Technologys Effect on the Acquisition of Knowledg Essay Example For Students

Technologys Effect on the Acquisition of Knowledg Essay eFor a class called Theory of Knowledge. As I walked into my younger brothers elementary school one day to pick him up, I was confronted with a flurry of sounds; it was nothing new, this was just the first time that I noticed it. All I heard was the buzzing of computers, the ringing or phones and the humming of printers. The same at my school, my parents workplaces, and nearly every other public place, as well as some private places. Then I began to wonder if all of these technological advances really help, or rather hinder, how we gather information from the world around us. We will write a custom essay on Technologys Effect on the Acquisition of Knowledg specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Do these smaller and faster computers, these increasingly tiny cellular phones, or any of these other recent technological inventions really expand the acquisition of knowledge? Or are we just moving backwards?First of all, I think that we need to define technology. My definition, as well as the definition that I will use to determine whether something is technology, is any device that makes life easier for the people who possess and use it. One of the most obvious ways is that now it is a lot easier to access knowledge. You can research any topic and access statistics and primary documents. You have got the world at your fingertips. I, as an International Baccalaureate student, cannot imagine writing papers or researching any issue without access to the Internet. Another example of technology that helps most people is the calculator. I cannot even imagine trying to do Calculus homework without its help. With the aid of the calculator, you need not look up or calculate by hand values such as logarithm, sine or cosineit is just beyond me how they did complicated math like that before everyone had calculators. Another advantage is that, if you have Internet access at home, you have access to seemingly endless information twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week; anytime you want to learn something about any theme, you can. Even devices such as overhead projectors and loudspeakers make access to knowledge easier. Also, as technology progresses, computers get more affordable, along with other learning tools, thus they become available to more people. There is also more information. Examples include movies, photos, audio devices and other entertainment that was not available before. There is also more scientific equipment that allows us to collect more information about the world such as the transition electron microscope, which allows us to examine the inside of cells, and the technology that allows us to carbon date fossils and such. Technology also makes learning a lot more fun. Computer programs such as Word Muncher and Number Muncher help children with vocabulary and math skills, telling them a certain kind or word to eat or gives them a word such as prime and they must find and eat all prime numbers before they get eaten by these little monsters. I learned a lot from these programs, and I see my little brother, who is in second grade, doing the same. He also likes to play a game called Pre-Kindergarten which gives him a colorful certificate if he does well. A program provides visually stimulating colors and rousing sounds that flashcards and textbooks cannot. They allow children to learn things about a variety to topics while captivating them, which can be hard to do. I, personally, have seen my brother greatly benefit from these programs. He also loves to watch movies and television programs that show Barney and Thomas the Train solving the math problem or inserting the missing letter into words. He plays those games and watches those programs for hours on end. .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c , .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c .postImageUrl , .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c , .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c:hover , .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c:visited , .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c:active { border:0!important; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c:active , .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue921a9f47182158a416a013d1ffcde8c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: For International Baccalaureate Language Essay I way I know these effects through perception and emotion. I perceive the way that my brother has benefited from using technology; he is learning without knowing it and while having fun. I am pleased that I have access to computers and other technological devices that have helped me through school and through life.However, on the other hand, technology can sometimes limit the acquisition of knowledge. Einstein once said, It has become increasingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. Because of technology there is, for

Free Essays on Understanding Down Syndrome

The disability of Down syndrome was first identified back in 1866, by a physician named John Langdon Down who was the superintendent of an asylum for children with mental retardation in Surrey, England. He published an essay, describing children with the same features as being mentally retarded. He thought the children to have an arrested development. In the 1960’s the term mentally retarded was dropped and was then called Down’s syndrome because it was an ethnic insult to Asian researchers. In the 1970’s an American revision of the term was changed to Downs syndrome. Whereas in the UK and some places in Europe the disorder is still known as Down’s. In the first part of the twentieth century, people were not sure what caused Downs syndrome. In the 1930’s two researchers, named Waardenburg and Bleyer were the first to predict that maybe Down syndrome was caused because of chromosomal abnormalities. By 1959 two independent researchers, Jerome Lejeune and Patricia Jacobs determined the cause of Down syndrome as being trisomy (triplication) of the 21st chromosome. They discovered that cases of Down syndrome were due to two problems of translocation and mosaicism. The defect of chromosomes in a person causes Down syndrome. Chromosomes are thread like structures made up of DNA and other proteins. Chromosomes carry genetic information that is needed for our cells to develop. In a normal human being, each chromosome divides into two. The two different chromosomes go to two different spots in the cell. Rarely, but it does happen to where the chromosome wont divide, but stays as one. Then the whole pair goes to the same part of the cell. This makes an uneven balance with the cells. One cell will have 22 chromosomes whereas the rest of the cells will have 24 chromosomes. This is known as nondisjunction. If a male or a female has non-normal chromosomes and mates with a person who has normal chromosomes, 95% of all c... Free Essays on Understanding Down Syndrome Free Essays on Understanding Down Syndrome The disability of Down syndrome was first identified back in 1866, by a physician named John Langdon Down who was the superintendent of an asylum for children with mental retardation in Surrey, England. He published an essay, describing children with the same features as being mentally retarded. He thought the children to have an arrested development. In the 1960’s the term mentally retarded was dropped and was then called Down’s syndrome because it was an ethnic insult to Asian researchers. In the 1970’s an American revision of the term was changed to Downs syndrome. Whereas in the UK and some places in Europe the disorder is still known as Down’s. In the first part of the twentieth century, people were not sure what caused Downs syndrome. In the 1930’s two researchers, named Waardenburg and Bleyer were the first to predict that maybe Down syndrome was caused because of chromosomal abnormalities. By 1959 two independent researchers, Jerome Lejeune and Patricia Jacobs determined the cause of Down syndrome as being trisomy (triplication) of the 21st chromosome. They discovered that cases of Down syndrome were due to two problems of translocation and mosaicism. The defect of chromosomes in a person causes Down syndrome. Chromosomes are thread like structures made up of DNA and other proteins. Chromosomes carry genetic information that is needed for our cells to develop. In a normal human being, each chromosome divides into two. The two different chromosomes go to two different spots in the cell. Rarely, but it does happen to where the chromosome wont divide, but stays as one. Then the whole pair goes to the same part of the cell. This makes an uneven balance with the cells. One cell will have 22 chromosomes whereas the rest of the cells will have 24 chromosomes. This is known as nondisjunction. If a male or a female has non-normal chromosomes and mates with a person who has normal chromosomes, 95% of all c...

