Gestalt Psychology Reflection Essay

At almost the same time the behaviorist revolution was gathering strength in the United States, the Gestalt revolution was taking hold of German psychology. Gestalt theories followed the basic principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The main founders of Gestalt Psychology are Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka and Wolfgang KÃ ¶hler. Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka and Wolfgang Kohler worked in establishing theories of Gestalt Psychology. Kurt Koffka His main focus was in the field of cognition and psychological development. Wolfgang KÃ ¶hler also journeyed to Tenerife in the Canary Islands off Africa’ s, to study chimpanzees. KÃ ¶hler suggested that Gestalt theory was a general law of nature that should be extended to all the sciences. The six perceptual organization principles are as follows: Chapter 12 Figures 12.1 (a) (b) (c) (d) 1. Proximity: Parts that are placed close together, they tend to be perceived as a group (a), the circles in three double columns rather than as one large collection. 2. Continuity: There is a tendency in our perception to follow a direction, to connect the elements in a way that makes them seem continuous or flowing in a particular directions. (a) you tend to follow the columns of small circles from top to bottom. 3. Similarity: Similar parts tend to be seen together as forming a group. (b), the circles and the dots each appear to belong together, and you tend to perceive rows of circles and rows of dots instead of columns. 4. Simplicity: A good gestalt is symmetrical, simple and stable and cannot be made simpler. (c) are good Gestalt because they are clearly perceived as complete and organized 5. Closure: There is a tendency in our perception to complete figures, to fill in gaps. (c), you perceive three squares even though the figures are incomplete. 6. Figure/Ground: We tend to organize perceptions into the object being looked at and the background against which it appears. (d) the figure and the ground are reversible, you may see two faces or you may see a vase, depending on how your perception is organized. References Schultz, D. (2011). A history of modern psychology (10th edition) Chapter 12

Loblaw

Implementing the Position Defense strategy by doing the strategic alliance with the Wall-Mart in order to share the information technology system and supply chain management Recommendations The Lobar Companies Limited can use the resource of information technology system, which is Electronic Data Interchange form the Wall-Mart in order to improve the own inventory problem and supply chain management. Vendors can know our sales and in stock levels.The company can know when food that is stocked in the inventory will be expired; they can eliminate the stale-date food. Vendors will get the constant amount of orders from the company and delivery to our company on time. Hence, the company can provide the fresh food to the customers. After the company provide the fresh food with full shelves to customers, the customers will have positive attitudes toward the company that lead the increasing in Labials brand image.Moreover, the two companies, Lobar Companies Limited and Wall-Mart Superstores , can also share the transportations to each other. If the Lobar have to delivery the products from the distribution centers to the stores while the unavailable manufacturers' trucks and own fleets, the company can ask the Wall-Mart Superstores for using their trucks to ship the products. Hence, the company can reduce the opportunity cost of waiting own trucks to ship goods.Strategic Intent To become the market leader domestically and internationally in the supermarket industry Strategic Mission Lobar Companies Limited is manufacturer and distributor of food, non-food, photo shop, dry cleansing, a bank, medical clinic, women's-only fitness center, and gas station (some stores) in supermarket industry by providing one-stop shopping estimation with several services to consumers in Canada.

Top 10 Acting Schools of the World

Ina highly competitive profession like acting , one must never underestimate the importance of professional and formal training. Irrespective of whether you excel or have a unique flair in this art , there are a variety of techniques , perspectives , methods etc that could help you when you embark into theatre and films. While training to become an an actor doesn’t necessarily require a degree from a college or professional learning, many of the best actors in world cinema have grown to be well rounded and highly benefitted from their professional courses.The whole concept of acting will usually comprise of 2/3rd natural talent and 1/3rd of training Also the physical location of the place is crucial because it determines the connections , affiliations and opportunities that you need to go through. There are schools that train you specifically for theatre, specifically for films or both. The timings may be rigorous and the practices may get intense. However if you are a passion ate actor , this will also be an exciting and memorable experience.The usual undergraduate degrees are Bachelor of Arts(BA) or Bachelor of Fine Arts( BFA). Graduate degrees may include Master of Arts(MA) , Master of Science ( MSC) Master of Fine Arts(MFA) Doctor of Arts, Doctor of Fine Arts, or Doctor of Philosophy ( PHD) degrees. Also various institutes provide shorter foundation and summer courses for students in school and otherwise. It is essential that you conduct an intensive research before choosing acting. Here are the top 10 acting schools across the world to pursue courses in acting : Juilliard School of dramaFounded in 1905, the Juilliard School of drama situated in the Ney York city is the most prestigious institution on the world for theatre that provides top notch acting training. The faculty consists of Grammy, Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award winners who combine physical and vocal training in such a way so that every student performs to the best of his / her capaciti es. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama is a 4 year course and The Masters degree for the same is also for the same duration. The school receives more than 1000 applications every year out of which only 18 of them are admitted at the end of it.Even though the admission procedures are extremely stringent, one would be extremely fortunate to be a part of this institute. Some of the Julliard students who have managed to make it big are Christopher Reeves, Kevin Spacey and Robin Williams. The Juilliard School 60 Lincoln Centre Plaza New York NY 10023-6588. The oxford school of drama UK’S oxford school of drama is a 26 year old esteemed drama institution that offers diploma and foundation courses in acting. They provide a 3 year undergraduate course, a one year acting course and a six month foundation course.It also runs a six month programme in musical theatre. Catherine McCormack, Anna Galvin and Christina Cole are some of the famous alumni of this school. The Oxford School of Dr ama Sansomes Farm Studios Woodstock, Oxford OX20 1ER England, United Kingdom Yale School of drama The Yale School of Drama is a graduate professional conservatory for theatre training in every discipline of the art form: acting. School are known for their accomplishments on the legitimate stage, in film and television, and a variety of other creative fields.It offers a Master in Fine Arts as a postgraduate degree and a Certificate of Drama for those who do not hold an undergraduate degree. All students are admitted on the basis of their talent and career potential . Also each one of the applicants who meetsthe MFA/certificate requirements must audition in person inorder to become a part of this university. Yale Cabaret is one of its extracurricular initiative where students perform and create projects on their own. Distinguished former students of Yale include Paul Newman, Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver Yale School of Drama 149 York Street New Haven, CT 06511 Royal Scottish Acade myThe Royal Scottish Academy is a UK conservatoire that promises to provide you with a solid foundation in acting, voice and movement. They have acting showcases held in places such as Glasgow and London and this provide you with an opportunity to showcase your talent to leading casting directors and agents. They provide both bachelors and masters in this field to aspiring actors and actresses . They also have summer schools and short courses in drama for children, young people, adults and arts professionals. It has an impressive alumni profile such as Alan Cumming, James McAvoy, and David Tennant etc The CentreCity Centre Glasgow G2 3DB Scotland, United Kingdom. NYU Tisch School of arts The Tisch School of Arts that come under New York University is the most esteemed centre for performing arts in the USA. Situated in the theatre capital of America; it provides technical, professional and practical training to students in its discipline. The Department of Drama offers a four-year un dergraduate course and the graduate acting programme offers a Master in Fine Arts degree however it is extremely difficult to be inducted into the latter programme ( as they take in only 18 students ) .Its famous alumni consists of Whoopi Goldberg, Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, Anne Hathaway and Adam Sandler NYU Tisch School of the Arts 721 Broadway New York, NY 10003. Guildhall school Founded in 1800 in England, the Guildhall school of Music and Drama provides a BA and an MA in acting. Owned and funded by the Corporation of London, the school is well known for its â€Å"passion, quality and rigour† of teaching. Students experience working in a professional context to professional standards with an exemplary pool of outstanding artists who work with us as directors, conductors, coaches and tutors.They are well known for the menities provided that includes a 308-seat theatre for students to develop their skills in drama and get a real feel and experience. Some of the Guildhall students who have made their mark in Hollywood are orlando bloom , Daniel Craig and Evan McGregor Guildhall School of Music and Drama Silk St. , Barbican London EC2Y 8DT, England, United Kingdom. American conservatory theatre This non profit theatre company provides a 3 year Master of Fine Arts program in acting for aspirational individuals and providing them with a course wherein they have a chance to rehears and performs various classic and contemporary acts.Its distinguished alumni include Denzel Washington , Nicholas cage and Teri Hatcher American Conservatory Theatre 415 Geary Street San Francisco, CA 94102. Birmingham school of acting Established in 1963 , This leading premier vocational school offers a BA ( Hons) in acting and in BA (Hons) Community and Applied Theatre and an MA in Acting. They also provide foundation courses and summer schools in the same field. This specialist institute Some of their students include Sophia bush , Kelly Preston and tom selleck . Birmingham School of Acting G2 – Millennium PointCurzon Street, Birmingham B4 7XG, England, United Kingdom. American Repertory institute Established by the American Repertory theatre , its institute is a non for profit theatre organization that aims to prepare the students in a unique way so that they establish their mark in this field. It offers a 2 year MFA programme , an MFA Dramaturgy and Theatre Studies programme and an MFA in voice and speech programme. It mostly concentrates on theatrical acting and is thus one of the most respected universities when it comes to stage actor training.It collaborates with professional expertise in Eastern Europe and Russia wherein it offers a three month training and working period in the Moscow Art theatre school American Repertory Institute 64 Brattle Street Cambridge, MA 02138 London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts This independent drama school in West London provides students with a Three and Two Year course in Acting validated by the unive rsity of Kent. This school was started in the 19th century and has been creating fine actors for theatre and films.If you take into consideration aspects such as stage management, , acting and directing, technical work LAMDA could be considered the most historically productive drama school in the United Kingdom. Often the ratio of student to teacher is 1-3, allowing for some of the most intense instruction in the industry. Since the ratio of a teacher to student is 1:3 , It is evident that one on one interaction is given high importance here and every individual is attended to personally. Donald Sutherland , Colin baker , Anthony head are some of the famous people who were a part of this academy

