Monday, December 23, 2019

Article Analysis of Eric J Wilsons John Keats The...

John Keats: The miracle of melancholia How can being sad be good? According to the British Romantic poet John Keats, the suffering Keats endured in his life was the wellspring of his art, rather than something to be avoided. That is why Professor Eric G. Wilson entitles his article about Keats: The miracle of melancholia. Keats lost his father when he was age nine to a freak accident and his mother and brother to tuberculosis. The poet eventually succumbed to the disease himself at a very young age, after a great deal of suffering. Unlike some of the other Romantic poets, Keats was not born to a life of privilege. Because of his familys financial circumstances he was taken from a boarding school he loved and required to apprentice as an apothecary; he then underwent a gruesome course in surgery in one of Londons hospitals (in the days before anesthesia) (Wilson 2008: 1). Wilson admires Keats because Keats took tragedies and used them for a creative purpose. Keats poetry is filled with a sense of the transience of the human condition. For Keats, a World of Pains and troubles is necessary to school an Intelligence and make it a Soul (Wilson 2008:1). Keats famous poem An Ode to a Grecian Urn is based upon the contrast of the static, unchanging figures on the Attic vase, versus the reality of fleshy human existence that is forever heading very quickly towards death. For most of his writing career, Keats knew that his days were short, and that he might not

Sunday, December 15, 2019

West African Slave Trade Free Essays

The West African Slave Trade was a global event that focused on West Africa. It was the sale and ownership of another human being that was put into slavery. It was a â€Å"forced Migration† that lasted 300 years. We will write a custom essay sample on West African Slave Trade or any similar topic only for you Order Now It was an event that forced 15, 000, 000 people into slavery for a lifetime. From 1551 – 1850 about 15,000,000 people were brought into the slave trade it is said that roughly 5,000,000 did not survive, and may have immediately died before making through the shock of enslavement. About 10,000,000 people in the western hemisphere survived and were sold on the auction block. Generations continued into slavery, the offspring was also brought into slavery. The owners liked the idea of their slaves reproducing. This meant their work force would grow without having to spend much money on slaves. About 250,000,000 lived in slavery throughout the 300 years. West Africa was the source of the slave trade. Between 1450 and the end of the nineteenth century, slaves were obtained from along the west coast of Africa with the full and active co-operation of African kings and merchants. Slavery was also a traditional part of African society — various states and kingdoms in Africa operated one or more of the following: chattel slavery, debt bondage, forced labor, and serfdom. Ghana, Mali, Songhai were kingdoms that had large economies and supported large populations, they had knowledge of agriculture, and grew many different crops that sustained many people. Because of the West African Slave Trade, These kingdoms were affected by greed and would often go to war and capture prisoners to sell into slavery. Why West Africa? It was all about Economics.Europeans looked toward West Africa because of their knowledge of cultivation and technologies. Expanding European empires in the New World lacked one major resource — a work force. In most cases the natives had proved unreliable (most of them were dying from diseases brought over from Europe), and Europeans were no fit to the climate and suffered under tropical diseases. Africans, on the other hand, were excellent workers: they often had experience of agriculture and keeping cattle, they were used to a tropical climate, resistant to tropical diseases, and they could be â€Å"worked very hard† on plantations or in mines.There were two kinds of slaves that were sold; the chattle slave who are productive or field slaves, who usually held a lower status, worked to produce marketable goods. And companion slaves a domestic or house slaves that performed menial household duties for their masters and had a more intimate connection with owner. The companion was recognized as human, usually raised and educated their owners children. A companions slave’s standard of living was much better than the chattle slave who was a field worker looked at as an animal.The chattle slave was more of a commodity to the owner in the hardest form of labor. Humanity was stripped of him was treated very badly and was worked to death. Slaves were forced to work in cotton and tobacco fields. 90% of slaves were chattle slaves. Europeans needed money to hire a work force. Instead they invested by purchasing slaves who were forced work for no money. Shock of enslavement The people of West Africa went through a 5 step process that forced them into enslavement. The first would be captivity. Slave traders would come into the villages and drag the people out of their homes. Or a captured soldier would be sold to slave trade. Slave traders were experienced; they immediately chained their victims by the neck onto a pole to keep the victims from running. Journey from the interior is the second step. The slave traders walked 20-50 mile with 10 captives at a time, keeping down the chance for a rebellion. By 1850 the slave traders were walking up to 100 miles having to go deeper into Africa. Some captives resisted by crippling themselves in hopes that the slave traders would just leave them behind, some may have succeeded, others may have been killed.Suicide would be their last option. Another form of resistance would be collaboration, where the victim would â€Å"offer† to guide the slave traders to other villages where they would capture other young men for the slave trade. The third step to this process would be the collection centers. Europeans rarely entered the interior of Africa, due to fear of disease and fierce African resistance. The enslaved people would be brought to coastal outposts where they would be traded for goods. Victims were taken to the coastal areas and put in dungeons that were castles built as collection centers.Meanwhile the slave traders gathered enough people to fill a ship to cross the Atlantic. The victims were placed in dark rooms with people of different ethnic groups and different languages making it very hard to communicate. Once the slave traders had enough passengers for the ship, they would move the people by night, taking them to the bottom of the ship and not letting them come up to see daylight until they were miles away. The next step is the middle passage. In the 1550’s there â€Å"human cargo† for the slave trade.Levels were built within the ship with narrow walkways, and boards measuring 2 1/2 by 6’ft. were placed next to each other. As many boards as would fit were laid on each level of the ship. They placed as many as 300 boards for 300 people. By the 1750’s – 1800’s Ships were packed to the fullest. They had 2 people per plank, chained down to the plank for a period of 2 ? – 3 months. Most of the people died during the middle passage. Many had never been on a ship, sick and laying in their own waste. Thousands of slaves died during transportation.They were kept chained up in excessively cramped conditions without sufficient food, water, or exercise, throughout the long Atlantic voyage to the Americas and West Indies. They were not fed properly; dying from disease or depression, the slave traders had no interest in their well-being. The dead were thrown into the ocean; millions of people were thrown into the ocean throughout the 300 years of slave trading. The human cargo ships were also known as â€Å"death ships†, and could be identified by the smell death and waste when high wind blew and ships sailed into port.Because of their malnutrition and poor physical appearance, people were brought to the deck of the ship and forced to exercise, 10 at a time. This provoked attempts of either overpowering the men on the ship, to jump off the ships, or attack the slave traders which led to either suicide or getting killed. Some of the men were able to overpower the ships and unchain the slaves, some ships never made it to the ports, because of the overpowering of the ship, or because of the certain weather conditions. The 5th step of the process would be the final step.Once arrived at the port the victims would be taken to cells to wait for the auction. Looking very weak, doctors were hired specifically to help the victims look presentable. Once the slaves had been worked on, they were put on display for people to choose and bid on. The victims were stripped down to bareness, people would â€Å"check† the people, looking at their bodies, teeth, and even checking for lice. Once the people made these observations, the bidding would begin. Now the victims became slaves for the rest of their life. These were the 5 steps that forced a free person into enslavement.This brought the Transatlantic Slave Trade or triangular trade. Also known as the â€Å"Golden Triangle†. The profits made from the global trade of sugar, tea and coffee were the major driving force behind the triangular trade. For centuries it provided substantial quantities of venture capital for the industrial revolution and the development of the western European economy. The Transatlantic Slave Trade consisted of three journeys: 1). The outward passage from Europe to Africa carrying manufactured goods. 2). The middle passage from Africa to the Americas or the Caribbean carrying African captives and other ‘commodities’. ). The homeward passage carrying sugar, tobacco, rum, rice, cotton and other goods back to Europe. African survival The first years for the colonists were very difficult; there was limited amount of food. The West African slaves had knowledge of certain technologies that resulted in the production of food. This was a process used in West Africa, the people made their own â€Å"fishing nets†. The people would find streams that would lead to fish population, closing in sections and trapping fish in large amounts. They also used concoction. Which is a method used by extracting the oxygen in the water, this made the fish rise to the surface. Other technologies like Cattle ranching, the cultivation of rice and sugar were also expanding in the western hemisphere. The concept of rice cultivation was introduced to the colonial South Carolina 20 years into the colony. Economics, this was a way the colonists made money. The rice cultivation became one of the main crops in colonial South Carolina. The West African people also built shelters using materials available to them, and building shelters out of the West African design.Because colonial South Carolina had swamp areas in their environment, transportation was very difficult. The West African built the main type of transportation which was a small watercraft or canoe of the West African design. The colonists could have not survived if not for the West African slaves. All these methods used were a form of African survival in direct form. From 1739-1820 the population of people coming directly from West Africa was growing. These people had been free people, not born into slavery.The chances for rebellion grew, and slaves were outnumbering their owners. September 9, 1739 was the day of the Stono Rebellion; it was the largest rebellion mounted by slaves against slave owners in colonial America. The Stono Rebellion’s location was near the Stono River in South Carolina. Slaves in the Carolina wanted to reach St. Agustine FL, because the Spanish had spread the word that slaves were going to be free there and land will be given to them. 100 slaves rise up against the colonists, get to an armory, trying to escape to the swamps of Florida.The inexperienced slaves were, encountered by the experienced militia, resulting in the killing of 30 colonists and 60 slaves. Uncomfortable with the increasing numbers of blacks for some time, the white colonists had been working on a Negro Act that would limit the privileges of slaves. This act was quickly finalized and approved after the Stono Rebellion. No longer would slaves be allowed to grow their own food, assemble in groups, earn their own money, or learn to read. Some of these restrictions had been in effect before the Negro Act, but had not been strictly enforced. How to cite West African Slave Trade, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Labor Relations and Human Resources Management Code of Good Practice

