Criminal Law - Theft Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Criminal Law - Theft - Case Study Example It takes into account the circumstances and consequences aimed at establishing the liability of the defendant in a criminal charge. It reasons beyond the mental elements to other facts surrounding the commission of the offence charged. CONDUCT CRIME: Where there are conduct crimes, the actus reus in itself is a prohibited conduct. Thus, in a case of dangerous driving, harmful consequences need not be established to prove the defendant's actus reus. [1] RESULT CRIMES: It must be shown that a prohibited result is caused by the conduct of the defendant. In a criminal damage for instance, the actus reus will be that another person's property has been destroyed and or damaged. [2] It is pertinent to state that the conduct of the accused person should be free willed or voluntary in order to incur liability. Acts may sometimes be involuntary. They may result from a wide variety of reasons such as: REFLEX ACTIONS: These are situations where people react to things spontaneously. It can be viewed as a form of automatism but with some dissimilarity. A classical example is illustrated in the case of HILL v. BAXTER [3] where a driver was stung by bees while on steering driving and he lost control of the car. AUTOMATISM: This occurs where the defendant performs an act but is unaware of what he or she doing. It is also the case where due to some external factors; such defendant is not in control of his or her actions. R v. QUICK [4] CAUSATION: At instances where the ascertainment of actus reus requires that certain consequences occur, the prosecution must prove that the defendants conduct actually resulted in the occurrence of those consequences.Thus in a charge of murder, the prosecution must prove that the victim died .[5] It must be established that the victim suffered grievous bodily harm or in a criminal damage, that the property was destroyed or damaged. TWO TYPES OF CAUSATION: 1 Causation of facts which makes use of the "But For" test .R v. WHITE [6] 2 Causation in law for which the defendant's act must be( for example in homicide cases), the "operating and substantial cause of death" R v. SMITH [7] 3 [1958] 1 All ER 193 4. [1973] 3 All ER 347 5 S.18 Offences against the Person Act, 1861 6 [1910] 2 KB 124 7 [1959] 2 All ER 193 MENS REA Mens rea is used to establish criminal liability. The standard common law test is usually expressed with the maxim actus non facit reum mens sit rea, which means that an act will not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty. There must be an actus reus accompanied by mens rea to constitute the crime for which the defendant is charged. The exception here is strict liability crimes. Mens rea can be classified into three sub - heads namely; INTENTION - Here the defendant is shown to have foreseen the consequences of his action. RECKLESSNESS - Has been developed in the case of R v. CUNNINGHAM [1957] 2 AER 412. Where recklessness, was said to be requiring a subjective other than objective test. Malice in statutory definition of crime must be considered to require either: (i) The actual intention to inflict a particular harm that was done;

