Integrating Technology into the Classroom Essays - 1551 Words

Integrating Technology into the Classroom Technology is gradually changing our society; there is no doubt about that. If told ten years ago that students had the capabilities of having a robot for a teacher, one might laugh or suggest a new Hollywood movie. Now a days, this, along with many other advancements, can be a reality. Technology has added many benefits such as allowing students easy access to new information, offering a portable and affordable solution for textbooks and has even been known for grade improvement. Integrating technology into schools is a way to keep up with society and provide students with endless possibilities. However, many people believe that introducing children to technology is harmful. It can promote†¦show more content†¦Second, people believe that using technology in the classroom is an entire lost cause because of the expense. It is extremely risky to just hand over to a child an iPad or tablet in the hopes of keeping it for learning. Not every American school would be able to g ive each child a computer and thus would have to figure out some sort of schedule due to their limited supply (Criss 2). By doing so, it defeats the whole purpose of group instruction. In 2008, Australia figured out that just for every child and teacher to have a computer and the correct learning software, would cost a little over $100 million dollars. America is already in debt, so why add the extra expense? (Schools Fear Cost 1). Additionally, in order to adapt to iPads, e-readers, and interactive classrooms, teachers must be taught and trained in each of these programs. Some teachers simply do not have time to learn a whole new way of teaching in such short notice, especially when they have been teaching for many years (Guru 2). It isn’t at all efficient for teachers to have to relearn everything they have been taught and to expect the children to do the same. Technology is also known for its quirks. If something were to go wrong with the software or programming, the entire classroom would suffer and waste precious learning time (Criss 3). Schools would be forced to employShow MoreRelatedIntegrating Technology Into The Classroom Essay843 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Technology has turned the world into a global village and altered teaching and learning. It brings about change in the classroom. Integrating technology into the classroom has gained much ground in countries across the world. The concept of technology integration is now viewed as an important tool to teaching and has gained the interest of many researchers who investigated effective of assimilating technology into the curriculum (quote). According to Almekhafi Almeqdadi (2010), theRead MoreIntegrating Technology Into The Classroom1648 Words   |  7 PagesTechnology is a very essential part of people lives in the world they live in today. Everything from businesses, schools, newspapers, etc, is transferring over to technology and its use. Integrating technology inside of schools is almost mandatory. It is really helpful in preparing students for when it’s time to go out into the real world. Schools use digital technology in many different ways to aid in teaching and learni ng. Teachers often use grade books, digital portfolios, learning games TechnologyRead MoreIntegrating Technology into Classrooms1341 Words   |  5 PagesTechnology is an ever changing feature in education. In order for technology to be effective there are many things that need to coordinate together. I will discuss some the major topics of integrating technology into classrooms. I will also have some insight into how schools have changed over the years and what I see now in the classroom. In my three years of teaching I have already seen many changes to the technology that we use. I think that traditional media could be defined a couple differentRead MoreIntegrating Technology Within The Classroom928 Words   |  4 PagesLiterature Review In the last few decades, there has been a push for integrating technology within the classroom. Technologies has become commonly associated with the activities of everyday life, as a result, there has been increased pressure to include technology in classrooms, kindergarten through twelfth grade since the 1980s. (page #?Grant et al., 2015). This technology push has only increased since the last century; educators are no longer responsible for teaching the ‘traditional’ reading,Read MoreIntegrating Technology Into The Classroom Instruction1159 Words   |  5 Pages Technology Integration Integrating technology into the classroom instruction means more than just teaching basic computer skills in a computer class. Technology integration must happen throughout the curriculum to enhance the learning process. Throughout my Black History/Civil Rights lesson, I integrated technology by using PowerPoint presentations, pictures, maps, and allowing the students to use laptops for research and for extended learning. The technology that I used to enhance the lessonsRead MoreIntegrating Technology into the Classroom Essay2543 Words   |  11 Pageshave noted the importance of integrating technology in classrooms in the development of 21st century student skills, addressing first and second order barriers to change has proven to be complex, challenging, and mostly unrealized. Still it can be argued that the future success of the students in the 21st century is dependant on the (triangulation) development of personal skills, critical thinking and technological fluency. However, since simply providing technology to schools has not always hadRead More Integrating Technology in the Language Arts Classroom Essay719 Words   |  3 PagesIntegrating Technology in the Language Arts Classroom School leaders today are under extreme pressure to improve student achievement levels. Yet, in the face of tight budgets, threats to cut extra-curricular activities, and an extensive shortage of textbooks in the schools, exactly what are teachers supposed to do to ensure that â€Å"no child is really left behind.† Despite what looks like a dead end, there is hope. By integrating the usage of technology in the Language Arts classroom, studentsRead MoreIntegrating New Technology Into The Classroom - The Interactive Whiteboard1145 Words   |  5 Pagestask is by integrating new technology into the classroom. Often times, the decision on which technology to incorporate is driven by trends rather than research. Schools are always in the process of upgrading their technology, often looking at what everyone else is purchasing and then following in their footsteps. Currently, one piece of hardware that many school districts are investing money in is interactive whiteboards. Th ese boards allow the teacher to easily integrate technology into theirRead MoreTechnologyies Review1233 Words   |  5 PagesMary Briery EDU 225 September 20, 2015 Instructor John * * Three Technologies Review (From your list of five technologies above, you will select three to review) Web Address | Description of resource | Targeted Grade Level | Content Areas | 1. http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/ | National Geographic for kids, there are games, videos, pictures and information on nature. | 3rd-6th | Science and Social Studies | 2. https://www.brainpop.com/ | It has a variety of subjects withRead MoreIntegrating Instructional Technology Essay1046 Words   |  5 PagesIntegrating Instructional Technology Rationale The intention of the Comprehensive Classroom Technology Plan is to enhance the use of technology in the classroom to improve the education that students receive in their learning and communicating. The detail found within the Comprehensive Classroom Technology Plan will describe the ability of the teacher to use technology in an effective manner within the classroom while providing a safe, secure, and educational environment for students to learn

How To Create Edits Free Essays

DATA†, when the edit is loaded onto the machine, he edit will appear With the title â€Å"Liverwurst†. The second method involves using Symphony which allows you convert a Stephanie simile (. Sir file) into the DATA format generated by Kinsman’s online Step Editor. We will write a custom essay sample on How To Create Edits or any similar topic only for you Order Now Stephanie is generally seen as having a better user interface and testing environment for creating edit data than Kinsman’s online editor. Symphony also allows you to convert songs that the Sonoma Step Editor does not support, including older songs from past mixes and DIR XX songs. First, you must download the latest version of Symphony at http://sites. Goose. Mom/site/dairymaid/Symphony. Zip . Extract the files into a folder on your computer. Launch the program. You may receive an error that an Internet connection is needed to use Symphony. Symphony works by simulating the Sonoma Step Editor by sending the website the step data needed to generate an edit file, but it will replace the appropriate music id so that the file generated works for the song you choose. Because of the is, an internet connection is needed. The first step is to find the simile of the song you want to convert. Typically, Stephanie songs are found in If electroplatesSongs or Files(ex.)StephanieSongs (for Vista/7). Select the . SMS file and the title of the song will be displayed in the textbook below it. Below this is a list of songs from the master id list that might possibly represent the song you chose. Sometimes the title of your . SMS file may not match what is found in the master id list. Try editing the title of the song so that the list of songs eventually shows you the song you are converting. An example is when you edit â€Å"Healing Vision(Angelic Mix)†, the master id list has it titled â€Å"Healing Vision -Angelic Mix-â€Å". Modifying the textbook to â€Å"Healing Vision† will show several songs with the name, including â€Å"Healing Vision -Angelic Mix-â€Å". Select that song as the one you are converting. Once you have selected the song, select the style of play you are converting (single, double or couple). The difficulty below it indicates which chart from the . SMS file you are converting over. This might be a â€Å"Challenge† chart or â€Å"Edit† chart. If there are multiple Edit charts in your . SMS file, only the first one can be read. On the right Of Symphony’s screen are options for the edit data produced. The region is for the region your playing in (North America or Europe). The Difficulty indicates what the chart will show up as in DIR X/XX. Remember, some songs in XX will play a Chinese version if the Challenge chart is selected, so if your edit indicates it is a Challenge chart and the song has a Chinese version, the Chinese version will play for your edit. The rating is the number of â€Å"feet† the song is rated. The comments are generic comments you can give your edit that show up in the game. The edits name is the name of your edit (limited to 8 characters). Finally, the Measure offset is used for cases where your . SMS file’s first beat isn’t on the same measure as the official data’s first beat. An example is the song Red Zone. In the official data, the first beat is found on the 5th measure, but in the . Sir file found on genius-I-banisher’s website, the first beat starts on the 6th measure. Because of this, the offset must be set to -1 , which indicates the first beat will be moved backwards one measure. For songs in which a known offset is needed, Symphony will have the offset already programmed in. As more songs are discovered to need an offset, Symphony will be updated to reflect what those offsets are. When you have set all of your options, click â€Å"Generate . DATA†. After several seconds, a Save File Dialog should display, allowing you to save your enervated . DATA file to your computer. After you have generated all of your edits, you must combine the edits into a â€Å"zip† file. Windows has a built in Zip program, but other alternatives are zip and Winner. You can include up to 30 edits in one zip file. Once you have done this, you must visit Kinsman’s library manager at http://direct. Contamination. Com/address/library_manager/ index. PH. Here you will select what region you are in and select the zip file you just created and click â€Å"Save†. A file will be returned to you titled DIR EDIT U. DATA. The . DATA generated this time MUST be named or (for Europe). This file must be saved to a folder â€Å"DIR_EDIT’ at the root level of your USB drive. Once this is done, you may use the thumb drive to play your edits on a DIR X or XX machine! Troubleshooting put the -SMS files onto my thumb drive and the game didn’t recognize them. DIR X/XX does not recognize the . SMS format, this is why the program Symphony is needed. Symphony converts the . SMS format to a format readable by DIR X/ put the -DATA files in DIR EDIT and the game did not recognize them. This is because the game does not recognized individual . DATA file. The game requires that all edits are compiled into a single . DATA file called for Europe). This is what the Library Manager found on Kinsman’s website (see above) is used for. 3. My edit seems off, how do I sync it? Edits do not contain any syncing data, only step placement and note types. If the step data seems to be a measure or more early or late, use the Measure offset feature to adjust the data so that it lines up with the game’s music. If the song’s official data is off sync, your edit data will be off sync as well. 4. My edit has blank measures, what gives? Edit data only supports 4th, 8th, 1 oh and 12th notes. This, 32nd and this are not supported. Also, because of the limited format, 12th notes can only exist inside a single quarter note range. Any quarter note section that contains this and any other note (ethos, this, etc) will be blank. 5. What about hands? The game supports hands if they are part of a freeze, but hands as a set of notes pressed on the same beat are not supported by the game. 6. Some of my freezes are being combined into a long freeze, what gives? If freeze arrows of the same direction are only separated by a 16th note, the game will combine these into a single freeze arrow. This is a bug that’s present in edit mode in all DIR versions. How to cite How To Create Edits, Papers

