Motivation in Learning and Teaching free essay sample

University teachers these days have to make themselves accountable in their teaching. Students are certainly a good source of feedback, for after all it is students that have first-hand experience of their teachers’ teaching. However, even ignoring the doubt whether all students are able to exercise impartial and objective judgement on their teachers’ performance, there are plainly aspects of teaching on which students are not in a position to pass professional judgement. Indeed, â€Å"student feedback questionnaires† tend to be rather limited in scope. Come to think of it, there are actually a number of sources in addition to student feedback, on which we as university teachers can depend for evaluating our teaching. First of all, we ourselves are sometimes the most reliable source of feedback a sort of â€Å"gut feeling† which we must be having right after teaching a class, a vague but genuine feeling about how well or how badly we have done! If only that feeling could be â€Å"externalised† and categorised or even quantified, how much more useful would that be for appraising our own performance. We will write a custom essay sample on Motivation in Learning and Teaching or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another rich source of feedback is of course our colleagues, our peers. It is precisely in the context of evaluating our teaching performance that colleagues are able to play a significant role. Peer review/observation of teaching, if handled with care and carried out systematically, is capable of yielding extremely fruitful results, because our peers can be absolutely impartial, objective and are subject specialists. Furthermore, peer review/observation of teaching may over time form a substantial part of anyone’s â€Å"teaching portfolio† which may turn into an effective basis for contract renewal, ubstantiation or promotion. But then all this is easier said than done. We are of course well aware of the benefits of peer review/observation of our teaching. But the crucial question is: How should we go about it? One solution may be to happily marry a new form of micro-teaching to peer review/observation of teaching by using â€Å"state-of-the-art† video technolog y. Dr. Dwight Allen, who was one of the founders of traditional micro-teaching back in the sixties in Stanford University, 1 recently developed a new micro-teaching model which centres around the so-called â€Å"2 + 2† feedback. It works like this 1 Allen, Dwight W. Wang, Wai-ping (1996), Micro-teaching,Hsin Hua Publishers, Beijing The colleague whose teaching is being evaluated, teaches a five-minute lesson to a group of peers, usually four colleagues, focusing on one particular skill or technique, e. g. questioning skill, in the presence of a supervisor who is an expert’s in the colleague field. The entire session is videotaped, preferably using more than one camera, so that â€Å"split screen effects† can be achieved, capturing teacher and student action and reaction for playback viewing. Right after the â€Å"trial teach†, the supervisor will ask the teacher to self-critique his or her own performance. Then each peer will be asked to give feedback by following the â€Å"2 + 2† formula, which is actually making two positive comments and two suggestions for improvement. This way, if there are four peers present, a total of eight positive comments and eight different suggestions for improvement will be made available for the teacher’s consideration. All the time, videotaping is going on, so that every one will have a live record of what is happening. For the teacher such micro-teaching sessions would represent opportunities for safe practice and useful feedback. Colleagues may like to consider this suggestion, give it some thought and then try it out together with other colleagues. Colleagues may form â€Å"self-help groups† for micro-teaching/peer review purposes, whereby each colleague will take turns to be â€Å"observed and evaluated† and every time one colleague will act as â€Å"supervisor†. It should be emphasised that not only â€Å"generic† teaching kills such as getting students motivated and interested in the lesson, but even more importantly, particular skills that are specific to a given discipline or subject area should be trained and practised. Thanks to information technology (IT) facilities such as capturing video segments and footage, capturing sound and other media effects onto VCD’s and CD-ROM’s, colleagues these days can â€Å"store† their teaching endeavours and micro-teaching sessions reviewed by peers, in IT-based formats as well as in print format, making documentation of their teaching performances so much more versatile and variegated.

