Proposal for a Halfway House from the Program Director

For a Director of a Program, it is essential to come up with an effective plan or service. Hence, a clear presentation of the program and justification for its creation and retention is significant for the proposal to be considered. This paper is written from the perspective of a Program Director who suggests the establishment and retention of a Halfway House Program for California County Probation Department. In doing so, the Program Director will discuss several factors for the carrying out of the program such as the need to reduce the County’s operating budget which eventually results into the loss of a number of personnel.Proposal for a Halfway House from the Program Director The programs and services of any County Probation Department are subjected to many factors and considerations which may lead into beneficial of harmful implications. Hence, efforts to support the retention and championing of the objectives of a particular program such as the operation of halfway house services are not spared from several hindrances. Operating budget and personnel are two major components which spell the success or failure of a halfway house program.Working as a residential center type, which temporarily accommodates people who have been released after treatment or rehabilitation from drug dependency, mental illness and incarceration, halfway house serves as the middle house before such people are eventually reintegrated into the society. Such nature, therefore, exemplified the undeniable significance of a halfway house program for a County Probation Department. Taking this into consideration, operating and maintaining such service will be difficult especially when problems such as budget and workforce set in.It is in this light that a clear presentation and discussion about halfway house service, such as its features, the public it serves, its history, its value and the reason for its retention, are entrusted in me as Program Director of the California County Pr obation Department. In particular, the Special Projects Group, which I am in charge, will initially address and perform the task of reducing the operating budget of the California County Probation Department by 20 percent.In doing so, however, we have come to realize that 85 percent of the department budget is allotted to its personnel or manpower. Thus, cutting the department budget will mean the loss of approximately 200 officers and support staff. While it is inevitable to undertake budget and personnel reduction, it is ultimately imperative for me as the Program Director to justify with the Chief of California County Probation Department the need to support the creation of halfway house service or program.This is because the prison system has now acknowledged the importance, benefits and value of such program. Its purpose of serving as the halfway accommodation for people who tend avoid relapse and to eventually reintegrate into the mainstream society is, in fact, equally import ant as far as the goal of operating and maintaining a county probation department. One way to achieve the halfway house service is not only by reducing the overall budget of the county but also through trimming down an obviously bloated workforce.In fact, it is through reduction of operating budget and eventually retrenchment of oversized personnel will the County realize that the establishment of halfway house program is feasible, better and more productive than sustaining an over budgeted and over-staffed County. Since obstacles such as the ones facing the California County Probation Department should, in no way, pose a threat into the creation of halfway house program, the reduction by 20 percent of the Department’s operating budget and most importantly the creation and eventual retention of the proposed halfway house plan is highly recommended by the Program Director.Halfway House Program, a Plan Overview By its features, a halfway house is a society-based housing provisi on for criminals and even those who suffered physical and mental disorders who, after their respective imprisonment and treatment period, are technically still carrying out a part of their prison terms and rehabilitation cycles guidelines (â€Å"Halfway House, 2001). However, the difference between a County Probation Department or related institutions is the fact that the subjects are this time being managed in a community with less restriction but nonetheless are still required to adhere to the service’s guidelines (â€Å"Halfway House, 2001).Aside from the provision of round-the-clock management as well as a wide-ranging guidance and support to lawbreakers or others who underwent psychological and physical treatments, the activities within a halfway house are designed to pave the way for its tenants to continue studying, hunting for job working while completing their required stay in the service (â€Å"Halfway House, 2001). Similar to residential community program, halfw ay house is an ongoing corrective program or service wherein the offenders complete their prison terms, experience their steady recuperation until being fully released to the society.Hence, it serves its dual purpose of providing the required treatment and housing services while at the same time offering a chance for its â€Å"residents† to be conscious and engage in various activities within the program and the community they will service once they left the halfway house. This is because a halfway house forms an essential link between the care provided by the rehabilitation or care provided by the prison system and related institutions and the opportunities offered by the mainstream society (â€Å"Halfway House, 2001).Reduction of 20% County Budget, the Task Presented with the mission to cut the budget of California County Probation Department by 20 percent, I, being the Program Director recommends the planned reduction of the department's operating cost based on the fact t hat 85 percent of the annual budget pertains to personnel allocation. This, therefore, necessitates that the streamlining should be focused on the retrenchment of personnel which is based on certain conditions and factual basis.Since the department has a personnel plantilla of more than 1,000 officers and staff  including 700 sworn officers of various ranks, the retrenchment would necessarily mean the phasing out of 200 plantilla items or so much thereof that shall exactly mean the equivalent of 20 percent of its total operating cost estimated at about $600 million annually. In specific figures, the plan should correspond to the trimming down of the present budget to only $480 million starting next year.With the full knowledge of prevailing conditions and other factual basis such as statistics on basic concerns as daily average population of probation facilities and the  average stay of those confined thereat, it is important that the reduction program shall proceed using quanti fiable ratios in order to have it be implemented in the most judicious manner. Considering existing conditions in the department, procedures must be observed in the process of identifying who will be the 200 officials and support staff who will be covered by the retrenchment. In doing so, there should be provision of benefit packages and incentives for those to be affected by the retrenchment, including special incentives for those who will  voluntarily retire or resign under this retrenchment policy or program.An option to voluntarily resign should also be offered to those affected personnel and when all procedures and system are laid out, retrenchment will proceed Hence, the reduction of the County’s 20 percent budget which is synonymous to a significant impact to the personnel is planned to be carried out in a manner that benefit packages and incentive schemes for voluntary retirement and resignations must be attractive enough to encourage a good number of personnel to a vail of it and thereby make the  retrenchment process less painful.The reduction in the budget and its effect, through retrenchment, in the manpower of the California County Probation Department are the primary grounds considered by the Program Director in suggesting the establishment and eventual retention of the Halfway House Program. This is because of the position that in order to create a beneficial plan, the reduction of budget and loss of some personnel in particular are definitely inevitable yet valuable decision which will pave the way for a new and more effective program.Halfway House Program, the Rationale Halfway houses are already established since the half part of the twentieth century. According to Smith and Berlin (1988), halfway houses were built by the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the cities of Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York (Smith & Berlin, 1988). In the said halfway house services, the offenders, while completing their prison terms, were counseled, employed and provided with worthy activities which helped them to effectively reintegrate into their respective societies afterwards guidelines (Smith & Berlin, 1988).The said system and the creation of such program such as halfway house service have proven beneficial to both the prison facilities which previously house the offenders as well as the communities where the rehabilitated offenders were eventually assimilated. These worthwhile and beneficial effects to the prison system and the community are, in essence, the very objectives which halfway house program have attained in their efforts to effectively rehabilitate the criminal offender (Smith & Berlin, 1988).Beyond such historical account is the rationale of proposing, supporting and eventually retaining a halfway house program or service. In fact, the underlying principle, which was fundamentally deliberated by the Program Director in this paper for the consideration of the Chief of the California County Probation Department , is the basic foundation that such program or service encompasses the goal of societal correction and improvement. The principle is that the halfway house program ultimately aims for rectification and eventual development of offenders.This is because the lawbreakers and related nuisance in the society are being corrected while being accommodated in a venue which will enhance more their qualification into being members again of the societies. As what Beha (1977) learned from a research finding which examined the role and implication of the halfway house program, such service of program is definitely covered by the category â€Å"community corrections† (Beha, 1977). Additionally, halfway house program is an acknowledged effective plan or service even by the industry of probation service themselves.In BBC interview with the chief officer of probation services, Kenyon (2006) learned that while risk and problems are not totally eliminated in carrying out such program, halfway hou se generally create the â€Å"very best picture† as far rehabilitating criminals and preparing them for their return into the society (Kenyon, 2006). Applying the said principles and proofs to the set-up of the California County Probation Department, it is then best considered and suggested to the Chief of the need to undertake, champion and sustain the existence of halfway house program or service.In fact, this may not mean the loss of other programs of the County as the 20 percent reduction in the budget, which basically caters to a bloated personnel structure, will be the main source which will support the program. Conclusion Being the Director of a Program, my foremost objective is for the Chief of the California County Probation Department’s consideration and hopefully, approval of my proposed halfway house program or service. This is prayed for with the presentation of the needed 20 percent reduction in the County’s operating budget, which in general only satisfies an apparent over-sized workforce.Such retrenchment is feasible and acceptable based from the benefit packages and incentives which the Program Director likewise proposed. It is through said grounds that the creation and retention of the California County Probation Department Halfway House are justified. This is because by cutting the budget of the County, the problem on bloated personnel is addressed and ultimately the collective goal to create an effective and beneficial program such as the Halfway House is achieved.