Managing Political Risk Controlling Loss Finding Opportunity

Question: Explain key issues relating to political risk and discuss methods the business manager can use to manage risk in an international context.? Answer: Introduction This report is basically on the political risks that have to be faced by the global organization. It is known that every country has different political situations thus the global organization needs to solve all those political factors collectively. Thus this essay discusses about the key issues related to the political risks and how those risks can be solved by the manager of organization. Key Issues related to Political risks There are various key issues related to political risks some of those are as follows: Expropriation Expropriation is actually an issue related to political risk. In this type of issue a plant can be seized by government when any company or organization doesnt pay the taxes at time. The government can force the owner to sell his property to government at the low prices than the market (Accenture, 2012). The government can also make the force the owner to run the company in joint venture with government. The government mainly have the rights to perform any of the above activity if the company is unable to pay tax at time. License cancelation The other political risk associated is that the government has the right to cancel the license of the organization. If any organization performs any activity against the rules and regulations government can cancel the license of the organization in serious situations. When the organization loses the community support due to lack of faith among the people or providing the inappropriate services or products, the government cancel the license of the organization. The risk is also associated if the organization changes its license to function fast in elections (Rajwani, 2011). Change in Policies It is known that each country has two parties, one ruling and other opposition. On electing a new government the opposition party becomes the ruling party and ruling part becomes the opposition party. Thus the ruling party has the rights to change the government policies. These changes can include the import / export policies or business relationship foreign companies (Paul, 2007). Now the profit maximization or minimization for the organization depends on those policies made by currently ruling government. Sometimes organization may suffer a huge loss due to changed policies. Cold War Two countries may not have good relationship or may have the situation of cold war between them. These can be either neighbouring or other countries. These poor relationships with the other countries may also affect the trade relationship. This may create a great risk for the trade of the organization. Taxation It is obvious that different countries have different types of taxation rules and regulations. Each country has its own criteria about the taxations. Thus internationally an organization needs to manage and consider various types of taxes. The examples of taxation political risk can be extra taxes charged over extreme high revenues or identical excise claims by dominant or native government. The first example clearly demonstrates that if any organization earns high profit in the government then the organization needs to pay more amounts to government as tax (SIPA, 2014). Regulatory Change The various situations may occur when the government needs to change the labour standards or the environment for the business. Government may make the new laws for the rights of labour and workers. These rights for labour and workers may affect in various types to the organization (PWC, 2014). Due to some reasons if the central government provides the right of regulations to the state government then the situation of regulatory changes may occur, as a result organization may need to do various changes in the organization which leads to high expenses. Bribery In various countries the government executives force the organization to use the third party consultants or they themselves include the third party to complete various necessary formalities by the government for business in the country. In this situation the owner needs to pay a great amount of bribe to the third party. The government may also apply the unidentified border taxes to the company (Zelner, 2010). The company has to pay these taxes or bribe otherwise government executives dont do their work. Capital Control For performing any business or trade in any country, the company needs to take permission and perform various legal activities with the government. This is on the government about how much time government executives take to process the application by the company. Sometimes government executives may delay in approving the capital transfer which leads in heavy loss (How to Control Export import, 2015). Contract Default When any organization contracts with government on any type of project, if the organization fails to deliver the service or task on time the organization may have to pay a high amount of money as penalty to the government. Sometimes it may leads to high loss to the organization. Protests/ Strikes Even protests or strikes may also affect the organization. Sometimes due to protests, the key supplier or the main client of the organization may become inactive this leads to slow down or stop the work of the organization. There may be other situation also, suppose an organization needs to make an urgent delivery but due to anti-government protest the roads may be blocked by the protesters which leads to fail in urgent delivery (Ashley Bonner, 1987). Methods to solve political risks Actually the political risks can be managed in three steps. First step is identification, identification actually includes the identifying the political risk that is affecting the organization. The identification part of solving the political risk is very important as this help the organization to know very well about the risk that the organization may face. For identifying the risk the managers should set a scenario. This scenario includes checking of political condition of the country. The combined study of political situation and the current situation of the organization help in identifying the political risks associated to the organization (Chua, Wang Tan, 2003). The second step of solving the political risk is measuring. Measuring of the political risk include the identification of the risk factor associated with the identified risk. The risk factor actually measure about the chances of the risk to happen and how much loss the risk will create for organization. The condition of the organization after facing that risk is also measured in this step. This step actually enhances the clarity of capital performance estimation by the organization. The step creates the opportunity of investment of capital for the organization. The organization has clear knowledge about the capacity of its management team. Thus this step clears various things about the organization. The third step is actually management of the risk. After the identification and measurement of various criteria the management of risk should be taken place. The risk should be managed according to the strategy developed by the managers for the identified (Dahl, 1976). For any solution to make successful, all the three steps should be performed very carefully if the identification of the risk will not be done properly then there will be no any mean of other steps. If the measurement of the factors will not be done properly then the proper strategy for the risk management cant be prepare and of course the implementation of the plan should be appropriate to successfully solve the risk situation. Conclusion The above essay is the result of various studies and researches. According to the above discussion it can be clearly said there are various political factors which can affect the organization. It is very necessary for the organization to deal with political risks otherwise these may result in high loss. These may also create various legal issues against the organization. There are actually three steps of facing those risks identification, measure and manage which help in assessing the political risks. References Accenture (2012). Managing Political risks [online]. 3(2) p. 3-10 Available From: https://www.accenture.com/Microsites/asia-go-global/Documents/pdfs/page-5/Accenture-Managing-Political-Risk-Controlling-Loss-Finding-Opportunity.pdf [Accessed: 15th March 2015].Rajwani, Tazeeb(2011). How should Firms deal with political risk? [online]. Available From: https://www.som.cranfield.ac.uk/som/p16495/Think-Cranfield/2011/May-2011/How-Should-Firms-Deal-with-Political-Risk [Accessed: 15th March 2015].Paul, Joseph (2007). Impact of political risks in international marketing: the case of West Africa [online]. Available From: https://www.memoireonline.com/08/09/2610/Impact-of-political-risks-in-international-marketing-the-case-of-West-Africa.html [Accessed: 15th March 2015].SIPA (2014).Political risk Analysis Firms [online]. Available From: https://sipa.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/Political%20Risk%20Analysis%20Firms.pdf [Accessed: 15th March 2015].PWC (2014). How managing political risks impro ves the global business performance [online]. Available From: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/risk-compliance/managing-political-risk-improves-business-performance.jhtml [Accessed: 15th March 2015].Zelner, Bennet A. (2010). The hidden risks in emerging market [online]. Available From: https://hbr.org/2010/04/the-hidden-risks-in-emerging-markets [Accessed: 15th March 2015].How to export import (2015). Political risks, one of the threats in international business [online]. Available From: https://howtoexportimport.com/Political-Risks-in-International-Business-567.aspx [Accessed 15th March 2015].Ashley Bonner (1987). Political risks in international construction. Journal of Construction Engineering Management, 113(3), pp. 447-465.Chua, Wang, Tan (2003). Impacts of obstacles in East Asian cross-border construction. Journal of Construction Engineering Management, 129(2), pp. 131-141.Dahl (1976). Modern political analysis. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice-Hall