Family Night Agenda Handout and presentation

Family Night Agenda Handout and presentation Topic for family night The topic of my family night is one that many families around the world can relate to only too well. For my family night, the main agenda will be to discuss the issue of drug abuse given that it is amongst the many social and health problem that affect many families in the society.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Family Night Agenda Handout and presentation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Almost each household is in one way or another affected by drug abuse and as such, it is important to discuss and create awareness about this issue as this could help discourage drug abuse among family members and help one get help if she or he is already in the problem. Ice breaker activity Discussions about drug abuse may involve opening up, asking and speaking about sensitive issues and this can only be possible once everyone is relaxed and feeling as part and parcel of the discussion. One way o f encouraging this is to engage an ice breaker activity which in this case will be a fun activity. Our fun activity will involve all the family members writing four things about themselves of which three are to be true and only one false. The papers will then be exchanged so that a different person reads another’s sentences to the family so the family members can attempt guessing which of the sentences is wrong. After all the guesses, the writer will reveal the wrong sentence of the four and then the next set of questions will be read out. This will continue until all the papers are read out. Apart from being a fun activity, it will also help the family members know one another more and feel more at ease around one another. Breakdown of events The discussions are meant to last for roughly an hour and we will begin by defining what we all understand by drug abuse and why we think people engage in drug abuse. Given the difficulty that many find in admitting that they have a dru g abuse problem, the family night will discuss signs that can help one identify and know that he or she is abusing drugs and what steps to take towards tackling this problem. The discussions will also cover the roles that parents or guardians should play in discouraging this vice especially among the youth. These discussions will entail everyone being encouraged to voice their opinions and ask any pressing questions. Book that covers the agenda As a way of getting a deeper understanding on the effects of drug abuse in the society, we will overview some published information on the issue and recommend that everyone reads a certain book, explores a certain website, and find out more about the activities of a community based center.Advertising Looking for critical writing on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For this topic, one of the books that best explores the issue of drug abuse in the society is â⠂¬Å"The etiology and prevention of drug abuse among minority youth,† which is authored by Gilbert J Botvin and Steven Schinke and published in 1997 by Haworth Press Incorporated. In summary, the book examines issues related to racial identity, the use of alcohol and marijuana by young people and additionally, suggests some ways of tackling this problem by involving the whole community. Website that covers the agenda The website that satisfactorily covers our agenda for the family night is â€Å"Panorama† and is found at https://www.tigweb.org/youth-media/panorama/article.html?ContentID=4223. This website extensively covers the dangers related to drug abuse in the society, especially by the youth. Community resource that addresses the problem There are numerous centers that can be very helpful in providing information about drug abuse and for our family agenda, we shall explore the activities of the New Hope Recovery Centre, which is situated in Chicago at of Lincoln squ are locality.

6,399,322 Ways to Get More Social Media Engagement [PODCAST]

6,399,322 Ways to Get More Social Media Engagement [PODCAST] Have you had the frustrating experience of sending out social media posts only to receive no engagement whatsoever? Most marketers have had this happen, and some have it happen frequently. Today we’re going to be talking to ’s own Nathan Ellering. He’s the head of demand generation here at , and he has conducted a study that allows him to predict how well a particular post will do on any social media platform. Do you want to increase your social media engagement? If so, you won’t want to miss today’s show. Some of the highlights of this episode include: The scoop on and what it is Nathan does here as the head of demand generation. Nathan also shares how big the demand generation team is. Why Nathan took on his research project on which social media posts tend to do well on which platforms and how he evaluated different standards of performance. How the demand generation team uses data to do what works, over and over again. How Nathan went from having massive pile of data to putting it all into motion to work for . Why marketers should focus on content before mechanics. Hints on where to get the inspiration needed to create great content. Nathan explains methods such as PAS (problem-agitate-solve), bridge after bridge, AIDA (attention, interest, desire, action), and the 4 Cs (clear, concise, compelling, credibility). How to use closed-ended questions, controversy, anecdotes, and quotes on social media for maximum engagement. Specific strategies for finding success on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google+. Nathan’s very best advice on leveling up your social media skills.