Psychometric study of academic self efficacy scale

Psychometric study of academic self efficacy scale The development of Malaysia industries, infrastructures and ensuring the general well being of the country by Malaysian engineers cannot be underestimated. A new of engineering education model have been introduced to develop the interpersonal skills deal with public effectively as well as the technically competent ( Johari, 2002). In order to develop the interpersonal skills among Malaysia future engineers, a research in psychology well being have to be done. A psychometric analysis is most important part to get a valid and reliable psychology research for predicting the interpersonal skills among students. Standardized testing procedures are essential to valid testing. An invalid and misleading of the test result may alter by using of nonstandard procedures (Gregory, 2007). The psychological test is an effective tool in measuring the attitude and mental ability. It assesses their efficiency in acquiring knowledge relevant to the job and putting what they learn to practice. The test measures emotional stability, and skills such as analytical and problem-solving skills, human communication and leadership skills. The standard procedure for measuring beliefs of personal efficacy includes number of safeguards to minimize any potential motivational effects of self-assessment. These safeguards are built into the instructions and the mode of administration. Self-efficacy judgments are recorded privately without personal identification to reduce social evaluative concerns. The assessments of perceived efficacy and behavior are conducted in different settings and by different assessors to remove any possible carryover of social influence from assessment to the performance setting (Bandura, 1984). For example, in this case, The College Academic Self efficacy scale (Owen Froman, 1988) indicates that students perceptions of their abilities to perform tasks, greatly influences their success. The importance of validity and reliable measure of the sources of self-efficacy is needed. First, self-efficacy beliefs play a critical role in the academic and career choices of students (Hackett, 1995). It is important for educators or a counselors to be well known of the factors that help create and nurture the self-efficacy beliefs of their students. This information is invaluable in helping educators tailor their instructional strategies and counseling practices in ways most supportive both of their students self-efficacy and also of their achievement. Educators and counselors can also make use of such assessments as they evaluate the manner in which academic programs and intervention strategies may influence the self-efficacy beliefs of the adolescents in their care. All professional educators would readily agree that identifying the ways in which students unrealistically low self-efficacy beliefs can be challenged and altered is an essential and critical enterprise. Another important reason why a psychometrically sound assessment of the sources of self-efficacy is required is that the tenets of Banduras (1986) social cognitive theory regarding the workings of self-efficacy cannot effectively be tested without such assessment. Researchers who wish to understand the formation of academic self-efficacy must obtain that understanding using valid and reliable measures that faithfully reflect the sources hypothesized and their role within the broader structure of social cognitive theory. This is especially important in the field of academic motivation where the sources of self-efficacy have often been operationalized and measured in a manner that bears little resemblance to how they were hypothesized by Bandura (1986, 1997). This study will be able to craft items to assess each source by matching them carefully to each source as it that has been described by Bandura (1997). The researcher next sought to establish a psychometrically fit model to measure the sources of self-efficacy and to test whether the model is invariant across demographic factors and the correlation with social support. This study will be also examined evidence for convergent and factor analysis by assessing the relationship between the sources, self-efficacy, and other constructs typically included in studies of academic motivation. College Students self-efficacy beliefs have been found to play an important role in motivating them to learn (Pajares Schunk, 2001). Self-efficacy refers to beliefs about ones capability to learn or perform effectively, such as to solve a particular type of math problem. Self-efficacy differs operationally from other self-related constructs in that self-efficacy items are phrased in terms of what students can do rather than what they will do or usually do in a particular domain (Bandura, 2006). An important type of self-efficacy focuses on students beliefs about their capability to self-regulate learning (SRL), which refers to such processes as goal setting, self-monitoring, strategy use, self-evaluation, and self-reactions (Zimmerman, 2007). Research has indicated that self efficacy correlates with achievement outcomes (Bandura, 1997; Pajares, 1996; Schunk, 1995). Students with high self efficacy often display greater performance comparatively to those with low efficacy. Self efficacy is also equated with self competence, hence significant authorities such as parents and teachers who exert great influences should play their role efficiently in enhancing this self competence and eventually self efficacy for it has great bearings in achievement, be it in the English language or any other subjects ( Mahyuddin.R, 2006). 1.2 Problem Statement This study concentrates on the psychometric properties and application of the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale and its relationship with social supports and students life satisfaction. Through the haze of available measurements in self efficacy, may of them offering weak or unknown psychometric properties, and unlikely that self-efficacy can penetrate clearly (Owen and Froman, 1988). Items in Self efficacy scale should accurately reflect the construct. Self efficacy is concerned with perceived capability. Self efficacy should also be distinguished from other constructs such as self esteem, locus of control, self regulation and outcome expectancies. Scientific advances are greatly accelerated by methodological development of assessment tools for key determinants of human functioning. Quality of assessment provides the basis for stringent empirical tests of theory. Self efficacy assessment tailored to domains of functioning and task demands identify patterns of strengths and limitations in perceived capability (Bandura, 1997). The academic self efficacy and self efficacy in learning have been widely investigate by western researchers and educators. For Malaysian researcher, the study of academic self efficacy is quite constrictive. There are several significance to investigate the psychometric properties of the academic self efficacy scale that will be discussed in part significance of the study. Researchers have previously investigated predictors affecting students decision to pursue higher education. Predictors include primary and secondary school preparations, family dynamics, self esteem, commitment to goals and social support systems. Yet, with all the services available to students and the research conducted to better understand factor associated with the above issues, there are some students who never successfully assimilate into and navigate through the university system (Shaw, N. E, 2008). Owen and Fromans (1988) College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale was selected for this study because it was different from most academic self-efficacy instruments. CASES was unique in that the instrument investigates feelings of academic self-efficacy as a whole as opposed to teasing out individual constructs or areas of academic self-efficacy such as English, mathematics, and reading. Owen and Froman (1988) also believed that CASES can give specific diagnostic findings that can influence holistic change to increase overall academic self-efficacy. This study is unique because one of its objectives was not to simply find a relationship between self efficacy, academic motivation and academic achievement, but to also explore how the psychometric properties is significance before the researcher conduct a test. The study attempted to focus on the mediating variable that would explain the relationship between self efficacy, academic motivation and academic achievement. 1.3 Research Question The research questions are listed as below; i) Do the ASES scores demonstrate adequate internal consistency reliability, convergent validity and factor analysis of the testing for the college students? ii) Are there significant differences in the level of academic self efficacy experienced by male and female students? iii) Are there significant differences in the level of academic self efficacy experienced by students with the level of parents education and income? iv) Is there a relationship between college academic self-efficacy and social support? v) is there a relationship between academic self efficacy and life satisfaction? 1.4 Research Objectives: i) To examine the psychometric properties of a Academic Self efficacy Scale to estimate the students self-efficacy. ii) To identify the levels of self efficacy among engineering students in tertiary education iii) To identify the relationship of self efficacy with demographic factors. iv) To identify the relationship of academic self efficacy with students social supports. v) To identify the relationship of academic self efficacy with life satisfaction. 1.5 Significance of the study Many studies in educational and psychological literature revealed that measurement of self-efficacy is important in the field of education because of its key role and relationships with many other variables, which have great influences on education. For this reason, self efficacy measurements and the development of an effective measurement tool with respect to psychometric properties have become an important issue and major concern. The educators can nurture student self-direction and personal efficacy by providing students with opportunities before, during and after instruction to exercise some control of their own learning. An emphasis on student self-direction and efficacy means that educators teach and engage students in specific strategies that offer them opportunities to make decisions and solve problems on their own without being told what to do at all times. It means, the educators can provide them with strategies designed to help them process information effectively and to be self-confident, believing that they have the abilities to succeed. And perhaps most important, we help students become more reflective about their thinking and learning processes. The perceived attractiveness of the field of engineering and the attrition of engineering students are important issues that are significantly influenced by self-efficacy beliefs. In order to address these problems, educators must gain a better understanding of how students assess their confidence in their abilities to complete the tasks that they find necessary to succeed in engineering fields with their engineering self-efficacy beliefs (Hutchison, 2007). Self-efficacy can influence peoples behavior either positively or negatively, based on their perception of their abilities concerning a particular task. It influences the choices people make, the effort they put forth, and how long they persist in the face of obstacles and failure. The efficacy beliefs of undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs have been linked to their persistence, achievement and interest. 1.6 Limitation of the study The psychometric study will only focus on The College Academic Self Efficacy Scale(CASES) which was develop by Owen and Froman (1988). This instrument also will be used to study the level of academic self efficacy among students. The sample only will be focus on engineering undergraduates. This study only will be done in Higher Public universities in term of geographical, cultural and course offered by the universities. 1.7 Definition of the Terms Psychometric Psychometrics is the field of study concerned with the theory and technique of educational and psychological measurement, which includes the measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and personality traits. The field is primarily concerned with the study of measurement instruments such as questionnaires and tests. It involves two major research tasks, namely: (i) the construction of instruments and procedures for measurement; and (ii) the development and refinement of theoretical approaches to measurement. In this study, the psychometric analysis will be involved the reliability and validity analysis. In this research, the psychometric analysis will be involved reliability, convergent validity and confirmatory factor analysis. Academic Self efficacy Academic self-efficacy refers to individuals convictions that they can successfully perform given academic tasks at designated levels (Schunk, 1991). In this study, academic self efficacy will be demonstrated by the College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES) developed by Owen Froman (1988). College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES) College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES) refers to an instruments which was developed by Owen Froman (1988) in order to assess students belief that they can master the material and skills thought in university. The CASES was used in order to measure students levels of perceived academic self-efficacy. The scale contained 33-item with five-point Likert-type instruction to be appended. Social supports Life satisfaction A global assessment of a persons quality of life, dependent on the values and criteria deemed important by the individual (Shin Johnson, 1978). Engineering students Engineering students refers for those whom learned and willing to do the creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property. In this study, engineering students refers to first year students from four selected public universities which includes Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UNIMAP), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia(UTM), Universiti Putra malaysia and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka. Chapter 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1 Introduction This chapter will review and summarize the model and social cognitive theory and also self efficacy by Bandura (1997). The researcher has also focused on psychometrics analysis such as validity and reliability. The primary goal of understanding how students from engineering self efficacy beliefs, Bandura (1997) self efficacy beliefs, Bandura (1997) self-efficacy theory was selected to guide the research. 2.2 Social cognitive theory The selection of a guiding theoretical construct is directed by the questions a study seeks to answer (Patton,2002). The social cognitive theory aimed to focus attention on the significant role played by observational learning and vicarious reinforcement in human functioning. Bandura (1977) developed his theory to further include the essential component of self beliefs holds as a factor in human behavior. Social cognitive theory holds that human behavior, adaptation and change are based on cognitive, vicarious, self-regularotary and self reflective processes, rather than reactive responses as claimed in behaviorist theories. BEHAVIOR PERSONAL FACTORS ENVIRONMENTAL (Cognitive, affective, and FACTORS biological events) Figure 1.. Model of the relations between the three classes of determinants in Banduras (1986) conception of triadic reciprocality Figure 1 shows the model of the relations between the three classes of determinants in Banduras (1986) conception of triadic reciprocality. People are viewed as self-organizing, proactive, self-reflecting and self-regulating rather than as reactive organisms shaped and shepherded by environmental forces or driven by concealed inner impulses. From this theoretical perspective, human functioning is viewed as the product of a dynamic interplay of personal, behavioral, and environmental influences. For example, how people interpret the results of their own behavior informs and alters their environments and the personal factors they possess which, in turn, inform and alter subsequent behavior. This is the foundation of Banduras (1986) conception of reciprocal determinism, the view that (a) personal factors in the form of cognition, affect, and biological events, (b) behavior, and (c) environmental influences create interactions that result in a triadic reciprocality. Bandura altered the l abel of his theory from social learning to social cognitive both to distance it from prevalent social learning theories of the day and to emphasize that cognition plays a critical role in peoples capability to construct reality, self-regulate, encode information, and perform behaviors. 2.3 Self Efficacy Beliefs The self-beliefs that individuals use to exercise a measure of control over their environments include self-efficacy beliefs. beliefs in ones capability to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations (Bandura, 1997, p. 2). Self-efficacy beliefs are concerned with individuals perceived capabilities to produce results and to attain designated types of performance, they differ from related conceptions of personal competence that form the core constructs of other theories. Self-efficacy judgments are both more task- and situation-specific, contextual if you will, and individuals make use of these judgments in reference to some type of goal. To better understand the nature of self-efficacy beliefs it may be useful to explain how they are acquired, how they influence motivational and self-regulatory process, and how they differ from similar or related conceptions of self-belief. According to Bandura, there are four major sources of self-efficacy. 1. Mastery Experiences The most effective way of developing a strong sense of efficacy is through mastery experiences, Bandura explained (1994). Performing a task successfully strengthens our sense of self-efficacy. However, failing to adequately deal with a task or challenge can undermine and weaken self-efficacy. 2. Social Modeling Witnessing other people successfully completing a task is another important source of self-efficacy. According to Bandura, Seeing people similar to oneself succeed by sustained effort raises observers beliefs that they too possess the capabilities master comparable activities to succeed (1994). 3. Social Persuasion Bandura also asserted that people could be persuaded to belief that they have the skills and capabilities to succeed. Consider a time when someone said something positive and encouraging that helped you achieve a goal. Getting verbal encouragement from others helps people overcome self-doubt and instead focus on giving their best effort to the task at hand. 4. Psychological Responses Our own responses and emotional reactions to situations also play an important role in self-efficacy. Moods, emotional states, physical reactions, and stress levels can all impact how a person feels about their personal abilities in a particular situation. A person who becomes extremely nervous before speaking in public may develop a weak sense of self-efficacy in these situations. However, Bandura also notes it is not the sheer intensity of emotional and physical reactions that is important but rather how they are perceived and interpreted (1994). By learning how to minimize stress and elevate mood when facing difficult or challenging tasks, people can improve their sense of self-efficacy. Bandura (1986) considered self-reflection the most uniquely human capability, for through this form of self-referent thought people evaluate and alter their own thinking and behavior. These self-evaluations include perceptions of self-efficacy, that is, beliefs in ones capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations. These beliefs of personal competence affect behavior in several ways. They influence the choices individuals make and the courses of action they pursue. People engage in tasks in which they feel competent and confident and avoid those in which they do not. Efficacy beliefs help determine how much effort people will expend on an activity, how long they will persevere when confronting obstacles, and how resilient they will prove in the face of adverse situations-the higher the sense of efficacy, the greater the effort, persistence, and resilience. Efficacy beliefs also influence individuals thought patterns and emotional reactions. People with low self-efficacy may believe that things are tougher than they really are, a belief that fosters stress, depression, and a narrow vision of how best to solve a problem. High self-efficacy, on the other hand, helps to create feelings of serenity in approaching difficult tasks and activities. As a result of these influences, self-efficacy beliefs are strong determinants and predictors of the level of accomplishment that individuals finally attain. For these reasons, Bandura (in press) argued that beliefs of personal efficacy constitute the key factor of human agency . 2.4 Engineering Self Efficacy Numerous studies examining the role of self efficacy in students pursuit of engineering careers have generally found a positive correlation between self-efficacy and academic achievement in engineering disciplines (AWE, 2005). For example, it has been found that ones self-efficacy beliefs influence on effort, persistence, and perseverance in goal attainment (Bandura Schunk, 1981; Bouffard-Bouchard, 1990; Schunk Hanson, 1985). Similar findings reveal that high self-efficacy beliefs influence the academic persistence necessary to maintain high academic achievement amongst college students enrolled in science and engineering courses (Lent, Brown, Larkin, 1984, 1986). Previous research also has clearly made the case that the construct of engineering self efficacy can be an important contributor to success in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) career education by influencing the choice to pursue STEM careers and the persistence with which it is pursued. Hutchison et al (2006) have done a survey incorporating qualitative measures of student self-efficacy beliefs to administer 1,387 first-year engineering students enrolled in ENGR 106, Engineering Problem-Solving and Computer Tools, at Purdue University. The survey was designed to identify factors related to students self-efficacy beliefs, their beliefs about their capabilities to perform the tasks necessary to achieve a desired outcome. Open-ended questions prompted students to list factors affecting their confidence in their ability to succeed in the course. Students were then asked to rank these factors based on the degree to which their self-efficacy beliefs were influenced. Gender trends emerged in student responses to factors that affect confident in success. These trends are discussed in light of the categories identified by efficacy theorists as sources of self-efficacy beliefs. The results presented here provide a useful look at the first-year engineering experiences that inf luence students efficacy beliefs, an important consideration in explaining student achievement, persistence, and interest. 2.5 Academic self efficacy Bandura (1997) believed that self-efficacy contributes to the academic achievement of students. Bandura proposed that individuals make a cognitive judgment about their mastery of present situations in view of their past experiences, and proceed to carry out the necessary behaviors to accomplish the task at hand. Students are affected by personal (e.g., goal setting, information processing) and situational influences (e.g., rewards, teacher feedback) that provide students with cues about how well they are learning. Self-efficacy is enhanced when students perceive they are performing well or becoming more skillful. Lack of success or slow progress will not necessarily lower self-efficacy if learners believe they can perform better by expending more effort or using more effective strategies (Schunk, 1995). Schunk (1991) in his study has also proposed that self-efficacy is critical to the academic achievement of adolescents. He hypothesized that self-efficacy influences a students choice of activities. Students with a high level of self-efficacy will select more challenging learning tasks, therefore expending more persistence and effort to obtain higher achievement outcomes, whereas students with low level of self-efficacy will avoid difficult and challenging tasks that require more effort and persistence, and thus, obtain lower achievement outcomes. Figure 1 The Development of Academic Self Efficacy ( Adapted from Schunk and Pajares, 2001) Familial Influence on Self-Efficacy Peer Influence Role of Schooling Transitional Influences Developmental Changes in Self-Appraisal Skill Gender Differences Ethnic Differences ACADEMIC SELF EFFICACY Students with higher self-efficacy expend greater effort, exhibit more persistence and demonstrate greater resilience in the face of adverse situations. As a result of these influences, self-efficacy beliefs are strong determinants of the level of accomplishment (Bandura, 1997; Pajares, 1996), and therefore contribute tremendously to intellectual development which leads to academic success (Bandura, 1995). In addition, the research literature includes several studies which emphasize the effect of self-efficacy on numerous positive outcomes as well as academic achievement. In this case, not only has self-efficacy been found to positively relate to higher levels of achievement, but also it has a strong association with a variety of adaptive academic 30 outcomes such as higher levels of effort and increased persistence on difficult tasks. This finding has been confirmed across a number of experimental and correlational studies involving students of different ages (Bandura, 1997; Pintrich Schunk, 2002). Also, in a correlational study conducted by Linnenbrink and Pintrich (2002), was found that self- efficacy is positively related to student cognitive engagement and their use of self- regulatory strategies as well as general achievement as indexed by grades (Pintrich, 2000b; Pintrich De Groot, 1990; Wolters, Yu, Pintrich, 1996). Lastly, further evidence exists in the research literature that confirms Schunks hypothesis that students who have positive self-efficacy beliefs are more likely to choose to continue to take more difficult courses over the course of schooling (Eccles et al., 1998). Although several studies confirm the positive effect of self-efficacy on academic achievement, there also seems to be a number of other mediating influences or related variables that provide further explanation of this relationship. In view of possible mediating influences, there exist contradictions in the literature regarding the exact nature of the relationship of self-efficacy with other related variables (e.g., goal orientation, motivation) in explaining positive academic outcomes, as well as its precise strength in predicting academic achievement, irrespective of these variables. Such discrepancies in the research literature should be considered in examining the effect of self-efficacy on academic achievement. The finding that self-efficacy beliefs tend to decline as students advance through school (Pintrich Schunk, 1996) has been attributed to various factors, including greater competition, more norm-referenced grading, less teacher attention to individual student progress, a nd stresses associated with school transitions. These and other school practices can weaken academic self efficacy, especially among students who are less academically prepared to cope with increasingly challenging academic tasks. Lock-step sequences of instruction frustrate some students who fail to grasp skills and increasingly fall behind their peers (Bandura, 1997). Ability groupings can lower self-efficacy among those relegated to lower groups. Classrooms that allow for much social comparison tend to lower the self-efficacy of students who find their performances inferior to those of their peers. Students involvement and participation in school depend in part on how much the school environment contributes to their perceptions of autonomy and relatedness, which in turn influence self-efficacy and academic achievement. Although parents and teachers contribute to feeling of autonomy and relatedness, peers become highly significant during adolescence. The peer group context enhances or diminishes students feelings of belonging and affiliation (Hymel, Comfort, Schonert-Reichl, McDougall, 1996). 2.6 Social support College students may seek social and emotional support from their family and friends. Social support, or receiving emotional, informational, and/or tangible support from other individuals (Lazarus Folkman, 1984), has been linked positively with the maintenance of physical health during stressful situations. In addition, the perceived availability of social support, rather than the actual use of social support, may actually be more important in protecting individuals from the harmful effects of stressful situations (Holahan Moos, 1987). Further, social support may be an important component of college students transitioning successfully to the college environment (Hays Oxley, 1986) and college students academic achievement (DeBerard et al., 2004), with low levels of social support being related to a lack of persistence in academic endeavors (Mallinckrodt, 1988). Given these findings, it is possible that support from family and friends is extremely important in the lives of college students during their college careers, particularly as they experience and make attempts to cope with academic-related stress. For example, one study using a sample of first- and second-year college students, most of whom were without daily parental contact, showed that parental support predicted significantly the grade point average (GPA) of these students. In contrast, support from friends and romantic partners did not predict GPA significantly (Cutrona et al., 1994). These results indicated that, although parents may be removed physically from college students daily life, they still may have a major impact on college students academic performance. As a result, the perceived level of emotional support from college students parents may be related greatly to many aspects of their college career, including their academic performance and their experience of academic- related stress. 2.6.1 Parental support Seminal attachment theories developed by Bowlby (1969) and Ainsworth and

