Differentiating Between Market Structures Coursework

Differentiating Between Market Structures - Coursework Example In such context, fast food outlets will be the best place to grab a precooked burger and a hot beverage for the morning meal. With increasing consumption of fast food, America is experiencing substantial growth in the industry. Market statistics indicate that this industry is likely to experience a boost; hence its future prospects seem promising. Organizations in the Fast Food Industry In practical context, examples of established organizations within the fast food industry include McDonalds, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken, among other companies. Within the essay, we will focus on Kentucky Fried Chicken, which features as one of the most successful business franchise in the world. Kentucky entered the industry, upon which it established itself as an icon in preparation and sale of chicken products and other fast food items. It is known for its finger licking chicken and attracts a wide range of consumers into its outlets worldwide. Currently, the organization has franchises located in different geographical regions including China and Indian markets. With current increase in fast food consumption, Kentucky Fried Chicken is repositioning itself in the global market in order to reap maximum benefits. Within the American market and beyond, Kentucky is tied with other established fast food giants like McDonalds, Wendy’s and Burger King. ... r of buyers and sellers, level of competition, prospects of market entry and range of products and services offered to consumers within a given market segment. Based on these attributes, the four basic market structures include perfect competition, oligopoly, monopolistic competition and monopoly. Kentucky Fried chicken operates its business within a perfect competition environment. Characteristics of Perfect Competition From a theoretical perspective, perfect competition is sometimes referred to as pure competition. In ideal situation, pure competition is characterized by presence of numerous sellers all offering identical products and services to potential consumers. Because all products and services offered are identical, then each seller enjoys a proportionate share of the market. According to Colander (2010), prices within such a market are not determined by a single seller. Rather, price elasticity of demand is attributed to consumer preference based on merit of product and ser vice offered by a given seller. Consequently, price of goods tend to be stable since no single seller had the economic influence to induce price dynamics. In this regard, consumers are protected from illegal pricing techniques since all sellers shall have to adhere to prevailing market regulations created by competition. In actual sense, perfect competition may not exist as ideally portrayed in theoretical constructs. However, typical characteristics of firms in practical business settings will place each organization under one of the market structures mentioned above. Marketing Structure of Kentucky Fried Chicken Kentucky Fried Chicken operates within an environment with infinite number of product sellers. Currently, there are thousands of fast food outlets across the world. Some of these

Industrial Revolution in Europe Essay Example for Free

Industrial Revolution in Europe Essay The industrial revolution had a great impact on Europe, especially when it comes to social and economic aspects, since they underwent a great change during the period. Still, whether the industrial revolution was positive or negative as a whole depends on if you focus on either of these two aspects. Optimists will say that it was good, and theyll focus on the favourable consequences on economy. Pessimists, however, will focus on social aspects, since society suffered a decline as to way of life. When it comes to economy, most of the consequences of the industrial revolution on it were quite positive. Wages rose, and people had enough money to buy goods. Industry developed, making it more efficient to produce products with the help of machines. These made it more profitable for industries, since work was done faster and without a need for a big human work force, thus creating mass production. It was cheap to make goods, and they were produced at a large scale, which in turn led to consumers being able to afford more products. Another thing was the creation of banks, which favoured economy as they lent money to set up even more industries. Mercantilism also helped European countries, since they had a market for their goods. Also, industries were favoured by the construction of better roads and canals, and with the invention of the steam engine, as well as with the construction of turnpike trusts. Goods were transported in faster, safer and cheaper ways, which had a positive effect on industry and economy. The improvement of the transport system also had positive effects on social aspects. Now that people had more money, they could use it to go on day holidays to the coast, since they could use the railroad. Improvement in transportation also eventually led to the creation of national sport leagues, as teams could move around from place to place. Another positive consequence of the improvement of transport reflected on peoples diets. Fresh food could be transported faster and cheaper into urban areas, thus making it available for consumers, who, with the improvements in economy, now had money to buy it, as well as some mass produced clothes. Still, even if people had more money, standards of living didnt rise as  much. To get money, people had to work for long shifts, and housing was also more expensive. This made people pack together in small houses. Over-crowding inevitably led to the quick spread of diseases and illnesses as pollution from industries and wastes filled the cities, affecting people who lived very close together. People working in the city also had bad working conditions. They worked for long shifts under unhealthy conditions, and accidents were common due to the over-tiredness of the workers after so many hours of work. Also, for a family to meet monthly expenses, children had to work. Child labour was common, and children had harsh jobs, working all day instead of being able to go to school and get an education. Another negative consequence of the industrial revolution was the sharp increase of crime in cities. As industries and large farms prospered, small farmers and peasants suffered. Many were left without a job and thus migrated into the cities. Population increase in urban areas, however, didnt always match the increasing need for workers in industries; many people were left without a job and thus had to resort to crime to be able to survive. It is clear that the Industrial Revolution had a great impact on peoples lives throughout Europe. A capitalist economy flourished, while workers suffered unhealthy conditions as they struggled to survive in a changing society.

Controversial Minority Representation in the Film, Birth Of a Nation Es

Controversial Minority Representation in the Film, Birth Of a Nation       Birth of a Nation was a film that broke several artistic boundaries in the film industry yet was seen as the most racist film of any generation. This has caused it to be a film under heavy debate since its release in 1915. One can never look past the racist depictions that this film portrays in it. However, to truly understand the film and explore its importance in the study of minorities in film, one must look at this film from all perspectives. D.W. Griffith grew up in Kentucky under a father who was a Confederate hero and was the first to place the racial views in his head. Here is where the ideals of blacks and whites were created for D.W. Griffith. In his head and in his upbringing, his views of blacks and whites were real. The black race being lower then the whites and never really deserving of equality. That is where the ideal for his film Birth of a Nation originated. As far as he was concerned this was a heroic epic of the white people. This is the first context in which one must explore this film. The second is what was going on in America during the time of this films release. No more then fifty years after the Civil War, this film was made. African-Americans were nowhere near finding equality or having civil rights that they were said to have or presumed to have. Separate but equal was still the main mindset in America. Most of the South still hated African Americans, lynched them, and the KKK was strong. When you look at all these social contexts that were going on during the time of the films release, there is no way that this film was seen as racist in the majority of the population. Most of the South probably saw this mov... ... If it is possible to find one positive racial image, then I am blind. Through its remarkable breakthroughs in film and what the camera could do, Birth of a Nation can be explored as a film that set the standards for future film development and masterpieces. However, one can never look past the way that African-Americans were horribly represented and depicted on film. This has caused this film to be such a great film to explore when studying film and especial minorities in film. This debate will continue way past my life and beyond. One must hope and believe that the ignorance of the few that still see this as a positive image of reality can be overturned and that this film can only be seen as a studying device for all those that look to explore the art of film and the sad realities that can come from the ideals of those who create film and movies.    Controversial Minority Representation in the Film, Birth Of a Nation Es Controversial Minority Representation in the Film, Birth Of a Nation       Birth of a Nation was a film that broke several artistic boundaries in the film industry yet was seen as the most racist film of any generation. This has caused it to be a film under heavy debate since its release in 1915. One can never look past the racist depictions that this film portrays in it. However, to truly understand the film and explore its importance in the study of minorities in film, one must look at this film from all perspectives. D.W. Griffith grew up in Kentucky under a father who was a Confederate hero and was the first to place the racial views in his head. Here is where the ideals of blacks and whites were created for D.W. Griffith. In his head and in his upbringing, his views of blacks and whites were real. The black race being lower then the whites and never really deserving of equality. That is where the ideal for his film Birth of a Nation originated. As far as he was concerned this was a heroic epic of the white people. This is the first context in which one must explore this film. The second is what was going on in America during the time of this films release. No more then fifty years after the Civil War, this film was made. African-Americans were nowhere near finding equality or having civil rights that they were said to have or presumed to have. Separate but equal was still the main mindset in America. Most of the South still hated African Americans, lynched them, and the KKK was strong. When you look at all these social contexts that were going on during the time of the films release, there is no way that this film was seen as racist in the majority of the population. Most of the South probably saw this mov... ... If it is possible to find one positive racial image, then I am blind. Through its remarkable breakthroughs in film and what the camera could do, Birth of a Nation can be explored as a film that set the standards for future film development and masterpieces. However, one can never look past the way that African-Americans were horribly represented and depicted on film. This has caused this film to be such a great film to explore when studying film and especial minorities in film. This debate will continue way past my life and beyond. One must hope and believe that the ignorance of the few that still see this as a positive image of reality can be overturned and that this film can only be seen as a studying device for all those that look to explore the art of film and the sad realities that can come from the ideals of those who create film and movies.   

Sparta and Athens - Explain and Contrast :: Ancient Greece Greek History

Sparta and Athens - Explain and Contrast Both Sparta and Athens were Greek city-states. Sparta was a strict military ruled city-state where the people established themselves as a military power early. However Athens was more of a political city-state that was more involved with their economical stature than their military forces. Still changes from the Persian wars would change the powers of the city-state and somewhat unite them. Sparta was a strict military city-state. The people were Dorians who conquered Laconia. This region lies in the Peloponnesus, which lied in southern Greece. The invaders turned the conquered people into state owned slaves, called helots. Since the helots greatly outnumbered their rulers, Spartans established a strict and brutal system of control. The Spartan government had two kings and a council of elders who advised the monarchs. An assembly made up of all citizens approved all major decisions. From child-hood, a Spartan prepared to be part of the military. All newborn were examined and the healthy lived and the sickly were left to die. Spartans wanted future soldiers or mothers of soldiers to be healthy. At the age of seven, boys trained for a lifetime in the Spartan military. They moved to the barracks and endured brutal and extensive training. Athens was located in Attica, just north of the Peloponnesus. As in many Greek city-states, Athenian government evolved from a monarchy into an aristocracy. Around 700 B.C., noble landowners chose the chief officials. Nobles judged major cases in court and dominated the assembly. Athenian wealth and power grew under the aristocracy. Yet discontent spread over the commoners. Merchants and soldiers resented the power of the nobles and argued that their services to Athens entitled them to more rights. As discontent spread the government slowly moved towards a democracy. Solon, one of Athens greatest leaders, made many reforms such as outlawing debt slavery. And freed those who had already been sod into slavery due to debt. Solon encouraged the export of olive oil and other such products, aiding to the economy. The Persian war brought massive change to the people of both Sparta and Athens. The Persians were great conquerors who crushed rebel cities with ease. King Darius sent a large force to punish Athens with its interference. The Persian army landed at Marathon where Athenian forces attacked. Though they were outnumbered 2 to 1 they emerged victorious. Athens had convinced Sparta and other city-states to join them in their battles.

