Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Debate Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion - Research Paper Example This adds up to a gross infringement of the set up Military Rules of commitment, UN shows and the International Criminal Law. In that setting it will be extremely down to earth to back such cases with accessible and legitimate insights. According to the insights gave by B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, an association, which is cautious and careful about the infringement of human rights in the involved domains, since September, 2000, Israeli security powers have slaughtered just about 1,463 Palestinian youngsters in the involved regions (Online). An enormous extent of these youngsters were killed by the Israelis while seeking after ordinary everyday exercises like while playing, going to class, being at home, and so forth. (B’Tselem: Online). Likewise, in excess of 50% of these Palestinian youngsters got murdered as an immediate aftereffect of the Israeli air and ground offensives and inferable from unpredictable term inating by the Israeli powers. Additionally according to B’Tselem, in a similar timeframe, Israeli powers conveyed in the involved domains killed just about 6379 Palestinians, of which 6359 Palestinians were killed on their own property (Online). The vast majority of these casualties were no chance straightforwardly occupied with strife with the Israeli powers and were unarmed.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Literature Review Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Writing Review - Thesis Example Applying the lean standards is a significant piece of the phases where the item advancement happens. The key piece of VSM is to comprehend and outwardly speak to the procedures in question. It is basically in this manner a displaying of all procedures associated with the item improvement. At the point when the item is created or in any event, during the plan stage, it is additionally important to approve these procedures. The different contextual investigations referenced in this paper show how lean standards have been applied and how VSM is done, for what reason and the results accomplished. It is demonstrated that at the core of this is the extraction of however much incentive as could reasonably be expected. The significant component that empowers the above is information. Information assortment and examination is in this manner the establishment for the whole undertaking. Be that as it may, dealing with the information is certainly not a clear undertaking. There are issues of value and methods to consider for information the board and development, security and recognizability, and proper information displaying. Information warehousing gives an all out design to all information assortment, stockpiling and recovery prerequisites, which is reasonable for today’s needs. Also, information mining permits lean standards to be applied for extricating significant information. Vibration testing is one specific territory in which lean standards and VSM have huge potential as well as their utilization is basic. This is particularly so for security reasons other than upgrades to auxiliary plan, expanding the life span of the item and improving its general quality. This survey of the writing digs on the thoughts and investigations of others on the subject of significant worth stream mapping. This could assist with social event valuable thoughts, improve existing ones, and furthermore put the researcher’s own investigation into setting. Following a short depiction of lean standards and strategies, we portray Value Stream Mapping (VSM) in detail and examine the essentialness of significant worth just as

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Maintaining Your Recovery During the Holidays

Maintaining Your Recovery During the Holidays Addiction Alcohol Use Print Recovery During the Holidays Season Can Present Problems for Recovering Alcoholics By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Updated on May 26, 2019 Christina Reichl Photography/Getty Images   More in Addiction Alcohol Use Binge Drinking Withdrawal and Relapse Children of Alcoholics Drunk Driving Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery This article was written by Hamish White, a certified alcoholism and drug dependency counselor who has his own addiction practice called Recovery Counseling Services in North Toronto. Hamish and his team provide outpatient individual and group counseling to adolescents adults and family members. What It Was Like I used to really look forward to the holiday season. It was a time when drinking was accepted and expected. Lavish, well-stocked bars, office parties, and abounding eggnog become the welcome norm. Merry Christmas... what can I get you to drink? and Lets celebrate were the festive greetings that I looked forward to in anticipation as I endeavored to blend in with these other, less-experienced drinkers. I Would Seem Sober I would seem sober compared to their low-tolerance reaction to Christmas libation. I was one of the crowd smiling and nodding to others as I loading up the shopping cart at the L.C.B.O. [Liquor Control Board of Ontario], surrounded by others doing the same thing. Oh, happy times! Never mind that this was my third time stocking up for the holidays, obliterating a two week supply in two days. Normal Seasonal Activities My friend Bill describes his experience at Christmas time. He says there were several added plusses to the Noel season: Wrapping Gifts Secrets became the norm. he told me I could smuggle in large bottles of Vodka in with the bundles of Christmas parcels. Cocaine could be out in the open in my bedroom mirror and the bedroom door could be locked because, yes, I was hiding something but everyone thought, well hoped, that I simply needed privacy to wrap their gifts. Time to Catch Up He went on to say It was great for a drunk. I could go out on a moments notice to get some ribbon only to return later much later with a wonderful excuse on how I had just met my old pal Steve who was in town for the season and so we just had to catch up. Easier to Get Away He said it was much easier to get away and drink. I could be absent for long periods without too much interrogation. Normally I had to account for my whereabouts to my skeptical and suspicious family, but I could book three or four hours to Christmas shop. Shop for 45 minutes at Shoppers or Grand and Toy and spend the rest my liberty with my cronies at the Pilot. Only to stagger home with glazed eyes and a complicated tale about my shopping exploits. Sneaking and Creeping He says that because of his long history of drinking and lying about itâ€"sneaking and creeping as he puts itâ€"he was always under observation, but during the holiday season he could buy some time under the guise of normal seasonal activities. Plan Your Sober Holidays! Sober holidays for those of us in recovery can also present some problems. Thoughts can creep in like, maybe I can just have one eggnog or what a happy timeâ€"I know how to make it better or I feel lonelyâ€"a drink or drug would sure pick me up. There are several techniques that I and others have found very helpful in maintaining sobriety and recovery during these tempting and difficult times. Recently sober people are often confronted with drinking and using [drugs] situations for the first time since they began their recoveries. There are solutions: Plan your days. Let your sponsor or friend in recovery know where you will be and have that persons number with you just in case. Plan B If you must attend a party or gathering where alcohol is being served, then have a Plan B, an escape route. If you are with a friend or spouse then tell them before you go that you may feel uncomfortable around alcohol and that you need to be able to leave the party on a moments notice without having to explain why. In fact, you can always have an alternative place to goâ€"like for a coffee or out to a movie. The Pressure Is Off With this arrangement, negotiated when you arrive at the gathering, tell your host or hosts that you can probably only stay for a short time, but that you will know more in a while after you make a telephone call. Then you are not obliged to stay and what usually happens is that you have a great time because the pressure to stay is off. If you are on your own, make sure you have your sponsors or a sober friends phone number and that you know they will be home so that you can call or even meet with them if you feel the need. Thats Plan B. Thanks, Id Love a Drink! What if someone asks you if you would like a drink, and you dont particularly feel like explaining to them that you have a disease that requires you not to drink one day at a time and that you are a recent graduate of the local dipsomania treatment center. What I do is say What a good idea I would love a drink! Do you have a soda water with lemon or a Coca-Cola? This allows me to say yes and get what I want as well. Very few people will press anything alcoholic on us, but when they do I simply say, Not right now, thank you, but a Coke would really hit the spot. Stay away from Christmas cake rum balls and dubious punches and eggnog. Just a little of the old taste can start us urging for a more substantial dose. A.A. Still Meets! During the celebratory season, A.A. continues to hold meetings. In fact, many groups have seasonal parties where food and fellowship abounds, and speakers talk of gratitude and of the real spirit of giving that is outlined in the 12th Step. Members are warm and inviting and most are serene in the knowledge that there is a safe place for them to be. Anyone with a desire to stop drinking or to stay sober and clean is welcome. Out-Smart the Disease Remember, alcoholism and addiction are not only physical diseases, they are also spiritual emotional and mental diseases. Which, of course, is what we are as people. My alcoholism is as smart as I am and then just a little bit smarter. My alcoholism wants me to drink, therefore it wants me to be in slippery places like wet Christmas or New Year parties. I have to be careful - I have to outsmart my disease. I need to be connected to sober people. I need to be doing sober things, going to sober places. I cant let the Christmas season be an excuse for a relapse. I may be on holiday but my chemical dependency does not take a holiday. Ultimately, the only way to stay sober over the holidays is the same way I stay sober all year round, that is, one day at a time. Happy Holidays,Hamish White

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Police Enforcement And Law Enforcement Essay - 2037 Words

