Analysis of Learning Weekly at University of Phoenix Essay - 1

Analysis of Learning Weekly at University of Phoenix - Essay Example Class discussions were very helpful and interesting. Communication is an important aspect of any academic work. Once a piece of academic work is complete, it should be communicated to relevant persons through means such as presentation. I learned how to prepare for a presentation and how the same can be presented to various stakeholders using platforms such as cell phones, text messaging, and e-mail. Understanding the concept of the presentation will enable me to present my research as well as academic work through online or digital platforms supported by our mode of online learning. As a professional, I will be in a good position to do research and present my findings using available web communication platforms. Communication in the digital age was very interesting to learn. Cell phones, text messaging, and e-mail has certainly changed the role of formal writing since they are increasingly becoming preferred methods of communication. However, formal writing ensures that communication standards are maintained so that it remains relevant to all the stakeholders  involved.

Gender differences and factors that affect stock Research Paper

Gender differences and factors that affect stock - Research Paper Example However the author wanted to find out any relationship between those factors and stock investment which was not widely studied by early researches. What is the central hypothesis or main proposition that the author is trying to express/explore? Is your (the central) hypothesis best classified as descriptive, explanatory, or predictive/causal? Does the main hypothesis call for a measure of association or a measure of difference between two variables? Defend your position on these issues. This study is intended to determine factors that affect the investment decision of a sample of Canadian investors and analyze relationships between different variables. According to the literature provided by the author this type of researches had not been conducted earlier therefore this is best described as a descriptive or exploratory research. Select the central hypotheses presented in the article. What is the theoretical basis of your (the central) hypothesis? Does this hypothesis logically flow from and relate to the theorized constructs and relationships presented as the basis for the research or was it picked out of thin air? Defend your position. The central hypothesis have a research importance since the findings of this research may helpful for many mediators, investors, advisers and policy makers of the stock market . They can use these findings for more efficient and sustainable stock market Construct Validity? In your (the central) hypothesis, look for a description of how the cause (that is, the independent (or predictor variable(s)) and the effect (that is, the dependent (or criterion variable(s)) are being measured. Face Validity:   Do the measures measure what they are supposed to measure?   Internal reliability:   Are the measures reliable?   What level of measurement is applied to these variables (for example, for each, identify if they are nominal, ordinal, scalar). What is the

Roles and Responsibilities in Lifelong Learning Essay Example for Free

Roles and Responsibilities in Lifelong Learning Essay Unit 001 Roles. responsibilities and relationships in lifelong learning As Education Officer for the Heritage Service (HS) my Job is to provide inspiring, enjoyable and informative learning that promotes lifelong learning and encourages regular return visits to the councils museums (HS Education Policy), In order to do this in line council and national/international legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice. These include the: Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 This act provides for the health and safety of people who may be affected by the ctivities of work including learners and visitors to educational sites. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 All our activities are risk assessed regularly In line with this act _ Data Protection Act (1998) All data taken when booking activities, evaluating activities, taking photos Is kept as stated In the act_ Everyone who Is responsible for using data has to follow strict rules called data protecuon prlnclples_ They must make sure the Information Is: used fairly and lawfully used for limited, specifically stated purposes used In a way that s adequate, relevant and not excessive ept for no longer than Is absolutely necessary handled according to peoples data protection rights kept sate and secure accurate not transferred outside the uK without adequate protection This Is also reiterated in the councils Data Protection Policy. We also ensure that we adhere to The Protection ot Children Act (1999) and the Councils Sateguarding Adults Policy The Equality Act (2010) The Councils Equality Policy Statement says that The council is committed to achieving equality ot opportunity in our employment practices and provision of services. The policy is xplicitly linked to the requirements of the council as an employer and provider of services in adhering to the Equality Act 2010. When devising activities also follow the councils equality statement in line with Equality Act As Ann Gravells (2012) says

