Judicial Control of Administrative Action in India and Writs

1 Judicial Control of Administrative Action in India and Writs One of the important field of the study of the administrative law is the „? Judicial Control of Administrative Action in India. Today the power of the administrative authorities become very strong and thus it resulted different complications and repercussions in the socio-economic field in India. Therefore, considering the day to day increasing power of the administrative bodies judicial control is become an important area of the administrative law as because the judicial department i. . Courts have proved to be the more effective and beneficiary branch than any other Parliamentary or Legislative or Administrative action for the purpose of the controlling the administrative action in India. In this regard Prof. Jain & Jain rightly quoted that, â€Å"the real kernel of democracy lies in the courts enjoying the ultimate authority to restrain all exercise of absolute and arbitrary power.Without some kind of judicial p ower to control the administrative authorities, there is a danger that they may commit excess and degenerate into arbitrary authorities, and such a development would be inimical to a democratic Constitution and the concept of rule of law† . Administrative law also provides for control over administrative action by an outside agency strong enough to prevent injustice to the individual while leaving the administrative agencies adequate freedom to enable them to carry on effective administration. Administrative Action† is a very comprehensive term in which all the actions of administration are included. Administration is the meeting point of three types of government functions. The executive performs the residue of all these functions which are not vested in the two other branches of government i. e. the legislature and the judiciary. 1 Administration exercises a variety of powers. Administrative action may therefore, be legislative or judicial or neither, i. e. it could be discretionary non-judicial order or merely a ministerial act.All these functions are exercised by the administration. Administrative process in this way cuts across the traditional classification of governmental powers and combines into one, all the powers which were traditionally exercised by three different organs of state i. e. the legislature, the judiciary and the Executive. Power of Judicial control of the Administrative action may be divided under two heads in India :- (I) Judicial Control of Administrative actions by Writs: Administrative actions may be controlled by the Courts by issuing different writs under different circumstances in India.Courts through issuing different writs playing a vital role in the judicial control of administrative actions in India. Article 32(2) provides that the Supreme Court shall have power to issue directions or orders or including writs in the nature of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and certiorari, whichever may be appr opriate for the enforcement of any of the fundamental rights 2 and for the control of the administrative action in India. This right is available only against State as defined under Article 12 of the Constitution of India.This Article provide only Original jurisdiction to the Supreme Court not the Appellate jurisdiction. Thus a person can go straight to the Supreme Court for the protection of his Fundamental rights; this jurisdiction of Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution is considered as a part of the basic structure of the Constitution. Article 226 empowers the High Court to issue writs for the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights as well as for any other oppose. Article 226 provides that notwithstanding 1. Jayantilal Amrat Lal Vs F. N. Rana, A. I. R. 1964 S. C. 648, 55. . Bandhua Mukti Morcha V. Union of India, A. I. R. 1976 S. C. 803. 2 anything in Article 32, every High Court shall have power throughout the territories in relation to which it exercises jurisdict ion, to issue to any person or authority including in appropriate cases any Government within those territories, directions, orders or which including writs in the nature of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and certiorari, or any of them for the endorsement of any of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by part III of the Constitution and for any other purpose.Both Article 32 and Article 226 provide five kinds of writs through which administrative action may be judicially controlled along with other actions. Article 226 under clause (4) made it quite clear that though both the Articles provides right of writs under the same heads, i. e. habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and certiorari, but the power conferred on a High Court by Article 226 shall not be in derogation of the power conferred on the Supreme Court by Clause (2) of Article 32.Judicial Control over administrative action is exercised through the Constitutional extraordinary remedies and statu tory ordinary remedies as well. Provisions for extraordinary remedies have been made under Article 32 and 226 of the Constitution. For controlling administrative action Supreme Court and High Court can issue the writs of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and certiorari. A short discussion is given hereunder:Habeas Corpus: Habeas Corpus means bring the body.The writ of habeas Corpus is issued as an order calling upon the person who has detain another person to produce the detune before the Court to examine the legality of his detention. If the detune is produced before the Court and the Court finds the detention is illegal then it will order for the immediate release of the person detained illegally. The main objective of this writ is not to punish the person who has detained another person illegally but to secure immediate release of the person detained illegally whether in prison or private custody.Mandamus: The writ of mandamus is, in form, a control or command is sued by the Superior Court (the Supreme Court and High Court) to the Government, inferior court, tribunal, corporation, authority or any other person having public duty to perform asking such the Government, inferior court, tribunal, corporation, authority or any other person to perform the public duty or to refrain from doing illegal act.Thus mandamus is defined as a command issued to direct any person, corporation, inferior court or government requiring them or him to do any particular thing which he or they should do as a duty of his or their office and is in the nature of public duty or to prevent them from doing any illegal act. The purpose of this writ is to compel the performance of public duties prescribed by the statute and to keep a control over the subordinate court, Tribunal, corporation and other officers or administration exercising public duty.Certiorari: The writ of certiorari is the writ, which is issued by the Superior Court (i. e. Supreme Court or the High Court) to the inferior court or Tribunal or body exercising judicial or quasijudicial functions to remove the proceedings from such Court, Tribunal or body for examining the legality of the proceedings. If any order passed by the lower court or Tribunal or body exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions is found to be illegal by the Superior court then the Superior court may quash or demolish it.It also controls the judicial or quasi-judicial functions of the inferior court or Tribunal or body exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions exceeding it jurisdiction. 3 The prime aim of the writ of certiorari is to keep judicial control over the inferior courts or Tribunal or bodies functioning judicially or quasi-judicially within the limit of the jurisdiction allocated to them by the law and to prevent them from acting in excess of their jurisdiction.Prohibition : The writ of Prohibition is issued by a superior court to an inferior court or tribunal or body exercising judicial or qua si-judicial functions for preventing such inferior court or tribunal or body exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions from uprising jurisdiction which is legally not vested to them or from acting in violation of the principles of natural justice or from acting under the unconstitutional law.The object of the prohibition is to restrain the inferior courts or tribunals or bodies exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions from exceeding their jurisdiction. To control and keep them under the limit of their jurisdiction. Prohibition is an order of Superior courts directed to an inferior courts which forbids the court to continue proceedings in excess of its jurisdiction or in contravention of the law of the land.Quo Warranto: The word ‘Quo Warranto’ means „By what authority?. The writ of Quo Warranto is issued against a person who occupies or holds or usurps an independent sustentative office and asked him to show by what authority he claims it. The procedu re of this writ confers jurisdiction on the court to call upon the person holding an independent substantive public office or franchise or liberty to show by what right or authority he holds the said office or franchise or liberty.The unauthorized or illegal occupant of such office may be ousted by the judicial order and the person entitled to the office may be allowed to hold or occupy it. The object of this writ is to protect or control the right of the citizen through Courts from being deprived of public office to which he may have a right. By this writ the court protects the public from usurpers of the public office and control the administrative action in making appointment of the public office.Through this writ the court protects a citizen from being deprived of a public office to which he is legally entitled to hold. (II) Judicial Control of Administrative action by other than Writs: Some important aspects other than Writs also provided to the Constitution of India for the ju dicial control the administrative action in India. (i) Special Leave to appeal: The power of judicial review conferred on the Supreme Court under Article 136 is special or extraordinary in nature. This power is in the nature of a residuary reserve power of judicial review.Article 136 lays down that the Supreme Court may, in its discretion, grant special leave to appeal from any judgment, decree, determination, sentence or order in any cause or matter passed or made by any Court or Tribunal, except any Court or Tribunal constituted by or under any law relating to the Armed Forces. Since the Supreme Court has been invested with a plenary jurisdiction to hear appeals against the decisions of Administrative Tribunals and other adjudicating agencies, it is now regarded as an important mode of judicial review of administrative adjudications.But this jurisdiction is special and exercisable outside the purview of ordinary law. The Court entertains special leave only where the needs of justi ce demand its interference. 3 (ii) Supervisory Jurisdiction: The power of judicial review which has been conferred on all the High Courts under Article 227 is supervisory in nature. Article 227 provides that ever High Court shall have superintendence over all Courts and tribunals throughout the territories in relation to which it 3. Durga Shanker Mehta v. Raghuraj Singh, A. I. R. 1951 S. C. 20 (522). 4 exercises jurisdiction. This supervisory power is both judicial and administrative in nature. 4 The supervisory jurisdiction conferred on the High Courts under Article 227 is in addition to the power given under Article 226 to control inferior Courts or tribunals. The supervisory jurisdiction extends to keeping the subordinate tribunals within limits of that authority and ensuring that they obey the law. The power under the article can be exercised even in those cases in which no appeal or revision lie to the High Court5.Though all the above mentioned writs and non-writs power are imp ortant weapons against state (Article 32) as well as against any detune, whether a private person or State (Article 226) for the judicial control of the administrative action in India but the main instinct for the judicial control of the administrative action by writs is the writ of ‘MANDAMUS’ and ‘QUOWARRANTO’ which are equally protective against the violation of judicial as well as administrative action, and among the other than writs power is the ‘SPECIAL LEAVE TO APPEAL’ which empowers to appeal from any judicial and administrative judgment in India. ***** Department of Law, B. U. Shashi Nath Mandal LL. M ( Part – II), 4. Ram Roop v. Bishwa Nath, AIR 1958 all. 459. 5. Jagir Singh Ranbir Singh, (1979) 1 SCC 560.

Hang It Up Essay

Should students bring electronic devices to school? Some people agree with that, and some others are not; opinions are widely divided. In the article â€Å"Hang It Up,† by Jesse Scaccia, students who have electronic devices in class can affect their performance. Scaccia gives us a couple of examples. First, children have cellphones are distracted. Also, the reason children want to take cellphones to school is that cells make them look cool. Lastly, some parents say that they need to keep in touch with their children for an emergency. I strongly agree with the author when he states that cell phone use distracts students’ attention. First, I believe that cell phone use in class is distractions because it may cause children fail the class and not having a bright future. Most people do not have self-control, especially children. As the author mentions, â€Å"students fail is because of distractions in the classroom.† Children take cells will be distracted in classroom; by the end of semester, they will get low grade or fail the class because they do not have enough knowledge. After several of failures, students will put themselves become bad students, so a bad student may not go to college; it directly affects their future. However, if students do not have electronic devices distract them, they will learn more in class, and it will affect them in a positive future. Also, the bad habits will formed when children use cell phone since they are young. Children have electronic devices may develop bad habit which is disrespectful to others. For example, my friend and I ate at a restaurant last week. There was a couple sitting next to us, the boy was sitting there and playing with his cellphone, and had no conversation with his girlfriend, even his girlfriend complained to him. So, his bad habit probably formed when he was young. Otherwise, if he could put his cellphone away and talk to his girlfriend, that could be a nice dinner for them. As you can see, children take electronic devices to class is not only affect their grade in school; but also affects their habits in the future, and have a good habits is your first step towards success.