Pavlovian Conditioning’s Cause and Effect Relationship With Overdose Essay

Summary: Harm Reduction Journal Gerevich, Bacskai, Farkas, and Danics’ case report studied if Pavlovian conditioning can directly relate to death from overdose. The case followed a young that had been treated multiple times for an addiction to heroin. As a result for the multiple treatments studies have shown that drug overdose occurs most frequently when the patient accustomed to the drug gives up its use then after a while attempts to continue addictive behavior with the same dose before withdrawal. His daily dose had not differed even the fatal overdose, thus proving the conditioned tolerance failed to operate. This indicates that morphine concentrations measured in cases of drug related death do not differ substantially form those measured in cases where the outcome is not fatal. Conditioning can contribute to prevention of fatal cases however, also contribute to cases of tolerance becoming fatal. Summary: Pavlovian conditioning and Drug Overdose: When Tolerance Fails  Siegel’s performed a study of that which Pavlovian conditioning and drug overdose play an important and integral relationship with one another. Siegel researched and studied cases of overdose and examined rats injected with an opiate. He observed that Pavlovian conditioning contributes to tolerance when the user begins to make observations of the effects of the drug in the presence of cues that were previously paired with the drug. Two stimuli are present and one will presumably predict the other, this includes the drug. When the tolerance the chance for overdose increases as well. The unconditioned stimulus in Pavlov’s conditioning is the effect of the drug.  This conditioning makes relapsing common because of the craving for unconditioned stimulus. It is necessary to allow extinction the cues that are presented with the drug in order for recovery. Overdose doesn’t necessarily have to c ome from the conditioning process but many experiments verify a higher risk if conditions are present. In 1927 Ivan Pavlov studied a direct relationship between a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus. As the result of as series of conditionings, Pavlov discovered that the conditioned stimulus is able to create the same response as the unconditioned stimulus over a period of time. The relationship of the two is evident and a major factor in fatal overdoses, whether in drug overdose or binge drinking. The correlation between classic conditioning and overdose can be observed where tolerance fails. If one were to treat an addiction, one must acknowledge the conditioning process and eliminate conditioned cues related with the drug (Bacskai, Danics, Farkas & Gerevich, 2005). Cases where tolerance failed can be directly found in classical conditioning involved with drug or drinking paired cues and environmental cues as well as associated with the addiction, therefore the cue must be eliminated in order for proper recovery. Tolerance plays a crucial role in overdose as well as addiction. Overdose becomes fatal when tolerance does not occur. According to Siegel, â€Å"Evidence that drug tolerance depends not only upon experience with the drug but also experience with the drug-paired cues† (p. 505, 2001). Addicts suffer from overdose primarily because they do not show the level of tolerance that they expect in drug-experienced individuals (Siegel, 2001). Those suffering with addiction have become conditioned not only physically, but also emotionally in need of the high that is released with a substance. The addiction is the conditioned stimulus, which leaves room for the effects of the drug or drink to be the unconditioned stimulus. Siegel found that events that occur during the drug administration directly correspond to a Pavlovian conditioning trial (2001). Over time the effects become a conditioned response in which they will relate the experience of the high as a cue. Cues are dangerous when de aling with conditioning and treatment. Cues accompanying the drug effect function as CSs, and the direct drug effect constitutes the UCS. Prior to any learning, this UCS elicits responses- UCRs- that compensate for drug-induced disturbances. After some pairings of the pre-drugs CS and pharmacological UCS, the drug compensatory response are elicited by drug-paired stimuli as CRs (Siegel, 2001, p. 505). Thus, in approach to treatment prior to an overdose, the cues must be eliminated. In the study by Siegel, it is studied that drugs and alcohol in particular will have a greater impact if they are administered in the presence of unique cues rather than in the presence of predictable cues that it is associated with (2011). In Bacskai, Danics, Farkas and Gerevich study, they followed the life of an addict which overdosed and claimed that the user could not recover properly due to learned conditioning regarding his heroin addiction. In the autopsy report they were able to clarify that his over dosage was the exact same as his no rmal dosage of .05mg/L. â€Å"The fatal consequences of the heroin injection may have been caused by the failure in the action of conditioned tolerance† (Bacskai, Danics, Farkas & Gerevich, 2005). Environmental cues are also factors of conditioning that are paired with cases of overdose. The term tolerance situational-specificity, according to Siegel, results because we prepare ourselves in advance for the psychological changes produced by the drug when we are provided with certain cues that a drug or drink can imminent (2011). An example can be taken from Shapiro and Nathan in1986 when they studied the relationship between environmental cues and substance ingested. They had two groups, one that drank at home and one that drank in the lab environment. After 10 days they reversed the environment for the remaining participants. Upon the discovery they realized that those who had consumed alcohol in the lab environment were less affected in their performance tasks than those who consumed alcohol in the home environment. This demonstrating that tolerance was situationally precise to the environment in which the alcohol was once consumed. Environmental cues can be anywhere from a p arty to a room in a house. They can also be an atmosphere or specific type of people. It is important to identify these cues apart from the actual addiction. Now that cues can be identified separate from the drug of drink, the conditioned  response must be eliminated in order to treat recovery. Pavlov discovered that in order to eliminate a behavior, it is necessary to remove or substitute the conditioned stimulus. In order to eliminate any such cue, one must identify the cues present. In severe cases one might create a lesion in the hippocampal area located in the brain but it is not completely necessary. The most likely case in elimination is when a conditioned response becomes extinct. In order for extinction to occur the conditioned stimulus must be presented without the unconditioned stimulus. An example of a drug or drinking paired cue could be a positive or negative factor, like vomiting or, a party like environment. The cue can be created with induced vomiting when the drug or alcohol is present. This creates a fear tactic, which becomes associated with the addiction and thus making one afraid of the substance. Environmental cues can be both simple and difficult to eliminate. One must be taken out of his or hers setting of addiction. This could mean a living room, bathroom, party scene, work scene, or anywhere that the drug or drinking is associated with. These environments can cause pr essure in the subconscious toward the substance. Remember the Shapiro and Nathan experiment in1986; environment does affect one’s attitude toward the addiction. In Siegel’s 2001 study he discovered that when heroin was injected in an unfamiliar place the user is not as dangerous or place to overdose. The dangers of not eliminating cues can allow tolerance to take its role until overdose occurs. â€Å"Users familiar with the concept of conditioned place preference could have greater chances of survival than those who are not aware of it† (Bacskai, Danics, Farkas & Gerevich, 2005). Demonstrating that it is necessary for the cues to be eliminated to reduce the risk of overdose. Therefore, Pavlov’s conditioning has a direct and present relationship involved in overdose cases. Conditioning turns unconditioned stimulus into conditioned responses. The responses can act as cues, which can trigger the addiction. Cues can be both drug, or drinking paired and environmentally stimulated. Tolerance has been proven to fail in fatal cases of overdose due to classical conditioning. In order to recover properly these cues must be eliminated. Treatments can include anything from fear tactics, to removing  the entire substance. Severe cases of addiction, which relate to overdose can be treated with lesions in the brain. References Gerevich, J., Bacskai, E., Farkas, L., & Danics, Z. (2005). A case report: Pavlovian conditioning as a risk factor of heroin â€Å"overdose† death. Harm Reduction Journal, 2. Siegel, S. (2011). The Four-Loko Effect. Perspective on Psychological Science, 6, 357-361. Siegel, S. (2001). Pavlovian conditioning and drug overdose: When tolerance fails. Addiction Research and Theory, 9, 503-513. Shapiro, A. P., Nathan, P. E. (1986). Human tolerance to alcohol† The role of Pavlovian conditioning processes. Psychopharmacology, 88, 90, 95.