The NCAAs Perspective On Sports Gambling Essays - Cheating

The NCAA's Perspective on Sports Gambling The NCAA prohibits the part icipation of legal or illegal sports gambling because of its ability to damage the integrity of sports contests and jeopardize the welfare of the student-athlete as well as his or her athletic community. The NCAA has had specific legislation prohibiting athletic department staff members, conference office staff, and student-athletes from participating in sports gambling activities as they relate to intercollegiate or professional sporting events. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the severity of sports gambling. The NCAA is well aware of the threat that sports gambling gives to the integrity of each intercollegiate contest. In the late 1940's, the academic community and public were surprised to learn that the City College of New York basketball team was involved in a point shaving scandal. Within just the last ten months, point shaving scandals occurred on the campuses of Arizona Southern University and Northwestern University. According to federal law enforcement officials, more money was bet on the Arizona State game more than on any point shaving scam in the history of intercollegiate athletics. Kenneth Dion Lee and Dewey Williams of Northwestern were served with arrest summons for allegedly shaving points. As starting seniors on Northwestern's 1994-95 team, Lee and Williams allegedly conspired with two gamblers placing thousands of dollars in wagers to alter their play so that their opponents would cover the point spread. In 1995, four Maryland football players and one men's basketball player were found to have bet on collegiate sporting events. Two years ago thirteen football players at Boston College were involved in sports gambling activities, four admitted to betting against their own team. Just last year a basketball player at Cal-State Fullerton was approached by a student after practice and offered one thousand dollars per game to shave some points. These are just a few examples of sports gambling incidents. College student-athletes need to be aware of the impact sports gambling can have on them. They could be expelled from college, lose athletic scholarships, and jeopardize any hope of a career in professional athletics. Environmental factors are said to be playing an influential role in Student-athletic gambling. One of Boston College's football players involved in the school betting scandal stated ?the attitude was: It's just part of the college experience. To tell the you the truth, it never crossed my mind that it was illegal; it's just common.? One of the athletes involved in the Northwestern University point shaving scandal admitted that gambling had been a part of his life ever since he was a youngster. The evidence of the growth of gambling on College campuses is no secret. Recently, the University of Cincinnati and the NCAA sponsored study randomly surveyed 2,000 male student-athletes in Division I basketball and football programs to assess the intent of NCAA rules violations. This survey disclosed that over twenty-five percent of the athletes reported gambling on college sporting events other than their own while in college. Four percent of the athletes admitted to wagering on games in which they had played. Three of the athletes admitted to changing the outcome of the game they played. Illegal sports gambling is defined as the placing of bets on professional and college events in every state except Nevada. There is an explosion of illegal sports gambling on just about every college campus in the nation. The NCAA investigations continue to unleash these huge bookie operations that involve student-athletes. Legal sports gambling takes place in Nevada where the bookmakers are handling millions of dollars everyday. The 1998 NCAA men's basketball tournament saw approximately $80 million wagered with Nevada bookmakers. This was more than the 1998 Super Bowl which was $78 million. All sixty-four teams that competed in this year's NCAA tournament were required to view an anti-gambling video before playing. This notion probably decreased some of the gambling that took place during the tournament. Pete Rose, a former baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds, deserves to be in the Hall of Fame but is questionable due to his gambling compulsion. Rose's gambling compulsion led to violate the cardinal rule, which is not to bet on baseball games. I think Pete Rose's situation is enough reason for me not to bet on athletic events

An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge

An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge At the beginning of "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," we see a man standing over a bridge with a noose about his neck, as his execution is about to happen. The man has a thought before he is to be thrown over the side, and that is "If I could free my hands," from which an entire story develops. He sees himself escaping after the rope snaps and swimming in the creek while dodging shots from Union soldiers making his way home. At the moment of his arrival, his neck snaps for us to discover that he never left the bridge, and that all that had happened was in his mind in the instant that he was falling off the bridge to his death.The illusion of his mind is difficult to go through, but upon closer inspection, we see the little expression of reality on this alternate reality that Farquhar is experiencing.No mind games committeeAs he frees his hands, he gives reference to his own "superhuman strength." He also begins to note his surroundings with an ability that no human being can posse ss, as he can now see the "veining of each leaf - the very insects upon them," as his mind attempts to assure him that he is truly alive and experiencing these things around him.The entire story could not have taken place were the point of view from a source, other than one that could see into Peyton Farquhar's mind. Were it could be taken from anyone else, they would simply have seen him standing at the edge of the bridge, get thrown over, and his neck snap. But in taking you into the mind of the main character, we are unable to expect the ending that we as readers receive, because...

Assess the Role of Faith in Supporting Religious Belief Essay Example for Free

Assess the Role of Faith in Supporting Religious Belief Essay In 1877, William Kingdon Clifford propositioned in his book â€Å"Ethics and Belief† that belief in something without sufficient evidence is irrational. Whilst he accepted that in many beliefs there is often an epistemic gap between the evidence and the conclusion (inductive reasoning) he did also claim that â€Å"It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.† Furthermore he claimed that that tolerating credulity (a tendency to believe readily) and superstition will damage ultimately society. He concurred with David Hume (1711-76) when he said â€Å"All wise men proportion their belief to the evidence. † This stance – that belief without sufficient evidence is irrational – is called evidentialism, and is adopted by many atheists (including Clifford and Hume) in their view of theology. However, natural theology instead attempts to meet evidentialism on its own terms by trying to show that belief in God is actually rational. It draws collectively upon all of the a posteriori arguments for God’s existence including the teleological, cosmological, moral and experiential arguments. However, it is rare that an atheist will be convinced by the evidence of these arguments anywhere beyond the point of agnosticism. It is generally accepted that belief in God requires some element of seemingly irrational faith. Indeed, the stance of fideism states that reason plays no part in belief. â€Å"Whoever attempts to demonstrate the existence of God†¦is an excellent subject for a comedy of higher lunacy.† – Soren Kierkegaard. Moderate fideists suggest that reason can actually be destructive to one’s faith. They claim that reason leads to arrogance by encouraging the idea that human reason alone will suffice and that God unnecessary for moral or spiritual direction. Whilst moderate theists view reason as a barrier to true faith however, (thus disregarding natural theology as irrelevant) extreme theists go so far as to agree with Tertullian when he said (AD 155-222) â€Å"Credo quia absurdum est.† or â€Å"I believe because it is absurd.† Aquinas (1225-74) claimed that there were two ways in which to know God. The first is through natural theology, including his five a posteriori proofs constructed by human reason. The second is through â€Å"revealed theology† which cannot be found by human reason alone, but must involve divine intervention or revelation. The acceptance of these revealed truths requires faith, and this is fundamental to the Christian religion. For example, only faith can reveal the truth behind the statement â€Å"God is the father, the son and the Holy Ghost† or that â€Å"the bread of communion is the body of Christ†. Thus revelation provides us with a body of truths, which must be taken on faith alone. Aquinas claims that faith is a combination of reason and opinion. It involves reason since it is propositional i.e. claims certain beliefs to be true and therefore similar to scientific knowledge. On the other hand these truths cannot be proved, and so involve an epistemic gap. It is this epistemic gap that makes faith a matter of opinion and so allows humanity free will over their belief. The stance that it is our choice whether or not to take a leap of faith was also held by Soren Kierkegaard (1812-1855). Alvin Plantinga (1932-) proposed that the classical foundationalism upon which evidentialism is based is flawed. Foundationalist beliefs are described by Plantinga as â€Å"the starting points for thought† and he summarises their definition as: â€Å"I am entitled to believe X without any evidence if and only if it is self-evident, incorrigible or certain to me in some way†. He argues that this is flawed, since this statement is itself neither self-evident, incorrigible nor is it certain in some way. It appears therefore that foundationalism defines itself as irrational. He also states that there are many beliefs that can be held rationally, but that do not fall under the foundationalist criteria or that can be justified contingently. For example, the trust we have in our memory, or the belief that other people have minds of their own. Plantinga argues that we must ultimately reject classical foundationalism on the grounds that it is incoherent, and also because it rejects many beliefs that common sense tells us to be properly basic. He propositions that his reformed epistemology should take the place of classical foundationalism, and because of this: â€Å"It is entirely right, rational, reasonable and proper to believe in God without any evidence at all.† A theist might claim that it just appears obvious to them that God exists, and for Plantinga this is good enough. However, surely this would mean that anything we like can be a properly basic belief? Could a child’s belief in Santa Clause not be defined as properly basic? Plantinga would respond by saying that it is the beliefs directly connected to God’s existence that are properly basic, rather than the belief in God’s existence itself. For example, the guilt felt after committing a bad deed or the sense that something must have cre ated and designed the universe. Blaisà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Pascal (1623-1662) deemed that it was reasonable to have faith in God by a sheer act of will, so certain was he that he put forward a wager: â€Å"Let us weigh the gain and loss in wagering that God is (exists)†¦If you gain, you gain all, if you lose, you lose nothing.† By this, he meant that the theist stands the chance of gaining entrance to heaven at the risk of nothing, whilst the atheist however risks damnation to hell. However, surely this basis of self-gain is at odds with the teachings of the Christian church? W.K.Clifford suggested that God would deny heaven to those who followed Pascal’s wager on the basis that faith should be founded upon trust and morality, not self gain. Pascal might have responded that true belief would arise from the habit of religion i.e. baptism, mass, prayer etc. However, this is contradicted somewhat by his opinion that one’s relationship with God should be somewhat deeper. â€Å"It is the heart which pe rceives God and not reason.† Furthermore, Pascal’s definition of faith appears to ignore the recognition of God’s immanence and His affect on our everyday lives. William James (1842-1910) found Pascal’s proposition that we can change our beliefs by an act of will entirely ridiculous. He claimed solidly that our beliefs are contingent i.e. each new belief is connected to the previous one. He does agree however that it is rational to sustain a belief even without sufficient evidence given certain circumstances. The first circumstance is where the evidence is indeterminate between two beliefs i.e. favours neither option. The second circumstance is if we are faced with a genuine option i.e. one that is living, forced and momentous. By living James means one that is a reality, as opposed to a dead option, that whilst theoretically possible, isn’t actually going to happen e.g. a devout Catholic supporting the gay pride movement. A forced option is one that cannot be avoided, e.g. choosing whether to go to school or to have a lie in when your alarm goes off at 7:30. A momentous option is one that is unique and irreversible e.g. joining the army – as opposed to a trivial option which is reversible and one that happens regularly throughout life. James states that it is therefore sometimes rational to believe in God without sufficient evidence if the choice is a genuine option. He disputes Pascal’s wager as necessarily being a genuine option as it is not necessarily forced (one could deny the possibility of going to hell) nor is it necessarily living (one might be a devout follower of a different religion). However, he does accept that for a person who perceives the evidence as indeterminate and is already open to belief in God, Pascal’s wager might succeed in tipping the scales and getting them to make that leap of faith. James does believe however that faith can in some instances be a genuine option, and a decision that involves seizing the opportunity and taking a risk. He states that when faced with a genuine option and without sufficient evidence, making a decision will then reveal the evidence to us. For example, one cannot be sure of a stranger’s kindness until they have decided to trust the stranger and give them a chance. Similarly, by making a leap of faith in God, the definitive truth will be later revealed by eschatological verification. However, natural theologians such as Aquinas would certainly dispute James’ claim that the evidence is indeterminate, for the cosmological, teleological, moral and experiential arguments – whilst inconclusive – can be extremely persuasive. Furthermore, like Pascal, he seems to ignore faith as an acceptation of God’s immanence and active presence in our lives. The version of faith held by Aquinas, Plantinga, Pascal and James is propositional in that they all claim that faith about believes in God’s objective existence. However, faith can also be seen existentially as an attitude incorporating God subjectively into the believer’s life. For instance, when I say â€Å"I believe that murder is wrong† or â€Å"I believe in free speech† I am not stating anything about existence, but rather about my commitment towards certain values. H.H.Price (1899-1985) claimed that the statement â€Å"I believe in God† is similar to this in that it is a way of perceiving the world using certain values. â€Å"to see oneself as a created, dependent creature, receiving life and well being from a higher source†¦the only appropriate attitude is one of grateful worship and obedience.† – John Hick. To conclude; each of the arguments examined above vary in their relationship with reason, but what they all have in common is that faith is central to the believer and must work independently of reason to some degree. Some of the arguments incorporate reason, some reject it entirely, but the transcendent nature of God can never be proved, can never be indubitable, for faith is an integral part of religion. Perhaps then natural theology is not trying to prove God’s existence to the point where faith is cast out and certainty resides in its place, but rather it is merely trying to explore God’s nature. â€Å"I do not seek to understand so that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand† – St. Anselm (1033-1109) Proslogian 1. Natural theology could therefore be seen as an expression of faith, rather than a foundation for it. The majority of theists argue that faith is necessary, for if God proved himself to us, we would no longer have free will over our belief and so would be robots without dignity. On the other hand, surely God in His omnipotence could find some way of maintaining our freedom whilst simultaneously providing us certainty of his love? Why not give certainty to the millions of His helpless and suffering children who have lost faith; for where is their dignity? Assess the Role of Faith in Supporting Religious Belief. (2017, Sep 13).