Female Genital Mutilation Comparing Two Primary Source Articles Essay

Female Genital Mutilation Comparing Two Primary Source Articles - Essay Example The two articles; "Wanjiku: Life of A Traditional Woman" by Jean Davison and "National Bodies, Unspeakable Acts: The Sexual Politics of Colonial Policy Making" by Susan Pedersen have given great insight into the myriad aspects of the custom and the controversy surrounding it. Indeed, both the articles have made it clear that female circumcision had not only cultural significance but the political connotations of the issue had superseded its relevance or non relevance in Kenya, especially in the early and mid twentieth century. It was the time when female circumcision was an intrinsic part of socio-cultural dynamics of Kenya which had become synonymous with the identity of Kikuyu. As can be adjudged by Wanjiku's narration, the inhabitants were deeply rooted in the way of life the "Gikuyu" (i.e the cultural community) proposed. A very strong joint family structure was prevalent and their entire life was concentrated within their circles. Having said so, the custom of Irua which could be a barbaric vestige to our perception was as natural for them as a harvesting season festival or a wedding. The Irua was a custom of central significance to the Kikuyu life. The public ceremony marked a new phase in the life of women, it bonded those who were "initiated" very strongy and established a hierarchical structure in the community. Sir Grigg observed in one his letters to Sidney Webb at the Colonial Office," This faction, through its ill-advised attitude, done more than anything else to delay the emancipation of Kikuyu womanhood".1 Though there was some element of truth to this statement, I believe it is important to target the heart of the matter itself. What led to Irua or Clitoridectomy to occupy such an important position in the life of Kikuyu members in the first place What is the heart of the matter The real trigger As described in Pedersen's text, Historians have sidelined in detail how the estrangement and settlement of white population pockets," the establishment of adjoining "native reserves," the construction of a system of "tribal" authority often at odds with earlier political structures, and the deliberate use of taxation and legislation to restrict Africans' freedom to grow cash crops and to coerce them into wage labor left many Kikuyu with little of their "traditional" life, except perhaps the still-powerful rituals of clitoridectomy and male circumcision." 2 Not surprisingly, Irua became synonymous with Kikuyu pride and thus gained momentum as a tradition that signified national pride. The many sides of the coin The nationalist sentiments on the basis of this custom were fanned as the custom was not allowed to remain confined to the community. It soon catapulted into the pivot around which colonial and nationalist arguments and revolutions were based. While on one

Achieving Food Security in Saudi Arabia with Sustainable Foreign Research Paper - 1

Achieving Food Security in Saudi Arabia with Sustainable Foreign Direct Investment - Research Paper Example Food cannot travel from excess to shortage areas across and within a country due to barriers at the border, poor roads, as well as checkpoints along the way (Heady & Fan, 2010). Without adequate food, grownups struggle to work and children, on the other hand, endeavor to learn, making sustainable financial development tough to attain. The global society normally uses the phrase "food security" to explain not just the availability of food, but also the capability of purchasing food. Food security refers to having a dependable source of food and adequate resources to buy it. A family is regarded to be food-secured when its members do not live in fear of starvation or hunger. Guarantying worldwide food security will only become more complex in the future as the need for food is projected to go up by 50% over the next two decades (Heady & Fan, 2010). Increased demand will come mainly from both income and population growth in middle-income nations. Global food prices augmented considerably in 2007, as well as the 1st and the 2nd quarter of 2008, leading to an international crisis and causing an economical, political and social turmoil in both developed and deprived states (Headey, 2012). Even though, the media limelight focused on the riots, which developed in the face of elevated prices, the 2007-08 global food turmoil has been years in the making. Systemic grounds for the global increases in food prices are still the subject of debate up to now. After reaching a peak point in the second quarter of 2008, prices dropped considerably in the Late-2000s recession, but went up again during 2009-10, reaching another peak point in 2011, which was slightly higher when compared to the level the prices reached in 2008 (Headey, 2012). Nevertheless, a replicate of the 2008 food crisis is not anticipated owing to ample stockpiles. Let us look at some of the causes of food insecurity in order to understand how to deal with this matter. The direct

Business synoptic - Nestle( case study& Questions) Essay

Business synoptic - Nestle( case study& Questions) - Essay Example Having recognized emerging markets and popularly positioned products as one the key growth drivers, the company’s management has developed a well-grounded strategy, focusing on absolutely new customer segments (Van Dijk and Cantarell, 2010). Obviously, while developing the company’s growth strategy, Nestle’s management team relied heavily on the global market trends and development tendencies. Developed markets were already saturated with the Nestle’s products, and did not present such great growth opportunities as the emerging markets did. Additionally, the large Western European and North American markets became mature; population growth in some countries had stagnated and in some countries there had been a small decline in food consumption (Case study, n.d.). It was evident that the declines in consumer spending and retail sales did not fit to the Nestle’s growth objectives. In response to these challenges, Nestle has made â€Å"a move of the kn ight† by focusing on emerging markets. As it has been already mentioned, developing markets represented great opportunities for multinational companies, such as Nestle. In order to receive evidence that the Nestle’s growth strategy to expand globally to emerging markets was rationally planned, let us take a brief look at the recent global trends and forecasts. According to the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, the emerging markets comprise about 82% of global population (Van Dijk and Cantarell, 2010). Considering the forecasts of the Population Division, the amount of new emerging consumers will increase by 1 billion in the next 10 years (Van Dijk and Cantarell, 2010). Unlike most developed markets, GDP in emerging markets is expected to continue to grow, and populations in many emerging countries are younger, increasingly urban and showing a growing interest in modern retail formats (Food Industry of India, 2010). Urban growth rates are expected to be: moderate in Latin America, North America and Oceania; the most rapid in Southeast Asia and China; and the slowest in East Asia (Rajagopal, 2007, p.72). All these demographic changes will likely have more profound long-term implications for the food system of the country (Rajagopal, 2007, p.72). Thus, the Nestle’s growth strategy pursues long-term perspectives that promise unbelievable growth and sales. According to the World Bank forecasts, the economies in Indonesia, China, Malaysia, India and Thailand are expected to grow quickly in the next few years, the number of people with more than $3,000 in annual income is set to rise more than 40% between 2008 and 2018 (Mijuk, 2010). Consequently, higher incomes of emerging customers will allow them to buy the products, produced by the global food leader (here Nestle). For Nestle it means that the company will be able to sell its products to much larger amount of customers and t o satisfy their modern needs and wants. Therefore, the Nestle’s focus on its growth efforts on emerging markets really does make sense. However, this strategy would make little sense, if Nestle failed to develop appropriate entry strategy to maximize the opportunities and to ignore the threats each emerging market represents. In spite of various legal, economic, environmental restrictions in certain emerging

Tornado and Hurricane formation processes Research Paper

Tornado and Hurricane formation processes - Research Paper Example The disastrous tornado began in Missouri and stayed on the ground for about 220 miles moving at a super speed to Illinois and Extending to Indiana (The tornado project 2012) The tornado left a trail on its passage measuring approximately 1.6 kilometers in width. Approximately six hundred and ninety eight persons lost their lives whereas two thousand people experienced injuries. (The tornado project 2012) On 14th April, 2011 a series of deadly tornadoes hit the Southern United States devastating the Cities of Oklahoma to Northern Carolina where dozens of people lost their lives and property (The tornado project 2012) According to Weisman et al 1982, concur that majority of violent tornadoes are spawned by Supercells storms; these storms undergo an average rotational movement (cyclonic in nature) with the highest vorticity almost coincident with the updraft core. The average rotational movement is referred as the mesocyclone. Supercells are always developed in extremely high convectibl e existing potential energy characterized by warm, moist air within the PBL and a lot of cool air aloft; large winds shear as well as convectible inhibition. Other factors responsible for the formation of Supercells may include the availability of dry air within the troposphere. This may be directed into the storm, cooled by an evaporative cooling in within the mixed air parcel. This condition leads to the development of the down draft. Strong down drafts implies strong updrafts as well as more severe storms.

Psychological Effects of Consumption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Psychological Effects of Consumption - Essay Example The dynamics of consumerism in modern social life partially indicates a collapse of other narratives of progress like religious, ideological and other traditional community values which no longer occupy such a central place in the public priorities as they did a few decades before. In their absence, the only markers of progress are the relentless accumulation of market-based assets like stock market indices, property prices and disposable income. Now, even professional and educational qualifications, are subject to obsessive interest as clues to an individuals status in the society. Benjamin R Barber in his book Jihad vs. MacWorld aptly puts it by saying "Just beyond the horizon of current events lie two possible political futures-both bleak, neither democratic. The first is a retribalization of large swaths of humankind by war and bloodshed: a threatened Lebanonization of national states in which culture is pitted against culture, people against people, tribe against tribe-a Jihad in the name of a hundred narrowly conceived faiths against every kind of interdependence, every kind of artificial social cooperation and civic mutuality. The second is being borne in on us by the onrush of economic and ecological forces that demand integration and uniformity and that mesmerize the world with fast music, fast computers, and fast food-with MTV, Macintosh, and McDonald's, pressing nations into one commercially homogenous global network: one MacWorld tied together by technology, ecology, communications, and commerce. The planet is falling precipitantly apart AND coming reluctantly together at the very same moment" The growth of market freedom has not only produced mass participation in ever increasing frenzy in shopping trends; it has also fuelled the birth of new moral energies and social revolutions ranging from environmentalism to anti-sweatshop campaigns. A growing proportion of the present population would like to participate in 'ethical' consumption choices. The route to this synthesis lies in re- evaluating the basis of the self, and the practical meaning of 'choice' in the many different settings where the modern individual now has to exercise it. Hitherto, the debate has attempted to make a distinction of principle between 'consumers' and 'citizens' in order to demonstrate that consumerism is compatible with fair outcomes, or that 'citizenship' is an alternative to the market model which can provide excellent services fairly, depending on your social and financial position. Nevertheless, the distinction between consumer and citizen is seldom put to practice despite its meaningfulness. People and markets are embedded in social and civic contexts (Kay, 2003). As a result, our everyday consumption decisions are a ripple of myriad effects, not just on the price and availability of what we are consuming, but also on the public context in which we consume it. The dominant models of choice and progress currently do not allow us to evaluate individual acts of consumption for their widespread contribution to the social, public or environmental context. Choice is interpreted as a representation of expression of private freedom and fixed preferences and not as an act of participation amid imperfect information in a socially contingent setting. Likewise, the collective models of progress in which we are conditioned to believe tend