Question: Describe about the Labor Relations and Human Resources Management for Code of Good Practice ? Answer: Introduction Overview of the Assignment In modern era, several business organisations have highly relied on Human Resource Management (HRM) as well as Human Resource Information System (HRIS), with an intention of enhancing the business competencies among the global players. In relation to this, it can be stated that most of the organisations are emphasising towards HRM related aspects for enrich as well as accomplish business success through the assistance man power (Kavanagh Johnson, 2012). Moreover, most of the global organisations are identified to balance available resources with an aim of achieving its desired results in terms of profitability and sustainability. Subsequently, organizations are recognized to use capital, manpower and technologies as a resource to perform their operations effectively in the market segments, which may lead an organisation towards better sustainability as well as profitability for the long-term period. Thus, it can be stated that HRIS principles usually helps an organisation to develop employee skills, organizational cultures, administration processes and systems among others (Kumar, 2012). In this assignment, the objective is to critical analysis the significance of HRM functions on employee effectiveness. In this context, it can be mentioned that recruitment and selection is the most crucial constituents for an organisation, through which an organisation can attract appropriate candidates for ensuring the specific responsibility within the organisation. At the same time, it can be stated that through emphasising towards the training and development related aspects an organisation also may enhance its operational efficiency by enhancing overall skills and knowledge of the existing as well as newly recruited workforce. Simultaneously, through emphasising towards HRM functions and principles an organisation may ensure the practice of good human resource management policies in terms of legal as well as regulatory framework (Shaikh, 2012). Objective of the Assignment In this particular assignment, the objective is to critically analyse the HRM functions. At the same time, this particular assignment will also emphasise towards the HRM practices related factors which may ensure the significance of employee effectiveness. Moreover, the study will also critically analyse the advantages and disadvantages of HRM practices. Additionally the study will also highlight the HRIS functions, which may lead an organisation towards better success. Literature Review With the effect of globalisation, during the last three decades, it has been identified that the role of HRM has been extended from management of employees towards becoming more strategic one. Anne (2011), argued globalisation has increased the level of competition in the entire global market, which has influenced organisations to improve their performance level more effectively. In this regards, Silva (2014) claimed that most of the business organisations in the recent time have started emphasising the industrial relationship by motivating the capability and enhancing the loyalty levels of their employees. In this regards, Shaikh (2012), mentioned that the traditional role of HRM is executing strategic plans of the organisation in order to establish a strong industrial relationship. Deakin (2009) also describes a field, where a relationship is established between an employer and a worker under a written agreement of employment. Contextually, this type of relation is also referred as an employment relationship. In case of an industrial relationship or employment relationship, organisations are liable to discharge certain performances towards the welfare of its workforce such as ensuring health and safety workforce and providing them with hygienic workplace environment. Variations in HRM Laws During the early 21st century, it has been observed that organisations are faced with several challenges in terms of their workforce. Thus, most of the countries have conducted major amendments in their federal industrial legislation in order to develop the industrial relations during the last couple of decades. In this regards, Mitchell et. al. (2010) argued that in case of industrial relationship, role of labour laws have been observed to be extremely prominent with respect to safeguarding the rights of labours. The differences in the labour laws across the countries have raised several questions in the globalized era (Armstrong, 2009). Unlike other countries in the world, the UK has been identified to witness significant policy reversals with respect to labour union laws and frameworks. As result dramatic fall was experienced in terms of number of labour union in the country. It has been argued that variations in labour laws have been acting as exogenous cause leading towards incr eased unemployment as well as declining growth. The impact of variations in labour law is reckoned to be positive as well as negative and hence predicating its impact is claimed to be quite difficult (Mitchell et. al., 2010). HRM Policy and its Practice According to Dale (2012), the term HRM can be used in both ways. First, HRM denotes a generic term to describe the form of management activities, which conventionally portrays personnel management. On the other hand, HRM is considered as a typical approach to recommend a specific philosophy towards carrying out people-oriented organisational activities. During the last couple of decades, it has been observed that most of the industries have faced several challenges in terms of their workforce. In accordance with viewpoint of Prieto and Perez-Santana (2013), the differences between the organisations its workforce has deteriorated the workplace environment in many large and small organisations. Apart from this, long working duration, lack of security and poor environment has influenced the working forces of the organisations in a negative manner. Simultaneously, the impact of high level immigrants has been also affected the business environment and economy in a massive manner (Beard we ll and Claydon, 2010). In this regards, Jiang et. al. (2012) claimed that during the early 21st century, most of the organisations have focussed on introducing several strategies aligned with the HRM in order to develop the knowledge, skills and abilities of the employees. Simultaneously, organisations are applying HRM strategies with the aim of ensuring high productivity through motivating its workforce. Moreover, organisations are also availing several opportunities in order to boost employee empowerment and responsibility level more significantly (Dessler, 2011). Human Resource Information System HRIS is an emerging concept in the sphere of Human Resource Management for conducting HR related operations effectively. HRIS functions in four different areas such as operational, tactical, strategic and computerized (Kumar, 2012). The types of HRIS are illustrated and defined here under. Operational Human Resource Information System Operational human resource information system helps an organization to make decisions by providing support of reviewing HR data and human resource services. Operational-level information system collects data, which is relating to human resources and include information about an organizations positions, its workforce and governmental regulations among others (Kumar, 2012). Moreover, it has been also identified that few system, which is a part of operational systems are as follows: Employee Information Systems The human resource information system analyses information of an organizations employees in order to make various HR decisions. Employees information comprises name of an employee, address, sex, education qualification, experience, salary among others (Kumar, 2012). Performance Appraisal Information Systems The system denotes performances and productivity of employees. The data is used as a witness in order to evaluate employees according to their performance and commitment level. The system helps an organization to determine the appraisal system in the areas of promotion, transfer and termination (Kumar, 2012). Tactical Human Resource Information System The tactical information system usually helps an organization to make decisions relating to allocation of resources. Several essential decisions such as recruitment, training as well as development, job analysis and designing, and employee compensation planning decisions are conducted through the help of tactical HRIS (Kumar, 2012). Strategic Human Resource Information System Strategic HRIS assists an organization to implement strategic human resource management practices. Organizations use the system in order to make long term planning for the workforce during entrance in a new market or in case of introducing new product in existing marketplaces. Consequently, the system also helps in case of labor negotiation for an organization by evaluating the current performance with respect to the expected outcomes (Kumar, 2012). Computerized Human Resource Information System Organizations have produced several integrated software, which have helped organizations to maintain the HRIS in a computerized manner. Moreover, the software helped to develop integrated database and report of business related essential files. Apart from this, the integrated software and computerization has helped the organizations to enhance their efficiency effectively (Kumar, 2012). A picture is depicted below for better understanding the types of human resources information systems Figure 1: Types of Human Resource Information System (Source: Kumar, 2012) Advantages and Disadvantages of HRIS Practices Subsequently, it can be recognized that operational human resource information system is an effective HR managing technique based on which HR functions and operations can be managed successfully. In this respect, Castles Family Restaurant is required to adopt operational human resource information system in order to make appropriate HR decisions. Thus, it can be asserted that operational human resource information system should assist in reviewing information and performance of the employees more effectively through the help of this model (Kumar, 2012). Human Resource Information System Vendor Choice HRIS vendors provide different HR solution services to corporate for managing HR effectively. HRIS vendors including People-Trak (https://www.people-trak.com/services/) and HRMS Solutions (https://www.hrmssolutions.com/hris-solutions/) are few of the renowned HRIS vendors providing HR solution services (People-Trak, 2014). Both the HRIS vendors are economical in terms of service cost. Whereas, the HRMS Solutions is identified to be comparatively better than People-Trak vendor because of several extra features relating to reviewing the performance of employees in terms of training and development, time and attendance, salary planning and payroll among others (HRMS Solutions, 2014). Application of Good Practice during HRM Operations In order to ensure effective HR functions an organisation should practice effective HRM principles, which usually ensure the policies and principles of Good Practices. In this case it can be stated that this particular approach may assist an organisation to attract as well as choose a different set of people, who has the skills, temperament as well as capabilities to ensure the organisational requirements (Torrington et al., 2008). In this context, it can be also argued that through incorporating Good Practices related HRM principles an organisation may identify/ select/ choose the right person for the right profile/ work environment. In accordance with Aid (2003), effective human resource strategy is recognised as Good Practice. In this regard, the primary objective of an organisation is to ensure the efficiency as well as effectiveness of recruitment process through adhering discipline. At the same time, by adopting Good Practice related HRM principles an organisation may also ensu re the quality of the training and development related procedure, which actually help an organisation to establish responsibilities on its newly hired workforce (Aid, 2003). According to the report of Victorian Public Sector Commission (2010), through incorporating good practice related HRM principles, an organisation may enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the recruitment as well as selection process. The flowing steps will highlight the Good Practice related HRM principles: Stage 1) Planning is one of the most crucial aspects for an organisation i.e. recruitment and selection process. In this regard, it can be stated that through emphasising towards planning related aspects an organisation may ensure the specific timeframe and selection technique of the recruitment and selection process. Apart from this, planning may also help an organisation to identify the actual selection criteria, which can be also determined by considering certain factors such as knowledge, skills, attribute and experience of the potential workforce (Victorian Public Sector Commission, 2010). Stage 2) Identify an appropriate recruitment strategy is highly essential for an organisation, which is usually assist an organisation to attract the attention of the potential workforce. In this regard, during the advertising of employment related circulation an organisation should highlight the provided opportunities and benefits of its workforce, which may grab the attention of the potential workforce (Victorian Public Sector Commission, 2010). Stage 3) Similarly, short-listing applications is one of the key factors, which may enhance the overall efficiency of the recruitment and selection process. In this context, it can be argued that short-listing applications on the basis of fairness is also considered as one of the crucial factors, which may influence the performance/ outcome of an organisation. In relation to this, it can be also mentioned that an organisation should emphasising towards standardised format and selection criteria for determining the suitable candidate for the required profile. Apart from this, during the selection procedure the organisation should evaluate the candidates through interview as well as additional assessment. In this context, candidate rating is highly essential for identifying/ choosing the best alternatives among the varied options (Victorian Public Sector Commission, 2010). Stage 4) Additionally, boarding is also considered as most essential mechanisms through which an organisation can establish better skills, knowledge and behaviour amid the newly hired workforce. Thus, this boarding procedure is also can be regarded as a training and development process, which can help an organisation to enhance the overall outcome in a effective manner (Victorian Public Sector Commission, 2010). In this context, it can be mentioned these above stated stages are considered as good practice related HRM principles, which may assist an organisation to enhance the efficiency of HRM principles during the execution of HRM functions (Victorian Public Sector Commission, 2010). Human Resource Management Lead Organisations towards Employees Effectiveness Human resource management (HRM) is a practice through which an organisation can control and supervise their workforce (Beard well, 2007). In order to define good practice of human resource management, it can be stated that this HRM is embrace by an organisation to attract potential individuals towards the organisation for working purpose. Apart from this, human resource practice helps an organisation during selecting and training new employees. Moreover, the practice of HRM also facilitates in supervising organisational leadership and culture (Mullins, 2007). On the contrary, personnel management is a method through which organisations eventually maintain people and their workforce in order to establish satisfaction relationship within the organisation. Moreover, through practicing personnel management an organisation can ensure commitment of its people and employees to contribute their participation towards the organisation in order to attain organisational goal (Armstrong, 2006). In order to evaluate the role and responsibilities of line manager, it can be apparently affirmed several individuals and even a team can be work directly under the line manager. Simultaneously, most of the managers who are controlling few individuals or a team also took order from the supervising authority (Brewster et al., 2007). Thus, it can be evidently asserted that line managers need to maintain their appropriate role along with several responsibilities which is conveyed by the high level management in order to accomplish organisational goal smoothly. According to define the role, it can be stated that the actual role of a line manager is to lead its team sincerely. Consequently, the responsibilities are to convince people according to the requirement and monitor the entire work process with dedication. Apart from this, there are few key roles of a line manager such as managing operational cost, providing technical support, evaluating the quality of the product and/or services and allocating work among subordinates. Moreover, line managers also need to deal with customers or clients in order to raise the business performance. Additionally, measuring operational performance, building operational level strategies and implementing those strategies are the most essential responsibility of a line manager in an organisation (Armstrong, 2006). Modern HRM Functions and Legal and Regulatory Framework on HRM According to the observation, it has been witnessed that HRM within an organization are required to perform diverse functions which involves recruitment, selection, training and development of employees. HRM through effective performance of its functions such as recruiting people, providing training and development facility to the employees enables organisation to accomplish its broad objective. Apart from this, HRM concept also helps an organisation to raise its performance level via motivating employees and offering rewards and bonus to the employees (Sisson and Storey, 2000). According to the research, HRM within an organization is influenced by the legal and regulatory framework to a considerable extent. Over the years, it has been observed that organisations are required to comply with several legislations in order to ensure that the recruitment process is fair and in equal for everyone. At the same time, there are several laws being enacted by the government across the globe th at restricts discrimination of employees based on sex, religion, gender or any other grounds. Moreover, during remunerating those employees organisations must have to maintain certain clauses, which are bound by the legal regulation. Thus, it can be evidently asserted that the impact of the legal and regulatory framework on HRM is highly prominent (Prince, 2007). According to observation, it has been perceived that in order to terminate an employee an organisation need to follow legal and regulatory framework to make the process smooth indeed. As per the most of the continental legislation, it suggests that during termination process an organisation need to provide respect and dignity to the terminated person. On the other hand, in the circumstance of cessation of employment, organisation needs to be conscious about financial and other issue in order to avoid legal consequences. Similarly, during the cessation of employment an organisation need to express the reasons behind the cessation clearly. Otherwise, it can affect co-workers, which can lead massive problem in terms of achieving the organisational goal (Nyberg et. al., 2014). Consequently, in order to identify the reasons for cessation of employment within an Organisation it can be asserted that it may be due to various reasons such as the poor performance of the employee, breach of organizational established norms and standards and unfavourable economic conditions for the organization like economic crisis. If an employee consistently performing poor then it can hamper the organisational objective (Salaman et al., 2012). During this circumstance, an organisation needs to keep entire performance records of that employee and the organisation needs to advice that employee in order to rectify his/her performance within a reasonable amount time. Instead of that if the employee has failed to make that necessary improvement then the organisation can terminate that employee due to poor performance. Apart from this, organisations have the privilege of terminating an employee due to several occurrences such as theft, dishonesty, making discriminatory conduct toward s others and for being intoxicated during workplace (Mikandel, 2010). Moreover, an organisation can cease employment during restructuring organization or crisis situation. According to the observation, it has been explored that several organisations have taken cost saving measure during the economic downfall and downsizing large number of employees at a time (Sani, 2012). Besides, all of these it has been observed that an employee also have the privilege of leaving an organisation according his own choice. In this case, the employee has to issue a described letter, where he/she must have to mention that according to own interest the he/she willing leaving that organisation. Apart from this, during this kind of circumstances an employee has to serve for a certain period of time as specified in the employment terms and conditions with that particular organisation in order to provide them the opportunity of finding an alternative employee for that position (Nyberg et. al., 2014). Recommendation Based on the review of academic literatures, it is identified that HRM functions are considered as one of the most essential aspects for an organisation, which usually assist an organisation to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the workforce. In this regard, more specifically it can be stated that through emphasising towards the HRM related laws, policy as well as practices an organisation also may ensure the appropriate outcome within the competitive business environment. In this regard, it can be recommended that through incorporating strategic human resources management and development related approach an organisation may enhance the effectiveness of its workforce (Dale, 2012). At the same time, it may claimed that through incorporating good practice related HRM principles an organisation may motivate its workforce and it also assist the organisation to establish a positive relation with its workforce. Moreover, through adopting good practice related HRM principles, an or ganisation also may enhance the overall values and standards of its existing workforce (Armstrong-Stassen, 2008) In this regards, it can be also recommended that through incorporating strategic HRM approach an organisation may mitigate several challenges during the execution of business operations such as political forces, cultural forces and economic forces among others. At the same time, adopting strategic HRM principles may also assist an organisation to reduce its workforce related problems, which also may ensure the consistence of an organisation it terms of business performance. Moreover, incorporating strategic HRM principles may help an organisation to provide healthcare and safety related facilities, which may lead the commitment of the workforce towards positive dimension. Additionally, adoption of strategic HRM policy may lead an organisation towards gaining better business competencies in the operating marketplace (Armstrong-Stassen, 2008). Conclusion Based on the above discussion, it is quite clearly revealed that HRM functions are recognised as one of the most essential aspects for an organisation, which may lead an organisation to archive better productivity by enhancing the efficiency level of the workforce. At the same time, it can be also stated that adequate HRM functions also may help an organisation to ensure the long-term sustainability in a competitive business environment. In this regard, it is also identified that through incorporating strategic HRM principles an organisation may also enhance the efficiency and effective of its workforce, which may enhance the skills, knowledge and perception towards the work. In this context, it can be stated that through incorporating strategic HRM principles an organisation my also enhance the motivation and commitment of the workforce towards the work responsibility on an organisation. Thus, adequate strategic HRM principles are also recognised as good practice, which is also cons idered as ethical and legal approach of HRM. Apart from this, based on the review of literature it is also revealed that adequate HRM practices can enhance performance for an organisation through improving succession planning and aptitude development related aspects, which may also lead an organisation to gaining better competitive advantages within the operating marketplace. Simultaneously, adequate HRM principles can help an organisation to cultivate better industrial relationship with the employees. On the contrary, adequate HRM practices also can bring new talents towards an organisation. Thus, it can be mentioned that adequate HRM principles and functions such as good practice policy of the recruitment and selection process can enhance the efficiency of the workforce within an organisation. Moreover, it also help an organisation to achieve success by hiring potential employees. At the same time, it can be also stated that strategic HRM principles and practice may also help an organisation to enhance the operational efficiency of the workforce through developing better decision making ability. Simultaneously, it is also identified that through practicing adequate HRM principles, an organisation may utilise its resources efficiently, which also lead better productivity for an organisation. Apart from this, effective strategic HRM principles can help an organisation to perform HR functions effectively such as recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, training, upgrading of skills and career development, along with direct employee participation and communication. At the same time, human resources management may help an organisation to maintain good working cultures through ensuring the support in case of health and safety related aspects. Reference List Aid, 2003. Recruitment and selection. Code of Good Practice in the Management and Support of Aid Personnel. [Online] Available at: https://www.peopleinaid.org/pool/files/code/code-en.pdf [Accessed August 5, 2015]. Anne, T., 2011. Labor Relations and Human Resources Management: An Overview. Labour Relations and Human Resources Management, p. 1. Armstrong, M., 2006. A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. Kogan Page Publishers. Armstrong, M., 2009. Armstrongs Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. Kogan Page. Armstrong-Stassen, M., 2008. Human Resource Practices for Mature Workers And Why Arent Employers Using Them. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, Vol. 46, Iss. 3, pp. 334-352. Beard well, I., 2007. Human Resource Management: A Contemporary Approach. Prentice Hall. Beard well, J., and Claydon, T., 2010. Human Resource Management. Prentice Hall. Brewster et al., 2007. International Human Resource Management. Charted Institute of Personal Development. Dale, K., 2012. The Employee as Dish of the Day: The Ethics of the Consuming/ Consumed Self in Human Resource Management. Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 111, pp. 13-24. Deakin, S., 2009. The Evidence-Based Case for Labour Regulation. Regulating Decent Work Conference, ILO, Geneva, pp. 1-21. Dessler, G., 2011. Human Resource Management. Prentice Hall. HRMS Solutions, 2014. Explore Solutions. Recruitment and Selection Process. [Online] Available at: https://www.hrmssolutions.com/hris-solutions/ [Accessed August 5, 2015]. Jiang, K., et. al., 2012. How Does HRM Influence Organizational Outcomes? A Meta-Analytic Investigation of Mediating Mechanisms. Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 55, No. 6, 1264-1294. Kavanagh, M. J., and Johnson, R. D., 2012. Human resource information systems. [Online] Available at: https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781452241111/pages/41400273 [Accessed August 5, 2015]. Kumar, R., 2012. Human Resource Information System: An Innovative Strategy for Human Resource Management. Gian Jyoti E-Journal, 1(2), 1-13. Mikandel, C. 2010. The Impact of a Reward System on Employee Motivation in Motonet-Espoo. Arcada. [Online] Available at: https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/16956/carolina_mikander.pdf [Accessed August 5, 2015]. Mitchell, R., et. al., 2010. The Evolution of Labour Law in Australia: Measuring the Change. Australian Journal of Labour Law, pp. 1-31. Mullins, L. J. 2007. Management and Organisational Behaviour. Financial Times Prentice Hall. Nyberg, A. J., et. al., 2014. Resource-Based Perspectives on Unit-Level Human Capital: A Review and Integration. Journal of Management, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 316-346. People-Trak, 2014. Human Index. Services. [Online] Available at: https://www.people-trak.com/service [Accessed August 5, 2015]. Prieto, I. M. and Perez-Santana, M. P., 2013. Managing Innovative Work Behavior: The Role of Human Resource Practices. Personnel Review, Vol. 43, Iss 2, pp. 184-208. Prince, A., 2007. Human Resource Management. Thomson Learning. Public Service Commission of Queensland Government, 2013. Best Practice Guide for Executive Recruitment and Selection. Publications. [Online] Available at: https://www.psc.qld.gov.au/publications/assets/guidelines/131018-Best-practice-guide-for-executive-recruitment-and-selection.pdf [Accessed August 5, 2015]. Salaman, G., et al., 2012. Strategic Human Resource Management: Defining the Field. The significance of Strategic Human Resource Management, pp. 1-12. Sani, A. D., 2012. Strategic Human Resource Management and Organizational Performance in the Nigerian Insurance Industry: The Impact of Organizational Climate. Business Intelligence Journal, Vol. 5, Iss. 1, pp. 8-20. Shaikh, M. R., 2012. Strategic Human Resource Management. Chapter 2. [Online] Available at: https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/3780/10/10_chapter%202.pdf[Accessed August 5, 2015]. Silva, S. R., 2014. Human Resource Management, Industrial Relations and Achieving Management Objectives. International Labour Organisation, pp. 1-22. Sisson, K., and Storey, J., 2000. Human Resource Management. Blackwell. Torrington, D., et al. 2008. Human Resource Management (7th Edition). Prentice Hall. Victorian Public Sector Commission, 2010. Best Practice Recruitment and Selection. Ssa.Vic.Gov. [Online] Available at: https://www.ssa.vic.gov.au/products/view-products/best-practice-recruitment-and-selection-toolkit.html [Accessed August 5, 2015].