Every day, law enforcement officers encounter danger while carrying out their duties. The foremost duty of law enforcement officers are to serve and protect citizens. Most law enforcement agencies do this successfully. However, many people view law enforcement officers as the enemy. People need to be better informed about law enforcement and why officers take specific actions in certain circumstances. In our society, police are in a very dangerous position when it comes to the amount of force they can use when dealing with an individual. Officers use discretion when deciding the best course of action for the situation, whether it be physical force, persuasion, or coercion. They must take the correct course of action, because if they are too lenient or to forceful, even when dealing with petty things, they can be reprimanded by superiors and the public. Should police use force? Which circumstances warrant use force and what are the limits of force they can use? These questio ns are often asked when police are compelled to use force. A majority of the population have erroneous beliefs concerning law enforcement agencies. Many believe police should not have the authority to use force, no matter what the situation. Often people believe everything can be resolved in peaceful terms with no one injured or killed. Likewise, people do not understand the need to use force and the responsibility of use of force by the police. Sometimes problems cannot be solved in aShow MoreRelatedPolice Enforcement And The Law Enforcement2570 Words   |  11 PagesThroughout law enforcement history there has been events that have occurred or changed made to better law enforcement for both the officer and the community. Since the early 1900s, law enforcement has been a part of our society and been there to enforce laws and protect the citizens of our country. Law enforcement has not always been the same though. Before we had what our current law enforcement is today, we had a much rougher version, one that always did not enforce the law, one with less laws to enforceRead MorePolice Enforcement And Law Enforcement Essay1754 Words   |  8 PagesCommunity policing is also a project set to connect the police community to overall society and avoid the mistreat of citizens and or prevent corrupt officers. Brooks states that policing is predicated essentially [on] operating in the community and not being of the community(Kaplan, 2015, para. 6). The idea that police officers do not need to part-take in society is a statement that should not be acceptable in the roles of law enforcement. When police officers do not connect to the society members, thereRead MorePolice Enforcement And Law Enforcement Essay2455 Words   |  10 PagesProblem Much too often the public’s perception police use of force is different from those who are in law enforcement. This view is greatly influenced by a range of factors, including portrayals in the media, and intensified by the rising weight of social media. In today’s society, incidents of use of force can establish a false account for the public regarding police actions, even though it is not statistically represented or backed by data. Law enforcement officers encounter danger every day whileRead MorePolice Enforcement And The Law Enforcement2203 Words   |  9 PagesWhat is law enforcement? The term has different meanings for individuals in our society based on personal experiences. Law enforcement officers are members of society that come together in an organized fashion and enforce the law. Law enforcement officers enforce the law by deterring, punishing individuals and rehabilitating them. Law enforcement officers have been a part of our society since the beginning of our democracy. Law enforcement officers are public servants to the public to maintain peaceRead MoreLaw Enforcement Police Enforcement Officers2330 Words   |  10 PagesAbstract Law enforcement officers are faced with the challenges of using the appropriate amount of force during arrests or apprehensions and are criticized by the public on a daily basis. Not all excessive force is restricted to physical violence; this is where brutality fits in. The reasons for these actions might be explainable, or unacceptable. It may appear that the law enforcement officer is taking advantage of the situation, when in fact they may be following procedure, and in turn can articulateRead MoreLaw Enforcement : A Police Officer1596 Words   |  7 PagesLaw Enforcement Ask anyone who is interested in a career in law enforcement why they choose that career, and they will say it is to help their community and make a difference in the world. In an average day an officer patrols his given area to keep the safety of the people. For instance the the presence of a police officer in the neighborhood keeps away the criminals who break into homes while people are at work or asleep. It is hard for people to imagine what a world without law enforcementRead MorePolice Officers And Law Enforcement1082 Words   |  5 PagesLaw enforcement officers equipped with body-worn cameras lower external use of force complaints and better compliance during police and citizens encounters creates a more positive experience for police and law-abiding citizens. In recent years, law enforcement officers have come under tremendous scrutiny by the public due to police officers’ use of excessive force. Several deadly force incidents captured on video and not captured caused the arrest or dismissal of police officers. Video footageRead MorePolice Brutality And The Law Enforcement846 Words   |  4 Pagesdemonstrating the brutality of law enforcement has been becoming more frequent over the past couple of years. When you hear about these cases of police brutality, how often is it that law enforcement officials are punished for the crime they have perpetrated? Most of the time the law enforcement officials, who are very well in the wrong do not get any kind of punishment whatsoever for the crimes that they have committed and it all comes back to the power that they have. Police brutality cases have beenRead MorePolice Agencies and Law Enforcements812 Words   |  3 PagesPolice Agencies Law enforcement is a major element to keeping the balance of a society. Yet, it is an incredibly complex endeavor. In this country, the execution of law enforcement has been broken up into local, state, and federal agencies that all address varying elements of law enforcement, and often in collaboration with each other. The current structure of law enforcement in this country is very complex. There are various types of police agencies broken up based on differing jurisdictionRead MorePolice Officers And The Law Enforcement970 Words   |  4 PagesIn this society we live in, we rely on our local law enforcement to help enforce laws that supposed to protect us from harm, and investigate crimes when an individual violates a particular law that need to be brought to justice. All police officers are trained to know all the rules and regulation in the handbook of the court of law. One the contraire, there are still some individuals police officers in this nation who abuse their authority of having those rights to serve and protect us from danger

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The U.S. Presidents and Their Era

Learning the list of U.S. presidents -- in order  -- is an elementary school activity. Most everyone remembers the most important and best presidents, as well as those that served in wartime. But many of the rest are forgotten in the fog of memory or vaguely remembered but cant be placed in the right time frame. So, quick, when was Martin Van Buren president? What happened during his tenure? Gotcha, right? Heres  a refresher course on this fifth-grade subject that includes the 45 U.S. presidents as of January 2017, along with the defining issues of their eras.   U.S. Presidents 1789-1829 The earliest presidents, most of whom are considered to be Founding Fathers of the United States, are usually the easiest to remember. Streets, counties, and cities are named after all of them across the country. Washington is called the father of his country for good reason: His ragtag Revolutionary army beat the British, and that made the United States of America a country. He served as the countrys first president, guiding it through its infancy, and set the tone. Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration of Independence, expanded the country tremendously with the Louisiana Purchase. Madison, the father of the Constitution, was in the White House during the War of 1812 with the British (again), and he and wife Dolley had to famously escape the White House as it was burned by the British.  These early years saw the country carefully begin to find its way as a new nation. George Washington (1789-1797)John Adams (1797-1801)Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)James Madison (1809-1817)James Monroe (1817-1825)John Quincy Adams (1825-1829) U.S. Presidents 1829-1869 This period of U.S. history is marked by the searing controversy of slavery in the Southern states and compromises that tried -- and ultimately failed -- to solve the problem. The Missouri Compromise of 1820, the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 all sought to deal with this issue, which inflamed passions both North and South. These passions ultimately erupted in secession and then the Civil War, which lasted from April 1861 to April 1865, a war that took the lives of 620,000 Americans, almost as many as in all other wars fought by Americans combined. Lincoln is, of course, remembered by all as the Civil War president trying to keep the Union intact, then guiding the North throughout the war and then attempting to bind up the nations wounds, as stated in his Second Inaugural Address. Also, as all Americans know, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth just after the war ended in 1865. Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)William H. Harrison (1841)John Tyler (1841-1845)James K. Polk (1841-1849)Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)James Buchanan (1857-1861)Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)Andrew Johnson (1865-1869) U.S. Presidents 1869-1909 This period, which stretches from just after the Civil War until the early part of the 20th century, was marked by Reconstruction, including the three Reconstruction Amendments (13, 14 and 15), the rise of the railroads, westward expansion, and wars with Native Americans in the areas where American pioneers were settling. Events like the Chicago Fire (1871), the first run of the Kentucky Derby (1875) the Battle of Little Big Horn (1876), the Nez Perce War (1877), the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge (1883), the Wounded Knee Massacre (1890) and the Panic of 1893 define this era. Toward the end, the Gilded Age made its mark, and that was followed by the populist reforms of Theodore Roosevelt, which brought the country into the 20th century. Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)James A. Garfield (1881)Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885)Grover Cleveland (1885-1889)Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)Grover Cleveland (1893-1897)William McKinley (1897-1901)Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) U.S. Presidents 1909-1945 Three momentous events dominated this time period: World War I, the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II. Between World War I and the Great Depression came the Roaring 20s, a time of immense social change and huge prosperity, which all came to a screeching halt in October 1929, with the crash of the stock market. The country then plunged into a somber decade of extremely high unemployment, the Dust Bowl on the Great Plains and many home and business foreclosures. Virtually all Americans were affected. Then in December 1941, the Japanese bombed the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor, and the U.S. was drawn into World War II, which had been wreaking havoc in Europe since the fall of 1939. The war caused the economy to finally turn up. But the cost was high: World War II took the lives of more than 405,000 Americans in Europe and the Pacific. Franklin D. Roosevelt was president from 1932 to April 1945, when he died in office. He steered the ship of state through two of these traumatic times and left an enduring mark domestically with New Deal legislation. William H. Taft (1909-1913)Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945) U.S. Presidents 1945-1989 Truman took over when FDR died in office and presided over the end of World War II in Europe and the Pacific, and he made the decision to use atomic weapons on Japan to end the war. And that ushered in whats called the Atomic Age and the Cold War, which continued until 1991 and the fall of the Soviet Union. This period is defined by peace and prosperity in the 1950s, the assassination of Kennedy in 1963, civil rights protests and civil rights legislative changes, and the Vietnam War. The late 1960s were particularly contentious, with Johnson taking much of the heat over Vietnam. The 1970s brought a watershed constitutional crisis in the form of Watergate. Nixon resigned in 1974 after the House of Representatives passed three articles of impeachment against him. The Reagan years brought peace and prosperity as in the 50s, with a popular president presiding. Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974)Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977)Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) U.S. Presidents 1989-2017 This most recent era of American history is marked by prosperity but also by tragedy: The attacks of Sept.11, 2001, on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and including the lost plane in Pennsylvania took 2,996 lives and was the deadliest terrorist attack in history and the most horrific attack on the U.S. since Pearl Harbor. Terrorism and Mideast strife have dominated the period, with wars being fought in Afghanistan and Iraq soon after 9/11 and ongoing terrorism fears throughout these years. The 2008 financial crisis was the worst in the U.S. since the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929. George H. W. Bush (1989-1993)Bill Clinton (1993-2001)George W. Bush (2001-2009)Barack Obama (2009-2017)Donald Trump (2017- )

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Values and Morals through Native American Myths and Tales Free Essays