Same Sex Marriage Essay

Same sex marriage is the legal joining of two people of the same gender who are lovingly committed and dedicated to one another, just like any other marriage between a man and a woman. Many people are against same sex marriage because they believe marriage should only be between a man and a woman. However, others believe that marriage between anyone, of any gender, should be allowed because it is a civil right. In the majority of the United States, there is a limit on the benefits that homosexual couples can receive; they are much more limited than the benefits many heterosexual married couples enjoy. Marriage is a civil right and not allowing people of the same gender to marry is discrimination against individuals due to their sexual preference. This discrimination is in direct opposition to the constitution’s commitment to liberty and equality. Many same sex couples are deprived of health benefits, spousal life insurance, retirement plans, and the ability to adopt, foster, and/or raise children. Other areas affected are taxation brackets and hospital visitation rights. Bi-national families can also be penalized by recognition or non-recognition of same sex marriage. Additional benefits that can be affected are military spouse supports, social security benefits, and rights to property and intellectual property. Even homosexuals who are able to exercise these rights that other couples around the nation enjoy, often suffer ridicule and questioning of their rights. For example, if a homosexual couple gains the right to be parents, they still may face an uphill battle to be treated the same at school, in their neighborhood, by other parents, etc. In addition, work discrimination against homosexuals, especially couples who choose to parent, is very common in the United States. There are many positive aspects to allowing same sex marriage. Marriage is shown to have a correlation to physical and psychological health benefits and depriving gay and lesbian individuals of these benefits could increase the rate of physical and psychological disorders. Marriage between same sex couples would also make it easier for them to adopt children. Doing this would provide a home to more children who currently are in need of a stable home and family or are in foster care. Heterosexual marriages and â€Å"family values† will not be changed, harmed, andor altered with the legalization of same sex marriage, therefore, it is a matter of debate about what is really holding society  against same sex marriage. Many people say that traditionally, the institution of marriage is defined as only between a man and a woman and that allowing gay couples to wed could possibly weaken the institution of marriage further. Same sex marriage is also not compatible with the traditions and beliefs of some specific religions. Allowing same sex marriage could offend people and their religious affiliations. Many people also argue that extending the right to marry to same sex couples is bad because they can not biologically produce children together and if they did adopt or use an alternative method to have children it would provide an unstable household in which the children are raised without the typical and â€Å"proper† motherly and fatherly figures. Sixteen countries since 2000 have entirely legalized same sex marriage including AR, BE, BR, CA, DK, FR, IS, NS, NZ, NO, PT, ES, SA, SE, The UK, and UY. Parts of Mexico have also legalized same sex marriage. In the United States, only nineteen states have legalized same sex marriage including CA, CT, DE, HI, IL (Illinois’ same sex marriage law only recently took effect on June 1st, 2014), IA, MA, MD, ME, MN, NH, NM, NJ, NY, OR, PA, RI, VT, and WA (LGBTQ Nation). Same sex marriage has also been legalized in the District of Columbia. Just under half of the U.S. population lives in a state that provides some sort of protection for same sex couples where as just under 44% of the U.S. population lives in a state where same sex couples have the freedom to marriage equality (Freedom to Marry). Most states have adopted prohibitions of same sex marriage by adopting language that defines marriage as: â€Å"In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word ‘marriage’ means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ‘spouse’ refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife† (DOMA). Twenty-nine states have put this language into their constitution (Defining Marriage). At the time DOMA was passed in 1996, the year it was signed by President Clinton, only  ¼ of Americans supported same sex marriage. However, support has grown steadily in America since 1996. The DOMA ruling does not require any state to legalize or recognize a same sex marriage from another state but, the US government must recognize legal same  sex marriages. Among individuals born in 1981 through 1996, 74% support same sex marriage. This is in deep contrast with seniors, of whom only 33% support same sex marriage. Republicans tend to have far lower acceptance of same sex marriage than democrats and independents do (Balanced Politics). In the last 4 years, opinion polls in America reflect a majority of citizens are behind same sex marriage. The percentage of Americans in support had been growing for 10+ years until its first majority in the year 2010. Besides youth, other factors relating to support for same sex marriage are: better educated, residency on the west or northeast coasts, and females. Low levels of support are reported in the Plains, the Deep South, and Appalachian states. Of Republican voters over age 50, only about  ¼ state that they are in support of same sex marriage. Some polls of people who live in states that have not legalized same sex marriage reflect that the citizens of those states actually form a majority in support of it. Other groups who are noted for being in majority support are Catholics, Jews, and people with no religious affiliation. In 2008, Voters in California passed proposition 8 by a margin of only 52% to 48%. Two federal courts declared it unconstitutional and in 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that the appellants had no standing in the suit. Proposition 8 was created by opponents of same sex marriage and put on the ballot along with the election of 2008. It sparked protests all over the United States. It was upheld in California courts but struck down by federal courts. Ultimately, the US Supreme Court ruled that the federal courts had aired. Same sex marriage was to resume almost immediately. In May 2012, President Barack Obama became the first US president to support same sex marriage. He appeared in several interviews on the subject; a turning point was when he stated â€Å"At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that for me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married† (CNN). Later the same year, he called a news conference at which he stated â€Å"My baseline is a strong civil union that provides them [same sex spouses] the protections and the legal rights that married couples have and I think that’s the right thing to do† (WTOP). Works Cited â€Å"19 States with Legal Gay Marriage and 31 States with Same-Sex Marriage Bans – Gay Marriage – ProCon.org.† ProConorg Headlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014. . â€Å"BalancedPolitics.org – Same Sex Marriages (Pros & Cons, Arguments For and Against, Advantages & Disadvantages).† BalancedPolitics.org – Same Sex Marriages (Pros & Cons, Arguments For and Against, Advantages & Disadvantages). N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014. . â€Å"Defense of Marriage Act: One Hundred Fourth Congress of the United States of America AT THE SECOND SESSION.† gpo.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 1930. . â€Å"Defining Marriage: State Defense of Marriage Laws and Same-Sex Marriage.† Defining Marriage: State Defense of Marriage Laws and Same-Sex Marriage. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014. . â€Å"Freedom to Marry.† Freedom to Marry. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014. . Gast, Phil, Jessica Yellin, Bill Mears, Dan Gilgoff, and Jim Acosta. â€Å"Obama announces he supports same-sex marriage.† CNN. Cable News Network, 1 Jan. 1970. Web. 30 May 2014. . â€Å"Marriage Equality.† LGBTQ Nation RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2014. . Moats, David. Civil wars: a battle for gay marriage. Orlando: Harcourt, 2004. Print. â€Å"Obama quotes on same-sex marriage.† – WTOP.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2014. .

Handle Information in Health and Social Care Setting

CU2470 Handle information in Health and Social care settings 1. 1 The legislation that relates to recording storage and sharing of information known as care plans is the Data Protection Act 1998. There are 8 principles to be followed when gathering data 1) processed fairly and lawfully 2) processed only for 1 or more lawful purpose 3) adequate and relevant 4) accurate and up to date 5) kept for no longer than necessary 6) processed in line with the right of the individual 7) secured against loss or damage 8) not transferred to countries out of EEA. . 2 It is important to have secure systems for recording and storing information to prevent personal information from being misused. Any information that has been gathered is confidential but written evidence may be required by other professionals on occasions. Also if new staff members arrive they can read the care plans to gain all the information needed. 2. 1 I would follow my company’s policies and procedures for guidance and ad vice about handling information but would also speak to my directors or Human resources office.Information can also be gained from government websites for advice or other professionals. 2. 2 If there are concerns over the recording storing or sharing of information i would document and report my concerns and secure all the information immediately. 3. 1 Agreed ways of working relates to the company’s and government policies in relation to Care Plans. All documents should be evaluated and reviewed regularly, updated as required, completed and legible so others are able to decipher them. 3. 2 Agreed ways of working when ) Recording information; would be to follow the company’s and government policies to ensure all information gathered is accurate, legible, complete and confidential. b) Storing information; all information that is gathered should be stored in locked filing cabinets that are only accessible to the persons requiring access to information. c) Sharing informat ion; Company and government policies need to be followed with regard to sharing information to prevent fraudulent use and confidential information being disclosed inappropriately. Data protection codes should be adhered to at all times.