Islamic Economy in Saudi Arabian Companies Essay -- Economics

1. Saudi Companies Fund A. The institution of SAMA could not be a profit-making institution, it had to conform to Islamic law. SAMA has from time to time financed one-half of government debt. From 1962 to 1983, the governments earning grew in surplus, and all the debt was repaid. Whenever the government needed SAMA bolstered government reserves. B. In 1966 a major banking control law clarified and strengthened SAMA's role in regulating the banking system. Foreign banks submitted application for license. SAMA sent its recommendation to the ministry of finance. The ministry set conditions for granting licenses to foreign banks. C. Saudi companies introduced a great deal of regulation abiding with Sharia law. This law also defined requirements against deposits. There were several restriction to abide by SAMA's implementation of monetary policy. 2. The Saudi financial system A. The Saudi financial system had three autonomous government institutions. They were the pension fund, the general organization of Saudi insurance, and Saudi fund for development. These government instit...

The Greek Polis

The polis is the city-state of ancient Greece where Greek politics, commerce and creative culture was centered. It developed from the Archaic period and is considered the ancestor of the terms city, state and citizenship. It was the central urban area that may have some degree of rule over the surrounding countryside. Among the Greek polis were Athens, Thebes and Sparta which were considered independent with each other. The polis is typically bounded around a citadel or an acropolis and would essentially have a market called the agora and would usually have one or more places of worship and a gymnasium. The Greeks considered the polis or city-states as a unique institution because in ancient times, it was the first gathering of people wherein the rulers or officials were elected by the people and laws were passed. Although the polis was composed of several tribes or demes, it was ruled not by a particular king or oligarchy but rather considered as a political entity ruled by the inhabitants or citizens themselves. To some extent, there is a high degree of citizen involvement and participation in the management of the public organization in a polis. The polis was considered as the most significant contribution in politics of the Greek people. The fundamental difference between the ancient Greek polis and a modern day country city like that of Western Europe or America is that the Greeks did not consider the polis as under any sovereignty while a modern age city is necessarily under a sovereign country or state. In other words, the polis is an autonomous entity while a modern city is positively positioned in a sovereign state. The polis is not identified by territory but rather by the citizenship of its people whereas a modern city is generally set apart by land area and population. Their similarities lie greatly in them being both centers of commerce, artistry, politics and the melting pot of state development.

