Monday, September 30, 2019

Low income and education Essay

This essay will consider if children from low income families are disadvantaged in the education system. It will examine if there is a direct link between poverty and low educational attainment. As far back as 1959 the Crowther Report identified a link between low incomes and low attainment levels. This was followed in 1963 by the Newsom report that found many secondary modern schools were deficient and argued that the less privileged 50 per cent of children did not receive their fair share of resources. (P Young, Mastering Social Welfare, p. 180) Recent research from the Institute of Education has shown that children from poorer families are no more likely to gain qualifications than they were a generation ago. A study carried out by Barbara Jefferis, a research fellow at the Institute of Child Healthfound a strong link between social background and cognitive development. The research carried out found the gap between educational attainment between the richest and the poorest in society widened as time went on. (The Guardian, August 9th 2002) The British Medical Journal published a study in August 2002 that firmly points at poverty and social deprivation as some of the most significant factors why some children do less well than others. Nick Davis points out in his book, The School Report: he is not uncovering the unknown but exposing something that no one with any power will admit. The ‘great unmentionable’, Davis shows, is the direct correlation that exists between educational performance and poverty. (N.Davis, 2000) David Miliband, the Minister of State for school standards, has stated that only 14 per cent of young people from lower income backgrounds go to university, compared to 75 per cent from more advantaged homes. For some children the first step in education is nursery education. Although not compulsory nursery education is now available to all three and four year olds. A scheme set up by the government provides nursery vouchers for all three and four year olds. These vouchers are used to purchase OFSTED inspected nursery education. State run nursery schools are available in many areas, although these may not have the same resources as private ones. High  quality nursery education may be available although only parents with a higher income may be able to afford the extra costs than those provided by the voucher scheme. Many educational experts consider that pre school education is a vital foothold in education. If a child is unable to achieve the best possible start in education it may reflect on their educational achievement. The government’s response to this is the Sure Start scheme. Sure Start is aimed at pre school children which as well as focusing on education focuses on health. In recognizing that a child’s early years are vital to their future success, Sure Start provides better opportunities for young children. Support is also offered to parents in preparing them to assist their child to succeed. (www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ucu/suppfam.) As most parents of children living in poverty may have a limited education themselves support for parents is essential in helping their child succeed. Very early education begins in the family home through interaction, as education can break the cycle of poverty, parental education and parenting skills may be more important than economic factors. Deprivation may effect a child’s education in many ways. Children that live in poverty often live in the most deprived areas of a neighbourhood. These areas often have schools which may be at the lower end of performance league tables. League tables show that schools in areas of social housing or with high numbers of private rented accommodation perform less well than schools in more affluent areas. Schools whose pupils are mostly from large inner city council estates are often referred to as sink state schools, hardly aspiring for those pupils that attend them. As the parents or parent of these pupils have limited income they are not in the position to move to a better area which has access to a better school. If they were able to secure a place in a better performing school outside the area, they may be unable to afford the traveling expenses. Families with higher incomes are able to move into catchment areas of the better schools. Parents are often willing to pay more to live near a high achieving school. (Gibbons and Machin, 2000) Selective education is available in Britain, although most of this is in fee-paying Independent schools. Others are known as ‘grant maintained schools’, and they may use their own methods of selection. This often excludes children from low income families and particularly those from the  worst areas. School performance League table’s 2000 show that the top one hundred schools for GCSE results were either Independent or Selective, with just one exception, Thomas Telford School that is comprehensive. [Education league tables 2000 D.f.E.E.] Reports show that attainment varies according to the socio-economic backgrounds of children. In 1998, only 45 per cent of 11 year-olds in schools with high numbers on free school meals reached the Government’s attainment targets in English and Maths, whilst more than 60 per cent reached that target in other schools. (Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion, 1999, p.26) The government has introduced some policies in education to help reduce inequality. These include Education Action Zones; these were established in areas of high deprivation. Along with money from private-sector sponsors and government they can attract better teachers through higher salaries. Homework clubs are set up, enabling pupils a quite place to study and the necessary resources. (Haralambos and Holbrn 2000) Barnardos an organization that works with children recognise the link between educational attainment and poverty. Currently they are involved in various projects with children from deprived families; one of these is setting up homework clubs in schools and libraries around the country. Children from low income families may not have access to books in the home or educational toys. A quiet place to do homework or studying may be unavailable. Family visits to museums and other places of educational interest may be unavailable in households of low income. These types of visits encourage and motivate children to succeed. Public libraries can provide a valuable resource in assisting a child’s learning. As well as providing free access to books many hold reading hours and various forms of fun learning. Computers are now widely available for free use in many public libraries with access to the internet. As computers are now widely used in schools, having access to one at home would certainly improve a child’s ability in school. Pupils from low income families are less likely to have access to a computer in the home. When online resources are available in school they may also be less able to make use of them than pupils who have experience of using the internet at home. The government did introduce a scheme for poorer families, enabling them to purchase recycled computer at low cost, however this never got further than a pilot scheme amid allegations of poor management. Financial problems may increase stress amongst parents which may reduce their ability to assist in adequate educational support. Parental stress has been identified as a factor towards truancy. It maybe considered that certain background characteristics are linked with truancy. Children are more likely to truant if they are from low income families, live in social housing or live with only one or neither parent. (Casey and Smith 1995) Research carried out at Cambridge Universityestablished a link between truancy and poverty in primary school children. The study looked statistics on truancy in London boroughs between 1997 and 2000. Council education welfare officers and 98 parents on low incomes were also interviewed. Researcher Ming Zhang says the parents who were questioned said they sometimes forget about their younger children’s schooling when they hit financial trouble. ‘For many people this may be a bizarre excuse for primary school children not to attend school. Yet for families facing financial difficulties, the problem is real.’ As these primary school children progress to secondary school bad habits have already set in. The study also considered attitudes among education welfare officers and parents. Both agreed that the blame lay with irresponsible parents. They did not link between poverty and truancy amongst primary school pupils. [www.news.bbc.co.uk/education] Although this research suggests there is no link between poverty and truancy, forgetting to send a child to school because of financial worries may be considered as a link. At present the education authorities can be seen to be tackling truancy, however this is mainly aimed at secondary school pupils. LEA’s are taking action against persistent truants and educational welfare  officers are visiting the homes of absent pupils. Connexions is another government initiative aimed at helping young people. Connexions provides a personal advisor for all 13 to 19 year olds, their aim is to keep young people in education, work on truancy and improve educational achievements. As well as providing career advice and other services they try to encourage school leavers into further education. Children from low income families leave full time education earlier and with fewer formal qualifications than those from higher income families. Only 14 per cent of young people from lower income backgrounds go into higher education. At a time when the government is encouraging all school leavers to go into further education, then onto higher education this may be seen as an issue for concern. In September 2001, The Excellence Challenge was introduced; this is a three year programme. The key purpose is to improve links between schools, colleges and universities, over 190 million pounds has been committed to increase the number of young people from poorer backgrounds who apply and enter higher education. (www.dfes.gov.uk) Schools in poorer areas are disadvantaged when they need to fundraise to provide more resources. A report published in May 2000 by the research charity Directory for Social Change claims that rich and poor schools are drifting further apart. Schools in deprived parts of the country are up to 500,000 worse off than those in well-to-do areas because they are unable to compete in fundraising stakes. Eighty per cent of state primary schools held fundraising events to buy books. While one in five schools generated less than 1000 a year in donations, one per cent got over 25,000. Five per cent of secondary schools got less than 1000 per year while three per cent received more than 250,000 in donations. The report described parental donations as a hidden fault line that is widening into inequality of opportunity for children. The report also warns that the pursuit of cash is putting undue pressure on teachers and diverting them from teaching. [www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/povertyupdate.html] The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has said that the number of pupils leaving school without basic qualifications has decreased. In 2001, a quarter of GCSE students failed to pass any subject with grades A-C compared with a third ten years previously. Similarly, one in four 11 year olds failed to achieve target level 4 in English in 2001 compared with more than four out of ten in 1996. The improvement in primary schools serving high proportions of low income children was at least as good as the national average. In considering the evidence it may be concluded that low educational attainment is correlated to poverty. Education may be a route out of poverty but it appears not everybody has the same opportunities. Research does show that with the help of pre- school nurseries, Sure Start, the Education Action Zones and the Excellence Challenge progress can be made in alleviating inequalities in education. BIBLIOGRAPHY Casey, B. and Smith, D. (1995) Truancy and Youth Transitions, England and Wales Youth Cohort Study, London: Policy Studies Institute. Davis, N. (2000) The School Report: Why Britain’s Schools Are Failing. Vintage Haralambos and Holborn. (2000) Sociology Themes and Perspectives. London: HarperCollins. Howarth, C, et al. (1999) Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Young, P. (2000) Mastering Social Welfare. Macmillan Press. The Guardian, August 9th 2002 Education League Tables. D.f.E.E. www.dfes.gov.uk www.homeoffice.go.uk/ucu/suppfam. www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/povertyupdate. www.news.bbc.co.uk/education.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Data protection Act 1998 Essay

The Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) is a United Kingdom Act of Parliament which defines UK law on the processing of data on identifiable living people. It is the main piece of legislation that governs the protection of personal data in the UK. Although the Act itself does not mention privacy, it was enacted to bring UK law into line with the EU data protection directive of 1995 which required Member States to protect people’s fundamental rights and freedoms and in particular their right to privacy with respect to the processing of personal data. In practice it provides a way for individuals to control information about themselves. Most of the Act does not apply to domestic use, for example keeping a personal address book. Anyone holding personal data for other purposes is legally obliged to comply with this Act, subject to some exemptions. The Act defines eight data protection principles. It also requires companies and individuals to keep personal information to themselves. The 22 August 1998 Act replaced and consolidated earlier legislation such as the Data Protection Act 1984 and the Access to Personal Files Act 1987. At the same time it aimed to implement the European Data Protection Directive. In some aspects, notably electronic communication and marketing, it has been refined by subsequent legislation for legal reasons. The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 altered the consent requirement for most electronic marketing to â€Å"positive consent† such as an opt in box. Exemptions remain for the marketing of â€Å"similar products and services† to existing cu stomers and enquirers, which can still be permissioned on an opt out basis. The Act’s definition of â€Å"personal data† covers any data that can be used to identify a living individual. Anonymised or aggregated data is not regulated by the Act, providing the anonymisation or aggregation has not been done in a reversible way. Individuals can be identified by various means including their name and address, telephone number or Email address. The Act applies only to data which is held, or intended to be held, on computers (‘equipment operating automatically in response to instructions given for that purpose’), or held in a ‘relevant filing system’. [3] In some cases even a paper address book can be classified as a ‘relevant filing system’, for example diaries used to support commercial activities such as a salesperson’s diary. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 modified the act for public bodies and authorities, and the Durant case modified the interpretation of the act by providing case law and precedent.[4] The Data Protection Act creates rights for those who have their data stored, and responsibilities for those who store, process or transmit such data. The person who has their data processed has the right to: [5] View the data an organisation holds on them. A ‘subject access request’ can be obtained for a nominal fee. As of January 2014, the maximum fee is  £2 for requests to credit reference agencies,  £50 for health and educational request, and  £10 per individual otherwise, [6] Request that incorrect information be corrected. If the company ignores the request, a court can order the data to be corrected or destroyed, and in some cases compensation can be awarded. Require that data is not used in any way that may potentially cause damage or distress. Require that their data is not used for direct marketing.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Should Handguns be Banned in San Francisco Essay

Should Handguns be Banned in San Francisco - Essay Example In a point by point counter argument Guy Smith quotes a wide range of validated research (based on the theories of Florida criminologist Gary Kleck) to point out that ï‚ § the victims of most gun crimes are known felons, ï‚ § that crimes of passion are statistically rare ï‚ § the New England Journal of Medicine research Supervisor Daly relies upon is known to be seriously flawed ï‚ § there is not necessarily a causal relationship between the availability of handguns and suicide rates ï‚ § there is research evidence to suggest that criminals are less likely to target someone they know to be armed ï‚ § the police force are unable to prevent crime effectively and in any event have no legal duty to protect a specific individual One wonders how useful it is to compare and contrast San Francisco with a country like Japan which has developed very differently in terms of defining a criminal and the status of handguns. For example one is aware that there is nothing like the personal honor code of the Japanese in the US. One cannot simply compare suicide rates in the way that Smith has done without examining why the Japanese commit suicide in the first place. All that can be deduced from the research on suicide that Smith quotes is that successful suicides do not require handguns - - they will find other means. The problem with these figures is that they are taken out of context. It is not clear what percentage of crime involves the use of firearms.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Sweeping Political and Economic Changes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sweeping Political and Economic Changes - Essay Example Customer expectations can be fulfilled or even exceeded by opting for quality systems whether the organization concerned is a manufacturing industry or an analytical laboratory offering services of chemical analyses. 2. DEFINITION OF QUALITY According to Mulmi,(2009, p7-8)the term ‘Quality’ has been defined in many a different way by various authorities on quality. For example he cites, Joseph M Juran’s definition of quality as ‘fitness for use’, Philip B Crosby’s definition as ‘Quality is conformance to requirement, it is respect to humanity’ and the American National Standards Institute’s definition of quality as the ‘totality of the features and characteristics of a product that bears on its ability to satisfy the stated or implied needs’. The International Organization for Standardization has defined quality as the ‘Degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements’ (ISO: 2 005a, 3.1.1). ... 3. SELECTIING A CONTEXT-THE ANALYTICAL LABORATORY Cases (2000,p xix) defines Analytical Chemistry as a ‘metrological science that develops, optimizes and applies measurement processes intended to derive selecting chemical information of global or partial type from natural or artificial objects or systems in order to solve analytical problems’. Fifield & Kealy (2000,p524) point out that a typical analytical laboratory carries out development and day-to-day application of analytical methods in optimum conditions. According to them, the successful functioning of activities in an analytical laboratory necessitates the simultaneous management of a number of related but different operations. Reproducibility, reliability, and efficiency of operation of various instruments are as much necessary as are collation and interpretation of data which result in the generation of valid conclusions drawn from them. In the present context, the Analytical Laboratory has been taken to illust rate the impact of quality issues in this dissertation. 4. QUALITY ISSUES RELEVANT TO AN ANALYTICAL LABORATORY Analytical laboratories are organizations that obtain process and communicate information about the composition, structure and relative amounts of constituent elements in matter or systems, from a chemical or biochemical point of view. The quality system, administrative system and technical system that govern the operations of a laboratory are together termed as the management system by the ISO ( 2005b, p1). Due to the increasing use of management systems, it is becoming increasingly important to ensure that analytical laboratories do operate to a quality management system while at the same time become capable of demonstrating their technical competency to international standards.  

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Energy Power as a Soft Weapon in Resurgent Russia's Foreign Policy Coursework

Energy Power as a Soft Weapon in Resurgent Russia's Foreign Policy - Coursework Example Russia has inherited much of the former Soviet Union’s hard power including a powerful nuclear arsenal and a sophisticated army. It is in a position to capitalize on the ever-increasing instability in the Middle East and the consequent dramatic rise in the oil price.The interests of the Russian energy sector and the foreign policy goals of the Russian states are not only interrelated but also closely intertwined. To a great extent, the energy sector in Russia acts as the global carriers of the Russian state’s immensely self-assertive foreign policy. On the other hand, the international expansion of Russia’s premier energy enterprises is enormously assisted by the potentials of the Russian state. Oil companies such as Gazprom and Lukoil have strengthened their markets word wide and secured sensitive energy ventures. Their influence goes cut through strategically important places in Europe. Even the United States has come to rely much upon Russian energy resources. Moreover, Europe’s energy security is considerably depended upon the energy resources of Russia. Hill (2004) makes it clear that â€Å"on the surface, given prevailing concerns about energy security and increasing demand in the rising economies of Asia on Russia’s eastern borders, Russia’s future prospects in energy seem extremely promising† ( Hill, 2004, p.29). Thanks to the increases in oil production since 1999, Russia is now the world’s major non-OPEC, and non-Middle East and the Persian Gulf, oil supplier. As Peter Davies, BP’s chief economist, pointed out in his June 2004 presentation of BP’s annual Statistical Review of World Energy, thanks to its fast growth in oil production, between 1998-2003, â€Å"Russia alone supplied 46 percent of world oil consumption growth †¦ and exceeded Chinese consumption growth by 23 percent†¦ Russia has the resource base and the potential to increase oil and gas production and exports further – to supply a significant proportion of the world’s rising demands ... Russia can – and will – supply an important part of the growing energy needs of Asia†.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Comparation of the use of fantasy in Tom's Midnight Garden and The Essay

Comparation of the use of fantasy in Tom's Midnight Garden and The Secret Garden - Essay Example Comparation of the use of fantasy in Tom's Midnight Garden and The Secret Garden This not only has to do with the fact that different authors are responsible for these respective works; it also has to do with the differential in time between when these books were penned and the growth and development of the genre in which they fall.1 Whereas an absolute and/or concrete definition of fantasy is somewhat impossible to define with regards to children’s literature, many commonalities are expressed by the genre and help to define it. These are as follows: the utilization of many form and narrative techniques, the heightened use of symbolism, and the focus upon the language to create mystique, setting, and sense of time that other functions or genres might otherwise struggle with. Fantasy within children’s literature, although a similar issue, is in fact somewhat different and more nuanced; due in part to the fact that it can be separated into two distinct time periods – the first and second golden age. The first golden age necessarily refers to th e period of the late 19th and early 20th century; whereas the second golden period refers to the period of time starting in the mid 20th century and extending nearly until the close of the 20th century. Naturally, for the novels in question, The Secret Garden falls into the first golden age; whereas Tom’s Midnight Garden falls into the second.... 99. From a cursory analysis, the inclusion of the word â€Å"secret† in The Secret Garden or â€Å"midnight† in Tom’s Midnight Garden present something of an expectation for the implementation of fantasy as a means of bringing about a particular understanding.2 Once again, a non—nuanced approach is presented partly due to the fact that children’s literature is the focus and intended audience for which these respective novels are intended.3 Whereas this might be considered a cheap literary trick in some circles, the use of such terminology within the titles creates an expectation for fantasy and intrigue to define the subsequent pages and chapters of the novels in question. However, even though such an expectation exists, as the reader might expect, a clear level of differentiation exists between the level and use of fantasy that is leveraged and these two novels which are written nearly 50 years apart.4 With regards to The Secret Garden, a sense of fantasy is immediately conveyed to the reader due to the fact that a fantastical representation of an exotic life is presented to the reader. The protagonist, Mary Lennox, is defined as a girl who grew up in the lap of luxury and far off India.5 The description and definition of the luxuries and carefree lifestyle that she lived while there helps the reader to understand the sense of warning and mystique to which she greets the gray and uninviting steps of northern England. However, of all of the literary approaches that are utilized as a means of affecting a sense of fantasy within The Secret Garden, perhaps the most poignant and powerful is with regards to the religious imagery that is presented. Rather than merely attempting to evoke a sense of fantasy based

