Why the Illegalization of Marijuana Was a Corrupt Decision

Why the Illegalization of Marijuana was Corrupt For most of human history marijuana has been legal and has actually only been illegal for 1% of the period of time of which it has been in use. Many people assume that marijuana was made illegal through some kind of process involving scientific, medical, and government hearings, and that it was to protect the citizens from what was determined to be a dangerous drug. However, some of the actual reasons that marijuana was wrongly banned include racism, protection of corporate profits, and corrupt legislators along with illegitimate widespread fear among citizens of the United States.Throughout the 20th century racism towards Hispanics, Negroes, and even Mormons greatly influenced the negative outlook on the use of marijuana. In the early 1900’s, western states developed high tensions towards the increase of Mexican-Americans that took business from small American farmers because they worked for cheaper wages. One â€Å"differenceà ¢â‚¬  that many Americans highlighted during this time was the fact that many Mexicans smoked marijuana and brought the plant with them. However, one of the first state laws outlawing marijuana may have been influenced, not just by Mexicans using the drug, but because of Mormons using it.Mormons who traveled to Mexico in 1910 came back to Salt Lake City with marijuana. The church’s reaction to this may have contributed to the state’s marijuana law. In Texas, a senator said on the floor of the Senate: â€Å"All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff (marijuana) is what makes them crazy. † In the eastern states racism was again one of the charges connected to marijuana. Some newspaper editorials in 1934 stated that: â€Å"Marijuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men’s shoes and look at a white woman twice. During heavy tensions between whites and all minorities, racism made people fear anything that affected the social or der, and as a result many people started to blindly connect marijuana to increases of inappropriate conduct between whites and minorities. Along with rising fears of social disorder, the protection of profits for some major corporations also contributed to the increasing belief that marijuana should be illegalized. Many people across the nation were already losing profits because of Prohibition and didn’t need something else to affect their businesses as well.William Randolf Hearst, the owner of a major newspaper company had many reasons to want marijuana to be banned. First, he had invested heavily in the timber industry to support his newspaper chain and didn’t want to see the development of hemp paper in competition. He also was extremely prejudiced towards Mexicans because he lost nearly 80,000 acres of timberland to Pancho Villa. As a result of this, he told lies about Mexicans and marijuana and how they were causing an increase in violence across the country.This yellow journalism enabled him to sell an extremely high amount of newspapers which made him very wealthy. In one column sold nationwide, Hearst stated: â€Å"Users of marijuana become stimulated as they inhale the drug and are likely to do anything. Most crimes of violence in this section, especially in country districts are laid to users of that drug. † Another corporation, Dupont chemical company, wanted to help Hearst outlaw marijuana for two main reasons. For one, Dupont had patented nylon and wanted hemp removed as competition.Also, people could grow hemp themselves and would therefore not have to buy medication from Dupont and other pharmaceutical companies. These companies fearing marijuana competition led to many results, one being the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. A man named Harry J. Anslinger was an extremely ambitious man and saw the Bureau of Narcotics (a new government agency) as an excellent career opportunity. His main goal was to bring the illegalization of mar ijuana to the federal level. After two years of planning, Anslinger brought his plan before Congress where the only opposition was from Dr.William C. Woodward who argued that Harry Anslinger and the Bureau of Narcotics were distorting earlier AMA statements that had nothing to do with marijuana and making them appear to be AMA endorsement for Anslinger’s view. Committee members then proceeded to attack Dr. Woodward, questioning his motives in opposing the legislation. After this yellow journalism won over medical science and the bill was passed on where on the floor of the House an American Medical Association committee member stated that the association supported the bill 100 percent.Thereafter, on the basis of that lie, on August 2, 1937, marijuana became illegal at the federal level. Roger Roffman, a professor of social work at the University of Washington, asserted in July 2009 that â€Å"approximately 3. 6 million Americans are daily or near daily users. † Peter R euter, a professor at the School of Public Policy and the Department of Criminology at the University of Maryland, College Park, said that â€Å"experimenting with marijuana has long been a normal part of growing up in the U. S. ; about half of the population born since 1960 has tried the drug by age 21. A World Health Organization survey found that the United States is the world’s leading per capita marijuana consumer. The 2007 National Survey on Drug Use & Health prepared by the U. S. Department of Human Health and Services indicates that over 100 million U. S. citizens over the age of 12 have used marijuana. The 2008 survey found that 35 million Americans were willing to tell government representatives that they had used marijuana in the past year. In 2009, according to a Zogby poll and an ABC News/Washington Post poll, between 46% and 56% of US voters would support legalization.While many people support the fact that marijuana is illegal, they are uneducated in the histo ry of the process to ban the drug. Even though it is proven to have negative effects, if taken in moderation, marijuana has been proven to be less harmful than alcohol. This shows that the large majority of the population does not realize that in the end, a narcotic was banned for reasons that only appealed to certain people, and that because of ignorant members of legislation, the bill was passed without truly being studied in depth.This was a stupid mistake by our federal government which was backed by people with personal issues without any direct relation to the drug marijuana. Works Cited * Guither, Pete. â€Å"Why is Marijuana Illegal? â€Å". drugwarrant. com. Retrieved 17 January 2011. * â€Å"Senate†. New York Times (New York City). February 15, 1860. * Gieringer, Dale H. (2006-06-17). â€Å"The Origins of Cannabis Prohibition in California†

Global Warming, Human or Nature’s Fault?

Along a busy street, a bearded man looking like a prophet is ringing a medium-sized bronze bell in his right hand and holding a sign in his left hand which reads, â€Å"The end is near.† Is humanity to blame or is it just an environmental phenomenon that is induced by nature?This is the overlying debate that has been revolving around the minds of the people of the world. On one hand, there are those who argue that the threat of global warming is human-induced. While on the other hand, there are also those assert that nature is truly the responsible for this. The issue on global warming has always been put as an agenda in the international community for several years now. However, it has only been in the year 2007 that global warming has been given the attention it warrants or deserves.The recent facts and studies made and collected by numerous countries, agencies and organizations across the world have come to an agreement that the world is facing a substantial threat that may cause catastrophic consequences or results that may alter the history of mankind itself. Therefore, in order to battle this threat, the world is trying to understand the primary cause that is making this phenomenon. In doing so, society is looking at either the human explanation or the natural one.Those who are proposing that global warming has been a human-induced product rely on several factors. First of all, they say that the greenhouse gases have been contributing a significant amount of damage that is drastically changing the world’s climate. The major greenhouse gas contributing end-user sectors are the industrial, transportation, residential, commercial and agricultural (U.S. Greenhouse Gas Reports).Moreover, the pollution brought by cars and other heavy machineries such as equipments used in factories are making the atmosphere worse every minute. The fact is that in the United States, more than 90% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the combustion of fossil fuels (U.S. EPA). There are also the problem of dumping garbage and other waste materials. Another factor for human’s induced climate change is deforestation due to the prevailing focus on progress and development.The main cause of deforestation in some countries is the growing population and subsequent higher demand for agriculture, livestock production and fuel wood (Sucoff, 2002, pp. 358 – 359). Finally, the government and private corporations are cutting costs when it comes to being environmentally friendly.The problem or the excuse most are saying is that economic profits or gains will be cut and funds will be needed for the environmentally friendly technologies (Rudiman, 2005, p.153).Others who are proposing that global warming is nature-induced are forwarding the data and research they made scientifically. The basis for their proposal states that global warming is just an environmental phenomenon made by nature itself. They are proposing that this incident have happen ed already in the past as part of a normal cycle the world goes through (Trenberth, 1997).Moreover, there is even geological evidence which states that the earth's climate changes quite a lot; sometimes colder than today and sometimes warmer.   Some have suggested changes in the sun's output of radiation, or changes in the amount of dust in the atmosphere from volcanoes or meteor impacts as natural causes.The earth's climate changes in response to external forcing, including variations in its orbit around the sun and also volcanic eruptions (Robock & Oppenheimer, 2003, p. 360). In addition, the atmosphere to trap reflected sunlight and thus cause the atmosphere to heat up.The two sides are trying to understand the cause of this phenomenon to further gain valuable knowledge and information in dealing with it. But in essence, it is undeniable that global warming poses a substantial threat to society.Works CitedRobock, Alan, and Clive Oppenheimer. Volcanism and the Earth’s Atm osphere,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Geophysical   Ã‚   Monograph 139, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, 360, 2003.Ruddiman, William. â€Å"How Did Humans First Alter Global Climate?† (PDF). March 2005 issue. Scientific American. 153, 2005.Sucoff, E. Deforestation. In Environmental Encyclopedia. (P.g.358-359). Detroit: Gale, 2003.Trenberth, Dr. Kevin. Global Warming: It’s Happening. Natural Science, December 4,   Ã‚   1997.US EPA. Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-1998,   Ã‚   Rep.   Ã‚   EPA   Ã‚   236-R-00-01. US EPA, Washington, DC, 2000.U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory – U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory Reports | Climate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Change – Greenhouse Gas Emissions | U.S. EPA

Let’s analyze the gaming console industry Essay

We can define two types of supplier: the hardware supplier and the software supplier. The hardware suppliers providing the elements needed to build the consoles have a low bargaining power because there have very low switching costs and there are a lot of them. On the other hand, the software suppliers (developers) have a high bargaining power because they choose and set the conditions to work with each console. Entry Barriers Entry barriers are high because of high R&D costs and the high capital investment needed to start a business in the console industry. Internal Rivalry There is high internal rivalry among competitors because the core player market is growing slowly, competitors have high exit barriers and the products developed turn obsoletes in less than 5 years due to the fast progress of technology. The players in the industry are: Sony, XBOX and Nintendo. Buyer Power The bargaining power of buyers is high because there are many options with very low switching costs. Substitutes Low substitute power because they are not very similar (like TV or other entertainment device) and don’t fulfill the same exact purpose. Sony has few competitors due to high barriers-to-entry and startup costs but buyers and suppliers (game developers) have high bargaining power and low switching costs. Sony should target a new market as Nintendo did. We could call this market the casual players market. In order to get in this new segment, Sony will have to develop a more interactive way of using their console without dropping the numerous features to avoid losing their core player market share. The key of success for Sony is to adapt a new technology such as Nintendo did with Wii that will enable the company to target a broader market and not only the males from 16-36 years old. The advantage of entering those two markets with one console is that Sony will enter a bigger market with bigger returns and consequently bigger economies of scales. Also, entering the casual player market is important for the company to avoid falling behind its competitors in both markets since this new segment will enhance the brand exposure and recognition. The risk associated to this option is to turn this high performing console in a low performing console (as Nintendo did) and lose the core players customers that are very important to Sony financial stability and growth. A big challenge for this new console will be to cut costs in order to make it more accessible to customers, since the casual players market will definitely be â€Å"guided† by price. Vis-a-vis the Five Forces, if Sony were to pursue this option, the company will be competing in the core player market and on the casual player market. On the casual player market the substitutes will have more power. Sony will compete with other activities such as watching TV, watching a movie and others living room activities. The main â€Å"purpose† of this market is entertainment in general while the core player market is about playing video games. Update: Sony and Microsoft had already implemented advanced interactive technologies. Nowadays, Microsoft has the most advanced software and hardware that don’t need controllers anymore, just your body.

Problem Based Learning in Medical Education Essay

Problem Based Learning in Medical Education - Essay Example The problem based learning technique is based on adult learning theory, according to which the human absorbing capabilities can be enhanced by juggling their minds and concepts, which can be achieve by giving them a chance to handle and discuss problems. Furthermore, the students are encouraged to mark their own learning goals, the scope of goals get broaden with experience problematic situations, the decision making capabilities can be improved by implementation of program based learning, the decision making activities further enhance their learning, and their critical and analytical approach towards the problem. Although Problem Based Learning is innovative and effectual exercise, 'however PBL does not offer a universal panacea for teaching and learning in medicine, and it has several well recognized disadvantages' (Diana F Wood., ABC of learning and teaching in medicine: Problem based learning). It has been observed that those students who have learned through problem based activi ties have better knowledge retention.