Regional distribution centre report

Introduction: My company that I work for is currently expanding and has recently opened several new superstores on the outskirts of large urban areas. The existing distribution centers, which supply stores, are finding it difficult to meet the increased demand. So, the company has decided to set up a new distribution centre in an area, which has a mixture of old supermarkets and new superstores. Mileage: Mileage is one of the most important factors on this survey and research that I am doing and Prime thing that I have to look for is how far it is from the motorways and the supermarkets. In my opinion location C has got the best mileage and the one with the least mileage is D. Accessibility: Accessibility is not as important as mileage but it is still a convenient factor of the research and has to be considered very deeply. If the place has plenty of doors and garages, then it would be more convenient than a store with less doors and garages for the trucks or lorries to take our stock to the superstore. The best one again is location C and the worst one again is location D. But we have to remember that some locations are better at other things than at some things. Suitable Land: Land is vital for the company because we need lots of space for our staff to store the products from our regional distribution centre.6 acres would be good enough for us. The location that strike me first location A, as it has 20 acres of land which is over three times more of what we actually wanted. And the worst one was location C. In the factors above us, it was the best and now it is the worst for the land. And not everything can be perfect, you cant have a location which scores five out of five for everything. Cost Of Land: Now we are coming to the financial side of the operation and it is the thing that we have to consider before buying the location that we decide. Price is an enormous factor for everything not just regional distribution centers. The best priced location was location D, this was the location which had scored poor ratings in all the other factors and now has appeared top for the price. And the worst priced location was location C. This location did really well with the mileage and the accessibility but is very pricey. It would not be a good idea to buy this location if the company does not have a large budget. Setting Up Cost: Well, some locations do not need much work but some do and this could cost the company quite a bit. The location that really well was location E which has not exactly had that good factors in it. And the location that has done really badly or the worst was location B, this location is out of the picture as it was not good use to us. Labour Force: Where ever a business moves and there are job opportunities people would try really hard to get one so that's why we are considering to move to a place where there is a high unemployment and, the people should be skilled or have had experiences and we should be able to offer them low salaries. If we can make this happen, this could have us thousands of pounds every year. The location that has a good labour force is location D. This is truly the best location so I am considering of buying this. And the location that has done not so well in this important category was location A. Evaluation: In my opinion and my research I think that Location C is the best location because the cost of the land is really good, there is plenty of cheap labour, it scored top on the environmental factors and it almost came top in setting up. But two main things that it lacks is the mileage as it is very far from motorways and the accessibility is not good at all.

Tortuous, Torturous, and Tortious

Tortuous, Torturous, and Tortious Tortuous, Torturous, and Tortious Tortuous, Torturous, and Tortious By Maeve Maddox All three words, tortuous, torturous, and tortious derive from the Latin verb torquere, â€Å"to twist.† Pronunciation: tortuous [TOR-choo-us] torturous [TOR-chur-us] tortious [TOR-shus] The Latin adjective tortuosus means â€Å"full of twists or turns.† The Latin noun tortura means twisting, but it can also mean torment or torture; torturing a person often involves twisting body parts. The English adjective tortuous retains the sense of twisting or winding, whereas the adjective torturous conveys the sense of painful. A winding road is said to be tortuous. In medicine, a â€Å"tortuous bowel† is a bowel that has several bends and twists in it. A â€Å"tortuous aorta† has anatomical abnormalities that cause it to be distorted in the path it takes. The adjective torturous means â€Å"involving or causing pain.† Both words are used literally and figuratively: tortuous We decided to take the surface route instead, even if it meant a much longer drive along narrow and tortuous roads. The singer has followed a fairly  tortuous path to fame, with many ups and downs in his personal life, before achieving his current success. torturous Urge Massachusetts To End Torturous Shock Treatment of Disabled Individuals Why women love  high heels, no matter how  torturous  they are The plot is based on a silly premise, is childishly developed and is not worth reading, even if you could muddle through the torturous use of the English language. Not surprisingly, inattentive writers tend to mix up these two adjectives: I have a torturous bowel, what are my options for colon screening? The road twisted and turned its torturous way up and down mountains, through gorges, over streams to the little Italian villages. a campaign to highlight the tortuous treatment inflicted upon animals in cosmetic lab testing Hunger strikers in the SHU are calling for an end to hostilities between racial groups within prisons all the way down to county jails in order to call attention to inhuman and tortuous treatment of prisoners. The word, tortious, is the adjective that goes with the legal term tort. In the case of tort, the sense of twisted applies to behavior. In U.S. law, a tort may be defined as â€Å"a negligent or intentional injury against a person or property, with the exception of breach of contract.† Here’s an example of the use of tortious: [The Court ruled that] the managing member and president of an LLC could not be liable for tortious interference with contract for firing the Plaintiff. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Capitalize Animal and Plant NamesHow to Play HQ Words: Cheats, Tips and TricksHow Long Should a Synopsis Be?

Data mining titanic dataset Essays

Data mining titanic dataset Essays Data mining titanic dataset Paper Data mining titanic dataset Paper Titanic dataset Submitted by: Submission date 8/1/2013 Declaration Author: Contents Dated: 29/12/2012 The database corresponds to the sinking of the titanic on April the 15th 1912. It is part of a database containing the passengers and crew who were aboard the ship, and various attributes correlating to them. The purpose of this task is to apply the methodology of CRISP-DMS and follow the phases and tasks of this model. Using the classification method in rapid miner and both the decision tree and INN algorithms, I will create a training model and try apply the class survived or didnt survive. If I apply a decision tree to the dataset as it is, I get a prediction rate of 78%. I will try various techniques throughout this report to increase the overall prediction rate. Data mining objectives: I would like to explore the pre conceived ideas I have about the sinking of the titanic, and prove if they are correct. Was there a majority of 3rd class passengers who died? What was the ratio of passengers who died, male or female? Did the location of cabins make a difference as to who survived? Did chivalry ring through and did Women and children first actually happen? Data Understanding: Describe the data: Figure Class label: Survive (1 or O) 1 = survived, died. Type = Binomial. Total: 891. Survived: 342, Died: 549 Attributes: 10 attributes 891 rows The dataset have primarily a categorical type of attribute so there is low information content. This might indicate a decision tree would be an appropriate model to use. I can see that the number of rows in the dataset is indeed 10 to 20 times the number of columns, so the number of instances is adequate. There doesnt seem to be any inconsistencys in the data. Pappas: 1st, 2nd, or 3rd class. Type: polynomial. Categorical, 3rd class: 491, 2nd class: 216, 1st class: 184 0 missing Name: Name of Sex: Male, female. Type: binomial. Male: 577, Female: 314 0 missing Age: from 0. 420 to 80. Average age: 29, standard deviation of 14+-, Max was 80. 177 missing Sibs (Siblings on board): Type: integer. Average less than 1, highest 8. This suggested an outlier, but on inspection the names where there were 8 siblings corresponded. (The name was sage, 3rd class passengers, all died. ) O missing Parch: number of parents, children onboard. Type: integer. Average: 0. 3, deviation 0. 8. Max was 6. O missing Ticket: ticket number. Type: polynomial. To me these ticket numbers seem quite random and my first inclination is to discard them. O missing Fare: Cost of ticket. Type: real. Average: 32, deviation +- 49. Maximum 512. There seems to be quite a disparity in the range of values here. Three tickets cost 512, outliers? O missing Cabin: cabin numbers. Type: polynomial. 687 missing From looking at this data I think I can discount one of my initial questions about cabin numbers. If there was more data it might be an interesting factor as regards cabin locations and survival. As it stands the quality of the data is not good, there are Just o many missing entries. I. E. Greater than 40%. So I will delete (filter out) the cabin attribute from the dataset. The age attribute could cause a problem with the amount of fields missing. There are too many to delete. I might use the average of all ages to fill in the blanks. Explore the data: From an initial exploration of the data, I was able to look at various plots and found some interesting results. I have tried to keep my findings to my initial questions that I wanted answered. Was there a majority of 3rd class passengers who died? You can tell from Figure 2 that this was true. This graph Just shows survival by class, 3rd class fairing the worst. Again this is shown with a scatter plot but with the added attribute sex. You can see on the female side of the first class passengers, only a few died. Interestingly it shows that it was mostly male 3rd class passengers who perished, and it is demonstrated that more males then females died. There is a clear division in classes demonstrated. This graph answers my other question. What was the ratio of passengers who died, male or female? From this we can see that mainly males did not survive. Although there were more males on board (577), about 460 perished. From the females (314), about 235 survived. Another attribute that needs attention is the age category. I wanted to find out if the women and children first policy was adhered to, but there are 177 missing age values. This is going to complicate my results on this. From leaving the 177 as they are, I get this graph: but this is not conclusive in Figure 5. I thought that the fare price might indicate a childrens price and therefore allow me to fill in an age, but the fare price doesnt seem to have much pattern. Another idea I thought might help would be to look at the names of passengers, I. . Miss might signify a lower age. (In 1912 the average age of marriage was 22, so anyone with title miss could have an age less than 22. ) Names which include master might indicate a young age as well. Figure 5 also indicates possible outliers on the right hand side. From this graph I could easily see the breakdown of the different class of passenger and where they embarked from. It is obvious that Southampton had the largest number of passengers get on board. Question had the highest proportion of 3rd class passengers compared to 2nd and 1st class at that port, and its also interesting o note that this was an Irish port. This graph further explores the port of embankment and shows the survival rate from each, as well as the different classes. To me it seems that the majority of 3rd class passengers were lost who came from Southampton port, although they did have the highest amount of 3rd class passengers. A closer look at Southampton port. The majority who didnt survive were 3rd class (blue), also noted is the handful of 1st class passengers (green) who died, yet Southampton had the highest number of 1st class passengers to board. See figure 6. Verify data quality There were a number of missing values in the dataset. The highest amount of missing data came from the cabin attribute. As it is higher than 45% (687 missing) I decided to filter out this column. There are also 177 missing values from the age attribute. This amount of missing data is again too large a percentage to ignore and needs to be filled in. I can see that the dataset contains less than 1000 rows, so I think that sampling will not have to be performed. There doesnt seem to be any inconsistencys in the data. There are still 2 missing pieces of information from the embankment attribute. I see that they are 1st class passengers so from my graph on embankment I think I can put her embankment from Churchgoer. The other passenger is a George Nelson, which I will add to Southampton. I decided to filter out names also. I dont see how it can help in the dataset. It may have helped with age, by looking at the title as I said, but for this I Just used the average age to replace the missing values. Another approach to filling in the missing age fields might be linear regression. Remove possible outliers? I can see that there may be some outliers. For instance in the fares attribute, there re three tickets which cost 512 when the average is 32. They were first class tickets, but the difference is huge. Data Preparation: Here is the result of using x validation on the dataset before any data preparation has taken place. I will now sort out the problem of 667 cabin numbers missing. With it being higher than 40%, Vive decided to delete the attribute entirely. Vive also deleted the name attribute, as I dont see how it will help. By deleting cabin, name and ticket, here is the result I get: I replaced the missing age fields with the average of ages, this increased the accuracy lightly and gave these results with x validation: I used detect outliers and picked the top ten and then filtered them out. This gave this result: The class recall for survived has not improved much. Increasing the number of neighbors in the detect outliers operator improved things, also limiting the filter to deleting 5 made a better accuracy. I decided to use specified binning for the ages and broke the ages into three bins. For children aged up to 13, middle aged from 13 to 45, and older from 45 to 80. I tried different age ranges and found that these ranges yielded the best results. It did increase the accuracy. I also used binning for the fares, splitting them into low, mid, and high which also improved results on the confusion matrix. I used detect outlier to find the ten most obvious outliers, and then used a filter to get rid of them. I have decided to remove cabin from the dataset, and also there are 177 missing age values which I have tried various approaches in changing. I changed the ages to the average age, but this gives a spike in the number of ages 29. 7. Example of average age problem: Modeling: I tried to implement both the decision tree and inn algorithms, seeing as the dataset as primarily categorical. I found that inn yielded the best results regarding accuracy. This was set at k=l . The accuracy was not great at 73%. The parameter of K is too small and may be influenced by noise. INN: 5 worked the best at 82. 38%. This seems to be the optimal value for k, and the distance is set right. Class precision is about even on each class. Decision tree: The decision tree algorithm didnt give me as much accuracy, and I found that turning off pre pruning gave me a better accuracy. From the decision tree, the age binning seemed to predict middle aged males (13 to 45) with a low fare well. The class recall for survived was not great at 67. 85%. Generate Test Design I used x-validation to perform cross validation on the data. I initially used 20 for the number of validations, but then found 25 achieved a better result. I used the apply model and performance operators as these are best used for classification tasks and work well with the polynomial attribute. This then presented me with a confusion matrix where I could measure the accuracy of my model by comparing the accuracy, recall and precision. I found that throughout my various testing of operators and valuating the confusion matrix, raising the class recall on true 1 (survived) most difficult. After all my efforts I managed to raise it to 73. 6%. I. E. 91 were incorrectly predicted as surviving. Figure Final result Workspace: From my initial objectives I was able to determine the answers using rapidness. I wanted to find out if those who perished were in the majority 3rd class passengers. I found this to be true, and also that the majority who died were male 3rd class passengers. Female passengers and children fared better than most which leads me t o believe that the rule of women and children first applied. This may have been sighted more to the first and second class passengers as demonstrated in Figure 3. Because the dataset had such a large amount of data missing concerning age, this was more difficult to determine. I found the embarked attribute to be interesting in the graphs I could generate from it. There seemed to be a large number of 3rd class passengers who died that had embarked from Southampton. If all the cabin numbers were present I wonder if Southampton 3rd class passengers had cabins close to where the iceberg hit? Did this have a bearing on their survival? From the different algorithms I used I found that Inn yielded the better results.