Values in Native American Tales Throughout all forms of Native American tales and myths we see many values and aspects portrayed by the Native American people. In the myths that are read, the reader can easily pick off and single off values that the Native American people truly saw were thoroughly important in their time and society. The Native American people believed in many aspects which were usually considered important values for people to possess. We will write a custom essay sample on Values and Morals through Native American Myths and Tales or any similar topic only for you Order Now The thing about Native American myths and tales that is found astonishing is the fact that these stories are most likely improbable but regardless of hat, these stories still depict great human qualities that everyone should have. Native American myths capture the culture and values of the society in which it was produced with the morals involving love and friendship, the relationship between humans and animals and trust and loyalty. Firstly, in opinion one of the biggest values told by the Native Americans has indeed have to be love and friendship. There are several appearances of these two morals throughout the myths, this indicates that the Native Americans did in fact see these values as quite important. Right off the bat, we see in the first story â€Å"The Earth on Turtle’s Back† the animals in the story see the women and instantly try to care for and make sure the women is safe, â€Å"We must do something to help her† this shows somewhat of a base for the love the animals radiate toward the women. As the story progresses we also see quotes such as, â€Å"Look, she doesn’t have webbed feet. I don’t think she can live in the water. † This is also another form showing love and friendship because Native Americans are extremely caring toward one another, even if that life form isn’t even of the same species. Also in the myth â€Å"Iroquois Constitution† we see quotes such as, miour heart shall be filled with peace and good will and your mind filled with yearning for the welfare of the people of the confederacy. † If Native Americans pledge to live peacefully and become a part of the confederacy they will have unity, or friendship with each other. On the other hand, love and friendship are not the only values truly seen in these myths, another big one would have to be the relationship between humans and animals. Relating back to the tale â€Å"The Earth on Turtle’s Back† it is easily seen that there is a strong relationship etween the animals and the human. â€Å"l have heard that there is Earth far below the waters. If we dive down and bring up Earth, she will have a place to stand. † This shows how the animals saw how helpless the women was and knew they had to help her. Also in the tale â€Å"When Grizzlies walked Upright† the daughter of the sky chief accidently gets caught up with the grizzlies and the Mother Grizzly watches out for and protects the daughter. Also as the story advances the daughter actually marries one of the grizzlies, â€Å"When she became a young woman she and the eldest son of the rizzly bears were married. † In the story the bear and the daughter got married, this is a very straightforward point shown that Native Americans thoroughly believed in the relationship between humans and animals. Finally, the last value strongly represented throughout the myths is the aspects ot trust and loyalty. This is one ot the only aspects that in a way was executed in each of the myths. In â€Å"When the Grizzlies Walked Upright† the Mother Bear makes a loyal decision to send one of the grizzlies to tell the Chief where the daughter was, â€Å"Then she sent her eldest randson in a cloud to the top of Mount Shasta to tell the spirit chief where he could find his long-lost daughter. The Mother Bear was so loyal to the chief that even knowing the chief would be rather angered, a grizzly was still sent to spread awareness of the lost daughter. The tale of â€Å"The Navajo Origin Legend† shows trust, even though it may not seem at first. In the story the people are practicing a ceremony where the people have to trust their elders, â€Å"Then they told the people to stand at a distance and allow the wind to enter. † The people have to trust the elders nd listen to them in order for the ceremony to work properly. But like what was stated, all stories give off the general idea that everyone should accept the values of trust and loyalty. Such how in the â€Å"Iroquois Constitution† all of the states have to have trust in the constitution and pay loyalty to one another. In â€Å"The Earth on Turtle’s Back† the animals have to have trust in each other that one of the animals will in fact bring up the Earth. In conclusion, it is easily seen that there are several aspects and values that the Native Americans want people to accept and live by. By reading these myths and stories, it really does give us an in-depth idea of how the Native American people wanted people to act and treat one another. In almost every tale ever told by the Native Americans there is something to take from it, the Native Americans truly wanted everyone in this world to be good, genuine people. Although there are so many aspect presented by these people, it’s hard to single out which are considered the most important. From reading the stories though, one can conclude that the three main aspects given to us involve love and friendship, the relationship between How to cite Values and Morals through Native American Myths and Tales, Papers

Sunday, May 3, 2020

None Provided8 Analysis Essay Example For Students

None Provided8 Analysis Essay What do we think of when we hear the word sweatshop? Many people associate that word with female immigrant workers, who receive very minimal pay. The work area is very dangerous to your health and is extremely unsanitary work place. The work area is usually overcrowded. That is the general stereotype, in my eyes of a sweatshop. All if not more of these conditions were present in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. This company was located in New York City at 23-29 Washington Place, in which 146 employees mainly women and girls lost their lives to a disastrous fire. A superficial examination revealed that conditions in factories and manufacturing establishments that developed a daily menace to the lives of the thousands of working men, women, and children (Cornell 29). Lack of precautions to prevent fire, inadequate fire-escape facilities, unsanitary conditions were undermining the health of the workers. The need for an investigation was starting to be recognized. The hazards to life because of fire are: covering fire prevention, arrangement of machinery, fire drills, inadequate fire-escapes and exits, number of persons employed in factories and lofts, etc. Some of the dangers to life and health because of unsanitary conditions are: ventilation, lighting and heating arrangement, hours of labor, etc. There was no insulation in the winter, only a pot-bellied stove in the middle of the factory. In the summer you suffocated with practically no ventilation. There was no drinking water, except maybe a tap is in the hall, which was warm and dirty. New York is the first state in the Union to authorize a general investigation of the conditions in manufacturing establishments within its borders. According to the preliminary report of the census of 1910, there were 1,003,981 men, women, and children employed in the factories and manufacturing establishments of New York State. New York has already expended great sums of money to conserve its natural resources. The conservation of human life, the most valuable of all things, has received but little attention. Fires and industrial accidents are fortunately only occasional and extraordinary events. Their effects are visible and immediate so they are impressed forcibly upon our minds.The Triangle Shirtwaist Company was in a fireproof loft building that was about 150 feet high, and it is about 12 stories in height. These buildings are usually of such a height that the Fire Department ladders and extensions and even the water towers do not reach the upper stories. While the fireproof building itself will not burn, the merchandise, wooden floors, and contents will burn. All fire experts assume that when a fire occurs on any one floor, the contents of that floor will be destroyed. Ladders can not reach over eighty feet high; therefore people must try the stairways or fire escapes to get out of the building. The fire escape was a lone ladder running down a rear narrow court, which was smoke filled, one narrow door gave access to the ladder (Boston, Bedford 1998). The conditions and reasons for death of many women in that fire was mainly overcrowded, unsafe, sweatshop conditions. The Honorable Walter L. Fischer, Secretary of the Interior, in an address before the Fifteenth Annual Meeting of the National Fire Protection Association, states that the situation admirably:If the Government should suddenly lay an annual tax of $5. 21 on every man, woman and child in the United States on a promise of spending the money for some useful purpose, that promise would not avail against the storm of protest which would be aroused. Nevertheless, a tax which in the aggregate amounts to that is being paid by the people of this country. It is the annual fire loss of the nation upon buildings and their contents alone. It is expended not in productive enterprise, but in death and destruction, and an even larger sum is annually expended upon fire protection and insurance premiums. .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .postImageUrl , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:hover , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:visited , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:active { border:0!important; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:active , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Trade Secrets Essay Not only is this property loss paid by our people, but also, in addition, annually 1,500 persons give up their lives, and nearly 6,000 are injured in fires. Possibly in no other direction is the national habit of waste more clearly exemplified than in the comparative indifference with which we permit such a sacrifice. In no other civilized country are conditions so bad as they are here. It seems ridiculous that a people so apt and so eager to seek out and destroy the mysterious and hidden enemies of mankind should be so slow and sluggish in fighting a foe so plainly in sight and so readily vanquished. We have let the world in seeking out the causes of pestilence and removing them. We are in the very vanguard of the battle against tuberculosis, typhoid and yellow fever, and still we stand apart and let older nations lead the fight against an enemy much more easily conquered.(Cornell 28)In conclusion, I found the sweatshops and the conditions leading up to the fire the most interesting. How could people work in those conditions? I find that this sweatshop is not much different from a modern day sweatshop. The people are working in the same poor conditions for minimal wages. This is one of the most horrific tragedies in United States history, and hopefully now the work environments are improving greatly.Bibliography:

Thursday, March 26, 2020

blog Essays - Business, Customer Experience Management, Marketing

Dissatisfaction can be thoroughly seen in the faces of consumers nowadays. ?Customer complaints now seem to outnumber the heart-warming stories about companies going above and beyond. The same survey found that people frequently complained about having to speak with too many representatives before an issue was addressed: about company staff failing to take responsibility for customer satisfaction, and allowing bureaucratic policies to get in the way of satisfactory solutions.?(Driggs, 2009) Lack of understanding of firms from the demands of their customers and their deficiency in having dynamic ability to become accustomed to it agitate customers. The problems in buying products in market are the lack of quality service, strategic decisions, and failure to recognize the relevance of customer complaints. First of all, the lack of quality in the service provided by the company employees and representatives causes exasperation. This shows lack of knowledge in producer-consumer interaction which can be seen from the smallest to the biggest forms of business. I have come across many local stores in malls and bazaars such as those in Divisoria that have been swarmed with number of complaints. This signal that they must start to pay attention needed in conveying high quality products and services and support for their customers. Such foci are needed to get the desirable customer response. The personnel who deal directly with the customers should be trained to have the expertise, comprehension, and skills to efficiently handle customers? protest. Lack of quality service entails another problem which is the utilization of data used in decision making process. Too much dependency on what has been researched in the past cannot fully determine the future of current business undertakings. In other words, adequate sources and proper trainings cannot solely guarantee a successful dealing with customer issues. People?s preference is vibrant; sticking to one program will never result in a precise comportment and will never be truly appreciated by buyers. These reasons will make consumers go to competitors for more convenient ways of getting what they want. Different concepts should be used to view displeased customers in a new light. The inability to recognize the relevance of customer complaints is even more of a dilemma in several business firms. It is not always a bad thing to have customer complaints because it is part of the research process of finding out the weakness of the products and services being offered. But the fact that these are not being acknowledged and properly conveyed to the appropriate people in the business will not lead them to a pure understanding of their company?s product. In an age of powerful consumers marketing researchers must understand how consumers think and behave. This is the only way to make them understand the value of the goods and services that you provide. Flexibility in strategies? use will make consumers understand the firm?s core marketing message and what makes it unique from other competing forces. Analyzing the root causes and having proper communication will help prevent significant market damage to business? relationship with their consumers. All in all, business must have the endeavor to see the whole picture of the consumers? experience. In which things should be done with an understanding in the right set of conditions and priority of consumers? preferences. I can truly see that stores which apply more of these notions are more trustworthy and certain of their customers? loyalty. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Driggs, Woody(2009). Your Customers want you to know them. The Tipping Point. www.destinationCRM.com