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Movement and Protest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Movement and Protest - Essay Example Instead, the activists champion and maximize the safety and security of all participants, together with their families and property. Their specific form of public complaint by the group is a protest, disobedience, or direct action. The resistance movement was organized around a popular #hashtag known as #occupywallstreet. The resistance movement was founded on the mentality that rebellion is indeed a good thing. During the President’s Day in 1787, one President Thomas Jefferson said, â€Å"God forbid we should be twenty years without a rebellion. What country can preserve its liberties if the rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?† Later in 1861, at the Presidential Inaugural address, President Abraham Lincoln â€Å"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember, or overthrow it.† During the President’s Day in 1885, President Ulysses S. Grant said, â€Å"The right of Revolution is an inherent one. When people are oppressed by their government, it is a natural right they enjoy relieving themselves of the oppression if they are strong enou gh, either by withdrawing from it or by overthrowing it and substituting a government more acceptable.† In 1962, President John F. Kennedy said, â€Å"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." Today, this day has been given the hashtag, #thepresidentsday. Speaking early this year (2015), President Barrack Obama commented, â€Å"We cannot ignore the fact that our government originated in a revolution and were legitimate only if overthrow by force can sometimes be justified. That circumstances sometimes justify it is not.†

Monday, September 23, 2019

Analyze how Nguyen Du uses an element of literature to develop a theme Essay - 1

Analyze how Nguyen Du uses an element of literature to develop a theme in THE TALE OF KIEU - Essay Example People are compared to some objects belonging to nature and the world around them. This helps to understand the epic better and see the inner soul of its characters. So, if there were no connections between people and nature in The Tale of Kieu, it would not be so readable and interesting for the public. Even the first lines of the text under consideration remind the readers of their dependence upon nature. Thus, Nguyen Du writes that: â€Å"Blue Heaven's wont to strike arose from spite. By lamplight turn these scented leaves and read a tale of love recorded in old books† (Du 3). The first lines of this quotation hint that people live under the sky and it seems to be a living being for them, because only something that can breathe is able to ‘strike’. The major characters of the epic are compared to nature. For example, Chia-Ching had two beautiful daughters whose beauty is described with the help of this comparison. The daughters were named Van and Kieu. The firs t daughter is compared with flowers, plums, clouds and snow. This is easily proved by the following lines: â€Å"her face a moon, her eyebrows two full curves; her smile a flower, her voice the song of jade; her hair the sheen of clouds, her skin white snow† (Du 4). Another daughter – Kieu has much in common with autumn and spring. Her eyes looked like autumn streams. It was possible to see brows like spring hills above her eyes. Resorting to the use of these comparisons seems to be the best way for the author to describe the beauty of these girls. People are the part of nature; that is why no wonder that Nguyen Du creates the above-mentioned comparisons. It should be noted that people described by the author of The Tale of Kieu seem to live in harmony with nature. For example, when Nguyen Du gives more information about Kieu and her life, he mentions nature again. The connection between nature and Kieu is proved by the following lines: â€Å"She calmly lived behind d rawn shades and drapes, as wooers swarmed, unheeded, by the wall. Young grass spread all its green to heaven's rim; some blossoms marked pear branches with white dots† (Du 4). The grass mentioned by Nguyen Du is a symbol. It stands for Kieu’s youth. She is not experienced yet and the most important events in her life are still in the future. The protagonist likes sun and the earth the same way as grass. They seem to have much in common with each other; that is why it is one of the best images of nature applied by the author of the epic under consideration. The author of the epic resorts to the use of the image of moon very often. In the beginning of The Tale of Kieu it is used in order to describe Van’s appearance. Then, this very image is applied in order to show Kim and Kieu’s love. Why does Nguyen Du decide to use moon one more time? The moon is not affected by the spots that constantly appear on it. This does not prevent it from shining. The same situa tion occurs to Kim and Kieu. They love each other despite all the problems and people who are trying to stop them. Moreover, the image of moon occurs when Kim has to look for his beloved. Thus, here the reader may find the following line: â€Å"to fall in love, to part, to reunite – both felt mixed grief and joy as rose the moon† (Du 45). In fact, moon always was a symbol of love and romance; however, a few poets resorted to its use in order to describe tragic events. Nevertheless, it is successfully done by Nguyen Du.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

MHE512 Disaster Relief Module 3 Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MHE512 Disaster Relief Module 3 Case - Essay Example Considerably, the importance of the mission of relief and recovery operations are practically given way through the application of common good and virtues culture in providing assistance. The value of common good directly implies a rather important sense of realization when it comes to providing help to those who need the assistance.2 The common good allows a better chance for the relief operations to be focused on matters that affect the majority of individuals who were victimized by the tragedies or natural calamities and be able to answer the call for the said need. Directly to, applying virtues in the process would provide the rescuers with the patience that they need to keep on pursuing the matters that the people they are helping really need and stop the deeper sense of discrimination among those who are being helped from the position of those assisting them. It is only through the application of common good and virtues culture of handling relief and recovery service to victims of calamities and disasters that the procedure of helping becomes directly effective and applicative in assisting those in need towards the instance of keeping a great chance of proving the victims with the attention that they need regardless of the differences that they may have against each other. Also, it should be noted that the application of... tivity makes it easier for the providers of service to keep their procedures in line with the law and the different guidelines that are carried on to assure that the victims' welfare are well attended to. Critically, these considerations assist every individual given the responsibility to provide relief the right position and motivation towards actually giving attention to the different approaches used to make it better for the victims to recover from the situations that they ought to grow out from later on to be able to move on in life. 2)In your opinion was the compensation to the victim's families fromthe 9-11 terrorist's attacks on America raised the expectations of a similar compensation to victims from other disasters. If you considered it ethical to provide compensation to the victims of 9-11 would you apply the same ethical approach to the victims of Hurricane Katrina If not, would you apply another ethical approach What about the victims of future major disasters The equalization of the procedures and budget when it comes to providing victims of calamities and tragedies around the different states in concern is a huge matter to be given attention to by the officials appointed for the directive considerations that need to be undergone to be able to help victims recover from the situations that they have been under. Why is this so Likely, the idea of keeping the victims supported for them to successfully recover from the situations that they have to ponder with comes with great ethical balancing of focused elements. This includes the balanced approach of relief and recovery service given to all the victims of such situations. For instance, those who have been under the 9/11 tragedy have been well compensated by the government due to the fact that the fatigue

Saturday, September 21, 2019

American Dream Theme Essay Example for Free

American Dream Theme Essay The portrayal of the American Dream in literature has evolved as the United States has developed and prospered. In the beginning, the initial settlers in the Americas were searching for simple things, such as new opportunities and freedom of religion. As the country grew more populous, competition for success was heightened. Many people have different ideas on what the American Dream means to them. Over the years, American authors have used the theme of the American Dream to share their perspectives on society. Starting with Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the depiction of this theme has evolved with society throughout the years. This novel was set in the years that slavery was prevalent, which made the relationship between a young boy and a runaway slave very difficult. They crave to have no restraints and constrictions and strive to escape the controlling society that they live in. In his book, Twain’s idea of the American Dream is depicted as â€Å"a celebration of freedom, not only from physical structure and rules, but from the prejudices of  Southern society in the age of slavery† (â€Å"The American Dream† 2). The two boys struggle to reach freedom and happiness together throughout the entire book. The main character in The Great Gatsby also struggles for happiness throughout his life in Scott Fitzgerald’s novel. After losing his true love and BURTON 2 discovering that she has been married to another man, he uses his riches and â€Å"high society† lifestyle to win her back over. He strives for money and fortune, but finds no true happiness in his successes. One article had a wonderful  explanation of the American dream presented in this novel: â€Å"Through the character of Gatsby, Fitzgerald eventually shows that, while the rags-to-riches American Dream seems fantastic and wonderful, it is in reality shallow, as well as devoid of true joy and love† (â€Å"The American Dream† 3). However, not all quests for success can end favorably for everyone. This fact is depicted well in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. After a lifetime of failures, Willy Loman learns the hard way that success in society is not  everything in life; family and love for one another is what is most important. He seems to focus more on being well liked by the buyers and other people that he visits instead of actually selling his products. Near the end, he voices his frustration frequently about how there is no relationship and personality in the selling business anymore. In his article, Bradford states that Willy â€Å"believes that personality, not hard work and innovation, is the key to success† (Bradford 3). Miller proves this to be false when, in the play, Willy attempts to use his charisma  to get a raise from his boss, but the conversation eventually ends in him being fired altogether. He goes on to blame numerous other reasons for his being let go from the company, but never recognizes his own fault. The American Dream started off as a simple desire for freedom to express oneself and live equally with each other. This was expressed in the 1884 novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. These hopes and dreams turned more BURTON 3 materialistic by the 1920’s when Gatsby believed that he could somehow win over his one true love with his fame and riches. He worked hard to earn his success, but without friends and loved ones to share your life with, he realized that success does not bring true happiness. This theme changed once again, though, when the Loman family was introduced in 1949. In Arthur Miller’s play, Willy Loman acted as if he shouldn’t have to work for success and riches. He seemed to believe that everything should be handed to him, instead of earned. The American Dream theme has never failed to keep up with progress in American society. Many authors and playwrights incorporated this theme into  their works in order to make the stories relatable to readers at their times. While peoples’ aspirations started out more moral, people began to become greedy in their desires. This led to their dreams becoming more complicated. The definition of success and means of achieving happiness have changed as American culture has transformed. BURTON 4 Works Cited The American Dream in Literature. Examiner. com. Clarity Digital Group LCC, 15 Sept. 2011. Web. 09 Sept. 2013. Bradford, Wade. The American Dream in Death of a Salesman About. com Plays / Drama. N. p. , 2013. Web. 09 Sept. 2013.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Orthodontic Tooth Movement: Ideal Rate and Force