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

Tenet Healthcare - Term Paper Example Tenet has over one hundred thousand employees and has its headquarters in Dallas, Texas. As a National Medical Enterprise, attorneys John Bedrosian, Leonard Cohen and Richard Eamer established Tenet in 1967 (Brooks, Silverman and Wallen, 2015). By 1975, the enterprise owned and operated twenty-three hospitals and a home healthcare business. It grew to expand in the 1970s and the 1980s to the present Tenet Healthcare Corporation. Tenet’s stock price declined by over 70% in 2002 because of Federal Investigations. It was in 2003 when Tenet’s Commitment to Quality, an initiative to improve the safety, service, quality and outcomes of the care services was initiated. In an endeavor to rebuild its Ethics and Compliance Programs, a chief compliance officer reporting directly to the board of directors was hired. Tenet strived to achieve its financial performance goals in the face of many compliance challenges instituted by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Despite the many challenges, Tenet managed to use various strategies leading to its growth and expansion and the acquisition of many other companies. According to reports released on 20 January 2015, Tenet owned two hundred and ten outpatient centers. Its operated hospitals include two children’s hospitals, four academic medical centers, and a critical access hospital with 20,814 licensed beds and three specialty hospitals that primarily serve urban and suburban communities in fourteen states. Tenet subsidiaries own and lease medical office buildings located near Tenet hospital campuses. These subsidiaries operate freestanding and provider-based outpatient centers in 16 states, ambulatory surgery centers, diagnostic imaging centers and satellite departments. The Corporation owns over five hundred physician practices (Brooks, Silverman and Wallen,

Psychology of human development (Pls refer to instructions for Essay

Psychology of human development (Pls refer to instructions for details) - Essay Example As a psychological theory to explain human development, it is certainly an improvement over Freud’s narrow thinking and provides very useful insight into the nature of human psychological problems. Erikson’s eight stages of human development patterns is a useful model to understand human development in general, and offers a remarkable and valuable insight for personal conflict resolution in particular. In the Eight Stages of Man (Erikson, 1950), Erik Erikson produced a comprehensive developmental psychology theory of human personality development covering the entire human lifespan. It was an advancement of his teacher Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, wherein Erikson also took into account the social environment besides the biological factors. The significant characteristic of Erikson’s theory is that to successfully progress from one stage to another necessitates resolution of a particular psychosocial crisis peculiar to that stage. The conflict or crises that must be resolved at each stage are the ‘decisive changes’ that must be made in order to avoid experiencing the inner conflicts. â€Å"The individual is provided with a ‘sensitive period’ in which to successfully resolve each crisis before a new crisis is presented. The results of the resolution, whether successful or not, are carried forward to the next crisis and provide the foundation for its resolution.† (Huitt, W, 2008) As opposed to ‘accidental’ or ‘unexpected’ changes that may occur at any time such as bereavement, these are developmental changes related to circumstances that are ordinarily expected to occur during the stages of life based on the experience of human psychological development. In Erikson’s theory, each of the developmental stages is associated with such development changes with respect to the conflicts or crises that must be resolved. And, these he identified as follows: Here, the child is â€Å"beginning to think of itself

Metaphysics & Epistemology Essay Example for Free

Metaphysics Epistemology Essay G. E. Moore’s main contributions to philosophy were in the areas of metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and philosophical methodology. In epistemology, Moore is remembered as a stalwart defender of commonsense realism. Rejecting skepticism on the one hand, and, on the other, metaphysical theories that would invalidate the commonsense beliefs of â€Å"ordinary people† (non-philosophers), Moore articulated three different versions of a commonsense- realist epistemology over the course of his career. According to data I researched Moore’s epistemological interest also motivated much of his metaphysical work, which to a large extent was focused on the ontology of cognition. In this regard, Moore was an important voice in the discussion of sense-data that dominated Anglo- American epistemology in the early twentieth century. In ethics, Moore is famous for driving home the difference between moral and non-moral properties, which he cashed-out in terms of the non-natural and the natural. Moore’s classification of the moral as non-natural was to be one of the hinges upon which moral philosophy in the Anglo- American academy turned until roughly 1960. Moore’s approach to philosophizing involved focusing on narrow problems and avoiding grand synthesis. His method was to scrutinize the meanings of the key terms in which philosophers expressed themselves while maintaining an implicit commitment to the ideals of clarity, rigor, and argumentation. This aspect of his philosophical style was sufficiently novel and conspicuous that many saw it as an innovation in philosophical methodology. Moore is widely acknowledged as a founder of analytic philosophy, the kind of philosophy that has dominated the academy in Britain and the United States since roughly the 1930s. Moore also had a significant influence outside the academic philosophy, through his contacts in the Cambridge Apostles and the Bloomsbury group. In both academic spheres, Moore’s influence was due in no small part to his exceptional personality and moral character. One of the most important parts of Moores philosophical development was his break from the idealism that dominated British philosophy (as represented in the works of his former teachers F.  H. Bradley and John McTaggart), and his defense of what he regarded as a common sense form of realism. In his 1925 essay A Defense of Common Sense, he argued against idealism and skepticism toward the external world on the grounds that they could not give reasons to accept their metaphysical premises that were more plausible than the reasons we have to accept the common sense claims about our knowledge of the world that skeptics and idealists must deny. He famously put the point into dramatic relief with his 1939 essay Proof of an External World, in which he gave a common sense argument against skepticism by raising his right hand and saying Here is one hand, and then raising his left and saying And here is another, then concluding that there are at least two external objects in the world, and therefore that he knows (by this argument) that an external world exists. Not surprisingly, not everyone inclined to skeptical doubts found Moores method of argument entirely convincing; Moore, however, defends his argument on the grounds that skeptical arguments seem invariably to require an appeal to philosophical intuitions that we have considerably less reason to accept than we have for the common sense claims that they supposedly refute.