Friday, March 6, 2020

The role of bottom up and top down processes in visual perception Essays

The role of bottom up and top down processes in visual perception Essays The role of bottom up and top down processes in visual perception Paper The role of bottom up and top down processes in visual perception Paper Theories of perception tend to explain how the visual system operates in terms of two kinds of processes: bottom up, data driven ones, that are pre-attentive, and are a consequence of how the nervous system is structured and top down or concept driven processes which rely on experience, inference and expectations. Apart from the retina, the rest of the visual system has two way connections ( for example the interplay between the lateral geniculate nuclei and the visual cortex), and thus top down processing is an obvious implication of the manner in which the human anatomy is organised. Gestalt psychologists have described how we organise sensation to perceive separate objects: and have developed a number of rules for figure ground organisation. The basic laws of Gestalt are: proximity, similarity, closure, and good continuation. But physiological evidence for the internal existence of their laws (which they termed isomorphism and believed to be based on electrical fields in the brain) has not been found. Lashley et al (1951; cited in Eysenck, M. 1998) were unable to affect vision by disrupting the electrical fields in the cortex of monkeys. However, the grouping theories that they have described occur in perception even at short durations of less than 100 m/s, this suggests that they must be a bottom up process. Template theories suggest that copies of the objects are stored in the long term memory, which are matched against to produce pattern recognition. This theory is completely concept driven, and thus only those objects stored in memory can be seen and novel objects cannot be perceived at all. Since one object needs various templates to represent all the different shapes and sizes that result from viewing a 3D object, it requires an almost infinite numbers of templates to be stored, and accessed. Feature theorists solve the problem by breaking an image into basic features, which are compared with similar patterns in the memory. So called feature detectors, identified by Hubel and Weisel(1959, 1968) as single cortical cells, identify specific(simple) features in their receptive field such as curves, angles, or straight edges. Other complex cells respond to angles, or movement and process the information on a different level, each level adding another layer of sophistication to the visual stimulus. Typified by Selfridges pandemonium model, feature net models explain perception entirely in terms of data driven processes. They do not account for the complexity of a human environment, or explain the importance of context. Both approaches are unified in a bi-directional model of pattern recognition, such as that offered by Mcclelland, Rumelhart, and Hinton (1986; cited in Gleitman 1999). This system offers answers where there is ambiguity, and bi-directional inhibition of alternative detectors explains why priming effects result in faster reaction times. This model begins with a knowledge-driven hypothesis, which makes the visual system more sensitive to data from feature detectors. The important difference is that each level is capable of influencing any other level, in both directions, and thus the term parallel processing has be used. Thus when presented with the ambiguous dalmation figure figure, data driven processing alone is not able to organise the stimulus into a recognisable pattern, but after being told what to look for, the task is easily solved. A major achievement of our visual system is the creation of a three dimensional reality, from a flat retinal image. Depth cues describe how this is achieved. There is evidence to suggest that depth cues in simpler animals such as salamanders is innate (see Spery, 1943; cited in Coren et al, 1994). Visual cliff experiments show that depth cues are used by a wide range of very young animals (Walk and Gibson, 1961; cited in Gleitman, 1999). Binocular depth perception has been found in humans as young as four months( Granrud, 1986; cited in Coren et al 1994). However, depth perception is improved, as with dark reared kittens, through learning during sensitive periods in an animals development (see Tees, 1974; cited in Coren et al, 1994). Monocular or pictorial depth cues such as occlusion and familiar size offer information about relative distances in the world around us. Since these cues are learned they must be examples of top down processes. As evidence of this Turnbull (1961; cited in Chandler.) found that forest dwelling pygmies, unused to environments requiring long range depth perception, applied size constancy only over short distances. They interpreted a far off herd of buffalo as insects. Other learned cues are texture gradients, height in the plane, linear and aerial perspective Binocular depth cues are now believed to be physiological. These include accommodation, convergence, retinal size and stereopsis. Julesz (1959) illustrated that the visual system is able to reconstruct three dimensional perception from random dot stereograms , in the absence of any other depth cues. This occurs when the visual system is able to match and fuse the disparate images in each retina. In other words, stereopsis produces form and not the other way around. In support of this Bishop and Pettigrew (1986; cited in Coren et al, 1994) located disparity tuned detectors in the in the visual cortex of cats. Marr and Poggio (1976) solved the matching problem of how the visual system is able to match which element in each eyes view belong together, and how alternative fusional possibilities are eliminated. Evidence of neurons that respond to crossed (near) and uncrossed (far) disparities have been found in monkeys (Poggio and Fischer, 1997; cited in coren et al, 1994). Their computational theory illustrates the level of complexity that an automatic and bottom up process is capable of, and led the way for developments in object recognition. Their model of object recognition allows for a 3 dimensional representation that is independent of the observers viewpoint. Earlier models such as template matching theories were confounded by the enormous variation that any one object has in three dimensions. It is important to note that various depth cues may be used at once, and the effectiveness of a particular cue will be determined by its reliability in the past. Ittleson (1951; cited in Coren et al, 1994) presented participants with different sized playing cards in a dark room. Since all other depth cues were lacking the largest cards were perceived as being closer, thus illustrating how retinal size was interpreted in terms of past experience (familiar size). Our ability to combine depth cues then is learned. Biedermans Geon theory of object recognition (1987, 1990) is a development of computational theories. It reduces the information about the components of a visual object to 36 basic shapes or Geons, which are matched in the long term memory. The success of the theory relies on the understanding of non-accidental properties, those aspects of a perception that do not change as we look at an object from a different angles (for example symmetry, parallel lines, curvature). Biedermans theory explains object recognition as consisting of various processes. Thus patients with visual agnosia are able to recognise each separate aspect of an object: a brush made of handle and bristles, but are incapable of organising the features into a recognisable whole. However, the theory relies on bottom up processes and does not explain the importance of context in object recognition. This was illustrated by Bruner et al (1951; cited in Eysenck, M. 1998) who found that hypotheses or expectations (top down processes) might influence perception of colour. Thus playing cards of irregular colours, such as black hearts, were reported as brown or purple. The implication is that bottom up processing is used in optimal viewing conditions, and supplemented by top down processes, in less than optimal viewing conditions. Gregory (1970, 1980) a constructivist, used the Muller-Lyer illusion to illustrate how context might be applied to perception, in this case in terms of misapplied size constancy. He suggests that the line that appears as longer reminds us of the inside corner of a room, thus we interpret it as further away than the other figure. Since the retinal images are the same size, the visual system mistakenly infers that the line on the right must be bigger. Experiments reported in 1966 by Segall, Campbell and Herskovitz (cited in Chandler) suggested that the Mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ller-Lyer illusion may be absent or reduced amongst people who grow up in right-angle free environments. This would indeed be evidence for knowledge driven influence on perception. However, Gross (1992; cited in Eysenck,M. 1998) found the same illusory effect when the arrows were replaced with other shapes, that could not represent the 3D corners. Helmholtz, and later Gregory (1978) and Rock (1983) exemplify the Intelligent Perception approach. In their view, visual perception of space goes beyond the image itself to include previous experience and habitual cognitive processing strategies. The main problem with the constructivist approach is that many of the top down effects described are produced in a lab, under brief exposure in conditions removed from everyday life. As Tulving et al (1964; cited in Gleitman, 1999) found, top down processing is important under ambiguous circumstances, such as brief exposure of a stimulus, where bottom up processes are reduced in effectiveness. But we would expect that perception would be inaccurate much more of the time, if expectation plays such an important role. This just isnt the case in everyday life. Gibsons direct perception approach is a bottom up ecological theory, which suggests that automatic higher-order patterns between such elements as size, shape and distance remain the same as we move around, and are used to produce a coherent view of the world. They explain the phenomena of size and shape constancy. Thus, although the size of the retinal image may change as we move closer to the visual stimulus, other relationships between visual elements are invariant. However,Size constancy can be found even when other relationships between object and background such as texture cues are absent from the visual scene. Also, as distance cues are reduced, size constancy is also reduced, (see Holway and Boring, 1947; cited in Gleitman, 1999). Favouring one process over another in perception, as reflected in the opposition between constructivist and direct perception theories is too limiting to explain all of the evidence. Innate components exist and are important, but to achieve high levels of visual functioning, these components must mature, and experience allows this to happen. Both processes may occur together, or in sequence, but both must occur. The idea that perception is immediate and begins with primitive features has been investigated in the work of Treisman through Feature Integration Theory. She suggests that primitive features do not have to be analysed or located, they jump in to perception effortlessly. Measuring response times in visual search tasks, differences in shape, colour, orientation and direction of movement embedded in a display, are perceived very quickly. Thus a single letter O embedded in a display of many Vs can be perceived as fast as a single O between only two Vs. This indicates that the visual system doesnt have to inspect every detail to determine whether it has relevant properties and implies that this process is pre-attentive. However, perception of a collection of features is not as immediate, and when presented with features such as a colour and a letter simultaneously for 200 m/s, certain illusory conjunctions were apparent: letters were identified, but their colours were often confused or swapped (see Treismann and Gelade, 1980; cited in Gleitman, 1999). Thus indicating that coordinating several features in a stimulus requires a discrete step that occurs after that of feature identification. This stage requires active focal attention. Importantly, the process is independent of the stimulus, and involves selecting a locus in space, and integrating the features there into a perceptual object. Feature integration is less prone to error when we know which objects to expect. This aspect of the process involves attention, which is an important conceptually driven aspect of perception.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Managing change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing change - Essay Example Clearly, there is a separation of vision within the executive leadership group mandating an immediate necessity to unify this group by way of establishing a singular strategic goal for securing the banks continued growth and obtaining policies which enhance internal productivity. A common purpose derived of senior-level unity of vision is a missing element from the organizational climate and this level of division is having a profound trickle down effect on the banking staff which further creates a disorganized and uncertain culture. Further, the rigid top-down leadership hierarchy of command established within the bank prevents empowering staff to utilize their vast skills through self-managed contributions. The breakdown of communication in the Australian Regional Bank can best be defined in the organizations lack of development regarding customer relationship management and this collapse of communication is impacting productivity on all levels. Despite the banks history of substantial successes, radical change in terms of internal practice is proposed in order to move forward as a cohesive business entity. Developing a common purpose within the executive leadership group should be recognized as a primary objective in order to establish a clear path forward in terms of how the company intends to sustain growth in its industry. While some new executives continue to resist the direction proposed by the Chief General Manager, others are attempting to mimic opposing successes established in the executives previous career position. This division amongst leadership is substantially visible to the bank employees, creating a sense of confusion, doubt, and mistrust in terms of perceived manager/employee relationships. Lack of management visibility and support, especially for companies experiencing a transitional phase, will directly affect employees perceptions about whether or not the company is well-managed (Boles & Sunoo, 1998). Faith in

