Friday, December 27, 2019

Social Justice Activists - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1324 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/04/08 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Social Justice Essay Did you like this example? Social Justice is imperative since it advances and progresses in the direction of a general public that praises decent variety and uniformity. Having greater equity and assorted variety in a general public is useful for society since it advances opportunity, development and social well being.The significance of social equity in relationship to a moral vision of self and society and the job of instruction in close to home and social change.The importance of social equity as far as the dispersion of riches, openings, and benefits inside a general public.The idea of social equity intends to me the manner by which human rights are showed in the regular daily existences of individuals at each dimension of society. Also having methods for managing issues that appear needed to reach a decision about that numerous dont need to grapple with.. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Social Justice Activists" essay for you Create order Perusing the diverse entries every one of them has a particular social equity joined to their name/story. The Allegory of the Cave by Plato, The letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr, and Being Poor A Look Inside This Secret Society by Alia Ganaposkis. While perusing these articles and looking at their contentions it has helped me gain a superior comprehension to what social equity is and the significance to examine social equity as a native living in this general public. The Allegory of the Cave, composed by Plato, is story that differentiates the contrasts between what is genuine and what is seen. He opens with Glaucon conversing with Socrates. He has Glaucon envision what it resembles to be fastened in a give in, not ready to see something besides what is before him. He recounts an account of men that were caught in a surrender and were detainees to reality. These detainees have just observed shadows. But since of their obliviousness, these captives to the surrender trust that the shadows are genuine. The story proceeds to state that one of the men has been hauled out of the surrender. He isnt upbeat to see this present reality, yet irritated in light of the fact that what he saw the world to be was add up to not quite the same as what he truly thought and when somebody endeavored to clarify that since he was so shut disapproved of he wouldnt generally comprehend their side.This story ties in well with social equity since it demonstrates how when o nes conviction is set it is so difficult to change what somebody accept to what is genuinely right, that is the way our reality is the present once we have a set view on something its difficult to separate what is extremely reality and from what we truly believe is correct. Letter from Birmingham imprison by Martin Luther King Jr. Made me consider social equity and the issues in a network. He was a social equality and social equity lobbyist that was recalled by many. In this article King clarifies his battle for human rights and putting a conclusion to racial foul play. He outlines the things that arent right in the city of Birmingham and suggests his considerations concerning what ought to be finished. Lord says, foul play anyplace is a danger to equity all over the place (533,King Jr.). His announcement demonstrates to us his contention for equity and the impacts of unfairness in a general public. What King implies when he says this is we cant kick back and separate ourselves from others when theres a social issue that should be settled. He expresses that, whatever influences one specifically influences all by implication (533, King Jr.). The reason concerning what puts forth this expression genuine is on the grounds that we as a whole live in a similar world and the more, we meet up the more harmony there will be in this world. For say, in the event that we let unfairness occur in one network, we are influencing everybody in the general public since individuals will believe its alright to act vile to others around us. Subsequently, Martin Luther King Jr. composed this letter to draw in his gathering of people in having an enthusiasm towards social equity. In Kings letter, he talks about his demonstrations of common defiance through a peaceful methodology. He was resolved to act and roll out an improvement to forfeit his opportunity for the general population of Birmingham. In his cited articulation, so the reason for the immediate activity is to make a circumstance, so emergency pressed that it will unavoidably open the entryway for transaction ( 535, King Jr.). What Martin Luther King Jr. is endeavoring to state in this statement is that when you discover a circumstance worth battling for your best choice is to follow up on it that makes a kind of strain so the issue being tended to can be recognized and tuned in to. In Alia Ganaposkis Being Poor A Look Inside This Secret Society Pg. 188-191, she portrays the account of her school life. Since she was white, individuals expected she was working class. They related being poor with being dark or another minority gathering. From understudies to staff, everybody suspected that a young lady who lived in extraordinary destitution was rich white collar class. They thought her thrift store chic was a direction for living, for Naposki, it was a way of life need. It wasnt until the point that later they discovered that she was poor, when she gave her class a discourse. She needed to instruct them on how she wasnt the main white individual that was poor, in that school, and on the planet. She shaped a union for low pay understudies so as to bring issues to light and meet individuals who will see each others circumstance. This was successful technique for change since she had the ability to break individuals suppositions and generalizations. She likewise disc overed other people who could identify with her so they could work together. There are numerous reasons individuals are poor. At the point when every one of the wellsprings of neediness are comprehended and killed, at that point individuals can live easily. Since these understudies had the ability to see one another and make a collusion to bring issues to light, they had the ability to instruct alternate understudies and workforce. At the point when every other person was taught on the necessities of low pay understudies, they made an understudy bolster gathering. Despite the fact that this doesnt take care of the issue, it is one bit nearer to finding an answer and making a protected space for those that require it most. The low-pay understudies had the ability to be perceived and be furnished with the help and cash they required. They had control over their own lives and helped other people with low salary have the capacity to achieve the things that the white collar class understudies achieved. It made an equivalent playing field instead of them buckling d own or battle to discover assets they couldnt actually bear. In the wake of perusing these papers from renowned social activists I trust that the best method to battle against social equity and get social change is through peaceful acts. It is an approach to get the general population tuning in and to have a general public met up as one. These 3 activists demonstrated perusers the procedure and the difficulties they needed to confront however at last they understood that opportunity they needed and rolled out an improvement ever. That as well as it influenced me to acknowledge that it is so essential to focus on the issues going on in our general public and networks. They way we make our voices heard and carry on can have a major effect on the planet and that is truly what the morals of commitment is about. At the point when individuals can forfeit of themselves to battle for the benefit of all and acquire harmony this world.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Information Privacy And The Protection Of Information

Introduction According to (Whitman Mattord 2014) Information Security can be defined as the protection of information and its characteristics which are confidentiality, integrity and availability, and all the systems and hardware that use, store and transmit information. Information systems and the information thereof are protected from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification or destruction (Andress 2014) and this can be achieved through the application of policy, training and awareness. Information privacy otherwise known as data privacy or data protection deals with the collection, use and disclosure of personal information (Solove et al. 2006). And from a medical perspective, (Security 2009) clearly defines information privacy as â€Å"a person’s right to keep his/her health information from been disclosed without authorization†. This definition can also be applicable to any organization that deals with personal information. To ensure that organizations are privacy compliant, principles such as the Information Privacy Principles (IPP) coiled from the Information Privacy Act 2009 place strict obligation on organizations on the collection, storage, usage and disclosure of personal information. Under these principles, in collecting personal information, an agency must only by lawful means and directly from an individual request only the personal information for purposes directly related to the function of that agency. In securely storing of personalShow MoreRelatedIssues in Access to Information and Privacy Protection1657 Words   |  7 PagesCanadian Policies to Thwart Terrorist and Criminal Activities: Issues in Access to Information and Privacy Protection Outline Introduction Canadian Terror Policies Canadian Criminal Activity Policy Cyber Attacks Access to Information Privacy Protection Plans for the Future Conclusion Canadian Policies to Thwart Terrorist and Criminal Activities: Issues in Access to Information and Privacy Protection Introduction There are many countries where terrorist activities are simply aRead MoreProtecting Personal Information And The Privacy Of Individuals From A Regulatory Protection1790 Words   |  8 Pagesis obvious that the purpose of data protection is to protect personal information and the privacy of individuals through a regulatory protection regime. The regime governs both when and how organisations may keep and process private information or data. It provides organisations with obligations that must be complied with and grant data protection rights to individuals. As noted in the Computer Law Security Review (2012), issues about privacy and data protection are being discussed broadly and areRead MoreThe Cloud : Going Beyond The Contractarian Paradigm1323 Words   |  6 PagesPrivacy in the Cloud: Going Beyond the Contractarian Paradigm Masooda N. Bashir, Jay P. Kesan, Carol M Hayes and Robert Zielinski 1. Citation Bashir, M, Hayes, C, Kesan, J Zielinski, R 2011, â€Å"Privacy in the Cloud: Going Beyond the Contractarian Paradigm†, Proceedings of the 2011 Workshop on Governance of Technology, Information, and Policies, pp. 21-27, December 2011 2. Purpose of the Article The purpose of the article is to provide a brief summary of cloud computing, a relatively new conceptRead MoreChildren’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998800 Words   |  4 PagesChildren’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 â€Å"This legislation grew out of the fact that by 1998 roughly ten million American children had access to the Internet, and at the same time, studies indicated that children were unable to understand the potential effect of revealing their personal information online and parent failed to monitor their children’s use of the Internet.† (Koby) Due to the technology available today children of all ages have access to the internet. 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HoweverRead MoreConsumer Privacy Companies Woo Business Companies932 Words   |  4 Pages The article, found in The Wall Street Journal, â€Å"Consumer-Privacy Companies Woo Business Companies† by Elizabeth Dwoskin, gives us a brief overlook at how more products are aiming toward the protection of consumers’ privacy. On March 2nd, Silent Circle announced the release of their Blackphone as an enterprise product. The Blackphone is an android phone announced last year that aims at giving its consumers total privacy. It accomplishes this by encrypting all data stored by voice or text messageRead MoreEssay on Information Technology Acts688 Words   |  3 PagesInformation Technology Acts Information Technology Acts Almost every home, school, and library in the United States, has computers and access to the internet. Although computers are vital to children’s success in school, the Internet can expose them to inappropriate material and online predators. With the constant advances in technology over the years, the increase in Internet use by children and teenagers has resulted in concerns about preventing illegal Internet activities. In an attempt toRead MorePrivacy And Health Information Privacy Essay1527 Words   |  7 PagesInformation Privacy With the increase of use of electronics sharing of health information and improved communication within healthcare team, privacy in healthcare has become an important aspect of nursing. Privacy in healthcare addresses the question of who has access to personal information and under what conditions. In healthcare, privacy is concerned with the collection, storage, and use of personal information. It is every practicing nurse’s responsibility to keep up to date on current health

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Perservering Through Lost Hope free essay sample