How to Talk About the Weather in German

How to Talk About the Weather in German Regardless of the language, everyone likes to talk about the  weather. Learning how to talk about the weather in German is a key part of learning the language. This means youll need to learn more than just the  terms for the weather in German. You will also need to adjust  how  you talk about the weather. As with many other countries, Germany measures weather-related issues like barometric pressure and temperatures differently than in the U.S. There are even a few hidden vocabulary traps youll need to learn to avoid when talking about how warm or cold you are in German. When youre in German-speaking Europe, you also need to learn how to listen to a typical weather forecast. For example, you may need einen Regenschirm (an umbrella )  if Regen  (rain) is in the Wettervorhersage (weather forecast). Weather-Related Vocabulary and Phrases in German The tables  list common weather phrases and vocabulary. Review the chart below to learn many common German weather words and weather-related expressions. The table offers the German phrase or question on the left with the English translation on the right. In German, weather phrases can begin with  es  (it is, or its) or  es  ist  (which also means it is or its). You use  es  with a verb  and es ist  with an adjective.   Das Wetter Expressions DEUTSCH ENGLISH Fragen Questions Wie ist das Wetter heute? Whats the weather like today? Ist es warm/kalt/khl? Is it warm/cold/cool? Wie viel Grad sind es? Whats the temperature?How many degrees is it? Scheint die Sonne? Is the sun shining? Wo ist mein Regenschirm? Wheres my umbrella? ES + VERB Es regnet. Its raining. Es blitzt. Theres lightning. Es donnert. Its thundering. Es schneit. Its snowing. Es hagelt. Its hailing. ES IST + ADJECTIVE Es ist schn. Its nice. Es ist bewlkt. Its cloudy. Es ist hei. Its hot. Es ist kalt. Its cold. Es ist windig. Its windy. Es ist schwl. Its muggy/humid. So ein Sauwetter! Such lousy weather! MIR + IST Mir ist kalt. I feel cold./Im cold. Ist es dir zu hei? Do you feel too hot?/Are you too hot? A Note About Dative Phrases Although it is OK to say Im hot/cold in English, this is not the case in German. To express that you feel hot or cold in German, use a dative pronoun -   dir (to you) and  mir (to me) in the examples above. In German, you say, to me, it is hot rather than I am hot, which in German would roughly translate as you are in heat. Indeed, if you want to  speak German, youll also have to know your dative prepositions. Many dative prepositions are common terms in German, such as  nach  (after, to),  von  (by, of) and  mit  (with). Its hard to speak without them. Simply put,  dative prepositions  are governed by the  dative  case. That is, they are followed by a noun or take an object in the dative case.