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Do We Need More or Less Regulation Research Paper

Do We Need More or Less Regulation in the Internet - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the United States is the top-ranked country with the highest host density1in cyberspace, ranked at 65.3%. It is a country that allows a high degree of competition to its new users, and so carries a great deal of responsibility on its shoulders. More importantly, in the US, IP telephony is unregulated because it is considered to be an information service. And given the high population of the internet community of the United States, regulation is not only a recommendation but a valid requirement. Unless properly regulated, the trends of internet usage promise a disastrous picture in the long run for the United States - both economically as well as socially. Socially, because the United States legislation, known for its strict regulatory framework on the international front, would prove to be a negligible threat to the ever-increasing community of Internet hackers, thieves, virus-creators, and so on. However, the economic numbers are far mo re intimidating. Hacking costs the United States economy close to $400 million every year2. Given the ever-multiplying community of internet unscrupulous minds, this number is a cause for grave concern. This dangerous figure of $400 million is the testimony to the fact that the security of cyberspace in the United States stands dangerously exposed, and unless serious steps are taken to amend the prevailing situation, cyberspace faces the risk of unscrupulous domination in the years to come. We live in a digital age. Most of our world is comprised of data and bytes instead of flesh and blood. In such a case, the need for internet regulation becomes imperative. The lack of internet regulation will lead to a state of cyber anarchy, a state of complete lawlessness where we will have no one else to blame except ourselves. The time has come for us to decide which is more important to us: Digital safety or artificial freedom. The main reason for internet regulation is its great influence o n our life - whether it is starting a business, getting legal advice, understanding the theory of relativity, or doing some jewelry shopping. The internet's presence is all-pervasive. For the sake of our expressions and thoughts, we prefer blogs (online internet diaries) instead of conventional methods (it is claimed that there are over 14 million blogs on the internet and one blog is created every half a second!). For starting a business, we prefer an online business as compared to the traditional brick-and-mortar. And for buying something, we prefer e-bay to the store on Regent Street. Yes, the internet has given us what we always wanted - absolute freedom. But is freedom all that is required Unless there is a sense of responsibility accompanying it, freedom will be a synonym of lawlessness. And in the present circumstances, we are witnessing a dangerous event of cyber anarchy. Just like anything else, the internet is to be used in a responsible manner.