Orthodontic Tooth Movement: Ideal Rate and Force Ananth Kadekodi â€Å"Describe and discuss the concept of the ideal rate and force for Orthodontic tooth movement. Provide evidence for and against the claims of this ideal†. Orthodontic tooth movement is a process that combines pathologic, physiologic and biological responses to externally applied forces (Wise, King, 2008). It is explained by the pressure tension theory and bone bending theory. Pressure tension theory states that tooth movement occurs in the periodontal space by creating a pressure side and a tension side (Schwarz, 1932). Conversely, bone bending theory states that force delivered, results in bending of the tooth and its surrounding structure, whilst altering the cellular activity for bone remodelling. Additionally, tooth movement is also comprised of three phases, which include the initial phase, lag phase and post lag phase (Burstone, 1962). Currently, there is being a shift, from the emphasis on force application to the biological and biochemical factors affecting tooth movement (Mayne, 2014). Nevertheless, understanding of the force magnitude and its temporal characteristics is important determining the ideal rate and force of ortho dontic tooth movement. Study conducted by various scientists, showed that variables such as: force magnitude; continuous vs intermittent force; individual variations; tooth variations and different types of tooth movement play a role in determining the ideal and rate and force of tooth movement. Studies by Hixon et al. (1970) showed that higher forces moved teeth farther in 8 weeks than lighter forces. The studies showed an increase in maxillary canine movement in all but one of the subjects. The trials demonstrated that as the force increased from 200 grams to 300 grams, the tooth movement for patient B increased from 0.15 mm/week to 0.25 mm/week. This is a result of the higher forces generating a metabolic response sooner and at a more rapid rate, resulting in an increased tooth movement. Additionally, study conducted by Andreasen, and Johnson (1967) on sixteen females, showed teeth exposed to the 400 grams moved further than 200 gm, at a rate of 2.5 times to that of the lower force. Moreover, heavier force, also cause an increased anchor teeth movement (Storey, 1973). However, studies by Owman-moll, Kurol, and Lundgren (1996) have claimed that maximum tooth movement can be achieved even with light forces. This is also supported by Storey (1973), who stated little differen ces in canine movement between heavy and light forces. Moreover, Ren, Maltha, Kuijpers-Jagtman (2003) support this viewpoint by stating that, there is no specific optimal force but a wide range of forces evoke a biological response in the periodontal tissue for ideal tooth movement. Additionally, Owman-moll et al. (1996) through their studies showed that, while heavy forces increase tooth movement, they can also damage the tooth and increase the rate of root resorption. Storey (1973) observed that some trauma is associated even with applied light orthodontic forces. In order to produce adequate biological response in the periodontium, light forces cause frontal bone resorption but heavy forces can cause PDL necrosis, along with bone and root resorption (Krishnan, Davidovich, 2006). Hence, an optimal force is an extrinsic mechanical stimulus, with the aim of restoring the equilibrium of periodontal supporting tissue remodelling via cellular response. It should lead to a maximum rate of tooth movement, while ensuring minimal irreversible root, PDL and alveolar bone damage. Also, this force should produce a maximum rate of tooth movement, whilst ensuring patient comfort (Proffit, Fields, Sarver, 2013; Ren at al., 2003). Teeth react differently, depending on whether the force is continuous or intermittent. Studies by Oates, Moore, and Caputo (1978) showed tooth movement exposed to low level of intermittent tooth forces were equal to that of continuous forces. But at higher force levels, intermittent forces produce greater tooth movement within a shorter period of time. However, results from study conducted by Owman-Moll, Kurol, and Lundgren (1995) showed continuous forces (4.3mm +/- 1.5mm) were more effective than intermittent forces (2.9 +/- 0.6mm) in achieving tooth movement. Furthermore, the study also showed no significant root resorption differences between the two forces in the end. Proffit et al. (2013) believe that effective tooth movement occurs with longer and continuous forces between 4 – 8 hours. They also believe that light continuous forces produce the best tooth movement and these forces should be light enough to ensure only frontal resorption. However, heavy continuous forces s hould be avoided due to tissue damage but heavy intermittent force is clinically acceptable although it is less efficient. Study conducted by Hixon et al. (1970) showed the role of individual variation affecting tooth movement, with some individuals displaying increased movement than others. These individual variations are in regard with different root areas, metabolic responses and facial growth. The variations resulted in altered time and rate of tooth movement between individuals. Additionally, older patients with lower metabolism and increased facial growth showed less movement, in comparison to a younger patient. The variation is also attributed to differences in tissue characteristics. The younger patients have many celled periodontal membrane; uncalcified osteoid bone crest lining; and loose fibrous marrow space tissue, meaning that they reach the proliferation stage of tissue changes earlier than older adults. This will result in tooth movement (initial phase) starting earlier in younger people (Reitan, 1957). Additionally, Pilon, Kuijpers-Jagtman, and Maltha (1996), stated that individual differ ences in bone density, metabolism and PDL turnover can also be responsible for the variations. Each individual has his/her optimum pressure for tooth movement and that in slow movers; the optimum forces were not applied. Hixon et al. (1970), though his study demonstrated different teeth having different optimal rates and force for tooth movement. The results noted an increased canine movement, in comparison to molars. This is due to the root surface area of the canine being lesserthan molar, with the forces being distributed over a larger area rather than being concentrated (in the case with canines). Moreover, Proffit et al. (2013) also support this theory through their table, which shows a smaller force for anterior teeth and a larger force for posteriors. Additionally, Smith and Storey (1952) stated the optimum range for the maximum rate of movement is 150-200cN for canines with later studies by Lee (1964) increasing the range to 260cN. Through their studies, Lundgren, Ownman-Moll, and Kurol (1996) stated the ideal rate of horizontal tooth crown movement was 0.8 mm during the first week and 3.7mm after 7 weeks. However, intraoral location also makes a difference, with maxillary canines having an i ncreased movement in comparison to their mandibular counterparts (Hixon et al., 1970). However, Ren, Maltha, and Van‘t Hof (2003) stated no differences in movement between the maxillary and mandibular canines. Hence, the implications of intraoral location on tooth movement are still unclear. Proffit et al. (2013) have stated that different types of tooth movement have different optimal forces and these include: tipping movement (35-60 gm); translation (70-120 gm); root uprighting (50-100gm); rotation (35-60 gm); extrusion (35-60gm) and intrusion (10-20 gm). Using results from past studies, along with the consideration of the above variables, Quinn, and Yoshikawa (1985) have developed four hypotheses, related to force application and tooth movement. Hypothesis 1 is a constant relationship and Hypothesis 2, is linear relationship between the rate of tooth movement and stress. Hypothesis 3 states that increasing stress increases the rate of tooth movement to a maximum after which the rate declines with additional stress. Lastly, hypothesis 4 states that tooth movement increases with stress up to a point after which additional stress causes no increase in tooth movement. Quinn and Yoshikawa support hypothesis 4, as it supported by extensive experimental and clinical data. This hypothesis is also supported by Hixon et al., with his results showing a lack of tooth movement after a certain force application. But Ren, Maltha, and Van‘t Hof (2003), challenged this model due to a lock of available data with high forces, and created a new ma thematical model, where shows no tooth movement with no force, but as the force increases, the movement also increases until a certain force, after which the movement stays constant or slightly decreases but will never become negative. This is in contrast to hypothesis 4, which stated the movement as being constant but never decreasing. From the above essay, we can see that there is still a lack of definite answer for an ideal force and rate of tooth movement, and this can attributed to four main reasons. The first reason is due to a lack of ability to calculate stress and strain at the periodontal ligament. Most studies discussed above, were based on the application of the force to the tooth, but not the forces leading to biological reactions. The second reason is due to the lack of tooth movement control, with most studies involving tooth tipping which causes uneven stress distribution in periodontal ligament. Moreover, measurements are made at the crown, and not at the stress areas, resulting in force overestimation. Additionally, many of the studies were conducted during a short period of time, making the data relevant only for the first two phases of tooth movement. Lastly, variation both among and within individuals, makes it difficult to calculate optimal force and rate, as each individual has his/her individ ualised optimal values (Ren, Maltha, Kuijpers-Jagtman, 2003). In conclusion, we can see that more studies need to be conducted to determine the ideal rate and force of orthodontic tooth movement. Tooth movement is affected by factors such as: force magnitude; individual and tooth variation; intermittent or continuous forces and different types of tooth movement. Additionally, Quinn and Yoshikawa believed that tooth movement increases with stress up to a point after which additional increases create no movement. But this was challenged by Maltha, who stated that the movement can also decrease. The above factors, in addition to the four main reasons discussed above show that there is no ideal rate and force of orthodontic tooth movement. REFERENCES Andreasen, G., Johnson, P. (1967). Experimental findings on tooth movements under two conditions of applied force. The Angle orthodontist, 37(1), 9-12. Retrieved from: http://www.angle.org/doi/pdf/10.1043/0003 3219(1967)037%3C0009:EFOTMU%3E2.0.CO%3B2 Burstone, C. J. (1962). The biomechanics of tooth movement. Vistas in orthodontics, Lea Febiger, Philadelphia, 197-213. Farrar, J. N. (1888). A Treatise on the Irregularities of the Teeth and Their Correction:Including, with the Authors Practice, Other Current Methods (Vol. 1). De Vinne Press. Hixon, E. H., Aasen, T. O., Arango, J., Clark, R. A., Klosterman, R., Miller, S. S., Odom, W. M. (1970). On force and tooth movement.American Journal of Orthodontics,57(5), 476-489. doi:10.1016/0002-9416(70)90166-1 Krishnan, V., Davidovitch, Z. E. (2006). Cellular, molecular, and tissue-level reactions to orthodontic force. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 129(4), 469-e1. doi: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2005.10.007 Lee, B. W. (1965). Relationship between tooth-movement rate and estimated pressureapplied. Journal of dental research, 44(5), 1053-1053. doi: 10.1177/00220345650440051001 Lundgren, D., Owman-Moll, P., Kurol, J. (1996). Early tooth movement pattern afterapplication of acontrolled continuous orthodontic force. A human experimental model. American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, 110(3), 287 295. doi: 10.1016/S0889-5406(96)80013-8 Mayne, R. (2014).DEN2CGD,Lecture 11, Topic 2, Physiology of orthodontic tooth movement [Point slides]. DEN2CGD, Bendigo, Australia: La Trobe University, Department of Health Sciences. Oates, J. C., Moore, R. N., Caputo, A. A. (1978). Pulsating forces in orthodontic treatment. American journal of orthodontics, 74(5), 577-586. doi: 10.1016/0002-9416(78)90033 Owman-Moll, P., Kurol, J., Lundgren, D. (1995). Continuous versus interruptedcontinuous orthodontic force related to early tooth movement and root resorption. The Angle Orthodontist, 65(6), 395-401. Retrieved from: http://www.angle.org/doi/pdf/10.1043/00033219(1995)065 F%3E2.0.CO%3B2 Owman-Moll, P., Kurol, J., Lundgren, D. (1996). The effects of a four-fold increasedorthodontic force magnitude on tooth movement and root resorptions. An intra individual study in adolescents. The European Journal of Orthodontics, 18(3), 287 294. doi: 10.1093/ejo/18.3.287 Pilon, J. J., Kuijpers-Jagtman, A. M., Maltha, J. C. (1996). Magnitude of orthodonticforces and rate of bodily tooth movement. An experimental study. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 110(1), 16-23. doi: 10.1016/S0889 5406(96)70082-3 Proffit, W. R., Fields Jr, H. W., Sarver, D. M. (2013). Contemporary orthodontics. StLouis, Missouri: Mosby Quinn, R. S., Ken Yoshikawa, D. (1985). A reassessment of force magnitude inorthodontics. American journal of orthodontics, 88(3), 252-260. doi: 10.1016/S0002 9416(85)90220-9 Reitan, K. (1957). Some factors determining the evaluation of forces in orthodontics.American Journal of Orthodontics, 43(1), 32-45. doi 10.1016/0002-9416(57)90114-8 Ren, Y., Maltha, J. C., Kuijpers-Jagtman, A. M. (2003). Optimum force magnitude fororthodontic tooth movement: a systematic literature review. The Angle orthodontist, 73(1), 86-92. Retrieved from: http://www.angle.org/doi/full/10.1043/0003 3219(2003)073%3C0086:OFMFOT%3E2.0.CO;2 Ren, Y., Maltha, J. C., Vant Hof, M. A., Kuijpers-Jagtman, A. M. (2004). Optimum force magnitude for orthodontic tooth movement: a mathematic model. American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, 125(1), 71-77. Doi 10.1016/j.ajodo.2003.02.005 Schwarz, A. M. (1932). Tissue changes incidental to orthodontic tooth movement.International Journal of Orthodontia, Oral Surgery and Radiography, 18(4), 331 352. doi: 10.1016/S00996963(32)80074-8 Storey, E. (1973). The nature of tooth movement. American journal of orthodontics, 63(3), 292-314. doi: 10.1016/0002-9416(73)90353-9 Storey, E., Smith, R. (1952). Force in orthodontics and its relation to tooth movement. Aust Dent,56(1), 11-8. Wise, G. E., King, G. J. (2008). Mechanisms of tooth eruption and orthodontic toothmovement. Journal of dental research, 87(5), 414-434. doi:10.1177/154405910808700509