Final paper 410 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Final paper 410 - Essay Example Most important amongst the strategies is the continued exploitation of the emerging markets that has given the chance to benefit from the increasing healthcare spending from these countries, and specifically targeting Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Research and development has also been a primary factor towards this growth and has contributed in retaining the competitive advantage. The company has also improved its healthcare sector margins to about 16.7% through cost reduction activities benefits like existing from the low Margi product and headcount reduction. General Electronics has been structured into six distinct divisions. Every division is designed a specific product category. The six divisions include Healthcare, Aviation, Home & Business solutions, Energy, Capital and Transportation. Besides these six divisions, GE has specially devoted to the Global operations and growth. It is this division that was responsible for all the sales made by the company outside the United States. This sales division is very special for the future of the company. Jeffrey Immelt, the GE’s CEO, expect that other countries besides the USA will bring in more than 60% of the total sales globally. The company has been divided into a further twelve geographical regions to ensure that it becomes successful in its global marketing and sales campaigns: South East Asia, India, China, Canada, Australia, Europe, Africa, Germany, Middle East, Russia, Latin/ South America and Japan. The company hired one of the best minds to head the global operations (John R ice). GE Healthcare planned to spend $500 million between the years 2010 and 2020 in research into neurological disorders. The investment is targeted at the healthcare global business and specializes in neurological diagnostic solutions, expanding the ongoing research and educating the consumers. The target area of research include Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder,

How American Muslims Face Battles in Their Struggle for Acceptance and Essay

How American Muslims Face Battles in Their Struggle for Acceptance and the Right to Wear Religious Grab in Public Settings - Essay Example Just like all other religious communities in America, Muslims also have a right to carry out their religious activities and wear their traditional dresses at public sites and other events. Nevertheless, many Americans feel alarmed whenever they come across a Muslim man or woman in his or her customary dressing. Thus, measures are being taken by the Muslims of America and some political right activists. The root of this problem has been described as the widespread terrorist attacks by Muslim extremists, which has lead most Americans to believe that every man in a shalwar kameez should be a terrorist. In order to tackle this problem, senators have raised their voices to defend the civil rights of Muslim Americans, and have warned that the Muslim community should not be falsely judged, by the acts of a few radical ones. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has declared that Muslims living in America should not be discriminated against and should be allowed to practice their right, which has been authorized by the constitution to other Americans. Hijab has been a heated topic in many parts of the world, with countries like France and Turkey attempting to ban it. In America, Muslim women outnumber Muslim men, four to one, as is reported Samuel Cole in his article ‘Donning the Hijab’. ... Furthermore, according to an article ‘Hijab in America’, encouraging legal actions are taking place in the United States. In 2004, a school girl was not allowed to wear a hijab. When the matter was taken to court, the United States Justice Department supported the girl in her argument. Also tips against discrimination of Hijab, have been issued by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which advises Muslim women what to do when they are criticized for wearing Hijab in public or any workplace. It also assures the Muslim women that they are allowed to wear Hijab at their workplace under the 1964 Civil Rights Act. With a robust learning program, the Muslim community in America could convince their fellow Americans that hijab is just part of a Muslim woman, through which she can appear distinct from others and moreover it is something that represents religious freedom in America in contrast to other parts of the world, like France, where the government is adamant to ban Hijab regardless the continuous appeals by the Muslim population. It is a fact that Muslim women are discriminated more for wearing the customary dress than Muslim men, in America. Hijab has been an ongoing controversial topic in America, with most Americans unable to understand the true reason behind the wearing of the veil. This situation was unpleasant before the 9/11 attacks, and after that it just became worse. After the attacks, President Bush repeatedly cautioned the American population to be friendly towards the Muslim population and not to undermine their values. This was a positive approach towards the acceptance of the religious garb worn by American Muslims by the

IT Procurement Best Practices Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

IT Procurement Best Practices - Research Paper Example In today’s competitive economic environment, every business strives to keep their costs as low as possible while improving the output despite all the challenges available. In order to achieve this, one of the areas of focus is the supply chains and procurement methods which have to adopt philosophies and processes that enable the business to compete appropriately. In order for the procurement processes and the department in entirety to perform at its best, various best practices have to be employed which, in essence, makes use of information technology. Implementing these best practices in an organization will provide a strong foundation for the organization’s supply chain excellence. The aim of this paper is to outline the current best practices that IT procurement employs in an organization in an attempt to achieve efficiency in the organization’s project procurement of software and hardware. The discussion will additionally outline some of the common procurement practices used by the US Government in its systems. Like any other process in an organization, good planning serves as a recipe for a successful IT procurement process. The level to which the planning process takes, however, is dependent on the complexity of the procurement as well as its size. For example, purchasing lesser stationaries and hardware in an organization such as printers and personal computers may not demand a very comprehensive planning process. On the contrary, procurement of complex systems such as infrastructure and software for use in large operations in organizations demands better planning. The planning process is a very important practice and step for the success of any IT procurement process. Typically, a good planning process in IT procurement entails various steps. First, the process has to define a clear description of the expected outcome in the IT

Personality and Intelligence in a Distance Learning Environment Essay Example for Free

Personality and Intelligence in a Distance Learning Environment Essay Individuals tend to be different, to a degree, from one another especially in terms of personality and intelligence. As one may expect, such distinctions may also have an effect upon the task of selecting the most suitable study technique in a distance learning environment. Personally, after completing the personality assessment, I found out that I am best considered as a thinker. Those mainly categorized as such, characteristically approach challenges and tasks through a validity-based approach always emphasizing the need to determine whether a method to be followed is logically plausible or not (Cater, Bishop, Kravits, 2007). In agreement with this, the result of the intelligence evaluation highlighted the fact that I have advanced logical-mathematical skills while being least familiar with being naturalistic. Thus, it would be best to reflect upon the possible implications of such information in the context of the distance learning environment. As being independent in accomplishing tasks is one of the suggested study techniques for thinkers (Carter, Bishop, Kravits, 2007), doing so would not be difficult in distance learning. Since most of the time I am able to complete requirements at my own pace, it also becomes possible for me to comprehend and internalize lessons without intrusion at an efficient rate bringing forth positive results. The suggested study techniques for those with proficient logical-mathematical intelligence, such as analytically designing a solution based on trends in data (Carter, Bishop, Kravits, 2007), are similar to those given for individuals with a thinker type personality; hence, studying a task in advance in order to logically establish possible approaches and solutions would also be beneficial in the pursuit of achieving an optimal performance throughout the distance learning process. Improving upon ones less established aspects is without doubt an essential endeavor as well. In this sense, trying study techniques better suited to other intelligence or personality types may be the ideal approach to consider. Particularly, as mostly a thinker and least an adventurer, it would be best to try and merge problem solving approaches with more unconventional ideas from time to time. For example, since one of the study techniques for adventurers is to think outside the box (Carter, Bishop, Kravits, 2007), doing so when there seems to be a lack of proven approaches for task might result in appreciable results. As for the attempt to become more naturalistic, it seems that the only possible way to develop such intelligence would be to frequently reflect upon the connections between the lesson being tackled and the environment as a whole. Learning my strengths as well as weak points, in addition to knowing such details about my classmates, is essential in establishing an optimal learning environment; through such, it would be possible for learners to complement one another and further develop simultaneously. When faced with the need to accomplish a collaborative work despite having to do so online, knowing each other’s strengths and limitations would allow for a more efficient process of completing the task; distributing responsibilities for example would be done in a more suitable manner. Knowing when to provide proper support to fellow learners in parts of the task which they may not be highly capable in, such as the need to design and comprehend diagrams for those who are not adept in visual thinking, would be significantly easier. Therefore, identifying the personality and intelligence types of ones self as well as those of other individuals is indeed a practical and advantageous pursuit especially in distance learning.                  Reference Carter, C., Bishop, J., Kravits, S.L. (2007). Keys to College Studying: Becoming an Active   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thinker (2nd ed.). Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Occupational Therapy Communication