Structural functionalism from a post modern perspective

Structural functionalism from a post modern perspective Jay, Lara and their children would be considered as a family. It is in examining the institution like the urban family and its wide range of issues and other intricate social arrangements where sociologists do most of their theorising. In sociology there are three broad areas of sociological study structural functionalism, symbolic interactionism and conflict theories (including feminism and postmodernism) but for the purpose of this paper structural functionalism will be looked at and critiqued by a post modern perspective in terms of the context of Jay and Laras family. Structural Functionists would observe the role the family provides and the purpose that they perform. In investigating the different parts of societys structure in relation to others, functionalists look at how different institutions contribute to the continuation and survival of the social system as a whole. The family operates in a society characterised by rules and these rules are ordered and reoccurring and these relationships occur throughout societies and can therefore be put under scientific rigor and testing in terms of a positivist quantitative outlook and this can be considered almost universal in application. So in simple terms the institution of the family contributes to socialisation of new members of society as this is the rule or function the family provides to society. Parsons (1951) argued the family plays a number of roles in socialisation of individuals. Two roles being key in Jay and Laras case are the socialisation of children into suitable values and norms. The other key point Parsons makes is the stabilisation of the adult personality through marriage which helps to cushion parents from the stresses and strains of day to day life. (These ideas will be discussed further later in terms of criminological theory). Jay and Lara are therefore the primary socialisers of their children. They are (perhaps unwittingly) passing along a belief that crime does pay if Jay is to continue to offend and move back into selling drugs, also that it is usual to carry a knife to protect yourself in their neighbourhood. It would also suggest that the family as a buffer to stresses and strains is perhaps one more characterised by conflict than harmony as originally suggested by Parsons. Parsons theory has very little argument as to what makes a family dysfunctional and other family pathologies or to recognise a family different from the nuclear American dream family of the 1950s era. Norms of family structure have changed overtime, and these changes in families can be thought of as the move toward a newer post-modern idea of family. For example, Weston(1991: 3) argues that Familial ties between persons of the same sex that may be erotic but are not grounded in biology or procreation do not fit any tidy division of kinship into relations of blood and marriage. There is increasing variation in family types. It is not that the nuclear family has been replaced it is more so a case that individuals move in and out of different family types throughout the course of their lifetime. Coontz (1992) has suggested central to these different types of families are the decline of child rearing and marriage as central defining characteristics. These define less of a persons identity and have less influence over the life course decisions and are no longer socially universal. The family is now, she suggests, characterised by greater freedoms to choose your own style of life. Leading individuals in either positive or negative directions as the family now presents less constraints to those who are a part of it. Post-modernism has tried to suggest that rather than a family serving a function in society it is more characterised by multiplicity, difference, particularity, locality, temporality, and the scattered and shifting character of contemporary social processes (Outhwaite 2002). This can account for Jays change in behaviour from a family centric one with the success of the job, which could be argued by functionalists as a success of the family socialisation to buffer Jay from stresses and strains of his local community to one where his individuality has been expressed by losing his job, and heading out for himself with no regard for his family and the outcome of his actions would have had on them which holds to be a very post modern dilemma. (put something here about the ramifications for social work from these two perspectives.) Writers and theorists with sociology disagree to the way actions of the state interfere with the family. Mclennan et al (2000) have noticed that modern families have come under state intervention more so than other periods in time. Some policy outcomes, such as the welfare state, have been seen as something that should be a function of the family rather than a function delivered by the government. Sociologists, however, do recognise that social policy can be an area which provides social change by changing individual behaviour (Wallerstein 1989). Jay and Lara and their family are affected directly by these policies but this paper shall look at family and child policies and how they affect social work and the family unit. During the past 10 years there have been a lot of changes in government policy regarding children and families. With the introduction of every child matters (HM Treasury 2003) which outlines how this agenda will restructure current services with multidisciplinary working and better information sharing, it also details how early intervention should be concentrated on. The ideas set out in every child matters suggests that early intervention is more cost effective and early prevention is possible because of the vast knowledge about risk factors and the negative impact these can have and that parenting is vital. The report also suggests that services such as social work fail to intervene in a positive way because they lack accountability and have not been sharing information well. The states policy is therefore one of a more active interventionist role in relation to children and their development. The sure start programme being an example of this and has been directly mentioned in the Conservative party Manifesto paying for more than 4500 new sure start workers and refocusing onto early intervention once more (Conservative Party website 2010). A further focus of Policy over the past 10 years has been to look at the role of parents. Parents have been suggested as the background for changes in anti-social behaviour and social exclusion. The state has also increased its role in parenting support asking local authorities to develop a parental support strategy and employ a single commissioner of parenting support services (family and Parenting Institute 2009). Further to this the Government committed itself to getting rid of child poverty by 2020 and halving it by 2010 (Conservative Party website 2010). This is due to the evidence from studies such as the millennium cohort study which followed 16 000 children and noted a difference in child performance based on socio economic status. Parents have also been called to be more involved with their Childs education including the hard to reach (Reynolds, 2006). This message is echoed in the Childrens Plan (2007) which states, Parents support for their childs learning is an essential foundation for achievement. Parents told us they want to be more involved in their childrens education, and schools see the benefits of greater engagement with parents (Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2007a, p53). To achieve this, direct transfers to families through benefits and tax credits have increased, focusing particularly on low-income families in employment. These have been accompanied by measures aiming to raise the employment rate among parents. Lone parents have been singled out as a target group for welfare reform, alongside measures to improve childcare availability and affordability. There has also been a major expansion in maternity leave provision, along with the introduction of the right for parents to request flexible working, in an attempt to make it easier for parents to balance work and family responsibilities. The final section of this report focuses on shifting family forms and family relationships, and the states role in helping couples to stay together and to parent their children after separation. Many challenges still remain in family policy, such as: integrating adult and childrens services to meet families needs; ensuring families have access to both good universal services and specialist ones; achieving child poverty targets; and creating real choice for parents in how they balance paid work and family responsibilities. The changes of the past 10 years have taken place against a background of national economic prosperity. The current recession is imposing new challenges on both families and public services, and even if the recovery is quick, the context for the next decade will be one of high public debt. It can be seen that the current conservative government hold that the family function is on that needs to be upheld. The previous labour government taking a more liberal (postmodern) view and less moral overtone to the ideas of family as can be seen with the policies introduced pre conservative government such as a focus on tax breaks and increasing resources being moved to low income families regardless of their married or unmarried status. With the new administration it may be argued that a more functional view of the family situation will be adopted where the ideal of the nuclear family as suggested by Parsons (1951) will be supported. The role of the social work will be therefore to protect these family institutions. Interestingly in light of the recent review of child protection after the Baby p case Henricson (2007) pointed out there was too much focus on structures and procedures and less emphasis on well trained social workers and other professionals with appropriate caseload s. Allowing them to fully understand the family situation and use their professional judgement in a more appropriate way. In reality practice is however fraught with resource limitations and need to provide help to those already in crisis rather than early intervention. In Building Britains Future the Prime minister promises a move from a system based primarily on targets and central direction to one where individuals have enforceable entitlements over the service they receive (Prime minister 2009, p18). This could have a great impact on Social Work services and service provision