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Management - Essay Example Contingency models vary according to what theory they hold. As such, Vroom- Jago suggests that the effectiveness of the group demands a match between the style of the leader and what the situation needs. This is the same with Fiedler’s model which holds that the leader can influence how the group acts toward a given situation, at large. The mentioned models are just two of the variants of the contingency theories. Focusing on their similarities and difference can give a clearer view and understanding of a good leadership and be able to apply them on real life situations. Fiedler’s Contingency Model is proposed by Fred Edward Fiedler who is an Austrian psychologist. The model focuses on the personality of the leader and how he handles a given situation. It means that the performance of the leader depends on the situation where he or she operates. Fiedler integrates the efficiency of the leader to the factors in the environment that contributes a lot on how the leader manipulates the group (Fiedler 6). On the other hand, Vroom- Jago Contingency Model focuses on the consideration of many factors in order for the leader to come up with a decision. It is a contingency model that caters on changeable levels of participative leadership and how it influences on the quality and accountability of the decisions of the leader. Fiedler’s Contingency model is similar to the point of Vroom- Jago model through the idea of relating the decisions of the leader into the essential key factors. However they are different on how they act as a leader to the group. Fiedler points out that tight situation make the decisions come out more efficiently. Yet, a stress- free situation can make intelligence the key to success, but Fiedler believes that a stressful situation can boost the performance of the group and strive hard which will allow the group to express their performance to the highest level. In Vroom- Jago contingency model, the leader

Organization Analysis - Wal-Mart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organization Analysis - Wal-Mart - Essay Example The organization has a reputable brand that is globally recognized allowing it to outshine competitors in the field. The company’s brand is distinct; furthermore, Wal-mart has established a group of loyal customers. Spotts (2005) asserts that consumers usually respond to less costly products to sustain their daily needs especially in a current time of economic hardships. Since the company makes purchases in large quantities, it obtains huge discounts that it can pass to its customers. This enables it to offer products at a reduced cost. Furthermore, the organization manufactures its own products allowing it to sell them at subsidized rates. Wal-Mart’s huge capital and customer friendly operations promote the marketing capacity. The strategic pricing is the prominent marketing strength that offers the company a competitive advantage. The organization has a policy that governs the procedures for determining prices for the products. This restricts management from hedging p rices. Furthermore, the company conducts a Rollback promotion strategy that targets customers. This system lowers the prices of the already subsidized products making the company out-price their competitors. The company understands the concept of customer value as highlighted in their customer-oriented scheme. The organization has one of the best contentment guaranteed models that enhances customer goodwill. The organization allows customers to return the purchased products that do not please them and claim a refund.

Corporate social responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corporate social responsibility - Essay Example The research using accounting theories in this context will focus on the primary stakeholders without whom the company cannot survive. Studies on secondary stakeholders or non-economic shareholders, that is the ones who affect or influence, affected, or influenced, yet are not involved in transactions with a company are not very significant to its survival. According to research, while a number of stakeholders are interested in the business activities of the CSR, most of the stakeholders view their voluntarily developed reports to have insufficient credibility and generally, they are skeptical of the company’s social responsibility reporting. Given that this is a discussion question, the issue will be looked at from both perspectives of the context. We must first of all look at the different accounting theories and what they suggest about the work of CRS in a company then give a conclusion later. The stakeholder theory for instance extends legality arguments to regard not only society in its entirety but specific stakeholder groups. These stakeholders require various reports and companies will respond to their demands in a number of ways. According to scholars studying this theory, stakeholder management is a driver of corporate social responsibility activities and reports. ... Legitimacy theory is one of these theories and states that reporting serves as a communication mechanism to manipulate and at the same time inform the firm’s actions perceptions (Hodgson et al, 2010. P. 23). Some authors argue that information given by the CSR is founded on a political â€Å"social contract† among those in power, such as the government and the people who grant them that power. Further, reports provided within the social contract for example, involve financial reports meant for shareholders, but it is argued that such reports include relevant information to a broader range of stakeholders (Blackburn et al, 1994, p.201). A big percentage of the research done on CSR and the areas related to it by accounting academics up to the present times have been on how people account for environmental and social activities of companies. However, the big question can be raised to state if such accounting results in any change in organizational behavior, in terms of bei ng sustainable than it was before. Moir, 2001, argues that while this may be a challenging question, there is evidence of change in the responsibilities and routines in the organizations. This is mostly realized in the use of accounting techniques and tools as well as in the use of the accounts types that are produced by organizations. However, he does not stop at this point by stating that even though such changes are evident, deeper degrees of change to rationales and attitudes do not always occur and these organizations do not embrace the sustainability agenda as desired. In this regard therefore, the challenge remains to face business people, accountants, and the society at large to go on striving for attitudinal modifications about CSR if

Astronomy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Astronomy - Essay Example After the development of quantum theory, many scientists have a devolved mind on accepting the atomic nature of the electromagnetic spectrum. The subject of quantum theory is still speculated upon and studies have been adopted to indicate a strong view. The book Six East Pieces by Richard Feynman provides a deep analysis on the context of quantum mechanics and begins by expounding the context of atoms. Various illustrations such as those regarding conservation of energy and gravity are provided. The electromagnetic spectrum consists of radio waves such as those that radio stations emit into the air to capture tunes, microwaves such as those for cooking popcorn and those used by astronomers to stud galaxies, infrared waves emitted by our skins so as to enable one to be seen in the dark sing night vision kits, visible region that our eyes can see, ultraviolet radiation from the sun, x-rays used by doctors to picture bones and gamma rays from radioactive material, nuclear plants and the universe.. These waves are classified on the basis of their wavelength, frequency and

Non-transportation Uses of Oil Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Non-transportation Uses of Oil - Research Paper Example though oil presents with various dangers, when used appropriately it can bring about benefits which cannot be gained through other products and non-transportation activities. Oil is defined as â€Å"any of a large class of substances typically unctuous, viscous, combustible, liquid at ordinary temperatures, and soluble in ether or alcohol but not in water: used for anointing, perfuming, lubricating, illuminating, heating, etc.†1. This definition is very broad and encompassing, therefore it does not only include oil used for fuel and for transport, but it also includes other kinds of oil of varying viscosity, utilization, and application. There are two main types of oil, namely, organic and mineral oils. Organic oils are produced by plants and animals through their natural metabolism. Lipid is the term used to define the fatty acids and other substances from oils produced by living things with oil being the general mixture of the various chemicals2. These oils have chemicals, as well as other lipids, proteins, and alkaloids3. These lipids can be identified based on how they are made, as well as their chemical make-up and their water solubility in r elation to oils. These lipids may be high in carbon and hydrogen and may be lacking in oxygen as compared to other compounds and substances4. They may also be nonpolar molecules, and may also include polar and nonpolar qualities, especially in the case of phospholipids and steroids5. Mineral oils on the other hand, include crude oil or petroleum oil, including its more refined elements known as petrochemicals6. Crude oil comes from fossilized organisms including algae and zooplankton which, after undergoing geochemical processes, turn into oil. They are mineral oils because they generally do not have organic beginnings and are instead derived from rocks, sands, and underground traps7. Some distillates of crude oil are also classified as mineral oils. Organic oils have many uses. Most of these oils are not

Accounting Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Accounting Theory - Essay Example There were implications of the non working of the capital market to reflect the different factors that could have brought the prices of Enron’s stock price. This could be dramatized in the loss to trust of the investors in the reliability of the financial statement of all other companies which are listed in the stock exchanges. This fact was confirmed by surveys. It was found also that there are kinds of asymmetry of information which may prevent the efficient operation of capital markets. It could be the "moral hazard" type and the adverse selection type, which were both analyzed to have caused the demise of Enron. It was also further found that there could be perspectives in the choice of accounting policy that could affect the very life or the probability of success of a corporation. One is under the efficient perspective of positive accounting theory; where management would be encouraged to works first for the firm and the stockholders before their own. Such perspective has also its grounding in cost effective accounting system that would promote accountability with the company’s assets. On the other hand there is the other perspective, which is called opportunistic perspective positive accounting theory. It was found theoretically that the efficiency perspective was the very opposite of the opportunistic perspective and therefore its adoption could actually prevent the operation of the latter. What happened then in the Enron was that there was the adoption of the opportunistic perspective. Such adoption was evidenced in the design of the compensation system of the company executives as well as in the retirement system of the employees. Enron was virtually under a situation where the executives will have to choose committing fraud or taking risk because of their (executives) tendency to rather make themselves rich before the company under the opportunistic perspective of accounting theory. At the last part of the paper, Enron

Is the cost of college in America to high Research Paper

Is the cost of college in America to high - Research Paper Example The system changed through these three age times, and the modern system is elementary school to high school and to college. College education is important as it marks the last step in completing the first phase of education and is relatively expensive compared to the other two. It has been of great interest in many countries, including United States. Americans feel that college education is very expensive compared to other nations. Question is, is the cost of college in America is too high? Education is probably the most important learning process, since the ancient times. It is basically the process of giving and receiving instructions. In the ancient Greece and Rome, children were taught their responsibilities and how to honor them. Boys were usually taught how to work hard to feed their families and also how to protect their families and cities. On the other hand, girls were taught by their mothers’ household chores like cooking, cleaning and managing houses. This was infor mal education and was very important for the ancient people. As strings of time continued to unwind, some philosophers thought that it would be good to introduce a formal education system. Plato, the infamous Greek philosopher, was probably the first person to propose a formal education system. According to Plato, children were to be initially taught by their guardians, the basics. At the age of seven years, the children were to join elementary school. They were to study mathematics, poetry, literature and music until they turned eighteen years. After finishing the elementary school, they were to proceed to military training for two years. Military training was to emphasize physical training. The best students were to proceed to higher education. This was to be trained from the age of twenty years to thirty-five years. Mathematics, literature and philosophy were to be studies in higher education. Those finishing higher education were to be given minor administrative position for pre paration of future governing positions. According to Plato, education was to be provided to both men and women (Dillon 1). Followers of Plato considered that formal education was a good idea and went ahead to implement the proposal. Formal education was first trained in Greece and followed to other cities like Sparta and other nations and civilizations in the region. Education would soon be trained in China, Egypt and all other countries followed. Each country changed the education system to their preference. By the time it was coming to the medieval times, education had changed dramatically. Unlike during the ancient times when education was influenced by philosophers, education in medieval times was influenced by church leaders. Mathematics, philosophy, rhetoric, grammar, logic, astrology and music were the main subjects taught. Bishops and monks were responsible for training the upper class people. Peasants were uneducated during these times as it was very expensive to afford boo ks or consult teachers. Student used to sit together in a class set up and used scrawl notes, wooden blocks (Newman 1). Times turned to the modern and education system also changed. Education became affordable to many people as time passed. College education is the most considered, and it is currently the highest level in education hierarchy today. People, who have studied to college level, easily get good jobs and are respected in the society. College educatio