The experiences I have had, including the small ones, have given me the opportunity to revise my personal values and grow as a human being. I blankly stared in utter confusion at the cluster of chemicals written on the board. I was not just lost, I was beyond lost. I felt as though I was in a maze with no exit and no remembrance of an entrance. Instead of trying to find my way out, I just found myself asking, â€Å"How did I get in here?† I was so lost that I couldn’t even manufacture a basic question to help me with the slightest form of understanding. It seemed as though each day the hole that I was in got deeper and deeper, eventually there would be no hope of getting out. At this point, the only sure thing I knew was that I was not going to pass Chemistry. We will write a custom essay sample on Perservering Through Lost Hope or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I reached a turning point where I was fed up with not understanding, done with feeling lost, finished with exponentially sinking into a depression. Lacking stellar math skills and great intelligence, I wasn’t going to let this class get the best of me. From that point on I started staying up late studying and going in early everyday for help. I felt like Rudy, beginning a mission to divert fate. As Rudy sacrificed his body and heart everyday during practice, I sacrificed my sleep and social life while working hard to obtain what I felt was my true potential. Weeks went by, I was still failing, still lost, still frustrated to the point of exhaustion. All hope seemed as though it was for nothing. I continued to persevere through my frustration; slowly I realized small increments of improvement. No longer was I lost in what seemed to me an elaborate infeasible maze. The signs only pushed me to keep working, it got to the point where not only was I attentive in class but I could actually understand what the teacher was saying! This triggered a series of good grades on tests and quizzes. By the end of the trimester I had brought up my D- to a B to this day it was the greatest B I have ever received. I know it seems unusual that I am so emphatically proud of something as average as getting a B, but as I look back on that time I realize that there is a greater worth behind it all. The worst feeling in life is when you try once, try again and then try some more but nothing is improving and you’re still in the same place you started. This is what I was feeling, I felt as though I was putting my mind and body through too much all for nothing. I had a decision to make, quit like the average person would or put my moral belief to the test and keep pushing forward. I have learned that when all hope of success seems lost, your perseverance will determine what you truly deserve. â€Å"Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses†, a truly underrated cliche. As a teen I have observed many things about people, one being the tendencies to gloss over the small yet quietly significant events that are essential for the development of one’s character. Meandering through life waiting for results is no way to live. A small event in life like receiving a B may seem insignificant but when you look back and think about everything you did to obtain it, the memories are lavish with life lessons. In my personal experience I attained the true understanding of hard work, perseverance, and how they both pay off. I know what your thinking, â€Å"he basically said hard work pays off†. It’s not that simple. Sure anyone can work hard for a certain period of time, but can they keep working when all hope seems lost? Should a football player just stop working hard when their chances of getting on the field are slim to none? Absolutely not. They have to take the challenge head on and earn what they desire. Of course hard work pays off, it pays off when the individual pushed through the negatives and has proven to themselves that they won’t give up, they won’t be told theyre not good enough, and they won’t take no for an answer. Only then is when the benefits of hard work are undoubtedly deserved.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Three Reasons Why Im Attending College Essays -

Three Reasons Why I'm Attending College Three Reasons Why I'm Attending Frontier Community College There are many reasons for my decision to attend Frontier Community College. For example, I wanted to create a positive atmosphere for my family so I would become a better role model for my children. While in the mean time, preparing a solid foundation for my career, and furthering my education to improve my own self-esteem. Creating a positive atmosphere, and being a good role model for my family, I feel is the most important reason for my decision to attend Frontier Community College. Hopefully, with experiencing my struggles, my children will realize it is easier to further their education earlier in life. I found by returning to college at age 35, it's twice the struggle to relearn the basic concepts of learning and preparing yourself for an exciting career. By creating this scholastic atmosphere, I feel my children have a better chance of furthering their education and provide the security they will need later in life. Subsequently, by building a solid foundation for my career, I am able to enhance my financial support for my children to achieve a solid foundation for their careers. Also by establishing a new and exciting career I will be able to earn and receive the benefits of a good job, and better pay, to provide my family with the security that I feel my family needs and deserves. My final, but none less important reason for my decision to attend Frontier Community College, is to further my own education, and to improve myself within the knowledge of a new career. Furthering my education will fulfill my need to learn and achieve the knowledge about the things that interest me most. Also, it will supply me with the feeling to be more comfortable with future situations, and gives me the knowledge and confidence to work under demanding pressures of everyday life. In conclusion to my decision to attend Frontier Community College, I believe it will create a positive atmosphere to help me become a better role model for my children, build a solid foundation for my career, and to further my education to improve myself. These three reasons are only a few of the many reasons why I decided to attend Frontier Community College at this point in my life. Bibliography freshman student/ first year Comp 1 Biographies

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Battle Of The Bulge Essays - Battle Of The Bulge, Adolf Hitler

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge took place on December sixteenth 1944. The Germans mobilized the last chance they had to win the war. The Germans wanted to cut the American forces in to two parts this way the could easily be destroyed. Hitler felt this was his last to win Because his forces were being pushed back and soon they would run out of the resources the would need to win the war. Hitler was mobilizing a task force of 500,000 Germans solders. The allies were slowly pushing throng the Ardennes Forest on the Germany, Belgium Boarder, with a force of 600,000 American solders And 55,000 British solders. Hitler hoped to surprise the Allies of gard and quickly separate the army. The allies pushed through this are because they felt this was the least like place to set up a attack to assault the Allies. The Germans selected it because it was easy to hide troops in the hills. Hitler code-named this attack as the "wacht am Rhein" The Americans whit through the area in a thin line to give suppor t to the flank were the attack was expected. During the War Eisenhower and his staff felt this spot was the least likely to be attacked. The thought the Germans would not try any thing through the narrow passageway. The American Army was kept long and thin whit a reinforced left and right flakiness to make sure of any attacks that would come right up the middle. The Germans wanted to of the opposite of what the Americans wanted to do. As stated above the Allied troops were 'resting' and reforming; they consisted of General Simpson's 9th Army and General Hodges 1st US Army in the north and General Patton's 3rd Army to the south. The Ardennes was held by General Middleton who had the 8th US Army Corps, 106th and 26th Infantry Divisions and 4th and 9th Armoured Divisions. "In late 1944 Germany was clearly losing the war. The Russian Red Army was steadily closing in on the Eastern front while German cities were being devastated by intense American bombing. The Italian peninsula had been captured and liberated, and the Allied armies were advancing rapidly through France and the Low Countries. Hitler knew the end was near if something couldn't be done to slow the Allied advance. He soon came up with a plan to do this." (David Sargent).This shows how Hitler has to come up with a brilliant game plain to win the war. The object of the German offensive was to push through the Belgian Ardennes, cross the Meuse, retake Antwerp and its harbour facilities, thrust to the north and reach the sea. This would cut off the Allied troops in Holland and Belgium, making it impossible for them to withdraw. The success of the operation depended on three important parts, the speed of the initial breakthrough, the seizure of Allied fuel supplies and communications centres be tween St.Vith and Bastogne, and the widening of the breach in the Allied lines to allow German troops to pour into Belgium. There would be three armies the 15th Army in the North, 7th Army in the South and the main push by Sepp Dietrich's 6th and von Manteuffel's 7th Panzer Divisions in the center! Specially trained German soldiers who spoke English fluently were infiltrated behind the Allied lines wearing American uniforms with orders to disrupt the deployment of Allied units and prepare the way for the German advance.The crucial problem for the German was their lack of fuel and the whole 'adventure' depended on their initial thrust capturing the allied supplies. Whit out a supply of fuel they where siting ducks if they ever ran out. Hitler's last attack had to work or he would be defeated. The plan was to march 85 miles from Southern Belgium to Luxembourg and attack the allies by surprise. He would attack during the Christmas season in the Ardennes Forest, an area where there were only a few allied shoulders. The invasion was designed to split the American and British armies in half. However it did not succeed. The German armies caught the allies by surprise. They had some success in the beginning and

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Aquatic Communities

Aquatic Communities Aquatic communities are the worlds major water habitats. Like land biomes, aquatic communities can also be subdivided based on common characteristics. Two common designations are  freshwater and marine communities. Freshwater Communities Rivers and Streams are bodies of water that continuously move in a single direction. Both are rapidly changing communities. The source of the river or stream usually differs significantly from the point at which the river or stream empties. A variety of plants and animals can be found in these freshwater communities, including trout, algae, cyanobacteria, fungi, and of course, various species of fish. Estuaries are the areas where freshwater streams or rivers meet the ocean. These highly productive regions contain widely diverse plant and animal life. The river or stream usually carries many nutrients from inland sources, making estuaries capable of supporting this rich diversity and high productivity. Estuaries are feeding and breeding grounds for a variety of animals, including  waterfowl, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians. Lakes and Ponds are standing bodies of water. Many streams and rivers end in lakes and ponds. Phytoplankton are usually found in the upper layers. Because light is absorbed only to certain depths, photosynthesis is common only in the upper layers. Lakes and ponds also support a variety of plant and animal life, including  small fish, brine shrimp, aquatic insects, and numerous plant species. Marine Communities Oceans cover approximately 70% of the earths surface. Marine communities are difficult to divide into distinct types  but can be classified based on the degree of light penetration. The simplest classification consists of two distinct zones: the photic and aphotic zones. The photic zone is the light zone or area from the surface of the water to the depths at which the light intensity is only around 1 percent of that at the surface. Photosynthesis occurs in this zone. The vast majority of marine life exists in the photic zone. The aphotic zone is an area that receives little or no sunlight. The environment in this zone is extremely dark and cold. Organisms living in the aphotic zone are often bioluminescent or are extremophiles and adept at living in extreme environments. As with the other communities, a variety of organisms live in the ocean. Some include  fungi, sponges, starfish, sea anemones, fish, crabs, dinoflagellates, green algae, marine mammals, and giant kelp.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Application of epidemiology Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Application of epidemiology - Case Study Example of the infections that have occurred within the past year at the facility include the E Coli infection that infected 6 patients at the hospitals Ward 10. Records at the institution also show that there was infection of Fever, coughs and foul smelling urine in various other wards during the same year. Most of the patients who reported high fever were the patients in the intensive care unit but this lasted only a week before it the situation was stabilized. There were 3 patients at the ICU at that time, two males and a female and they recorded high temperatures from late at night till early morning.The other outbreak of these infections was in the pediatric ward, Ward 5 where there was a breakout of cough infections. At the time, the ward had 12 patients, 8 boys and 4 girls. The infection started with a small boy and within a week 7 other patients at the ward had already been put under cough medication. The situation was stabilized in two weeks as the records show this is when the coug h treatment stopped. The treatment of these infection results in an increased expenditure by the hospital. It is therefore important to determine who will bear the costs of this treatment, whether it is the patients, the hospital or if it will be shared by both of them. Even though the patients did not come to the facility with these diseases, they will have to be treated as soon as the symptoms are noticed. The patients can then decide not to pay the extra cost for this extra medication by claiming that the cost was due to negligence by the staff and therefore the cost of treatment lies with the hospital. The issue of whether the patients should be informed of these infections should also be discusses. This is because they might occur without the knowledge of the patients who might think it is just another infection related to their current situation. If they are made aware of these conditions they can sue the hospital for negligence, on the other hand if the patients become aware