UnME Jeans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

UnME Jeans - Essay Example The brand manager of UnME Jeans is faced with complex media in which the traditional media such as television, radio and print advertising have become less effective over the time because of the declining number of audience, increase in the advertising clutter and turning out of the consumers. In this case Foley is set to explore the options provided by Web 2.0 social media and determine ways to better handle advertising and branding objectives. Therefore, the major challenge for Foley is to ignore all the hype made by Web 2.0, and analyze the social media for UnME Jeans by delving into the needs of the consumers and their behaviours underpinning the technologies of Web 2.0. Situation Analysis The case study describes a situation where Margaret Foley, the brand manager of UnME, carries out an investigation with respect to emerging media Web 2.0. The brand manager had been allocating a huge amount of budget in the traditional means of communication and only about $250 towards social media which were not sufficient in the new era of competitive environment to survive, attract and retain the loyal customers. It has been analysed that with a change in the consumer’s demands and mindset, consumers are spending much of their time by staying online rather than watching television. The percentage rate of television viewers has dropped drastically and it had become essential for UnME to implement the new form of media. The fir m did not spend much on online marketing and as a result, the brand manger was not satisfied with the response from the target consumers. In the era of new technologies and various media options, the target customers, the teenagers, prefer visiting online sites and staying online for most of the time. As per a survey, it has been seen that the social media are a highly acceptable form of media. The below figures compare the use of various forms of promotional tools. Figure 1: Media Trends (Source: McGee, 2011) The above figures compare the media trends from 2010 to 2011. It has been seen that the use of social media is predicted to increase by about 63.6% in 2011 year-on-year, as compared to the use of television. As per the Internet World Stats (2012), about 78.3% of the US population uses the Internet, and the amount of time spent rose to 20% and the youngsters tend to spend about 40 hours per week. Change has taken place in the Internet population in US and it was predicted that about 71% of the population would be online in 2010 and it would continue to grow and would reach about 250 milion people in 2014 (European Travel Commission, 2012). The following table shows the future prediction of Internet usage by the consumers in the present and future. Table 1: Internet users (ETC, 2012) With the growth of social media among the customers, the youth sector still dominates the social media market and UnME, which targets the teenagers, is lagging behind in positioning the brands effectively through the use of social media. Teens and young adults showed the greatest penetration. According to eMarketer, out of five Internet users four of them belong to the age group of 12 to 34 (eMarketer, 2011). The figure below shows the trend of social network users, which is estimated to rise each year. Figure 2: Social Network Users (Source: eMarketer, 2011) The

Nursing reaearch Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nursing reaearch - Term Paper Example In addition, they also examine ways to improve clinical practice. Furthermore, nursing education research emphasizes the manner in which students acquire the discipline and professional practice of this noble profession, and the procedures for improving educational strategies to train scientists and clinicians (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2014). In addition, it is the bounded duty of nurses engaged in research to uphold the ethical conduct of clinical research. This responsibility can be successfully fulfilled only when there is understanding regarding the nature of clinical research and the factors that render clinical research ethical (Grady & Edgerly, 2009). There are several patients, who do not fully comprehend the ramifications of the treatment proposed by their attending physicians. Under these circumstances, the promotion of clinical research and the protection of the rights and interests of the patient require familiarity with the manner in which clinical practice and clinical research diverge (Grady & Edgerly, 2009). Grady, C., & Edgerly, M. (2009, December). Science, Technology, and Innovation: Nursing Responsibilities in Clinical Research. Retrieved July 22, 2014, from Nursing Clinics of North America:

