Convergence of Accounting Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Convergence of Accounting Standards - Essay Example The world markets are increasingly converging due to globalization, and there is a constant flow of investments from one part of the world to another. The use of different accounting standards in a highly globalized world has hampered the flow of investment across borders, which drags the world economic growth and security valuations in its turn. As a result there has been a move among the regulatory bodies to converge the accounting standards globally, and steps have been taken towards this aim. Sir David Tweedie, The Chairman of IASB, says that research shows that if companies are familiar with a country's accounting standards, then they would invest more there than if they are unfamiliar with it. Any company entering another country's market has to learn its accounting principles and even then they remain concerned that they may have overlooked at some points. This increases the risk premium and cost of capital, as well as the interest charged on it. This might lead to a company cutting its investment, thus cutting employment and hence cutting its growth. Hence, a common set of international accounting standards becomes very important. (Heffes, Apr 2006) A global set of principles based accounting standards is the final goal of this international convergence in accounting standards. ... Of these, the most important is the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) of the United States. There has been a marked difference in the accounting standards of FASB and that proposed by IASB. The latter is propagating a principles-based accounting standard, while the former has been following a rule-based accounting standard. A lot of effort has gone into bringing the FASB to the IASB's line of thinking. And a lot of progress is being made. The UK accounting standards have traditionally been principles based and so have not had much disagreement with the efforts to converge with an international accounting standard, which is based on principles. In this paper we analyze the convergence projects undertaken between the IASB and the FASB, and the UK accounting standards and the International Accounting standards. History The FASB is the private sector standard-setting body in the USA. It was established in the year 1972. The standards that FASB sets put recognition, measurement and disclosure principles to be at the heart of preparing the financial statements. The IASB was created when the erstwhile IASC was restructured. The IASB was delegated the responsibility of producing a single set of high quality, understandable and enforceable IFRS's and to encourage convergence on these standards. The first step taken towards convergence between FASB and IASB accounting principles was the Norwalk Agreement, which discussed how the two bodies could work together to "get rid of the reconciliation between US GAAP and International standards." The second step has been the European Union adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which has meant a 100 or more countries adopting it. (Heffes, Apr 2006) In 2002, the EU approved a regulation,