Bible vs. Mythology Essay Example for Free

Bible vs. Mythology Essay There are many similarities and differences between Greek Mythology and The Bible. Whether it’s the creation of man and women, or the universe, stories have been told throughout time and some can be alike and others completely different. There are people that have gathered, translated and recorded all of these events for us now to learn about. Whether a person believes it is true or not is up to them but if a God is real how come the stories between these two different beliefs can be so similar. A strong similarity is the creation of man and the universe. However the Greek Myths and the Bible have many differences when it comes to how and why everything happened. A comparison between these two is the creation of the universe. In Genesis 1:1 it states that â€Å"the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters† (Genesis 1:2). Then throughout seven days, God created light, the sky, the sea, plants, stars, birds, animals that live in water, livestock, and finally mankind to rule over all the others. Everything starts off as a dark, empty void much like in the Greek Myths. In Mythology there was a lot of chaos to begin until Tethis the first mother mated with an endless river to create Gaia, Tartarus, and Eros. After that, Gaia (Mother Earth) mated with Ouranos (the sky) and created the Titans. The Greek God’s created all the living beings on Earth because they were bored and had nothing else to do. Unlike God it did not take seven days to create all. The Greek God’s would just think of something and it would happen. Prometheus was given the task to mold the animals from clay and Epimetheus gave them their unique abilities. In the Bible, whatever Adam called the animal was what it was named. With humans however, it took many tries for mankind to be created and with both the Bible and Mythology, there was a flood to wipe out everything. In the creation of men, both in the Bible and Myths, he was created from the earth. In the Bible man was formed from dust and God breathed life into him. When humans became so corrupted, God sent a flood to kill everything on earth. He spared Noah and his family along with seven pairs of every animal on Earth to repopulate once the flood had passed. There are two versions  from which men were created in Greek Mythology. Homer’s version is that man was molded from clay by Prometheus but was not given any special power because Epimetheus forgot about them. Hesiod’s version was that of a series of races: gold, silver, bronze, heroes, and iron. The time of the golden men was when Kronos ruled and everything was an easy, perfect paradise until they vanished. Silver was under Zeus’ rule when man had a short maturity and horrible old age. They were arrogant and disappeared under the earth. During the bronze era of man there was constant warfare until Zeus sends a flood to kill all of mankind. After that, the heroes followed, a time of mighty mortals who battled monsters and had a peaceful afterlife. Finally the era of the iron man, a balance towards fighting and attitude to the Gods. This time is also the time of the creation of women. Nowadays people don’t see women as evil but in the Bible and Myth’s women are defined as â€Å"beautiful and evil creatures† (Gods and Goddesses). The first woman, Eve, was created from the rib of Adam so women are the flesh and blood of man. Adam and Eve are the first humans in the Bible and at first all is serene and happy that is until Eve eats from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The serpent tricks her into eating the fruit and Eve shares it with Adam. Because of this Eve is evil for sharing the knowledge to Adam and leveling with God. In Greek Mythology, Prometheus and Epimetheus warn their children Deucalion and Pyrrha about the impending flood. They build an ark on which they survive and reach Mount Parnassus. That is where they consult the goddess Themis on how to repopulate the Earth. Deucalion was told: â€Å"You and your wife are to veil your heads, and as you walk from my sanctuary, throw behind you the bones of your mother† (Waterfield, Robin). So Deucalion and Pyrrha threw behind them rocks, the bones of Gaia and the rocks that Pyrrha threw formed women and the rocks Deucalion threw formed men. Another version on the creation of women is the story of Pandora and her box. Prometheus as the God of mankind is always looking out for them. He tricks Zeus into choosing the worthless offering and gives humans the better portion. As punishment Zeus takes fire from humans but Prometheus steals it back. Outraged, Zeus asks Hephaestus to forge a woman. Athena and Aphrodite taught her womanly skills, grace, and allure. Hermes gave her a cunning mind and a thieving temperament. Pandora  was sent down to Earth with a box in which all the horrible things in the world were inside. Eventually her curiosity got the best of her and Pandora opened the box unleashing all the evils into the world. This is why women are seen as beautiful and evil. Although people might think that these two subjects seem totally unrelated. They have much more in common than thought possible. This is only scratching the surface of the enormity of the comparisons between these two subjects. The main idea may be the same of a lot of these but there are many different versions separating the Bible from Greek Mythology. Works Cited Gods and Goddesses. AE Television Networks The History Channel, 2001. DVD Waterfield, Robin, and Kathryn Waterfield. The Greek Myths: Stories of the Greek Gods and Heroes Vividly Retold. London: Quercus, 2011. Print. The Bible