Multiple Synthesis Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Multiple Synthesis - Lab Report Example The Biltz’s process of synthesizing phenytoin involves several steps, with each step forming a product that will be used in the next step. The process starts with the synthesis of benzil from benzoin, which then undergoes condensation catalysis by a base with urea. The multistep synthesis of various natural products, most of which are used as medicine, is necessary because of the lack of naturally occurring starting materials, and also because of the reason that multistep synthesis allows for the modification of various functional groups in the medicine, thus improving efficiency. 1.3 grams of thiamine hydrochloride were dissolved in 4.0 mL of distilled water in a 50 mL Erlenmeyer flask. 1.5 mL of 95% ethanol was added to the flask and the mixture cooled in an ice water bath. 2.5 mL of 3.0M sodium hydroxide was added dropwise to the solution while swirling. The temperature of the reaction system was maintained at below 20⠁ °C. While swirling the flask, 7.5 mL of benzaldehyde was added to the flask and the mixture heated in a water bath at 50⠁ °C for ten minutes. The flask was labeled and covered with a Parafilm ® and then placed in a fume hood for one week. The inside of the flask was gently scratched with a glass stir rod to induce crystallization. Since no crystals formed, the stir rod was dipped into the liquid and removed, and then allowed to dry in air. The flask was placed in a water bath with a temperature of 60⠁ °C to evaporate off some ethanol and then cooled in an ice bath. The color of the solution was noted down. 4.00 grams of the benzoin provided were added to a 125 mL Erlenmeyer flask. The mixture was heated in a water bath in a fume hood until the mixture stopped producing brown-colored gas. The flask was then removed from the water bath and then 75.0 mL of distilled water added to the mixture. The mixture

International Business Practices-Phase 1 DB Essay

International Business Practices-Phase 1 DB - Essay Example er provides insight into international marketing and specific examples of mistakes companies have made in the past at marketing their products on foreign grounds. In the 21st century introducing new products into the international market is a basic necessity of any company trying to increase its sales and customer base. International marketing efforts require American businesspeople to at least gain a basic familiarity with the customs and practices of the country in which a company is considering doing business (Kammeyer, 2006). The discrepancies in the characteristics of a foreign customer include different taste and preferences, different lifestyles and altogether a different culture (Exploring International Markets, 2007). Marketing analyst must take these factors into consideration as they develop marketing plans and campaigns which incorporate penetration of international markets. There are many variables and elements that must be considered within a marketing plan to introduce new products into a different country. Some of the main factors that must be considered are listed below: Culture influences the behavior, views, customs and values of people, thus culture must be considered in the creation of marketing campaigns. In Asia red ink symbols a message from the dead; any written messages with ads in this market should never include red ink to avoid disrespectful messages. Racial and ethnic implications can cause great misunderstanding and lead to disastrous blunders. In 2002 A&F introduced a T-shirt which became very popular and created a lot of controversy, since they displayed slogans and stereotyped images of Asians (Direct Newsline, 2002). The campaign was launched nationally by the company. By creating such a racially offensive product this company hurt it chances of launching its products in the future to the Asian market which in the year 2000 produced $3,331 billion in GNP (Schneider, 2002). Climatic differences must be considered before

Microsoft Word Essay Example for Free

Microsoft Word Essay i »? For M2, the evidence can be taken from anywhere. Learners are not required to learn standard proofing symbols, but are expected to make notes or marks on the original document which indicate what has to be done. Evidence will require the initial documents, the final documents and some indication of authenticity of work. Indications of what would be appropriate are included in the relevant section of the PSA. As part of my continued training in my post I am required to maintain and improve my communication skills. I will communicate review draft documents to produce final versions. Spell checker was one tool that I used to review draft documents. I clicked on the Spelling Grammar option. I then looked to see the options for the misspelt word and then pressed add. I then got a pop up showing that the spelling and grammar were all correct. Spelling and Grammar options are very important to ensure that everything is making sense and everything is spelt correctly. It’s very important that when you hand work in its perfect as if it’s not it will look unprofessional. Sometimes the Spelling and Grammar option may pick out words and spell them the American way. This option should be used with caution. Next I made use of the thesaurus and synonyms options. I right clicked a word that I wanted to change and clicked Synonyms which gave me a list of words I could change it to. Another option is to press Thesaurus on the review section. It does the same as Synonyms. The Thesaurus and synonyms option is very useful if you want to up level words or find other suitable options for specific words. When changing to more complex words it makes your work sound more professional and high level. Lastly, I made use of document tracking options. This is a very important factor when reviewing documentations and can help compare new documents to prior old ones. I chose the Track changed option and changed my document according to how I wanted it to be. I then pressed accept and it showed and highlighted where I had made changed in my document. The Document Tracking Option allows you to track where you have change the document. It also allows you to compare with the previous one so you can decide what you think is better which is very useful. Making use of the reviewing tools that Microsoft word has to offer is very important. Each tool can help greatly when reviewing documents in order to make sure they are at a high level standard that do not include any grammatical or spelling errors that may make the individual look unprofessional. There are many more tools and techniques then the ones listed in this report that can help greatly in the review process. It’s always very important to make sure that there are no errors in the work as the individual needs to show that they are checking their work and are motivated and care about the quality of the work in helping aid and contribute to the company or business. Using all these tools can help aid the review process and can help improve the quality of the work thus helping the quality in which it contributes to the business or company. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Software section.