High school Essay Example for Free

High school Essay * Literacy is a human right, a tool of personal empowerment and a means for social and human development. Educational opportunities depend on literacy. Literacy is at the heart of basic education for all, and essential for eradicating poverty, reducing child mortality, curbing population growth, achieving gender equality and ensuring sustainable development, peace and democracy. (Why Is Literacy Important? UNESCO, 2010) * The notion of basic literacy is used for the initial learning of reading and writing which adults who have never been to school need to go through. The term functional literacy is kept for the level of reading and writing which adults are thought to need in modern complex society. Use of the term underlines the idea that although people may have basic levels of literacy, they need a different level to operate in their day-to-day lives. (David Barton, Literacy: An Introduction to the Ecology of Written Language, 2nd ed. WileyBlackwell, 2006) * To acquire literacy is more than to psychologically and mechanically dominate reading and writing techniques. It is to dominate those techniques in terms of consciousness; to understand what one reads and to write what one understands: it is to communicate graphically. Acquiring literacy does not involve memorizing sentences, words or syllableslifeless objects unconnected to an existential universebut rather an attitude of creation and re-creation, a self-transformation producing a stance of intervention in ones context. (Paulo Freire, Education for Critical Consciousness. Sheed Ward, 1974) * There is hardly an oral culture or a predominantly oral culture left in  the world today that is not somehow aware of the vast complex of powers forever inaccessible without literacy. (Walter J. Ong, Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the Word. Methuen, 1982) * We expect the contradictory and the impossible. . . . We expect to be inspired by mediocre appeals for excellence, to be made literate by illiterate appeals for literacy. (Daniel J. Boorstin, The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America, 1961) * Women and Literacy In the history of women, there is probably no matter, apart from contraception, more important than literacy. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, access to power required knowledge of the world. This could not be gained without reading and writing, skills that were granted to men long before they were to women. Deprived of them, women were condemned to stay home with the livestock, or, if they were lucky, with the servants. (Alternatively, they may have been the servants. ) Compared with men, they led mediocre lives. In thinking about wisdom, it helps to read about wisdomabout Solomon or Socrates or whomever. Likewise, goodness and happiness and love. To decide whether you have them, or want to make the sacrifices necessary to get them, it is useful to read about them. Without such introspection, women seemed stupid; therefore, they were considered unfit for education; therefore, they weren’t given an education; therefore they seemed stupid. (Joan Acocella, Turning the Page. Review of The Woman Reader by Belinda Jack [Yale University Press, 2012]. The New Yorker, October 15, 2012) * From the website of California Literacy, Inc. The literacy rate in the US has many educators in search of answers about this problem that has plagued our country for decades. Instead of decreasing, the numbers of literacy has steadily increased over the years. This raises a lot of questions about our education system, how it is ran, and why there is such a problem with illiterate people in our country. (quoted by The New Yorker, Nov. 22, 2010) Pronunciation: LIT-er-eh-see Language * Six Common Myths About Language * Key Dates in the History of the English Language * Introduction to Etymology: Word Histories Elsewhere on the Web * The National Institute for Literacy (US) * The Literacy Project * National Literacy Trust (UK) Resources for Writers * Reference Works for Writers and Editors * Grammar and Usage Advice Sites * Sites for Correcting Common Sentence Errors Related Articles * orality definition and examples of orality * illiteracy definition and examples of illiteracy * aliteracy definition and examples of aliteracy * Adult Education What Is Adult Education * Writing Degree Do I Need a Writing Degree Richard Nordquist Grammar Composition Guide * Sign up for My Newsletter * Headlines * Forum Advertisement. Related Searches achieving gender equality paulo freire education curbing population growth critical consciousness paulo freire personal empowerment Explore Grammar Composition Must Reads * What Is Grammar? * Euphemisms for Death * Commonly Confused Words * 400 Essay Topics * Introductions to 30 Figures of Speech Most Popular * What Is a Metaphor? * Writing Topics: Argument * Top 20 Figures of Speech * 400 Writing Topics * metaphor See More About: * english language By Category * Writing Tips * Business Writing * Correcting Errors * English Grammar * Punctuation Mechanics. * Composing Sentences * Words * Composing Paragraphs * Composing Essays * Rhetoric and Style * Exercises and Quizzes * Readings and Resources * Grammar Rhetoric Glossary Grammar Composition 1. About. com 2. Education 3. Grammar Composition 4. Grammar Rhetoric Glossary 5. Icon Lower Case 6. literacy definition and examples of literacy * Advertise on About. com * Our Story * News Events * SiteMap * All Topics * Reprints * Help * Write for About * Careers at About * User Agreement * Ethics Policy * Patent Info. * Privacy Policy * Your Ad Choices  ©2013 About. com. All rights reserved. The Greatest Literacy Challenges Facing Contemporary High School Teachers: Implications for Secondary Teacher Preparation Mary B. Campbell Saint Xavier University Margaret M. Kmiecik Saint Xavier University Secondary teachers face significant challenges in their efforts to increase the literacy levels of adolescents. Encouraging teachers to speak out about these challenges and to recommend initiatives that may improve literacy practices for adolescents is vital for future reform efforts. This study examines the questions: What are the greatest literacy challenges facing high school content area teachers? and What will help to diminish these challenges? The data collection questionnaire was distributed to teachers in eight high schools throughout the greater Chicago area. A discussion of the findings suggests compelling directions for secondary teachers and teacher educators. 2 Reading Horizons, 2004, 4, (1) WHILE SEVERAL REFORMS in higher education teacher preparation have made a difference in more teachers being highly prepared and qualified (Smylie, Bay, Tozer, 1999), preparing teachers to meet the literacy demands of secondary students still remains inadequate. Improving literacy learning in our nations high schools needs serious elevation as an educational priority at all levels. The 2002 NAEP (National Association for Educational Progress) Report indicates that 36 percent of students in grade 12 performed at a proficient level, indicating that only a little over one-third of our nations high school seniors can understand challenging material (Feller, 2003). This was a decline in performance from 1998 when the NAEP reported the percentage of seniors who performed at the proficient level as 40 percent (U. S. Department of Education, 1999). Additionally the 1998 report states that no more than 6 percent of the adolescents performed at the advanced level which demonstrates students ability to analyze and extend the meaning of the materials they read. The NAEP data further show more than one-third of the students did not demonstrate competence at a basic level of literacy. The International Reading Association has taken a substantial leadership role in elevating attention to middle school and secondary literacy issues by establishing the Commission on Adolescent Literacy in 1997 (Rycik Irvin, 2001). The work of this Commission resulted in the published document, Adolescent Literacy: A Position Statement (Moore, Bean, Birdyshaw, Rycik, 1999), which recommends principles for teachers to consider when supporting the literacy growth of secondary students. Still much more comprehensive work needs to be done as challenges still persist and teachers, administrators, and staff developers have asked for more examples of practices that might renew and revitalize their efforts for middle and high school students (Rycik Irvin, 2001, p.4). Teaching has greatly increased in range and complexity over the last decade. Teachers now find themselves in highly pressured environments (Pincas, 2002). Faced with the reality of overcrowded classrooms, high stakes testing, and standards-based environments, using instructional practices that move students to higher levels of thinking through more authentic forms of learning are lost. Additional factors Secondary Teaclher Literacy Clhallenges 3  that compound the situation are high student mobility, absenteeism, minimal student engagement, misbehavior, missing homework, cultural and linguistic diversity, special needs, and increasing numbers of students from poverty and single parent households (Alvermann, Hinchman, Moore, Phelps, Waff, 1998). Regardless of the number or degree of challenges, teachers still remain accountable for fostering literacy growth among all students. Efforts to improve literacy learning for secondary students must take seriously the realities and challenges persistent in todays high schools. Reform theorists who suggest improvement can be made through a series of workshops, enhanced technology, sanctions and the like, (Smylie, Bay, Tozer, 1999, p. 59) are naive at best. A new paradigm requires comprehensive and systemic change. It also requires a serious re-orientation towards broad organizational, political, and economic presuppositions on which definition and acquisition of change must be based. Moreover, it involves a commitment to putting teachers at the forefront of the reform process. Valencia and Wixson (2000) argue that it is time for the voices of teachers to be heard. Without empowered professional voices, we lose the potential for constructing serious reform. Emerging Directions If students are to achieve high literacy standards, evidence strongly suggests that what teachers know and can do is one of the more important factors influencing student achievement. (Darling-Hammond, 1999, p. 228). Research also makes it clear that if teachers are to negotiate the demands of new standards and new students, they must have access to a deeper base of knowledge and expertise than most teacher preparation programs now provide (Darling-Hammond, 1999, p.229). While several studies have looked at reform in teacher preparation programs, Schwartz (1996) concluded that reform changes in teacher preparation have resulted in little more than adjusting on the margins (p. 3). Particularly troubling, in secondary teacher preparation, is the limited attention given to the challenges existing in schools in which future teachers must help students to achieve literacy, and the problems 4 Reading Horizons, 2004, 4, (1) of schooling in a broader social context. Moreover, in many states, secondary teacher preparation programs include a requirement of a content area reading course, whereas in other states there is no equivalent requirement. This has remained literally unchanged for years, even as secondary students continue to struggle with reading and writing throughout the high school curriculum. The wide-spread standards movement has made some impact in requiring newly certified teachers to demonstrate competency on specific literacy knowledge and performance indicators. However, the depth of what is needed to teach content area literacy in secondary schools requires more than one course, and/or a few standards. Connecting Two Distinct Communities Education can no longer be seen as an exclusive function, and the traditional structures cannot remain isolated from social change. Faculties in colleges and universities and the practicing teachers in secondary schools have no choice but to adjust to new paradigms. While it is now more common to find partnerships and institutional collaborations between university faculty and secondary teachers, many of these need redefinition. In many partnerships, practicing teachers have related there has not been a high level of reciprocity, as the universities are too dominant (Campbell, 2002, p. 22). Each entity must put into the equation improvement strategies that are meaningful to their respective organizations; that is, they need to identify areas where they truly need help from one another. Then institutionally and programmatically, they need to find ways to work together to make those intended improvements a reality (Howey Zimpher, 1999, p. 299). High school teachers and teacher educators alike are looking to move beyond  yet another good idea to realize reconceptualization and transformation for secondary literacy education. This means engaging high school teachers in the process of secondary teacher preparation, determining what factors pose the greatest challenges to literacy development and using this knowledge as a cornerstone for improving Secondary Teaclher Literacy Clhallenges literacy practices in schools. Failure to confront these challenges effectively will undoubtedly compromise the ability of teachers to serve as effective agents of change. Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the problems secondary teachers face that impede literacy learning in the classrooms and to yield information that may inform the preparation of future secondary teachers. Two broad questions emerged to guide this study: o What are the greatest literacy challenges facing high school content area teachers? e What will help to diminish these challenges for current and/or future high school teachers? The Study ParticipatingS chools and Teachers The schools that participated in this study included eight high schools, seven public and one private. The researchers purposely selected the schools to ensure ethnic diversity as well as urban and suburban representation. Six of the high schools represented grades 10-12 and two included grades 9-12. The school principals granted permission to graduate students enrolled in a Masters Degree Program in Reading to place the High School Literacy Survey in the school mailboxes of the teachers. A total of 450 questionnaires, including a cover letter and a stamped return envelope, were distributed to 9-12 teachers. Two hunared and two questionnaires were returned, realizing a return rate of 45 percent. There were no follow-up attempts to obtain a higher return rate. Most respondents (71 percent) had advanced degrees beyond the B. A. or B. S. : among these were 68 percent with a M. A. and 3 percent with a Ph. D. Teachers from 18 different subject area fields responded to the survey. English (18 percent), mathematics (16 percent), and science (15 percent) teachers comprised the majority of participants. The remaining teachers represented the following subjects; art (3 percent), 5. 6 ReadingHorizons, 2004, 45, (1) business (4 percent), technology (4 percent), drivers education (1 percent), foreign language (6 percent), history (7 percent), library (1 percent), music (1 percent), physical education (3 percent), reading (1 percent), radio/television (1 percent), social studies (8 percent), special education (3 percent), theology (3 percent), and vocational education (4 percent). Teachers with more than 10 years of experience accounted for 63 percent of the sample, while 37 percent had 10 years or less. Teachers working in suburban areas surrounding the greater Chicago area comprised the majority (67 percent) of the sample population, with the remaining 33 percent coming from urban schools. Forty-four percent described their schools as predominately diverse ( 50 percent), 32 percent considerably diverse (30-50 percent minority), 17 percent somewhat diverse (10-30 percent minority) and 7 percent primarily white (less than 10 percent minority). The Questionnaire We collected the data from a survey instrument, High School. Literacy Survey, designed and constructed by us. The questionnaire requested two types of information: * objective, relating to educational degrees, content field of study, years of teaching experience, diversity of school population * subjective, relating to opinions and values in teaching and learning The subjective portion of the survey was comprised of two broad questions. The first question asked teachers to identify 5 of the 20 factors that posed the greatest challenges in helping their students to attain literacy in their subject field. Respondents wrote the numeral 1 next to the statement representing their greatest challenge, the numeral 2 next to the statement representing their next greatest challenge, and so forth through the numeral 5. (See Appendix) The twenty statements, defined as challenges, were derived from the literature on content area reading. An extensive review of the literature Secondary Teaclher Literacy Clhallenges 7 resulted in identifying twenty challenges, however, these may not represent all possible factors and they may not represent factors that teachers would have included if they were to construct the questionnaire. A space was provided for teachers entitled other for their convenience in identifying additional factors that pose as challenges. Since no specific theory was identified to serve as a foundation for the selection of factors, they represent an eclectic representation. Additionally, the factors were not defined on the questionnaire, indicating that a singular definition cannot be assumed and that the factors may represent multiple meanings in the field. The second question invited the teachers to respond openly to the question, What do you believe will help to diminish these challenges for current and/or future high school teachers? Findings Percentages were used to report the data on the high school teachers perceptions about the factors that challenge them most in helping their students to achieve literacy in their subject area. Table 1. Percentage Responses of Factors that Represent the Greatest Literacy Challenges Factors Percent 1 2 3 4 5 Total Assessment of student learning 2 1 1 2 2 8 Classroom environment 1 2 1 2 6 Classsize 4 4 6 8 5 27 Cultural and language diversity 1 1 2 among students Curriculum 1 2_ 1A _3 7. 8 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1) Factors Percent 1 2 3 4 5 Total Helping students to construct. meaning from text Helping students interpret graphics in text Helping students to learn and use critical thinking skills Helping students to locate and organize information Helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary Homework issues Integrating technology for teaching and learning Selecting materials for teaching and learning Organizing and managing the classroom for learning State/district/school standards for students Struggling readers Student motivation/interest/attitudes 3 6 6 7 7 1 1 3 2 16 8 12 11 12 1 5 5 4 3 8 3 6 11 12 5 8 10 6 7 1 5 2 1 3 1 4 1 2 2 3 1 1 1 1 2 9 9 8 8 8. 33 17 17 8 7 1 5 5 5 3 19 29 7 59 18 40 36 12 5 8 6 42 82 Students with special needs Secondary Teacher Literacy Chiallenges Factors Percent 1 2 3 4 5 Total Students who lack study skills 11 13 13 13 7 57 Writing skills of students 2 8 5 7 8 30 (A ranking scale, with 1 meaning greatest challenge, 2 next greatest challenge, and so forth) The top five challenges as reported in Table 1 were: * student motivation, interests, and attitudes (33 percent) o helping students to learn and use critical thinking skills (16 percent) o students who lack study skills (11 percent) o struggling readers (9 percent). o helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary (8 percent). The least perceived challenges were cultural and language diversity among students (2 percent) and selecting materials for teaching and learning (5 percent). Examining the data of the largest responding groups of content area teachers, English, mathematics, and science, yielded similar findings. All three of these groups identified the same top two challenges as did the total group. The English, mathematics, and science teachers third, fourth and fifth rankings were: * English (3) homework issues (4) students who lack study skills. (5) writing skills of students o Mathematics (3) students who lack study skills 9 iO Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1) (4) homework issues (5) helping students to locate and organize information e Science: (3) students who lack study skills (4) helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary (5) helping students to construct meaning from text The teachers were also asked to respond to the following openended question, What do you believe will help to diminish these challenges for current and/or future high school teachers? Seventyseven percent of the teachers wrote responses to this question. The resppnses were grouped by similar topics from which themes emerged. Table 2 reports the percentages of the most frequently occurring responses to the open-ended question. Table 2. Themes and Percentages of Responses for Confronting the Greatest Challenges Most Frequent Responses by Theme Percent Better basic skills instruction in elementary schools 64 More parent responsibility and support 58 Mandatory inclusion of critical 39 thinking questions on all assessments Study skills classes for incoming students 33 I Iimprove teacher preparation/more methods for 28 secondary teachers. Greater respect and support from society 20 Practical/useful staff development 11 Secondary TeachterLiteracy Challenges 11 Most Frequent Responses by Theme Percent Teacher task forces making policy decisions 9 instead of politicians and administrators Complete restructuring of the current traditional 7 education model A center at each high school for struggling readers The most common responses cited by the majority of teachers to confront the greatest challenges (Table 2) were better basic skills instruction in elementary schools (64 percent) and more parent responsibility and support (58 percent). Sample responses given by less than 50 percent of the teachers were mandatory inclusion of critical thinking questions on all assessments (39 percent), study skills classes for incoming students (33 percent), and improvement of teacher preparation with more methods for secondary teachers (28 percent). Discussion The results of this study provide insight for the continuing efforts to improve the literacy levels of secondary students. They are, however, neither exclusive nor exhaustive. They are offered with no claim for the universality or total generalizability, but they are offered as a common ground for thinking. Student Motivation andA ttitudes High school teachers identified student motivation to read, write, and do other literacy-related activities as their greatest challenge. The teachers written comments on questionnaires indicated that much of the class-assigned reading is often boring and not relevant to the students own interests and experiences. They also stated that the students who will not read are as much at a disadvantage as those who cannot. Student 12 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1) motivation was ranked the greatest challenge of all for the participating teachers. The dilemma of identifying and implementing strategies to motivate adolescents is not new to literacy practice. The data from this study confirm what the research (Alexander Filler, 1976; Au Asam, 1996; Benware Deci, 1984; Collins-Block, 1992; Guthrie Alao, 1997; Schraw, Brunning, Svoboda, 1995) has documented over time: that student motivation, interests, and attitudes are indeed authentic challenges. Teaching adolescents to become active, motivated, and selfregulated learners is a continuing issue in secondary schools. It is during the adolescent years when reading motivation and attitudes appear to worsen, especially for poor readers (McKenna, Kear, Ellsworth, 1995). Serious attempts to advance literacy skills require interventions that address motivation and attitudes as much as interventions that assure cognitive changes in the learners (Verhoevan Snow, 2001). This generally does not happen. Motivational constructs are usually not given significant vigilance in relation to student cognition and thinking, and at best, are given only passing and superficial attention. A further problem is that standard reading texts and uniform curricula make life somewhat easier for teachers and administrators, but they make it very difficult for students to get involved with the material at the level that is right for them, and therefore to find intrinsic rewards in learning. In the classroom, the teacher is the key element in motivating students to learn. The responsibility is great and the ramifications even greater, yet many responding high school teachers stated they were not adequately prepared in their teacher preparation programs with the knowledge, skills, and instructional strategies to ignite the spirit of their students. These teachers indicated they want more ideas, support, and freedom within the school curriculum to take the lead, and more ways to experience first-hand, in-field, motivational issues in their teacher preparation programs. Critical Thinking Skills. Teaching critical thinking skills was the second greatest challenge for teachers. Large numbers of teachers indicated they feel underSecondary Teachter Literacy Clhallenges 13 prepared in pedagogical methods to help studenis conceptualize problems and solutions. Assisting adolescents to become proficient with these skills is a prodigious challenge for secondary teachers. The capacity for abstraction, for discovering patterns and meanings, generalizing, evaluating, and theorizing is the very essence of critical thinking and exploration. For most students in the United States and throughout the world, formal education entails just the opposite kind of learning. Rather than construct meaning for themselves, meanings are imposed upon them. Frequently, students often accumulate a large number of facts along the way, yet these facts are not central to their education; they will live their adult lives in a world in which most facts learned years before (even including some historical ones) will have changed or have been reinterpreted. Whatever data they need will be available to them at the touch of a computer key. If students are to learn critical thinking skills, teachers must teach them and engage their students in genuine problem solving discussion. Generally these skills are best, and likely only taught and assessed, through extended discourse. This is difficult to do in crowded classes where it is near to impossible to carry out extended discussions. The commitment to teaching these skills in all content areas means gaining support from the public. It also means that teachers must gain the knowledge and skills to do so through teacher preparation programs and inservice education, taking into account the real-life situations and parameters in todays classrooms. Study Skills Students who lack study skills ranked as the third greatest challenge to teachers. The importance of study skills has been documented over time in the professional literature (Flood Lapp, 1995). What is known is that many people of all ages have difficulty reading and learning, largely because they are not using appropriate techniques or good learning habits. Often, the adolescents who are dropping out of schools are doing so because they believe they carnot learn. For the majority of these students, they lack suitable reading and study techniques, which 14 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45(1) impede their growth in learning and contribute to their negative beliefs about themselves and school. Although most secondary teachers have a thorough understanding qf their subject, many responding teachers in this study indicated they lack the knowledge of instructional/study strategies by which to help students internalize the concepts. Research shows that with an organized system of study, students can increase their comprehension of subject matter up to 50 percent (Annis, 1983). As nations seek to assist adolescents in gaining higher levels of literacy, the knowledge and skills that teachers need to teach their students effective study habits and strategies may likely become central to the curriculum in secondary teacher preparation programs and in the curriculum of secondary schools. Struggling Readers Struggling readers ranked as the fourth greatest challenge to the high school teachers. Teachers responded that these students can be found hiding out in content classrooms. They frequently are passive and disengaged. , Many have found coping strategies to help (them get by, but they do not significantly improve their literacy skills or their knowledge in the content areas. I Although comprehension of text material is difficult and sometimes impossible for struggling readers, there are research-based strategies that have proven to be successful when used with struggling readers. One such strategy is instructional scaffolding, an effective strategy that gives students a better chance to be successful than if left on their own (Vacca, 2002). Pedagogy, which includes instructional techniques for diverse learners, is glossed over in many teacher preparation programs for secondary teachers. However, it is as important in the preparation of high school teachers as is cognitive knowledge (Darling-Hammond, 2000). If high school teachers are to make substantial contributions to all adolescents, it will require more knowledge of relevant instructional methodologies. Darling-Hammond (2000) found that teacher subject-matter knowledge was related to student achievement only up to a certain point. Secondary Teacher Literacy Challenges 15 Marzano (2003) asserts that the importance of the relationship between pedagogical knowledge and student achievement has been consistently reported in the research literature. Furthermore, in a study conducted by Ferguson and Womack (1993), they found that the number of courses teachers took in instructional techniques accounted for four times the variance in teacher performance and student achievement than did subject-matter knowledge. Teachers stated that more information about how to assist the struggling readers in their classrooms is sorely needed in preservice teacher education programs. Additionally they need to know that the strategies and support to assist these learners are realistic for todays classrooms. Key Concepts and Vocabulary Helping students to understand concepts and vocabulary ranked as the fifth greatest challenge. Every subject area has its own vocabulary and modes of argument, and its language is the common denominator for learning subject matter knowledge. Vacca and Vacca (2002) agree: they state, Vocabulary must be taught well enough to remove potential barriers to students understanding of texts as well as to promote a longterm acquisition of the language of a content area (p. 160-161). Teachers want more knowledge about ways to teach vocabulary and concepts to adolescents, strategies that will provide adolescents with a deeper and richer entry into the content area of study, and strategies that will work in the classrooms of today. Intriguing Findings It is a noteworthy finding that the cultural and language diversity among students in the classrooms was not identified among the greatest challenges. The majority of teachers in this study were from diverse schools, and yet only two percent ranked this to be a challenge. Equally notable was the fact that state, district, and school standards, writing skills, and integrating technology were not identified among the greatest challenges. 16 Reading Horizons, 2004, 45, (1). Of all the findings, the most revealing was that provided by the drivers education teachers: whereas every other content-area group of teachers, albeit art, music, business, foreign language, etc. , ranked student motivation as the greatest challenge, they did not. This is not surprising as it supports the findings of this study as well as long standing research in the field, as cited in Marzano, 2003. The hypothesis being that when motivated, students strive to learn.