Monday, January 27, 2020

An Environmental Risk Assessment Environmental Sciences Essay

An Environmental Risk Assessment Environmental Sciences Essay All over the world, rapid industrial development of metropolitan cities have always resulted in a growth in population and also in the general increase of the size of municipal solid waste generated. The management of municipal solid waste, if not handled properly, will lead to various problems now and in the future. Developed countries in the world have, to a large extent succeeded in handling their waste using various principles and methods. From suitable collection methods to technologically advanced disposal methods, they have made sure that municipal solid waste has been effectively controlled in their cities. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about other developing countries of the world. Developing countries such as Nigeria are still battling with municipal solid waste management. As a direct result of the oil boom, Port Harcourt city, the capital of Rivers State, Nigeria (which is the case study of this research work) has experienced a major rural- urban migration. The population has almost tripled over the years. This has, in turn, led to a massive increase in the sheer volume of solid waste generated within the city.. Approximately 168,201 tonnes of solid waste are produced in the city of Port Harcourt every year and waste disposal has not been effectively handled. Residents resort to indiscriminate discarding of their waste at every given opportunity The most common means of waste disposal in the city by the public are mainly by dumping the refuse by the road, burning the refuse in the open air in their compounds, littering it openly on street corners and also dumping them in rivers and streams and drainage systems. These methods of waste disposal contribute greatly to the degradation of the environment in so many ways. However, very little is done to reuse and recycle the solid waste generated. Research shows that a huge percentage of the public do not recycle and reuse their wastes which indicates that the awareness level of the public about reuse and recycling of waste in Port Harcourt city is very low and offers a lot of prospect for improvement. This study therefore investigates the reasons why proper waste disposal methods are neglected by residents of Port Harcourt. It also seeks to discover why the method of Reuse and Recycle of waste is not getting the awareness and Government support it greatly deserves. Recommendations were made about strategies that will allow the government and stakeholders involved to advance on modern methods of waste Reuse and Recycling as a core aspect of municipal solid waste management in the city. Through the use of data collated via questionnaires, it was gathered that a majority of respondents agree that reuse and recycling of waste can positively impact the environment, create revenue and also employment opportunities. It reconnoitres the link between reuse and recycling of solid waste as a means to create revenue and to ultimately achieve sustainable development in the future. CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND OF STUDY According to Shah (2000), solid waste is defined as any material that is unwanted or thrown away. The general community views waste as something worthless that should be destroyed or thrown away. As such, proper disposal of waste has constituted huge disposal problems. People commonly dump their household solid waste on the road side, unapproved dumpsites and illegal landfills. This has brought about untold environmental pollution as well as major setbacks in societal development (Mbata 2010). Waste in general is a threat to the environment, because of its negative environmental impacts that result from littering, dumping of wastes illegally, and greenhouse gas emissions (Hosetti 2006). Waste contaminates ground water and can cause serious health hazards if not handled and managed properly. In developing countries like Nigeria and indeed Africa in general, industrial development has enhanced the problems of rapid urbanization. In Nigeria today, solid waste management is one of the principal problems faced by the state and local government authorities in Nigeria. Solid waste management in Nigeria is basically pigeon-holed by ineffective collection and disposal methods (Ogwueleka 2009). As such, Ogu (2000) observed that solid waste management continues to remain a formidable challenge to most developing countries. The progression of civilization in developing nations such as Nigeria has greatly enhanced waste generation; making it even more complex to handle (Jayarama, 2011). Owing to the growing population of Nigeria, the volume of waste produced is also increasing in metropolitan cities like Port Harcourt, especially as it is an oil producing area and the exploration of oil has led to an increase in movement of people from rural to urban areas (Odiba, 2009). This rapid expansion of key cities in Nigeria, like Port Harcourt, has led to the dilapidation of the environment mostly by domestic waste (Onyinlola, 2005). According to UNEP (2009) population growth and industrialization has resulted in rapid increase in the types and volume of solid waste generated therein. Research shows that relocation of the people from rural to urban areas does not only increase the revenue of the country, but also increases the total volume of municipal solid waste generated in such areas. (Adedokun, 2009). Municipal solid waste disposal methods are an aspect that raises serious concern in a third world country such as Nigeria. The common methods of solid waste disposal in some countries especially Nigeria is by landfill, open dumping on the streets, and by burning the waste in backyards or in an open space. Unfortunately, roughly 65% of household wastes are dumped straight into rivers or streams in Nigeria (Rakshit 2009). The use of dumpsites and landfills as waste disposal systems is yet another common means of waste disposal in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. This leads to very negative environmental impacts such as the emission of methane gas which contributes essentially to global warming and also reduces the amount of land available for development (Olowomeye 2010). Dumping of waste in landfills also leads to ground water contamination of the entire surrounding areas. Okosun(2011) also observed that uncontrolled dumping of wastes by roadsides results in various health hazards and reduces the aesthetic quality of the environment. Through research shows that the problems associated with waste disposal can be traced back to the 14th century when the littering of food waste and other solid wastes in the town led to the outbreak of diseases that caused the death of half of the Europeans at the time (Bortoleto 2011). Over the years, research has continually shown that the main reason for solid waste problems in urban areas of developing nations is due to high population growth rates and the prevailing poverty (Affun 2009). The economic and social growth of a country or city always results in increased production and manufacturing activities. This, in turn, leads to activities that are synonymous with human existence such as production, manufacturing, waste generation and disposal. As a direct result of the processes of manufacturing and disposal of consumables, there is a significant increase of the rate of pollution. This depletes valuable natural resources and also releases toxic energy which pollutes the environment, making sustainable development impossible to achieve. Sustainability as a word has always been used in our everyday lingo. According to Hideroni (2006) it is defined in a perspective of natural environmental protection, population growth and economic gap between developed and developing countries. Sustainable development entails an environmentally comprehensive, cost effective and socially suitable management of solid waste (Roberts, 2003). Sustainable development is a theory that has to be integrated into the everyday lives of the populace if we want to achieve a better quality of life for our unborn children (Dernbach, 2002). In the recordings of the International Council for Local Initiatives(ICLI),sustainable development is such that provides environmental, social and economic amenities to all citizens of the society without disrupting the capability of the natural built social systems upon which the delivery of these services depend on. The main aim of sustainable development is to regenerate the badly damaged environment and ensur e that generations unborn do not face the adverse effects of our neglect on the environment. Therefore, solid waste management with sustainable development in mind encourages countries to generate less waste, re-use most consumables, recycle and try their utmost best to recover and reuse all the waste produced, thereby ensuring that the future generation are not affected by the impacts of the current generation (Mbata 2010). Sustainable development is a concept that needs to be taken into attention for effective waste management. With regards to this, countries all over the world including Nigeria, are striving to achieving sustainability (Hasheela, 2009). Therefore, all necessary steps and precautions should be taken to achieve this goal PROBLEM STATEMENT Having a population of over 165million people and an annual growth rate of 5.6%, Nigeria is considered the largest country in Africa. Growth rate of urban areas in Nigeria has increased from 25% in 1975 to 46% in 1995(George,2010) Estimates by the World Bank indicate that by the year 2005, more than 65% of Nigerians would have migrated to urban areas such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Delta, Calabar and Abuja (Alkali, 2005). The cause for this relocation is essentially due to oil exploration activities of oil companies in these areas. As a result of this, the wastes generated from these areas have been on the increase and its disposal and effective management is a huge challenge to the government and municipalities involved. It can be observed that the major problem associated with solid waste management comes about due to the large heaps of refuse dumped illegally by the road sides and market places (Odiba 2003). As horrid as it sounds, it is still common practise in Nigeria to dump wast e illegally without thinking of the impact of such practices on our environment. Waste management problems in Nigerian cities according to (Ogwueleka 2009) are typically associated with lack of concern and participation from the general public. He further stated that most of the waste policies are made without putting the public, who are the main waste generators, into thought. The manner, in which waste is controlled in Port Harcourt, Nigeria (the study area) is a big threat to the environment and can cause health hazards (Hasheela2009). A plethora of health hazards such as malaria fever, typhoid fever, diarrhoea, cholera and even skin diseases have been shown to be the effects of poor waste management in any environment (Guobadia 2011). It is needless to say that ineffective waste management is a big danger to the goal of sustainable development and if no positive advances are made in the area of managing waste, there will be catastrophic, long term environmental impacts on the people now and generations unborn. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES AIM The principal aim of this project is to examine and discover the various ways how the Reuse and Recycling of Municipal Solid Wastes can lead to sustainable development and revenue generation. To establish, through comprehensive analysis and statistical analysis that waste Reuse and recycling the most suitable method of Municipal Solid Waste Management in a developing country such as Nigeria and can ultimately lead to Sustainable development. Objectives To evaluate the various already existing techniques/methods of Municipal Solid waste collection and disposal in Port Harcourt city and Nigeria as a whole. To determine, based on an Environmental Risk Assessment, the most significant waste related risk currently in the case study area (Port Harcourt) To appraise the present level of awareness shown by the public and the current efforts of the government in creating more awareness and providing environmental education to members of the public on efficient, environmental friendly methods of waste disposal such as Reuse and recycling. To explore the barriers that prevents the reusing and recycling of the major components of Municipal solid waste such as paper waste, plastic waste. To deal with Solid waste reuse and recycling as important aspects of national economy and environmental as a means of sustainable development and revenue generation. Research Questions This study is concerned with achieving sustainable development and potential revenue generation through Reuse and Recycling as a method of Municipal Solid Waste Management. It will seek to answer the following: Why is there a need to reuse and recycle municipal solid waste? In what ways can Reuse and recycling of municipal solid waste lead to the achievement of sustainable development? Can Revenue generation be guaranteed through the continuous use of reuse and recycling as the core method of municipal solid waste management? 1.5 Significance of study Sustainable development is the ultimate goal of every society and should be pursued with all diligence. This research highlights the significance of municipal solid waste (such as paper glass and plastics) as useful resources through reuse and recycling towards Sustainable development and revenue generation for Port Harcourt city and Nigeria as a country. 1.6 Scope and limitation of study This project work was limited to only the processes of reuse and recycling of municipal solid waste as a means to sustainable development in Port Harcourt city. Only recyclable waste such as plastics, paper and glass were used as a case study because they are the major waste materials found in municipal solid waste in Port Harcourt. However, all other processes of municipal waste management such as composition, collection, transportation and disposal were also looked to during the course of this research. 1.7 Structure of Study Chapter 1 gives an introduction to the research, covers the background of the study, discusses its aims and objectives, and also proposes relevant research questions. Chapter 2 details the literature reviews of municipal waste management, views reuse and recycling as a means for sustainable development and revenue generation, and also the present-day situation of waste management in Nigeria Chapter 3 shows the methodology employed for achieving the set aims and objectives of the study. Chapter 4 discusses the results and draws conclusions from the data generated. Chapter 5 finally discusses the summary findings, shows the researchers conclusions and his suggested recommendations for the best way forward. d recommendations for the best way forward. CHAPTER TWO Literature Review 2.1 Definition of Waste Waste is a direct consequence of human existence and activity. It can be said to be totally unavoidable. Different definitions of waste abound. It is, however, important to state that the term waste is very subjective. This is because, what one person may consider as waste can be viewed as an object of high value by another person.