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Obesity Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Obesity - Term Paper Example However, health issues are not the only problems associated with obesity there are also certain economic side effects of it (Sandman, 2007). Different nutritionists and dieticians suggest a number of solutions and cures for this disease. However, there are a few major categories where the first one is in the form of dieting in which the aim is to cut down on consumption of fattening food. Another popular technique is working out, which includes aerobics, yoga, gym, wait training and many others (Wright, 2004). Some people use the combination of these both with a proper weight loss plan, which is another technique. Also taking prescribed medication is essential to control obesity as medicines control appetite (Caprio, 2006). Also the surgical options have started to work more and more with the passage of time. Obesity is a disease that has no boundaries and is common amongst all age groups, gender and ethnic backgrounds. It is an epidemic that has spread all around the globe. Statisti cs show that 31% of Americans are considered obese with a BMI crossing 30 (Grossman, 2004). Works Cited Butcher, Kristin F. Childhood Obesity: Trends and Potential Causes. The Future of Children, 16, 2006 Caprio, Sonia. Treating Child Obesity and Associated Medical Conditions. The Future of Children, 16, 2006 Grossman, Michael. The Economics of Obesity. Public Interest, 2004 Sandman, Nirit.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Federal emergency management agency (FEMA) Term Paper

Federal emergency management agency (FEMA) - Term Paper Example The FEMA also secures state and local governments with the resources and the expertise in specific areas where help is needed (FEMA, 2012a). They also provide funds for rebuilding; and release funds for infrastructure relief by allowing affected individuals to secure low interest loans. This agency also secures funds for the training of emergency response personnel within the US and other territories (FEMA, 2012a). The FEMA’s mission is to support citizens and â€Å"first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards† (FEMA, 2012b). The goals of the FEMA include the preparation of communities for emergencies. In effect, it secures resources to improve the capacity of federal, state, and local government agencies in order to secure best practice and secure grants for local communities (Malcolm, 2012). Another goal of the FEMA is to mit igate the damage caused by disasters. These mitigation goals come about before and after disasters occur; this is when risk management is carried out before disasters and grants are offered for affected individuals in order to mitigate the impact of such disasters (Malcolm, 2012). Another goal is to protect communities from external threats and more importantly to respond to disasters and emergencies. Supporting recovery in communities impacted by disaster is also a significant goal for the FEMA (Malcolm, 2012). The objectives of this organization include the securing the participation of agency employees for the renewal process; emphasizing mitigation as a means of reducing the risks to people, property and communities of disasters; securing a culture of assistance among citizens by ensuring national emergency management partnerships; establishing an all-hazards resource in emergency management; maintaining close relationships with federal agencies in most areas of emergency manage ment; establishing flexibility in the state and local emergency management programs; securing a quick and effective administration in assistance claims; and establishing means by which the efficacy of the FEMA programs can be assessed (FEMA, 2012c). The structure of the FEMA leadership is primarily lodged with the President of the United States from whom main orders for the mobilization of the organization resides (FEMA, 2012d). The FEMA is headed by an administrator, assisted by a deputy administrator and the chief of staff. Staff members would include the directors for the following offices: Executive Secretariat, and the Office of the National Advisory Council. The Chief Counsel would also form part of the administrative staff, including the senior advisor to the Secretary for Emergency Management and the Deputy Administrator of the office for Protection and National Preparedness (FEMA, 2012d). Under the Protection and National Preparedness office are the following assistant dire ctors in specific areas: national preparedness, grant programs, national continuity programs, and the Office of National Capital Region Coordination. The Administrator for the US Fire Administration would also form an office under the FEMA administration (FEMA, 2012d). An associate administrator for t