A systematic stakeholder management approach in aviation construction Dissertation

A systematic stakeholder management approach in aviation construction projects - Dissertation Example mportance of Stakeholders 5.3.1 Research Question and Hypothesis 1 5.4 Impact of Project Stakeholders 5.4.1 Research Question and Hypothesis 2 5.5 Project Stakeholder Management 5.5.1 Research Question and Hypothesis 3 5.6 Summary Chapter 6: Conclusion, Recommendation, Limitations and further studies 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Conclusion 6.3 Recommendation 6.4 Further studies Reference Appendix Appendix A : Questionnaire ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. XYZ, for all his ideas, discussions and support throughout the research that inspired me to complete my work. His dynamism, innovation and enthusiasm kept my struggles effective and in right direction. I would also express my gratitude to staff and members of Heriot-watt University for their guidance, assistance and support that helped in making this research work valuable. I am also thankful to all those who have contributed to completion and success of this research project. I am thankful to all the respondents, wh o have participated and offered their honest and candid opinions in the research surveys and interviews, and without their support and valuable inputs this research would not have completed. I would specially thank my academic colleagues and friends in Heriot-watt University whose valuable support through frequent discussions created conducive working environment to pursue research goals. Finally, I would express my sincere gratitude to my family and friends for their support which was a source of great strength for me during the research. Family gatherings, arranged during my stressed and work loaded time, helped me to enjoy outside the frame of my research. The love and support that my spouse expressed during the research is invaluable. He/she patiently listened to my monologues and... The research concluded that the most significant stakeholders with whom higher risks were associated were suppliers, clients and end users of the project. Due to their diverse and varying roles during the entire phases of the project and the tremendous risks associated with their demands and expectations, these stakeholders must be managed from very initial stages of the project. Another barrier to effective stakeholder management was lack of realization that as the project lifecycle progresses the changes have exponential negative impact on project outcomes. These changes towards the mid and end of the project cause significant increase in cost and delay the project timeline due to discoveries of stakeholder demands that should have been addressed in the initiation and planning stages of the project. The research revealed that planning, evaluation, closing and effective employment of tools and techniques for stakeholder management were the areas that needed improvement. This researc h is aimed to investigate the management of stakeholders in construction project in global aviation industry. The aim of this research is to †¢ Identify those stakeholders that are more crucial to the project management and devise a more proactive and focused approach in managing relationships with them. †¢ Determine which stakeholders influence project successful completion and thus developing a more systematic and concentrated risk management approach. †¢ Identify areas that require more concentration to improve project stakeholder management.

Stem-Cell Therapy Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Stem-Cell Therapy - Annotated Bibliography Example On laboratory animals, the researchers used neural stem cells programmed to develop only into nerve cells, then transplanted to the damaged region of the brain with promising results that are safer than embryonic stem cells and more efficient than fetal tissue. Prior to a clinical trial on human patients, verification of such approach is on the way. Ischaemic heart disease is the reduced blood supply to the heart muscle causing death. The coronary arteries are blocked, causing death to cardiomyocytes and continues into myocardial infarction (heart attack) which overstrains the surviving myocardium and ultimately ends in heart failure. This article discusses the knowledge to date of regenerating myocardium to revive the adult heart of mammals, with various stem-cell and progenitor types as therapy. Stem cells approaches considered for cardiac therapy includes the injection of skeletal myoblasts, bone-marrow-derived cells, embryonic stem cells (ES) and endogenous cardiac stem cells (CSCs).

Life is like mountain climbing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Life is like mountain climbing - Essay Example The air and the atmosphere is equally beautiful and enriching. The overall experience has enabled me interacting and coming across new people and getting to exchange views on various topics. People from all walks of life head there. Even the elders head there and show their resolve to valuing the natural beauty. The mountain ranges have short term stay points in there and I resort to them during my hiking experience every time I get tired. Finally when I reach the top of the mountain, it is one real soothing experience and it gives a panoramic view of the surroundings and everything appears so small yet so beautiful. The very scene reminds me of the old time adage which states that "When you get to the very top of the mountain, all the other hills will be smaller". At this point, one feels a sense of accomplishment and acknowledgement altogether. During the nice experience I often come across the individuals who give up on the initial hard work that is attached to it. The overall experience of climbing through the mountains can be correlated to that of life observation and experiences. It tells of how different processes are undertaken such as educational pursuit, individual struggle, overcoming negativity and various other similar facets of life. Life, like the mountain is a constant challenge and a up way directed concept. Just as those people who give up on hope, cannot climb the mountains, the same way, the people in life who do not brace up the challenges and hardships cannot go on. This struggle and this activity in itself is the beauty of life and living. Those people who show courage overcome the obstacles such as surmounting the mountains. It is through this self believe that people overcome the challenges of life. This courage enables them overcoming all the obstacles and challenges faced by them. Those people who through their hard work make it to the mountains and through the obstacles of life make full use of their time, their energy and also

Literature Review on Culture Shock and Poor Adjustment Essay

Literature Review on Culture Shock and Poor Adjustment - Essay Example The term culture shock was first coined by Kalvero Oberg (1960) in order to describe anxiety which resulted from the situation of not knowing or getting familiar with the new culture. The recent literature tends to recognise that culture shock can be applied to any new situation with regards to job, relation and also in relation to adjustment and new identity (Pedersen, 1995, p.1). Oberg has mentioned six aspects of culture shock such as strain which might occur in order to make some psychological adjustments; a feeling of loss or deprivation with relation to factors such as profession, friends, possession and status; by being rejected; confusion in knowing exactly the role, the expectation from the role, self identity, feelings and value; Anxiety, surprise, indication and disgust after knowing about the culture difference and a feeling of failure for not being able to cope with the new environment. Most of the researchers have tried and attempted to extend and improve believe of Obe rg that culture shock is just a normal process of adjusting cultural stress. According to Anderson (1994), culture shock is a symptom of frustration reaction (Selmer, 1999, p. 517). Cultural shock, over the last decade has received increased attention where Jack London in one of his stories titled â€Å"In a Far Country† had stressed to the fact that visitors who visit another culture needs to be prepared to adopt new customs and leave behind old thoughts and ideas. He suggested that sojourners who temporary reside in another country should be able to seek pleasure in the given condition because of the fact that those who were unable to fit into the new culture tends to return home or die due o physical and psychological ailments. Culture shock is a costly affair for a firm because it leads to premature return of business people who are sent overseas. According to some of the research employees sent to foreign did not fail because of lack of technical skills but inability to adapt the other culture. An estimate of early return showed a range of 45% to 85% employees who returned from overseas. However some companies have experimented with short term stays like two three months and determine the potential of the employee to tolerate other culture so that at a later stage they get prepared for longer stay. Short trips tend to be cost effective as it reduces the burden of moving the family also. Brislin (1981) had identified three strategies which can be used to cope up with the new culture in terms of short visits, Unacceptance of host culture: The travellers do not make any effort to understand and learn the new culture and behaves as they are in home culture Substitution: The travellers tend to learn appropriate behaviour and response from the host culture and substitute them with the one which they use it in the known environment. Addition: The people visiting overseas add the behaviour of the host country in the present of nationals but also maintain t he same behaviour when they are confronted with the same culture. Synthesis: this is a strategy which tends to combine the elements of two cultures such as dress on US and Philippines. Resynthesis: this is

The French Revolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The French Revolution - Research Paper Example deas included unfair taxation, the gap that existed between the poor and the rich social groups and the American Revolution and finally independence declaration of America (Noonan, 1999). The people in the third estate social group had very little rights whether socially or politically. However, some of the educated persons such as doctors and lawyers, belonging to third estate social class were in a position to read all the upcoming new ideas made by the government from some philosophers such as John Lacke, Rousseau, and Montesquieu. These philosophers talked about a democratic government possessing freedoms and natural rights. Eventually, the people belonging to the third estate social group began questioning the France government using the standards stated by the philosophers and began to demand for equality and democracy in the country (Noonan, 1999). Unfair taxation was an economic cause of the revolution. Third estate comprised of doctors, lawyers, merchants, and peasants who faced heavy taxation in many things while the richest estates paid little or no taxes. This was unfair treatment considering that people from the richest estates had a lot of money, large plots of land and positions in the government and good interaction with the government. This unfair treatment of the third estate people angered them and made a prompt of the revolution. The social cause of the revolution was the large gap that existed between the rich people and the poor people. There were few members belonging to the first and second estates while third estate made up of the biggest population. However, the rich owned biggest portions of land while the poor had little portions of land yet they made the biggest population in the country. Prove of the gap between the rich and the poor, was unequal taxation for the rich and the poor. Politically, third est ate people did not have privileges and right to contribute in the then government yet the nobles and clergies had the right. The