(Ajomo, 2010). A very strict legal definition of waste to comply with the law is therefore necessary; as such firm definitions of waste have legal, financial and social implications for the government, local authorities, businesses, and the general public (Williams 2005). In common parlance, waste can be defined as any product or material that is unwanted. Wright (1990) describes waste as anything that has lost its utility value in the sight of the original owner and everyone else in general. However, the European Council framework Directive (waste Framework Directive 75/442/EEC 1975) offers a legal definition of waste. It defines waste as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦any material where the holder has an intention to discard the material as no longer part of the normal commercial cycle of the chain of utility This is the universally recognised definition of waste. Different countries may have slightly different deviations of this definition based on their laws, culture and prevailing times, circumstances and practices. According to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), under the auspices of Provision Decree 42 of 1988, waste is said to be substances or objects which are disposed of, or are intended to be disposed of, or are required to be disposed of by the provisions of the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Omobolaji, 2010) 2.2 Classification of waste There are different types of wastes that can be found all around us. Different nations define/classify waste according to the state in which the waste is formed i.e. solid, gas or liquid or the way the waste is generated. Based on this, waste can be classified Industrial waste, household wastes, medical waste, construction waste, commercial wastes, radioactive wastes, etc. However, in general terms, all these types of wastes can be classed into two main kinds, namely Controlled and Uncontrolled wastes: Controlled Waste Controlled wastes, according to the provisions of the Control of Pollution Act !974 (COPA) are said to be mainly Household waste commercial/ industrial wastes. It is a UK term covering waste subject to a duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act of 1990. Industrial Wastes: these are wastes that are generated as a direct result of industrial practices. They include waste thermoplastics, waste wood cuttings and trimmings etc. However, they do not include plastic medical waste, waste steel cuttings and waste paper (Environmental Law Library 2010). Commercial Wastes: They are the various waste materials gotten from trade and business buildings and activities. Household Wastes: Are those waste products generated from activities inside a residential house. Examples of this kind of wastes are garden waste, paper and cardboard, glass, food remnants, wood etc. Non-Controlled waste Non controlled wastes are classified as those waste products that are not under the direct control and jurisdiction of the appropriate local authority. These kinds of wastes include wastes that are as a direct result of mining and quarrying activities, and agricultural wastes and also, radioactive wastes (Wright, 2003) Agricultural Wastes: These wastes are primarily the types that arise from agricultural activities such as livestock litter. They also include waste pesticides asbestos roofing material and also waste oil coming from machinery, chemicals with hazardous properties etc. Radioactive Wastes: these refer to waste that contain radioactive materials. They usually originate from nuclear power plants, or industries that emit radioactive substances or compounds during the course of their operations( Barnstein,2009) http://www.eauc.org.uk/image_uploads_waste/wasteclassificationframework_large.jpg Figure 2.2.1 Classifications of Wastes (Source: EAUC, 2009) 2.3 Municipal Solid Waste Management Municipal solid waste (MSWs) refers to all the solid waste generated within a given municipality. They are primarily organic and inorganic in nature and are produced in residential homes, office complex, shops, hospitals etc. Although everybody in the society has the duty to dispose of refuse in a decent manner, municipal solid waste is usually the responsibility of the local government authorities (Okogbue, 2001). Municipal solid waste is those wastes collected by metropol5ises independent of the main source of waste (Bernstein, 2009). Such wastes include household wastes; waste produced by business buildings and small neighbourhood stores. They do not, however, include waste from industrial practices or agricultural solid waste (Filemon, 2008) In the words of Robert Klein (2002) municipal solid waste refers to the assemblage, transfer, treatment, recycling, and disposal of solid waste in urban areas. The goal of municipal solid waste management are targeted at promoting the quality of the urban environment, generate employment and income, and protecting environmental health (Ogwueleka, 2009). According to Kit Strangen (2002), municipal solid waste may comprise of some, if not all of the following items: Street garbage/litter or sweepings. Household waste (usually generated from recycling and composting waste deposited by house residents at waste disposal sites). Hazardous waste (in small quantities gotten from households) Garden/green waste and Bulky solid waste also generated from households. Municipal Solid Waste management can be said to encompass all the activities that has to do with handling all the waste generated within a municipality, from the point of source, to the final point of disposal. In the words of McGraw(1993), municipal solid waste management is the discipline attendant with the control of the generation, storage, collection, transfer, processing and control of disposal of solid waste in a manner that is in accord with the best principles of public health, economics, engineering, conservation, aesthetics and other environmental considerations and that is also responsive to public attitudes Bloomberg (1989) described solid waste management as the discipline that deals with the control of generation, storage, collection, transfer, processing, and disposal of solid wastes in a manner that is in agreement with the best principles of public health, economics, preservation, aesthetics and other environmental concerns and that is also responsive to public expe ctations and outlooks. The United Nations (1997) defines solid waste management as the entire process of control and supervision of solid wastes from its point of generation to its end point of disposal. 2.4 Principles of Waste Management Solid waste management has been said to refer to all activities relating to the control, assortment, relocation, treatment and handling of solid waste in agreement with the best values of public living and other environmental considerations (Shan, 2000). Therefore, operative principles of waste management comprises of waste prevention, reduction, recycling, treatment and disposal in the environment (Shan, 2000). Failure to effectively manage waste in the environment leads to rapid degradation and it poses long term problems to everyone. Research has shown that, in order to successfully manage waste and minimise the damaging effects it has on the environment, some strategies should be adopted and implemented: Waste Recovery (waste recycling, re-use and treatment) Prevention of waste generation Environmentally friendly Waste disposal. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Waste_hierarchy.svg/300px-Waste_hierarchy.svg.png Figure 2.4: Waste Management Hierarchy (Source: Liennmann, 2009) These strategies are aimed at reducing the overall amount of waste produced by encouraging proper management of waste. It also aims at recovering as much value as possible from all the waste generated. As shown on figure 2.4, waste prevention should ideally be the first approach to waste management before other options are considered (Klein, 2000). Effective implementation of this waste management hierarchy will lead to a reduction in the volume of the final waste disposed (Hasheela 2009). Magali and Bodart (2010) suggested that for sustainable development to be achieved, waste management activities should be dedicated towards waste reduction, which is at the top of the hierarchy, using the very practicably best environmental choices. Therefore the main aim of the waste management hierarchy is the reduction of waste at source. Waste recovery and reuse should be the secondary aim as they involve other processes such as recycling, composting, and recovery of energy. However, recent studies have shown that the waste management hierarchy strategy is not the most effective. This is because it is not based on any scientific principle.it cannot specifically choose the best system for a city or country to adopt. For example, the waste management strategy cannot equate composting and incineration; or recycling and landfilling in terms of their environmental impacts and cost (Letcher, 2004). This goes to show that the waste hierarchy should be followed flexibly as a guide rather than rigidly in order to achieve a stable environmental, economic and social solution (Raven, 2011) Aside from the above mentioned constraint, implementing this strategy in a developing country such as Nigeria will be difficult. This is because of the prevailing norms of illegal refuse disposal all across the nation. It will therefore entail adequate environmental awareness/education for the public. More so, stringent environmental laws and regulations should be implemented by all concerned. 2.4.1 Prevention of Waste Waste prevention remains the best form of waste management because it is the most effective way of reducing the amount of waste that is generated. It is also the most environmental friendly means has it has absolutely no effect on the environment. It reduces pollution, saves electricity and saves far more energy than all other means of waste prevention (Vallero, 2004). Finkbeiner (2003) stated that the number one priority in waste management should be waste prevention as it is the best way to stop the accumulation of waste and a reduction of loss of resources. This process should be started at the source of production. The primary approach of waste prevention and reduction is for the manufacturers to redesign and package their products with the lowest toxicity and least volume of material. Industrialist and households can also reduce their waste by selective buying and recycle of some products and materials (Angell, 1995). It can be said that waste reduction depends mainly on the consumers and the choices they make. As such production and manufacturing companies should adopt cleaner trends in the production process. They should also try to encouragement the consumers choice to support less wasteful products and services (CEC 2001). This can be achieved through the use of clean technology. Their ability to choose sustainable products that have the least negative effect on the environment is the key to sustainable waste management (Spoolman, 2008). 2.4.2 Recovery of Waste/Energy Recovery is a waste management method whereby the biological, physical or chemical essence of a waste product is altered in order to reduce the effect of such waste on the environment (Cheremisinoff, 2003) Energy can be recovered through various means; example chemical, thermal, physical and biological processes. Some waste management strategies for recovery of energy include: Composting: This is an environmental friendly way of decreasing the volume of waste produced and also producing fertilizer (Bertoldi, 2006). Because of the low negative impact it has on the environment, the European Union has rated this method of waste disposal very high (DEFRA, 2006). It is a microbial based aerobic method that deals with the gains of resource efficiency and creates useful products from waste material that could have otherwise been discarded (USEPA 2011). The process of composting is particularly favoured for use in the tropical and hot climate countries. This is because of the high rate of biodegradation in those regions as a result of the climate. According to Tyler and Scott (1999) almost 70% of the waste streams in developing countries are compostable. The general procedure of composting is such that the organic ratios of municipal solid wastes is isolated from the inorganic portions and then laid bare to composting, this can be done in a mechanized fashion usin g machines and tools to handle the wastes and regulate the composting conditions. Composting can also be semi mechanized in which case the composting process is allowed to occur naturally and less machinery is used. Composting also removes the organic matter in the waste stream thereby improving the recycling and incineration processes. Nevertheless, a number of greenhouse gases such as methane, carbon dioxide etc. are released into the atmosphere during this process, among other things, hence it is obvious that composting has its negative environmental impacts. Incineration: Incineration is another method of reducing municipal solid waste. It essentially entails the combustion of waste materials with the use of an incinerator under temperatures of over 1000 Degree Celsius (Environmental Protection Department, 2005). During the incineration process, solid waste is sorted out on the basis of their combustibility. Thereafter, the combustible materials among the waste are thrown into the incinerator and burnt. Incineration of waste is a highly effective method of reducing waste as studies have shown that it reduces the amount of waste dumped in landfills by up to 80% volume and weight (Roberts, 1978). However, this method is quite capital intensive and also requires high maintenance cost and technical expertise. This is why it is only popular among developed nations and countries such as Nigeria do not readily practice it (World Bank, 2002). Anaerobic absorption : Anaerobic digestion is a biochemical procedure that takes place when there is an build-up of wet organic matter, in the lack of dissolved oxygen. Through the action of anaerobic microorganisms, organic matter is converted to water, methane and new cells. These are then collected and used as gaseous fuel while the soil dregs are used as soil conditioner. Anaerobic absorption also aids processes of landfilling by eliminating sticky organic waste materials that are responsible for gaseous and liquid radiations. It is normally carried out in close tanks that allow for the collection of large portions of biogas produced (Keller, 2007) Studies indicate that this process of waste management reduces the total volume and weight of waste generated by over 25% (Jason, 2009). It is fundamental to create renewable energy from biodegradable waste, rather than contributing to climate change through the release of methane gas that occurs during landfilling and incineration (Marek, 2007) According to EA (2001), methane gas is 20mtimes more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas. The residue gathered from anaerobic absorption comes in both liquid and solid form. This residue is known as digestate and is used to condition the soil and also as a fertilizer. This by-product is used widely on farms in countries like Germany, Sweden, and Austria. (Hardtle,2007) propounds that about 0.46% of electricity needed in the UK can be generated through the anaerobic digestion of food waste. Unfortunately, the usage of anaerobic absorption in developing countries like Nigeria is very limited due to lack of expertise, technology and the relevant infrastructure. Landfilling: For landfilling, the solid waste is dumped and spread over the land and is left for its transformation to humus. This is attained by the biodegradation of the waste matter. Landfilling is the final step in the disposal of waste that cannot be treated or recycled, together with other residues from waste that cannot be collected, separated or handled in any other way (Nemerow,2007) There are three types of landfill carried out in Africa today, namely open or dump landfill, semi controlled or operated landfill and sanitary landfill. Open /dump landfill is the most crude form of landfilling and that is the one still being practiced in most developing countries