Evidence-Based Practice Paper Essay Example for Free

Evidence-Based Practice Paper Essay The evidence-based practice guideline that I chose is titled, â€Å"Myocardial Infarction,† written by the Finnish Medical Society Duodecim. The intended users for this guideline are health care providers and physicians. The target population is individuals with suspected or known myocardial infarction. The objective of this guideline is to â€Å"collect, summarize, and update the core clinical knowledge essential in general practice† and â€Å"describe the scientific evidence underlying the given recommendations.† (Finnish Medical Society Duodecim, 2008) Clarity and Researchability of the Study’s Purpose and Question According to the researchers, the purpose of the study is â€Å"to test how teaching format (factual versus storytelling) and restructuring the social norm of caring for others to caring for self affects how women learn to identify and respond to myocardial infarction (MI) symptoms. † (McDonald, Goncalves, Almario, Krajewski, Cervera, Kaeser, et al., 2006, p.216) I feel that the purpose of the study is significant to nursing because nurses need to educate patients about what symptoms to observe for and report to their primary care providers. Also, if this study could determine which teaching format would better assist patients in acknowledging significant symptoms of an MI needed to contact EMS, then nurses could possibly be better able to educate patients about those symptoms. I believe that the study title of â€Å"Assisting Women to Learn Myocardial Infarction Symptoms,† is more general than the three research questions listed in the study: (a) â€Å"Are women who are taught how to recognize and respond to symptoms of an MI using a storytelling format more likely to be able to identify symptoms and plan to get help than women who are taught the same information using a factual format?†, (b) â€Å"Does teaching women to cognitively restructure the ‘caring for others’ social norm to ‘caring for self’ make them more likely to identify symptoms of an MI and plan to call EMS than women who are not taught this form of cognitive restructuring?†, and (c) â€Å"Are women who have been taught MI symptoms and response using the storytelling format and who were taught cognitive restructuring of the ‘caring for others’ to ‘caring for self’ social norms more likely to identify symptoms of an MI and plan to call EMS than women who were provided factual information about MI symptoms and response, and who were not offered cognitive restructuring?† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.217-218) The two independent variables identified in the study are â€Å"teaching format (factual vs. storytelling) and social norms (caring for others first vs. caring for self)† and the dependent variable is â€Å"the posttest knowledge of MI symptoms.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.220) The American Heart Association (cited in McDonald, et al., 2006, p.216) states that â€Å"heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women and kills over 248,000 women each year in the United States.† Mosca, Ferris, Fabunmi, Robinson (cited in McDonald, et al., 2006, p.216) states that â€Å"the majority of women remain unaware that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, despite a significant increase in awareness since 2000.† While the assumptions of the researchers are not clearly stated, I would assume that the researchers believe that women need to be further educated about the symptoms of MI in order â€Å"to avoid disabling or life-ending consequences from MI.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.216) Adequacy and Relevance of the Literature Review I feel that the literature review is relevant to the problem because they discuss the differences in MI symptoms among genders and which symptoms were commonly reported by women. DeVon and Zerwic (cited in McDonald, et al., 2006, p.216-217) â€Å"reviewed studies on gender differences in MI symptoms and concluded that symptoms were similar across gender; however, in seven studies back pain, dyspnea, and nausea and vomiting occurred more frequently in women.† According to McSweeney, O’Sullivan, Cody, Crane (cited in McDonald, et al., 2006, p.217) â€Å"women who have experienced an MI often describe additional symptoms besides chest pain, such as weakness, shortness of breath, unusual fatigue, diaphoresis, nausea, feeling flushed or dizzy, or a heavy feeling in the arms.† The literature review also discusses the possible reasons for why women delay in contacting EMS when symptoms of MI do occur. Finnegan et al (cited in McDonald, et al., 2006, p.217) states that â€Å"women might delay responding to their own MI symptoms to meet their caregiver responsibilities.† The literature review is logically organized, because it clearly talks about the differences among identification of MI symptoms among genders, along with the possible reasons for the delay among women in reporting their symptoms in order to receive immediate attention. The discussion about women not wanting to take care of themselves in order to continue assuming the responsibility of caring for their families, supports the research question of â€Å"cognitively restructuring the ‘caring for others’ social norm to ‘caring for self’.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.217) I feel that the 23 references used were appropriate for this study. The dates of the references range from 1989 to 2005, with this study being published in the May/June 2006 issue of Public Health Nursing. Majority of the references (20/23) had to deal with heart disease, while the remaining three discussed (a) theory of planned behavior, (b) story telling as a tool, and (c) applied multivariate statistics. Both, primary and secondary sources were used as references. Agreement between Purpose, Design, and Methods The study design described is â€Å"a pretest posttest full factorial experimental design with educational format (storytelling vs. factual) by social norms (restructuring the social norm of â€Å"caring for others† vs. no restructuring).† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.218) According to LoBiondo-Wood Haber (2010) â€Å"a true experimental design has three identifying properties: (a) randomization, (b) control, and (c) manipulation† (p.179). In the study, the researchers randomly assigned the participants to one of four groups, each group receiving a different type of informational MI symptom pamphlet. LoBiondo-Wood Haber also state that â€Å"experimental designs are the most powerful for testing cause-and-effect relationships due to the control, manipulation, and randomization components† (p.185), which I think makes the design appropriate for answering the research questions in this study. Data was collected by having participants respond in writing first to a demographic form, and then to a Heart Attack Survey, both before and after, reading an informational pamphlet about MI symptoms. â€Å"The Heart Attack Survey consisted of two questions. The first question was open ended, ‘list all of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack that you are aware of.’ The second question used a 0-10 scale, with the corresponding anchors definitely would not call and definitely would call, to measure the behavioral intention of calling 911 within 30 min if heart attack symptoms occur.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.219) I feel that their data collection procedure is logical and practical because paper-and-pencil instruments â€Å"are most useful for collecting data on variables that cannot be directly observed or measured by physiological instruments.† (LoBiondo-Wood Haber, 2010, p.274) The researchers did not clearly discuss their instruments in terms of content validity and reliability. LoBiondo-Wood Haber (2010) define validity as â€Å"the extent to which an instrument measures the attributes of a concept accurately† and reliability as â€Å"the ability of an instrument to measure the attributes of a concept or construct consistency† (p.286). I think that both of their instruments were valid since the demographic form only measured demographic info, and the Heart Attack Survey only measured the number of MI symptoms the participants knew along their intent to call 911. However, I do not think the Heart Attack Survey was very reliable, since the researchers did mention that many of the women did not answer the same MI symptoms on the posttest that they had mentioned on the pretest. If the instrument was reliable, I would believe that the posttest would have the same MI symptoms as listed on the pretest, along with any new symptoms the women learned from reading the informational pamphlets. Suitability of the Sampling Procedure and the Sample I feel that the researchers used a convenience sample consisting of 113 adult women. The women were recruited by graduate nursing student data collectors in shopping malls, restaurants, and other public areas. â€Å"Inclusion criteria included of (1) female, and (2) age 25 years or older, and (3) able to speak, read, and understand English or Spanish. Exclusion criteria included (1) previous MI, (2) physician or nurse, or (3) current or past EMS worker.