First Kiss :: essays research papers

My First Kiss I was five. He was six. When we first found out we had to hold hands during the second scene of the Christmas Pageant we both had the same response, â€Å"EW Gross!†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Josh and I had known each other basically all of our lives. Our grandparents were friends, our parents were friends and even our siblings were friends. It was as if we were destine to be friends too because of family genes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every Sunday afternoon, after church, me, my parents, my grandparents and my brother along with Josh’s parents, grandparents, and brother, would all go to Josh’s house. It was a ritual that started back as early as I can remember and still is carried out today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The parents would chat over coffee, our older siblings would ride their bikes and Josh and I would play in the sandbox. â€Å"Let’s play house.† I would always say. To which Josh responded, â€Å"No way. House is for girls. Let’s play ninjas. HIYA!† So we made a compromise. I was the mommy, the cat was the baby and Josh was the â€Å"ninja† daddy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When you’re five years old you don’t really think of boys as boys or girls as girls. Other kids are just your friends, whether they wear a pink dress or blue slacks. Never before did I really think of Josh as a boy till I was forced to hold his hand in the pageant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both of us whined and complained and if my memory severs my correctly, Josh threw an out right tantrum about the whole scene. Yet still we were forced to stand there hand in hand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was performance night and our parents came back stage for a pep talk. My mom fixed my frilled dress and Josh’s mom straightened his hair and both of our mothers basically told us to go out there and smile whether we liked it or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The time for our big scene came. We waited in the wings for our cue and finally we were pushed out on stage.