Computer Questions Short Answers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Computer Questions Short Answers - Assignment Example 09- How/why is a branch instruction really a data movement instruction ANS: A branch instruction is not a data movement instruction because branch instruction jump from one instruction to another but don't move data from one instruction to another. 10- How can the speed at which an electrical circuit performs its function be increased ANS: Acircuitis an unbroken loop of conductive material that allows electrons to flow through continuously without beginning or end.Generally as the feature size shrinks, almost everything improves-the cost per unit and the switching power consumption go down, and the speed goes up. 11- What are the advantages of gallium arsenide (as compared to silicon) for the implementation of microprocessors ANS: It has smaller molecular size and thus (in theory) smaller circuits can be fabricated from it. It has both electrical and optical properties. 12- Why does the reliability of magnetic storage media generally decrease as recording density increases ANS: Higher density means less surface area per bit. Less surface area per bit means less mass of coercible material. Less coercible mass means reduced ability to hold a charge high enough to be reliably read and to allow for magnetic leakage, decay, and other destructive factors. 13- What factors contribute to the loss of data stored on tapes ANS: If system crashes leading to incomplete sessions. Hardware problems causing incorrect or incomplete write operations Corrupted media or databases. Due to malicious external agents like viruses and hackers 14- What are the advantages of optical data storage devices as compared to magnetic data storage devices ANS: Optical storage devices are read by... ANS: Optical storage devices are read by a laser beam. Generally they have a more limited storage capacity when compared to magnetic devices. However, one advantage is that they are more hard wearing than magnetic devices. ANS: When you decrease the buffer size you increase the number of "outside loop" operations, and thus you increase the load on the CPU. When you computer gets too busy it may not complete the buffer loop in time to deliver its samples to the mixing bus, which, in turn, has to deliver to the driver/soundcard. The result will be unpleasant cackling noise. ANS: Code 39 (also called Code 3 of 9) is an easy-to-print barcode commonly used for various bar-coding labels such as name badges, inventory and industrial applications. The Universal Product Code was the first bar code to be widely adopted from as early as April 1973 by the US grocery industry for product marking. Code 2 of 5, sometimes called Code 2 from 5 and the interleaved 2 of 5 barcodes can represent the digits 0-9. In use since the late 1960's, it is a popular choice for airline tickets, photo developing envelopes and internal warehouse systems. ANS: Bar code scanners are manufactured to read the

United States War Against Iraq in 2003 Essay Example for Free

United States War Against Iraq in 2003 Essay The debate on the rationality behind the justification of the United States war against Iraq in 2003 calls various levels of analysis. The same debate has been viewed by various human activists at different scopes of understanding. At one level, a portion of them argues that it was unjustified when arguing under the autonomy of the civilian population and other members of the armed forces who were killed and injured in the process. As a requirement of any war attack, the human rights commission requires that the civilian population should be separated from the armed forces. They and their property should not be an object of attack. On the other point of view of human activists, the U. S attack in Iraq was a fundamental step towards liberating the country and the world in general from the dictatorship rule of Saddam Hussein. However, the debate implication would only be valid on weighing out the strengths of the two opposing sides. (http://www. globalpolicy. org/security/issues/iraq/attackindex. htm) Broadly, the justification of the war is cordial towards parameters of safeguarding humanity when our argument is based on essence and intention of the war. Unlike how many people, states and organizations percept, this was not an exercise towards elaborating to the global community the powers that were held by U. S over the global community. However, a counteractive and an opposing argument to what is conceived in the minds of such persons would be used to describe analyze who Saddam was under the context of global peace and harmony. Generally, the historical background of Saddam’s dictatorship has its roots since many years ago. Through the historical background of his dictatorial leadership, it would be logical to relate adequately and strike a balance between the effects of the U. S attack and the relative effects of Saddam to the world at large. On grounds of human rationality however, it could be argued that the invasion was a crucial modality towards restituting the Iraq state and the contemporary world of their democracy and liberty that had been intercepted by Saddam. He could have been argued as an icon behind the compromise of the global peace. Though the basic intention behind the invasion was to get Saddam out of power, the same scenario went ahead to compromising the civilian population rights through death and mass destruction of both private and public property. However, every threshold of such destruction and the relative destruction that had been done by Saddam should be weighed on a balance of which was more effecting. Generally, the mass killing by Saddam since his invasion on Kuwait coupled with other dictatorial killings in Iraq however out weighs the impact of the U. S invasion on Iraq in 2003. Few worlds and descriptions can be made on Saddam. Perhaps, we could say that he was brutal, dictatorial and a murderer who required any method of forcing him out of his power. However, since he had denied stepping down of his leadership, the only rational implement that could have restituted the contemporary world against Saddam’s dictatorial power was through invasion by United States. (http://www. globalpolicy. org/security/issues/iraq/attackindex. htm) It goes without saying that the massive genocide that was waged by Saddam would only been provided with amnesty through bringing justice into book. However, we are left to wonder on the exact scope of justified restitution which would have compensated humanity the negative effects characterized by merciless killings, genocides and war attacks by Saddam. On and above t5his, we should not forget about the weapons of mass destruction which included nuclear weapons that were in possession and manufacturing by Saddam. Rationally therefore, this invasion was an important step towards providing democratic amnesty to the global community that had been compromised by Saddam’s leadership. Both Iraq and the world in general were in fear of Saddam’s authorities. Great attribute should thus go to the United states in its provision of a benchmark towards contemporary democracy to the world. The effects of the invasion were far below the negative consequences of mass killing that had been caused by Saddam. Reference War Against Iraq: U. N Security Council. Retrieved on 15th May 2008 from http://www. globalpolicy. org/security/issues/iraq/attackindex. htm

Psychopathy or Antisocial Personality Disorder in Adults

Psychopathy or Antisocial Personality Disorder in Adults Forensic Assessment of Adults II Psychopathy or Antisocial Personality Disorder Explain the relevance of assessing for psychopathy or antisocial personality disorder in an adult forensic population, as well as the reasons for assessing for psychopathy or antisocial personality disorder. According to the FBI, 1% of the general population in male prisons, 1/3% of male offenders are considered having an antisocial personality disorder, and 10-20% of male offenders are psychopaths (Hare, Ph.D. FBI, et al., 2012). It is believed that psychopathy may be the result of genetics and how the person was raised. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has no diagnosis for psychopathy, yet it is one of five items that define an antisocial personality disorder (Hare, Ph.D. FBI, et al., 2012). Dr. Robert Hare and the FBI believe that psychopathy is the â€Å"most dangerous of any personality disorder (Hare, Ph.D. FBI, et al., 2012)†. Not all psychopaths are criminals or commit criminal acts, and are not violent (Hare, Ph.D. FBI, et al., 2012). One of the reasons for the importance of assessing and diagnosing psychopathy are the symptoms. Psychopaths, also known as sociopaths, are charming, manipulative, have a lack of remorse and a lack of empathy towards others, and have no conscience. They are known to commit violent and serious crimes in a callous remorseless manner. They are selfish, self-centered, feel entitled, do not accept responsibility for the actions, and have an inflated sense of self-worth. They are conniving and won’t hesitate to lie for their own benefit, since they are pathological liars to begin with. They are predatory by nature, have an inflated ego and need to have power and control in all situations. Psychopaths that kill usually plan and calculate the crime in order to maintain their sense of power and control, and the killer usually feels no emotion or remorse. When caught, they blame the victim for the reason they were killed. Drs. Porter, ten Brinke, Wilson, and the FBI state that: â€Å"Psychopathic sex offenders are 2.43 times more likely to be released than their non-psychopathic counterparts, while psychopathic offenders charged with other crimes are 2.79 times more likely to be released.Their acting ability can enable them to frequently manipulate and persuade members of a parole board to release them approximately 2.5 times faster than other offenders up for parole, despite their longer list of offenses and elevated risk (Porter, ten Brinke, Wilson FBI)†. Yet the severity of a psychopath’s condition can vary from other psychopaths. Clinical psychologists have found that psychopathology ranges from those with a lot of psychopathic traits (a full cluster of traits) to those who have less psychopathic traits (milder cluster of traits). They base this by looking at the patients behavioral patterns within their lifetime. Another reason for the importance of assessing psychopathy is to gain a better understanding of psychopathy and in gaining that understanding, it allows forensic psychologists to create treatment strategies for psychopaths. Since psychopaths are skilled manipulators and pathological liars, getting true and accurate information from them can be difficult and frustrating, and by better understanding them, forensic psychologists can also create a specific questioning strategy for law enforcement when they are questioning a psychopath. Law enforcement and forensic psychologists must fully understand psychopaths, identify them, understand the harm and damage they do, and what can be done to treat them effectively. Describe when and where in the adjudicative process assessment for psychopathy or antisocial personality disorder may be used, using specific examples. As juveniles, psychopathic traits become visible, especially during an adjudicative assessment. These include poor control of behavior and early behavior problems, juvenile delinquency, committing a variety of different crimes, impulsive actions, irresponsibility, lack of guilt, no remorse, have no realistic goals to accomplish, and a need for more and more stimulating action within their lives. Assessments to diagnose psychopathy in juveniles are commonly used when the juvenile defendants have a history of mental illness. The sooner juveniles are assessed and diagnosed the better mental health services, community services, and long-term treatment programs they can receive. Even with adults, assessment and diagnosis of psychopathy can help to identify their needs and how to treat them, and can help with future screening and intake in prisons. Explain how assessing for psychopathy or antisocial personality disorder may influence a case outcome, using specific examples. Psychopathological patients with a fuller cluster of traits put society at risk due to their ability to skillfully manipulate others, including authorities. Many psychopaths have manipulated the court and have gotten reduced sentences, and if they were unsuccessful in that endeavor, they have skillfully manipulated to have their sentences appealed in high courts of law (Hà ¤kkà ¤nen-Nyholm, H., PhD. Hare, R.D., PhD, 2009). Some famous psychopathic killers are: Theodore â€Å"Ted† Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jr., Edward â€Å"Ed† Theodore Gein, Jeffrey Dahmer, Albert Fish, Andrei Chikatilo, Richard Ramirez, Albert DeSalvo, Joel Rifkin, Edmund Kemper, Gary Ridgeway (Green River Killer), Arthur Shawcross, and Robert Pickton. Many of these men appeared normal, but had psychopathic traits that were diagnosed only after they had become killers. For Example, John Wayne Gacy, Jr., had been married and divorced twice, had two children (a boy a girl), had his own business, was a community leader and vice-president of the Springfield, Illinois Jaycees, and often performed as a clown for many community children functions—yet he killed 33 men and boys, burying many under the floors of his home he shared with his mother. Ted Bundy went to law school, studied Chinese, worked for the Republican National Convention, worked on GovernorDaniel J. Evanss reelection campaign, and volunteered on a suicide h otline in Seattle—yet he killed 26-38 (possibly more) women, and was convicted and sentenced to death in Florida for killing 5 women and 1 young girl. As Dr. Martha Stout, PhD., pointed out in her book â€Å"The Sociopath Next Door: The Ruthless Versus the Rest of Us (2005), Sociopaths look like everyone else—they can be your neighbor, family member, friend, or someone famous, and you would never even know it (Stout, 2005). The MacDonald Triad, also known as the Homicidal Triad or the Triad of Sociopathy, are three behavioral traits (arson, bedwetting and cruelty to animals) that together or two of the traits combined are believed to be indicators of potential future violence or a psychopathic personality/antisocial personality disorder. While the MacDonald Triad has not been subsequently validated by psychologists and researchers, it is often used by law enforcement and taught in schools, and remains an influential theory of crime. The Psychopathy Checklist- Revised (PCL-R) was developed using a 20 item list, a 3 point scale and the results rate the full extent of a person’s psychopathic tendencies, and it helps to assess what the risks or harming other people are due to the patients psychopathic PCL-R results. It is often used in court cases to assess the defendants’ mental health. Yet despite everything, there has yet to be found a way to effectively treat those who are psychopaths.