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Interview with a Radio Personality free essay sample

Memphis Is the first city that I have men to that has a station such as Hot 107 that plays only rap and RB. Most other places will only have songs that are mainstream and then they are only played on the dance music stations. The other mall reason I chose SIXTH was Its Involvement on the campus at the university of Meals. For my assignment I chose to Interview one of the daytime radio personalities named Playboy. Playboy Is actually a 25-year-old gentleman by the name of Tree Munson.For his current Job, radio personality and promotion assistant, he goes on the road and Dads for special events OTOH live and not. Most recently he and another disc Jockey, Kid Fresh, hosted a step show in front of the USC at the university. He has done parties, concerts, charity events, and many other functions. About two weeks ago he also covered the after party for Method Man and Red Man, two nationally known rap music artists. We will write a custom essay sample on Interview with a Radio Personality or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Though he has only worked at the station for a few years he has already started on his way up the corporate later.When he originally came to the station he did so by the means of simply filling out a Job application. He did not meet tit success at his first couple of attempts. He actually had to go in and fill out quite a few and after that had to keep calling and pestering them until the finally offered him a job. Not the Job he wanted, however, he was first Just a support member for a street team. He felt that it was still a good way to get his foot in the door and he would be able to show the station he could do more for them elsewhere. BRB>After a few months of street team he was finally selected to become a personality. First he was given Just part time and filler assignments like hen the regular guy was on vacation or something. Then as he got more experience and a better knowledge of how things work he finally was put in as one of the six full time Dads. For Tree the future does not involve radio although he truly loves his job at SIXTH. His big goals down the road are more grounded in records and dealing with music groups. He would like to become an AR guy or possibly a tech rep.Someone who does all the dealings between a group and whatever location they will be playing or a group and the record label. He would Ideally like to be employed by one of the big record companies because he says that Is where the real money Is. He Likes the music, but he really Like the money. lit Is funny when you meet a radio celebrity. You can never be too sure that you actually met the person you thought you had, with radio being strictly audio. I am delighted with the experience this Interview has given me and the background Information that I now know.My fondness for SIXTH 107. 1 has only grown and I hope they continue to be a great intriguing force to this university and community. Thank you very much Playboy for a job well done. Childhood. It was for this reason and a few others that I decided to interview a personality from Hot 107 as they are nicknamed. Memphis is the first city that I have dance music stations. The other main reason I chose SIXTH was its involvement on the campus at the University of Memphis. For my assignment I chose to interview one of the daytime radio personalities named Playboy.Playboy is actually a show in front of the USC at the University. He has done parties, concerts, charity him a Job. Not the Job he wanted, however, he was first Just a support member for a his Job at SIXTH. His big goals down the road are more grounded in records and will be playing or a group and the record label. He would ideally like to be employed by one of the big record companies because he says that is where the real money is. He likes the music, but he really like the money. Is funny when you meet a this interview has given me and the background information that I now know. My a Job well done.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Public Speaking †I Hate It!