Ithaca by C.P. Cavafy Essay -- Ithaca C.P. Cavafy Greek Poetry Essays

Ithaca by C.P. Cavafy Everyone is given the opportunity to take the odyssey that is "life, however it is important to make the journey as memorable as one possibly can. The poem "Ithaca" by C.P. Cavafy suggests that what is most important in life is the experience that is incorporated with the journey, not necessarily just reaching the ultimate goal. It is the quest, not the destination which matters most. This message is conveyed through the poem through the use of allusion, myth and symbolism. The poem, "Ithaca", is based loosely around the great epic the Odyssey by ancient Greek poet Homer. In the Odyssey the character Odysseus trying to make his way home to his kingdom, Ithaca. The character faces many vicious creatures and other challenges he must endure in order to make it to the final goal. This is alluded to in the poem, by making reference to one of the characters starting out on "[his] journey to Ithaca" (line 1). C.P. Cavafy also refers to mythological creatures such as "the Cyclopes and the fierce Poseidon" (line 5), as well as "the Lestrygonians" (li...

The effect of inadequate protection of migrants in the food

The research paper critically analyses the effect of inadequate protection for migrant workers in the food and beverage industry. The research identifies the lack of adequate shelter, anti-immigration laws and lack of basic citizen’s rights. A critical analysis of the data sources and methods applied is considered. The Literature review section highlights the work of other researchers with respect to the research question â€Å"What exactly does it mean to say that migrant workers lack adequate protection in the food and beverage industry† A further analysis on the methodology is conducted which includes: Evaluation of housing conditions, the impact of   staffing, animals salary and the â€Å"No- Match† analysis. The research paper is   then conducted by highlighting the fact that there are labor shortage in the industry, therefore there is an increased dependency on migrant workers. Despite this fact, migrant workers are left without good conditions of service and ultimately lack of adequate protection especially with the anti-immigration laws in place. The paper then concludes by proposing better rights and protection for migrant workers in the food and beverage industry. Purpose The purpose of this research is to critically assess and analyse the effect of inadequate protection of migrants in the food and beverage industry. Scope This research identifies the lack of housing, anti- immigration laws and basic citizen’s rights in the food and beverage industry. Data, sources and Methods applied. An assessment of the housing conditions of the migrants was evaluated. The Sonoma and Napa counties of California was studied. The total numbers of the combined work force was determined and thereafter the percentage and number of migrants that have a shelter was then evaluated. A survey of the impact of staffing and plant services as a result of anti-immigrant laws was carried out. Annual salary and the job satisfaction was surveyed among the migrants. Finally, the use of the â€Å"NO -MATCH† data in the enforcement of immigration laws evaluated to show the effect of incorrect earning and information of migrant workers in the food and beverage industry. Limitations Certain limitations were encountered in this research. The effect of improper medical service and due compensation have not be considered in detail due to the lack of relevant data. LITERATURE REVIEW Robert Mondavi has often mentioned, â€Å" California has the soils and climate. California along with Australia, has led the wine world in technical advance in the winery and now in the vineyard- although there is still work to be done there. California can compete with other wine producing regions at almost every price level. From $5 a bottle to $100- plus,†Ã‚   (Mondavi, October 2002). Over the pact fifty years, national surveys of Americans   (NORC 1947,1972-98; Harris 1973,1981) Shows consistently that California has one advantages over the competition: the vineyard workers. There isn’t another vine growing region that workers with the worth ethnic the ability to rapidly learn necessary skills and the joy of life that California has with its Mexican and other Latin American field workers. They are an asset that can hardly be measured in dollars. The Sonoma and Napa counties alone have a combined harvest workforce of 16,000. there are only a few hundred beds for migrants on the entire North coast workers sleep in churches, crawled into single rooms, under bridges and wherever they can find room for a blanket. The vineyard workers, both migrants and permanent, documented and undocumented, are the most precious commodity California vine growers have. (FirstenFeld, 2002). Amelia Morgan Ceja put it well (Morgan, A.C., 2002) when she said that without the Mexican workers, there would be no California wine industry. The workers are responsible adults, supporting familiar back in Mexico. They deserve to be treated as such and allowed  the refreshment and relaxation that comes from a cold or (why not?) a glass or two of wine. It is bitterly ironic that wine generous should enforce prohibition on their own workers. Over the past two decades researches have increasingly investigated the determinant of the effect of larger staff (Kearl, Harris 1981) on the food and beverage industry. They postulated that the larger the staff and the better the welfare, the more efficient and productive the industry becomes. Requests for supplementary personnel were followed by wishers for more communication and better directions, better or updated equipment and computer technologies, more training and the availability of proper resources. While doing more with less has been an issue for years in most industrial especially the food and beverage (Harper, February 2004), pending anti-immigrants laws may have a huge impact on the operating efficiency and staffing in industry. When asked to described what, if any impact on staffing and plant services