A Look Into Psychoanalysis Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychoanalysis had its beginning with the discovery that a person in complete physical health could experience an illness with physical symptoms that stemmed from things trapped in the subconscious known as hysteria. Charcot, a French neurologist tried to liberate the mind through hypnosis. A Viennese physician, Josef Breuer, carried this purging further with a process based on his patient, Anna O., revealing her thoughts and feelings to him. Sigmund Freud took Breuer’s method and made generalizations that grew into conceptualizations and eventually into the theories of psychoanalysis. Freud would listen to his patients, and then use these thoughts to interpret what was happening in the unconscious part of their mind. This was explained as bringing the unconscious to consciousness so it could be dealt with through therapy. Breuer and Freud’s successes with this method led to the foundational publication of Studies in Hysteria in 1895. Freud continued his practice of theory until it became the system of psychology known as psychoanalysis, a system that is the single most influential theory of psychotherapy in our time. A brief look into psychoanalysis is seen through the foundations of Freud’s theory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Freud began with his study of the three forces of the psyche: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is the unconscious and contains most things inherited and the all-encompassing instincts. The ego is the conscious and must control the ever-demanding id by serving as its link to the external world. The ego is a regulator and responds to a stimulus by adapting or fleeing, regulating, and seeking pleasure while avoiding displeasure. The superego is actually managed by the id. It carries the responsibility of the limitation of satisfactions and the representation of other persons’ influence, especially the influence of parents, teachers, and other role models. It also represents the impact of racial, cultural, and societal traditions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The instincts, which are mostly a part of the id, are the cause of every human behavior. Behavior is further made up of two basic instincts that are Eros (love) and Death (destructive and aggressive). Eros is responsible for establishing and preserving the unity of relationships. The Death or destructive instinct carries the purpose of un... ...ll human failings and foibles can be looked at, talked about, and finally resolved. Typically, an analysis lasts for a few years, with four to five sessions per week of about 45 minutes each. In this way the psychoneuroses and the narcissistic personality disorders can be treated successfully in a majority of patients. Serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, manic-depressive illness, and the psychoses caused by organ malfunctioning of the brain cannot be cured by psychoanalytic treatment, though the patient can often benefit from psycho-pharmacological treatment – sedatives, tranquilizers, anti-depressants-- in combinations with psychotherapy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The longevity of success using psychoanalysis becomes a testimony to Freud’s in-depth study of the human mind. His forty plus years of work in the field were spent on the development of the main principles of psychoanalysis along with the techniques and methods used by the analyst. His work was furthered by his daughter and later adopted then adapted by Erikson. What seemed so revolutionary in the 1890’s and beyond has now become widely accepted by most all schools of psychological thought and its study.