Public Speaking – I Hate It! Free Online Research Papers It was the fourth grade. I always heard rumors and gossip about a certain teacher. This year, kids said to take any teacher except Mrs. Rivera, the oral project teacher. Of course in elementary, we did not have a choice of which teacher to choose. Boy, I was shocked when I glanced at the window that had my schedule. Mrs. Rivera would be my teacher. No problems, all I need to do is stand in front of the class and speak. Of course, I always hated talking in front of the class. I did orals in second and third grade; but it couldnt be that bad. Nothing could go wrong. Thats what I thought. The season changed with cold rains and blistering chills to blooming flowers and emerging birds. It was spring, and the school year would be over soon. This is when I finally knew why everyone hated her class. Mrs. Rivera gave us the dreaded and most painful oral, The Play. It consisted of singing, dancing, acting, and prancing across the gym. Could it get any worse? Of course it could. On a piece of paper, stuck to a wall with eight pushpins and long-lasting duct tape, it stated, Invite people you know to The Play. A couple days after the announcement, a white envelope came in the the name Mrs. Rivera pasted on the return address. Why wasnt I surprised to find out this was an invitation to The Play for my parents? There were no more excuses. I had no choice but to join the play. We first started by taking roles in different dramas. I rushed through a crowd of kids and hunted for a small lined part. I would be a dashing soldier, protecting the country of Rome from evil dragons while doing my best to keep the Gods happy. Next, we all took bells and canes for the singing, prancing, and dancing part of the play. I received a tiny scratched bell with a little red piece of yarn. It was the ugliest bell, but I became use to these consequences and I did not have any problem in going forward with progress. After getting our red-striped canes and other materials, we rehearsed our parts. Well most did. Personally, I hated the whole thing, especially the singing roles. When the kids werent in tune, she blamed it on me and forced me to sing more. When we had to jingle the bells for a beat, my bell would just make an ugly thump sound. Even with all these problems, everyone seemed ready for The Play. It just started to get dark and people piled onto the benches. Today was the day all our preparation came into action. Cameras covered the scene with parents making sure they did not miss anything. I was doing well. The Roman drama went perfectly and we excited the crowd with our acting skills. The singing and dancing were just as great. We sung with utmost excellence and made it to our spots with no wrong steps. That was the last major oral project we did in fourth grade. It was a pretty awful school year, but I gained a lot of knowledge from it. I learned how to speak in front of an audience in a firm and clear voice. I gained more confidence and I did not worry about orals as much. I guess fourth grade was not that bad, after acknowledging all the accomplishments I made that year. However, I sure would not want to go through the dire fourth grade again. Research Papers on Public Speaking - I Hate It!The Spring and AutumnStandardized TestingHip-Hop is ArtHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPersonal Experience with Teen Pregnancy19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Hockey GameMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductCapital Punishment

Friday, November 22, 2019

How to Get into Georgetown: Admissions Requirements

Only 14.5% of applicants are admitted. How can you improve your odds of getting in? Located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., Georgetown University is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit institute of higher learning in the United States. The university offers undergraduate programs in five of its schools, including : Georgetown also offers several special programs, including a joint-degree program with the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, a science and engineering program in which students receive both an A.B. degree from Georgetown and B.S. degree from Columbia in five years. Students may also apply to the Baker Scholars Program, founded by George F. Baker in 1973 to cultivate young business leaders, in their sophomore year. What does it take to get into this prestigious university? Read on to find out. Students must use Georgetown’s application to apply. According to the admissions department, it will take you approximately 15 minutes to fill out your basic information, which initiates the interview process (a representative will contact you to schedule your interview). Other required application materials include: Georgetown strongly recommends submitting the results of three SAT Subject Tests ; you should assume that this is a requirement except in very rare circumstances and choose tests that best correlate to your strengths and intended areas of study. You may also submit additional materials showcasing your music, theater, dance, and studio art talents. Of the 22,897 students who applied for a position in the class of 2022, 3,327 (14.5%) were admitted . This represents a record-low admissions rate for the university. Of the admitted students, 1,700 submitted enrollment deposits. Specific waitlist information is not available, although last year, the university only admitted students applying to the School of Nursing and Health Sciences from its waitlist. The breakdown of standardized test scores for admitted students by school is as follows: Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. As with most highly selective colleges and universities, a stellar academic record is a must in order to be admitted to Georgetown. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg, since many candidates have strong GPAs and standardized tests scores. Georgetown also values thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and strong character. The university was founded based on religious values; that doesn’t mean you must be Catholic to attend—many students aren’t—but you must demonstrate compassion, care, and strong character. That starts with your application. While it may seem tedious to fill out a separate application for one college, the adcom will notice the care and attention you’ve taken (or haven’t). Also, remember that all applicants are offered interviews , and you should take advantage of this opportunity to demonstrate your character and personal attributes. Be sure to emphasize that you are intellectually curious and engaged by discussing personal projects you’ve undertaken, research you’ve conducted, or other activities in which you’ve engaged in and out of the classroom. Diversity is another element Georgetown weighs heavily in the admissions process. Consider its essay prompt : As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you. (1 page, single-spaced, or approximately 300-400 words depending on font size) This is an opportunity to demonstrate what makes you unique. Diversity does not just mean you come from an underrepresented minority background; it can also mean that you bring special talents, such as an interesting extracurricular or out-of-the-ordinary experience, to the class. While some schools within Georgetown have higher admissions rates and SAT scores than others, that doesn’t mean you’ll have a better chance of acceptance if you apply to one over another. Many of these schools are self-selecting, and the adcom will consider your qualities and demonstrated interests as they align with that school. Show the adcom that you are passionate about your future course of study by applying to the appropriate school. Before you apply, make sure your final list is well-balanced among safety, target, and reach colleges . This will increase your chances of being admitted to a good-fit school. Being denied admission is disappointing, but it’s a tough reality in college admissions. It’s important to take a step back and regroup. If you get rejected from Georgetown, here’s what you can do: Even if Georgetown was your top choice, chances are, you’ll find a way to make a college that did accept you work. College really is what you make of it, and if you put effort into adjusting to another school by joining clubs, working hard in your classes, and cultivating a social life, you’ll likely find that you can make a fulfilling college experience for yourself, even if you end up at a college that wasn’t your top choice. If you had your heart set on Georgetown or received bad news from the other colleges on your list, one option is to take a gap year and reapply next admissions cycle. Keep in mind that this is risky, and it’s often better to accept a spot at another college and take a gap year there. You can also consider transferring after you’ve matriculated elsewhere, although the acceptance rate for transfers is low ; in 2017, for example, 2,175 students who matriculated at other colleges applied for transfer, and 364 were accepted, for an admission rate of 17%. You must excel at your original college in order be accepted as a transfer student; the average college GPA for transfers was 3.83 in 2017. If you do decide to take a gap year, make sure you have a productive plan for the year. You might undertake a research project, volunteer, study to improve your SAT scores, or take classes non-matriculated at a local college.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Homemade Lava Lamp Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Homemade Lava Lamp - Essay Example Subsequently add 10 or more droplets of the selected food colouring to the mixture in the bottle until a rich colour is seen. In understanding how the lava lamp works, the first step would be to understand that oil and water do not mix. They are insoluble. The main goal in the liquids used in the lava lamp is to obtain two liquids that have very close densities but are insoluble in each other and that is why oil and water are most preferable (Cothron et.al 4). Oil and water will not mix in the experiment as water is made up of highly charged compounds while oil is made up of long carbon chains that have no charge. As a result, the water molecules are not attracted to the oil molecules hence rendering the two liquids immiscible. The immiscibility of the two liquids causes the separation that will be seen in the experiment just as observed in our everyday life such as the kitchen sinks and oil spills. Further, the oil being less dense than water will float on top of the water as will be exemplified in the experiment. The baking soda used in the experiment contains sodium bicarbonate. Baking soda is technical ly both basic and acidic. When the baking soda is mixed with water, a chemical reaction is formed that releases carbon dioxide gas (Heuer, 10). Carbon dioxide gas is produced in a bubbling manner which is seen in the coloured fluid that is in the bottle. Food colouring is used to merely add colour to the experiment. When added, the food colouring falls through the oil and mixes with the water at the bottom giving it the particular colour of choice that is to illuminate at the onset of the chemical reactions in the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Discussion question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion question - Assignment Example cision-making, problem-solving, planning, long-term memory and meta-cognition† (Feinstein 187), functions connected to language, thinking and motor skills. On the other hand, myelination is the process in which neurons are wrapped in white, fatty matter while pruning is the â€Å"elimination of synaptic overproduction,† both of which are important in thinking development (Feinstein 188). Some researches support the hypothesis that negative influences like environmental deprivation and lack of early movement experiences in childhood can impact on brain development. Environmental deprivation includes poor language environment. Vocabulary growth is influenced by a child’s exposure to word quantity and quality when the language areas of the brain start to become active. On the other hand, the advances made by a child in his motor skills are shown to affect brain development as voluntary movements cause glucose production and more blood flow to the brain. Both will â€Å"in all likelihood† increase neural connections. Their deprivation therefore will imply a missed opportunity for the child to develop the best possible language skills and motor abilities. To prevent this, parents must ensure an enriched early childhood experience through interesting social-emotional, physical-sensory-motor and language cognition as well as exposure to â€Å"repetitive task s, attention-focused activities, and meaningful tasks.† Moreover, children should be taught both large muscle and small muscle movements in order for them to accomplish correct form and technique in motor skills (Feinstein 187-193). Jean Paget, one of the chief researchers in child plays, believed that children begin their make-believe plays at the age of two, increasing every year until age six and starts to wane thereafter. Earliest make-believe plays are usually done solitarily without the necessary material, are half-done, inanimate objects being made animate, and pretend activities of certain persons. When the

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Gel electrophoresis Essay Example for Free

Gel electrophoresis Essay The explosion of molecular biology techniques that began in the mid-1970s (and continues today) has provided tools to examine the physical structure of DNA, its nucleotide sequence and how genes are read and regulated. One key tool is the ability to visualize DNA molecules and determine their length by using a technique called gel electrophoresis. Introduction to gel electrophoresis In gel electrophoresis, DNA fragments move through a porous matrix made of agarose, a gelatin-like substance purified from seaweed. The agarose is melted like Jell-O and then poured into a plastic tray to harden into a slab called a gel. A plastic comb inserted at one end while the gel is hardening forms wells where DNA samples can be placed. The DNA is mixed with a loading buffer that contains glycerol—this makes it heavier than water, so it will sink to the bottom of the well. The gel is then covered with a buffer solution that can carry electric current, and electrodes are placed at each end of the gel and connected to a power supply. Because DNA is negatively charged (each nucleotide has a negatively charged phosphate attached to it), it will move toward the positive electrode. Larger molecules move through the agarose more slowly, while smaller ones  can slip through the pores faster. So, the fragments wind up arranged in order according to size, with the smaller ones having moved farther toward the positive pole. Figure 47 shows an example. Because the DNA is invisible, the loading buf fer also contains two dy e s : bromophenol blue (a small dye molecule that behaves like a DNA fragment about 600 bases long) and xylene cyanol (a larger dye that acts like a DNA fragment of about 4000 bases). These dyes form lines that give you an idea of how far your DNA has moved. Some loading buffers also have a third dye, behaving like a very small DNA molecule (50 bases or so). As the DNA migrates, the different fragments will form bands; each band is composed of many identical copies of a particular-size piece of DNA (you can’t do gel electrophoresis with one DNA molecule: you need millions or billions of identical molecules). The last step is to make the DNA bands visible, using a fluorescent molecule that inserts between the bases in the DNA helix. We use a commercial loading buffer called EZ-Vision which includes the fluorescent molecule, so the gel is already stained when it’s done running. Another method is to soak the gel in ethidium bromide after running it. Either way, the bands can be seen using ultraviolet light and photographed to make a permanent record. Sample preparation Of course, gel electrophoresis requires some kind of DNA sample—a plasmid, a PCR product, a segment of a chromosome, etc. If the molecule is circular, enzymes are used to cut the DNA (see the section on restriction digestion, page 87), because circular molecules can be either tightly or loosely coiled and don’t wind up at the same place on a gel as a linear molecule of the same size. Whatever your sample is, it must be mixed with loading buffer (containing glycerol and dyes, as described above) before electrophoresis. Add a volume of loading buffer equal to 1/5 the volume of your sample and mix it well before loa