might occur as a result of anti-emigrants laws, Nancy Cruzan, stated that â€Å"one hundred percent of plant hourly workers are migrants, so we would be grateful affected by anti-emigrants labor initiatives (Cruzan, 2004). However, some researchers are more optimistic. â€Å"Industry will experience a period of labor shortage, but these problems will diminish over time as the migrants work force learns the proper process to gain employment† (Doyle, 2005) and â€Å"It should improve staffing by providing a system to get manual labor to do unskilled job through a documented controlled process. â€Å" (Doyle, 2005 Accordingly to Joy LePree, food and beverage workers find their jobs satisfying, but say there’s room for improvement ( LePree, December 1, 2006) Peter Wellington, a wine maker wrote a letter decrying the treatment received by the migrants workers He stated â€Å" This is not a problem of illegal immigrants, it’s a problem of homeless immigrants that creates a problem both for the community and the workers who don’t have decent facilities, (Wellington 1991). He relates â€Å"If you’re going to go out and pick group 10hours a day and have to cook over an open fire and not have a toilet or a place to take a shower or a dry place to sleep when it rains, that’s in human† In mainland China, there is and enormous floating population moving into the industrial towns cities. Their hands have helped build the cities high-rises, and their blood and sweat has paved the enter-city highways. The toil over 10 hours a day producing a range of goods in the manufactureing industry. Let they do not even have basic citizens rights. (Chen K.K, 2002). Migrants workers may be workers, but the industry in only interested in exploring their most productive years. They are not given adequate shelter, not insured against unemployment or old age, they are still denied pensions overtime pay, and working hours may as well not exist. Underlying every theory in the issue of inadequate protection. What exactly does it mean to say that migrant workers lack adequate protection in the food and beverage industry?. This is because migrant workers constitute the majority work force and are essential to the growth of the industry. They lack adequate protection, yet they are indispensable. METHODOLOGY Evaluation of housing conditions. An evaluation of the housing conditions of the migrants workers was conducted. The study considered the case of Sonoma and Napa countier of California. The total number of the combined workforce is 16,000. Only 500 beds are for migrants workers on the entire North cost. Workers sleep in churches, crowed into single rooms, under bridge and wherever they can find room for a blanket. Impact of staffing As surveying was carried out on the impact of staffing and plant service as a result of anti-immigration laws. Some of the employers in the industry were 100% of the result showered that â€Å"immigrants. This could lead to a huge effect on the productivity in the food and beverage sector. Another 50% of the work force could be lost. Still, others fear it would shut down operations entirely. However, some were more optimistic that the industry will this problem will diminish over time as the migrant workforce learns the proper process to gain employment. Immigration issues ranked among the top five most important workplace issues companies face today. When respondents were asked in a open ended question about the most important workplace issues faced today, safety was cited most often retaining trained staff and a qualified workplace was the second most significant issue with competition and the labor shortage tying third, communications ranked fourth and finally, immigrants taking fifth place. Annual Salary The annual salary of migrants workers shows that 90% of migrants workers are under paid, 10% still make good money ($75-$100) a ton). Most of them come back year after year. Job satisfaction in good but can be better No- Match data The use of SSA’s â€Å" No-match data with respect to immigration laws was analysed. A survey shows that employers used the same SSN for as many as 10 different workers in the same tax year as many as 308 times over a 16-year period studied. The result showed that employers used the same SSN for more than 100 earnings reports. Employers most frequently associated with incorrect earnings reports belonged to industry groups historically known to employ illegal immigrants such as agriculture, food and beverage industry. Employers in these industries are most likely to file earnings reports with incorrect information. CONCLUSION For decades, the most labor-intensive sectors of American agriculture have been dependent on alien workers to meet basic workforce needs. In recent years almost all sectors have dealt with labor shortage by employing alien workers. The food and beverage industry is no exception. Unfortunately, these migrant workers are given inadequate protection in terms of housing wages pension and anti-immigration laws. Despite the fact that the contribution of these workers in the industry cannot be quantified, they are not given better conditions of service. Better rights for alien workers is therefore proposed. References REFERENCES 1.Chen K. K, 2002,† Unprotected Migrant workers†. Wines and vines Publishers 2.Cruzan, 2004, â€Å"Effect of anti- immigrant laws†. Evans Publishers. 3.Doyle, 2005, : â€Å"Labor Shortage and the Food Industry†. Chicago Press. 4.Firstenfeld, 2002, â€Å" What Wine Growers Have†. Heineman Publishers 5.Harper, February 2004, â€Å"Alien workers and anti- immigrant laws â€Å" Wines Vines. 6.Kearl; Harris 1981, â€Å" Adequate Compensation for Migrants workers† New York Press. 7. Le Pree December 1, 2006, â€Å"The joy of Food and Beverage workers†. Mcgraw hill Press 8. Mondavi R, October 2002, â€Å" working in wine and vines†. New York Press. 9. Morgan. A. C, 2002 â€Å"California’s secret Weapon†, Wines and Vines Publishers. 10.   NORC, 1947, 1972-79, Harris 1973, 1981, â€Å" National Survey of Americans†. New York Press. 11.Wellington 1991, â€Å" Treatment received by Migrant Workers†. Retrieved the pick of the crop.            