Friday, November 15, 2019

Malaysian Education And Malaysian Science Curriculum

Malaysian Education And Malaysian Science Curriculum CHAPTER 5 5.0 Introduction This chapter will mainly discuss the generic aspects in Malaysian education system and will give more focus on Malaysian science curriculum. In discussing Malaysian science curriculum, I will be looking at the four main aspects of a curriculum which are the objective, content, implementation and assessment. However, I would prefer to give more focus on the implementation and the assessment which are basically the aspects that influence students performance and the effectiveness of a curriculum. I will highlight the strengths and the weakness of this curriculum or system from the data gathered and the analysis of related documents. 5.1 Brief History on Malaysian Education System In conducting this research, I do believe that one needs to understand the Malaysian education system as a whole, in order to understand how this system develops and works. The development had so many influences from internal and external namely religion, colonialism, integration among races, science and technology, political view and others. However the establishment of Malaysian education system became significantly enhanced after World War II as a result of the rise in awareness among the intellectuals in Malaya. Therefore, to explain brief history of Malaysian education, I would to discuss education in Malaysia, previously known as Malaya, post World War II. 5.1.1 Towards A National Education System In order to help the government to decide the best education system, an Advisory Committee on Education was established in 1949 by British government in Malaya. The government intended a system which could be implemented and on the same time could unite the races in Malaya. Due to that reasons, British believed that a standard type of education could help British to foster the aims in Malaya. Hence, an education system was established which this system used one medium of instruction. On the subsequent year 1950, Barnes Report proposed of the conversion of primary vernacular schools into national schools which using Malay and English languages. In secondary schools however, supposed to maintain the use of English as medium of instruction (Rosnani, H., 2004). From the Barnes report, there were subsequent reports produced with attempts to view the education system in Malaya such as Fenn-Wu report in 1951 and Razak Report in 1955. Razak report was the one which really gave tremendous effect in Malaysian education. The committee was chaired by Dato Abdul Razak Hussein and was given the task to review the education system of Malaya. Based critical analysis and deliberation on 151 memorandums which received, Razak Committee recommended the following; (Rosnani, H., 2004). Two types of primary school National schools and National-type schools with a common content syllabus. Use of Malay language as medium of instruction and English as compulsory subject. In 1960, the Rahman Talib committee was established to investigate the acceptance of Razak Report among the Malaysians. It also aims to strengthen the implementation of Razak Report and the use of Malay as the medium of instruction. Report by Rahman Talibs commitee later was served as the basis for the Education Act 1961 and the act was subsequently approved by the Parliament. 5.1.2 Development of Malaysian Science Education during Post-Independence In Malaysia, science education started under the British colonialism period. At that time, education was received only by the elite groups and only a small group of people in Malaya pursued their study in secondary level where formal science education was provided. During that era, students were used imported textbooks and sat for the examination that was set up by Cambridge Universities. The examination is exactly the same as the ones sat by students in England. After independence, and the establishment of the new state of Malaysia in 1963, a more comprehensive system of education was developed. The system use Malay language as the main medium of instruction and a national curriculum together with examination system (Wong Ee, 1975). Later in 1973, the National Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) was established to oversee matters pertaining to curriculum adaptation and adoption. According to Zainal (1988) curriculum reforms at secondary level were very much influenced by the British education system. In 1960s and 1970s, the reforms (Nielsen, 1985) emphasized the following: integration and relevance of the science curriculum, and science process skills However, research found that the implementation of these reforms at classroom level was very minimal (Zainal, 1988). Even though the reform supposes to change the pedagogy of teachers, studies conducted reported that teachers modified or ignored the inquiry strategies proposed by the reformed courses. There were cases where teachers keep using the traditional pedagogy in teaching. Most of the reasons cited were (Lee, 1992); Lack of confidence and competence on the part of teachers to try out new teaching techniques, probably due to their poor grasp of the subject-matter and poor training; Physical constraints in terms of class size and facilities; Social pressure to teach towards examinations; and A cultural context where respect for authority inhibits independent and critical thinking. Due to the factors listed, the reform process did not met its expectation which to provide a better education for Malaysian citizens. Thus, in 1988, a further wave of reform was carried out. This time the reform was led by the establishment of the Integrated Curriculum for Secondary School (ICSS), which serves to provide the better basis for secondary schooling science programs. Alongside development of scientific knowledge and skills, ICSS Science also emphasizes the inculcation in students of social values and positive attitudes to science. 5.1.3 Implementation of the National Education System The National Philosophy of Education was released in year 1989. The philosophy is as follows: Education in Malaysia is an on-going effort towards further developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral standards, and who are responsible and capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as being able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, the society and the nation at large. 5.1.4 Education towards Vision 2020 To achieve the status as a fully developed country is the ultimate goal for Malaysia by the year 2020. The definition of Malaysia as a fully developed country is: By the year 2020, Malaysia can be a united nation, with a confident Malaysian society, infused by strong moral and ethical values, living in a society that is democratic, liberal and tolerant, caring, economically just and equitable, progressive and prosperous, and in full possession of an economy that is competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient. In order to reach as fully developed country, it is important for Malaysia to put sufficient effort to overcome nine challenges in Vision 2020. Following are the challenges that are believed to be related to the role of education in Malaysia (Malaysia as a Fully Developed Country, 2010; p.2) The third challenge we have always faced is that of fostering and developing a mature democratic society, practicing a form of mature consensual, community-oriented Malaysian democracy that can be a model for many developing countries. The fifth challenge that we have always faced is the challenge of establishing a matured, liberal and tolerant society in which Malaysians of all colors and creeds are free to practice and profess their customs, cultures and religious beliefs and yet feeling that they belong to one nation. The sixth is the challenge of establishing a scientific and progressive society, a society that is innovative and forward-looking, one that is not only a consumer of technology but also a contributor to the scientific and technological civilization of the future. The ninth challenge is the challenge of establishing a prosperous society, with an economy that is fully competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient. In the history of Malaysia, it is evident that the education policy over the past years has been consistent and in line with Vision 2020. Vision 2020 emphasizes Malaysia as a fully developed country, one which is developed in every aspect economically, politically, socially, spiritually, psychologically and culturally. The challenges in Vision 2020 which related to education will only be overcome by ensuring that adequate supply of human resources in the area of science and technology are provided. This is done through increasing the intake of science students, encouraging the use of technology in among the teachers and students. Critical reviews on the National Education system from time to time ensure that the present curriculum is in line with the progress and needs of our country. The needs include restructuring the society, achieve racial unity and fulfill the aims of the Vision 2020. 5.2 Objective The objective of Malaysian science curriculum lies in its philosophy which is extended and based on the National Educational Philosophy (NPE); In consonance with the National Education Philosophy, science education in Malaysia nurtures a science and technology culture by focusing on the development of individuals who are competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient and able to master scientific knowledge and technological competency Therefore in general, aims of science education in Malaysia are to develop the potentials of individuals in an overall and integrated manner. It also intended to produce Malaysian citizens, who are scientifically and technologically literate and competent in scientific skills. In line with the National Educational Philosophy, the individual produced is believes to practice good moral values and has abilities to cope with the changes of scientific and technological advances. He or she also be able to manage nature with wisdom and responsible for the betterment of mankind. Educational Development Plan for Malaysia (2001 2010) stated that, the aims of the development in secondary education are to enhance students critical and creative thinking skills; emphasize science and technology; provide adequate and quality teaching and learning facilities. By giving focus on science and technology, the prescribed curriculum by means will ensuring the workforces who are knowledgeable and skillful in various fields especially in science, technology and ICT can be produced. From the aims that highlighted, one can see that the philosophy of Education in Malaysia works as a reference or guide for the system in producing the intended products. This can be seen from the following lines; The aspiration of the nation to become an industrialized society depends on science and technology. It is envisaged that success in providing quality science education to Malaysians from an early age will serve to spearhead the nation into becoming a knowledge society and a competitive player in the global arena. Towards this end, the Malaysian education system is giving greater emphasis to science and mathematics education. Dr.Sharipah Maimunah, Director of Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) The focus in the teaching-learning approach in the science curriculum in Malaysia at all levels is the mastery of scientific skills among the students. Since science subject stress on inquiry and problem solving, therefore scientific and thinking skills are need to be utilized. Scientific skills are important in any scientific investigation such as conducting experiments and carrying out projects as it comprises process skills and manipulative skills. Process skills are mental processes that encourage critical, creative, analytical and systematic thinking while manipulative skills are psychomotor skills used in scientific investigations such as proper handling of scientific equipment, substances, living and non-living things. Thinking skills comprise critical thinking and creative thinking, which when combined with reasoning lead to higher order thinking skills such as conceptualizing, decision making and problem solving. In the science curriculum, it is recommended that the scientific and thinking skills are infused through science lessons in various stages. These stages range from introducing scientific and thinking skills explicitly, applying these skills with guidance from teachers and finally applying these skills to solve specific problems independently. The infusion of desirable values and attitudes is also emphasized in the teaching approaches. Such values include showing interest and curiosity towards the surroundings, honesty and accuracy in recording and validating data, flexibility and open-mindedness, perseverance, being systematic and confident, cooperation, responsibility for ones own and friends safety, and towards the environment, appreciation of the contributions of science and technology, thankfulness to God, appreciation and practice of a healthy and clean life style and the realization that science is one of the ways to understand the universe. Hence, to achieve the targeted objectives and aims of the stipulated education,, the Integrated Curriculum for Secondary School (ICSS) or Kurikulum Baru Sekolah Menengah (KBSM) for all subjects including science is are supposed to subscribe lifelong learning among the students, inculcate moral values across the curriculum, and promote students intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical development. Form the interview that I carried out on an expert in science education, she views KBSM as; I think the philosophy of the Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah (KBSM) science is good. To ensure a scientist that is not only good in the field but also knows the limit of science in understanding the phenomena and knowing science to know God as well. Also the science curriculum is to educate science for all and not specifically to train students to be scientists. (personal communication) 5.3 Content Science education in Malaysia offers wide range of topics arranged in accordance to its theme. The topics are arranged thematically to help students conceptualize and understand how concepts are related to one another. However, lack of effort or perhaps in some cases, failure, among teachers to relate previous chapter from the next caused students to perceive knowledge as detached instead of connected and complete. For example, when students are in form one, they will learn about Matter which covers the details on solid, liquid and gas. When the students move one form higher the following year, two of the chapters on Water and Solution and Air Pressure taught in form two are built on the previous topic on Matter. Later at the upper secondary level, the students will learn about matter in two separate subjects, namely chemistry and physics. The difference is that at upper secondary level, the topics are covered in more depth in comparison to what was leant at the lower secondary level. For chemistry, topic related to Matter focuses more forces that exist between particles while in Physics, learning and discussions are geared towards energy and its influence on matter. In forms one to three, students do general science where certain aspects of biological, physical and chemical sciences are integrated into a subject. The general science subject that students learn, in other words, serves as foundation to prepare them for more advanced science specific subjects such as biology, chemistry, physics and additional science at upper secondary level. In the Malaysian science curriculum, each science subject has its own objectives and focus. The focus of science subjects at primary to secondary levels of schooling change as students ability changed in accordance to their increasing age. However, moving from one stage to another, the focus of the curriculum still intended to achieve the aims and target of the national curriculum. The curriculum in primary school is less critical and serves more as basic or foundation for the students. As students move from primary school to upper secondary school, the designed curriculum undergoes gradual transformation and changes on its level of difficulty whereby the curriculum in secondary schooling is more critical and wider. The science curriculum in secondary schooling is supposed to nurture and reinforces what was learnt at the primary level. At the secondary level, particular emphasis is given to the acquisition of scientific knowledge, and mastery of scientific and thinking skills. The em phasis was given throughout the syllabus designed and the teaching and learning process. At the end of the day, the curriculum that the students had went through, whether in primary or secondary will make them to be all-rounded, balanced, knowledgeable and possess high morality. Therefore, as means of ensuring the development of holistic and ethically upright citizens or possess high morality those who would develop yet manage and preserve the environment the science (and other curriculum for that matter) curriculum has been infused with moral values as indicated by Director of Curriculum Development Center herself; The Science curriculum has been designed not only to provide opportunities for students to acquire science knowledge and skills, develop thinking skills and thinking strategies, and to apply this knowledge and skills in everyday life, but also to inculcate in them noble values and the spirit of patriotism. It is hoped that the educational process en route to achieving these aims would produce well-balanced citizens capable of contributing to the harmony and prosperity of the nation and its people. Dr.Sharifah Maimunah Syed Zain Even though the content of Malaysian science curriculum seemed exceptional on paper, it has, nonetheless, been criticized by students and teachers alike. In fact, there were also experts in education who indicated that the content of Malaysian science curriculum is too ambitious and burdening teachers and students. Some of the interview responses on the content and implementation of Malaysian science curriculum are as follows: It is burden in the sense that the content is still abstract and conceptual in nature, less relevance to the need of their daily life. The content is still subject based rather than societal based. Expert However, sometimes the contents are too much. Not all the experiments or topic that teachers are able to do or show to the class. Teacher ..the syllabus is quite a lot and the teacher must finish it because it will be asked in examinationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Teacher .I reckoned Malaysian science syllabus as a mile wide, an inch deep. There is too much too cover, and yet all those topics are being covered at only at a superficial level. There are many repercussions due to thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Teacher ..I observed teacher making extra effort on teaching important topics in class using up extra period of time, and it ended up with no time left to teach the last topic. Teacher The content of Malaysian science curriculum to some extend failed to address the importance for the students to learn the content and how the content relates to their life. With the feature of Malaysian science curriculum which content-laden, this directly affect on how the curriculum is implemented in school by the teachers. Implementation In order to discuss on the implementation of Malaysian science curriculum effectively, I have divided this section into three subheadings, namely; teaching strategy, textbook and overall conclusion on the curriculum implementation. Teaching Strategy Based on the documents provided by Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) on Malaysian science curriculum, there are various effective methods suggested for science teacher in Malaysia to teach the subject. Among the recommended teaching practices in science classrooms are; constructivist, mastery learning, science process skills, thinking skills and metacognition, student-centered learning and the integration of information and communication technology. However, it can be observed the most common method used by teacher is the traditional teaching or direct teaching which is basically known as chalk and talk method. When teaching science, teachers in Malaysia usually use textbook as their main source of references together with other materials provided by the Ministry of Education (MOE). This is supported by interviews conducted on the students; ..most of them (teacher) using traditional method, chalk and blackboard and cd-rom provided by government and experimental as stated in the text books, absolutely they are using 100% text book .to save time, teachers prefer to use chalk and talk only.. teach something based on textbook. No other source. All teachers are aware that they are responsible for covering all topics in the syllabus. However due to time constraint, it is commonly observed and reported that science teachers in Malaysia tend to cover parts of the syllabus with high probability of appearing in examination only. Since other methods like inquiry learning and constructivism usually consumes much time and energy to carry out, the easier way out is to use the didactic approach that captures the majoritys attention. With that approach, more often than not, many students will ask questions, Hence teachers can pace lessons to quickly cover all topics within the syllabus. Effendi and Zanaton (2006) highlighted the two pedagogical limitations that have been identified as major shortcomings in traditional secondary education: lecture-based and teacher centered instruction. These two types of pedagogical approach actually do not support most of the aims and the outcomes intended by the curriculum. The direct teaching method tends to encourage low-cognitive, surface level learning outcomes such as to define, to list and to state. This is in contrast to the intention of the curriculum which expected students be taught to be creative, critical thinkers and proactive problem solvers who not only master the science process skills but also adapt scientific thinking and attitudes in their daily lives. The mismatch between intended curriculum and the way teaching is carried out in class have been reported by many, including in research conducted by Nor Aishah, et al.(2007) whom proposed inculcation of entrepreneurial skills in science as a method to make the cur riculum moving away from being exam-oriented. A student whom I interviewed also claimed: According to my experience, teacher just tries to make science as something static, no expanding, so they actually promote science is just like a history. Just memorizing the fact without knowing the truth behind the sceneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Amongst the recommended approaches in science teaching, I observed that many teachers are integrating technology in their lessons. However, the integration of technology into teaching only applies to schools which are equipped with the required facilities such as computer, LCD and transparency projector. Most teachers who are not familiar with technology prefer to use transparencies to teach since they are easier to use and can save time. For those teachers who are competent in technology, using power point is their best option. However, integrating technology in the teaching of science has its disadvantages. There were teachers who took advantage by playing the CD provided by MOE throughout the lesson instead of using the CD to support teaching and learning in class. There is also small number of teachers who do not get students to carry out experiments; instead they just demonstrate science experiments to students. On the other hand, there were also those who got students to carry out experiments following procedures stated in textbooks, and make conclusions for the students without much deliberation and discussions. Neither do the students given room to discover science for themselves. These classroom realities are so against the whole notion of science which supposes to be an empirical subject that encourages students to explore and inquire in order to gain knowledge and make conclusions. The way science lessons are carried out in class has seriously affected the students interest in science and their ability to engage in scientific inquiry. Report of Public awareness of Science and Technology Malaysia (2004) throughout the survey conducted revealed that about 43% of Malaysians think that science subjects are difficult and 32% of them think that the approaches that use to teach science and technology are too academic in sense of emphasis only be given on the delivery of the content. However, Kamisah and Lilia (n.d) discovered that Malaysians students have high attitudes in learning science and the attitudes are so much influenced by the students level of educational experiences. Therefore recommended by the Public Awareness Report of Science and Technology Malaysia (2004), Malaysian science teachers should also emphasize on fostering for science among the students. The recommendation also supported by Kamisah and Lilia (n.d) whereby they suggested that teachers should reflect on their content knowledge so that teachers could bring changes in students attitudes in learning science. In relation to enhancing students attitude and interest in learning science, supposedly more practical works should be conducted by students in learning science. However, based on the interviews conducted, it is observed that practical work is often conducted in groups rather than individually or in pairs. Such practices limit active work to two to three students while the other members tend to be passive observers. In some cases, this occurs due to the large number of students in a class (especially in urban schools) and limited apparatus and equipments. These are the factors that prohibit practical work to be conducted in small group or as individual work. Worse than that, there are teachers who did not conduct experiments with their students at all and only learn the theories in science. The following opinions supported the situation described earlier; teacher always refuses to conduct experiments, even when students ask for it Student not all the experiments or topic that teachers are able to do or show to the class Teacher 5.4.2 Textbook Textbook for science subjects are provided to all students in Malaysia. As earlier highlighted, the specified textbook is the main source of reference for local science teaching. In past ten years, science textbook in Malaysia underwent many reformations in order to make it up-to-date with the existing educational and situational needs. At present, the school textbooks are generally more interactive and comprehensive; they are not as thick as the textbooks previously used, with more pictures and diagrams. There is also a CD accompanying the text as means of integrating content with technology. The CD consists of exercises and short notes for students as well as internet links for students to look for extra sources and reading materials; as well as to search for applications of the topic learnt. Even though there were improvements made by the government on the textbook, the improvements somehow did not so much significant changed to Malaysian science classroom. This wide area of content covered by the syllabus make the science textbooks in Malaysia as a source of reference which covers superficial information. Although provided in the textbook internet link for additional information of the topics, it is not fully utilized neither by teachers nor students. This is happened mostly due to the problems such as time constraint, existence of digital gap between schools, the lack of facilities and other reasons. In term of applications of a topic in textbook, its often to be placed at the end of each topic. Mostly only small part provided for application such it usually covers quarter of a page. Even worst, this part always neglect by teachers since it will not appear in examination. All in all, my analysis of the overall implementation of the Malaysian science curriculum revealed numerous issues that both teachers and students encounter, ranging from the teaching approach used in classroom, the need to cover the required syllabus, students perceptions and attitudes towards science, and related issues pertaining to textbook. What could probably be concluded here is that while the documented curriculum appear to be well planned, covering all topics deemed crucial to prepare students prior to entry to tertiary institutions, the execution of lessons somehow do not take place as it should be as highlighted by Curriculum Development Centre, a local expert in science education: Implementation of the science curriculum is always a problem. The visions of the curriculum developers are not fully shared by the teachers who are the implementers. The intended implementation is also restricted by the assessment that is employed currentlyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Assessment Assessment of student learning in Malaysia has, for the past decades and perhaps will continue to be, exam-oriented. This is evident as the most important aspects/criteria people look for when applying for entry into boarding schools, for scholarships, and entry into universities are the number of As students obtained in examinations. In fact, the main method to assess what school students learn and know is via written and/or oral examination. Nonetheless, the problems with examination-dependent assessment have been pointed out by the following parties: it is just for examination, just forget it only excellent people will be produce but they are not able to survive in real world. Knowledge just for sake of exam and later will be forgotten. our curriculum in Malaysia is not too good because only stressed on the examination But, the beauty of the curriculum did not appear because the application or the integration of the curriculum is not effective. Since in Malaysia, the system of education is too exam oriented. revamp the current exam based oriented teaching in schools. Students should be taught how to think, especially when it involves science theories. In Malaysia, examination can be classified into two types which are the national level and internal examination (examination carried out by school). There are two main examinations carried out at secondary level. There are Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) which conducted for form three students and Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) for form five students. Both examinations offer science subject. However in SPM, there are more science subjects being offered as compared to PMR which offer only one science subject. The major science subjects sat by students in their SPM are biology, physics and chemistry. Often students who scored excellent result in science subjects will have greater probability of being offered critical courses in higher education such as medical and engineering courses. Internal examinations are examinations carried out in schools. It is compulsory for school administra