Communication Styles Essay Example for Free

Communication Styles Essay In this current context, the study investigates language and communication issues from the perspectives of two categories: (1) EAL professionals who are employed in their field and (2) managers in companies that employ them. Questions of language and communication need to be unpacked so that language educators, settlement services, employers, EAL immigrants and policy makers can understand language needs in more depth than a numerical proficiency level can provide. Investigating employers’ and EAL employees’ perspectives on communication experiences in the workplace can add to our understanding of these issues. The study aims to capture participants’ hindsight and reflections on their own employment experiences, as managers or employees. It attempts to build on findings of the existing research and also opens up issues for further questioning. It presents insights but also uncovers contradictions, and identifies directions for further research and policy adjustment. The study reported here comprises the interview phase of a two-part project; the second part, an observational case study of immigrant professionals in the workplace, is currently underway. Interviews of employers of EAL immigrant professionals and tertiary-educated EAL employees offer a focus on language and communication experiences in the workplace. Interviewees thus have the additional benefit of reflection and hindsight and the open-ended interview format allowed them to construct their own perspectives. While the study size and interpretive approach mean that the research findings are not generalizable, they present insights into issues that have been identified but not widely analyzed. The current system of pre-immigration testing to determine the level of language readiness for the workplace does not adequately reflect the breadth and depth of communicative needs in particular workplace contexts. For example, engineers who need to communicate with construction site workers, as well as clients on the telephone and colleagues in meetings need a range of English language competencies well beyond test taking skills. Nevertheless, it might be expected that highly-qualified, experienced EAL immigrants would feel confident that once they pass the language test requirements, their English would be adequate to perform their work. One drawback for both employers and employees is that communicative language development takes time. If newly-hired employees need to work immediately with customers and clients, employers may be disappointed in their communication skills. Likewise, if employees are in a workplace with little regular interpersonal contact, including informal contact where they can talk without job performance stress, their language development is disadvantaged. For example, the importance of asking questions and checking understanding can be emphasized, discussed and compared across cultures in language and work orientation programs. But employers can also adopt non-threatening strategies for checking comprehension, as well as giving feedback. Moreover, it is important to remember that miscommunication is a function of various situations and does not always arise from problems of English language ability. They tended to see their job as particular tasks and responsibilities for which they were well-qualified and experienced. Employers, on the other hand, considered interaction at work to be essential to smooth functioning of the workplace and to the establishment and maintenance of workplace relationships. They faulted EAL employees’ general lack of engagement in workplace interaction. This project has taken a step in investigating issues of language and communication in the workplace. The findings can be assessed against others’ knowledge and experience of employers and EAL immigrant professionals COMMUNICATION ACCOMODATION THEORY (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication_accommodation_theory) Communication accommodation theory (CAT) is a theory of communication developed by Howard Giles. It argues that â€Å"when people interact they adjust their speech, their vocal patterns and their gestures, to accommodate to others†[1]. It explores the various reasons why individuals emphasize or minimize the social differences between themselves and their interlocutors through verbal and nonverbal communication. This theory is concerned with the links between â€Å"language, context and identity†.[2] It focuses on both the intergroup and interpersonal factors that lead to accommodation as well as the ways in which power, macro and micro-context concerns affect communication behaviors. [2] There are two main accommodation processes described by this theory. Convergence refers to the strategies through which individuals adapt to each other’s communicative behaviors, in order to reduce these social differences.[3] Meanwhile, Divergence refers to the instances in which individuals accentuate the speech and non-verbal differences between themselves and their interlocutors.[3] Sometimes when individuals try to engage in convergence they can also end up over-accommodating, and despite their good intentions their convergence can be seen as condescending. Background Speech accommodation theory The communication accommodation theory was developed by Howard Giles, professor of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. It evolved from the speech accommodation theory (SAT), but can be traced back to Giles’ accent mobility model of 1973. The speech accommodation theory was developed in order to demonstrate the value of social psychological concepts to understanding the dynamics of speech. It sought to explain â€Å"the motivations underlying certain shifts in people’s speech styles during social encounters and some of the social consequences arising from them†. Particularly, it focused on the cognitive and affective processes underlying individuals’ convergence and divergence through speech. The communication accommodation theory has broadened this theory to include not only speech but also the â€Å"non-verbal and discursive dimensions of social interaction†. Thus, it now encompasses other aspects of communication. In addition CAT has moved in a more interdisciplinary direction than the previous speech accommodation theory. It now also covers a wider range of phenomena. Social psychology and social identity theory Like speech accommodation theory, communication accommodation theory continues to draw from social psychology, particularly from four main socio-psychology theories: similarity-attraction, social exchange, causal distribution and intergroup distinctiveness. These theories help to explain why speakers seek to converge or diverge from the language, dialect, accent and behavior of their interlocutors. CAT also relies heavily in social identity theory. This later theory argues that a person’s self-concept comprises a personal identity and a social identity, and that this social identity is based in comparisons people make between in-groups (groups to which they belong) and out-groups (groups to which they don’t belong). According to social identity theory, people strive to maintain a positive social identity by either joining groups where they feel more comfortable or making a more positive experience of belonging to the groups to which they already belong. Since speech is a way to express group membership, people adopt convergence or divergence in communication in order to â€Å"signal a salient group distinctiveness, so as to reinforce a social identity†. Communication accommodation thus, becomes a tool to emphasize group distinctiveness in a positive way, and strengthen the individual’s social identity. Four main socio-psychologies Similarity-attraction The similarity-attraction theory posits that â€Å"the more similar our attitudes and beliefs are to those of others, the more likely it is for them to be attracted to us. Convergence through verbal and non-verbal communication is one of the mechanisms that we can use to become more similar to others, increasing their attraction towards us. For this reason, it can be said that one of the factors which leads individuals to use convergence is a desire to obtain social approval from his or her interlocutor. It could hence be concluded that â€Å"the greater one’s need for social approval, the greater will be one’s tendency to converge.† Natalà © (1975), for instance, has found that speakers with high needs for approval converge more to another’s vocal intensity and pause length than those with low needs for approval†. An individual on the receiving end of high level of accommodation is likely to develop a greater sense of self-esteem and satisfaction than being a receiver of low accommodation. Social exchange process The social exchange process theory â€Å"states that prior to acting, we attempt to assess the rewards and costs of alternate courses of action†, and that we tend to choose whatever course of action will bring greater rewards and less costs. Although most often convergence can bring forth rewards, there are some occasions when it can also bring forth costs such as â€Å"increased effort to converge, a loss of perceived integrity and personal (and sometimes group) identity†. Hence when choosing whether or not to use convergence people assess these costs and rewards. Causal attribution process The causal attribution theory â€Å"Suggests that we interpret other people’s behavior, and evaluate the individual themselves, in terms of the motivations and intentions that we attribute as the cause of their behavior† It applies to convergence in that convergence might be viewed positively or negatively depending on the causes we attribute to it: â€Å"Although interpersonal convergence is generally favorably received, and non-convergence generally unfavorably received, the extent to which this holds true will undoubtedly be influenced by the listeners attributions of the speaker’s intent†. Giles and Smith provide the example of an experiment that they conducted amongst French and English speaking Canadians, in order to illustrate this. In this experiment, when individuals believed that the person from the different group used language convergence in order to reduce cultural barriers it was more positively evaluated than when they attributed convergence to the pressures of the situation, which forced them converge. â€Å"When French Canadian listeners attributed an English Canadian’s convergence to French as due to his desire to break down cultural barriers, the shift was viewed favorably. However, when this same behavior was attributed to pressures in the situation forcing the other to converge, positive feelings were not so strongly evoked†. Intergroup distinctiveness The process of intergroup distinctiveness, as theorized by Tajfel argues â€Å"that when members of different groups are in contact, they compare themselves on dimensions which are important to them, such as personal attributes, abilities, material possessions and so forth†. In these â€Å"intergroup social comparisons† individuals seek to find ways in which they can make themselves positively distinct from the out-group in order to enhance their social identity.[5] Because speech style and language is an important factor in defining social groups, divergence in speech style or language is often employed in order to maintain intergroup distinctiveness and differentiate from the out-group, especially when group membership is a salient issue or the individual’s identity and group membership is being threatened.[6] Assumptions Many of the principles and concepts from social identity theory are also applicable to communication accommodation theory. Under the influence of social psychology, especially social identity theory, communication accommodation theory are guided by mainly four assumptions. * There are speech and behavioral similarities and dissimilarities in all conversations. * The way in which we perceive the speech and behaviors of another will determine our evaluation of the conversation. * Language and behaviors have the ability to communicate social status and group belonging between people in a conversation. * Norms guide the accommodation process which varies in its degree of appropriateness. The first assumption indicates that people bring their past experience to conversations. Therefore, communication is not only influenced by situational conditions and initial reactions but the social-historical context in which the interaction is embedded†. People’s attitudes and beliefs, derived from those factors, determine the extent to which they are willing to accommodate in a conversation. The more similarities they share with each other, the more likely for them to accommodate. The second assumption is concerned with how people perceive and evaluate a conversation. Perception is the process of attending to and interpreting a message and evaluation is the process of judging a conversation.