Career Advice From a Professional Stage Makeup Artist

Career Advice From a Professional Stage Makeup Artist What does it take to become a makeup artist for the theater? Well, when seeking career advice, it’s best to contact an expert. Judi Lewin has worked as a professional hair and makeup artist for over thirty-five years. We caught up with her during a film shoot to ask her some important questions about her career. Although she has been working in the movie and television industry, we asked her if she would talk about her extensive career as a makeup designer for the legitimate stage. Getting Started While living in her hometown of Toronto, Judi had a natural talent for makeup. Whether she was applying her makeup skills on herself or her friends, she had a knack for making people look their best. It wasn’t long before many of her â€Å"theater friends† requested her help. Soon, she found herself transforming the faces- and hairstyles- of actors. Her first professional experiences took place at local theaters in Toronto, with her earliest productions being community theater musicals, such as A Chorus Line, My Fair Lady, and Annie. Her love for her craft motivated her to take on show after show and, after a couple of years of amateur productions, she began to work on a professional basis. Judi has since worked in such theaters as the Canadian Opera Company, the Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera, and the Pasadena Playhouse. Recently, she worked as the Key Makeup Designer for the new show, Happy Days- A New Musical, which was based upon the classic hit television show. Methods After accepting a job from a director, Judi reads through the script. After reading it through, she reads it a second time and makes notes, listing the characters and paying close attention to the setting. Then, she works with the director to find out â€Å"what specifically the director wants to see.† She does everything she can to learn about the director’s vision in advance before she begins the design process. Judi explained that in smaller, lower-budgeted productions, the director’s input might be all that she requires. However, the bigger the show, the more likely producers, executives, and others will want to express their opinion- and that’s when the business of the makeup artist can really get complicated. Do Your Research Judi recommends that up-and-coming makeup designers constantly gather historical images- this means finding photographs, illustrations, and other images from any era in the past to serve as inspiration or source material. Also, try to find information and visual material from and about as many different countries and cultures as possible. By gathering these images from the internet, old books, and second-hand stores, a makeup artist will increase their knowledge of different looks, eras, and lifestyles, from â€Å"aristocracy to someone who lives in the slums.† Working with Actors It is common for actors to feel insecure- sometimes about their looks, but sometimes about their performance. Occasionally, Judi has worked with a few prima donnas, but she has a weapon against rudeness. â€Å"Kill them with kindness,† she says. â€Å"Be lovely and polite.† She also mentioned that because so much time is spent together, actors often reveal personal details to their makeup artists. Her rule about that is, â€Å"Nothing leaves the makeup room.† Career Advice According to Judi, here are two reliable ways to become a professional makeup artist: Attend a Makeup School (She recommends The Makeup Designory in Burbank, California and New York City).Intern with a professional who works in both theater and television (That way the intern will learn two very different techniques). Benefits of the Theater One of the reasons Judi loves working in live theater so much is simply because it’s alive! â€Å"In theater, things need to happen now!† Her stage experience is a sharp contrast to her film work, in which the general rule is to work on the makeup until it is perfect. During a musical, the makeup artist has a limited amount of time to get things right- this makes the experience both challenging and fun. The excitement of live theater invigorates Judi Lewin and her fellow artists.

Informative presentation, persuasive PowerPoint Presentation

Informative , persuasive - PowerPoint Presentation Example Training is a sort of meeting that draws individuals with the same agenda or line of work together giving them an opportunity to mingle and share their experiences as well as their thought of how to tackle the challenges. Training is an integral part for a company seeking to climb the ladder and be successful in their area of business. It holds the key to unlocking unrealized talents and untapped skills while at the same time improving the environmental conditions for the business as effects of training come into effect. While we do conquer that training is essential, it is important to outline some of the reasons why companies and businesses insist on training its people. First off, it helps employees to understand the job market as it is in its present state, to move along with the trends in the market and this helps the business appeal to new share holders and financiers, to be a force to recon with for potential employees and for employees to learn how to conduct themselves while on official duty. Communication cuts deep within the organization and not just the ordinary exchange of pleasantries and this is also taught while in training. Training programs also focus on getting the best all round employees and imparting a different skill set so that they can handle duties assigned to them in future which they may have not necessarily been prepared for while at the university/college. Training programs follow a strict schedule and timeline. It has to be planned for in advance and communicated to the people set to undergo it. Other things that need to be done include pairing up experts with trainees where they learn through apprenticeship. This means that the expert will work on a project while the trainee takes notes and this goes on for about a week before they are given the go ahead to attempt and do what they have been witnessing. This, however, lies with the complexity of the field of operation in