Management Accounting Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management Accounting - Research Paper Example In a case where the building is not being utilized, the cost which is $9000 will be paid. Explanation: The variable unit cost (unit cost of hamburgers) remains the same even if the number of units sold change. However the total cost increases as the increased number units is multiplied by the unit cost. On the other hand the unit fixed cost and total fixed cost (building rent) remains the same since its cost is not dependent on the number of units sold therefore all the cost has to be paid for the rent. Financial accounting illustrates the performance of a business over specific periods (usually at the end of an accounting year). They are directed towards external users of accounting information such as investors and creditors. These accounts typically present a historic view on the financial performance of the business [1] Management accounting is used by the management to record, plan and control the activities of a business and to help in taking decisions. They can be made for any period or accounting year. It provides information for internal users like the employees, managers, and executives of the company. Management accounts largely focus on analyzing historical performance to give budgets and forecasts for the future. [1] GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) and Accounting Standards are followed in financial accounting while in managerial accounting there are no legal requirements to prepare management accounts. [2] Reporting Format In management accounting confidential financial reports are prepared for the exclusive use of top management within an organization. Specific accounting formulas and equations are used to reach to these reports. Such reports may include: Sales Forecasting reports; Budget analysis and comparative analysis; Feasibility studies; Merger and consolidation reports While on the other hand financial accounting helps prepare financial reports, that include the basic reporting requirements of profitability, liquidity, solvency and stability. Both internal and external users can view these reports. [2] Time Period of Information Managerial Accounting gives the management those reports that are future-oriented, while Financial Accounting give reports based on historical information to use statistical methods to reach at future values. [2] Detail of Information The details from financial accounts provide information on the business as one unit rather than analyzing the different elements of the business. [2] The management accounts focus on specific areas of the activities performed by the business such as information about its products, the different locations of business or the information about the departments. [2] Nature of Information The nature of information provided by financial accounts is mostly monetary. While management accou

LGBT Rights - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Social Movement Essay

LGBT Rights - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Social Movement - Essay Example formation two years ago, it has faced many challenges in the advocacy of the rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and transgender in various Universities in the country. The idea of forming the movement was not to increase the number of LGBT, but to advocate for their acceptance and behavior change. Sigmond Freud, a renowned psychologist has argued that LGBT relates to sexuality and psychological acquisitions in the process of a person’s development. According to the medical psychologist’, lesbianism and homosexuality depends on feminism and masculinity aspects that depicts gender. As a result, women with masculine characteristics will tend to prefer male roles in relationships. They as a result search for females over whom they can play the masculine gendered behavior. Similarly, homosexuality is a manifestation of feminism in males where a male with feminist features attracts other masculine males leading to gays (West, p. 202) Bisexual is a sexual orientation that that may not be easy to tell since these people are also heterosexuals, they may be married to the opposite sex but still practice these kind of behavior hence the confusion (West, p. 203) Transgender is on the other hand a practice that we is common in daily lives. It is believed to have originated from China during the wars of 15th century where strong women could dress as men while weak men like women (West 203, 204) LGBT community has not been able to enjoy as much rights in the Universities like other students. Members have for instance been segregated against and many of them expelled from various Universities when the behavior is observed. Similarly, these students has never been accepted by their peers in college environments. They are always looked down upon in terms of students’ representations in the students unions. The level of discrimination against LGBT students has sometimes unfair treatments in which the community have at times been denied access to accommodation on grounds of

The marketing issues and problems affecting the public services sector Essay

The marketing issues and problems affecting the public services sector in the U.K. at the current time - Essay Example The NHS was established with the intention of providing health care for all who needed it at the point of delivery because in the past, health care was not available to all who needed it. Consequently, there was a need to make sure that health care services were more coordinated in the region. There are numerous organisational changes that the NHS has undergone. First of all, it created an internal markets idea where health authorities and doctors were given funding from the government and they could use this to purchase health care from different groups like acute hospitals. However, with time, this scheme was not very effective as there was too much bureaucracy. Consequently, there was a need to bring in reforms in order to reduce inefficiencies and the current system was born; the use of primary care trusts. (Department of Health, 2006) The Health care system in the United Kingdom is operated by a national budget made by the government. This budget normally includes all the issues that will affect the effectiveness of service provision such as; capital outlays, operating expenses and medical training. Specific health care providers normally operate on set budgets made on a yearly basis. Despite all these benefits, one must not underestimate all the disadvantages that come with provision of health services under such a scheme. First of all, the total available resources will always and have always been less than the demand for health care. Consequently, there is a need to prioritise issues and allocate finances for the neediest groups. Groups such as the elderly are maintained at a pre-set fee and must therefore be denied certain medical procedures such as kidney dialysis; this procedure is only allowed for those who are fifty five years and below. There are many patients in the UK who have still not reaped the full benefits of a national health care

TECHNOLOGY Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

TECHNOLOGY - Annotated Bibliography Example This article is highly credible even though it is a main magazine article because the author of this article has used various researches to make their point. The article will be very helpful in performing my research on technology. The content of the article will be helpful in supporting claims including the negative effects of technology on the health of the users. This article was authored by Winterman and in this magazine article the author focuses on how people are using the technological advancement of internet in order to harm themselves (Winterman 1). The author states that the technology of internet is not only used by strangers to harm others, it is used by people to themselves. The author cites a research that was conducted by the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center and in this research it was identified that 9% children who are internet users are cyber bullying oneself. The author states that due to this children experience different health and psychological issues and one of the most common psychological issues is depression. The article is a magazine article and has been authored by an individual who may lack knowledge about technology and its impact. But the author has used various studies to support their claim. The article will be used under the section of the report where psychological harm caused due to technology will be discussed. This is a news article that was published in the online version of ABC News and was authored by Scott Steinberg and this article focuses on the benefits that video game technology has to offer to various stakeholders including adults as well as children (Steinberg 1). The author claims that video game technology is helping children and adults in various walks of life including education and profession. The author even claims that the video game technology even helps an individual in their social life. In order to support the

Marketing Plan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Marketing Plan - Term Paper Example This market target is viable because the foods are purchased for consumption in offices, schools and sometimes at homes. This represents a real market audience. The NRO plays a fundamental role in meeting the demands of this market niche and expanding its market base of existing and new products. The NRO through its strong distribution channels intends to expand its market by advertising the Company’s products. The NRO’s employees in marketing and advertising section should embrace online marketing and ads to increase its customer base (Wood, 2003).2.2 Marketing strategy Online marketing should be facilitated by online marketing and advertising channels. Tools such as Google, twitter and other online platforms need to be used in a bid to expand awareness and accessibility of the General Mills products. The ads should include the types of products, prices and locations of retail outlets. Sustaining of the current international sales of $3 billion, the superiority of the company’s brands should be strategically put into both the new and existing market niches (Luther, 2001). Equally, the NRO should break down the current barriers to expansive market. For instance, the issue of retail placement fragmentation, for the case of single-serving pre-prepared meal group should be rectified, defined and facilitated. The placement channel is fundamental in sustaining the product market through flow of product information to the market audience in a consistent manner with the current GIS distribution channels (Luther, 2001).

Care of the Patient in the Surgical Environment Essay

Care of the Patient in the Surgical Environment - Essay Example It will also demonstrate skills to use equipment within the operating theatre and knowledge in associated dangers. Body The patient Patient Miss WC (not her real name) is an 82-year-old female who was having surgery after having fallen outside her house while waiting to cross the road during the morning hours. To safeguard her anonymity and confidentiality, she will be referred as Patient WC. Such confidentiality is being maintained in order to protect her identity and maintain her confidence in the nursing research and practice. She was diagnosed with a medial malleolus fracture in her right ankle and was scheduled to undergo an internal fixation of her fracture. She has been widowed for five years now, has two children, and a generally active social life. She is active in the local community social gatherings, joining her fellow senior citizens in various activities like ballroom dancing. In recent years since her husband’s death, she has minimized her involvement in the soc ial activities, mostly because she still feels saddened and lonely about losing her husband of 50 years. She also has limited her physical and social activities because she often feels easily tired and exhausted when engaging in her usual activities. She has no known medical problems, has had no previous operations, and no known allergies. Before her fracture, she has been independently mobile and has been generally carrying out her activities of daily living independently. At present, due to her injury, she has limited mobility and needs assistance in her daily activities. The initial assessment indicated that her BP was at 140/90; her height was 5 foot 4 inches and her weight was at 150 pounds placing her BMI at normal; heart rate at 75 bpm; breaths rate at 22 breaths per minute; and her temperature at 36.5 degrees Celsius. The fracture of her medial malleolus (right) is basically a fracture of her ankle. A medial malleolus fracture represents a fracture of the body processes in t he inner area of her ankle, known as the medial malleolus (Physio Advisor, 2008). The lower leg has the two long bones of the tibia and the fibula and the tibia has a bony process found in the inner aspect of the ankle, and such is known as the medial malleolus. In certain activities, stress is often placed on the tibia and the medial malleolus and this stress cause the medial malleolus to break (PhysioAdvisor, 2008). These breaks often occur in rolled ankles in instances of significant weight bearing forces. They may also be apparent during awkward landings from a jump, from falls following a direct blow to the front aspect of the ankle. It is a fracture common in running and jumping sports, usually with changes in direction in sports activities like football, soccer, rugby, and basketball (PhysioAdvisor, 2008). Patients with a medial malleolus fracture often express that they experience the sudden onset of a sharp and intense pain in the inner ankle or lower leg during their injur y (PhysioAdvisor, 2008). For some patients, limping is possible soon after their injury, but for some others, weight-bearing is often not possible, especially where their malleolus is misplaced. These patients may often experience swelling in their ankle, including bruising and pain on firm touching (PhysioAdvisor, 2008). Pain is often exacerbated by movements or with standing and walking.

Technical Writing Assignments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Technical Writing Assignments - Essay Example It begins by outlining the relationship between microwaves and other forms of wave-radiation, such as light and radio, in order to help the reader understand what a microwave is. It then goes on to discuss some of the special properties of microwave radiation versus other kinds of radiation, such as the fact that microwaves travel in straight lines and can impart energy into water particles. Finally, it moves on to discuss exactly how those properties have been turned in to practical applications: because microwaves can go in straight lines, they can bounce off of objects, and use the reflection to determine distance: this is radar. Typically, radars had to rotate, but according to the article, some new radars are structured more like a fly’s eye, pointing at all directions simultaneously. Microwaves also have the property of being able to excite water molecules through other substances, meaning that they can be used to cook food. The article also details the timeline of these discoveries, so that its reader is able to gain a better understanding of the process through which microwaves have been developed throughout time. Fundraising Proposal This proposal will discuss fundraising for public schools. It’s primary audience will be school administrators, with its secondary audience being outside groups including businesses, that could create reciprocal fundraising relationships with schools. Fundraising is a difficult task for a public school. Parents feel that they have already paid their fair share (if not more) through taxes, and are often cash-strapped in a way that makes it difficult for them to put more money towards their children’s education. Furthermore, they will often be donating to projects that will never see fruition in their children’s educational experience. While some things, such as buying new instruments for a music class, can be done relatively quickly, most of the needs that will be addressed by fundraising, such a s redevelopment, renovation, adding new buildings and so forth can only happen after a great deal of fundraising has already occurred, bureaucratic processes have moved forward, and the investment is actually converted into a practical benefit to children. With children being in a school at most six years (for primary students) it is incredibly unlikely that any parental donation. Sure, some families may have several children attend the school, but this is unlikely. For all of these reasons, parents, though often tapped for fundraising efforts in schools, are actually not particularly beneficial. Schools would do better to build fundraising relationships with outside organizations rather than parents: these relationships can be longer lasting, and often involve larger sums that parents would have access to. Furthermore, any relationship should be mutually beneficial, and this is more possible with outside groups than it would be with parents. These forms of fundraising relationships must be reciprocal: this does not mean quid pro quo, where the school does something of equal value specifically for a particular amount of donation – this is fundraising, not anything else. However, it should be beneficial to both parties. These fundraising relationships will obviously be beneficial to the school, which gets money for much needed upgrades, equipment, building projects and so on. But the question remains, how should this relationship be beneficial to