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Health care cost Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

Health Care Costs Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Healthcare is expensive and Americans want the best possible healthcare they can get. Consumers are demanding more tests, better drugs and insurance coverage. Americans desire a high quality of life and insurers/employers are trying to provide the means, but cost effectively and without raising costs. In order to do this, â€Å"consumers will have to make more decisions, pay more and perhaps demand greater value† (Barr, Paul).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The common forces driving utilization and costs are medical technology advancement, demanding consumers, and an aging population† (Barr). Advancements can be seen all over the medical field in areas such as MRIs, new cardiology procedures, highly specialized drugs, cancer treatments, and new laboratory procedures. Consumers are savvy and know their options. There is advertising from pharmaceutical companies and medical technology corporations promoting their drugs and products nationally via the Internet, magazine and television ads. The aging population is also living longer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This population is living longer due to technological advances and insurance coverage. A huge portion of this coverage provided is by Medicare. Generations have paid into and depended upon this source of funding for years. It is projected that Medicare will be exhausted within the next 14 years. Currently Medicare â€Å"is the biggest single p... Health care cost Analysis Essay -- essays research papers Health Care Costs Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Healthcare is expensive and Americans want the best possible healthcare they can get. Consumers are demanding more tests, better drugs and insurance coverage. Americans desire a high quality of life and insurers/employers are trying to provide the means, but cost effectively and without raising costs. In order to do this, â€Å"consumers will have to make more decisions, pay more and perhaps demand greater value† (Barr, Paul).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The common forces driving utilization and costs are medical technology advancement, demanding consumers, and an aging population† (Barr). Advancements can be seen all over the medical field in areas such as MRIs, new cardiology procedures, highly specialized drugs, cancer treatments, and new laboratory procedures. Consumers are savvy and know their options. There is advertising from pharmaceutical companies and medical technology corporations promoting their drugs and products nationally via the Internet, magazine and television ads. The aging population is also living longer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This population is living longer due to technological advances and insurance coverage. A huge portion of this coverage provided is by Medicare. Generations have paid into and depended upon this source of funding for years. It is projected that Medicare will be exhausted within the next 14 years. Currently Medicare â€Å"is the biggest single p...

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Somme Coursework

These three sources help us understand why the public at home supported the war. The three sources combined are very positive and are always very calm. Firstly, Source D is an extract from a book. The extract was taken from â€Å"The first years of the great war†. It was published in London 1916 already becoming biased as it is all English. The extract provides a very real clue as to why the general public, waiting at home would be behind the war. The author gives a bright description of the British soldiers. The author spends a picture to the public at home describing the soldiers â€Å"leaping from their trenches,†. The author describes the German soldiers by the use of the word â€Å"Hun†. The word â€Å"Hun† is a negative term used for the Germans. Again the author, is becoming biased as he is very negative towards the Germans whereas he describes the British as being invincible. By this source the public get a vivid description imaging that the war is in favour to Britain as it does not refer to the amounts of deaths for the British soldiers. The writer says they didn't â€Å"falter† as they reached the Germans. He describes them as brave and advancing through the war easily. He mentions they attack in â€Å"Line after line†. This makes the public at home feel secure as they think that not many British soldiers are dieing. They get this image from a few words, â€Å"didn't falter as they advanced, and move steadily as if on parade before the King, Heroes all.† This creates an unreal image in the readers mind as this is not actually happening in the war. Source E was a last letter written by Lieutenant John Raws on 19th August 1916. The person who wrote the letter shortly died during the Battle of the Somme. In his last letter he says, â€Å"Goldy† and the others officers were murdered.† For the murder of Goldy he blames â€Å"the incompetence callousness and personal vanity of those in high authority†. He suggests that the soldiers in high authority such as the seniors were not good at their jobs and cowardly. In this Source there is a lot of emotive words like â€Å"callousness†. He felt that the senior staff were all self centred and didn't care about the soldiers and their lives. When Lieutenant John Raws refers to â€Å"Goldy† Goldy was his brother his full name was Robert Gold Thorpe Raws. Source F, is an extract from a film. This was to show the public at home not to worry as everything was going in England's favor. The reason why they did this was for propaganda. The film had many real pictures however some of the footage was edited and made less violent removing a lot of deaths of the British soldiers Another vital aim for this film was to reassure the public at home the â€Å"reality† of the war. The film was made to make the public at home think that the British soldiers were on top and advancing through the war with ease. Sources D and F were to boost the support from the public at home and back the war. All three sources left out the horrific description of the war which was really occurring.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Blood And Water Essays - Characters In Macbeth, Free Essays

