Saturday, August 31, 2019

Language Paper

Language is something that generally every human has as a form of communication. It can be in the form of verbal words, in the form of written words, or even in the form of signed words, but it is something that as humans we all use in one way or another. The need for language evolved as a way for people to express their thoughts, their feelings and emotions, and even their fears. Humans needed a way to communicate with each other to express things that normally couldn’t be expressed. This paper is going to set out to cover language. It will cover the definition of language and lexicon, as well as evaluate the key features of language. The paper with describe the four levels of the language structure and processing as well as analyze the role of language processing in cognitive psychology. While it seems so simple, language is a complex as well as fascinating cognitive function that will be explored more in this paper. Language and Lexicon If a person were asked to define language they would probably just comment on the fact of verbal communication. In fact the true definition of language is that it is a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols (Caplan, 2007). When a person talks about lexicon they are literally talking about a person’s vocabulary. According to Caplan, lexicon’s definition is that it is a language’s vocabulary or the language user’s knowledge of words (2007). As stated above language is a cognitive function that is actually part of a process called the linguistic process. The linguistic process allows a person to be able to not only produce communication, but to be able to understand it as well. This concept will be explored more throughout the paper. When people speak about the structure of language it is generally useful to think of it as having four levels. The four levels include, speech sounds or phonemes, words, sentences, and groups of sentences or texts (Willingham, 2007). The lowest level phonemes, which are basically speech sounds, are where the analysis of the sounds that make up words comes in. Phonemes are basically the individual sounds of speech that correspond to the letters in the alphabet of the person trying to use communication. If a person just looks at just the English language they would find that there are 46 phonemes. Worldwide a person would find about 200 phonemes (Willingham, 2007). Continuing on with the English language, the 46 phonemes that correspond with each letter of the alphabet combine in different ways in order to create the roughly 600,000 words contained in the English language alone. In each language there are certain rules when it comes to phonemes stating how the phonemes can be combined and where they can appear in a word (Willingham, 2007). An example of one of the rules in the English language is that a stop consonant cannot appear more than once at the beginning of a word. Phonemes are the first levels that are combined to create words, which are the second level. After that it goes into the third level in which words combine together to create sentences. Of course a person can’t just combine any words in order to make sentences, there are rules involved with this just as there are rules involved with making words. In order for a sentence to be understandable and be proper in structure a person must include proper grammar was well as proper order in the sentence itself. The last level of language structure and processing is grouping sentences together or making text. When a person talks about text they are referring to a group of sentences that combine together and that are related in order to make a paragraph or a group of paragraphs. In order to make a proper text there has to be a connection between the sentences involved in the text. The sentences in the text have to relate to each other, they have to make sense, and lastly they must have logical connections that make each sentence relevant to the previous sentence. Language is defined by five basic properties that are deemed critical for language. The properties include communicative, arbitrary, structured, generative, and dynamic. The first property, communicative, is a property because as it describes it permits one person to communicate with another person. Next in the properties is arbitrary, which is the fact that the relationship between language’s elements and their meaning is arbitrary. When it comes to symbols, arbitrariness is one of the key features. A sound can stand for a meaning, but as to which sound stands for which meaning is considered arbitrary (Willingham, 2007). While language is arbitrary, it is at the same time structured as well. Basically meaning the pattern of symbols is not arbitrary at all. Next is the fact that language is also generative. The basic units of language such as words can be used to build any number of meanings. Finally, language is dynamic because it is not just static. According to Willingham, language is changing constantly as new words are added and the rules of grammar slowly and subtly change (2007). Language Processing in Cognitive Psychology Language is a remarkable process when it is looked at on a cognitive level. As far as language is concerned, humans are the only being on earth that posses the ability to be able to communicate through language. When it comes to a person’s basic needs and desires a person has only to communicate them through words for them to be met. Another interesting fact is that a person is able to learn language rapidly and effectively through their childhood, yet as a person grows older language acquisition becomes harder for the person. When it comes to language processing it plays a key role in cognitive psychology due to the fact that it deciphers the way in which a person is able to communicate as well as process, store, and retrieve the language that they acquire. Conclusion When it comes to humans the primary tool of communication is language. Language is something that generally every human has as a form of communication. It can be in the form of verbal words, in the form of written words, or even in the form of signed words, but it is something that as humans we all use in one way or another. The need for language evolved as a way for people to express their thoughts, their feelings and emotions, and even their fears. Humans needed a way to communicate with each other to express things that normally couldn’t be expressed. Language is one of the remarkable cognitive processes that humans all share and without language it would be difficult to communicate with another person. Without the levels of language or the rules that are involved with it would probably be difficult for people to understand one another, much less communicate effectively with each other.ReferencesCaplan, D. (2007) Language: Structure, Processing, and Disorders. Retrieved November 10, 2010 from http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?tid=4344&ttype=2 Willingham, D.T. (2007). Cognition: The thinking animal (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Person/Allyn & Bacon.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Marketing and Communications Strategy: Hackney Empire Theatre Essay

I. Introduction The dynamic nature of marketing strategy is not caused by its rapidly developing theories or its changing paradigms. It is caused by the fact that different environment requires different strategies. The difference between strategies could be very significant even though the markets are geographically located in the same region. Due to this dynamic nature, the study of marketing and communications strategy will never be completed. Concerning the issue, this paper will assess the marketing and communications strategy for exotic theatre buildings. The particular object of analysis is the Hackney Empire Theatre, which is one of the oldest and most valuable landmarks in London’s history of Theatre industry. The paper will discuss about generating marketing and advertising strategies for the theatre, segmentation and positioning strategies and also communication strategies. II. Hackney Empire Theatre Simply defined, Hackney Empire Theatre is a Music Hall built in 1901. The building is a historical place in London, especially for the performance art industry, because famous characters have all performed there, like WC Fields, Marie Lloyd, Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin. The building has been changing its function several times. It has even been scheduled for demolition at one time. Nevertheless, the building survived all the threats, and today it becomes a historical landmark for many reasons. One particular reason is because the building was a leading centre in alternative comedy boom in 1980’s. Stand-up comedian of all sorts had performed in this building and many famous ones too. One of its famous occasions is the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year competition. The latest development on the building is the fact that it was closed for three years from 2001 to 2004, in order to install more seats and to make the building suitable for opera performance. III. Marketing and Advertising Strategies Advertising strategies usually come about when we are finished designing our marketing schemes. In order to generate the best marketing plan, we need to first completely understand the marketing objectives. In its website, the Hackney theatre mentioned that one of its objectives is to become a recognized leader within the theatre industry, especially in offering opportunities for innovation, dialogue and engagement through all forms of theatre. In order to achieve that we need to first perform to things, which are: understanding consumers’ environment where we will operate and; understanding the potentials and conditions of the facility we are running. Both of these activities can be performed by means of strategic analysis tools. The first strategic tool that we should use to generate a marketing plan is the Porter’s Five Forces Analysis. This analysis tool helps manager understand conditions of the business environment and psycho-dynamics of the market. In terms of the theater industry, Porter Five Forces can help us understand the following factors: –  The theatre world is developing. It is used to be understood as a hard place to live, with competitive atmosphere and mediocre pay, but today the industry reported that it has contributed over  £ 2.6 billion annually to the UK’s economy. Arts council invests over  £ 100 million in 230 theatre organizations in UK for the development of the industry. So young artists and new performances are on the rise (Guide, 2000). – The environment face a rising level of competition, because audiences are also tempted by modern theatre buildings that are recently built – There is actually no competition to the historical value of the building, so the Hackney Empire Theatre will always have a unique place in visitors minds, but maintaining the attractiveness of that unique value is a challenge – The building has a different class or stature among other building. It is not easy for competitors to match the image of the building. – Its main customer segment is the high class society looking for entertainment in a presentable facility. Another analysis tool that we can use to guide our marketing and advertising strategy is the SWOT analysis. In terms of the Hackney Theatre building, the SWOT analysis could provide us the following knowledge: – Hackney Empire Theatre building’s strengths lie on its brand image and historical value. It is important that we maintain such atmosphere of class in every promotional event. – Its threatening weakness could be its ‘ancient’ image, which could be a turn-off for young and innovative artists Thus, a marketing strategy that attracts this segment should be prepared – Opportunities lay along with its efforts of dealing with its threats. If management of the building manages to design the building’s image so that it will attract young artists and novel performances, then it would generate a new opportunity for the building’s popularity (Guide, 2000) From the considerations that have been revealed by the analysis tools, we can generate various effective marketing and advertising strategy, for example: passing away discount tickets, making an advertisement to local TV and radio shows, making a demo performance in nearby campuses, etc. IV. Segmentation and Positioning Strategies In addition to the considerations made above, it is also critical that we understand the market enough to generate a marketing segmentation and positioning plan. Segmenting our customers will allow us to: better serve customers and wants, achieving higher profits, creating opportunities for growth, maintaining sustainable customer relationship, etc. Marketing segmentation requires us to do the following: identify customers based on their relevant characteristics to our business offerings; identify their needs and; developing a profile for every customer segment; evaluating the attractiveness of each segment; choosing one or several target segment and then develop a marketing mix for each targeted segment. There is no space for a detailed segmentation analysis within this paper, but in terms of theater audience, there are mainly 4 groups of people, which are: season ticket buyer, public single ticket buyer, public groups and corporate clients. Referring to the the Hackney Theatre building, the strongest marketing segment is still the upper class society looking for novel forms of sophisticated entertainments. This means the potential target segments are first: the corporate clients, second: the public single ticket buyer and followed by season ticket buyer. Thus, the marketing mix of our marketing and advertising plan must be designed to serve the first particular segment before others. For instant, the suitable advertising plan would be newspaper advertisement, internet advertisement, brochures sent directly to corporate managers, etc (Katz, 1955). V. Communication Strategies In using the mass media to influence our targeted customer segments, it is necessary that we consider these communication theories. The first is called the Hypodermic Needle Theory. This theory represent the view that people would be significantly (whether consciously or not) affected by the mass media they are exposed to and all its content. The second theory is called the two step flow theory. Under this view however, we are urged to understand that mass media influences people by multiple steps. First, it is the TV watchers and newspaper readers that are affected first, and then these groups of people will influence others on what they capture from the mass media. This explains why some effort of marketing through the mass media failed (Davis, 1981). In connection to the theatre industry, management of the theatre building should manage their advertising plan so that it would target mostly the people who are attracted to mass media. Convincing these types of people is the start of convincing the entire population. In practice, theatre advertising should made dramatic and attention getting, without losing its integrity as a high-class performance of art. Such a design might require the assistance of an expert in such advertising field.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Analysis Of External And Internal Environment Marketing Essay