Ethic Norms Within Scientific Research

Ethic Norms Within Scientific Research Free Online Research Papers There are several reasons why it is important to adhere to ethical norms in research. First, some of these norms promote the aims of research, such as knowledge, truth, and avoidance of error. Many of the norms of research promote a variety of other important moral and social values, such as social responsibility and human rights. Given the importance of ethics for the conduct of research, it should come as no surprise that many different professional associations, government agencies, and universities have adopted specific codes, rules, and policies relating to research ethics. It has been argued that researchers need to develop better understandings of the politics and contexts within which ethics are regulated in order to increase both the perceived and actual legitimacy of their research investigations. Understanding ethical principal A formal system of ethics is the means by which professionals establish explicit standards of behavior and hold themselves accountable to those standards. An ethical code helps both professionals and those affected by the professionals actions (e.g., clients and consumers) identify and understand the principles which must guide the professionals work (Keith-Spiegal, 1998). Less altruistically but more practically, professionals systems of ethics can also represent or be motivated by the professions desire to minimize regulation by external organizations and systems (e.g., state licensing boards, the civil and criminal courts) (World Medical Association, 2000). The origin or elaboration of formal ethical systems can also be a response to pressure from consumers, clients, and the public who seek a change from laissez faire and caveat-emptor approaches to professional responsibilities. The paternalism inherent in the attitude that professionals know best and are beyond accountability i s not tolerated among the public as it once was (Keith-Spiegal, 1998). Understanding Research Department of Health and Human Services regulations define research as a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge (45 CFR 46.102 d). Often it is assumed that a specific question is being addressed by the researcher, and that the design is appropriate to answer the proposed question. Data collection to evaluate a specific programs effectiveness is generally not considered research since findings are not normally generalizable. Collecting information regarding client change or satisfaction also may not fall under the aegis of research, because results are specific and informative to an individual therapist with the intent of improving therapeutic competence and success and therefore, are not generalizable (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2001). However, if therapists plan organized, well-thought-out designs to investigate a specific research question about a therapeutic procedure and intend to disseminate the results through publication or other means, they are engaging in human subject research (Institute of Medicine, 2002). Psychological theories on ethics During the 1960s there was increased interest in moral reasoning. Psychologists such as Lawrence Kohlberg developed theories which are based on the idea that moral behavior is made possible by moral reasoning. Their theories subdivided moral reasoning into so-called stages, which refer to the set of principles or methods that a person uses for ethical judgment. The first and most famous theory of this type was Kohlbergs theory of moral development (Macrina, 2000). Another group of influential psychological theories with ethical implications is the humanistic psychology movement. One of the most famous humanistic theories is Abraham Maslows hierarchy of needs. Maslow argued that the highest human need is self-actualization, which can be described as fulfilling ones potential, and trying to fix what is wrong in the world. Carl Rogerss work was based on similar assumptions (Sherry, 1991). He thought that in order to be a fully functioning person, one has to be creative and accept ones own feelings and needs. He also emphasized the value of self-actualization. A similar theory was proposed by Fritz Perls, who assumed that taking responsibility of ones own life is an important value (Macrina, 2000). R.D. Laing developed a broad range of thought on interpersonal psychology. This deals with interactions between people, which he considered important, for an ethical action always occurs between one person and another. In books such as The Politics of Experience, he dealt with issues concerning how we should relate to persons labeled by the psychiatric establishment as schizophrenic. He came to be seen as a champion for the rights of those considered mentally ill. He spoke out against (and wrote about) practices of psychiatrists which he considered inhumane or barbaric, such as electric shock treatment. Like Wittgenstein, he was frequently concerned with clarifying the use of language in the field - for example, he suggested that the effects of psychiatric drugs (some of which are very deleterious) be called just that: effects, and not be referred to by the preferred euphemisms of the drug companies, who prefer to call them side effects (Keith-Spiegal, 1998). Laing also did work in establishing true asylums as places of refuge for those who feel disturbed and want a safe place to go through whatever it is they want to explore in themselves, and with others. A third group of psychological theories that have implications for the nature of ethics are based on evolutionary psychology. These theories are based on the assumption that the behavior that ethics prescribe can sometimes be seen as an evolutionary adaptation. For instance, altruism towards members of ones own family promotes ones inclusive fitness (Macrina, 2000). Ethical Principles for Conducting Research The Standing Committee on Ethics in Research with Human Participants has now completed its revision of the Ethical Principles for Research with Human Subjects and the new Ethical Principles for Conducting Research with Human Participants have been approved by the Council. In the forefront of its considerations was the recognition that psychologists owe a debt to those who agree to take part in their studies and that people who are willing to give up their time, even for remuneration, should be able to expect to be treated with the highest standards of consideration and respect. This is reflected in the change from the term subjects to participants (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2001). To psychologists brought up on the jargon of their profession the term subject is not derogatory. However, to someone who has not had that experience of psychological research it is a term which can seem impersonal. Deception The issue of deception caused the Committee considerable problems. To many outside the psychology profession, and to some within it, the idea of deceiving the participants in ones research is seen as quite inappropriate. At best, the experience of deception in psychological research can make the recipients cynical about the activities and attitudes of psychologists. However, since there are very many psychological processes that are modifiable by individuals if they are aware that they are being studied, the statement of the research hypothesis in advance of the collection of data would make much psychological research impossible. The Committee noted that there is a distinction between withholding some of the details of the hypothesis under test and deliberately falsely informing the participants of the purpose of the research, especially if the information given implied a more benign topic of study than was in fact the case. While the Committee wishes to urge all psycholo gists to seek to supply as full information as possible to those taking part in their research, it concluded that the central principle was the reaction of participants when deception was revealed. If this led to discomfort, anger or objections from the participants then the deception was inappropriate. The Committee hopes that such a principle protects the dignity of the participants while allowing valuable psychological research to be conducted (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2001). Debriefing Following the research, especially where any deception or withholding of information had taken place, the Committee wished to emphasize the importance of appropriate debriefing. In some circumstances, the verbal description of the nature of the investigation would not be sufficient to eliminate all possibility of harmful after-effects. For example, an experiment in which negative mood was induced requires the induction of a happy mood state before the participant leaves the experimental setting (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2001). Risk Another area of concern for the Committee was the protection of participants from undue risk in psychological research. Since this was an area in which the Principles might be looked to during an investigation following a complaint against a researcher, the Committee was concerned to seek a definition that protected the participants in the research without making important research impossible. Risks attend us every moment in life, and to say that research should involve no risks would be inappropriate. However, the important principle seemed to be that when participants entered upon a psychological investigation they should not, in so doing, be increasing the probability that they would come to any form of harm. Thus, the definition of undue risk was based upon the risks that individuals run in their normal lifestyle. This definition makes possible research upon individuals who lead a risk-taking or risk-seeking life (e.g. mountaineers, cave divers), so long as the individuals are not induced to take risks that are greater than those that they would normally encounter in their life outside the research (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2001). Implementation The Council of the Society approved the Principles at its meeting in February 1990.There followed a two-year period during which the new Principles were provisionally in operation. In spring 1992 the Council reviewed the Principles, in the light of experience of their operation. During this period researchers were unable to identify problems in the working of the Principles. Following minor amendment the Principles were formally adopted in October 1992 (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2001). The Council urges all research psychologists to ensure that they abide by these Principles, which supplement the Societys Code of Conduct and thus violation of them could form the basis of disciplinary action. It is essential that all members of the psychological profession abide by the Principles if psychologists are to continue to retain the privilege of testing human participants in their research (Sherry, 1991). Psychologists have legal as well as moral responsibilities for those who help them in their study, and the long-term reputation of the discipline depends largely upon the experience of those who encounter it first-hand during psychological investigations (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2001). Unethical practices / Current regulation A scandal that was made public in 1972 was the Tuskegee study, which began in Alabama in the 1930s and continued for about 40 years. Black males who were diagnosed with syphilis were left untreated to experimentally observe the natural course of the disease. The public outcry to this disclosure was considerable, especially after it was learned that a Public Health Service committee review of the experiment had recommended that the experiment be continued (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000)! The government response to the resultant public outrage was to regulate even greater public control of research ethics and provide for the bureaucracy to ensure its implementation. The National Research Act, which required mandatory ethics review by Institutional Review Boards in institutions receiving federal research grants, also created the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. Over the next several years it was propose d to extend required ethics review to research in all disciplines, whether federally funded or not. Yet in another case that leaves question and concern, a funded collaborative research project between the county schools and probation office is aimed at 8th and 9th grade students who are on probation and are failing two classes. Funding requires that therapeutic intervention procedures be compared to determine if a specific approach is more effective in improving grades. A family therapy clinic that provides in-school counseling service is asked to lead two solution-focused groups. The family therapy clinic will be paid its standard fee for individual clients plus an additional $250 per student to complete research outcome measures. Students are identified by a school-probation professional team to take part in the research project. After identifying students, a letter and consent form is sent to parents that describe a special program aimed at improving grades so the student may be promoted. Parents are to send back a form if they do not want their child to be part of the program . One of the therapists is a part-time faculty member at the local university. She is requested to submit the study for IRB approval. Also, she plans to ask the department chair about using a MFT graduate student to assist with co-leading therapy sessions and with data collection and analysis. Confidentiality may also be violated. Because the therapy research was conducted at the school, faculty and other students may have been aware of who was in the study and for what reason. In addition, what would happen if a research participant revealed illegal behavior during the study (e.g., drug use or vandalism) is not specified (McCollum,2002). Currently, the federal government is emphasizing education and training for professionals who are or will be engaged in human participant research. Led by the OHRP and the Office of Research Integrity (ORI), professionals are expected not only to know the ethical principles underpinning human research, but also be familiar with the responsible conduct of research (Institute of Medicine, 2002). In addition to knowing human subject regulations, researchers are expected to know about other areas of responsible conduct of research, including data acquisition and management, publication practices, research misconduct or falsification, fabrication, and plagiarism (National Bioethics Advisory Commission, 2001). Conclusion In conclusion, ethical regulation is an element that has been permanently added to the design and conduct of psychological research. Regrettably, some researchers have been reluctant to acknowledge this fact. When psychologists engage in research activities, they are expected to cultivate a culture of research integrity. Professional ethical standards and federal and state regulations must be understood and followed. These regulations serve as the leading guidelines for correct research practice involving human participants. They are also the foundation for best research standards and practice, which simply stated is, Respect people while doing good science. (World Medical Association, 2000) Research Papers on Ethic Norms Within Scientific ResearchResearch Process Part OneThree Concepts of PsychodynamicInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Genetic EngineeringThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseOpen Architechture a white paperAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into Asia