[1] When someone enters a conversation, usually he first observes what takes place and then decides whether he should make adjustment to fit in. However, the decision about accommodation is not always necessary. Imagine the encounter of two strangers, they may have a random small talk and simply say goodbye. In this case, neither of them is likely to evaluate the conversation since they have little possibility to meet again. The importance of language and behaviors is illustrated in the third assumption since they are indicators of social status and group belongings. When two people who speak different languages try to have a conversation, the language they agree to communicate with is more likely to be the one used by the higher status person. This idea of â€Å"salient social membership negotiation is well illustrated in the situation of an interview as the interviewee usually makes all efforts to identify with the interviewer by accommodating the way he speaks and behaves so that he can have more chance to secure the job. The last assumption puts emphasis on social appropriateness and norms. Here norms are defined as â€Å"expectations of behaviors that individuals feel should or should not occur in a conversation†. Those expectations give guidance to people’s behaviors, helping them to figure out the appropriate way to accommodate. Most of the time, the accommodation made according to those norms are perceived socially appropriate. For instance, when a young person talks to the seniors in his family, he should avoid using jargons among his generation to show respect and communicate more smoothly. Convergence, over-accomodation, and divergence Convergence Convergence refers to the process through which an individual shifts his speech patterns in interaction so that they more closely resemble the speech patterns of his interlocutor(s). People can converge through many features of communication such as their use of language, their â€Å"pronunciation, pause and utterance lengths, vocal intensities, nonverbal behaviors, and intimacy of self-disclosures†(Giles and Smith, 1979, 46), but they do not necessarily have to converge simultaneously at all of these levels. In fact people can both converge at some levels and diverge through others at the same time. People use convergence based on their perceptions of others, as well as what they are able to infer about them and their backgrounds. Attraction (likability, charisma, credibility), also triggers convergence. As Turner and West note, â€Å"when communicators are attracted to others they will converge in their conversations†. On the other hand, as the similarity attraction theory highlights, when people have similar beliefs, personality and behaviors they tend to be more attracted towards each other. Thus when an individual shifts his speech and non-verbal behaviors in order to assimilate to the other it can result in a more favorable appraisal of him that is: when convergence is perceived positively it is likely to enhance both the conversation and the attraction between the listener and the speaker. For this reason it could be said that convergence reflects â€Å"an individual’s desire for social approval† from his interlocutor, and that the greater the individual’s need for social approval, the more likely he or she is to converge. Besides attraction, other factors which â€Å"influence the intensity of this â€Å"need of approval and hence the level of convergence â€Å"includes the probability of future interactions, the social status of the addressee, and interpersonal variability for need of social approval†. Other factors that determine whether and to what extent individuals converge in interaction are their relational history, social norms and power variables. Because individuals are more likely to converge to the individual with the higher status it is likely that the speech in a conversation will reflect the speech of the individual with the higher status. Converging also increases the effectiveness of communication, which in turn lowers uncertainty, interpersonal anxiety, and increases mutual understanding. This is another factor that motivates people to converge. Over accommodation However, although people usually have good intentions when they attempt to use convergence in conversation, some interlocutors can perceive convergence as patronizing and demeaning and hence just as it can enhance conversation it can also detract from the processes of communication. Over accommodation can exist in three forms: Sensory over accommodation, dependency over accommodation, and intergroup over accommodation. Sensory over accommodation is when an individual thinks that he is being accommodative to someone’s linguistic or physical disability but overdoes it, so that the other person perceives his behavior as patronizing. Dependency over accommodation refers to the situations â€Å"when the speaker places the listener in a lower-status role so that the listener is made to appear dependent on the speaker and he or she understands that the speaker is the primary speaker in the conversation in order to communicate a higher status. And finally, intergroup over accommodation involves manipulating people based on a general stereotype and not as individuals with an individual persona. The socially categorized stereotypes that people hold of others result in these cognitively linked forms of over-accommodation. Over-accommodation takes place in all types of circumstances. For example, it is not uncommon for nurses or caretakers to speak to their elderly patients in baby talk. While the nurses may have the purest of intentions to care and to relate to them, the patients actually end up feeling degraded and underestimated. In this particular case, it also can cause difficulty in adapting to an institution and a dysfunctional environment. Divergence Divergence is a linguistic strategy whereby a member of a speech community accentuates the linguistic differences between his or herself and his interlocutor. In the most part it reflects a desire to emphasize group distinctiveness in a positive manner and it usually takes places when an individual perceives interaction as an intergroup process rather than an individual one. â€Å"Given that communication features are often core dimensions of what it is to be a member of a group, divergence can be regarded as a very important tactic of displaying a valued distinctiveness from the other., This helps to sustain a positive image of one’s in-group and hence to strengthen one’s social identity. Divergence can thus be a way for members of different groups to maintain their cultural identity, a mean to contrast self-images when the other person is considered a member of an undesirable group, and a way to indicate power or status differences, as when one individual wishes to render another one less powerful. Components of CAT Further research conducted by Gallois et al. in 1995 has expanded the theory to include 17 propositions that influence these processes of convergence and divergence. They are categorized into four main components: the sociohistorical context, the communicators’ accommodative orientation, the immediate situation and evaluation and future intentions.These components are essential to Communication accommodation Theory and affect the course and outcome of intercultural conversations. Sociohistorical context The sociohistorical context refers to way in which past interactions between the groups to which the communicators belong influence the communication behaviors of the communicators. It includes the relations between the groups having contact and the social norms regarding contact[4]. These relations between the different groups to which the communicators belong, influence the communicators’ behavior. Amongst these socio-historical factors which influence communicators are: political or historical relations between nations, the different religious or ideological views between possessed by the two groups participating in the conversation, amongst others. Accommodative orientation Accommodative orientation refers to the communicators tendencies to perceive encounters without group members in interpersonal terms, intergroup terms, or a combination of the two. There are three factors that are crucial to accommodative orientations: (1) â€Å"intrapersonal factors† (e.g. personality of the speakers), (2) â€Å"intergroup factors† (e.g. communicators’ feelings toward out-groups), and (3) â€Å"initial orientations† (e.g. perceived potential for conflict). The issues which influence this last factor include: collectivistic culture context or whether the culture is collectivistic or individualistic; distressing history of interaction, the possible tensions that exist between groups due to past interactions; stereotypes; norms for treatment of groups; and high group solidarity/ high group dependence, how dependent the persons self-worth is in the group. Immediate situation The immediate situation refers to the moment in which the actual communication takes place. It is shaped by five aspects which are interrelated: (1) â€Å"sociopsychological states†, (2) â€Å"goals and addressee focus† (e.g. motivations and goals for the encounter), (3) â€Å"sociolinguistic strategies† (e.g. convergence or divergence), (4) â€Å"behavior and tactics† (e.g. topic, accent) and (5) â€Å"labeling and attributions†. Evaluation and future intentions This aspect deals with how communicators perceive their conversational partners’ behavior and its effects on future encounters between the two groups. Positively rated conversations will most likely lead to further communication between the interlocutors and other members of their respective groups. Communication Accommodation Theory in Action In 1991, Giles, Coupland, and Coupland expressed the belief that a â€Å"more qualitative perspective† would be necessary in order to obtain more diverse and clarifying explanations of the behaviors presented within varying contexts. They referred to this as â€Å"the applied perspective† that showed accommodation theory as a vital part of day-to-day activity as opposed to solely being a theoretical construct. They sought to â€Å"demonstrate how the core concepts and relationships invoked by accommodation theory are available for addressing altogether pragmatic concerns†[3]. For Giles, Coupland, and Coupland, these â€Å"pragmatic concerns† were extremely varied in nature. One of these â€Å"pragmatic concerns† included understanding the relational issues that present themselves in the medical and clinical fields, such as the relational â€Å"alternatives, development, difficulties, and outcomes,† which affected the patients’ contentment with their medical interactions and whether or not, through these interactions, they agreed with and implemented said health care regimens. Another of these situations involved the potential options in a legal arena. The way that the judges, plaintiffs, and defendants accommodated themselves to both the situation and the jury could manipulate the jury’s acceptance or rejection of the defendant, and could, thus, control the outcome of the case. Communication accommodation theory was also found to have a place in media. In regards to radio broadcasting, the alliance of the audience with the broadcaster played an important part in both the ratings that the shows would receive and whether the show progressed or was cancelled. In the area of jobs and employment, accommodation theory was believed to influence the satisfaction one has with his or her job and the productivity that that person possesses in said job through convergence with or divergence from the co-workers and their work environment. Accommodation theory also possessed practical applications in the development of learning a second language. This was seen when the student’s education of and proficiency in said language was either assisted or hindered by accommodative measures. Giles, Coupland, and Coupland (1991) also addressed the part that accommodation theory plays in a situation they called â€Å"language switching†, when bilingual individuals must decide which language they should speak when they are in an organizational environment with other bilingual individuals. This can be an incredibly important choice to make, especially in a business setting, because an incorrect judgment in this area of communication could unwittingly promote negative reactions between the two or more parties involved. In addition, accommodation theory was strongly intertwined with the way an immigrant accepts and is accepted by their host country. An instance of over-accommodation from the immigrating individual can unintentionally damage that person’s sense of individuality while a strong divergence from the immigrating individual from their host culture can prompt the natives of the host country to react negatively to them because of the immigrating individual’s use of divergence. The final area of practical application, as presented by Giles, Coupland, and Coupland (1991), was that of accommodation theory’s effect on the lives of people with disabilities. Accommodation theory was thought to either aid them by promoting them to â€Å"fulfill their communicative and life potentials,† or by hindering them from reaching their full potential by focusing on the disability that made them different rather than the other characteristics that made them similar to their peers. Despite the fact that communication accommodation theory is theoretical, it has shown itself to be viable by its numerous practical applications. Communication Accommodation Theory in Action among Diverse Cultural Groups Intergenerational communications Researchers of communication accommodation theory have been interested in conversations between the elderly and the young; actively apply this theory to analyze intergenerational communication situations. Since aging of population is growing to become a serious issue in current society, communication difficulties of older adults and issues like ageism should be addressed. According to mainstream sociolinguistic studies, age is regarded as a variable only to the extent that it may show patterns of dialectal variation within speech communities across time. However, â€Å"the existence of potentially important generational differences relating to beliefs about talk, situational perceptions, interactional goals, and various language devices between the young and the elderly as empirical questions in their own right â€Å"are all taken into account when using communication accommodation theory to explore intergenerational communication problems and improve effectiveness. Previous research have also developed models such as the communication predicament model of ageing and the communication enhancement model of ageing to point out numerous consequences brought by both negative and positive attitudes towards aging.