Customer Outreach Representative

As assigned as a bilingual representative, handle Spanish line calls and related activities. Essential Functions Actively participate in the retention and attainment of servicing account vole me through the consistent delivery' of excellent internal and external customer service. 2. Communicate with student loan borrowers/ endorsers using the Borrower Services call model, department policies and procedures, and online tools. Identify the reason(s) t he borrower is having or may have difficulty maintaining their student loan account in good standing g.Present solutions hat are suited to the borrower's situation, with an emphasis on long term sol suctions. 3. Effectively counsel borrowers/ endorsers. Share critical information regarding their rights and responsibilities, the benefits of maintaining their account in good standing, an d the consequences of default. 4. Verify and obtain new demographic information during contacts with borrow errs and others. 5. Secure the information and documentation necessary to qualify borrowers of r payment plans, deferments, and forbearance's. 6. Keep up to date with department policies and procedures. 7.Assist in the investigation of difficult and problem accounts. Follow and/ or take the appropriate action to resolve the concern. 8. Initiate feedback to Borrower Services Supervisor(s) with ideas to improve pro ceases. 9. Document communication and borrower commitments. 10. Contribute to a positive work environment. 11. Perform additional tasks related to the resolution and maintenance of deadline .NET student loan accounts. Borrower Borrower Seer vicesCustomer Outreach Representative. Doc (09/06/2013) Physical Demands of Position High frequency talking, hearing, near vision, keyboard entry and sitting.Environmental/Working Conditions of Position Inside office or work from home environment Equipment Used Various computer, printing, and telecommunications equipment such as telex hone, headset, computer, copiers, and printers al ong with other workstation tools.