Blood And Water Essays - Characters In Macbeth, Free Essays Blood and Water In William Shakespeare's masterpiece Macbeth, he uses many motifs. Two of these motifs are blood and water. The play is full of images of blood and water, to show the characters' attitudes toward their own guilt at each stage. Both motifs mature and change in their meaning along with the setting and mood of the play. The functions of both are important if the subtleties of the play are to be understood. Blood symbolizes honor, treachery, and guilt. Water symbolizes cleanliness of the soul, as though all it takes is water to wash guilt away. While reading the play, it is noticed that blood comes up repeatedly. This is important to the overall effect of the different usages in the play. The word "blood," or different forms of it, is found forty-two times in the play, along with several other passages dealing with the symbol. The symbolism of blood strangely follows the change in the character Macbeth. Macbeth is first a soldier, very highly revered by the King Duncan. As the play progresses, Macbeth's demeanor and personality declines, as does the meaning of blood. Blood is then viewed as a symbol for treachery and bloodshed, along with the various forms of guilt. The first reference of blood is one of honor, and occurs when Duncan sees the injured captain and says "What bloody man is that?"(I, 2, ln.1). This mention of blood is symbolic of honor, for the brave fighter has been injured in a glorious and ardent battle for his country. In the next passage the captain says that Macbeth's sword ". . .smoked with bloody execution"(I, 1, ln.20), with this he is referring to Macbeth's braveness in which his sword is steaming because it is covered in the hot blood! of the enemy on the cold morning of the battle. This function is important because it shows that at this point in the play the word blood is used as a sign of fighting valiantly. It is a sort of pride to have a bloodied sword, or have bled in battle for your king. After blood has been referred to a few times with reference to honor, the symbol of blood now changes to show a theme of treachery and treason. Lady Macbeth begins the change when she asks the spirits to "make thick my blood, "(1, 5, ln.50). What Lady Macbeth is saying is that she wishes to be remorseless and insensitive about the murders she and Macbeth will soon commit. Also in this area the symbol of blood is changes to one of guilt. Lady Macbeth knows that the evidence of blood is a treacherous symbol, and knows that if they are found with bloody daggers they will be hanged for their betrayal of the king, so she tells Macbeth to "smear the sleepy grooms with blood."(II, 2, ln.64), and Macbeth replies "If he do bleed, I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal /for it must seem their guilt."(II, 2, ln.72-3). When Banquo states "and question this most bloody piece of work,"(II, 3, ln.150) and Ross says "is't known who did this more than bloody deed?"(II, 4, ln.31), they a! re both inquiring as to whom performed the treacherous acts upon Duncan. Once again, blood is used as a sign of guilt. Both use blood as a mark upon a person which would point them out as a sure suspect for the killing of Duncan. Whoever has the blood of Duncan on them is guilty of treason, and more importantly, they are guilty of the murder. It is also here where the theme of water is first brought in. Macbeth is fretting about the fact that it was he who killed the king, and he was beginning to regret the choice he made, saying "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood /clean from my hand?"(II, 2, ln.78) Lady Macbeth, still sure that they will never be caught, says "A little water clears us of this deed."(II, 2, ln.86) This shows that the function of water is to be used as a symbol for an element which can absolve a person of all guilt. This is important because it seems to be the counter, or the antithesis of

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Thank You Note Definition and Writing Tips

Thank You Note Definition and Writing Tips A thank-you note is a type of correspondence in which the writer expresses gratitude for a gift, service, or opportunity. Personal thank-you notes are customarily handwritten on cards. Business-related thank-you notes are usually typed on company letterhead, but they, too, may be handwritten. Basic Elements of a Thank-You Note [The] basic elements for writing a thank-you note should include: Address the individual(s), using a  salutation  or greeting. . . .Say thank you.Identify the gift (be certain to get this one right. It does not look good to thank Mr. and Mrs. Smith for the lingerie when they sent you a toaster.)Express how you feel about the gift and what it will be used for.Add a personal note or message.Sign your thank-you note. Within this framework, there is a great deal of latitude. When preparing to write a note, sit for a moment and consider your relationship with the person to whom you are writing. Is it intimate and personal? Is it someone you know as an acquaintance? Are you writing to a complete stranger? This should dictate the tone of your writing. (Gabrielle Goodwin and David Macfarlane, Writing Thank-You Notes: Finding the Perfect Words. Sterling, 1999) Six Steps to Writing a Personal Thank-You Note [1]Dear Aunt Dee, [2]Thank you so much for the great new duffel bag. [3]I cant wait to use it in my spring break cruise. The bright orange is just perfect. Not only is it my favorite color (you know that!), but Ill be able to spot my bag a mile away! Thanks for such a fun, personal, and really useful gift! [4]Im really looking forward to seeing you when I get back. Ill come over to show you pictures from the trip! [5]Thanks again for always thinking of me. [6]Love, Maggie [1] Greet the recipient. [2] Clearly state why you are writing. [3] Elaborate on why you are writing. [4] Build the relationship. [5] Restate why you are writing. [6] Give your regards. (Angela Ensminger and Keeley Chace, Note-worthy: A Guide to Writing Great Personal Notes. Hallmark, 2007) Thank-You Note Following a Job Interview An essential job-seeking technique, as well as a gesture of courtesy, is to thank the person who interviews you. Write a note immediately after the interview and before a decision has been made. State what you liked about the interview, the company, the position. Emphasize briefly and specifically your suitability for the job. Address concerns about your qualifications that came up during the interview. Mention any issue that you didnt have the opportunity to discuss. If you felt you misspoke or left the wrong impression, this is where you can correct your interviewbut be brief and subtle. You dont want to remind the interviewer of a weak point. (Rosalie Maggio, How to Say It: Choice Words, Phrases, Sentences, and Paragraphs for Every Situation, 3rd ed. Penguin, 2009) Thank-You Notes to College Admission Offices Call it a testament to how carefully students court college admissions offices these days: Thank-you notes have become the new frontier. . . . Miss Manners, Judith Martin, who writes a syndicated etiquette column that runs in more than 200 newspapers, says she, for one, does not think thanks are needed for a campus visit: I would never, ever say, Don’t write a thank-you note under any circumstances. I don’t want to discourage them. But it is not really a situation that is mandatory. Still, some admissions advisers [disagree]. It seems like a small thing, but I tell my students that every contact with the college contributes to their perception of you, said Patrick J. O’Connor, director of college counseling at the private Roeper School in Birmingham, Mich. (Karen W. Arenson, Thank-You Note Enters College Admission Game. The New York Times, Oct. 9, 2007) A CEOs Thank-You Notes Dear Bloomberg Businessweek Friends, Thank you for asking my perspective on writing thank you notes. In my 10 years as President and CEO of Campbell Soup Company, I sent out over 30,000 notes to our 20,000 employees. I found it was a powerful way to reinforce our strategies, to let our employees know we were paying attention and to let them know that we cared. I kept my notes short (50-70 words) and to the point. They celebrated accomplishments and contributions of real significance. They were virtually all handwritten to make the communication more authentic and personal. It is a practice that I highly recommend. Good luck! Doug (Douglas Conant, Write a Thank-You Note. Bloomberg Businessweek, Sep. 22, 2011) Thank-You Note to Anita Hill Anita Hill, I want to personally thank you for what you did for us twenty years ago. Thank you for speaking up and speaking out. Thank you for your quiet dignity, your eloquence and elegance, your grace under pressure. Thank you for illuminating the complexities of female powerlessness and for explaining why you didn’t complain when the offense first occurred, and for describing how cowed and coerced a woman can feel when she’s hit upon by a man who controls her economic destiny. . . . (Letty Cottin Pogrebin, A Thank-You Note to Anita Hill. The Nation, Oct. 24, 2011)

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The Individual and the State Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Individual and the State - Essay Example In toerh ways, citizens give up some freedoms in return for the state guaranteeing much larger freedoms such as the right to live safely and to own personal property without it being stolen. Within this context, it would appear that "civil disobedience" would not be allowed. For civil disobedience would not bow to the general will, it would be an expression of natural right. This is only the case when the government of a country genuinely adheres to the general will, and when the social contract is being honored. Thus if a despotic ruler takes control, or if the citizens start to tyrannize their fellow people, then disobedience would be in order. This seems a sensible point of view. Most of the most advanced countries of the world adhere to the idea of the social contract, and thus civil disobedience is not needed. However, when the laws are demonstrably unjust (such as race laws in the American South in the 1950's) then a degree of "civil disobedience" (such as Rosa Parks) is legitimate. Rousseau would support such actions. In The Death of Socrates David portrays the last seconds in the life of Socrates, who had been condemned to death by the Athenian state for corrupting the morals of young men by his teaching methods. These teaching methods essentially enabled them to think for themselves and to question the logic of authority through the Socratic method of questioning. The main feature of the painting is the contrast between the powerful-looking, animated and yet controlled Socrates who is about to drink the hemlock with those of the young men surrounding him who seem miserable in their inability to accept the situation. Formally, Socrates is placed just to the right of center of the picture, and has a kind of light exuding from him. This makes him the most powerful figure in the painting. In contrast, his disciples are painted in a darker manner, and they are looking away from the figure of Socrates, even as one of the young men is handing him the hemlock. In this situation David is suggesting that the individual must stand up for what he believes in against the forces of the state. The masses are represented by the apparent anger of the old man looking at Socrates on the right. Two young men look at him like timid animals, while an old man sits at the end of the bed, apparently impotent to do anything. It is only Socrates who is facing the reality of the situation, as an individual must if he is to take on the state. c)What areas of shared concern can you identify between Rousseau's argument in The Social Contract and David in The Death of Socrates One major area of shared concern is what the individual should do when he/she is about to take on the state. Thus within The Social Contract the individual should in nearly all cases give up the "natural right" for the good of the whole mass of people. Essentially Socrates has demanded his freedom to assert his natural right through teaching the young men of Athens as he sees fit, rather as the state sees fit. The background to the scene in the painting is that Socrates has in fact refused to escape his death sentence, but rather voluntarily drinks the