Occupational Therapy Communication Abstract Occupational Therapy is a new and developing profession in the medical felid. Along with all other professions Occupational Therapy is unique to itself. It includes a specific way it is conducted and how the professionals act within the profession. Occupational Therapists need to have an understanding of the discourse, communication, resources and the style manual within the profession. Occupational Therapists also need to know and understand the history that pertains to the Occupational Therapy profession. Communication skills within the field are important for communication between others within the medical field and patients to the Occupational Therapist. Research Project DISCOURSE Academic discourse for every professional field is different. All professional fields use the same way of finding information for there discourse. This information is used towards new ideas and new research. The use of communication is an important part of discourse. Through the use of informal and formal communication professions find new ideas for research. Informal communication is done through emails, phone conversations and letters. Many professionals will use email as a way to communicate their writings that need editing or other ideas. Formal communication is done through academic journals and books. Professionals use formal communication for the use of discovering new ideas and new information for research. Professionals in the same field use the same discourse. Use of the same discourse consists of using the same communication language. Professionals also have the same understanding of there writings. Professionals with in the same field of work are considered professional communities. These communities count on each other for new information. 1 The profession of Occupational Therapy assists people in every day activities. Occupational Therapists help out the disabled and chronic ill patients. As an Occupational Therapist the core focus on helping someone is on their everyday activities that may be performed. As stated by Gelya Frank in the article Occupational Therapy Occupational Science Interdisciplinary Interest Group: A Proposal to the National Association for Practice of Anthropology, â€Å"Occupational therapy, therefore, is a profession whose focus is on enabling a person (i.e. individual client) or group of persons (i.e. group, community or an organization client) to access and participate in activities that are meaningful, purposeful and relevant to their lives, roles and sense of well being.†. (p 2) Occupational therapists are there for people who need assistance in being taught a task that might be difficult for them to do because of a disability. Writing documented records in Occupational Therapy follows the demands of ethics and laws in formal writing. The documentation of a treatment or consultation of the patient needs to be professional and well organized. Patient’s records are a private matter between the therapist and the patient. Records should be easily read. (p 3) There should be no use of negative words against the patient or the patient’s disability. Documentation in Occupational Therapy is thought to be one of the most difficult aspects of the profession. Documentation occurs after visiting with a patient, it must be clear and precise. Patients have the right to read their records from the Occupational Therapist. These records should be easily understood by patients. 3 (p 6) These documentations use keywords to point out important information from the Occupational Therapist. Included with the documentation of the visits with the patient should include a written painted picture of the patient that is easily understood by others. Professional Occupational Therapist and the patient should be able to understand the visit through the painted picture. Also included in documentation of patients are goals set by the patient and Occupational Therapist, and the plan for treatment decided by the Occupational Therapist. After every treatment there should be an evaluation of how the Occupational Therapist feels the patient is doing in the treatment plan.3 (p 5) Not only should the documentation include the painted picture, but the documentation needs to have meaning. In Pierre’s article, â€Å"Occupational Therapy as Documented in Patient’s Records,† one occupational therapist stated â€Å"There must be descriptions in running text in order to maintain a unique picture of a patient. Documentation must not be just a lot of words, but have content.† 3 (p 5) The information included in documentations should be considered extremely important and an Occupational Therapist needs to spend time considering the information needed for the documentation and the context of the writing. HISTORY Moral treatment was used as a treatment for the mentally ill. Moral treatment started in the 18th and 19th century in Europe and North America. Treatment of mentally ill patients in the early 1990’s included doing everyday tasks that included house work and other activities that were thought to help someone return to normal health. These everyday tasks were called occupations. An occupation is where occupational therapy received its name. Occupational Therapy is a therapy where patients do occupations to recover. These tasks included cleaning house, different craft projects and physical activities. (p31-31) William Tuke named and founded the ideas of Moral treatment. His ideas include treating mentally ill patients as if the patient is really mentally well. Through Williams’s ideas of moral treatment he started the making of asylums for the mentally ill. These asylums were used for housing and caring of the mentally ill. (p427) Figure one is a table of the principles of moral treatment. These moral treatment principles are the ideas from the article â€Å"The relevance of moral treatment to contemporary mental health care† according to Annie Borthwick et. Al. William was the founder of these principles for moral treatment.5 (p431) 5(p431) Through the ideas of moral treatment began the formation of Occupational Therapy. Many doctors had helped contribute to the creating and establishing of Occupational Therapy schools, hospitals, books and the fundamental ideas.4(p.30) In the early 20th century young doctors and nurses generated the idea of Occupational Therapy through using moral treatment as the foundation. There principal ideas included doing everyday tasks to help with the recovery of the mentally ill. This principal was similar to the principals of moral treatment. 4(p27) In 1917 a group of young doctors come together to plan a therapy process for people with metal illness. These young doctors formed the National Association for Occupational Therapy. 4(p27) William Rush Dunton, Jr. graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in medicine. He began his work with Occupational Therapy through the principles of moral treatment for the mentally ill. Dunton worked at the Sheppard Asylum. He used William Tukes ideas for moral treatment at the Sheppard Asylum. The Sheppard Asylum promoted William Dunton to be the director of Occupational Therapy for the mentally ill. Through his experiences William Dunton was a founder and leader of the National Association of Occupational Therapy. 4(p34) Adolf Meyer received his Masters in the area of neurology from a school in Switzerland where he was a native. He immigrated to Chicago after receiving his masters. Meyer believed in the connections someone’s mind and body had. He also believed that it required thinking to do actions. He did not agree with Freud’s ideas of the mind and body. He also believed everyone’s life story affected and contributed to the person’s attitudes and behavior. He believed that a mental illness was developed from flawed habits that were learned by the person. His care included changing the flawed habit that a mentally ill patient had. Through his treatments to his patients he made the work meaningful to them. His care included making sure the patient had good care, received enough rest, and socializing among others. 4(p33) Eleanor Clark Slagle attended Hull House which was part of the Chicago School of Civics and Philanthropy. She was enrolled in a course of amusements and occupations. This course work was founded by Meyer Meyer. Clark started programs like Meyers in Michigan and New York through out different mental health hospitals. During World War One Clark was asked by the Chicago Red Cross to help with the training of other Red Cross nurses on Occupational Therapy. The training included therapy for soldiers who would return from war from battle fatigue and injury. She developed programs for mentally ill people through Meyer ideas. These programs included walks, activates, exercise and small group meals. 4(p36) Clark and Meyer both provide their services on Occupational Therapy training. There services were provided at the John Hopkins University in the Henry Phipps Psychiatric Clinic. 4(p36) Herbert James Hall graduated in 1895 from Harvard Medical School as a general practitioner. Hall thought that working with crafts would help mental ill patients. He believed that through crafts patients could not fail. This gave patients the feeling of becoming successful and not failing. Crafts also diverted the minds of patients from their mental illness. Hall was also the founding father of The Boston School of Occupational Therapy in 1918. Herbert also was an author of some of the first books in Occupational Therapy. 4(p28) Susan Elizabeth Tracy was a nursing student who attending and graduated from Massachusetts Horneopathic Hospital. While working at a hospital Tracy found that patients who participated in hospital activities improved faster than those who did not participate in hospital activities. Tracy used occupational treatment when she began practicing her own private nursing. Tracy started her own experimental study of occupations in a Jamaica Plain Hospital. Her courses are considered the first organized classes in Occupational Therapy education. Tracy believed that therapy needed to engage the patients in activities that captured there attention. These therapy activities also needed to hold some kind of meaning to the patients. 4(p38) In early Occupational Therapy it was believed the patients needed to have the motivation to recover. Early Occupational Therapy was based on therapy through occupations. Occupations included crafts, activities, games, and any physical activities. Early occupational therapy found it important that the occupation would pertain to the patient’s life. Occupational Therapy in the beginning also included the focus of how the occupation pertained to the patient’s life and health. Also the focus was on how the occupation could be used as a therapy. Motivation had a strong importance on emphasizing the occupations. Many doctors felt encouragement through therapy was also needed by the doctor and family members. 4(p43) During the 1940’s through the 1950’s there was a strong urge that Occupational Therapy take medicine in to consideration. During this time many Occupational Therapists were forced to go in coalition with medicine. Occupational Therapy field moved to the use of medical terms when caring for a patient. Occupational Therapist had to use concepts that were taken from the practice of medicine.4(p55) Starting in the early 1960’s Occupational Therapy changed because of new technology and more information of the human body. Occupational Therapists were able to detect psychological problems of patients because of the new theories of the human body. During this time body functions and impairments were clarified. In the 1960’s scientific terms were used in the occupational therapy work place. There was also a better understand the emotional issues with patients who were mentally ill. 4(p54-55) After the 1960’s Occupational Therapist realized that through the medical intervention many of the original ideas of Occupational Therapy were lost. Many doctors of Occupational Therapy found that there was no connection between the activities used in therapy compared to the names given to them from the medical terminology. Occupational Therapy almost lost its identity by trying to identity if self with medicine. Because of misidentification Occupational Therapists have gone back to the use of occupations as treatments as it was at the development of Occupational Therapy.4(p54-55) RESOURCES There are many resources offered to Occupational Therapist. Resources include websites, academic journals, videos, newsletters, and memberships to many Occupational Therapy organizations. Websites include the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association, the American Occupational Therapy Foundation, and National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. Academic journals include American Journal of Occupational Therapy, Journal of American Medical Association and other medical journals. The Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association website gives members many opportunities and special options. A member of the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association grants any Minnesotan Occupational Therapist access to many databases, libraries, videos, newsletters, and publications. These other databases include American Medical Association, National Association of Home Care, Sensory Integration International, National Rehabilitation Information Center, and American Academy of Pediatrics. Government Agencies are also offered through being a member of the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association Website. 6 These government agencies include Medicare, Medline, and Occupational Outlook Handbook. Publications are another Resource that Occupational Therapist can use for new information. 6 Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association website offers three publication links. These links include ADVANCE for Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Merck Manual of DX and The Neuroscience Center. Other Occupational Therapy sites provided by the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association include Occupational Therapy Internet World, Skills for the Job Living, and Occupational Therapist.com. 6 Becoming a member of the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association includes other advantages. Members receive the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association newsletter quarterly. Students who are part of Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association attending to school to become an Occupational Therapist have the option of becoming a member. Student members have the opportunity to apply for scholarships. Members receive discounted prices in any conferences that are held for Occupational Therapist in Minnesota. Through the use of the membership members have the opportunity to communicate with each other for new information and new research options. Members of the association have voting rights to decide how the association will be organized and operated. A member also includes being recognized for contributions for Occupational Therapy within Minnesota. These are the main benefits for joining the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association. 