |Full engagement, shared leadership, embracing differences etc | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe behaviours which could develop and maintain trust at work | |Question 2: |Describe behaviours which could develop and maintain trust at work (approximately 100 words) | |During team work you spend many hours in creative and energised environment – you get to know each others strengths and weaknesses and become a small | |support network for each other. This enables the employees to form connections which go deeper than usual work relationships. Through my own experience of | |working in a team this year, it has evolved into a long term friendship on a personal level outside of the group work at university. |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the role of communication in developing effective team working | |Question 3: |Explain the role of communication in developing effective team working (ap proximately 100 words) | |Strong communication during team work can ensure that the team know and understand your visions and goals, and how you see the project going. This can make| |it easier when needing to combine an overall aim and setting various objectives. It means that you can achieve something together with no confusion and a | |mutual agreement. |Communication and personable behaviour can lead to strong support networks around, and creating a more confident and friendly environment to work in. | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain the differences between a group and a team | |Question 4: |Explain the differences between a group and a team (approximately 100 words) | |A team is internally organised, with specific goals and usually specific roles for different members of the team. A group is a collection of people with | |something in common something as simple as being in the same place or having a shared interest. | | | | |Assessment Criteria: |Describe the stages of an esta blished model of group formation | |Question 5: |Describe the stages of Tuckman’s model of group formation (approximately 100 words) | |Tuckman believes that all teams pass through four stages of development, gradually becoming more effective as the dynamics of the team change dramatically | |from periods of inefficiency and uneasiness through to a high period of performance. | |The four stages are as follows. |Forming: Uncertainty about roles, looking outside for guidance. | |Storming: Growing confidence in team, rejecting outside authority | |Norming: Concern about being different, wanting to be part of a team | |Performing: Concern with getting the job done | | | |He believes that a team will not be fully effective unless it reaches he stage of performing. Unless the four stage process is completed teams may | |degenerate too back into storming. | | |Assessment Criteria: |Explain how a manager could benefit from knowing team members’ preferred roles as defined i n an established team role model | |Question 6: |Explain how a manager could benefit from knowing team members’ preferred roles as defined in an established team role model, such as | | |Belbin’s model (approximately 100 words) | |If a manager can determine what roles are preferred by each team member they are able to have a strong insight into what is going on and who to go to for | |certain questions. For example if somebody is strong and enjoy financial analysis it makes it easier for the manager to delegate this to the team rather | |them than having to form together and get to know each other before assigning each other roles. Also if something goes the wrong the manager knows who to | |go to. | | |Belbin believes that new team members should be selected so that there is a balance both in terms of skill sets and team roles – if the manager knows what | |is missing he will be able to make an outside confirmed choice of what is needed in the team. | |Also ea ch role has its weaknesses. Knowing these weaknesses is useful for planning to avoid potential difficulties and for helping individuals develop – I | |personally feel this is the managers role. | | | | |