Typical Dreams Essay Example for Free

Typical Dreams Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One way to study dreams is to study their content. This can be done by laboratory studies in which sleepers are awakened during REM sleep and their reports are tape recorded. Subjects can also keep a dream diary in which they write all they can remember about their dreams. These different methods have revealed some interesting facts about the nature of dream content.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What causes you to dream the things you dream? That question cannot be answered as yet (see Rados Cartwright, 1999). Research can point to individual cases where the dream content is obviously related to immediate events in a person’s life, but the reason why a lot of dreams occur is something of a mystery. One explanation of dream content proposes that during REM sleep specific brain neurons are activated, such as those involved in running or laughing or hearing. In an attempt to make sense of this specific neural activation, the brain produces a dream based on a synthesis of the stimulation present. Called the activation-synthesis hypothesis of dreaming, this view does not account for the seemingly random dream content that often occurs, and it is consistent with the neurological changes known to accompany REM sleep (Hobson McCarley, 2001). However, it does not explain the coherence, detail, and purposefulness common to many dreams. Studies of dream content must now recognize that dreamers may alter their content while they are actually dreaming.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For most people, the content of their dreams is beyond their control. How often have you gone to bed wishing you could dream about a particular someone, or afraid you might dream about an especially distressing subject? Sometimes in dreaming we think ourselves that â€Å"this is a dream.† Yet in the morning if we remember the dream and recall thinking that we knew it was a dream at the time, we find that we still accepted the content as plausible, even if events in the dream would be unlikely or impossible in real life. Some people are able to carry this awareness during dreaming a step further: they claim the ability to know when they dreaming and to actually control some or all of the content of their dreams. This is called lucid dreaming. In the past such claims have attracted little interest from dream researchers because there seemed no way to test these assertions. However, working with the sleep research lab at Stanford University, Stephen LaBerge, a lucid dreamer, was able to demonstrate his special ability. LaBerge told the researchers that during the dreams he would suddenly become aware that he was dreaming and that he could signal the researchers of this awareness by a prearranged pattern of eye movements. They agreed on a mixture of horizontal and vertical eye movements that he would use when he knew he was dreaming. The probability that the particular eye movement pattern would appear by chance was infinitesimally small. During the night the researchers watched the EEG records, and in one of the REM sleep periods, to their excitement and delight, they saw the coded eye movement pattern (La Berge et al., 2001). Other lucid dreamers have since been identified and are being studied.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is known how many people have the ability for lucid dreaming. Surveys based in self-report provide estimates of between 15 and 28%. Laboratory studies of lucid dreaming usually design by asking people if they frequently are aware of their dreams while dreaming. Those who say that they have that ability are tested in the sleep laboratory, and most are able to demonstrate their lucid dreaming ability using some prearranged signal (typically an eye movement code, sometimes a respiration pattern). These studies have found that lucid dreamers are not lucid in all of their dreams; in fact, the majority of their dreams are nonlucid. Many subjects can become aware of their dreaming, but few can manipulate their dream content. Still, some studies have been successful in giving instructions about specific dream content to lucid dreamers and having them dream about those subjects. When lucid dreams occur, they are more likely to be in the longer REM sleep periods toward morning. Researchers hope to discover how lucid dreaming is possible because phenomenon has something interesting implications for our understanding of consciousness. For in essence, the lucid dreamer is partly in one state of consciousness, the dream, and partly in a totally different state of consciousness, the awareness of the dream. A practical application of this research might be an understanding of the process so that many dreamers could learn how to control their dream content (Galvin, 2002). Discussion Why people dream?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although most dreams do not have overt sexual imagery, Freud nevertheless believed that most adult dreams can be â€Å"traced back by analysis to erotic wishes.† In Freud’s view, a gun, for example, might be a disguised representation of a penis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although Freud considered dreams the key to understanding our inner conflicts, his critics say that dream interpretation leads down a blind alley. Some contend that even if dreams are symbolic, they can be interpreted almost any way one wishes. Others maintain there is nothing hidden in dreams. A dream about a gun, they say, is a dream about a gun. Even Freud, who loved to smoke cigars, acknowledges that â€Å"sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Freud’s theory of dreams is giving way to newer theories. One of these sees dreams as information processing: Dreams may help store and remind our day’s experiences. Preceded by stressful experiences, REM sleep rises (Palumbo, 2001). What is more, there is â€Å"consistent and compelling evidence† that REM sleep facilitates memory for unusual or anxiety-arousing material (McGrath Cohen, 1999). In one experiment, people heard unusual phrases before bedtime and then were given a memory test the next morning. If awakened every time they began REM sleep, they remembered less than if awakened during other sleep stages (Empson Clarke, 2000). A night of solid sleep (and dreaming) does, it seems, have a justifiable place in a student’s life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another reason why we dream is because of physiological function. Perhaps dreams give the dead to the world brain with periodic stimulation. Stimulating experiences and develops and preserves the brain’s neural pathways. This theory makes sense from a developmental point of view. Infants, whose neural networks are just developing, spend a great deal of time in REM sleep.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Still other physiological theories propose that dreams occur from neural activity that scatters upward from the brainstem. According to one version, this neural activity is random, (Hobson, 2002). Psychologists Martin Seligman and Amy Yellen (1999) note that the seconds-long bursts of rapid eye movements during REM sleep coincide with bursts of brain activity, people report vivid experiences, usually dramatic hallucinations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Given these visual scenes, our cognitive machinery weaves a story line. Mix in the emotional tone provided by the limbic system (which becomes active during REM sleep) and—voila!—we dream. This helps explain many of our dream experiences, such as the sudden and bizarre changes in scene (triggered by a new visual burst). Dream reports by Seligman’s University of Pennsylvania students confirm that the most vivid dream images are the surprising, discontinuous aspects of the dream; other less vivid images we presumably conjure up to string the visual bursts together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The function of dreams provokes vigorous debate, but the disputants all agree that we need REM sleep. Deprived of it by repeated awakenings, people return more and more quickly to the REM stage after falling back to sleep. When finally allowed to sleep undisturbed, the literally sleep like babies, with increased REM sleep—a phenomenon called REM rebound. The withdrawal of REM-suppressing sleeping medications also increases REM sleep, but with accompanying nightmares. Most other mammals also experiences REM sleep and REM rebound. Animals’ need for REM sleep suggests that its causes and functions are deeply biological. That REM sleep occurs in mammals (and not in animals such as fish, whose behavior is less influenced by learning) also fits the information-processing theory of dreams. All of which serves to remind us once again of a basic lesson: Biological and psychological explanations of behavior are partners, not competitors. III. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The interpretation or analysis of dreams remains one of the most controversial topics in psychology. A number of disparate views on this subject exist, ranging from the notion that all dreams are interpretable in a psychoanalytic framework to the idea that dream content is essentially randomly generated from the memory stores of the brain and thus meaningless. We adopt a position somewhere in the middle of this controversy, we believe that dreams have meanings and somebody can interpret it. _________________________________________________________________ References: Rados, R., Cartwright, R.D. (1999). Where do dreams come from? A comparison of presleep and REM sleep thematic content. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 91, 433-436. Hobson, J.A. McCarley, R.W. (2001). The brain as a dream state generator: An activation-synthesis hypothesis of the dream process. American Journal of Psychiatry, 134, 1335-1348. La Berge, S. et al., (2001). Lucid dreaming: Physiological correlates of consciousness during REM sleep. Journal of Mind Behavior, 7, 251-258. Galvin, R. M. (2002). Control of Dreams may be possible for a resolute few. Smithsonian, pp. 110-117. Palumbo, S.R.   (2001). Dreaming and memory: A new information-processing model. New York: Basic Books. (p. 157). McGrath, M.J., Cohen, D.G. (1999). REM sleep facilitation of adaptive waking behavior:   A review of the literature. Psychological Bulletin, 85, 24-57. (157). Empson, J.A.C., Clarke, P.R.F. (2000). Rapid eye movements and remembering. Nature, 227, 287-288. (p. 157). Hobson, J.A. (2002). The dreaming brain. New York: Basic Books. (p.158).

Personal Learning Statement for Dissertation

Personal Learning Statement for Dissertation Careful, precise and comprehensive planning is the key to success. Having known the importance of planning, I carefully planned my project with a step by step approach. The first step at this stage was the analysis of my strengths and weaknesses in order to decide the topic of my research project. I have always been interested in stock markets and business analysis of companies. This interest helped me learn more about business and financial analysis of companies and the different ways by which their financial performance and position can be analysed. The next important step was the formulation of a strategy as to how I would carry out the task in hand i.e. How to conduct the research? When to start? And most importantly whom should I choose as a mentor? In regards to the selection of a suitable mentor the article titled Making the most of your Mentor by Pippa Riley (11th August, 2005) published on ACCA website proved to be a life saver. I gave it a deep thought and after carefully considering all my options I chose my mentor to be my tutor Mr Muhammad Yasser Naqvi Syed, who is a Member of ACCA. A person who has helped me a great deal since the day I joined ACCA and has been a role model for me over the years. After concluding my decision I approached my mentor and I was extremely delighted when he accepted to be my mentor and guide me through the project. 2. Meetings with Mentor The role of Project Mentor is of great significance in the success of a research project. I had my first meeting with my chosen mentor on 5th January 2010, just after December 2009 ACCA examinations. In that meeting I introduced my mentor to the topic I had chosen and the reason behind my selection. I told him about my strategy and the means and methods I intended to use. I was confident that I had properly communicated the reasons and objectives of the topic I chose and my mentor seemed to be satisfied with my choice and strategy. Furthermore, I sought his advice on the matters such as research methods and we had a fruitful discussion. All in all, the first meeting was highly successful and cemented my ideas showing me a clear path to my objective. After my first meeting I was much more confident as I had a clear direction towards preparing the project. Our second meeting was scheduled for 12th March 2009. Before the meeting I reviewed my project at every stage and tried to make sure that there are no spellings or grammatical mistakes and after that I sent the completed part to my mentor for reviewing the progress. I also noted all the feed back from my mentor and tried to improve the quality of my work. In the meeting I demonstrated all the information I had gathered from different sources and asked my mentors advice on some unresolved issues. Before the 3rd meeting I sent a draft copy of the project to my mentor and noted his feed back and then I prepared slides in Microsoft PowerPoint along with extra slides showing charts and share prices. We held our third and final meeting on 14th April 2009. I was very confident of the work I had done and prepared for the presentation beforehand. I had a clear set of mind of what I had done and how I wanted to express that work in the presentation. My mentor was satisfied and equally amazed at my effort and congratulated me on my work. As stated in the guidelines, I had 15 minutes for the presentation; therefore I planned for my presentation well in advance and made sure that I included all the relevant information. Before I started my presentation, I handed out printed copies of my presentation to my mentor and my colleagues. I started my presentation by introducing J Sainsbury and giving a brief history of the company. After that I explained the various analyses and comparisons I had performed in order to analyze the financial position of J Sainsbury and to reach at a conclusion. I also explained the potential opportunities and the threats faced by the company. I used Microsoft Power Point to convey my message more efficiently and used graphical analysis to help my cause. My presentation was indeed a success and I felt all my hard work and dedication paid off. My mentor was pleasantly surprised and gave me a pat on my back. My strengths included a thorough understanding of the topic, detailed research work and good presentation skills while my weaknesses included taking a few more minutes outside my allowed quota. This experience was a massive confidence booster for me and it proved to me that I am very well capable of delivering top class professional presentations. 3. Self Assessment / Critical Evaluation As part of the skills and learning statement, I would now try to critically evaluate my performance and the skills I learned during the preparation of my project. One of the ways of evaluating the success of a project is to analyse whether it has answered all the relevant research questions satisfactorily or not. In formulating the strategy of my research project, I identified a few research questions which were critical to the overall success of my project. I focused my energies to finding the answers of these questions. Although I think I managed to answer most of the research questions in a satisfactory manner, there were a few areas where I could have done more research and allocated more time and resources. The feedback I got back from my mentor suggested that I have been able to achieve the objectives of my research project successfully. This being the first extensive research project carried out by me made the task a little bit daunting in the beginning and made me a little apprehensive about my abilities of carrying out the task with perfection. But as the project progressed, things started becoming clearer and my confidence levels were boosted. I chose to assess the business and financial performance of J Sainsbury plc over the last three years. J Sainsburys plc is a United Kingdom-based company principally engaged in grocery and related retailing, and financial services. Financial ratios were used to asses the financial performance of the company over a three year period and then I tried to explain the reasons for variations in the ratios. I kept sending my draft incomplete project to my mentor and requested him to assess my performance under the guidelines of Oxford Brookes University so I could judge the quality of my work done so far. For this purpose I sent several emails to my mentor and made notes of every feed back. I carefully assessed the external position by looking at the macro environment by using Porters Five Forces Model. I tried to do well on this analysis by giving a detailed overview and try to look at the wider side of the picture. I highlighted critical strengths and weaknesses and the resulting opportunities and threats faced by the company by using a technique called SWOT analysis. This exercise was very beneficial to get a thorough understanding of the company and also helped me to come up with some recommendations to capitalise on the strengths of the company and eliminate or neutralize its weaknesses. 4. Interpersonal and Communication Skills The term interpersonal skill is very often used to measure the personal ability to operate within the business organization through social communication and interaction. And the Communication skills are the skills which enable people to communicate effectively with each other. It also includes the ability to speak in public, meetings, presentations and writing letters. In my RAP it relates to the communication skills which I demonstrated during the meetings with my mentor and customers. The meetings with my mentor helped me to assess my interpersonal and communication skills and identify the areas which needed improvement. Questioning is one of the most important utensil in communication in order to derive answers and achieve confirmation. Since it is a fundamental tool in seeking information it is was imperative to get direct answers during the initial stages of the project as I required direction from my mentor. However I realised that getting direct information was not easy as the response is directly dependent on the style of question. During the project I used both closed questions where I needed a confirmation of what I knew and open questions where the intention was to get as much information as possible. Towards the end of the project, when I had passed the data gathering stage I was seeking specific answers, this also entailed asking probing questions in order to clarify many areas. Restating information in a form of a question enabled me to understand difficult factors. Effective communication also entails speaking and listening. I used both gestures and a variety of verbal and non verbal means for instance, nodding my head, making notes of important points, and basic words of confirmation to express a form of acknowledgement seen as a verification or feedback that is identified as active or reflective listening, as I would continuously be seeking to understand what my mentor was stating. This was reinforced with the use of eye contact to show that I understood and was interested in what was being communicated to me by my mentor. Prior to meetings I would make sure that my mobile phone was switched off, to reduce disturbance that was in my control. These activities helped me to improve my interpersonal and communication skills and also made me more confident in my approach. 5. How RAP Helped In Studies / Employment The preparation of RAP has helped me to gain certain invaluable and precious skills which have helped me both in my studies and my working life. I learned a lot of new skills and techniques which has given me an edge over my competitors in the job market. The preparation of RAP helped me immensely in better understanding of professional subjects of ACCA such as P3 (Business Analysis) and P2 (Corporate Reporting). As a part of my RAP I used different financial and non financial techniques described in these subjects to asses the business and financial performance of JS Sainsbury. It was a great exercise for me and gave me a chance to apply all my knowledge gained from ACCA qualification in to a practical company scenario. RAP also improved my skills in Microsoft Office. I learned a lot of new features of MS Word, MS Excel and MS Power Point. These skills are still helping me in my current job and have increased my work efficiency. I have also had a pay rise from my employer since preparing my RAP, underlining the improvement I have made. RAP has also helped me polishing my interactive skills as I improved this skill by collecting financial and non financial information about the company from different sources. These interactive skills have helped me a lot in my current job and as a result I am much more confident while interacting with clients during audits and client visits. The project helped me develop my IT skills. I added not only to my accounting knowledge, but also learned different aspects of planning, organising, time management, writing, and public speaking. These skills will be of use to me in all aspects of my life.