Analysis Of External And Internal Environment Marketing Essay A small business is a business that is privately owned and operated, with a small number of employees and relatively low volume of sales. Small businesses are normally privately owned corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships. Every business which starts with the small capital, few members of staff and management, don’t have much branches in other areas, town or country will be called as small businesses. Small businesses often have the vision of expansion, invest more capitalisation as well as profit maximisation. Here I am taking about Fried chicken shop which is necessary to UK people. This fried chicken shop name is western fried chicken. Executive Summary: The marketing plan of Western Fried Chicken focuses on their current positioning and the effects of repositioning themselves by launching Halal Fried Chicken. With its launch, they’d also be in the list of one of the â€Å"Halal† food suppliers in UK. The main idea is to offer Halal fried chicke n in western style as well as with a few amendments in the recipe by making it spicy to make it appealing to its extended target audience i.e. Muslims that reside in United Kingdom. The reason being Muslims prefer a slightly more spicy food than the western food. The repositioning of the brand is targeted towards the extension of its target audience by allowing access to another target group i.e. a profitable population of Muslims from all over the world, living in UK. There is a high tendency of its success as Western Fried Chicken is already liked by its existing target audience and gets good reviews if anyone is a big fan of scrumptious chicken, chips and even juicy burgers. The consumers prefer WFC more than one of its giant competitors i.e. KFC. The Buzz marketing effect would be one of the best and cost free methods of promoting their chicken. The Challenge The food industry is a mammoth industry in UK and since there is a busy lifestyle, people prefer fast food take – away rather than going for fine dining. In order to survive in the food industry where there is cut throat competition with over 1, 000 individual brands and 1,700 outlets, WFC has to offer something exceptional to its existing target audience in order to retain them and also attract new ones by enabling Muslims to be carefree regarding the Halal meat and focus on providing them something according to their preferences and taste. A little effort on consumer research should be put in, in order to know about their preferences and ultimately provide better end results to them and remove chances of consumer disgust. Vision: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To establish a world class brand. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To be the leading and fastest growing fast food chain in UK. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To be synonymous with quality and profitability. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To bring innovative products and business models to customers. Mission: Providing a hot juice burger, hot testy fried wings and chips. Providing a customer nice environment and nice service. Analysis of external and internal environment of the company: EXTERNAL environment:

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Justice and Christians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Justice and Christians - Essay Example criminals are treated by laws alone in pursuit of justice beyond spiritual guidance, knowing the rigidity of discipline imposed by the justice system ruling, such setting may further aggravate any state of psychological imbalance with inmates. The authorities taking custody of these people may as well not find themselves able to provide sufficient moral support at getting exhausted with daily routine of having to attend to a somewhat unmanageable number of other detained suspects. It is hence more than reasonable for Christian standards to modify the objectives of employing justice in this regard. Every true Christian acts by faith and teachings which exhibit a humble, patient, and compassionate attitude of dealing with a sinner without prior judgment (Christian Justice). By the freedom of exercising righteous deed towards any one, a considerate person who handles an offender may do so in a Christian manner of promoting the essence of love and faith in life through the Holy Scriptures. Once the erring party manifests being moved in response to the atmosphere filled with love, there is high probability that this person would in turn be inspired to change heart and give the favor back. In the process, Christian justice could possibly enable the convicted person to understand the gravity of his sins then to find no great deal in the will to be executed or be served proper charges since by this time, he would have taken a huge step to forgive himself. As a result, Christianity transforms the individual at fault and establishes in him a type of conviction which is able to overcome remorse and discern the fairness in the fact that justice would not be held back from sinner. At this stage the offender, having been spiritually renewed, accepts his punishment wholeheartedly. Similarly, an act of a just Christian reaches out to the victim by supplication of comfort and bridges the gap between the victim and the person in offense. To a certain extent, the former may also

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Market Structures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Market Structures - Essay Example An oligopoly, on the other hand is a market situation where there are few competitors in the market, but each competitor is large enough to affect the market price. The concentration of power rests on a few players now, rather than just one. And like in the case of the monopolist, while there is competition already, each player still has enough power to curb production, affect quantity of output or raise prices. While there has been a very fine line between an oligopoly and cartel, the difference lies between the formalization of groups that comprise the competition to serve a common purpose. In an oligopoly, the individual players have enough power to affect prices in the market. When these players form a group of a common purpose in order to regulate the supply in a certain market, thus actively controlling the price it becomes a cartel. The difference between an oligopoly and a cartel lies in forming an association between the players to limit the competition. An example of a monopoly is a power distribution company that serves a certain area. Monopolies of these sorts are apparent in networks, in order to ensure a certain level of supply to keep prices from fluctuating and hurting consumers. The telephone service industry is an example of oligopoly. The players in the industry can affect the market price of various telephone services by preempting to control prices of a service, which could lead the other competitors to either follow or counter the attack. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is a good example of a cartel. In order to regulate the supply in the oil market, these countries form in order to produce a quota, or certain amount of supply in accordance to their contribution to the supply target of the cartel. Monopolies and oligopolies over time accumulate as much resources that are enough to fund breakthrough scientific discoveries and research and

Monday, August 26, 2019

Assessment of Risk Management Perceptions and Practices of Dissertation

Assessment of Risk Management Perceptions and Practices of Construction Contractors - Dissertation Example 7 Methodology †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 Ethical considerations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Introduction The construction industry is a source of risks and uncertainties. This is true in any country, especially in Saudi Arabia, which has experienced a construction boom these past three decades because of the vast oil revenues poured into government coffers. Risks account not only in physical terms, but also in abstract terms like financial and economic outcomes. Contractors devise plans to manage risks and to pre-empt problems and risks during and after construction. Managing risks involves taking care of the safety and security of the construction project or the finished building and the workers and em ployees therein. Risk management also involves analysing problems or surprises that will occur during and after project construction. Risks include environmental hazards caused by construction and demolition wastes, the health and safety of the workers, and risks associated with the design of the structure whether it can withstand natural disasters. Other risks include insurance and value for money or the business side of the construction project. Saudi Arabia has a long, hot summer, with a short, cool, winter season with very minimal rain. Some parts of Saudi Arabia have some of the extreme climatic conditions, which are most unfavorable for contractors to work with. This is very detrimental to the operations of any project, and could lead to loss of productivity on the part of the owners and contractors. Risk management should consider this aspect. (Shublaq, 1999, p. 277) Another aspect contractors have to include in risk management is the importation of laborers who are from othe r countries. Laborers have to adjust to the kind of unique culture Saudi Arabia has. Culture shock on the part of the laborers affects the kind of work they produce. Significance of the study This paper provides a brief assessment of how construction contractors in Saudi Arabia employ risk management perceptions and practices. The significance of the study brings to light the common practices of contractors in managing risks, and future problems and possible delays that may occur while construction is ongoing. The research will therefore seek to answer the following questions What risk management techniques are available to construction contractor in Saudi Arabia? What is the level of usage of these risk management techniques by the construction contractors? What is the importance of organizational risk management among construction companies in Saudi Arabia? What are the challenges faced be construction contractors in Saudi Arabia in using risk management techniques? Aim of the res earch The aim of this paper is to determine the extent to which risk management techniques are used construction contractors in Saudi Arabia and also determine the perception of construction professional to various construction risks. Objectives To identify risk management techniques used by contractors in Saudi Arabia To determine the level of usage of identified risk management techniques among Saudi construction companies To determine the importance of organizational risk management among Saudi construction companies To identify challenges faced by Saudi construction companies in using risk management techniques To recommend effective ways to limit the challenges identified in the

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Academic Plan for Improvement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Academic Plan for Improvement - Essay Example I have a wish to get good grades by the end of this course. To make my academic wish come true, I have committed to various study habits, which include drawing a timetable for study, sticking to it, and morning reviews of my class notes. During my morning reviews, I plan to spend the time rewriting key concepts of various subjects learned on the previous day. In addition, after finishing every course, I plan to take time to link courses to daily life to make them more fulfilling to my life. By following my study time well, I will have ample time to study and sleep, even during exams. To remain focused during study time, I will inquire from other students how they are making it, form group discussions with them to motivate and challenge me. In addition, give me rewards for following my timetables well, attending classes, and getting good grades. My obstacles in life are largely past failures and health issues, which remind me of a possibility of failure in future academic endeavors. I have told myself repeatedly that I do not need to fear about sicknesses because they are part of life. I am trying to overcome this fear by reading a book by Norman Vincent Pearle on the Power Of Positive Thinking and encourage myself that sickness will not affect my studies. I have committed to taking a balanced diet to boost my immunity and avoid communicable diseases. Another of my greatest fears has been how I will balance my studies and my family. This is because when I come home in the evenings, I need to spend time with my family, and at the same time have a few minutes to review my notes and do some assignments. Usually, my children draw their inspiration to read from me, which makes them stay focused on their studies. In the timetable, I have slotted a time to my children and reduced the time I had to watch TV in the evenings to ensure that I have enough sleep to start my day fresh.