What Subjects Are on the SAT

What Subjects Are on the SAT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you taking the SAT soon or beginning your preparations but aren’t sure what’s on the test?You may know that there’s math, some reading, and maybe an essay you need to write, but what subjects are on the SAT, exactly? In this guide, we’ll break down the subjects you need to know to do well on each section of the SAT as well as explain what SAT Subject Tests are, how they're different from the regular SAT, and who needs to take them. We'llend with tips you should follow when studying for the SAT. SAT Overview: Sections and Timing Before we start looking in-depth at what subjects are on the SAT, let’s first get a broad overview of what the SAT covers. There are three main sections on the SAT: Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. There is also an optional essay. Section Minutes Given Number of Questions Reading 65 52 Writing and Language 35 44 Math 80 58 Essay (Optional) 50 1 Total 3 hours, 50 minutes (3 hours without the essay) 154 (+1 essay prompt) The SAT sections will always go in this order, beginning with Reading and ending with (if you choose to take it), the SAT Essay.The Math section is divided into two groups, the first of whichyou can’t use a calculator (25 minutes and 20 questions), and the second, where a calculator is allowed (55 minutes and 38 questions). Below, for each section of the SAT, I’ll explain what subjects it covers. What Subjects Are on the SAT Reading? All questions on SAT Reading are based on passages.The SAT Reading section contains five passages with 52 multiple-choice questions, which means there will be about 10-12 questions for each passage.Some passages are paired with other passages, and some have graphics, such as tables, graphs, and charts accompanying them. There will be at least one passage from each of the following topics: U.S. or world literature U.S. founding document or a text inspired by one Social science (such as economics, psychology, sociology, etc.) Science (Earth science, biology, chemistry, or physics) SAT Reading tests the following skills: Command of Evidence:Finding evidence in a passage that supports the answer to a question. Words in Context:Use context clues to determine the meaning of a word. Analysis in History/Social Science and Science:Examine hypotheses, interpret data, and consider implications Subjects This Section Covers Even though the SAT Reading passages will be on different subjects such as literature, science, and social science, you don’t need to worry about having any prior knowledge on what each passage discusses. You'll be able to answer all the questions based on information provided in the passage, so you don’t need to worry about memorizing information on biology, U.S. documents, etc. beforehand. The SAT Reading section primarily tests critical reading skills such as the ability to read a passage and understand the conclusions the author makes, being able to understand what certain vocabulary means, and the ability to analyzethe relationship between graphics and the passages theyaccompany. The skills you use for this section are similar to the skills you use in your English classes when you're reading a book, article, or other form of writing. For both your class and the exam, you'll need to be able to analyze the piece of writing and the author's intentions. What Subjects Are on the SAT Writing and Language? Like the Reading section, all questions in the SAT Writing and Language are based on passages.There will be four passages and a total of 44 questions, which means each passage will be followed by 11 questions. Each passage will each cover one of the following subjects: Careers, Social Studies, Humanities, and Science. Careers passages could discuss trends or debates in major professional fields, such as medicine, technology, or business. Social studies passages might focus on topics from history, anthropology, psychology, political science, or sociology. Humanities passages could feature an author or explore trends in literature, drama, art, music, or dance. Science passages will focus on Earth science, biology, chemistry, or physics. The passages will either be argument-based, explanatory, or nonfiction narrative.Also, at least one passage will also be accompanied by a diagram, such as a chart, table, or graph.Each of these passages will be riddled with errors in punctuation, word choice, sentence structure, and organization. The questions in this section will ask you to identify and fix these errors. SAT Writing covers four major skills areas: Command of Evidence, Words in Context, Expression of Ideas, and Standard English Conventions. About 24 questions will focus on Command of Evidence, Words in Context, and Expression of Ideas. These questions ask about development, organization, and effective language use.About 20 questions will focus on Standard English Conventions. These questions ask about sentence structure, usage, and punctuation. Subjects This Section Covers SAT Writing and Language questions focus on three main subject areas. You've likely covered these three subjects in your English or Writing classes as you write and edit your work and other's work. Grammar These questions will test your ability to fix grammar errorsand correctly identify errors in verb tenses and forms, pronoun agreement, subject-verb agreement, run-on sentences and fragments, idioms, and punctuation rules. Grammarquestions make up about 45% of the Writing and Language section. Style Style questions test your ability to analyze word choice, sentence construction, and paragraph construction. These questions make up about 7% of the section. Reading Comprehension For reading comprehension questions in this section, you'll need to be able to understandwhy certain words or sentences are used in a given passage or if they should be replaced with other words or sentences. Reading Comprehension questions make up approximately 48% of the section. What Subjects Are on the SAT Math? SAT Math is composed of two sections. The first, during which you will have no calculator, is 25 minutes and consists of 15 multiple-choice questions and 5 grid-in questions. The second section, during which a calculator is allowed, is 55 minutes and has 30 multiple-choice questions and 8 grid-ins, including an Extended Thinking question. College Board sorts the question types into three main subject areas: Heart of Algebra Passport to Advanced Math Problem Solving and Data Analysis There is also a fourth category, called Additional Topics, which includes about 10% of the SAT Math section and includes questions on geometry, basic trigonometry, and complex numbers. Subjects This Section Covers SAT Math covers 24 main topics, within four main sections. The first two sections below, basic algebra and advanced algebra, both fit within the College Board's "Heart of Algebra" subject area. Basic Algebra Linear functions Single variable equations Systems of linear equations Absolute value Advanced Algebra Manipulating polynomials Quadratic equations Dividing polynomials Exponential functions Function notation Solving exponential equations Solving exponential equations Problem Solving and Data Analysis Ratios and proportions Scatterplots and graphs Categorical data and probabilities Experimental interpretation Median, median, mode, standard deviation Additional Topics Coordinate geometry - lines and slopes Coordinate geometry - nonlinear functions Geometry - circles Geometry - lines and angles Geometry - solid geometry Geometry - triangles and polygons Trigonometry Complex numbers The majority of questions (over half) will be on algebra, so this is the subject you should focus most of your studying on. A maximum of 10% of questions will cover geometry and trigonometry, and these questions will ask only basic questions on these subjects, so if you haven’t taken classes in either of them, you should still be able to learn the information you need to know fairly easily. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! What Subjects Are on the SAT Essay? If you choose to take the SAT Essay (it’s the only optional section on the exam), you will have 50 minutes to plan and write one complete essay. For the essay, you will be given a passage by an author who has taken a stance on an issue. Your job will be to analyze how to author builds her argument. Subjects This Section Covers For the SAT Essay, you’ll use many skills similar to those you usein your English classes when writing standard five-paragraph essays.Major skills essay graders look for are your ability to analyze an argument and understand how evidence and rhetorical devices contribute to an argument. While you’ll want your essay to be clear and easy to understand, a few minor spelling and grammar errors won’t lose you points, so you don’t have to worry about your essay being technically perfect. What Are the SAT Subject Tests? What Do They Cover? The College Board also offers 20 different SAT Subject Tests within five main areas.SAT Subject Tests are meant to measure your knowledge and skills in a specific area. This is in contrast to the regular SAT which (as you read above) assess multiple subjects. Only some colleges require or recommend submitting Subject Test scores, so be sure to check the guidelines of the schools you’re applying to before you begin preparing for a Subject Test. Below are the 20 different Subject Tests currently offered. English Literature History U.S. History World History Languages Chinese with Listening French French with Listening German German with Listening Italian Japanese with Listening Korean with Listening Latin Modern Hebrew Spanish Spanish with Listening Mathematics Mathematics Level 1 Mathematics Level 2 Science Biology E/M Chemistry Physics How to Prepare for the Subjects on theSAT: 3 Further Tips Knowing what subjects are on the SAT will help you become more comfortable and familiar with the exam, which will likely help your score. Follow these three additional tips to be sure you’re getting the most out of your SAT prep. Answer High-Quality Practice Questions Now you know which subjects are on the SAT, but you still need to be familiar with SAT questions.Just knowing that algebra, geometry, and trig will be on SAT Math isn’t enough; you’ll want to know how questions on each of these subjects are worded in order to become really familiar with the SAT and maximize your score. Answeringlots of practice questions is the best way to do this.You can use questions from practice exams (discussed more below), or from a high-quality SAT prep book. Take Complete Practice Exams During your studying, you’ll want to take at least one (and ideally at least three to four) complete practice SAT.Taking complete practice SATs is important because it gives you the most realistic idea of what the real SAT will be like.You’ll learn how testing for several hours affects you, if you get tired and distracted towards the later sections, and, after you score your exam, you’ll have a good idea of how well you’d do on the actual SAT. You'll also get to experience switching between the different subjects the SAT tests and learn how well you manage that. Be sure to take your SAT under realistic testing conditions. That means take the test all in one sitting, timed, and with minimal distractions.Try to use official practice tests since they’ll be the closest to the real SAT. We have links to several free and official SAT practice tests you can use. Target Your Weak Areas When you’re studying for the SAT, make sure you’re spending most of your time on the areas you need to improve in the most.After each practice exam or set of practice problems you complete, go through the questionsand figure out which subjects you’re making most of your mistakes in. Try to get as specific as possible. Maybe your SAT Math section is your lowest score, but which questions exactly are you getting wrong? Maybe you’re nailing the algebra questions but get tripped up geometry, for example. This is where your knowledge of the subjects on the SAT will come in handy because you’ll be able to more easily identify the areas you need to improve in the most. After you’ve figured out which subjects you can improve the most in, spend most of your time on these areas. By doing so, you’ll likely see score improvements more quickly. Conclusion: What Subjects Are on the SAT Test? The SAT has three major sections that will test your skills in reading comprehension, writing and grammar, and math.Each of these sections includes material from several different subjects that you should be comfortable with. Knowing which subjects are on the SAT will help you be better prepared for the test. To help with your studying, you should also complete high-quality practice problems and practice exams and pinpoint your weak areas so that your studying is effective and focused. What's Next? Wondering what a good SAT score is? Learn how to set a score goal based on the schools you want to get into. Want access to more practice SATs? We have links tofree and official SAT practice tests you can use during your studying! Thinking about using Khan Academy for SAT prep?Khan Academy can be a great resource if you know how to use it correctly. Read our guide to learn how to make the best use of Khan Academy! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