The Importance of Slearys Circus People in Hard Times Essay -- Dicken

The Importance of Sleary's Circus People in Hard Times      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Charles Dickens' novel "Hard Times", an alternative view of the Gradgrind-Bounderby way of life is presented by Sleary's circus people.    Sleary's people are shown by Dickens as leading lives which go against everything which Gradgrind represents and as such they are at first a kind of abomination to him. They are shown as people with a life of freedom, not constrained by the rigid set laws and hard facts which Gradgrind's philosophy is based upon. Not only just the physical freedom to roam the countryside almost at will, where Gradgrind is tied to Coketown. But also a mental freedom to enjoy life to the full with all it's spontaneity, unconditional emotions, imagination, failings, shortcomings and passions. Something which Gradgrind is shown not being able to comprehend until late on in the book. You get the feeling that their life on this world is to give pleasure to others at sometimes great risk to themselves "a pretty fair haired girl.......made a will at twelve" 1 , in a place where the "Hands" can e... The Importance of Sleary's Circus People in Hard Times Essay -- Dicken The Importance of Sleary's Circus People in Hard Times      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Charles Dickens' novel "Hard Times", an alternative view of the Gradgrind-Bounderby way of life is presented by Sleary's circus people.    Sleary's people are shown by Dickens as leading lives which go against everything which Gradgrind represents and as such they are at first a kind of abomination to him. They are shown as people with a life of freedom, not constrained by the rigid set laws and hard facts which Gradgrind's philosophy is based upon. Not only just the physical freedom to roam the countryside almost at will, where Gradgrind is tied to Coketown. But also a mental freedom to enjoy life to the full with all it's spontaneity, unconditional emotions, imagination, failings, shortcomings and passions. Something which Gradgrind is shown not being able to comprehend until late on in the book. You get the feeling that their life on this world is to give pleasure to others at sometimes great risk to themselves "a pretty fair haired girl.......made a will at twelve" 1 , in a place where the "Hands" can e...

Health History and Examination Essay

Health Assessment of the Head, Neck, Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth, Throat, Neurological System, and the 12 Cranial Nerves Skin, Hair, Nails, Breasts, Peripheral Vascular System, Lymphatics, Thorax, Heart, Lungs, Musculoskeletal, Gastrointestinal, and Genitourinary Systems Save this form on your computer as a Microsoft Word document. You can expand or shrink each area as you need to include relevant data for your client. Student Name: Date: Client/Patient Initials: C.B.Sex: FAge: Occupation of Client/Patient: Retired Health History/Review of Systems (Complete and systematic review of systems) Neurological System (headaches, head injuries, dizziness, convulsions, tremors, weakness, numbness, tingling, difficulty speaking, difficulty swallowing, etc., medications): None Head and Neck (pain, headaches, head/neck injury, neck pain, lumps/swelling, surgeries on head/neck, medications): Occasional migraines. Meds: Phenergan PRN. Compliant with treatment Eyes (eye pain, blurred vision, history of crossed eyes, redness/swelling in eyes, watering, tearing, injury/surgery to eye, glaucoma testing, vision test, glasses or contacts, medications): None Ears (earache or other ear pain, history of ear infections, discharge from ears, history of surgery, difficulty hearing, environmental noise exposure, vertigo, medications): Hard of hearing in left ear. Wears a hearing aid daily. Nose, Mouth, and Throat (discharge, sores or lesions, pain, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, sore throat, allergies, surgeries, usual dental care, medications): None Skin, Hair and Nails (skin disease, changes in color, changes in a mole, excessive dryness or moisture, itching, bruising, rash or lesions, recent hair loss, changing nails, environmental hazards/exposures, medications): Chicken pox during childhood. Several skin tags removed on face and neck. Daily sunscreen 30 SPF Breasts and Axilla (pain or tenderness, lumps, nipple discharge, rash, swelling, trauma or injury to breast, mammography, breast self-exam, medications): None Peripheral Vascular and Lymphatic System (leg pain, cramps, skin changes in arms or legs, swelling in legs or ankles, swollen glands, medications): Pt. states she has Restless Leg Syndrome. No formal diagnosis made. Frequent muscle aches all over that require routine cortisone injections. Cardiovascular System (chest pain or tightness, SOB, cough, swelling of feet or hands, family history of cardiac disease, tire easily, self-history of heart disease, medications): Family history of CHF. Pt has had a pacemaker since 2013. Thorax and Lungs (cough, SOB, pain on inspiration or expiration, chest pain with breathing, history of lung disease, smoking history, living/working conditions that affect breathing, last TB skin test, flu shot, pneumococcal vaccine, chest x-ray, medications): Pneumonia in the past. Current on Flu and Pneumonia vaccine. Musculoskeletal System (joint pain; stiffness; swelling, heat, redness in joints; limitation of movement; muscle pain or cramping; deformity of bone or joint; accidents or trauma to bones; back pain; difficulty with activity of daily living, medications): Joint pain and stiffness. Diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Gastrointestinal System (change in appetite – increase or loss; difficulty swallowing; foods not tolerated; abdominal pain; nausea or vomiting; frequency of BM; history of GI disease, ulcers, medications): Daily BMs Genitourinary System (recent change, frequency, urgency, nocturia, dysuria, polyuria, oliguria, hesitancy or straining, urine color, narrowed stream, incontinence, history of urinary disease, pain in flank, groin, suprapubic region or low back): None Physical Examination (Comprehensive examination of each system. Record findings.) Neurological System (exam of all 12 cranial nerves, motor and sensory assessments): A.OLFACTORY: I let the patient identify the smell of toothpaste, and facial grimace noted B.OPTIC: Patient able to read label of toothpaste tube C.OCULOMOTOR: Using a penlight and approaching from side, I shine a light on a pupil and observed the response of the pupil. I did the same on the other side and the pupil constricted when looking at a near object, and dilated when looking at a distant object. Pupils are equally round and reactive to light. D. TROCHLEAR AND ABDUCENS: (cardinal gaze ) I held a penlight 1ft. in front of the client’s eyes, and let the patient follow the movement of the light with the eyes only. Client’s eyes followed as I move the penlight but in late response. E.TRIGEMINAL Touched the lateral sclera of the eye to elicit blink reflex. To test light sensation I wiped a wisp of cotton over client’s forehead. Client has a positive corneal reflex, able to respond to light sensation, and sensitive to pain. F.ABDUCENS Client able to move eyeballs laterally G. FACIAL Client able to do different facial expressions such as smiling, frowning and raising of eyebrows; able to identify different tastes such as sweet, salty and bitter taste H. ACOUSTIC Client able to hear loud and soft spoken words; able to hear ticking of watch in both ears. I.GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL Client able to identify different tastes such as sweet and salty, able to move tongue from side to side and up and down, able to swallow without difficulty with positive gag reflex J. VAGUS Client able to swallow without difficulty K. SPINAL ACCESSORY Client able to shrug shoulders and turn head from side to side against resistance L. HYPOGLOSSAL Client able to protrude tongue at midline and move from side to side Head and Neck (palpate the skull, inspect the neck, inspect the face, palpate the lymph nodes, palpate the trachea, palpate and auscultate the thyroid gland): Negative for lesions, scaling, tenderness, and masses Eyes (test visual acuity, visual fields, extraocular muscle function, inspect external eye structures, inspect anterior eyeball structures, inspect ocular fundus): Conjunctiva – normal color – pink over lower lids, white over sclera Sclera – white Ears (inspect external structure, otoscopic examination, inspect tympanic membrane, test hearing acuity): Negative for redness, swelling, discharge, or foreign bodies Nose, Mouth, and Throat (Inspect and palpate the nose, palpate the sinus area, inspect the mouth, inspect the throat): Nose: Negative for lesions, swelling. Some nasal discharge noted Mouth: Negative for canker sores or lesion Throat: No lesions are redness noted Skin, Hair and Nails (inspect and palpate skin, temperature, moisture, lesions, inspect and palpate hair, distribution, texture, inspect and palpate nails, contour, color, teach self-examination techniques): Skin: Clean and intact. No breakdown noted Hair: Clean and dry. Mild dandruff noted Nails: Trimmed and neat Breasts and Axilla (deferred for purpose of class assignment) Peripheral Vascular and Lymphatic System (inspect arms, symmetry, pulses; inspect legs, venous pattern, varicosities, pulses, color, swelling, lumps): Arms symmetrical. Pulses palpable. Patient walks with a limp and uses a cane. Varicose veins noted BLE. Mild edema noted RLE. Cardiovascular System (inspect and palpate carotid arteries, jugular venous system, precordium heave or lift, apical impulse; auscultate rate and rhythm; identify S1 and S2, any extra heart sounds, murmur): Patient has a pacemaker. Pulses palpable. No abnormal heart sounds noted. Thorax and Lungs (inspect thoracic cage, symmetry, tactile fremitus, trachea; palpate symmetrical expansion;, percussion of anterior, lateral and posterior, abnormal breathing sounds): Respirations even and unlabored. No accessory muscles used. No retraction noted. Musculoskeletal System (inspect cervical spine for size, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain, range of motion; inspect shoulders for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain, range of motion; inspect elbows for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain, range of motion; inspect wrist and hands for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain, range of motion; inspect hips for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain, range of motion; inspect knees for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain, range of motion; inspect ankles and feet for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain and range of motion): Muscles developed without atrophy/hypertrophy. Arms & legs symmetric. No  varicosities, or tenderness. Joints non-tender, without swelling, and with full ROM. Muscle tone & strength 5/5 bilaterally. Spine has full ROM and is without tenderness or deformities. Gastrointestinal System (contour of abdomen, general symmetry, skin color and condition, pulsation and movement, umbilicus, hair distribution; auscultate bowel sound;, percuss all four quadrants; percuss border of liver; light palpation in all four quadrants– muscle wall, tenderness, enlarged organs, masses, rebound tenderness, CVA tenderness): Abdomen firm and round. Bowel sounds x 4. General abdominal tenderness reported. Reported having regular BMs Genitourinary System (deferred for purpose of this class) FHP Assessment Cognitive-Perceptual Pattern: Neurologic functions, Sensory experiences such as pain and altered sensory input all intact. Pt AAOx3 Nutritional-Metabolic Pattern: Patient eats a regular diet and watches what she eats. Sexuality-Reproductive Pattern: Patient has had 8 children and 1 miscarriage. Pattern of Elimination Patient reported having daily BMs Pattern of Activity and Exercise: Patient walks around her neighborhood at least 3 times per week Pattern of Sleep and Rest: Patient sleeps at least 7 hours a day. Patient denied using any sleeping aids. Pattern of Self-Perception and Self-Concept: Patient is proud of her accomplishments as a wife, mother and grandmother. She is also very proud of her cooking and the satisfaction it gives others. Summarize Your Findings (Use format that provides logical progression of assessment.) Situation (reason for seeking care, patient statements): Patient was voluntarily for me in completion of this project. Background (health and family history, recent observations): Patient is a mother of 8, grandmother to 22 and great grandmother to 7 Assessment (assessment of health state or problems, nursing diagnosis): Patient is in overall good health for her age. She does use a cane to an ankle injury but has no other major health issues. Recommendation (diagnostic evaluation, follow-up care, patient education teaching including health promotion education): I advised patient to continue eating well and to continue walking around her neighborhood. I expressed the importance of maintaining a healthy weight and remaining healthy.