PROMETHEUS BOUND essays

PROMETHEUS BOUND essays Peter Paul Rubens (1547 - 1640) When I walked into the Philadelphia Museum of Art for my first time I could not wait to start looking at the artworks of brilliant artist of the past and present. I took my time on my first visit looking at as much as I could. Prometheus Bound by Peter Paul Ruben and Frans Synders, is one of the painting that drew my attention immediately and beckoned me to examine its history. Located on the second floor in room 258, this oil on canvas painting, spanning 95 7/8 x 82 1/2 (7 117/8 x 6 101/2), was begun in 1611 and completed in 1618. Ruben completed the majority of the painting while Synders painted the giant Caucasian Eagle. I choose this painting because I am interested in myths and legends, and the story of Prometheus is of my favorites. I feel Ruben and Synders rendition is unique and mesmerizing due to the visual attributes. In both Greek and Roman mythologies Prometheus was a Titan whose name means "Forethought." Although there are several versions of the myths, the most famous are that Prometheus creates man and later steals fire from Mount Olympus to save mankind. In the Greek myth, Prometheus was the creator of mankind. The goddess Athena taught him architecture, astronomy, mathematics, navigation, medicine, and metallurgy, and he in turn taught them to humans. Zeus, the chief of the Greek gods, became angry with Prometheus for making people powerful by teaching them all these useful skills. Then when the gods chose Prometheus as mediator in a dispute, he fooled the gullible Zeus into picking the worst parts of the sacrificial bull by hiding them under a rich layer of fat. To punish Prometheus, Zeus withheld fire from men. "Let them eat their flesh raw," he declared. Nevertheless, Prometheus disobeyed Zeus and stole fire from one of the other gods, returning to earth to delivered fire to mankind. Z eus trie...

Green Technology Definition and Examples

Green Technology Definition and Examples Green technology, also known as sustainable technology, takes into account the long- and short-term impact something has on the environment. Green products are by definition, environmentally friendly. Energy efficiency, recycling, health and safety concerns, renewable resources, and more all go into the making of a green product or technology. Go Green or Face Extinction? Since the invention of the steam engine kicked off the Industrial Revolution, our planet has suffered rapid changes in climate that include increasingly severe droughts, increased depletion of groundwater reserves, seawater acidification, rising seawater levels, the rapid spread of diseases and macroparasites, and the extinction of species.  Unless we intervene, these changes may prove irreversible. Green technology offers us the best hope to counteract the effects of climate change and pollution. Why? The world has a fixed amount of natural resources, some of which have already been depleted or ruined. For example, household batteries and electronics often contain dangerous chemicals that pollute soil and groundwater with chemicals that cannot be removed from our drinking water supply and wind up in food crops and livestock grown on contaminated soil. The health risks alone are staggering. Plastic pollutants are another nonsustainable resource thats destroying the ocean habitats of sea creatures around the world- killing off fish, birds, and countless other species. Larger pieces pose choking and strangulation hazards, while the tiny particles of disintegrating plastic are making their way into the bottom of the food chain. As larger fish feed on contaminated krill, they too become contaminated and if those fish are subsequently harvested for human consumption, the contaminants are going to wind up on your plate and in your stomach. Not so appetizing, right? Fast Facts: Principles of Sustainability There are three principles which define sustainability in any type of material, as described by the American ecologist and economist Herman Daly:  Nonrenewable resources should not be depleted at rates higher than the development rate of renewable substitutes.Renewable resources should not be exploited at a rate higher than their regeneration levels.The absorption and regeneration capacity of the natural environment should not be exceeded. Renewable Energy vs. Nonrenewable Energy Nonrenewable energy resources include nuclear, hydrogen, coal, natural gas, and oil. All of these currently fail the definition of sustainability in one way or another but most painfully in the ability of the environment to absorb and regenerate the expenses related to their extraction or production.   One of the best-known examples of green technology is the solar cell, which directly converts energy from natural light into electrical energy via the process of photovoltaics. Generating electricity from solar energy equates to less consumption of fossil fuels, as well as the reduction of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. While some detractors argue that solar panels are expensive and unattractive, new inventions may be just around the corner to offset these concerns. Community solar groups, in which renters will share solar panel products, and new spray-on photovoltaic film using perovskites that have the potential to convert regular window glass to solar collectors are just two possibilities on the horizon that show great promise for the future of solar assets.   Other renewable energy sources include hydro, biomass, wind, and geothermal, but unfortunately, these assets are not currently be exploited at adequate levels to replace nonrenewable sources. Some members of the energy industry are dead set against going green, while others see it as both a challenge and an opportunity.  The bottom line is that while non-renewable energy resources currently comprise 80 percent of the worlds energy requirements, over time, thats simply not going to sustainable.  If we hope to maintain life on our planet, emerging green energy technology must be used alongside existing methods to transition from the unsustainable to the sustainable. The Power of Positive Green Thinking Here a just a few reasons why going green is in everyones best interest: Inventors should know that green inventions and clean technologies are good business. These are fast-growing markets with growing profits.Consumers should know that buying green inventions can reduce energy bills and are often safer and healthier than non-green counterparts.  Even making small changes can have a large-term impact. For instance, consider the waste created by plastic water bottles. Of course, drinking lots of water is a healthy practice but changing out reusable water bottles for disposable ones is health-promoting, eco-friendly, and green. Sources   Cedeà ±o-Laurent, J.G., et al. Building Evidence for Health: Green Buildings, Current Science, and Future Challenges. Annual Review of Public Health 39.1 (2018): 291-308. Print.Hesketh, Robert P. Introduction to Sustainable and Green Engineering: General Principles and Targets. Encyclopedia of Sustainable Technologies. Ed. Abraham, Martin A. Oxford: Elsevier, 2017. 497-507. Print.Oncel, Suphi S. Green Energy Engineering: Opening a Green Way for the Future. Journal of Cleaner Production 142 (2017): 3095-100. Print.Tonn, B., and P. Carpenter. Technology for Sustainability. Encyclopedia of Ecology. Eds. Jà ¸rgensen, Sven Erik, and Brian D. Fath. Oxford: Academic Press, 2008. 3489-93. Print.Worland, Justin. Inside the New Technology That Could Transform the Solar Power Industry. Time, 2018. Web