Critical Reflection on Professional Practice | Education

Critical Reflection on Professional Practice | Education In this essay I will critically review the literature on the role of the modern educator. To this end I will consider the history of teaching and the impact of modern educational theory before defining â€Å"reflective teaching†. I will then go on to consider the ramifications of critical reflectivity at different granularities. The concept of a â€Å"teacher† in the modern sense mayhave originated with the ancient Greeks. The Socratic Method set out byPlato and Xenophon encourages the learner to become an independentthinker through a process of elimination of working hypotheses.Throughout the European â€Å"dark ages† scholarly pursuits were largely thedomain of the clergy, who developed the school system and theprofessional school educator came into being. By Victorian times,however, the role of the educator was that of an instructorwho, in the spirit of John Locke, perceived children as â€Å"blank slatesonto which knowledge can be written† . Then, in the 20th Century, the view of education, and consequently the role of the educator, changed dramatically. The concept of a â€Å"teacher† in the modern sense mayhave originated with the ancient Greeks. The Socratic Method set out byPlato and Xenophon encourages the learner to become an independentthinker through a process of elimination of working hypotheses.Throughout the European â€Å"dark ages† scholarly pursuits were largely thedomain of the clergy, who developed the school system and theprofessional school educator came into being. By Victorian times,however, the role of the educator was that of an instructorwho, in the spirit of John Locke, perceived children as â€Å"blank slatesonto which knowledge can be written† . Then, in the 20th Century, the view of education, and consequently the role of the educator, changed dramatically. Educational theory in the 20thCentury was influenced by, amongst others, Piaget, Vygotsky and Dewey.It will be worth briefly reviewing their ideas. Jean Piaget developed the notion of constructivism in which learnersare considered to construct their own â€Å"theories† of the world.  Constructivism acknowledges the need to build upon and modify existingknowledge rather than simply to fill learners heads with knowledge. Lev Vygotsky emphasised the importance of scaffolding for childrenscognitive development in which the sociocultural environment isinternalised as knowledge is constructed.   As such learning was nolonger situated exclusively in the head but became an interactionbetween the child, peers and educators. John Dewey endorsed Vygotskys sociocultural approach and highlightedthe subjective nature of communal learning.   He is credited withpopularising socioconstructivist ideas into what became known asprogressive education. Another important influence came from cultural theory in the form ofwhat is known as postmodernism. Postmodernism is not a theory butrather a rejection of the â€Å"certain†. Instead, â€Å"meaning is always inprocess†,   and that which seems to be external reality is a culturalconstruct. Postmodernism demands a shift in perspective. Derrida   wrote: â€Å"The center is at the center of the totality, and yet, since the centerdoes not belong to the totality (is not part of the totality), thetotality has its center elsewhere. The center is not the center.† Perhaps the most important contribution of postmodernism to education,then, is the identification and questioning of underlying assumptionsand a blurring of focus from naà ¯ve clarity to reflective holism. As thinking human beings it isnear-on impossible to not be reflective in an everyday sense of theword. However the term â€Å"reflective teaching† refers to something moreprofound something systematically undertaken by practitioners thatâ€Å"implies flexibility, rigorous analysis and social awareness.†Ã‚   I willnow consider how a teacher might be critically reflective at threegranularities: (i) the fine-grain which occurs whilst teaching; (ii)the medium-grain which occurs retrospectively; (iii) the large-grainwhich considers teaching in the context of wider society. Fine-grain reflection relates to whatSchà ¶n calls â€Å"reflection-in-action† . I interpret reflection-in-actionto be a sociocultural process that is not located solely in theteachers head. Indeed it is a process of which the (experienced)teacher is not consciously aware. Rather, it relates to concepts suchas routines, attention and making judgments. It is a subtle teachingskill that is often at odds with the fashionable notion ofâ€Å"well-planned lessons†. The long-term refinement of fine-grain reflection over time is perhapswhat distinguishes the â€Å"expert† from the â€Å"novice† practitioner.Luntley   investigated the nature of expertise which he defines asâ€Å"attention-based knowledge†. He reports on an experienced teacher in amathematics lesson who drew shapes on the board and asked the classwhich ones were similar. She received answers that made no sense (toher) and reflected afterwards: â€Å"I was beginning to think: Oh God! There is something I am missinghere. [Laughter] Something that is obvious to them but not obvious tome.† The teacher then took action to resolve the issue because she: â€Å"recognised a mismatch between the pupils focus of attention and herown, and was able to interrogate this in order to respond in a waywhich changed the direction of the lesson, but enabled her to re-focusthe pupils ideas.† It is difficult to imagine how a trainee teacher might instantlyimprove their â€Å"expertise† and reflect instinctively at the chalk facelike this. Sheer experience seems necessary but it may be that thisexperience can be enhanced through systematic medium-grain reflection. Medium-grain reflection has profoundimplications. Postmodernism suggests the need to be mercilesslyself-critical.   A consequence of this is the lack of a yard-stickagainst which to measure progress. For example, one cannot simplyreflect on how to improve test scores without reflecting that anenvironment engineered for passing tests may actually damage childrenslearning by other standards.   Similarly, one cannot simply reflect onhow to reduce classroom noise levels as a way to â€Å"improve† behaviour.Rather we must identify and reflect on the complex power relations atplay in the classroom. Given these shifting-sands and the opaque nature of presuppositions, itis clear that reflective teaching at the medium grain size is no simpletask. There is no formula or recipe to follow rather it is therejection of such. Practitioners retrospective reflection is in factan attitude that encompasses many areas. Here I will attempt to listjust a few of them. The teacher must consider his or her own â€Å"wholeness†Ã‚   in thesociocultural context of the classroom. Age, gender, ethnicity,class-background, culture, religion, political views are relevant.Similar holistic consideration must be given to the pupils. Furthermorethe classroom itself is a complex sociocultural environment demanding aholistic reflection. The teacher must also consider the nature of the curriculum : how it isto be implemented and what is meant by learning and how we assess it.Policies and models and recipes and formulas abound, both voluntary andcompulsory (such as the 1988 Education Reform act which introduced aNational Curriculum). Reflective practice can be valuable in helpingteachers remain cool-headed amidst passing frenzies such as the currentunsubstantiated craze for â€Å"Accelerated Learning†. However it is no good the teacher merely being aware of thesociocultural nature of the environment, or the possible flaws in thecurriculum, as though this might vaccinate her from problems. Theentire purpose of reflective teaching is to inform practice throughâ€Å"evidence-informed professional practice†Ã‚   such as reflective markingof pupils work, discussion with colleagues, classroom observations,journal keeping and so on. Another aspect is how critical reflective practice might inform ateachers professional development, such as the acquisition offine-grained â€Å"knowledge-based attention† mentioned above. Professionaldevelopment should be considered holistically in a wider socioculturalcontext as a â€Å"process of enlightenment† that is â€Å"a reflective andcommunal process†.   The next step up after school and career focused critical reflection isteachers reflecting on their role in wider society which I discuss inthe following section.   Large-grain reflection refers tocritically considering ones role as a teacher within wider society. Itcan involve quite pragmatic issues such as joining a union, decidinghow to vote and keeping an eye on political developments such as thecurrent â€Å"dominant managerialist ideology†Ã‚   in the work place. It can also involve philosophical and ideological considerations aboutthe future of education. During the ‘cultural revolution of 1960sAmerica many teachers (e.g. Herbert Kohl ) came to reject the ideal ofschool altogether, imagining a future utopia in which society educatesits young without institutionalisation. Other educationalists havevisions of how the nature of learning might be revolutionised in anincreasingly complex and technological society (e.g. Seymour Papert ). Considering that the teaching profession does not offer the greatestfinancial returns, working conditions or status the higher ideals areessential to me personally. Teaching must be seen as a holisticlifestyle an attempt to â€Å"save the world† even to be enjoyable. For me reflective teaching contains an inherent paradox -yet this is its strength. It is a ‘formula for thinking that teachesus to reject formulae for thinking. It is an ongoing questioning andanalysis at all granularities in which our attitude should be aholistic, dynamic process rather than a static set of commandments.Although critical reflection should be painful to a degree, the returns are enriching and invaluable. Research Proposal: Child Attachment with Care Providers Research Proposal: Child Attachment with Care Providers Rationale The author has chosen to focus on the area of nursery care for children aged six months to five years, chiefly because it is an area of personal and professional interest, and because despite a wealth of research on parenting attachment, child development, behavioural development and the like, the field of study is still lacking in good, applied research which explores how children become acclimatised to a nursery environment, and what factors may affect this process. Because of social and societal changes â€Å"many infants tart their out-of-home lives at an early age with non-familial caregivers in childcare settings† (Lee, 2006 p 133). This care setting has potentially long-term implications for the child, the family, and for society as a whole. â€Å"The infant-caregiver relationship is crucial for infants since this first relationship with a caregiver will not only provide a working model for the subsequent relationships with teachers but will also set the stage for adju stment, development, and learning in the current setting and for later school life† (Lee, 2006 p 134). Attachment theories explore how attachment between child and caregiver affect these issues.The focus on attachment theories is also related to the need for nursery workers to engage in partnership working with parents in order to ensure good supportive exchanges of information from both sides, and to promote the best possible experience for the child (and their peers). The author has observed great differences between different children in the ways that they settle into the nursery environment. Some children adapt quickly to the new situation, the caregivers and the activities, while others take much longer, displaying ongoing signs of separation anxiety and other behaviours which indicate they are not fully acclimatised to the nursery environment and carers. While there are arguments here about whether or not childcare workers and parents should expect certain levels of conformity from such young children, and about the individual needs of children being met in a flexible, responsive manner, there is no doubt that children do need to learn to interact in peer groups and to integrate into environments other than the home environment at some point during their developmental processes. The adaptation to the new environment may be related to parenting styles, attachment, or the characteristics of caregivers. Literature Review A range of variables might affect the child’s ability to settle into the childcare environment. Some of these are potentially derived from the home setting, from attachment to parents and other caregivers, and from the kinds of parenting styles that the child has already experienced and from the family situation (David et al, 2003). Other variables are related to (potentially) biology and the social behaviours which reinforce gender. Turner (1991) explores the complex relationships between attachment and gender and child integration with peers in preschool environments, and shows that there are gender differences in these phenomena. How much this is due to carer and peer preconceptions of