Nationalism In The Middle East Essay -- essays research papers

The study of international relations is very broad and complex. It is the study of nations and states and how they are formed. It is also the study of measures, such as revolutions and wars, that create different nations and states and the reasons behind such measures. One important concept in international relations is the view of nationalism. Nationalism is a part of every nation and state and thus is relevant to each country. An important geographical area where nationalism relates directly to the events occurring today would be in the Middle East where nationalistic views of two different nations, that of Jews and Arabs, coincide to create a very volatile conflict that has run its course for nearly a whole century.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A â€Å"nation† is defined as a group with a common culture, language, folkways, and values. A â€Å"state† refers to a government in control of territory and population. For example, Israel is a state and a nation since it consists mainly of Jews. However, Palestine is a nation because it consists of Arabs with a common culture, but not a State, since the International community does not recognize it as one. Nationalism is the view that a nation and state in a specific area should coincide. It is the view that says that a specific group with a common culture should be allowed to form its own state and thus its own form of government to govern itself. Thus, nationalism is related to every country and so is very important in the study of International relations. The most damaging weakness in Nationalism is that Nationalism may cause a culture to consider itself superior to all other cultures. This in turn may be used as a justification to eliminate other groups. A prime example is that of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. But, on the other hand, this superior attitude towards other cultures could cause severe tension between whoever is involved, and in turn cause the inferior country to lash out causing a conflict or in this case war. Thus, nationalism is one of the important causes of revolutions, borders, and wars even in the world today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An important geographical area where the affects and causes of nationalism can be seen with clarity is the Middle East. The history of the Middle East is long and very complex relating back to more than three thousand years. The main conflict in the area today... ...ontinuing problems between the two manifestations of nationalism of Arabs and Jews.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Palestine War of 1948 was not the only major conflict between the two nations in the Middle East. Since then, there has been the Six Day War of 1967, the October War of 1973, the Palestinian Uprising of 1967, and perhaps more recently going on at this very moment the newest surge of Palestinian uprising in Israel that began in September of 2000. There are still tough issues to resolve between the two sides, issues such as Jerusalem, which is holy to both Jews and Muslims. Since both nations want full sovereignty over the Holy City and nothing less, this has become an important issue in their nationalistic views. Violent conflicts over such continue to spill blood, both Jewish and Arab, and bring more fear and pain into the already desperate situation. These conflicts are a continuing reminder of how nationalism, in this case both Jewish and Arab, can cause revolutions, uprisings, and wars in order for the creation of states. It is a continuing reminder of how nationalism relates to international relations and its importance in each individual country in the world.

Counselling Case Study Essay

Let me introduce Bandara. Bandara has been working as the number two in a medium sized organization for ten years. It has always been intimated that when Jeremy his boss retires or leaves, Bandara will slip into the number one position and lead the organization. Barry has always had some clear ideas on how he is going to take the organization forward when Jeremy is not there; ideas that have not been taken up in the past. Life being perverse, it had been decided to advertise the job externally and guess what? A better candidate came up who has now been in post for three weeks. Bandera’s new boss is a great guy, very friendly and supportive . . . but, he is not Barry. Barry has been to a counsellor for few sessions. Today is a new session. Counsellor: â€Å"Well Bandara, your new man is now firmly in position, so how does that leave you?† Bandara: â€Å"Adrift, de-energized, de-motivated, thwarted, un-trusted, rejected, passed over. Does that sum it up?† Well what an outpouring of emotion. This guy is in real trouble. Counsellor: â€Å"Can I add another one – rejected?† Bandara: â€Å"Of course that says it all. But I am clearly not as good at this job as I thought I was and that makes me feel insecure and uncomfortable. They have chosen this new guy over me – after all I have done here it does not seem fair. In fact, life does not feel fair at all.† How is this for a good counselling challenge? Which one of those key words above should our counsellor pick on first? Which of these is getting to Bandara most? What, if our counsellor mines deeply enough will help Bandara pick himself up and start regaining his customary enthusiasm? Counsellor must not be judgmental here, so he will ask Bandara. Counsellor: â€Å"Bandara, you have used a lot of what could be described as emotional words here, can you pick out one that really stands out? If you look inside yourself, what feeling are you seeing, feeling or hearing?† Bandara: â€Å"Phew that is not easy. My mind is going round and round with all these feelings. What did I do wrong, I ask myself constantly?† Counsellor: â€Å"So what did you do wrong?† Bandara: â€Å"I took it for granted that I would get the job; that I was the best man for it; that I knew so much about the organization that I was indispensable; that I had such great ideas that I was the obvious person for the job.† Counsellor: â€Å"Bandara, did anybody else in the organization know anything about these ideas of yours? Have you discussed them in the past?† Bandara: â€Å"Well, no. They were always at odds with the fundamental direction that we were going so did not raise them.† Counsellor: â€Å"Despite the fact that you had not discussed this openly, do you not think that over a period of 10 years, somebody would have got an inkling of your views?† The counsellor is digging and digging here, not letting go and is on the point of getting Barry to understand for himself some of the reasons why he may not have been picked for the job. Bandara: â€Å"Ummm, never thought like that. I a funny sort of way, thinking about it now, I have always been at odds with the culture here, despite that fact that I have been praised and rewarded for my efforts many times. Thinking about it that there has always been conflict in my sub-conscious and I had not realized it until now. The question is . . . what . . . how . . . well, oh dear I have got some very difficult resolving to do.† Counsellor – let the silence do the heavy lifting again. Bandara: â€Å"It makes sense that somebody here would have had inkling about my thoughts – ten years is long enough for people to do that. Oh dear, I may have shot myself in the foot here and been my own worst enemy. Wow, what a horrible realization.† The counsellor has done a great job here. A few questions have got Barry to look at and inside himself and he has come up with his own self diagnosis. Bandara has also moved from his â€Å"old brain† into the analytical part of his brain thus removing the emotion for him. The coach dilemma here is that having enabled Bandara to take himself apart metaphorically, it is necessary to allow him to get himself back together before the end of the session. Counsellor: â€Å"Bandara, if I were in your position, what would you advise me to do?† Well done again counsellor. Getting an objective view on this. Bandara: â€Å"Well that is simple. Think through the ideas you have always had, refine them and get them out of your head and onto paper (or a Word document). Not too long. Do not spend too much time on it and keep it very brief – an overview. Arrange to see the new number one, preferably off site at a neutral venue, and tell him that you have always had these ideas but never shared then and you would now like to share them and if anything was that good, maybe the organization can adopt them. You will either get an acceptance, in which case you will achieve what you have always wanted or you will have a debate as to what can or cannot be adopted and you will have at least cleared the air for yourself.† Counsellor: â€Å"So Bandara what are you going to do?† Bandara: â€Å"Crafty – you have got me to resolve my own dilemma. Clearly, I shall take my own advice and do just what I have recommended. Thanks sir. I have gone from tragic to magic as Walt Disney would say and it’s all down to you. Thanks.† Not crafty, just a great counselling session. The counsellor was faced with what appeared to be a somewhat intractable problem which was solved by some excellent questions and techniques. Would you have handled this in the same way, or is there a better way? Instructions to students 1 Read the case individually at least twice 2 Try to answer the following questions a) What is Counselling? b) What are the skills required for a counsellor c) What are the stages of a Counselling Session? d) What are the differences between directive counselling and non directive Counselling e) What are the lessons from this case for a new counsellor? 3 Discuss your findings with the sub group members. Be prepared to make an oral presentation on your findings 4 Write the assignment and submit same before the due date. It is advisable to attach a copy of this document to your assignment