Midterm paper in microeconomics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Midterm paper in microeconomics - Case Study Example This can be presented in a graph as follows: Figure 1: Graph Presenting the function, Y = F (K, L) = AK0.4L0.8 (b) In order to break even, one should hardly be worried about the production size since size is hardly the only factor that influences production. Again, fixed costs are not related directly to a firm’s level of production. Break-even involves the point at which both variable and fixed costs would be recovered, implying that production size is not a major factor to consider in this case. Answer to Question 2 This is a case of two firms that compete in a sequntial game, where each firm chooses prices as its strategic variable.Firm 1 make the choice of price p1, first, while firm 2 chooses p2 later. Each of the two firms has a marginal cost of 20. The assumption in this case is that a consumer is loacted at point x, x being the distance from firm 1, and obtains some utility after buying from either of the two firms. Such functions are as below: U1 = V – p1 †“ 16x U2 = V – p2 – 16 (1 - x) Given that V is a constant, which is so large that it could cover the entire market: (a) The best response for firm 2 would require that the firm looks ahead to its initial decision. It would then assume that given that it comes to that point, firm 1 will choose the optimal outcome of firm 2; in this case, the highest payoff in terms of price. Secondly, firm 2 would have to back up to its second all the way to the last decision. It would assume that firm 1 would opt for high prices (Peterson, 39). The firm would continue reasoning back in the same way until all its decisions are fixed. Such decision could be presented in a (p2; p1) space as follows: V = U2 + p2 + 16 (1 - x) V= U1 + p1 + 16x Thus, U2 + p2 + 16 (1 - x) = U1 + p1 + 16x U2 + p2 + 16 = U1 + p1 + 32x Since the two firms are competing sequentially, the market equilibrium price is the point where p1= p2 since all firms would ultimately have to lower their prices in order to att ract as many customers as possible (Peterson, 39). (b) The equilibrium price is p1 =p2 =20. The profit for firm 1 is Yp1 – 20c while that of firm 2 is Yp2 – 20c, where Y is the total output and 20c is the total cost which is constant for the two firms. (c) Equilibrium price is 20. The market share for firm 1 and firm 2 are x and (1 – x) respectively. Answer to question 3 The following data was obtained from Rema Store. (1) The name of the store is Rema Grocery Store. The type of cheese in the store, the prices per kilogram and the brand of cheese including the unit size are as shown in the table above. (2) Based on the various brands, unit sizes, and price per kilogram for each brand, it is easy to propose price discrimination scheme. The price discrimination scheme could explain more about the stores and the brands of cheese sold. The best price discrimination scheme for the products is the first degree of price discrimination. In this case, the seller would se ll various product brands of cheese at different prices. The scheme would require that the seller knows the reservation price for each of the brand sold. Once the seller identifies the reservation price for each brand, he or she is able to sell the different brands of cheese to the consumers at the maximum prices possible. Customers hardly consider quantities but their perception of quality is based

Disability Case Studies Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Disability Studies - Case Study Example Students with bodily challenges can access learning materials through the intervention of these technologies. Children with behavioral and cognitive impairments can utilize modeling technologies that improve their social and communication abilities. These technologies can be used both in school by teachers and at home by parents or special tutors. The devices range from low cost to highly priced high-tech devices that are adapted to different learner capabilities. The following case studies present technologies that can be used for students with low vision, learning disability, autism, and cerebral palsy. Case study #1 Assistive technology gives blind and low vision students support in academic areas as well as in expanded curriculum. Students with low vision have difficulties reading regular print or the blackboard. Assistive technologies help enlarge book prints and blackboard writings enabling these students to attend regular classes and use ordinary books. Learning activities may involve interaction with pictorial information that may require magnification. Students with low vision have difficulties in interpreting pictorial information. Students with poor vision have problems in hand-eye coordination. They have the ability to write, but the shape and size of their letters may lead to ineligible handwriting (Beard, Carpenter and Johnston, 2011). This creates a necessity for Braille technologies or typing assistance. Students with visual impairment require different operating systems when dealing with computer-based assignments. Some students require full-fledged specialized software and built-in accessibility. Assistive technologies enable these students navigate computer systems independently. This improves their participation in class and provides equal abilities compared to normal-vision students. Screen and text magnifiers can improve the visibility of prints and text displayed on computer screens. The magnifiers present the text in large formats, bring the text closer to the student, and improve the angle and projection of the text. A screen magnifier is software installed in the computer that the student can use to improve and manipulate text on the screen. Text magnifiers can be handheld and are used to improve text in print books. The magnifiers give the student control over the size of text, color, icons, and images. This gives the student the ability to read fluently and he can compete with others in the class. Students can also participate in class texts due to improved ability to read, interpret, and answer questions. Screen and text magnifiers are also used in extra-curricular activities such as interclass and interschool competitions where low vision students can participate (Wiazowski, 2009). The high contrast (20/20) pen is a writing tool that makes letters visible due to the high contrast ink. Students with low vision having poor eye-hand coordination may produce illegible handwriting. These pens have extra wide tips and the bold ink creates high-contrast, easily visible hand writing. The pens have a thick diameter that makes them easy to grip. The school can provide students with high contrast pens to improve their handwriting. These pens are quite cheap, and parents can buy them for home use. They are sold in several bookshops, which make them easily available. The pens will improve the

Community Development - Ku'nsaka Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Community Development - Ku'nsaka - Essay Example Ku’nsaka was formed in January 1997 by a group of friend who felt that there was a gap in the community for facility provision for the African-Caribean community. A large proportion of the Ku’nsaka community is from the Southern part of Africa mostly from Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Ku’nsaka also welcomes a wide range of people who are in need of their services as it believes that they could benefit from its services. Ku’nsaka works towards providing the Black, and Ethnic Minority community is served with necessities that some community members need but are not in a position to acquire. Within the office premises, Ku’nsaka has a project office telephone facility, this is to ensure that the service users who do not own a telephone can use the guidance of the office staff. The members who have basic knowledge of computers have the use of computers in the office. The office workers help users with benefits applications that require performing online. Service users also have the facility to borrow equipment such as lawn mowers or vacuum cleaners and other domestic equipment. Books and leaflets are available in different languages to facilitate those with language and communication problems. Ku’nsaka provides service users with advice relating to welfare benefits, housing and financial problems as well as issues relating to health and education. Since the user does not use English as their first language, Ku’nsaka provides that confidential setting that some users need for someone they can trust to read and interpret their correspondence. There is a spirit of community involvement at Ku’nsaka as people feel confident enough to plan or organise activities with the help of staff and get involved in community group activities. At Ku’nsaka, offering support serves as a way of creating conditions conducive to the Black and Ethnic Minority community. It is also a way of enhancing their social functioning and self-esteem as

Profitability & Social Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Profitability & Social Entrepreneurship - Essay Example The advent of the French Revolution brought about a trend whereby the masses sought to get equal opportunities and also use the principles of science that came with the Enlightenment in Europe to create the best possible economic system (Martinson, 2006: 137). Say's definition of 'entrepreneurship' is described by Drucker as 'shifting economic resources out of an area of lower productivity into an area of higher productivity and greater yield (Drucker, 2007: 19) This suggests that innovation has to do with efficient and effective use of resources for both the producer and for the consumer. For the producer, there is the need to find the best methods of providing the best products for consumers. Consumers also seek to get the best of products on the market. Innovation is therefore a very important element for the establishment and survival of businesses. Funding Innovation However, innovation is not easy in organisations. Innovation involves a lot of capital to fund research in a stru ctured system (Neff, 2003: 76). Neff (2003: 78) does an analysis of two businesses that produce the same product. There is a constant pressure on both of them to offer their clients the best products and this means they will have to find ways and means of producing goods and services. The issue here is that research and innovation is based on a high degree of uncertainty. However, these two businesses will have to find ways of going through these uncertainties to deliver better quality products to remain ahead of the other. They will therefore need to find ways of funding their research and development system otherwise, they will have to settle for serious risks relating to their survival. Businesses go... Profitability & Social Entrepreneurship Historically, innovation is thought of as the basis of business. Bessant & Tidd classify the process of innovation into two main categories. The first category is invention and the second is improvement. When something is invented that solves a genuine problem in the society, it is presented to the public to help them solve their needs. However, the normal mode through which this is done, is to get people to part with some consideration in order to use newly invented things to solve their problems. This therefore calls for the formation of a legally recognized business to act as an entity to monitor and manage the process of presenting the invented material to the public. This is done through the commercialization of the idea which involves exchange of economic consideration. As time goes on and a business gets competitors and new trends come up, there is the need for the creation of new products and processes to prevent the death of an organization. Bessant & Tidd therefore recommen d that a business needs a blend of structured and emergent systems to manage innovation. Innovation is central to all businesses around the globe. Invention gives the impetus for business in the commercial sense. Innovation is what keeps the business going. Both invention and innovation are based on research which demands a lot of funding. Thus a business has a primary objective of remaining innovative to survive and this means finding money to pay for research and operational costs.