Impact of Web-Based Instruction (WBI) in Schools

Impact of Web-Based Instruction (WBI) in Schools Nowadays the use of Web-Based Instruction (WBI) has significant impacts on every aspect of our lives. In the context of education industry more and more school and education institutions have come to realize the potential impact of using the WBI in the classroom as part of the learning environment. Despite the many challenges yet to be overcome, the advantages of WBI have been widely recognized. Some of these major advantages include flexibility and broader accessibility (Lee, Cheung, Chen, 2005), improved students performance (Alavi, 1994), reflective evaluation of the learning experience (Hiltz, 1995), and higher computer self-efficacy (Piccoli, Ahmad, Ives, 2001). Academic institutions also benefit in terms of cost reductions and increasing revenues (Saadà © and Bahli, 2005). The success of Web usage for learning is primarily due to its potential to integrate various types of media such as audio, video, graphics, animation and text and delivered in various forms. Statement of the problem: Schools are witnessing a profound increase in the use of multimedia presentations, video teleconferencing, and, more currently, Web-Based Instruction (WBI). WBI presents great potential for instructional improvement by providing ready access to information and allowing more interaction between teachers and learners (Hill, 1997). In order to meet the diverse needs of their teachers when integrating WBI into their subjects, most schools have adopted a few major brands of commercial course management software. Nowadays we have heard that information technologies are going to change school education especially in the way teachers teach and the way our students will learn. But most of us have seen little evidence to support the claim. In fact, teachers utilization of innovative technologies has remained low (Surry and Land, 2000). The integration of technology such as WBI into the classroom has remained low and educational technology use has been minimal, infrequent, and limited as an add-on rather than as indispensable to teaching and learning (Becker, 1991). Surry and Ely (2002) diagnosed, as a reason for this lack of utilization, which instructional designers had focused on developing. They added that there is no guarantee for diffusion of instructional technologies itself. While the diffusion and implementation of innovation is important. Rogers (1995) and Stockdill and Morehouse (1992) described, it is a complex process that is influenced by many factors. Technological superiority is only one of a number of factors that influence a persons decision about whether or not to adopt an innovation. A more complex interaction of social, economic, organizational, and individual factors influence which technologies are adopted and how much they are used after they have been adopted. As one of the major areas of diffusion of innovation study, instructional technologies have focused on the identification of the significant factors contributing to educational technology implementation. Most studies of this issue have been simply investigating factors or have confined the research scope to only examine either the psychological perspective of factors (Marcinkiewicz, 1994; McKinney, Sexton, Meyerson, 1999; Olech, 1997), or the external or environmental perspective of factors (Daugherty and Funke, 1998; Groves Zemel, 2000), disregarding other relevant variables. Daugherty and Funkes (1998) study focused only on the teachers perceived supports or incentives as factors influencing the use of Web-Based instruction. They surveyed school teachers and students involved in Web-Based instruction on the advantages, disadvantages, and general effectiveness of using the Internet as a teaching and learning tool. Teachers reported the lack of technical support, lack of software or adequate equipment, lack of teachers or administrative support, the amount of preparation time, and student resistance are barriers to use Web-Based instruction. According to Hamilton and Thompson (1992) in reality it is assumed that a person will be influenced by psychological and also environmental factors at the same time for a decision to adopt or utilize an innovation and Ely (1999) identified eight environmental conditions. His approach recognizes that the characteristics of adopters and the innovation are not the only factors influencing its diffusion. His research suggests that the environment such as supports and incentives in which the innovation is to be introduced can play an equally important role in determining a change efforts success. In the this study, the three categories of variables known to relate to the level of innovation use are identified based on the diffusion and innovation models. First, in the area of personal characteristics, previous experience and self-efficacy are selected as key variables. Second, complexity and relative advantage in this study are selected for the area of perceived attributes of innovation. Last, for the area of perception of influence and support from the environment, supports, and time are selected. To go beyond the single-equation approach using multiple regressions and address the associated limitations, structural equation modeling (SEM) will be used. Using this technique, indirect effects among variables are identified in the model that is specified from the literature and theories by the researcher. These indirect effects, when added to the direct effects in the model, allow the determination of total causal effects. Research Objective: Identifying the direct, indirect and total effects of the identified predictor variables (self-efficacy, relative advantage, complexity, computer experience, supports and time) on criterion variable (level of WBI use). Research Questions: What are the direct, indirect and total effects of the identified predictor variables (self-efficacy, relative advantage, complexity, computer experience, supports and time) on criterion variable (level of WBI use)? Purpose of the Study: The purpose of the study is to build a model to predict the level of diffusion and utilization of Web-Based Instruction in school. To test the model six independent variables (self-efficacy, relative advantage, complexity, computer experience, supports and time) from the three perspectives affecting the diffusion and utilization of WBI will be used. The selection of the variables is substantiated by empirical evidence from previous relevant innovation studies (Rogers, 1995; Ely, 1999). The result of this study would also be helpful to instructional designers. When it comes to successful educational program design, the consideration of the target audiences characteristics is essential to the analysis phase in most instructional design models. Because the predictor variables are susceptible to interventions such as training or staff development, the identification of the potential factors that are highly related to the integration of a new technology. Operational Definition: Predictor Variables: Six independent variables which are selected from the three perspectives affecting the diffusion and utilization of WBI. The variables are computer experience, self-efficacy, complexity, relative advantage, supports and time. Diffusion of Innovations: The adoption and utilization of Web as a teaching tool. Level of Use: Degree of integration of WBI that has been attained by teachers in order to attain existing instructional goals. Web-Based Instruction: A hypermedia-based instructional program which utilizes the attributes and resources of the World Wide Web to create a meaningful learning environment such as Blackboard and WebCT. Chapter II: Literature Review: The objective of the study is to identify factors affecting the likelihood of diffusion in educational setting is usually perceived from one of three major perspectives. The first of these is concerned with the characteristics of the adopter, such as computer experience and self-efficacy. The second perspective is focuses on the characteristics of the innovation itself. The third perspective focused on the characteristics of the environment in which the innovation is to be introduced. This approach highlights the importance of factors outside the innovation which can set the stage for its success or failure. The review will be focus on diffusion of innovation, relation to factors affecting the diffusion and implementation of Web-Based Instruction in an educational setting, informational technology diffusion models, model constructs and Web-Based Instruction (WBI). Diffusion of Innovation: Sanders and Morrison (2001) have identified three reasons why the study of diffusion theory is beneficial to the field of instructional technology. The first reason is most instructional technologists lack the knowledge of why their products are or are not adopted. They believe a study of diffusion theory could rectify this situation. Second, the field of instructional technology is often associated with the concept of innovations and they suggested that if instructional technologists understand the diffusion and diffusion of innovation theory. They will be more prepared to work effectively with potential adopters. The third reason is the studies of the diffusion theory could result in developing a systematic model of diffusion and diffusion for the instructional technology field. Everett Rogers is the most widely cited author in the area of general diffusion theory. Rogers (1995) theories form the basis of most studies related to diffusion. Rogers theories seem to be common elements of most diffusion theories. They are diffusion process, adopter categories, innovation attributes, and rate of diffusion. So the instructional technologists not only need to create well-designed products but need to ensure the diffusion of these products. The main concern of the diffusion of innovation research is how innovations are adopted and why innovations are adopted at different rates. The diffusion process outlined by Rogers (1995) has five steps knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. According to this theory, potential adopters of an innovation have to learn about an innovation and are persuaded to try it out before making a decision to adopt or reject the innovation. The adopters decide to either continue using the innovation or stop using it. This theory is very important because it shows that diffusion is not a momentary irrational act, but an ongoing process that can be studied, facilitated and supported. Factors Affecting Diffusion of Innovation: The experts in diffusion of innovation find that there is no single or a certain group of factors identified to explain the lack of use of Web-Based Instruction in school education. In this section, I will explore the factors have been examined and identified from many studies. The experts in educational technology have done numerous studies to find out the factors affecting the diffusion of Web-Based Instruction in school. Morris (2001) have found that the lack of technical support, lack of adequate equipment, amount of time required, student resistance or lack of computer skills, network problems and identified lack of teachers or administrative support are the barriers that teachers confronted when incorporating Web-Based instruction. From a survey of 557 teachers, Anderson, Varnhagen and Campbell (1998) also found that although most teachers believe that learning and communications technologies are essential to improving the quality of school education, many barriers were identified to realizing that capacity. They identified nine factors as major or minor barriers. The greatest barrier identified was lack of funding. The second greatest barrier was lack of time to learn technologies. The others are classroom infrastructure, adequate computer hardware or connectivity, institutional incentives, knowledge about applying technology in teaching, access to software tools, lack of training and support, an d information about available technology. Pitman, Gosper and Rich (1999) examined teachers use of instructional technology in a school classroom. In this study, they limited instructional technology to internet-related technologies including e-mail and the World Wide Web. The study identified significant relationships between teaching style, perceived effectiveness of technology, perceived access to technology and perceived administrative support and the use of technology. Beggs (2000) have conducted the survey of 348 teachers. In this survey teachers at a school were asked about their self-perceived use of technology, factors influencing their use of technology, and barriers to the use of technology in the classroom. The factors are improved student learning, advantage over traditional teaching, equipment availability, increased student interest, ease of use, compatibility with discipline, time needed to learn, materials in discipline, compatibility with materials, training, administrative support, personal comfort and coll eague use. Rogers (2000) have conducted the study to examine barriers to technology diffusion through a structured interview conducted on the telephone or in-person. The barriers that he identified are need technical support staff, need release time and time for training, funds, and lack of sharing best practices across system. Through this through review, it seems that the factors emerge into three categories as like personal characteristics which include factors such as years of teaching, previous experience, teaching style, self-efficacy, and anxiety, innovation characteristics such as relative advantage, complexity, and compatibility, and environmental and social factors such as support and time. In the case of a factor of support, the factors like accessibility or availability, technical and administrative, workshop, and incentive may be grouped into a single factor as support. Refer to importance of considering both the person and the social environment as joint determinants of behavior, Surry and Farquhar (1997) described adopter based theories as opposite to developer-based theories. Developer-based theories are to increase diffusion by maximizing the efficiency, effectiveness and elegance of an innovation. They assume that the best way to bring about educational change is to create a system or product that is significantly superior to existing products or systems. In summary, this section focused on the studies conducted to find out the factors affecting the diffusion of instructional technology. Since these studies have not looked at the interactional effects of determinants on an adopters behavior so more attention seems to be needed on the interrelationships among identified variables. Innovation Diffusion Models: In contrast to the studies that focus on single factors or a list of factors, a few models have been developed and empirically studied to identify the interactional effects of variables on innovation usage. These models focused on the identification of the determinants of usage, such as attitudes, social influences, and facilitation conditions (Davis, Richard Paul, 1989; Mathieson, 1991). Theory of Reasoned Action: The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) was first proposed by Azjen and Fishbein (1975). The theory specified a causal relationship between individual behavioral intention and actual behavior. The components of TRA are behavioral intention, attitude, and subjective norm. TRA suggests behavioral intention depends on a persons attitude toward behavior and subjective norm. Behavioral intention measures a persons relative strength of intention to perform a behavior. Attitude is comprised of beliefs about the consequences of performing the behavior multiplied by his or her valuation