Napoleon Bonaparte Essays - French Emperors, House Of Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte Essays - French Emperors, House Of Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte was possibly Frances greatest military mind ever. He was promoted through the ranks by hard work, dedication and his ability to think quickly. He eventually worked his way up to become the Emperor of France. Napoleon was born on August 15, in the year of 1769. He was born at Ajaccio, Corsica. This was a small island off the coast of North Africa. Napoleon?s parents Letizia and Carlo Bonaparte reserved Napoleon a spot at a French military school, and when Napoleon became old enough his parents sent him away to the school which was in Brienne France. Napoleon was not well excepted by the other students at the school. They felt he was a foreigner and Napoleon became a loner devoting all of his time to his studies. After Napoleon?s graduation he continued his military schooling by going on to attend the Cole Military Academy in Paris. Napoleon spent one year there before he was assigned to an infantry unit as a second lieutenant. His unit did not see much action in its fist few years, but Napoleon still managed to show his leadership qualities. In 1789 the French Revolution began. Napoleon look forward to the revolution, and supported it. In 1793 at the siege of Toulon, loyalist leaders and British troops clashed in fearsome battle. Napoleon fought heroically and the British were driven out. As Napoleon?s reward he was given a promotion to general and his own infantry unit. Ufortunitly Napoleon ran into some bad luck, the leader of the French Revolution Maximilien Robespierre became power hungry and lost control. His own men mutinized against him and executed him. Bonapart was also captured and briefly imprisoned because he was a member of Robspierre?s faction. Napoleon was freed just two months later. In 1795 a revolt began in Paris over a new constitution that was presented by the National Convention, the National Convention was name the of the new government that had taken power in France. Napoleon received orders from Frances military leader to defend the convention, and control the situation. Upon his arrival Napoleon realized that the crowd had turned into an ugly mob. Napoleon was able to take control of the situation, disperse the mob and restore peace. Paul Barras who was in control of the French military was so impressed with Napoleon he promoted him to commander. Napoleons next duty was to carry out a series of operations in Italy that would ideally divide and conquer the Sardinian and Austrian armies in Italy. Napoleons plan was to divide the opposing force into two parts. He would then throw his force at one half before the other half had time to rejoin them. Using this tactic Napoleon destroyed the Sardinian armies. Napoleon could not be stopped. The King of Sardinia started talking of peace but Napoleon did not listen, he continued his path of terror and completely wiped out the Sardinians. Now Napoleon was determined to defeat the Austrians. Napoleon first attacked a large Austrian army in Mantua. The Austrian?s sent four separate brigades of reinforcements to help hold off Napoleons army but it wasn?t enough. Napoleon?s army still defeated the Austrians at Mantua. Napoleon continued to forge his way through the country. In 1797 when he came with in eighty miles of Vienna, the Austrians knew they were defeated and surrendered.. After the surrender Napoleon negotiated the treaty with the Austrians, which obviously greatly favored France. Napoleon in total had won 14 pitched battles and 70 combats. Also whenever Napoleon took over a rich lands he used those lands to feed and pay his army, and then the rest would be sent back to France. This greatly helped their poor economy. When Napoleon returned to France he received a heroes welcome. Napoleon was overwhelmed with the support he got from the people. He knew that this would be the perfect time to pursue an office in politics. Napoleon had dreams of being the next Alexander the great. He asked the government if he could take a large army to Egypt. Napoleon thought that if he conquered Egypt he could attack the English by surprise and cut off their trading routes. Napoleon brought 35,000 troops with him to Egypt. He won

The opening credit sequence of The Sopranos Essay Example

The opening credit sequence of The Sopranos Essay Example The opening credit sequence of The Sopranos Paper The opening credit sequence of The Sopranos Paper The final step in the opening credit sequence is the title screen detailing The Sopranos. The viewer is presented with a black scene in the centre of which is the white block letter spelling out The Sopranos. This title screen itself may semiotically provide much information regarding the themes of the television programme once its layers of meaning are extricated and analysed. Treating firstly the importance of the simple colours of this screen- black and white- the themes of the show are visible. The traditional semiotic meaning that is assigned to these two colours aid in the production of these themes. White is mostly explicitly recognised as the colour of the good, the virginal/pure in contrast to the assigning of the colour black to the evil, the mysterious, danger, death and malice. The assigning of meaning to these two colours can be traced back in anthropological terms to the Western worlds view of white people as being good whilst the black people from the continent of Africa were inherently evil and not to be trusted. This dichotomy was later applied to the notion of the goodies versus the baddies and can be seen in the title of graphics detailing a main theme of the show- the good guys or the police, reflected in the white, battling against the bad guys or Tony Soprano and his mafia family, reflected in the black. These colours can also represent the struggle in Tonys world between right and wrong and his struggle with his morality and religious faith. Throughout the series, Tony has many crises of faith and a few attacks of conscience. Thus the black may reflect Tonys dark side, with his underhand dealings and deadly intent, and the white may represent Tonys faith, his belief in Catholicism and his need to do good in some form. However as the graphics show the black impedes on the white possibly illustrating the fact that Tony has a great struggle between right and wrong. To analyse the typography of the sequence it is again possible to find meaning implicitly embedded in it. The letters spelling out The Sopranos are thick and have blunt edges. The letters in the original are also large and white and stand out prominently from the black background. The typography used is illustrated below. This may be analysed semiotically as being a reflection of the character of Tony Soprano- solid and dependable with a large stature who is rough around the edges; possibly a reflection of his brutal streak. It may also serve to provide meaning about the Soprano family as a whole- large, close-knit and very prominent in society (reflected by the white standing out against the black background). Finally the representation of the downward facing gun as spelling out the R of The Sopranos is important for the assigning of meaning also. According to Freud, the gun can be viewed as a phallic symbol, a representation of the male penis and thus is a reflection of the male sexual drive. The gun may connote power and male sexual potency along with aggression and danger. The sexual exploits of Tony Soprano and his power sexually as well as physically is a main theme of the show, and is referred to implicitly in the title graphics. Thus it is possible to say that the title screen of the opening credit sequence of the show provides meaning semiotically through colour codes, typographic presentation and symbolic representation. Themes of the show such as the good versus the bad, violence and sexual prowess are all reflected through the simple yet highly effective title sequence. The opening credit sequence of The Sopranos may also be analysed semiotically as one explores the assigning of meaning to maleness and indeed the image of the gangster i. e. Tony Soprano. By analysing this sequence in-depth it is possible to detail information that the average viewer may neither implicitly nor explicitly decode whilst watching the television programme. The semiotic representation of Tony Soprano in the opening credit sequence reveals a lot about his character. Throughout the sequence Tonys face is obscured by shadows and darkness, the lower part of his face i. e. from his nose down, is the only part visible. If one is to assign meaning to this it is possible to say that Tony is a mysterious man with a dark mind/ dark thoughts. His face is obscured as he drives from New York to New Jersey; from work to home. It is only when he arrives home that Tony is fully visible/ fully illuminated. This reflects the idea that Tonys work life is dark and mysterious, full of secret dealings and murders, and that his home life and his family provide him with the bright/highlights of his day. In the car, Tony is the only person visible. He steers the car suggesting that he is a person who is solely in control and in power. It also suggests that he is an actor in his own future, that he directs his life and controls his destiny. This is again emphasised by the continuous close-up shots of Tonys hands and arms. The affluence of Tonys life and his materialism that is shown in the show is reflected in the opening sequences. There is a continual emphasis on Tonys gold jewellery connoting opulence, richness and his carelessness with money. The cigar that Tony smokes is also a symbol with several layers of signification for this opulence but also on another layer of meaning it may be seen as phallic, reflecting Tonys masculinity and raw sexual energy. The theme of money is again reinforced with the shot of the bank reflecting possibly Tonys implicit need for financial security for himself and his family. The religious aspect of Tonys personality is also detailed. The shot of the cathedral/church illustrates Tonys Catholicism but the shot is somewhat obscured by branches of trees. This may signify the crisis of faith that both Tony implicitly and his wife Carmela explicitly have in the show. Tony is religious, he has faith but this faith is obscured by the sins that he has committed and the illegal dealings that he is involved in. the image is almost a black and white image reflecting the clear cut base belief in God that Tony and the Soprano family hold. A red canopy on the front of the church is important as its semiotic analysis reveals that the colour red connotes a raw energy, vigour and spirituality. This reinforces the strong position that religion plays in Tonys life. The appearance of the graveyard also provides us with information about the show. The long shot of the gravestones illustrates that death will be a prevalent theme as it proves to be with all the murders carried out by Tony and his mafia gang in the show. The appearance of the butchers shop stands as signification on two levels- the butcher per se as the murderer e. g. Tony, and as standing for an immoral behaviour. The pig on top of this shop stands as a symbolic representation of Tonys greed for both food and money and for his selfishness and over-indulgence. The Pizzaland shop also reflects his greed for food and Tonys traditional Italian roots. Tonys arrival at home is also important to analyse semiotically. His movement through the gates signifies that he has entered a new phase of his life and as he moves up his driveway this signifies that an end has come to his journey, he is at rest and secure/content. Thus by performing a semiotic analysis of Tony and certain scenes from the opening credit sequences it is possible to ascertain what are the important areas of Tonys life i. e. family, religion, sex, money, food, revenge etc. The use of colour in the opening credit sequence is of particular importance in this semiotic study. There are many different meanings assigned to colours and their use in certain contexts can be highly significant in the development of meaning and therefore, themes. Tony is dressed in a maroon coloured shirt. This colour is associated with bravery and strength, which is indicative of Tonys character despite his cruel and brutal streak. The road signs signalling New Jersey, Tonys home-place, are green. Green is associated here with Tonys home-life and his family and this colour connotes peace and serenity, all feelings that Tony himself hopes to associate with his family. A colour that is of a particular significance due to its connotations is silver. The colour silver connotes justice and purity due to its association with the silver swords of the knights of olden times- protectors of freedom, upholders of morality and keepers of peace and justice. For this reason the colour is also connotative of the police as they have taken on the contemporary role of the knight. Silver freight lorries are frequently shown in the opening sequences but they are always shown travelling in different directions to Tony, never with him or even close to him. A freight truck may act as a symbol for carrying a heavy load or a burden, so the silver trucks may connote Tonys anxiety regarding being caught/followed by the police. His journey in opposite directions to these silver trucks may also act as signification that he has left purity/justice behind and is leading an immoral life. It is possible to even suggest that the colour of Tonys house is indicative to meaning. As Tony drives home, he passes by many white family homes, which bear the American flag thus connoting morality and good. Tonys house however is brown or not white signifying something other than purity and wholesomeness. Thus by analysing the use of colours and in particular their use in certain contexts it is possible to ascertain that themes such as immorality, family and fear of the police will feature as themes in this show. An important part of any semiotic analysis of a film or television programme is that of the soundtrack. Music works primarily on the level that it can rely on the spoken word as it is sung to create meaning instead of the visual image. Non-verbal communication is also employed in music to create meaning with the use of certain instruments to evoke emotions and atmosphere. According to Self (1988:116) title sequences together with title music, are instrumental in communicating the mood and themes of the coming production. The show uses the same song at the beginning of each episode. The song is Goy yourself a Gun and its lyrics play on the notion of the mob and the gun which are both themes in a way in the programme. The song plays slowly and quietly at the start of the sequence as Tony leaves the city and gains in speed and audibility, as he gets closer to home. This illustrates that he feels strongly about where he lives and about his family. According to the song, if one is to relate it to Tony, he was born under a bad sign with a blue moon in your (his) eyes (lines 7-8). This provides a hint to Tonys character, that he is immoral and does not follow the rules. Having blue moon in ones eyes is indicative of Tonys upward gazing idea, that one must better themselves regardless of how they do this even if the rules must be broken. The repetition of this song at the beginning of each episode helps to continually create the overall atmosphere of the show as being one of immorality and violence connoted by the gun in the song.