A Position Paper on the Current State of the Music Recording Industry Case Study

A Position Paper on the Current State of the Music Recording Industry - Case Study Example But more than a simple issue of finances and revenues is the issue of the product that Springsteen is selling, other than the records the labels are charged with marketing. In the tradition of rock and roll, a tradition that Springsteen is now a large part of, the live performance is the musician’s venue for making that personal connection—an emotional connection—with his fans. Through tours and concerts, the rock musician continues a legacy in which millions of people are emotionally invested. Firstly, because Bruce Springsteen is so well-established, his concert, performance, and appearance revenues actually outweigh revenues of sales from his album releases. This fact makes two things clear: first, the choice between record label distribution and self-distribution is less important, and second, Springsteen can focus on performing instead of writing new material to play to new audiences. Instead, he can perform his classic repertoire of music that multiple generations have loved and enjoyed. For that reason, his record label should actually have very little impact on his musical career going forward, which is a similar case to Radiohead, who decided to self-distribute new material. Clearly, the decision to trust a record label or to self-distribute is up to the individual artist, and his decision will be influenced by a number of factors. For Springsteen, first and foremost, is his age. At 60, a 10-year contract may last him through the remainder of his performing career . Also, for many artists, the decision to self-distribute is a philosophical one: trying to shift away from the label-dominated paradigm that exists in the United States. These intangible issues aside, perhaps the best advice one can give Bruce Springsteen, when faced with these two options, is to reflect on his experiences from the past 35 years, and whether he has had a satisfying experience with Columbia. Another

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Refrigeration Laboratory Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Refrigeration Laboratory - Lab Report Example Additionally, high water inlet temperatures substantially affect R134a temperature. Consequently, high water inlet temperatures led to rise in intermediate temperatures. In addition to that, optimal temperature is directly proportional to ambient temperature (Neese and Oravetz, 2003). This temperature in turn affects evaporation temperature of cycles that occur at low stages hence inducing the increase of optimal temperature. Result also indicated that there was a correlation between coefficient of performance, water inlet and ambient temperatures. As a result, coefficient of performance deteriorates at high water inlet temperatures and low ambient temperatures and vice versa and it is a common phenomenon in air water heat pump systems (Radermacher and Hwang, 2005). The apparatus had numerous sharp bends with narrow bores that substantially increased pressure of the refrigerant due to viscous friction. Refrigerant usually leave the evaporator chamber below ambient temperatures. This makes it gain temperature from the surrounding to increase superheat. Inadequately insulation at the suction line prevented this from happening (Venkatarathnam, 2008). The motor used to compress refrigerant, from suction pressure to discharge pressure, is not 100% efficient. This experiment opened up so many possibilities of recommendation that can be done to improve the plant and study techniques used. The entire valve at the joint should be fitted to prevent gas from escaping. The inefficient motor should also be replaced with an efficient one so as to save energy. Friction reduction measures are very important. Lubricant and oil should be smeared on the Inner lining of the walls of the suction pipes to reduce friction between the fluids and the walls. Man-made chlorine, especially Chlorofluorocarbons depletes the ozone layer making it permeable to dangerous ultra violet rays reach the earth. It was due this concern that the Montreal Protocol, an

Friday, August 23, 2019

Document Analysis of Julius Caesar's The Gallic War Essay

Document Analysis of Julius Caesar's The Gallic War - Essay Example The Invasion of Britain The year 55 BC was Caesar's first attempt at invading Britain. It cannot be considered a complete success in the sense that after the excursion, the army went back to Gaul and Britain was not occupied. But from the Roman position, most assuredly from Caesar’s point of view, the invasion was a resounding especially when he already received the homage of British tribal chiefs and kings. This, undoubtedly, was the needed evidence to show how the territory has already been conquered as far as the campaign is concerned. This first foray, however, has provided Caesar a fleeting glimpse of the Britain and its societies. When they arrived, they found societies made up of large tribes and clans. Leaders of these groups were not averse to calling themselves kings even when all their constituents were an amalgamation of families and clans. In Caesar’s eyes we are provided some details about how the early Britons conducted their affairs. For instance, he fou nd this out for himself when he noted that the Cantii (people of Kent) have several kings from various kingdoms found in the region. Military Strategy The first campaign involved several skirmishes with the Britons. The Romans had achieved a certain degree of success. And there were several accounts that provided a clear idea about the Roman military strategy in Gaul. The Britons like their distant Gaul cousins are also tribal in the way they wage their war. They adopted the guerilla tactic, which, of course, proved ineffective in the long run. Caesar's legions were equipped and experienced in fighting in this condition. The soldiers had the benefit of Roman training, which produced the world’s first truly professional soldiers, those that considered their work as duty and responsibility, obeying the chain of command and are immune to external influence. Additionally, Caesar’s soldiers were already used to fighting similar strategies in their war with Gallic tribes. Th e long campaign in Gaul has equipped them with better understanding in regard to the most effective approach in dealing with their British opponents. Essentially, the strategy adopted in Britain was composed of two major components: the scorch earth strategy and the show of force. The former was adopted in response to the large British force. In addition, based from Caesar’s commentaries, the Britons also proved adept in stealth and treachery. So the strategy entailed the burning and destruction of fields and property and the plunder of supplies in order to deprive the opposition the resources to sustain their operations and weaken them in an effort to resolve conflict the soonest possible time. After a year passed, Caesar decided to lead another invasion and the campaign this time became a bigger conflict. The Romans and the Britons faced off in several bloody battles. The latter, of course, sustained the most damage since the training and discipline of the Roman force were unmatched. The poorly equipped British – though far superior in number – were still technically savages, too untrained, wielding rudimentary tools. The show of force was crucial in this campaign as demonstrated in the sheer number of Roman soldiers mobilized and the use of war machines and implements such as war elephants, which, of course, deterred much of the local populace. It is important to note

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Liberalism remains hugely influential in British Politics Essay Example for Free

Liberalism remains hugely influential in British Politics Essay Liberalism remains hugely influential in British Politics, moulding the value systems and policies of all the mainstream political parties.’ Discuss. The prime focus of Liberalism is freedom and liberty; the type of liberty they strive for depends, however, on which of the two types of Liberalism is being referred to. Firstly; classical Liberalism, believing in negative freedom and progressive Liberalism leaning more towards positive freedom. I would argue that Liberalism does still have an influence in British politics; however I would not go as far as to say that it is ‘hugely’ influential. Firstly, I would outline that the Labour Party is possibly the least liberal in their political approach. Their manifesto does not set out many liberal policies due to their economical stance. The fact that Labour is traditionally a moderately socialist party, concentrating on equality within society and for this reason, they would steer away from the free-market and limited government intervention approaches that liberals may take to politics. The limited government that Classical liberals see as ideal would not appeal to the Labour party as they strive for the equality of their citizens and would feel that they need to impose policies, such as their policy on housing set out in their 2010 manifesto ‘No stamp duty for first-time buyers on all house purchases below  £250,000 for two years, paid for by a five per cent rate on homes worth more than  £1 million.’ This policy shows a socialist side to New Labour, highlighting a ‘from each according to his ability, to each according to his need’ ideology within Labour politics. However, progressive liberalism may be seen to have had more of an influence on Labour Party politics. The fact that the Labour party believes in imposing policies of equality on society implies that they value positive freedom. Policies put forward such as the Equality Bill; which has been justified as a consolidation measure bringing different strands of anti-discrimination law together while implementing EU directives; highlight the controlled aspect of the Labour party’s equality regime. It could be argued that in the past, aspects of Liberalism, although neither truly Classical or Progressive, such as Neo-Liberalism have had a significant influence on British politics as well as the policies and value systems of the Conservative party in particular. During Thatcher’s time in office, she highlighted an ideal of a pragmatic means to progress. The Thatcherite Conservative party saw Neo-Liberalism as an obvious way to adapt to the constantly changing nature of modern political thought. Tony Blair’s New Labour could also be seen as a Neo-Liberal third way government, on both a social and economic scale. The current Conservative party however, seem to be significantly less affected by Liberalism. Arguably, the free-market ideals that Cameron appears to hold are seen as Neo-Liberal; however, it is apparent that in the current coalition government that Britain is currently led by, this free-market and Neo-Liberal philosophy has been limited to the catch-all demands of mainstream politics. This is apparent in Conservative economic policies such as that put forward in their 2010 pre-general election manifest: ‘A five per cent pay cut for Ministers followed by a five-year freeze, and a 10 per cent reduction in the number of MPs.’ This policy in itself shows how Cameron’s Conservative party are trying to appeal to the masses in controlling the pay of ministers. This does not necessarily denote a free-market approach to the economy and does not play into the meritocratic values that have been seen in the Conservative party in the past. It could also be argued however, that more prominent economic policies put forward in the Conservative manifesto pre-2010 have shown that Cameron’s Conservatives are moving toward the Neo-Liberal, Thatcherite ideology that the Conservative party once had. Although this may not have been the case when Cameron first became the leader of the Conservative party in 2005, aspects of his party’s general election manifesto in 2010, such as: ‘Reduce welfare dependency’ and ‘Stopping tax credits to families with incomes over  £50,000’ have proven to have shown the party’s shift back towards Thatcherite economic politics. These policies show a move back towards meritocratic society and a distinct step away from the ‘something for nothing’ culture that has emerged in modern Britain. Finally, the Liberal Democrats; both by name and by nature; are arguably more influenced by Liberalism than any other mainstream political party. Progressive Liberalism can be seen clearly in certain aspects of their recent policies, on education for example: ‘Cutting class sizes to ensure children get the individual attention they need.’ This is a fine example of how the Liberal Democrats would like to impose positive liberty and freedom on its citizens; cutting class sizes would increase individual attention and therefore arguably create more freedom and liberty for pupils in the long-term. It could also be argued however, that the Liberal Democrats are no longer such a liberal party, but more of a third way political party; much like the Conservative and Labour parties who have shifted towards the centre of political ideals and values in order to also become more ‘catch-all’ and appeal to the masses. In conclusion, I would argue that broadly Liberalism is not hugely influential in British politics as a whole and does not necessarily mould the value systems and policies of all the mainstream political parties. However, I would argue that liberalism still remains influential in certain specific parts of each party’s policies and value systems; therefore remaining an influential force, to an extent, in British politics.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