Sunday, January 19, 2020

CTLLS Understanding Assessment in Education and Training Essay

Assessment is the act of appraisal, assessing or evaluation of the achievement of a student on a course (Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols, 2006). Similarly, Gravells (2013) defined assessment as the act of judging something or the process of observing students behavior samples and drawing inferences about the abilities and knowledge of the students. Educational assessment, on the other hand, is the process of documenting beliefs, attitudes, skills and knowledge usually in measurable terms. The educational assessment can focus on the learning community, individual learner, the education system, and the institution. When the teachers are doing assessments, they look at the behavior of the student’s by using variety of types of assessment in order to get the most accurate of the overall progress of the students (SQA, 2014). The purposes of types of assessment used in education and training Individual assessment-this is conducted prior intervention or instruction to establish the basis from which the individual growth of the student can be measured. The purpose of this type of assessment is to know the skill level of the student about a project and in helping the teacher in explaining the material more efficiently (SQA, 2001). Formative assessment- this is carried out throughout the project or course in general. The purpose of formative assessment is to aid learning and provide the teacher with the feedback of the work of the students (SQA, 2014). Summative assessment- this is carried out at the end of the project or course generally and are evaluative in nature. The purpose of summative assessment is to assign a course grade to the students and to summarize everything the students have learnt and in finding out if they understood it well. Diagnostic assessment- the purpose of diagnostic assessment is to improve the experience of the learner and their achievement level (SQA, 2014). Informal assessment- these result from the day-to-day spontaneous observations of the teachers of how the students perform and behave in class. The purpose of informal assessment is for the teacher to learn important insights into the abilities, inabilities and misconceptions of the students that might not be accurately represented through other formal assessments (SQA, 2001). The effectiveness of assessment methods used in education and training in relation to meeting the individual needs of learners Observation- formative peer observation helps in the improvement of teaching (Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols, 2006). Summative peer observation, on the other hand, involves evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching used for tenure, promotion and merit of decisions. Peer classroom observations are effective because they offer insights regarding improvement of the individual needs of the learners and in improvement of teaching. Moreover, the teachers will gain new perspectives and ideas about teaching through observation from their colleagues. This will improve the ability of teaching (Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols, 2006) questioning- it is one of the assessment methods used by teaches naturally daily in classroom in testing whether the learners have, understood, learnt and progressed ultimately against the defined learning objectives at the start of the session (Gravells, 2013). Tests- these are undertaken while the learning of the students is taking place with the purpose of improving learning and teaching of the individual students. They are effective since it capture the progress of the student in a program or in the institution (SQA, 2001). Professional discussion- it provides a holistic approach when conducting knowledge assessment and understanding. The method is useful and effective in determining the performance of the candidate and also the candidates’ abilities in decision making and analysis. SQA (2001) asserted that professional discussion method is one of the best ways of testing reliability and validity of the candidates evidence Witness testimony- it is one of the most reliable evidence resources if the witness is authentic. It is effective and a useful tool in helping in authentication of the evidence that the claim of the candidates have produced (SQA, 2014). Assignment- this is a problem solving exercise having clear structure, guidelines and specified length. According to Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols (2006), assignment is specifically suited to the learning outcomes assessment concerned with application of the learning skills and the knowledge and understanding related to a situation involving management of tasks. Assignment is effective as an assessment method since its development is relatively straightforward. It can also access a wide range of both practical and cognitive competencies, furthermore, it provides the candidates with a good opportunity of demonstrating initiatives. Lastly, Gravells (2013) stated that it can be used in integrating assessment across units and outcomes. Case study- according to SQA (2014), it consists of an event description normally in a text, electronic recording or a picture that concerns real situation. The case study is then followed multiple instructions prompting the candidate to analyze the situation, identify core issues and make conclusions before making suggestions or decisions on the course of action. Case studies are effective because it provides good opportunities for the learners to exercise skills in decision making and problem solving. Moreover, it allows the learners to demonstrate skills in time management, information gathering and analysis. Projects- this is an essay substantially written, treating issue or subjects in depth in a formal and methodological manner. The project is always based on literature research for the subject or even original research. Project assessment methods are effective in testing the ability of the learners in applying knowledge critically, evaluating evidence from different sources and drawing valid conclusions from the evidence and finally presenting their ideas in a coherent and clear report (SQA, 2001). Moreover, projects are effective since they allow scope for self-expression, and tests skill of higher order. The internal and external assessment requirements and related procedures of learning programs Internal and awarding organization’s requirements The school setting or a learning institution accepts the drive of improving teaching by making sure that the assessment serve the teaching purpose, and that the teaching is not negatively affected by assessments put in place for accountability. According to Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols (2006), successful teaching is grounded on evidence and are produced by learners during the activities of learning and in assessments, that shows whether; a learner has understood and learned and is capable of applying in different situation despite many attempts of learning and teaching, a learner has not yet understood and showed achievement a learner is ready for learning teaching and learning have not yet been successful Record keeping According to Gravells (2013), the assessors need to keep their assessment records they have undertaken on the learners. It is necessary to keep records because it allows tracking of the learners’ progress. Moreover, the external and internal verifiers will use the records in helping them in selecting sample decision of assessments for review. Lastly, the records can also be usd when monitoring the quality assurance activities in the school center. Learner tracking Learners tracking as a related procedure of learning program is significant to the assessor in thinking about the leaner during the assessment. According to SQA (2014), in tracking the learner, the assessor need to reflect on the following questions on the way of involving and tracking the learner in the process of assessment. This encourages a sense of ownership to the process of learning: Does the process of assessment match the knowledge acquisition sequence, and skills development in the training/learning program? Have the assessor avoided excessive assessment by making a consideration on the learners’ workloads in across and within subjects? Have the assessor reduce over assessment by finding opportunities of combining the assessments? Can the assessor identify instances of evidence that are naturally occurring? Is the required time for assessment realistic? Have the assessor considered using the e-assessment? Monitoring progress In the educational system, it is very important to know the extent of the progress towards objectives, aims and levels, and therefore the assessment concentrate often on finding out how much have been learnt by the learners. This is either done formally or informally. According to SQA (2001), in worst cases, this assessment type intensifies focus on the accountability disregarding the teaching quality. Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols (2006) indicated that if there is a lot of pressure of achieving targets and to showing progress to the parents, it is likely that the teaching will imitate assessment. Gravells (2013) asserted that this is when the assessment negatively influences teaching. Quality systems They monitor progress of the learners and the assessment and are presented as a tool of improving teaching. This suggests that identifying reasons and remedies is practically the same as identifying gaps. At best, quality systems provide profile that use fine grained on common curriculum, and offer activities for remediation that are online (SQA, 2001). The ways in which minimum core elements can be demonstrated in assessing learners.Minimum core according to SQA (2014) is a way in which the tutor imbedding the functional skills to the learners such as English and mathematics. This can be achieved in different ways such as use of electronic white board activities that promotes ICT skills and English and allow students to a more present approach. Similarly, handouts can be used to ensure the learners have a direction and quantity in learning. The effectiveness of my own assessment practice The most significant factor in meeting the learners’ needs is understanding their individual learning requirements and needs. In my assessment practice, this has been my foundation for achievement especially the classroom environment. Currently in my practice, I have a group of 30 students, and therefore individual assessment of each and every student needs an understanding of each individual need and support for them to achieve the set objectives. My assessment has been effective since I have used multiple assessment methods such as observation and professional discussion hence allowing my students to achieve maximally and holistically. Moreover, my assessment practice has been effective because my rate of course completion is high, student satisfaction is excellent and the direct feedback I get from the industry has been positive. Moreover, I believe my assessment method is excellent because I do keep personal records of my resources and the instructional strategies I applied during my practice that were either useful or not useful. Lastly, I do participate in the informal and formal assessment and moderation in addition to undertaking professional development such as the PD program which I hope will help me in building continuous improvement in my practice. Areas for improvement in your own assessment practice Currently in my practice, there are also some areas that needs improvement. During my practice, I always ensure that I have enough resources in meeting the learners’ needs and for each of the units they learn. The first area that needs improvement is development of new resources and the learning processes since the resources available are limited. The organization where I practice need to put proper measures of ensuring that the resources are available for proper learning and assessment of the learners Secondly, I believe I need to improve on adopting the online and digital method of assessments like the e-assessments. This is because of their reliability compared to other methods. Moreover, e-assessment is easy to use where there are many learners. Moreover, it is easy to make comparison of the assessments results from different learners than using observation method in conducting the assessments. I also think that I should involve my students more in the assessment process than before, and monitor their skill development and progress. This is because the learners are involved in the training because they want to develop knowledge and skills that is needed to compare their training course, get the credentials and then apply their skills in their places of work. Conclusion In conclusion, the essay report discussed the research carried out on assessing learners in education and training. It discussed the purposes of different types of assessment, and analyzed the effectiveness of different assessment methods in relation to meeting the individual needs of the learners. Moreover, I identified the internal and external assessment requirements and related procedures of learning programs. The report also analyzed the ways in which minimum core elements in assessing learners can be demonstrated. Finally, the report reflected on what I have done and presented an evaluation that reviewed the effectiveness of my own assessment practice, taking account of the views of learners and others. Furthermore, it identified areas for improvement in my own assessment practice. References Gravells, A. (2013). The award in education and training. Los Angeles, California: SAGE. Johnson, R. S., Mims-Cox, J. S., & Doyle-Nichols, A. (2006). Developing portfolios in education: A guide to reflection, inquiry, and assessment. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications. Scottish Qualifications Authority. (2001). Guide to internal moderation for SQA centres. Glasgow: Scottish Qualifications Authority. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCIQFjAA&url=http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/ProfessionalDiscussion.pdf&ei=VlqiVKuqGoOAzAOPs4CQCw&usg=AFQjCNEmQ0k81HwhkjtiYiU__r2ft3ZbZA&sig2=UQ4WNDtx642VM1OKCk6wUA&bvm=bv.82001339,d.ZGUScottish Qualifications Authority. (2014).Internal Assessment, External Assessment, and Assessment for Learning — a think piece for those involved in developing assessments. (2014, January 1). Retrieved December 30, 2014, from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCkQFjAB&url=http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/25GuideToAssessment.pdf&ei=VlqiVKuqGoOAzAOPs4CQCw&usg=AFQjCNHimFgXezPk-X8HlGSKZW94HkSMiA&sig2=iFz8zIK5iTW2A_b17JdJqQ&bvm=bv.82001339,d.ZGU Source document