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Price of Revenge in Sleepers and Valentine :: Sleepers Valentine

The Price of Revenge in Sleepers and Valentine Many people advocate the philosophy of "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," but few of them realize that to take revenge is often to sacrifice oneself and that the very purpose of law is to put an end to revenge. People are willing to sacrifice their freedom, their careers, and even their lives for revenge. Lorenzo Carcaterra's novel Sleepers, and Tom Savage's novel, Valentine, evidently express this. Although its true that it might take couple of years for criminals to get what they deserve, most of the time the law gets the job done. In addition, some may argue that the law doesn't always ensure justice. This is also true, but it’s still not worth to sacrifice oneself. We should let the law do its job. People may sacrifice their freedom for revenge. In Sleepers, John Reilly and Tommy Marcano could not forget the humiliation they suffered at the Wilkinson Home for Boys. One day, they saw Sean Nokes, one of the guards who never planned on a reunion with the two boys, sitting in a bar. They recognized him at first glance and didn't want to give up this valuable chance for Nokes to pay for what he did to them. Both of them pulled out their guns and shot Nokes to death in cold blood. The shots that took away their enemy's life soon took away their own freedom. They were both arrested and put into jail. People may sacrifice their careers for revenge as well. Michael Sullivan, after being released from the Wilkinson Home, had never again had a problem with the law. Moreover, he graduated with honors from high school and eventually became a New York City assistant district attorney. But his career was destined to be destroyed when he decided to go after the other guards. "It's payback time", Michael said," John and Tommy started it, I can finish it" (Carcaterra p.271). As the prosecuting attorney, he set the witness (one of the guards) up and purposely lost the case. Although his revenge plan succeeded, his reputation as a lawyer was ruined. He never practiced law again and became a carpenter. It's a tragedy that this law school student doesn't believe in law. People may even sacrifice their lives for revenge. In Valentine, Victor Dimorta is an abused boy.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Learning Styles and the Most Preferred Teaching Methodology Among Sophomore Nursing Students