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.218) Descriptive characteristics of the sample include: (a) a mean age of around 42 years, (b) majority of participants having a high school education, with about an additional 36% having higher education, (c) most women were white, with next largest racial group consisting of black Americans, (d) nearly more than half being of non-Hispanic ethnicity, (e) few women having personal history of heart disease, while around half reported family history of heart disease, and (f) half reporting having careg iver responsibilities. I think the sample size was adequate for the study. The researchers state that â€Å"a small effect size for the intervention effect was anticipated based on the REACT findings† and â€Å"the sample size needed for a four-group multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with a power of 0.80, a significance level of .05, two dependent variables, and a small anticipated effect size was n=115.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.218) There were an additional seven participants, but were not included in the final sample because they provided incomplete data, by not completing both the pretest and the posttest. The researchers state that â€Å"there were no significant differences between women completing the study and women not completing the study for age, ethnicity, race, marital status, education, having health insurance, a personal history of heart disease, a family history of heart disease, or responsibility for caring for others.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.220) The researchers state that â€Å"the study was approved for human subjects’ protection by the university internal review board.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.219) The researchers also state in their study that â€Å"each participant was provided verbal informed consent and a copy of the study information sheet.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.219) Correctness of Analytic Procedures The statistical procedures named in the study are: (a) analysis of variance (ANOVA), (b) χ2 (chi-square), (c) Pearson’s r correlation, (d) t test, and (e) analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). According to LoBiondo-Wood Haber (2010) â€Å"analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) is a statistic that measures differences among group means and uses a statistical technique to equate the groups under study in relation to an important variable† (p.574). In the study, McDonald, et al., (2006) tested the three research questions through ANCOVA: The two independent variables—teaching format (factual vs. storytelling) and social norms (caring for others first vs. caring for self)—were entered as the grouping variable. The pretest knowledge of MI symptoms served as the covariate, and the posttest knowledge of MI symptoms was entered as the dependent variable. (p.220) Since the study wanted to know the type of MI symptoms that the women could identify, the level of measurement for this study would be nominal. According to LoBiondo-Wood Haber (2010) â€Å"when data are at the nominal level and the researcher wants to determine whether groups are different, the researcher uses the chi-square (χ2)† (p.326). The MI symptoms would be considered categorical variables because they could have â€Å"more than two true values†; also, since only one point was given to each symptom identified, â€Å"there was no order† to the variables. (LoBiondo-Wood Haber, 2010, p.312) The researchers listed several p values in their study: (a) â€Å"the factual information with the social norms restructured group had more White participants (26.6%) and less non-White participants (0.9%) than the other conditions, χ2(3) = 7.94, p .05†, (b) â€Å"women responding to the English instruments reported significantly more symptoms (M = 6.4; SD = 2.73) than women (n=29) responding to the Spanish instruments (M = 4.7; SD = 3.26), t (111) = 2.75, p .007†, and (c) â€Å"for the pretest the number of MI symptoms and the 911 response score were unrelated, r (113) = 0.16, p .09, and slightly related, r (113) = 0.20, p .04, on the posttest.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.220) According to LoBiondo-Wood Haber (2010) â€Å"the minimum level of significance acceptable for nursing research is 0.05† (p.322). Clarity of Findings The findings described under the results section state that â€Å"the women identified significantly more MI symptoms after reading the MI pamphlet.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.220) â€Å"Table 1contains frequencies for the entire sample of the most frequently identified MI symptoms on the pretest and posttest.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.220) Table 1 highlights the finding that a majority of the MI symptoms were identified more frequently on the posttest when compared to the pretest. â€Å"Table 2 contains group frequencies for identified MI symptoms, with pretest frequencies for each of the four groups preceding the posttest frequencies,† which highlights the finding that â€Å"no significant group differences emerged for storytelling and social norms.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.220) While the results did show that â€Å"women generally learned three more MI symptoms to add to their previous knowledge of the commonly identified MI symptoms, chest pain, shortness of breath, and arm pain,† the results also discuss that â€Å"the storytelling versus factual format for teaching women about MI symptoms did not affect how women learned MI symptoms.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.221) I feel that these results show that more research is needed in order to find a way to adequately teach women the symptoms of MI and which symptoms would require them to quickly contact 911. While I do not think the conclusions are generalized beyond the sample, I agree with the researchers when they state that it is important for everyone to know that â€Å"MI symptoms are ambiguous, and that even when people are unsure about their MI symptoms they should always call 911.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.222) The researchers state in their study that there were â€Å"several potential limitations† that could have impacted their results: (a) participants were recruited from the community and might not have carefully read the informational pamphlets, â€Å"potentially reducing the amount of information learned†, (b) the words ‘heart attack’ were not included in â€Å"the content of the factual group pamphlets,† which might have led the women in that group to not associate the â€Å"symptom information with MI symptoms,† (c) â€Å"the pretest and posttest were identical and separated only by the time taken to read the intervention pamphlet† which as a result â€Å"might not reflect symptoms that the women later remember and identify as potential MI symptoms,† (d) â€Å"many women did not include all of the MI symptoms that they wrote on the pretest, decreasing the score that they received for identifying MI symptoms,† (e) â€Å"the MI symptom score did not reflect if the same symptom was included on the pretest and posttest, or if commonly occurring but less frequently recognized MI symptoms were learned,† and (f) â€Å"the 911 scale proved to be an inadequate measure of response to MI symptoms.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.222) According to LoBiondo-Wood Haber (2010) â€Å"a research study using a true experimental design is commonly called a randomized control trial (RCT)† (p.179). LoBiondo-Wood Haber also state that â€Å"an individual RCT generates Level II evidence because of the minimal bias introduced by this design through use of randomization, control, and manipulation† (p.179). Since this study used a â€Å"pretest posttest full factorial experimental design† and â€Å"the participating women were randomly assigned, using a web-based random number generator, to one of the four experimental conditions,† I would classify this study as an RCT generating Level II evidence. (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.218) According to the evidence-based practice guideline that I chose, â€Å"instead of chest pain, acute dyspnoea may be the primary symptom† and â€Å"the diagnosis should be made without delay since early therapy improves the prognosis decisively.† (Finnish Medical Society Duodecim, 2008) I feel that the results of this study support the guideline because it is important for women to be able to recognize the symptoms of MI early on and â€Å"be aware of their risk for an MI so that they can secure immediate emergency medical care when symptoms of an MI occur.† (McDonald, et al., 2006, p.216) References Finnish Medical Society Duodecim. (2008). Myocardial infarction. Retrieved from the National Guideline Clearinghouse website. http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?ss=15doc_id=12794nbr=006596string=myocardial+AND+infarction LoBiondo-Wood, G., Haber, J. (2010). Nursing research: Methods and critical appraisal for evidence- based practice, 7th Ed. St. Louis: Mosby. McDonald, D. D., Goncalves, P. H., Almario, V. E., Krajewski, A. L., Cervera,