From Mozart To The Second School Of Vienna. Essays - Freemasons

From Mozart To The Second School Of Vienna. Essays - Freemasons From Mozart To The Second School Of Vienna. At Dimitris Mitropoulos hall on the 3rd of February took place a part of the sere From Mozart to the second school of Vienna. Wolfang Amadeus Mozarts piano, violin, viola and violoncello quartet num.2 in E-major, K.493 and Arnold Schoenbergs Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte, Op. 41 for string, piano and voice quartet and after the break, Wolfang Amadeus Mozarts piano, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon quintet in E-major, K-452. The quartets and the quintet were played as written above. Firstly, K.493 which wasAccording to Mozart's own catalogue, the second quartet in E-flat major was completed on June 3, 1786, less than nine months after the letter to Hoffmeister about the advance. This time, Mozart had the piece printed by the rival publisher Artaria and that edition is the earliest version we possess. With the exception of a few drafts from the Finale, which are in the British Museum, no autograph score remains. Even if one feels the work to be a relief after its uncompromising counterpart in G minor, the later quartet cannot really be seen as an easier alternative. It is too elaborate for that. This time Mozart sets the piano against the string trio more, but this is not done purely for convenience. The strong polarity of tonic and subdominant in the first two movements creates a somber undercurrent which is emphasized by the instrumentation. The second theme of the first movement (a softer version of the pent-up energy of the beginning, introduced by the violin) is preceded by a contracted motif of two descending sixths which then persists throughout the whole movement as a kind idee fixe. There are no less than 31 reputations of it in the development, where it serves as a harmonic pivot for a very bold series of modulations. The slow movement exudes warmth and thoughtfulness, twinned with chromatic moments of doubt. Harmonically expansive answering phrases in the strings anticipate the sublime music of the divertimento for string trio K.563. The movement is also a perfect example of Mozart's skill in figuration and ornamentation. The musicians who performed that were Ralf Gothoni who played the piano, hes appearing frequently across Europe, Canada, Russia,and Japan, Swedish Ralf Gothoni is a multitalentedmusician citing roles as solo pianist, accompanying pianist, chamber music member etc. He has worked withlarge orchestras as well as acting as art director forthree years at the festival of Savonlinna. Moreover he teached up till 1997 at the Hamburg Academy and iscurrently employed at the Sibelian Academy and at HansHaisler of Berlin. He has won the Gilmor Prize, the Schubert Medal, an award of honor from Finland andalso is active as a pediatrician offering seminars ona global basis. , Mirijam Contzen who played the violin, 24-year old Mirijam Contzen started her musical at thetender age of two. From the age of seven she studiedunder Tibor Varga at the Music Academy of Detmolnt andfinished her studies at the anotati scholi of Music ofElvetia. She won the first prize at the InternationalTibor Varga Violin Contest in 1993 and has played withmany orchestras such as Hamburgs and SaintPetroupolis and Hungarys national symphonyorchestras. In 1996 she recorded the concerto forviolin by Mendelson and Bruch and in 1998 sonatas bySains-Sans, Debissi, and Frank under the Arte Nova andBMG labels respectively. Diemut Poppen who played the viola starting from the age of seven Diemut Poppenconcentrated only on the viola from seventeen yearsold and on. Her studies have taken her all acrossEurope and to the USA. She has appeared as a soloistin many important musical events and theatres acrossthe world. She was one of the founding members and for15 years a member of the European Chamber Orchestra.At the early age of 29 she became a teacher of theviola and chamber music at the academy of Zaarbrukenand from 1994 she teaches chamber music at theThourigian summer academy. For the past three yearsshe has been the art director at Days of ChamberMusic of Onsabruk. She has also played in many radio,television and record productions.Frans Helmerson: violoncelloFrans Helmerson born in 1945 in Sweden started playingthe violoncello at the age of eight. He studied inGermany, Italy and England and since has done concertson all inhabited continents except Australia. Heappears in many roles- soloist

Investment and saving decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Investment and saving decisions - Essay Example Investment definition from a financial point of view stipulates that it is any monetary asset purchased hoping that the asset shall yield returns with profit in the future. There is a hope of selling the asset in an appreciated price or higher price than it was purchased (Park 56). Good examples of investment in the economic view are building of a factory that will be used to produce goods and or going to college or university. In a financial point of view investment comes in the sense of bond purchases, stocks and real estate property (Hayes and Garvin 71). Investment is always confused with speculation, but the two words have clear cut differences. Investment is usually done with the aim of again or the aim of wealth creation. Speculation is often a flat transaction. Wealth does not form any part of the transaction. Even so, speculators are known to make informed decisions about their actions. The above factor denies speculation the privilege of being termed as traditional investing (Hayes and Garvin 71-72). Saving may bear different meaning to different people and at different forums. Some people believe that saving is putting money in the bank. There are those that believe that saving is buying stocks and bonds or contributing to a pension scheme. In the economic point of view, saving means a system of less consumption of recourses with an aim of future consumption. Therefore, saving is deferring consumption with an aim of storing and saving the deferred consumption for a future use (Hayes and Garvin 76-79). Saving and investment are vital for the growth and development of a person’s financial stability. The two words are often confused to mean the same thing. Even so, the two words are related in a way or may make complete sense if they are used together (Hayes and Abernathy 66-67). A person may decide to save through investment. For instance,

Human Resource Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Human Resource Strategy - Essay Example What is strategic human resource management? Strategic human resource management can be considered to be the capability of an organisation to ensure that it has the right mix of talent and skill in order to meet its business objectives (Armstrong and Baron, 2002, p. 42). Holbeche (2001, p. 13) highlights strategic human resource management as a ‘focus on implementing strategic change and growing the skill base of the organisation to ensure that the organisation can compete effectively in the future.’ SHRM involves the recognition of the internal intelligence available at all levels of the organisation and creating processes to draw upon this knowledge. Communication ‘is at the heart of these processes (Brewster, 2000, p. 153). The author discusses Mintzberg’s observation that strategy involves planning ahead of time and making changes to the plan on the basis of real world situations. The ability of an organisation to alter its course is dependent on the abi lity of the culture to allow for internal flexibility. SHRM then is an attempt to link organisational strategy with human resource management and drawing from this effort, makes an attempt to provide direction to the functional areas on HRM. Salaman, Storey and Billsbury (2005, p. 5) view SHRM as a ‘repository of ways in which academics, consultants†¦ think about ways to change organisations’. SHRM then is the key to how business is run and people managed. Huber and Glick (1995, p. 297) highlight the importance of facilitating organisational learning as a means to understand and adjust to changing business environments. Organisations that are designed to allow two-way information flow to ‘reflect cultural values and economic perspectives of top management’. This is of particular relevance in a multinational corporation. Ready and Conger (2007) reiterate the role of talent development in providing company’s the competitive edge to stay in the mar ketplace. They believe that companies that create ‘talent factories’ have the right mix of ‘functionality and vitality’ to fill key positions as and when the need arises. Storey (2007, p. 79-80) foresees a risk to the study of human resource management claiming to be a strategic function in the absence of a ‘robust analytical framework’. Terms like knowledge management have not been proven on grounds of efficacy in gearing the business up for change. The author suggests that some part of the responsibilities can as well be transferred to departments like marketing for managing the communications and the HR department relegated to the purely administrative practices of yore. The traditional role of HRM as policy maker to guide people management is incomplete without a conscious alignment to business goals. Strategic HRM aims to utilise the capabilities of the workforce towards a unified goal. The match between employee talent, employee goals and business goals is the key to successful work organisation. The necessary ingredients for an effective Strategic HRM process are the learning processes to facilitate future strategy development and adaptation to changes in the business environment. Who takes responsibility for strategic HRM? Ivancevich (2004, p. 48) recognises the role of the leader in laying the foundation for strategic HRM. Functional specialists provide the framework to carry out effective talent management processes; individual team heads determine

The World is Spiky by Richard Florida Assignment

The World is Spiky by Richard Florida - Assignment Example They are spreading all over the globe and those countries that are able to access these advances are putting their mark on this globe. This is a phenomenon synonymous with modern world. He also asserts that education plays an important role in further flattening the ground and there is need to set the bar high for leaders as other players re overtaking. Evidently, the assertions put by Thomas are true. They are based on the current observation. However, there are details left out such as the progress of the technological leaders during the time others were catching up. Robert Florida puts forth that people with talent are being attracted to areas which are renowned for technological progress and output. The potential of the areas to attract talent from other parts is high because there is a concentration of financiers and appropriate education. This attraction has led to development of top areas or â€Å"spikes†. The areas where these talents are pulled from are low in progres s and productiveness.   The flattening effect notion arises because these areas are dispersing. Therefore, there is no denying that there are hills and valleys in the economy only that the distance between respective hills and valleys is being shortened by dispersion. The peaks are concentrated in Europe and the U.S and that signifies why more patents come from few recognized areas.Robert Florida is more salient because his presentations add an extra dimension which is disparity. Notably, he builds on what Thomas Friedman puts forward.

INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITIES - Essay Example The ancient Egyptians believed that real life began after the death of the body. It is for this purpose that so much deliberation and concern went into organizing the places where bodies would be brought to rest at the moment of death. The rich had the walls of their tombs carved exquisitely, and rich foods and jewels as well, were left there along with the body. The walls of the tombs also depicted Egyptian gods leading the person’s soul through judgment, and finally to his allotted area. Poor Egyptians were buried in the sand, but also made efforts to ensure that their bodies would first be mummified. (Bishop, 1999) The preservation of the body was very important to ancient Egyptians. They believed that a soul would need it in the next life and so took measures to ensure its maintenance. Mummification, an embalming process that took 70 days, was done to dry the body. Large amounts of natron were also employed to hasten the drying process. Canopy jars were then utilized to hold the mummified remains of the body parts that had been removed. The early Minoans in northern and eastern Crete were also seemingly preoccupied with the dead. They carved out in caves, elaborate house tombs for their dead, a norm that suggests that they considered that the deceased person would go on with a new life in death and that he would need his house (Bishop, 1999). Even in ancient China, the populace believed that the soul of a dead person continued to exist in another form once it left the body. It was deemed that it would require everything it possessed in earthly life to be comfortable. The ancient Chinese slaughtered the livestock and actual family of the deceased so that they could accompany him in his new existence. This was a practice observed by many ancient cultures inclusive of the Egyptians (Bishop, 1999). Today’s death practices in various parts of the world involve morticians

BlackBoard Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

BlackBoard - Assignment Example Such tools include chat rooms, wikis, blogs, peer assessment, groups, and discussion boards. Therefore, the core aim of the research is to dig out into the significance of the virtual blackboard in modern learning. In achieving the objectives, various scholarly sources will be analyzed. Moreover, various case analysis will be conducted on various institutions that have shown adoption to the program, counterchecking the advantages, shortcomings, effectiveness, and the diverse features facilitating its use. The discussion board does enhance communication. All the students can engage in discussions, a tool that leads to creativity and innovation. Forums are different discussion topics students can engage in at a time. Some discussion features enables the instructor to follow up on what the student has done over time, hence perfect evaluation tools. Additionally they empower students, promote exploratory learning, and enhance reflection. Chat rooms lead to generation of ideas arising during and after classwork. Blackboards groups are the foundation of collaborative learning. They contribute to diversity, interpersonal growth, active learning, and opportunity to feedback provision. They come along with other features such as members’ enrolment key, groups’ creation, personalization, and disabling vs. enabling protocol. The peers’ assessment tool promotes the listening, analysis and critique aspects among students and their work. The assessment aids in fairness maintenance during assessments, judgment skills development, and workload reduction for instructors and acts as a learning opportunity. Blogs are online platforms whose role is to facilitate interaction via leaving the comments on the materials provided. Students who may fail to be active in class may divert their attention to blogs. As collaborative tools, they enhance consistent

INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITIES - Essay Example The ancient Egyptians believed that real life began after the death of the body. It is for this purpose that so much deliberation and concern went into organizing the places where bodies would be brought to rest at the moment of death. The rich had the walls of their tombs carved exquisitely, and rich foods and jewels as well, were left there along with the body. The walls of the tombs also depicted Egyptian gods leading the person’s soul through judgment, and finally to his allotted area. Poor Egyptians were buried in the sand, but also made efforts to ensure that their bodies would first be mummified. (Bishop, 1999) The preservation of the body was very important to ancient Egyptians. They believed that a soul would need it in the next life and so took measures to ensure its maintenance. Mummification, an embalming process that took 70 days, was done to dry the body. Large amounts of natron were also employed to hasten the drying process. Canopy jars were then utilized to hold the mummified remains of the body parts that had been removed. The early Minoans in northern and eastern Crete were also seemingly preoccupied with the dead. They carved out in caves, elaborate house tombs for their dead, a norm that suggests that they considered that the deceased person would go on with a new life in death and that he would need his house (Bishop, 1999). Even in ancient China, the populace believed that the soul of a dead person continued to exist in another form once it left the body. It was deemed that it would require everything it possessed in earthly life to be comfortable. The ancient Chinese slaughtered the livestock and actual family of the deceased so that they could accompany him in his new existence. This was a practice observed by many ancient cultures inclusive of the Egyptians (Bishop, 1999). Today’s death practices in various parts of the world involve morticians

Western history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Western history - Essay Example Around the start of the 16th century, the weakening of the Church was in conjunction with the strengthening force of socio-economic, philosophical and scientific liberation. The period witnessed important religious, political, social, and philosophical changes in Europe. The medieval age was characterized by the strong power of the Catholic Church that was more often greater than that of the ruling king. Thus, even the political and social aspects of the medieval life were dependent on the Church. However, the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century which was initiated by the arguments of Martin Luther, founder of Protestantism, weakened the Church. Kings and Princes worked together to challenge the power of the Church leaders, primarily the Pope. The cultural consensus of Europe based on universal participation in the Body of Christ was broken. Along with the Reformation came challenges to secular society. The nature and organization of power and government came under reevaluation as well. The huge impact of the Church in the medieval times2 caused the religious change to go hand-in-hand with changes in politics and society. Along with the decentralization of power from the Church and its supported rulers (kings and queens) came the rise of an expanding social class. The middle class, also known as the class of the bourgeosie, was growing and generally becoming more powerful. Merchants and learned artisans characterized this class, as opposed to the royal bloods and Church appointees who dominated the medieval age. The period was also home to the Commercial Revolution which was a time of European economic expansion, colonialism, and mercantilism which lasted from approximately 1520 until 1650. Voyages of discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries allowed European powers to build vast networks of international trade. This then resulted to the generation of a great deal of wealth for them. This growing global economy was based on silver, which allowed an easier

The Relationships between Happiness and Meaning Essay Example for Free

The Relationships between Happiness and Meaning Essay Every person on earth experiences happiness as well as unhappiness.   Even infants cry as well as laugh.   Ultimately they grow to realize that there are things that make them happy just as there are situations that make them unhappy.   Understanding the nature of these different things and/or situations is to know how the meanings of these things and/or situations are related to one’s happiness or unhappiness.   Thus, happiness and meaning happen to be closely connected with each other.    There is a reason why we experience happiness or unhappiness.   These reasons are the meanings of our experiences of happiness or unhappiness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many ways to understand happiness.   A person who is ecstatic is understood to be extremely happy.   Another person may experience happiness as he or she enjoys life.   Conversely, a person who does not really attempt to enjoy life may be satisfied with his or her life nevertheless.   All of these people may be happy.   Even so, all of them may have different reasons for being happy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Prophets and sages have often stated that things on earth cannot always make us happy.   A person who is truly happy with life because he or she enjoys a nearly perfect relationship with his or her spouse may lose the spouse to death.   Another person may believe that material things, e.g. new cars, are responsible for his or her happiness.   The person who loses his or her spouse will experience unhappiness, just as the individual who loses all of his or money would become depressed.   People who believe that happiness is equivalent to material success may also develop â€Å"affluenza,† described in the following ways: (1) â€Å"The bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from efforts to keep up with the Joneses;† (2) â€Å"An epidemic of stress, overwork, waste and indebtedness caused by dogged pursuit of the American Dream;† and (3) â€Å"An unsustainable addiction to economic growth (Leon).†Ã‚   Perhaps the rich people who have committed suicide, e.g. Kurt Cobain, were suffering from affluenza.   Regardless, it is generally believed that a person must find the meaning of his or her life to be truly happy (Brain).   Hence, the person who loses his or her spouse has a couple of choices: (1) Either to commit suicide because he or she cannot deal with the unhappiness caused by the loss; or (2) Find reasons to be happy despite the loss.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychologists have found that people feel happy when they increase their understanding.   In other words, knowing the meaning of the things in our world is bound to increase our happiness.   Thus, many people feel satisfied when they read books.   The person who was dependent on his or her spouse for happiness may find happiness in this way.   Alternatively, the individual may decide to pursue a goal that helps to move the human society forward in some way.   The meaning of life is also understood by people to be the service of God (Brain). Regardless of the meaning of life realized by the person who had believed that his or her spouse was responsible for his or her happiness; understanding what his or her life is worth may help the individual to experience satisfaction with life once again.   Moreover, whether the person chooses to serve society or God, by knowing the meaning of his or her existence, the individual opens up to future experiences that may very well allow him or her to find happiness without the spouse.   After all, pursuing a goal to fulfill the meaning of life may lead the person to joyful experiences.   Hence, meaning and happiness could never be separated. Works Cited Brain, Marshall. â€Å"Chapter 41: Material Things Will Not Bring You Happiness.† The Teenager’s Guide to the Real World. 1997. 10 Dec 2007. http://www.bygpub.com/books/tg2rw/chap41excerpt.htm. Leon, Virginia De. â€Å"Money cant buy meaning: Many simplify to find happiness.† Spokesman Review. 9 Jul 2006.