6 Another option on the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association web site includes employment opportunities. The site offers many job listings for the use of Occupational Therapist who are members of the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association. Other Occupational Therapists and businesses have the option to post job listings on the web site. 6 The American Occupational Therapy Foundation is another resource for Occupational Therapist. This resource supplies Occupational Therapist with opportunities for research funding. Through the use of this web site it was hoped to build a better understanding of Occupational Therapy science. There is also a scholarship provided for any Occupational Therapy student. The American Occupational Therapy Foundation provides awards for research in Occupational Therapy. The site provides recognition to Occupational Therapists that have shown renowned contributions for Occupational Therapy science. American Occupational Therapy Association helped to build the foundation needed to build the American Occupational Therapy Foundation. 7 National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. is a resource for graduated Occupational Therapist. Occupational Therapist must complete all required Field work along with the educational program to join the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy requires that Occupational Therapist pass there examination to be certified. This exam tests the skills, understanding and abilities of all Occupational Therapist. National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy is a non-profit organization that administers the certifying of Occupational Therapist. Along with the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association the American Occupational Therapy Foundation is a not-profit organization. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy is one of the many academic journals that Occupational Therapist can use. Included in this journal are researched peer-read articles from professional Occupational Therapist. These articles include information that is theory-based and theoretical research. Occupational Therapist can use this information towards new ideas; other research projects and there own patients. The American Medical Association Journal offers information on general medical reviewed articles. There main objective is to promote the art of medicine and to help make public health better for all. These journals provide Occupational Therapist with the newest research available to them in medicine. Other journals Occupational Therapists may refer to are journals based on pediatrics, autism, ADHD, learning disorders, psychology, and neurology. Depending on where an Occupational Therapist may work will determine which journals will be read. An Occupational Therapist working with children will read journals on pediatrics along with other medical and Occupational Therapy Journals. These are the many resources offered to Occupational Therapists. These recourses include academic journals, web sites, and organizations. Occupational Therapists have the option to join many organizations to better the understanding of Occupational Therapy science to others and to gain benefits for themselves. Through the use of these recourses Occupational Therapists communicate there new ideas and the new research information. COMMUNICATION To become a well developed and successful Occupational Therapist many qualities are needed. These qualities include great interpersonal, writing, grammar, public speaking, and computer skills. Some of these skills can be learned from other experienced Occupational Therapist and others are learned with work experience. During an email interview with Nancy Klassen, member of Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists and an Occupational Therapist Registered(OTR) (written communication, March 2008), gave me a handful of information pertaining to the communication skills of Occupational Therapist. Through her experiences as an Occupational Therapist she has found that as an Occupational Therapist many qualities are needed. Through this paper many of her ideas will be shared with the readers. Interpersonal skills are required for Occupational Therapist to communicate with others who are involved with the patients care and treatment plans. Communicating with others includes children’s parents, specialists, educators, and childcare providers. An Occupational Therapist may need to have an informational meeting with parents and others involved in the client’s life to educate and instruct on the best treatment plan care for the client. An Occupational Therapist must be able to communicate in a tactful, clear way to make others understand the information given to them on the treatment of the patient (Klassen, written communication). Occupational Therapist will have opportunities to share research information with other co-workers. Communicating with other Occupational Therapist includes sharing new research information, medical information on clients, and discussions on client progression. As an Occupational Therapists who work in a team might have to give presentation on clients at team meetings (Klassen, written communication). Occupational Therapist may need to prepare and give seminars or presentations. During these seminars Occupational Therapist may have the option of presenting new research information, new program ideas and other ideas that may pertain to assisting other Occupational Therapist (Klassen, written communication). As an Occupational Therapist writing is a skill that will be used to write reports. Reports will be presented to other Occupational Therapist, social workers, schools, children’s hospitals, physicians, and the client’s parents. Other written material includes progress notes, and letter writing. During a clients treatment time with an Occupational Therapist progress notes or progress charts need to be taken. These reports are taken right after the treatment session with the Occupational Therapist. These reports are put in to the personal file of the patients. Evaluations may also be done on a patient. Evaluations are used for placement of a patient in school or other education programs that best fit the ability of the patient (Klassen, written communication). Proposals, handouts, and request are another type of documentation Occupational Therapist may have to write. An Occupational Therapist may have new ideas for research or treatment plans, which would require a proposal. Handouts are given to teachers, social workers, parent’s of the client, and others who may want to be educated on the treatment plan and the disability of the client. Handouts can include pamphlets, brochures, and medical research papers. Through the knowledge of an Occupational Therapist there maybe the need to request funding for a research program from the government and other non-profit companies that may support new research in Occupational Therapy (Klassen, written communication). Along with the requirement of writing proposals, progress reports, and handouts Occupational Therapist are required to have great grammar skills and spelling skills. Occupational Therapist Nancy Klassen thought it was important to have a vast vocabulary. Through the writings Occupational Therapist need to use vocabulary as an essential factor towards the credibility an Occupational Therapist may have. Grammar and a vast vocabulary are important to help with the explanation on treatment plans and other medical terminology that maybe used for the patients disability (Klassen, written communication). Presentations may need to be presented from Occupational Therapist requires public speaking skills. An Occupational Therapist needs to be able to give information to a group of other Occupational Therapist, parents, physicians, social workers, and educators. The wide rage of knowledge from the listens’ can not limit an Occupational Therapist on the information that is given to the group during the presentation. Presentations include presenting new ideas and new research to other Occupational Therapist. Another form of presentations includes delivering information on a treatment plan to the family and educators who interact with a patient (Klassen, written communication). Many Occupational Therapists communicate using telephone or email. Through the use of a computer email is an easy way to communicate with people within the same office or on a patient’s treatment. Occupational Therapist may need to get a hold of educators for a patient. The World Wide Web seems to be an easy and speedy way for interactions between different people (Klassen, written communication). Klassen, ORT, believes that social skills are the most important part of an Occupational Therapist. She felt that social skills can lead an Occupational Therapist to successfulness. Another aspect Klassen, OTR, felt Occupational Therapist must have the ability to teach the information in a meaningful and clear manner to others (Klassen, written communication). Through emailing Klassen, OTR, these are the ideas that she felt Occupational Therapist must posses to become successful in the medical field as an Occupational Therapist (Klassen, written communication). STYLE Each profession provides a style manual for that occupation. This means there are many different style manuals. Occupational Therapists use the American Medical Association Manual of Style (AMA). AMA is on its 10th edition which was newly updated in 2007. American Psychological Association (APA) is a commonly used manual within colleges and high schools. APA is on its 5th edition which was updated as of 2003. Looking through these two different style manuals I found many differences. Some of the major differences included the use of terms, numbers, and the reference list. AMA is a medical manual which serves for a person who is in the medical field where as APA is used for psychologist and literature workers along with a few other professions. AMA seemed to focus more of the manuals attention on using measurements, numbers, statistic, typography, medical indexes, and manuscript preparation. APA focused more on the design, grammar, and gender12. AMA references are important within a research paper. Reference list provides readers with acknowledgements, where additional information on the topic can be found, and providing more support for a researcher’s paper. A reference list needs to be complete and in the correct format so all medical profession can understand the meaning of the reference page. Thoroughness of the reference page can aid another researcher to farther there knowledge on the topic read in the research paper. Within in the reference list misspelling of last names, Journal names, internet sites, along with incorrect page numbers. AMA style manual also suggest reading the primary source when writing a research paper where a writer may take a secondary source from another paper11. The reference list within an AMA style manual research paper should be number. Arabic number system should be used when doing the reference list. The reference list goes in order of from when the reference is used. This means that the first reference used would the first reference on the resource page. This does not involve using last name as an alphabetical order reference list. It is strictly by when it is used11. APA’s style manual is used to identify reference used within the paper. The reference list is only used to cite any sources used within the paper. As an author, of an APA format paper, there is a need to check over the reference list and cited sources to make sure both appear with in the paper. The citations with in a paper along with the reference list needs to be correct and the same for each reference. If there is a misspelled word or an incorrect writing within a manuscript the author of the paper is at cost for the mistake. The reference list needs to be in alphabetical order. Alphabetical order starts with the first author’s last name in a reference. If there are multiple authors with the same last name the next letter to use is the first initial of the first name of the author’s12. Abbreviations maybe used within an AMA style manual paper. If many abbreviations are being used within one paper it may become confusing for people reading the paper. Abbreviations are acceptable if one word will be used multiple times within the same paper. This will save space within the paper as well. Some instructors may put a limit on how many abbreviations may be used within one paper11. Ideal use of abbreviations includes numerous terms. Academic degrees along with certificates and some kind of honor can be abbreviated within a paper. Within the United States military titles are another form that can be abbreviated with in an AMA style manual paper. A few other potential words that can be abbreviated include days of the week, addresses, states, countries, and titles of people11. Within an APA paper many instructors prefer that abbreviations are used sparingly. APA instructors feel abbreviations affect the flow of a paper if to many are used. Abbreviations in a paper include measurements, time, and, chemical compounds. APA does accept abbreviations that are offend used. An example from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association included â€Å"IQ, REM, ESP, AIDS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 12(105). APA style allows the use of numbers to be kept as numerals and not written out in certain situations. APA style believes it is easier to follow numerals than written out numbers. A few instances where numbers can be kept as numerals include a mixed fraction, measure of time, temperature measurements, and a measurement of a currency12. Numbers that should be written out according to the APA style include the beginning of a sentence. This also includes if it is a title, or a heading. Other written out numbers include one when it is used as a pronoun within a sentence, and when a number is being used to rank items or people11. APA style’s rule towards the use of number includes written and numerals. If a number is below 10 it should be written out. If a number is above 10 it can be written out as a number. Within a paper numerals and written numbers can be combined. An example of this would be 6 million. The six is in a form of a numeral, but the million is written out11. AMA and APA style manuals have identical formats. Both of these styles include a title page for the article, an abstract, the paper, and than a resource page. Within the paper it is where the differences of these two different style manuals com into play. A paper written in the style manual AMA includes subheadings that are in all capitalized letters where as an APA style manual does not. In APA the first letter of the subheading is the only letter capitalized. The resource page for the style manuals is also very different. Each style manual has there own way to cite and reference articles11, 12. CONCLUSION Occupational Therapy is a great medical field that is used to help patients improve skills that maybe hard for them. It is also a challenging profession that requires the knowledge of many skills that will be used when working. Occupational Therapists discourse is important towards the building and developing of new research within the profession. Discourse is done through the use of different communication with other Occupational Therapist and other medical doctors. Occupational Therapy is a newer field that started in the early 1900’s. During the beginning Occupational Therapy was used for solders and mentally the ill. Through history Occupational Therapy has changed its way of caring and understand the use of occupations for patients. Now Occupational Therapy is used to assistant many other people who have disabilities. Many resources can be used by Occupational Therapist to gain more knowledge for the profession. There are many resources Occupational Therapist can use. Res ources include websites, academic journals, and Occupational Therapy associations. Occupational Therapists need to have a vast understanding and use of communication skills. A