of those consequences. Subjective norm is seen as a combination of perceived expectations from referent individuals or groups along with intentions to comply with these expectations. (Azjen and Fishbein, 1975). TRA became the basis for developing the following two models, Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). In fact, to account for conditions where individuals do not have complete control over their behavior, TPB extended TRA. Theory of Planned Behavior: Azjen and Madden (1986) modified TRA and generated a model named the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The only difference between the TRA and TPB is the inclusion of perceived behavioral control. Perceived behavioral control reflects a persons ability to actually perform a behavior. It is influenced by the effects facilitating conditions and self-efficacy. Hoffman and Novak (1994) included ease of access, ease of use, price, knowledge, past experience, and skill to represent the perceived behavioral control in their study of hypermedia using TPB. Each of the determinants of intention, like attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control, is determined by underlying belief structures. These are referred to as attitudinal beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs which are related to attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control respectively. Technology Acceptance Model: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was developed by Davis (1986) and introduced by Davis, et al. (1989). This model is an adaptation of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). TAM contends two distinct constructs like perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Davis (1989) defined perceived usefulness as the degree to which an individual believes that using particular system would enhance his or her job performance and ease of use as the degree to which an individual believes that using a particular system would be free of physical and mental effort. This model is more specific and simple because it only provides two factors which are important determinants of innovation usage (Mathieson, 1991). These factors are specific, easy to understand, and can be manipulated through system design and implementation. In addition, they should also be generalizable across settings. Although it is a special case of the TRA, TAM excludes the influence of social and personal control factors on behavior, which is also identified as important factors in the previous research (Groves Zemel, 2000; Knutel, 1998). Components of the Study Model Constructs: The six predictor variables believed to be important in influencing the diffusion of innovation which has derived from the Rogers model and other relevant constructs from other models and other reviewed studies. Followed is the explanation of each of the six predictor variables and the criterion variable in more detail. Personal Characteristics: Computer Experience: Computer experience is defined as the extent to which adopters perceive previous computer experience and performance with internet connection as good. Also, it includes amounts of time using computer with internet connection in this study. The more positive experiences one has, the more confident one is in a similar innovation (Stone Henry, 2003). In other words, positive past experience with computers will increase ones confidence while negative experience will reduce it. This view is supported by Ertmer, Evenbeck, Cennamo and Lehman (1994), who found that although positive computer experience increased computer confidence, the actual amount of experience was not correlated with the confidence beliefs of students. This suggests that it is the quality, not the quantity, of experience is a critical factor in determining self-efficacy beliefs, which is one of the most important and popular variables in the diffusion and utilization of innovations studies. There have been numerous studies involving the experience and attitude-behavior relationship (Anderson, Varnhagen, Campbell, 1998; Christoph, Schoenfeld, Tansky, 1998; Daugherty Funke, 1998; Ellsworth, 1998; Groves Zemel, 2000; Hill, Stone Henry, 2003; Kao, Wedman, Placier, 1995). Bandura (1977) suggests that experience is likely to reduce anxieties and induce individuals to change their behavior. The information gained by performance accomplishments provides the most influential source of efficacy information (Bandura, Adams, Beyer, 1977 and Zimmerman, 2000). Hill, Smith, Mann (1987) provide evidence that experience with computer technology lead to a higher likelihood of technology adoption through changes in perceived self-efficacy. Self-efficacy: Self-efficacy, a key element in Banduras social learning theory (1977), refers to ones belief in ones capability to use Internet in this study. Self-efficacy has been found to influence the decision to use computers (Hill, Smith and Mann, 1987). Bandura (1997) defined perceived self-efficacy as personal judgments of ones capabilities to organize and execute subjects of action to attain designated goals, and he sought to assess its level, generality and strength across activities and contexts. Zhang and Espinoza (1998) found that comfort or anxiety about computers perceived by students predicted their confidence levels about computers and the confidence level is a significant predictor in deciding their desirability of learning technology skills. In addition, from the findings in his qualitative study Zollinhofer (1998) supported that teachers who have low self-efficacy are susceptible to cyber anxiety which can increase resistance to learning new technologies. According to Banduras (1977) self-efficacy theory, judgments of self-efficacy are based on several kinds of information including performance accomplishments, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and emotional arousal. Venkatesh and Davis (1994) theorize that perceptions about a new systems usefulness and a new systems ease of use influences and are anchored on an individuals general computer self-efficacy. From this evidence, it can be hypothesized that self-efficacy influences perceived relative advantage and ease of use of innovation, and also influences utilization of an innovation through those two intervening variables. Perceived attributes of innovation: Rogers (1995), Wolfe (1994), and Farguhar and Surry (1994) identified perceived by potential adopters, relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability as five main attributes of an innovation as important factors in determining the rate of diffusion. According to Rogers theory, potential adopters of an innovation have to learn about an innovation and are persuaded to try it out before making a decision to adopt or reject the innovation. This five attributes are frequently cited as playing a key role in the perceptions of adopters in regard to the implementation of instructional innovations. For this study, although perceived attributes compatibility, observability and trialability could contribute to some extent in diffusion process but only relative advantage and complexity which distinguished by Vinson (1996) and Moskal, Martin, and Foshee (1997) are included. This is because they have the strongest influence from Rogers five attributes. Relative Advantage: Relative advantage is defined as the degree to which an innovation of WBI as an instructional technology in this study is perceived as being better than the technology it supersedes and other solutions being considered (Rogers, 1995). The degree of relative advantage is often expressed as economic profitability, social prestige, or other benefits. The degree of use is expected to be increased by the teacherss perceived relative advantage of WBI. Rogers generalized from previous research that the relative advantage of an innovation, as perceived by members of a social system, is positively related to its rate of diffusion. In their study, Venkatesh and Davis (1994) tested the effect of self-efficacy on the perceived ease of use construct using two different information technologies, E-mail and Gopher. They found that the perceptions about a new systems ease of use are anchored on a persons general computer self-efficacy. Complexity: Complexity is defined as the degree to which the WBI as an instructional technology is perceived as difficult to understand and use (Rogers, 1995). It is similar to the ease of use construct used by Davis, Bagozzi, Warshaw (1989). They define it as the degree to which an individual believes that using a particular system would be free of physical and mental effort. In their study they find a positive correlation between perceived ease of use and behavioral intentions. They found ease of use to be a strong determinant of use. It is expected that the more complex WBI appears to teachers, the less they will use it. An innovation which is perceived as being difficult to use will meet with greater resistance to its use and diffusion than those which are considered as easy to learn. Hence, another generalization drawn by Rogers was that the complexity of an innovation, as perceived by members of a social system, is negatively related to its rate of diffusion. Then, who perceives an innovation as being more or less difficult? The findings (Ghaith Yaghi, 1997; Guskey, 1988) indicate that more efficacious teachers considered an innovation as less difficult to implement. Perception of influence and support from the environment: Groves and Zemel (2000) from their study has been identified that environment as a category of influencing factors on diffusion and utilization of innovation. Ely (1999) proposed eight environmental condition dissatisfaction with the status quo, existence of knowledge and skills, availability of resources, availability of time, existence of rewards or incentives for participation, expectation and encouragement of participation, commitment by stakeholders involved, and evidence of leadership. A few studies have been conducted to determine the best predictors among the eight conditions using stepwise multiple regression analysis. Ravitz (1999) found out availability of resources, availability of time, existence of rewards or incentives, commitment, and leadership are the most important determinants related to the implementation of innovation. In another pure survey study, Daugherty and Flunke (1998) reported the barriers confronted by teachers when incorporating Web-Based instruction a re lack of technical support, lack of software or adequate equipment; amount of time required and lack of teachers or administrative support. From reviewing the related studies, supports and time were selected as key variables for this study. Supports: Groves Zemel (2000) found out that the supports like training available on how to use, information or materials available, and administrative support were rated as very important factors influencing use of instructional technologies in teaching. Morris (2001) found out that lack of technical support, lack of adequate equipment or software, and lack of teachers or administrative support are the barriers teachers confronted when incorporating distance education. Farquhar and Surry (1994) proposed organizational factors with the adopters individual factors as influential factors which affect the diffusion and utilization of the instructional product. They asserted that inappropriate environmental support can often be an important hindrance factor of successful innovation diffusion. The teachers training and other resources to use and learn the WBI technology can be effective and productive by lessen teachers perceived level of complexity to use or learn WBI as an instructional technology. Time: Seminoff and Wepner (1997) discovered that of the 77 respondents in their study on instructional-based projects, 64% indicated that release time for preparation of technology-based projects was not being provided. In the survey study about factors influencing the use of technology and perceived barriers to use of technology, Groves Zemel (2000) found that teachers perceived time needed to learn as an important factor in influencing use of technology. Plater (1995) indicates that managing teachers time is the single most important asset of the school. In the past teachers had only a few time-related issues, including meeting classes, keeping office hours, and attending teachers meetings. Plater goes on to say that schools must recognize teachers time as valuable resource and begin to think about departmental needs and prepare individual teachers to meet these needs. While teachers training should be part of the overall preparation for WBI, teachers training can only be effective and productive if there is adequate preparation time to incorporate what has been learned in training. In the present study time is defined as perceived available time needed to learn and use WBI as an instructional technology. The more available time teachers perceive, the less complex they perceive to learn and use WBI as an instructional technology. Level of Use: Level of using Web-Based Instruction is a dependent variable for this study. Moersch (1995) proposed a conceptual framework that measures levels of technology use. In this framework, seven distinguished implementation levels teachers can demonstrate. According to Moersch (1995), as a teacher progresses from one level to the next, a series of changes to the instructional curriculum is observed. The instructional focus shifts from being teacher-centered to being learner-centered. Computer technology is used as a tool that supports and extends students understanding of the pertinent concepts, processes and themes involved when using databases, telecommunications, multimedia, spreadsheets, and graphing applications. Traditional verbal activities are gradually replaced by authentic hands-on inquiry related to a problem issue or theme. Heavy reliance on textbook and sequential instructional materials is replaced by use of extensive and diversified resources determined by the problem areas under discussion. Traditional evaluation practices are supplanted by multiple assessment strategies that utilize portfolios, open-ended questions, self-analysis, and peer review. To measure the level of innovation use, in addition to above levels of innovation use which are used to measure the degree to which an adopter integrates the innovation into practice, a number of studies (Cartas, 1998; Lin Jeffres, 1998; Jaber, 1997; Wallace, 1998) in the studies of diffusion and utilization of instructional technologies have used three different categories of questions to measure the usage level the frequency of technology use, the amount of hours in using a technology and the number of programs or functions used. Since it seemed that levels of use studies (Moersch, 1995; Reiber Welliver, 1989) dealt with questions pertaining to the specific aspects of computer technologies to measure the levels of technology, the present study created the questions including the three categories of questions pertaining to WBI use. Web-Based Instruction (WBI): WBI is defined as an innovative approach for delivering instruction to a remote audience using the World Wide Web as the instructional delivery system (Khan, 1997). Web-Based learning environments use the resources of the Web to create a context in which learning is supported and fostered. Web-Based Instruction is growing faster than any other instructional technology (Crossman, 1997). More and more school teachers are using WBI as an integral part of instructional activities. School cannot work in isolation and must respond to societal change (Innovation in Distance Education (IDE), 1997). WBI offers medium for school education to accommodate the information age and a networked worl