The Incas :: Pre-Columbian History Culture

The Incas The Inca were South American Indian people who ruled one of the largest and richest empires in the America's. The Inca Empire began to expand about 1438 and occupied a vast region that centered on the capital, Cusco, in southern Peru. The Empire extended more than 2,500 miles (4,020 kilometers) along the western coast of South America. It included parts of Present - Day Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. The Inca Empire was conquered by Spanish Forces soon after their arrival in 1532. Inca emperors ruled their far - reaching territory through a complex political system. The Inca took over many areas by military force. Their political system kept a balance between the central authority of the emperor and local rulers. The name Inca was originally the title of the emperor. The peoples he governed had many names. But after the Spanish conquest, all people under the emperor's rule were called the Inca. Inca is a group name which covers a large numbers of tribes. The original Incas were Quechua speakers who lived in South - Eastern Peruvian highlands. Tribes later conquered by the Incas tended to assimulate Inca culture, to the exclusion of their own. In the 15century, led by Pachacuti Inca Yupaqui and his son Topa Inca, the Inca Empire exploded over the Andes. Both leaders claimed to be descendents of the sun, the most important symbol in Inca religious life. When Topa Inca died in 1493 Pachacuti's Andean domain ran nearly 2,500 miles from North Ecuador into Chile and covered some 350,000 square miles. The Incas are famous for their intricate gold work and elaborate weaving. For subsistence they relied on terraced and irrigated cultivation, and very little on hunting and fishing. In the mountain areas the main crop was quinoa, and in lower areas maize, beans, peanuts, and squash. They kept llamas, alpacas, dogs, guinea pigs, and dogs. Men worked copper and gold and women made fabrics and pots. Inca towns had massive public buildings. Most of their technological achievements were grand - scale copies of ideas from earlier civilizations. The skilful farmers who preceded the Inca, harnessing the melting snows of the Andes, dug irrigation ditches across the desert; they also deflected rivers for the same purpose. Nothing which the Minoans, Egyptians, and Sumerians did, agriculturally, equalled this achievement. They also demesticated animals. From the Native American camal the guanaco, they bred the llama and the alpaca for their wool, and guinea - pigs for food.

Jails and Prisons Essay

Jails and prisons are corrective institutions which are meant to curb criminal activities in the society. They are also meant to punish the offenders. Prisons execute imprisonment which involves legal penalties. Jails and prisons should basically be aimed at punishing and rehabilitating the offender so as he/she will not repeat the crime which he/she was convicted of. The federal spending on correctional activities has also been gradually increasing. In the recent past federal government has been enhancing its efforts to improve jails and prisons conditions as a sign of recognizing some human rights entitled to criminals. Nowadays, those serving imprisonment sentences can access various facilities. These include religious services, education facilities, and recreational facilities in the exercise yard. The prisoners’ health is also well taken care of. Prisoners are also trained and imparted with some skills which may be helpful in their future life. In our contemporary prisons, prisoners are provided with entertainment facilities such as pool tables and TV. (Cavadino & Dignan 2006) USA jails and prisons are both meant to rehabilitate and punish the offenders. Rehabilitation is an effective method of ensuring no re-offence so as to reduce the number of prisoners’ population. This program seeks to address the casual links to offending, and employ cognitive behavioral approach towards modifying the prisoners’ behaviors. Counselors are used to ensure success of such programs. Those involved in use of prohibited substances and a number of civil crimes are usually rehabilitated. On the other hand, some criminal activities necessitate punishments such as fines, strokes and capital punishment. Capital punishment is applied to serious criminal activities such as terrorism, espionage, treason or mass destruction. (McGuire 2002; Cavadino & Dignan 2006)

Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in the workplace. Essay

Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in the workplace requires co-operation from both employers and employees to ensure that the workplace is a healthy and safe environment. Both employees and employers are required to co-operate by the rights and responsibilities that are set for them. OH&S is the safety procedures in place in every enterprise to ensure both the health and safety of each and every employee. It is the responsibility of employers, who are legally (due to the OH&S Act 1996, 2001 amendment) and morally obliged to provide a safe and healthy environment. It is also the employee’s responsibility to co-operate with employers in maintaining health and safety at work. Read more: Measures that prevent fires from starting essay Employers are required to: -Provide a safe and healthy workplace -Provide and maintain a safe system of work -Provide the required resources (safety clothing & equipment) -Provide information and training for employees to work in a safe and healthy environment -Provide a process to identify, assess and then eliminate unsafe practices and hazards -All relevant laws must be followed -Ensure that employees carry out workplace rules. In the same way, employees have the right to be provided with the above-mentioned elements from their employers. It is also the employee’s obligation to abide by these regulations. Any employee who fails to meet their responsibilities can be disciplined under award conditions. WorkCover is also responsible for safety in the workplace. They are required to conduct regular checks in the workplace to ensure that the OHS act is being followed and that hazards are kept to a minimum. In most states, workers are represented through either an OHS representative or an OHS Committee depending on the size of the enterprise. Hazards are categorised into 4 different sections; Physical, Chemical, Ergonomic and Biological. It is important to be aware that a hazard does not have to be seen for it to exist. Quite often hazards you can’t see – such as ultra violet radiation, are only appreciated when it is too late to prevent damage. Many hazards have been made known in the workplace. Some of these include:  ·Exposed wires  ·Power leads on ground  ·Equipment in walkways  ·Temperature often too hot or too cold  ·Glare from windows and lights These hazards can be fixed by ensuring that the OHS committee is kept informed of these problems, and they can then ensure that they are fixed, in cases such as exposed wires. Things such as anti-glare screens can help the prevent the glare on the computer screens, and also moving employees desks  away from the air-conditioning vent can help with the temperature problems. Another cause for concern is the ergonomic factors. People do not sit in their chairs correctly and are causing backaches and injuries. To prevent injuries you should have;  ·Feet flat on the floor  ·Knees at a 90 degree angle  ·Back at 90-100 degrees  ·Relaxed shoulders and;  ·Forearm support Employees should take regular breaks and use their workstations ergonomically so that fewer injuries occur. There are also a few more Acts such as the Anti Discrimination Act (1977) and the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and Workers Compensation Act 1987, which are all there to protect employees in the workplace. The Anti Discrimination Act aims to protect all employees in the work environment from being discriminated against on many things such as:  ·Race  ·Colour  ·Religion  ·Gender  ·Age  ·Sexuality If an employee feels as though they are being discriminated against, for any of the fore mentioned things then they should first try to approach the perpetrator and ask them to stop. If this behaviour continues, or they feel they cannot approach the perpetrator then they should report immediately to their employer or supervisor for further action. The Sex Discrimination Act aims to protect employees from being sexually harassed by someone in the workplace. Sexual harassment is any unwanted attention in an incorrect manner, whether it be:  ·Making sexual comments  ·Making sexual gestures  ·Asking someone out on a date continuously  ·Sending inappropriate materials Again if this happens, you should approach the perpetrator and let them know how you are feeling. If this behaviour continues, or they feel they cannot approach the perpetrator then they should report immediately to their employer or supervisor for further action. The Workers Compensation Act is where employers insure workers against the possibility of suffering injury arising out of or in the course of employment. If an injury does occur the worker can apply for Workers Compensation where they can receive money to cover their losses, and to pay for medical treatment. Workers Compensation can also be paid to the families of workers who die because of a work injury. In conclusion, it is evident that co-operation from both employers and their employees is needed to ensure that the work place is a healthy and safe  environment, with the help of legislations along the way.

What is Artistic Beauty essays

What is Artistic Beauty essays Dr. Marck L. Beggs, Director M.L.A. Program What is Artistic Beauty? From the beginning of time, men and women have scrutinized, categorized, and compared components of their surroundings in an attempt to better understand their world. In the Bibles Genesis account, Adam, seemingly in appreciation of Eves uniqueness and beauty, poetically proclaims her, bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man.[Gen. 2:23 NIV] Much later, artists, writers, and philosophers have sought to understand beauty, balance, and perfection the sublime. Their struggle to define perfection and to set standards of beauty was termed aesthetics or, the science of the beautiful, in 1753 by German philosopher Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten. Baumgarten was considered the first modern philosopher to approach the question of beauty systematically, introducing the term aesthetics and defining the experience of beauty as the sensory recognition of perfection. [Danto 1]. The works of his contemporary, Immanuel Kant, express the notion that beautiful objects are without a specific purpose and that judgments of beauty are not expressions of mere personal preference but, rather, universal. Similarly, Encarta defines aesthetics as: A branch of philosophy concerned with the essence and perception of beauty and ugliness, dealing with the question of whether such qualities are objectively present in the things they appear to qualify, or whether they exist only in the mind of the individual; hence, whether objects are perceived by a particular mode, the aesthetic mode, or whether instead the objects have, in themselves, special aesthetic qualities. Philosophy also asks if there is a difference between the beautiful and the sublime. [Danto 1] However, even with a definition at hand, arriving at a consensus on precisely what c...