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Louis XIV Essay -- France French King Louis XIV Essays

Louis XIV After being ruled by a prime minister for so long, France needed some changes. That is exactly what Louis the XIV would bring to France. In an age of separation, Louis wanted to start a unification process. He started this by giving himself sole power and also only having one religion for the country. The king is always the center of attention good or bad. Louis was prepared to take the good with the bad, and handled it well. He emphasized the king as the center of attention. While some see him as egotistical and greedy, Louis was one king who knew how to make improvements. At four years and eight months, Louis XIV became King. His mother, Anne of Austria, ruled until he could take the throne, but it wasn’t until Louis came to power that France began making improvements. Louis made some powerful moves during his reign; one of them was to nullify the Edict of Nantes. He did this to re-establish Catholicism in France (Europe). While there was opposition, the decision went over well because most of France was catholic at the time. Louis also ruled as an absolute monarch (no prime minister), which has not been done for a while. This was a big step because he was taking all of the power and giving it to himself. Also under King Louis’ rule industry and commerce flourished. This came with the help of his counselors. It was at this time that art and literature began to flourish as well. During this period literature and art were made to flatter the King, which is another reason Louis encouraged them. Overall, art, literatur e, war and statesmanship ranked highest when Louis was in power. It can be argued that Louis was not good for France because of his spending... ...o be treated as such. This was a good analogy for the time. Kings are the center of the kingdom and, by making the court respect that Louis made them realize that the king needs respect. It is a good idea because then the king does get the respect that he deserves. Louis the XIV had a commanding presence and used it wisely. In a time of great separation Louis began to try unifying France. While he did have a few faults, his positive change helped France more than any other king could have at that time. Those who feel his few faults are enough to call him a bad king are dwelling on such minor issues and should look at his overall influence on the country. Under his rule, France ranked highest among art, literature, war and statesmanship. Louis XIV had plenty of skill, which is why he was able to bring such great qualities all at once to France.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Essay --

Schaefer, Ashleigh Ling 325 Professor Mathis Part 1: Annotated Bibliography: Gender Stereotypes in Subject Matter 1. Cvencek, D. , Meltzoff, A. , & Greenwald, A. (2011). Math–gender stereotypes in elementary school children. Child Development, 82(3), 766-779. Gà ¶mleksiz, M. (2012). This article focuses on the connection between one’s perception of their own gender and how it affects their belief of cultural stereotypes placed on their gender. Cveneck, Meltzoof, and Greenwald examined various children, 126 girls and 121 boys, between the ages of 6-10 in elementary school by giving the children Implicit Association tests and along with having them provide self-reports to see if their perception of gender affected their ideas of certain subject matters in the school. The self-reports asked the children questions regarding gender identity, gender stereotypes, and their self-concept. This article focuses on examining the cultural stereotypes about math. Their research focuses on the stereotype that â€Å"math is for boys†. Cvencek, Meltzoff, and Greenwald argue that this is because their self-concept is a â€Å"I am a female† along with the cultural stereotype that â€Å"math is for boys† tends to lead females to the belief that â€Å" I am a girl therefore I’m not good at math†. Cveneck, Meltzoof, and Greenwald had the children take a quiz on the computer. For each question the children were provided with a statement then asked to choose whether or not the male or female character possessed the aforementioned attributes. Once the children chose which character/gender possessed the attribute they were then asked whether or not their selected character possessed this characteristic â€Å"a little† or â€Å"a lot†. The second part of the study involved childre... ...eresting about their research was that it showed even at a young age girls tend to believe â€Å"math is for boys†. This suggests that the language used in regards to subject matter and gender is ingrained in young minds from a young age. Since math is a learned skill males and females should both have the ability to excel in the subject mater. However, cultural stereotypes regarding math as a primarily male domain run deep and hold females back. It was interesting to see the statements both genders related to in the studies. These articles suggest that gender stereotyping with subject matter is nurture based. If females didn’t hear from a young age that â€Å"math is for boys† then perhaps they could enter the subject matter in a confident manner. Overall, these articles follow the generalizations seen throughout the semester about the differences between females and males.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Case Analysis: “No Frills” Air Fares