Effects Of A High Carbon Footprint

Effects Of A High Carbon Footprint High carbon emissions in the last two decades are slowly leading to excessive climate change. Some already visible consequences are warming of the planet, radiative warming, shift of Earths natural balance towards warming, and depletion of natural resources. Due to global warming, the last decade was recorded to be the warmest ever (Jaines, 2010) Earth is slowly turning into a different planet which is evident by the changes in average temperatures. Scientists say that high carbon emissions will cause rise in sea levels across the globe, and extinction of various species. Furthermore, they have an impact on the greenhouse effect which causes the reduction of the amount of sunlight and heat that is reflected back into space. This increases the average temperatures globally, especially the Arctic temperatures which causes the melting of ice. Melting ice releases methane in the atmosphere, which is 20 times more dangerous as a greenhouse gas than CO2. (Kage, 2007) Due to high temperatur es and rise in sea levels, there is a danger that many species of plants and animals will extinct. For example, world oceans are currently absorbing 1/3rd of excess carbon dioxide emissions, and therefore, becoming acidic and threatening sea species. This will cause a shortage of fish stocks and coral reefs which will eventually alter the worlds food chain. Similar things will happen to any other food sources. The indicated will have an effect on the economy since the food is going to be scarce and its prices are going to be rising. Moreover, due to increases in temperatures, the world is within 70 years going to be facing frequent storms, floods, and tornados. (Fraser, 2006) It is predicted that by 2050, temperatures are going to increase by 2.1-2.8 à Ã‚ ¦C compared to the historical average, and by 2100, the Earth is predicted to be 4.3-5.3 à Ã‚ ¦C warmer. Globally, sea levels could rise by 59 cm within the next century. (The Problem, 2012). Lastly, greenhouse effect causes de pletion in ozone which further leads to global warming. If there are ozone damages, then there is a higher chance of skin cancer, burning skin due to the direct contact with the sun. These changes in climate will also affect human health in sense of the increase of various disease carrying insects due to warming. (MOFA) National level Studies and predictions for UAE say that the rises in its sea levels by 1 meter could affect almost up to 1,155 square kilometers of land. This would cause, even in lesser numbers, terrible effects on UAEs islands, infrastructure, marine life, health, tourism, business, and economy. (The Problem, 2012) With already high temperatures, a bigger rise in the upcoming decades will cause a bigger need for energy production and cooling systems infrastructure causing a raise in carbon emissions if new energy sources wont be used. Scarcity of food caused by damages to marine and terrestrial life will boost prices of food, causing an even bigger need for import. This will directly affect UAEs economy and business as food and water prices rise. Scarcity of water might impact the region even more intensely, causing problems in many segments, such as households, industry, import, export, tourism, and economy. Even now, desalination of water is the only source of drinking water in UAE and requires a lot of energy. Even bigger scarcity of water would terribly affect the region. Infrastructure will either be destroyed by rising sea levels or natural disasters, or it will have to be adapted to the new situations. Both scenarios will make for a big loss of money and resources; therefore, it will cause a big damage in economy, and eventually on every individual living in the country. Individual level The biggest impact high carbon footprint has on the citizens of UAE are on their health and safety. All these emitted gases pollute the air which humans inhale; the gases penetrate deep into their respiratory systems and therefore, affect both respiratory and cardiovascular systems causing asthma, heart diseases, and premature death. Using fertilizers can also damage peoples health, as well as the sun impact and higher temperatures, which often cause heart failures and temperature shocks. Besides health issues, scarcity of food and water obviously affects peoples lives, causing them to spend more and more. Using more air conditioners with the rise of temperature often causes viral and bacterial diseases. Current Efforts of UAE Government Renewable Energy Even though UAE lacks most of the widespread renewable energy sources, such as biomass, tidal power, and water, one thing that UAE has more than enough is solar energy. In 2010, Abu Dhabi has started working on one of the worlds largest solar power plants. The development of the geothermal cooling in Masdar City has also started recently. (MOFA) Peaceful Nuclear Power It is known that nuclear energy has a nearly zero carbon footprint. Therefore, replacing the current ways of producing electrical and other types of energy with nuclear energy would contribute significantly to less carbon emissions. Currently a huge nuclear energy sector is being developed in UAE, consisting of 4 nuclear power reactors, which are believed to be finished and ready for full work by 2017. (MOFA) Transport Trying to increase the participation in public transport, the UAE has increased the number of buses, and still planning to implement more of them. Besides that, the Dubais Metro has been the newest, successful addition to UAEs public transport. Future plans include new transit light systems all over the country, and a high speed train. (MOFA) Carbon Capture and Storage (clean fossil fuels) Building storages underground to capture the emitted CO2 from plants and burned fossil fuels without releasing it further in the atmosphere. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says CCS could contribute between 10% and 55% of the cumulative worldwide carbon mitigation effort over the next 90 years. (MOFA) Al Basma Al Beeiyah Intiative Launched in October 2007 by the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, the Emirates Wildlife Society, and the Global Footprint Network, its initiative is to better understand UAEs ecological and carbon footprint, and monitor consumption patterns in the country. Measuring carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions, the project is evaluating and implementing solutions for a better future. Researches and scientists from Masdar Institute have been leading this project with the aim to inspect how the development of power and water might affect UAEs carbon footprint up to 2030, and accordingly develop alternative energy productions. (UAE Ecological Footprint Initiative) Campaigns UAE government made some campaigns in UAE that raise awareness which include Heroes of the UAE, Environment agency Abu Dhabi etc. Heroes of the UAE campaign is designed to make people know about energy shortages and the effect of climate change. This campaign supplies people with easy tips on how to save energy. By making small changes in every days behavior people can easily contribute in the global efforts to reduce consumption. (Abu Dhabi, 2012)Furthermore, Environment Agency Abu Dhabi helps in conservation of water, climate change awareness and improving air quality by running environmental education and awareness courses and programs. Solutions and Recommendations Individual level Turn off home appliances if not used or needed; unplug from the power chord Do not overcharge cell phones and laptops Use compact fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs as it saves 60% of energy, yet providing the same brightness (What Is Carbon Footprint, 2012) Individuals can buy more energy efficient vehicles to help reduce carbon footprint People should use their vehicles only when required and use public transport or consider walking otherwise They should also use energy efficient devices as well as renewable energy sources and insulation at home to prevent the emission of greenhouse gases or heat loss Try carpooling; driving several people in one car can reduce a lot of carbon emissions coming from cars Slow down, try keeping to the speed limit. Driving at 80mph burns 10% more fuel than driving at 60mph. (What action can we take, 2011) Only boil the amount of water you need in your kettle Make sure taps are fully turned off and fix leaking taps. A dripping hot water tap wastes not only water but energy too. (What action can we take, 2011) National level Use sustainable forms of energy like solar energy, and wind energy Creating organizations which could help reduce carbon footprint The government should also make sure that only the necessary amount of cement is being used for the manufacture of buildings The government should also make sure that there are less amount of industries in the country which could be harmful for the environment The government should set up some awareness campaigns and workshops for the citizens to spread more awareness on how to reduce carbon footprint at home or elsewhere Diversification of resources is necessary for saving resources (DUBAI STRATEGY DEVELOPED TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS) Successful implementation of Envitechs Green Buildings Project- development of buildings that require almost no external energy and consume the lowest possible amount of fresh water (Green Buildings Project) Building hydrogen power plants and nuclear power plants in order to develop clean energy and reduce carbon emissions Involve business organizations in reducing their collective carbon footprint in the offices; by doing this these organizations would become more competitive in the market Using biosolids as a fertilizer in agriculture since it is organic and allows the reduction of irrigation requirement (Al Wathba Veolia Besix Waste Water , 2012) Encourage more public transport, more physical activity, and walking Build more green spaces, parks, places for walking where there would a possibility to walk to malls or any other place instead of driving Establish recycling plants and companies Global level Stop deforestation; encourage reforestation in all parts of the world Avoid manufacturing of the buildings and industries which are not required Introduce the concepts of green and clean energy everywhere around the world Encourage the use of solar and wind energy everywhere around the world to produce electrical energy; open more nuclear power plants but with safety precautions and educate people about their plus-sides Encourage business organizations world-wide to start making their business greener; the prospective interest parties should evaluate business companies according to how environmental-friendly they are Financing companies should provide loans to help achieve objectives related to reducing carbon footprint to governments of different countries, especially to those with economic instability or less money Stricter family planning laws should be implemented globally to control the ever growing world population that is one of the major causes of this problem Committees everywhere around the world should be set up to educate the underprivileged people about the harmful effects of high carbon footprint Make laws which would aim towards conserving energy and water, such as putting limits on the usage per person/apartment, or increasing prices which would stop people from over-spending for unnecessary reasons Provide awards for companies that implement eco-friendly strategies Encourage ethanol, biodiesel and hydropower-produced hydrogen as alternative fuel options since they produce less greenhouse gases Recycle water so it can be reused for agricultural and irrigation purposes (Al Wathba Veolia Besix Waste Water , 2012) UN should establish more organizations everywhere around the world to raise awareness and educate people on how to protect our environment Divesting from oil stocks and investing in companies practicing carbon capture and storage (Biello, 2007) Restricting flying to only critical, long-distance trips; trains can replace planes for short- to medium-distance trips (Biello, 2007)

The Bible as a Historical Document :: Research Religion Mark Religious Papers

The Bible as a Historical Document MARK'S THEOLOGY REFLECTED IN WRITING Mark and the other evangelists used basically five ways to change, edit or enhance Jesus' sayings to reflect their own views of Christianity. According to the Five Gospels Book, plagiarism and changing of writing was not a crime, but actually very common Mark's time. Besides, Mark never knew Jesus first-hand, he somehow had to make a 'story' from basically Hearsay! Mark groups different parables and sayings of Jesus by topic; making a false impression that these things happened in order. This may have little effect on changing the meaning of the lesson, however it illustrates the fact that Mark was trying to author a "readable" story for people, rather than a book of facts. The best example would be in Mark 10:17-31 (Jesus Counsel to the Rich) & (Parable of The Camel and the Eye of a Needle). It is doubtful that these things happened at the same time; however, they are GREY in The Five Gospels anyway ... and probably didn't happen as Mark describes. This brings us to Mark's writing style. Mark seems to "tack-on" sentences to Jesus' teachings to make them more "Christian." This really changes the meaning more than any other tactic! Who knows what Mark may have edited-out to accomplish what he wanted to impress upon his readers? In this, he tries to interpret the meaning of Jesus' actions ... and does this in a misleading way. For example: Mark 2:19, Jesus regarding Fasting. Jesus makes a strong statement against importance to fasting, but Mark (in 2:20) tags on: "But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and they will fast in those days." This blatantly shows that Mark held higher regard for the Old Traditions of Fasting rather than Jesus' new teachings! This is also an example of "Christianizing Jesus" according to traditions that have already earned respect from Jews in their tradition. (Wow, this is starting to sound like a fight between Today's Political Parties, isn't it? [Jesus = Liberal Politics / Judaism = Conservative Politics]). Finally, Mark likes to "soften the blow" of Jesus' Hard sayings. He does this for probably the same reason Paul preached that Circumcision was not required for Christians.