Growth in the U.K. Economy :: Economics Britain Essays

Growth in the U.K. Economy After the Second World War, Britain enjoyed the longest boom in its history until the 1973-74 oil crisis. There are many, though, who do not view this as a successful period of Britain's history. Although Britain experienced unprecedented growth, its rate of growth was slower than that for many other countries. It is therefore debatable as to whether this was a successful period of Britain's history or not. This essay will examine the statistics of Britain's growth after the Second World War and compare this to statistics for other countries as well as statistics from Britain's past. This will provide evidence to accurately assess Britain's growth performance during this period. The essay will also examine possible reasons for Britain's relative decline such as demand management Government policies, balance of payments problems, an over reliance on traditional manufacturing industries, low investment in capital stock, Trade Union power, poor management, poor business structure and a poor education system. The 25 years from 1948 to 1973 produced growth faster than had been seen in any previous period of equivalent length. During this period, real gross domestic product doubled. The increase in the average growth rate from 2% to 2.8% shows that UK productivity increased considerably. During the 1950s, there were no concerns about the UK growth rate. The standard of living was still higher than that of any other EEC country except Belgium and higher than it had ever been in Britain's history. It was twice as high as Italy and 50% higher than West Germany. When compared to the performance of other countries, though, UK growth rates are less impressive. Other EEC countries had growth rates roughly double that of the UK, between 5% and 6%. This caused great concern amongst many politicians and economists at the time. Most economists look back on the period as a failure. Elbaum and Lazonick, two North American economists say: "If there is much to be learned from the Japanese success, it is our conviction that the United States may have even more to learn from the decline of Britain The significance of a difference of 3% in the growth rate is that, if two countries have a level start, the faster growing country will have twice the output of the slower country in 25 years. This showed that Britain was in relative decline and justified some of the fears of

The Theme of Loneliness in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay -- Frank