Research Paper and Argument Topics

1 The University Writing Center â€Å"Because writers need readers† Research Paper and Argument Topics Race and Ethnicity Gender and Sexuality Multiculturalism and Diversity Advertising and Marketing Economic Issues Environmental Issues Media Issues Consumerism and Convenience Culture TV and Film Sports and Entertainment Race and Ethnicity †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should racial profiling be a legitimate law enforcement policy in some areas? Should Affirmative Action for state university enrollment be continued?Should the primary method of public school funding (property taxes in individual school districts) be amended to create more fairness in schools? If a university offers â€Å"African-American Studies† or â€Å"Black Studies† as courses, should it also offer â€Å"European-American Studies† or â€Å"White Studies†? How do certain television programs perpetuate racial or ethnic stere otypes? Should schools only purchase textbooks that offer revised or alternative perspectives on historical events? What should be done about racial disparities in the sentencing of criminals? Should the American government pay reparations and return land to Native Americans?Should hate groups have the right to distribute literature on university campuses? If research shows that certain racial or ethnic groups receive poorer medical care on average, how should this problem be corrected? Should government organizations have staff that accurately reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender balance in society? Criminal Justice Religion The Political Process Education National/International Policies UCF Issues Civil Liberties Counter-Culture Issues Youth Issues Local Area Issues Gender and Sexuality †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ What should be done to eliminate salary disparities between men and women?What should be done to create equity in executive positio ns for women in particular corporations and industries? Should women be allowed in military combat? To what extent? Is healthcare for women underfunded? In what ways? Should insurance companies that cover the cost of Viagra prescriptions also be required to cover birth control and regular examinations for women? Are homosexual characters and topics appropriate for primetime television? In what ways does gender play a role in student success and teacher attention in the classroom? Should the Equal Rights Amendment be revived and made part of the Constitution? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 ttp://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 2 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the Family and Medical Leave Act be extended beyond 12 weeks? Should prostitution be legalized? Under what conditions? How does pornography differ from prostitution? Is it contradictory that one should be legal while the other is not? Should homosexual marriage be permitted in Florida? Should homosexual couples in Florida be legally allowed to adopt? Multiculturalism and Diversity †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should English be made the official language of the United States?Should ESL students be taught content courses in their native language? Should high school history classes and social studies curricula be changed to reflect diversity and multicultural perspectives? Should Columbus Day be discontinued in favor of a new post-colonial perspective? Should Christmas, Easter, and other religious observances be considered national holidays? Should the United States have a more stringent or more relaxed immigration policy? Advertising and Marketing †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ How do certain kinds of advertising perpetuate gender, racial, or religious stereotypes?How do certain kinds of advertising make claims of patriotic values? How do mass marketing and manufacturing affect originality and creativity in the arts and other fields? Does the American consumerist society conflict with democratic values? In what ways? How does advertising treat convenience as necessity? Are certain kinds of advertising unethical? Should product placement in television, film, and other media be controlled? Should product advertising and selling be permitted in public schools? Should communities retain the naming rights to baseball parks and football stadiums, or should businesses be allowed to purchase these rights?Does the modeling industry bear any responsibility to provide healthy, realistic physical role models for young women? Is the use of sexual imagery in ad campaigns unethical? Should tobacco and liquor advertising be allowed on television? Should all billboard advertising of alcohol be banned? Should tobacco and alcohol companies be allowed to use ad campaigns that could be considered child-friendly? Why are alcohol companies now allowed to advertise on television under certain conditions (after primetime, with responsible drinking messages in some ads, etc. )? Economic Issues †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the local sales tax be increased/decreased?Should â€Å"sin taxes† on alcohol and tobacco be increased to help pay for the increasing costs of medical care? Should Florida increase the use of toll roads to pay for local road improvements? Do local power and utility companies operate as monopolies? Should purchases made over the Internet be taxable? Should the government provide financial assistance to people whose retirement funds were invested in the stock of companies that may have used unethical accounting practices (i. e. , Enron, Arthur Andersen, etc. )? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. eduW:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 3 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Argue for or against the earning potential vs. risk of investing in a certain kind of stock. Argue for or against a controversial trade tariff or tax. Many stock analysts describe the nature of today's stock market as completely different from the stock market of twenty or thirty years ago. Argue for or against this assertion. Does America have a responsibility to assist its industries financially and politically if other countries' industries receive similar assistance from their own governments?Argue for or against Federal Reserve strategies that attempt to keep inflation low. Large corporations such as Walmart and Barnes & Noble have been criticized for driving mom-and-pop shops out of business. Is this a valid criticism when considering the nature of supply and demand? A few years ago, the U. S. Mint issued a new form of dollar coin. Argue for or against the continued use of this new currency. Should the United Kingdom join other E. U. countries in converting its currency to Euros?Environmental Issues †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should national environmental policy focus on developing more oil resources or developing renewable energy sources? Should our national energy policy focus on building more nuclear power plants? How does overseas oil dependency influence our economy and/or international policies? Should genetically engineered food be labeled differently? How do city zoning laws and ordinances affect development and conservation? Which civic policies should be changed to encourage conservation rather than new land development? Should recycling be mandatory? How should recycling efforts be funded?Should fines for littering and dumping be stronger? Should fines and penalties for corporate pollution be more punitive? Should the fuel efficiency of SUVs a nd pick-up trucks be raised? Should the government offer tax credits for the purchase of hybrid or alternative energy vehicles? Should the designations of endangered and threatened species be changed? Should loss of economic/industrial benefits be considered when land is preserved for endangered species? Should more civilian oversight be created to monitor government and military pollution? Should environmental studies become a mandatory part of science curricula in public schools?Should third-world countries be held to the same levels of pollution control as more advanced nations? Argue for or against new environmental regulation concerning a specific industry (e. g. , clear-cutting for raising cattle vs. tropical rain forest protection). Argue for a specific regulation that will make a certain business or industry more environmentally safe. Media Issues †¢ †¢ †¢ How does profit motive in media corporations influence what and how information is broadcast? What ethica l considerations or conflicts of interest exist for a corporate media news channel?How and why do certain media outlets contribute to sensationalism in news reporting? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 4 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Is the Internet a positive development for news reporting? Does it represent a more democratic medium of information? How does specific media bias affect how news is interpreted and delivered? How has the conglomeration of media companies influenced radio and TV content? Do cable companies represent a monopoly?Should more customer options be available with cable television? Should cable services be offered on an a la carte system (for example, paying $40 a month for 40 channels individually chosen by the consumer)? Should a stricter rating system be im posed upon television programming? Should tabloid television be scheduled only for late night time slots? Should parental locks be optional or mandatory on televisions? Consider media influence on national political campaigns fifty or a hundred years ago in comparison with such influence today. Should new regulations be imposed to make current campaign coverage more equitable?Should music-sharing programs that facilitate piracy on the Internet be outlawed? Should websites that allow the free download of bootlegged movies be shut down? Do production companies have the right to shut down websites that allow the free download of sound or video clips from their media? Consumerism and Convenience Culture †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the official work week be shortened/extended? How is shopping an American cultural value? Which American or cultural values does the mall represent? How does the concept of consumer credit influence our econom y?How does American consumer culture deal with the concept of death? How are the values, expectations, and rituals of specific holidays such as Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Mother's Day influenced by consumer culture? What role does product packaging play in consumerism? What role does the national debt play in consumers’ spending awareness? Consider the issue of disposable products and packaging and their impact on the marketplace as well as the environment. Argue for or against new regulation. TV and Film †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should televised sexual and violent content be censored by the government?Are mandatory ratings a form of censorship? Is there a gender-based double standard regarding nudity, sex, and ratings on television? Which values do â€Å"reality television† shows appeal to? How have they changed television viewing? What does the trend towards voyeuristic TV programs reveal about modern Americ an culture? To what extent has television as a source of entertainment changed American neighborhoods and leisure activities? Which values/philosophies/worldviews are expressed by a certain television program? What impact has 24-hour news coverage had on our TV watching habits?How has it changed our view of information? How does MTV contribute to celebrity and image-selling? How has the television as an invention changed American household and family life? Why are the TV and film industries considered so hard to break into? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 5 †¢ †¢ †¢ Because celebrities are so often in the public spotlight, do they have ethical responsibilities to set good examples for young people?In the past, the Screenwriters Guild of America has pushed for the credit â€Å"A Film By [director's name]† to be banned. Why would the SGA want this, and is this a justified request? Do scriptwriters have a right to be allowed on the set of a movie they wrote, or is this a privilege to be allowed at the discretion of the director? Sports and Entertainment †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ How has the increase in ticket prices and athlete salaries negatively affected professional sports? Should professional tennis players only be able to use personalized/custom-made rackets?In World Cup soccer matches that end in ties, should penalty kicks be discarded for some other method of determining a winner? Should professional sports leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB establish a promotion/relegation system that rewards strong teams from lesser leagues with promotion, while relegating poor teams to a lower division? What changes, if any, should be made to NBA rules to preserve the integrity of the sport? Do celebrity athletes bear any responsibility for being role models for children? Should the instant replay remain in effect in the NFL? Should it be extended to other sports as well?Should teams with potentially offensive logos and nicknames (like the Cleveland Indians and Washington Redskins) change their names to be more racially sensitive? To what level should collegiate sports be funded? What is their relationship to academics? Should college athletes be paid to play? Does Title IX actually promote gender equality in college sports? Should GPA standards for college athletes be raised or more rigidly enforced? How have professional sporting events been negatively influenced by entertainment, including Jumbotrons, music, and crowd-pleasing activities?Should certain kinds of performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in different sports? Should creatine be banned from Major League Baseball? Should women be allowed to play in professional sports leagues that have no female league equi valent (NFL, NHL)? How have the four major professional American sports (baseball, basketball, football, and hockey) affected the rise of other sports such as soccer and lacrosse? How have ESPN and other media sources influenced (positively or negatively) professional sports in the last twenty years? Should communities bear all, part, or none of the burden of financing new sports arenas for professional teams?Criminal Justice †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the criminal sentencing process be reevaluated or changed because of racially unfair sentences? Which changes should be implemented to prevent prison rape? How has the proliferation of privately funded prisons changed the criminal justice system in America? Should certain non-violent crimes be punishable by fines rather than jail time? Are state-mandated â€Å"three-strikes† policies unfair? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit Ra cksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should children who commit certain crimes be treated as adults? If so, should there be a lower age limit to this policy? Are exile programs (where a criminal is sent to prison in a distant state) fair? What kinds of rights should criminals have? Which conditions of incarceration are fair? Are certain kinds of capital punishment cruel and unusual? Should capital punishment be suspended because of racial disparities? Should capital punishment be suspended because of the chance of executing an innocent person? Should prison be punitive or rehabilitative in nature?Now that genetic/DNA evidence is admissible in court, should controversial closed cases be re-opened? If someone has already been executed, should his or her case be re-opened under certain circumstances? Should some kind of reparation be made to the fami lies of the wrongfully accused? Should there be a limit to the number of death row appeals that can be made? Presuming that capital punishment is allowable, what types of crimes should this apply to? Only murder? Treason? Is society's obligation to simply remove a criminal from society, to actually punish the criminal for crime, or a combination of both?Considering this, what is the purpose of the death penalty in America today? Should the legal requirements for obtaining a search warrant be changed? If an officer finds something that s/he was not looking for (e. g. , narcotics in an automobile that was being searched for firearms), why should or shouldn't the officer have the right to take the accused into custody? Consider the issue of â€Å"reasonable suspicion† in your discussion. Why are lawyers stereotyped as sharks? Is this a fair representation, and if not, why is it so prevalent? Many consider today's justice system to be too slow.What improvements could be made to e xpedite the system without sacrificing due process? Some states have harsher penalties than others for drunk driving. Consider the policies of a particular state and argue for a change in the penalties. Define â€Å"terrorist. † Under what circumstances, if any, is â€Å"terrorism† acceptable? Should terrorists be tried in a military or civil court? When tried in our court system, should the citizens of other countries have the same rights as citizens of the United States? Argue for or against an amendment to the statute of limitations for a particular crime. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢Religion †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ What, if anything, should constitute acceptable â€Å"prayer† or moments of silence in public schools? Should religious schools be required to teach health/sexual education from a non-religious perspective? Should religious phrases be removed from American money? Should government provide faith-based organizations with funds to help the needy? Should evolution be the official curricular focus of public schools regarding human origin? Should faith-based organizations be given tax exempt status by the government, even if the organization does not provide any concrete services for the needy (food, shelter, etc. )?Should the Orlando-based Holy Land theme park be given tax exempt status because it is run by a faith-based organization? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 7 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Is the government justified in denying the Wiccan religion tax-exempt status because it fails to meet one of the government regulations in defining a religion – that of congregating at a regularly scheduled time and place? How has the role of the Catholic Church been affected by the recent accusations of sexual abuse by pri ests?Argue for a specific change in church policy regarding these crimes. Are public school winter holidays still generally organized around Christian holidays rather than those of any other religions? Argue for or against a change in policy. On campus, faith-based organizations can receive funds as part of a club. Does this follow the separation of church and state? Should Christmas, Easter, and other religious observances be considered national holidays? The Political Process †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the Electoral College be discarded in favor of a simple popular vote in presidential elections?Do alternative political parties in America receive fair treatment during elections? Should third party candidates be allowed to participate in national debates? How do the media help or hinder third parties? Should they receive equal and free airtime on major networks? Should the campaign f inancing system be reformed? Should presidential candidates be barred from spending their own money for their campaigns? What is the relationship between personal campaign finance and free speech? Should terms of senators and congressmen be further limited?Should a national form of health care be created, or should health care remain a private industry? Examine the historical reversal of the value systems of Republicans and Democrats. Should a particular Congressional District be reallocated? Argue for a policy change that would make the American democratic process more efficient. Are checks and balances a crucial element in American government? Does this process work as it was originally intended? Has the executive branch of the American government gained too much power in the last fifty years? Cite specific examples in your argument.How has/will new technologies like the Internet change the political process? How can the voting process in national elections be made less confusing? Education †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Is standardized state or national testing (such as the FCAT or SAT) helping or hurting American schools? Is the current system of public school funding (primarily through property taxes) unfair? Does it contribute to inequality in the public school system? Should tracking be used in determining courses for public school children? Should magnet and charter schools be encouraged or discouraged?Should the system of busing students to school be amended? Should local school districts be redrawn to create schools that are more equal? Should federal school vouchers be used at religious schools? How does the separation of church and state apply to this issue? Consider the needs of a teacher's salary vs. the realities of the funding schools now have. Argue for a change in education budget allocation. Do teachers in classrooms of thirty or forty children accomplish their intended tasks as educators? Should they be expected to? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. ah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 8 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Some standardized tests scores factor in to how much money a school will receive in the next fiscal year. Is this an ethical way to demand accountability from a school, or does this further punish lower-performing schools? Consider the benefits and drawbacks of a home-school education vs. a public school education. Conservatives, liberals, and radicals all have different ideas about the purposes of a public education.Research several perspectives and argue for or against a particular viewpoint. How necessary are the arts in the public school system? Argue for or against a change in funding for a particular district. National/International Policy †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ In which situations, hyp othetical or actual, is U. S. military intervention in other countries justifiable? In which situations is it not? Does the threat of terrorism warrant the suspension or curtailment of civil liberties? What policy should the American government have towards international political crises? To the Middle East?To Israel? To Tibet? What should our policy be towards trade with China? Should the United States support the expansion of NATO to include the Baltic states? Should mandatory military service be required for all men and women in America? What are the ethics involved when considering the separation of powers and allowing a Presidential Line Veto? Is shuttle diplomacy a better alternative to gunboat diplomacy in the modern world? Consider the CIA's pre-September 11th policy of non-assassination and its post-September 11th policy of pro-assassination. Argue for or against this new stance.Does the United States have a right to preemptively protect itself from terrorist attacks by att acking nations accused of sponsoring terrorism? Not considering the United States, what is the most powerful nation on the planet? Explain the criteria used in making this judgment. Should the United States change its policies on educating foreign nationals and issuing student visas? UCF Issues †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ What is the best solution to the parking issues on the UCF campus? Should the GEP (General Education Program) be changed? What courses should be added or dropped?Should the composition program at UCF be changed? How? Should the course be worth a different number of credits? Is the concept of UCF as a â€Å"metropolitan university† a good idea for the future of the school? Should Greek Park expansion take place, even if it means developing environmentally delicate areas? Is corporate funding of university research a good idea? Should public universities have the right to sell the names of campus buildings to corporations? Argue for or against the UCF football program joining the MAC. Should UCF fund the men's basketball team more heavily?Should UCF devise a different scheduling method for classes held in modules and portable trailers? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 9 †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the â€Å"tradition† of not stepping on the Pegasus symbol in the Student Union be reevaluated? Argue for or against more university funding for student services such as the Student Academic Resource Center and the University Writing Center. What purpose does the campus newspaper serve, and how well does it achieve its purpose?Civil Liberties †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should people between the ages of 18 and 20 be allowed to drink adult beverages that contain a lowered alcohol content? Should legal hemp produ ction be reassessed by the Florida legislature? Under which conditions (if any) should medical marijuana use be legal? Under what rationale have some states gone against federal regulations and fought to allow medical marijuana use? Do terrorist attacks justify any suspension of civil liberties in the name of national safety? Should prison sentences for non-violent â€Å"victimless† crimes be commuted to community service or alternative methods of punishment?Is there such a thing as a â€Å"victimless crime†? What rights do airplane passengers give up by allowing themselves to be checked before boarding? Argue for or against a specific passenger check policy. What rights do people lose when on public school property? Is the suspension of these rights valid? Proponents of a lowered drinking age sometimes note the disparity between the draft age (18) and the legal-drinking age (21). Argue for or against the validity of this comparison. Counter-Culture Issues †¢ â₠¬ ¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should people under eighteen years of age be required to have parental permission to get tattoos and piercings?Is ear piercing of children of a certain age child abuse? Should rave clubs have limits on their operating hours? Why have recent raves been shut down in the Orlando area? Was this action justified? Do owners of raves have a right to operate a business that can be potentially harmful to youth? Youth Issues †¢ Should the minimum age for attaining a driver's license be increased? Should this be a national standard? †¢ Should the mandatory age for quitting school be raised or lowered, or is the current age of sixteen justified? †¢ Should computer skills be a fundamental part of education curricula?Local Area Issues †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ What kind of public transportation system would be best for Orlando? Would light or high speed rail best serve the interests of Orlando residents? Should local zoning restrictions be changed to encourage community development? How do current zoning restrictions limit or control growth? Should police patrol the University Drive area more stringently? Should regular speed traps be a part of this patrol? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 0 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ How does traffic light timing influence traffic in the UCF area? Should traffic light patterns be recalibrated to help reduce congestion? Should Alafaya Trail be expanded to four lanes from McCollough Road through Oviedo? Should off-campus UCF housing be restricted because of conflicts with local neighborhoods? Are the policies of local apartment complexes fair? How should they be changed? Should new development in the Orlando area face more stringent environmental considerations? Should carpool restriction s be placed on certain Orlando highways for certain times of the day?Should Orlando campaign for a professional baseball team? A professional football team? Would having a professional basketball team contribute to the prestige of the city? How does tourism in Central Florida affect local communities? Should legalized gambling in the form of casinos be considered as an economic boost to this area? Should dancers be allowed to perform nude in local establishments? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14