Instant Messaging: Friend or Foe of Student Writing? Essay -- Essays P

Instant Messaging: Friend or Foe of Student Writing? Introduction With the commercial advent of the Internet and cell phones in the late 1990’s, technologies such as instant messaging (IM) and text messaging (TM) have achieved increasing prevalence in our society. These types of messaging technologies are widely used among adolescents today. To cite just one personal example of this widespread usage, my friend’s daughter, who is now 11 and lives in Ireland, got a cell phone last year, and, according to my friend, â€Å"was the last person in her class to get one.† This is quite an amazing change, given that ten years ago, instant messaging and text messaging were in their infancy, and cell phones were only readily available as tools for roadside assistance. Given the newness of these types of technologies, it is only in the last few years that educators have started to notice them and explore their effects on student behavior and performance. While there is supporting evidence to suggest that these technologies have a large influence on the social development of adolescents, an even more pertinent issue for classroom teachers is what effects these technologies have on the academic development of young people. In this article, I examine how students’ use of text messaging technology, specifically IM, affects their writing skills. How does IM use affect students’ interest in traditional writing (as learned in school)? In what ways does IM usage affect students’ writing ability? How does â€Å"IM-speak† change students’ views of what is considered â€Å"proper† language? How can classroom teachers build on student use of this increasingly popular technology? In this paper I provide a discussion of the current issues and current teacher pra... ...lts. If students understand where and when it is appropriate to use certain types of language, then allowing them to use IM-speak can be beneficial in building student-teacher relationships, in enhancing students’ comfort level in school settings, and in improving academic performance. IM lingo is evidence of the evolution of language, and as Brown-Owens, Eason, and Lader (2003) point out, teachers need to realize that – for better or for worse – IM is widely used among many adolescents and is consequently a strong influence on student academic performance. For who knows? Given its roots in other languages, sometime soon we may even be teaching IM-speak as a legitimate form of language. Works Cited: Connor, Amanda. "Instant Messaging: Friend or Foe of Student Writing?" From http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/literacy/oconnor.htm. Access Date: April, 2005

What was Ednas Awakening? Essay -- Literary Analysis, Kate Chopin

The roles we fill in society are what define us as a person. Many times, we do not choose our own place, but we still are obligated to fill it. Some societies have limited roles, especially for minorities such as blacks, women, and so on. However, in a society with an endless number of options, where people are free to be anything they want to be, how is it that one-woman still feels lost? Kate Chopin's book, The Awakening, tells the story of just that. A woman named Edna Pontellier is 28 years old living in New Orleans at the end of the 19th century. Unlike her old home in Kentucky, the Creoles are free to be what they will. The only stipulation is once you have chosen that role it is expected of you to obey it. In Edna's case, once she has picked her poison she is forced to drink it. Edna walked through her life almost asleep, going through the motions. After six years of marriage and two children, she suddenly realizes she has not been living at all. She struggles des perately to gain her independence and find who she really is. By the end, Edna has crossed a number of social taboos to the tragic end of suicide. Did Edna ever fully awaken herself by drowning at sea, or was it fear of failure that brought Edna to killing her self? This argument should start by explaining why Edna needed to have an awakening in the first place. Looking at the culture, she should have already been awakened. However, the strict up bringing by her father determined her path until she was aware enough to know it. Edna joined Madame Ratignolle for a walk down the beach. While sitting somberly in the shade, Ratignolle asked Edna what was on her mind. Loosing track of her thoughts, they wandered to an old memory of her life in Kent... ...uts herself back in the same place she was. This idea of a partner is not just a little voice in her head; it is something she actively pursues with Robert, pleading to him "We shall be everything to each other" (147). This uncontrollable desire to become one with Robert is what turns her to suicide. When he leaves for Mexico Edna is alone and understands how much Robert was a part of her life for she was, "under the spell of her infatuation . . . The thought of him was like an obsession, ever pressing itself upon her . . . It was his being, his existence, which dominated her thought" (73). Robert leaves for good because he does not want to rune her marriage. Edna realizes that no matter how much power and independence she gained, life was not worth living if Robert, who was the one who helped her change in the first place, was not there to share it with.

Waste Disposal on Cat Ba Island

At present, the waste disposal issue on Cat Ba Island is still seriously concerned. Mr. Sang Bui Quang, Director of Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said on website www. monre. gov. vn that waste management has not met environment protection requirements, there has not been waste treatment firms, and commonly discharge waste directly from ships into the sea. Consequently, it seems to impact on the environment, the scenery and also Cat Ba People. Waste disposal includes treatment in the land and on the water. In the land, Cat Ba has only one landfill, Dong Trong. It is not far from Hung Son block( about 8km), the point of storing rubbish through all sites of Cat Ba and surrounding areas with the volume of 40m3/day. Each day, the rubbish is buried and prayed three times. However, the landfill has not met hygienic standards so that the pollution here is adversely affecting people's lives in this area. In reality, there are some campaigns to dispose the situation, but it is not effective. The landfill still has rising smoke and the unbearable stench so that flies and mosques are crowded there and surrounding areas. Assigned to Cat Hai public construction and urban service company to collect, transport and dispose rubbish in the area of Cat Ba, including handling baggage pollution of Dong Trong. Despite great efforts to minimize pollution affects people's lives, the district also can process according to the method of chemical spraying, burial. There is no way to remedy the situation thoroughly cell infection here. On the water, waste disposal has met more difficulty. In the bay, there are 123 cages, including 106 aquaculture cages and 17 cages with people living, which is the main reason for water pollution. Although each cage has its own trash, the big amount of rubbish into the water (i. e. waste water, fish, food†¦). Waste from the fishing vessel and the fish cages are at risk of causing environmental pollution at the alarming level. Fishing boats use big plastic bags to marinate fis, they scratch those and throw into the sea before moving up onto the shore. According to Mr. Bay Vu Tien, there is also a collecting ship to take rubbish from cages to the land. But it just counts for 30% of the waste. The baggage is floating on the water that makes a bad image about Cat Ba environment in tourists’ mind.

Surgical Technology

In order to apply these concepts you first need to understand ways to evaluate the Issues. How is ethics defined? According to the Ethics Center for Engineering and Research, ethics means being concerned with what Is right or wrong, good or bad, fair or unfair, responsible or irresponsible, obligatory or permissible, praiseworthy or blameworthy. (Online Ethics Center for Engineering, 2006) It Is associated with guilt, shame, indignation, resentment, empathy, compassion, and care. It Is being Interested In character as well as conduct.This article presents two ways to evaluate potential ethical questions: First is the utilitarianism system. This system concerns itself with determining the greater good and what decision will be beneficial to the most people. The second system presented Is the deontological system. Under this system, a worker would look at the needs of the individual and determine the best course of action for the patient themselves. There is no suggestion that these tw o methods should conflict. In fact, quite often, what is best for a patient is often what is best for society as a whole.The robber arises In the Instances where these two methods conflict. In these cases, a worker must apply the concept of prudence. This Is the Idea that a salary person would make the same decision under the same circumstances. After presenting the general concepts of ethics, the author lists several examples of situations where questions of this nature may arise. Personal decisions such as abortion, Den's, drug use, and sterilization are explored. Society decisions to allow animal and human experimentation and organ transplantation are also reviewed.Situations that could tangentially cause a worker to be uncomfortable are examined. The author points out how difficult it is watching a DEN patient pass without acting can be. The issue of a patient's right to privacy Is also delved Into. A patient Is not required to reveal their HIVE status even though this could pos e a danger to any worker in the operating room. Quality versus quantity of life is explained, however, the ethical problem is not a decision that needs to be made. In this case, the law has already determined assisted suicide Is not an option.The problem lies in the workers desire to help a wing individual die, even though they are unable to do so. This instance shows that ethical problems do not necessarily Involve decision making on the surgical technician's, but rather a state of mind in many circumstances. Despite the medical reason one might have for being hospitalized or cared for by a health care professional In an operating room setting and, regardless of how â€Å"ethically or unethically† the medical situation may be perceived through the eyes of the medical 1 OFF professional, It Is ten Neal care proportional's duty to De Touches on ten patient.The patient has a right to quality health care regardless of the circumstances or situations surrounding the procedure. Th is includes, but is not limited to, any situation that evokes an inevitable emotional human response. The underlying theme in patient care and ethics is that the health care worker's feelings do not play into the decisions that need to be made for the patient nor do they have any bearing on what is best for society as a whole. Our responsibilities, as Purpose Surgical Technologists, go beyond the mere ability to perform our daily Job functions.Our position is all encompassing in that, not only does it include the use of surgical instruments and equipment towards promoting health and well being, but it also extends to the rights of the patients under our care to receive the best quality, appropriate care within the patient's wishes and desires. We, as health care professionals, owe it to our patients to give them the highest possible quality of care of which we are capable. Uses in Career In order to be able to provide care without Judgment you need to do some deep soul searching and have a complete understanding of your ethical beliefs and biases.Once you have that understanding, if you find your ethical beliefs could interfere with your work performance, you need to share these feelings with your employer. Each patient is entitled to the same level of understanding regardless of your personal Judgment. What you feel or believe to be wrong does not necessarily have a bearing on what is best for the patient. Summary The intent of this article is to point out the various ways a health care professional can evaluate circumstances they may encounter in the work place.They can determine what is the best ethical course of action for society as a whole, they can determine what is best for the patient and his or her personal situation, or they can combine the two methods and approach the situation prudently. No matter which approach is taken, it is always best to take your personal feelings and emotions out of the equation. The bottom line is to combine doing what is right in general with what is right for the patient. Even in a surgical situation, customer service is paramount. Putting yourself in another person's shoes may be a simple click, but it goes a long way in this occupation.