DEFINATION OF SUSTAINABILITY PHENOMENON

DEFINATION OF SUSTAINABILITY PHENOMENON In todays world where populations are growing, where natural resources are stressed and where consumers expectations are expanding, sustainability is absolutely critical issue for our planet. Sustainability is a significant term for many disciplines and one of the important key for living. Then, it has become an important part of organizations with the effect of todays rapidly changed competitive business environment and surely the effect of globalization. Economic Sustainability Environmental Sustainability Social Sustainability Figure 1. Three dimensions of sustainability Sustainability can be described as a permanent ability.  Meaning in the science of ecology, diversity and productivity of the biological system is to ensure the continuity.  Today is a very popular sustainability concept, or fashion in the phrase sustainable growth, underground / aboveground resources, without jeopardizing their life opportunities of future generations to consume to sustain economic growth targets. In 1992, Sustainable Development was the main theme of the Rio Conference, later all the other United Nations conferences had been deeply affected and the basic principles of the UNs approach turned into the world Sustainability. According to the United Nations Environment and Development Commission definition in 1987, Humanity, future generations need to answer capability without jeopardizing the daily needs by providing development to sustain the ability to have. According to Nelson and Winter (1982, pg.5) sustainability adverts to a accumulated and persistent way of growth, at economic level- the economic sustainability or at company level- the business sustainability; an included growth way that provides benefits to people at different types of levels of social position, both within countries and all over the world the social sustainability; and a growth trajectory that recovers and protects the natural environment and is well balanced in terms of exploitation of natural resources- the environmental sustainability. According to all of these senses, sustainability can be related with the accumulative and path dependent nature of the innovation process. (Nelson and Winter, 1982) With regard to Tekeli (2001), sustainability is emerged in the environmental movement and has become widely accepted in the political process content and it is tried to be redefined as a moral principle. As determined in many academic studies, for humanity, the long-term prosperity and ease the situation related with the worlds natural balance and protection of natural resources usage responsibly. 2.2. HISTORY OF SUSTAINABILITY The concept of sustainability used for the first time in 1713 in order to explain economic use of forests by Carl von Carlowitz was put forward by a woodsman, much later it have been translated into English. The first form of sustainability, without consuming the essence of the forest, which grew up just sprinkling the cut, was expected to benefit from that. Todays sustainability thinking is also called three-legged model (triple bottom line / 3BL). The short-form of definition is, Sustainable development of the existence of the people with economic, environmental and social dimensions to the future. Sustainability is a kind of ideology that involves social life to economy, environment and atmosphere; can see the right to intervene, the world, people and life. As the area of interest and interfere with thinking, sustainability has unprecedented coverage area in history ever. In todays world of science is accepted by everyone. Therefore the appreciation of science to sustainability issues are expected to accept from everyone. 2.3. CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY In recent years, there has been significant discussion in the business, academic, and popular press about corporate sustainability. This term is often use in some cases as a same meaning with other terms as especially with sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. In this part of the research, corporate sustainability and the relationship with other terms will be analyze. Sustainability has been defined as economic development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland, 1985). For businesses this includes issues of corporate social responsibility. In other words, corporate sustainability can be identified as meeting the needs of a firms direct and indirect stakeholders like shareholders, clients, employees, pressure groups and committees, without compromising its ability to meet the needs of future stakeholders at the same time. To achieve these objectives, companies must have to take into account and expand their social, environmental and economical capital base while contributing sustainability in the global business area. Recently, companies have become more sensitive to social issues and stakeholders interest to become better corporate citizens. Regarding this, the result for the companies that they should make significant changes for managing their social, environmental and economic impacts. Worlds largest, best-known organizations like Coca Cola, GE, Unilever, Procter Gamble are leading the world economy the way with taking into consideration social and environmental issues. The Corporate Sustainability Model describes the inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes to implement a successful sustainability strategy (Epstein, 2008). For Wilson, sustainable development corporate social responsibility stakeholder theory accountability are the four pillars of corporate sustainability (Wilson, 2003). The contribution of sustainable development to corporate sustainability is two folds. First, it helps to identify the issues that firms must concentrate like social, environmental and economic performance. Second, it provides social objective for companies, governments to work for same aim, ecological, social and economic sustainability. Nevertheless, sustainable development does not provide the important evidence for the reason that firms action should look like (Wilson, 2003). The importance of sustainable development will be examine in detailed in the following heading of the research. Figure 2: The Evolution of Corporate Sustainability DISCIPLINE UNDERLYING CONCEPT CONTRIBUTION TO CORPORATE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABILITY Economics Ecology Boundaries of the subject matter and description of a common societal goal. Social Justice CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Ethical arguments as to why corporations should work towards sustainability goals. Moral Philosophy CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY Strategic Management STAKE HOLDER THEORY Business arguments as to why corporations should work towards sustainability goals CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY THEORY Ethical arguments as to why companies shouldreport on sustainability performance. Business Law 2.3. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT The conceptual idea of sustainable development has become a long-term place. This concept has been formed as a result of many international organizations especially The United Nations intensive works. Especially since 1970, a lot of scientific research and conferences were held both globally, national and local levels. Every new study has contributed to the idea of sustainable development become conceptual. Aforementioned studies should be sort chronologically in this format; i. The World Conservation Strategy-WCS The concept of sustainable development is first used at the World Conservation Strategy. This is the first formulation of sustainability and it is more ecological approach. According to this approach, development policies should have three priorities (Soussan, 1992: 21-24). Soussan, J. G. (1992), Sustainable Development, Environmental Issues in the 1990s, A. M. Mannion and S. R. Bowlby (ed.), John Wiley Sons, West Sussex, England, ss. 21-35. Protection of ecological process. Sustainable use of resources. Preservation of genetic diversity. The World Conservation Strategy (WCS) is more focused on the physical environment.  This approach of WCS has been criticized by the anti-growth. (Soussan, 1992: 24) ii. World Comission on Environment and Development Report- Our Common Future (1987) Brundtland Report was formed in 1983 by the period of the United Nations Secretary Generals request and upon the proposal and headed by Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland and the participants from twenty different countries in The World Environment and Development Commission (WCED) and submitted to the United Nations General Assembly in 1987. The most detailed used definition of sustainable development was expressed by WCED report, Our Common Future (1987), as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. iii. United Nations Environment and Development Conference- Rio de Janeiro (1992) United Nations Environment and Development Conference was organized between 3-14 June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with the participation of 178 states. Rio Conference was adopted that Sustainable human development is at the heart of the case, consistent with the nature of every human being, the right to a healthy and productive life. With the Rio Conference, the scope of the sustainable development concept has greatly extended and has gained a place in the multi-disciplinary work area. iv. European Union 5th Action Program (1992) The most significant feature of this work is the first program that accepts local government as a coalition partner. (Hams,1994: 44-46). Hams, Tony (1994), Local Environmental Policies and Strategies after Rio, Local Environmental Policies and Strategies, Julian Agyeman and Bob Evans (ed.), Local Economic and Social Strategy Series, Longman Group Ltd, ss. 23-46. v. The Commission on Sustainable Development (1993) The purpose of the organization committee is implementing the principles which adopted in the conference, to strengthen the integration of environment and development issues for intergovernmental decision-making capacity. vi. The United Nations Conference on Human Settlements-Habitat II (1996) The concept of sustainable development followed in the historical course, The United Nations Conference on Human Settlements-HABITAT II had an important role. Istanbul Declaration and Habitat Agenda have both adopted in the Habitat II and the concept of sustainable development with a fairly close relationship between human settlements are discussed in detail. Sustainable development process based for many years before, however, it has been in the worlds agenda, widely after 1987 Brundtland Report and a lot of research, conferencing and meeting topics to be continue to be the subject. Sustainable development, the Brundtland Commission defined differently, although described in different ways by different authors during the 25 years.  