  Ã‚   Mary Shelley's Frankenstein examines two phenomena of human nature, scientific curiosity and loneliness; the latter will serve as the focus of this essay. The very manner in which Frankenstein begins, that of the correspondence of an unattached explorer who longs for a companion on his voyage, with no one to write to but his sister, establishes the theme of loneliness immediately. Frankenstein's creation is a complex character whose true motives cannot be determined easily. Although one cannot excuse his actions, they should certainly not be viewed out of context. The creature is exposed to the painful reality of loneliness from the moment of his creation. "I had worked hard for nearly two years," Victor states, "for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body...but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room..." The moment Victor realizes what he has done, he is terrified, and flees. This cycle continues, each time isolating the creature further and further. He yearns constantly for some kind of human contact, but does not receive it because of the way in which Victor created his body. Victor meant for it to be a thing of beauty, but realized first that the gathering of pieces from various cadavers res ulted in an appearance that frightens at first sight. A barrier always exists before the creature, much like the wall that separated him from the cottage of the DeLaceys. The creature is touched by the love of the DeLacey family and feels that he is a part of their family. He wants desperately to be accepted by them, but is aware of how they will react if they se... ...excuse the creature's actions. But we can be more understanding of his situation and try to have some compassion. After all, as the creature said to Walton, "You hate me, but your abhorrence cannot equal that with which I regard myself." Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. New York: Chelsea, 1987. Botting, Fred. Making monstrous. Frankenstein, criticism, theory. Manchester University Press, 1991. Boyd, Stephen. York Notes on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Longman York Press, 1992. Mellor, Anne K. Mary Shelley. Her Life, her Fiction, her Monsters. Methuen. New York, London, 1988. Patterson, Arthur Paul. A Frankenstein Study. http://www.watershed.winnipeg.mb.ca/Frankenstein.html Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus. Edited with an Introduction and notes by Maurice Hindle. Penguin books, 1992   The Theme of Loneliness in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Essay -- Frank   Ã‚   Mary Shelley's Frankenstein examines two phenomena of human nature, scientific curiosity and loneliness; the latter will serve as the focus of this essay. The very manner in which Frankenstein begins, that of the correspondence of an unattached explorer who longs for a companion on his voyage, with no one to write to but his sister, establishes the theme of loneliness immediately. Frankenstein's creation is a complex character whose true motives cannot be determined easily. Although one cannot excuse his actions, they should certainly not be viewed out of context. The creature is exposed to the painful reality of loneliness from the moment of his creation. "I had worked hard for nearly two years," Victor states, "for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body...but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room..." The moment Victor realizes what he has done, he is terrified, and flees. This cycle continues, each time isolating the creature further and further. He yearns constantly for some kind of human contact, but does not receive it because of the way in which Victor created his body. Victor meant for it to be a thing of beauty, but realized first that the gathering of pieces from various cadavers res ulted in an appearance that frightens at first sight. A barrier always exists before the creature, much like the wall that separated him from the cottage of the DeLaceys. The creature is touched by the love of the DeLacey family and feels that he is a part of their family. He wants desperately to be accepted by them, but is aware of how they will react if they se... ...excuse the creature's actions. But we can be more understanding of his situation and try to have some compassion. After all, as the creature said to Walton, "You hate me, but your abhorrence cannot equal that with which I regard myself." Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. New York: Chelsea, 1987. Botting, Fred. Making monstrous. Frankenstein, criticism, theory. Manchester University Press, 1991. Boyd, Stephen. York Notes on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Longman York Press, 1992. Mellor, Anne K. Mary Shelley. Her Life, her Fiction, her Monsters. Methuen. New York, London, 1988. Patterson, Arthur Paul. A Frankenstein Study. http://www.watershed.winnipeg.mb.ca/Frankenstein.html Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus. Edited with an Introduction and notes by Maurice Hindle. Penguin books, 1992  

Lord of the Flies- Who Is the Best Leader Essay

In the novel, there is a clear, constant battle for leadership between two of the main characters, Ralph and Jack. The two characters are completely different- as you could say they are the antithesis of one another. In appearance, character, desires (as one wants control through order and civilization and one in self-entertainment). I am going to show how and why Jack Merridew is clearly a better, more appealing leader of the two. First things first, an interesting scene is the one of the elections, at the start of the novel, as the author clearly emphasises the embarrassment and anger Jack feels as he loses the vote. Many judge this negatively, as to pointing out the selfishness and avarice of power Jack demonstrates, but turning the tables, you could also notice Jack’s confidence before the actual elections. This might suggest how Jack is completely sure he can be a better leader, which after turns out to be true towards the end of the novel. Secondly, I would like to point out again how attractive Jack is towards the rest of the boys, as he satisfies completely their primal desires: fun, hunting, messing around. He shows this several times, one of them being: â€Å"he gave a wild whoop and leapt on the pale sand. At once the platform was full of noise and excitement, scrambling, screams and laughter.† This particularly evidences the esteem and admiration the kids feel towards Jack. This is a reason he could be a better leader. Who wants to be a boring, civilized loser, and not a courageous, enthusiastic hunter who likes to kill everything? Which kid would not choose a trusty and confident, skilful leader, over a weak, unstable drag, who can only rely on a fat chatterbox with no benefits of any kind? Therefore this means that I would like to refer again to Ralph’s instability and lack of confidence, as he actually admits in a way to piggy, that Jack is much superior to him, and this is the worst thing a leader can do: not believe in himself. Even more severe is the fact that Ralph almost fears Jack, not only as a menace to his reputation and leadership, but also as a major threat to him. This is shown as Piggy states how Jack detests him, but also detests Ralph, â€Å"maybe because he’s the leader†. He simply says, â€Å"But he’s Jack Merridew!† Another proof of Jack’s power of attention over the kids is after his speech: â€Å"Jack handed the conch and sat. The whole assembly applauded in relief.† He had just insulted most of the little kids, saying they were â€Å"a bunch of cry-babies† which â€Å"never helped doing anything†. But they applauded anyways; by this we can deduce that he is a general referring-point for all, as a brave, imponent figure. But in this case it is important to draw out the fact that Jack just gave spirit and taught a lesson to the littleuns. To conclude the speech, I am going to finish by saying that Jack is certainly the most catchy and enthusiastic leader, and a perfect one, for boys and â€Å"littleuns†. Said, because even the author himself outlines this, by this last quote made by Ralph, which states Jack’s supremacy on him and the boys.

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit Personal Reflection

The book, when Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit introduces a very intelligent, smart, and social girl Anna, who has a brother named Max, and lives with her mother and father. Her father has many connections to other people since he is a well known Jewish writer; therefore, he knew to move to Switzerland in case Hitler won the elections and took control. Anna does not know how lucky she is to be saved from all the trouble taking place in all of Germany.Going from country to country is hard for any family, and I know it would be hard for me, but Anna showed me that it does not matter what appends as long as we have our family together. When Anna warned her dad about almost being led to the train to Germany, it showed how bright she was. She adapted to the Switzerland lifestyle very quickly. She made many new friends and even the boys wanted to play with her. Instead of being homesick and complaining about wanting to go back, she taught me to make the best of difficult situations and find the p ositive in everything.A few months later she had to move to Paris, France. Moving constantly is something I would hate to do, especially on train, but she kept a positive attitude the whole way. She struggled to speak French and in school, and sometimes she could not do anything about it. Her difficult time are an example that nothing can always go the way you want It to. During the story, there was a problem where one of the beds ended up breaking, and they needed to hire someone to fix It. The person who they hired to fix the bed turned out to be anta- Jewish and rude.Her mother was extremely upset and kicked him out of the house. They decided to move away to England with an uncle. Her mom Is a strong example of letting the negative Influences go away and Instead being with better, positive Influences like family. Father worked hard in his writing Job and It reminds me of my parents and their hard work to support my family. Without the work they do, we would not be able to have wh at we have. Mother also relates to my mom, they both make sure we do well In school and stay focused.Without mother, Anna would not be motivated to continue to try and learn French. When Max and Anna fight, It reminds me of how I do not always get along with my siblings and sometimes we get Into arguments. In the end, the argument never matters. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit Is a great book that shows the world through the perspective of a ten year old girl. I related to Anna and her life struggles. Anna and her family stay together through the whole experience, and they find out a way to make their dangerous situation work.This story leads me to believe that everything happens for a reason, and whatever happens, have a positive look to It because everything happens for a reason. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit Personal Reflection By lawlessly always go the way you want it to. During the story, there was a problem where one of the beds ended up breaking, and they needed to hire someon e to fix it. The person who they hired to fix the bed turned out to be anti- Jewish and rude. Her mother was England with an uncle.Her mom is a strong example of letting the negative influences go away and instead being with better, positive influences like family. Father worked hard in his writing Job and it reminds me of my parents and their hard what we have. Mother also relates to my mom, they both make sure we do well in to try and learn French. When Max and Anna fight, it reminds me of how I do not always get along with my siblings and sometimes we get into arguments. In the end, the argument never matters. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit is a great book that positive look to it because everything happens for a reason.