A Teacher’s Involvement on Education Reform Essay

Student achievement is constantly changing. Today’s students are being prepared to face the real world that requires them to have exceeding abilities and knowledge. On the global economic aspect of today, students are asked to understand the fundamentals and at the same time be able to think critically. They must analyze and make inferences. It is the teacher’s task to develop these skills in the students. They must prepare them for any changes in the assessment of the school, especially when this approach is of the large scale and high-stake level. Education in the United States has been reformed countless times – all for various reasons. The changes in the knowledge and skills that are aimed for success go hand in hand with the understanding of how students learn. The relationship between the instruction given in schools and the assessment of the students through exams change the learning goals that are set for them and their schools. Therefore, the need for education reform. 1 Before, society can get by with the basic reading and arithmetic skills. This was during the industrial age. However, we are now in an information age. Individuals are required to have access to the interpretation and analysis of the information that they use in order to come up with decisions. Studies show that the skills and competencies mentioned in the previous sentence are the requirements to succeed in the workplace. 2 To adapt to these changes, the content standards of education – skills, knowledge and behavior of the students – must be achieved at a higher level. This is developed at the national, as well as the state areas of science, mathematics, history and geography. In this process, student assessment is the focus and the center of the efforts on matters concerning educational improvements. The policymakers intend to change the assessment that will allow teachers and schools to have different approaches. Assessment reform is not an excuse for a new regime by teachers. This is targeted to the students with the help of the development efforts of the teachers. These include curriculum reform, improving instruction and getting new instructional materials. A number of policymakers and educators believe that the assessment of the students reflect the lessons that they were taught. It’s true that the assessment influences the format of instruction. Contrary to the understanding of today’s students on how they learn their lessons, the assessments are particularly traditional. Most exams still follow the multiple-choice and the true-false format. These test facts determine the skill in an isolated approach. It seldom requires the students to apply what they really know, making it hard to determine what they are capable of doing in real life situations. The standardized tests do not match the content standards. Relying too much on these kinds of assessment often result to an instruction that only focuses on the basic knowledge and skills. It does not encourage the institution to reform the instruction give to the students. Engaged learning will prepare the students better for the 21st century. That being said, it only makes sense that the tests the students take encourage aggressive learning. 3 â€Å"The notion that learning comes about by the accretion of little bits is outmoded learning theory. Current models of learning based on cognitive psychology contend that learners gain understanding when they construct their own cognitive maps of the interconnections among concepts and facts. Thus, real learning cannot be spoon-fed, one skill at a time. † 4 Educators, policymakers and parents are starting to realize that the basic learning abilities are no longer enough. They need the students to have the skills they learned in school and the abilities they need upon leaving school all at the same time. Schools are expected to assist students in developing these competencies which they will use in real and authentic situations. The establishments are expected to graduate students who have these abilities – students who excel on both the standardized and the alternative assessments. During the last decade, the education community in the United States went through a proliferation of reform efforts that are standardized-driven. Its main objective is to increase the achievement level of the students. They want students from the United States achieve the same level of competitiveness with other industrialized nations. The education community also wants to restore the public confidence in the education. Once these are achieved, then it provides the standards-setting bodies the primary ways on how the classroom teachers can be involved in the reforming process. The federal government is a prominent player in the reforming efforts one educations. It goes all the way back in March 1994 when President Clinton signed the â€Å"Goals 2000: Educate America Act. It was the legislation that created the framework which allowed states to adopt and construct the education reform strategies by incorporating the three Goals principles: 1. ) rigorous academic standards. 2. ) alignment of curriculum, textbooks and teacher education and 3. ) clear incentives to encourage students to strive to meet high standards. Also, in 1987, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or the NBPTS was formed in order to articulate the standards of excellence to what teachers must know and should know. NBPTS has an assessment system that determines the eligibility of the educators for the National Board certification. At the same time, the Council of Chief State School Officers has established the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) to produce the model standards for the initial teacher licensure. INTASC standards are based on NBPTS standards. In 1987, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) started using the revised accreditation standards for teacher education institutions. This also reflects NBPTS standards. It calls for better performance, higher admissions and graduate standards. NCATE encourages the teachers to prepare the reforms on education at a content standard that has appeared from projects such as the NCTMs. There are three kinds of national standards which currently receive attention from the American government. The content standards focus on the curriculum, the performance standards concentrate on the student work and the assessment, and the school delivery standards which centers on the resources and support for the schools, teachers and students. The building figures from the consensus prominently show that the standards- setting movement of the schools and teachers has had de facto standards for the content areas that are mentioned in the Goals. These are affected by the textbook manufactures and the performance standards that are set by the testing companies. In contrast to this, the standards development projects of recent years have tried to get a base of support for a ny academic improvement. The involvement of teacher in the professional standards development can be seen in various areas: 1.  The teachers function as the standards. A lot of members of the NBPTS standards committees are accomplished and celebrated teachers. Classroom teachers are members of the NCATE board and the Standards Committee serve as the team which evaluates the teacher preparation programs. The Standard Project is there to develop the assessment standards. It also serves as the instrument for a national system of voluntary student examination. It engages the teachers in developing the tests items and refining the content standards in order to come up with better scores from the students. 2.  Teachers are the subjects of the fields that are new to test standards. Since they participate in the NBPTS field test, the INTAST assessments are conducted by teachers. 3. Teachers serve as the translators of the content standards. They apply this in a teachable classroom setting. By working with the scholars, the teachers build the contend standards in a state curriculum framework. They come up with lesson plans which are the operations for the standards they intend to meet. 4. Because they bargain units and have professional associations, teachers serve as the initiators of the standards-setting projects.  Take this for example, the Standards for Teacher Competence in Educational Assessment of Students was developed by the American Federation of Teachers, the National Council on Measurement in Education and the National Education Association. 5. Teachers also serve as the critics of the national standards that set the efforts on education reform. The seven model standards that have been developed and supported by the Board of Education have circulated drafts of the standards documents. It also solicits the comment from the teachers and the parents. It is very important that teachers are on the panels in order to oversee the projects. The promotion of students’ critical thinking skills, active engagement in learning and deeper understanding of the subject matter is â€Å"teaching for understanding. † The classroom teachers must be engaged in teaching and understanding the lessons that they teach to the students. The research and the experience are collaborated and are jointly reported. Teachers must also focus on the policy considerations, starting with the perspectives in the classroom and emphasizing on the need for the field-based research that are needed for the multiple contexts of teaching. However, the involvement of teachers also varies on the perception of the school leadership. There are some teachers that perceive the costs of involvement in education reform outweigh the benefits. There are also some teachers who choose to not get involved because it means that this will influence other school policies. With this in mind, this proves that there are two kinds of decisions: the managerial, which is made by the administrators and the technical, which concentrates on the goal. Most teachers prefer being involved in the process than coming up with technical decisions. 7 Then there are some teachers that argue that education reform cannot be imposed on a unilateral approach. Teachers must endorse their new responsibilities and roles, as long as there is a time and enough resources to go about it. Schools depend on the cooperation, relation and interdependence of the staff members that plans such as these must be consistent with the norms that already exist. 8 Schools must also consider the current staff development. There are some models that do not help the teachers in handling the complex reforms that are currently being implemented. Dominant models work perfectly when the specific practices or skills are transferred. The current reforms need teachers to be intellectual. They must grapple the new ways in order to implement the principles and ideas in their daily work. The five steams of reform are challenges to the teachers. 9 Finally, there are the different studies of teachers when it comes to leadership roles. There are conditions that are particularly good prospects when it comes to leadership. By investing in roles that are dignified and not simply powerful, the organizational incentives needed for collaboration results to agreements which protect and separate the interest of the administrators and the teachers. This is a good thing because its final result is that it complies with the policies which support the education reform. Drawing from four different studies of teachers in leadership roles, the author examines the conditions for teacher productivity in schools. Little identifies five conditions as particularly likely to advance or erode the prospects for teacher leadership: define leadership tasks that are important, not trivial; invest leadership roles with dignity, not simply power over others; have organizational incentives for collaboration; avoid agreements that protect the separate interests of teachers and administrators; and have district policies that support teacher leadership, especially those on recruitment, selection, placement, and evaluation of principals. 10 Sometimes it is better to give movie examples. Over the years, there are countless movie releases that show teachers defying the school’s rules in order to provide what is best for their students. In â€Å"Dangerous Minds†, Michelle Pfeiffer encourages her students to read poetry instead of hanging out in the street and ruining their lives by getting involved in drugs, sex and gangsters. In the â€Å"Sister Act 2†, Whoopi Goldberg helms a choir consisting of African American students from the ghettos. Like Pfeiffer in â€Å"Dangerous Minds†, this is the nun’s distraction for the students to make something out of their lives. But a recent movie that depicts educational reform and teacher’s involvement best is the TV movie â€Å"Walkout. † It tells the story of the Mexican-American students in Los Angeles high schools in 1968. They staged a boycott in order to improve the quality of education for Chicanos. Actor-director Edward James Olmos (who plays Jennifer Lopez’ dad in â€Å"Selena) appears and directs in the movie. â€Å"Walkout† was skillfully directed and presented a simple story told in a direct manner. There is a frank portrayal of the unacceptable educational standards in the schools that are attended by the Mexican-American students. In one scene, two Chicano students were slapped on their behinds because they spoke in Spanish. This was only one of the rules in American schools which Mexican-American activists wanted to reform. They want to speak in Spanish whenever they want to because Spanish is their language. For teachers who want a peg in participating in educational reforms, they can look at Sal Castro played by Michael Pena (Jennifer Lopez’ brother in â€Å"Selena. ) He is a dedicated high school history teacher who is the instrument in stirring idealism in his students. He didn’t want them to be violent activists. He encouraged reform but he reminded them that this can be done in a united and peaceful protest. The focal point of the story is Paula Crisostomo (Alexa Vega) who is an exceptional student. She risked her graduation in order to be part of the Lincoln High School walkout. â€Å"Walkout† captures the passion of Paula and her classmates. The parents strongly resisted at the earlier part of the film, but later on they slowly understood the reason behind the activism of their children. The entire cast, played by young performers, is convincing. It is true that â€Å"Walkout† is a film but this is a depiction of something that happened in 1968 which changed history. Because of that walk-out, Mexican-American students are given a voice. The teacher participated in his own way in the education reform his students want granted. Those who watched this movie for the first time were unaware of the Chicano movement of 1968. They were surprised to find out that there was a time Universities kept Chicanos out. Teachers sacrifice their efforts and their time in order to concretize the goals they want for their students. Education reform may not be achieved with just one snap of a finger but that does not mean that teachers should stop trying there and then. For this very reason of reform, teachers and students are more motivated to strive toward success. Education reform is a right that must be made the most out of. It could be better opportunities for the teachers as well as the students. Once the school is presented an option to have an education, then they must seize it. It may be puzzling at first but the absence of education reform can have dire effects on the effective teaching in schools. Research shows that successful schools have reformed their education in relation to the demands of today’s information age. By viewing teaching as the central activity of organizations, more and more educational bodies are encouraging schools to take part of education reform. By proposing the norms, conducts, standards and practices which will serve as the central dialogue and observation of teaching, activities and practices that are related to providing a curriculum and materials needed by the school, students and teachers will be open to the recognition of teacher’s involvement in the whole educational reform process.