There is no doubt that, this identifies the most common and accepted definition as a partner in this field, has described the 1987 Brundtland Report. With the words of Harlem Brundtland (1987) sustainable development refers a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generation. This comprehensive report is published by United Nations. After a long period of study, the commission headed by Harlem Brundtland published Our New Common Future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (Brundtland, 1987). Coverage of the report was almost unique by its comprehensiveness; it covered numerous serious global issues like food security, population pressures and human resources, energy supply alternatives, species and ecosystem protection, industrial production and efficiency and peace security issues (WEC, 2001). According to the report, by over-exploiting resources societies may damage their capability to meet the needs of their future generations. The report noticed that, until recently, interventions of human society on environment were small in scale and their impact was limited. However, parallel to industrial and demographic trends observed in recent decades, these interventions have become more constitutional in scale and impact. Sustainable development is a concept that includes society, environment and development and all matters related to complex relationships with each other. In other words, sustainable development is a way of upgrading economic growth and the level of welfare with protecting the environment and quality of life of all people on earth. Increasing world population and its consumption rate, with rapid development in technology in the industry for increased production and environmental pollution hazards has led to the destruction of natural resources. In fact, until the middle of 20th century, the definition of sustainable development covers only environmentalism and nature preserve. The relationship between humans and the environment has always been throughout history, will continue to be. Especially 19  century industrial revolution which occurred in 19th century, these relationships have increased even more and human activities found more damaging for the nature. This fact has not escaped the attention of scientists and in this field has revealed the need for measures to be taken. Starting establishing in the late 19th century early 20th century of some associations and ongoing community of human natures the main objective was to prevent these losses. 2.4. THE ROLE OF MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Become the most important actors in the globalized world, multinational companies can be defined as companies that have operations in several countries and provider of benefits from international manufacturing (Aribogan, 1996). The term multinational corporations first occurred in 1960 Lilienthal used it to imply to such corporationswhich have their home in one country but which operate and live under the laws and regulations of other countries at the same time.(Kobrin, 2002) When we look at the period 1970-2000, massive growth of multinational corporation activities can be seen. In 1970 only 7000 Multinational Enterprises were existed in worldwide. In 2000 this score picked up to with 63,000 parent firms to totally 690,000. (UNCTAD,2000). Multinational enterprises have been expanding not only numerically also financially. Total sales of the largest 100 multinational enterprises increased from $3,2 trillion to almost $8,4 trillion (World Resources Institute, 2003). As a result, due to their power and capacity, multinational companies usually can affect the domestic policy of host developing countries. Sustainable Development can not be ignored in studies about management science and theory. (Galdwin et al.,1995). Over the last few years, the number of articles and projects about global implications of sustainable development has significantly increased (Banerjee, 2002). Because of increasing ratios of academic researches, debates abound among the basic players in the economy is multinational companies. These enterprises operate worldwide and they are strictly committed to foreign direct investment (Mclntyre, et al,2009). Multinational companies play a significant role in the generation of sustainable development strategies. Multinationals inflict dynamic and complicated strategic processes that consolidate social phenomena in different ways like social, economic, cultural and legal aspects of these phenomena influence each other (Mclntyre, et al,2009). Through to the incredible increase of knowledge related with sustainable development strategies and growing importance of multinational companies, it is necessary to review last few years research process. In a global context multinational enterprises had an slightly increasing importance till these years. Many studies have examined the role and importance of Multinational Enterprises in sustainable development in developing and underdeveloped countries. These studies identified that a variety of economical, social, political and legal situations in the host country may pick up or slow down the progress of sustainable development process. For instances, researchers highlight that multinational enterprises have a crucial role at the beginning of this process because they are decision-makers in countries. On the other hand, environmentalists are generally dejected the addition values of Multinational Enterprises especially about protecting the natural environment in host developing countries (Gafaru, 2006). Because of their exigent need for employment occasion, many low-income countries are usually obliged to organize their regulations about environment flexible, to attract foreign investors. According to Gafaru, developing countries are likely to be a haven for pollution intensive industries of Multinational enterprises. Rasiah (1999) also pointed that, the reason of the inferior machinery transferring from multinational firms to Malaysia is the countrys incompetent and lower environmental standards and regulations. Likewise, Blackman and Wu (1998) obtained important reinforcement. They claimed that foreign investment in electricity formation in China increased energy performance and reduced perilous emissions. Neoliberal researchers claim that multinational companies are the key issue to success sustainable development with transfer of new and innovative technologies. Technological development is a significant element for conserving the natural environment because development of technology may help in the manufacture of products which are environmentally-friendly to use. However, the current global trade and investment policies do not require from multinational firms to create new, modern and environmentally-friendly technologies in host countries (Gafaru, 2006) 2.5. IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY There are four main reasons why sustainability has an urgent attention for these years; Regulations Community Relations Cost and Revenue obligations Societal and Moral imperatives Government regulations and industry codes of conduct involve that firms must increasingly address sustainability. On the other way, the general society and activist are becoming increasingly aware of sustainability and impacts to society and the environment. A good performance on sustainability has a positive effect on improving community relations and business performance. Sustainability can also create financial value for the corporation through developed incomes and lower expenses. In other words, managing sustainability is definitely a perfect business decision. Societal and moral imperatives have an impact on environment and for this reason companies have a responsibility to manage sustainability. An individual interest for social and environmental impacts and their social and moral imperatives has led companies to include sustainability in their strategies. (Epstein, 2008) 2.6. SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING Sustainability reporting is the implementation of being responsible to internal and external stakeholders as related to the corporate performance measurement explanations with the aim of sustainable development goals. Sustainability reporting is a broad term used synonym with Corporate Responsibility Reporting that is also used to identify economic, environmental and social impact reporting . In a sustainability report, the reporting of sustainability performance assessment of institutions should be balanced with both positive and negative contributions. Sustainability Reports are generated by GRI (Global Reporting Initiative ) Reporting framework and cover reporting period that have the institutions commitment, strategy and management approach that has emerged in the context of the implications. In other words, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is a network-based organization that has pioneered the development of the worlds most commonly used sustainability  reporting framework and is committed to its continuous  improvement and application worldwide. (www.globalreporting.org). From the beginning of GRI in 1997, it has developed in over 70 countries. The main reason of this growth is admittedly a bounce of the coming age of sustainability reporting. In ten years over 1000 companies announce the use of the GRI Guidelines in their sustainability reports. According to King, sustainability reporting has become critical for companies. It is important for companies to build the trust and confidence of its stakeholders. Basis and Guides ve Sector Effects Framework of Report Standard Explanations What to Report? How to report? Problems Figure 3: The Framework of GRI Reporting Consequently, GRI reporting has a significant importance for the companies because it provides to evaluate the sustainability performance with laws, rules, regulations, performance standards and voluntary interventions. It is also important to show how the company affect the expectations about sustainable development and how effected. Multinationals use GRI for comparison the performance in the company and with different institutions