Friday, November 1, 2019

Forensic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Forensic - Essay Example The modern world is experiencing more sophisticated criminal activities that use technology to hide the identity. One of the commonly used method in crime propagation is the use of typewritten documents. Printed documents are used for criminal purposes such as communication, threatening, or soliciting ransom. Investigators thus face a dilemma on how to track the suspects. However, locating the machine used in printing or photocopying the documents is critical in narrowing the search area. Several methods are used to identify the machine that printed a particular document. The machines are traced from the unique characteristics of their output. Some of the characteristics include; paper banding due to variations in speeds of toner cartridges, marks from feed system, graphic marks put by specific printers and identification of indentations using Electrostatic Detection Device (EDD). According to Chiang et al. (2004) printer prices have enormously dropped, and almost everyone can afford one. However, the manufacturers of these printing machines lower the quality of the machines to reduce costs of production. Changes are visible in aspects such as plastics gears that move the toner cartridge. The cartridge gears are also never uniform making toners cartridges run at different speeds. Every printer or photocopiers have unique toning pattern as a result of toner morphology and chemical composition (Girard, 2013). Forensic experts are thus able to determine the machine used in printing or photocopying a paper. As noted, the variability in cartridge speeds inhibits accuracy of the toner. The photoconductor is subsequently rotated at different speeds. The situation leads to uneven detection of text or image with certain parts being darker and others lighter. The phenomenon is called banding and is common in printers and photocopiers that use rotation beams.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Summary of "The Syrian Bride" Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary of "The Syrian Bride" - Essay Example This film is plotted at an Arab- Israeli conflict with a family whose life is divided by the harsh political situation. The film’s budget was $18.3M. However the critical reception of the film was a bit of favoritism of one of the sides, that is Syria. The films was nominated for Awards of the Israeli Film Academy alongside other 7 awards and 15 nominations (imdb.com). The Electronic Intifada (1) explains: The film is a well thought story that brings out the plight of families in war region of Syrian border with Israeli. It gives the dilemmas that people are confronted with in situations of war. Mona is challenged between the option to join the unknown man who is to marry her in Syria and never see her family again, or stay with her family. The husband Tallel is a Television comedian in Syria but the situation of the Golan Heights makes it difficult for her to leave. She needs to get married and hence must meet Tallel but this has the challenge of her losing the unidentified nationality status which implies she will never reunite with her family at this place. Further the fact that they have never met one another makes us realize the dire situation that those in Golan Heights are in. the insane bureaucracy that they experience during her movement out of Israel to go out to Syria presents to as the challenges and problems that Golan Heights dweller s were exposed to. This makes it even harder for their family to gather for Mona’s wedding putting her marriage in crisis. The political position of Syria and Israel makes the lives of Golan Heights occupants unbearable. The passport standoff at the border paints the situation that is unimaginable with the intended Family of Mona waiting on the other end as her family too is stranded with her. With the film narrating the ordeal that the political stalemate presents to the people of these two countries, it serves to create a gradual relaxation of tension. It opens up the

Monday, October 28, 2019

High School and Graduation Essay Example for Free

High School and Graduation Essay Time gets closer to the day we move our tassels from senior to graduate. Graduation steps on the back of our heels like the annoying freshman running late for class. It acts as if it is going to creep up on us, but we all know it will be here soon. It tip-toes in the back of our minds. Graduation: a day of freedom, maturity, and proof that nobody is any better than another. â€Å"There are many different ways of following through†¦ Sometimes it’s about going there, not getting there. Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination. â€Å" –Drake. This quote says a lot. He actually spoke at a graduation, and told that graduation class this same thing. This quote reaches out to me because I know my journey will be a rough journey. Becoming the person I want to be after high school is a journey all its own. I hope I get to where I want to be. Even if I do not, I have learned. Although graduation is only a few months away, I am getting nervous. I am nervous. But graduation day will be the day I go from high school student to adult. Age is just a number. Intelligence proves adulthood. I am proud to say I am looking forward to graduation day. I am looking forward to becoming an adult. I am looking forward to taking that next step in my life. I want the rest of my class to be as ready and nervous as I am because I will not feel alone. I know I am not the only one who feels this way. Every senior all around the United States is put in this position. We all do the same thing. We all walk onto that stage, shake hands, smile, wait for a picture and walk off with our high school diplomas in hand. Adults and older siblings did not lie when they told me that my four years of high school will be the best four years of my life. I have had an amazing four years. I have lost friends, gained friends, met some amazing people, and even met some people that I did not want to meet. I got put in positions I was not sure I was mature enough to handle. I handled them though. I got forced to make choices I did not know I needed to make on my own, but I made them and I know I made the right ones because of the person I am today. I am already ready to walk on that stage and smile. Smile big for those who made choices that caused them to not be able to walk with me. I smile for the  people who have tried to bring me down in life so far. And most of all I smile for myself, I smile because I made it. I made it to this graduation day; a day full of freedom, maturity, and proof that nobody is any better than me.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Regaining Control in Anna Karenina Essay -- Tolstoy Anna Karenina Essa

Regaining Control in Anna Karenina Anna Karenina features significant clusters of scenes, all of which describe notable moments in the development of the novel's major figures. One of the most important clusters is when Anna travels to see Vronsky. On her way her perceptions change; she throws her "searchlight" upon herself. Arriving at the next station she sees the rails and knows what must be done. Anna has had control over her own life taken away from her, due to the societal limitations on her choices as a woman. She becomes resentful of the society she lives in, and turns that frustration on the unsympathetic Vronsky, who retains his own freedom as well as control over her own happiness. She is too proud and passionate to live in subordination, as Dolly Oblonsky does. Anna cannot conceive of going on indefinitely as she has been, and at the same time can take no pleasure from contemplation of her past, or her future, which holds no prospect of change. Feeling trapped and untrue to her own unwanted desires, she begins to see the entire world as a wretched place populated by miserable, entrapped individuals just like herself. Through death alone, she feels she can secure a place in Vronsky's heart. Death is also the only decision that she is free to carry out on her own. The place that Anna occupies is like that of a child, making up tasks for herself to fill the time, while others make the decisions that affect her life. Anna tries to interest herself with educating the English girl, writing a children's book, but these are all distractions from the fact that she has nowhere to go. Oblonsky and Karenin meet to try to settle the question of Anna's future, without inviting Anna to plead for herself or otherwise a... ...bout whether or not the maidservant will remember to put clean sheets on the guests' beds. But neither of these women's roles are true to her own desires. To stay on this earth is to place control of her life in the hands of a man whom she is not certain loves her. Anna's decision is incomprehensible to Madame Vronsky: "Can you understand these desperate passions?" (812). But from our view of Anna's mental landscape, we can understand them all too well. Works Cited Jahn, Gary R. â€Å"The Images of the Railroad in Anna Karenina,† Slavic and East European Journal 2 (1981): 1-10. Mandelker, Amy. â€Å"Feminist Criticism and Anna Karenina.† Tolstoy Studies Journal III (1990): 82-103 Nitze, Paul H. & Foreword. The Complete Idiots Guide to Leo Tolstoy. London: Henry Z. Walck, 1994. Tolstoy, Leo. Anna Karenina. Trans. Joel Carmichael. Toronto: Bantam Books, 1960.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Collaborative Working †Case Study Essay