Paper on Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paper on Language - Essay Example Another more recent definition of language is given by Michael Holiday. According to him: "Language is a range of possibilities, an open-ended set of options in behavior that are available to the individual in his existence as social man. The context of culture is the environment of any particular selection that is made from within them ... The context of culture defines the potential, the range of possibilities that are open. The actual choice among these possibilities takes place within a given context of situation." This definition is much more encompassing as it highlights that language is not just through the use of vocal or oral symbols but a range of possibilities. Man communicates through speech, writing, and still other means are introduced in this digital age. A human also engage in non-verbal communication through his actions and entire behavior. Holiday also asserts that language can only fully understood in the context of the culture of the speaker or his lexicon. Lexicon is defined as the "knowledge of that the speaker has about a language." This includes information about the form and meaning of the words and phrases, lexical categorization, the appropriate usage of words, relationship between words and phrases, and categories of words and phrases. b. Evaluate the key features of language. The understanding of language can be acquired by evaluating its key features (Design features of Language 2007). 1. Duality of patterning is a basic principle in human language. This feature of language provides an economic way for human beings to create an infinite set of linguistic units. It should be noted that the individual sounds comprising language is meaningless in themselves. Yet, these sounds can be combined together in other to become produce an infinite number of "meaningful utterances." 2. Displacement refers to the unique sense of time in human beings. As opposed to animals, humans have the ability to separate the past from the future and can talk about these time spheres. 3. Open-endedness describes the ability of humans to add new words to the current set of words. This is illustrated by the words which are coined according to our new experiences and innovations which augment, enhance, and even modify our language. 4. Arbitrariness refers to the lack of "natural or essential relationship" between to the words and the objects they refer to. This also highlights that the meaning of the words are constructed through social conventions. 5. Vocal-auditory channel is the feature of human language which sets it apart from animals. Human's communication is through the ears and the mouth and not through other channels like nose or eyes. c. Describe the four levels of language structure and processing. There are four levels of language structure and processing namely, grammar, logic, semantics, and general semantics. Grammar relations refer to the words to words relationship within a sentence without considering the relation of each sentence to another. Logic takes a step further by looking at the statement to statement relationships by evaluating subjects and predicates in an