Voice traffic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Voice traffic - Essay Example The acceptance by the telecommunications industry to converge mobile concept aims at facilitating for the incorporation of voice over WiFi (Fathi, Chakraborty, & Prasad, 2011). Nonetheless, a number of benefits and issues are evident while sending voice over a typical wireless network as depicted by the paper. There are various benefits associated with sending voice over a wireless network. For instance, the major benefit of sending voice over wireless networks is saving costs. For instance, companies have managed to save billions of dollars by making calls over wireless networks. Furthermore, it is possible to deploy voice communication over a wireless network, creating room for flexible communication. As such, it is true that sending voice over wireless networks plays a vital role in realizing cost savings, particularly because it mobilizes the workforce. Here, they can manage to address the needs of clients in an efficient manner while in the facility being served by the wireless network. Regardless of the benefits affiliated with sending voice over a wireless network, a number of issues prevail, hindering companies from utilizing the full potential sending voice over wireless networks (Geier & Geier, 2010). For instance, sending voice over wireless networks is sensitive to technology. In this case, calls should be set up as well as authenticated, while voice packets are required to reach their destination without interruption and in a timely manner. As such, companies experience challenges when designing a network stream in a continuous manner, making it prone to interruptions by data transmissions that are less sensitive. As such, in a typical wireless network voice calls suffer from weird sounds, delays, echo, and noise (Geier & Geier, 2010). Sending voice over wireless networks is also highly dependent on bandwidth. As such,

Profitability & Social Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Profitability & Social Entrepreneurship - Essay Example The advent of the French Revolution brought about a trend whereby the masses sought to get equal opportunities and also use the principles of science that came with the Enlightenment in Europe to create the best possible economic system (Martinson, 2006: 137). Say's definition of 'entrepreneurship' is described by Drucker as 'shifting economic resources out of an area of lower productivity into an area of higher productivity and greater yield (Drucker, 2007: 19) This suggests that innovation has to do with efficient and effective use of resources for both the producer and for the consumer. For the producer, there is the need to find the best methods of providing the best products for consumers. Consumers also seek to get the best of products on the market. Innovation is therefore a very important element for the establishment and survival of businesses. Funding Innovation However, innovation is not easy in organisations. Innovation involves a lot of capital to fund research in a stru ctured system (Neff, 2003: 76). Neff (2003: 78) does an analysis of two businesses that produce the same product. There is a constant pressure on both of them to offer their clients the best products and this means they will have to find ways and means of producing goods and services. The issue here is that research and innovation is based on a high degree of uncertainty. However, these two businesses will have to find ways of going through these uncertainties to deliver better quality products to remain ahead of the other. They will therefore need to find ways of funding their research and development system otherwise, they will have to settle for serious risks relating to their survival. Businesses go... Profitability & Social Entrepreneurship Historically, innovation is thought of as the basis of business. Bessant & Tidd classify the process of innovation into two main categories. The first category is invention and the second is improvement. When something is invented that solves a genuine problem in the society, it is presented to the public to help them solve their needs. However, the normal mode through which this is done, is to get people to part with some consideration in order to use newly invented things to solve their problems. This therefore calls for the formation of a legally recognized business to act as an entity to monitor and manage the process of presenting the invented material to the public. This is done through the commercialization of the idea which involves exchange of economic consideration. As time goes on and a business gets competitors and new trends come up, there is the need for the creation of new products and processes to prevent the death of an organization. Bessant & Tidd therefore recommen d that a business needs a blend of structured and emergent systems to manage innovation. Innovation is central to all businesses around the globe. Invention gives the impetus for business in the commercial sense. Innovation is what keeps the business going. Both invention and innovation are based on research which demands a lot of funding. Thus a business has a primary objective of remaining innovative to survive and this means finding money to pay for research and operational costs.

Bus Low Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bus Low - Essay Example Although this law, unique to the State of East Columbia, took effect eight months ago, Better was unaware of it.  Homeowner, in mowing his lawn, stopped the mower and then reached under the housing to clear a grass clump. His hand was severely injured by the spinning mower blade.   This case falls within the ambit of the Uniform Commercial Code, in particular, under article 2 thereof on sales of goods. Homeowner can validly sue both Better and Retailer for the injuries he has suffered. The Supercutter which was manufactured by Better Manufacturing Company (Better) and sold by Retailer, Inc. did not conform to the safety rules and regulation imposed within the state of East Columbia. Better is liable for failure to comply with the safety laws that are enforced within the state where it is being sold. Ignorance of the law excuses no one. Better cannot set up the defense that they were unaware about the law which requires that all power mowers manufactured for use, or sale, or actually sold, in East Columbia be equipped with an automatic brake to stop the blade when the mower is stopped. The said law has already been in force and effect for eight months already and Better is duty bound to know and comply with all the laws that apply to them, to their business and to their products. In the case at bar, Better is liable for damages for its negligence which resulted in damage and injury to Homeowner. Besides, Better has an authorized agent for sales within the state of East Columbia. If the compliance department of Better had failed to update themselves on the laws of East Columbia, Retailer should have informed Better about these laws. Moreover, Retailer made an express warranty to Homeowner that the Supercutter was state of the art and complied with all safety laws when in truth and in fact it does not. If not for the warranty made by retailer, Homeowner may not have bought the