Dells Direct Business Model Essay -- essays research papers

Subject: Dell’s Direct Business Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Will Dell’s direct business model continue to provide a competitive advantage as fellow competitors Compaq, IBM, and HP emulate Dell’s direct model? Dell’s direct business model bypasses the dealer in the supply chain and sells computers directly to customers, building each to order. Dell does not manufacture the computer components; they merely assemble computers based on components that are available in the market. Dell’s use of technology and information to blur the traditional boundaries between suppliers, manufactures, and users is named virtual integration. To achieve the advantages of an integrated company, Dell treats suppliers and service providers as if they were inside the company. Their systems are linked in real time to Dell’s system and their employees participate in design teams and product launches. Dell measures inventory velocity which is defined as the reciprocal of the average amount of time a product spends in inventory. Accumulating inventory is the fast moving PC computer industry is very risky due to the fact that many components quickly become outdated. In 1998 Compaq, IBM, and Hewlett-Packard all announced plans to mimic portions of Dell’s direct business model, with various build to order plans. All have had difficulty in making the transition. These companies are moving towards a target inventory level of four weeks, conversely, Dell maintains just eight days of invento...

Symbolism in the Catcher in the Rye

Throughout the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger obtain numerous symbols that persist in the book. The symbols I have chosen display Holden Caufield’s emotions, actions, and way of life. There are three symbols unparticular that are used most regularly in the novel. I’ve selected Holden’s red hunting hat, the Museum of Natural History, and the Ducks in Central Park Lagoon. All three of these symbols have great significance in this book.In the novel Holden says â€Å"I put my red hunting hat on, and turned the peak around to the back, the way I liked it, and then I yelled at the top of my god dam voice, â€Å"Sleep tight, ya morons! † I'll bet I woke up every bastard on the whole floor. Then I got the hell out. Some stupid guy had thrown peanut shells all over the stairs, and I damn near broke my crazy neck. † (Chapter 7, pg. 52) The red hunting hat is inseparable from the image of Holden Caufield, with good reason.It’s a symbol o f uniqueness and individuality as well. Holden also says in Chapter 16 â€Å"I took my old hunting hat out of my pocket while I walked, and put it on. I knew I wouldn’t meet anyone that knew me, and it was pretty damp out. † The hat is eccentric and displays Holden’s desires to be diverse from everyone else around him, yet at the same time Holden is very self-conscious about the red hunting hat. He always mentions when he’s wearing it and he often doesn’t wear it if he is going to be around people he associates with.Therefore, the point that the author is trying to make is that the presence of the hat, mirrors the major conflict of the book which is Holden’s need for isolation versus his need for companionship. Another detail is that the hat’s color, red is the same color as Allie’s and Phoebe’s hair. Perhaps Holden interacts with it with the innocence and the purity he believes with these characters represents and wears it as a way to connect to them. Holden never comments on the hat’s significance other than to mention its unusual appearance.In the book, Holden explains the symbol meaning of the museum’s displays. One detail he says is â€Å"The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move. . . . Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you. † (Chapter 16, page 121) Holden also mentions that he is troubled by the fact that he has changed every time he returns to them. The museum represents the world Holden wishes he could live in, a world where everything is simple, understandable, and indefinite.I think the point the author is trying to make is that Holden is terrified about the unpredictable challenges of the world. He’s trying to get across that Holden hates conflict, he’s confused by Allie’s senseless death, and he fears interaction with other people. Holden’s curiosity about where the ducks go during winter shows a more genuine and youthful side to his character. I live in New York, and I was thinking about the lagoon in Central Park, down near Central Park South. â€Å"I was wondering if it would be frozen over when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go?I was wondering where the ducks went when the lagoon got all icy and frozen over. I wondered if some guy came in a truck and took them away to a zoo or something. Or if they just flew away. † (Chapter 12, pg. 81) The Ducks in the pond are symbolic in many ways, they prove that some vanishings are only temporary. Holden, traumatized and aware of the fragility of the life by his brother Allie’s death, Holden is terrified by the idea of change and disappearances. The Ducks vanish every winter, but they return every spring.The point the authors trying to make is the pond itself becomes a minor metaphor for the world as Holden sees it, because it is â€Å"partly frozen† and â€Å"partly not frozen†. The pond is in transition between two states, just as Holden is in transition between childhood and adulthood. In conclusion, there are countless symbols in The Catcher in the Rye. I personally thought the red hunting hat, The Museum of Natural History, and The Ducks in the Central Park Lagoon were the most significant and came up regularly in the novel. Each symbol has a different effect on Holden Caufield’s Life, emotions, and actions.