Make an Easy and Fun Glow in the Dark Lava Lamp

Make an Easy and Fun Glow in the Dark Lava Lamp Use common household ingredients to make a safe lava lamp that glows in the dark. This is a variation on the popular oil and water lava lamp, except instead of coloring water with food coloring, you use a water-based liquid that glows. Glowing Lava Lamp Materials clear plastic bottle (a 20-ounce or 2-liter bottle works great)vegetable oilglowing water (or another glowing liquid)Alka-Seltzer tabletsblack light (may be optional, but even glowing liquids are brighter with one) Whether the lava glows on its own or glows under a black light depends on the materials you choose. If you use glowing paint, expose the lava lamp to bright light, turn out the lights,  and it will truly glow in the dark. However, the easiest and brightest liquid to use is glowing highlighter ink. If you arent sure how to get the ink out of the highlighter, I have instructions. This ink (and your lava lamp) will glow when exposed to black or ultraviolet light. What To Do Fill the bottle most of the way full with vegetable oil.Add a big spoonful of glowing water (or your glowing liquid of choice).Turn on the black light and dim the lights in the room.When you are ready for the lava to flow, break a seltzer tablet into pieces and  add the pieces to the bottle.Cap the bottle and enjoy the magic.You can recharge the lava lamp by adding more seltzer tablet chunks. The Science Behind How It Works The globules form because oil and water (or a water-based liquid) are immiscible. The oil has a nonpolar nature, while water is a polar molecule. No matter how much you shake the bottle, the two components will always separate. The movement of the lava is caused by the reaction between the seltzer tablets and water. Carbon dioxide gas forms bubbles, which rise to the top of the liquid and cause it to circulate. The glow of the lava comes from either phosphorescence or fluorescence, depending on the chemical you used. Fluorescence occurs when a material absorbs energy and almost immediately releases light. A black light is used to make fluorescent materials to keep glowing.  Phosphorescence is a slower process in which energy is absorbed and released as light, so once a phosphorescent material is charged with light, it may continue to glow for several seconds, minutes, or even hours, depending on the specific chemicals.

Respiratory Failure Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Respiratory Failure - Research Paper Example It is important to note that respiratory failure occurs when the ability to take up oxygen or eliminate carbon dioxide is largely impaired. The cessation of these active processes indicates the severity of the patient’s condition, which results in mechanical interventions to sustain life (Hu et al, 2009). The use of medical interventions such as mechanical ventilation is subject to debate based on the ethical nature of the application. Opponents and proponents alike present heavy and valid arguments to oppose or support their position. With this in mind, this paper seeks to explore various aspects of respiratory failure include pathophysiological changes in the affected organs. Moreover, the paper explores ethical issues surrounding the use of mechanical intervention to restore respiratory functions to the affected patient. As already established, respiratory failure occurs following the incapacitation of one or both of the gas-exchanging processes; that is oxygenation of veno us blood and/or removal of carbon dioxide. Respiratory failure may be acute or chronic where the clinical presentation of each is different. Acute respiratory failure is usually characterised by life-threatening levels in blood gases resulting imbalanced acid-base status while chronic respiratory failure is more passive and bears unapparent clinical manifestations. Numerous underlying factors contribute to respiratory failure with each part of the body system resulting in a distinct type of failure. In essence, failure of the lungs owing to pneumonia, emphysema among other lung diseases, results in hypoxemia or type I respiratory failure. Similarly, failure of respiratory controllers such as the chest wall and muscles leads to hypoventilation and hypercapnia or type II respiratory failure. The two conditions may coexist as illustrated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, severe pulmonary oedema, or asthma. Owing to numerous underlying factors that contribute to re spiratory failure, the condition has emerged among the major causes of illness and death in the United States. The high prevalence of chronic respiratory conditions serves to enhance the risk of respiratory failure, which in turn leads to loss of productivity and shortened lives. However, it has been difficult to define mortality rates related to respiratory failure since the underlying conditions are indicated in such cases. The effects of chronic diseases become widespread much earlier, and can be felt as strain to a country’s economic development, which affects the low and middle income countries because chronic disease creates a double burden besides infectious diseases. Increased prevalence of chronic diseases is seen as an underlying cause of poverty, which hinders development in most countries. According to World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 16 million deaths occur each year in people under the age of 70, which the working and income-generating class. This nullifies the notion that only the aged are affected. Hypothetical Scenario A patient complains of heightened fatigue and shortness of breath after undertaking in relatively light duties. The patient indicated no breathing problems while at rest. However, the patient was not well rested following a night’s sleep and the morning were characterised by persistent headaches. Patient’s history illustrated a severe trauma to the head and chest in a car accident a few years ago. The patient also indicated that he was a moderate smoker taking less than a pack a day.

Strategic Analysis of Zara Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Analysis of Zara Inc - Essay Example Research indicates these factors include intensive competitive rivalry, buyer power with consumers, and even threats of substitute products that can drive pricing lower. Research has also indicated much negative publicity for Zara, something requiring addressing by Zara executives in order to improve and sustain a quality brand reputation in its international markets. Though Zara is able to effectively create some barriers, such as new market entrants and by removing buying power by limiting outsourced supplier presence, Zara still requires more emphasis on understanding market characteristics effectively to provide relevant products and gain more brand loyalty. Recommendations for business improvement have been identified as conducting more intensive market research, more emphasis on the promotional function and utilisation of interactive marketing, decentralisation of certain business functions along the value chain, and building more self-owned manufacturing and supply capacity in order to gain competitive advantage. 1.0 Industry analysis Buchanan and Huczynski (2010) provide knowledge of contingency theory, a strategic model that indicates as circumstances in the market or industry change, the organisation’s structure must also be changed in order to adapt and stay relevant. Zara is a prime example of a business that understands the market characteristics and capabilities of major rivals, creating contingency strategies in order to respond (quickly) to changing market and industry dynamics. This is accomplished, of course, through maintaining a stance in which Zara executives routinely scan the external environment to identify threats and opportunities that could contribute to a better market position. Thompson, Gamble and Strickland (2005) offer the Five Forces Model proposed by Michael Porter identifying five competitive threats that are industry-related that will either enhance or disturb maintaining profitability and competitive advantage. The most intensive industry concern for Zara is threat of substitutes in its operating markets. H&M, Gap Inc. and Benetton offer similar fashion merchandise that is focused on either youth markets with a trends-focused set of buying characteristics or mass markets that are attracted to fashionable styles at affordable prices. Macro-economic theory indicates that threat of substitutes becomes a legitimate concern when the demand for the product has been affected by price changes associated with substitute products (Boyes and Melvin 2007). For Zara, substitute products include clothing sold at resale shops, such as with the emerging trend for retro-style fashions. In this environment, clothing is sold at a nominal price, but still offering consumers products that are deemed fashionable. The ability of consumers to procure merchandise and fashion accessories from a variety of lower-cost sales facilities has the ability to affect demand for Zara’s merchandise. Thus, Zara must be aware of alternative procurement