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Dark Night: A film analysis

The Dark Night: A film analysis Which features of the film would you consider place it as either mainstream or alternative? To answer this question I have chosen to base my answer upon the film ‘The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan. As one of the main spectacle blockbusters to come out in 2008, I thought that it would be appropriate to base my essay upon. I would class the film as mainstream for many reasons, and one of these being that the film had a very wide target audience; the film is an adaptation from a comic book, so there is already a strong fan base for the film. There is also the fact that there are fans purely of the other Batman films; however these are not prequels as they are from an entirely different series, with different directors. It was also very much so a family film, released on the 24th July 2008 it was released in the middle of the Hollywood blockbuster season, making it a must see for children and adults alike. Another reason that the film would be based in the mainstream category is the fact that film cost approximately $185,000,000 to make. The filmmakers intended for the film to be a spectacle, focusing largely on the visual impact of the film. However, narrative and character development also played a large part, unlike most Hollywood blockbusters. This is evident through the characterisation of the Joker and Batman. Throughout the film we see differing sides of the two characters and spectators may well have sided with that of the Joker, a person who in real life people would not have found themselves able to condone their behaviour. However, in the world of the film it is possible for a spectator to find themselves forming an allegiance with them. It was also the first time in feature film-making that IMAX cameras were utilized†[1] It is often found that in blockbusters, the filmmakers are looking for some sort of excuse to try new technology, and this happens in this film, for example in the armoured car chase. When looking at a film as a spectacle an audience would expect the spectacle to be seen through the following; costume, sets, locations, action, set pieces, sound, employment of new technologies, and editing and camera work, all of which is evidently been shown through The Dark Knight. It is these things that show the appreciation of the films surface quality†[2], and that The Dark Knight is very much so a visual spectacle, as to a spectator it is extremely aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore the film itself is an ‘event film, as it was based on a comic book and has a large fan base already even before its release, it is expected of fans to show up in fancy dress etc to actually take part in the spectacle itself. When looking at alternatives to Hollywood, they fall into various differing sub-genres. However, The Dark Knight does not belong to any other alternative heading; it is a mainstream blockbuster/spectacle. No other alternative cinema heading would be able to be logically applied to this film. Although the implications of the developments appeared to be that, in a society dominated by the mass media, popular culture is better able than avant-garde art to provide visual metaphors that reflect the problems and dilemmas of everyday life.†[3] For instance the fact the character of Batman himself represents justice for the people, he is not the law, nor does he abide by it, however he seeks justice whether or not people think that it be morally correct or not. Another key scene when looking at this would be where the Joker has sent the two ships out, each ship has a detonator for the other ship, and however one boat is filled with normal citizens and the other with convicts. The fact is that viewers expect the boat full of civilians to blow the other ship, though this is not the case. One of the more menacing looking convicts throws their detonator out of the ships window proclaiming that You dont wanna die, but you dont know how to take a life. Give it to me; these men would kill you, and take it anyway. Give it to me. You can tell em I took it by force. Give it to me, and Ill do what you shoulda did ten minutes ago.† This is not what a spectator member would usually expect from a criminal however this scene allows the view to question their own moral compass, as the innocent civilians are up for blowing the convicts up, but it is in fact the convicts who throw the detonator away first. Another reason that this would be classed as mainstream is due to the casting. Stars and other well known names are used for all the main characters, which would not usually be the norm in alternative film-making. Actors such as Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman were all used in the film. Using stars in films is an especially good way for filmmakers to draw a larger target audience, and they cleverly use these actors/actresses as a marketing tool. Some of the main stars in the film also starred in some of the previous Batman films, so many people will have some sort of recognition with them and will be expecting certain things from them. Although these people were purposefully cast in order to make the film more successful, no one could have anticipated the death of Heath Ledger before the films release. And although it may not be pleasant his death worked as one of the largest marketing tools for the film, as people who may not have wished to view the film before, whether because it was a Batman film, the cast or the fact it was a blockbuster, fans of Ledger flooded cinemas in order to see his last performance. When thinking of Hollywood/blockbuster films many people feel that they are made purely for the profit. However, regardless of genre and other factors of similarities you cannot deny the fact that Hollywood produces artistic products.†[4] As technology is advancing Hollywood are the able to have the chance to make bigger and better films, and this is evident in The Dark Knight, IMAX cameras are being used for the first time, the director Christopher Nolan wanted the film to be as big as possible, and it succeeded. For example aerial shots at (00:58) and (57:58) show just how expensive this film was to make, as it is highly expensive to use shots like these in films. Although many Hollywood films are similar in content, cinematography, cast, budget, genre etc the filmmakers do have to make each film different, Henry Ford could manufacture thousands of cars exactly alike; here sameness is a virtue. But every movie had to be different; otherwise the movie audiences would not appea r at the theatres again and again†.[5] All blockbusters aim to be bigger and better than the last and it is this drive that makes audiences members want to go and see the next one time after time. The film would also be classed as mainstream due to the theme of violence. Mainly complaints were made by people saying that it should have received a higher rating by the BBFC as it was only rated as a 12A, which caused controversy amongst many parents who did not wish for their children to view the film. Thus meaning that anyone above the age of 12 could view the film with adult supervision and that under 12s would be permitted if with an adult. However, there is never any blood on screen throughout the entirety of the film itself. It is this that makes it a more mainstream film, by not showing blood onscreen, the filmmakers are allowing the film to reach a wider audience. The film displays spectacular action sequences†[6] and this is one of the main things that The Dark Knight is about, showing the action to the best of their ability. It is the action throughout this film that makes people glued to the screen. The budget is also a main factor in this, considering that the film cost $185,000,000 to make, the filmmakers were able to afford, any special effects that were necessary or wanted, this would not usually happen in alternative films, as many alternative filming methods have very low budgets, and the directors may only get to work with what they can get their hands on at the time. The music also plays a key role in The Dark Knight, and the reason I feel this should be included, is based upon the fact that it has been composed by Hans Zimmer; A German born composer who is responsible for many of Hollywoods most recent hits. He provided music for The Pirates of the Caribbean films, Pearl Harbour, The Da Vinchi Code, Black Hawk Down, King Arthur, Angels and Demons, and most recently Sherlock Holmes. The action film/action blockbuster is at once the most contemporary, the most visibly relevant to present day Hollywood filmmaking, and also the least discussed and least well defined†[7]. People dont like admitting to the fact they enjoy mainstream movies anymore, it is the hegemony of the people that believe that Hollywood are only producing films to make money, however The Dark Knight defies this generalisation, based upon the fact it is directed by an independent stylised director. They also fail to take into account the basic fact that its conventionality is the very reason for its creativity.†[8] Another factor that makes The Dark Knight stand out as a mainstream film is the use of special effects throughout the film. However director Christopher Nolan is not fond of using CGI, and so tried his very best to use the practical alternatives where necessary. With regards to the Joker within the film Nolan felt that â€Å"when youre dealing with an anarchist, somebody who is dedicated to chaos, the most visceral way of representing that is an explosion†[9], so that he did. All the way throughout the film many explosions can be seen, and it is Nolan himself who tried to keep them as ‘real as possible. He believes an audience can tell the difference between something being done practically and something which has been done using CGI, and so therefore chose to limit the amount of CGI he used within the film, unless it was absolutely necessary due to health and safety reasons. Nolan wanted the film to have more explosions than ever seen in any other film, as he thought th is was the key to the Joker, and believed that it would make the audience feel like anything could happen in the film. Take for example the hospital explosion where the Joker is walking out, Nolan wanted to do this explosion for real and did this to the best of his ability. They allowed the explosion to stop for a second as Heath Ledger is walking away from the building, and turns round in surprise, just as the audience will, thinking that something has gone wrong. However, this is not the case and the explosion continues, leaving the audience feeling disconcerted. Another factor which also makes the film mainstream is that it presents universal themes to its audience. The reason being that if the viewer has a character that they feel they can connect to throughout the film, whether it be the hero/protagonist or the villain/antagonist, or any other character for that matter, there is someone they feel that within the film they have a similarity to, further interpolating them into the diegetic world of the film. Whether you feel that you are more connected with Batman or the Joker, it does not matter, the fact remains that if you do share views/outlook you will enjoy the film more based on the fact that you have someone else that feels the same as you, offering you a feeling of comfort and fulfilment, this would also be considered as a form of escapism. It remains that escapism can also be used as a device for criticising reality and the present state of society,†[10] which can be seen throughout the film, as the battle between justice and the people is ongoing in The Dark Knight. To conclude the mainstream category would be the best to define The Dark Knight. The reasons stated in the above contribute to making it so. Essentially reasons why it could not be categorised as an alternative film made it a fair argument. Research provided key factors into the reasoning of why The Knight is a mainstream film. Using a modern film was necessary as a more passà © film may not be classed as mainstream now to the current generation of cinema goers. The Dark Knight was possibly the mainstream blockbuster to have been released in 2008, therefore it was relevant to be used in this essay. The internet movie database. 2009. The Dark Knight. [online] [accessible online at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/ [Accessed 1 December 2009]. Neale,A.,2000. Genre and Hollywood, Routledge. London. Diedre Pribam,E. March 22, 2004. Cinema and Culture: Independent Film in the United States, 1980-2001. Framing Film: The History and Art of Cinema. P33. Neale,S.2000.Genre and Hollywood. Routledge. London. Neale,S.2000.Genre and Hollywood. Routledge. London. Langford,B.2005.Film Genre Hollywood and Beyond. Edinburgh University Press. Edinburgh. Langford,B.2005.Film Genre Hollywood and Beyond. Edinburgh University Press. Edinburgh. Grant, K. Ed., 2005. Film Genre Reader 3. University of Texas Press. USA. HowStuffWorks, Gerri Miller. The Dark Knight Stunts Special Effects [online] (Updated 2009) Available at: http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/dark-knight2.htm [ Accessed 6 December 2009]. Grant, K. Ed., 2005. Film Genre Reader 3. University of Texas Press. USA.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Jellyfish Dystopia Essay examples -- Animal Research Conservation