The Impact of Part Time work towards Academic Performance

The Impact of Part Time work towards Academic Performance 1. Introduction Most of MCAST students work part-time. Does this affect their school performance? If work is related to their studies this would definitely be beneficial. What if work is not study-related? After all, do students really need to work? Is a students life becoming boring? Curtis and Williams (2002) states that combining paid work and study, has become a norm in the UK. Vickers et al. (2003) report a similar situation in Australia, highlighting the global significance of this trend. According to Labour Force Survey carried out in the UK, it states that between 1996 and 2006 the amount of student engaged in part-time employment increased by 50%. According to the Journal of Organizational Behavior (1998) 50% of the full-time students in the U.S. have a part-time job. Part-time work can have a positive impact on the students especially if the work is course-related. Students can have a glimpse of their future job and determine whether they actually like that particular career path. Also, part-time jobs can help students improve time management skills and become more efficient. Parents and educators are in favour of employment amongst students because they believe that employment builds character (Greenberger and Steinberg, 1986). Dwyer et al. (2001) argue that combining work and study promotes a pragmatic perspective on education On the other hand, an excessive workload can have a detrimental effect not only on the students academic performance but also psychologically and physically. Combining work and study can also have negative effect on the students mental health such as stress and fatigue, leading to worsening performance in class. Rolfe (2002) reports that UK students believe that the excessive and unsocial hours of part-time work sometimes lead to tiredness and depression. If we had to look at higher education around the globe, say in the UK, students would have to pay approximately  £3000. In Germany, universities now charge à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1000 enrolment charge per year. In the USA the tuition fee varies around $9000 per year. Malta is one of the few exceptional cases were students are paid to study. MCAST students are entitled to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬83 per month and à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬233 at the beginning of the academic year. Out of which students are entitled to pay à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬372 BTEC registration fee. When I started university 6 years ago I never felt the need to do a part-time job (except in summer). Obviously, my budget was very tight and luxuries were inexistent. Nowadays, I started to believe that students prefer working part-time than keeping away from buying expensive mobiles, laptops and cars. This study examines two types of part-time work. Research has been preformed for students who work in the IT industry and the other research was carried out on students whose part-time job is not study-related. The purpose of this research is to find out whether these two types of part-time work affect the students performance and well-being. In this research we find that part-time jobs for student have a positive impact on their studies as long as the number of hours worked does not exceed twenty. Section 4 provides a background on the apprenticeship scheme at MCAST and other non-IT related jobs. Section 5 analyses the common part-time jobs amongst respondents and the main reasons for engaging in part-time work. Section 6 evaluates the effect of part-time work on students performance. In Section 7 the students well being is analyzed when compared to work and study commitments. Discussion, Future Limitations etc.. 2. Literature Review The literature reviewed below examines the popularity of part-time work amongst students, how employment is affecting students performance and how part-time work is effecting the students life. Some of the issues discussed in this research are the number of hours a student works, whether they still have time for study and leisure and how does this effect their academic performance and well-being. The prevalence of part-time work: According to Social and Economic Conditions of Student Life in Europe over 40% of the students from Spain, Sweden and Finland have work experience prior to entering into higher education. In general, more students from lower education backgrounds have work experience than students whose parents attained a higher education degree. It has been reported that poor students in countries such as Bulgaria, Ireland and Switzerland receive additional grants to compensate for the missing base funding via state support. For example, Irish students from low-educated families receive 93% more state support and high-educated families 44% less than the average student. In Malta students who come from families where the total household income is less than à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬5,000 per year are eligible for a supplementary grant of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬42 every four weeks, which is additional to their regular stipend. In Netherlands and Estonia more than two thirds of the students have a part-time job. In Australia half to three quarters of the students work. According to the report of the French Conseil Economique et Social on students employment (2007), 15% to 20% of students work regularly while studying in France. Statistics Canada states that, in Canada more than 48% of the students work part time. Full-time students working more than 35 hours per week has almost doubled since 1990. According to the Canadian Undergraduate Survey Consortium, more than 50% of the students work during their least year of their degree than the first. In Austria, Czech Republic and Estonia there is a comparatively high rate of employment and a relatively close relationship between students jobs and students courses (Social and Economic Conditions of Student Life in Europe). Analyses of the Eurostudent survey indicates that the lowest level of students working part-time is in Southern Europe (especially Portugal and Italy) and the highest rate is in Netherlands and Ireland. Potential reasons for such outcomes may be due to the nature of the labour market and availability of jobs suitable for students. For example, in Greece the majority of students do not engage in paid employment due to lack of job opportunities (Dimitros and Karaliopoulou (2005)). Whereas, in the U.S. part time employment has become the norm amongst students (Bureau of Labour Statistics 2005). In the past few years employment among post-secondary students has been increasing rapidly. The effect of part-time employment on students performance: Ronald DAmico (1994) states that part-time employment provides opportunities to assume greater responsibility, authority and cooperative interdependence. Students who work part-time will develop networking skills; contacts and references will be valuable for future employment opportunities. Employers may prefer students who held part-time jobs while at college because it indicates stronger management skills. Also, there is high probability that students who worked part-time will be employed on full-time basis once they graduate with the same company. Green (2001) also stated that they[students] had gained job skills, experience, knowledge of a variety of jobs, a sense of accomplishment, a feeling of responsibility, and money for personal and school expenses (p. 329). Employment can have a positive effect if balance working hours and study are balanced (Cheng 1995). Research done by the University of Canberra shows that paid employment did not have a large effect on grades. Results show that some paid employment improves grades slightly, but working more than twenty-two hours per week has a negative effect. On the other hand, most of the research indicates that employment negatively affects students academic achievements especially those who work more than fifteen hours a week and they are more likely to drop out (Stern 1997). According to Furr and Elling (2000), 29% of the students working 30-39 hours per week and 39% of those students working full time indicated that work had a negative and frequent impact on their academic progress. (Dallam Hoyt, 1981) anticipated that there will be negative effects on school performance because of part-time employment. Juggling work and study may also lead students to put forth less effort into both because they are spreading themselves too thin (Astin, 1993). According to Canadian Social Trends, 1994 shows that student who worked more than 20 hours had 33% dropout rate whereas students who worked less than 20 hours had a 16% dropout rate. Young and immature students tend to find it difficult to mange working hours and study than older students (Barone 1993). Therefore, age also pays an important role in the students decisions. A March 2009 study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that students with part-time work reduce the time spent on homework, sleeping, and socialization by 84%. McInnes (2001) stated that compared with those who do not work, younger first year students who work part-time are more likely to spend fewer days on campus, to not work with other students on areas of their course, and to have studied inconsistently through the semester. They also tend to anticipate getting lower marks, and are more likely to seriously consider deferring at an early point of their student experience We also know that these negative factors are amplified the more hours students work, and they feel seriously burdened by overcommitment. (p. 5). The effect of part-time employment on the students life: Too many hours spent at work could also affect the students lifestyle such as participating in extracurricular activities. Greenberger and Steinberg(1986) argued that instead of instilling work habits, many students who worked part time at an early age were more prone to cheating and dealing with boring work. Students who are unable to manage their part-time income or have never been given the right advice on how to save money will find it more difficult to make budgets and are more prone to overspending. This will eventually result in increasing the number of working hours. Research also indicates that too many hours of work increases fatigue and may cause lower academic performance. Carskadon(1999) states that students who work more than 20 hours changed their sleeping patterns resulting in later bedtimes, shorter sleeps, possibility of falling asleep during class, late arrivals at school or missing lectures. Many students who work part time find have limited time for their hobbies and extra-curricular activities (Hope 1990). According to researchers Barling, Rogers and Kelloway, Labour force participation by high school students, especially more than 20 hours of part-time work per week, is linked to poorer school performance, increased drug and alcohol use, decreased family contacts, and cynical attitudes toward work On the other hand, Tannock (2001) and (Li-Chen Wooster, 1979) pointed out that student works tend to have low skilled jobs, such as a cashier, fast food worker or retail. It is assumed that these jobs have a negative effect whereas high-quality part-time jobs seem to develop career-related skills. Also, these jobs are more likely to be flexible and work with students schedules (Healy, OShea, Crook, 1985). A number of researchers, for example, found that hard work built stronger academic character because it taught the students time-management skills, gave them experience outside of the classroom, more confidence and provided them with more satisfaction in college (Pennington, Zvonkovic, Wilson, 1989). According to Smith and Green (2001) student who work learn a lot and they develop self-efficacy especially the low-achievers. In her research Singg (2002) found out that students who work part-time tend to show more responsibility in their daily personal situations and have greater career maturity than those students who do not work. Stern (1997) states that students will develop a more positive attitude to work when gaining work experience whilst studying. Managing to work part time during the studies will also be beneficial on the resume. Employers look for students who are capable of managing time, working in teams, able to communicate and work on their own initiative. Research by the University of New Hampshire shows students who have a lot of free time they are more prone to make use of drugs and other substances. Therefore, the benefits of having a part-time job will keep the students occupied during their free time. Moreover, students who work part-time become financially independent and learn how to effectively manage finances. 3. The Research Context MCAST-BTEC National Diploma in Computing (Software) is offered at Malta College of Arts, Science Technology (MCAST). This course is Level 4 and the duration is 1 year Full-time or 2 years part-time on an apprenticeship. The course specializes in Software Development and the modules are relevant to the needs of the industry. Students who opt for an apprenticeship will still cover the same modules but over the duration of 2 years. ETC assists apprentices in finding an employer with whom they can perform their on-the-job training during the apprenticeship period. Apprenticeship will be required to work 27 hours a week and attend lectures twice a week. During 2009/2010 academic year I have noticed a 3% drop out and 25% failure rate. It has been found out that students are not dedicating enough time to practice programming mainly due to part-time work commitments. This study is targeted towards this group of students. The major questions of this research are: What factors influence students to seek part-time employment? How do students juggle study and work commitments? Do students set priorities if study and work commitments clash? If yes, how? Does part-time work have an impact on the students academic performance? Does part-time work have an impact on the students social life and well-being? Do the types of jobs students work have an impact on their academic performance? Do the number of hours worked effect the students performance? Research Methods: A questionnaire was compiled for students enrolled in the second year of the Diploma (specializing in Software). Questionnaires were distributed to two classes (one apprenticeship and the other non-apprenticeship) during one of the lectures. I taught both classes the same modules, i.e. Programming Concepts/Practice and mentoring their end-of-year Software Projects. Students were asked to complete the questionnaire anonymously. The data was collected two months prior to the end of semester when the student attendance was high. A total of 35 students completed the questionnaire. The average age of the students interviewed was between 17 and 21 years. Questionnaire Structure: The questionnaire comprised of four sections as follows: General information including Age, Gender and indicating whether they are apprenticeship students or not. Students engagement in part-time employment, including type of job, number of hours worked per week, number of days worked per week and the average hourly rate Students distribution of income Students experiences in balancing work, study, personal development and leisure. Students were asked to indicate whether they worked during the academic year and, if so, the number of hours and days they worked per week and the hourly rate. To evaluate the impact of part-time work on education, students had to specify how many hours they spend studying and the frequency of missing lectures or assignment deadlines due to work commitments. Ethics Procedure: Students were advised that participation was voluntary and refusing to participate will not affect their academic report. Students were informed that completed questionnaires will be stored in a secure location and treated with strict confidence. The questionnaires did not include any confidential data such as parents income or whether the students family receives government social benefits and grants. 