Language of Thought and Fodor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Language of Thought and Fodor - Essay Example This paper is based on his book titled The Language of Thought, as it seeks to prove that Fodor was right in saying that the nature of human thought requires the existence of a language of thought that is not one's native language. At the very onset, it is imperative to highlight the main features of the nature of human thought. Human thought is that course or process which enables a human being to make rational choices and recognise symbols. This process goes beyond language, according to Fodor. It is contained in the laws of nature and the reaction that a human instinctively offers in the study of these laws. Here, it is imperative to speak about language so as to compare and contrast the two before proving Fodor's theory. (Fodor, 1975) The knowledge of a language is akin to the art of knowing about an entire culture, nation and people. Language may be defined as a form of expression that reveals a person's identity and gives him or her a sense of belonging. But how does a language structure a person's experiences To begin with, the role of language in one's life is one that fulfils the need to belong. This sense of belonging springs from one's immediate environment where there is focus on the language one speaks along with complementary elements like accent, nuances and other such features that form the general social and cultural terrain of the particular place. Language offers people first hand knowledge of a variety of symbols that one comes to associate with a place. This in turn generates a more enriching quality to one's experiences. (Mercer, 1996) In knowing and learning a language, whether by birth or subsequent settlement, there is a certain amount of satisfaction that helps contribute to one's sense of identity. This also has certain mental implications as it shows the person's basic aptitudes, besides brining him or her face to face with the challenges of implementing the language. This makes a person draw from experiences of the past, learn from present experiences and contribute to future experiences, which will shape his or her overall life experiences. This also renders a certain amount of creative and communicative competency to a person and his or her sense of confidence with which he or she carries out interactions with people. If Fodor is to be believed, then the competency of a person comes from being able to effectively use language to portray what is within. For this, it is imperative to portray the most elementary human thought in a language that transcends words, diction and pronunciation. This connects langua ge with experience. (Fodor, 1975) In this regard, it is necessary to shift focus to the process of learning of a language and garnering communicative competency. This process is important in every individual's life as the knowledge comes only after learning. The very process of learning is a journey throughout which an individual is brought face to face with experiences. These experiences form his or her general perspective on things. In this way, there is a certain level of competency which in turn, springs from the areas and experiences that a person finds comfortable to deal with. Learning a language is a crucial part of describing how a language shapes a person's experiences. (Girvin, 2000) Learning a language has always been a great challenge. While this is a matter of creating awareness, it is also a matter of creating certain comfort level that will trigger communicative com

Personal reflection on learning Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal reflection on learning - Term Paper Example This paper explores my reflection on this particular aspect. The traditional method of teaching, which calls for a passive role from the part of the learners, has already been outdated and no longer considered the norm or the standard for best teaching practices. What this means is that in the classroom setting such as in my Marketing class, students are expected to participate and be part of the learning process. Gone were the days when learners wait to be spoon-fed with the subject's contents. That is widely accepted as ineffective. There are evidences that could attest to this fact and that the conventional demagoguery has been exchanged for the current more progressive approach in a logical progression of evolution in education. The prevailing idea is that learning should be experiential. The student, together with the teacher, explores and discovers concept and issues, which underpins a framework that is both engaging and effective especially in terms of achieving learning objec tives. Learning a marketing concept, for instance, is not about the assimilation of a conceptual explanation of the teacher but the assimilation through the discovery of such concept, as facilitated by the instructor. This is particularly more pronounced in the case of teaching or learning the marketing field. Marketing is all about relationships; it is all about persuasion, information and experience. Our class learned this indirectly by simulating those processes. Such simulation could not have transpired without the contribution of each student. For example, in doing activities like group works, I discovered that being able to play assigned tasks and roles are crucial in achieving positive learning outcomes. First, there was the structure: we assign leaders and followers. Then, there was the negotiation. Say, I provide some inputs why this student will be better in this task or this role, so the assignments are revised. Because of respect for other people’s opinion, we wer e able to avoid conflicts that could have resulted to poor outcome. Instead, we effectively harnessed diverse perspectives. So it is imperative for students learning this field to be able to navigate through the learning issues and the socialization process involved and should not entirely rely on the source of knowledge or of an expertise. I also would like to cite the benefit of being curious. This worked for me especially when students are encouraged to ask questions, engage in a dialogue and discuss issues. There are times when lectures could be so silent, however participative the teacher encourages it to be. Then I ask a question or raise something thought provoking. And it contributes to making the discussion livelier and more engaging. Other students also do this and I found that we could only ask and raise issues, and participate better if we came to school prepared or knowledgeable. If I assumed a passive position in the learning process, I would have contributed nothing t o the manner by which knowledge is gained and internalized. More importantly, I would have encouraged an ineffectual learning environment. I would like to cite a theory we have learned as an example. The law of supply and demand is a pretty straightforward concept we have learned and a notion that is widely

Analysis film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis film - Essay Example It is the male that is expected to go to school to provide for the family which is very common among patriarchal families. The female gaze in the film Real Women Have Curves may not have a sexual connotation of looking down at women as mere sex objects but it still bore traditional thinking and relegation of women to be subjects of their family, husband and community. It is imposed on women albeit in the film it was not imposed by a male figure but Ana’s mother played a surrogate male figure of subjecting Ana to gender roles of being domesticated and not to aspire too much. This kind of female gaze that is associated with gender oppression is Laura Mulvey in her work "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema† where the concept of gaze and its dynamics is said to be a manifestation of imbalance of power between the male and the female where the male dominates the female. There may be no dominant male figure in the film but gender oppression was imposed on Ana by making her work in a sweatshop instead of pursuing her dream of going to college. In the film, Ana’s mother played a substitute â€Å"male gaze† because she imposes on Ana the traditional male oriented patriarchal values of not getting an education. This is evident in Mulvey’s theory which Freudian in origin where she â€Å"breaks scopophilia down into an active part, which is always  male, and a passive part, which is always female. Women are the objects that are looked† (Finzsch). In Mulvey’s male gaze, the male’s patriarchal role is extended to the film where the male imposes a hegemonic gaze to Ana as a subject of family to do their wishes even against her will or own ambition. This produces an imbalance relationship as women are reduced to an object of two distinct modes of male gaze where they became Madonna’s in male perspective (voyeuristic) or whores (fetishistic) or in this case, a

Personal reflection on learning Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal reflection on learning - Term Paper Example This paper explores my reflection on this particular aspect. The traditional method of teaching, which calls for a passive role from the part of the learners, has already been outdated and no longer considered the norm or the standard for best teaching practices. What this means is that in the classroom setting such as in my Marketing class, students are expected to participate and be part of the learning process. Gone were the days when learners wait to be spoon-fed with the subject's contents. That is widely accepted as ineffective. There are evidences that could attest to this fact and that the conventional demagoguery has been exchanged for the current more progressive approach in a logical progression of evolution in education. The prevailing idea is that learning should be experiential. The student, together with the teacher, explores and discovers concept and issues, which underpins a framework that is both engaging and effective especially in terms of achieving learning objec tives. Learning a marketing concept, for instance, is not about the assimilation of a conceptual explanation of the teacher but the assimilation through the discovery of such concept, as facilitated by the instructor. This is particularly more pronounced in the case of teaching or learning the marketing field. Marketing is all about relationships; it is all about persuasion, information and experience. Our class learned this indirectly by simulating those processes. Such simulation could not have transpired without the contribution of each student. For example, in doing activities like group works, I discovered that being able to play assigned tasks and roles are crucial in achieving positive learning outcomes. First, there was the structure: we assign leaders and followers. Then, there was the negotiation. Say, I provide some inputs why this student will be better in this task or this role, so the assignments are revised. Because of respect for other people’s opinion, we wer e able to avoid conflicts that could have resulted to poor outcome. Instead, we effectively harnessed diverse perspectives. So it is imperative for students learning this field to be able to navigate through the learning issues and the socialization process involved and should not entirely rely on the source of knowledge or of an expertise. I also would like to cite the benefit of being curious. This worked for me especially when students are encouraged to ask questions, engage in a dialogue and discuss issues. There are times when lectures could be so silent, however participative the teacher encourages it to be. Then I ask a question or raise something thought provoking. And it contributes to making the discussion livelier and more engaging. Other students also do this and I found that we could only ask and raise issues, and participate better if we came to school prepared or knowledgeable. If I assumed a passive position in the learning process, I would have contributed nothing t o the manner by which knowledge is gained and internalized. More importantly, I would have encouraged an ineffectual learning environment. I would like to cite a theory we have learned as an example. The law of supply and demand is a pretty straightforward concept we have learned and a notion that is widely

Operation strategy essay questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Operation strategy questions - Essay Example It is applicable both in service and manufacturing sectors. Henry Ford was one of the first founders of this idea no wonder he was named after the Ford automobile industry. Ford discovered the continuous flow in manufacturing. His T model of automobile production ensured that his production standards were so tight such that each stage of the process of production could fit with the next stage perfectly and this resulted into little or no waste. The other manufacturing company that adopted Henry Ford’s hypothesis is the Toyota Company which is one of the giants in the automobile field to date. The company uses just in time model which uses the pull model that ensures that the company is only purchasing, producing and distributing their products only when needed. In the service industry, lean manufacturing focuses on the customer values and focus. Lean manufacturing relates to inventory, customers and production when it comes to processing of data knowledge and any service. Thes e include customer care services as well as finding out what the customer needs and producing it only if the customer wants it. The zero defect model can also be applied in the service industry which requires that the right service is delivered at the right time without any defect. 9. Scheduling for repetitive jobs ensures tradeoffs and efficient utilization of staff and other facilities. Both scheduling for job shops and repetitive scheduling enjoys the advantage of efficiency. However repetitive scheduling is more consistent and may result in high profits compared to job shops which are more