Learning Styles and the Most Preferred Teaching Methodology among Sophomore Nursing Students An Undergraduate Thesis Presented To the Faculty of the Institute of Nursing Far Eastern University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Submitted By: Fernandez, Marjorie S. Flaga, Arlene M. Flores, Con Adrianne E. Flores, Jethro S. Flores, Kim Sheri L. Flores, Nonnette Adrian L. Floro, Giselle Ann DR. Foronda, Djenina R. Francia, Lovie Jay A. Frany, Lizairie Q. Fulgentes, Ezra M. BSN 114 / Group 56 Submitted to: Mr. Renante Dante Tan RN, MAN September 2010 APPROVAL SHEET The Thesis proposal entitled: Learning Styles and the Most Preferred Teaching Methodologies among Sophomore Nursing Students Prepared and submitted by: Fernandez, Marjorie S. , Flaga, Arlene M. , Flores, Con Adrianne E. , Flores, Jethro S. , Flores, Kim Sheri L. , Flores, Nonnette Adrian L. , Floro, Giselle Ann DR. , Foronda, Djenina R. , Francia, Lovie Jay A. , Frany, Lizairie Q. , Fulgentes, Ezra M. In Partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor OF Science in Nursing, this research proposal has been examined and recommended for acceptance and approval for oral examination. Renante Dante G. Tan Research Adviser Approved by the committee in Oral Examination with a grade of Ma. Belinda Buenafe RN, Ph. D. Josefina Florendo RN, MAN Associate Dean Institute of Nursing Esther Salvador RN, MAN Accepted and approved for partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Glenda S. Arquiza RN, Ph. D. Dean Institute of Nursing ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The researchers of group 56 of Far Eastern University, BSN 114 Batch 2011 would like to extend our deep appreciation and sincerest gratitude to the outstanding people who made the study possible. First and foremost we thank our ever loving God who was our strength during our weakness and our guide when we’re out of sight. To our cooperative respondents and to their respective clinical instructors, we are very grateful for their acceptance to make our research possible. To our parents, that despite our busy schedule at school, we thank them for their immeasurable love, deep understanding and never ending support. We would also like to thank our fellow group mates and friends for understanding and exerting efforts that despite the pressure and conflicts, we remained intact and united in fulfilling this study. We also like to thank Mr. Jay-el Viteno, for consulting us in our statistics that despite his busy schedule was able to make time and guide us in making and understanding our research statistics. To our research adviser, Mr. Renante Dante G. Tan RN, MAN, for sharing with us his precious time and his guidance in helping us to make this research work possible. We would also like to thank him for all the encouragement and for his immeasurable faith and support in this work. To our respective panelists, Josefina Florendo RN,MAN, Esther Salvador RN, MAN and Dr. Ma. Belinda Buenafe of the Institute of Nursing, for letting us spread our wings and believing in us more than we do. With this, we would like to dedicate our finished manuscript to all the people who became part of our journey. ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the learning styles of the sophomore nursing students in Far Eastern University and their most preferred teaching methodology in terms of didactics and in skills. Methods: This study was conducted at Far Eastern University during the period from Noember 2009 to September 2010. The total population of the sophomores were 630, through Sloven’s formula, we were able to come up with 245 students as the sample. The instrument used by the researchers has two parts. The first part was the Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory which was used to determine the learning style of the respondents while the second part which was a self-made instrument validated by three experts was used to determine their most preferred teaching methodology. Results: Majority of the respondents belong to Divergers which has a frequency of 81 out of the 245 respondents, 58 were accomodators, 57 were assimilators and 49 were convergers. Based on the findings, there was a significant difference between the learning styles of the sophomore nursing students. The researchers also came up with the result that all of the four learning styles have a common teaching methodology which was demonstration. In terms of didactics, accomodators and convergers preferred pure lecture/discussion without power point with a percentage of 27. 6 and 32. 7, respectively. Divergers and assimilators preferred pure lecture/discussion with the use of power point with a percentage of 23. 7 and 17. 2, respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that there was a significant relationship between the learning styles of the sophomore nursing students and their most preferred teaching methodology TABLE OF CONTENTS Title i Approval Sheet ii Acknowledgement iii Abstract iv Table of Contents vi List of Tables viii List of Figures ix Chapter IIntroduction Background of the Study 1 Statement of the Problem 2 Significance of the Study 3 Scope and Limitation 5 Chapter IITheoretical Framework Review of Related Literature 6 Research Paradigm 27 Research Hypothesis 28 The Main Variable of the Study 28 Definition of Terms 29 Chapter IIIResearch Methodology Research Design 33Population and Sample 33 Research Locale 34 Research Instruments 35 Validation of the Instruments 36 Data Collection Procedure 36 Statistical Treatment of Data 37 Chapter IVResults and Discussion 40 Chapter VSummary of Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations Summary of Findings 57 Conclusions 58 Recommendations 58 Bibliography 59 Books Journals Website Appendices A. Letter to the Dean 60 B. Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory 61 C. Learning Style Grid 63 D. Population of the Sophomore Nursing students included in the study per section. 64 E. Learning Styles of Sophomore Nursing Students 65 F. Learning Styles of Sophomore Nursing Students Of Sophomore Nursing Students per section in terms of didactics 66 G. Learning Styles and the Preferred Teaching Methodology Of SophomoreNursing Students per section in terms of skills 72 H. Curriculum Vitae 78 List of Tables 1. Frequency Distribution & Percentage of the 6 sections included in the study 34 2. Frequency & Percentage distribution of the 245 respondents as to their different learning styles 41 3. Frequency and Percentage Distribution of preferred teaching methodology of Sophomore Nursing Students as per learning style in terms of Didactics 43 4. Frequency and Percentage Distribution of Preferred Teaching Methodologies of Sophomore Nursing Students as per Learning Style in terms of Skills 46 5. Chi- Square Goodness of fit for the difference of the different learning styles 49 6. Chi Square Test of Independence for the significant relationship of Learning Styles of sophomore nursing students and their most preferred teaching methodologies in terms of didactics50 7. Chi Square Test of Independence for the significant relationship of Learning Styles of sophomore nursing students and their most preferred teaching methodologyin terms of skills52 List of Figures 1. Research Paradigm27 2. Learning Style Grid 63 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Background of the Study Students have different approach in learning and these what makes them unique. Thus, understanding on how they learn and helping them to learn is vital in any educational program. This can be especially important for students since they may have different ways on how to learn. Some students prefer to learn by group work while some would prefer learning alone, some also learn while listening to music while some students learn effectively by studying silently. Furthermore, some students learn by engaging into activities yet some learn by observation only. These different learning techniques affect the students especially their coping mechanisms in terms of learning. In high school, teachers tend to spoon-feed their students while in college, professors are different, for the reason that they seldom discuss to the students the entire topic or lesson. Instead, they only discuss the important ideas and would encourage the students to read more and study harder. On the other hand, there are so many teaching methodologies that can be used to enhance effectively a student’s learning capabilities. Some focuses on learning skills while others are more on enhancing knowledge. In Far Eastern University, particularly in the Institute of Nursing, a particular subject is usually divided into different concepts. Each concept is taught by specific professor who has mastery over the concept. These professors use different teaching methodology in educating the students. Some sticks to only one methodology, while others use different teaching methodologies. Some of the most commonly used teaching methodologies are: Lecture w/ powerpoint and role playing in didactics and demonstration in skills. In the study conducted by Hauer, Straub and Wolf (2005), nursing students were identified as having a learning style preference between that of a diverger and an assimilator. According to the study conducted by Elliot (2003) about the preferred teaching methodologies of nursing students, most students preferred case studies and group discussion/activities. The question now rises, with the advent of technological advancement such as CCTV (Closed-Circuit Television) and virtual laboratory, can case study and group discussion still be the most preferred teaching methodology among nursing students? Statement of the problem This study aimed to determine the relationship among learning styles of sophomore nursing students of Far Eastern University and their most preferred teaching methodology. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the learning style of Sophomore nursing students? a. Convergers b. Divergers c. Assimilators d. Accommodators 2. What is the most preferred teaching methodology of sophomore nursing students as to their learning styles in terms of: a. Didactics b. Skills 3. Is there a significant difference among the different learning styles of sophomore nursing students? 4. Is there a significant relationship in the learning styles of sophomore nursing students when grouped according to their most preferred teaching methodology in terms of: I. Didactics II. Skills Significance of the study The different learning styles of every student in the present time have a great impact on their academic performance. Everyone use different learning style to improve their own knowledge, some may be good in studying while listening to music, some students like to study alone in the four corners of their room, and some students learn easily if they are within a group study session. The researchers chose this topic because they want to challenge themselves to be more aware on how the students learn and grow in their own way and to know how the students learn and acquire knowledge. Nursing Practice The study would be helpful in guiding students with identifying their learning style as early as their second year in the institute of nursing. Therefore, having a good learning style that would match their most preferred teaching methodology could help them learn more effectively thus enhancing their knowledge. Having more knowledge could enable the students to be more proficient in the nursing practice. Nursing Administration The study provided awareness about the learning styles and the preferred teaching methodologies of sophomore nursing students, thus giving insights about the needs of the students as they learn. This study might also provide ideas on how to improve the education system for the benefit of the students. Nursing Education The result of this study should give nursing educators ideas on what specific teaching methodology to be used based on the students’ learning style. Furthermore, the nursing educator would have an insight as to what teaching methodology is best suited for the student providing a more student-centered teaching method that would aid the student to learn more effectively. Nursing Research The study of different learning styles of the students might contribute to nursing research through developing trustworthy evidence about issues of importance to the nursing profession, including nursing practice, education, administration and informatics. It made the study more significant in present time because through researching, the researchers might prove that the learning style/strategies might have advantage and disadvantage in studying. The importance of research in nursing is that because of broad support for evidenced base nursing practice, research has assumed heightened importance for nurses. Research finding from rigorous studies provide especially strong evidence for informing nurse’s decisions and actions. Nurses are accepting the need to the base specific nursing actions are clinically appropriate, cost effective, and result positive outcomes for clients. Scope and limitation The study focused on determining the relationship between the different learning styles and the most preferred teaching methodology of sophomore nursing students of the Far Eastern University during the first semester of school year 2010. The researcher used a descriptive correlational design. 245 sophomore nursing students were selected through purposive sampling technique. The study was conducted at Far Eastern University on July 17, 2010. The study did not include factors that may affect the result of the study such age and gender of the respondents as well as whether they really wanted to be in the nursing profession. Furthermore, the respondent’s level of stress and grades were also not included in the study. CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Learning According to Eric Kandel (2000) â€Å"Learning is the process by which we acquire knowledge about the world. † Learning is the process in which a person consciously takes their self farther away from ignorance. Ignorance is the lack of knowledge, the inability to understand something without guidance from an outside force. Ignorance can also be the willful act of not learning. ( Lindsea 2008 ) Learning Styles The literature basically indicates that there is wide acceptance of the concept of learning styles; however, there is disagreement on how to best measure learning styles (Coffield, et. al. , 2004). While the learning profession has long recognized the need for innovative instructional activities that relate to the diverse learning styles of learners, there is some question as to just how meaningful they are to the learning environment. That is, most researchers agree that people do have various learning styles and preferences, however, research tends to agree that it is relative unimportant as it is far more important to match the presentation with the nature of the subject, such as providing correct learning methods, strategies, and context; than matching individual preferences (Coffield, 2004). Perhaps David Merrill (2000) has the best philosophy for using learning styles — instructional strategies should first be determined on the basis of the type of content to be taught or the goals of the instruction (the content-by-strategy interactions) and secondarily, learner styles and preferences are then used to adjust or fine-tune these fundamental learning strategies. Finally, content-by-strategy interactions take precedence over learning-style-by-strategy interactions regardless of the instructional style or philosophy of the instructional situation. According to Rayner (2001) and Coffield (2001), the idea of a personal style in learning has clearly spread across the globe during the last decade to occupy a prominent place in professional discussion about learning and teaching. This means that the learning style of an individual matters in learning and also it affects teaching. Recent work by Burnett (2005) Cheminais (2002) and Reid (2005) identify that the different styles in learning serve as an important component in inclusive learning and teaching in the classroom. Indeed, Cheminais (2002) suggested that to be an effective and successful teacher, they should: (a) show respect for pupils’ individual learning styles and differences, (b) be responsive to pupils’ different learning styles, (c)use different levels of tasks and activities. Smith (2001) has stated that there are two methods related to grasping experience and these two are the Concrete Experience (CE) and Abstract Conceptualization (AC). In addition, he also suggested two methods in transforming experience and these are Reflective Observation (RO) and Active Experimentation (AE). These four modes are all engaged in the ideal learning process and must be incorporated together to have an effective learning based on Kolb’s Learning Theory. Individuals are likely to develop or use one-grasping experience approach and one experience-transforming approach. The combination of these two preferred approaches is the individual’s learning style (Smith, 2001). These learning styles are the following: converger, diverger, assimilator, and accommodator. Converger Convergers excel in making practical applications of ideas and in using deductive reasoning to solve problems. They use Active experimentation and abstract conceptualization as their approaches in transforming experience and grasping experience, respectively (Smith, 2001). They learn from thinking (Chiya, 2003). Diverger Divergers are characterized by concrete experience (feeling) and reflective observation (watching). They use imagination and see things in different points of view (Smith, 2001). They are learning from feeling (Chiya, 2003). Assimilator If convergers use deductive reasoning, assimilators on the other hand use inductive reasoning in creating theoretical models. They utilized abstract conceptualization and reflective observation as their preferred approaches (Smith, 2001). They learn from watching and listening (Chiya, 2003) Accommodator Accommodators are good in actively engaging with the world and actually doing things rather than merely reading about and studying them. They are characterized by concrete experience (feeling) and active experimentation (doing) (Smith, 2001). They learn from doing (Chiya, 2003). â€Å"The more learning styles learners use as their major learning styles, the more flexible and successful the learners are. If students use limited learning styles as their preference, it is more challenging for them to adjust to teachers’ teaching styles† (Chiya, 2003). An interpretation was amended & revised by Alan Chapman (March 2006), based on Kolb’s Learning Styles which explains that different people naturally prefer a certain single different learning style. Various factors influence a person's preferred style: notably in his experiential learning theory model (ELT) Kolb defined three stages of a person's development, and suggests that the propensity to reconcile and successfully integrate the four different learning styles improves as people mature through their development stages. The development stages that Kolb identified are: (a) Acquisition – birth to adolescence – development of basic abilities and ‘cognitive structures', (b) Specialization – schooling, early work and personal experiences of adulthood – the development of a particular ‘specialized learning style' shaped by ‘social, educational, and organizational socialization', (c) Integration – mid-career through to later life – expression of non-dominant learning style in work and personal life. Whatever influences the choice of style, the learning style preference itself is actually the product of two pairs of variables, or two separate ‘choices' that peole make, which Kolb presented as lines of axis, each with ‘conflicting' modes at either end: Concrete Experience – CE (feeling) —–V—–Abstract Conceptualization – AC (thinking) Active Experimentation – AE (doing) —–V—– Reflective Observation – RO (watching) Felder & Spurlin (2005) try to remedy the potential misuse of learning styles by pointing out that: (a) Learning style dimensions are scales, mild, moderate or extreme tendencies can be exhibited, (b) Learning style profiles are indicative of tendencies and individuals at one time or another will exhibit tendencies of the opposing characteristic, (c) Learning style preferences do not indicate a learner's strengths and weaknesses, only the preferred activity, (d) Learning style preferences may be subject to a learner's educational experience and ‘comfort'. Teaching Methodology Motivating students is a simple matter of rewards, gimmicks, and games. Students respond to teachers who can inspire while they teach. Creativity is essential. (Craft, 2010) According to Chiya (2003), students’ learning can be sometimes hindered