Business Economics Case Analysis: â€Å"No Frills† Air Fares Distinguish between the demand curves for National Airlines, Eastern Airlines and the Airlines industry. The above analysis requires an understanding of: (i) Why is the demand curve downward sloping? (ii) Can price have the same effect on the demand between the firms and at industry level? (iii) What would be the effect of changes in income and other prices on the demand curve of a firm? iv) Calculate the price elasticity of demand for National and Eastern Airlines. (v) Which elasticity measurement (Point vs. Arc) is appropriate for National and Eastern Airline? Explain â€Å"No Frills† Air Fares As the 1974-1975 recession made inroads into passenger traffic loads of the major airlines, National Airlines persuaded the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to let it try an experiment with a discount of as much as 35 % from normal coach fares on certain of its regularly scheduled routes. National, in an effort to build up its load factor, tied its discount fare proposal to the offering of â€Å"no frills† service during the flight, including doing away with complimentary meals, snacks, soft drinks, and coffee so as to reduce costs and partially offset the lower-priced fares. However, passengers using the â€Å"no frills† plan could selectively purchase these items in-flight if they wished. The no frills fares were offered only Mondays through Thursdays. The CAB gave the go-ahead to National to experiment with the no frills fare, with the proviso that National study the plan and report back at a later date. Eastern Airlines and Delta Airlines, both competitors of National on some of the routes where National proposed to implement no frills fares, were also permitted to use the discount fares for a trial period. In its report to the CAB on the results of the no frills approach, National maintained that 56 % of the 133,000 passengers who used its no frills fare from mid- April through June 30, 1975, were enticed to travel by air because of the discount fare plan. According to National, the new passenger traffic generated by discount fares increased its revenues by $4 million during that period. National said that its figures were based upon an on-board survey of 13,500 passengers and presented one of the most exhaustive studies ever conducted for a CAB investigation. J. Dan Brock, vice president for marketing for National Airlines, was quoted at a news conference as saying that the fare had been an â€Å"unqualified success,† had created a new air-travel market, and had generated more than twice the volume of new passengers required to offset revenue dilution caused by regular passengers switching to the lower fare. He said the stimulus of the fare gave National a net traffic gain of 74,000 passengers during the initial 21/2 – month trail. But he also cautioned that the success claims he was making for the no frills fare did not mean that low fares were the answer to the airline industry’s excess capacity problems. Yet Brock did go so far as to state that â€Å"what no frills has proved†¦ is that a properly conceived discount fare, offered at the right time in the right markets with the right controls, can help airlines hurdle traditionally soft traffic period. Eastern Airlines reported a much different experience. Eastern said its studies showed that only 14 % of the 55,200 of its passengers who used a no frills fare between mid-April and May 31 represented newly generated traffic, with the remaining 86 % representing passengers diverted from higher fares who would have flown anyway. It said that the effect of the fare in the six major markets it studied was a net loss in re venue to Eastern of $ 543,000 during the initial 11/2 months. At the same time Eastern attacked the credibility of the National Airlines’ survey, noting that its own data were based upon an exhaustive and scientific blind telephone survey among persons who did not know the purpose and sponsor of the survey. Eastern claimed that this type of study was more apt to produce unbiased results that National’s on-board surveys. Other airlines joined Eastern in challenging National’s survey results in the CAB’s hearing to decide whether the no frills fares should continue to be allowed. Delta Airlines, for example, claimed that the no frills fare did not even come close to offsetting the dilution its experienced in revenues. Other airline officials observed that while National Airlines might have succeeded through its heavy promotion of the no frills fares in diverting some business from ther carriers, they felt that National‘s claims of generating many passengers who otherwise would not have flown were â€Å"preposterous. † Those airlines in direct competition with National on the routes where the discount fares were tried were vehemently opposed to continuing the discounts. In their view the no frills approach constituted â€Å"economic nonsense. † They announced a policy of matching National’s discount fare only where forced to for competitive reasons.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Should English Be the Medium of Instruction in Sri Lankan Universities

Should English be the medium of instruction in Sri Lankan Universities Medium of instruction is a language used in teaching. It may or may not be the official language of the country or territory. Where the first language of students is different from the official language, it may be used as the medium of instruction for part or all of schooling and universities Bilingual or multilingual education may involve the use of more than one language of instruction. UNESCO considers that â€Å"providing education in a child's mother tongue is indeed a critical issue†Native-language instruction is the practice of teaching schoolchildren in their native language instead of in the official language of their country of residence. An English medium education system is one that uses English as the primary medium of instruction – in particular where English is not the mother tongue of the students. Because a working knowledge of English is perceived as being valuable, many states thro ughout the world where English is not the predominant language encourage or mandate the use of English as the normal medium of instruction.Bilingual education involves teaching academic content in two languages, in a native and secondary language with varying amounts of each language used in accordance with the program model. There are two ways of Bilingual education. First one is Transitional Bilingual Education. This involves education in a child's native language, typically for no more than three years, to ensure that students do not fall behind in content areas like mathematics, science, and social studies while they are learning English.Research has shown that many of the skills learned in the native language can be transferred easily to the second language later. The goal is to help students transition to mainstream, English-only classrooms as quickly as possible, and the linguistic goal of such programs is English acquisition only. In a transitional bilingual program, the stu dent's primary language is used as a vehicle to develop literacy skills and acquire academic knowledge. It is used to develop literacy and academic skills in the primary language. Second one is â€Å"Two-Way† or Dual Language Immersion Bilingual Education.These programs are designed to help native and non-native English speakers become bilingual and bi-literate. The two-way bilingual immersion program has 90% of the instructions in grade 1 in minority language which is less supported by the broader society and 10% in the majority language . This proportion gradually changes in the majority language until the curriculum is equally divided in both the language by 5th grade. The two-way bilingual immersion program is based on the principle of clear curriculum separation of the two languages of instruction.Teachers do not repeat or translate the subject matter in second language but strengthen concepts taught in one language across the two languages in a spiral curriculum in orde r to provide cognitive challenge. The languages of instructions are alternated by theme or content area. This type of immersion is required to develop the dual language proficiency, as social language can be mastered in couple of years, but a higher level of competency is required to read social studies texts or solve mathematics word problems, roughly around 5 to 7 years.This essay attempts to take into account of divergent views to deal with â€Å"Should English be the medium of instruction in Sri Lankan Universities†. . The debate on English as a medium of instruction in tertiary level education was always carried out among the Sri Lankan society. Majority claims that â€Å"who can never speak English with the degree of adequacy or fluency is not survived in the job arena of the white collar’s. † Almost the private sector investors’ basic requirement is the employees should be able to communicate with the mediation language of the globe.When we conside r about trading with other countries, tourism, IT Sector and the other areas of high salary paying employment opportunities govern by the people with the command in English. Or at least they know how to deal with the language and the opportunity they involved with. And jobs in the private sector which require functioning knowledge of English have enabled migration across the globe. However, one can point out the flaw in the system which restricts the benefits of the migration to 8-10% English speaking elite and middle class of the total population in Sri Lanka.Some view English as an elitist urban cultural value, derived from the west, which is imposed on the nation. This argument sees English as a language left behind by the whites and claims that cultural and linguistic authenticity is tied to thinking, speaking and writing only in vernacular languages. The argument also suggests that if the academia shifts to English it might sound the death knell for native languages as there wi ll be fewer and fewer literary works in native languages.The general obsession with English and with the notion of â€Å"sophistication† attached to the language has been a major cause of increasing divisions and psychological distress among the youth. University drop out rates can potentially increase among the students with weaker English skills. The above arguments tend to draw their inspiration from the fact that countries like Japan have done remarkably well in spite of a resolute emphasis on retaining their native languages even among children of the internet age.However, most works of science and human studies have, unfortunately, not been documented in Sri Lankan national languages to place complete reliance on the local medium even if we were to agree with the above arguments to do away with English. Developing our languages to impart higher education is important but depriving people of the access to the knowledge systems in English is not correct. It is important t o invest in education in our country to create resources to impart the language skills required to fully utilize the educational opportunities offered in English.To take a pragmatic view, introduction of English at an early stage in children’s education is necessary without being overbearing on the native languages. Perhaps we should look to the European Union in this regard, to develop multilingual skills without compromising on the native character of individual nation. Some Sri lankans are firmly convinced that the only way to learn English properly is to learn everything else through English.This is contrary to logic and evidenced both in Sri lanka and around the world. Children in every country today learn English, but they learn it as a foreign language, and learn it well, in all countries where English is not the native tongue. Consider countries like Korea, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Russia, Brazil and China. They have economies that are better than most. Their schools t each English, but employ their own mother tongues as the medium of instruction. Korea's population is equal to Sri Lanka.The Scandinavian countries are comparable, less in population size, to Sri Lanka Their languages remain vibrant, they create new knowledge and literature in their own languages and produce Nobel prize winners and world-beating companies. Of course, they also learn English, the de facto world language. Except in colonized Sri Lanka, nowhere do people believe that unless they abandon their mother tongue and embrace English as the sole language of instruction, their future is doomed.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Research Paper on Stereotype Threat