An Analysis Of The Perestroika Movement In Russia Politics Essay

An Analysis Of The Perestroika Movement In Russia Politics Essay As postulated by Tarasulo (73), Perestroika refers to the great political movement in Russia within the communist party of Soviet Union. The key player in the perestroika was the soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Basically, the essence of the perestroika was to restructure the soviet economic and political system. The concept of perestroika is greatly acknowledged for the end of the cold war as well as the fall of socialism in Eastern Europe and Soviet Union. The significance of perestroika in historical and present politics of Russia is explicit. Initiation and progress of perestroika le to establish of more independent actions by various ministries as well as dismantling of soviet-era planned economy. The replacement of soviet era planned economy by the market economy was a vital development in Russia. Despite the various economic and social tensions brought about by the restructuring process, the entire phenomenon led to increased nationalism among the constituent republics alongsi de social fragmentation. This paper will profoundly discuss and analyze the concept of perestroika and its significance to Russia and the globe in general (Kushner 123). Mikhail Gorbachev had all along had a deep compassion of bringing change to Russian political and economic systems. This quest for change and reforms is very evident at his entrance into the corridors of power in the year 1985. At this time, Mikhail Gorbachev took the office of general secretary of the communist party of the Soviet Union. Despite the opposition given to his reform agenda by well established members of the party, Mikhail didnt give heart. The most significant move initiated by Mikhail was the introduction of democratization, which entailed the introduction of multi-candidate elections in the communist party. Based on this regard, Mikhail was very optimistic that progressive and dynamic personnel will take the vital positions in the party and government. His main focus was to ensure that, the right people enter into power and carryout his institutional and policy reforms (Cohen 54). At the initial stages, the reforms being postulated by Gorbachev received mixed reactions. Fro instance, conservatives had a strong criticism for the reform agenda being advocated for by Gorbachev. Despite this opposition, overwhelming support was also thrown to the process by the liberals who were very optimistic about the newly anticipated changes. The issue of multiparty system also took course without prior anticipation thus reinforcing Gorbachev ideas of bringing change in Russia. The CPSUs conference held in 1988 under the leadership of Gorbachev was an important development and progress in the realization of reforms. At this time, a radical reform was initiated by Gorbachev and his supporters which were aimed at reducing party control of government apparatus. The issue of multi-candidate for regional and local legislatures was also warmly welcomed (Mlynar 93). Advantages of the Perestroika The political and economic restructuring established in Russia under the leadership of Gorbachev had a lot of benefits to the nation, its people and the global community. To begin with, the concept of democratization which entailed multi-candidate had a lot of influence in the mode of governance in Russia. By adoption of multi-candidate in the regional and local legislatures, competent and focused personnel were given an opportunity to lead the people. This was a magnificent development and achievement to the people since a sense of democracy was established. Based on the concept of multi-candidate, a better watch and management of the national resources and national affairs was made more efficient (Cohen 54). Another key achievement established by perestroika involved the concept of reducing party control over government apparatus. It is sad to note that; the communist party had all the powers and authority of all government apparatus there being able to manipulate government operations. The party officials and the different legislators had enormous influence over government apparatus thus leading to enhancing of their own interests. As stated by Kushner (123), the concept of separating the party from the government was a brilliant idea and led to more transparency and responsibility in the execution of national policies. The relationships of Russia and the global community was also enhanced through the adoption of the new changes. It has been noted that, a lot of misconducts were being performed as a result of the previous system of governance (Kushner 123). The establishment of the congress of peoples deputies in December 1988 was also a key development in the government restructuring process. The new amendments led to establishment of a smaller soviet unions legislative body which consisted of 542 members. From this situation, all public organizations were accommodated in the new system. With this regard, it is evident that, perestroika was very beneficial in fostering political development. The issue of poor decision making and dictatorship evident in the Soviet Union and the communist party were abolished through adoption of these changes. Significantly, democracy and human freedom was adequately established through the restructuring process initiated by Gorbachev. An overwhelming support of the new systems of election was witnessed in the 1989 when the people expressed their democratic right to choose members for national legislative body. This was the beginning of democracy and human freedom as people were given the powers and freedom to choose their favorite candidates. Importantly, it was noted that the results of the election stunned the ruling elite. The glory and victory of a new era of governance ran throughout the country. The earlier lot of communist candidates who had been enjoying the privileges of unopposed candidature was astonished by the results of the election (Herrera 123). With regard to economic system, the perestroika had a lot of significance in overcoming the economic stagnation. This was achieved through a more efficient method of creating dependable and effective mechanism for accelerating economic and social development. The principles and core values of Gorbachev was to establish utmost respect to humanity as well as a considerable personal dignity. Based on these principles, the essence of economic crimes and corruption in the government was highly criticized and abolished. As a result fairness in distribution and allocation of national resources was enhanced. The previous scenario of excessive party influence to government apparatus was done away with. It had been made clear that, the communist party had been managing the government as its own affair; hence leading to excessive exploitation of national resources (Mlynar 93). Additionally, the abolishment of the soviet era planned economy and replacement by the market economy was a key achievement of perestroika. The soviet era planned economy had a lot of negative impacts on the economy of Russia thus leading to a very pathetic situation. Gorbachev advocated for a fast-paced technological modernization which was aimed at increasing the economic status. Industrial and agricultural productivity was also accelerated thus ensuring a favorable economic environment. A key strategy adopted by Gorbachev in fostering economic reforms was the improvement of the soviet bureaucracy so as to ensure efficiency and prosperity. A point worth of consideration is that, the economic restructuring was made possible through the reforming of the social and political structures (Kushner 123). One of the most celebrated strategies influencing the success of the economic reforms was on the concept of anti-alcohol campaign. The issue of alcoholism had grown to alarming levels thus calling for the need of change. To affect this policy, the prices of Vodka, beer and wine were raised as well restriction of their sales. The anti-alcohol campaign was very vigorous and significantly led to the decline in alcohol sales. The concept of alcoholism abolishment led to magnificent developments in the economy. Specifically people were more involved in productive activities thus leading to improvement in the economy. The concept of anti-alcohol campaign was warmly received and led to magnificent developments in the social and economic spectrums (Herrera 123). Perestroika led to significant developments in the economy and distribution of national resources. Basically, the vague and inefficient economic policies established by the communist party had a lot of negative impacts to the economy. In relation to this phenomenon, the soviet-era planned economy led to stagnation of economic developments. It is also sad to note that, the levels of poverty in the country were also high alongside very pathetic business environment. With the new political, social and economic reforms, the business environment was made more favorable. It is noted that, increased government support for the business processes was enhanced as well as the stipulation of better policies to counter the effects of uncontrolled business operations (Gorbachev 89). Another key achievement brought forward by the perestroika on the aspect of management of state enterprises. This was a great development which ensured that state enterprises operated freely so as to determine their out put as well as determining the expectation of the consumers. By so doing, the previous inefficiencies which accrued due to governments influence on the management of state corporations was countered. The dictatorship of government on the operations of the state enterprises led to numerous problems and losses to the enterprises. The concept of accountability and transparency in the management of state enterprises was established. This phenomenon led to increased profitability and improvement in quality of services and products offered by these enterprises. Additionally, the restructuring of the management of the state corporations led to recruitment of more competent and expertise personnel thus leading to efficiencies in the whole process. In addition, the issues of f raud and corruption in state enterprises was significantly reduced (Tarasulo 62). The benefits of perestroika were also felt in the global spectrum; whereby Gorbachev was very conscious in establishing and enhancing foreign affairs. Trade and relations with the west were enhanced alongside reduction in the tensions of the cold war. The contributions of perestroika in building global relationships are remarkable. In this case, the new political, social and economic structures led to more interactions of the soviets and western leaders. For instance, the relationship of Russia with Germany was improved thus making the two states to improve their business relations. British prime minister Margaret Thatcher is quoted saying that, she like Mr. Gorbachev and they can smoothly do business together (Herrera 123). It is important to note that; perestroika had a great advantage on boosting the relationship of Russia and other nations. The issue of nuclear weapons in the global scene was very sensitive and required swift actions. It is evident that, Gorbachev leadership led to increased negotiations and consultations in the international scene thus facilitating understanding among the warring countries. This is a big achievement of Gorbachev leadership and is acknowledged for his role in enhancing global peace and reduction of the tensions of the cold war. From these insights, perestroika stands to be acknowledged for its numerous benefits to the Soviet Union as well as the global community. Basically, the improvement in economy, social setup and the political systems are the key advantages of the perestroika (Gorbachev 89). Disadvantages of perestroika Alongside the numerous advantages and benefits of perestroika to the social, political, and economic systems, the phenomenon has also been criticized for different catastrophes. To begin with, there has been overwhelming criticism on perestroika regarding the turmoil which impacted on the economy. Basically, the anti-alcohol campaign impacted negatively on the economy. From the concept of government increasing the prices of vodka, wine and beer alongside restricting the sale of these products impacted negatively on the economy. The revenues of government were drastically reduced thus leading to a budgetary crisis. From the analysis of the situation, it was evident that the government lost a lot of revenues following the abolishment of alcohol sale. Significantly, the employment rates and job opportunities provided by the alcohol industry were cut down. The government lost a lot of taxes both in the form of direct and indirect taxes. The alcohol industry was employing a large number o f people and as a result of the new laws, all these groups were rendered jobless (Tarasulo 62). On the other hand, illegalization and increasing of the prices of alcohol products led to increase in illegal activities. There was a rise of smuggling of alcohol products across the borders as well as illegal production of alcohol in the urban and rural areas. Based on this phenomenon, the security status of the nation was compromised. This is because illegal production and distribution of alcohol products led to low quality of the products. With regard to this situation, the health of the citizens was posed to a very high risk. The concept of beer and wines being manufactured at home or in the slums led to avoidance of adhering to hygiene standards; thus posing a very high health risk. Additionally, increase in price of alcohol products as well as restriction on the sale of alcohol led to increase in crime. This is because the alcohol dependants had no option rather than involving into crime so as to get cash to purchase the products (Gorbachev 89). Additionally, perestroika was also disastrous process which posed the nation at a great risk. For instance, the concept of increased international relationships led to dependency on foreign countries. Soviet Union had an increased trade with Germany, America and British among other countries following the concept of perestroika. In regard to this scenario, any misunderstanding which may occur between these countries may cause severe consequences to the country. For instance a lot of industrial assistance and cooperation was established between Soviet Union and other western countries. The countries began to exchange a lot of resources used in the industrial fields. Specialization among the countries was also established due to the influence of trade. This phenomenon is a potential catastrophe to the countries economy and more so in ties of war or in cases of misunderstanding (Prem 126). On the other hand, the political restructuring of the soviet society had a lot of impacts on the nations stability. With the concept of democratization, the people were given more freedom to participate in political issues. As evident in the 1989 elections, the whole process was very vigorous. Despite the benefits of political freedoms and rights, increased political participation is not always good for the stability of the country. For instances, the issues of ethnicity and bribery are potential phenomenon in the events of political campaigns. Additionally, political differences and tensions are more easily to occur thus jeopardizing the national stability and peace. This phenomenon has happened in different countries and Russia is not exempted from the phenomenon (Cohen 54). Conclusion From the discussion and analysis of perestroika, it is evident that it had a lot of significance in the social, political and economic setup in the Soviet Union. The concept of perestroika is greatly acknowledged for the end of the cold war as well as the fall of socialism in Eastern Europe and Soviet Union. The significance of perestroika in historical and present politics of Russia is explicit. Initiation and progress of perestroika led to establishment of more independent actions by various ministries as well as dismantling of soviet-era planned economy. The replacement of soviet-era planned economy by the market economy was a vital development in Russia. Despite the various economic and social tensions brought about by the restructuring process, the entire phenomenon led to increased nationalism among the constituent republics alongside social fragmentation.

Essay on Adams Curse - Everyones Fate, Everyones Tragedy

Adam's Curse - Everyone's Fate, Everyone's Tragedy  Ã‚  Ã‚   The allusion to the biblical story of Adam and Eve in William Butler Yeats' poem, "Adam's Curse," reflects the poem's pessimistic theme: the tragic nature of fate. In the story, Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, had defied God, and consequently, were thrown out of paradise. Their punishment (and as their descendents, everyone's punishment and "fate") was to feel the joys and the pains of being human, including love and happiness but work and disappointment as well. Yeats parallels this tragedy of Adam and Eve's newly-found mortality with a narrative which is composed mostly of a conversation about the hardships of writing poetry, being beautiful, and staying in love. By linking the two stories, he implies that such endeavors are not only laborious aspects of life, but can be "destined" to end or fail also. Yeats further establishes the inevitability of something ending by setting the conversation "at one summer's end" (1) and later having the speakers see "the last embers of day light die" (29) when the conversation itself dies. Before the conversation dies, however, Yeats' persona begins the talk with the subject of poetry. What is interesting is that they are not composing lines together, but are discussing the end results of poems' lines. According to the persona, the process of creating poetry, including the hours spent in writing and rewriting the lines, or as Yeats states it, "stitching and unstitching" (6), ultimately will be insignificant if the lines are unsuccessful. Although he regards the act of writing poetry as more difficult than physical labor, he would rather "scrub a kitchen pavement" (8) or do other labor-intensive, yet demeaning jobs, than cr... ...s despair in accepting that his and his lover's fate was to grow "As weary-hearted as that hollow moon" (38). The fact that this line, and not a happy, upbeat ending, closes the poem further emphasizes the tragedy. Yeats' somber turn towards the end of the poem is also indicative of what makes fate sometimes tragic: its unpredictability. Similar to the way Adam was unaware of the consequences of eating the forbidden apple, a poet does not know how good, or bad, a poem will be until it is finished. Similar to the fleeting notion of beauty, love can easily fade. The fact that all these endeavors could be rewarding makes the sudden loss an unbearable, and therefore, "tragic" fate.   Work Cited Yeats, William Butler. "Adam's Curse." Western Wind. 4th ed. Ed. John Frederick Nims and David Mason. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2000. 431-32.