by the gap between the students’ learning styles and the teachers’ teaching styles, and also the lack of instruction on learning strategies. Bridging this gap can only be achieved when the professors are aware of their students’ needs, capacities, potentials and most importantly, their learning styles (Rao, 2002). Discussion Lecture based format is the traditional passive way of learning. It involves situations where material is delivered to students. Recent studies show the effectiveness of active learning methods. A comparison of lecture combined with discussion versus active, cooperative learning methods by Morgan, Whorton, & Gunsalus (2000) demonstrated that the use of the lecture combined with discussion resulted in superior retention of material among students. The findings of a study by de Caprariis, Barman, & Magee (2001) suggest that lecture leads to the ability to recall facts, but discussion produces higher level comprehension. Further, research on group-oriented discussion methods has shown that team learning and student-led discussions not only produce favorable student performance outcomes, but also foster greater participation, self confidence and leadership ability (Perkins & Saris, 2001; Yoder & Hochevar, 2005). In considering an adapted practice model, substantial research highlights the usefulness of work-based mentorship and supervision as part of effective training strategies. Studies claim the one-to-one supervisory relationship was the most important element in clinical instruction (Saarikoski and Leino-Kilpi, 2002). Mentorship also facilitates learning opportunities, and supervises and assesses staff in the practice setting. Terminology frequently used to describe a mentor includes teacher, supporter, coach, facilitator, assessor, role model and supervisor (Hughes, 2004; Chow and Suen, 2001). This is supported by models advocating self-directed, evidence-based and problem-based learning. Demonstration According to Rosen, Salas, and Upshaw (2007, p. 6) demonstrations are often conceived of simply as an example of task performance; however, demonstrations are rightfully thought of as experiences where learners are prompted to actively process the informational content of the example and to systematically and reliably acquire targeted KSA’s and transfer them to the work environment. They define demonstration as a strategically crafted, dynamic example of partial or whole task performance or of characteristics of the task environment intended to increase the learner’s performance by illustrating (with modeling, simulation, or any visualization approach) the enactment of knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA’s) targeted for skill acquisition. † Demonstrations vary in terms of informational and physical characteristics (e. g. , content, form of presentation). Demonstrations also vary in terms of the activities that the learner engages in prior to, during and after observing the example of task performance. According to Fisher & Frey (2008), students need to be aware of the thinking process of the teacher. Demonstration uses a combination of verbal and visual elements to accomplish a task, skill, or strategy (Fisher & Frey, 2008). The demonstration includes the sequence of steps and the decisions that accompany each step so the next step makes sense. Errors to avoid are also noted to accomplish the task, skill or strategy (Fisher & Frey, 2008). After demonstrating the skill or strategy students can be led to know how and when to use their new skills. They can self-assess and evaluate the approaches they use to connect the learning to the next new skill that they learn. They can  begin to travel on the road to self-directed learning. Teachers who have a demonstrator or personal model teaching style tend to run teacher-centred classes with an emphasis on demonstration and modeling(School of Educators, 2010). This will help the students develops and apply skills and knowledge. According to the School of Educators (2010), a teacher with this type of teaching style might comment: â€Å"I show my students how to properly do a task or work through a problem and then I'll help them master the task or problem solution. It's important that my students can independently solve similar problems by using and adapting demonstrated methods. † This teaching style may help an instructor or a teacher to encourage student participation and adapting their presentation to include various learning styles. Students are expected to take some responsibility for learning what they need to know and for asking for help when they don't understand something. As lectures, they should aim for meaningful learning through active processes, not passive transmission of facts (Michael, 2001). Students have different preferred learning styles, experiences, background knowledge, and interests, therefore, according to Michael (2001) that we must use a variety of teaching strategies to maximize student learning. One such teaching strategy involves the use of interactive classroom demonstration. Student work cooperatively to gain meaningful learning of sometimes difficult neural concepts and at the time have fun with the subject (Michael, J. , 2001). Online Terrell ; Dringus (2000) investigated the effect of learning style on student success in an online learning environment and concluded that institutions offering online education programs should give consideration to the different learning styles of their students. According to Farmer (2006) online learning systems have forced teachers and learners to focus on discussion boards and shared communication spaces rather than on the individuals who are taking part in them. Online discussion is ‘group-centred’. It counters the greatest use of LMS (learning management systems) which is to post content online. It is the primary mode of online interaction for constructivist learning: learning based on interpretation and construction of the world rather than reflecting an external reality (Malinowski et al 2006). ‘Reflection and even dialogue are greatly limited in most campus based classrooms, online learning may in fact have an advantage in supporting collaboration and creating a sense of community. An online learning environment reflects a â€Å"group- centered† interaction pattern versus an â€Å"authority-centered pattern† of a face-to-face environment. ’ (Garrison 2006). Pelz (2004) stated that learning does not occur spontaneously among a group of students, whether the setting is face to face or online. Online discussion requires structure just as in a face-to-face setting. In essence, online discussions provide a vehicle where knowledge is facilitated by participants interacting cooperatively with others (critical thinking), to accomplish shared learning goals (social interdependence) particularly when the learning task focuses upon the solution of real-life problems (constructivist learning) (Williams ; Wache 2005). E-learning will take the form of complete courses, access to content for â€Å"just-in-time† learning, access to components, a la carte courses and services, and the separation of â€Å"courses† to acquire and test knowledge vs. content as an immediate, applicable resource to resolve an immediate, perhaps, one time only problem. Learning is and will continue to be a lifelong process, that could be accessed anywhere at anytime to meet a specific need or want. Hall added that more links to real-time data and research would become readily available. Given the progression of the definitions, then, web-based training, online learning, e-learning, distributed learning, internet-based learning and net-based learning all speak of each other (Hall ; Snider, 2000; Urdan ; Weggen, 2000). Reverting to Halls (2000) contention of e-learning in all-inclusive form, distance learning as planned interactive courses, as the acquisition of knowledge and skills at a distance through various technological mediums would seem to be one of e-learning possible disguises. Interestingly, Urdan ; Weggen (2000) saw e-learning as a subset of distance learning, online learning a subset of e-learning and computer-based learning as a subset of online learning. Given the review of definitions on all these terms ‘subset’ does not appear to be the most likely word to describe the relationship among these words and their forms. The definitions show a great depth of interdependence among themselves. While one person may narrowly define a term, another person could give it the all encompassing power. This communicates that e-learning, if given the all encompassing form, can be the larger circle of which all other terms would be overlapping at different times and extents given their user’s intention. Another rationale for this choice is that â€Å"just-in-time† learning is a major advantage of e-learning but not of distance learning. Distance learning purports planned courses, or planned experiences. E-learning does not only value planned learning but also recognizes the value of the unplanned and the self-directedness of the learner to maximize incidental learning to improve performance. Similar also to e-learning and its related terms is technology-based learning (Urdan ; Weggen 2000). Urdan ; Weggen shared that e-learning covers a wide set of applications and processes, including computer-based learning, web-based learning, virtual classrooms, and digital collaborations. For the purpose of their report, they further customized their definition to the delivery of content via all electronic media, including the Internet, intranets, extranets, satellite broadcast, audio/video tape, interactive TV, and CD-ROM. They warned, however, that e-learning is defined more narrowly than distance learning, which would include text-based learning and courses conducted via written correspondence. Like Hall ; Snider 2000), Urdan ; Weggen (2000) have set apart distance learning and e-learning in their glossaries, making, however, e-learning inclusive and synonymous to all computer-related applications, tools and processes that have been strategically aligned to value-added learning and teaching processes. E-learning is the acquisition and use of knowledge distributed and facilitated primarily by electronic means. This form of learning currently depends on networks and computers but will likely evolve into systems consisting of a variety of channels (e. g. , wireless, satellite), and technologies (e. g. , cellular phones, PDA’s) as they are developed and adopted. E-learning can take the form of courses as well as modules and smaller learning objects. E-learning may incorporate synchronous or asynchronous access and may be distributed geographically with varied limits of time. Group work (Brainstorming) According to the study of White et al (2005), group work was generally a positive experience for pharmacology and IT students. However, there were also 25% of the 126 respondents who responded to the open-ended questions with negative comments. These comments were the need for objective individual marks, avenues to decrease loafers, bias among friends in peer evaluations and concerns with confidentiality and anonymity with peer evaluation. The researchers here concluded that attitudes towards group work are probably negatively affected by group assessment and may be improved to some extent by using peer evaluation. Research proves that group work experience was generally positive for students across the different disciplines. They saw group work as a tool to develop life-long and generic skills in influencing and persuading, negotiating and team-building (Maiden, 2004). According to him, this method – group work promotes the development of the said skills. A research study of Reid et al (2005) showed that some students see group work as an undertaking that must be completed well. On the other hand, others see it as a tool for them that would help them advance their individual and collective knowledge. In additional, the approach that students take to their learning depends on the particular conceptions of the task at hand. According to Petrowski et al (2000), group work and creativity has begun in the 1950s and that until now, it is still debatable whether creativity is within a person, as a product or a process. Oral Recitation(Question and answer) | Questioning students not only allows the teacher to evaluate the level of understanding but also provides for feedback, fine tuning the levels of teaching, dealing with misconceptions early, as well as improving the educational material presented. Perhaps one of the most key thoughts beyond all the information above is very simple. Teaching is learning. To teach is to learn. Good teachers learn and adapt to their students, and expand or refine their teaching material as they learn about themselves as well. According to Jennifer Evans (2010), Oral recitation is the practice of having an entire class â€Å"recite important facts, identifications, definitions, and procedures within the instruction and later when they need to be revisited†. This method proves quite beneficial to students when acted out frequently in the classroom, though the time for each session should be kept rather short, not exceeding two and one-half minutes. Hearing it said aloud by their own mouths results in a higher level of confidence in the subject matter, while also ensuring that they fully understand a topic that requires  critical thinking. By engaging them in the learning process rather than just instructing, students will become far more interested in their education until they’re just itching for more knowledge. Also, the level of seriousness is kept to the maximum when students come to realize that this specific topic is vital enough for the entire class to participate in at once, further ensuring remembrance. This process of learning should not be set aside for the classroom alone, however; students of all ages, from elementary school to college, can use this tool to retain any form of information ranging in levels of difficulty. It’s advisable for students currently in their higher learning stages to just sit in a quiet room by themselves and recite whatever facts or definitions they may need aloud. First, they can start by reading straight out of their notes or textbook, allowing themselves to both see the words on the page while reading them out loud. Then, they can progress to the true test by verbally reciting without their paper. This should be repeated a number of times before the day of the test, allowing themselves weeks of prep time; however, once again it is imperative to not put too much strain on the subject. The more difficult the subject is, the more important it is for  a student to be able to recall it at the tip of a hat. Treating information in a more sophisticated way allows this to happen, as the mind will, too, treat the information will such  a high level of care. This method also incorporates the social time all young people need to truly becoming comfortable in their environment. Bitchener ; Watanabe (2008), the part of the exchange does not reflect what is characteristic of realistic communication (you do not usually correct what other people say when they are talking), the fact that student turned her attention to form in this precise moment has important implications for language learning, for it is an act of noticing a language item and how it should work. It is this aspect that helps us decide what to say (meaning) and how to say it, (form) depending on the situation in which we find ourselves and depending on what was said before by us and the other participants of the conversation. Although this process is mostly and best carried out unconsciously, â€Å"meaningful use of language will necessarily imply the establishment of relevant form-meaning mappings† (van den Branden, 2006). Powerpoint PowerPoint is best used when students are expected to retain complex graphics, animation, and figures. For alphanumeric information (e. g. text and numbers) Powerpoint as well as traditional presentations can be used. According to Shock (2008), if students are expected to retain information and/or concepts that are best conveyed through dialog or verbal explanation,  traditional presentations  appear to be best. This type of information should not be shared verbally in the presence of PowerPoint, because people tend to focus on that what is presented on the slides as opposed to what is verbalized. If students are expected to retain simple graphs and alphanumeric information that is verbalized and displayed visually, either presentation style is acceptable. Educational technologies are most effective when used properly. According to Savoy et al (2009), the ‘‘intelligent use† of educational technologies can be defined with three components (1) How people learn (cognitive component)? 2) How can the learning experience be facilitated (instruction component)? (3) How can technology be used to improve instruction and learning (technology component)? Over the years there has been re search to support the three components as individual entities and collectively as the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. The third component has received much attention as researchers try to evaluate the effectiveness of new educational technologies, particularly PowerPoint. Case Presentation It is now documented that students can learn more effectively when actively involved in the learning process (Bonwell and Eison, 1991; Sivan et al, 2001). The case study approach is one way in which such active learning strategies can be implemented in our institutions. There are a number of definitions for the term case study. For example, Fry et al (1999) describe case studies as complex examples which give an insight into the context of a problem as well as illustrating the main point. Davis and Wilcock defined case studies as student centred activities based on topics that demonstrate theoretical concepts in an applied setting. This definition of a case study covers the variety of different teaching structures used, ranging from short individual case studies to longer group-based activities. According to Onishi (2008) in most clinical teaching settings, case presentation is the most frequently used teaching and learning activity. From an educational viewpoint, the two important roles of case presentations are the presenter's reflective opportunity and the clinician educator's clues to diagnose the presenter. When a presenter prepares for a case presentation, he/she has to organize all the information collected from a patient. The presenter sometimes does not recall what to ask or to examine with relation to pertinent differential diagnoses while seeing a patient, and afterward he/she might note that more information should have been collected. He/she is able to note the processes by reflection-on-action and improve the processes the next time. Such a reflective process is the most important role of case conference for a presenter. According to Shochet, Cayea, Levine and Wright (2007), case presentation is a time-honored tradition in clinical medicine. Expert analysis of patient cases has been the stimulus for significant discovery and advances in clinical medicine. All clinical educators encounter â€Å"memorable cases† in their teaching roles. The case presentation can also be used by educators as a means to more deeply appreciate unique or challenging learner experiences, and by doing so, enhance teaching expertise. Dissemination of these cases may lead to discoveries and advances in the practice of medical education. Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) The advantages of video conferencing by using closed circuit television in educational institutions are well documented. Scholarly literature has indicated that videoconferencing technology reduces time and costs between remote locations, fill gaps in teaching services, increases training productivity, enables meetings that would not be possible due to prohibitive travel costs, and improves access to learning (Martin, 2005; Rose, Furner, Hall, Montgomery, Katsavras, ; Clarke, 2000; Townes-Young ; Ewing, 2005; West, 1999). Role Playing Role playing is a methodology derived from sociodrama that may be used to help students understand the more subtle aspects of literature, social studies, and even some aspects of science or mathematics. Further, it can help them become more interested and involved, not only learning about the material, but learning also to integrate the knowledge in action, by addressing problems, exploring alternatives, and seeking novel and creative solutions. According to Blatner (2008), role playing is the best way to develop the skills of initiative, communication, problem-solving, self-awareness, and working cooperatively in teams, and these are above all–certainly above the learning of mere facts, many if not most of which will be obsolete or irrelevant in a few years–will help these young people e prepared for dealing with the challenges of the Twenty-First Century. According to Pollock et al (2006), learning to participate is an important skill for humanities and social science s students to learn in today’s multi-stakeholder world. The role play method develops a greater understanding of the complexity of professional practice and enables students to develop skills to engage in multi-stakeholder negotiations within the controlled environment of the classroom. Role play in the classroom can be implemented in a number of ways. It can involve online elements as well as face-to-face interactions. The length of the process can also vary according to the aims of the activity. This guide will outline role play techniques found to be most useful for the social science classroom at a tertiary level. Role play in the classroom involves students actively in the learning process by enabling them to act as stakeholders in an imagined or real scenario. It is a technique that complements the traditional lecture and assignment format of tertiary level social science learning. In a role play, the teacher selects a particular event or situation that illuminates key theories or may be of importance to the topic of study. Students are given detailed background readings and assigned stakeholder roles as preparation. The format of interaction between stakeholders can be varied and may depend on time or resources available. The role play is concluded with a debriefing or reflection stage which reinforces the concepts introduced by the role play. Video Presentation Bassili (2006) conducted a study of college freshmen in a psychology course in order to determine whether they preferred face-to-face or streamed-video lecture delivery as a learning aid. He found that a majority of the students preferred the online video lectures. These findings imply that videotaped content, far from being a less effective vehicle for instruction, might actually increase learner motivation and interest in course material. Other articles outline the advantages of taping learner performances and asking students to watch and reflect upon these recordings. For example, some scholars have found that using videos as reflective diaries can promote critical thinking and reflection and thereby enhance learning development. Researchers have found that making reflective videos can benefit both teachers (Barton and Haydn 2006; Gebhard 2005) and students (Triggs and John 2004). Levy and Kennedy (2004) found evidence for this assertion within the specific context of the language learning classroom. They used computer video capture to record students' behavior during their audio conferencing study of Italian as a foreign language. The researchers found that these recordings became an effective tool for assisting students in visualizing and subsequently correcting their errors. Several other articles have discussed the potential impact of using videos in foreign language study. Herron, Cole, and Corrie (2000), for example, offer evidence that showing videos in the classroom allows instructors to expose language learners to authentic cultural information. Moreover, research suggests that Internet-based audiovisual resources can be effective language learning tools. Hanson-Smith (2004) describes the pedagogical benefits of using online videos as in-class learning resources. In addition, she lauds the fact that the Internet is increasing access to professional audiovisual resources that are free, authentic, and suitable for language learning development. Finally, many scholars have noted the benefits of implementing a video production component in language classes. For example, at the college level, Katchen, Morris, and Savova (2005) have explored the possibility of using video production to engage language learners, asking students to produce vocabulary-focused videos. They contend that the benefit of their approach is twofold. First, it allows students to produce videos using grammatical forms and lexical items that are relevant to them, increasing the chance that these forms and terms will be retained. Second, it facilitates the creation of learning resources for future students. Association of learning styles to teaching methodology In the study conducted by Csapo & Hayen (2006), it states that a mismatch between the learning style of faculty and students has been shown to increase the disparitybetween how faculty teaches and how students learn. This mismatch results in an ineffective learningprocess in the classroom. â€Å"The notion that allcognitive skills are identical at the collegiate level orin different training programs smacks of arroganceand elitism by either sanctioning one group's style oflearning while discrediting the styles of others orignoring individual differences altogether â€Å"Teachers did differ in their teaching styles and the results suggest an association between teaching styles and learning styles Based on the study of Chiya (2003), divergers are characterized by concrete experience (feeling) and reflective observation (watching) while assimilators utilized abstract conceptualization (thinking) and reflective observation (watching). It was obvious that divergers and assimilators both learn through reflective observation or through watching. According to Evans (2004), these differences in teaching styles may also have an impact on areas such as classroom arrangements, the organization and assessment of activities, teacher interactions with students and academically approaches, such as the use of questioning (Evans, 2004). Evans (2004) also stated that several teachers of today are looking at how to shift their lessons to meet new education purposes. However, discussions are still more teacher-centered than student-centered in some classrooms meaning, the lessons are still based on the preferences of the teacher rather than the students. The following information are synthesize from different local and foreign related literatures and studies: Learning style is unique in every individual. Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge. As we know, individuals are unique. Each in every one of us is different and so also our learning styles. Learning styles are the approach on how an individual grasp knowledge. There are four types of learning style: Converger, Diverger, Assimilator, and Accomodator. Each type of learning style is different in terms of the way they acquire knowledge. Convergers or Type I learners excel in making practical applications of ideas and in using deductive reasoning to solve problems. They use Active experimentation (doing) and abstract conceptualization (thinking) as their approaches in transforming experience and grasping experience, respectively. They learn from thinking. Divergers or Type II learners are characterized by concrete experience (feeling) and reflective observation (watching). They use imagination and see things in different points of view. They are learning from feeling. Assimilators or Type III learners on the other hand use inductive reasoning in creating theoretical models. They utilized abstract conceptualization (thinking) and reflective observation (watching) as their preferred approaches. They learn from watching and listening. Accomodators or Type IV learners are good in actively engaging with the world and actually doing things rather than merely reading about and studying them. They are characterized by concrete experience (feeling) and active experimentation (doing). They learn from doing. Teaching on the other hand, is the process of giving out information. Teaching is the means of providing knowledge to individuals. Same as learning styles, teaching methodologies are also unique for every teacher or instructor. Most instructors tend to stick with a specific teaching methodology. Teaching methodology has a great impact on the students. In association to learning styles, the preferred teaching methodologies. The review of the literature indicated howimportant understanding learning styles and the role of learning styles in the teaching/learning process was for effective teaching. Research Paradigm (Kolb diagrams updated May 2006) | Most Preferred teaching methodology in terms of: A. Didactics B. Skills | Shown in the figure above was a typical presentation of Kolb’s to continuum: the east-west called the Processing Continuum (how we approach a task), and the north-south axis is called the Perception Continuum (our emotional response, or how we think or feel about it. ). These learning styles are the combination of two lines of axis (continuums) each formed between what Kolb calls dialectically related modes of grasping experience (doing or watching), and transforming experience (feeling or thinking). An individual internally decide whether he/she wish to  do  or  watch, and  at the same time  decide whether to  think  or  feel. The result of these two decisions produces and helps to form their learning style. The individual chooses a way of grasping the experience, which defines his/her approach to it, and chooses a way to transform the experience into something meaningful and usable, which defines the emotional response to the experience. Having knowledge about the learning styles, the appropriate teaching methodology in terms of didactics and skills for a specific learning style can be determined and can be used for effective learning. Research Hypothesis On the basis of the questions proposed in this study the following hypotheses was tested: a. There is no significant difference between the learning styles of sophomore nursing students. b. There is no significant relationship on the different learning style between skills and didactics. The main variables of the study The different learning styles were the independent variable and the dependent variable was the most preferred teaching methodologies of sophomore nursing students in terms of didactics and skills. Definition of terms Conceptual definition: Learning Styles – various approaches or ways of learning Accommodator – a person who is willing to adapt oneself to other people’s convenience. Assimilator – a person who responds to new situations in conformity with what is already available to consciousness. Converger – one who has special ability in answering rational, unimaginative questions. Diverger – one who is capable of thinking imaginatively beyond the ordinary. Teaching Methodology – the types of principles and methods used for instruction. Didactics – teaching method  that follows a consistent scientific approach. Lecture discussion -an informative talk given as before an audience or class and usually prepared beforehand. Recitation – a written matter that is recited from memory. Power point presentation – The presentation is a collection of individual slides that contain information on a topic. Case presentation – refers to the collection and presentation of detailed information about a particular participant or small group, frequently including the accounts of subjects themselves. Brainstorming- Brainstorming is an informal way of generating topics to write about, or points to make about your topic. Students should simply open their minds to whatever pops into them. E-learning – the delivery of a learning, training or education program by electronic means. E-learning involves the use of a computer or electronic device in some way to provide training, educational or learning material. Group work – a ethod, used by professional social workers, of aiding a group or members of a group toward individual adjustment and increased participation in community activity by exploiting the mechanisms of group life. Reporting- to relate or tell about; present. Role playing – refers to the changing of one's behaviour to assume a role, either unconsciously to fill a social role, or consciously to act out an adopted role. Skills – teaching the learned  capacity to carry out pre-determined results often with the minimum outlay of  time,  energy, or both. Demonstration – the act of proving by the syllogistic process, or the proof itself. An exhibition; proof; especially, proof beyond the possibility of doubt; indubitable evidence, to the senses or reason. Video presentation – A video clip is a small section of a larger video presentation. A series of video frames are run in succession to produce a short, animated video. This compilation of video clips results in a video presentation. Operational Definition: Learning Styles – the method by which an individual acquire knowledge. Accommodator – they tend to get information by themselves; they can easily adapt to sudden changes. Assimilator – individuals who learn by thinking through ideas; they need certain evidences before making judgments. Converger – individuals who learn though practical application. Diverger – is an individual who learns through observation; they love to listen and share ideas. Teaching Methodologies – the strategies employed in teaching. Didactics – are teaching methods used in the classroom setting. Lecture discussion – giving information on a group of people or a class usually to educate. Recitation – giving an answer on a given question using what is previously learned. Power point presentation – the presentation of a slide show made up of slides containing information on a topic commonly used in giving information about a concept. Case presentation – a case specific presentation of data and information gathered from an individual or group of people. Brainstorming – a method of sharing ideas by â€Å"throwing† in whatever pops out of their mind about a certain subject matter. E-learning – method of imparting knowledge through the use of modern electronic devices or softwares. Group work – a method of sharing ideas and combining said ideas to form a unified body of information more commonly used by students. Reporting- presenting a detailed but brief information about a subject. Role playing – adopting and acting out the role or personality of someone else. Skills – a method of teaching the ability to develop a procedure repeatedly. Demonstration – a method of imparting knowledge by showing how something is being done. Video presentation – the use of recorded video or a series of video clips to impart knowledge on a certain subject matter. CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research design This study used descriptive correlational study as the research design. According to Polit and Beck (2008), â€Å"descriptive research is the second broad class of non-experimental studies and its purpose is to observe, describe and document aspects of a situation as it naturally occurs and sometimes to serve as a starting point for hypothesis generating or theory development. † This study described the learning styles of Sophomore Nursing students and their most preferred teaching methodology. It also determined if learning styles were associated to their most preferred teaching methodology. Population and Sample The respondents of this study were sophomore nursing students of Far Eastern University within the school year 2010 to 2011. The sophomore nursing students had a total population of 630. Using Sloven’s formula, the sample population of 245 was drawn. Table 1. Frequency Distribution and Percentage of the 6 sections included in the study Section| Frequency| Percentage (%) | BSN 313| 36| 14. 7| BSN 302| 48| 19. 6| BSN 304| 34| 13. 9| BSN 303| 48| 19. 6| BSN 305| 37| 15. 1| BSN SB3| 42| 17. 1| Total| 245| 100| The researchers used convenience sampling method in choosing the sections that were included in the study basing on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included in the study were sophomore students who were on deck during Mondays, those who were present during the data gathering and those who were willing to cooperate. Those excluded in the study were freshmen, junior and senior nursing students and those from other institutes, sections of sophomore nursing students who were on deck during Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and those who were absent during the data gathering procedure. All of the invalid questionnaires answered by the respondents were not included in the tallying. Research Locale The study was conducted at Far Eastern University specifically in the Institute of Nursing. It is a Private non-sectarian University, located in Nicanor Reyes Street, Sampaloc Manila which was suited for the respondents. The researchers had chosen Far Eastern University as a research locale because the behavior, experiences and characteristics that the researchers sought to observe fit the students of FEU specifically nursing students. Furthermore, FEU had adequate diversity or mix of students to achieve the research goal. In addition, entrance to the site was possible and access to the respondents can be granted. Research Instruments The instrument had two parts. The first part of the instrument was Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory (LSI) which was a standard questionnaire constructed by Kolb’s (1985. It was a 12 item self-description questionnaire that would determine the learning style of a particular person. After taking Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory and summing up the total number for each learning styles, it gave the difference between Concrete Experience (CE) and Abstract Conceptualization (AC) and the difference between Active Experimentation (AE) and Reflective Observation (RO). After determining the differences of each learning styles, it was plotted on the paradigm to determine the student’s learning styles as Diverger, Converger, Assimilator and Accommodator. The second part of the instrument was a self-made instrument. It was a structured questionnaire in which respondents were asked to choose their most preferred teaching methodology both in acquiring skills and learning from lectures. Validation of instrument The second part of the instrument was validated by three experts: the Associate Dean of the Institute of Nursing along with two other faculty members who had been on the academe for 5 years. The instrument was validated in terms of its face and content validity. A pilot test was conducted to ten (10) nursing students, after which the respondents were excluded from the actual data gathering procedure. They were able to answer all the questions in the instrument which yielded good results. Data Collection Procedure A letter addressed to Dr. Glenda S. Arquiza, Dean of the Institute of Nursing, was forwarded to ask permission to conduct the study. Moreover, the researchers of the study coordinated with the Level II coordinators to acquire the schedule of the selected respondents. The researcher used structured paper and pencil instrument in which the respondents were guided by a topic guide of questions to be asked and rank order questions which the respondent rank target concepts along a continuum, such as most to least. The respondents were asked to answer the Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory. From the sections present during the data gathering, the researchers used conveniece sampling in choosing the included sections for them to come up with the 245 respondents. The inventories were distributed by some of the members of the research team to the selected respondents and were collected right away after they finish answering the inventory. The data collection was conducted last July 17, 2010. All of the instruments which were valid and with complete answers were all included in the study. Statistical Treatment To organize the data collected, statistical tables were presented. This made the presentation of the data systematic and readily understandable. Furthermore, the following statistical formulas were used to analyze the data collected. The Sloven’s Formula was used to determine the number of minimum respondents to utilize. Its formula is as follows: n=N(1+N*e2) Where: n = number of samples N = total population e = margin of error To answer the first and the second problem statement which were â€Å"What is the learning style of sophomore Nursing students† and â€Å"What are the preferred teaching methodology of sophomore nursing students† Frequency & Percentage Distribution was used. Its formula is as follows: Percentage (%) = fnx 100 where: f = number of times the item occurs (frequency) n = total number of items To answer statement of the problem number 2, weighted mean was used to determine the average of the students who preferred a particular teaching methodology in terms of skills and didactics: Its formula is as follows: X=? fxn where: X = mean ? = summation f = number of times the items occur x = value of the item n = total number of items To answer statement of the problem number 3, â€Å"Is there a significant difference between the different learning styles† chi-square goodness of fit test was used. Its for