Earth’s environment is a complex construction with multiple parts that are all important to its success. Even creatures like jellyfish cannot be ignored when considering this delicate construction. Through both ecosystem modification and additions, human environmental manipulation humans are creating favorable conditions for jellyfish and their subsequent population explosions. The effects of these large populations have a myriad of negative physical and economic effects on humans. If we wish to avoid our eventual jellyfish dystopia, we must take preventative actions. The modification of the environment by humans is the first factor that has begun to promote the jellyfish dystopia. As humans change the environment, conditions are beginning to favor jellyfish. In an environment that largely favors them, a population explosion and accompanying jellyfish dystopia is inevitable. These population explosions are a great leap toward the jellyfish dystopia. Throughout the marine environment, humans have begun overfishing in multiple marine environments. This opens niches in the oceanic food webs. These niches, or spaces in the food webs, result from the removal of predators that would previously control the jellyfish population (Stone). In the absence of their predators, the jellyfish population is free to expand and forms blooms, or large jellyfish populations. The jellyfish themselves then prevent the native fish population from rebounding by feeding on the fish eggs (Stone). Humans proceed to fish in these areas again, and the jellyfish predation dec reases to a greater degree. Humans also improve conditions for jellyfish as we allow pollution levels to rise. Devices like cars are contributors to the carbon dioxide levels. As the CO2... ...s for them and degrading our own situation. If we do not strive to control these various lashing tentacles of the jellyfish dystopia, we will be killed in its powerful grasp. Works Cited Blomberg, Lindsey. "The Great Jellyfish Invasion." E: The Environmental Magazine 23.1 (2012): 16-17. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 May 2012. Pauly, Daniel. "Aquacalypse Now." The New Republic. Mike Rancilio, 9 Sept. 2009. Web. 01 May 2012. Tucker, Abigail. "The New King Of The Sea." Smithsonian 41.4 (2010): 26-37. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 May 2012. Stone, Richard. "Massive Outbreak of Jellyfish Could Spell Trouble for Fisheries." Yale Environment 360. Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, 13 Jan. 2011. Web. 01 May 2012. Vince, Gaia. "Jellyfish Blooms Creating Oceans of Slime." BBC.com. British Broadcasting Company, 5 Apr. 2012. Web. 1 May 2012.

Coat of Arms :: Essays Papers

Coat of Arms Most people believe a coat of arms to be a shield of some sort that knights used in the middle ages to protect themselves in battle. In reality, a coat of arms consists of more than just a shield. There are actually five elements in a coat of arms: the shield, the crest, the helm, the wreath and the mantle or mantling. Each of these elements creates what is know as a coat of arms. While it is true that knights did indeed wear coats of arms during battle, the emblem was not only found on the armor used for protection in battle but also appeared on flags and clothing. GRAFICA There exists some debate as to the history and the creation of the coat of arms. The most wide spread theory is that coats of arms were needed as a means of identifying knights in battle. The idea was that since the knights were masked by helmets during tournaments or fights, the only way to identify their allegiance was by looking at his coat of arms. Therefore when two kingdoms fought each other, the purveyor could and would take the arms of the victim and hoist it as a trophy and as a sign of victory. Aside from winning coats of arms in battle there were several other means of acquiring a coat of arms. Another way is to inherit from the family. THis brings about the idea of heraldry and genealogy, two concepts closely tied to coats of arms. Royal families were not the only ones to commission coats of arms, hence many families possessed such emblems that could symbolize family wealth, stature and standing. A common novelty today is to genealogically trace the family name and discover the history of it. For various prices ranging from $49.95 and up, you can be the proud owner of an authentic coat of arms of your family. For a little more money, you too could be like the knights and carry the coat on a flag, or maybe wear it on a T-shirt or drink out of a coffee mug with it embossed.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Essay Grading :: essays research papers

I was going through a bunch of old magazines and newspapers this week when I came upon an article about some software that was being developed for teachers to use that would grade essays. Over the past weekend I had the opportunity to talk to my aunt who was a teacher and college professor before she retired. She said, â€Å"there is nothing better to assess a student's knowledge of a subject, than an essay especially when compared to a true or false or multiple choice exams†. Unfortunately, grading essays is extremely time-consuming, and sometimes grading can be inconsistent. Now there is a computer program that can grade essays as well as humans according to its developer Thomas Landauer. "From sixth graders to first-year medical students, we get consistently good results," says Thomas Landauer, a psychology professor at the University of Colorado who has been working on the program for 10 years. The program, developed into its present form in 1997, uses "latent semantic analysis," a type of artificial intelligence based on complex mathematical formulas that attempt to mimic the human language function. Developed by Landauer, psychologist Peter Foltz of New Mexico State University and doctoral student Darrell Laham of Colorado, the program can't get bored, rushed, sleepy or forgetful. And this, Landauer says, gives it perfect consistency in grading. To grade text, operators feed the computer general information about the subject to be tested, which can include from 50,000 to 10 million words entered from course textbooks. The program then assigns a mathematical degree of similarity or distance between individual words used by the textbooks and other words in general use. This allows students to use different words that mean the same thing for example, "physician" and "doctor." The program then evaluates essays against sample tests that have already been graded by human instructors and professors. It then takes the combination of words in the student essay and computes its similarity to the combination of words in the essays to come up with a grade. The student can expect a grade similar to the one on the sample essay his work most closely matches. To achieve this, the software uses about a gigabyte of computer memory, or ten times that of the average home personal computer. My computer at home has 128 megabytes of R.A.M (random access memory) so my computer would need about eight times more R.A.M to run this program.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Executive Summary Branding the Nation

Executive Summary: Branding the nation: What is being branded? Journal of Vacation Marketing Volume 12 Number 1. 2005 p. 4-13 The author: The paper is written by Ying Fan a senior lecturer at Brunel Business School, Brunel University in London. Dr Fan has held faculty positions at the universities of Lincoln, Hertfordshire and Durham. His research interests surround branding and marketing communications, and cross-cultural management issues. Topic: Branding the nation: What is being branded? The major topic of the paper is what nation branding is and what the purpose of nation branding is. Research question : What is being branded? Is a nation brand a separate entity, or an element in the product brand? What is the direction of the correlation between countries that have produced strong brands and those that are strong brands themselves ? Method : The research method is a literary analysis Material and Structure of the paper: On the first page of his paper contact informations, informations on the author including a photo of Fan are given. An Abstract sums up the Keywords and gives an overview over the article. All in all the paper of Fan is 9 pages long and is structured in the chapters: Introduction What is Nation Branding? What is being branded? Nation branding and product branding Nation brand image and product-country image Paradoxes The broader context For a further understanding Fan gives 3 Tables: Terms used in the literature ; Examples of nation branding where he gives 5 examples and explains what is being branded and a table on Comparison between nation branding and product branding . In his paper Fan makes indirect citations which are listed in the references. Here the references are ordered by appearance in the text not alphabetically. The paper is easy to read and understand, it gives a good overview of the topic nation branding. The structure is easy to follow. The paper is anonymously refereed. Finding of the article : The author points out that there is no single definition on nation branding but gives a working definition for the paper: ‘Nation branding concerns applying branding and marketing communications techniques to promote a nation’s image. Nation branding can be used in different ways: using the nation’s image to promote sales and exports ; place branding which is part of tourism marketing ; political marketing for example the expression â€Å"axis of evil†; Nation branding in it's true sense like Cool Britannia. The author points out that a nation is not a product in the conventional sense . The Nation itself can hardly b e changed, the benefits are purely emotional, the Image is complicated and the ownership is unclear. A nation brand is not centered on any specific product, service or cause that can be promoted directly to the customer. But Nation branding concerns a countries whole image, covering political, economic, historical and cultural dimensions. A Nation has not one but multiple images. What image is retrieved depends on the audience , the context and the time. The author finds out that negative national image does not necessarily affect the purchase of products made by that country, by giving the example of Japan and China. The author tries to find out the direction of the correlation between countries that have produced strong brands and those that are strong brands themselves . Nation branding must be distinctive and help the country to position itself against competitors . A difficulty is that an international audience have a different degree of knowledge of a nation and each country has different cultural values, thus decodes the message differently. Nation branding often try to communicate a single image or message to different audiences in different countries . This renders for the author the message meaningless, but to try to be all things to all people will in the opinion of the author inevitably fail . What is the message a nation wants to send, give up a old but unique image in favor of the new image. This can fail like for example â€Å"Cool Britannia† did. Another difficulty in nation branding is that a national identity is very difficult to define. Furthermore in nation branding, an understanding of the customers’ existing perception of the nation is very important. A certain image is made over time. Another important aspect of nation branding is the internal audience. The author points out that Nation branding is just one part of a marketing strategy which is part of the business strategy and that often nation branding is overestimated even if it is a powerful tool. It is for example not sufficient for the country to promote its image enthusiastically to other nations if the economic basis for the nation brand is not there or the political situation is unstable. The image problem of a region or nation most often results from political and socio-economic troubles which must be solved, nation branding will not solve a country’s problems but only serves as the final touch .