Stereotype Threat in a High Stakes Testing Environment Jennifer J. Krebs Wilkes University Abstract Given the rapidly changing demographics of today’s classrooms combined with the high-stakes testing environment created by the passage of No Child Left Behind, it is important to understand potential explanations for the persistence of achievement gaps. Explanations for the achievement gap have included high populations of English Language Learners (ELLs), socioeconomic issues, lack of resources at the school, teacher, and student levels, and even inherent differences in the intellectual abilities of stereotyped and non-stereotyped groups.A theory developed by Steele and Aronson, called stereotype threat, provided a radical view into how knowledge of stereotypes affects performance (McKown & Strambler, 2009). Stereotype threat is the experience of anxiety or concern in a situation where a person has the potential to confirm a negative stereotype about their social group. The pur pose of this research was to determine how and when children begin to develop knowledge of stereotypes and how stereotype threat affects academic performance. IntroductionThe diversity of student demographics increases every day. Therefore, teachers must be increasingly more aware of the cultural differences and challenges that students from diverse backgrounds bring to school. Not only are these students likely to learn differently based on their cultural expectations, but these students are also likely to possess knowledge of commonly held social stereotypes which can negatively impact their performance (McKown & Strambler, 2009). The current emphasis on high-stakes testing makes the achievement of all students extremely important.Experimental research into performance gaps was limited prior to a groundbreaking study that focused on the possibility of stereotype threat. First described by social psychologist Claude Steele and his colleagues, stereotype threat (ST) has been shown t o reduce the performance of individuals who belong to negatively stereotyped groups (McKown & Strambler, 2009). Since its introduction into the academic literature in 1995, stereotype threat has become one of the most widely studied topics in the field of psychology.However, a major assumption of this theory was that children possess knowledge of commonly held social stereotypes. In order to address this assumption, the following qualitative studies were implemented to determine how and when children begin to develop knowledge of stereotypes. This research is combined with quantitative studies to determine how ST affects academic performance. Method Schaffer and Skinner (2009) examined student interactions within four fourth grade classrooms at a diverse public school in the southeastern United States.Upon observing student interactions and conducting interviews, the researchers discovered several patterns. First, white children were less likely to engage in explicit race talk, whil e black students frequently engaged in openly racial discussions and often used commonly held stereotypes to identify themselves. Second, most minority students who performed at the high end of the class and participated in challenging academic programs relied heavily on racial stereotypes to bridge the social gap between themselves and their racial peers.These students sought to distance themselves from the white students with whom they took advanced classes. Third, white students were more likely to describe students of other races as â€Å"loud† or â€Å"troublemaking† (Schaffer & Skinner, 2009). These observations suggest that students were not only aware of commonly held stereotypes, but strategically used them to organize their social world and dictate social functions. Another study, which examined high school students, suggested that these trends continue as students mature rather than diminish. Lisa M.Nunn (2011) observed six classrooms across three different high schools, and conducted 57 interviews with students to determine the ways in which students’ classroom interactions reflected ideas about commonly held stereotypes. In one school, nearly half of the students interviewed said that race matters for school success. At another school, students expressed frustration with being racial targets and felt they had done nothing to provoke degrading views from their classmates. Furthermore, in a remedial English classroom consisting of eight students, the researcher noticed a ommon occurrence. Five of the students in this classroom were Latino, and three were white. The white students all had learning disabilities which hindered their language usage, while the Latino students’ only handicap was that English was not their native language (Nunn, 2011). Combining ELLs with students with disabilities effectively treats the native language of ELLs as a learning disability. Between the racial views of the students and the systematic reinforcement of prejudices, it is easy to understand why students tend to hold views that race matters for success.The question that remains is how does this knowledge of stereotypes affect student academic performance? McKown and Strambler (2009) conducted a study of 124 students ranging in age from grades K-4 in a suburban Chicago area. The students were given a series of vignettes to determine their ability to identify stereotypes and then placed in diagnostic or non-diagnostic groups to complete performance tasks. Consistent with prior research, minority participants in the diagnostic group performed worse than in the non-diagnostic group; and majority participants performed equally well in both groups (McKown & Strambler, 2009).Desert, Preaux, and Jund (2009) administered Raven’s APM to 153 children within first and third grades. In the diagnostic group, students were given the standard administration instructions as provided in the Raven’s APM Administration Ma nual. In the non-diagnostic group, students were given instructions explaining that the test was actually a series of games that the researchers developed and were testing to determine their appropriateness for the students’ age groups.Researchers stratified the results based on socioeconomic status, arguing that negative stereotypes about the performance of low-SES students could result in ST. The results of the study showed that low-SES students in the diagnostic group performed significantly worse than those in the non-diagnostic group. The performance of high SES students did not differ significantly among the two groups (Desert, Preaux, & Jund, 2009). These results suggested that children in the early elementary years are not immune to ST, even on a test that is supposed to be culture free. While all of these experiments support he theory of ST, one of the strongest arguments to date relies heavily on developing technologies. Derks, Inzlicht, and Kang (2008) offered an o verview of breakthroughs in social neuroscience research that highlighted biological factors underlying conditions of stereotype threat. The researchers discussed several experiments that used functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and event-related potentials (ERP) to measure the neurological activities of participants when asked to perform tasks under diagnostic and non-diagnostic conditions.One study tested women under mathematical performance stereotypes and found that the conflict monitoring systems of the brain showed a mis-regulation of neural responses. This information supported the hypothesis that emotions aroused by ST conditions lead to a decrease in cognitive ability. The decrease in ability occurred because emotion-regulation centers of the brain experienced increased activity while areas of the brain associated with academic performance and cognition experienced decreased activity. The researchers cautioned that neuroscience expe riments in the area are too new to allow for generalizations and definitive findings.However, they argued that development of this area is crucial to the study and understanding of stereotype threat (Derks, Inzlicht, & Kang, 2008). Results The assumption that the performance gap between stereotyped and non-stereotyped groups is solely rooted in cultural differences and limitations of students’ background is restrictive. Research has shown that there is also a factor of social psychological threat related to knowledge and perceptions of stereotypes, which can depress test scores of stereotyped individuals.The use of high-stakes testing in an overall environment of racial inequality perpetuates that inequality through the emotional and psychological power of the tests over the test-takers. While researchers have begun to delve into the intricacies as to how stereotype threat causes decreases in performance and other negative effects, there is still much research that needs to b e conducted in order to completely understand the mechanisms that underlie the performance deficits that occur as a result of stereotype threat. ConclusionIn conclusion, stereotype threat is a pervasive phenomenon that has the ability to impact a variety of individuals in a number of ways. Current research offers us insight as to what stereotype threat is, how it impacts individuals, what mechanisms drive the relationship between stereotype threat and performance, and how we can begin to remediate some of the damaging impacts of this threat. Since the current emphasis on high-stakes testing does not appear to be diminishing, teachers and mentors should at a minimum equip students with knowledge about the possible effects of stereotype threat.In this way, proactive strategies might transform a powerless situation into one where students are actively participating in discussions that illuminate the complexities and strengths of their educational futures. Teacher education programs sho uld review their course curriculum and address any gaps in the discussion of standardized testing and methods to improve test scores. Changing test directions from diagnostic to non-diagnostic, educating students in malleable intelligence theories, and reducing the general stress of the testing environment are all methods which could be implemented.References Derks, B. , Inzlicht, M. , & Kang, S. (2008). The neuroscience of stigma and stereotype threat. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 11(2), 163-181. Desert, M. , Preaux, M. , & Jund, R. (2009). So young and already victims of stereotype threat: Socio-economic status and performance of 6 to 9 years old children on Raven’s progressive matrices. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 24, 207-218. McKown, C. & Strambler, M. J. (2009).Developmental antecedents and social academic consequences of stereotype-consciousness in middle childhood. Child Development, 80, 1643-1659. Nunn, L. (2011). Classrooms as racialized s paces: Dynamics of collaboration, tension, and student attitudes in urban and suburban high schools. Urban Education, 46, 1226-1255. Schaffer, R. & Skinner, D. G. (2009). Performing race in four culturally diverse fourth grade classrooms: Silence, race talk, and the negotiation of social boundaries. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 40, 277-296.