Instructional Leadership Supervision Education Essay

Instructional Leadership Supervision Education Essay Abstract: Leadership is a discussion in every issue and everybody recognize how essential and valuable leadership is. Why some companies, teams, and schools do well as other fails? The credit or fault generally goes to the manager, coach, or principal. In school scenario the principal has to accept these consequences, as he occupies a distinct and key responsibility that has an effect on the quality of schooling. The questions about school scenario are (i) what is the main purpose of school (ii) How their students learn in the school (iii) How he coordinates all the activities i.e. students, teachers and curriculum. The focus of this article was on the theoretical basis of the instructional leadership and to review the model to build up the understanding of instructional leadership. Objectives: Following were the major objectives of the study To explain the concept of instructional leadership To review the James Weber Instructional leadership model What is leadership? Leadership is defined differently by different authors (Terry, 1960) called it the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for group goals. In the context of this definition the knowledge, values, structure, and skills are necessary for a principal as a leader to inspire all members of the school community to work together toward the goal of an excellent education for all students. According to (Thomson, 1980) Leadership is best defined as getting the job done through people. This definition means that two things are necessary for effective leadership: accomplishment (getting the job done) and influencing the others (through people). According to (Weber, 1987) leadership is described as power granted with the will of the followers. It is authority readily invested in a trusted person and thus qualifies as a kind of moral and transformational power over the organization. In most definitions of leadership the two functions are generally considered indispensable to its meaning: setting directions and exercising influence. Each of these functions can be carried out in different ways, with such differences distinguishing the many models of leadership from one another.(Yukl, 1994) comments, leadership influences the interpretation of events for followers, the choice of objectives for the group or organization, the organization of work activities accomplish objectives, the motivation of followers to achieve the objectives, the maintenance of cooperative relationships and teamwork, and the enlistment support and cooperation from people outside the group or organization. He further explained the popular distinction between doing things right (management) and doing right things (leadership) as largely meaningless: accomplishing success as a leader, requires doing right things right. What is Instructional Leadership? (Debevoise, 1984) encompasses Instructional leadership as those measures that a principal takes, or assigns to others, to raise growth in student learning and consists of following tasks: describing the purpose of schooling; setting school-wide goals; providing the resources needed for learning to occur; supervising and evaluating teachers; coordinating staff development programs; and creating collegial relationships with and among teachers. Student Learning Instructional Leadership Supervision Teacher Development Teacher Performance Figure -A The above figure depicts that Instructional leadership consists of principal behaviors that set high expectations and clear goals for student and teacher performance, monitor and provide feedback regarding the technical core (teaching and learning) of schools, provide and promote professional growth for all staff members, and help create and maintain a school climate of high academic press. (Hoy Hoy, 2003) explained that the principal must communicate a clear vision on instructional excellence and continuous professional development consistent with the goal of the improvement of teaching and learning. The instructional leaders are listeners as well as talkers; they are collaborators with teachers and students, whose needs present the most important demands in an instructional role. The leadership process is interpersonal as well as dynamics. Particularly it becomes dynamics when the principals are accountable for whole instructional program. As instructional leader the principal is the pivotal within the school who affects the quality of individual teacher instruction, the height of student achievement, and the degree of efficiency in school functioning. According to (Mendez, 1989) there are three major forces that serve to shape and describe a school the public, the staff and the students and that these forces interact through curriculum. The role of the principal is to manipulate these forces in order to maximize the quality of instruction. The three key elements of learning: Teacher, students and curriculum Teacher Curriculum Student Instructional leadership is a complex task, it means that becoming a leader of leaders- learning and working with others i.e. teachers, students and parents to improve the instructional quality and curriculum. A Model of Instructional Leadership This is a model presented by James Weber (1987) which is based on two assumptions. The principal is the main instructional leader. The principal works with the leadership functions that are sometime shared and sometime not sheared. The functions of the Webers model are as under 1. Setting Academic Objectives A principal who is an instructional leader provides guidance for the school program, and describe the objectives to the general understanding. Vision for success (Leithwood, Doris, Alicia, 1993) and his colleagues found in a study that teachers commitment to change in instructional programs was affected the most by leadership that gave direction, purpose, and meaning to their work, e.g. the purpose of the school is to educate all students to high levels of academic performance. The principals responsibility is to ensure that the school has a clear academic mission and communicate it to the staff, which is focused on the academic progress of the students. 2. Organizing the Instructional Program After setting the goals for the school, the next step by instructional leader is to develop the strategies for bringing that goals into reality by allocating the staff, student grouping, and organizing the curriculum. These also involve the collaborative planning between instructional leader, students and parents. e.g. decision to place a student in one class or another. Certainly, the decision to place a student in one or another classroom, study group, or program is a decision that involves teachers, principals and the parents. The following are the some principals behavior that proved generally effective. Listen actively to staff and faculty ideas and produces opportunities for staff to implement innovative coaching arrangements. Make available resources and a encouraging environment for collaborative planning. Organize planning sessions to discuss grouping and scheduling arrangements with staff. Utilize staff recommendations. Keeps staff informed of policy changes. Expands options by varying periods in school day and days in cycle. 3. Supervision and Evaluation The most important task of principals instructional leadership is teachers supervision and evaluation. Instructional leadership means very little unless leaders are willing and able to observe teachers, offer advice about problems, and make formative evaluations that support and pinpoint areas to improve. Supervisors must have the knowledge of curriculum and instruction to know what to look for. According to (Gardner, 1988) To help others believe in themselves is one of a leaders highest duties. Following are the some tips that are effective for supervision. Classroom observations will be used to observe what is actually going on in the class rooms. What is the teacher and what are students are actually performing. Meets with teachers after each visit to discuss what was observed. Encourages teacher to express feelings and opinions about observational data and class activities. Offers teacher alternatives teaching techniques and explanations of class room events. Give praise for specific development of teachers skill if observed. Recommends resources and training programs in areas in which teacher need to improve. 4. Protecting Instructional Time and Program A study by (Cusick, 1973) found that 200 minutes of a students normal school day were spending on routine or maintenance tasks. He noted that the time spent actively engaged with some teacher over a matter of cognitive importance may not exceed twenty minutes a period for five periods a day. This is a high estimate. I would say that if an average student spent an hour to one and half hours involved on subject matter that was a good day. Teachers use instructional time for taking attendance, distributing materials entering and leaving the classroom, late start or early ending or such non classroom activities as field trips etc. grouping practices, instructional strategies, and the size of the class can all determine how time is spent in classrooms. Finally, achievement and instructional time both suffer when students are not in school or find it hard to concentrate because of disciplinary problems in the environment. Truancy and absenteeism can arise from a great variety of social and personal conditions, ranging from poverty and peer group influence to boredom and poor academic background. Discipline problems often emerge from conflicts, misunderstanding about rules, or the absence of clear boundaries for behaviors. Following are some of the behaviors associated in the research with increasing academic learning time (that is, time spent learning). The list focuses two crucial dimensions for learning time: ensuring c lass attendance and allocated time for instruction. For improving attendance Identify problems in enforcing rules on attendance and discipline observe that policies are clearly communicated to the staff members Put together community support particularly with parents Help teachers to set up a reward system for good attendance Distribute duty with teachers in informing parents of class absence. Allocated time for instruction Holds staff meeting to discuss common problems in instructional planning and offer solutions Protects classroom instructional time from interruption Insists on observing schedule Expects teachers to start and end classes on time, using the full allocated time for instruction Streamlines clerical tasks so that teachers can perform them more quickly. Visits classrooms to observe teachers and students 5. Creating a Climate for Learning All the important factors that appear to affect students learning possibly having the greatest influence is the set of beliefs, values, and attitudes that administrators, teachers, and students hold about learning. When a staff commits to support specific values, the concept of school improvement moves from the future to the present, and from the abstract to the concrete. So important is learning climate that it has been defined as the standard, viewpoint, and attitudes reflected in institutional patterns and behavior routine that improve student learning. The attitude that students shape about academic learning come, at least in part, from the adults in the school. It is clear that the norms for learning come from the staffs requirement of students: the amount of time needed for studying, the amount of work assigned, the degree of independent work that students can do, the degree of attentiveness students feel about the work given to them. High expectations are the fulcrum point that instructional leaders can use to get involved teachers, students and parents away from unhelpful unencouraging attitudes. Following are elements which are used to raise or lower the expectations Amount and quality of praise for correct answers Actual amount of teaching that students receive Content covered Teacher encouragement and support Teacher assistance and willingness to help Wait time Response opportunity factor (No of times students are called on) 6. Monitoring Achievement and evaluating programs It is a primary task of instructional leaders to assess and revise the instructional programs in schools. As in the case of supervising and evaluating teachers, whole programs can be reviewed for planning, objectives, success in reaching the objectives, and particular successes and problems. Ultimately the success of any educational program comes down to the performance of the students. Are they reaching the objectives proposed? Where are they failing and why? The more specifically that problems can be identified, the more successfully the learning problems can be remedied or traced to particular objectives, units, or course activities. Supervision and Teacher Development: Ernest Boyer (in Sparks, 1984) observed that when you talk about school progress, you are talking about people development. Thats the only aspect to improve schools unless you mean painting the buildings and fixing the floors. But thats not the school, thats the shell. The school is people, so when we talk about excellence or improvement or progress, were really talking about the people who make up the building. Focusing on people is the most useful way to change any organization. In fact, it can be claimed that organizations do not change, only persons change. It is only when a sufficient number of people within an organization change that the organization can be transformed. So, supervision means helping workers by offering professional advice and technical support in speed up efficiency and improving effectiveness of the process of production and product itself. Support and evaluation are the two major function of the instructional supervision. Support provides the support to improve the teaching process in terms of effective use of text books helping materials and methodologies needed for the individual needs of the students. Evaluation is the process of collecting the information for improvement in instruction and analyzing the data which then be used to improve the quality. If this assumption that people are the key to school improvement is correct, then it follows that the fundamental role of the principal is to help create the conditions which enable a staff to develop so that the school can achieve its goals more effectively. In short, a key to school improvement is the willingness and ability of principals to assume the role of staff developers who make it their mission to alter the professional practices, beliefs, and understandings of school personnel toward an articulated end. Supervision and teacher development go hand in hand. Supervision provides support and help to teachers. Principals have a responsibility to help teachers, improve their practice and to hold them accountable for meeting their commitments to teaching and learning. These responsibilities are usually referred to as supervision. Supervision enhances teacher development. The principal should keep in mind that what actions should be taken to bring about greater understanding of te aching and learning? Principals must encourage teachers to acquire new skills, support them during the inevitable frustrations, and recognize their efforts. Procedures must be in place to gather data on the impact of staff development initiatives, and principals must publicly celebrate indicators of improvement in order to help sustain those initiatives. Supervision is primarily formative and collegial, being concerned with improving teaching effectiveness. It is also important that principals be committed to continuous improvement. Schools can become learning organizations capable of significant change only if those within them recognize that school improvement is a complex, ongoing process rather than a task to be completed. While it is important that principals celebrate the attainment of improvement goals, it is even more important that such celebrations serve as motivators for staying the course rather than signal that the improvement process has ended. Most importantly, principals must not mistake congeniality with collegiality. They must strive to create a culture in which teachers talk about teaching and learning; observe each other teach; plan, design, research, and evaluate the curriculum, and teach each other what they have learned about their craft.