4. Overview of the students background: Apprentices: ICT students at MCAST can opt to form part of the Apprenticeship Scheme during the second year of the National Diploma. They will spend 2 days at the college and 3 days at the work place. Apprenticeship students work 27 hours a week and are paid à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬200 per month (besides the monthly stipend). The course will be completed within 3 years (1 Year Full-Time and 2 years part-time on an apprenticeship). The benefit of students working as apprentices is that they are exposed to the working world and therefore they can better relate theory to practice. These students are led by professionals thus gain training and a learning experience. Apprentice students are more likely to be recruited by the company after they have completed their studies. Non-Apprentices: The option is that students can decide to complete the National Diploma in two years full-time. They will only benefit from the monthly stipend as stated in Introduction Section. These students will be allocated seventeen hours of lecturing per week. Most of the ICT students opt for this choice mainly because they complete the Diploma within 2 years. 5. The prevalence of part-time work: Non-IT related part-time jobs: Employment is the only way students can earn extra cash. Since most of the students are under qualified it is very difficult to find course related jobs therefore they opt for other part-time jobs. According to the Labour Force Survey carried out in the UK, nearly half a million full-time students work in the retail sector and nearly quarter of a million students work in hotels and restaurants industry. This survey shows the complete opposite. Only 11% of the students interviewed work in the retail sector and nearly half the respondents work in the catering industry. Besides the 43% of the students who work at an IT company (apprentices), this survey shows that the most popular part-time jobs amongst MCAST students are the following: Figure 1: Survey Question: What type of job do you have? The most popular non-IT related jobs were waiters/waitresses at fast food outlets, crepe makers, selling fast food at stalls and serving drinks in bars and clubs. In general, there were more male students than females engaged in these types of part-time jobs. The least most popular were cashiers at retail shops, telephone assistants, receptionists and entertainers. On the other hand these types of jobs were more popular amongst female students. These jobs require the minimal responsibility, flexible hours and few qualifications. Conversely, companies prefer people who are committed and work long hours because of the short-term and long-term projects they will have to complete within a stipulated deadline. Reasons for engaging in part-time work: Students at MCAST receive à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬83 per month as stipend. Is this amount enough for a student? Why does a student need to work? The main reason why students work is because they want to buy a car and maintain it. A car gives students independence and a social status. In February 2009 InsiterOnline.com  [1]  carried out a survey showing that 85 out of 170 students own a car and 22 out of 85 have a car bought to them by their parents. This clearly shows that Maltese students priority is that by the age of 18 they own a car. The second most popular reason for working is having money to spend during the weekends. The minimum amount a teenager spends every weekend is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬20 including alcohol, transport and fast food takeaway. The third most popular reason for working is to buy clothing. Over the years I have noticed that students have become more conscious about their appearance. Most of the students wear expensive brand clothing and accessories. Other students prefer to do a part-time job to buy computer games and the latest gadgets. Keeping in mind that 99% of the students live with their parents therefore they do not have any accommodation expenses (besides a small percentage of the students who are expected to contribute to family expenses). The diagram below shows the statistics of this survey: Figure 2: Survey Question: How do you spend your part-time money? The most unexpected result was the 28% of the students who spend their part-time money on clothes. Research by the (Wheeler, 2001)states that in the U.S. an average student spends $57 weekly on clothes. To make matters worse, Malta is one of the most expensive countries in the EU to buy clothing. Evarist Bartolo  [2]  , ex-Minister of Education stated that, Maltas prices are the second highest in the Eurozone (after Slovakia). They are 150% relatively more expensive than EU average. Footwear in Malta has the highest prices in Eurozone: 164% relatively more expensive than EU average. Consumer electronics in Malta are the second highest in the Eurozone (after Slovakia): 186% relatively more expensive than EU average. Case studies: Reasons for students engaging in part-time jobs These case studies mostly suggested that students working long hours were doing so because of money. Working to earn extra money: David* is 19 years old and his obsession is cars. Similar to the majority of Maltese teens by the age of 18 years their first investment would be a car. This gives them independence and social status. David is not satisfied with buying a cheap second-hand car but his dream is have a modern sports car. David also believes that further education is mandatory in todays world, therefore he does not intend to stop studying. To be able to buy his dream car he estimates it would cost him around à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬14,000. Since David is a student he can only apply for a loan of up to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬5000, therefore the only option left is to sacrifice his free time and work. Working to pay for accommodation and living costs: Sarah* is 21 years old and comes from a middle-class family. During the last year together with her boyfriend they decided to rent a basic apartment and move in together. Although she comes from a middle-class family her family decided to assist her financially with school expenses but not for accommodation. To cope with the expenses, Sarah works as a shopkeeper between 4 and 7 during weekdays and between 9 and 12 on Saturday morning. Working to pay for leisure activities: Rebecca* is a fashion enthusiast and loves parties. She is always wearing brand clothing and accessories. The stipend is not enough to buy expensive clothing and go out in the weekends. Therefore, Rebecca works 10 hours a week at a clothing shop to make up for the extra expenses. Working to gain experience: Nathan* is one of the brightest students I have ever taught. He is 21 years old and an apprenticeship student. Besides working at an IT company he also works as a freelance web designer. During his free time he is always researching new technologies and enhancing his programming skills. *The names mentioned in the above case studies are fictitious. 6. The effect of part-time work on students performance: Evaluating Students Income: Students living with their parents have a higher amount of income when compared to others who have to maintain their own households. In other European countries students have to spend one third of their income on accommodation. In general, MCAST students spend most of their daily expenses on transport and food. The following table evaluates a students daily expenses; assuming that the majority of the students do not own a car but use public transport. Breakdown of an average student daily expenditure: Public Transport: (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1 each way) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.00 Lunch Soft drink: à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬3.50 Total Daily Expenses à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬5.50 If we had to make some calculations: An MCAST student receives à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬83 per month. S/he spends on average à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬5.50 a day at the college. Calculation: Monthly stipend à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 83 Less Monthly expenses (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬5.50 * 20 days) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬110 Remaining Balance à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬27 The above calculation shows that a student who commutes to school using public transport and buys lunch from the college canteen everyday the stipend will not be enough to cover these basic expenses. The student makes a loss of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬27 monthly. Paid Work: Few working hours will unlikely have an impact on the studies, but the more hours worked the more there will be an impact on the students academic performance. This section will take into consideration 4 factors; pay and conditions for students working part-time, time spent in paid employment, time spent at college and time spent studying. Pay and Conditions for Students working part-time: According to the Part-time Employees (Amendment) Regulations, 2010- L.N. 117 of 2010, published on the 12th March 2010, part-timers should be paid à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬4.75 per hour during weekdays and on Sundays and Public Holidays the rate is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬6.50 per hour. It is more likely that students from low-income families engage in a part-time job during their studies. Research shows that nearly half of the respondents earn à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬3 to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬4 per hour, which by and large is the minimum wage. Only 5% of the respondents earn à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬6 to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬7 per hour. This survey assumes that the statistics are based on the net pay. Figure 3: Survey Question: How much money do you earn per hour (net pay)? Time spent in paid employment: Furr and Elling (2000) and Dallam Hoyt, (1981) agree that the number of hours worked effect the students performance. There is a negative impact when students work more than twenty hours a week. Figure 4 shows that more than fifty percent of the interviewees work more than twenty hours a week. The majority of these students work as bartenders, waitresses or waiters, therefore it is quite common to work long hours because of the opening hours. Their shifts are usually from 5 pm till late at night. Such part-time jobs do not only entail taking orders and serving food but they are also generally requested to clean the place after the establishment closes. Figure 4: Survey Question: How many hours do you work per week? Nearly half of the respondents work between four to five days a week. The majority work on Friday evening and Saturday. Wednesdays and Sundays are also common working days. Students prefer not to work during the weekdays because of school commitments but if they are asked to work during the weekdays the majority of the students admitted that they would not refuse work. This clearly shows that students are eager to make money. Figure 5: Survey Question: How many days a week do you work? Time spent at college: Students are timetabled seventeen hours of lecturing. The following is a timetable of one of the classes interviewed. On average they spend six and a half hours at the college. Out of which they have four and half hours of lecturing. Overall, students wait ninety minutes between lectures. Figure 6: Sample Timetable Time spent studying: ICT students at MCAST spend 8 hours weekly in a computer laboratory. During these hours students will be thought programming concepts and they will also have hands-on sessions where they can practice under the teachers supervision. 8 hours are not enough to learn programming. Students have to practice at home to succeed. According to an article issued by Monash University (Faculty of ICT) states that programming students should spend at least 10 hours per week studying and practicing. Results: This section will describe the outcome of this research. Figures in section 4, 5 and 6 have been analyzed and evaluated. The table below calculates the number of hours remaining after deducting the total number of lecturing hours and hours allocated for studying, working and sleeping per week. The following calculation is based on a student who works 20 hours a week Hours Lectures per week 16 Working hours 20 Studying 10 Sleeping (7 hours * 7 days) 49 Total Hours Remaining (168 hours 95 hours) 73 Total hours in a week: 24 hours * 7 = 168 hours Total appointed hours: 16 + 20 + 49 + 10 = 95 hours The above estimations illustrate a breakdown of the number of hours in a week. As a result a student who works part time can only utilize the remaining 73 hours for study time and leisure. According to the EuroStudent survey, in most of the countries the average time spent on personal study time ranges between 30 to 35 hours per week. According to the EuroStudent document, the national averages for study-related activities (i. e. for taught courses and personal study time) range between 25 hours per week in Slovakia and Estonia and up to around 40 hours a week in Romania and Bulgaria. In most of the countries time spent on studies clusters around 30 to 35 hours per week. Gender % Number of Students Females 23% 8 Males 77% 27 Type of student % Number of Students Apprenticeship 43% 15 Non-apprenticeship 57% 20 Working hours for non-apprenticeship students (i.e. not IT related): Number of Hours % Number of Students More than 20 hours 40% 8 Less than 20 hours 30% 6 Do not work 30% 6 Grades % Number of Students Pass 14% 5 Merit 26% 9 Distinctions 40% 14 Fail 20% 7 Breakdown of grades: Working Scheme No. of students Pass No. of students Merit No. of students Distinction No. of students Fail Apprenticeship 5 10 > 20 hours 1 7 3 3 Do not work 1 1 3 1 The above statistics show that students who do not work or have a course related job are the most successful. The highest number of students who achieved a distinction are the apprenticeship students. With regards the group of students who work more than 20 hours a week, only one out of eight managed to achieve a pass the rest failed the module. The group who worked less than 20 hours a week managed to obtain a Pass and half of the group even managed to obtain a Merit. This shows that if students manage to balance work and st