Grapes of Wrath Journal Essay

Connection (Family) As the Joads ride on their journey to California, they travel as a whole, one unit, one family. And on one night they camp off the side of the road, and run into the Wilson’s, creating and merging into one large family, with one goal in mind, reaching California. But as the days of traveling continue, the family struggles to stay intact due to obstacles such as the staggering heat, lack of money, automobile breaking down, doubts brought upon by people who have been in California, and even death. But Steinbeck defines â€Å"family† as a unit with members who think of other members before themselves, and Ma expresses this idea clearly with Granma’s death. The Joads have a connection where each member truly has someone to have their back when in need. Tom shares this with Casy and Al, Ma and Granma, Pa with Granpa and Uncle John, Ruthie and Winfield, Rose of Sharon and Connie, but then there’s Noah who doesn’t feel the same love which is one of the rea sons that persuades him to depart from the family. They also have a structure in which Tom, Pa, Al, usually make family decisions and the eventually the final verdict is given to Ma. Overall, family is suppose to take care of each other when in time of need and work as one rather than individuals. Adaptation (Positives and Negatives) With the family traveling together, it’s evident that migration is a change that is supported and has to be overcome. And although the outcome of migration is suppose to be glorious, the journey to achieved the so call promise land gives the family a brutal beating of struggle, hunger, and even death. Granpa and Granma died due to lack of health and high heat, but then again the conditions were somewhat the same in Sallisaw. Then there was also the death of the Joads dog. With migration, the Joads needed leaders and this is where characters such as Tom and Ma come into play as the heads of the family. Tom in a way leads the men, especially Al, and Ma leads Granma, Rose of Sharon, and the kids. To conclude, adaptation or migration changed characters into leaders to lead the family to California but at great costs and struggle. Compassion Compassion is taking pity or seeing those in need and taking action in anyway possible to help them overcome their problems and obstacles. In Chapter 12, a general chapter, a story of a family of 12 who were forced off their land and had to carry their belongings in a trailer, waited on the side of the 66. They were eventually hauled by a man who took them to California and fed them. This act by the random stranger is compassionate because he sees the family in need of help and no way to get to California and offers to take them and even feeds them. It’s one thing to feed 4 or 5 people but 12, it must come from the heart. With the Joads, they do the same with the Wilson’s but the Joads are less compassionate because they use them for their car to ease the weight from their own car. Then there’s also the part where a man enters a diner and begs for some cheap bread and the worker is pressured by the cook to be compassionate and give the man bread at a discount. Another example of being compassionate is when Tom comes back from his venture for a con rod with Al and Casy and meets up with the family at a campsite but are forced to leave. When Tom leaves, he walks by a women cooking and comments on how he’d like some. The woman smiles and says when the foods ready, he can have some. Throughout the journey of the Joads we see that food is scarce yet this woman offers to share. And the final example is when the Joads decide to cross the desert leading to California and at the same time leaving the Wilson’s behind. Pa leaves behind cooked food and money for them, knowing how hard their desert journey will be. We see a sweeter side of Pa rather than the serious and quiet Pa that is usually portrayed. Overall, compassion is still around even with such devastation surrounding folks due to the dust bowl and overproduction causing foreclosures, the AAA telling farmers what they can’t farm. Many have lost their homes, land and past life, but some still have their heart. Symbols (Biblical Allusions) One thing that made be think of any biblical symbols or allusions that Steinbeck could have used was when the Joads formally entered California just after running over a snake. The snake part gave it away due to it usually referring or having to do with the devil along with the desert part. When the Joads spent a night traveling over the feared desert, it made me  think what they went through so far. They lost Granma, Granpa, their dog, and separated from Noah. They were traveling by force through the desert on a low budget, with little food, heat anxiety, and were crowded in their old jalopy truck. With the desert, what comes to mind is the desert that Jesus traveled through for forty days and forty nights, and as he traveled he was tempted numerous times by the devil. And one thing to keep in mind is that God forced Jesus to walk and pray in the desert. As Jesus was forced to travel in the desert so were the Joads by the officer. I see the temptations as the conditions that the J oads were traveling with, lack of food, heat, little money etc. Just like the temptations from the devil, and the conditions of the Joads, they were suppose stop them from continuing on with their journey and to give up. But instead just like Jesus did, the Joads overcame the desert and won against the devil and that’s where the running over the snake comes in. Antagonists (People along the 66) Throughout the section, businessmen, state officials, land, and migrates who have been in California add on to the already challenging journey to California with their sound business, anti-farming seizes, mountains, discrimination, and doubts. In chapter 12, a tire store raise their prices because they know it’s an essential for family to keep going, and in this case, the salesman lies to the customer about the condition of a tire just to get an extra buck. Throughout the journey, the fear of high slopes and the desert scare the Joads and Wilson of stopping them from reaching the promise land. And along with the fear of nature not playing on their side, the Joads hear all the same stories of California not being what people thought it would be like. One man tells them that jobs are in a sense free labor or slave like work because so many are migrating to California giving an abundance of workers to employers, giving the the chance to give them whatever wages and they want. The re’s also stories about not being able to farm or touch any fruit on trees, stories that it’s not worth going. The Joads meet a couple of families who were heading back home east, away from California. With these stories and testimonies, it’s hard for the Joads to have confidence and faith in their journey and destination. Characterization (Tom) In chapter 13, when Tom pulls alongside the road where a family is camping,, the Wilson’s, he politely asks if they have permission to camp along with them, even though the strip of land wasn’t under their ownership. With this action we see how kind hearted and friendly Tom is even though he killed a man. Another example depicting his traits is in chapter 16 when he proposes a plan that will split him and Casy from the rest, in order to fix their truck and have the others move along. His proposal and plan show his leadership skills. Another example is when he attacks the one eyed man for giving up on life due to losing his eye. Tom expresses his opinion that whatever defects or disadvantages a person has that they should make the best of it. Overall we see Tom as a generous, kind hearted, leader, that believes everyone has the opportunity to make something out of themselves. Quote a Passage (Unity) â€Å"When this family meets another family on the highway, they share their stories of loss†¦ For here ‘I lost my land’ is changed†¦ ‘We lost our land.’† (193). This quote is significant because it expresses the idea of unity that pushes the migrates to move as ahead as one. They share a common tragedy, the heartbreak of losing their land, home, or farm. A large part of the country is the same position, a dilemma, and the only solution is to head out west. And to do so, Steinbeck helps portray the families migrating as one by using â€Å"we† and â€Å"our† and if they want to achieve their prosperity, they must not only have the same issues but work together to solve those issues. In a way, the havok laid upon by the dust bowl, foreclosures, and overproduction can’t be solve by one individual but by the aid, work, and cooperation of many.

Brief Notes on Karl Marx Essay

â€Å"Workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains† Karl Marx, a 19th century sociologist, philosopher and political economist who suggested a theory explaining the conflict between capital and labour, and the role of classes in the state, has had a profound influence on political thinking all over the world. Karl Marx was born on May 5, 1818, in Prussia. His family was Jewish, but later converted to Protestanism. Marx read law at university, majoring in history and philosophy. He concluded his university course in 1841. A revolutionary, he upset too many governments on the continent and eventually settled in London, where he died in 1883. â€Å"ACCORDING TO MARX, human civilization has manifested itself in a series of organizational structures, each determined by its primary mode of production, particularly the division of labor that dominates in each stage. â€Å"Ideology functions as the superstructure of a civilization: the conventions and culture that make up the dominant ideas of a society. The â€Å"ruling ideas† of a given epoch are, however, those of the ruling class: â€Å"The ruling ideas are nothing more than the ideal expression of the dominant material relationships, the dominant material relationships grasped as ideas; hence of the relationships which make the one class the ruling one, therefore, the ideas of their dominance†. Since one goal of ideology is to legitimize those forces in a position of hegemony, it tends to obfuscate the violence and exploitation that often keep a disempowered group in its place (from slaves in tribal society to the peasantry in feudal society to the proletariat in capitalist society). The obfuscation necessarily leads to logical contradictions in the dominant ideology, which Marxism works to uncover by returning to the material conditions of a society: a society’s mode o f production. â€Å"The material conditions existing at a given time period Marx refers to as  the means of production. Any given time period’s ideology is most clearly revealed by uncovering the material conditions of production: the means of production, as well as the relations of production (the ways the society structures the relations between individuals, particularly through the division of labor), which together make up the mode of production: â€Å"life involves before everything else eating and drinking, a habitation, clothing and many other things. The first historical act is thus the production of the means to satisfy these needs, the production of material life itself† (48). For Marx, it is the materiality of human production that directly influences ideology: â€Å"Life is not determined by consciousness, but consciousness by life†. Felluga, Dino. (2003) â€Å"Modules on Marx, Introductory Guide to Critical Theory† . 17 Mar 2004 Marx states that Capitalist society is formed of the Owning Class (Borgoisie), those who own and control the economic functions of society and who can thus shape society to suit themselves; and the Working Class (Proletariat), the workers. These classes have nothing in common; they are antagonistic and in conflict with each other. This struggle will ultimately lead to revolution and the establishment of a single class society. All relationships are based upon Economics – even family relationships – economics is the fundamental driving force, surpassing even religion which he described as the Opium of the People. Understanding economic relationships is a crucial step if one wishes to gain control of them.

Personal Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Personal Statement - Essay Example I had the great opportunity to work at Glorysky Group and Macau Natural Gas, both of which have provided me with intensive training as well as a valuable opportunity to implement my skills and knowledge from my studies. I conducted research in the global energy market and compiled regular reports regarding energy price fluctuation, which I presented to the group’s executive managers. My research has provided my supervisor with credible information about various topics, ranging from price volatility to anticipated profits due to fluctuations in international LNG demand. Furthermore, I was involved in the provision of risk-hedging strategies to Macau Natural Gas, mainly on interest rates and exchange rates, which are the company’s major concern. My research and strategy has contributed valuably to future funding plans, as well as to discovering the best market opportunities. These experiences contribute majorly to my research proposal. Furthermore, to ascertain competence in this field, which lies outside my economics curriculum, I have endeavored to gain some additional qualifications more relevant to the field of risk management. For this purpose, I studied and passed the Professional Risk Manager (PRMTM ) designation. To enhance skills on the same, I have studied and passed the Chartered Financial Analysis Program (CFA), level 1 and the Financial Risk Manager Program (FRM), level 1. These external studies are achievements that distinguish me from the other candidates; since a significant amount of extra time and effort has been invested in gathering academic knowledge as well as work experience. Initially, choosing my focus of research between agriculture and energy presented quite a challenge for me, since these are currently the two most forthcoming scarcity issues concerning economists. I have confirmed, however, that my interest is greatly biased towards energy rather than the alternative, as I discovered after traveling the world. Additional ly, â€Å"Oil on the Brain† by Lisa Margonelli was a true inspiration for me. She indicated that studying a subject is beyond the scope of simply reading text from books and that personal experience is equally important. Fortunately, I have friends and relatives scattered in various industries across the globe, and thus, I was able to gain exceptional access to restricted mining sites to explore the exciting scenes. In particular, Lisa Margonelli mentioned some of the scenes in her books; sights that could get anyone amazed and completely addicted. My trip to Alberta last year was only the start of my journey. The joint venture of Macau Natural Gas and Sinopec will grant me unlimited access to various energy plant sites in Asia, particularly Mainland China, which will thus be my plan for this year. Furthermore, I believe that I have comprehended my weakness explicitly, which makes my progression to graduate studies essential. My major techniques for measuring price prediction s are through econometrics and mathematical modeling, while employing specific programs, making it limited yet efficient. MSc Economics was also vital to intensify my econometrics modeling. Furthermore, having a better understanding in macroeconomics provided me with a bigger picture of the world economy and with sophisticated quantitative skills. An MSc in Finance on the other hand provided me with the better