Domestic Violence: No One Deserves to be Abused Essay -- Violence Again

What is domestic violence? Domestic violence is the use, or threatened use of physical force, violence, a deadly weapon, sexual assault, or the intentional destruction of property. It is behaviour that has the intent or impact of placing a victim in fear of physical injury, and a pattern of behaviour resulting in emotional and psychological abuse, economic control, and/or interference with personal liberty that is directed towards the following: a current or former spouse, or a person with whom the abuser shares a child in common, or a current or former intimate partner. Domestic violence is behaviour – emotional, psychological, physical, or sexual abuse – that one person in an intimate relationship uses in order to control the other. It takes many different forms and includes behaviour such as threats, name calling, isolation, withholding of money, actual or threatened physical harm and sexual assault. Most domestic violence is committed against women by their male partners. It also occurs in lesbian and gay relationships and is common in teenage dating relationships. Women’s Stories: My husband constantly came home after a long days work, frustrated and irritable. He’d walk in the door, eat his dinner, look up at me, and say, â€Å"Marsha, I want to have sex.† My three year old and seven year old children were always in bed and asleep at this time of night, so they could never hear my pleads for Jamie to stop. He’d never listen to me. In the end I just gave up and agreed to have sex with him. When I did not, then he would rape me. This went for 6 months before I built up the courage to leave him. My partner is over protective. He doesn’t let me visit friends or family, but instead says that I have to stay at home. Onc... ...goal. We decide how to reach our goals based on what we believe is OK or what we are willing to do. Abusing is no different. Women continually describe how their partners go from one tactic to another when they want something. Some abusers will go as far as emotional abuse, isolation, or intimidation. Some will choose to control economic resources or threaten physical harm to the victim, her children or loved ones. Some ultimately choose violence to get what they want, and the underlying threat of physical violence affects the every aspect of a relationship. Whatever the tactics if you are forced to make decisions on how your partner may hurt you physically or emotionally, your partner has behaved inappropriately; and when violence is used, they have acted criminally. Using violence and/or other controlling behaviours is not acceptable. No one deserves to be abused. Domestic Violence: No One Deserves to be Abused Essay -- Violence Again What is domestic violence? Domestic violence is the use, or threatened use of physical force, violence, a deadly weapon, sexual assault, or the intentional destruction of property. It is behaviour that has the intent or impact of placing a victim in fear of physical injury, and a pattern of behaviour resulting in emotional and psychological abuse, economic control, and/or interference with personal liberty that is directed towards the following: a current or former spouse, or a person with whom the abuser shares a child in common, or a current or former intimate partner. Domestic violence is behaviour – emotional, psychological, physical, or sexual abuse – that one person in an intimate relationship uses in order to control the other. It takes many different forms and includes behaviour such as threats, name calling, isolation, withholding of money, actual or threatened physical harm and sexual assault. Most domestic violence is committed against women by their male partners. It also occurs in lesbian and gay relationships and is common in teenage dating relationships. Women’s Stories: My husband constantly came home after a long days work, frustrated and irritable. He’d walk in the door, eat his dinner, look up at me, and say, â€Å"Marsha, I want to have sex.† My three year old and seven year old children were always in bed and asleep at this time of night, so they could never hear my pleads for Jamie to stop. He’d never listen to me. In the end I just gave up and agreed to have sex with him. When I did not, then he would rape me. This went for 6 months before I built up the courage to leave him. My partner is over protective. He doesn’t let me visit friends or family, but instead says that I have to stay at home. Onc... ...goal. We decide how to reach our goals based on what we believe is OK or what we are willing to do. Abusing is no different. Women continually describe how their partners go from one tactic to another when they want something. Some abusers will go as far as emotional abuse, isolation, or intimidation. Some will choose to control economic resources or threaten physical harm to the victim, her children or loved ones. Some ultimately choose violence to get what they want, and the underlying threat of physical violence affects the every aspect of a relationship. Whatever the tactics if you are forced to make decisions on how your partner may hurt you physically or emotionally, your partner has behaved inappropriately; and when violence is used, they have acted criminally. Using violence and/or other controlling behaviours is not acceptable. No one deserves to be abused.

Eddie Gein :: essays research papers

Edward Theodore was born on August 27, 1906, to Augusta and George Gein in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Eddie was the 2nd of two children. Eddie's mother was a fanatically religious women, who was determined to raise the boys according to her strict moral code. Eddie's mother repeatedly warned her sons of the immorality and looseness of women, hoping to discourage any sexual desires the boys might have. ( In the Beginning) Augusta was a domineering and hard woman, while her husband George, was a weak man and an alcoholic. George had no say in the raising o the boys. Agusta began a grocery business in La Crosse the year Eddie was born, so she could save enough money to move away from the sinners in the city. In 1914 they moved to Plainfield, Wisconsin to a one-hundred-ninety-five-acre farm, isolated from any evil influences that could disrupt her family. Eddie's father died in 1940. ( In the Beginning ) Eddie was average in school, but he loved to read. His schoolmates shunned Eddie because he was effeminate and shy. He had no friends. In 1944 Eddies brother Henry mysteriously died. ( In the Beginning) On December 29, 1945, Augusta died after a series of strokes. Eddies foundations were shaken upon her death, he lost his one true friend. It was after his mothers death that Eddie began to immerse himself in his bizarre hobbies that included nightly visits to the graveyard. ( In the Beginning ) It was from the obituaries that Eddie would learn of the recent deaths of local women. Having never enjoyed the company of the opposite sex, he would quench his lust by visiting graves at night. Although he later swore to police that he never had sexual intercourse with any of the bodies ( they smelled to bad), he did take a particular pleasure in peeling their skin from their bodies and wearing it. He was curious to know what it was like to have breasts and a vagina, and he often dreamed of being a women. He was fascinated with women because the power and hold they had on men. ( Seriously Weird) After a while Gein decided that it was too laborious to dig up bodies alone. It was easier, he concluded, to murder women and bring their bodies to his farmhouse for more "experiments." His first victim was 51-year-old Mary Hogan, operator of a Pine Grove, Wisconsin, saloon.