10 Leadership Assignments

10 Leadership Assignments There are numerous  components to leadership, and many of them are written about frequently. In fact, I wrote a blog five years ago, Would You Follow You? Top 10 Ways to Be a Leader, where I listed my top 10 picks of leadership qualities. A lot of these traits would still be on my list. What’s missing  from the  list, however, is practical advice on  how to  improve in those highlighted  leadership  areas. For instance, if you are not delivering clear, consistent communication, what can you do to start doing so? If you are not leading with vision, what will get you there? It’s easy to read lists and say â€Å"that’s great†- but how will you change your behavior to increase your effectiveness? The Assignment Way of Living At the Wright Foundation for Human Potential, where I do the bulk of my leadership training, I have discovered what’s called the â€Å"assignment way of living.† At any given time, I am working on anywhere from two to four assignments. Of course, having assignments is not useful unless you DO them, and I’m usually a pretty responsible student, so I do them as much as possible. Being a great leader, and living into all the qualities that make a leader, takes doing your homework. The cool thing about this is that homework can be fun and even nourishing! In the group I’m currently working with at Wright, each of us has a leadership assignment to further our growth. I thought I would share these with you so that you can get a sense of how the â€Å"assignment way of living† can further your own growth as a leader. Alpha. This one sounds best for people whose names begin with the letter â€Å"A† (e.g., Alpha Annie). But it works regardless of the first letter of your name! The Alpha assignment will be good for you if you are someone, perhaps a project manager, who wants to be an outstanding planner- and be so good at planning that others follow your example. It includes planning for breakdowns and having contingency plans in place. Gone Viral. This assignment will help you if you want to generate more enthusiasm and increase your ability to energize a group, mobilizing them toward goals and a mission. You will start giving more recognition to others, thus garnering their support and investment. Both Sides of the Telescope. This assignment requires looking at yourself inquisitively and as accurately as possible, at the same time as you look at others. This action creates mutuality and also a clear picture of your own skill gaps and the skill gaps of others so that steps can be taken to fill them. Then of course, you take those steps. Happy Customers. This one is pretty straightforward. Its purpose is to help you anticipate, elicit, and respond effectively to objections! When you do this, you become more capable of keeping customers happy when inevitable objections arise. In-the-Moment Visions. This is my assignment and it’s meant for someone whose job it is to set agendas and guide people. One trick here is to have a clear vision for myself that I share with my team. I had known it was important to set visions for projects and to create visions for other people. But I’m discovering that when I share my own vision for myself with others, they often want to support me in making that vision a reality. O.V. (Points of View) on the Scene. This assignment is helpful for increasing your influence. By presenting your own point of view, your can persuade others to shift their thinking and action- even in difficult and pressure-filled situations. Good Done. Complete daily tasks and deliverables on time and on budget. The vision here is to meet goals and deadlines consistently, and anticipate when a goal will not be met so you can apply alternative plans to meet the goal. Scan Report (In Out). In this assignment you work on scanning for problems as well as synergies to determine what is wanted and needed. Done well, this assignment will make you the person the team turns to as an antenna to get a read on the pulse of the team. Busy Honey Bee. The honey bee assignment encourages you to be thorough and do your due diligence. You will be on top of details and set standards for others to follow. Losada Colada. I had this assignment last year. Someone with this assignment becomes more inspiring by saying at least 3 positive things for each negative thing she says. People start to like her more and want to please her more. This is by no means a complete list of leadership assignments. The possibilities are truly endless and I encourage you to have fun with creating assignments and assignment names that will move you toward your leadership goals. - An Invitation If you want to get a more comprehensive introduction to the â€Å"assignment way of living,† I encourage you to attend the Foundations Training at the Wright Foundation for the Realization of Human Potential in Chicago. Contact me through the form on my site and I will provide you with a code to come to the weekend at no cost.

Just in Time Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Just in Time Systems - Essay Example According to the study conducted Just in time (JIT) is a production mechanism that businesses employ with the intention of returning the investments of a business by reducing the inventory that is related to the carrying costs of a business. It mostly relies on signals that are placed in the different systems of processes and they have to tell the system on what next step to undertake. The intention of JIT is to focus on improvement of manufacturing organization so as to stabilize on the investment. Forecast driven systems have a variety of models which require the user to choose from hence placing a problem on the user. As compared to JIT, the forecast driven systems are time consuming in the aspect of developing and also maintaining the programs that are to be used in operating the different models. JIT offers a quick notice on the stock depletion in an investment as compared to the forecast driven systems which have to evaluate the results of various tests that are run in order to confidently give the results. According to JIT systems, emphasis is on the fact that inventory is a waste and there is therefore need to expose hidden costs so as to effectively manage the inventory and this becomes a challenge for most organizations to adopt. This as opposed to the forecast driven systems is only done by one parameter whereas in forecast driven system, several iterations have to be run. It is here that the inventory is viewed as one that incurs costs instead of storing value. The way of working that is adopted by JIT is one that encourages the businesses to eliminate the inventory from their businesses. Pros of JIT and Lean Manufacturing Systems Employees who have multiple skills can be used by the business more effectively. This is attributed to the fact that the organization is able to move workers to where they are needed easily. They should be trained to work in different parts of the business. This helps to manage time effectively as the company is able to r educe the inventory for the changeover time. The tool used in time management is known as single minute exchange of dies (SMED) (Womack et al, 2003). Effective time management will allow for an easy flow of goods from the warehouse to different consumers. A delay in the inventories is reduced and this simplifies the flow of the inventory hence a flexible management of duties. This leaves a smaller chance for the breaking of the inventory as it expires with time. Another advantage is that work is scheduled with reference to the demand for the goods by the consumers. If a product is not on demand at a given time by the consumers, then the business can easily reduce on the production rates. Money is therefore saved together with the resources and workers may not have to be paid for overtime. This helps the organization to emphasize on the supplier relationships since a company that lacks an inventory may not experience a supply system problem which is likely to create a shortage (Womac k et al, 2003). Creation of shortages makes the supplier relationships to be vital for a business as the suppliers will be able to come in at regular levels throughout the production day. This is attributed to the fact that production relates to the demand and this helps minimize the storage space needed for the products. Cons of the JIT and Lean Manufacturing Systems JIT usually leaves the suppliers and the consumers to the supply shocks and exposes them to huge changes in supply and demand. The removal of the inventory would show a business where the production flow had been interrupted and exposure of the barriers would force the organization to remove them. This would force any business that was in partnership with the organization to improve its own quality hence resulting to a holdup downstream. The businesses would be forced to employ the production leveling technique in order to work out on the variations and this became a challenge for the consumers especially those