Friday, August 16, 2019

Enabling Learning and Assessment Essay

1. The purposes of assessment Assessment is the process of evaluating an individual’s learning. It involves generating and collecting evidence of a learner’s attainment of knowledge and skills and judging that evidence against defined standards. Tummons suggested that: ‘With assessment we can: * Find out if learning has taken place; * Diagnose learners needs; * Provide public acknowledgment and certification of learning * Allow processes of selection to be carried out; * Provide way to evaluate learning programmes; * Motivate and encourage learners.’ Tummons (2009:5) Written justification of assessment methods I have chosen to do Holding and aiming in the prone position, I would do this by getting the SUT in the tramline formation. This is where they will number off in pairs, so all the No.1’s on one side of the room whilst all the No.2’s are on the other side of the room. I will get the No.1’s to conduct the drill when I give the word of command. The No.1’s will be ensuring they adopt the prone position correctly, going through the 9 key point check list and taking aim on the target. Whilst this is happening the No.2’s will be observing throughout looking for any mistakes. Once the No.1’s have completed the drill I will go down the line asking the No.2’s if they observed any mistakes. By doing this I am getting the SUT to give out peer assessment on the progress of his/hers drill on the weapon system as this can develop and motivate student. The student will also have their own self assessment; this is where the students are assessing their own progress  throughout the lesson. These methods encourage the SUT to make decisions about what has been learnt so far, and to reflect on aspects for further development. Once the No.1’s have completed the drill, the same process will happen with the No.2’s and the No.1’s looking and observing for any mistakes. Whilst all this is going on I will be looking for any mistakes as I watch from one end of the tramline formation, this is called tutor assessment and can help give feedback to the student to guide them on their strength and areas of development. This is also known as formative assessment so it can provide for me a continuous source of information about the students’ progress, improvement and problems encountered in the learning process, so I together we can develop their confidence and competence on the weapon system. 2. Practical assessment a) Aim The aim of a practical assessment in a classroom environment is to ensure that when handling a weapon system that the necessary measures and safety precaution is carried out correctly and sufficiently. It is my aim to make sure that the SUT carry out the drills correctly, if however people are struggling to adapt to the new drills then it’s up to me the instructor to change my approach to the individual learning style. b) Reason for selecting practical learning assessment We use practical assessment in the army especially when teaching a particular subject like Skill at Arms to help us as a teacher to confirm that the SUT have understood the correct handling of the weapon. It’s not only a confirmation for the teacher but a confirmation for the individual that he/she has took on board the new skill and knowledge they have been taught in the lesson. During the lesson, when I have demonstrated a new drill, the SUT are required to imitate the drill whilst I explain and demonstrate it, taking it step by step. Once I am happy that the SUT have grasped the new drill, a confirmation is done to ensure that the SUT understands the new  weapon drill. This will be done when I give the word of command and the SUT carrying out the drill without any help or guidance as I watch and observes for any mistakes that the SUT may do. In order for the SUT to use blank or live ammunition on exercise or on the ranges, they are required to pass a Weapon Handling Test (WHT) which is a critical practical assessment as it is part of their summative test and needs to be done twice a year. I will give a number of instructions which the SUT must complete correctly and confidently in order to pass. There is no time limit and they are allowed one mistake on each stage of the test. This assessment is to show that he/she has the knowledge and skill to handle the weapon with blank or live ammunition with confidence. For assessment of practical activities, the potential barriers should be considered and reasonable adjustments developed that meet the needs of the individual learner. Many of the adjustments for a practical assessment are similar to those of a written assessment. We must however be aware of the learners/individual learning styles as this will vary across each lesson we teach. If we look at Fleming understanding of learning styles which he used the terminology of VARK, he stated that people can be grouped into four styles of learning: * Visual – Seeing. * Aural – Listening and talking. * Read/Write – Reading and writing. * Kinaesthetic – Doing. (Gravells 2012:40) The SUT will come under one or more of these learning styles and as I have seen it in the past whilst teaching, I have to adapt as a teacher to accommodate to their preferred learning style which means I have to plan and break down my lesson to ensure all SUT get the full benefit of what is being taught to them. Sue Crowley of the IFL stated: Often new teachers teach as they were taught, then perhaps as they would like  to have been taught, and finally they realise different ways and a wider spectrum of teaching and learning approaches are needed and available. (Gravells 2012:40) A statement in which I agree upon as my thought process was similar but when teaching SUT it’s taught me to adapt my teaching skills to benefit the individuals so they can get the best outcome during the lesson. c) Conduct of the practical assessment The SUT will be assessed throughout the lesson and this can be done in many ways as it is classroom based, this will be an informal assessment. As the SUT reacts to the word of command for example; ‘For inspection port arms’ they are to carry out the necessary drill in which I will observe for mistakes. Observation is a good way to assess the skills, knowledge and attitudes of the SUT. When observing, it enables me to see how well the SUT are doing, letting them make mistakes as long as it is safe, especially when dealing with a weapon so they can learn from their own mistakes. Once the drill is complete I can ask each individual if they made any mistakes and give them self assessment, otherwise I can give negative or positive feedback to the SUT. Observation is good within our training establishment as it assess the SUT competence, skills and attitudes when dealing with a weapon and the observation can follow on with a question to check the knowledge and understanding. SUT training can be assessed in two other ways and they are called peer assessment and self assessment. For the instructor to see this happen, the students will pair up and work as a team. Whilst one SUT does the drill on the weapon whilst the other partner watches for mistakes, this is called peer assessment, but at the same time SUT who is carrying out the drill can self assess as he/she goes along. If the student was to carry out the Load, Ready, Unload drill, their partner can look in for any mistakes and as the instructor asks the observer from each team if there were any mistakes, this can be useful to develop and motivate the SUT. Peer assessments can be affective as SUT feedback is given skilfully, but other students may think more about what their peers have said than about what the instructor have said. 3. Question assessment a) Aim The aim of a question assessment is for the instructor to see if the SUT can demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the subject being taught to them. It also helps when asking a question to the SUT that they have to think about their answer. b) Conduct of a Question assessment During each lesson throughout the army, as an instructor we will always ask the SUT questions of the particular topic that we have been learning about before moving on to the next topic or next stage of the lesson. This is formal or informal assessment and is used to assess cognitive ability which can be used whenever the instructor wants to assess the knowledge and understanding of SUT. When giving a lesson on Skill at Arms, ‘Different combat position.’ The instructor will always give an explanation of why we do it and when to incorporate the positions for example, on the ranges or when we are on operational tour, followed by a demonstration. As the instructor has given the explanation and demonstration, we will go through the demonstration again whilst the SUT imitate you as you take them through step by step. Whilst doing this process we normally ask the SUT questions on the next stage of the movement, pausing for a second and then state the name of the learner who can answer. This way, all SUT is thinking about the answer as soon as you have posed the question, and is ready to speak if their name is asked. This assessment not only help the instructor to confirm that the individual or group know the answer but helps their peers to understand it as well. We also do oral written assessment, as this is part  of the minimum core, for example before I start the lesson I would ask the SUT to take out their note books and pens. I will ask them a number of questions in which they will write their answers in their note books which will be marked before the lesson take place. If for some reason some of the SUT get a few questions wrong I will ensure that I make a plan in the evening to go through the questions or drill in which they got incorrect so that they are at the same stage as all the other SUT. Asking questions to the SUT and for them responding in giving the answers back to the instructor is self assessment and peers assessment so that the SUT know what areas they are good at and what areas they need to work on. However it’s good for the tutor assessment to understand how the SUT progress is going by conducting these assessments. C)  Advantages| Disadvantages| Problems can be solved| SUT don’t know the answer| Question being answered| SUT can be put on the spot| Understanding people’s views and opinions| | Gives people a voice| | 4. Reflecting on how feedback has informed your learners’ progress and achievement Feedback is a vital part of the learners’ training at the army foundation college as it informs the SUT on their progress and achievement. To make sure it is effective it is important that we develop rapport, mutual respect and trust between the instructor and the SUT. During a Skill at Arms lesson it is important to give effective feedback as this informs the SUT on how well they are doing or on what areas they might need to work on. I try to give out the best feedback as I can to the SUT or the individual as I know this will help reassure, boost confidence, encourage, motivate and develop their knowledge, skills. It can help the SUT to maximize their potential and professional development at different stages of training, raise their awareness of strengths and areas for improvement, and identify actions to be  taken to improve their performance. 5. Reflecting on how feedback from others has informed your own professional practice On the 1st November 2012, I conducted a lesson on pain relief (Morphine) which was observed by an assessor. I felt that the lesson was well structured, planned and I got the key learning points across to the SUT. Once the lesson ended I sat down with my assessor and was given feedback on my lesson. The written feedback said this: The session had a clear and important content to communicate. This was achieved and checked by the test. A stronger introduction would set the scene and provide guidance to learners of what they had to do during the lesson. Focus on the test/know the purpose of the test. The conclusion could tell learners what to do with the test papers and how this will be an aide memoire. Test was very well created, covering all key learning and checking recall, understanding and application. It could be improved with clear guidance i.e. working individually without referring to their notes. As this was ‘assessment for learning’ as well as ‘assessment of learning’ learners could work individually, with a partner and finally as a whole group to get the answers/self assessment and check learning. You could get feedback on results from the test by asking those who got 100% to stand up – an energiser, positive motivation and a simple measure for you. This feedback has opened my eyes a lot clearer as I was more channelled to delivering a simple but constructed lesson. Just by delivering a stronger introduction can make the learner motivated to learn, which I didn’t realise until someone made it aware to me. It was a good motivation and energiser to hear from the assessor that the test paper was well created which gave me that sense of pride. However when it came to handing out the test paper, giving the SUT a certain amount of time to do it in and once they had completed it they would mark their own paper as I went along with the answers. Just from what the assessor has written in the feedback it can give  the learner self assessment and check their learning, so in future I will take more time on how I construct the test and how to mark it as this will give me a feedback on the progress of the SUT. 6. Reference List: * http://www.open.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching/pages/inclusive-teaching/barriers-to-learning.php Date accessed 8.11.12 * Tummons J – (2009) Assessing learning in the lifelong learning sector. Exeter: Learning Matters * Gravells A (2012) Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector. London: Learning Matters * www.faculty.londondeanery.ac.uk