Theoretical Model Of Comfort Discomfort Health And Social Care Essay

Seating COMFORT AND DISCOMFORTThe Cambridge Advanced Learner ‘s lexicon ( 2008 ) defines comfort as a pleasant feeling of being relaxed and free from hurting. Hertzberg ( 1972 ) describes comfort as absence of uncomfortableness. The term â€Å" place comfort † is typically used to specify the short-run consequence of a place the human organic structure ( Kolich, 2008 ) . Comfort is a generic and subjective feeling that is hard to mensurate, construe, and related to human physiological homeostasis and psychological well being ( Shen and Parsons, 1997 ) . Seat comfort is a really subjective issue because it is the client who makes the concluding finding and client ratings are based on their sentiments holding experienced the place ( Runkle, 1994 ) . Helander ( 2003 ) stressed ergonomic remains in the place design, where good biotechnologies is a stipulation for comfort. By and large, comfort issues non under argument by research workers are ( De Looze et al. , 2003 ) : ( 1 ) comfort is a concept of a subjectively-defined personal nature ; ( 2 ) comfort is affected by factors of assorted nature ( physical, physiological, psychological ) ; and ( 3 ) comfort is a reaction to the environment. Helander and Zhang ( 1997 ) describes that there is a difference between comfort and uncomfortableness during sitting in office chair. They discuss that comfort is more related to emotional facets like experiencing safe and luxury. Discomfort is more related to physical facets like feeling force per unit area and musculus hurting.2.2.1 The Theoretical Model of Comfort and DiscomfortThe constructs of comfort and uncomfortableness in sitting are under argument. There is no widely accepted definition, although it is beyond difference that comfort and uncomfortableness are feelings or emotions that are subjective in nature ( De Looze et al. , 2003 ) . Seating uncomfortableness has been examined from a figure of different positions. The job with measuring comfort in resp ects to coerce or any other factor is that, comfort is subjective and non easy to quantify. Seating uncomfortableness varies from capable to capable and depends on the undertaking at manus. Comfort, nevertheless, is a obscure construct and subjective in nature. It is by and large defined as deficiency of uncomfortableness ( Shen and Vertiz, 1997 ) . One of the definitions of comfort by Dumur et Al. ( 2004 ) is the pleasant and fulfilling feeling of being physically or mentally free from hurting and agony, or something that provides this feeling. Harmonizing to the ‘European Union Legislation for Drivers and Promote ‘ ( Euroactiv, 2007 ) , the hebdomadal drive clip for truck drivers shall non transcend 56 hours. Commercial trucks are alone in that they are specifically designed to transport heavy tonss over long distances. The drawn-out period of sitting includes higher hazard of back jobs, numbness and discomfort in the natess due to excessively high surface force per unit area under the thighs ( Floyd and Roberts, 1958 ) . The survey by Adler et Al. ( 2006 ) shows that the driver position is non inactive and alterations over clip. Position alterations and uninterrupted gesture are schemes of the driver to avoid mechanical burden and ischaemia of tissue, which has been identified as one chief ground for uncomfortableness. Discomfort feelings, as described by Helander and Zhang ( 1997 ) , is affected by biomechanical factors and weariness. The beginnings of such uncomfortableness are listed in Table 2.1.Table 2.1 Causes of siting uncomfortableness ( Helander and Zhang, 1997 ) .Human experience mannerBiomechanicalSeat/EnvironmentPhysiology causesEngineering causesBeginningPain Pain Pain Discomfort Perspiration Percept Circulation occlusion Ischemia Nerve occlusion–Heat Visual/auditory/tactile Pressure Pressure Pressure Vibration Material Breathability Design/vibration Shock absorber stiffness Seat contour Vehicle drive Vinyl upholstery Vehicle cost Zhang et Al. ( 2006 ) presented a theoretical account that illustrates the interaction of comfort and uncomfortableness as shown in Figure 2.1. Passage from uncomfortableness to comfort and frailty versa are possible in the intersection of the axes. Hence, if uncomfortableness is increased, such as with a longer clip within undertaking and weariness, comfort will diminish. Its agencies that good biomechanics may non increase the degree of comfort, it is likely that hapless biomechanics turns comfort into uncomfortableness. Passage Discomfort: Poor Biomechanics And Tiredness Comfort: Well Being and Plushness Figure 2.1 Hypothetical Model of Discomfort and comfort ( Zhang et al. , 2006 ) . Millet and Pignede ( 2001 ) described the comfort methodological analysis, where is to avoid introducing with a comfort mark and burying other facets. They have explained that when interior decorator make a great betterment on a specific facet of comfort and if, at the same clip, the interior decorator induce a job for another comfort facet, the consequence is the uncomfortable place. They besides defined their â€Å" comfort oval † as shown in Figure 2.2. Figure 2.2 The 10 points of comfort ( Millet and Pignede, 2001 ) . Kolich ( 2008 ) described that seats are required to fulfill culture-based penchants and outlook of place comfort. For illustration, the Western European, by and large, are thought to prefer firmer seats as compared to North Americans. The writer besides visualized the factors that impacting automobile place comfort as in Figure 2.3. Figure 2.3 Factors impacting subjective perceptual experiences of car place comfort ( Kolich, 2008 ) . Position as described by Kolich ( 2008 ) , is the most of import single factor. While the consequence of position is assumed to be important, it is hard to turn to because residents with similar anthropometric features may sit in wholly different organic structure places. Stiffness, geometry, contour, breathability, and titling are considered seat factors. Stiffness refers to the resilience of the place system. Geometry defines place form in footings of breadth, length, and tallness, whereas contour trades with the profile of the sitting surface ( e.g. location and prominence of lumbar vertex ) . The place ‘s geometry and contour must suit the anthropometry variableness of the mark population. Breathability, as it pertains to the soft trim ( i.e. foam denseness and fabric building ) , may impact car place comfort in utmost environmental conditions. Styling must be included as a place factor because aesthetic quality may impact perceptual experiences of comfort, in the same mann er as nameplate or purchase monetary value of vehicle. Runkle ( 1994 ) described the Lear ‘s place comfort benchmarking methodological analysis which incorporates and integrates four tools into a individual comprehensive place comfort analysis ; market research surveies, benchmarking surveies, organic structure force per unit area distribution analyses and human factors surveies of anthropometric informations. The consequences concluded that good aesthetics, well-designed and comfy are more of import than physical parametric quantities in a place design. De Looze et Al. ( 2003 ) proposed a theoretical account of siting comfort and uncomfortableness as shown in Figure 2.4. The left side of the theoretical account is about the seating uncomfortableness. At the human degree, the ‘exposure ‘ , ‘dose ‘ . ‘response ‘ and ‘capacity ‘ is the chief issues of the work-related physical ailments. The external exposure factors bring forthing a perturbation of the internal province ( dose ) of an person. The dosage may arouse a cascade of mechanical, biomechanical or physiological response. The extent to which external exposure leads to an internal dosage and responses, depends on the physical capacity of the person. The loading factor of a sitting individual caused by the physical features of the office place, the environment and the undertaking. These external tonss related to muscle activation, internal force, intra-discal force per unit area, nervus and circulation inclusion, and tegument and org anic structure temperature rise, arousing farther chemical, physiological and biomechanical responses. The right side is concerns comfort, such as feelings of relaxation and wellbeing. In the theoretical account, the physical and psycho-social factors such as occupation satisfaction and societal support are playing a function at context degree. At the place degree, aesthetic design and physical characteristics may impact the feelings of comfort. At human degree the influential factors are assumed to be single outlook and other single feelings or emotions. Figure 2.4 Theoretical theoretical account of comfort and uncomfortableness and its implicit in factors at the human, place and context degree ( De Looze et al. , 2003 ) .2.3 Aircraft Passenger SeatWorld market has become really competitory in the concern and premiere category sections as this tend to give higher net income border in comparing with the economic system whose borders have been undercut by the new low-priced air hoses. The reaching of the new flourishing economic systems of China and India and the bing tiger economic systems pushed the demand for concern travellers on long draw flights really high. The air hoses responded by offering new degree of comfort and edification. The aircraft place maker have designed and manufactured the aircraft rider to guarantee the safety and comfort during air travel ( SEAT, 2006 ) .2.3.1 Current Aircraft Passenger SeatSwiss based company designed the air-filled chamber to replace the conventional froth. Pneumatic shock absorbers adjust a utomatically to siting and kiping places with air Chamberss. Due to the adaptative constructions of air chamber, riders feel no force per unit area points and can set shock absorber soundness separately ( Lantal Textiles, 2010a ) . Since 2009, all concern and first category seats of the SWISS long-haul fleet were equipped with Lantal ‘s advanced pneumatic comfort system. It sets new criterions in rider comfort and has a direct impact on the profitableness of air hoses. Four place companies, viz. , B/E Aerospace, Contour, ZIM Flugsitz and Recaro implemented Lantal ‘s pneumatic comfort system in their aircraft place ( Lantal Textiles, 2010b ) . The Lantal ‘s pneumatic comfort system is a inactive control system, where rider needs to set the hardness of air chamber manually. Thompson Solutions developed new economic system place, the Cozy Suite. The Cozy Suite provides each rider with two armrests. The place is designed to assist aircraft rider to kip. It has contoured shoulder country and offers wider articulatio genus infinite compared to standard siting designs of the same pitch. It besides features a alone hands-free, tip-up place base, which makes it easier to acquire in and out of window seats, and aid to diminish embarkation and deplaning times ( James and Kington, 2008 ) . The new place design claimed to increase 14 % of economic system category rider seats in Boeing B767-400. The Cozy Suite focused on legroom, armrests, air hoses gross, place measure, easiness of emersion, personal infinite and dedicated kiping country ( Thompson Aero Seating, 2009 ) . B/E Aerospace exhibited its economic system category ‘Spectrum ‘ rider place. The new platform is 10 % igniter in weight and provides over 14 % extra life infinite. The developed place includes a graven Crytalflex back support system and meets the 2009 Head Injury Criteria ( HIC ) demands. Recaro Aircraft Seating presented a new version of its single-beam Comfort Line 3610 economic system category place. The place increases the legroom even at a comparatively short place pitch. The new place have comfort characteristics include kinematics that improve the seating angle, a flexible head restraint, a foot cyberspace and ultra-thin visible radiation lightweight aluminum backrest with comfort gauze ( James and Kington, 2008 ) . Air New Zealand introduced the ‘Skycouch ‘ , a lie-flat economic system and premium economic system place in twelvemonth 2010. The ‘Skycouch ‘ is a specially designed row of three seats, has been engineered to make a lie-flat, flexible infinite all the manner to the seat-back in forepart, supplying a topographic point for the childs to play, or the holy grail of economic system travel- a level surface for grownups to loosen up and kip ( Air New Zealand, 2010 ) . Based on the survey on current aircraft rider place development from twelvemonth 2008 to 2010, the aircraft place makers and airliners were focused on the igniter and dilutant place every bit good as more seats to set in the cabin.2.4 EXISTING NECK SUPPORT DURING TRAVEL2.4.1 Travel Type Neck SupportFrom the merchandise hunt utilizing web services, several cervix supports related merchandises were found. There are different types of cervix supports that used during air travel such as inflatable cervix pillow ( Pilot Paul, 2010 ) , polyester filled pillow ( Pilot Paul, 2010 ) , memory froth pillow ( Pilot Paul, 2010 ) , feather filled pillow ( Nick Robinson, 2010 ) and the aircraft place with neck support ( Cathay Pacific, 2010 ; Qantas, 2010 ) .Inflatable Neck PillowThe inflatable cervix pillow can be found from any travel store at low monetary value. The chief job with inflatable cervix pillow is that they normally fail by developing a slow leak and upseting the user during remainder . The air inside the inflatable travel cervix pillow will spread out and contract the as the aircraft alterations altitude. This is because the cabin height alterations in proportion to the plane ‘s height. As the cabin height ascents, the air in the pillow expands. As the plane descends, it contracts. The pillow size alteration is relative to the height alteration. These cheap travel pillows seldom last more than two or three trips. The better 1s do last thirster. Another disadvantage of the less expensive air travel pillows is the vinyl stuff can acquire hot and gluey against your face. The chief advantage of inflatable travel pillows is that they take small room in your baggage. They are besides lighter than any of the other types, particularly the Polygonum fagopyrum 1s ( Pilot Paul, 2010 ) .Memory Foam Travel PillowThe memory froth travel pillow provides tonss of support and stabilisation and is highly comfy. A travel cervix pillow made with memory froth will last many ol d ages. It should last much longer than an inflatable or poly-filled one. Foam travel pillows do an first-class occupation of keeping your caput still therefore leting you to kip. Memory foam casts in response to your organic structure ‘ form, weight and heat to organize a pressure-free cradle of support. When user is non utilizing it, a froth travel cervix pillow compresses good to suit in your carry-on bag. They are comparatively lightweight. While memory froths travel pillows can be some of the most expensive among other neck support pillow ( Pilot Paul, 2010 ) .Polyester Travel PillowThe polyester travel pillow does non supply the support and stabilisation like memory froth or Polygonum fagopyrum travel pillows. Some air hose such as KLM and China Southern Airlines do provide polyester pillow in the cabin. The advantage of polyester travel pillow is low cost ( Pilot Paul, 2010 ) .Feather Filled PillowThe plume filled pillows are really soft, cuddly and fictile. The pillow contours to the caput and cervix sensible good and supply more support than down. The pillow can be scrunched