Narrative Using the Hobbit Essay Example for Free

Narrative Using the Hobbit Essay It was a fine spring morning according to Prince Reno of Lorien, who was to set off with his seven most trusted friends-the dwarf brothers Korin and Gorik, the three mighty elf leaders loki,Lorin and Algain and two of the finest Dalish Warriors Phalarix and Cagaris-on a quest. These eight men together were very powerful throughout the land, no-one could match their wisdom and might. Prince Reno’s quest was to avenge his father’ death meaning he had to kill the evil enchantress Sirenia. He was walking away from his life of luxury and riches in order to do so, also meaning he gave up his right to be crowned king. It took them many days to be in a viewing distance of the Mountains of Lorencia, and at the very heart of the mountain was Sirenia’s fortress. It would take them three days to reach the mountains and another two to get to the fortress so they rested up that night and set off the next morning. Two days later it was unfortunate when Lorin died and that they got lost. They buried him and then Reno remembered an enchanted compass he had which would take them on the shortest but most dangerous path so they all took a vote and decided to use it. Upon arrival at the mountains they encountered a horrifying and disgusting site of three gigantic hob-goblins protecting the path to Sirenia. As soon as they saw the hob-goblins they attacked and if it weren’t for Korin sacrificing himself none of them would have survived. Prince Reno knew this might have been the last few days of his life, he knew that two people had already died throughout this quest and that there may be many deaths to come. As they approached the fortress they found a quick entrance to sneak in through, they crept through the fortress to Sirenia’s quarters but she knew they were coming and had turned into her demon dragon form but Prince Reno used this to his advantage as he had an enchanted blade covered in the poisonous blood of the blue and red fire-snape and started slicing and slashing at Sirenia waiting for the poison to kick in, as he watched his friends die brutally and then it happened, Sirenia dropped dead and Prince Reno knew that it was time to flee, finally being at peace knowing his father’s killer was now dead.

Sustainable Product Design And Materials Recycling Environmental Sciences Essay

Sustainable Product Design And Materials Recycling Environmental Sciences Essay Over the last three decades, environmental issues have become a significant concern for all societies. With growing awareness of environmental issues, for instance, Air Pollution, Global Warming, Water Pollution and Ozone Depletion, sustainability has been gaining increasing attention in recent years. (Roy, R. 2000) However, according to Tseng, M. et al. (2012), currently it is generally not sustainable that models of consumption and the Manufacturing systems which based on traditional activities and business technologies. Therefore, sustainability has captured the attentions of most designers, regardless of their specialism. In other word, designers have to consider the sustainable aspects of their practices in order to adapt to a sustainable future. The choice of recycled materials used to make product is important, allied with the way in which they are used. (Manheim, J. 2009) The literature review is based upon the examples from Internet and books that were found to have relevanc e to the topic of sustainable product design and recycled materials. And this literature review will aim to bring together the most key examples and developments in recycled materials and sustainable product design from recent years in order to establish what the present state of the art is. (G.D. Hatcher et al., 2011) In the final part, it will demonstrate the significance and limitations of sustainable product design made from recycled materials and from this provide suggestions as to where the research should go next. Sustainable product design and materials recycling A sustainable product design also known as eco-design, green design or design for environment, and it depends on two things: what types of designs are made, and in what quantity they are made (Matthew, S. and Andrew, S. 1997). In other words designing with recycled materials is actually depending on the type of waste objects that you have access to. While from the environment aspect, Lennart (2007) suggested that a sustainable product is a product, which will give as little impact on the environment as possible during its life cycle. And sustainable products applying environmental criteria aimed at the prevention of waste and emissions and the minimization of their environmental impact, along the material life cycle of the product. (Weenen, J. C., 1995) Sustainable product design can be characterized by several factors; for instance, recycling materials through the design for environment is one of key factors, which includes design for remanufacturing, design disassembly and for sust ainability. Employment of cleaner production principles of preventive strategy and source-oriented approaches are equally essential in sustainable design practices (Tseng, M. 2012). It is generally useful to define a sustainable product or at least to have some measures of degree of sustainability. It is agreed that the principles of eco-design can be considered the running of resources in the environment. Recycled materials include collecting a large number of already made products and materials from various sources and reducing them to other standardized raw materials objects; original product form and function is totally discarded or partial changed. The main consideration of sustainable product design made from recycled materials is to facilitate the reduction or changing process, and involves approaches such as (1) modifying the materials mix, (2) recycling for disassembly, (3) designing for recycling process compatibility, and (4) adopting materials coding systems. (Fuller, D.A. and Ottman, J.A. 2004) Designer and artist worked with recycled materials Julia Manheim is a famous designer and having gained an international for her work. In the early 1970s, her concern for the disposal of materials started and found that she was fond of collecting piles of Guardian newspapers and disliked anything to going to waste. (Manheim, J. 2009) She collected various waste materials in her life such as chocolate wrappers, burnt film, toothbrush heads, plastic carrier bags, etc. then made them into creative jewelries. Her research is about how to recycle existing materials in different approaches to give it a second life and a new meaning. Accordingly, this might be achieved by altering it, using it in different ways, cutting it up, adding to it, covering it up, or casting it in another recycled material. These are all methods of reusing and reinterpreting what is here already, rather than having to start from scratch. Also she started to develop a sensibility for looking at and seeking the potential in old product and then changed it into the ne w one. It seems that intervention can be minimal, and materials do not always need to undergo a total transformation to become to a new thing; they just require handling with sensitivity and an awareness of their inherent properties. The product made from recycled materials can be equally unusual and creative if the recycled elements are easily identifiable. It depends on how inventively the materials are reused and put together. (Lea, V. 1997) Fashion designers are also chasing this eco-trend, take Gary Harvey, for example, he can recycle waste materials from his life such as a piece of old jeans, newspapers, some trench coats, army jackets or wedding dresses and turn them into new amazing dresses with eco-conscious. Gary Harvey is the former Creative designer of Levi Strauss and Dockers Europe director for Levis. An impressive creation was made from cans, cardboard boxes and bottle tops. People admire him about designing a surprising dress made from old jeans, newspapers, or even juice packages. Some people may have a question about the wearability of a designing dress out of waste materials. However, this dress is an environmentally friendly dress, which people can be worn for special occasions. It will help people spread the information of helping the environment and with unique style. His most recycled materials were from everyday life which made me consider how everyday domestic objects, found around the house or at a local shop, can be used to make sustainable product. In addition, I started pay attention to the relationship between my recycled objects and fashion. The Nike shoes are successful example of an eco-design product which is environmentally and sustainably. Steve Nash who is the All-Star Guard for the Phoenix Suns and Nike has made up a team to produce the Nike Trash Talk, the first Nike performance basketball shoes completely produced from manufacturing waste materials. The emphasis of this design was aim to create a sustainable, high-performance basketball shoe. Nike used manufacturing waste materials, such as, leather materials and synthetic leather waste from the products factory floor for the upper replace using toxic adhesives; used zigzag stitching to sew the upper together. The mid-sole was made up of scrap-ground foam from factory production materials. Nike recycled waste materials from their own manufacturing-with a low-toxin, environmentally preferred rubber to make an outsole which contains 96% fewer toxins. Even the shoelaces and sock liners were made from environmentally preferred materials. Finally, the shoes were pack aged in a fully recycled cardboard shoebox. The company tends to encourage the designers to design more sustainable products. Significance and limitations Girlamy (2008) suggested that recycling materials and transforming them into new sustainable products is a win-win trend. Designers and artists who designing sustainable product out of recycled materials are taking an object at the end of its useful life and changing it into a helpful raw material to make another new object. (Manheim, J. 2009) As a consumer, you are helping the development of eco-friendly environment when you support businesses that remanufacture products such as clothing and furniture made from recycled materials. Scientists are finding our planets landfills are filling at an alarming rate; many of the landfills filled with waste materials will remain for thousands of years. As a consequence, it will be disastrous if we do not follow the trend of using sustainable product made from recycled materials. Material recycling reduces the demand for raw materials and thus protecting the environment and preserving resources. It reduces the pollution of air and water allied with energy usage. The consumer in turn is rewarded by gaining some products which are special and exquisite when they choose a sustainable product with recycled materials. This is because, products made from waste materials are often handcrafted and manufactured by a fair trade organization that provides a fair wage and favorable working conditions for their workers. But there are clearly very few truly sustainable designs. As discussed above, humans have received a considerable number of benefits from sustainable product design, and the demand for sustainability to designer is increasing. However, sustainable product design has its limitations. In particular, an eco-friendly advantageous change in one aspect of a Green design may have contrary environmental influences elsewhere in its life cycle which may outweigh any benefits. For example, the avoidance of potentially toxic materials may decrease a designs lifetime and therefore require it to be replaced more frequent, consequently, eco-designs may consume more energy and generate more pollution than it saves. (Roy, R. 2000) The designers should not only consider the sustainability in their design activities, but also need to grasp the economic, technical, social and cultural background of their designs in various areas. In other words, designers need to consider long-term benefits rather than current benefits. Sustainability should also be of concern not only to the designers, but also to every company or organization. This is because, sustainable product design is an integrated design process driven by whole-system thinking.