appropriate child behaviour is not clear, but Phillipsen et al (1999) show that social acceptance, and carers’ perceptions of behaviour and peer interactions are mediated by preconceptions about expected behaviours. This author is concerned that children’s individuality and indi vidual circumstances are perhaps, on the basis of such studies, not being given enough attention, and that this drive for behavioural conformity is perhaps serving a different purpose to the expressed, child-focused aims of nursery providers. McKown and Weinstein (2002) also relate teacher expectations to gender and to ethnicity in early years environments, and so the kinds of demographic information that would be needed in an exploratory study of this kind would include gender and ethnicity questions. Other authors have researched relationships between children and their childcare providers, and shown that the relationship between these may vary according to the perceptions of different childcare workers (Howes et al, 2000), and according to the sensitivity and characteristics of the childcare workers (Gerber et al, 2007). This study would focus on the kinds of perceptions of attachment identified by Howes et al (2000). A more useful study would employ an objective observer to measure and record attachment behaviours (Delamont, 2002), but this is a small scale academic piece, and there are insufficient resources to employ an objective, skilled observer. Other variables affecting the child’s ability to settle must obviously derive from the nursery environment. These may be characteristics of caregivers and caregiver-child relationships, which may be in turn influenced by nursery policies, by organisational culture and norms and managerial practices, and also by the personalities of the caregivers (Cryer et al, 2005). Resources may also affect this environment. Lee (2006) found that â€Å"infants and their key caregivers did build firm (close, secure, synchronous) relationships in the relationship-valued and supportive childcare context† (p 140). This suggests that the context may affect this process in significant ways. However, it is the characteristics of the child his or herself, and their parents or their attachment to their parents which may be the issue here, hence the focus on attachment theory. Rydell et al (2005) suggest that â€Å"a central prediction from attachment theory is that the quality of the child’s attachment to parents will be related to the quality of relationships with other people† (p 188). Therefore, it is important as part of the proposed study to assess the parenting experience and any markers of attachment from the point of view of the parent(s). This may be important in identifying children’s ability to develop secure relationships with other carers (Rydell et al, 2005). Bowlby (2007) argues that babies and toddlers will have their attachment seeking response activated in the absence of a primary or a secondary attachment figure when they are in the presence of a stranger and in unfamiliar surroundings, which is what may happen in nurseries when children do not ‘settle’. This attachment seeking response may be terminated if the child is able to develop an attachment to a secondary carer (Bowlby, 2007). Bowlby (2007) suggests a model of childcare that actively promotes and monitors long-term secondary attachment bonds between baby and carer. This kind of model is shown in the theory of having a key person identified for each child within the setting, which has benefits for the baby/child, in terms of affection and attachment, for parents, and for the key person (Elfer, 2002). Understanding this in the context of the child-caregiver relationship is challenging, because this relationship is multidimensional (Lee, 2006). Aims The aims of this study are: to answer the following question: Why do some children settle in nursery in a short space of time and some take longer, using the same settling in method?; and to model the complex interactions between the factors which may be seen as affecting this process. Theories of attachment will be used as a framework to inform and support the design of the study, but a range of potential variables will be explored in order to fully develop a model of understanding which may answer the key research question. Other aims of this study are that it should improve understanding in order to help childcare workers and parents support children’s transition into the childcare environment Methodology While an ethnographical methodology would be a logical choice of research methodology in this case (Massey, 1998), there are some issues around this kind of approach, including the potential bias of the researcher and the issues cited elsewhere about observation and participant observation. Perspectives other than that of the researcher need to be addressed, and data from parents and from the childcare setting needs to be incorporated. A Grounded Theory approach will be used, chiefly because of the way that this methodology supports the inclusion of a range of qualitative data sources along with quantitative data in the form of descriptive statistics and demographic characteristics (Borgatti, 2005; Glaser and Strauss, 1967). Grounded Theory sets out to develop models of knowledge and explication which are ‘grounded’ in the data under investigation, the nature of which always include ‘rich’ qualitative data (Charmaz, 1994). The complexity of Grounded Theory m odels lies in their derivation from the data themselves, and so would serve well this attempt to address a complex phenomenon likely to be affected by a range of variables. Grounded Theory allows the researcher to make full use of the data (Bell and Opie, 2002; D’Onofrio, 2001). Data analysis is via a process of constant comparison of the data with each other, through stages of analysis towards an end model (Charmaz, 1994; Glaser and Strauss, 1967). The kinds of complexities, the human nature of the interactions within the childcare environment, and the many variables that would likely affect the child’s interactions within that environment, do not lend themselves to a quantitative methodology, particularly one carried out on so small a scale. Nor would it be ethical to carry out quantitative research on vulnerable children when there is no hope of gaining a statistically significant sample size for a good quality quantitative study. Therefore, a qualitative study, which supports and exploratory approach, has been deemed more suitable. Methods which collect talk and conversation would be suitable for this kind of research (Adelman, 1981), but due to the vulnerability of the children involved, the data collection methods must be chosen with care. Similarly, the data collection methods and sources have been selected to include all relevant information which might indicate factors which impinge upon the infant or child’s ability to settle into the nursery environment. Because of the issues of perception discussed above, participant observation was ruled out as a data collection approach (Arnould, 1998). The data collection methods were chosen to minimse the impact on children, parents and childcare workers. These will include exploratory questionnaires given to parents and semi-structured interviews with nursery caregivers, documentary data in the form of the children’s nursery records, nursery policies, mission statements and staff training and orientation documents, and interviews with staff. All these kinds of data sources are suitable to a Grounded Theory Approach (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). It is important to take into account the complexities and details of the context, both physical and behavioural, within which the child behaviours are taking place, because this may indicate factors within the nursery itself which affect the child’s orientation into that environment. The data collection tools, which consist of a parental questionnaire and a pro-forma for the semi-structured interviews with childcare providers, will be informed by the use of established measures, including the Q-Set measure (Moss et al, 2006). Other studies have applied such measures to a similar situation in relation to attachment theory (Moss et al, 2006). Interviews will be audio-taped, anonymised at point of recording, and then transcribed as text documents. All data, from questionnaires, interviews and documentary sources will be transferred into an electronic qualitative data analysis programme such as NVivo, for ease of management and improved analysis (Drisko, 2004). NVivo allows for the development of models from qualitative data, but also supports the integration of quantitative and demographic data to develop correlations between these data and qualitative concepts and findings (Drisko, 2004). Because Grounded Theory tends to treat the literature review as a concurrent process (Glaser and Strauss, 1967), and literature sources as a form of data in themselves (D’Onofrio, 2001), the use of NVivo also supports and aids this process in terms of the management of large amounts of textual data (Drisko, 2004). Ethical Considerations It is important that the quality of the research is such that it is justifiable to carry it out within this setting (see methodology section above). Ethical considerations include the ethics of carrying out research on small children who are unable to give consent, and the affects the research might have on their caregivers. Research that distracts the childcare workers or affects their ability to take care of children would not be ethical. Participant observation was deemed as unsuitable (Arnould, 1998).Having a ‘strange’ adult (the researcher) in the environment might also disturb the ‘status quo’. Therefore, an observational method was not chosen, and parents given full information sheets and consent forms for participation in the study. Only those parents who consent will be included, and data will only be gathered pertaining to their children. Ethical approval will be sought from the researcher’s place of study (via normal ethics committee approv al). Permission will be gained from the child care organisation’s manager, and staff will be recruited via information sheets and consent forms in the same way that parents were. Staff interviews will be carried out at a location convenient to the place of work, and at agreed times which do not interfere with their normal workload. All interviews and demographic data including even the location and name of the childcare setting will be anonymised. Timescale Because of the data collection methods chosen, the timescale is adjusted to take into account the difficulties in gaining good response rates from questionnaires and in fitting in the interviews with the childcare providers in a way that does not place them under undue stress or affecting their working lives. A three month timescale (from the point of ethical approval) is projected for the data collection phase of this project, which will allow for an initial recruitment of the sample, distribution of questionnaires, a second round of questionnaires to improve response rates, and concurrent interviews with childcare providers and collection of documentary evidence from the childcare setting. The concurrent literature review must also take place within this timescale, and so literature searching, identification and collection will occur during the data collection phase, and critical literature review and analysis will commence during this phase and continue through the data analysis p hase of the research. This second phase, data analysis, should take a further three months, from initial analysis to completion of a model. Writing up should take a further two weeks. Conclusion It is anticipated that this study will illuminate the still murky waters of attachment with childcare providers, the potential benefits of the â€Å"key person† in relation to attachment and to promoting the adjustment of the child to the childcare setting. It should also shed light on demographic and other characteristics which may affect this process, thereby, at the very least, identifying key areas for further, more in-depth or targeted research. Because this is an exploratory study, the potential richness of the data should allow for some insight and discovery about issues affecting attachment and adjustment. Attachment theories would need to be explored in much greater detail than this brief proposal allows, and the quality of the existing research on these theories applied to this setting appraised. The resultant model should incorporate the evidence from the literature with the evidence from the study data into a model which may inform future approaches to caring for c hildren within this setting. Bibliography Adelman, C. (1981) Uttering Muttering : collecting, using and reporting talk for social and educational research. London:Grant McIntyre Arnould, E.J. (1998) Ethical Concerns in Participant Observation/Ethnography. Advances in Consumer Research 25 72 Asher, S.R., Pankhurts, J.T., Hymel, S. and Williams, G. (1990) Peer rejection and loneliness in childhood. In Asher, S.R. and Cole, J.D. 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