to supply better support to user caput and cervix. The plume pillows weigh really small, normally weigh no more than a lb or two ( Nick Robinson, 2010 ) . Feather pillows frequently do non keep important support throughout the dark because they tend to drop in to some grade. As a consequence, the user needs to set the pillow during remainder. And botching the pillow or agitating it may besides be required to return the pillow to its preferable loft. As the pillow ages, increased fluffing or shaking will be required. The difficult quills of the plumes can frequently be noticed through the instance and can even jab through. Further, the pillow creates crunching-like noise when the pillows are compressed because the plumes can incorporate difficult parts or because the pillow has a fictile bed to forestall the plumes from jabing through. Finally, plume pillows have been known on juncture to hold an olfactory property, possibly of H2O poultry or chemicals used to sanitise the plumes ( Nick Robinson, 2010 ) .2.4.2 Long Distance Commercial Vehicle Passenger Seat with Neck SupportThe Coach Passenger Seat with Neck SupportLong-distance manager services, besides called express coachs or interurban managers, have in common that they cater for conveyance demands outside urban agglomerations, normally from metropolis to metropolis, frequently besides functioning towns non good served by rail on their manner ( van de Velde, 2009 ) . The manager rider place is one of the of import characteristics to guarantee the comfort of the rider for long distance travel. For illustration, an express manager that travels from Singapore to Thailand as showed in Figure 2.5 was equipped with cervix and leg support for their rider comfort during long distance travel. Figure 2.5 The luxury manager rider place with neck support ( Five Star Tours, 2010 ) .The Train Passenger Seat with Neck SupportFor the long distance high velocity rail, such as ICE, Thalys and Eurostar offered luxury rider place to guarantee the siting comfort of rider during train travel. German ICE offered the rider place with the cervix support as showed in Figure 2.6. The cervix support is a soft shock absorber that attached to the place with two strings. Thalys ( Figure 2.7 ) and Eurostar ( Figure 2.8 ) offered similar rider place with same side support for caput and cervix. Figure 2.6 The German train ICE rider place with neck support. Figure 2.7 The Gallic train Thalys rider place with neck support ( Raileurope, 2010 ) . Figure 2.8 The Eurostar rider place with neck support ( Bembridge, 2007 ) .The Aircraft Passenger Seat with Neck SupportThe economic system category place of major air hoses such as KLM, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airlines equipped with adjustable caput remainder to better the caput and cervix comfort during air travel. The headrest of economic system category place is a automatically device that support caput and cervix. The device needs to be adjusted manually by the rider for comfort betterment. The headrest ( Figure 2.9 ) that available in the economic system category aircraft place of Cathay Pacific Airlines able to adjusts in four ways – up, down and sideways ( with the adjustable ears ) . The head restraint is to maximise comfort and support for rider caput and cervix ( Cathay Pacific, 2010 ) . Subsequently, the Qantas A380 economic system category place besides equipped with the caput remainder ‘wing ‘ for caput and cervix support ( Qantas, 2010 ) . Most of the headrest that available in current aircraft rider is a mechanical system where the rider needs to set the caput remainder manually to the needed place. Figure 2.10 showed the Qantas economic system category aircraft rider place. Figure 2.9 The Cathay Pacific Airlines economic system category aircraft place with constitutional cervix support ( Cathay Pacific, 2010 ) . Figure 2.10 The Qantas Airline economic system category aircraft place with neck support ( Travelhouseuk ‘s Travel Blog, 2010 ) .2.5 OBJECTIFYING AND SUBEJCTIFYING OF SEAT ( DIS ) Comfort2.5.1 Relationship of nonsubjective measurings to siting comfort and uncomfortablenessThe design of vehicle ‘s seating for improved drive uncomfortableness is one of the primary ends for vehicle makers. Comfort measuring is hard because of such factors as user subjectiveness, occupant anthropometry, place geometry, and sum of clip spent sitting ( Thakurta et al. , 1995 ) . A great trade of research has been performed in recent old ages to happen nonsubjective steps for foretelling place comfort perceptual experience. Some of the proposed nonsubjective steps include quiver, interface force per unit area, and musculus activity. These nonsubjective steps are correlated with subjective informations to find the comparative effects of each step related to comfort ( Nawayseh and Griffin, 2005 ) . Research has shown that some of the chief factors that affect siting comfort are seat-interface force per unit area distribution, whole-body quiver and force per unit area alteration rate ( Boggs, 2004 ) . Position Analysis CAE Pressure Epinephrine Spinal Loading Oxygen Impregnation Temperature and HumidityObjective MeasurementsElectromyogram Vibration Evaluation Etc. Electroencephalogram A huge bulk of nonsubjective steps used for measuring comfort and uncomfortableness. From the literature hunt, the nonsubjective measuring methods for place such as force per unit area distribution, position, computer-aided design ( CAD ) , computer-aided technology ( CAE ) , temperature, humidness, quiver, electromyography ( EMG ) , and epinephrine. Figure 2.11 shows an overview of different nonsubjective measuring methods for place comfort and uncomfortableness. Figure 2.11 Overview of different nonsubjective measuring methods for place comfort and uncomfortableness. From the literature hunt utilizing computerized systems such as ScienceDirect, force per unit area measuring is used to analyze the uncomfortableness feeling among the drivers. Pressure measuring method is the most used method for the place developer to mensurate the comfort and uncomfortableness of sitting individuals ( Adreoni et al. , 2002 ; Boggs, 2004 ; Lee et al. , 1988 ; Nawayseh and Griffin, 2005 ; Yun et al. , 1992 ) . The instruments that used in force per unit area measuring, viz. , force per unit area mat, force per unit area proctor system, force detector, place distortion mensurating device and force per unit area imagination system. The automotive industry strongly encourages research in the field of nonsubjective comfort appraisal, particularly dedicated to the place and the related positions ( Bustrom et al. , 2006 ; Scarlett et al. , 2007 ) . Driver position is one of the of import issues to be considered in the vehicle design procedure ( Wu and Chen, 2004 ) sing non merely the auto and the user ( Kolich et al. , 2006 ; Schust et al. , 2006 ) but besides the experimental conditions. The instruments that used in the position measuring are camera, optoelectronic system ( Andreoni et al. , 2002 ; Brazier et al. , 2002 ) driving position monitoring system, digital signal processing, supersonic device ( Brazier et al. , 2002 ; Park et al. , 2000 ) , 3D gesture analysis ( Park et al. , 2000 ) , and gesture measuring system ( Bush and Phaeda, 2003 ) . A major part of the quivers experienced by the residents of an car enters the organic structure through the place ( Choi and Han, 2003 ) . Whole-body quivers, which are perpendicular quivers, tend to impact the human organic structure the most. These quivers are transmitted to the natess and dorsum of the resident along the vertebral axis via the base and dorsum of the place ( Wereley and Choi, 2005 ) . The instruments that used are perpendicular quiver simulator, angulator rate detector, accelerometer and whole organic structure quiver measuring. Six surveies have used computer-aided technology ( CAE ) methods to mensurate the sitting individual comfort such as finite component method ( Choi et al. , 2007 ) , practical world ( Marler et al. , 2007 ) , simulation method ( Kolich and White, 2004 ; Seitz et al. , 2005 ; Verver et al. , 2005 ) and unreal intelligence technique ( Kolich et al. , 2004 ) . Other surveies for nonsubjective measurings are related to human physiology. The physiology of human such as encephalon, musculus, bosom, tegument and spinal can be used to mensurate the sitting individual comfort or uncomfortableness degree. The spinal burden measurings have been performed in two surveies. Five surveies are carried out to mensurate the tegument temperature and humidness degree. Two surveies utilizing electromyography ( EMG ) to mensurate the musculus reaction in relation with the capable uncomfortableness feeling. There is a survey which used epinephrine content in the piss to mensurate the driver ‘s stress degree. Besides, the encephalon activity can be detected by electroencephalography ( EEG ) every bit good as O impregnation can be used to mensurate discomfort degree of sitting individual excessively.Pressure Measurements: The force per unit area distribution method is the most common method that used by research workers to mensurate place comfort objectiv ely. Several research workers have measured the force per unit area at the human-seat interface utilizing electronic detectors ( capacitive, resistive, strain gage ) , pneumatic and electro-pneumatic. However, the visco-elastic behaviour at the interface is wholly altered by the detectors used ( Nawayseh and Griffin, 2005 ) . Andreoni et Al. ( 2002 ) used force per unit area mat to garner shock absorber and backrest force per unit area informations during inactive conditions and existent drive activity. Gyi et Al. ( 1997 ) evaluated the place force per unit area measuring engineerings that used in the anticipation if driver uncomfortableness for assorted auto place designs, and supply interior decorators and makers with rapid information early in the design procedure. Lee et Al. ( 1998 ) recruited 100 topics and 16 seats to happen the correlativities between force per unit area informations and comfort. They stated that the correlativity is non high plenty to be the footing for any design determination. Yun et Al. ( 1992 ) studied the correlativity between force per unit area distribution and local uncomfortableness of auto seats. The consequence found that force per unit area distribution at the low back and buttock country was statically correlated to local uncomfortableness in auto seats.There are huge bulk of nonsubjective steps used for measuring comfort. They were created based on the comparing of different place designs with similar types of place shock absorbers that are widely used in the automotive industry, i.e. urethane froth shock absorbers. The kineticss of air-inflated place shock absorbers is really different from that of foam shock absorbers in footings of their interface with the human organic structure. Further surveies should be performed to utilize alternate methods of rating that can efficaciously measure the kineticss at the interface between the shock absorber and the human organic structure. In add-on, the vehicle place interior decora tor should see the soft tissue in contact with a soft place surface. Figure 2.12 shows the assorted force per unit area measuring techniques that used in the place development. Ocular fibres device SAE AM50 cheek signifier indentor Talley force per unit area proctor system Pressure feeling mat ( piezo resistive ) Highest extremum force per unit area measuring Lower extremum force per unit area Pliance system ( Pressure distribution ) Pressure and contact country measuring Pressure detectors Force sensor/transducers Pressure mat Seat distortion mensurating device ( Strain gage )PressureFigure 2.12 Assorted force per unit area measuring techniques.Position Analysis: The automotive industry strongly encourages research in the field of nonsubjective comfort appraisal, particularly dedicated to the place and the related positions ( Bustrom et al. , 2006 ; Scarlett et al. , 2007 ) . Driver position is one of the most of import issues to be considered in the vehicle design procedure ( Wu and Chen, 2004 ) sing non merely the auto and the user ( Kolich et al. , 2006 ; Schusr et al. , 2006 ) but besides the experimental conditions. Figure 2.13 shows the different nonsubjective measuring techniques for position analysis.Optoelectronic systemDriving position monitoring system ( DPMS )Digital signal processingShock absorber lading indentorSupersonic device of tactual explorationBody motion measuring3D optical maser scanningPosition analysis3D co-ordinate measurement machineVideo Camera( obesevation )Motion measuring system3D gesture analysisPositionFigur e 2.13 Objective measuring techniques for position analysis. Vibration Measurements: A major part of the quivers experienced by the residents of an car enters the organic structure through the place ( Choi and Han, 2003 ) . Whole-body quivers, which are perpendicular quivers, tend to impact the human organic structure the most. These quivers are transmitted to the natess and dorsum of the resident along the vertebral axis via the base and dorsum of the place ( Wereley and Choi, 2005 ) . Since the natural frequence for the human bole falls in the scope of 4-8 Hz, it is expected that the whole organic structure quivers that will most mostly affect riders will happen in this frequence scope ( Ofori-Boetang, 2003 ) . Figure 2.14 shows the nonsubjective measuring methods in quiver analysis. Vertical quiver simulator Angulator rate detector Accelerometer Whole organic structure quiver measuringVibrationFigure 2.14 The nonsubjective measuring methods for quiver analysis. Temperature and Humidity Measurements: Thermal comfort is an of import facet to be considered in the biotechnologies rating of the driver seats, which are important interfaces between adult male and machine in car. Determining thermic comfort in vehicle is a complex undertaking, because thermic comfort involves the interaction of many variables and cars are susceptible to temporal fluctuations in their thermic environments ( Mehta and Tewari, 2000 ) . As shown in Figure 2.15, air velocity, air temperature, humidness and average beaming temperature are used to find the temperature and humidness of the place objectively. Air velocity detector Air temperature detector Mean beaming temperature Humidity detectorTemperature andHumidityFigure 2.15 The nonsubjective measuring methods for temperature and humidness. Computer-aided Technology: Due to the promotion of the computing machine system, computer-aided technology ( CAE ) is used to back up scientists and applied scientists in undertakings such as simulation, analysis, design, industry, planning, diagnosing and fix. The usage of CAE could ease the place development procedure. In the early phases of the design procedure a new design can be tested for its grade of comfort by computing machine simulations with theoretical accounts of the human and the place. This allows makers to rush up the design procedure of a new place or interior and cut down costs. Verver et Al. ( 2004 ) used the finite component theoretical account of the human natess to foretell the inactive force per unit area distribution between human and siting surface by it detailed and realistic geometric description. Hix et Al. ( 2000 ) developed technology methods and expertness in the country of truck place patterning to capture the effects of place kineticss on drive qualit y. Figure 2.16 shows some CAE techniques that