Genre Definition and Examples in Literature

Genre Definition and Examples in Literature In literature, every piece of writing falls under a general category, also known as a genre. We experience genres is other parts of our daily lives, such as movies and music, and in each case, the individual genres typically have distinctive styles in terms of how they are composed. At the most basic level, there are essentially three main genres for literature - poetry, prose and drama - and each can be broken down even further, resulting in dozens of subgenres for each.  Some resources will cite only two genres: fiction and non-fiction, though many classics will argue that fiction and non-fiction can, and do, both fall under poetry, drama or prose.  Ã‚   While there is much debate over what constitutes a genre in literature, for the purposes of this article, we will break down the classic three. From there, we will outline some of the subgenres for each, including those that some believe should be classified as main genres. Poetry Poetry is a style of writing that tends to be written in verses, and typically employs a rhythmic and measured approach to composition. It characteristically is known for evoking emotional responses from readers through its melodic tone and use of creative language that is often imaginative and symbolic in nature. The word â€Å"poetry† comes from the Greek word â€Å"poiesis† which essentially means, making, which is translated into the making of poetry. Poetry is typically divided into two main subgenres, narrative and lyric, which each have additional types that fall under their respective umbrellas. For example, narrative poetry includes ballads and epic tales, while lyric poetry includes sonnets, psalms and even folk songs. Poetry can be fiction or nonfiction. Prose Prose is essentially identified as written text that aligns with the flow of conversation in sentence and paragraph form, as opposed to verses and stanzas in poetry. Writing of prose employs common grammatical structure and a natural flow of speech, not a specific tempo or rhythm as is seen in traditional poetry. Prose as a genre can be broken down into a number of subgenres including both fiction and nons of prose can range from news, biographies and essays to novels, short stories, plays and fables. The subject matter, if it is fiction versus nonfiction and length of the work, are not taken into consideration when classifying it as prose, but rather the style of writing that is conversational is what lands works in this genre. Drama Drama is defined as theatrical dialogue that is performed on stage and traditionally is comprised of five acts. It is generally broken down into four subgenres including comedy, melodrama, tragedy and farce. In many cases, dramas will actually overlap with poetry and prose, depending on the writing style of the author. Some dramatic pieces are written in a poetic style, while others employ a more casual writing style seen in prose, to better relate to the audience. Like both poetry and prose, dramas can be fiction or nonfiction, though most are fictional or inspired by real life, but not completely accurate. The Genre and Subgenre Debate Beyond these three basic genres, if you conduct an online search for â€Å"genres of literature,† you will find dozens of conflicting reports that claim any number of main genres that exist. There is often debate over what constitutes genre, but in most cases, there is a misunderstanding of the difference between genre and subject matter. It’s common for subject matter to be considered a genre in not only literature, but also in movies and even games, both of which are often based on or inspired by books. These subjects can include biography, business, fiction, history, mystery, comedy, romance and thrillers. Subjects may also include cooking, self help, diet and fitness, religion and many many more.  Ã‚   Subjects and subgenres, however, can often be intermixed. Though, it can be  a challenge to determine how many subgenres or subjects actually exist, as there are differing opinions on each, and new ones are created regularly. For example, young adult writing has become increasingly popular, and some would classify it as a subgenre of prose. The difference between genre and subject is often blurred by the world around us. Think of a time when you last visited a bookstore or library. Most likely, the books were divided into sections - fiction and non-fiction for sure - and further categorized based on the type of books, such as self-help, historic, science fiction and others. Many people assume that these categorizations of subject matter are genre, and as a result, common language today has adopted a casual use of genre to mean subject.

Analyzing Value Net for Omni Hotel & Resort Essay

Analyzing Value Net for Omni Hotel & Resort - Essay Example Customers that are satisfied with their experience are highly likely to tell their friends about it. A second way customers could add value to the firm is by becoming recurrent customers of the company. Rivals – The company faces competition from direct and indirect rivals. All four and five star hotels in Texas are direct competition of Omni Hotels. Homes that rent their facilities for short monthly contracts are an indirect competitor of the firm as well as condos. Three direct competitors of Omni Hotels in the Corpus Christ marketplace are Days Inn Beach, Radisson Hotel, and Knights Inn. The rivals of the company represent a threat to the business organization. Omni has over 50 hotels across the United States (Omnihotels, 2011). The Corpus Christi hotel can add value and turn this threat into an opportunity by forming marketing alliances with other competitors. All the registered hotels in Corpus Christi can form a cash pool to advertise the region to tourist inside and outside of the United States. Such an initiative would increase the total tourism money that the region receives which would benefit the entire hospitality industry. Suppliers – In the hospitality industry suppliers have little power over hotels. Hotel chains such as Omni enjoy several competitive advantages including power to buy in bulk and take advantage of economies of scale, high variety of supplier options, and greater brand value than their suppliers. Several key suppliers that Omni Hotel must emphasize include food suppliers, cleaning suppliers, and bathroom supplies. The food suppliers are instrumental toward the success of hotel operated restaurants. Tourists are willing to pay a premium prices as long as they receive superb service and quality food. The organization can add value in its supply acquisition by advertising to the customers that they can take for free any supplies in from the room such as