Education in Saudi Arabia and the United States of America Essay

Education continues to be the priority of all nations around the world. Countries devote vast resources to ensure equal opportunity to study for their people. In return, the educated segment of the population becomes the wealth of these nations and will more likely meet the social and economic demands of the country. The educational systems are continuously developed to meet not just the local but also the global demands and challenges. It is more appropriate to look at the disparity on the education sector of one country to another in order to determine what needs to be improved and developed in one’s educational system. This paper aims to provide an assessment on the similarities and differences of education in two countries, Saudi Arabia and the United States of America (USA). The education in Saudi Arabia and the USA are similar in terms of government spending on education, freedom to choose the school where they will attend to, and education for people with special needs, while differ in terms of attitude towards education, literacy rate, religion in school, gender roles, grading scales, and stages of education. Both the Saudi Arabia and USA government spend immense resources on the education sector. The Saudi Arabia government’s increased awareness on the importance of education to its people paved way to its provision of bountiful support to education. Like the USA government, the Saudi Arabia government finance general education for both boys and girls. It also provides free post-secondary education and offers financial help to students. At cases, meals, books, and transportation are subsidized. In the same way, the USA government offers free general and post-secondary education for all financed by the government. In both countries, students are also allowed to choose what school they will attend to. They have the options to enroll in public, private, or home school. Most of the parents prefer to send their children in public school practically because they are much â€Å"free† from burden. There were also those who prefer private schools thinking that these schools might provide better, quality education to their children especially for those seeking a competitive edge in college admission. A few considers home schooling best for their children for reasons that they can effectively tailor a curriculum that would best suit their children’s academic strengths and weaknesses, especially those with disabilities. Aside from home schooling, those with disabilities may be sent to schools which will cater to their needs like schools for the blind, deaf, physically and mentally handicapped, among others (Education, 2005). The Saudi Arabia and USA governments have put on these schools to encourage individuals to their full potential and share social and emotional experiences with their peers having the same conditions as themselves. The curricula in the special classes given to the students were tailored fit to their needs. For instance, the educational programs given to the blind and deaf individuals were different. For sure, blind students were thought of using Braille while deaf students do not. One variation the Saudi Arabia and the USA government have is the attitude towards education. In the USA, school attendance is mandatory and nearly universal at primary and secondary levels. School districts meet to discuss school curricula, funding, teaching, and other policies to further improve the education in the state. On the other hand, in Saudi Arabia, the government does not impose mandatory attendance in school. Although, it is encouraged that the free primary and secondary education are availed since education is given free and open to every citizen. The literacy rate for the two countries presented, are varied. The USA literacy rate is estimated at 99% for both men and women, whereas, literacy rate in Saudi Arabia is estimated at only 84. 7% for men and 70. 8% for women (Literacy, 2007). The Saudi Arabia government recognizes the importance of literacy in propelling the economy; hence, one of its objectives for the education sector is to eradicate illiteracy especially among adults and girls through several literacy programs. In the USA, despite the high literacy rate, the government is continually implementing programs to further develop the education sector. Religion is the main core of education in Saudi Arabia. The curricula developed conform to the Shari’ah (Islamic holy law) and the Qur’an. Men were trained of Islamic education to become members of religious clergy. They provide religious secondary education with focus primarily on Islamic and Arabic studies, although, the curriculum also includes general education. The schools which administer these were Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University and the Islamic University of Medinah (Sedgwick, 2001). On the contrary, education in the USA is not focused on religion but there are some schools which may offer religion subjects that are not quite extensive as religion studies in Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, education is segregated by sex. Education for boys is different from education for girls. Education is divided into three separately administered systems: general education for boys, education for girls and traditional Islamic education for boys (Sedgwick, 2001). However, in the recent years, education for girls was continuously being developed to meet the growing demands of the country. Unlike in the USA, education is offered to both sexes, giving them equal opportunity to study. The educational programs that were developed cater to both sexes. Grading scales were prepared to gauge the students’ performance on school. Grading scales in the USA and Saudi Arabia differ. In the USA, marks were given on the scale of A to F. In the criterion-referenced system, the equivalent grades of these to 0 to 100 percentile are as follows: A=95-100 or 90-100, B=85-95 or 80-90, C=75-85 or 70-80, D=65-75 or 60-70, and F is given to marks below 65 or 60. There is also the norm-referenced system where marks are given as follows: A=top 10% of the class, B=next 20% of the class, C=next 30% of the class, D=next 20% of the class, and bottom 20% of the class (Grading systems, n. d). On the contrary, the grading scale in Saudi Arabia was given as follows: 5=90-100, 4=80-89, 3=70-79, 2=60-69, and 1=0-59 (Sedgwick, 2001). The stages of education in both countries also vary. Education in Saudi Arabia starts with primary, followed by secondary, and higher education. Primary education is for ages 6 to 12. An intermediate education, which is part of primary education, is carried out for ages 12 to 15. Secondary education is divided into three: general, religious, and technical. These are taken by ages 15 to 18. The higher education is also divided into three stages: the baccaloreus (bachelor’s degree-4 years), darajat al majisteer (master’s degree – 2years), and doctoorah (doctorate– minimum of 3 years) (Sedgwick, 2001). On the other hand, education in the USA is composed of these stages: preschool (1 or 2 yrs), elementary/middle/high school (12 yrs), associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees (Structure: General Information, n. . ). The differences in education in both countries mainly lie on their history, culture, social and economic conditions, whereas, the similarities were bought about by their desire to provide accessible, quality education free and open to all. Education stimulates the people to contribute to its country in addressing the increasing local and global demands. This motivates the countries to improve and further develop its educational system.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Difference Between Economic Growth and Economic Development Essay

Economic Growth is a narrower concept than economic development.It is an increase in a country’s real level of national output which can be caused by an increase in the quality of resources (by education etc.), increase in the quantity of resources & improvements in technology or in another way an increase in the value of goods and services produced by every sector of the economy. Economic Growth can be measured by an increase in a country’s GDP (gross domestic product). Economic development is a normative concept i.e. it applies in the context of people’s sense of morality (right and wrong, good and bad). The definition of economic development given by Michael Todaro is an increase in living standards, improvement in self-esteem needs and freedom from oppression as well as a greater choice. The most accurate method of measuring development is the Human Development Index which takes into account the literacy rates & life expectancy which affect productivity and could lead to Economic Growth. It also leads to the creation of more opportunities in the sectors of education, healthcare, employment and the conservation of the environment.It implies an increase in the per capita income of every citizen. Economic Growth does not take into account the size of the informal economy. The informal economy is also known as the black economy which is unrecorded economic activity. Development alleviates people from low standards of living into proper employment with suitable shelter. Economic Growth does not take into account the depletion of natural resources which might lead to pollution, congestion & disease. Development however is concerned with sustainability which means meeting the needs of the present without compromising future needs. These environmental effects are becoming more of a problem for Governments now that the pressure has increased on them due to Global warming. Economic growth is a necessary but not sufficient condition of economic development.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Intellectual Property Rights that Would Best Protect the New Idea Coursework

Intellectual Property Rights that Would Best Protect the New Idea - Coursework Example The term Intellectual property is a legal concept that provides exclusive rights to the owners of the property to insure some ‘intangible ‘ objects that are often over looked or taken for granted. Some of them are works of artistic importance, important scientific discoveries, musical and literary assets and so on. Trade secrets, patent, copyrights, trademarks are such examples. If one has to reason the need for these particular rights one can decipher that the intellectual property rights showers some ‘financial incentives’ to the owners of these exclusive property to create something that could be treasured for years to come. In this regard one could cite reference to the Interflora, Inc. & Anr v Marks & Spencer Plc & Anr for using advertising marks patented without approval as well as the case of Dame Vivienne Westwood O.B.E. v Anthony Edward Knight wherein the claimant Dame V Westwood succeeded to claim compensation for violation trademarks and copyright illegally. Some of the key advantages for the Innovation that Akil have made and then we would analyze it special significance and importance in the light of contributing to Intellectual Property rights. First, Akil has good domain knowledge since he has been working in a watch company for quite some time. This mean that he has a thorough understanding of the mechanics of a watch, how it is manufactured, what are the key components, how are the parts intricate together to make the finished products etc. The second key advantage that Akil has is his passion for a particular sport, running. As an enthusiast in sports himself he could readily understand the needs and requirements of a sportsman and how a new innovative gadget can become a ‘must-have’ accessory that could make his life more enjoyable and simple. Every sportsman especially a runner is time-bound and in order to capture the number of leaps and the time taken, a stop watch is an absolute must. The new scientific innovatio n that Akil proposes to make would be a watch which would accommodate all the functions of a stopwatch in sports. Not only this, the new watch, iRunner would be equipped with a MP3 player too. This would indeed unburden the runner to carry a separate MP3 player while engaged in the sport activity. So over all Akil’s innovative watch; iRunner has a good advantage and appeal in the sports market. In order to understand the relevance and significance of Intellectual property rights protection, one need to know the particular subjects that could be termed as intellectual property. The term usually refers to a subject which is the creation of ‘mind or intellect.’ To understand how and in what ways Akil’s new innovative ‘iRunner’ could possibly find ways to be listed amongst the Intellectual Property one needs to understand the basic concept of Intellectual property protection rights i.e. Patent right. The word patent primarily means some privileged rights that are granted for an innovative scientific innovation that successfully caters to render possibly solutions to some needs by providing some ‘technical solution ‘to a concern. This also means that in order to seek for protection for an innovation under patent rights certain obligations has to be fulfilled as legal requirements. The main protection that IP patent rights provide is to protection the owners of the innovation over a limited period of time which is commonly for a period of 20 years. Thus within that time frame the owners of the Intellectual Property is granted protection which is legally sanctioned. To be protected under patent laws attests that the particular innovation could not be made commercially available that means to be sold or distributed elsewhere without any formal consent of the owners of the Intellectual Property. These rights are, primarily protected and enforced by

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Sustainability Indicators Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sustainability Indicators - Essay Example There are two types of indicators used, sustainability indicator and a typical urban indicator. Sustainability indicators are much more precise, detailed and extensive. They give us a broader view of the economic, social and environmental situation as if each and every element of the society is interlinked with each other. Not only does it provide us with a view of these elements, but it also gives us prompt solutions to it. Urban indicators measure changes in each part of the community as if they were completely independent. However sustainability indicators demonstrate the reality that each and every segment of the community is tightly interconnected with each other ("What are urban indicators? | Information | Livable urban environments | MFE"). The main objective of this type of an indicator is to inform and publicize the policy making authorities by providing them information and values on any relative term while keeping every activity interlinked with the other. A demonstration to this statement can be made by giving an example of the social-economic activities, as to whether it is an improvement or not. Unemployment is measured by collecting data related to diversity and vitality of local jobs, number and size of companies and the variability of skill levels. In this given situation a number of different elements are considered and evaluated. It is not just focused on a single type of activity but takes a number of different activities in consideration, collects data and gives result. This helps the state take better decisions to improve sustainability. The decision-making authorities find solutions to different problems such as to the situation that stands, whether the targets are being met, is improvement being made and as to where they stand generally compared to other states. This brings about various positive impacts bringing about a change in the environmental and societal improvement. The chosen sustainability indicator measures and evaluates the c ommunity progress in relevance to environmental, economic and social sustainability. This identifies the state of the community and how to resolve the issue. It interprets data and defines how to preserve and improve the quality of living for the present and future generation. The indicators used are related to society, environment and health. Values related to good health are measured by estimates of healthy infants, teen pregnancy and HIV patients. Conditions of environmental issues are measured by collecting data of the change in environment, air quality, waste reduction and bicycling. Social improvement is measured by elements such as the graduation rate, crimes and employment rate. These indicators used are of high value to any society or community. They determine the future conditions, the development and proper functioning of any state. The city council that chose this particular sustainability indicator approved a 10 year target for each indicator and set a numerical goal of what is to be achieved. The indicators are divided into 3 main parts that are further divided into 26 sub indicators. Each indicator gives view of the target, data, and analysis of each element of the community as mentioned above. Through this website the community is tracking the improvements and progress made in the society. As to how much work is done and what work remains in order to attain high quality life standards. This is done keeping