used to mensurate the place objectively. PAM comfort simulation tool Virtual Human Mathematica MADYMO RAMSIS AnyBody Modeling System Artificial Intelligence ( GA, Fuzzy, SVM ) ADAMS/ Figure ABAQUA/ CASIMIR ALASKA/ DYNAMICUSCAEFigure 2.16 CAE techniques for place developmentPhysiological Measurements: Biological parametric quantities such as bosom rate, musculus, and piss can be used to mensurate the place comfort objectively. The biological parametric quantity is based on human organic structure physiological or orthopaedic phenomenon. For illustration, electromyography ( EMG ) signals is used to mensurate the myoelectrical activity of musculuss ( Inagaki et al. , 2000 ) , epinephrine in the piss can be used to mensurate the human emphasis degree ( Uenishi et al. , 2002 ) , electroencephalography ( EEG ) is used to mensurate the human encephalon activity ( Zhang et al. , 2006 ) , and O impregnation is used to look into the human uncomfortableness. Lim et Al. ( 2006 ) used a method of ECG measuring without direct contact with the tegument while topics sat on a chair have oning normal apparels. Figure 2.17 shows the assorted nonsubjective measuring methods for physiological analysis.Metabolic ra te Relative humidness ( Skin wettedness detector ) CT scan Electrocardiography ( ECG ) Electromyography ( EMG ) Skin wet trial ( Skincon-200/IBs ) Physiological clime simulator ( CYBOR ) A double manner dynamometer Spinal burden Heat flux detector Skin temperature detector X ray Oxygen impregnation measuring ( Somanetics Oximeter ) Epinephrine Electroencephalography ( EEG )PhysiologyFigure 2.17 Various nonsubjective measuring methods for physiological analysis.2.5.2 Relationship of subjective measurings to siting comfort and uncomfortablenessDue to the deficiency of proved analytical prosodies, vehicle makers have opted to trust on subjective ratings as the chief index of place comfort. The vehicle makers developed elaborative subjective rating protocols that involved extremely construction questionnaires ( Ahmadian et al. , 2002 ) . The questionnaires direct residents to delegate feelings of uncomfortableness to a specific part of place. The questionnaires, which typically contain numeral graduated tables ( e.g. 1 = really uncomfortable to 10 = really comfy ) , produce subjective evaluations that are translated into public presentation requirements/specifications ( Yagiz, 2004 ) . A decently designed questionnaire is paramount because it affords research workers an instrument from which to set up theories ( Brooks and Par sons, 1999 ) .Local Discomfort Rating: Local uncomfortableness evaluation is used to mensurate the uncomfortableness of topics while sitting. Harmonizing to Kolich ( 2008 ) , many research workers have adopted Hertzberg ( 1972 ) definition because, in the current environment, it is more straightforward to quantify uncomfortableness than to mensurate comfort. The local uncomfortableness evaluation graduated table can be rate on a graduated table such as 1 to 10 or -10 to 10. Shen and Parsons ( 1997 ) used the class partitioning graduated table ( CP50 ) for evaluation seated force per unit area strength and perceived uncomfortableness. There are 16 surveies related with local uncomfortableness evaluation. Whereas there are six surveies related to local comfort evaluation.In the survey by Mehta and Tewari ( 2000 ) , 10 point graduated table local uncomfortableness is used to mensurate the tractor place comfort. The work is to project the most appropriate method of appraisal and choice of tractor seats from technology and biomechanical position point. Eklund and Corlett ( 1987 ) used local uncomfortableness with ocular parallel graduated table to analyze the correlativity between bole and back uncomfortableness.Local Comfort Rating: Kyung et Al. ( 2008 ) used several subjective evaluation strategies to look into the most effectual manner for usage in planing and measuring auto place, and to happen the relationship among these strategies. There are entire 27 Participants completed short-run drive Sessionss, in six combinations of seats ( from vehicles ranked high and low on overall comfort ) , vehicle category ( sedan and SUV ) , and driving locale ( lab based and field ) . Overall evaluations were obtained, every bit good as separate steps of comfort and uncomfortableness of the whole organic structure and local organic structure parts.For the aircraft place, Parakkat et Al. ( 2006 ) investigated the long continuance effects of sitting in the expulsion place shock absorber. Subjective comfort study informations and cognitive public presentation informations is used in the probe. Zhang et Al. ( 2007 ) studied the thermic esthesiss, overall thermic acceptableness and thermic comfort on ocular parallel graduated tables. 7-point graduated table thermic comfort for each of the organic structure subdivisions is used in this studied.Body Function: In the organic structure mapping method, the sensed uncomfortableness is referred to a portion of the organic structure. The topic is evaluation the organic structure countries sing uncomfortableness and to rate this uncomfortableness on a given graduated table. Kyung et Al. ( 2008 ) used a ocular organic structure mapping linear graduated table as shown in Figure 2.18 to obtain overall evaluations of comfort and uncomfortableness for the whole organic structure. For the work by Zenk et Al. ( 2007 ) , the uncomfortableness for each organic structure portion is rated on the uncomfortableness graduated tabl e and apportion this appraisal to a specific section of the organic structure parts in touch with the place.Figure 2.18 The organic structure function for comfort and uncomfortableness evaluation ( Kyung et al. , 2008 ) . Seat Function: In the place function method, the place is divided into different subdivision to measure the seating comfort and uncomfortableness. Inagaki et Al. ( 2000 ) divided the place into 16 sections to measure place comfort based on 5-point graduated table. The â€Å" fit † feeling and â€Å" soft † feeling of the sitting place were converted to points of stimulation that the human organic structure received. Figure 2.19 shows the place mapping method by Inagaki et Al. ( 2000 ) .Figure 2.19 Evaluation of place comfort based on place function ( Inagaki et al. , 2000 ) .2.6 TOTAL DESIGNEntire design is defined as the systematic activity necessary, from the designation of the market/user demand, to the merchandising of the successful merchandise to fulfill that demand – an activity that encompasses merchandise, procedure, people and organisation ( Pugh, 1990 ) . Entire design has been developed into an integrating model or methodological analysis that encapsu lates all facets of the new merchandise development ( Ion, 1995 ) . As mentioning to Figure 2.20, entire design is represented by an activity theoretical account that breaks the design procedure into six iterative phases- market reappraisals, merchandise design specification, construct design, item design, fabrication and merchandising. The attack accent the ‘front terminal ‘ of the design procedure and includes many methods which are of direct relevancy to the apprehension of the market demands. The cardinal nucleus of activities as represented by the six stages is present in all design irrespective of subject. All design starts, or should get down with a demand that may be satisfied by bring forthing a merchandise that will suit into an bing market or make a market of its ain. This demand is expanded in the initial phases of the design procedure into a full merchandise design specification. This specification reflects the client demand and influences and restraints the remainder of activity. It is followed by conceptual procedure and it em design. A merchandise that meets the merchandise design specification be developed and specified ( Ion, 1995 ) . Figure 2.20 Entire design activity theoretical account ( Ion, 1995 ) . To enable the design squad to run efficaciously and expeditiously, it is necessary to utilize a broad assortment of techniques and methods. These methods are straight related to the nucleus stages and efficaciously organize the design squad ‘s tool kit. Design methods may associate to analysis, synthesis, determination devising or some other facet of design and can either be independent of subject or engineering, such as originative methods, or subject specific, such as emphasis or thermodynamic analysis. The entire design attack is to the full compatible with the rules of concurrent technology ( Ion, 1995 ) .2.7 ELECTROMYOGRAPHY AND STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID MUSCLEAn electromyography ( EMG ) signal is used to mensurate the myolectrical activity of musculuss. Muscles contractions send a mensurable electric potency that can be recorded by EMG ( Lee et al. , 1995 ) . Surface electromyography ( sEMG ) has been used in research and clinical applications for the non-invasive analysis of c ervix musculuss to supply information about musculoskeletal conditions ( Falla et al. , 2002 ) . Sommerich et Al. ( 2000 ) discusses that at least a few of the musculuss of import for neck motion and stabilisation are accessible with surface electrodes. One of the musculuss is sternocleidomastoid ( SCM ) , where SCM is responsible for flexure, rotary motion and sidelong bending. Figure 2.21 shows the sternocleidomastoid musculus. Sternocleidomastoid musculus Figure 2.21 The sternocleidomastoid musculus ( Wikipedia, 2010 ) . Costa et Al. ( 1990 ) described the authoritative text books of anatomy and kinesiology, see caput motions such as heterolateral rotary motion, homolateral disposition flexure and extension, of import maps of the sternocleidomastoid musculus. The map of the SCM musculus in caput motions of immature persons were studied electromyographically. From the consequences of the research, the caput motions performed by the SCM musculus were classified as heterolateral disposition, lengthiness, extension and flexure. Johnston et Al. ( 2008 ) studied the electromyography signals from the SCM musculus to find differences between computing machine workers with changing degrees of cervix hurting in footings of work stressors, employee strain, EMG amplitude and bosom rate response to assorted undertakings. Assorted surveies ( Ylinen et al. , 2003 ; Bexander et Al. 2005 ; Gabriel et al. , 2004 ; Moon et al. , 2003 ; Lin and Huang, 2008 ) showed that there is a relationship between electromyography ( EMG ) activity of sternocleido mastoideus ( SCM ) musculus and caput rotary motion. The research characterized isometric rotary motion strength in the impersonal and in different pre-rotated places of the cervix. Twenty healthy work forces volunteered as topics. Maximal axial rotary motion strength of the cervix musculuss was measured in a impersonal place and bilaterally at 30A ° and 60A ° rotary motion utilizing the isometric cervix strength measuring system. Isometric maximal voluntary contractions of the cervix musculuss in flexure and extension were tested. The highest strength values were non reached in the impersonal place, but at the largest joint angles, while turning the caput in the opposite way from the pre-rotated place. Maximal strength increased with the increasing angle, and at the 60A ° pre-rotation angle it was 44 % higher towards the right and 27 % higher towards the left compared to the values obtained in the impersonal place. The smallest strength values were besides produced at the largest pre-rotation angles, but in the same way. The con sequences showed a clear relationship between the pre-rotated place of the cervix and maximum voluntary strength in rotary motion ( Ylinen et al. , 2003 ) . Bexander et Al. ( 2005 ) conducted an experiment to look into the consequence of oculus place on neck musculus activity during cervical rotary motion. In the survey, the root-mean-square EMG amplitude was measured for 1 s during the period in which the place of the cervix and caput was held statically in each rotary motion angle ( 0, 15, 30, 45A ° ) . The EMG amplitude of left SCM was increased when the cervix rotate from 0-45A ° during left rotary motion and decreased during right rotary motion. The consequence of experiment indicated that activity of SCM was specific to the way of cervix rotary motion. Moon et Al. ( 2003 ) developed a method to gauge face way angle utilizing both image observation and EMG signal from cervix musculuss. The EMG signal of the SCM musculus concerned in the caput motions is measured. The collarbone part is selected as the mention point for the EMG signal measuring because the collarbone is the nearest bone from cervix and it has no musculuss. During the experiment, when the caput is rotated to the right or left, the EMG signal is measured from the SCM at the opposite side. The consequences from the experiment showed that the alterations of EMG signals are little until 30A ° , but additive belongingss are appeared in the scope [ 30A ° , 90A ° ] . There is a relationship between rotated caput angle and EMG signals. Lin and Huang ( 2008 ) investigated the alterations of cervix musculus activities when utilizing different pillows in a clip series and different sort of pillow. There was a important lessening of SCM activity after 9th proceedingss up to 20th proceedingss when lying down from an unsloped place and non happened to upper cowl muscle musculus. The activities of SCM cervix musculuss decreased when altering craniocervical positions. The consequences confirm the ground of participants preferred proper cervix support. Tilley and Dreyfuss ( 2001 ) conducted human factors research impact everything in day-to-day life. In their measuring on caput rotary motion angle for adult male and adult female as mentioning to Figure 2.22, they defined that the caput confronting front or in 0A ° is the most comfort caput place. From 0A ° to 45A ° is the easy caput rotary motion angle scope and 60A ° is the maximal caput rotary motion angle. 0A ° Most caput comfort 45A ° Easy caput rotary motion 60A ° Max caput rotary motion comfort 45A ° 60A ° Front Figure 2.22 The caput rotary motion angle from top position ( adapted from Tilley and Dreyfuss, 2001 ) .2.8 SummaryLiteratures have provided theoretical theoretical account of siting comfort and uncomfortableness. There are different factors that affected the human comfort during travel, such as force per unit area, quiver, temperature and position. The rider has different degree of comfort and uncomfortableness during air travel. For the bing cervix support during travel, most of the cervix support used by rider is inactive back uping system where the rider needs to set the support when he/she feels uncomfortableness. There is no such adaptative cervix support for current aircraft place. Therefore, the end of this thesis work is to develop a cervix support system that can cut down the cervix musculus emphasis adaptively. There are different attacks that used to understand the comfort and uncomfortableness of sitting objectively every bit good as subjectively. Objective and subjectiv e measuring methods can be combined for measuring both the comfort and uncomfortableness belongingss of seats. Literature reappraisal sing the cervix musculus showed that people need proper cervix support to cut down the cervix uncomfortableness. For this ground, sternocleidomastoid musculus that is responsible of caput rotary motion was selected for the proof of the developed smart cervix support system with surface electromyography methods.