The aim of this essay is to examine the significance of collaborative working to achieve positive outcomes for service users. â€Å"Collaboration is a dynamic inter-professional process which two or more professionals make a commitment to solve problems and to learn from each other in order to accomplish identified goals, purposes or outcomes† (Hamric, Spross and Hanson, 2000, p.318). Since the publication of Every Child Matters (2004), social care, health, voluntary sectors and other children’s services have been joining forces to work more collaboratively around an early intervention and preventative agenda (Department for Education and Skills, 2004). This essay will focus on the National Childhood Measurement Programme (NCMP) and by drawing on the author’s experiences as a Nursery Nurse in the School Nursing team it will demonstrate the skills and knowledge required for successful implementation of this service and how to promote seamless working. The NCMP was established in 2005 and involves weighing and measuring all eligible children aged 4-5 years and 10-11 years. Research shows that it is difficult to visually tell if a child is overweight, which is why an objective measure if essential (Department of Health, 2012). The data gathered provides a picture about how children are growing nationally, therefore this information is used by the NHS to plan and provide better health services for children (NHS Choices, 2012). According to the NHS Information Centre (2010) one in four, 4-5 year olds, are overweight or obese; furthermore, these rates are higher among some black and minority ethnic communities and lower socio-econo mic groups. Although the Primary Care Trust (PCT) oversee the delivery of the programme effective partnership working is essential, therefore this essay will explore what partnerships are required and the factors that facilitate or hinder collaborative working in this area of work. Finally, this report will provide evidence from literature and published papers to support the identified barriers and benefits of collaborative working throughout this process. Setting The School Nursing team comprises of a range of skill mix which consists of a Head of Service, one team leader, seven School Nurses, five of which have obtained the Specialist Community Public Health Nurse qualification (Degree or Masters Degree) and three Nursery Nurses evenly spread in three different localities around the City. The team covers fifty two Primary Schools and ten Secondary Schools, mainly in the inner City but also in the rural surrounding areas, therefore an extremely diverse region with varying socio-economic backgrounds. This City has a very large Asian population, however recently there has been an increase in Eastern European, Afro-Caribbean, Chinese and travellers all presenting a multitude of cultures, values and beliefs. Measuring the children takes place in the school setting. Each individual school will be contacted to arrange a suitable date and time as well as organising a private area with adequate space for the ease of measuring and comfort for the children. Every school in this district has its individuality, not only do they vary in size but numerous schools have a large proportion of pupils with English as an additional language (EAL). There three special needs schools, furthermore schools with varying socio-economic backgrounds such as families experiencing poverty within the inner city and in contrast more affluent areas where the school attainment is generally higher. Knowledge and Skills of the Health Professional in the Setting The Knowledge and skills discussed in this section relate to the author’s role as a Nursery Nurse within the School Nursing Team and the planning, implementation and follow-up work required for the growth measurements of all eligible Reception and Yr 6 children as required by the Governments National Childhood Measurement Programme (NCMP). The skills required for successful delivery of this program not only depend on accurate weighing and measuring children but several other elements such as engaging with various professionals, inputting data, maximising the effective delivery of the program which is dependent on excellent communication skills, administration management, IT skills and clinical knowledge. These skills are required from the very beginning at the planning stage; high-quality organisational skills are essential when planning and booking in the measurement sessions with the schools. The Nursery Nurse requires good organisational skills as it is her responsibility to organise the logistics of these sessions; by liaising with the School Nurses a timetable is generated to complete the programme over the year, ensuring there is sufficient staff available for each school. Following this, the Nursery Nurse will contact all the Primary Schools to book in the sessions, good communication skills are necessary to request a suitable room to maintain the privacy and dignity of the children and ensure the session creates as little disruption as possible to the educatio n of the children. Generally, the booking is made with either the School Secretary or the Head Teacher who then cascades this information to the relevant teachers and staff. It is crucial to acquire the knowledge and understanding of the NCMP protocol regarding consent and confidentiality. Parents and children are issued with information prior to the session, subsequently the NCMP operate an opt-out basis, and therefore the parents are given the opportunity to withdraw (Department of Health, 2011). The refusal notification is sent to the Child Health Department who then records this on the specific child’s medical record; therefore communication and information sharing skills are essential for this to be implemented successfully. It is paramount to respect the parent’s choice to refuse and ensure that no pressure is placed on the family to participate (Schwab and Gelfman, 2001), by possessing the knowledge of the ethical considerations of children will assist situations where a child decides they would not like to be measured. According to Lord Scarman, children have the right to make their own decisions when they reach sufficient understan ding and intelligence to be capable of making up their own mind (Children’s Legal Centre, 1985). Annual training is mandatory which ensures competency in the accurate measurement of children to obtain reliable results. It is the Nursery Nurses responsibility to supply the relevant equipment to the sessions ensuring that the height measure is complete, clean and in good working order, furthermore the scales are required to be calibrated as required by the trusts policy therefore good time management and organisational skills are beneficial. Upon arrival, the school will direct the team to a suitable area to perform the growth checks and notify the relevant staff members of our arrival. The team normally consists of a School Nurse and two Nursery Nurses, however if the School Nurse has been requested to attend a Safeguarding issue then the Nursery Nurses will complete the task, so having the ability to adapt to different situations is fundamental. Being able to work as part of a team as well as work independently is a major requirement not only to this particular task but working within the School Nursing team in general. Normally the School Nurse will discuss the process with the class teacher and then talk to the children, explaining what will happen and that the measurements will be confidential and not shared with teachers or other children, furthermore any concerns they have will be addressed. However, if the School Nurse is not in attendance the Nursery Nurse will complete this task, therefore excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills (Philippot, Feldman and Coats, 2003), empathy and an understanding on how to reduce anxiety is imperative to ease any worries or concerns. Knowledge of the health implications from being overweight or obese would be beneficial, furthermore a general knowledge of how to achieve a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet and regular exercise would be necessary to provide advice if requested. Accurate recording of the measurements is paramount and knowledge of the correct procedure for information sharing is imperative. The trust adheres to the Data Protection Act (1998) furthermore to keep up to date with this information and gain the relevant knowledge, Information Governance training is completed annually. Normally the School Nurse will input the information onto each child’s medical record and send the records off to the Child Health Department via secure internal mail, however according to the trusts policy it is compulsory for the information to be inputted within 24 hours after the measurements have been taken. As School Nurses have more medical responsibilities they might ask the Nursery Nurse to complete this task therefore good IT skills to input accurate and concise information is essential as well as the ability to prioritise workload according to the needs of the project are essential. The final component of this process is responding to calls from parents after they have received the results letters from the NCMP department. Excellent communication skills and being able to calm a conversation if the parent gets upset, angry or has taken offense to the information in the letter is vital (Whitaker and Fiore, 2001). Additionally, it is important to understand the implications of different cultures and the impact they may have on diet and size of children. Knowledge of the programs of support available will enable the Nursery Nurse to advise the parents so they can seek the relevant help and support not only for their child but for the whole family. Obtaining this extensive knowledge is fundamental to ensuring that parent’s receives the correct information, help and support to contribute to understanding the necessity of healthy lifestyles for the long-term well-being of their child. Finally, it is important for the Nursery Nurse to refer any concerns or compla ints to the named School Nurse who will then either contact the parent or report the situation to the specific organisation (Lynn, 2010). There is a plethora of professional’s whom the Nursery Nurse may collaborate with throughout the NCMP process, several of which will be liaised with on a regular basis, such as the one’s named above. HHHnnjjjnjnjnslfjfljjjfieiedddeeergggggeeee333e3e3owever, further interagency working may be required to meet the needs of the children and families, these may include Dietician, Paediatrician, Social Workers, Leisure Centre Staff and MoreLife Weight Management staff. Legislation Legislation has the impetus for collaborative working, transformation in the structure and delivery of services for children and young people initiated new alliances between statutory, public and voluntary agencies (Children Act, 2004). There are numerous Government and Local policies stating the importance of implementing interagency, partnership or collaborative working and that practitioners are required to work more closely together and form integrated teams around children and families (Department for Children, School and Families, 2007). The Governments green paper, Every Child Matters (2004) emphasised that for each child to fulfil their potential there must be a greater deal of co-operation, not only between government agencies but schools, GP’s, sports organisations and voluntary sectors. To help meet the Government strategy of multi-agency collaboration, the Common Core of Skills and Knowledge (HM Government, 2006) was introduced to work alongside the Every Child Mat ters agenda. This emphasised six areas of expertise that are expected to be put into practice by all practitioners who work with children and families. Factors that facilitate or hinder collaborative working Collaborative working is a complex and multi-faceted concept, the Latin translation â€Å"together in Labour† signifies that to meet the individual needs of children and families, successful joint working between services in a more streamlined way is required. However, although collaborative working is regarded as desirable, nevertheless, it is difficult to attain. When the NCMP was established in 2005 the PCT set up a NCMP agency to oversee the programme with joint working with the School Nursing service, therefore clarity of the aims and objectives were to be recognised and understood by all parties for this programme to be successful (Denman, 2002). Lack of formal structure and agreed outcomes may cause confusion and can result in blaming others for inaction and lack of progress (Cameron et al, 2009), therefore clarity of roles and expectation were defined by producing a clear and comprehensive policy based upon the shared vision of all organisations (Rushmer and Pallis, 2002). The Children Act (2004) gives all statutory partners wide powers to pool their budgets in pursuit of improved outcomes for children, furthermore sharing resources reduces cost and prevents unnecessary duplication of work (Atwal and Caldwell, 2005). However, time constraints due to other work commitments by the School Nursing team make it difficult to achieve the 85% participation rate (NMCP, 2012) particularly when children are absent and parents or children refuse. This may cause conflict due to NCMP’s ignorance of the School Nursing complex role and other significant priorities such a safeguarding (Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2010). Working in partnership with Schools is essential for the successful delivery of the programme, maintaining high participation rates by pupils and robustness of data (NCMP, 2012). A good system of communication and information sharing is required to book a convenient date and time to complete the measurements which will enable smooth running of the program with little interruption to the teachers or pupils (Integrated Care Network, 2003). Howeve r, when office staff fails to relay this information to the relevant teachers disruption to class activities, failure to provide suitable facilities and time constraints may occur which impact on the quality of service provided to the children. Factors that aid multi-agency working between schools and health services are willingness to work together, acknowledgement of professional differences, mutual respect and sharing a common purpose. Overall, the collaboration between the schools and School Nursing team is extremely good. However, occasionally conflict of interest may occur when teachers see the measurement programme as an interruption to education rather than acknowledging that children’s health status is related to their ability to learn and that children with unmet health needs have difficulties in engaging in the education process (Board et al, 2011). Therefore, creating a common purpose and employing a whole system approach (Miles and Trott, 2011) will facilitate ea rly intervention for childhood obesity will reduce health implications such as diabetes and heart disease, improve self-esteem and enhance well-being which contributes to better educational achievement. Therefore, mutual respect for each profession is paramount for successful collaboration and better outcomes for children. The Child Health Department works closely with the NCMP, School Nursing team, schools, parents and other professional bodies. Their main responsibility during the NCMP process is distribution of information to parents to explain the purpose of the programme and give parents the opportunity to withdraw. This information is recorded onto each child’s medical record and then highlighted on the lists issued to the School Nurses prior to the sessions. If the withdrawal of consent is not forwarded to the School Nurse in time for the session, then errors may occur, leading to legal and ethical issues, therefore to facilitate collaborative working improved communication and improved information sharing is vital for co-ordinating safe provision of care (Samuel, 2011). It is also the responsibility of Child Health to input the data onto each of the children’s medical record, however due to the NCMP agency possessing a different IT systems this task is duplicated therefore integrated services are hindered (Atwal and Caldwell, 2005). Within the School Nursing team roles and responsibilities are established, the School Nurse takes the lead role in the programme, however the Nursery Nurse will ensure that all the necessary equipment and paper work is present, both will perform the accurate weighing and measuring and recording of the data. According to Rushmer and Pallis (2002) positive joint working relies upon the merging of skills, knowledge and expertise from different professional hierarchies and reliance on team members can contribute to positive attitudes to other professionals. Dilemmas arise when there is a shortage of staff due to staff turnover, lack of trained staff to perform the task or competing priorities which may result in poor staff morale and impact on the accuracy of the task (Maguire and Trustcott, 2006). Furthermore, challenges may occur when there are status issues and blurring of professional boundaries, according to Wall (1998) when staff operates outside their area of expertise there will be loss of efficiency. The author recognises her role in the NCMP process; therefore any queries will be referred to the named School Nurse to respond to. Health and Clinical Excellence, NICE (2006) and Cochrane Collaboration (Summerbell et al, 2005) state there is an urgent need for evidence of effective strategies for reducing childhood obesity, therefore annual weighing and measuring data collected can be shared at National and Local levels to analyse the efficacy of the regional weight management programmes to receive continued funding to sustain the initiative to provide better health services for children (NHS Choices, 2012). Parents will be provided with feedback of their child’s weight status from the NCMP, effective information sharing raise awareness of potential associated health risks and provides parents with the opportunity to seek advice and support if they choose to (NCMP, 2012). However, complications arise when policies and guidelines differ; the School Nursing team employ a different guideline to the NCMP resulting in complex telephone conversations regarding the letter sent by the NCMP stating their child is overweight. Subsequently, for competent collaboration to exist, clarity of referral criteria’s is needed to be standardised across boundaries (NICE, 2013). The Laming Report (2009) stated a need for significant shifts in working relationships between schools, health services and parents and engaging with parents to enabling them to feel valued and encourage decision making will engage parent participation which is essential for positive outcomes to be achieved (Every Child Matters, 2004). Parents are important influences on children’s eating and physical activity behaviour (Golan, 2006) therefore collaboration with parents is vital (Whitaker et al, 1997). School based interventions such as MoreLife are effective when the whole family participate, furthermore NICE Clinical guideline 43 (2006) states that school based interventions engage families regardless of socio-economic status, cultural background and ethnicity, this is evident with the number of participants for this weight management programme in this diverse region. In contrast, barriers may occur with the lack of partnership working, power struggles, lack of commitment an d lack of equal representation, these will decrease opportunities for working together, therefore creating a shared responsibility to reduce obesity will increase the health outcomes for children. Multi disciplinary team work will identify children at risk from obesity and promote quicker and easy access to services (ECM, 2004). Additionally, the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) can be shared between practitioners to refer children to appropriate services, promote information sharing and reduce duplication of and streamline assessments (CAF, 2012). However, collaboration with other professionals can be hampered when there are variations in working conditions, such as the School Nursing team and Schools working on term time only contracts. Furthermore many GP’s and Paediatricians have a professional hierarchy and delegate work to other agencies which in turn may have an effect on job satisfaction. Conversely, working with other professionals can be rewarding, stimulating, improve working relationships and increase knowledge and understanding of specialist practitioners.